業績亮點- 收益增長22.1%至約4.0億港元- 毛利上升20.3%至約2.1億港元- 權益持有人應佔綜合溢利增長53.4％至95.9百萬港元- 中期股息每股5.50港仙，同比增長59.4%- 憑藉有效的整合及營銷策略，旗艦品牌何濟公及保濟丸實現強勁增長- 濃縮中藥顆粒劑業務展示穩健增長勢頭，為經營業績帶來貢獻香港, 2024年11月19日 - (亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com) - 健倍苗苗（保健）有限公司 （「健倍苗苗」或「公司」；股份代號：2161，連同其附屬公司統稱「集團」）為香港品牌保健品的領先營銷商及分銷商，集團今天公佈截至二零二四年九月三十日止六個月（「二零二五財年中期」或 「報告期」）的中期業績。報告期內，集團的品牌醫療保健業務表現出色。收益總額錄得約4.0億港元，較去年同期顯著增長22.1%。集團的毛利為2.1億港元，同比增長20.3％。於二零二五年財年上半年，權益持有人應佔綜合溢利增長53.4% 至95.9百萬港元。集團優秀的表現主要受惠於集團旗艦品牌的強勁銷售勢能，尤其是品牌藥分部的何濟公和品牌中藥分部的保濟丸。此外，集團的濃縮中藥顆粒業務持續增長也提供進一步支持。這樣的亮眼表現反映集團的線下及線上渠道銷售及營銷策略行之有效，從而把握品牌消費保健產品於香港、澳門及大灣區市場的增長潛力。董事會宣派中期股息每股5.50港仙，同比增長59.4%。各分部均錄得顯著增長品牌藥分部的銷售收益增長23.9％，主要受惠於何濟公產品持續的銷售勢頭。作為止痛退燒藥非處方類別中領先的家用品牌，何濟公透過精準品牌營銷及銷售計劃鞏固其市場佔有率。該品牌加強社交媒體運營，特別是在小紅書及抖音等平台上，以提高其對年輕群體的吸引力，順應數字化趨勢，並擴大其在中國內地年輕消費者當中的影響力。品牌中藥分部銷售收益增長17.9％，主要受保濟丸的強勁表現及濃縮中藥顆粒業務的持續增長所帶動。作為提升品牌知名度的持續策略其中一環，保濟丸在銷售高峰期間策略性地播出由知名歌手王菀之擔任品牌大使的電視廣告，以加深消費者的印象。此外，保濟丸亦成為熱門TVB節目《中年好聲音3》的冠名贊助商，向廣大電視觀眾進一步宣傳品牌。健康保健品分部的銷售收益增長38.9％。該增長主要受Oncotype DX安可待乳癌基因表現檢測 (“Oncotype DX”) 的穩步增長，加上集團擴大產品組合及加強針對大眾健康市場的營銷力度所帶動。Oncotype DX在香港及澳門的醫療專業人士中已獲得越來越高的認可度，特別是在公營界別。為進一步支持增長，集團與香港乳癌基金會合作推出一項患者護理計劃，向檢測結果顯示需要接受進一步化療的公立醫院病人提供費用報銷。擴展跨境電子商務及傳統中藥行業集團在拓展線上業務方面取得進展，尤其是跨境電子商務平台，同時策略性地進行部署，把握香港及大灣區持續增長的傳統中藥行業機遇。此外，集團就何濟公、保濟丸、濃縮中藥顆粒產品及雅各臣藥業在已於天貓國際開設旗艦店，以加強品牌知名度及擴大在中國內地的覆蓋範圍。此等措施顯著提升集團於內地消費者群中的品牌知名度及形象。健倍苗苗行政總裁黃一偉先生表示：「儘管報告期內零售環境充滿挑戰，該集團仍然通過豐富的產品組合、有效的品牌管理及強大的商業執行實現斐然成績，尤其是在我們的旗艦品牌方面取得了顯著成功。展望未來，我們對集團的策略定位持樂觀態度，並對持續增長充滿信心。多個主要市場因素，包括久坐的生活方式、生活水平提升帶來更高健康意識及人口老齡化，共同促進了消費者健康需求的增長動力。我們致力於卓越營運及增長策略，專注於豐富產品組合、加強商業能力以及擴大銷售平台及地理覆蓋範圍。」有關健倍苗苗（保健）有限公司 （股份代號：2161）健倍苗苗是設於香港的品牌醫療保健品推廣及分銷公司，產品據點遍及大中華、東南亞及其他選定國家。集團擁有豐富的行銷專業知識並具備深厚的製藥背景，秉承產品功效和品質至上的優良傳統，在行業內定位獨特，致力於滿足消費者的保健需要。作為本地領先的品牌醫療保健品運營商，集團擁有一廣泛系列品牌醫療保健品，包括品牌藥、品牌中藥及健康保健品，其中包括「保濟丸」、「何濟公止痛退熱散」、「德國秀碧除疤膏」、「美德瑪寶兒除疤啫喱」、「唐太宗活絡油」、「飛鷹活絡油」、「十靈丹」、「十靈油」及「鎮痛霸祛風活絡油」等家喻戶曉的傳統品牌。而自2021年 5月27日，集團獲納入 MSCI 香港微型股指數成份股。有關集團詳情，請瀏覽：www.jbmhealthcare.com.hk Copyright 2024 亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com.
第四範式前三季度平臺業務增長50.2% 超40款AI產品提供強增長動力
香港, 2024年11月19日 - (亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com) - 北京第四範式智能技術股份有限公司（「第四範式」或「公司」，股份代號：6682.HK）發佈2024年截至9月30日期間核心業務進展，今年前三季度營收人民幣32.18億元，同比增長26.1%；毛利人民幣13.50億元，同比增長12.5%。公司核心業務先知AI平台業務顯著增長，收入人民幣21.71億元，同比增長50.2%。據國際權威研究機構國際數據公司（「IDC」）報告數據顯示，第四範式連續六年穩居中國機器學習平台市場份額第一。公司持續優化先知AI平台中AI Agent、GPU資源池化等多項關鍵能力，已實現算力層、平台層、模型層、應用層等端到端的能力供給。並通過「先知 Inside 模式」，高效打造了40餘款人工智能產品矩陣，極大拓展產業生態及人工智能賦能千行萬業的應用邊界。前三季度第四範式客戶服務深度和用戶粘性不斷提升，繼續深耕交通運輸、能源電力、金融、運營商等重點行業，期間企業總用戶數224個，標杆用戶群體平均營收貢獻為人民幣1,487萬元（標杆用戶：全球財富500強企業或上市公司）。核心業務增長50.2%，「先知Inside模式」40款AI產品為長期增長提供動力第四范式先知AI平台，是公司所有業務的內核。前三季度，第四範式行業大模型開發及管理平台「先知AI平台5.0」已實現算力層、平台層、模型層、應用層等端到端的能力供給。先知AI平台持續優化其AI Agent、GPU資源池化、模型統一納管等多項關鍵能力，同時開展生成式AI與各類生態產品、解決方案的深度結合，推動生成式AI落地進程。例如，AI Agent 提升了複雜推理及執行的精准度，並覆蓋大模型Agent設計、開發、調試、發佈、運營分析、自學習優化的全流程，為Agent生產應用提供穩定可靠保障；此外，公司也進一步提升AI Coding類產品在企業側產品功能及應用效果，降低開發門檻、提升代碼開發效率，實現了改造企業軟件交互方式、及規模化打造AI應用的目標。公司繼續創新AI商業應用模式，通過「先知Inside模式」，規模化構建可應用不同場景的人工智能產品，截至2024年9月30日，在該模式下，公司已累計打造40餘款人工智能產品，囊括智慧滑鼠解決方案、智能會議解決方案、vGPU、AI Data Foundry、大模型工具鏈、搜廣推一體化平台「天樞」、大模型納管平台Model Hub、智慧問數、AI數位人視頻合成平台、文檔數字化管理平台Smart Archive 2.0、AI+5G視頻营銷、AI質檢系統、三維掃描建模設備等多款人工智能產品，在企業中形成了規模化應用，拓寬先知AI平臺的行業覆蓋空間，為公司未來業務發展提供長期增長動力。AI Agent賦能多款解決方案，規模化打造標杆意義行業大模型本期間，第四範式進一步拓展技術、產品在多行業及場景的覆蓋度及滲透率。在產品功能迭代方面，公司將AI Agent能力加入到AIGS Builder、AIGS CodeX、及多款智能硬體解決方案中，讓產品獲得解決更加複雜的推理和執行能力。且基於強化學習技術的AI Agent形成了自學習閉環，用戶使用越多，模型推理能力越強，執行能力越準確。本期間，公司攜手標杆用戶聯合打造了一批具有示範意義的行業大模型，並加速推動人工智能技術在千行百業的規模化應用。在交通運輸領域，與全球領先的港口集團合作構建港口供應鏈大模型，為實現港口供應鏈綜合服務轉型提供智能化能力輸出，推動大模型在港航領域及周邊業態的可持續應用發展；在學術翻譯領域，公司與現代出版機構合作共建國內首個出版專業大模型，使大模型的翻譯水準達到學術出版級別，較通用大模型在專業書籍的 BLEU（BLEU：機器翻譯的主流評估標準，主要通過對比機器翻譯結果與人工參考翻譯之間的相似度來評價翻譯質量）提升 30% 以上，滿足學術垂直領域的高準確度翻譯需求。 Copyright 2024 亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com.
可持續內生增長 晶科電子處價值窪地
香港, 2024年11月19日 - (亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com) - 伴隨四季度港股IPO市場景氣度回升，年度 「超購王」晶科電子（2551.HK）的憑藉驚豔表現，成為市場矚目的焦點。高達5,678倍的公開發售認購倍數，不僅打破了科技類企業港股IPO的歷史記錄，也讓公司成為港股IPO史上僅次於毛記葵湧的唯二超過5,000倍的新股。目前晶科電子股價位於4元區間，仍處價值窪地，看漲未來長期估值。根據公司招股書，未來三年，公司也擬根據業務運營及現金流量狀況採用不低於派息年度淨利30%的派息率，該派息政策可見公司對於自身盈利能力和可持續發展的信心，進一步奠定了投資者長期持有公司標的的信心。同時，公司能夠獲得資本市場青睞，與晶科電子領先的行業地位、穩健的基本面及遠闊的發展前景密不可分。作為LED智能視覺行業頭部企業，公司深入佈局高成長性確定性強的優質賽道，技術能力位於全球創新先進行列，在汽車智能視覺、高端照明及新型顯示三大高增長的LED細分市場，顯現出加速兌現的態勢。當前國家以舊換新家電、汽車等政策性補貼加碼，全國相關消費熱度維持高水平。市場對新型顯示的需求顯著增加，晶科電子産能全滿，業績額有足夠市場支撐。據市場消息，10月晶科電子在汽車智能視覺領域的銷售額或將創下新紀錄。「LED+」技術賦能，高築競爭壁壘受益於LED技術進步及LED產品廣泛應用，LED智能視覺行業已逐步向「LED+」技術的轉變。「LED+」技術將LED技術與電子控制、軟件、傳感器及光學等相結合，為行業發展設定了新軌跡。根據廣東省照明學會的資料，「LED+」技術已成為行業規範，被行業廣泛採用，並受機構及實體廣泛引用。利用在LED晶片和封裝技術方面的前期積累及成就，晶科電子開發出廣泛的技術。公司的技術包括涵蓋倒裝LED技術及先進光電半導體封裝技術的基礎技術，及針對特定應用領域而開發的特定產品技術。基於獨具優勢的專有技術，公司持續加強自主研發，形成了一套全面的知識產權保護體系。截至最後實際可行日期，公司在多個國家擁有376項專利，研發成果豐碩。基礎技術方面，晶科電子是早期從事倒裝LED技術開發的領先公司之一，其基於倒裝晶片結構的LED產品，具有熱傳導能力強、耐用性高、可靠性好及光效高的優勢，在行業內始終表現出卓越的性能、高生產良率及高質量。同時，公司掌握多種先進光電半導體封裝技術的核心技術，其中包括先進白光封裝光轉換技術、先進LED集成封裝技術及高端LED器件封裝技術。針對特定產品的技術方面，於過去幾年，晶科電子以先進的基礎技術為依託，專注於LED應用關鍵技術的開發，涵蓋汽車智能視覺、高端照明及新型顯示。由此，公司成功開發了針對智能車燈、車規級LED器件和模組、高端LED照明及新型顯示的多種針對特定產品的技術。後續，晶科電子將專注「LED+」創新，實現技術突破。一方面，持續構建「LED+」核心技術體系，加速前沿技術研發，保持技術先進性。另一方面，將預判市場需求顯現節奏，戰略性佈局傳感器、激光雷達、控制器技術，加大對前沿技術和產品的持續研發投入，強化競爭優勢。一流客戶群助力業務擴張，汽車智能視覺或創新高由於車規級器件、模組以及汽車視覺產品及系統的技術開發要求嚴苛、設備投資巨大且體系認證門檻較高，汽車智能視覺市場具有較高進入門檻。已經在行業站穩腳跟的晶科電子，憑藉卓越的研發實力及穩定的產品質量，形成了穩定客戶群。近日，晶科電子獲三星電子面向全球合作夥伴頒發的「最佳外駐社」稱號及榮獲海信授予的「品質改進獎」等。這些獎項充分肯定了晶科電子在2024年度支持客戶業務發展中的突出表現和卓越貢獻，不僅彰顯了晶科電子專業高效的客戶服務支持能力，更體現了晶科電子爲客戶持續創造顯著價值的實力。業界的良好聲譽和知名度加持下，晶科電子穩步擴大業務規模，與客戶構建了長期合作關係。公司的客戶及終端用戶包括昕諾飛（曾用名飛利浦照明）、三星、松下、豐田合成等國際一線照明公司，以及海信、TCL、創維、長虹、LG及三星等知名電視品牌。此外，公司已與二十餘家國內汽車主機廠、汽車品牌及一級供應商建立合作關係，包括吉利汽車、領克、極氪、精靈、路特斯、廣汽、長安汽車、理想汽車等行業領導者。隨着客戶群的不斷擴張，近年來，晶科電子業績節節攀升，實現量與質的雙重提升。自2021年至2023年，公司收入從人民幣13.88億元增至18.58億元，複合年增長率為15.7%；毛利潤從人民幣2.28億元增至3.39億元，複合年增長率為21.9%。2024年前五個月，公司收入、毛利潤及經調整淨利潤分別同比增長35.0%、47.9%及465.3%，優秀盈利能力支撐業績高成長。消費者節能環保意識的提高，以及利好政策和法規的實施，推動LED智能視覺成為全球各國戰略性新興產業之一。根據灼識諮詢預計，全球LED智能視覺行業的市場規模到2028年將增長至2,872億美元，2023年至2028年的複合年增長率為8.4%。中國擁有全球最大的LED智能視覺產業，預計於2028年，該市場收入將達到人民幣6,792億元，2023年至2028年的複合年增長率為9.1%。高價值、高增長的LED智能視覺行業，孕育著無限的潛力和機遇。汽車智能視覺、高端照明及新型顯示正是行業中尚未飽和且最具潛力的市場，堪稱最具貝塔效應的黃金賽道。基本面與貝塔的共振，將最大化地釋放阿爾法效應，為晶科電子帶來高確定性的內生增長，短期股價波動無法影響其市場預期。晶科電子將以穿越週期之力，踐行長期主義的精髓。 Copyright 2024 亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com.
雲頂新耀宣佈耐賦康(R)在韓國獲批 商業化進程再創里程碑
香港, 2024年11月19日 - (亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com) - 雲頂新耀（HKEX 1952.HK）宣佈，韓國食品藥品安全部（MFDS）已正式完全批准耐耐賦康(R)（布地奈德腸溶膠囊）的新藥上市許可申請，用於治療罹患原發性免疫球蛋白A腎病變（IgAN）的成人患者（尿蛋白≥1.0g/日或尿蛋白與肌酐比 (UPCR) ≥0.8g/g）。這一批准標誌著耐賦康(R)進一步擴大了其在亞洲的市場覆蓋範圍，並為亞洲IgAN患者提供了創新的對因治療方案。對此，雲頂新耀首席執行官羅永慶表示，非常高興看到耐賦康(R)在韓國獲得完全批准。他指出，"作為全球首個且唯一獲得美國食品藥品監督管理局（FDA）完全批准的IgA腎病對因治療藥物，耐賦康(R)將為韓國的IgA腎病患者提供全新的對因治療選擇。我們將繼續努力推動耐賦康(R)在亞洲地區的可及性和可負擔性，滿足更多IgA腎病患者對此創新療法的迫切需求。"作為全球首個獲得完全批准的IgA腎病對因治療藥物，耐賦康(R)的臨床價值已在國際醫學界得到廣泛認可。此次韓國獲批基於全球III期臨床試驗NefIgArd研究數據。研究結果顯示，與安慰劑相比，耐賦康(R)在多項臨床指標上表現出顯著優勢，包括持久降低蛋白尿下降，減少鏡下血尿風險，並在估算腎小球濾過率（eGFR）上顯示出臨床相關且有統計學意義的治療獲益（p<0.0001）。資料表明，耐賦康(R)能將腎功能衰退風險降低50%，並預計可將疾病進展至透析或腎移植的時間延緩12.8年。研究顯示，IgA腎病在亞洲人群中高發，且疾病進展速度更快，亞洲人群進展為終末期腎病的風險相較于其他人群高56%。此次耐賦康(R)在韓國獲批，不僅為亞洲IgA腎病患者帶來了全新的對因治療方案，也進一步驗證了其在亞洲市場的商業化潛力。此外，耐賦康(R)在韓國獲批再次彰顯了雲頂新耀在全球範圍內的商業化能力。今年5月，耐賦康(R)已在中國大陸開出首張處方，並先後在中國澳門、中國香港、新加坡與中國台灣獲批。據雲頂新耀半年報披露，耐賦康(R)上市後僅一個半月，銷售額即達1.673億元，展現出強勁的市場表現。此次韓國成功獲批，不僅進一步體現了市場對耐賦康(R)臨床價值和商業潛力的高度認可，也為公司開拓了新的市場空間，帶來了重要的收入增長點。值得一提的是，作為填補IgA腎病對因治療空白的創新藥物，耐賦康(R)今年首次參加了國家醫保談判。若順利進入國家醫保目錄，將大幅提升其市場覆蓋率和患者可負擔性，從而加速藥品在中國市場的銷售放量。業內人士普遍認為，耐賦康(R)有潛力成為中國市場的重磅藥物，不僅為雲頂新耀的商業化佈局注入強勁動力，也進一步增強其在國內外市場的競爭力。 Copyright 2024 亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com.
GTDC 高峰會亞太區亮點：IT 經銷商在數位轉型中的角色
新加坡, 2024年11月19日 - (亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com) - 今天，IT 分銷和科技供應商領域的頂級高管齊聚首屆 GTDC 亞太峰會 2024，探討這些關鍵領域的當前狀況和未來前景。此次高峰會強調了經銷商在擴展新興技術銷售和採用方面的重要作用，以及透過數位市場和與超大規模服務商的聯盟創造新機會的必要性。Frank Vitagliano 在首届 GTDC 亚太峰会开幕式上强调了分销价值的日益提升。亞太區的廣闊規模和經濟、文化多樣性需要本地專業知識。隨著供應商採用不同的方法來管理通路，他們越來越依賴經銷商來支援新興市場，同時將內部資源集中在更成熟的市場。這項策略拓寬了分銷的覆蓋面，特別是在直接覆蓋效率較低的地區，並代表著透過合作夥伴關係優化資源協調的更廣泛趨勢。「經銷商處於理想的位置，可以彌合複雜的區域和國家間的動態，利用本地代表的文化和語言敏銳度來最好地支持供應商和合作夥伴的目標。專注於賦能計劃和關係建設，經銷商能夠創造戰略價值，確保先進技術在亞太地區的成功應用，」GTDC 執行長Frank Vitagliano 表示。東南亞和印度的 IT 支出正在加速成長，中小企業透過雲端軟體、網路安全和物流投資來推動數位轉型。這種數位化轉型帶來了對雲端基礎架構、託管服務和強大安全解決方案的更高需求。同時，根據 IDC 的數據，人工智慧的採用進一步推動了該地區的技術勢頭，預計到 2027 年該領域的支出將達到 780 億美元，年增長率為 25%。經銷商在推動這些技術進步的同時，改善了客戶體驗，並提高了這些關鍵領域的營運效率。在該地區人才短缺尤其嚴重的關鍵領域，如 AI、銷售和技術支援方面，供應商也依賴經銷商來滿足日益增長的需求。分銷商在滿足這些需求的同時，透過先進的數據分析技術解鎖了新的機會。 Channelnomics 的執行長 Larry Walsh 強調了這些組織在識別「空白市場」和擴展合作夥伴網路方面的能力。他指出：「雖然數據提供了方向，但其真正的價值在於將洞察轉化為合作夥伴的可執行策略。經銷商在重新定義市場進入模式方面發揮了關鍵作用，引導合作夥伴進行能夠增強業務的互動，並最大化通路潛力。亞太峰會的其他精彩亮點高峰會重點探討了 IT 分銷的動態變化，並強調了東南亞和印度在全球科技產業中的日益重要性。主要議程包括：EIU 的 John Marrett 發表了關於快速擴展的市場的演講，描述了技術創新如何改變企業和社區。他深入分析了貨幣和財政政策的變化、匯率波動及國際金融機構的活動對亞太區 IT 社群的影響。IDC 的 Avneesh Saxena 展示了創新如何影響全球 IT 關係並為通路創造新的機會。他強調了關鍵產業趨勢、障礙和投資情況，並探討了合作夥伴、供應商和經銷商之間不斷發展的動態關係。Channelnomics 的 Larry Walsh 分析了供應商與經銷商關係中常被忽視的要素，並分享了他們與 GTDC 合作發布的新研究的關鍵發現。該報告聚焦於亞太地區，向供應商展示如何最大化分銷關係的價值。Vitagliano 主持了一個高級分銷高管小組討論，參與者包括 VST ECS 的 William Ong、Redington Limited 的 V.S. Hariharan、Ingram Micro 的 Luis Lourenco、TD SYNNEX 的 Jaideep Malhotra 和 Westcon-Comstor 的 Patrick Aronson。小組成員重點介紹了區域分銷商如何創新，創建推動新技術應用的項目，優化市場進入策略並增強其他業務活動。下一場 GTDC 全球活動是 GTDC 北美高峰會，將於 2025 年 2 月 19 日至 20 日在加州奧申賽德的 Mission Pacific & Seabird Resort 舉行。更多詳細資訊將很快公佈。關於 GTDC全球技術分銷委員會 (GTDC) 是一個行業聯盟，代表了全球領先的科技經銷商。 GTDC 成員透過多樣化的業務管道推動全球產品、服務和解決方案的年銷售額約 1,600 億美元。 GTDC 會議支援策略供應鏈合作夥伴關係的發展和擴展，不斷滿足供應商、終端客戶和經銷商在快速變化的市場中的需求。GTDC 成員包括AB S.A (華沙證券交易所: ABPL)、Arrow Electronics (NYSE: ARW)、CMS Distribution、Computer Gross Italia (米蘭證券交易所: SES)、D&H Distributing、ELKO、Esprinet (米蘭證券交易所所: PRT.MI)、Exclusive Networks (巴黎證券交易所: EXN)、Exertis、Infinigate、Ingram Micro (NYSE: INGM)、Intcomex、Logicom (塞浦路斯證券交易所: LOG)、Mindware、Redington Limited (孟買/國家證券交易所: Redington)、Siewert & Kau、SiS Technologies (香港證券交易所: 0529)、Tarsus、TD SYNNEX (NYSE: SNX)、TIM AG、VSTECS Holdings 和Westcon-Comstor。GTDC 媒體聯絡方式:Anita LussenburgTel +31621585878Mail: alussenburg@gtdc.eu資料來源: Global Technology Distribution Council Copyright 2024 亞太商訊 via SeaPRwire.com.
GMG Reaches Market Commercialisation Milestone on Energy Savings Coating THERMAL-XR(R)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia--(ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com - November 19, 2024) - Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (TSXV: GMG) (OTCQX: GMGMF) ("GMG" or the "Company") is pleased to provide a business update on the commercialisation progress of THERMAL-XR® Powered by GMG Graphene.SINGAPORE GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL PRODUCT APPROVALThe Singapore Green Building Council has approved THERMAL-XR to be certified as a Singapore Green Building Product (SGBP) under the category of Mechanical - ACMV - Coil Coating. It is the first thermal air conditioning coating to be approved as a SGBP - please see the attached link: https://web.sgbc.online/public/product/certificate/5/46/495/8867/2978.The SGBP Certification Scheme is one of the key standards and benchmarks for green building products in the building and construction industry. Products and materials certified as a SGBP are highly recognised under the Green Mark Certification Scheme, Singapore's national green building rating tool administered by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), which allows certified products to accrue points that count towards a project's Green Mark rating. The more highly rated a product is under the SGBP Certification Scheme (i.e., the more ticks it has achieved), the more points are awarded towards the Green Mark rating.The SGBP Certification Scheme is also widely accepted by regional green building rating tools for its coverage of products' sustainability performance. Examples include GreenRE, a rating tool set up by the Real Estate & Housing Developments' Association (REHDA) of Malaysia, and LOTUS, Vietnam Green Building Council's rating tool. The SGBP Certification Scheme complies with many of the requirements in ISO 14024 Environmental labels and declarations - Type I environmental labelling.Figure 1To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/230564_97152fedf493f854_001full.jpgThe benefits of SGBP Certification include:FOR PRODUCT SUPPLIERS:Analysis of your product's sustainability performance by experts and certification by a credible sourceOpportunity and insight into how to further develop your products to be more sustainableGreater awareness of your product for use in our current and future buildingsFOR DESIGNERS/ SPECIFIERS:An overview of products that are certified sustainableAn understanding of how a product stacks up against others in terms of their sustainability performanceEasier decision-making when choosing more sustainable productsFOR BUILDERS/ OWNERS:An overview of products that are certified sustainableData around the environmental properties of the products you useA unique selling point for your building projectsFOR TENANTS/ OCCUPANTS:An understanding of how sustainable the spaces you live and work in areHealth benefits of living/working in a greener buildingOnce a product is certified, SGBC will issue the product a certificate. Only certified products will be listed on the SGBP Certification Directory, which is maintained on the Singapore Green Building Council's website. This Interactive Directory is actively used by building industry professionals such as consultants, contractors, building developers and owners. Stakeholders can demand that products/ materials used for a building are SGBP certified. Certified products can gain credits under various green building rating tools.USA EPA PRE-MANUFACTURE NOTICE SUBMISSION MADEGMG and Nu Calgon have submitted a Pre-Manufacture Notice ("PMN") in conjunction with its USA Environmental Protection Agency's ("EPA") application to import and sell THERMAL-XR® in the USA. The PMN application is expected to be approved in less than 12 months. The PMN application covers the use of the coating in various application methods in various industrial applications.GMG's Managing Director and CEO, Craig Nicol, commented: "The SGBP Certification is highly welcomed and comes after many years of working with our coating and carrying out many demonstration projects in Singapore with our distribution and coating partners. We also welcome the progress on the EPA submission with our Nu Calgon distribution partner."GMG's Chairman and Director, Jack Perkowski, commented: "THERMAL-XR® being recognised as a Singapore Green Building Product is a very good sign of all the hard work GMG has done there over the years. The USA HVAC after market for coatings is a substantial opportunity for GMG and so it is good to see the progress on the EPA submission as well."About THERMAL-XR® powered by GMG Graphene:THERMAL-XR® COATING SYSTEM is a unique method of improving the conductivity of corroded heat exchange surfaces and improving and maintaining the performance of new units at peak levels. The process coats and protects heat exchange surfaces while improving and rebuilding the lost corroded thermal conductivity and increasing the heat transfer rate by leveraging the physics of GMG Graphene, resulting in an efficiency improvement and a potential power reduction.THERMAL-XR RESTORE® is powered by GMG Graphene. PATENT PENDINGAbout GMG www.graphenemg.comGMG is a clean-technology company which seeks to offer energy saving and energy storage solutions, enabled by graphene, including that manufactured in-house via a proprietary production process. GMG has developed a proprietary production process to decompose natural gas (i.e. methane) into its elements, carbon (as graphene), hydrogen and some residual hydrocarbon gases. This process produces high quality, low cost, scalable, 'tuneable' and low/no contaminant graphene suitable for use in clean-technology and other applications.The Company's present focus is to de-risk and develop commercial scale-up capabilities, and secure market applications. In the energy savings segment, GMG has focused on graphene enhanced heating, ventilation and air conditioning ("HVAC-R") coating (or energy-saving coating), lubricants and fluids.In the energy storage segment, GMG and the University of Queensland are working collaboratively with financial support from the Australian Government to progress R&D and commercialization of graphene aluminium-ion batteries ("G+AI Batteries").GMG's 4 critical business objectives are:Produce Graphene and improve/scale cell production processesBuild Revenue from Energy Savings ProductsDevelop Next-Generation BatteryDevelop Supply Chain, Partners & Project Execution CapabilityFor further information please contact:Craig Nicol, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of the Company at craig.nicol@graphenemg.com, +61 415 445 223Leo Karabelas at Focus Communications Investor Relations, leo@fcir.ca, +1 647 689 6041Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward‐looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, the receipt, timing and nature of approval by the EPA of the PMN application and the opportunity represented by the USA HVAC after market for coatings. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management, including, without limitation, assumptions regarding that the EPA will approve the PMN application and on the timing anticipated, that the content of the EPA's approval will be as anticipated, and that the USA HVAC after market for coatings is a substantial opportunity for the Company. Additionally, forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of GMG to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: that the EPA will not approve the PMN application on the timing anticipated or at all, that the content of the EPA's approval will not be as anticipated, that the USA HVAC after market for coatings is not a substantial opportunity for the Company, risks relating to the extent and duration of the conflict in Eastern Europe and its impact on global markets, the volatility of global capital markets, political instability, the failure of the Company to obtain regulatory approvals, attract and retain skilled personnel, unexpected development and production challenges, unanticipated costs and the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated October 3, 2024 available for review on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/230564 Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.
JBM Healthcare Announces FY2025 Interim Results
KEY HIGHLIGHTS- Revenue up by 22.1% to HK$399.0 million- Gross profit increased by 20.3% to HK$205.9 million- Consolidated profit attributable to equity shareholders grew by 53.4% to HK$95.9 million- Interim dividend of HK5.50 cents per share, up by 59.4% year-on-year- Flagship proprietary brands Ho Chai Kung and Po Chai Pills achieved robust growth through effective integrated sales and marketing strategies- Concentrated Chinese medicine granules (“CCMG”) business displayed solid growth momentum, contributing to operational performanceHONG KONG, Nov 19, 2024 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - JBM (Healthcare) Limited ("JBM Healthcare" or the "Company"; Stock Code: 2161, together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"), a leading branded healthcare products marketer and distributor in Hong Kong, today announced the interim results of the Group for the six months ended 30 September 2024 ("FY2025 Interim" or the "Reporting Period").During the Reporting Period, the Group's branded healthcare business delivered exceptional performance. Revenue reached HK$399.0 million, representing a notable period-on-period growth of 22.1%. The Group's gross profit for the same period reached HK$205.9 million, representing an increase of 20.3%. In the first half of fiscal year 2025, the consolidated profit attributable to equity shareholders grew by 53.4% to HK$95.9 million.The Group's robust performance was propelled by the outstanding sales from flagship brands, with Ho Chai Kung leading in branded medicines and Po Chai Pills excelling in proprietary Chinese medicines. Additionally, the CCMG business of the Group sustained solid growth momentum. These results reflect the successful execution of integrated sales and marketing strategies across both offline and online channels, effectively capitalising on expanding demand for consumer healthcare products in Hong Kong, Macau, and Greater Bay Area.The Board has declared the payment of an interim dividend of HK5.50 cents per share, up by 59.4% year-on-year.Notable Growth Across SegmentsIn the branded medicines business, sales revenue grew by 23.9%, which was led by sustained momentum in Ho Chai Kung product sales. As a leading household name in over-the-counter pain relief and fever medications, Ho Chai Kung strengthened its market presence through targeted brand marketing and sales initiatives. The brand enhanced its appeal to young consumers by ramping up its social media efforts, particularly on platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin, aligning with digital trends and expanding its reach among Mainland Chinese youth.In the proprietary Chinese medicines segment, sales rose 17.9%, driven by the strong performance of Po Chai Pills and the sustained growth of the CCMG business. As part of its ongoing strategy to boost brand awareness, Po Chai Pills strategically aired its TV commercial featuring renowned singer Ivana Wong as a brand ambassador during peak sales periods to enhance consumer recall. Additionally, Po Chai Pills gained further visibility by title-sponsoring the popular TVB program "Midlife Sing & Shine! 3", reaching a broad television audience.In the health and wellness products segment, sales revenue increased by 38.9%, driven by the steady growth of Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Recurrence Score Test (“Oncotype DX”), along with expanded product offerings and enhanced marketing efforts targeting the mass wellness market. Oncotype DX has gained increasing recognition among healthcare professionals in Hong Kong and Macau, particularly in the public sector. To further support growth, the Group launched a patient care program with the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation, enabling public hospital patients to receive reimbursement for the test if it indicates the need for additional chemotherapy.Cross-Border E-Commerce and TCM Sector ExpansionThe Group has made positive strides in expanding its online presence, particularly on cross-border e-commerce platforms, while strategically positioning itself to capitalise on the growing traditional Chinese medicine ("TCM") sector in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Flagship stores for Ho Chai Kung, Po Chai Pills, CCMG, and Jacobson Medical have been launched on the Tmall Global, strengthening brand presence and extending reach in Mainland China. These initiatives have significantly enhanced brand visibility and image among Mainland Chinese consumers.Mr. Patrick Wong, Chief Executive Officer of JBM Healthcare, commented, "Despite a challenging retail environment during the Reporting Period, the Group delivered strong performance driven by our robust portfolio, effective brand management, and enhanced commercial execution, with particular success in our flagship proprietary brands.""Looking ahead, we remain optimistic and confident in the Group's strategic positioning for sustained growth. Key market dynamics, including sedentary lifestyles, increasing health consciousness driven by improving living standards, and aging populations, are collectively fueling growth momentum in consumer healthcare demand. We are committed to operational excellence and growth strategies that focus on enriching our product portfolio, strengthening commercial capabilities, and broadening our sales platforms and geographic reach."About JBM (Healthcare) Limited (Stock Code: 2161)JBM Healthcare is a Hong Kong-based company that markets and distributes branded healthcare products across Greater China, Southeast Asia, and other select countries. The Group is a distinctive player in the sector with marketing expertise and heritage in pharmaceuticals that prioritises product efficacy and quality to meet consumers' healthcare needs. As a renowned healthcare brand operator in Hong Kong, the Group carries a wide-ranging portfolio of branded healthcare products comprising branded medicines, proprietary Chinese medicines, and health and wellness products, which include well-recognised household brands such as Po Chai Pills, Ho Chai Kung Tji Thung San, Contractubex, Mederma for Kids, Tong Tai Chung Woodlok Oil, Flying Eagle Woodlok Oil, Saplingtan, Shiling Oil and Konsodona Medicated Oil. JBM Healthcare has been a constituent stock of the MSCI Hong Kong Micro Cap Index since 27 May 2021. For more details about JBM Healthcare, please visit: www.jbmhealthcare.com.hk Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.
Fourth Paradigm’s Platform Business Grew by 50.2% in the First Three Quarters
HONG KONG, Nov 19, 2024 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Beijing Fourth Paradigm Technology Co., Ltd. (“Fourth Paradigm” or the “Company”, Stock Code: 6682.HK) announced its core business update for the period ended September 30, 2024. The Company achieved a revenue of RMB3.2 billion in the first three quarters of this year, marking a 26.1% year-on-year increase. The gross profit reached RMB1.4 billion, showing a 12.5% year-on-year growth.The company's core business, the Sage AI platform, has shown significant growth, generating a revenue of RMB2.2 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 50.2%. According to data from International Data Corporation (IDC), a reputable international research institution, Fourth Paradigm has consistently ranked first in the machine learning platform sector in China in terms of market share for six consecutive years.The Company continues to enhance key capabilities within the Sage AI platform, such as AI Agent and GPU resource pooling, and has successfully achieved end-to-end capabilities in computing power, platform infrastructure, model development, and application deployment. Through the "Sage Inside" model, Fourth Paradigm has efficiently developed over 40 artificial intelligence products, significantly expanding the boundaries of industrial ecosystems and empowering various industries with artificial intelligence applications.In the first three quarters, Fourth Paradigm has seen a continual improvement in customer service depth and user engagement. The Company has focused on industries such as transportation, energy and power, finance, and telecommunications, with a total of 224 corporate users, including 98 lighthouse users. On average, lighthouse users, namely Global Fortune 500 companies and publicly listed companies, contribute approximately RMB14.9 million in revenue.The core business grew by 50.2%, with the "Sage Inside" model and 40 AI products driving long-term growthThe Fourth Paradigm Sage AI platform serves as the nucleus of all operations of the Company. In the first three quarters, the industry-leading large model development and management platform, "Sage AI Platform 5.0", has achieved end-to-end capabilities in computing power, platform infrastructure, model development, and application deployment. The AI platform continues to optimize key capabilities such as AI Agents, GPU resource pooling, and unified model hosting. It also integrates generative AI with various ecosystem products and solutions to advance the deployment of generative AI.For instance, AI Agent has enhanced the precision of complex reasoning and execution, covering the entire lifecycle from large model Agent design, development, commissioning, deployment, operational analysis, to self-learning optimization, providing a stable and reliable support for Agent production applications. Additionally, the Company has further improved AI Coding products in terms of enterprise-side product functionality and application effectiveness, thus reducing development barriers, enhancing code development efficiency, and transforming enterprise software interaction methods to scale up AI application development.The Company continues to innovate AI business application models, scaling the construction of AI products applicable to various scenarios through the "Sage Inside" model. As of September 30, 2024, under this model, the Company has developed over 40 AI products, including solutions like intelligent mouse solution, intelligent meeting solution, vGPU, AI Data Foundry, large model toolchains, the integrated platform "Tianshu" for search, advertising and promotion, Model Hub for large model hosting, intelligent number query, AI digital human video generation platform, Smart Archive 2.0 for document digitization management, AI+5G video marketing, AI quality inspection systems, 3D scanning and modeling devices, and many more. These AI products have been widely applied in enterprises, expanding the industry coverage of the Sage AI platform and providing long-term growth impetus for the Company's future business development.AI Agent empowers multiple solutions, scaling the development of industry large models with demonstrative significanceDuring the period, Fourth Paradigm further expanded the coverage and penetration of its technology and products across multiple industries and scenarios. In terms of product feature iterations, the Company integrated AI Agent capabilities into AIGS Builder, AIGS CodeX, and various intelligent hardware solutions, enabling products to achieve more complex reasoning and execution capabilities. Moreover, the AI Agent based on reinforcement learning technology has formed a self-learning loop, where the more users engage with it, the stronger the model's reasoning and execution capabilities become.During the period, the Company collaborated with lighthouse users to jointly create a set of industry-leading large models with demonstrative significance, accelerating the widespread application of AI technology across various industries.In the field of transportation, the Company partnered with a globally leading port group to build a large model for port supply chain management, providing intelligent capabilities for the transformation of comprehensive port supply chain services and promoting sustainable applications of large models in the port and maritime industries and related businesses. For academic translation, the Company collaborated with Modern Press to establish the first professional publishing large model in China, elevating the translation quality of large models to academic publication standards. Compared to general-purpose large models in professional book translations, this large model showed an improvement of over 30% in BLEU (BLEU: a mainstream evaluation standard for machine translation, primarily assessing translation quality by comparing the similarity between machine-translated results and human reference translations), meeting the high-accuracy translation demands of academic verticals. Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.
GTDC Summit APJ Highlights IT Distributors’ Roles in Navigating Digital Transformation
SINGAPORE, Nov 19, 2024 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Top executives from the IT distribution and technology vendor sectors convened today at the inaugural GTDC APJ-Summit 2024 to discuss the current position and future outlook of these critical communities. The Summit underscored the essential role distributors play in scaling emerging technology sales and adoption and developing new opportunities through digital marketplaces and alliances with hyperscalers.Frank Vitagliano emphasizes the rising value of distribution as he opens the inaugural GTDC Summit APJ.The vast scale and economic and cultural diversity of the APJ region necessitates local expertise. As vendors adopt varied approaches to managing channels, they are increasingly relying on distributors to support emerging markets while focusing internal resources on more mature communities. This strategy provides greater reach, especially in areas where direct coverage would be inefficient, and represents a broader shift towards optimizing orchestration through partnerships."Distributors are ideally positioned to bridge complex regional and in-country dynamics, with local representatives who understand cultural and language nuances to best support the objectives of their vendors and partners. Focusing on enablement programs and relationship-building allows distributors to create strategic value that ensures the successful adoption of advanced technologies across diverse APAC markets," said Frank Vitagliano, CEO, GTDC.IT spending across Southeast Asia and India is accelerating, driven by SMBs embracing digital transformation through cloud software, cybersecurity, and logistics investments. This digital shift generates increased demand for cloud infrastructure, managed services, and robust security solutions. Simultaneously, according to IDC, AI adoption is further fueling the region's technological momentum, with spending in this area expected to reach $78 billion by 2027, with a 25% annual growth rate. Distributors empower those advances while transforming the customer experience and operational efficiencies across these key sectors.Vendors also rely on distributors to meet the rising demand for AI, sales, and technical support as the region struggles with talent shortages, especially in these key areas.Distributors are meeting these demands while unlocking new opportunities using advanced data analytics. Channelnomics CEO Larry Walsh emphasized these organizations' capabilities for identifying "white space" and expanding partner networks. "While data provides direction, its true value lies in transforming insights into actionable strategies for partners. Distributors are pivotal in redefining go-to-market models, guiding partners through business-enhancing engagements and maximizing channel potential."Other Memorable Highlights from Summit APJThe summit focused on the changing dynamics of IT distribution, emphasizing the increasing importance of Southeast Asia and India in the global tech sector. Key sessions included:John Marrett from the EIU spoke to the rapidly expanding marketplace and described the ways technical innovation is changing businesses and communities. From shifts in monetary and fiscal policies to currency fluctuations and international financial institutions' activities, he highlighted the impact of these movements on the APJ's IT community.Avneesh Saxena of IDC showed how innovation affects global IT relationships and creates new opportunities for the channel. He emphasized the key industry trends, barriers, and investments and explored the evolving dynamics between partners, vendors, and distributors.Larry Walsh of Channelnomics examined the often-overlooked pieces of the vendor-distributor relationship and hit on other key findings of their recently released study with GTDC. Focused on the Asia-Pacific region, the new report shows vendors how to maximize the value of their distribution relationships.Vitagliano also moderated a panel discussion with senior distribution executives, including William Ong,VST ECS;V.S. Hariharan, Redington Limited; Luis Lourenco, Ingram Micro; Jaideep Malhotra, TD SYNNEX; and Patrick Aronson, Westcon-Comstor. Panelists highlighted how regional distributors are innovating and creating programs that facilitate the adoption of new technologies, optimize go-to-market strategies and enhance other business activities.The council's next global event GTDC Summit North America, February 19th -20th, 2025, at the Mission Pacific & Seabird Resort in Oceanside, CA. More details will be available soon.About the GTDC The Global Technology Distribution Council is the industry consortium representing the world's leading tech distributors. GTDC members drive an estimated $160 billion in annual worldwide sales of products, services and solutions through diverse business channels. GTDC conferences support the development and expansion of strategic supply-chain partnerships that continually address the fast-changing marketplace needs of vendors, end customers and distributors. GTDC members include AB S.A (WSE: ABPL), Arrow Electronics (NYSE: ARW), CMS Distribution, Computer Gross Italia (MI: SES), D&H Distributing, ELKO, Esprinet (PRT.MI), Exclusive Networks (EPA: EXN), Exertis, Infinigate, Ingram Micro (NYSE: INGM), Intcomex, Logicom (CSE: LOG), Mindware, Redington Limited (BSE/NSE: Redington), Siewert & Kau, SiS Technologies (HKSE:0529), Tarsus, TD SYNNEX (NYSE: SNX), TIM AG, VSTECS Holdings and Westcon-Comstor.GTDC MEDIA CONTACT: Anita LussenburgTel +31621585878Mail: alussenburg@gtdc.euSOURCE: Global Technology Distribution Council Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.
Beat The Silent Disease of Osteoporosis with LAC, Before It’s Too Late!
SINGAPORE, Nov 18, 2024 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Despite Singapore’s abundant sunlight, Vitamin D deficiency remains a prevalent health issue, affecting millions of people. This deficiency significantly compromises bone health, leading to osteoporosis, a “silent disease” due to its subtle onset. Research indicates that bone health begins to decline at age 25, making it crucial to address this issue, especially as Singapore’s population continues to age. The urgency to combat this silent epidemic has never been greater.As sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary choices become increasingly common, the impact of osteoporosis is alarming: one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50 in Singapore are affected. Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D plays a critical role in efficient calcium absorption, essential for maintaining bone density and preventing osteopenia and osteoporosis. Without adequate vitamin D, the body struggles to absorb calcium, increasing risk of fractures and leading to deteriorating bone health.In line with World Osteoporosis Day on 20 October, LAC (pronounced as L-A-C) is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of bone health and empowering individuals to take preventive measures to optimise their bone density. By incorporating calcium-rich foods or supplements, ensuring adequate Vitamin D intake and regular physical activity, individuals can significantly reduce the risk of osteoporosis.LAC FullCal® combines calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D in a golden ratio, making it vital for maintaining strong bones, teeth and muscle function. This unique formula not only reduces the risk of osteoporosis but also improves calcium absorption, making it an excellent option for maintaining optimal bone health. With its all-in-one solution, individuals no longer need to rely on three separate supplements to achieve the same benefits, offering both enhanced convenience and cost savings.LAC Joint Protec®, formulated with a proprietary blend of ingredients such as Glucosamine, Chondroitin and Collagen, work together to alleviate joint stiffness and discomfort while enhancing mobility and flexibility. Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.
NTT and Olympus Demonstrate IOWN APN Low-latency Capability can be Used for Real-time Diagnosis and Treatment on Remote Server to Realize World’s First Cloud Endoscopy System
News Highlights:By configuring the cloud endoscopy system with the latest IOWN APN1 (All Photonics Network; “APN”) technology, issues with latency were resolved, confirming that real-time diagnosis and treatment for patients through a remote server 150km away is feasible.Based on this result, NTT and Olympus will collaborate in studying the technical challenges towards the full-scale implementation of the cloud endoscopy system.TOKYO, Nov 19, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - NTT Corporation (TSE: 9432; "NTT") and Olympus Corporation (TSE: 7733; "Olympus") today announced that, following the start of their joint experiment in March of the world’s first cloud endoscope system which processes endoscopic videos on the cloud, they jointly established a cloud endoscopy system utilizing the IOWN APN technology, and have demonstrated that the APN technology can solve network issues in realizing the cloud endoscopy system. Moving forward, the two companies will collaborate for the full-scale implementation of the cloud endoscopy system and enable performance and functional improvements of endoscopy systems through the cloud, contributing to society through improving access to advanced medical care.Parts of the results of this joint experiment will be exhibited at the NTT R&D FORUM 2024 - IOWN INTEGRAL2 event in Tokyo from November 25 to 29, 2024.Figure 1: Overview of Cloud Endoscopy SystemBackgroundAn endoscope is a medical device in which a flexible tube is inserted into the natural openings of the body to perform an examination and obtain tissue samples. Instances where endoscopes can be utilized are increasing year by year due to the equipment’s low level of invasiveness and high level of safety, and the technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated.However, current endoscopes handle all its functions within the endoscope device, making performance limitations and maintainability an issue. In addition, it is expected that more cases in the future will require flexible feature improvements and updates based on new user needs, such as real-time remote diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, there is discussion on cloud computing endoscopes, in which some functions with a high processing load, such as image processing, can be done on the cloud.To achieve image processing of endoscopes on the cloud, a network that connects the endoscope device and the cloud is vital. A lag in the network can lead to delay in the images in response to the endoscope operation, causing discomfort to the endoscopy operator. To prevent this, high-quality images captured by the endoscopy must be sent stably and with low-latency to an image processing system in the cloud, which has been a challenge.Overview of demonstration experimentThis demonstration experiment combined the advanced technology of Olympus’ endoscopes with NTT's high-speed, low-latency APN technology aimed at realizing real-time endoscope video processing in the cloud (Figure 1).(1) Configuration of the cloud endoscopy systemIn this joint demonstration experiment, we connected a video processing server (“server”), distanced 150km away from the device that inputs endoscopy images (“edge device”), to the APN and configured it as the cloud endoscopy system (Figure 2).The video captured by the endoscope was sent to the edge device via an endoscope processor, and then was transferred without any compressing to the server via the APN. The server then processed the video utilizing AI and other technology, and sent the processed video back to the edge device. Finally, the monitor which is connected to the edge device displayed the processed video for the endoscope operator to view.Figure 2: Configuration of the Cloud Endoscopy System and APN Experiment(2) Roles of each companyThe roles of each company for the demonstration experiment were divided as following.NTT:Provided the APN experiment environment and evaluated the APN connectivity and network quality.Olympus:Provided the endoscope device and evaluated the performance of the cloud endoscopy system and the processing capability of the software.Results of the joint demonstration experimentThe experiment used both a local configuration with a distance of 5m (assumed to be processed within the endoscope device) and an APN configuration with a distance of 150km which each processed the endoscopy video. The capture cards recorded the videos displayed on the endoscopy operator’s monitor, measured the network’s data latency, and compared the two videos (Figures 3 and 4).Due to the nature of endoscopy procedures, where operators perform examinations and surgeries while checking the video displayed on the monitor in real-time, the video captured by the scope needs to be processed and displayed without delay. If the video data (4K/60fps) is delayed even by a few frames, it will cause discomfort to the operator.This experiment was conducted with the goal of achieving a data transfer latency within 1 frame (under 16 milliseconds), considering the distance of approximately 150km. In result, the latency was 1.1 milliseconds, demonstrating that it was possible to transfer data at 1/10 of the target latency (Figure 5).Furthermore, regarding the difference between the videos processed locally and via the APN, a visual review by the operator confirmed that there was little difference in latency and fluctuation, demonstrating that latency in the APN would not be an issue in video processing.Through confirming that video processing between an edge device and a server separated by 150km is possible, this demonstrates the possibility of combining the video processing of hospitals in large areas, such as the entire metropolitan area, to a remote server, which is a valuable insight for the implementation of a cloud endoscopy system in the future.Figure 3: Connection Configuration of the Demonstration ExperimentFigure 4: Comparison of Processed Videos from APN Configuration and Local ConfigurationFigure 5: Result of Long-Distance (approx. 150km) Demonstration Experiment Using the APNIn light of these results, we were able to demonstrate that the APN can resolve network challenges related to a high-capacity network for transmitting high-quality images, which is necessary to realize the cloud computing of endoscopes, and a low-latency network for displaying inspection images without delay.OutlookMoving forward, the two companies will continue to study technical issues for social implementation of cloud endoscopy, such as advanced security measures for medical data in network transmission and real-time remote diagnosis and treatment by sharing image information among multiple hospitals.Through this initiative, NTT will establish a reference model for medical device networks that solves the various technical issues involved in the cloud computing of medical devices, and Olympus will contribute to the establishment of optimal networks and reference models for cloud endoscopy systems and other such systems.Terminology1. IOWN APN (All Photonics Network)The IOWN is comprised of three components: the "All Photonics Network (APN)," which makes it possible not only for networks but also for device processing; the "Digital Twin Computing," which enables advanced and real-time interaction between objects and humans in cyberspace; and the "Cognitive Foundation," which efficiently deploys various ICT resources.By introducing new optical technologies from the network to devices and chips, APN achieves ultra-low power consumption and ultra-high-speed processing, which has been difficult to achieve. By assigning wavelengths to each function on a single optical fiber, we can provide multiple functions that support our social infrastructure, including information and communication functions such as the Internet and sensing functions, without interfering with each other.2. NTT R&D FORUM 2024 - IOWN INTEGRAL official website: https://www.rd.ntt/e/forum/2024/About NTTNTT contributes to a sustainable society through the power of innovation. We are a leading global technology company providing services to consumers and business as a mobile operator, infrastructure, networks, applications, and consulting provider. Our offerings include digital business consulting, managed application services, workplace and cloud solutions, data center and edge computing, all supported by our deep global industry expertise. We are over $97B in revenue and 330,000 employees, with $3.6B in annual R&D investments. Our operations span across 80+ countries and regions, allowing us to serve clients in over 190 of them. We serve over 75% of Fortune Global 100 companies, thousands of other enterprise and government clients and millions of consumers.About OlympusAt Olympus, we are committed to Our Purpose of making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. As a global medical technology company, we partner with healthcare professionals to provide best-in-class solutions and services for early detection, diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes by elevating the standard of care in targeted disease states. For more than 100 years, Olympus has pursued a goal of contributing to society by producing products designed with the purpose of delivering optimal outcomes for its customers around the world. For more information, visit https://www.olympus-global.com/ and follow our global X account: @Olympus_Corp.Media contactsNTT IOWN Integrated Innovation CenterPublic Relationshttps://tools.group.ntt/en/rd/contact/index.php?param01=R¶m02=101Olympus CorporationPublic RelationsGlobal-Public_Relations@olympus.com Olympus Corp [TYO: 7733][ADR: OLYMY][FRA: OLYS] https://www.olympus-global.com Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.
數萬人在紐西蘭國會聲援毛利人權利
(SeaPRwire) - 惠靈頓，紐西蘭——週二，數萬人在紐西蘭首都惠靈頓街頭聚集，人群中旗幟高舉，更像是一場節慶或遊行，而非抗議。 他們遊行反對一項將影響毛利原住民與英國王室之間關係的法案。但對許多人來說，這也是對幾乎被殖民摧毀的文化的慶祝。 「只是為我們的 tūpuna（祖先）爭取他們曾經爭取的權利，」Shanell Bob在等待遊行開始時說。「我們正在為我們的 tamariki（孩子們）和 mokopuna（孫輩們）而戰，這樣他們才能擁有我們未能擁有的東西，」她補充道，並使用了毛利語中「孩子」和「孫輩」的詞彙。 這可能是紐西蘭有史以來規模最大的一次支持毛利權利的抗議活動——這個議題在紐西蘭近代史上佔據了很長時間——它沿襲了和平的跨國遊行傳統，這些遊行標誌著這個國家歷史上的轉捩點。 「我們要去散步！」一位組織者在人群聚集在與議會相反的一端時，從舞台上宣佈。過去九天，人們從全國各地趕來。 對許多人來說，這次活動反映出非毛利人對原住民權利日益增長的團結。在通常的早晨通勤時間，在巴士站，各個年齡和種族的人們都拿着毛利主權旗幟等待。一些當地學校表示他們不會註記學生的缺勤。該市的市長也加入了抗議活動。 遊行者反對的法案……但對此的反對意見非常廣泛，遊行者表示，這表明紐西蘭人對《懷唐伊條約》對毛利人的承諾的認識正在提高——以及一小部分但聲音很大的反對者對法院和立法者試圖遵守這些承諾感到憤怒。 毛利人為他們的權利遊行並非新鮮事。但與之前的條約遊行相比，這次的人數更多，而且氣氛也發生了變化，原住民表示。 「這與我小時候不同，」Bob說。「我們現在更強大了，我們的 tamariki 更強大了，他們知道自己是誰，他們為自己是誰而感到自豪。」 當遊行者伴隨著響亮的毛利哈卡（節奏性吟唱）和 waiata（歌曲）穿過惠靈頓的街道時，數千名手持標語的人在人行道上表示支持。 一些標語牌上寫着關於負責該法案的立法者的笑話或侮辱，該法案將改變1840年《懷唐伊條約》原則的含義，並阻止這些原則僅適用於毛利人——他們的酋長在紐西蘭被殖民時簽署了這份文件。 但另一些標語則寫着「為自己是毛利人而驕傲」或承認標語持有者是非毛利人的身份，並支持抗議活動。一些標語譴責殖民時期對毛利人土地的廣泛徵用，這是條約產生的主要不滿之一。 「條約是一份文件，它讓我們能夠在 Aotearoa（紐西蘭毛利語名稱）生活，因此支持它並尊重它非常重要，」Ben Ogilvie說，他是 Pākehā（紐西蘭歐洲人後裔），使用了毛利語中紐西蘭的名稱。「我討厭這個政府正在做的事情，他們想要破壞它。」 警方估計，約有42,000人試圖湧入議會的 grounds，一些人湧入周圍的街道。人們擠在草坪上的兒童滑梯上尋找有利位置；其他人則坐在樹上。氣氛幾乎是歡樂的；當人們等待離開擁擠的區域時，一些人開始唱起大多數紐西蘭人在學校學到的毛利歌曲。 一片紅、黑、白相間的毛利主權旗幟延伸到草坪和街道上。但遊行者也帶着薩摩亞、湯加、澳洲原住民、美國、巴勒斯坦和以色列的旗幟。在議會，政治領袖的講話提到了抗議的原因——一項擬議的法案將改變該國建國條約中詞語的含義，將其寫入法律，並將其擴展到每個人。 該法案的作者，自由主義立法者 David Seymour——他是毛利人——表示，幾十年來王室違反與毛利人的條約的補償過程為原住民創造了特殊待遇，他反對這種做法。 該法案的反對者表示，這將導致憲法劇變，削弱原住民權利，並且它引發了關於毛利人的分裂言論——儘管法院和立法者近幾十年來試圖糾正很大程度上是由於違反條約造成的種種不平等，但毛利人在幾乎所有社會和經濟指標上仍然處於劣勢。 該法案預計永遠不會成為法律，但 Seymour 達成了一項政治協議，該法案在上週四通過了第一次投票。在週二的一份聲明中，他表示公眾現在可以就該法案提交意見，他希望該法案將獲得廣泛支持。 Seymour 短暫地走到了議會的前院觀察抗議活動，儘管他並沒有被邀請發言的立法者之列。一些人群中的人向他發出噓聲。 抗議活動「已經醞釀很久了，」遊行者之一 Papa Heta 說，他表示毛利人尋求承認和尊重。 「我們希望能夠與我們的 Pākehā 朋友們，歐洲人團結起來，」他補充道。「不幸的是，有一些人做出了讓我們處於困境的決定。」本文由第三方廠商內容提供者提供。SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/)對此不作任何保證或陳述。 分類: 頭條新聞,日常新聞 SeaPRwire為公司和機構提供全球新聞稿發佈，覆蓋超過6,500個媒體庫、86,000名編輯和記者，以及350萬以上終端桌面和手機App。SeaPRwire支持英、日、德、韓、法、俄、印尼、馬來、越南、中文等多種語言新聞稿發佈。
川普再次誤判參議院
(SeaPRwire) - 本文是時代雜誌政治時事通訊《華盛頓簡報》的一部分。請 註冊訂閱，即可收到此類文章。 在川普嚴密封閉的支持者圈子內，前總統兼未來總統只需掌控國會，並憑藉其忠實追隨者神奇地實現其願望，這已成為了理所當然的事情。 如果川普不想要某人擔任司法部長和國防部長，或者監督國家情報機構——更不用說讓任何人靠近疾病管制與預防中心（CDC）——那或許情況會有所不同。這些選擇幾乎是量身定做的，以確保憲法中的權力制衡條款依然穩固。 即使那些最需要川普認為自己是值得信賴盟友的人，也在為緩慢滑回現實做準備：「這一切都不會容易。」即將上任的參議院多數黨領袖約翰·圖恩上週談到川普的提名人選時說道，這突顯了這個內閣並非板上釘釘。 但如果您真的想了解關鍵領導人對川普打破常規的提名人的態度，請仔細觀察卸任參議院共和黨領袖米奇·麥康奈爾在公開會議上以及私下向盟友所說的話。 「值得保存的制度必須得到捍衛。這項工作在我的華盛頓任期內必然佔據了我的重心。」麥康奈爾上週在為他舉辦的保守派智庫晚宴上表示。「我非常清楚，即使一個可信的對多數決的制衡，即使它沒有服務我黨的眼前政治利益，也是值得維護的。因為隨著每一次權力轉移而發生的政策劇烈波動，並不能為國家的利益服務。為了讓重要的立法能夠持續下去，它必須獲得廣泛聯盟的支持。」 麥康奈爾在美國企業研究所（American Enterprise Institute）的活動上廣泛地談到了參議院固有的緩慢速度及其平息激情的能力。但當被直接問到時，這位卸任的領袖毫不含糊地說：「每一位提名人必須來到參議院，經歷這個程序，並接受審查。」 對於不了解麥康奈爾風格的人來說，這個答案可能沒什麼意義，但對於任何了解這位肯塔基州共和黨人如何運用其影響力的人來說，這都是一個重磅炸彈。到週日晚上，也許是被前推特平台上的一則現已刪除的訊息激怒了，川普支持者們對參議院不願對川普的內閣人事給予一張空白支票的說法感到憤怒。 如果川普無法獲得共和黨控制的參議院的支持來確認他那些引起爭議的人選，那就只剩下休會任命的可能性了。這個想法導致了一些異想天開的想法。（眾議院也必須休會，儘管眾議院議長麥克·約翰遜設法讓參議院休會的路線圖有太多陷阱，不足以認真看待。） 私下裡，共和黨人對川普利用廣泛甚至單方面的休會任命來組建他的第二任期團隊或維持參議院的任何信譽表示懷疑。但他們也在為一個不受規範或傳統約束的即將上任的白宮做準備，並密切關注事態發展，以及一位將任何質疑都視為不忠，應受到懲罰的領導人。 然而，至少在他內閣提名人選的問題上，沒人應該期望圖恩放棄他的保護角色。畢竟，他長期以來一直坐在麥康奈爾身邊，學習參議院歷史和傳統的細節。 這就是為什麼這麼多內部人士將麥康奈爾的言論——那些已確認的和那些被可疑地報導然後從社交媒體上刪除的言論——視為掩護其他人悄悄倒戈。就像眾議院議長艾米·佩洛西一樣，麥康奈爾預計將正式回到他黨內普通黨員的職位，但在戰略、身份認同和抱負等重大問題上仍然擁有巨大的影響力——即使黨內同僚可能會對那些實際上不會放棄權力的領導人表示懷疑。 川普和麥康奈爾之間的敵意永遠不會消失，這為圖恩提供了一個有用的藉口，讓他儘可能長時間地保持在川普的好感中。上週，當被問及可能使用休會任命時，圖恩謹慎地選擇了措辭，並且似乎很樂意讓麥康奈爾扮演嚴厲的角色。 「這是一個選擇。」他談到讓參議院休會足夠長的時間，讓川普任命他的人選，大約服務兩年。但在與福克斯新聞的聊天中，他對這個數字很現實。 「你必須讓所有共和黨人都投票休會。所以，那些……可能在正常程序下投票反對某人的共和黨人，可能也反對讓參議院休會。」 簡單地說：這真的、真的不太可能發生。像阿拉斯加州參議員麗莎·穆爾科斯基這樣的人不會準備好以記名投票的方式否決蓋茨的提名，然後讓自己回家至少10天，給川普一個最高法院指導的休會立法窗口。 所有這些都浸透了參議院任職時間最長的黨派領袖麥康奈爾的經驗。他對自己對川普——或任何總統——的懷疑態度幾乎從未有所保留，他依賴於程序上的漏洞來操縱局勢，而立法者不在場，無論點燃導火索的推文是否倉促或錯誤。 例如，川普在2018年要求麥康奈爾取消推進大多數立法所需60票的程序障礙。麥康奈爾只是無視了這個要求，從川普那裡招致了更多憤怒，而他的參議院權力卻沒有任何實際損失。當喬·拜登在2022年嘗試同樣的事情時，麥康奈爾再次簡單地無視了這個請求，它根本沒有到達國會。 當圖恩在下屆國會接任時，預計情況將會一樣。大多數共和黨議員似乎都同意這種態度，即使它讓川普和拜登都感到沮喪，但這種態度也讓麥康奈爾和他的遺產受益匪淺。 這就是參議院慣性的力量所在。與川普不同，參議院不會輕易改變。它往往保持穩定，這就是為什麼——至少在歷史框架內——川普單方面任命內閣成員的願景經不起仔細推敲。反對川普是有風險的，但更大的麻煩可能來自於試圖重新調整參議院，以適應那些迄今為止讓美國國會大廈的各個部門感到困惑、無奈和恐懼的潛在內閣人選。 了解華盛頓的重要事項。 。本文由第三方廠商內容提供者提供。SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/)對此不作任何保證或陳述。 分類: 頭條新聞,日常新聞 SeaPRwire為公司和機構提供全球新聞稿發佈，覆蓋超過6,500個媒體庫、86,000名編輯和記者，以及350萬以上終端桌面和手機App。SeaPRwire支持英、日、德、韓、法、俄、印尼、馬來、越南、中文等多種語言新聞稿發佈。
阿拉斯加州這座小鎮將經歷64天的黑夜
(SeaPRwire) - 在阿拉斯加州的 Utqiaġvik 小鎮，冬季尤其寒冷。這個美國最北端的城鎮，12 月份的平均氣溫低於零度，而且經歷了獨特的極夜現象——對他們來說，這是一段超過 60 天的黑暗時期，居民們生活在沒有陽光的環境中。Utqiaġvik 市長 Asisaun Toovak 表示，大多數日子裡人們都不會出門。 但那一年的時間仍然是她最期待的季節，因為這個小鎮從五月到大約八月也有極晝，也就是 24 小時的日光。「終於可以說，好吧，太陽下山了，[我]有點期待。我覺得該好好休息一下了。」Toovak 說。 今年，Utqiaġvik 將在 11 月 18 日經歷 2024 年最後一次日落。他們要到 2025 年 1 月 22 日才能再次見到太陽。 極夜最好解釋為一段「太陽保持在地平線以下超過 24 小時」的時期，國家科學基金會（National Science Foundation）北極科學部門主管 Jennifer Mercer 說。這種現象是由於地球約 23.5 度的軸向傾斜造成的。極夜發生在兩個極點的冬季月份，北半球從 9 月到 3 月，南半球從 3 月到 9 月。除了阿拉斯加和加拿大部分地區外，格陵蘭、芬蘭、挪威和俄羅斯也經歷極夜。南極洲是南半球唯一經歷極夜的地方。 你越往南或往北走，極夜持續的時間就越長。「在南極，太陽升起（或日光）的季節大約持續六個月。」Petrov 說。相比之下，赤道全年都經歷 12 小時的日光，變化很小。 由於 Utqiaġvik 位於北極圈以北，它背離太陽。雖然太陽不會像地球其他地方那樣升起，但並非一片漆黑。他們白天所經歷的是暮光——當太陽正好位於地平線以下時。 「只有當太陽低於地平線足夠遠以至於沒有暮光時，才會出現完全的黑暗。」Mercer 說。 Toovak 說，白天仍然可能有點亮，更像是持續的陰天。而當夜晚降臨時，它就成為了觀測北極光的好時機，由於太陽在今年 10 月達到其磁週期的峰值，今年北極光更加明顯。 NASA 戈達德太空飛行中心（NASA Goddard Space Flight Center）科學家 Leonid Petrov 表示，理解極夜背後原因的最佳方法是將地球想像成一個圍繞著燈旋轉的球體。「你會看到球體的一半被燈照亮，而另一部分則處於永久陰影中。」他說。「在這種情況下，一個半球將是白天，另一個半球將是永久的光亮。」 根據美國人口普查局（U.S. Census Bureau）的數據，Utqiaġvik 的人口不到 5,000 人，其中超過 [數據缺失]的人口被認定為美國印第安人和阿拉斯加原住民。許多家庭世世代代居住在這個小鎮，Toovak 說這使得他們能夠在漫長的冬季「茁壯成長」。 當太陽在 1 月再次升起在地平線之上時，即使通常時間不到一小時，對這個小鎮來說也是一個慶祝的時刻。「我們的大學，阿拉斯加唯一的一所部落學院，他們每年都會舉辦慶祝活動，邀請歌手、鼓手、舞蹈演員，並進行傳統舞蹈，他們稱之為‘歡迎太陽回歸的舞蹈’。」Toovak 說到 Iḷisaġvik College 舉辦的演出。「看到人們以傳統的歌聲和舞蹈進行擊鼓和舞蹈，對人們來說非常療癒。」本文由第三方廠商內容提供者提供。SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/)對此不作任何保證或陳述。 分類: 頭條新聞,日常新聞 SeaPRwire為公司和機構提供全球新聞稿發佈，覆蓋超過6,500個媒體庫、86,000名編輯和記者，以及350萬以上終端桌面和手機App。SeaPRwire支持英、日、德、韓、法、俄、印尼、馬來、越南、中文等多種語言新聞稿發佈。
川普的國防部長人選重新引發關於女性是否應在前線服役的爭論
(SeaPRwire) - 華盛頓——候任總統唐納·川普提名的國防部長人選，再次引發一場許多人認為早已塵埃落定的爭論：女性是否應該被允許為國效力， 已在其著作和採訪中明確表示，他認為男性和女性不應該 。如果 獲得參議院確認，他可能會試圖終止五角大廈 讓所有作戰職位向女性開放的政策。 「我直截了當地說，我們不應該讓女性擔任作戰角色。這並沒有讓我們更有效率。也沒有讓我們更具殺傷力。卻讓戰鬥變得更複雜，」他在11月7日肖恩·萊恩主持的播客節目中說道。他說，女性在軍隊中佔有一席之地，但不能在特種作戰、炮兵、步兵和裝甲部隊中。 黑格塞斯的言論引發了一陣讚揚和譴責。它們也提出了一個問題： 「誰來取代她們？男性？而我們現在正在努力招募男性加入陸軍，」退役海軍上校、與婦女服務行動網絡合作的洛里·曼寧說。 多年來，各軍種一直在努力實現招募目標，面臨來自薪資更高、福利相同或更好的公司的激烈競爭。越來越多的年輕人對參軍不感興趣，或者無法滿足體能、學業和道德要求。 曼寧說，讓女性退出競爭職位，可能會迫使各軍種降低標準，以招募更多未完成高中學業、有犯罪記錄或體能和心理測試成績過低的男性。 立法者們對黑格塞斯的觀點存在分歧。 「你認為我在哪裡失去雙腿的？在酒吧打架嗎？我敢肯定我受傷時是在作戰，」伊利諾伊州民主黨參議員塔米·達克沃思在川普選擇他之後上週三接受CNN採訪時怒斥道。 達克沃思曾在伊拉克執行戰鬥任務，她的直升機被擊中後失去了雙腿，她補充說：「如果他認為我們可以讓女性待在那條虛擬的界線後面，那就顯示出他與現代戰爭的性質有多脫節。」 南卡羅來納州共和黨參議員林賽·格雷厄姆讚揚了黑格塞斯，並表示現實情況是，某些軍事工作「只需要蠻力」。但他補充說：「女性在戰鬥角色中表現出色，值得尊敬，我不認為這項政策會改變，但我們會聽憑他決定。」 川普過渡團隊發言人史蒂文·張表示，黑格塞斯一生都致力於支持美國軍隊和他的國家，並提到了他在伊拉克和阿富汗服役以及獲得的兩枚青銅星勳章。 「他是一位非常強悍和聰明的候選人，將會為把美國放在首位而奮鬥。有了皮特擔任我們的國防部長，美國的敵人將受到警告，我們的軍隊將再次偉大，」張說。 包括許多軍中女性在內的其他人則不同意黑格塞斯關於女性士兵參與戰鬥的觀點。 「皮特·黑格塞斯關於女性在軍隊中的觀點過時、帶有偏見，並且無視20多年來證明女性在戰鬥角色中有效性的證據，」海軍陸戰隊戰鬥老兵埃琳·柯克說。她說，女性一直以光榮和有效的方式擔任飛行員、後勤人員、情報人員和步兵。 「黑格塞斯的立場不僅倒退，而且直接威脅到國防部的戰備狀態，進而威脅到我們的國家安全，」柯克說。 黑格塞斯說，他並不是建議女性不應該擔任戰鬥飛行員，而是她們不應該擔任海豹突擊隊、陸軍遊騎兵、步兵、裝甲和炮兵等「力量是區別因素」的職位。他堅稱軍方降低了標準以讓更多女性參與戰鬥角色。各軍種表示，他們沒有降低任何戰鬥職位的標準。 黑格塞斯的關於女性參與戰鬥的觀點反映了過去九年來在時任國防部長阿什·卡特2015年末下令軍方向女性開放所有軍事職位之後的許多爭論。這一改變是在三年研究和爭論之後做出的，正式承認數千名女性曾在伊拉克和阿富汗的戰場上服役——許多人受傷或陣亡。 卡特當時表示，軍方再也無法承受將一半人口排除在高風險軍事職位之外，任何符合標準的男性或女性都應該能夠服役。 並尋求豁免，但被拒絕。特種作戰部隊 表示女性沒有在精銳突擊隊中服役的身體或精神力量，這樣做可能會損害部隊的效力並降低標準。 人數不多，但 加入特種作戰部隊。兩名是海軍特種作戰戰鬥機組人員，三名在空軍特種作戰部隊，不到10名是綠扁帽。 超過150名女性完成了陸軍遊騎兵課程，還有數百名女性在陸軍特種作戰司令部擔任民政、心理作戰和直升機飛行員等職位，包括在第160特種作戰航空團。 更廣泛地說，數千名女性曾在或目前擔任直到2015年之前僅限男性的職位，包括陸軍和海軍陸戰隊炮兵、步兵和裝甲部隊。 降低標準一直是黑格塞斯的一個關鍵論點。 通過向女性開放戰鬥職位，「我們已經改變了讓她們在那裡服役的標準，這意味著你已經改變了該部隊的能力，」黑格塞斯在播客採訪中說。 自爭論開始以來，男性和女性士兵都公開反對降低任何職位的標準。 海軍上校曼寧說，黑格塞斯將關於標準的兩個不同問題混為一談。 各軍種確實 根據軍人的年齡和性別進行測試，但他們沒有調整特定工作的要求。 曼寧說，每項工作「都有一套必須滿足的職業標準」。這些標準從體力強度和能力到色盲或學業測試等方面都有。「根據法律，這些都必須是性別中立的。而且它們是，而且多年來一直是這樣，」她說。 住在肯塔基州坎貝爾堡附近的莫妮卡·米克斯在陸軍服役了20年，並在伊拉克服役。她說她在各種步兵工作中與女性一起服役，包括第18空降軍團的第一位女性排長。 「當人們說女性不應該在戰鬥區服役時，比如簡陋爆炸裝置（IED）隨時可能發生。所以在阿富汗和伊拉克的這些戰爭中沒有前線，」米克斯說。本文由第三方廠商內容提供者提供。SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/)對此不作任何保證或陳述。 分類: 頭條新聞,日常新聞 SeaPRwire為公司和機構提供全球新聞稿發佈，覆蓋超過6,500個媒體庫、86,000名編輯和記者，以及350萬以上終端桌面和手機App。SeaPRwire支持英、日、德、韓、法、俄、印尼、馬來、越南、中文等多種語言新聞稿發佈。
亞塞拜然不應成為COP主辦國
(SeaPRwire) - 今天是COP29（聯合國年度氣候變化峰會，旨在尋找解決世界頭號生存問題的方案）的第二周，也是最後一周。主辦國？一個石油豐富的國家，根據美國中央情報局世界概況，擁有裏海的阿布希倫半島，當地科學家稱其為「」。 成為石油國家並不是犯罪。但阿塞拜疆的化石燃料財富如何加劇國內外的民生狀況，使其主辦COP29成為一場奧威爾式的悲劇。據環境正義非政府組織Crude Accountability稱，阿塞拜疆95%的出口是石油和天然氣，但絕大多數人口並沒有從這筆財富中受益。Crude Accountability在2020年的報告“The Empty Bucket of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan”記錄了生活質量下降的情況，並且，根據該報告，四分之一的人口陷入了貧困。 該國總統親自監督最大的搖錢樹：國家石油基金。這可能是他認為阿塞拜疆豐富的化石燃料儲備「」的原因，即使它未能改善他的人民的生活。 阿塞拜疆是如何成為COP29主辦國的？其成功的關鍵很可能是它如何討好一些世界精英，讓阿塞拜疆在近年來備受矚目。這種長期的魅力攻勢，旨在轉移對阿利耶夫政府的批評，並將阿塞拜疆重新包裝成一個充滿活力的目的地，包括舉辦一級方程式賽車等國際賽事。這種做法當然不僅限於阿塞拜疆。與美國國家民主基金會相關的學者創造了「」一詞，用來形容富裕的權威主義者迅速建立全球影響力以鞏固其國內統治的企圖。如今，很少有人比阿塞拜疆更「精明」。 該國糟糕的環境和人權記錄尤其突出。阿利耶夫父子執政阿塞拜疆已超過五十年。批評者遭到軟禁、監禁、流放，甚至可能遭到暗殺。在政權的受害者中，包括Crude Accountability 2020年報告的主要作者，他在2023年7月訪問阿塞拜疆探親時被捕。 該國還在2020年發動了疫情時期在有爭議的納戈爾諾-卡拉巴赫飛地發動的戰爭，最終在四年內將當地亞美尼亞居民趕走——無視國際法院的命令。這場暴力佔領之後是一場持續九個月的圍攻，被粉飾成一場環境行動。阿塞拜疆隨後自豪地宣佈卡拉巴赫成為阿塞拜疆第一個「」地區。2024年3月，阿利耶夫總統慶祝這一「成就」和「勝利」，舉行了傳統的春分篝火，稱之為「」。 鑒於阿塞拜疆利用環境保護主義來為主要人權組織認為在納戈爾諾-卡拉巴赫犯下的罪行辯護，對該政權來說，COP29是其獨裁和敵對傾向的最後印章，包括持續針對亞美尼亞的侵略行為。 然而，世界各地都有基層的抵制行動，包括來自Human Rights Watch、Amnesty International和Freedom House等國際組織，以及像——他指責阿塞拜疆「是一個壓迫的佔領國，犯下了種族清洗罪行」，並利用COP29「來粉飾其罪行」——這樣的氣候正義活動家和阿塞拜疆活動家。特別是當地活動家，儘管在國內外冒著巨大的風險，仍然勇敢地發聲。 反抗獨裁統治是一項艱鉅的任務。問問我的朋友——一位勇敢而聰明的年輕學者——他在最近一次監獄轉移中喊出，「給我一個在COP29上發聲的機會！」。他是阿塞拜疆數百名政治犯中的一員，此外還有二十多名政治犯，包括納戈爾諾-卡拉巴赫的高級領導人，他們面臨著數十年的監禁。薩馬多夫被指控犯有「叛國罪」，罪名是批評阿塞拜疆在納戈爾諾-卡拉巴赫的政策以及與亞美尼亞活動家的聯繫。 許多人都認為，一個石油侵略者不應該主辦COP29——但事情已經發生了。現在的問題是，來自180多個國家的各國元首和代表在聯合國氣候會議上是否會有勇氣為阿塞拜疆政治犯和亞美尼亞人質的權利發聲，包括要求與他們會面，並促使納戈爾諾-卡拉巴赫被種族清洗的亞美尼亞人口安全返回。 在阿塞拜疆做正確的事情絕非區域性問題。正如阿塞拜疆在2020年對納戈爾諾-卡拉巴赫發動戰爭而沒有受到全球懲罰， arguably 鼓勵了像弗拉基米爾·普京這樣的其他獨裁者效仿一樣，本周在巴庫發生的任何事情都可能不會局限於巴庫。一個石油侵略者主辦COP29絕非空穴來風。本文由第三方廠商內容提供者提供。SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/)對此不作任何保證或陳述。 分類: 頭條新聞,日常新聞 SeaPRwire為公司和機構提供全球新聞稿發佈，覆蓋超過6,500個媒體庫、86,000名編輯和記者，以及350萬以上終端桌面和手機App。SeaPRwire支持英、日、德、韓、法、俄、印尼、馬來、越南、中文等多種語言新聞稿發佈。
Kingsoft Announces 2024 Third Quarter Results
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTSRMB’000 (Unaudited)For the three months ended30 September 202430 September202330 June2024Revenue2,914,7852,059,6792,473,766- Office Software and Services1,206,8151,098,3251,187,730- Online Games and Others1,707,970961,3541,286,036Gross Profit2,454,4441,676,8542,042,035Operating Profit1,144,118376,073794,037Profit Attributable to Owners of the Parent413,44928,492393,353Basic Earnings per Share (RMB)0.310.020.29HONG KONG, Nov 19, 2024 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Kingsoft Corporation Limited (“Kingsoft” or the “Company”; Stock Code: 03888.HK), a leading software and internet services company in China, has announced its unaudited quarterly results for the three months ended September 30, 2024 (“period under review”).During the period under review, the revenue of Kingsoft increased by 42% year-on-year and 18% quarter-on-quarter to RMB2,914.8 million. Revenue from the office software and services represented 41% and online games and others represented 59% of total revenue. Gross profit increased 46% year-on-year to RMB2,454.4 million. Operating profit before share-based compensation costs surged by 168% year-on-year and increased by 37% quarter-on-quarter to RMB1,202.4 million.Mr. Jun LEI, Chairman of Kingsoft, commented, “In the third quarter, our core businesses made steady progress, further solidifying our market presence. Kingsoft Office Group remains dedicated to R&D of AI and collaboration, empowering individual and institutional customers with technological innovation, bringing users a one-stop AI-empowered office experience, and promoting the application of new productive forces within the office services sector. With respect to online games business, we continue to refine our classic JX online series and actively expand into new game genres.”Mr. Tao ZOU, Chief Executive Officer of Kingsoft, added, “In the third quarter, fueled by the robust performance of our game products, the Group achieved significant growth in both total revenue and operating profit, both reaching a record high. Total revenue amounted to RMB2,914.8 million, representing year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter increases of 42% and 18% respectively. Revenue from online games and others business reached RMB1,708.0 million, representing a notable year-on-year increase of 78% and a quarter-on-quarter increase of 33%. Revenue from the office software and services business amounted to RMB1,206.8 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 10% and quarter-on-quarter growth of 2%. The operating profit of the Group surged to RMB1,144.1 million, demonstrating a substantial 204% year-on-year and a 44% quarter-on-quarter growth.”BUSINESS REVIEWOffice Software and ServicesFor the third quarter of 2024, revenue from the office software and services business increased by 10% year-on-year and 2% quarter-on-quarter to RMB1,206.8million. The year-on-year increase was mainly due to the growth of Kingsoft Office Group’s domestic individual office subscription business.In the domestic individual office subscription business, Kingsoft Office Group continued to optimize the features of WPS AI, providing users with a more convenient and efficient creative experience, further enhancing user stickiness and conversion rates. Our domestic institutional subscription business, leveraging the continuous improvement of the WPS 365, steadily advanced its SaaS transformation, and expanded its customer base among large and medium-sized private enterprises and local state-owned enterprises. Overseas business also maintained healthy growth. With respect to AI application innovation, the Group launched a series of core capabilities and solutions, including AI Co-writing, AI Docs (intelligent document library), Kingsoft Government Office Model, and the AI assistant – WPS Lingxi. The Group also released the WPS HarmonyOS NEXT, further promoting the development of the AI office ecosystem.Online Games and OthersFor the third quarter of 2024, revenue from online games and others business for the third quarter of 2024 increased by 78% year-on-year significantly and 33% quarter-on-quarter to RMB1,708.0 million. The year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter increases were mainly attributed to the outstanding performance of JX3 Online and the successful launch of JX3 Ultimate further boosting the game popularity, and the active operation and enhanced experience of other games.JX3 Online continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience. JX3 Ultimate has performed outstandingly since its launch, and the number of returning players has exceeded expectations. In October, JX3 Online released its annual expansion pack, featuring a new class, increased level cap, and innovative gameplay, further enhancing players’ emotional engagement and activity. The sci-fi mecha game Mecha BREAK completed its first public beta test in August, with player enthusiasm exceeding expectations, sparking widespread attention globally. The game has garnered nearly 3 million global pre-registrations and peaked at 17th on the Steam Global Wishlist. Furthermore, the mobile game The Fate of Sword: Zero has received license approval and is scheduled to launch next year.Mr. Jun LEI concluded, “In the third quarter, we focused on refining and optimizing our core products and services to lay a solid foundation for future development. Kingsoft Office Group will continue its long-term investment in AI and collaboration and address users’ office needs across various scenarios and deliver more intelligent and efficient office experience. Meanwhile, our online games business will remain dedicated to ongoing innovation and quality enhancement, offering exceptional gaming experience and rich content to global players.”About Kingsoft Corporation LimitedKingsoft (3888.HK) is a leading Chinese software and internet service company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It has three main subsidiaries: Kingsoft Office, Seasun Holdings and Kingsoft Shiyou. With the implementation of the “transformation toward mobile internet” strategy, Kingsoft has completed a comprehensive transformation in its overall business and management model. The Company has established a strategic layout with office software and interactive entertainment as its pillars, and cloud services and artificial intelligence as its new starting points. Kingsoft has nearly 8,000 employees worldwide and holds a significant market share domestically. For more details, please refer to http://www.kingsoft.com.Kingsoft Investor Relations:Li YinanTel: (86) 10 6292 7777Email: ir@kingsoft.comFor further queries, please contact Hill and Knowlton:Ovina ZhuTel: (852) 2894 6315Email: kingsofthk@hkstrategies.com Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.
Everest Medicines Announces NEFECON(R)’s Full Approval in South Korea
HONG KONG, Nov 19, 2024 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Today, Everest Medicines announced that NEFECON(R) has received full approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) in South Korea, indicated for the treatment of adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) with a urine protein excretion ≥1.0 g/day (or urine protein-to-creatinine ratio ≥0.8 g/g). This approval further expands NEFECON(R)’s footprint in Asia and provides Asian patients with a groundbreaking etiological treatment option for IgAN.Rogers Yongqing Luo, Chief Executive Officer of Everest Medicines, expressed his excitement about the approval: “As the world's first and only IgAN etiological treatment drug fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), NEFECON(R) will provide a new treatment option for patients in South Korea. We will continue to work on enhancing the accessibility and affordability of NEFECON(R) across Asia to meet the urgent needs of more IgAN patients for this innovative therapy.”NEFECON(R) is the first and only fully approved etiological treatment for IgAN, with its clinical value widely recognized by the global medical community. The approval of NEFECON(R) in South Korea is based on the global Phase 3 NefIgArd clinical trial, which showed that compared to placebo, NEFECON(R) not only brought about a sustained reduction in proteinuria and reduced the frequency of microscopic hematuria but also demonstrated clinically relevant and statistically significant treatment benefits in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The study further revealed that NEFECON(R) reduces the decline in kidney function by 50%, over a period of 2 years, comprising 9 months of treatment and 15 months of observation, and potentially delay the progression to dialysis or kidney transplantation by 12.8 years.Studies have shown that IgAN is highly prevalent among Asian populations, with a 56% higher risk of progression to end-stage renal disease compared to other groups, and often progresses more rapidly. The approval of NEFECON(R) in South Korea provides a breakthrough treatment option for IgAN patients in Asia and highlights its significant commercial potential in the region.This milestone is further evidence of Everest Medicines’ robust global commercialization capabilities. Earlier this year, NEFECON(R) issued its first prescription in mainland China, with subsequent approvals in Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore (marketed as Nefegan(R)), and Taiwan China. According to the company’s interim report, NEFECON(R) achieved RMB 167.3 million in sales within just over a month of its commercial launch in China, demonstrating strong market performance. The approval in South Korea further validates NEFECON(R)’s clinical value and commercial potential, opening new market opportunities and creating an important revenue growth driver for the company.Notably, NEFECON(R) participated in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) negotiations this year for the first time. Inclusion in the NRDL would significantly enhance its market penetration and affordability, accelerating its sales growth in China. Industry experts widely view NEFECON(R) as a potential blockbuster drug in the Chinese market, with the ability to drive Everest Medicines’ commercialization strategy while strengthening its competitive edge in both domestic and international markets. Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.
LQR House Inc. Board of Directors Approves Purchase of Up to $1M Bitcoin as Treasury Reserve Asset and Retention of Up to $10M Crypto Payments on CWSpirits.com
MIAMI, FL, Nov 19, 2024 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - LQR House Inc. (the "Company" or "LQR House") (NASDAQ:LQR), a niche e-commerce platform specializing in the spirits and beverage industry, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved the purchase of up to $1 million in Bitcoin as part of its treasury management strategy.In addition, the Company will now accept cryptocurrency payments on CWSpirits.com, giving customers the flexibility to purchase alcohol using digital currencies. As part of this initiative, LQR House has adopted a policy to retain up to $10 million of these crypto payments in Bitcoin, reflecting the Company's confidence in the long-term potential and value of digital assets."As Bitcoin continues to gain traction as an accepted asset class, we see a unique opportunity to strengthen our treasury with an innovative investment," said Sean Dollinger, CEO of LQR House. "In our opinion, Bitcoin's inherent scarcity and finite supply position it as a modern hedge against inflation and a safe haven in times of economic uncertainty. We believe Bitcoin aligns with our forward-thinking strategy and complements our mission to drive innovation across all aspects of our business."While Bitcoin will now be integrated into LQR House's diversified strategy, the Company remains firmly committed to its core operations. This includes executing its previously announced cost-cutting initiatives aimed at enhancing profitability and collaborating closely with its new board members to define and implement the most effective strategies for sustainable growth.LQR House will monitor its Bitcoin holdings closely, ensuring they align with market conditions and the Company's cash flow requirements.About LQR House Inc.LQR House intends to become a prominent force in the wine and spirits e-commerce sector, epitomized by its flagship alcohol marketplace, cwspirits.com. This platform seamlessly delivers a diverse range of emerging, premium, and luxury spirits, wines, and champagnes from esteemed retail partners like Country Wine & Spirits. Functioning as a technology-driven hub, LQR House utilizes software, data analytics, and artificial intelligence to elevate the consumer experience. CWSpirits.com stands out as the go-to destination for modern, convenience-oriented shoppers, providing a curated selection of alcohol products delivered to homes across the United States. Beyond its role in an e-commerce sector, LQR House is a marketing agency with a specialized focus on the alcohol industry. The Company measures campaign success by directly correlating it with sales on CWSpirits.com, demonstrating a return on investment. Backed by an influential network of over 550 figures in the alcohol space, LQR House strategically drives traffic to CWSpirits.com, enhancing brand visibility. LQR House intends to disrupt the traditional landscape of the alcohol industry, driven by its dedication to providing an unparalleled online purchasing experience and delivering tailored marketing solutions.Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Shareholders can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "potential," "continue" or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations that arise after the date hereof, except as may be required by law. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions, and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and in other reports and documents that the Company files from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and other disclosures, including the statements made under the headings "Risk Factors". Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and in other reports and documents that the Company files from time to time with the SEC. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites has not been incorporated by reference into this press release.Investor and Media Contact:info@lqrhouse.comContact InformationSean DollingerCEOinfo@lqrhouse.comSOURCE: LQR House Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.
14th Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference concludes today
- Over 80 experts and industry leaders in the maritime, air freight, logistics and supply chain sector shared insights on major issues facing the industry- The conference attracted some 2,200 participants from over 30 countries and regions- Strong participation and support from new and emerging markets, including ASEAN and Middle East, reinforced Hong Kong’s status as a ‘superconnector’ and ‘super value-adder’ between Mainland China and global marketsHONG KONG, Nov 19, 2024 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The 14th Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference (ALMAC) jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) concluded today. This year’s ALMAC featured over 80 experts and industry leaders from the maritime, air freight, logistics and supply chain sector speaking on major issues facing the industry at over 20 conference sessions. The conference attracted some 2,200 participants from over 30 countries and regions, providing a platform for industry players and shippers to explore global business opportunities and establish resilient and sustainable supply chains. This reinforces Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub and assists in its development into a high-quality green maritime fuel bunkering centre, thereby enhancing the international status and competitiveness of Hong Kong ports.Over 300 business-matching sessions were arranged, demonstrating Hong Kong’s status as a ‘superconnector’ and ‘super value-adder’ between Mainland China and global markets.Shaping resilient and sustainable supply chainsThemed “Shaping the Future of Supply Chains: Resilience and Sustainability”, multiple forums were hosted to address three major trends in the industry, namely supply chain transformation and new market opportunities, sustainability and green energy, and innovation and technology.In today's rapidly changing global landscape, the dynamics of supply chains are undergoing a substantial transformation. Effective supply chain management plays a pivotal role in combating uncertainty and future-proofing development of enterprises. In the session “Steering Business Growth: Building an Evolving Supply Chain”, Kalyan Chakravorty, Senior Director Global Productivity, Benchmarking & Analytics, MondelÄ“z International, shared his views on the challenges and the opportunities. "When we think about building resilience in a supply chain, we need to think about it as an ecosystem. No single person or single company runs the entire supply chain. It’s often difficult to replicate the entire ecosystem in a new place without challenges," he said.Jotaro Tamura, Senior Managing Executive Officer, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, shared his thoughts on Hong Kong as an international shipping centre in the same session. " Hong Kong is connected to the maritime industry and the maritime industry is connected to Hong Kong, which makes Hong Kong significant in all aspects," he said.Potential new trade linesSupply chain disruption has exposed the vulnerabilities associated with concentrated distribution hubs. To build more resilient networks, businesses must explore alternative trade routes. In the session “Navigating New Trade Lines for Mitigating Disruptions”, Wilson Kwong, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals, shared his perspective on Hong Kong as an international aviation hub, the city’s connectivity to global markets and new trade lines. "I think the government has to develop new trade links such as how the Hong Kong SAR government is working very closely with the Belt and Road countries and regions. With the commencement of the three-runway system, the cargo capacity of the Hong Kong International Airport will be raised to 10 million tonnes per annum in the next decade. This is certainly a milestone for us. At HACTL, we have never stopped investing. Working with a government that facilitates business, a business-friendly Airport Authority, and a very engaging and cooperative community, leads me to be very positive about the future," he said.Logistics efficiency through technologyInnovation and digitalisation play a pivotal role in improving the efficiency of global value chains. Speakers in the Logtech Forum: Amplifying Digital Supply Chains through Innovation and Integration session explored strategies for seamlessly integrating technologies across supply chains. Shamika N. Sirimanne, Director, Division on Technology and Logistics, UN Trade & Development shared her views on the strategies for seamless integration of various technologies across supply chains to optimise overall performance. “Compared to the other industrial revolutions of our past, starting from the steam engine and so forth, in this digital revolution the difference is that it's an extremely fast-moving technology and the windows of opportunity are open for a very short period. If you don’t capture it, then you lose something. It's a concern with this new technology. It's a different technology than what you have experienced,” she said.Local logistics talentThe Hong Kong’s NextGen Logistician Award Presentation Ceremony took place on the second day of the conference. Instituted by the Transport and Logistics Bureau in the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development, the award aims to recognise young professionals in the logistics industry who have made significant achievements and shown remarkable potential in innovative, high-end, smart and green logistics. Liu Chun-san, Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, HKSAR Government, presented the awards. Wendy Huang Shu-yao received the Emerging Talent Award, Queenie Yip Tsz-tung received the Young Professional Award, and Billy Yeung Wai-piu, Keno Cheung Tai-yip and Tyrell Au Ka-wai received the Young Executive Award.Photo Download: https://bit.ly/3UWXTPMThe 14th Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference (ALMAC) jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) concluded today, attracting some 2,200 participants from over 30 countries and regionsKalyan Chakravorty, Senior Director Global Productivity, Benchmarking & Analytics, MondelÄ“z InternationalJotaro Tamura, Senior Managing Executive Officer, Mitsui O.S.K. LinesWilson Kwong, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Air Cargo TerminalsShamika N. Sirimanne, Director, Division on Technology and Logistics, UN Trade & DevelopmentThe Hong Kong’s NextGen Logistician Award recognises young talent in the logistics industryOver 300 business-matching sessions were arranged, demonstrating Hong Kong’s status as the superconnector and super value-adder between Mainland China and global marketsALMAC: https://www.almac.hk/main/en/Media enquiriesYuan Tung Financial Relations:Agnes Yiu Tel: (852) 3428 5690 Email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hkEdmund Choi Tel: (852) 3428 2360 Email: echoi@yuantung.com.hkHKTDC Communications & Public Affairs Department:Stanley So Tel: (852) 2584 4049 Email: stanley.hp.so@hktdc.orgClayton Lauw Tel: (852) 2584 4472 Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.orgHKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.