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Riyadh Action Agenda Gathers Steam as Land Governance Takes Center Stage at UNCCD COP16

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The role of governance in local, regional and international efforts to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification, dominated discussions during Governance Day at COP16 in Riyadh on Friday. Proceedings featured major events driving action on land degradation, including water scarcity, and desertification, as well as advancing women’s land rights and enhancing urban-rural linkages.

It comes amid the launch of the Riyadh Action Agenda, a landmark initiative of Saudia Arabia’s UNCCD COP16 Presidency, mobilizing state and non-state actors. It will enhance financing for land restoration and drought resilience and drive measurable progress towards the UNCCD target of restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030. The Riyadh Action Agenda further progressed on Governance Day, with a declaration calling for engagement between local and regional governments to develop a roadmap for tackling land degradation, drought and desertification.

Meanwhile, the Mayors Forum, featuring current and former mayors, policymakers and experts, sought to elevate the role of local and regional governments in addressing land degradation, desertification and drought. Participants called for enhanced cooperation and inclusive finance, amongst other key policy areas.

Uğur İbrahim Altay, Mayor of Konya, Turkey and Co-President of the United Cities and Local Governments, said: “Meaningful action requires meaningful resources. I am here, as head of the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments delegation to make a strong Call for Engagement of local and subnational leaders to unite for combating Land Degradation and Drought, through mechanisms that prioritize investments in drought-resilient infrastructure and ecosystem restoration, while also ensuring direct access for all subnational governments, particularly in the Global South,”

Walid Al-Akrish, Deputy for Projects for Riyadh Municipality, Saudi Arabia, gave a keynote address, saying: “We must acknowledge that the challenges we face; population growth, rapid urbanization and unsustainable agricultural practices, have led to alarming rates of land degradation and biodiversity loss.”

Urbanization is intensifying the strain on hinterlands, water and food resources, and further accelerating land degradation. The growth of urbanized areas is only forecast to increase, with 68% of the worlds population expected to be residing in urban areas by 2050, according to the UN. Rapid urbanization is forecast to greatly impact surrounding rural areas, especially in developing countries. This trend is set to further heighten the importance of regional and local authorities, in managing resources for growing populations.

Alongside the Mayors Forum, an event on urban-rural linkages explored the governance frameworks and financing tools that can be used to strengthen the connections between rural producers and urban consumers.

“It is imperative we localize decision-making to combat land degradation, desertification and drought, and enhance the synergies between growing urban populations and rural producers,” said Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and Advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency.

“The Riyadh Action Agenda is now up and running and already mobilizing a range of key stakeholders to accelerate action on land restoration and drought resilience. It will bring together international state and non-state actors to deliver tangible change for people around the world, during the remainder of COP16, and beyond.”

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia launched the Riyadh Action Agenda. It will encourage countries, the private sector, financial institutions, international organizations, and other stakeholders to strengthen the convention by either joining existing initiatives that bolster global action on land degradation, desertification and drought, such as the Middles East Green Initiative, Africa Great Wall, Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, or champion new initiatives.

Already, COP16 in Riyadh has secured over $12 billion in funding pledges from major international organizations, amplifying the role of financial institutions and the private sector’s role in combating land degradation, desertification and drought, and launched the groundbreaking Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership.

About COP16 Riyadh

The UNCCD COP16 conference is taking place from December 2-13, 2024, at Boulevard Riyadh World, Saudi Arabia. The conference, themed Our Land. Our Future, will mark the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD and aims to secure multilateral action on critical issues such as drought resilience, land tenure, and sand and dust storms.   

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SOURCE UNCCD COP16 Presidency

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LG INSTAVIEW™ REFRIGERATOR SURPASSES 5.3 MILLION IN GLOBAL SALES

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Chosen by Customers Worldwide, LG’s Instaview Refrigerator Innovation Continues to Redefine the Kitchen Experience a Decade After Its Debut

News Summary

LG Electronics’ InstaView™ refrigerator celebrates the 10th anniversary of its 2016 launch by exceeding 5.3 million units in cumulative global sales.LG’s iconic “Knock Twice, See Inside” feature broke convention, offering a blend of user convenience, energy efficiency, and aesthetic value that set a new industry standard.LG InstaView refrigerators continue to gain traction worldwide, leading the refrigerator category in North America while seeing significant growth across Europe, Asia and Latin America.Over the past decade, LG InstaView refrigerator has won numerous prestigious design and innovation awards, including Red Dot, iF, IDEA and CES.

SEOUL, South Korea, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics’ (LG) InstaView™ refrigerator, which allows users to see inside without opening the door, has reached a major milestone on its 10th anniversary, surpassing 5.3 million units in cumulative global sales since its 2016 launch.

Trusted by Consumers Around the World

Since launching the LG InstaView refrigerator in 2016, LG has sold a remarkable 5.3 million units – equivalent to selling roughly one unit every minute.

LG InstaView refrigerator has seen strong customer demand globally, with North America representing its strongest market and accounting for about 30 percent of cumulative sales to date. In Europe, InstaView refrigerator has also been well received by consumers who place high value on energy efficiency, sustainability and food preservation performance. Sales are also steadily rising in Asia and Latin America, driven by growing demand for premium appliances.

An Innovation That Redefined the Refrigerator

InstaView redefined how consumers interact with their refrigerators by allowing them to see inside without opening the door. This feature allows users to check the fridge’s contents without opening the door and helps reduce unnecessary cold-air loss associated with frequent door opening. Over the past decade, its innovation has been recognized by international media and honored with numerous accolades from major global design and innovation awards, including the Red Dot Design Award, iF Design Award, IDEA, and the CES Innovation Award.

From Functional Benefit to Lifestyle Value

LG’s analysis of global customer reviews shows that consumer appreciation for the InstaView refrigerator and its eponymous feature has evolved over time, shifting from an initial focus on the functional benefits to the overall sense of satisfaction that it provides. While early feedback centered on the convenience of knocking twice to see inside and the reduction of cold air loss, more recent reviews increasingly highlight InstaView’s refined design and the enjoyment it brings to everyday kitchen use.

“For a decade now, LG InstaView refrigerator has stood as a testament to our leadership in the home appliance market and to our deep understanding of customers’ lifestyles,” said Baek Seung-tae, president of the LG Home Appliance Solution Company. “This milestone reflects our success in creating not just an innovative feature, but a more convenient and enjoyable kitchen experience. Building on our advanced AI, refrigeration and food preservation technologies, we will continue to lead the evolution of the kitchen experience with customer-centric innovations.”

About LG Electronics Home Appliance Solution Company

The LG Home Appliance Solution Company (HS) is a global leader in home appliances and AI home solutions. By leveraging industry-leading core technologies, the HS Company is committed to enhancing consumers’ quality of life and promoting sustainability. The company develops thoughtfully designed kitchen and living appliance solutions and has recently integrated LG’s Robot Business Division to incorporate advanced robot technologies into its home solutions. Together, these products offer enhanced convenience, exceptional performance, efficient operation and sustainable lifestyle solutions. For more news on LG, visit www.LG.com/global/newsroom/

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SOURCE LG Electronics

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Alpha Ladder Hosts Globalization Forum, Debuts Proprietary AI Platform AgentX

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HONG KONG, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On 9 July, Alpha Ladder hosted a tech globalization forum at LEAP East 2026 in Hong Kong under the theme “Connecting Industrial Innovation, Unlocking New Global Growth Opportunities” — and used the occasion to officially unveil AgentX, its proprietary AI‑powered solution.

The session brought together more than a dozen distinguished speakers from sectors spanning artificial intelligence, embodied intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, enterprise services, and legal — all of whom shared first‑hand observations and practical experience navigating global expansion.

Paul Pang, Head of AI at Alpha Ladder, unveiled the Group’s new financial AI agent, AgentX, during the product launch. He observed that the rapid proliferation of AI agents has rendered traditional cross‑border financial delivery models ill‑suited to the evolving AI industry landscape. Conventional local plugin integrations carry significant risks, including code tampering, data leakage, and compromised asset security.

He also noted that expanding enterprises frequently face a persistent disconnect between their business tools and financial pipelines. Core operational systems — covering expense reimbursement, payroll, and account reconciliation — often operate in silos, isolated from cross‑border payment and treasury management frameworks. The resulting reliance on manual workflows leads to chronic inefficiency and inflated operating costs.

To tackle these industry pain points head‑on, Alpha Ladder introduced AgentX — a purpose‑built platform grounded in its proprietary AI‑native architecture. Powered by the Core Finance skill suite and the standardised MCP protocol, AgentX is compatible with all major large language models and enables AI agents to directly access Alpha Ladder’s full spectrum of cross‑border financial services.

The platform is further equipped with VisionX, an intelligent risk control engine that performs cross‑verification across multiple data sources to significantly sharpen the detection of on‑chain risks. A built‑in regulatory sandbox ensures full segregation of transactions and data within compliance boundaries, effectively closing critical security gaps that have long plagued the industry.

Beyond its core risk and compliance capabilities, AgentX offers extensive ecosystem adaptability, enabling rapid integration with vertical use cases such as travel reimbursement, global payroll, and asset management — creating a unified, closed‑loop framework that bridges business operations and finance. Through its open ecosystem model, AgentX empowers small and mid‑sized enterprises expanding globally by tearing down the silos between operational workflows and cross‑border financial services. In doing so, it delivers one‑stop, intelligent cross‑border financial services and drives comprehensive AI‑driven transformation across globalising industries.

Yao Yuan, Vice President of AgiBot for MENA, Turkey, and Asia Pacific, remarked that 2026 marks the year AgiBot transitions from R&D to commercial deployment. Having spent the previous three years honing its products and technology while consolidating its position in the domestic market, the company is now scaling up commercial operations and accelerating its global expansion.

He articulated three core pillars underpinning AgiBot’s global strategy. First, the company is moving to seize the critical window for mass industrial adoption as the embodied intelligence sector enters a new growth cycle. Second, humanoid robots are emerging as a key enabler of industrial upgrading and national digital transformation strategies across economies. Third, overseas deployment, data accumulation, and localized delivery are creating a valuable feedback loop — one that feeds back into domestic R&D and forms a closed loop connecting global technology development with commercial execution.

Luo Yi, General Manager of 51Aes South China (a subsidiary of 51World), shared that the company was officially listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 30 December 2025 under the ticker 6651.HK. Guided by its vision to digitally replicate the Earth’s 510 million square kilometres, 51World is committed to building a seamless bridge between the digital and physical worlds.

As the industry enters a new era of Physical AI, physically accurate digital simulation environments have become a fundamental prerequisite for large‑scale training of embodied intelligent systems. Leveraging three core pillars — global spatial foundation models, simulation training platforms, and synthetic data pipelines — the company has built a complete, closed-loop technology system. Its commercial portfolio comprises three flagship offerings: the 51Aes digital twin platform, the 51Sim synthetic data and simulation platform, and the 51Earth digital earth platform.

As the core engine powering Physical AI, 51Sim delivers high‑fidelity simulation training environments and robust synthetic data generation capabilities for embodied intelligence sectors including autonomous driving, smart equipment, and robotics. It enables efficient training and validation of AI systems within virtual environments and currently serves over 100 enterprise clients across autonomous mobility and embodied intelligence verticals. Looking ahead, the company will continue to deepen the integration of AI with the real economy, unlocking greater technological value and industrial impact across broader global markets.

Xu Leyang, Co‑founder of Seekee, observed that vast segments of the global population have yet to gain meaningful access to AI. With “everyday users” at the heart of its mission, Seekee is building accessible, consumer‑facing AI products tailored for the world’s two billion ordinary people.

The team has strategically focused on Latin America — an underserved blue‑ocean market largely overlooked by major tech players. Few leading global large language models have dedicated meaningful R&D or localisation efforts to Spanish and Portuguese, the region’s dominant languages. By capitalising on the region’s distinctive linguistic landscape, local user behaviour patterns, and a proprietary repository of region‑specific language data amassed over time, Seekee has built a competitive moat that is difficult to replicate.

According to Sensor Tower, a mobile analytics platform, Seekee ranked eighth globally in the 2025 generative AI app download charts. Within Latin America, its brand recognition is on par with ChatGPT. Launched just over a year ago, the platform has already amassed tens of millions of monthly active users and demonstrated strong user retention.

Wu Xin, Partner and Global Head of AI Applications at BorderX Lab, delivered a presentation themed “Power of Agent Plus.” Drawing on real‑world deployments within the fashion and luxury sectors, he explained that AI agents are fundamentally reshaping traditional cross‑border industries and unlocking significant efficiency gains across the entire value chain.

E‑commerce, he noted, is undergoing a paradigm shift. Competition has moved beyond capturing user attention to precisely identifying consumer intent, with AI agents emerging as a critical instrument for surfacing latent global consumption demand. Powered by proprietary technology and data infrastructure, BorderX Lab has built a global consumer network that is helping redefine how Chinese cross‑border consumer tech reaches the world.

He further observed that agent‑enabled payments will form the bedrock of agent‑driven e‑commerce, and expressed optimism about jointly exploring blue‑ocean opportunities with Alpha Ladder.

Yang Mingyuan, Senior Investment & Financing Manager at QCraft, observed that among the broader Physical AI landscape, autonomous driving stands out as the first segment to achieve mass production at scale, sustainable commercial profitability, and rapid real‑world deployment.

The company’s core competitive advantage lies in its unified, self‑developed technical foundation — one that underpins both its L2+ advanced driver assistance systems and its multi‑scenario L4 autonomous driving capabilities. This homologous architecture also serves as a strategic springboard for QCraft’s broader push into general Physical AI. Its fully in‑house toolchain and data platform form a formidable competitive moat, while the company’s “Autonomous Driving Super Factory” system standardises the entire model training and simulation testing lifecycle — covering the full data pipeline to enable continuous, high‑velocity iteration and optimisation of its algorithm models.

He Liang, Chief Financial Officer of Yidianyun, shared that the company — a leading domestic provider of office IT infrastructure — is now pivoting to become an office AI infrastructure enabler. Its mission is to lower the barrier to AI compute access for enterprises through remanufacturing technology and subscription‑based models.

Yidianyun has built a four‑tier business framework that underpins its cost and service advantages, with a strategic focus on edge‑side AI hardware across AI PCs, AI workstations, and AI servers. He noted that direct procurement of AI hardware entails substantial one‑off capital expenditure for small and medium‑sized enterprises. Subscription models, by contrast, significantly ease funding pressure and hedge against upfront investment risk — a key factor driving the rapid growth of its proprietary AI workstation business.

For overseas expansion, Yidianyun plans to launch pilot cross‑border operations from Hong Kong as its initial hub, with the potential to extend its reach to additional international markets in due course.

Liu Chenxin, Assistant to the Director of the National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing (NIBS), shared insights at the forum. With a strong track record in research commercialisation, NIBS has incubated a number of benchmark biopharma companies including Huahui Anjian, Vitaraylon, and Denovo Biotech. Drawing on years of translational experience, the institute has comprehensively upgraded its established commercialisation framework and officially launched BISON — a new innovation incubation hub designed to tackle the persistent high‑risk challenges inherent in biopharmaceutical investment through a unique translational model and commercial logic.

Unlike conventional technology‑driven incubation models, BISON places market demand at the core of its approach. It partners with leading tertiary hospitals to identify clinical pain points at the front end, while aligning with pharmaceutical companies at the back end to reverse‑engineer original drug pipelines based on industry needs. Looking ahead, BISON will continue to leverage its deep foundation in original research to incubate high‑value biopharmaceutical innovations, helping domestically developed first‑in‑class drugs reach global markets and supporting the international expansion of China’s biotech industry.

Lei Zhicheng, Deputy General Manager of Mango Finance Limited, observed that the institutional advantages of Hong Kong’s capital market, combined with deepening economic and trade ties with the Middle East, have opened up new channels for Chinese tech innovators to access global capital. Closely aligned with policy directions and enterprises’ internationalisation ambitions, Mango Finance is focused on listing incubation and cross‑border expansion services, fostering service synergies through close collaboration with a diverse network of professional partners.

As an established securities firm, the company is steadily expanding its digital finance footprint in step with regulatory developments. Lei expressed keen interest in establishing system‑level connectivity with Alpha Ladder, and leveraging AI and cutting‑edge digital technologies to accelerate the digital transformation and upgrade of traditional securities operations.

Kevin Chen, CEO of Boost Bank and Founder of Aicapay, observed that as the Belt and Road Initiative continues to gain momentum, emerging markets across Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America are undergoing rapid economic and industrial transformation. Combined with surging outbound investment and cross‑border trade from China, the cross‑border finance sector in these markets presents enormous growth potential.

Boost Bank specialises in building localised compliance frameworks. Backed by multi‑jurisdictional licences, on‑the‑ground risk control teams, and deep‑rooted local financial resources, the company has established a fully integrated, end‑to‑end cross‑border capital loop — delivering tailored, client‑specific solutions for enterprises expanding globally. Chen underscored the strong strategic complementarity between the two firms and signalled Boost Bank’s intent to join forces with Alpha Ladder in building a fintech service ecosystem that empowers Chinese companies to seize opportunities in emerging markets worldwide.

Yin Li, Partner at Shanghai Landi Law Firm, shared that the firm established its first overseas offices a decade ago, making it one of China’s early legal practices to focus on cross‑border corporate services. It provides Chinese enterprises with full‑spectrum legal support spanning overseas investment filing, intellectual property protection, and cross‑border capital repatriation.

Against a backdrop where overseas expansion has evolved from conventional trade to high‑value industrial globalisation — marked by the coordinated export of technology, production capacity, and capital — and given the strong alignment between Middle Eastern development agendas and the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese enterprises pursuing comprehensive deployment in the region have generated robust demand for localised legal services. This, he noted, is the key driver behind the firm’s intensified focus on the Middle East market.

Yin emphasised that proactive compliance is the core moat for enterprises going global. Businesses must conduct thorough assessments of local regulatory and legal frameworks before entering overseas markets. Leveraging its “on‑the‑ground global presence” model — with coordinated teams across China and multiple international jurisdictions — the firm conducts advance due diligence to identify and mitigate legal risks inherent in cross‑border operations.

About Alpha Ladder:

Alpha Ladder is a Singapore-regulated fintech group focused on developing a world-leading, one-stop, fully compliant financial infrastructure — delivering secure, efficient cross-border financial solutions for enterprises going global. The Group holds core licences issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), covering securities, futures, fund management, custody, RWA asset exchange, and Major Payment Institution (MPI). We also maintain regulatory approvals in Canada, and are actively expanding our footprint across key global financial hubs including Switzerland, Dubai, and Hong Kong, building a globally compliant regulatory network. By leveraging AI to reshape compliance, risk management, and treasury operations, Alpha Ladder empowers enterprises to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and achieve sustainable global growth.

For more information, please visit our official website: www.alphaladder.hk

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SOURCE Alpha Ladder

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UOB Asset Management Highlights Global Resilience Despite Heightened Uncertainty

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SINGAPORE, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — UOB Asset Management (UOBAM) has released its 3Q 2026 Quarterly Investment Strategy, highlighting the global economy’s resilience in the face of persistent headwinds, including inflation, tariffs, geopolitical tensions and energy market volatility.

Despite repeated challenges over the past 18 months, economic activity has remained robust. Corporate earnings have held up across major regions, labour markets have remained resilient, and continued investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure is providing a powerful tailwind for growth.

While uncertainty remains elevated, the global economy’s resilience has reinforced confidence that the current expansion remains durable, even as risks continue to evolve.

On interest rates, UOBAM’s base case is that the US Federal Reserve is more likely to remain on an extended pause than embark on a new rate-hiking cycle. Although inflation remains sticky and recent geopolitical developments have raised upside risks, the firm continues to see evidence of moderating underlying inflation pressures, particularly in housing and wages.

Within equities, UOBAM remains positive on Asia and has upgraded Onshore China to overweight from underweight. Despite strong market gains, Asia continues to trade at a valuation discount to global equities, even as earnings growth has accelerated. UOBAM believes this combination of strong earnings momentum and attractive valuations presents a compelling opportunity for investors. In China, improving industrial profits and continued growth in higher-value sectors have strengthened the investment case for selected areas of the market, particularly those linked to AI, semiconductors, energy infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.

Anthony Raza, Head of UOBAM Multi-Asset Strategy, said, “The key story for investors is that the global economy has repeatedly withstood shocks without derailing growth. Despite a more uncertain backdrop, we continue to see attractive opportunities in Asia, where strong earnings growth is supported by compelling valuations, and we maintain gold as a preferred allocation as investors navigate an increasingly complex environment.”

In its asset allocation strategy, UOBAM remains overweight equities, diversified across fixed income and underweight cash. The firm continues to favour the United States and Asia within equities, while retaining a positive outlook on gold. Supported by strong central bank demand and its role as a safe-haven asset during periods of uncertainty, gold remains an important source of portfolio diversification.

For deeper insights across equities, fixed income, currencies and commodities, read the full 3Q 2026 Investment Strategy: https://uobam.com.sg/qis3q26

About UOB Asset Management

UOB Asset Management Ltd (UOBAM) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Overseas Bank Limited. Established in 1986, UOBAM has 40 years of experience in managing collective investment schemes and discretionary funds in Singapore, making us among the largest unit trust managers by assets under management. As of 30 June 2026, we manage 63 unit trusts in Singapore and together with our subsidiaries, oversee S$44.3 billion in clients’ assets.

Headquartered in Singapore, UOBAM has a strong presence across Asia, with business and investment offices in Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Our network includes UOB Islamic Asset Management Sdn Bhd in Malaysia, a joint venture with Ping An Fund Management Company Limited (China) and strategic alliances with partners such as Wellington Management Singapore.

UOBAM is one of the region’s most awarded asset managers, with over 380 awards won. In 2025, we were recognised as the Best Regional Asset Management Company by the Asia Asset Management and previously named Best Asset Management House in Asia – 20 Years in 2023. Our digital innovation has also earned top honours, including Best Digital Wealth Management in Asia[1] and Best Robo Advisory Initiative[2] for four consecutive years as of 2025.

As a leader in sustainable investing, UOBAM was awarded Best application of ESG in ASEAN[3] (2023) and has received multiple sustainability accolades in Indonesia and Thailand. Our artificial intelligence capabilities were also recognised with the Most Innovative Application of Artificial Intelligence (ASEAN) for three consecutive years[4].

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[1] Awarded by Asia Asset Management

[2] Awarded by The Digital Banker for the Global Retail Banking Innovations Award

[3] Awarded by Asia Asset Management

[4] As of 2026, by Asia Asset Management

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SOURCE UOB Asset Management

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