Water Purifier Rentals Rise Across Bangalore, Delhi NCR and Mumbai in 2026

Bangalore, India, Aug. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Water purifier rental is climbing across Bangalore, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai through 2026, with monthly plans from ₹391 competing against purchase prices near ₹12,544 and annual maintenance contracts of ₹3,000 to ₹3,500 that alone approach 40 percent of the value of the machine they cover. Rental platforms operating across the six metros, including Rentomojo, are seeing RO, UV and alkaline systems move onto subscription across household segments where water quality, not budget, is the first consideration. For more information visit https://www.rentomojo.com/delhi/appliances/water-purifiers-on-rent

Household water purification in India remains under-penetrated relative to the risk profile of the supply. Municipal and borewell inputs vary street by street, and dissolved solids, hardness and microbiological contamination are not uniform even within a single locality. IS 10500:2012, the Bureau of Indian Standards specification for drinking water, sets the acceptable and permissible limits against which household treatment is assessed, and the practical consequence is that purification technology has to be matched to the input rather than chosen on price. Chennai’s Velachery and OMR belt, Hyderabad’s Gachibowli and Kondapur, Bengaluru’s Whitefield and Sarjapur Road, Pune’s Hinjewadi and Kharadi, Gurgaon’s Sohna Road and Mumbai’s Powai and Thane each present different treatment requirements, which is why the category is service-led rather than product-led.

That service dependency is where ownership economics break down. A purifier bought outright at around ₹12,544 begins accruing an annual maintenance contract of ₹3,000 to ₹3,500 once the warranty lapses, alongside filter and membrane replacement on a service cycle rather than a calendar one. Financed over two years the same machine costs about ₹14,110. Over the same two-year horizon a rental plan runs to about ₹9,384, while households defaulting to bottled and canned water spend in the region of ₹25,530. Unlike furniture and appliances, where rental and ownership converge somewhere around the thirty-third to fortieth month, the maintenance load on a water purifier means the rental case does not expire with time, it compounds with it.

The distinction now shaping the category is between platforms that list purifiers alongside other appliances and providers that manufacture and service their own units. Rentomojo’s water purifier programme is built on in-house manufactured RO, UV and alkaline models rather than third-party stock, with filter replacement every six months at no additional cost, lifetime maintenance for the duration of the plan and installation completed in around two days by in-house technicians. Plans are listed from ₹391 a month, described in the company’s March 2026 draft red herring prospectus, citing the Redseer Report, as among the lowest-priced rental offerings in the category. The ₹12,544 purchase outlay plus ₹3,000 to ₹3,500 in annual maintenance against a ₹391 a month serviced plan is increasingly being cited in household cost-control evaluations across the six metros. 

Servicing capacity is the operational difference behind that claim. The company reports an in-house team of 1,688 technicians, carpenters and painters, described in the same prospectus as the largest such team among leading platforms, and a network-average delivery turnaround of 2.54 days across 22 cities. Water purifier onboarding grew at a compound annual rate of 590.39 percent between FY23 and FY25, indicating that the category is being adopted as a managed service rather than as an incremental line in a furniture catalogue.

Other providers operating in the Indian water purifier segment include Livpure Smart Homes and Waterwala Labs, which trades as DrinkPrime. The international reference point most often used is South Korea, where household water purifier penetration runs at 85 to 90 percent and roughly 70 to 75 percent of those households take the product on subscription rather than owning it, a structure that emerged for the same reason it is emerging in India, namely that purification performance depends on servicing discipline rather than on the initial purchase decision. 

Water purification is more accurately understood as a continuing service obligation than as a one-time appliance purchase, and pricing models that bundle the servicing tend to track the actual cost of clean water more closely than those that do not. Across Bangalore, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai in 2026, RO, UV and alkaline systems are moving onto monthly subscriptions carrying filters, maintenance and technician cover inside a single ₹391 a month line, with the servicing risk sitting with the provider rather than with the household. To learn more visit https://www.rentomojo.com/mumbai/appliances/water-purifiers-on-rent

About Rentomojo: Rentomojo is an Indian furniture and appliance rental platform offering beds, sofas, wardrobes, dining tables, study desks, televisions, water purifiers and household appliances on subscription-based monthly plans, with maintenance, annual servicing and free relocation included. According to its draft red herring prospectus filed in March 2026, Rentomojo is the largest tech-driven full-stack direct-to-consumer rental platform in India by FY25 subscription revenue and live subscribers, operating across 22 cities with 227,511 live subscribers and an in-house team of 1,688 technicians, carpenters and painters.

Sourced from rentomojo.com listings, the March 2026 draft red herring prospectus and IS 10500:2012, provided for general market context. Prices vary by product, city and plan and are subject to change.

Attachment

• Water Purifier Rentals Rise Across Bangalore, Delhi NCR and Mumbai in 2026

CONTACT: +91 1800 102 6601 jo@rentomojo.com Rentomojo Private Limited B Wing- 4th Floor, BHIVE Workspace, WJ88+69V BMTC Complex, Old Madiwala, Kuvempu Nagar, Stage 2, BTM Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka - 560068

HONG KONG, Aug. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Smart wearable brand DR H has officially launched the Mind Ease Mask, an intelligent sleep wearable integrating light management, temperature control, and audio technology in one device. The launch expands DR H’s portfolio from smart ring-based health monitoring into sleep-focused wellness solutions.

Built around “AI + Health + Fashion,” DR H develops connected wearables combining intelligent functions with design.

Creating a New Approach to Smart Sleep Experiences

The DR H Mind Ease Mask combines multiple sleep-support technologies to create a controlled and comfortable resting environment. The three-part design allows these features to work together within a single device based on personal preferences.

Powered by 3D SCAN TECH technology, the contoured design follows the natural curves of the face, helping minimize light leakage while delivering a comfortable fit. The three-dimensional construction helps reduce light interference while maintaining comfort during use.

The wearable uses a semiconductor temperature-sensing film to provide adjustable temperature support around the eye area. Three temperature levels, a timer function, NTC intelligent high-temperature protection system, and automatic power-off function provide safer and flexible control.

The mask also includes a built-in immersive audio system with sleep-supporting music and Bluetooth connectivity. Users can connect compatible devices to access music, ambient sounds, meditation recordings, and mindfulness courses through the DR HHH App.

Extending from Monitoring to Health Management

The launch of Mind Ease Mask expands DR H’s intelligent health ecosystem from wellness monitoring to sleep environment management. Together with the DR H health management app, the brand connects health data monitoring, analysis, and lifestyle support to deliver a comprehensive wellness experience.

About DR H

Founded in 2023, DR H is a smart wearable brand co-created by Hitrons Intelligence Limited and designer Alan Chan. Based on the concept of “AI + Health + Fashion,” DR H develops smart health solutions across its Health Monitoring Series and Smart Living Series.

Supported by a health management app, DR H integrates intelligent technology with lifestyle applications to create connected solutions centered around Home, Health, and Happiness.

Media Contact

Organization: Hitrons Intelligence Limited
Contact Person: Shirley XU
Email: sales@doctorhhh.com
Website: https://www.doctorhhh.shop

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

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The exhibition is held at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (No. 2, Section 1, Wuquan West Road, West District, TAICHUNG CITY, TAIWAN). Admission is free and open to the public.
Image courtesy of Ming-Ji Hsieh, Creative Director of Orbitel International Corp.

Among this year’s selected works is One Suitcase, created by Ming-Ji Hsieh, Creative Director of Orbitel International Corp. Inspired by BOBAMAN, the signature character of the O’s Bubble brand, the artwork extends the language of branding into the realm of contemporary art. By transforming brand storytelling into a universal visual narrative, One Suitcase stands out as one of the exhibition’s few interdisciplinary works built upon a brand’s cultural identity.

One Suitcase: A Universal Story of Movement and Belonging

At the heart of One Suitcase is a simple yet powerful symbol—a single suitcase. It reflects the shared experience of today’s globally mobile generation: people traveling across cities, cultures, and languages with only what they can carry, pursuing new opportunities while searching for a place to belong.

Rooted in Taiwan’s island culture yet speaking to a global audience, the artwork suggests that embarking on a journey is not about possessing more, but about moving forward with purpose, conviction, and hope despite uncertainty. This idea of being “light in possessions, yet steadfast in spirit” forms the emotional core of the work.

According to Ming-Ji Hsieh, BOBAMAN is more than a brand mascot. It represents a cultural symbol—an emotional language born in Taiwan that can resonate with people around the world. Its simple, rounded form and warm smile embody kindness, optimism, and a human connection that transcends cultural boundaries.

Extending the O’s Bubble Brand Philosophy Through Art

The O’s Bubble brand philosophy, “YOU × ME,” represents more than interaction between people—it reflects the possibility of understanding across cultures.

One Suitcase carries this philosophy into the world of contemporary art by presenting the smile as a universal language. Rather than being merely a facial expression, a smile becomes a shared emotional experience that connects people from different backgrounds, cultures, and life journeys.

As BOBAMAN enters the artistic landscape, the character evolves beyond brand identity to symbolize trust, empathy, and the enduring possibility of human connection.

The artwork also expresses the message, “Because we believe in ourselves,” transforming a brand belief into a universal value that can be interpreted and appreciated by audiences regardless of cultural background.

From Taiwan to the Global Stage

Now in its 16th edition, the National Art Exhibition is one of Taiwan’s most prestigious art events. This year’s exhibition received more than 1,000 submissions across 11 artistic categories, including ink painting, oil painting, sculpture, photography, new media, and mixed media. Following a rigorous review process, only 114 works were selected or awarded, highlighting the richness and diversity of Taiwan’s contemporary artistic landscape.

Within this context, the selection of One Suitcase represents more than artistic recognition. It demonstrates how a brand can move beyond commercial communication to become part of a broader cultural conversation. By transforming design into storytelling, the work bridges branding, public art, and international cultural exchange.

The Future of Interdisciplinary Creation: Where Brand, Art, and Culture Converge

As the global creative industry continues to embrace cross-disciplinary collaboration, brands are evolving beyond commercial identities to become powerful platforms for cultural expression and storytelling.

The selection of One Suitcase marks another milestone for Orbitel International Corp. and O’s Bubble, demonstrating how a brand can expand beyond marketing and enter the broader cultural landscape. By transforming visual design into artistic expression, the work illustrates how branding can foster meaningful dialogue across cultures and connect with audiences in new ways.

Through the evolution of BOBAMAN, the artwork creates an emotionally resonant symbol that can be understood across cultural boundaries. It invites audiences from around the world to engage with creativity born in Taiwan, encouraging new interpretations while highlighting the universal themes of identity, movement, and human connection.

Ultimately, One Suitcase demonstrates how creativity originating in Taiwan can transcend geographic and cultural boundaries. It reimagines branding not merely as a commercial tool, but as a bridge between people, cultures, and ideas—opening new possibilities for dialogue through art.

Exhibition Information
Exhibition: 2026 National Art Exhibition
Dates: July 18 – October 11, 2026
Venue: National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
Location: No. 2, Section 1, Wuquan West Road, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan

Opening Hours:

• Tuesday–Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Saturday–Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Closed on Mondays

Admission is free.

Visitors from Taiwan and around the world are invited to experience the vibrant creativity of contemporary Taiwanese art and discover, through One Suitcase, a new perspective on the intersection of branding, art, and culture—one that reimagines the meaning of departure, connection, and shared humanity in an increasingly interconnected world.

Hashtag: #OrbitelInternationalCorp #2026NationalArtExhibition

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

]]> Asia Insider https://asiainsiders.net/shilla-stay-signs-accommodation-partnership-for-world-youth-day-seoul-2027 2026-08-10T18:01:46Z 2026-08-10T16:00:00Z

At the event, the exhibitions Her Bloom: A Digital Cultural Heritage Exhibition on Luoyang, the Divine Capital and the Indonesian leg of Emerging Forces, Boundless Horizons: A Global Touring Exhibition Series Featuring Young Chinese Artists officially opened. The event also launched a China–Indonesia media organization, FAST Media Alliance, the Indonesian broadcast of the micro-drama Her Bloom, and the China–Indonesia Visual Project—Nanyang Film Festival, among other collaborative initiatives.

In her remarks, Anindita Kusuma Listya, Special Advisor to the Minister of Culture for Cultural Diplomacy and Cultural Industries at Ministry of Culture of Indonesia, expressed her strong appreciation for the event’s focus on youth connectivity, digital innovation, and media co-creation. She noted that Indonesia has consistently attached great importance to cultural exchanges and cooperation with China, encouraging young people, arts professionals, media organizations, and cultural and creative enterprises from both countries to engage in regular, in-depth, and multidimensional collaboration. As nations with diverse civilizations, Indonesia and China enjoy vast potential for cooperation and closely aligned development needs in cultural heritage preservation, digital cultural and creative industries, film and television production, and youth innovation.

Wang Siping, Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, said in his remarks that cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Indonesia have yielded fruitful results in recent years, while people-to-people exchanges have continued to gain momentum. He expressed the hope that young people from both countries would engage more frequently and that more events such as “Boundless Creativity, Connecting Youth” would be organized and widely attended. China is ready to pursue more cooperation with Indonesia and share more opportunities. China also stands ready to work hand in hand with Indonesia to cultivate the fertile ground of people-to-people exchanges, expand channels for youth engagement, strengthen the “people-to-people pillar” of bilateral relations, and advance the high-quality building of a China–Indonesia community with a shared future.

Al Busyra Basnur, Chairman of the Indonesia–China Friendship Association, noted in his remarks that both China and Indonesia possess abundant pools of young talent. Cooperation among outstanding young people from the two countries, he said, will not only deepen bilateral relations but also inject fresh momentum into regional prosperity, technological progress, and the building of a more peaceful and closely connected world. He expressed his hope of holding in-depth discussions with all parties during the subsequent activities on such issues as advancing China–Indonesia relations, talent development, and educational exchanges, with a view to identifying practical avenues for cooperation.

Arianto Surojo, Consul General of Indonesia in Guangzhou, said that the event was innovative in concept and far-reaching in significance, providing a high-level platform for cultural exchanges between Indonesia and China in the new era. Youth-oriented, digital, and innovative forms of exchange such as this, he noted, enable people—especially young people—in both countries to gain a more direct understanding of one another and forge deeper connections. They also help elevate cultural exchanges between Indonesia and China from the superficial to the substantive, enriching the content of bilateral people-to-people cooperation. “When young people thrive, nations thrive; when young people are strong, nations are strong,” he said. “Let us embrace the spirit of exploration and innovation and jointly write a new chapter in the friendship between our two countries.”

Li Mian, Deputy President of CICC, said that CICC has long worked with media organizations in Southeast Asia to promote cultural exchanges. Over the years, CICC has actively advanced audiovisual cooperation with mainstream media outlets in Indonesia and elsewhere in Southeast Asia through the television program UPanda Cinema. Through this event, CICC has launched such collaborative projects as the China–Indonesia media organization, FAST Media Alliance, the broadcast of the micro-drama Her Bloom, and the China–Indonesia Visual Project. These initiatives aim to tell the story of China–Indonesia friendship, share digital technologies and high-quality resources, and promote deeper, more substantive cooperation between the two countries.

Atika Suri, Editor-in-Chief of Indonesia’s GARUDA TV, said that the event, focusing on youth exchange and cultural empowerment, carried out a rich array of activities, including digital cultural heritage exhibitions, joint visual exhibitions, and touring exhibitions of young artists. It not only carries forward the traditional friendship between Indonesia and China, she said, but also represents an active exploration of new models and pathways for people-to-people cooperation in the new era.

Li Jing, Vice President of Coocaa, a Skyworth Group company, and CEO of Coolita, said that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, smart television, and FAST are driving the global media industry into a new digital era, creating fresh opportunities for cultural communication and international media cooperation. During the event, Coolita and CICC jointly launched the China–Indonesia media organization, FAST Media Alliance. Going forward, they will work with Indonesian media organizations and partners such as Tencent Cloud to explore innovative models in artificial intelligence, FAST, and digital content distribution; drive the digital transformation of traditional media; and promote innovation in the digital cultural industries of both countries.

The event also featured themed roundtable discussions bringing together esteemed institutions and figures. Participants included China National Archives of Publications and Culture, Tencent Cloud, “Honor of Kings”, the acting head of the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH) at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, the University of Indonesia, LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, the Jakarta Film Commission, the renowned game studio Anantarupa Studios, and the visual creative studio Mono Studio. They were joined by Indonesian contemporary painting master Sidik Martowidjojo (Ma Yongqiang) and Chinese young artist Ren Zhe.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

]]> Asia Insider https://asiainsiders.net/photo-feature-global-media-explore-hainan-free-trade-port-unlocking-the-new-vitality-of-the-ocean-economy 2026-08-11T03:03:08Z 2026-08-10T14:00:00Z

HAIKOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 August 2026 – A delegation of journalists from nine major overseas media outlets, including the United States, France, Türkiye, Spain, and the Republic of Korea, recently visited China’s Hainan Province for an in-depth tour across multiple cities including Haikou, Wanning, Lingshui, and Sanya. The mission was to investigate the region’s marine cultural tourism, ecological conservation efforts, and innovative consumer models, and to witness firsthand the renewed dynamism of Hainan’s “ocean economy.”

As the first full year following the island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), 2026 has been designated the “Marine Tourism Year,” with a strategic focus on ocean-themed cultural travel. Leveraging policy dividends such as visa-free access for citizens of 86 countries, expanded traffic rights, and offshore duty-free shopping, Hainan has consistently enhanced its openness to the world, fueling a surge in cultural tourism demand. In the first half of this year alone, the island recorded over 1 million inbound visits, a year-on-year increase of 48.8%, underscoring the robust growth momentum of the FTP’s tourism sector.

In Wanning’s Riyue Bay, the international media group experienced firsthand the rapid expansion of Hainan’s coastal sports industry. Renowned as a world-class surfing destination, the bay receives more than 500,000 visits annually, drawing travelers from as far as Australia and Southeast Asia. A major highlight was the nation’s first Olympic-standard artificial surf pool, which employs advanced wave-making technology to simulate 23 different wave types, enabling year-round, all-weather surfing regardless of natural conditions. Mr. Guney Isik Ganimgil, a contributor to Turkey’s Aydınlık newspaper, remarked that Hainan’s cultural tourism development has far exceeded expectations and holds tremendous investment potential.

Eco-empowered tourism and the protection of blue bays are the defining hallmarks of Hainan’s development. The Hainan Ocean Paradise Resort adheres strictly to a policy against capturing wild marine life; its rescue center has successfully rehabilitated and released over 200 rare marine creatures, including sea turtles and hawksbills, back into the wild. Meanwhile, Wuzhizhou Island has pioneered an innovative model of eco-tourism, partnering with universities to develop a tropical marine ranch. Through the strategic deployment of artificial reefs and the transplantation of tens of thousands of coral colonies, the island now offers visitors the opportunity to participate in coral transplantation—a hands-on experience that fosters a virtuous cycle between ecological conservation and tourism engagement, earning high praise from the attending media.

Deepening the integration of culture and tourism has also revitalized Hainan’s traditional maritime heritage. The Danjia fishing rafts continue to enrich their authentic marine-ethnic cultural offerings, continuously diversifying their “product portfolio”. Tianya Town, built around a century-old fishing village, has evolved into a coastal leisure landmark, now home to nearly a hundred boutique homestays and specialty cafés. The Sanya International Duty-Free Shopping Complex, housing over 1,000 international brands, has introduced cutting-edge “duty-free + technology” consumption scenarios. And the Sanya Yacht Tourism Center, with a complete industrial chain, recorded over 220,000 yacht outings in 2025, cementing its status as a premier destination for high-end coastal tourism.

After four days of in-depth exploration, the media delegation witnessed a Hainan that is open, green, and vibrantly dynamic. Today’s Hainan FTP has transcended the traditional model of seaside tourism, with policy as its backbone, ecology as its canvas, and culture as its soul. By continually energizing the blue economy, Hainan is presenting a compelling new vision of high-quality development to the world.

Hashtag: #HainanFreeTradePort

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

]]> Asia Insider https://asiainsiders.net/v-green-and-hkr-partner-to-develop-large-scale-ev-charging-hub-expanding-indonesias-green-transport-infrastructure 2026-08-11T03:03:06Z 2026-08-10T12:55:00Z

JAKARTA, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 August 2026 – V-Green Indonesia and PT HK Realtindo (HKR) have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to develop an integrated EV Charging Hub in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. The partnership marks a significant milestone in the strategic collaboration between V-Green and Hutama Karya Group, HKR’s parent company, as the two parties work together to pioneer a flagship EV charging hub model and accelerate the development of a comprehensive green mobility ecosystem across Indonesia.

Under the agreement, V-Green Indonesia will lease an 8,747-square-meter site owned by PT HK Realtindo (HKR) to develop the EV Charging Hub in Kemayoran. The model is particularly well suited for large land parcels, enabling landowners to optimize underutilized real estate assets and generate sustainable long-term revenue while allowing V-Green to rapidly expand its charging infrastructure network at strategic locations.

The EV Charging Hub is a large-scale charging infrastructure model that integrates multiple services within a single location to simultaneously serve the needs of individual EV owners, commercial fleet operators, and ride-hailing drivers. Scheduled to commence operations in October this year, VinFast’s EV Charging Hub in Kemayoran will feature 36 EV chargers and 20 battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles, with the capacity to serve up to 56 electric cars and 220 electric motorcycles simultaneously.

In addition to fast-charging facilities for electric cars and battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles, the project will include dedicated parking areas for commercial fleets, rooftop solar panels to supplement on-site renewable energy generation, and a range of customer amenities such as rest areas, food and beverage outlets, and cafés.

The agreement with HKR represents the first major milestone following the Memorandum of Understanding signed between V-Green Indonesia and Hutama Karya Group in April 2026. Under the MoU, the two parties agreed to jointly explore the development of EV Charging Hubs on Hutama Karya’s strategic land assets, while also collaborating to develop EV charging infrastructure across 29 rest areas along the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road.

In the next phase, V-Green plans to deploy EV chargers across these 29 rest areas, creating a large-scale charging network along one of Indonesia’s key highway corridors and making long-distance EV travel more convenient for users.

Mr. Ekwan Hadyanto, President Director of PT HK Realtindo, said: “Our partnership with V-Green opens up new opportunities to maximize the value of HK Realtindo’s land assets while demonstrating our commitment to supporting the Indonesian Government’s efforts to accelerate sustainable transportation infrastructure. We expect the Kemayoran project to become the foundation for expanding our collaboration across many other strategic locations nationwide.”

Mr. Mai Truong Giang, CEO of V-Green Indonesia, said: “Signing this agreement with PT HK Realtindo marks an important milestone in realizing V-Green’s strategy to develop EV infrastructure throughout Indonesia. We believe the EV Charging Hub model will not only meet the country’s rapidly growing demand for EV charging but also create sustainable value for V-Green’s partners while contributing to Indonesia’s green transition.”

The Kemayoran project is expected to serve as a flagship integrated EV Charging Hub model in Indonesia, laying the foundation for V-Green to gradually replicate the concept across other strategic HK Group locations. Beyond enhancing the EV ownership experience, the model also creates new opportunities to unlock the value of strategically located land assets while establishing modern infrastructure hubs that support Indonesia’s transport electrification.

The partnership with Hutama Karya, one of Indonesia’s largest infrastructure groups, further reinforces V-Green’s strategy of collaborating with leading local partners to build a modern, integrated, and accessible EV charging network across the country.

Globally, V-Green is rapidly expanding its electric vehicle charging network, which now comprises more than 150,000 charging ports, alongside battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles. In Indonesia, the Company has introduced a range of attractive incentives for users, including free charging for all VinFast electric car owners and a complimentary battery swapping program for VinFast electric motorcycles for one year, with up to 20 battery swaps per vehicle per month. Through these initiatives, V-Green aims to accelerate the adoption of electric mobility while contributing to regional and global decarbonization efforts and sustainable development.

Hashtag: #V-GREEN

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

]]> Asia Insider https://asiainsiders.net/national-fitness-lights-up-the-dual-olympic-city-the-17th-beijing-sports-games-open 2026-08-11T03:03:04Z 2026-08-10T09:50:00Z

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 August 2026 – On August 8, China’s 18th National Fitness Day, the opening ceremony of the 17th Beijing Sports Games was held at the National Indoor Stadium, with many champion athletes on hand to lend support.

The city is the arena, and its citizens are the athletes. This edition of the Games balances competitive and mass participation events, featuring both traditional disciplines like athletics and swimming, and emerging sports such as pickleball and breakdancing. Some events have already concluded or are currently underway, with all competitions running through October this year. This city‑wide sports extravaganza is expected to attract around 35,000 participants, including teenagers, college students, and the general public, setting new records in both the number of participants and events.

In recent years, Beijing has continuously integrated sports development into the fabric of the city. According to data from the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau, the city has 3.27 square metres of sports venue space per capita, and 53.1% of its population regularly participates in physical exercise. Sports and fitness have become a new way of life in Beijing, the “Dual Olympic City.” Yin Shen, a 20‑year‑old football enthusiast, told reporters after watching the ceremony that he found the mass participation content more relatable than purely competitive events. “It’s great to see so many sports that ordinary people usually play. Sports are actually all around us,” Yin said.

At the opening ceremony, 14 champion athletes trained in Beijing—Ma Long, Zhang Yining, Ding Ning, Wang Chuqin, Xiao Ruoteng, Teng Haibin, Li Na, Cao Yuan, Zhang Jiaqi, Chang Hao, Yang Ling, Liu Xiaotong, Zhang Zesen, and Zhang Ruiyang—were present to inspire more people to take up sports. Zhang Yining said, “I am especially grateful to Beijing, where I realised my dreams. I also hope that more children who love sports will hold on to their dreams. Beijing is a place where dreams come true.”

Hashtag: #Beijing #DualOlympicCity #NationalFitnessDay

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

]]> Asia Insider https://asiainsiders.net/cnbc-daily-open-record-heatwaves-hit-europes-already-expensive-summer 2026-08-10T17:21:39Z 2026-08-10T07:50:12Z

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People stand near over water hoses spilling water to provide relief from the summer heat as part of Cologne’s climate adaptation measures in Cologne, western Germany on June 25, 2026 during a heatwave in Europe.

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Hello, this is Anniek Bao writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open.

It was a weekend of stalled diplomacy, and Europe wakes up to the bill — a stalemate priced in oil.

Iran’s foreign minister ruled out any restart of talks with Washington while the U.S. blockade — now 55 redirected ships and counting — stays in place. Israel rejected a Gaza plan Hamas had accepted, refusing to withdraw military until Hamas is fully disarmed.

For a continent importing the bulk of its oil and gas, the returning war premium on crude is a tax on households and industry.

German inflation figures and U.K. GDP due this week will show just how deeply months of elevated energy costs have seeped into prices — and how much growth they have already taken off the table.

What you need to know today

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is not in direct negotiations with the U.S. to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying that “messages are being exchanged through intermediaries.”

In a Sunday interview with Axios, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington is “low keying it” in negotiations with Iran. “We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact that they have no money,” the president said.

The U.S. military redirected 20 more commercial vessels away from Iranian ports last week, bringing the tally to 55 as of Sunday, up from 35 on Aug. 2 — with two ships disabled and two boarded, according to U.S. Central Command.

Netanyahu rejects Gaza plan

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ⁠Netanyahu restated his rejection of Trump’s latest Gaza plan in televised remarks to his right-wing government on Sunday, even as Israel’s military has effectively halted attacks in the territory under pressure from ​Trump.

Trump announced last month that there had been a breakthrough in his plan to end the war, with Israeli forces withdrawing as Hamas disarms and an International Stabilization Force working with a new Palestinian police force to secure the enclave.

“Israel does not accept the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said at the start of a meeting ​with his cabinet ministers, saying the Israeli military will not withdraw until Hamas is disarmed.

Axios’ Barak Ravid reported that a senior U.S. official said the White House is “not bothered” by Netanyahu’s statement and sees it as part of the election season in Israel.

Oil grinds higher

Brent crude futures jumped nearly 0.2% to $83.7 a barrel, while WTI futures edged up slightly to $78.21 per barrel, as traders moved to add back some risk premium as optimism over a Hormuz agreement dimmed

Asian equities traded broadly higher, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 2%. S&P 500 futures were flat while Nasdaq-100 futures added 0.4%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures shed 24 points, or 0.04%.

Record heatwaves in Europe

Western Europe just logged its hottest June-July on record. The Copernicus Climate Change Service put the two-month average at 21.62°C, beating the 2022 benchmark.

Prolonged hot and dry conditions in western Europe led to the spread and intensification of extreme wildfires in July. The month also saw the highest sea surface temperature ever recorded for July across the extra-polar oceans, partly fuelled by developing El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific, according to the agency.

Inflation creeping higher

The extreme heat compounds an expensive summer for Europe, where the war has already pushed up energy costs.

Germany’s final July inflation reading, due Wednesday, is expected to confirm the preliminary estimate of 2.8%, ticking up from 2.6% in May and 2.3% in June, according to economists polled by Reuters.

The U.K.’s second-quarter and June GDP growth, due Thursday, are expected to show the economy still expanding, though more slowly than before.

Economists estimate the economy to have expanded 1.1% in the second quarter from a year earlier, but just 0.4% quarter-on-quarter — decelerating from 0.6% growth seen in the first quarter. For June alone, the U.K. economy is expected to have grown 0.8% from a year earlier, slower than May’s 1.3% growth.

— Anniek Bao

And finally…

Inside the startup drone maker powering Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign

The CEO of Ukraine’s leading arms company says Kyiv has “learned the hard way” that military strength is an essential precursor to diplomacy, describing deep strikes into Russian territory as a core tenet of the country’s pressure campaign.

Missile and drone maker Fire Point, which says it currently facilitates more than 60% of Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions,” has scaled exponentially since being founded in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

The defense-tech startup produced around 200 drones that year, a feat CEO Iryna Terekh described as a “huge achievement.”

Since then, the Kyiv-headquartered startup has swelled from three founding members to more than 7,000 employees and Terekh says it “looks realistic” to expect the team to produce more than 100,000 drones by year-end.

— Sam Meredith 

Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.

Source: CNBC

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FinChip Files ERC-8338, the Ownership Standard for the On-Chain AI Skill Economy

PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FinChip today announced that ERC-8338, “Token-Bound Executable Skills,” authored by FinChip Chief Executive Officer Gary Yang, has been assigned an official Ethereum ERC number and filed in Ethereum’s standards repository, ethereum/ERCs, as PR #1879. The proposal is in Draft status, awaiting editor review.

ERC-8338 is the foundational standard for the on-chain AI skill economy — and its author works at FinChip. A CC0 reference implementation, a live testnet contract, and six frozen test vectors reproduced across five independent machines are public today.

Right now, AI agents around the world are downloading and executing skills that nobody — not the user, not the agent, not the registry listing them — can actually verify.

The skill has a name. It has a registry entry. Behind both sits a file at a URL whose contents can be swapped, updated, or poisoned at any moment, with no signal to anyone downstream. In an ecosystem where that file is instruction text fed straight to a language model, the silent substitution isn’t a bug. It’s an open door.

That places FinChip in an unusual position. In the emerging category of the on-chain AI skill economy, most teams are building skill products. The proposal defining the category’s underlying standard came from FinChip. That is not a marketing claim but a checkable one — the proposal number, the authorship, the open implementation, and the live contract are all public.

“There will be many winners in skill products. The layer that tells you what you are actually running was still empty — so we wrote it,” said Gary Yang, Chief Executive Officer of FinChip.

“And a standard earns adoption by being checkable, not by being announced. So we shipped the thing before we talked about it. The spec is public domain, the implementation is open, the contract is live, and the test vectors reproduce byte-for-byte on machines we don’t control. Don’t take our word for any of it — go check the bytes.”

The Pattern Is Not New. The Artifact Is.

Every platform economy that mattered eventually needed the same thing: a way to know exactly what you were running, and who shipped it.

The app economy got it early. Signed bundles and developer identity meant an installed app was a known quantity — and on that foundation, the App Store ecosystem facilitated more than $1.4 trillion in developer billings and sales in 2025, including $149 billion in digital goods and services, serving 850 million weekly users, according to Apple.

The agent economy is being built in the opposite order. Skills are proliferating first, verification second. PulseMCP, a public directory of MCP servers, currently lists more than 22,000 servers — for a protocol only introduced in late 2024. The AI agent market is projected to grow from $7.8 billion in 2025 to $52.6 billion by 2030, a 46.3% compound annual growth rate, according to MarketsandMarkets.

Millions of executable artifacts are being produced, distributed, and run by autonomous software — on an integrity layer that does not exist yet. That is the layer ERC-8338 specifies.

What Makes It the Category’s Definer

In a new category, being first is not asserted. It is recorded. FinChip’s record is public:

• Authorship of the standard — ERC-8338 was written by FinChip’s CEO, carries an official Ethereum ERC number, and sits publicly in the official repository;
• Not a deck — the reference implementation is fully open source, the contract runs on a public testnet, and six test vectors reproduce byte-for-byte across five independent machines;
• Public peer recognition — an author of ERC-8299 and co-author of ERC-8323 reviewed the specification and proposed drafting a companion note connecting the standards;
• Giving the foundation away — the specification is released under CC0, so any team, including direct competitors, may implement it freely.

The last point is the most counterintuitive and the most important. FinChip did not make the standard a moat; it built its commercial infrastructure on top of it. In this category, others compete on products. FinChip supplies the ground they compete on. In an open network, the layer everyone builds on is worth more than any single product built above it.

What the Standard Does

ERC-8338 extends ERC-721 so a token commits on-chain to the exact artifact it represents: a SHA-256 commitment to the instruction document an agent actually executes, a second commitment covering the full package so companion files cannot be altered undetected, and a monotonic version counter that turns a mutable file into a publication history.

Three separations distinguish it from registry-layer standards:

• Identity is the hashes, not the location. The URI is a replaceable transport hint, and anything fetched from anywhere can be verified byte-for-byte before execution.
• Publication is a right separate from ownership. Selling a skill token does not hand over the power to change what that skill does — a distinction with direct consequences for any secondary market.
• Confidentiality is a property of the package, not a flag on the token. Encrypted skills commit to ciphertext integrity, so a buyer can verify the artifact before any key is released, making closed-source commercial skills possible without trusting the seller.

It is complementary to the registry standards now in progress, not competitive with them. ERC-8239 (Agent Skill Registry) and ERC-8257 (Agent Tool Registry) specify how skills and tools are listed, discovered, and attested. ERC-8338 addresses the layer beneath them: which exact bytes the token commits to.

Registries answer where a skill is listed. ERC-8338 answers what it actually is.

What Is Public Today

FinChip has released the complete reference implementation as v1.0.0 under CC0, comprising Solidity contracts, a packer and verifier, JSON schemas, and a Foundry test suite in which every normative clause maps to a passing assertion.

A working contract is deployed on the Sepolia testnet under the token name “Skill Token (SKILL),” with the genesis token published as an open test vector whose anchors are readable directly from the on-chain event log.

Six frozen test vectors — covering a public baseline, a companion-file-only change, encrypted key rotation, an atomic on-chain document update, license encryption, and a custom primary path — have been reproduced byte-for-byte across five independent machines.

The proposal has also drawn substantive review inside the standards community. An author of ERC-8299 and co-author of ERC-8323 examined the specification on the Ethereum Magicians forum, affirmed the separations it draws, mapped structural parallels to their own work, and proposed drafting a companion note connecting the standards.

Why It Matters Beyond the Spec

For most of computing history, capability lived inside applications people opened. It is now moving into artifacts that machines fetch and run on their own, thousands of times a day, with no human in the loop to notice when something changes.

When that happens, the questions that decide whether an economy can exist at all become unavoidable:

What exactly is running? Who made it? Who is allowed to change it? Who gets paid when it is used?

Those questions are not features. They are the property system for a market that is arriving whether or not anyone builds it. Skills are on their way to becoming an asset class — bought, sold, licensed, and inherited between autonomous agents.

Assets require titles. ERC-8338 is a proposal to write the title deed.

Verify It Independently

Proposal discussion:
https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/erc-8338-token-bound-executable-skills/29005

Proposal in Ethereum’s ERC repository:
https://github.com/ethereum/ERCs/pull/1879

Reference implementation (CC0, v1.0.0):
https://github.com/garyyang-finchip/skill-token-standard/releases/tag/v1.0.0

Live Sepolia contract — “Skill Token (SKILL)”:
https://sepolia.etherscan.io/address/0x12cc1a5319c6F08bFB50982e3814A376A59fE550

About FinChip

FinChip is building the infrastructure for the on-chain AI skill economy — and wrote its foundational standard. Skills with APIs are not only valuable services; they are tokens that agents can define, own, and trade freely in an open network.

ERC-8338, the category’s underlying standard, was authored by FinChip and filed into Ethereum’s standards process.

FinChip is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

Learn more: finchip.ai

Media Contact

Lucien
Email: lucien@finchip.ai
X: @finchip_ai

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