KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- iHerb, a global eCommerce retailer of vitamins, minerals, supplements and health and wellness products, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with its biggest sales event of the year and the addition of 10 newly supported languages to its shopping platform.
In a statement, the company said the milestone comes as it serves well over 16 million customers across approximately 180 countries, reflecting growing consumer interest in proactive health and wellness.
The anniversary promotions will begin on Aug 19 ahead of the company's September anniversary, offering discounts of up to 30 per cent across more than 600 brands, alongside daily flash deals and other customer rewards.
iHerb Chief Executive Officer, Emun Zabihi said the company's 30-year milestone reflects the growth of its customers and team members, adding that it remains focused on improving the customer experience and investing in trust, access and convenience.
The platform's newly supported languages include European Spanish, European Portuguese, Georgian, Bosnian, Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Armenian, Farsi, Hindi and Cantonese, bringing its total language offerings to 46.
iHerb said each language experience is localised to enable customers across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia to browse products and complete purchases in their preferred language.
Founded in 1996, iHerb has grown from selling its first supplement online from an apartment in Pasadena, California, into a global direct-to-consumer wellness platform, supported by a logistics network of climate-controlled and GMP and/or ISO-compliant facilities.
-- BERNAMA
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
AM BEST: RECORD REINSURANCE CAPITAL TESTS UNDERWRITING DISCIPLINE
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- Global reinsurers are facing increased pressure on pricing as strong earnings since 2023 have driven capital to record levels, raising questions over whether underwriting discipline can be maintained amid growing competition, according to a new report by AM Best.
The Best’s Market Segment Report, titled “Global Reinsurance at an Inflection Point: Can Discipline Survive the Temptation of Record Capital?”, stated that the global non-life reinsurance segment continues to benefit from strong capitalisation, favourable earnings generation and supportive market conditions.
However, growing competition is putting pressure on reinsurance pricing, particularly in property lines. Unlike previous hard markets, capital has largely accumulated within existing organisations rather than through a wave of new entrants, giving reinsurers multiple opportunities to deploy capital.
According to the report, casualty reinsurance is also emerging as an important strategic concern, with some reinsurers pursuing growth opportunities supported by enhanced rates, while others remain cautious amid uncertainty surrounding social inflation, litigation funding, larger jury awards and adverse legal environments.
“Casualty exposures often develop over many years, meaning that decisions being made today may not be fully understood until well into the next decade,” said AM Best director, Dan Hofmeister in a statement.
AM Best expects the non-life reinsurance market to maintain favourable earnings profiles barring an outsized catastrophe event, but says the ability to preserve underwriting discipline and pricing integrity amid record capital will be critical to sustaining recent profitability.
The report also noted that reinsurance renewal trends intensified during the April and midyear renewals, with United States (US) property catastrophe placements, led by Florida, recording widely estimated reductions of 15 per cent to 20 per cent.
Meanwhile, US and Bermuda reinsurers have improved their combined ratios to the mid-80s to low-90s range under US generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) from an underwriting loss position in 2020.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also increasingly expected to become a differentiating factor for reinsurers that successfully integrate the technology, although limited and inconsistent data can constrain model effectiveness while increasing exposure to cyber and systemic risks.
-- BERNAMA
Monday, August 10, 2026
SPACE42, AUTONOMOUS A2Z SIGN US$7 MLN AGREEMENT FOR UAE LEVEL-4 MOBILITY
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- Space42, a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based artificial intelligence (AI)-powered SpaceTech company, and South Korea’s Autonomous A2Z (A2Z) have signed a US$7 million commercial agreement to deploy Level-4 autonomous mobility solutions in the UAE. (US$1=RM4.09)
In a statement, the company said this is the first commercial agreement under the two companies’ broader partnership and is a direct supply contract separate from the joint venture announced in 2025 to support the long-term commercialisation of intelligent mobility solutions in the UAE.
The agreement combines A2Z’s Level-4 autonomous driving technology with Space42’s AI, geospatial and connectivity capabilities. For A2Z, the agreement marks a step in its international expansion, while Space42 said it advances its efforts to enable safe and reliable driverless vehicle operations at scale.
Space42 chief executive officer (CEO) of Smart Solutions, Hasan Al Hosani said autonomous mobility is critical infrastructure for smart city development and that the UAE has created conditions for its integration into everyday transport.
Meanwhile, A2Z CEO, Han Ji-hyung said the agreement demonstrates that autonomous driving technology developed and validated in South Korea is ready for international deployment.
Pilot robo-shuttle services using A2Z’s ‘ROii’, along with other modified and retrofitted autonomous vehicles, will undergo operational testing and demand assessment. The companies expect the rollout to expand into demand-responsive transport (DRT) and tourism shuttle operations.
The project aligns with the UAE’s broader efforts to advance AI-enabled transportation and intelligent mobility under its National Smart Mobility Strategy.
Space42 said its mobility portfolio includes TXAI, an autonomous taxi service that has travelled more than 600,000 kilometres (km) across 20,000 trips with zero recorded accidents since operations began in 2021.
A2Z has conducted autonomous driving trials across 13 cities and provinces in South Korea and operates 91 permitted autonomous vehicles with over 1.02 million km of cumulative driving experience. Commercial execution of the agreement was led by Autonomous to Global (A2G), A2Z’s Singapore-based joint venture with Kilsa Global.
-- BERNAMA
In a statement, the company said this is the first commercial agreement under the two companies’ broader partnership and is a direct supply contract separate from the joint venture announced in 2025 to support the long-term commercialisation of intelligent mobility solutions in the UAE.
The agreement combines A2Z’s Level-4 autonomous driving technology with Space42’s AI, geospatial and connectivity capabilities. For A2Z, the agreement marks a step in its international expansion, while Space42 said it advances its efforts to enable safe and reliable driverless vehicle operations at scale.
Space42 chief executive officer (CEO) of Smart Solutions, Hasan Al Hosani said autonomous mobility is critical infrastructure for smart city development and that the UAE has created conditions for its integration into everyday transport.
Meanwhile, A2Z CEO, Han Ji-hyung said the agreement demonstrates that autonomous driving technology developed and validated in South Korea is ready for international deployment.
Pilot robo-shuttle services using A2Z’s ‘ROii’, along with other modified and retrofitted autonomous vehicles, will undergo operational testing and demand assessment. The companies expect the rollout to expand into demand-responsive transport (DRT) and tourism shuttle operations.
The project aligns with the UAE’s broader efforts to advance AI-enabled transportation and intelligent mobility under its National Smart Mobility Strategy.
Space42 said its mobility portfolio includes TXAI, an autonomous taxi service that has travelled more than 600,000 kilometres (km) across 20,000 trips with zero recorded accidents since operations began in 2021.
A2Z has conducted autonomous driving trials across 13 cities and provinces in South Korea and operates 91 permitted autonomous vehicles with over 1.02 million km of cumulative driving experience. Commercial execution of the agreement was led by Autonomous to Global (A2G), A2Z’s Singapore-based joint venture with Kilsa Global.
-- BERNAMA
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Mary Kay Reaffirms Global Women Empowerment Commitment
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Mary Kay China supports the Hope for Pearl Program, providing financial assistance to girls from economically disadvantaged areas to receive a life-changing education, opening doors to new possibilities and bright futures. (Photo Courtesy: Mary Kay China) |
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Mary Kay Inc has reaffirmed its commitment to enriching women’s lives worldwide through its signature Pink Changing Lives Program, a global initiative that combines purpose-driven giving with cause marketing to create meaningful and measurable impact across communities.
Mary Kay in a statement said since 1996, the programme has provided over US$230 million in monetary and product donations to nonprofit organisations that empower women, improve women’s health and safety, and protect natural resources. (US$1=RM4.08)
“Through Pink Changing Lives, every market, consumer, Independent Beauty Consultant and designated purchase has the power to uplift a woman, support a family, and strengthen a community.
“This programme reflects who we are at our core – a company committed to turning purpose into action and creating a world where every woman can thrive,” said Mary Kay Inc Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Allison Levy.
More than US$19 million has been channelled back into local communities through a portion of sales from designated products across participating markets.
According to Mary Kay, each purchase of a Pink Changing Lives-designated product directly contributes to charitable efforts, allowing consumers to participate in giving back through their everyday choices.
In China, Mary Kay beauty consultants help fund educational opportunities for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds through the Hope for Pearl Program, linking beauty experiences with life-changing access to education.
Its global outreach efforts in Germany include partnerships with organisations such as the Reiner Meutsch FLY & HELP Foundation, supporting education through the construction and renovation of 12 schools in underserved regions.
The company's partnership in Colombia with Fundación Colombianitos supports safe spaces for children, including the restoration of community facilities for after-school activities and youth development.
Present in 40 markets worldwide, Mary Kay ranked eighth among 5,500 brands on Forbes’ 2026 Best Brands for Social Impact list, improving from ninth place in 2025.
-- BERNAMA
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Toshiba Unveils Secure Microcontrollers For IoT Devices
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| Toshiba: TXZ+™ Family Entry-Class M4V Group for IoT and industrial system control applications. |
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 (Bernama) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (Toshiba) has announced the TXZ+ Family Entry-Class M4V Group, a new series of microcontrollers designed to enhance security and data management in Internet of Things (IoT) devices and industrial equipment.
In a statement, the company said engineering samples of the microcontrollers, which feature an Arm Cortex-M4 core with a floating-point unit (FPU), are now available.
The M4V Group incorporates a multilayered security architecture combining access control, memory protection and execution control functions to help safeguard systems against unauthorised access and program tampering.
Built for consumer and industrial equipment, the microcontrollers operate at frequencies of up to 80 megahertz (MHz) and integrate code flash memory, data flash memory and random access memory (RAM) to support secure storage of configuration and log data.
The devices also support over-the-air (OTA) updates and feature a serial memory interface for external flash memory, enabling efficient management of large-volume data and firmware in connected systems.
According to Toshiba, the microcontrollers include integrated peripherals for system control and brushless DC motor applications, while supporting a range of development tools, starter kits and software to facilitate product evaluation and application development.
The company said it will continue to expand its microcontroller portfolio and development resources to support secure and flexible system design for consumer and industrial applications.
-- BERNAMA
Friday, August 7, 2026
Cirrus Therapeutics Strengthens Its Position as a Next-Generation Global Ocular Immunology Leader with Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) Collaboration and Additional Financing
- Cirrus deepens expansion into Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region through collaboration with Singapore Eye Research Institute and Duke-NUS Medical School’s Centre for Vision Research to support research, clinical development and partnering activities
- Cirrus expands investor syndicate with new additions, including Cedars Sinai Intellectual Property Company, raising $14.7 million to date
- Cirrus continues to advance its lead program toward the clinic, a novel ocular gene therapy designed to restore IRAK-M in geographic atrophy patients
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and SINGAPORE, Aug 5 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cirrus Therapeutics, an ocular immunology biotech, today announced a collaboration with Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) and Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS). Cirrus also announced an expanded investor syndicate, including Cedars Sinai Intellectual Property Company, raising $14.7 million seed financing to date. These developments bolster Cirrus’ trajectory as a global ocular immunology company advancing first-in-class and best-in-class therapies to extend the ocular healthspan of patients with chronic blinding diseases.
“We are taking methodical steps to build an ocular immunology company that delivers global impact. Our collaboration with SERI and Duke-NUS exemplifies this strategy in action,” said Ying Kai Chan, PhD, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Cirrus Therapeutics. “We’re also pleased to fortify our investor syndicate with new additions, including strategic investors such as Cedars Sinai Intellectual Property Company as we continue to progress our novel ocular gene and cell therapy candidates toward the clinic.”
Cirrus’ lead program is a novel ocular gene therapy designed to restore IRAK-M, in order to prevent AMD progression and preserve central vision in GA patients.
SERI, the research institute of the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), is the national ophthalmic research institute and ranks first globally by ophthalmology publications per capita. SERI and SNEC are part of SingHealth’s cluster of hospitals and specialist centres. Working closely with Duke-NUS’ Centre for Vision Research, SERI conducts research aimed at preventing blindness, low vision and major eye diseases affecting people in Singapore and Asia. Cirrus’ collaboration with SERI and Duke-NUS, supported by National Medical Research Council (NMRC)/National Health Innovation Centre Singapore (NHIC), accelerates the advancement of innovative ophthalmic technologies for treatment of blinding diseases to benefit more patients.
“The pioneering work by SERI, augmented by Duke-NUS, has contributed to important advances in how eye diseases are understood, treated and prevented in Asia and globally,” said Assistant Professor Hwee Goon Tay, Ph.D., Principal Investigator at SERI and Duke-NUS’ Centre for Vision Research, who is leading the collaboration. “Through this collaboration with Cirrus, we hope to accelerate the development of new therapies that can protect or restore sight for people living with serious retinal diseases.”
In March 2026, Cirrus announced the establishment of an R&D site in Singapore, complementing its UK science origins and US infrastructure and enabling access to Asia-Pacific, one of the fastest-growing biopharma markets. Cirrus concurrently announced a strategic partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) to develop impactful ophthalmic therapies.
“Over the past two decades, Singapore has established itself as a high-impact, global R&D hub, with ophthalmologic and retinal diseases being a key highlight,” said Professor Andrew Dick, MD, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of Cirrus, as well as Duke Elder Chair and Director of Institute of Ophthalmology, University College of London (UCL), and Head of Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, University of Bristol. “Cirrus’ presence and strategic partnerships in Singapore is the type of cross-border collaboration critical for addressing the massive, global unmet need presented by age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy.”
About Cirrus Therapeutics
Cirrus Therapeutics is a privately held ocular immunology-focused biotech with locations in the U.S. and Singapore. Cirrus is focused on revolutionizing the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), geographic atrophy (GA), and other chronic blinding diseases with groundbreaking cell and gene therapies to preserve sight, extend ocular healthspan, and enable a better quality of life as people age.
Our lead program is a preclinical stage, novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) ocular gene therapy designed to potentially reverse an underlying cause of dry AMD: loss of IRAK-M protein, a key immune regulator expressed in retinal cells. Our second program is a preclinical stage, next-generation RPE cell therapy to restore vision to patients with center-involving GA, an advanced stage of AMD.
Our investor syndicate includes ClavystBio, Polaris Partners, SEEDS (an investment arm of SG Growth Capital), Cedars Sinai Intellectual Property Company, and additional institutional investors.
For more information, visit us at www.cirrustx.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Liz Melone
liz@melonecomm.com
SOURCE: Cirrus Therapeutics, Inc.
--BERNAMA
“We are taking methodical steps to build an ocular immunology company that delivers global impact. Our collaboration with SERI and Duke-NUS exemplifies this strategy in action,” said Ying Kai Chan, PhD, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Cirrus Therapeutics. “We’re also pleased to fortify our investor syndicate with new additions, including strategic investors such as Cedars Sinai Intellectual Property Company as we continue to progress our novel ocular gene and cell therapy candidates toward the clinic.”
Cirrus’ lead program is a novel ocular gene therapy designed to restore IRAK-M, in order to prevent AMD progression and preserve central vision in GA patients.
SERI, the research institute of the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), is the national ophthalmic research institute and ranks first globally by ophthalmology publications per capita. SERI and SNEC are part of SingHealth’s cluster of hospitals and specialist centres. Working closely with Duke-NUS’ Centre for Vision Research, SERI conducts research aimed at preventing blindness, low vision and major eye diseases affecting people in Singapore and Asia. Cirrus’ collaboration with SERI and Duke-NUS, supported by National Medical Research Council (NMRC)/National Health Innovation Centre Singapore (NHIC), accelerates the advancement of innovative ophthalmic technologies for treatment of blinding diseases to benefit more patients.
“The pioneering work by SERI, augmented by Duke-NUS, has contributed to important advances in how eye diseases are understood, treated and prevented in Asia and globally,” said Assistant Professor Hwee Goon Tay, Ph.D., Principal Investigator at SERI and Duke-NUS’ Centre for Vision Research, who is leading the collaboration. “Through this collaboration with Cirrus, we hope to accelerate the development of new therapies that can protect or restore sight for people living with serious retinal diseases.”
In March 2026, Cirrus announced the establishment of an R&D site in Singapore, complementing its UK science origins and US infrastructure and enabling access to Asia-Pacific, one of the fastest-growing biopharma markets. Cirrus concurrently announced a strategic partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) to develop impactful ophthalmic therapies.
“Over the past two decades, Singapore has established itself as a high-impact, global R&D hub, with ophthalmologic and retinal diseases being a key highlight,” said Professor Andrew Dick, MD, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of Cirrus, as well as Duke Elder Chair and Director of Institute of Ophthalmology, University College of London (UCL), and Head of Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, University of Bristol. “Cirrus’ presence and strategic partnerships in Singapore is the type of cross-border collaboration critical for addressing the massive, global unmet need presented by age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy.”
About Cirrus Therapeutics
Cirrus Therapeutics is a privately held ocular immunology-focused biotech with locations in the U.S. and Singapore. Cirrus is focused on revolutionizing the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), geographic atrophy (GA), and other chronic blinding diseases with groundbreaking cell and gene therapies to preserve sight, extend ocular healthspan, and enable a better quality of life as people age.
Our lead program is a preclinical stage, novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) ocular gene therapy designed to potentially reverse an underlying cause of dry AMD: loss of IRAK-M protein, a key immune regulator expressed in retinal cells. Our second program is a preclinical stage, next-generation RPE cell therapy to restore vision to patients with center-involving GA, an advanced stage of AMD.
Our investor syndicate includes ClavystBio, Polaris Partners, SEEDS (an investment arm of SG Growth Capital), Cedars Sinai Intellectual Property Company, and additional institutional investors.
For more information, visit us at www.cirrustx.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Liz Melone
liz@melonecomm.com
SOURCE: Cirrus Therapeutics, Inc.
--BERNAMA
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
ALIXPARTNERS ACQUIRES AGENTIC AI CONSULTING FIRM ARTIUM
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- AlixPartners has acquired Artium, an agentic artificial intelligence (AI) software consulting firm that develops enterprise AI agents for clients including BNY Mellon, Mayo Clinic and eBay, as the global consulting firm expands its AI capabilities.
In a statement, the company said Artium will continue operating as a distinct team within AlixPartners under the brand "Artium by AlixPartners", with its people, including its founders, methodology and research relationships remaining unchanged.
AlixPartners Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rob Hornby said Artium has developed production-grade agentic AI systems and established strong relationships across leading AI research organisations, adding that the combination is expected to enhance the firm's ability to deliver business transformation for clients.
Meanwhile, Artium CEO and Co-Founder, Ross Hale said AlixPartners was selected as the next growth partner because of its understanding of Artium's business, technology capabilities and long-term opportunities, while also supporting the culture and values that have contributed to the firm's growth.
AlixPartners said the acquisition combines Artium's AI engineering capabilities with the firm's industry experience and is expected to create new opportunities to transform businesses and integrate technology across enterprises.
Founded 45 years ago, AlixPartners provides consulting services to companies across a range of industries, focusing on performance improvement, restructuring, transformation and technology-enabled business change.
-- BERNAMA
In a statement, the company said Artium will continue operating as a distinct team within AlixPartners under the brand "Artium by AlixPartners", with its people, including its founders, methodology and research relationships remaining unchanged.
AlixPartners Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rob Hornby said Artium has developed production-grade agentic AI systems and established strong relationships across leading AI research organisations, adding that the combination is expected to enhance the firm's ability to deliver business transformation for clients.
Meanwhile, Artium CEO and Co-Founder, Ross Hale said AlixPartners was selected as the next growth partner because of its understanding of Artium's business, technology capabilities and long-term opportunities, while also supporting the culture and values that have contributed to the firm's growth.
AlixPartners said the acquisition combines Artium's AI engineering capabilities with the firm's industry experience and is expected to create new opportunities to transform businesses and integrate technology across enterprises.
Founded 45 years ago, AlixPartners provides consulting services to companies across a range of industries, focusing on performance improvement, restructuring, transformation and technology-enabled business change.
-- BERNAMA
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