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Global Times: Species thriving thanks to policy, consensus in China

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BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Under the global framework for biodiversity, more wildlife species are increasing in number and enjoying a better space for living and breeding in China with the help of advanced technology and more popular caring, according to the Chinese delegation from diverse institutes and organizations at the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity that is being held in Cali, Colombia.

A prolonged whistle resonated through the sky, prompting visitors to lift their cameras in anticipation of capturing the migratory birds that were arriving. In recent years, tens of thousands of migratory birds such as cormorants fly each autumn to Shenzhen, a subtropical metropolis in South China, making the city one of the most important stops for these birds in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Their numbers are still increasing as the local environment improves. Environmental conservation organizations, including the Mangrove Conservation Foundation (MCF), see the growing population of migratory birds as a signal that urban biodiversity in China is heading in the right direction. 

Only around a few meters away from visitors, a black-faced spoonbill heads down in search of food over the wetlands at the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve alongside dozens of its brethren. Meanwhile, in the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park, an Eurasian otter, a species that disappeared from the Shenzhen Bay for nearly 20 years, has re-emerged.  

Chen Yudong, a staff member with the Mangrove Conservation Foundation who focuses on the protection and biodiversity of wetlands, told the Global Times that the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park is currently home to five species listed as National Key Protected Wildlife, including the Eastern imperial eagle, the black-faced spoonbill, and the small Indian civet. 

Additionally, the park has 39 nationally protected wildlife species at the second level (including birds, mammals, and reptiles). From 2015 to 2023, the number of insect species had risen from 109 to 1,224, while bird species had increased from 83 to 220.  

To maintain and improve biodiversity in metropolises like Shenzhen, Chinese environmentalists are exploring the effective application of emerging technologies and analytical methods in biodiversity monitoring, such as bioacoustics, weather radar data, and artificial intelligence, according to Insights for Cities on Biodiversity, an initiative focusing on how to sustain urban biodiversity, published in Shenzhen in September. 

For instance, during the migratory season, weather radar is being promoted to analyze and predict the flight paths of bird flocks, informing the implementation of lighting management strategies. This technology can help reduce accidents involving birds colliding with tall buildings or windows, particularly at night.

The delegation of the conservation foundation brought the initiative to COP16 and shared China’s experience with people who are concerned about how global biodiversity is being impacted by the continuously expanding urban areas around the world. 

Chen said that these projects and technologies are all aimed at speeding up achieving the global target set for 2030 and beyond to safeguard and sustainably use biodiversity, which was clarified in the framework, also known as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at the COP15 during the Chinese presidency.

Shenzhen is not the only city that protects wetlands and preserves an international channel for migratory birds. Black-faced spoonbills have also been observed in the wetlands in East China’s Zhejiang and Fujian provinces and South China’s Guangxi.

Li Cheng, founder of the Xizijiang Ecological Conservation Center, has also been encouraged and guided by the biodiversity framework. 

“Since the COP15 was held in Kunming, I have felt the growing emphasis on ecological and biological protection from the public and authorities. More people are aware of the importance of sustaining the populations of each species on the Earth through public outreach programs,” Li told the Global Times, noting growing social consensus on biodiversity conservation seen in his daily work.

The infrared cameras set up by Li’s patrol team around the Wuqinzhang Mountain in Guangdong have recently captured additional pangolin movements, further bolstering Li’s confidence that the population of these endangered creatures is increasing.

Li still remembers the excitement he felt when one infrared camera first captured a pangolin at the end of 2018 and the night when he and colleagues repeatedly checked the pangolin’s photo multiple times. 

Chinese pangolins were assessed as “critically endangered” by the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species in 2019 and was even thought to be functionally extinct at the time of its assessment.

Now more and more people, including local villagers who have joined the patrol team, have begun to devote their lives to protecting pangolins. To improve the efficiency of their conservation efforts, Li noted that in addition to infrared cameras, a mobile application especially developed for patrol personnel has been put into use. The app is constantly updated with real-time information on the pangolins, thereby informing those on patrol of urgent situations.

“We have begun to shift our priorities and are more focused on restoring the pangolins’ habitat and making more creative use of conservation technologies,” Li noted.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-times-species-thriving-thanks-to-policy-consensus-in-china-302293621.html

SOURCE Global Times

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Linker Vision Announces ESG Agent to Help Cities Plan More Sustainable Urban Environments

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October 19, 2026

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BERLIN, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Linker Vision announced a new ESG AI agent designed to help urban planners evaluate sustainability initiatives and make more informed decisions. By combining environmental predictions with AI reasoning, the agent assesses urban heat and shade coverage to guide tree planting and greenery management, supporting cities’ climate adaptation goals. 

Turning sustainability goals into practical decisions

Linker Vision is working with MVRDV, the Dutch architecture and urban design firm, to explore how AI can help cities assess potential interventions before making changes in the real world. MVRDV contributed scientific data, shaped the evaluation criteria the agent uses to assess planning options, and tested the ESG agent during development.

An initial application focuses on urban forests. Linker Vision is collaborating with MVRDV on a digital twin that supports predictions of urban heat island effects and shade coverage. In the pilot, the agent identifies heat hotspots, selects suitable tree species and simulates the results, projecting that shade coverage could rise from 15.7% to more than 50% within 15 years.

Building on this pilot, the approach allows a shared digital twin to support multiple planning needs, including climate adaptation and disaster resilience. Urban forest planning is available today, and going forward, the city digital twin is designed to serve as a common foundation that government agencies can build on for additional applications, such as analyzing pedestrian flows and preparing venues for major sporting events.

How it works

The workflow combines a digital twin built using 3D Gaussian Splatting with NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI technologies. NVIDIA Omniverse libraries and OpenUSD have been implemented to unify city, tree and environmental data into a single scene, while NVIDIA Nemotron reasoning models let users run planting scenarios and optimize shade through natural language. NVIDIA Metropolis Blueprint for video search and summarization (VSS) and Cosmos open world foundation model help interpret video and understand real-world conditions.

In practice, a planner asks the agent where new trees would best reduce street-level heat. The agent tests planting options and simulates shade and temperature over a 15-year timespan in minutes, and planners review the recommended plan before an urban heat hotspot project moves forward.

Designing for future generations

“Every decision about a city shapes how future generations will live,” said Paul Shieh, founder and CEO of Linker Vision. “By connecting real-world understanding with simulation and AI reasoning, we want to help cities explore what is possible and make better choices for people and the planet.”

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/linker-vision-announces-esg-agent-to-help-cities-plan-more-sustainable-urban-environments-302911111.html

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Global Startup EXPO and Nippon Startup Awards 2026: METI Showcases Japan’s Deep-tech Results

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October 19, 2026

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– GSE2026 Connects Global Venture Capitalists with Japanese Startups; Nippon Startup Awards 2026 Honors Startups Turning Innovation into Industry –

TOKYO, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From September to October 2026, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (hereinafter “METI”) held the Global Startup EXPO 2026 (hereinafter “GSE2026”) and the Nippon Startup Awards 2026, highlighting the strength and growth of Japan’s startup ecosystem. GSE2026 brought together top-tier investors, visionary startups, corporations, and key ecosystem participants from Japan and around the globe. Separately, the Nippon Startup Awards 2026 recognized remarkable innovations demonstrating Japan’s growing capacity to transform breakthrough deep-tech into real-world industrial solutions.

Expo and Awards Logos:
https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M109206/202610137787/_prw_PI1fl_JPI1sgRq.png 

Global Startup EXPO 2026 Recap

In Session: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M109206/202610137787/_prw_PI2fl_AyG90Gzn.png 

Held in Osaka from October 5 to 7, GSE2026 welcomed more than 10,000 visitors and featured over 50 conference sessions. The event served as a premier global hub, generating vital business matchmaking sessions and creating unparalleled opportunities for global investors and Japanese startups to explore strategic investments and collaborations. A major highlight of the event was the participation of prominent industry figures, including Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), and Andy Rubin, co-founder of Android. Their presence underscored the increasing global interest in Japan’s dynamic tech ecosystem. Building upon this remarkable success, METI is pleased to announce that the Global Startup EXPO is planned to be held again next year.

Nippon Startup Awards 2026 Overview

Group Photo: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M109206/202610137787/_prw_PI3fl_MNvb1svB.jpg 

In a separate initiative, the 2026 Nippon Startup Awards celebrated exceptional entrepreneurial achievements, recognizing 10 outstanding companies for their innovation and impact. This press release proudly highlights two exceptional winners whose pioneering technologies are actively addressing major industrial and societal challenges both in Japan and internationally.

– Mujin (Prime Minister’s Award): Mujin was recognized for becoming the first company to globally commercialize complex motion-planning technology, an ambitious feat considered practically impossible for 50 years. By successfully developing its proprietary MujinMI technology, the company enables the automation of complex logistics and manufacturing operations. This advancement offers a highly effective solution to pressing global labor shortages.

– Regional Fish (Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award): Regional Fish was recognized for its pioneering use of genome-editing technology in aquaculture. Through its innovative approach, the company has shortened aquatic breeding cycles from approximately 30 years to just two or three years. This advancement contributes significantly to sustainable solutions for global food challenges and the revitalization of regional fisheries.

Further Information

To explore comprehensive insights from the recent global summit, please access the following link:
https://global-startup-expo.com/en/?utm_source=prwire&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=20260914&utm_content=en_url＿

For the full list of recognized companies, please visit: https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2026/09/20260925002.html 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-startup-expo-and-nippon-startup-awards-2026-meti-showcases-japans-deep-tech-results-302912264.html

SOURCE Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)

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PingPong continues international growth, expands into Iberia through strategic partnership with Getnet

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41 minutes ago

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October 19, 2026

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LONDON and MADRID, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PingPong , the intelligent payments infrastructure for global growth, today announces a strategic partnership with Getnet, the leading AI-payments company, part of Santander Group, to expand access to its financial infrastructure across Iberia.

The collaboration brings together two established payments businesses to deliver a stronger payment capability in the region and a simple, streamlined solution for global businesses looking to expand operations in Iberia.

Aaron Xu, General Manager, Europe and Americas at PingPong , said: “Iberia is one of Europe’s most valuable commerce markets, and the 750,000+ businesses in our network want to operate there on payment infrastructure they already trust. Our move into Iberia is the latest step in an ongoing global expansion, driven by rising customer demand and sustained investment in our international growth.”

Fabrice Mendez, Global Head of Partnerships at Getnet , said: “This partnership represents another important milestone in Getnet’s strategy to expand our open-market business across Europe while strengthening the connections between Iberia and one of the world’s fastest-growing commerce ecosystems. By combining PingPong’s strong presence across Asia with Getnet’s leadership in Europe and Latin America, we are creating new opportunities for international merchants to grow with a seamless and trusted payment experience.”

About PingPong

Founded in 2015, PingPong is a global cross-border B2B payments platform supporting over 750,000 businesses across more than 200 countries. The company annually processes over $300bn and holds 80+ financial licences worldwide. PingPong operates from 44 offices across 18 countries.

For more information, visit www.pingpongx.com.

About Santander Getnet

In 2025, Getnet processed over €238 billion across 10.5 billion transactions, serving 1.2 million clients. The company ranks as the largest acquirer in Latin America by purchase volume, and among the top 10 globally. Getnet operates across Brazil (as an e-commerce leader), Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Spain, and Portugal.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pingpong-continues-international-growth-expands-into-iberia-through-strategic-partnership-with-getnet-302911506.html

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