JBL Celebrates 80 Years of Powering Voices

^{JBL Brand Ambassador Benson Boone reflects the brand’s continued commitment to the artists shaping today’s music and culture while honoring 80 years of audio innovation.} 


LOS ANGELES, April 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- JBL, the iconic audio brand from HARMAN, is celebrating its 80th anniversary, marking eight decades of delivering sound that moves generations.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260423455760/en/ 

A legacy of leadership

Since its founding by visionary engineer James B. Lansing in 1946, JBL has set the standard for audio innovation. From professional recording studios and home entertainment to powering legendary cultural moments like Woodstock and Tomorrowland, JBL has always been committed to delivering authentic, unfiltered sound.

Today, JBL’s influence is unparalleled. It stands as a global leader in personal audio, with hundreds of millions listening to the music they love through JBL portable speakers and headphones. And JBL Professional continues to power over 40% of the world’s cinemas, while serving stadiums, recording studios, music venues and more, ensuring high-quality sound is accessible to listeners everywhere...even in your car.

“For 80 years, JBL’s engineering legacy has been the benchmark for high-fidelity audio, and that standard lives in every JBL product made today. As we celebrate this milestone, JBL remains committed to carrying this standard forward in the technologies that will power the next generation of sound and culture,” said Dave Rogers, President, HARMAN Lifestyle Division.

Eight decades of innovation
For more than eight decades, JBL engineers have pioneered technologies that have transformed how sound is created and experienced, from groundbreaking loudspeaker designs to award-winning smart audio solutions for professional, luxury, portable, and car audio. This relentless pursuit of excellence has earned JBL some of the industry’s highest honours, including Academy Awards for achievements in sound engineering, and a Grammy Award for its “continual mastery and innovation in concert, studio, cinema and broadcast sound and monitors to ensure exacting standards for the most accurate sonic experience.”

Looking ahead, JBL is shaping the future of sound with investments in breakthrough technologies such as spatial audio, adaptive soundscapes, and immersive listening experiences that seamlessly integrate audio into everyday life. Sustainability is also a critical frontier for JBL, guiding product design and production toward a more responsible future for audio innovation.

Amplifying the future
JBL’s commitment to innovation extends beyond breakthrough products. Through community-driven initiatives like the JBL Music Academy, the JBL Campus Program, and partnerships with organizations such as Girls Make Beats, JBL is bringing together emerging artists and the broader industry to break down barriers and amplify the diverse voices that will define the future of audio.

“Authenticity in music is everything. JBL has always been, and will always be, about ensuring artists’ voices are heard, and audiences experience their vision unfiltered, whether on the move, at home, or at a live event. JBL brings the world together through the power of sound.” – Martin Garrix, JBL Global Ambassador.

Anniversary highlights
JBL will mark its 80th anniversary with a series of global initiatives, including the JBL Playback Gallery— showcasing eight decades of iconic JBL products with expert commentary and technical demonstrations. The tour will visit landmark cities throughout 2026, including Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Tokyo, and Vienna.

Other projects include a special digital magazine available for a limited time here, and a full-season takeover of HARMAN’s Audio Talks podcast series. This podcast includes conversations with engineers, designers, and musicians who have influenced JBL’s sound. The celebrations also come to life through a commemorative anniversary video.

With 80 years of audio excellence behind it and a bold vision for the future, JBL stays committed to powering voices that move, connect, and inspire people across the globe.

Learn more about JBL’s 80^th anniversary here: https://www.jbl.com/our-story.html

About JBL
For 80 years, JBL has shaped life’s most memorable moments at the intersection of music, lifestyle, gaming and sports. JBL elevates listening experiences with superior audio quality and product designs that encourage individuality and self-expression. With unmatched professional credentials and industry-leading innovation, JBL is a trailblazer in the audio industry because of passionate and talented engineers and designers around the globe. JBL Pro Sound is the foremost technology pushing culture forward through major pop culture events and partnerships with the world’s top talent across music, sports and esports.

About HARMAN
HARMAN is a global leader in Lifestyle Audio and Automotive technology. We create intelligent experiences that enrich people’s lives on the road, in their homes, on the stage, and everywhere in between. Our iconic audio brands — including JBL^®, Harman Kardon^®, AKG^®, Bowers & Wilkins^®, Denon^®, and Marantz^® — bring premium sound to consumers and audio/visual professionals worldwide. More than 50 million vehicles globally rely on HARMAN’s technologies to deliver safer, smarter, and more intuitive in-cabin experiences. HARMAN is a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and has approximately 26,000 employees around the world.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
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Contact

HARMAN Lifestyle Communications
Lifestyle.communications@harman.com 

Source : HARMAN

CCUS Hub Study identifies five Asia-Pacific hub sites and welcomes new consortium partners

 

• The CCUS Hub Study is investigating the technical and commercial feasibility of common infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region as an emissions reduction option for hard-to-abate industries (primarily steelmaking).
• First milestone complete with Phase 1 of the Study assessing more than 3,000 potential hub locations and narrowing the list to five key hubs in India (two hubs), Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia.
• The five key hubs highlight the opportunities and commercial feasibility for large-scale CCUS adoption and provide the scope of analysis for Phase 2.
• In Phase 2, the identified hubs will be further defined and optimised, with a focus on commercial model development and more rigorous regulatory gap assessment.
• The purpose of the Study is to deliver tailored analysis that supports industry understanding of CCUS. The Study also aims to increase public understanding of CCUS in Asia.
• The Study welcomes three new industry partners: Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE), Kobe Steel LTD, and Low Emission Technology Australia (LETA).

SINGAPORE, April 20 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An industry Consortium developing a first-of-its-kind Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Hub Study for Asia has identified five hubs as potential storage options after assessing over 3,000 site locations.

The Study focuses on the capture, transport, and long-term storage of carbon dioxide emissions (CO₂) from hard-to-abate sectors, including steel, cement and chemicals.

The Consortium, comprised of leading steelmakers ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, JSW Steel, Hyundai Steel Company, and other value chain players, BHP, Chevron, and Mitsui & Co., Ltd., commits to strong industry collaboration in advancing CCUS pathways. It welcomes three new partners, which will deepen the Study’s input across the value chain and expand the scale of the opportunity geographically:  

• “K” LINE joins as the strategic expert in shipping technology for carbon dioxide.  
• Kobe Steel LTD. brings deep technical steelmaking experience and abatement commitments.  
• LETA provides industry-leading expertise on global lower-emissions technologies.

The industry Consortium commenced a prefeasibility study in August 2025 to evaluate the development opportunity of CCUS hubs across Asia.

Through a high-level options study, Phase 1 of the project assessed more than 3,000 potential storage sites across the Asia-Pacific. This process narrowed the field to five hubs located in India (two hubs), Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia – each selected for their potential performance across the full CCUS value chain, including capture, aggregation, transport, export to storage, utilisation approaches including technology and commercial readiness and market evaluation, and the policy and commercial conditions needed for deployment.

The five hubs were chosen on the basis of them providing a diverse set of characteristics, helping the Study examine important trade‑offs, shape the CCUS development pathway, and pinpoint the practical steps required for feasibility. The selected hubs represent regional and international locations and include both onshore and offshore storage.

The findings to date demonstrate that regardless of which hub is selected, strong policy support, targeted incentives, and clear regulatory frameworks are critical to making CCUS commercially viable.

Phase 2 of the Study will undertake detailed engineering and commercial analysis of the five shortlisted hubs. This includes maturing engineering definition and developing potential implementation roadmaps to address key opportunities and challenges. The work will culminate in conceptual development plans outlining the business case, value chain design, CO₂ forecasts, and potential pathways to abatement realisation for each hub.

By leveraging shared infrastructure and economies of scale, the Study seeks potential applications for captured CO₂ in industrial processes, or transport captured CO₂ via pipeline or shipping to storage sites.

The purpose of the Study is to deliver tailored analysis that supports industry understanding of CCUS. The Study also aims to increase public understanding of CCUS in Asia.

The CCUS Hub Study is being delivered by Hatch as Project Management Officer in collaboration with Pace CCS, McDaniel, and Global CCS Institute. 

The Consortium continues to welcome new partners and emphasises that CCUS remains a critical pathway for industries wanting to achieve net zero emissions.

Quotes from the Consortium parties

“K” LINE: Michitomo Iwashita, Senior Managing Corporate Officer

“We believe that CCUS will play a vital role in realizing a carbon neutral society in the future. In particular, for hard to abate sectors such as the steel industry, CCUS represents an indispensable solution for achieving decarbonization.

“Through our participation in this consortium, we will deepen collaboration with industry partners and actively contribute, from the perspective of maritime transportation, to the establishment of a sustainable CO₂ value chain.”

LETA:  Mark McCallum, CEO

“This is exactly the kind of serious, cross-industry and international collaboration that demonstrates how industries critical to the world’s economies including mining, steel, cement and power generation, can all work together to address the challenges of decarbonisation.

“The consortium has identified a number of decarbonisation opportunities across the region, as well as the technologies and policies that will be needed to unlock investment and action.”

Kobe Steel LTD: Yoichiro Yamazaki, Executive Officer for the Technology Strategy & Planning Department and companywide technical development

“Decarbonising hard-to-abate industries will require scalable solutions, collaboration and enabling policy and regulatory frameworks. The Study has reached an important milestone and provides a strong foundation for further technical definition going forward.

“We joined the Consortium to bring steelmaking expertise and to play an active role in advancing practical approaches to CCUS deployment that support emissions reduction and the long-term sustainability of the industry. We look forward to continuing to work with partners to help develop actionable routes toward real-world implementation.”

ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India: Dr. Arvind Bodhankar, Chief Sustainability Officer

“The study has delivered critical and encouraging insights, highlighting the strength and success of the Consortium’s collaborative approach.

“As we transition to Phase 2, I am confident the work will progress effectively, providing greater clarity through detailed engineering, commercial analysis, and strengthening pathways toward large-scale deployment.

“As outlined in ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India’s Climate Action Report 2024, Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) is one of the key levers to achieve the net zero goal for our company.

“We have consistently supported credible, collaborative initiatives that accelerate large-scale CO₂ emissions reduction.

“We strongly advocate sustainable steelmaking as both a competitive imperative and a responsibility to the communities around us, particularly for the generations to come.”

BHP: Dr Ben Ellis, Vice President Marketing Sustainability

“BHP is committed to supporting our steelmaking customers to decarbonise as demand for high quality steel continues to grow to expand energy networks, build infrastructure and support a growing population.

“With more than 1 billion tonnes of production a year in Asia coming from blast furnace capacity that is relatively early in its production life, it’s important for industry to progress technologies to lower the emissions intensity of existing steelmaking assets while new commercial pathways to decarbonise steelmaking are developed over time.

 “Innovative solutions—like the potential of CCUS—are an essential part of decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors such as steelmaking. This study will play an important role in leveraging shared knowledge and resources across the industry with many of the world’s leading steelmakers mentioning carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) in their decarbonisation plans.”

Chevron Australia New Energies (CANE): David Fallon, Australia’s Lower Carbon Execution General Manager

“Chevron Australia looks forward to the outcomes of the CCUS Hub study. We believe in the critical role carbon capture and storage (CCS) can play in a lower carbon world.

“We continue to leverage our expertise and global reach to advance CCS technologies and scale lower carbon solutions across the value chain including in the hard-to-abate sector.”

Hyundai Steel Company: Yonghee Kim, Vice President, Process R&D Sub-Division

“As we conclude Phase 1 of the project, we have not only identified five highly promising CCUS hubs, but also laid a strong foundation for large-scale CO₂ reduction through close collaboration among the Consortium members.

“The participation of new Consortium members is expected to further enrich perspectives and strengthen cross-industry cooperation.

“Hyundai Steel remains committed to leading the development of CCUS and other low-carbon technologies, contributing to enhanced sustainability across the industry.”

JSW Steel: Prabodha Acharya, Chief Sustainability Officer

“The completion of Phase 1 of the CCUS Hub Study marks an important milestone in building the foundations for largescale industrial decarbonisation in India and the Asia -Pacific region.

“As one of India’s leading steel producers, JSW Steel is taking a leadership role in advancing CCUS as a critical enabler for hard-to-abate sectors, alongside renewable energy, efficiency, and process innovation.

“This Phase 1 work reflects JSW’s commitment to convening industry partners, technology providers, and policymakers to develop shared infrastructure and credible, investable pathways that can accelerate India’s net zero transition while strengthening industrial competitiveness.”

Mitsui & Co., Ltd.: Hideaki Konishi, Managing Officer, Mineral & Metal Resources BU COO

“Mitsui welcomes the new member companies joining the CCUS Hub Study Consortium and looks forward to further strengthening cross‑industry collaboration in Phase 2, which will involve detailed analysis of five shortlisted hubs.

“Identifying promising hub candidates across the Asia-Pacific region through this Study represents an important step toward establishing viable pathways for large-scale CO₂ reduction.

“By bringing together diverse expertise across industries, Mitsui will work with the Consortium partners to support the deployment of the CCUS hub in Asia and accelerate progress toward achieving net zero emissions by 2050.”

Hatch: Jan Kwak, Managing Director, Climate Change Technologies

“Hatch is fiercely committed to the pursuit of a better world through positive change and continues to deliver world-class project delivery, professional services and engineering solutions for the metals, energy and infrastructure industries.

“Working with the CCUS Consortium, we realise a shared vision – one where we create unprecedented outcomes for our environment, businesses, and communities as we tackle some of the hardest-to-abate industries.

“We’re proud to support the Consortium and clients around the world to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and meet their carbon neutral commitments.

“This study represents real, tangible progress and proves CCUS is the best technology for advancing carbon abatement efforts.”

#ENDS  

About the Consortium Members

“K” LINE: Founded in 1919, is one of the world’s leading shipping companies, operating a diversified fleet across a wide range of maritime transportation sectors. Building on its extensive experience in liquefied gas carriers, including LPG carriers since 1974 and LNG carriers since 1983, “K” LINE has expanded into LCO₂ transportation business.

Especially, we are accumulating hands-on experience and operational know-how in LCO₂ transportation through participation in multiple CCS-related projects such as “Northern Lights” in Norway and some government-supported projects in Japan.

Based on these experiences, “K” LINE is well positioned to contribute to the safe and reliable LCO₂ transportation in the CCUS value chain.

In particular, we aim to support the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors, including the steel industry, through a range of practical initiatives, such as operating LNG-fuelled bulk carriers, transporting direct reduced iron (DRI), and also providing LCO₂ transportation solutions.

The “K” LINE Group is actively promoting a range of initiatives aimed at supporting its own decarbonisation efforts and those of society in accordance with its long-term environmental guidelines, “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 - Blue Seas for the Future.

LETA:  Low Emission Technology Australia (LETA) is a not-for-profit investment fund that accelerates the development and deployment of technology solutions to reduce and remove greenhouse gas emissions from hard-to-abate industrial sectors including steel, cement, chemicals, and power generation.

Since 2006, LETA members have contributed more than $400 million to low emissions projects, unlocking a total investment of $1.1 billion. LETA brings together industry, government, and research to drive practical, scalable pathways to net zero for industries that cannot simply electrify.

Kobe Steel, Ltd. (KOBELCO): Is a Japan-based diversified manufacturer with three core business areas: materials, machinery and electric power. Founded in 1905, KOBELCO’s Materials business includes steelmaking and related products that support a wide range of industries.

KOBELCO is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and is advancing initiatives that combine technology development with practical process transition.

As part of its decarbonisation efforts, KOBELCO is exploring pathways including hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Recognising that progress depends not only on technology but also on enabling conditions, KOBELCO works with stakeholders across the value chain—including suppliers, customers, governments and industry bodies—to help build GX supply chains and the market and policy frameworks needed for sustainable decarbonisation.

BHP: Is a global resources company. With more than 90,000 employees and contractors, we work in more than 90 locations worldwide and our products are sold globally. 

We're focused on the resources the world needs to grow and decarbonise. Population growth, urbanisation and improving living standards are global trends that underpin strong demand for the commodities we produce. Demand for essential commodities is expected to increase as the world seeks to decarbonise. Our project pipeline and focus on continuous improvement in existing operations leave us well positioned across our four key commodity pillars of copper, potash, iron ore and steelmaking coal in the decades ahead.  

We are partnering with customers and others to try to accelerate decarbonisation in steelmaking. BHP’s 2030 goals include supporting industry to develop steel production technology capable of 30 per cent lower GHG emissions intensity relative to conventional blast furnace steelmaking, with widespread adoption expected post-2030.  

ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India): Is a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, two of the world’s leading steel manufacturing organisations. A leading integrated flat carbon steel producer in India, the company has a crude steel capacity of 9 million tonnes per annum with state-of-the-art downstream facilities.

It produces a fully diversified range of flat steel products, including value-added steel, and has a pellet capacity of 20 million tonnes. The company is also setting up an 8.2 million tonnes per annum integrated steel plant in Andhra Pradesh. With the objective to make steel production climate-neutral, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India has strategic plans to transition its business to cleaner technology and is looking to strengthen its sustainability roadmap through clean energy sources viz., renewable power, natural gas, carbon capture utilization and/or storage and green hydrogen. ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India is the only integrated steel company in India to receive the Green Steel Certificate from the Union Ministry of Steel.

Hyundai Steel Company: Established in 1953 as Korea’s first steel manufacturer, is a member of Hyundai Motor Group and a recognised leader in high-performance steel materials. Hyundai Steel has paved the way for sustainable growth by launching its blast furnace business in the 2010s as a new growth engine, in addition to its existing electric arc furnace-based operations.

Hyundai Steel has served as a prime mover in Korea’s steel industry and is now actively undertaking the establishment of an overseas production base to secure a foundation for future growth. Hyundai Steel aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, emphasising sustainable practices and innovative carbon-neutral technologies to meet government-mandated carbon reduction requirements and become a low-carbon steelmaker.  

JSW Steel: Is the flagship company of the US$23 billion JSW Group, a diversified Indian conglomerate with interests spanning energy, infrastructure, cement, paints, realty, mobility, defence, sports, and venture capital.

Over three decades, JSW Steel has evolved into India’s leading integrated steel producer with a consolidated crude steel capacity of 35.7 MTPA (including 1.5 MTPA in the US), set to grow to 43.4 MTPA in three years.

Its Vijayanagar plant in Karnataka is India’s largest single-location steel facility at 17.5 MTPA. JSW Steel is recognised for sustainability and operational excellence, earning accolades like the Steel Sustainability Champion (2019–2026), Deming Prize for TQM, and top rankings in CDP disclosures and global sustainability indices. It ranks 1st globally in S&P Global CSA Score 2025 and 8th in World-Class Steelmaker Rankings by WSD.

Committed to climate goals, JSW Steel targets a 42% CO₂ reduction by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, aiming to power steel-making entirely with renewables by 2030. It’s also certified as a Great Place to Work and recognised among India’s best employers in health and wellness.  

Chevron Australia New Energies (CANE): Is a subsidiary of Chevron, one of the world's leading integrated energy companies and through its Australian subsidiaries, has been present in Australia for more than 70 years.

With the ingenuity and commitment of thousands of workers, Chevron in Australia operates the Gorgon and Wheatstone natural gas facilities and is a significant investor in exploration, operates one of the world’s largest integrated CCS projects at Gorgon, and delivers quality fuels and lubricants primarily via its Caltex network of service stations across Australia.

Globally, Chevron aims to grow its oil and gas business, lower the carbon intensity of its operations, and grow new businesses in renewable fuels, carbon capture and offsets, hydrogen, power generation for data centers, and emerging technologies, through various subsidiaries including CANE.  

Mitsui & Co., Ltd.: Is a global trading and investment company with a presence in more than 60 countries and a diverse business portfolio covering a wide range of industries.

Mitsui & Co., Ltd. identifies, develops, and grows its businesses in partnership with a global network of trusted partners including world leading companies, combining its geographic and cross-industry strengths to create long-term sustainable value for its stakeholders.

Mitsui & Co., Ltd. has set "Global Energy Transition" as one of Key Strategic Initiatives in the Medium-term Management Plan 2026.  

Hatch: Is a global engineering, project delivery, and professional services firm. We work with clients around the globe to design and build solutions with them.

With seven decades of business and technical experience in the mining, energy, and infrastructure sectors, we know and understand industry challenges and respond with solutions that are smarter, more efficient, and innovative.

We draw upon our 11,000 staff with experience in over 150 countries to challenge the status quo and create positive change for our clients, our employees, and the communities we serve.

Media contacts: 

(BHP) Michael Cox 
Tel: +65 8964 3561 
Email: michael.cox1@bhp.com  

(Hatch) Lindsay Janca   
Tel: +1 905 403 4199 
Email: media@hatch.com   

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0a058e94-3af0-423e-a91c-f8eebc46597d 

SOURCE: Hatch Ltd

AM BEST WITHDRAWS DELTA AFFILIATES' PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best has affirmed the performance assessment (assessment) of PA-2 (Excellent) of Delta Insurance New Zealand Limited and Delta Underwriting Private Limited.

The companies are assessed on a consolidated basis under their parent, Delta International Limited (Delta), with a stable outlook on the assessment.

Concurrently, AM Best in a statement said it has withdrawn the assessment as the company has requested to no longer participate in AM Best’s interactive performance assessment process.

This assessment reflects Delta’s strong underwriting capabilities, excellent governance and internal controls, strong financial condition, excellent organisational talent, and strong depth and breadth of relationships.

In the credit rating agency’s view, the two affiliated companies exhibit several commonalities and are regarded as strategically and financially important to Delta, providing access to businesses in certain geographic jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region.

AM Best assesses Delta’s underwriting capabilities as strong, noting that it has consistently recorded profitable underwriting results over recent years across a wide range of product lines and geographic regions. Its specialised underwriting philosophy and risk selection process, supported by in-house underwriting and claims management teams, has enabled rapid growth in its premium base through product and geographic expansion.

The rating agency also assesses Delta’s governance and internal controls as excellent, supported by a sophisticated framework for selecting capacity providers, extensive use of internal and external audits, policies and procedures, quality reviews and ongoing monitoring.

Delta’s financial condition is assessed as strong, supported by a track record of profitable operations, stable income sources and positive cash flow. The organisation does not retain insurance risk. AM Best expects shareholders’ equity to increase supported by positive earnings generation.

Delta is also assessed as having excellent organisational talent, with senior management highly experienced in its lines of business and operating regions. AM Best expects continued development in the quality and quantity of staff as the organisation grows.

-- BERNAMA

HORIZON QUANTUM, AQT PARTNER TO ADVANCE REAL-WORLD QUANTUM APPLICATIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 (Bernama) -- Horizon Quantum Computing Pte Ltd, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Horizon Quantum Holdings Ltd (Horizon Quantum), has entered into a strategic collaboration with Alpine Quantum Technologies (AQT) to advance the development of real-world quantum computing applications through enhanced hardware-software integration.

In a statement, Horizon Quantum said the collaboration aims to combine advanced trapped-ion quantum hardware with scalable software infrastructure to accelerate the development of practical quantum applications.

The integration of Horizon Quantum’s Triple Alpha development environment with AQT’s trapped-ion quantum processors will enable developers, including those without specialised hardware expertise, to write, compile and deploy quantum programs directly onto AQT’s systems via the cloud.

Horizon Quantum Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Joe Fitzsimons said AQT’s trapped-ion systems offer low error rates and long coherence times, improving the scalability and reliability of quantum computing.

“Through this collaboration, Triple Alpha users will gain access to AQT’s processors, expanding their options for cutting-edge hardware designed to solve difficult computational problems,” he said.

Meanwhile, AQT CEO, Dr Thomas Monz said the Triple Alpha platform enables developers to navigate the complexity of quantum systems while maintaining programming flexibility and precision.

“The collaboration with Horizon Quantum provides broad and easy access to AQT’s hardware and leverages synergies between the two companies, which share the common goal of advancing quantum computing in practice,” said Monz.

Both companies will work closely with customers to address computational challenges and achieve joint technical milestones in quantum computing and software development.

Horizon Quantum aims to build a hardware-agnostic software infrastructure, with the collaboration expected to expand support for diverse quantum hardware architectures within its Triple Alpha platform.

-- BERNAMA

About 1,200 Athletes Compete In New Zealand National Dragon Boat Championships

KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 (Bernama) -- The two-day 2026 New Zealand National Dragon Boat Championships concluded recently at scenic Lake Karapiro, Cambridge, bringing together around 45 teams and approximately 1,200 athletes from across the country.

As one of the country’s largest dragon boat events, competitors raced in the 200-metre and 500-metre sprints, as well as the 2,000-metre turn race. The steady beat of drums echoed across the course as paddles flashed through the water, showcasing the speed and intensity of dragon boat racing.

During the championships, a commemorative flower ceremony was held, with members of the International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) holding pink carnations to raise awareness of breast cancer prevention and honour life, adding a human touch to the event.

Organised by the New Zealand Dragon Boat Association, the event welcomed notable guests, including the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation President, Luo Zhongyi, and the IBCPC President, Meri Gabson.

Champion, an official partner of the championships, worked closely with the organisers to ensure a professional, fair, and efficient competition environment for all participants.

According to a statement, the championships highlighted the growing popularity of dragon boat racing in New Zealand, providing a platform for enthusiasts to experience the excitement of the sport and connect with one another.

New Zealand has a history of international participation in dragon boat racing. In 1995, the country sent a team to the World Dragon Boat Championship in Yueyang City, Hunan Province, China, becoming one of the early participants on the global stage.

With the sport continuing to gain momentum worldwide, more international events are expected to be held in New Zealand in the coming years.

-- BERNAMA

Vocalbeats.AI Partners with NTU Singapore to Establish the Vocalbeats.AI-Turing AI Scholarship for Singapore’s Next Generation of AI Talent

SINGAPORE, April 2 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vocalbeats.AI, a Singapore-based AI-powered audio company, today announces a partnership with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) to establish the Vocalbeats.AI‑Turing AI Scholarship. The partnership was formalised at a signing ceremony at NTU on April 1.

The scholarship aims to recognise and support exceptional undergraduates enrolled in the College of Computing and Data Science (CCDS) at NTU, reflecting Vocalbeats.AI’s commitment to nurturing world-class talent in Singapore. Recipients of the scholarship will be encouraged to apply for internships, mentorships, and career pathways within the company, as Vocalbeats.AI continues to grow its team in tandem with the expanding global reach of its products and services.

Marco Lai Jinnan, CEO of Vocalbeats.AI, said: “Voice AI is reshaping how people connect across languages and cultures. This scholarship is our commitment to ensuring we have the world-class talent to advance that frontier, and our experience working with NTU students and graduates has shown us what is possible when the brightest young minds take on real-world challenges. We look forward to creating more of those opportunities for students who are ready to build the future of voice AI with us.”

The scholarship comes at a time when demand for AI engineering talent continues to outstrip supply globally. In Singapore, the National AI Strategy 2.0 has set an explicit goal of tripling the nation’s AI practitioner pool, calling directly on industry to co-invest in building that capacity alongside universities, including NTU.

Professor Luke Ong, Dean of NTU’s College of Computing and Data Science and Vice President (AI & Digital Economy), said: “This partnership highlights the importance of industry-university collaboration in developing AI talent. The Turing AI Scholars Programme at NTU combines rigorous training in AI and computing with masterclasses, hands-on research opportunities, and international immersion experiences. With Vocalbeats.AI’s support, our students will have valuable opportunities to engage with industry, apply their skills, and contribute to Singapore’s growing AI ecosystem.”

Vocalbeats.AI has already been contributing to Singapore’s AI talent capacity-building objectives. In 2025, the company strengthened its university partnerships, welcoming students from local universities into its internship programme. One of the graduates from NTU has since transitioned into a full-time role and is currently contributing to the company’s research capabilities.

About Vocalbeats.AI

Vocalbeats.AI is a Singapore-based AI-powered audio company dedicated to innovating intelligent, user-friendly products and services designed to improve everyday life with more lifelike, intuitive, and accessible voice AI. Its expanding portfolio of AI-powered applications — spanning productivity, wellness, and beyond — is increasingly being embraced by a diverse global user base.

Beyond developing applications, Vocalbeats.AI is redefining how people interact with AI. Powered by an international team of engineers, designers and researchers, the Company pushes the boundaries of voice and AI technology to empower people everywhere to work smarter, connect more meaningfully, and live better.

For more information, please visit www.vocalbeats.ai.

Media contact: media@vocalbeats.com 

SOURCE: Vocalbeats

Mavenir Recognised With MSUA President’s Award For Outstanding Innovation

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- Mavenir, the software company building artificial intelligence (AI)-by-design mobile networks, has won the President’s Award for Outstanding Innovation at the 2026 Satellite Mobile Innovation Awards organised by the Mobile Satellite Users Association (MSUA).

According to a statement, with this year’s theme highlighting sat-cell connectivity, Mavenir was named along with 10 other Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) innovators at a ceremony during the Satellite 2026 event in Washington, DC.

“We are delighted to receive this recognition from the MSUA for our work. Non‑terrestrial direct‑to‑device services unlock a new era of connectivity, delivering ubiquitous outdoor mobile coverage worldwide, even in the most remote locations.

“At Mavenir, we work with both mobile and satellite operators to accelerate the convergence of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, with our AI-by-Design NTN architecture delivering not just coverage but also a scalable service platform for continuous innovation,” said its Executive Vice President and General Manager for NTN Solutions, Sachin Karkala.

Meanwhile, MSUA President, Roger Lanctot added that Mavenir’s heritage from the cellular world and ground-breaking work with satellite players to bridge the gap between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks made them the obvious choice for the President’s Award for Outstanding Innovation.

Mavenir provides satellite operators with proven, standards-compliant packet core and NTN RAN solutions optimised for cloud-native deployment environments.

The company has successfully demonstrated the first voice over NB-IoT call using non-terrestrial mobile infrastructure, a milestone that has transformed the NTN mobile industry and created significant momentum for its advancement.

With a range of satellite operator customers, including Iridium and Terrestar, Mavenir is bridging non‑terrestrial networks with mainstream mobile services, enabling operators to deliver ubiquitous coverage, strengthen network resilience, and create new revenue opportunities.

-- BERNAMA

PDI Technologies Targets EMEA Retailers With AI Solutions At UNITI Expo 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 (Bernama) -- PDI Technologies, a global leader enabling smarter operations across the convenience retail and energy sectors, announced its return to UNITI Expo 2026 in Stuttgart, Germany, as a Cooperation Partner.

The company is set to demonstrate its connected ecosystem of solutions, emphasising the role of trusted operational data and practical artificial intelligence (AI) applications in driving smarter business decisions for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) retailers.

In a statement, PDI Technologies executive vice president and general manager, International, Dawn Desai stated that retailers require tools to react faster and operate with greater accuracy.

Desai highlighted that PDI’s advantage stems from the quality of its operational data, which supports proven innovations for customers to act with confidence, whether through automation, enhanced visibility, or AI capabilities.

UNITI expo, Europe’s premier trade fair for the service station and car wash industries, will convene top decision-makers from over 100 countries from May 19 to 21. The event will feature innovations across key areas, including Technology, Payment & Logistics, and Shop & Convenience.

Visitors to Hall 5, Stand 5B21 will observe how PDI assists fuel and convenience retailers in streamlining their operations. The featured solutions include Orbis Web for real-time back and head office visibility, improved logistics control for deliveries and fleets, and enhanced security and point of sale (POS) execution.

The ecosystem also provides tools for increased profitability, including advanced loyalty programmes designed to drive repeat visits and larger basket sizes, and data-driven, AI-supported dynamic pricing strategies.

PDI will further contribute to the event's educational agenda through the UNITI “International Forum”. Its vice president, Fuel Pricing & Logistics, Mark Evans, will lead a session titled “Three Forces Shaping the Future of Global Roadside Retail”.

The presentation will address shifts in the global energy landscape affecting fuel supply and pricing, the integration of AI in operational decision-making, and the evolving expectations surrounding sustainability across the sector.

-- BERNAMA

KYMETA UNVEILS FUTURE-READY MULTI-ORBIT SATCOM TERMINAL

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 (Bernama) -- Kymeta Corporation, a flat-panel satellite terminal manufacturer, has launched its new Kestrel u5, a compact multi-orbit satellite communications (SATCOM) terminal designed for unmanned systems, national security operations, and high-speed industrial mobility.

The terminal enables seamless connectivity across multiple networks and constellations, including Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO), and elliptical orbits, allowing users to adapt to diverse mission requirements.

Built for demanding environments, the Kestrel u5 features a lightweight, low-profile, and rugged design suitable for operations on land and at sea. It supports full-duplex communication and remote upgrades, ensuring future-ready performance in rapidly evolving operational landscapes.

According to Kymeta in a statement, the terminal incorporates a no-moving-parts architecture for easy installation on unmanned vessels and next-generation vehicles.

Its durability-focused design includes shock absorption and advanced radome technology, enabling high performance even in harsh conditions, including exposure to water and extreme environments.

The Kestrel u5 is also equipped with Low Probability of Detection/Interception (LPD/LPI) capabilities, offering a low thermal signature supported by low power consumption and a passive cooling system, enhancing operational security and resilience.

Beyond defence applications, the terminal is suitable for commercial use in sectors such as rail, construction, mining, and agriculture, where it can be mounted on vehicles to deliver reliable, high-speed connectivity.

The Kestrel u5 is now available for order, with production units expected to be released within the next month, followed by broader availability as Kymeta scales production to meet demand.

-- BERNAMA

STRAY KIDS PREMIERE BIORÉ UV GLOBAL ANTHEM FILM

"YOUR ONE AND ONLY. Biore Global Brand Event" Held in Seongsu, South Korea

KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 (Bernama) -- Kao Corporation’s sunscreen brand, Bioré UV, hosted its “YOUR ONE AND ONLY. Bioré Global Brand Event”, unveiling its global campaign “SUNLIGHT IS YOUR SPOTLIGHT.” with a first-ever anthem film premiere featuring Stray Kids.

The event marked the global debut of the anthem film for “Endless Sun”, a track written, composed, and produced by Stray Kids. All eight members appeared on stage, sharing behind-the-scenes insights and engaging with fans during a live talk session.

The campaign underscores Bioré UV’s strategy to position sunlight as a source of empowerment while reinforcing its core value of high ultraviolet (UV) protection with everyday comfort. As part of its global expansion, Kao highlighted South Korea as a key strategic market, announcing a full-scale market entry for the brand.

Kao Vice President of the Skincare (Bioré) Business Division, Emi Kobayashi in a statement said South Korea represents a critical hub in the company’s global strategy, citing its advanced and competitive skincare market as a key growth driver.

The event also featured appearances by Natsuki Deguchi, the actress featured in Bioré UV’s Japanese commercials, who demonstrated the newly launched Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence in South Korea, highlighting its lightweight texture and finish.

During the anthem film segment, Stray Kids shared production anecdotes, including filming in Australia and creative elements behind key scenes. Members also discussed the message behind “Endless Sun”, describing sunlight as a “spotlight” symbolising confidence and individuality.

Interactive demonstrations using UV imaging showcased the effectiveness of Bioré UV products, while members engaged in light-hearted activities on stage, further energising the audience.

Closing the event, the group expressed appreciation to fans and reiterated the campaign’s message of confidence and self-expression, encouraging audiences to “shine under the sun” alongside Bioré UV.

-- BERNAMA

 

MOROCCO’S FRMF WELCOMES CAF APPEAL RULING

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has welcomed the decision of the CAF Appeal Board, which confirmed that competition regulations were not properly enforced during a recent interrupted match, reinforcing the integrity and consistency of international tournaments.

From the outset, the FRMF maintained a clear stance emphasising the strict application of governing regulations. The federation’s approach throughout the process was guided solely by this principle.

Following its appeal, CAF upheld the FRMF’s position, providing clarity on the regulatory framework and reaffirming the conditions necessary for proper conduct in continental competitions.

The federation stated it acted fully in compliance with all relevant legal and procedural frameworks, consistently focusing on upholding its rights and protecting the integrity of the tournament.

“This decision strengthens the consistency and credibility of international competitions, particularly within African football,” the FRMF noted in a statement.

The FRMF reaffirmed its commitment to the fair and consistent application of competition rules across all continental and international football bodies.

Looking ahead, the federation is turning its attention to the upcoming sporting calendar, including the FIFA World Cup and the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for this summer.

The FRMF also commended all participating nations in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), highlighting the continued strength and dynamism of African football.

-- BERNAMA

Walton Global Launches U.S. Land Fund for International Investors

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Walton Global (“Walton”), a leading real estate investment, land banking and land asset management company, announces the launch of the U.S. Land Income & Growth Fund for offshore investors. The fund is a private investment vehicle focused on income generation and long-term capital appreciation through U.S. residential land aimed at resolving the housing supply imbalance across the country.

The fund completed its first close in October 2025 and is structured for international investors, seeking exposure to U.S. real assets. The launch follows Walton Global’s earlier introductions of a publicly offered fund in Japan and a registered investment vehicle in Hong Kong, reflecting continued overseas demand for U.S. land-backed strategies.

The hybrid strategy provides short- to mid-term financing to large national U.S. homebuilders in positions that are secured by first-lien interests in residential land, with the land title held as collateral, generating income from interest payments. At the same time, the fund acquires pre-development residential land in U.S. metropolitan areas characterized by population growth, housing undersupply, and sustained homebuilder demand

“The fund is intended for institutional and high-net-worth investors seeking stable income and long-term growth through U.S. real asset exposure,” said Tim Haywood, Managing Director, Middle East at Walton Global. “Walton Global has decades of experience identifying assets that are positioned for value creation through entitlement progress and eventual sale to builders.”

The strategy is designed for earlier opportunities in the housing value chain, where capital is secured by land rather than finished housing or consumer demand. For international investors, U.S. residential land offers exposure to long-term housing demand with a structure that emphasizes asset backing and capital discipline. The focus on land-secured positions is intended to limit reliance on leverage or market timing, which has become a priority for investors amid ongoing market volatility.

The fund has been certified as Shariah-compliant by Masryef Advisory, expanding access for investors with Islamic finance and ethical investment mandates that require tangible, asset-backed structures.

The U.S. Land Income & Growth Fund is available to qualified investors through multiple global investment platforms including: Swissquote, Moventum, Capital Platforms, Momentum, Capital International Group, Universal Platform, Veri-Global, and Veritas Life.

Additionally, the fund is registered in the Cayman Islands and regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and is managed by U.S. Land Manager (BVI) Limited, an affiliate of Walton’s parent company, with Walton Global Holdings, LLC responsible for sourcing, structuring, and managing land-related activities.

About Walton Global

Walton Global is a privately-owned, leading land asset management and global real estate investment company with more than 85,000 acres of land under ownership, management and administration in the United States and Canada, totaling $4.54 billion. With more than 47 years of experience, Walton has a proven track record of land investment projects within the path of growth in the fastest-growing metropolitan areas. A total of $2.96 billion has been distributed to over 87,000 investors located in 91 countries. The company works closely with top U.S. home builders, developers and industry partners. Business lines include fixed-income products, builder land financing, development projects, DST offerings, and various fund structures. For more information, visit walton.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260317157482/en/ 

Contact

MEDIA CONTACT:
Allison Worldwide
waltonglobal@allisonworldwide.com 

Source : Walton Global

--BERNAMA 

Skild AI Expands Generalized Robot Intelligence Across Industries With ABB Robotics, Universal Robots, and NVIDIA

 

Skild AI is partnering with ABB Robotics and Universal Robots to deploy its omni-bodied robot brain across industries and applications, from factory floors to collaborative systems, without task-by-task reprogramming


PITTSBURGH, March 17 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skild AI, a pioneer in building generalized robot intelligence for any embodiment, today announced expanded collaborations with NVIDIA, ABB Robotics, and Teradyne Robotics’ Universal Robots (UR) and Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) to deploy its AI-powered robot brain across multiple industries and applications. The company’s technology is to be shipped to production environments, including high-precision assembly for NVIDIA Blackwell systems with Foxconn.

Skild AI’s mission is to bring AI into the physical world through its general-purpose robotics foundation model, Skild Brain. It is an omni-bodied brain designed to control any kind of robotic hardware – any robot, any task, one brain. This enables a powerful data flywheel: the brain can combine data from different robot deployments and use it to improve itself, which in turn helps scale additional deployments that generate even more data.

Skild AI’s partnership with these robotics OEMs will accelerate this data flywheel through the large-scale deployment of Skild Brain. Conventionally, industrial robots must be carefully programmed by human experts, task by task, which is difficult to scale and often impossible to automate. Skild’s omni-bodied AI brain offers a fundamentally different approach: learning directly from data.

“Robotics is at an inflection point similar to where LLMs were a few years ago,” said Deepak Pathak, CEO of Skild AI. “Advances in hardware, simulation, and large-scale AI training are making general-purpose robot intelligence possible. By training an omni-bodied intelligence that transfers skills across embodiments and environments, we’re shifting from programming tasks to building systems that continuously learn and improve, even during deployment.”

“This partnership helps us to bring automation and robotics for SMBs and non-traditional manufacturing and unlocks large-scale deployment of Skild Brain,” said Abhinav Gupta, President at Skild AI.

Building Omni-Bodied Intelligence With NVIDIA’s Open Robotics Platform

Training a robotic foundation model requires a large diversity of data, a process known as pretraining. For large language models such as ChatGPT, this data can be gathered from the Internet, but in robotics, there is no equivalent “Internet of robot data.” Skild AI’s approach is to leverage (a) internet scale human videos and (b) large-scale robot simulations.

To realize this, Skild AI leverages NVIDIA’s open robotics platform, using the open NVIDIA Isaac Lab and NVIDIA Isaac Sim robot learning and simulation frameworks and the Newton physics engine to create physically accurate simulations. These tools allow the Skild Brain to simulate millennia of experience in realistic digital environments, across tasks and settings, before deploying in the real world. Once the Skild Brain is pretrained, it is then finetuned using small amounts of real robot data.

To extend learning beyond the limits of collected real-world data, Skild AI incorporates NVIDIA Cosmos world foundation models to generate and augment synthetic data, improving robustness and sim-to-real transfer. Once trained, the generalized robot brain runs on systems powered by NVIDIA Jetson, enabling real-time, low-latency AI inference on deployed robots.

“Physical AI is transforming the world’s largest industries,” said Deepu Talla, Vice President of Robotics and Edge AI at NVIDIA. “Built on NVIDIA’s open robotics platform and accelerated computing, Skild AI’s generalized robot brain demonstrates how foundation models trained in simulation can be deployed on real robots at scale.”

Deploying Generalized Robot Intelligence With ABB Robotics and Universal Robots

Through its collaboration with NVIDIA, Skild AI is working closely with ABB Robotics and Universal Robots to integrate its omni-bodied brain into their robot portfolios. By embedding Skild Brain’s shared intelligence layer into widely deployed industrial robots, manufacturers can extend automation into more dynamic, highly variable, and complex applications without needing to build task-specific code for every workflow.

“At ABB Robotics, we see more autonomous and versatile robotics (AVR™) as the enabler for the next era of flexible and efficient manufacturing,” said Marc Segura, President, ABB Robotics. “Integrating Skild AI’s generalized robot intelligence into our portfolio will help customers scale industrial-grade automation more quickly and address increasingly complex applications scenarios across a broad range of industries.”

“Universal Robots was founded to make automation simple and accessible,” said Jean-Pierre Hathout, CEO, Universal Robots. “Working with Skild AI and NVIDIA allows us to bring advanced AI capabilities to our cobots — enabling them to handle more dynamic, variable tasks across industries.”

“This partnership helps us to bring automation and robotics for SMBs and non-traditional manufacturing and unlocks large-scale deployment of Skild Brain,” said Abhinav Gupta, President, Skild AI.

Early Success in Advanced Manufacturing

Skild AI is working with partners to deploy its solution in enterprise applications for advanced manufacturing. In partnership with Foxconn, Skild AI is planning to ship its omni-bodied brain to control dual-arms on NVIDIA’s Blackwell GPU production lines, performing complex assembly operations requiring precise manipulation and adaptability.

About Skild AI

Skild AI builds omni-bodied robot intelligence: AI-powered robot brains designed to operate any kind of robot for any application. By training foundation models and deploying them in real-world environments, Skild AI is advancing adaptable, intelligent robotics across industries. Today’s announcement with robot OEMs marks a key milestone in moving this technology towards generating real-world economic value.

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e616c088-edb9-4604-ba40-89b88498bc7b

Contacts:

Aditya Raghunathan
aditya@skild.ai

Skild
press@skild.ai 

SOURCE: Skild AI