CBL International Limited(NASDAQ: BANL) (the Company or CBL), the listing vehicle of the Banle Group (Banle or the Group) is honored to announce that Dr. Teck Lim Chia, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CBL International Limited, has been selected as an Awardee in the Directors of the Year Awards – Listed Companies Executive Directors category, presented by the Hong Kong Institute of Directors (HKIoD).
This esteemed accolade follows a comprehensive evaluation by an independent panel of judges comprising senior business leaders, governance experts, and institutional investors. The award recognizes Dr. Chia’s outstanding contributions to corporate governance, exemplary board leadership, and his proven track record in driving sustainable value creation for shareholders and stakeholders.
The HKIoD Directors of the Year Awards are among Asia’s most respected honors in corporate governance. Awardees are chosen based on demonstrated excellence in strategic oversight, ethical leadership, transparency, and long-term sustainable performance—all hallmarks of Dr. Chia’s tenure at CBL International. As Chairman and CEO, Dr. Chia has led the Group through a period of transformative growth while embedding governance excellence into the company’s core. Under his stewardship, CBL has strengthened its investor relations framework, enhanced ESG disclosures, deepened stakeholder engagement, and maintained rigorous compliance with international standards throughout its expansion across Asia Pacific, Europe, Central America and Africa.
In accepting the award, Dr. Teck Lim Chia said: “I am deeply humbled and grateful to receive this prestigious recognition from the Hong Kong Institute of Directors. This honor belongs not to me alone, but to our entire board, management team, and employees who share a relentless commitment to integrity, innovation, and responsible growth. At CBL, we believe governance is not a box to check — it is the compass that guides every decision. I will continue to lead with purpose, accountability, and vision, always placing the long-term interests of our stakeholders first.”
The Board of CBL International expressed its pride in Dr. Chia’s achievement: “Dr. Chia’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping CBL into a globally recognized, governance-forward enterprise. His ability to balance strategic ambition with disciplined oversight exemplifies what modern corporate leadership should be. We congratulate him on this well-deserved honor.”
Photo caption: Dr. Teck Lim Chia (right), Chairman and CEO of CBL International Limited, honored at the Directors of the Year Awards – Listed Companies Executive Directors category by the Hong Kong Institute of Directors (HKIoD).
Photo caption: The trophy for Directors of the Year Awards – Listed Companies Executive Directors category by the Hong Kong Institute of Directors (HKIoD).
About the Banle Group CBL International Limited (Nasdaq: BANL) is the listing vehicle of Banle Group, a reputable marine fuel logistics company based in the Asia Pacific region that was established in 2015. We are committed to providing customers with a one-stop solution for vessel refueling, which is referred to as bunkering facilitator in the bunkering industry. We facilitate vessel refueling mainly through local physical suppliers in 65 major ports covering Belgium, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mauritius, Panama, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. The Group actively promotes the use of sustainable fuels and has been awarded the ISCC EU and ISCC Plus certifications.
Since 2025, driven by both policy tailwinds and fundamental strengths, the innovative drug sector in the Hong Kong stock market has experienced a valuation recovery. Although it experienced some correction in the second half due to external environmental factors, its overarching growth logic remains intact. Institutional analysis indicates that innovative drugs continue to represent the clearest industry trend within the pharmaceutical sector, with promising development prospects ahead.
Among the players, Cloudbreak Pharma (2592.HK), a biotech company focused on ophthalmology, has recently demonstrated strong stock performance. As of December 9, its share price closed at HK$8.24, having accumulated a gain of over 80% in approximately two weeks, and making it a standout “star stock” in the capital markets. This impressive performance is not coincidental but rather the inevitable result of multiple positive catalysts converging, including breakthroughs in its core product pipeline, enhancements to its global intellectual property (IP) layout, and an upgrade of its core management team.
Securing Another Victory in Patent Layout, Accelerating Commercialization of Core ProductOn November 27, Cloudbreak Pharma’s wholly-owned subsidiary, ADS Therapeutics LLC, successfully secured two core patents in Japan and Europe. Both patents relate to ophthalmic topical compositions and their uses for the core product CBT-009, laying a legal foundation for its global commercialization.
As a novel atropine ophthalmic formulation for treating myopia in children and adolescents aged 5 to 19, CBT-009, with its unique non-aqueous formulation design, demonstrates potential advantages over traditional aqueous formulations in terms of drug stability, safety, and patient tolerability, positioning it as a potential best-in-class product. Currently, the product’s development is progressing steadily. It received U.S. FDA approval to initiate Phase 3 clinical trial in September 2024. Juvenile animal toxicity studies in China commenced in February 2025, and preparations for Phase 3 clinical trial are actively underway.
The grant of these patents in Japan and Europe not only strengthens the global IP portfolio for CBT-009, but will also accelerate its commercialization process. Leveraging patent protection, the Company has the potential to establish partnerships with global pharmaceutical giants to advance the product’s production and distribution in key markets like Japan and Europe, accelerating global market penetration. Given the severity of the global adolescent myopia issue, CBT-009 is expected to become a core engine for the Company’s future performance growth.
Pipeline Progress Across Multiple Fronts; CBT-004 Advances Towards Phase 3Beyond CBT-009, another promising drug candidate from Cloudbreak Pharma, CBT-004, has also reached a significant milestone. As a potential first-in-class drug for vascularized pinguecula, CBT-004 uses Multi-Kinase Inhibitor targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor (VEGFR) and Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor (PDGFR). According to the Company’s latest disclosures, CBT-004 yielded positive results in a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating its safety and efficacy in treating pinguecula. The Company has begun advancing its Phase 3 clinical development and is scheduled to meet with the United States Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) on December 10 (Pacific Standard Time, PST) at an End-of-Phase 2 meeting to establish a regulatory pathway for potential approval.
It is understood that there are currently no approved drugs globally specifically for treating vascularized pinguecula. Existing treatment options mostly offer temporary symptomatic relief, leaving significant unmet clinical needs. Should CBT-004 successfully complete development and gain approval, it would become the first targeted therapy, rapidly capturing market share with its unique efficacy advantages. This would create a new revenue stream for the Company while further solidifying its leading position in the field of ophthalmic innovative drugs.
Strengthened Executive Team Elevates Commercialization CapabilitiesThe success of innovative drugs relies not only on R&D prowess but also on robust commercialization capabilities to realize their value. On December 1, 2025, Cloudbreak Pharma announced the official appointment of Mr. Michael Rowe as its new Chief Business Officer (CBO), injecting key momentum into the Company’s global commercial strategy.
Public information shows that Mr. Michael Rowe possesses substantial hands-on commercialization experience across senior management, marketing, sales management, and clinical operations. He is particularly skilled in driving organizational efficiency and achieving breakthroughs in innovative business areas. His industry resources and operational capabilities are expected to bring comprehensive enhancements to the Company.
This executive appointment coincides with Cloudbreak Pharma’s core products entering a critical preparatory phase for commercialization. Mr. Michael Rowe’s joining will strengthen the Company’s business development capabilities in European and American markets, accelerating the construction of its global commercial footprint. Currently, through collaborations with companies such as Grand Pharmaceutical Group and Santen, Cloudbreak Pharma has established a commercialization foundation in Greater China and the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China). With the new CBO onboard, the Company is poised to further expand its global partnership network, optimize commercialization strategies, and provide robust support for the market entry of its multiple core products.
With Sustained High Industry Growth, Valuation Re-rating Potential RemainsIn recent years, the global incidence of ophthalmic diseases has continued to rise. Conditions like pterygium and adolescent myopia affect hundreds of millions of patients, while the supply of innovative drugs in related treatment areas remains severely inadequate, indicating a vast unmet market need. Concurrently, governments worldwide are increasing support for pharmaceutical innovation, providing a favorable policy environment for high-quality innovative drug companies. Within the Hong Kong stock market, the innovative drug sector is experiencing a favorable trend of valuation re-rating. Companies with solid R&D pipelines, clear commercialization pathways, and core competitiveness are seeing gradually rising valuation expectations.
As an innovative drug company dedicated to ophthalmology, Cloudbreak Pharma has built a rich pipeline covering 8 drug candidates targeting major diseases in both the anterior and posterior segments of the eye, forming a diversified product matrix. With steady progress in R&D and an increasingly refined global commercialization strategy, the Company already exhibits scarce growth attributes. The recent short-term surge in its stock price, catalyzed by multiple positive factors, is merely the beginning of value release. As these favorable initiatives are further implemented and pipeline value continues to be realized, Cloudbreak Pharma is poised to achieve dual enhancement in both performance and valuation.
The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is pleased to announce that Nasdaq Verafin has joined GASA as a Foundation Member, strengthening the global effort to combat scams, financial crime, and digital fraud. As fraud tactics continue to evolve across borders and digital channels, cross-sector collaboration has become essential to protecting consumers and building safer financial ecosystems.
Nasdaq Verafin’s participation marks a meaningful step forward in the shared mission to advance trust, transparency, and resilience across the globe. In addition to joining the global effort, Nasdaq Verafin will join both the Brazil and Mexico chapters of GASA to partner with stakeholders across the financial ecosystem in Latin America, bolstering regional initiatives to combat financial crime.
“Criminals are innovating at an unprecedented rate, taking advantage of information siloes and the shortcomings of legacy technology to avoid detection. We are at an inflection point in the fight against financial crime, one that requires the entire ecosystem to come together, leveraging the power of collective intelligence to strengthen our defenses and better protect consumers around the globe. We look forward to partnering closely with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance to share innovative solutions, intelligence, and global expertise to the unique challenges financial institutions in Brazil and Mexico face,” said Mauriceo Castanheiro, Head of International Payments Fraud at Nasdaq Verafin.
Nasdaq Verafin is a global leader in financial crime management technology solutions, trusted by more than 2,700 financial institutions around the globe. The company’s innovative approach combines consortium data, AI, and machine learning to deter, detect, and prevent criminal activity. Nasdaq Verafin’s consortium approach uncovers hidden risks across the financial system, leveraging data and insights from across 800 million counterparties to improve fraud detection and prevention while reducing false positives.
“Having Nasdaq Verafin join the Global Anti-Scam Alliance as a Foundation Member is a milestone for our organization and for the global fight against scams. Their deep expertise in leveraging technology to more efficiently and effectively detect criminal activity brings a new level of insight and influence to our mission. With Nasdaq Verafin’s partnership, and their representatives joining the boards of our Brazil and Mexico Chapters, we are strengthening our ability to connect global knowledge with local action. Together, we can help shape stronger policies, accelerate industry collaboration, and build the foundations of a scam free future.” said Jorij Abraham, Managing Director of GASA.
“The addition of Nasdaq Verafin as a Foundation Member is not only a milestone for the Brazil Chapter, it is a strong endorsement of the relevance of our market and the seriousness of the work we have been building from day one. We are starting our journey already alongside a globally recognized institution known for excellence, innovation, and a deep commitment to integrity. This partnership strengthens our ability to translate global expertise into local impact and accelerates our mission to raise the standard of collaboration in the fight against scams and financial crime in Brazil.” said Renata Salvini, Chapter Director for Brazil.
“With 76 percent of Mexican adults victimized by scams and 139 billion pesos lost annually, according to the 2025 State of Scams in Mexico Report, 2026 will be devastating. AI democratized productivity but industrialized fraud, this isn’t a prediction, it’s a countdown. Combating this epidemic requires integrated defenses where early detection triggers coordinated action across digital platforms, telecommunications, finance, and authorities. Nasdaq Verafin’s addition to GASA Mexico bridges the gap between technology and coordination. Without systemic collaboration, our economic system remains vulnerable. This strengthens our multistakeholder commitment to essential stability”, added Sissi de la Peña, Chapter Director for Mexico.
Through this partnership, Nasdaq Verafin executives will join the Chapter Advisory Boards of GASA Mexico and Brazil. As a Foundation Member, Nasdaq Verafin will collaborate with GASA and its members, bringing insights from more than two decades of stopping financial crime to develop innovative new strategies that protect consumers from fraud and scams.
To learn more about Nasdaq Verafin’s approach to financial crime detection and prevention, visit www.verafin.com.
About the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) The Global Anti-Scam Alliance is a non profit organization whose mission is to protect consumers worldwide from scams. GASA brings together policymakers, law enforcement agencies, consumer authorities, NGOs, the financial sector, telecom operators, internet platforms, service providers, and cybersecurity organizations to share insights, uncover emerging scams, and promote coordinated action against fraud. Learn more at https://www.gasa.org.
About Nasdaq Verafin Nasdaq Verafin provides Financial Crime Management Technology solutions for Fraud Detection and Management, AML/CFT Compliance and Management, High Risk Customer Management, Sanctions Screening and Management, and Information Sharing. More than 2,700 financial institutions, representing 11 trillion dollars in collective assets, use Nasdaq Verafin to prevent fraud and strengthen AML/CFT efforts. Visit www.verafin.com to learn more.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Information set forth in this release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Nasdaq cautions readers that any forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “will”, “may” and other words and terms of similar meaning. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to future actions and expected results. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond Nasdaq’s control. These risks and uncertainties are detailed in Nasdaq’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q which are available on Nasdaq’s investor relations website at http://ir.nasdaq.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Nasdaq undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Treasury Intelligence Solutions (TIS), a leading cloud-based platform for payments and cash management, is future-proofing organizations with specialized translation services in the wake of the recent November 2025 ISO 20022 deadline. A major turning point for the financial industry, SWIFT now requires banks to move their cross-border payment messages to ISO 20022. As a result, treasury teams are already seeing differences in how their banks send and receive payment information. Adapting to these changes will require a strategic approach to modernizing systems and processes.
ISO 20022 replaces a patchwork of older standards with a single approach to structuring payment data. The new universal standard is designed to reduce confusion across markets, improve data quality, and support the level of transparency that regulators around the globe now expect.
Moving to ISO 20022 payments takes time and strategic vision, especially when legacy systems, ERP, and payment systems were not built with structured data in mind. Updating those requires planning and coordination across several internal teams.
“ISO 20022 is a major industry shift, but it shouldn’t disrupt the way companies operate day-to-day,” said Wouter De Bie, Chief Technology Officer at TIS. “Our priority is making this transition seamless. By leveraging our platform’s ability to translate payment files into bank-specific formats and automatically populate ISO-required fields, we give treasury teams the flexibility to adapt at their own pace. This approach ensures stability, reduces risk, and empowers organizations to meet new standards without costly system overhauls or last-minute fixes.”
The TIS platform leverages more than 140,000 bank-specific profiles to provide comprehensive coverage of ISO bank formats. In addition, an innovative AI-powered solution addresses ISO-specific requirements such as structured address information for corporate beneficiaries. Companies that begin now to update their data and payment workflows will be better prepared for the larger changes still ahead. Those that don’t may face frustrating problems like message truncation, rejected payments, and slower processing times as unstructured formats are phased out.
“We’re already seeing the benefits of a proactive approach to ISO 20022,” said Jon Paquette, Chief of Strategy at TIS. “Organizations using our platform have implemented early bank-driven changes without payment failures or costly rework and are also leveraging our statement format conversion capabilities to avoid disruptions in reconciliation and cash applications as banks sunset MT formats and introduce CAMT. This proves that with the right tools, companies can prepare for full ISO adoption on their own timelines – maintaining stability while meeting evolving standards.”
About TIS TIS helps CFOs, Treasurers, and Finance teams transform their global cash flow, liquidity, and payment functions. Since 2010, our award-winning cloud platform and best-in-class service model have empowered the entire office of the CFO to collaborate more effectively and attain maximum efficiency, automation, and control. TIS enables users to achieve superior performance in key areas surrounding cash forecasting, working capital, outbound payments, financial messaging, fraud prevention, payment compliance, and more.
To learn how TIS can support your ISO 20022 transition, contact us today.
CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited (CITIC Telecom CPC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (HKG: 1883) is pleased to announce that the ICT-empowered partner of its subsidiary, China Enterprise ICT Solutions Limited (China Entercom), Yingke Law Firm (Yingke), has earned industry recognition at the IDC China CIO Summit 2025 and IDC Future Enterprise Awards Digital Ceremony, where its pioneering benchmark project, YingFaBao AI Legal Space Station received the 2025 IDC China Future Enterprise Awards of Excellence – Future Enterprise of the Year. Dedicated to recognizing future enterprises who embrace the digital-first era, this accolade represents a milestone in the partnership between China Entercom and Yingke, and also serves as a testament to China Entercom’s role in fostering a digital and intelligent ecosystem to realize digital intelligence and globalization for businesses across industries.
Ms. Sun Wen, Director of Global Board of Directors, Beijing Yingke Law Firm, receiving the award at the event
Headquartered in Beijing and established in 2001, Yingke Law Firm is a global legal service provider and a co-founder of the Global Coalition of Think Tank Networks for South-South Co-operation. Since 2022, Yingke has consistently held the top position in The Global 200 ranking of global law firms based on the number of lawyers, and its global legal service network has covered up to 199 cosmopolitan cities across 104 countries and territories. As the digital era approaches, Yingke is accelerating its “Digital Intelligence Law Firm” transformation and upgrading, with the aim of establishing a “Yingke Global One-Hour Legal Service Ecosystem” . The development strategy of the firm is also evolving from geographical business expansion to digital-intelligence transformation.
“2025 marks the tenth anniversary of the IDC China Future Enterprise Awards. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and its deep integration across industries, we are witnessing an increasing number of enterprises transforming into AI-driven firms as they enter the era of digital operation. These enterprises are customer-centric, open to experiment and constantly enhancing their products, services and user experiences,” said Mr. Wu Lianfeng, Vice President and Chief Analyst at IDC China. “Yingke Law Firm is a remarkable example of such organizations. From strategic vision to practical execution, Yingke actively adopts new technologies with an open and inclusive mindset, driving transformation within the legal sector. To streamline transformation, suppliers of innovative technologies and solutions like China Entercom play an indispensable role. As a trusted enabler of digital-intelligence transformation, China Entercom strives to offer clients with value-driven and reliable technologies and solutions. Moreover, as a successful example of international expansion, the company’s extensive experience and expertise in globalization provide valuable support for Chinese enterprises in their journey of going global.”
Extending warm congratulations to Yingke Law Firm on its recognition as an Excellence Award winner at the 2025 IDC China Future Enterprise Awards, Mr. Henry Ko, General Manager at China Entercom, underlined the key to “Redefining Global Legal Services with Digital Intelligence” by integrating China Entercom’s ICT capabilities and Yingke’s expertise in digitalizing and globalizing legal services. He added that this cross-industry collaboration has reassured enterprises in their pursuit of globalization. “Our collaboration with Yingke began in 2021, when the firm embarked on its four strategic pillars — globalization, professionalization, digitalization and carbon neutrality — to optimize its worldwide operations and services,” said Mr. Ko. “We look forward to taking this collaboration to new heights, empowering enterprises to expand overseas and creating a new paradigm of legal and ICT innovations.”
In today’s ever-changing economic and social landscape, every industry is confronted with new challenges, and these changes also raise the expectations for China Entercom. As an innovative ICT service enabler, the company is committed not only to staying ahead of technological advancement and strengthening its core capabilities, but also to gaining deeper insight into industry transformation and accumulating practical experience. Mr. Ko emphasized, “As AI is applied profoundly in various business scenarios, law firms and other enterprises are demanding higher standards in global network stability, data security and intelligence. As a result, more clients are partnering with China Entercom to explore efficient, flexible and future-ready models of digital and intelligent services.”
Harnessing AI to Pioneer a New Legal Service Model As technology rapidly advances and the macro-environment evolves, the legal services industry finds itself in the midst of fierce competition, undergoing profound structural challenges in traditional legal services models. The first challenge stems from global economic integration, which has sharply increased demand for cross-border legal services. Law firms are now expected to demonstrate stronger global service capability, cross-regional collaboration, and the ability to deliver tailor-made services. Secondly, the rise of the digital economy has given birth to new legal issues, raising the standards of a firm’s knowledge base and learning agility. Finally, disruptive technologies such as AI are redefining the legal service eco-chain — from client acquisition and service scenarios to operational processes and service systems — prompting a comprehensive reconstruction and transformation.
The “YingFaBao AI Legal Space Station” integrates Internet of Things (IoT), new media, videos and AI to deliver timely, efficient and one-stop self-service legal solutions, which marks a groundbreaking innovation in the legal services sector. In response to this new wave of transformation, China Entercom leverages over two decades of ICT practical experience and its strengths in integrated “Cloud, Network, Security” services to empower the digital and intelligent development of the legal services industry with AI-driven solutions. On one hand, it enhances the performance of critical digital infrastructure through global network optimization and intelligent security protection; on the other hand, this strong foundation supports law firms in all dimensions, such as digital management upgrades and global expansion of their services.
Redefining Legal Services with Digital Intelligence Yingke Law Firm is developing a global legal data platform in the hope of creating a worldwide legal services platform through promoting data sharing and interconnection. According to Ms. Sun Wen, Director of Global Board of Directors at Beijing Yingke Law Firm, “As the wave of digitalization transforms the legal sector, Yingke has remained focused on advancing through technological innovation and professional excellence. On the journey to evolve our service models through the dual engines of ‘LegalTech + AI’, we are delighted to have China Entercom as a trusted partner. Its profound technical expertise and extensive experience in supporting enterprises going global provide invaluable insight for our strategic development and transformation in this new era.”
China Entercom’s best practices in supporting enterprises “Going Global” and “Coming to China” have become a recognized benchmark. As a member of the CITIC Group, China Entercom upholds the service motto of “CITIC, Your Trusted Partner for Going Global and Coming to China”, and has long worked hand in hand with its parent companies, CITIC Telecom CPC and the Group, to extend service coverage to regions along the Belt and Road, the Middle East, BRICS nations and RCEP member countries. Its digital and intelligent solutions have already empowered numerous enterprises in overseas expansion. Today, China Entercom’s services span five continents and nearly 160 countries and regions, with global network resources connecting nearly 170 points of presence (POPs), 60 SD-WAN gateways, over 30 data centers, 20 cloud service centers, and three dedicated 24×7 Security Operations Centers (SOCs). Offering 99.99% network availability, the company ensures fast deployment and flexible scalability, thereby realizing faster, more stable, secure and compliant ICT services. Leveraging advanced AI technologies and services, namely its TrustCSI™ 3.0 cybersecurity solution suites and SIEM-MiiND intelligent SIEM platform, China Entercom delivers reliable, secure and high-efficiency data aggregation that provides the legal sector with smarter and more efficient digital intelligence.
References: [1] Source: Yingke Law Firm official website. [2] Source: Yingke Law Firm official website.
About International Data Corporation (IDC) IDC is the premier global market intelligence, data, and events provider for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,300 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC’s analysis and insight help IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and achieve their key business objectives. Establishing it’s China branch in 1982, IDC was the earliest global technology market research firm to enter the Chinese market. In China, IDC analysts focus on the local ICT market, producing research that covers areas including hardware, software, service, internet services, emerging technologies, and enterprise digital transformation. To learn more about IDC, please visit http://www.idc.com.
About Yingke Law Firm Yingke Law Firm is a global legal service provider established in 2001, headquartered in Beijing, China. Yingke is a Co-Founder of the Global Coalition of Think Tank Network for South-South Cooperation. Since 2022, we have consistently held the top position in The Global 200 ranking of global law firms based on the number of lawyers. Yingke Law Firm is committed to improving the “Yingke Global One-Hour Legal Service Ecosystem”, and its headquarters adopt the mode of “direct investment and direct management” for up to 126 offices across mainland China and one joint law firm in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region. So far, Yingke’s global legal service network has covered up to 199 cosmopolitan cities across 104 countries and territories. For more information, please visit https://www.yingkelawyer.com/index.html.
About China Entercom China Enterprise ICT Solutions Limited (“China Entercom” or “CEC”), a subsidiary of the CITIC Group. With solid global knowledge, diversified industrial experience, successful cases and top-notch expertise, as well as incorporating extensive ICT resource coverage, global-local capabilities and world-class solutions, China Entercom stands as the trusted partner for comprehensive solutions, addressing customers’ specific ICT requirements and fostering their development along the “Belt and Road” and around the globe. For more information, please visit https://www.china-entercom.com/En/.
About CITIC Telecom CPC We are CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited (“CITIC Telecom CPC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (HKG: 1883), serving multinational enterprises the world over by addressing their specific ICT requirements with highly scalable tailored solutions built upon our flagship technology suites, comprising TrueCONNECT™ private network solutions, TrustCSI™ information security solutions, DataHOUSE™ cloud data center solutions, and SmartCLOUD™ cloud computing solutions.
With the motto “Innovation Never Stops,” we leverage innovative technologies to boost technology empowerment (+AI). Embracing AI, AR, Big Data, IoT, and other cutting-edge emerging technologies we aim to unlock technical potential. By integrating deep learning and intelligent data analysis technologies, we transform these technologies into data empowerment (AI+) generative applications, reshaping the Intelligence Operation Journey of enterprises.
With our Global-Local capabilities, we are committed to providing our customers with one-stop-shop ICT solutions with superior quality. Having a worldwide footprint across nearly 160 countries and regions, including Asia, Europe and America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, our global network resources connect nearly 170 points of presence (POPs), 60+ SD-WAN gateways, 20 Cloud service centers, 30+ data centers, and three dedicated 24×7 Security Operations Centers (SOCs). We are certified with a series of international certifications, including SD-WAN Ready, ISO 9001, 14001, 20000, 27001, and 27017, to ensure our services compliance with international standards and resources for enterprises. We offer local professional services, superior delivery capabilities as well as exceptional customer experience and best practices through our global presence and extensive industry know-how, becoming a leading integrated intelligent ICT service provider to enterprise customers. For more information, please visit www.citictel-cpc.com.
– A Grand Finale: World Championships Concluded at Queen Elizabeth Stadium
The HKGX 2025 IBF World Championships concluded with a grand finale at Queen Elizabeth Stadium on 5 December.
The HKGX 2025 IBF World Championships concluded in a grand finale at Queen Elizabeth Stadium with France securing gold in Men’s Team of 5-players Event and USA claiming gold in Women’s Team of 5-players Event.
Men’s and Women’s Team of 5-players Event Semi-Finals and Finals were conducted today in a best of three games Baker’s Format which five players each bowl alternate frame in one single game. In the Men’s Team of 5-players Event Finals, France captured gold medal by defeating Sweden (264-248, 257-228). The bronze medals were shared by Germany and Korea. The Women’s Team of 5-players final featured a rematch of the 2025 IBF World Cup Women’s Team Event Finals. USA attained Gold Medal beating Malaysia in three games (179-191, 200-159, 199-185). The bronze medals were shared by Japan and Korea.
The All Events medals were awarded “based on the sum of the finishing position in each event. The winner was the athlete with the least number of points based on finishing position in each event.” For Men’s All Events, Sweden’s James Blomgren attained Gold Medal, Korea’s Ji Guen got Silver Medal and The Czech Republic’s Lukas Jelinek claimed Bronze Medal. For Women’s All Events, Finland’s Essi Pakarinen captured Gold Medal, USA’s Shannon Pluhowsky got Silver Medal and Singapore’s Shayna Ng claimed Bronze Medal.
Overall federation champion medals were also awarded “based on the sum of finishing positions in each discipline.” For Men’s Division, Sweden attained Gold Medal, Denmark took Silver and Korea got Bronze. For Women’s Division, USA captured Gold Medal, Singapore got Silver and Malaysia achieved Bronze.
Ms. Vivien Lau, SBS, JP, Chairman of the Hong Kong, China Tenpin Bowling Congress wrapped up the successful Championships with a heartfelt message. “Success of the Championships depends on how all the participants felt to them whether the Championships is successful or not. I will be happy if everyone felt the Championships is a success and they are happy to be here in Hong Kong. ” She thanked all the athletes and federations for taking part in the Championships. Without them, there would be no Championships.
Hong Kong, China Tenpin Bowling Congress would like to extend its gratitude and appreciation to the Major Sports Events Committee; Title Sponsor, the Hong Kong Gold Exchange (HKGX); Official Community Partner, The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Platinum Sponsor, Asiaray Media Group Limited; all other sponsors including First Asia Merchants Bullion Limited, UPWAY Group, Golday Financial Group Limited, Tak Fung International (HK) Limited, New Territories General Chamber of Commerce and Auspicious Bullion Limited; Official Partners Shun Hing Electronic Trading Company Limited, Joinmax (H.K.) Limited and all supporting organizations.
The next edition of the IBF World Championships will be held in Korea in 2027.
New survey of 4,000 parents and children in the U.S. and Australia reveals sharp generational divides in support, fears, mental health expectations, and belief in government enforcement.
The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) released new research today examining how parents and children in the United States and Australia view social media bans for anyone under 16. The findings reveal strong parental support for such bans, in contrast with widespread concern from children who fear losing friendships and support systems that exist primarily online.
The research arrives as Australia implements a national under 16 social media ban, placing global attention on how the policy will affect youth and their families. FOSI’s study surveyed 4,000 parents and children ages 10 to 17 to understand how both groups feel about restrictions, enforcement, and the broader impact of social media on daily life.
Support for the Ban: Parents vs Children Parents Support the Ban
65% of Australian parents support a national under 16 ban
58% of U.S. parents support it
Children Do Not
Only 38% of Australian children support a ban
Only 36% of U.S. children support it
Children, who are most directly affected by the restrictions, are less likely to support them. This gap raises a central question for policymakers. Why do parents and children view the potential impact so differently, and what might be lost if children’s concerns are overlooked?
Connection Concerns: Children Feel the Most at Risk Children Fear Losing Essential Connections
53% of U.S. children fear a ban would disconnect them from important cause them to lose connections and support
56% of Australian children feel the same
Parents Show Lower Concern
35% of U.S. parents
36% of Australian parents
For many children, social media can play a meaningful role in their daily lives, offering a place to stay connected, share experiences, and feel part of a wider community. Losing access to those spaces raises important questions about how young people will continue nurturing the relationships and support system they rely on. This cultural context along with the findings above highlights an emotional dimension of the ban that many parents may underestimate.
Families are divided on the mental health impact of a ban Some parents support a ban because they hope it will protect children’s mental health. However, parents and children disagree on whether this will actually happen. A total of 52% of U.S. parents and 42% of Australian parents agree that a ban will help protect the mental health and well-being of children. Children are less convinced, as only 43% of U.S. and 33% of Australian children hold this view. These mixed views show that families see the mental health conversation as complicated and deeply personal.
Screen Time Reduction is Expected but Not Guaranteed Parents and children share similar beliefs about whether a social media ban would reduce overall screen time. A total of 55% of U.S. parents and 47% of Australian parents believe screen time would decrease, and nearly half of children in both countries agree. While reducing screen time is one of the most common arguments for the ban, it is important to note that not all screen time is equal. Many children use social media not only for entertainment, but for communication, schoolwork, creativity, and support. Additionally, many children, 64% in the U.S. and 59% in Australia, say they would spend more time on other digital platforms, including video games or text messaging, indicating the total screen time may remain the same.
Many believe kids will find a way around the ban Parents and children are closely aligned when it comes to one concern. More than half of parents believe that children will find ways to circumvent the new restrictions. In the United States, 53% and in Australia, 54% of parents believe their children could work around the ban. When it comes to children ages 10 to 15 (those affected by the Australian ban), 45% of Australian children and 53% of U.S. children claim they could find a way around a ban.
These findings reflect a common perception that tech-savvy teens will find ways to bypass age restrictions if motivated to do so.
High support for teen accounts One of the strongest areas of consensus across all four groups is the idea of creating special teen accounts with stronger protections and guardrails. A total of 77% of U.S. parents, 74% of Australian parents, 80% of U.S. children, and 77 % of Australian children support this approach. These findings suggest that families are looking for solutions that prioritize safety without removing social media altogether. The strong support for teen accounts indicates that both parents and children prefer safer, age-appropriate options rather than an outright ban.
“Children will be the most affected by this ban, yet only one third support it,” says Alanna Powers O’Brien, Director of Research and Education at FOSI. “Many are worried about losing friendships and support they rely on every day. Their concerns should not be overlooked. As policies evolve, it is important that we listen to how young people experience the online world and ensure they feel informed, supported, and included in these conversations.”
About the Family Online Safety Institute The Family Online Safety Institute is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to making the online world safer for children and families. Through research, education, resources, and collaboration with industry, government, and civil society, FOSI promotes responsible digital parenting and healthier online experiences for all.
This data was collected by Ipsos, the third largest market research company in the world, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people. The survey involved 4,000 respondents, evenly split between the United States and Australia, including 1,000 parents and 1,000 children aged 10-17 in each country. Participants qualified if they or their children used the internet for at least three hours weekly. This survey was conducted from October 2nd to October 20th, 2025. No post-hoc weights were applied to this study, and the findings reflect the opinion of survey respondents only.
This research is supported by Disney’s Digital Wellness Grant Program and TikTok.
Media Contact: Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) Amy Bartko amy@fosi.org | www.fosi.org | 480-201-6733
Formerra will distribute Techmer PM color masterbatches, high-performance additives, and pre-colored compounds across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Formerra, a leader in performance materials distribution, today announced the addition of Techmer PM color masterbatches, high-performance additives, and pre-colored compounds to its expansive portfolio of materials. With this partnership, Formerra advances its application-specific lineup, aligning its material portfolio to customers’ evolving needs across North America.
A U.S.-based plastics compounder, Techmer PM specializes in value-added color and additive masterbatches and engineered compounds for high-performance plastics and fibers. These products are used in various industries such as medical, automotive, packaging, and consumer goods applications. Techmer PM has consistently invested in its optical and color capabilities, including the recent acquisition of OptiColor Inc. and Colors for Plastics.
“Techmer PM’s commitment to innovation and technical excellence aligns perfectly with Formerra’s mission to deliver best-in-class materials and responsive service,” said Cathy Dodd, CEO at Formerra. “Backed by our expert technical guidance, this partnership lets us provide customers with a portfolio of masterbatches and pre-colored compounds that drives performance and sustainability.”
Mike Ellison, VP, Product Management, adds, “The extensive pre-colored compound, additive, and color masterbatch offerings from Techmer PM cover processing, aesthetic, bio-based, regulatory, and performance needs.”
Highlights of the distributed Techmer PM products include:
Regulated Medical Color Systems: ISO 10993-tested palettes with regulatory statements; proven in PPSU, PA, PP, and ABS.
Aesthetic Effects & Laser Functionality: Full spectrum from metallics and color-shifting to photochromic and Techsplatter, a proprietary visual effect; full laser additive line covers multiple needs.
Circularity & Sustainable Material Solutions: PLA/alt-resin colors, HiTerra® rPET Revive to repair PET, NIR-sortable blacks (APR “preferred” in HDPE), and more.
“Formerra’s deep expertise in applications, requirements, and materials makes them an ideal partner to expand our market reach,” said Craig Foster, CEO at Techmer PM. “By combining our strengths, we’ll help customers accelerate their speed to market with the assurance of proven technologies.”
Key Details:
Formerra will distribute Techmer PM’s pre-colored compounds, colorants, additives, and masterbatches across North America.
Techmer PM brings a deep portfolio of color and additive masterbatches: Medical/regulatory-ready palettes, aesthetic effects (including Techsplatter), sustainability solutions (HiTerra® rPET Revive, NIR-sortable blacks), and performance/processing additives (TechSperse™, FR/UV systems).
The partnership pairs Formerra’s technical support and supply reliability with Techmer PM’s specialized materials and color/additive expertise to help customers launch better products faster.
About Formerra Formerra is a preeminent distributor of engineered materials, connecting the world’s leading polymer producers with thousands of OEMs and brand owners across healthcare, consumer, industrial, and mobility markets. Powered by technical and commercial expertise, it brings a distinctive combination of portfolio depth, supply chain strength, industry knowledge, service, leading e-commerce capabilities, and ingenuity. The experienced Formerra team helps customers across multiple industries to design, select, process, and develop products in new and better ways – driving improved performance, productivity, reliability, and sustainability. To learn more, visit www.formerra.com.
About Techmer PM Techmer PM is a leading designer and producer of engineered materials and polymer solutions such as concentrated color or additive masterbatches that provide specific performance and/or functional requirements. The company collaborates with plastics processors, fabricators, designers, specifiers, and brand owners to enhance product function and appearance in numerous end-use markets. Founded in 1981, the company operates plants across North America and has extensive expertise across resin technologies and with virtually every plastic- and fiber-related process, including additive manufacturing, blown film, nonwovens, and injection molding. For more information, visit www.techmerpm.com.
Formerra has been named distributor for Techmer PM pre-colored compounds, colorants, and additives for a wide range of applications (left). Techmer PM production facility in Clinton, TN (right).
The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is pleased to announce the election of two newly elected Board Directors, K. Aravamudhan, Executive Vice President, Public Policy & Legal, JioStar and Vivek Couto, Co-Founder, CEO and Executive Director, Media Partners Asia. Their extensive experience and deep understanding of the media landscape will bring valuable insights to AVIA’s strategic direction and industry advocacy efforts.
K. Aravamudhan and Vivek Couto
The association is also pleased to confirm the re-election of Emily Yri, Vice President, International Marketing, Pubmatic, Desmond Chan, GM – TVBI & Deputy GM (Legal & Int’l Operations), TVB, Joe Welch, Vice President, Global Public Policy, Asia Pacific, The Walt Disney Company and Shonali Bedi, Head of Strategy, Partnerships & Insights – APAC, Warner Bros. Discovery. Their continued counsel and commitment will help continue to guide AVIA through a period of rapid transformation and opportunity for the video ecosystem.
At the same time, AVIA extends its appreciation to previous Directors, Agnes Rozario, Chief Content Officer, Astro and Greg Armshaw, former Senior Director Strategy APAC, Brightcove,for their contributions.
The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association for the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. AVIA is the interlocutor for the industry with governments across the region, leads the fight against video piracy through its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and provides insight into the video industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry.
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Visionary AI and cloud executive with proven record of building and scaling enterprise platforms to lead the next phase of innovation and global expansion for the CX assurance market leader.
Cyara, the global leader in AI-powered customer experience (CX) assurance, today announced the appointment of Sushil Kumar as its new Chief Executive Officer. His appointment underscores Cyara’s commitment to accelerating enterprise AI CX innovation and elevating customer experience by enabling more reliable, responsive, and trustworthy interactions across every channel. Sushil will build on the strong foundation laid by outgoing CEO Rishi Rana.
Sushil brings entrepreneurial vision and enterprise-scale leadership to Cyara. He has focused his career on building category-defining AI, DevOps, and cloud platforms, both as a founder and as a leader of large global organizations. Most recently, he was Co-Founder and CEO of RelicX.ai, a generative AI test automation pioneer acquired by Harness. Before that, he held senior product and general management roles at Oracle, CA Technologies, and Broadcom, leading global teams and multi-hundred-million-dollar businesses that improved digital performance and customer experience at scale.
“Sushil brings a rare combination of proven ability, and deep customer and product insight to building and scaling category-defining platforms,” said Alok Kulkarni, Co-Founder and Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, Cyara. “Cyara created and now leads the CX assurance category, with strong and growing global momentum. Under Sushil’s leadership, we see a significant opportunity to extend that lead as enterprises race to modernize customer experience, deploy GenAI safely, and ensure that every customer interaction simply works.”
Cyara’s unified, AI-powered platform continuously tests, validates, and monitors customer journeys across voice, digital, messaging, and conversational AI. Assuring more than 350 million customer journeys each year, and validating over a million AI-generated responses, the platform gives enterprises full visibility into quality, reliability, and risk. With emerging Agentic AI capabilities, Cyara is expanding into intelligent, continuous CX optimization to help organizations improve workflows, reduce cost-to-serve, and deploy new experiences with confidence.
“AI is transforming customer experience faster than any technology shift we’ve seen in decades,” said Sushil Kumar, CEO, Cyara. “As enterprises rethink their CX stacks and explore agentic AI, what they need most is confidence. Confidence that every interaction will be accurate, trustworthy, and delivered at the speed and quality customers expect. Cyara already plays a pivotal role in enabling that shift. It provides the reliability and assurance organizations need to turn AI from experimentation into meaningful, real-world impact. I’m excited to build on this foundation and work with the team to raise the bar for customer experience globally.”
Cyara has pursued a focused mergers and acquisitions strategy; acquiring Botium and QBox (bot and conversational AI testing), Spearline/testRTC (telecom and WebRTC assurance) and CentraCX (voice of the customer), to build one of the industry’s most comprehensive CX assurance stacks.
Sushil will focus on accelerating product innovation in AI-powered CX assurance, deepening Cyara’s ecosystem of CCaaS, CPaaS, UCaaS, and AI partners, and expanding the company’s global footprint, which serves customers in more than 135 countries.
About Cyara Cyara is the global leader in AI-powered customer experience assurance. As the only unified platform for continuous testing and monitoring across voice, digital, messaging, and conversational AI channels, Cyara empowers hundreds of the world’s leading brands to optimize more than a quarter of a billion customer interactions every year. From full customer journey visibility to AI governance and compliance, Cyara ensures every touchpoint works flawlessly, helping businesses deliver secure, friction-free, and high-quality CX at scale. To learn more, visit www.cyara.com.
