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Hong Kong wraps up successful mission to deepen ties with Central Asia

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 June 2026 – A large high-level business delegation led by John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), today (June 5) wrapped up its five-day visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan respectively, achieving fruitful results of strengthening bilateral relations and deepening ties with Central Asia.

The delegation of over 70 business and institutional leaders from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland is the largest and most diverse overseas mission led by the current term of the HKSAR Government so far.

Hong Kong SAR’s Chief Executive, John Lee (fifth right) and the Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan on Strategic Development, Sardor Umurzakov (fourth right) witness the exchange of memoranda of understanding and co-operation agreements between government departments, enterprises and organisations from Hong Kong and Uzbekistan.

Speaking to the media in Uzbekistan yesterday (June 4), Mr Lee set out the three main objectives of the visit: further explore emerging markets and lay the foundation for long-term economic and trade development; strengthen government-to-government (G2G) relationships and promote closer bilateral co-operation; and build a “hub-to-hub” model of co-operation.

He said the visit had been successful, yielding achievements in eight areas, including:

  • Establishing high-level contacts and ties between the HKSAR Government and the Governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and reaching consensus on co-operation in multiple areas;
  • A total of 96 co-operation agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were reached during the visit (61 with Kazakhstan, 35 with Uzbekistan), involving specific amounts exceeding US$1.65 billion in total;
  • The governments agreed to commence bilateral discussions on agreements in various areas;
  • Deepening project matching and research collaboration between Hong Kong and Central Asian region in areas including finance, innovation and technology (I&T), and aviation;
  • Demonstrating Hong Kong’s effective role as a platform for going global and achieving substantial results, with Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises joining forces in tapping new markets and bringing synergistic advantages into full play;
  • Facilitating more convenient people-to-people exchanges by promoting direct flights, aviation and transport co-operation, and extensions to the mutual visa-free period;
  • Promoting exchanges in education, talent and culture to further deepen people-to-people bonds; and
  • Advancing a hub-to-hub co-operation model to open up broader room for co-operation between Hong Kong and the Central Asian region.

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While in Tashkent (June 3-5), Mr Lee met with local leaders, government officials and business representatives to deepen co-operation between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan in areas including trade, investment, finance, I&T, and people-to-people exchanges.

Mr Lee held meetings with the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, his Advisor on Strategic Development, Sardor Umurzakov, the Prime Minister, Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, as well as the Deputy Prime Minister, Jamshid Khodjayev, to exchange views on furthering mutual co-operation.

Mr Lee highlighted that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage. He said that Hong Kong would continue to play its roles as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” to further deepen co-operation and exchanges with Uzbekistan on various fronts in line with Uzbekistan’s goal of achieving high-quality development.

Hong Kong SAR's Chief Executive, John Lee (left) meets with the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev.
Hong Kong SAR’s Chief Executive, John Lee (left) meets with the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev.

Earlier (June 3), Mr Lee met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov, after which they jointly witnessed an exchange of notes between the two places on a mutual visa-free arrangement, which would allow a visa-free period of 30 days for visitors from both sides.

“Moreover, we are glad to have initialed the Air Services Agreement with Uzbekistan, and look forward to launching direct passenger flights between the two places soon,” Mr Lee said, during a high-level business dinner (June 4). The Chief Executive pointed out that Hong Kong and Uzbekistan are important trade and investment gateways to their respective regions – the Asia-Pacific and Central Asia.

“It helps that we are all believers in the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, a modern expression of the ancient Silk Road spirit,” Mr Lee said. “Today, China is Uzbekistan’s largest trading partner, and the two countries work closely on major infrastructure and connectivity projects that are revitalising the Silk Road. Hong Kong is a pivotal player in the B&R Initiative, thanks to our world-class professional and financial services expertise.”

The delegation also toured the IT Park Uzbekistan and the Center for Islamic Civilization before concluding its visit in Tashkent.

Hashtag: #HongKong #BrandHongKong #CentralAsia #Kazakhstan #Uzbekistan





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ZenaTech Expands AI Drone Commercialisation as DaaS Contributes 93% of Q1 Revenue

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VANCOUVER, CANADA – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 July 2026 – ZenaTech (Nasdaq: ZENA) is combining AI-powered drone technology, enterprise software and professional services through its Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) model, supporting commercial applications across engineering data collection, agriculture, warehouse management, facility inspection and property maintenance.

Through DaaS, enterprise customers can access drone equipment, trained personnel, mission execution, data collection and project deliverables without purchasing and maintaining a complete in-house drone system. The model extends ZenaTech’s business beyond equipment sales and enables the company to generate recurring service revenue from customers’ operational requirements.

ZenaTech reported revenue of CAD 8.4 million for the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 640% from CAD 1.13 million in the same period of 2025. DaaS contributed approximately CAD 7.8 million, accounting for around 93% of quarterly revenue.

In 2025, the company generated annual revenue of CAD 12.9 million, up 558% from approximately CAD 2 million in 2024. DaaS contributed approximately CAD 10.1 million during its first full year of operations, representing around 78% of total annual revenue.

Acquisitions Support Service Network Expansion

ZenaTech has expanded its DaaS operations through a combination of internal technology development and acquisitions. The acquired businesses bring existing customers, professional teams and local operating capabilities, while ZenaTech gradually introduces drones, automated data collection and AI-supported analytics into selected workflows.

In 2025, the company completed 20 acquisitions, including 19 businesses providing engineering data, facility inspection and related professional services, as well as one enterprise software company.

By June 2026, ZenaTech had completed its 24th DaaS-related acquisition and expanded its services into property cleaning, facility inspection and maintenance.

Through its ZenaDrone subsidiary, ZenaTech has also developed drone products for indoor and outdoor operations. The IQ Quad supports site data collection, engineering imagery and 3D modelling, while the IQ Nano uses barcode and RFID scanning to support inventory records, shelf inspections and indoor data collection.

The company’s reported revenue growth, acquisition activity and DaaS contribution provide investors following the AI and drone sectors with measurable indicators of how its technologies are being integrated into commercial operations and converted into service revenue.

Hashtag: #ZenaTech

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About ZenaTech

ZenaTech (Nasdaq: ZENA) is a technology company specialising in AI-powered drones, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS solutions and related technologies. Through its ZenaDrone subsidiary, the company develops drone products and software for commercial applications including engineering data collection, agriculture, warehouse management, facility inspection and property maintenance. ZenaTech combines its technology capabilities with a growing professional service network to support the adoption of drone-based solutions across a range of operational environments.

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A Defining Milestone for Gene Solutions: SPOT-MAS Multi-Cancer Screening Test Receives U.S. FDA Breakthrough Device Designation

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 July 2026 – Gene Solutions – a global biotechnology company advancing accessible genomic solutions for cancer detection and precision oncology, announced that SPOT-MAS 10 has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This designation marks an important regulatory milestone for Gene Solutions and reflects the continued progress of SPOT-MAS as an AI-powered, multi-omic platform for early cancer detection.

SPOT-MAS Multi-Cancer Screening Test Receives U.S. FDA Breakthrough Device Designation

The proposed indications for use describe SPOT-MAS 10 as a qualitative in vitro diagnostic test performed on plasma derived from a single direct-draw venous whole blood specimen. The test analyzes circulating cell-free DNA methylation and fragmentomic signatures using a machine-learning-based algorithm to detect a cancer-associated signal. It is intended for use as an adjunctive screening test in asymptomatic adults aged 40 years and older to assist in detecting cancers within the scope of the assay. These include five common cancers — breast, lung, liver, colorectal and gastric cancers — and five aggressive, less common cancers that currently lack standard screening methods — ovarian, pancreatic, esophageal, endometrial and head & neck cancers.

SPOT-MAS has been developed through years of rigorous scientific research and clinical development. In March 2025, SPOT-MAS became the first multi-cancer screening blood test in Asia to complete a large prospective cohort validation, with the K-DETEK study evaluating more than 9,000 asymptomatic participants and demonstrating strong performance, including high specificity and the ability to identify cancer-associated signals across multiple cancer types.

Since then, SPOT-MAS has been used in more than 100,000 individuals in real-world practice, with consistent performance observed beyond controlled study settings. Real-world data were presented at ESMO Asia 2025 and were featured at ASCO Breakthrough 2026 in Singapore.

The platform is built on a multi-omic approach— integrating genetics, epigenetics, and fragmentomics — together with AI-driven analysis, large-scale prospective validation, growing real-world evidence and focus on cancer types with high clinical relevance in the regions where the test is deployed.

For the United States, Breakthrough Device Designation provides Gene Solutions with a prioritized channel of engagement with the FDA as the company advances its U.S. development and validation plans.

Looking ahead, Gene Solutions will continue to collaborate with academic, clinical, laboratory, commercial and strategic partners to support responsible adoption of SPOT-MAS in accordance with local regulations, clinical guidelines and best practices.

Important Regulatory Notice: SPOT-MAS 10 has received U.S. FDA Breakthrough Device Designation. Breakthrough Device Designation is not FDA approval, clearance or marketing authorization. The device remains subject to applicable FDA regulatory review requirements, and the designation does not guarantee future FDA approval, clearance or authorization.

For more information, visit https://spotmas.com.hk

Contact:
hk***@***********ns.com
Source: Gene Solutions Hong Kong Limited.
SPOTMAS_062026_04

Hashtag: #SPOTMAS

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St Francis Methodist School International Shares 2023–2024 WACE Outcomes and Student Journeys

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SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 July 2026 – St Francis Methodist School International (SFMS) has released its latest academic results for students in the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) programme. The outcomes reflect steady ATAR performance and a range of university placements through the school’s pre-university programmes.

St Francis Methodist International School pre university programmes

Overview of the WACE Curriculum at SFMS

SFMS International is among a small number of institutions in Singapore offering the WACE curriculum and has delivered this programme for over 23 years. The WACE is a recognised senior secondary qualification awarded by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Western Australia. It prepares students for university admission both locally and internationally.

SFMS is also currently the only school in Singapore offering a Senior High Preparatory Pathway (WACE) for students in Years 9–10. This introduces students to the structure and expectations of the curriculum earlier, building familiarity with subject content and assessment formats before progressing to the senior years. Additionally, subject selection in Years 11A and 12A is structured to meet university entry requirements and reflect students’ academic interests.

Academic Outcomes and University Placements

In 2023, 8 out of 12 WACE graduates from SFMS International achieved ATAR scores above 90, meeting the eligibility criteria for universities such as the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The cohort’s top scorer, Wang Dawei, recorded an ATAR of 96.15 and enrolled at NTU to study Business and International Trading. In addition to local placements, graduates were admitted to international universities such as the University of Melbourne and Fudan University in China.

In 2024, 2 out of 8 graduates also attained ATAR scores above 90. The highest scorer, Youn Chae-Won, achieved an ATAR of 95.3. Her university placement is currently pending.

Student Journeys and Holistic Development

Students in the WACE programme at SFMS International engage in both academic and co-curricular activities as part of their overall learning experience. Recent graduates have taken part in service learning, subject specialisation, and personal reflection throughout their time in the pre-university programme.

Youn Chae-Won, the 2024 valedictorian, joined SFMS International from Korea in 2021. Over time, she adjusted to a new academic environment and explored subjects such as accounting, which influenced her interest in finance-related pathways. She also took part in various aspects of school life, including a service learning trip to Bintan in 2023, where students supported local sanitation efforts. Her involvement in both academic and co-curricular settings marked a broad engagement with school life during her time at SFMS.

Andrew Zhuang, who enrolled in SFMS International in 2019, pursued subjects such as Business Management, Accounting, and English as an Additional Language (EALD). Beyond academics, he was involved in community fundraising and joined the same Bintan service trip. He also attended weekly chapel sessions and received support from peers and teachers during a period of health-related absence.

These outcomes reflect the ongoing role of the WACE programme at SFMS International in supporting students through both academic pathways and broader educational experiences. Under the leadership of Principal Mr Lee Hak Boon, the school continues to emphasise academic planning, subject selection, and student wellbeing as part of its overall approach to pre-university education.
Hashtag: #StFrancisMethodistSchoolInternational




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About St Francis Methodist School International

Established in 1960, St Francis Methodist School International (SFMS) is an educational institution in Singapore that offers primary, secondary, and pre-university programmes. The school provides several academic pathways, including the International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge IGCSE, and the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), preparing students for further studies in local and overseas institutions.

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