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Government of Canada invests in cutting-edge research and the next generation of scientists

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$171.6 million in funding will go to 5 science and research organizations across Ottawa

OTTAWA, ON, May 26, 2024 /CNW/ – Canada’s scientists and researchers are working to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges for the benefit of us all. Their innovations and discoveries are the foundation of Canadian economic growth and prosperity, as well as the health and well-being of people in Canada. That is why the Government of Canada continues to make investments to boost research and innovation and ensure Canada remains a leader in research and new technologies.

Today, the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, highlighted up to $171.6 million in funding for third-party science and research organizations through the Strategic Science Fund. The funding will support 5 organizations in Ottawa, as announced in December 2023, and was awarded through a new competitive, merit-based and transparent process, informed by the advice of an independent expert review panel. The organizations include:

Actua – up to $38.4 millionArcticNet Inc. – up to $32.5 millionBioCanRx – up to $38 millionCanadian Association of Science Centres (CASC) – up to $14.2 millionStem Cell Network (SCN) – up to $48.5 million

These organizations span Canada’s science and research landscape and are making contributions in a range of crucial areas, including researching and developing health care solutions, supporting Indigenous inclusion and research, addressing climate change, supporting Arctic science and research, making advancements in emerging technologies such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence, promoting STEM education among young people, and facilitating learning and training opportunities for post-secondary students.

Quotes

“The Government of Canada is proud to be investing in science and research organizations that play a vital role in Canada’s research ecosystem. The government’s ongoing support for science and research, including through the Strategic Science Fund, is helping to cement Canada’s position as a world leader in innovation, and will ensure a better quality of life for all Canadians.”
– The Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

“Science and research are the cornerstones of Canada’s economic well-being and progress. Canada’s researchers work to expand our understanding of the world, and they generate new ideas to solve some of the biggest challenges of our time. With this investment through the Strategic Science Fund, the Government of Canada is continuing its support for world-class, cutting-edge research and for those who work to inspire and train the next generation.”
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“By investing in health organizations through the Strategic Science Fund, we are advancing Canadian research and knowledge that will improve health outcomes across the country. This funding supports innovative medical treatments, advanced biotechnological applications, genomic science, regenerative medicine, and research into cancer and brain health. By deepening our understanding of health challenges and supporting science-based solutions, we are investing in the well-being of people in Canada.”
– The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health

“This investment will allow us to harness our home-grown expertise in diverse fields of research such as cancer and STEM cell technology, climate change, and artificial intelligence. Developments in these fields are critical to improving the quality of life of all Canadians, while also bringing in over $171 million to research and development right here in Ottawa. We are proud to support Canadian leaders in their fields knowing that their work is an integral part of the health and prosperity of our communities and our country.”
– The Honourable Mona Fortier, Member of parliament for OttawaVanier

“Successful scientific innovation and discovery requires a sustained and ongoing commitment in support of those on the front lines of research. Successive federal budgets have strengthened and enhanced that commitment and with today’s funding announcement through the Strategic Science Fund, our continuing commitment is further demonstrated. Our world class Canadian researchers require a nimbleness that will allow them to address the health care challenges of the modern world. The funds awarded today to the five organizations here in Ottawa will go a long way toward achieving the goal of improving the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of today’s research to meet tomorrow’s challenges.”
– The Honourable Yasir Naqvi, Member of parliament for Ottawa Center.

“Today’s investment reaffirms our commitment to advancing Canadian innovation and supporting our brightest minds, right here in the National Capital Region. By empowering our scientists and researchers, we are driving economic growth, improving health outcomes, and positioning Ottawa as a leader in cutting-edge research. This ensures a brighter future not only for Ottawa but for all Canadians for generations to come.”
– The Honourable David McGuinty, Member of parliament for Ottawa South

“We are absolutely thrilled and so grateful for the support to continue our fundamental work in research and science in Canada’s Arctic. As a nation with the second largest Arctic land mass and largest Arctic coastline in the world it is paramount that we as Canadians are leaders in Arctic science and this investment can help ensure this now and into the future. The climate is warming at four times the rate of the global average in the Arctic regions and the world of the future will not be the same as the world as we know it now – unless we invest in discovery based science in key regions such as the Arctic. We are also proud of our Canadian approach to science in the Arctic which involved working in partnership with Inuit organizations and communities  where we equally value science and Inuit knowledge”.
–       Jackie Dawson, Scientific Director, Network of Centres of Excellence, ArcticNet

“Hosted by the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, BioCanRx unites researchers and other stakeholders across Canada to advance immunotherapy, and turn all cancers into curable diseases. Today’s funding announcement marks a significant step forward in the fight against cancer, both nationwide and in Ottawa, where our work has already benefited patients like Camille Leahy, whose acute leukemia is now in remission thanks to a local clinical trial. We look forward to continuing our work with researchers, clinicians, and patients in Ottawa and in cities across the country to develop immunotherapy treatments to benefit all Canadians.”
– Dr. Stéphanie Michaud, President and CEO, BioCanRx.

“We are grateful for this federal investment in Actua’s work to develop the early stages of Canada’s talent pipeline. This significant support recognizes the critical importance of youth engagement in STEM, along with continued priority on removing barriers and building inclusivity.”
– Jennifer Flanagan, CEO, Actua.

“On behalf of Canada’s Stem Cell Network I would like to extend our thanks to the Government of Canada for its ongoing support and continued funding.  SCN is committed to transforming lives through regenerative medicine research, and as a pan-Canadian community of researchers, clinicians, scholars and next generation talent we will work with our partners to deliver the innovative cell and gene therapies that Canadians expect and deserve.” 
– Cate Murray, President & CEO Stem Cell Network

“We are thrilled to be part of the SSF family and this collaborative approach to advancing Canada’s science and innovation culture. CASC is Canada’s largest national network of public science engagement organizations. Our members are beloved and trusted sources for science information, and they engage tens of millions of people across the country every year. This funding signals the tremendous value of the work that they do, and the essential role that CASC plays in bridging research, science, and society.”
 – Dr. Marianne Mader, CEO of the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC).

Quick facts

This announcement is apart of more than $800 million in funding that will go to 24 science and research organizations across Canada.The creation of the Strategic Science Fund (SSF) was announced in Budget 2019 as a way to make federal investments in third-party science and research more effective by assessing applicants using a framework of principles for allocating federal funding.Since 2016, the government has provided more than $16 billion to support science and research.In addition, Budget 2024 provides $825 million to increase support for master’s, doctoral and post-doctoral students, as well as $1.8 billion to the federal granting councils to increase core research grant funding and support Canadian researchers.Budget 2024 also includes investments in modern, high-quality research facilities and infrastructure to help solve real-world problems, create economic opportunities, and attract and train the next generation of scientific talent.The next call for applications to the SSF is scheduled to take place in 2026–2027. Funding from the current competition will be disbursed from April 2024 to March 2029, pending finalization of contribution agreements.

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

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China-Europe Youth Exchange Campaign: When Fashion Meets Football — A Green Pitch Appointment for Cross-Cultural Dialogue

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BEIJING, July 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On July 18, in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, China, the much-anticipated Guizhou Village Super League staged several thrilling grassroots football matches, accompanied by a one-of-a-kind football culture creative showcase.

The showcase, themed Common Love, blended fashion runway elements with local music and dance, presenting 16 distinctive football-themed jersey designs. These featured Italian architectural graffiti, Brazilian color blocks, as well as motifs of the Great Wall, pandas, Chinese auspicious clouds, and ethnic patterns. The outfits were modeled by over 20 young people from diverse walks of life in Guizhou, while the designs themselves were contributed by more than 100 youth participants from over 20 countries and regions during the China-Europe Youth Exchange Campaign: When Fashion Meets Football.

Launched by the China Media Group, European and Latin American Languages Programming Center, the campaign took football as a shared global language. Through youth creative workshops and interactive exchanges, it encouraged young people worldwide to harness AIGC tools to design football jersey patterns, thereby deepening mutual understanding and strengthening friendship.

This initiative drew enthusiastic participation from youth across the globe, who engaged in online dialogues on sports culture and AI-driven creativity. Experts such as Ana Vasques, Executive President, IETI Artificial Intelligence & Creative Design branch; Giulio Cuomo, Professor of Video Production and AI at Accademia Italiana; and Dr. Zhang Youyu, Distinguished Research Fellow at Peking University, shared their insights based on the campaign’s outcomes. They emphasized that football has long transcended the realm of sport, evolving into a cultural symbol that embodies diverse civilizations. Meanwhile, the innovative application of artificial intelligence is opening new pathways for cross-cultural dialogue among global youth.

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhzZPHPk8IA

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/3006669/20260719205937_131_59.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/china-europe-youth-exchange-campaign-when-fashion-meets-football–a-green-pitch-appointment-for-cross-cultural-dialogue-302829189.html

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Singtel Receives Four Frost & Sullivan 2026 Recognitions for Leadership in Enterprise Connectivity, Cybersecurity, and Digital Transformation

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The recognitions highlight Singtel’s leadership in secure connectivity, network transformation, IoT innovation, and cybersecurity, delivering customer value through intelligent digital infrastructure and AI-enabled enterprise services.

SAN ANTONIO, July 20, 2026 /CNW/ — Frost & Sullivan is pleased to honor Singtel with the 2026 Southeast Asia IoT Connectivity Service Provider Company of the Year, 2026 Singapore Network Transformation Customer Value Leadership, 2026 Singapore Cybersecurity Services Company of the Year, and 2026 Singapore SD-WAN and SASE Service Provider Company of the Year recognitions. These acknowledgements reflect Singtel’s outstanding achievements in delivering secure, intelligent, and scalable digital infrastructure that enables enterprises to modernize operations, simplify complexity, and accelerate digital transformation across Singapore and Southeast Asia. They underscore the company’s consistent leadership in strategy execution, customer value creation, and innovation across enterprise connectivity, cybersecurity, software-defined networking, and IoT connectivity services.

Frost & Sullivan evaluates companies through a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. Singtel excelled in both, demonstrating its ability to anticipate evolving enterprise requirements while consistently translating long-term vision into measurable customer outcomes. Through platforms such as Singtel CUBΣ (CUBE) and its multidomestic IoT connectivity architecture, the company continues to unify networking, cybersecurity, automation, and AI-driven intelligence into integrated solutions that address the growing complexity of hybrid, multicloud, and connected environments. “Singtel has established itself as a benchmark for enterprise digital infrastructure by converging connectivity, cybersecurity, network intelligence, and IoT orchestration into a unified, customer-centric ecosystem. Its disciplined execution, platform-led innovation, and commitment to simplifying complex enterprise environments continue to strengthen operational resilience and deliver sustained value for organizations across the region,” said Kenny Yeo, Director at Frost & Sullivan.

Guided by a long-term strategy focused on digital innovation, intelligent infrastructure, and customer-centric transformation, Singtel has moved well-beyond traditional telecommunications to a trusted technology partner for enterprises navigating increasingly connected and data-driven environments. Its strategic investments in AI-enabled operations, cloud-native platforms, secure connectivity, and ecosystem partnerships enable organizations to modernize critical infrastructure while maintaining the flexibility to support future business growth.

The company’s strategic agility and sustained investment in integrated digital platforms have enabled it to scale innovative services across local, regional, and global enterprise environments. Innovation remains central to Singtel’s approach through solutions including the CUBΣ connected intelligence platform, multidomestic IoT connectivity powered by eSIM orchestration, managed cybersecurity services, AI-driven network automation, and network-as-a-service capabilities. These solutions simplify network and security management, strengthen cyber resilience, improve operational visibility, and provide enterprises with scalable, secure, and high-performing connectivity across cloud, edge, IoT, and hybrid infrastructures.

By streamlining service delivery through intelligent automation, centralized orchestration, proactive monitoring, and flexible managed and co-managed service models, Singtel continues to help organizations reduce operational complexity while improving service reliability and business agility. Its ability to integrate best-of-breed technologies in a unified operational framework, combined with strong regional network ownership and localized expertise, enables customers to confidently scale digital initiatives while maintaining security, governance, and operational excellence.

Frost & Sullivan commends Singtel for setting a high standard in competitive strategy, execution, and customer value across multiple technology domains. By combining intelligent networking, secure digital infrastructure, AI-enabled operations, and cross-border IoT capabilities in an integrated platform strategy, the company is shaping the future of enterprise connectivity while helping organizations build resilient, future-ready digital ecosystems.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents its Company of the Year and Customer Value Leadership recognitions to organizations that demonstrate outstanding strategy development and implementation, resulting in measurable improvements in customer satisfaction, competitive positioning, and business performance. These recognitions honor forward-thinking companies that continuously raise industry standards through innovation, operational excellence, and long-term value creation.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition
Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards.
Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:
Tarini Singh
E: Tarini.Singh@frost.com

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/singtel-receives-four-frost–sullivan-2026-recognitions-for-leadership-in-enterprise-connectivity-cybersecurity-and-digital-transformation-302829114.html

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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Foreign entrepreneurs find business opportunities and a home in Yiwu

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BEIJING, July 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from People’s Daily:

Yiwu, a city in east China’s Zhejiang province, is neither a coastal hub nor a border town. Yet it has built a trade network that reaches across the globe. Today, the city is home to more than 10,000 foreign-invested businesses and around 38,000 foreign merchants who live and work there.

People’s Daily reporters recently visited Yiwu to meet foreign entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses and settled down in the city. They shared stories of growing alongside Yiwu and becoming part of its remarkable transformation.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without Yiwu,” said Senegalese businessman Sourakhata Tirera, a sentiment he often expresses. He first came to Yiwu in 2003 to source hardware products and was immediately impressed by the Yiwu International Trade Market. He noted, “If you can’t find something here, it’s probably because you haven’t searched carefully enough.”

In 2007, Tirera opened a foreign trade agency in Yiwu. In 2012, leveraging Yiwu’s comprehensive foreign trade pilot reform project, he established a wholly foreign-owned trading company. Today, his company ships 200 to 300 containers every month, dealing in more than 1,000 product categories and providing one-stop sourcing services for clients across Africa.

“Everyone is fascinated by Yiwu because it’s a place full of opportunities. Things that once seemed impossible can become reality here,” Tirera told People’s Daily after he finished receiving a trade delegation from Gabon.

Yemeni businessman Maged Mohammed Ali Al-Huraibi came to Yiwu alone in 2008 to pursue his entrepreneurial dream and founded a cosmetics trading company. In 2024, Yiwu launched a one-stop entrepreneurship service for foreign talent, offering factory leasing, policy consultation, and talent recruitment. Seizing the opportunity, Al-Huraibi invested in a cosmetics factory early that year, successfully transitioning from trader to manufacturer.

“Yiwu made my entrepreneurial dream come true. Now I want to bring cosmetics made in Yiwu to even more countries and regions around the world,” Al-Huraibi said.

Yiwu’s success is not simply about gathering products. More importantly, it comes from the city’s ability to create what the market needs — pioneering new approaches where none exist and forging new paths through continuous exploration.

Nepalese businessman Khadka Raj Kumar first came to Yiwu in 2002. In 2011, Yiwu pioneered a dual-track system for representative offices and foreign-invested business entities, addressing challenges related to residency, employment and business operations for foreign entrepreneurs. The following year, Kumar established his own trading company in Yiwu and later bought a home there.

In 2013, Yiwu established China’s first people’s mediation committee dedicated to foreign-related disputes, inviting foreign businesspeople to serve as mediation processes. Kumar has served in this role since 2017 and has participated in resolving more than 150 foreign-related disputes.

“In Yiwu, we’re not outsiders — we’re part of the local community,” he said.

As Yiwu’s sixth-generation marketplace, the Yiwu Global Digital Trade Center marks the city’s transition from traditional trade to a digital trade ecosystem.

Pakistani businessman Sheikh Jamil, who has operated in Yiwu for 21 years, has witnessed this transformation firsthand. According to him, more and more business is now conducted online. With the help of AI, he can quickly generate product solutions tailored to different market demands. “I can do business with the whole world without leaving my office,” he said.

Yemeni businessman Hasan Mohammed entered Yiwu’s cosmetics business as a distributor a decade ago. In 2018, he registered his own cosmetics brand in Saudi Arabia. With its products registered in Saudi Arabia, manufactured in China and sold worldwide, his business model delivers both high-quality products and a strong competitive edge.

“Yiwu is more like an ecosystem where ideas can quickly become reality. It offers not only opportunities, but also the potential for continuous growth,” said Mohammed.

For Brazilian businesswoman Ana Garcia, Yiwu’s transformation from “Made in Yiwu” to “Created in Yiwu” has been fueled by broad support in branding, digital innovation and global expansion. She founded a business consultancy that helps overseas clients identify market opportunities and sourcing needs, connect with qualified suppliers, and manage every step of the supply chain — from product selection and quality inspection to logistics and customs clearance.

Yiwu belongs not only to China, but also to the world. Together with entrepreneurs from around the globe, the city will continue turning the impossible into the possible, further burnishing its reputation as the “world’s supermarket” and ensuring that products created in Yiwu benefit people in more countries.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/foreign-entrepreneurs-find-business-opportunities-and-a-home-in-yiwu-302829158.html

SOURCE People’s Daily

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