Technology

We’re with pandas – Got some panda stories for you

Published

3 years ago

June 16, 2023

BEIJING, June 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — An interview with Sun Wanlu, editor of China.org.cn, on the international cooperation on Pandas:

Yaya, China’s friendship envoy panda that traversed the Pacific to America 20 years ago, recently came back to China. Along with her return, pandas have once again become a viral hit around the world. In the past few decades, every panda that has lived outside China has captured the attention of countless people. These envoy pandas are a carrier of love for the animal from people all over the globe, and also lay witness to the communication and cooperation between China and other countries.

Just right here in the Dujiangyan Base of China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda (the Center), many pandas live their own stories.

In 1996, Baiyun and her male companion Shishi left for San Diego Zoo in the U.S. They were among the first batch of pandas that China sent to other countries for science and research cooperation. Back then, the two countries carried out many cases of interesting and cutting-edge research based on the programs China launched, supported by America’s experience in animal nutrition and animal behavior studies. For example, in some online video clips, we can sometimes hear pandas baaing like sheep or chirping like birds, meaning they are rutting — that’s just an example of one takeaway from the two countries’ cooperation back then.

There is also gossip about Baiyun. It is said, when Baiyun was younger, she had a fiery temper. One time when she was in rutting season, her male companion Shishi was totally frigid, sitting there idly eating his food. So Baiyun went right on and gave Shishi a punch… Fortunately, later on, some Chinese experts went to America with artificial insemination techniques for pandas which enabled Baiyun gave birth to her cub Huamei.

Huamei is the first giant panda that survived her birth in America, as well as the first panda born outside China that returned to her home country later. Her name Huamei, meaning China and America, bears the goodwill of China-U.S. cooperation.

In these years, research staff from China have conquered “the trinity” of challenges for captivated pandas, namely challenges for rutting, for mating and conception, and for cub survival. Techniques to tackle these problems were introduced to other countries, and further integrated with local studies and techniques, enabling considerably more pandas to breed outside China.

We just mentioned that Baiyun wasn’t satisfied with Shishi, so in 2003, the Center selected another Mr. Right for Baiyun and sent him to America, and that is Gaogao. The couple ended up breeding five cubs in America, all by spontaneous mating.

Every year or two, a new zoo would appear on the list of zoos that partnered with China on the conservation and research of giant pandas. Currently, China is working with 22 zoos in 19 countries. Dialogue and collaboration in behavioral studies, breeding and deliveries, and rearing management are all important elements in giant panda conservation.

Six years ago, I talked about the giant pandas’ special contribution to China’s diplomacy in a previous episode. Today, I learned more about cooperation on pandas’ conservation and research, offering me a peek into the changes and developments in cooperation on pandas between China and other countries. For both China and the receiver countries, giant pandas are beyond a symbol of friendship — it is more of an icon of rare species, and a kaleidoscope that epitomizes humanity’s joint efforts for protecting the ecological environment and building a community of life for man and nature.

China Mosaic
http://chinamosaic.china.com.cn/index.htm
We’re with pandas! Got some panda stories for you!
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2023-06/16/content_87775022.htm

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SOURCE China.org.cn

Technology

Hexagon Interim Report 1 January – 31 March 2026

Published

14 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

STOCKHOLM, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ —

First quarter 2026

Continuing operations

Operating net sales of 963.8 (961.5) resulting in organic growth of 8%Net sales including acquired deferred revenue amounted to 963.6 MEUR (961.5)Adjusted gross earnings of 606.3 (619.1) resulting in a 62.9% (64.4) gross marginAdjusted operating earnings (EBIT1) of 251.3 MEUR (248.7) resulting in a 26.1% (25.9) EBIT1 marginAdjusted earnings per share of 6.7 Euro cent (6.5)Earnings per share of 58.4 Euro cent (5.0)Cash conversion of 77% (60)Recurring revenue of 289.9 MEUR (308.0), 6% organic growthOctave reported operating net sales of 327.2 MEUR (361.3) and adjusted operating margin of 25.2% (26.6)Adjusted earnings per share including discontinued operations of 9.1 (9.4)Earnings per share including discontinued operations of 59.9 Euro cent (7.0)

For further information, please contact:
Tom Hull, Head of Investor Relations, +44 (0) 7442 678 437, ir@hexagon.com
Anton Heikenström, Investor Relations Manager, +46 8 601 26 26, ir@hexagon.com

This is information that Hexagon AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 08:00 CET on 23 April 2026.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/hexagon/r/hexagon-interim-report-1-january—31-march-2026,c4338783

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/387/4338783/4053482.pdf

Hexagon Interim Report Q1 2026

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SOURCE Hexagon

Technology

Dragonpass Empowers Financial Institutions with End-to-End Loyalty Solutions at Money20/20 Asia

Published

14 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

BANGKOK, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dragonpass, a leading global travel and lifestyle platform, participated in Money20/20 Asia, showcasing its customer loyalty solutions for banks, payment providers, credit card issuers, and fintech companies across APAC and globally.

As one of the most influential fintech events worldwide, Money20/20 Asia gathers decision-makers across the financial ecosystem. At the event, Dragonpass demonstrated how financial institutions can enhance customer engagement and build long-term loyalty through integrated travel and lifestyle experiences.

Established in 2005, Dragonpass has evolved from a lounge provider into a loyalty solutions partner, serving more than 800 global clients and over 40 million members worldwide.

At the core of Dragonpass is a business structure that combines global supply aggregation, a technology-enabled engagement platform, and consumer-facing lifestyle services — providing a one-stop solution across the customer lifecycle.

Leveraging data-driven insights, Dragonpass enables partners to design and optimise loyalty programs, incorporating customer segmentation and tiered incentive structures, alongside curated campaigns and entitlement configuration — driving more effective customer activation, engagement, and retention.

Its offering includes a broad portfolio of travel and lifestyle benefits such as airport lounge access, fast-track, dining, airport transfers, and lifestyle experiences. These are supported by flexible delivery models, including API integration, white-label solutions, and ready-to-deploy digital platforms, enabling seamless integration into clients’ customer journeys.

As customer expectations evolve, the industry is shifting from standardized benefits to more personalized, experience-led loyalty models. Insights from Dragonpass’s Loyalty Index show that customers increasingly value trust, rewards, simplicity, recognition, and exclusivity, with preferences varying across markets.

“Financial institutions today are looking for more effective ways to engage customers beyond traditional rewards,” said Jane Zhu, Co-founder and CEO of Dragonpass. “User engagement is at the core of loyalty, and technology — especially AI — plays a key role in enabling deeper and more relevant customer connections.”

Dragonpass works with leading global brands including Mastercard, Visa, HSBC, and Revolut, supporting them deliver differentiated value propositions and enhance customer engagement through scalable, customizable solutions.

Through its participation at Money20/20 Asia, Dragonpass aims to strengthen its presence in the APAC market and build strategic partnerships with organizations seeking to elevate their customer engagement strategies.

About Dragonpass

Dragonpass is a global travel and lifestyle platform providing premium airport and travel experiences across 140+ countries. By integrating global supply and technology, Dragonpass enables partners to deliver seamless, personalized experiences and drive customer loyalty.

Media Contact

Dragonpass PR
Email: brandmarketing@dragonpass.com
Website: www.dragonpass.com

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SOURCE Dragonpass

Technology

SBI Life Insurance registers New Business Premium of ₹42,551 crores for the year ended on 31st March, 2026

Published

14 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

MUMBAI, India, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SBI Life Insurance, one of the leading life insurers in the country registered a New Business Premium of ₹42,551 crores for the year ended on 31st March, 2026 vis-a-vis ₹35,577 crores for the year ended 31st March, 2025. Single premium has increased by 28% over the year ended on 31st March, 2025.

Establishing a clear focus on protection, SBI Life’s protection new business premium stood at ₹4,622 crores for the year ended 31st March, 2026, marking a growth of 13%. Protection Individual new business premium registered a growth of 23% and stood at ₹973 crores for the year ended 31st March, 2026. Individual New Business Premium stands at ₹29,783 crores with 13% growth over the year ended on 31st March, 2025.

SBI Life’s profit after tax stands at ₹2,470 crores for the year ended 31st March, 2026 with a growth of 2% over the year ended on 31st March, 2025.

The company’s solvency ratio continues to remain robust at 1.90 as on 31st March, 2026 as against the regulatory requirement of 1.50.

SBI Life’s AUM also continued to grow at 9% to ₹4,87,163 crores as on 31st March, 2026 from ₹4,48,039 crores as on 31st March, 2025, with the debt-equity mix of 62:38. 94% of the debt investments are in AAA and Sovereign instruments.

The company has a diversified distribution network of 3,58,506 trained insurance professionals and wide presence with 1,230 offices across the country, comprising of strong bancassurance channel, agency channel and others comprising of corporate agents, brokers, Point of Sale Persons (POS), insurance marketing firms, web aggregators and direct business.

Performance for the year ended March 31, 2026

Private Market leadership in Individual New Business Premium and Individual Rated Premium with market share of 25.5% & 22.9% respectively.Annualized Premium Equivalent (APE) stands at ₹ 24,266 crores with growth of 13%Individual New Business Sum Assured stands at ₹ 4,46,337 crores with 61% growthImprovement in 13M & 49M persistency by 53 bps & 107 bps respectivelyValue of New Business (VoNB) stands at ₹ 6,667 crores with growth of 12%VoNB Margin stands at 27.5%Indian Embedded value (IEV) stands at ₹ 80,791 crores with 15% growthProfit After Tax (PAT) stands at ₹ 2,470 crores with 2% growthOperating Return on Embedded Value stands at 19.7% Assets under Management stands at ₹ 4,87,163 crores with 9% growthRobust Solvency ratio of 1.90

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