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Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach and WildAid Join Forces to Advance Thailand’s Marine Protected Areas and Strengthen Reef Restoration
The coastline of Phuket Island is home to remarkable nearshore coral reefs, making it a popular destination for snorkeling, diving, and other nature-based tourism. Many of its beaches also serve as important nesting grounds for sea turtles. However, Phuket’s marine biodiversity is under significant pressure from human activities, including coastal development, wastewater discharge, anchoring, plastic pollution, discarded fishing gear, concentrated tourism, overfishing, and the impacts of climate change.
Despite these pressures, a 2024 survey conducted by local NGO Love Wildlife Foundation revealed that Merlin House Reef remains a healthy coral ecosystem, housing 24 different coral groups along with 14 groups of reef fish.
This initiative with WildAid will leverage the ongoing conservation efforts by the hotel by committing to support the expansion of Thailand’s marine protected areas and contribute to the global ’30×30′ initiative, which aims to safeguard at least 30 percent of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. As part of the effort, the project will strengthen area-based management of the Merlin House Reef, including long-term ecological monitoring, foster stakeholder engagement in sustainable reef management, and conduct feasibility for a reef rewilding initiative. These actions will essentially lay the groundwork for nominating Merlin Beach as a potential Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA), an increasingly important tool to expand marine protected areas and help advance the 30×30 goal.
LMMAs enable participation from local communities and stakeholders, drawing on their practical experience and deep knowledge. This inclusive approach fosters collaborative management, ensuring that everyone who relies on marine resources plays a vital role in the long-term success of LMMAs.
The initiative also emphasizes the critical role of the private sector, particularly the hospitality industry, in driving marine conservation. Around the world, there have been increasingly successful cases showing how protected areas actively managed and led by the private sector can complement existing government-led MPAs by enhancing connectivity of coastal, near-shore and off-shore habitats between other MPAs, underscoring the importance of empowering businesses to take an active part in safeguarding the oceans.
“By empowering hotels to take an active role in co-managing the resources that underpin nature-based tourism, we can help restore ecosystems, rewild degraded reefs, and sustain the services they provide. Rewilding efforts, such as bringing back keystone reef species and restoring ecological functions, make tourism more regenerative and ensure benefits flow back to both people and nature. Collaboration among stakeholders, local communities, and science-based monitoring is essential to achieving long-term conservation and truly sustainable use,” said Petch Manopawitr, Conservation Scientist and Advisor to WildAid.
Despite ongoing conservation efforts led by Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, along with government and conservation partners in recent years, the reef remains vulnerable to rising sea water temperature, damage from boat anchors for fishing and snorkeling activities, and physical contact such as stepping on corals during low tide. To address these challenges, the hotel has been working closely with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) in recent years to protect the corals. These efforts include installing undersea temperature and light monitors at a distance of 3, 6, and 10 meters from the surface of the water to study the impact of climate change on marine life. In collaboration with Love Wildlife Foundation, the hotel also engages guests through awareness and education activities at the Reef Education Center, developed in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
“Here at Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, this is huge. We are a premier family resort in Phuket, and we recognize that our stunning natural environment is our biggest asset. So, partnering with an organization like WildAid is absolutely crucial—this is about moving beyond simple measures and making a real impact on a global scale. This is how we walk the talk when it comes to Marriott International’s Serve360 commitment. We are applying long-term scientific monitoring to our beautiful Merlin House Reef, and actively working to turn this area into a LMMA. Ultimately, we are aiming to raise global tourism awareness about sustainability and social impact. We want our guests, especially families, to feel connected to this effort. When you stay with us, you are directly supporting the protection and rewilding of the ocean. It ensures that the magic of Phuket’s reefs will be here for generations to come.” said Mr. Trevor May, Multi-Property General Manager, Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, Courtyard by Marriott Phuket, Patong Beach Resort and Le Méridien Khao Lak Resort & Spa.
WildAid and Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach will also drive awareness activities under the theme “Our House Reef: Home to Life, Home to Us” to inspire a sense of shared responsibility for ocean conservation. Visitors, guests, local community and youth, and other stakeholders will be encouraged to take part in this collective effort, supporting the roadmap toward establishing an LMMA.
In the coming months, Love Wildlife Foundation and WildAid will conduct a comprehensive biodiversity survey to build an updated coral reef database, which will assess reef condition, coral diversity and recruitment, fish and invertebrate communities, and the resilience of the coral reef. The findings will serve as a critical baseline for long-term monitoring and support the nomination of the area as an LMMA.
This collaboration aligns with WildAid’s Marine Program’s goal that aims to strengthen protection and management in critical marine areas worldwide. WildAid’s marine work is operating across 95 priority sites in 17 countries, pioneering an approach that designs and applies effective enforcement and compliance systems for priority marine areas. As the number of protected areas around the world expands to achieve the 30×30 global target, WildAid’s efforts continue to grow with this network of protected areas.
Learn more about our family-friendly resort in Phuket and plan your perfect family getaway
Website: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hktmb-phuket-marriott-resort-and-spa-merlin-beach/overview/
Call +66 (076) 335 300 or email: [email protected]
Hashtag: #PhuketMarriottMerlinBeach #WildAid #30×30 #LMMA
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Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach
Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach is a family-friendly resort set on the stunning, secluded stretch of Tri-Trang Beach. Surrounded by forested mountains and lush tropical gardens, this Phuket spa resort features its vibrant reef and offers stylish accommodations. With 414 guest rooms, the resort caters to every need-from family adventure to MICE events and weddings. Guests can indulge in a refreshing oasis with three stunning swimming pools, each designed to create a unique atmosphere-whether it’s sipping cocktails at the lively pool with a swim-up bar or basking in serenity at the tranquil oasis with private whirlpools, modern fitness facilities, a dedicated Kids’ Club, and The Spa. A diverse array of dining options ensures that all tastes are catered to, while outstanding activity programs provide engaging experiences for guests of all ages, making it an ideal choice for all travelers.
Media OutReach
MIMO: The AI-Native Storage Species Enables Desktop Scale AI Clusters With NVIDIA DGX Spark
- Engineered for the AI era, MIMO delivers breakthrough metrics: 400 GB/s bandwidth, 54 million IOPS, and 40–90 μs latency—all within a form factor comparable to a large suitcase.
- MIMO serves as both a high-performance data hub for large-scale GPU clusters and a flexible edge deployment platform, extending seamlessly to desktop environments where it orchestrates workflows with various DGX Spark units based on NVIDIA’s GB10 Grace Blackwell superchip.
- This architecture enables independent AI clusters supporting up to 16 computing nodes within constrained environments, managing the complete workflow from large-scale pre-training and fine-tuning to production inference—effectively democratizing enterprise-grade AI capabilities for labs, edge sites, and distributed teams.
SINGAPORE –
Professor Zhang Sheng from Tsinghua University Shenzhen International Graduate School expressed a more pragmatic view: “With this solution, we finally no longer have to rely on the university’s data center. Our current annual budget alone is enough to deploy an AI cluster within our lab that better fits our needs—this will significantly boost our research efficiency both technically and operationally. It’s truly fantastic news.”
Asia Debut Marks Industry Inflection Point
Earlier at the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), the solution’s core—the world’s first AI-native storage system MIMO—made its strategic Asian debut. Engineered for the AI era, MIMO delivers breakthrough metrics: 400 GB/s bandwidth, 54 million IOPS, and 40–90 μs latency—all within a form factor comparable to a large suitcase.
The platform’s defining Fast-Light-Edge proposition, delivered through its breakthrough architecture, cut through the exhibition noise, generating immediate and widespread attention. MIMO earned exclusive features in top-tier media including Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao and China Securities Journal, while its product demonstration videos gained rapid traction across leading digital channels.
Addressing Foundational Challenges: Technical Dialogues That Matter
During the exhibitions, technical leaders from the United States, Spain, Singapore, Colombia, the UAE (Dubai), India, Pakistan, and Hong Kong SAR engaged in substantive dialogues with Ridger’s Asia team, raising questions that revealed systemic industry gaps:
Architectural Transformation & Strategic Positioning
“Can MIMO fundamentally replace legacy storage architectures—traditional NAS, unified, distributed, and parallel file systems—to deliver accelerated parallel training and high-concurrency inference?”
“With such exceptional performance, would deploying MIMO for traditional enterprise applications represent strategic overinvestment or forward-looking infrastructure?”
Mobile Deployment & Borderless Operations
“MIMO’s suitcase-sized footprint suggests unprecedented mobility. Can it truly accompany research teams globally like standard equipment? How does it maintain operational continuity across jurisdictions? What’s the customs protocol for such ‘technical luggage’?”
Seamless Integration & Global Accessibility
“In scenarios with unnetworked AI servers, can MIMO rapidly establish dedicated training environments with true plug-and-play functionality?”
“Does MIMO integrate transparently with existing AI infrastructure and software stacks without requiring modifications?”
“Beyond Asia-Pacific, what’s the procurement pathway for MIMO? Which currencies and payment methods are accommodated?”
Architectural Breakthrough: Redefining What’s Possible
Addressing these operational realities, Ridger demonstrated MIMO’s system-level value—transcending its role as a storage device to become an architectural cornerstone. MIMO serves as both a high-performance data hub for large-scale GPU clusters and a flexible edge deployment platform, extending seamlessly to desktop environments where it orchestrates workflows with various DGX Spark units based on NVIDIA’s GB10 Grace Blackwell superchip.
Notably, eight global OEM partners—including Dell, HPE, Lenovo, xFusion, H3C, MSI, GIGABYTE, and Acer—have concurrently launched Spark versions based on NVIDIA’s GB10 Grace Blackwell superchip, creating a robust compatibility foundation for MIMO’s ecosystem integration.
This architecture enables independent AI clusters supporting up to 16 computing nodes within constrained environments, managing the complete workflow from large-scale pre-training and fine-tuning to production inference—effectively democratizing enterprise-grade AI capabilities for labs, edge sites, and distributed teams.
As Zhu Ting, an industry observer from Beijing, noted: “This represents the ‘IBM PC moment’ for AI infrastructure—transforming specialized capability into accessible utility.”
Market Validation Through Early Adoption
Market response has been decisive. Following the exhibitions, pioneering organizations across pathological image foundation model development, legal-tech innovation, industrial visual inspection, and naked-eye 3D content production have joined Ridger’s Early Access program, validating the architecture’s transformative potential in real-world operational contexts.
Global Rollout: Accelerating Accessibility
Responding to accelerating global demand, Ridger confirmed the imminent launch of the complete MIMO portfolio and optimized solution bundles for specific DGX Spark configurations through the Ridger Official Global Store. Designed as a frictionless procurement channel, the platform will support diverse payment options including multiple fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies—streamlining access to advanced AI infrastructure.
Organizations seeking deeper understanding of MIMO and its integrated lightweight AI solution with DGX Spark are invited to connect with Ridger team or its strategic partner, NVIDIA Elite Solution Partner SinoInfo.
Hashtag: #Technology #ESG #AI #GPU #Enterprise #Finance #Storage #Flash #Compute #DGX-Spark #NVIDIA #AI-Lab #GDS #NAS #AI-Native
https://ridger.tech/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ridger/
https://www.youtube.com/@ridgertech
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Ridger
Ridger is a global technology pioneer building next-generation computing & storage infrastructure for the AI era. Born in the East and operating worldwide, Ridger challenges conventional paths to create new technological paradigms.
The team unites seasoned experts from global storage leaders with visionary AI architects, all driven by a shared mission to democratize cutting-edge technology, rejects incremental improvements and hollow prestige, focusing exclusively on foundational breakthroughs that deliver tangible value and sustainable impact.
From architecture to implementation and from service to empowerment, Ridger provides end-to-end solutions that help clients worldwide ascend to their highest summits.
Media OutReach
Johnson & Johnson and Asia Pacific Patient Advocacy Group Leaders Unite to Strengthen Shared Decision-Making in Lung Cancer Care
J&J deepens its commitment to patient empowerment in Asia Pacific by launching J&J withMe, a new patient portal offering tailored patient resources, and co-driving market-specific initiatives with patient advocacy groups
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 December 2025 – Johnson & Johnson announced the next phase of The 3rd Opinion campaign across Asia Pacific, focused on championing shared decision-making between lung cancer patients and healthcare professionals through events and stakeholder engagements at ESMO Asia 2025 in Singapore.
At a Patient Reception on 6th December 2025, 20 leaders from 17 patient advocacy groups from across Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States shared their support for the need to strengthen shared decision-making. On December 7, 2025, the ESMO Asia 2025 Symposium, ‘Advancing EGFRm NSCLC Treatment Through Shared Decision-Making’ highlighted the role of healthcare professionals not only in making sense of the data but also in helping patients and their families navigate complex decision-making.
“High prevalence in Asia of certain NSCLC mutations makes the choice of first-line therapy absolutely critical. Treatment decisions must balance clinical objectives with patient values — weighing disease biology, survival prospects, durable disease control and the tradeoffs of side effects. That’s why shared decision-making is essential: clinicians should present all appropriate treatment options, so the final choice is collaborative and aligned with each patient’s goals,” said Professor Zhu Zhengfei, Director of the Radiation Oncology Department, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center.
“When lung cancer patients are empowered to speak up and understand their options, they are more likely to continue the treatment and their dignity is preserved. Initiatives like ‘The 3rd Opinion’ are vital for fostering truly patient-centered partnerships between people living with cancer and their healthcare teams,” noted Ms. Liu Yiting, Marketing & Branding Director, China MeetHealth Mi-Jian Patient Community.
“The shared commitment validates what many people living with lung cancer have long expressed: shared decision making is essential. From our experience supporting patients, meaningful conversations with clinicians help acknowledge patients’ experiences, address their concerns, and preserving their hopes,” added Mr. Jung-Il Cho, Chairman of Korea Lung Cancer Patients Association.
Our commitment comes off the back of a recent patient survey revealing that 90% of Japanese lung cancer patients want to play an active role in their treatment decisions. The survey also found that shared decision-making, where physicians and patients jointly compare treatment options and decide together, is the strongest driver of treatment satisfaction.1
Patient survey finds that those engaged in shared decision-making were 11 times more likely to report higher satisfaction with their treatments, with 90% of lung cancer patients in Japan wanting to play an active role in their treatment decisions. This finding underscores the importance of shared decision-making and patient-centered care.1
To bridge the gap between patients’ desire to engage in shared decision making and their lack of practical support, J&J has launched “J&J withMe”, an online hub that equips lung cancer patients and caregivers with tailored toolkits and conversation guides to prepare for consultations and make informed, personalized treatment decisions.
Anthony Elgamal, Vice President of Oncology, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Asia Pacific said, “The 3rd Opinion truly puts patients at the center of care. As part of our deep commitment to address patients’ unmet needs, we will continue partnering with patient advocacy groups and healthcare professionals to help patients to find their voice and the moment when medical advice meets what truly matters to patients.”
In recognition of diverse cultural and clinical norms across Asia Pacific, J&J has also rolled out tailored market activations in collaboration with local patient advocacy groups:
- Provision of patient resources such as the “Lung Cancer Book of Answers” in China, ‘Value of Time’ video for patients in Japan, and educational assets in India and Australia/New Zealand;
- Digital and social media engagement featuring patients and creators discussing the importance of shared decision-making across Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam;
- Event engagement via the establishment of a patient advisory board in India;
- Corporate Social Responsibility program with a lung cancer patient group in Korea, bringing employees and patients together to better understand the disease burden of patients and strengthen emotional support for the patient community.
###
About the 3rd Opinion
“The 3rd Opinion”, the patient’s own opinion, is a new term that sparks a social movement in the lung cancer treatment journey – designed to elevate the patient voice and empower individuals to take an active role in shaping their treatment plan. By prioritizing shared decision-making between patients and healthcare professionals, this collaborative approach ensures that treatment choices are aligned to each patient’s goals, preferences and circumstances. This results in more informed decisions, greater patient satisfaction, and the best possible outcomes.
About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Worldwide, lung cancer is one of the most common cancers, with NSCLC making up 80 to 85 percent of all lung cancer cases.[1], [2] The main subtypes of NSCLC are adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.[3] Among the most common driver mutations in NSCLC are alterations in EGFR, which is a receptor tyrosine kinase controlling cell growth and division.[4] EGFR mutations are present in 10 to 15 percent of Western patients with NSCLC with adenocarcinoma histology and occur in 40 to 50 percent of Asian patients.[5], [6],[7],[8],[9],[10] EGFR ex19del or EGFR L858R mutations are the most common EGFR mutations.[11] The five-year survival rate for all people with advanced NSCLC and EGFR mutations treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is less than 20 percent.[12],[13] EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations are the third most prevalent activating EGFR mutation.[14] Patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations have a real-world five-year overall survival (OS) of eight percent in the frontline setting, which is worse than patients with EGFR ex19del or L858R mutations, who have a real-world five-year OS of 19 percent.[15]By comparison, other common cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer have a 5-year real world OS of 90% and 97% respectively[16].
[2] The World Health Organization. Cancer. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer. Accessed March 2025.
Hashtag: #Johnson&Johnson
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Johnson & Johnson
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.
Learn more at
https://www.jnj.com/ or at
www.innovativemedicine.jnj.com. Follow us at
@JNJInnovMed.
Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Asia Pacific, a division of Johnson & Johnson International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd is a Johnson & Johnson company.
© Johnson & Johnson International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. [2025] All rights reserved.
Media OutReach
Skychakra Global Capital Strategy Upgrade: Advancing Cross-Border Listings and RWA Ecosystem
As a global hub for innovation and capital, Hong Kong serves as a significant gateway for the activation of Skychakra’s global strategy. This inauguration not only symbolizes the completion of the facility but also marks the comprehensive rollout of Skychakra’s international layout.
Official Launch of Cross-Border Listing Incubation Center
During the inauguration, Skychakra announced the establishment of a cross-border listing incubation center, led by a professional team qualified with SEC, PCAOB, and FINRA credentials, boasting over a hundred projects in cross-border listings. The service scope includes U.S. stocks, Hong Kong stocks, and SPACs. Unlike traditional investment banks and financial advisors, Skychakra offers a “full-link” service for enterprise capitalization, encompassing red-chip structure setup, financial and audit compliance, SEC and Hong Kong Stock Exchange filing guidance, dual-path IPO/SPAC design, market value management, enterprise internationalization guidance, and digital upgrades.
Originally planning to sign contracts for four companies at the conference, Skychakra exceeded expectations by signing 12, demonstrating its strong appeal and industry influence in cross-border listings and capital operations.
RWA Technology Ecosystem: Making Enterprise Assets Visible to the Financial System
Real World Assets (RWA) are becoming the core of global financial transformation. From BlackRock’s launch of tokenized funds to Hong Kong and Singapore incorporating RWA into financial infrastructure, RWAs are transitioning from concept to large-scale implementation. Skychakra emphasizes that small and medium-sized enterprises face common challenges such as lack of recognition for their assets within the financial system, difficulties in cross-border financing, and a lack of transparency in asset value.
The Skychakra RWA ecosystem will provide enterprises with: tokenizable asset identification, asset structuring and entitlement, on-chain mapping and minting, cross-border compliance design, global issuance and liquidity channels, and on-chain risk control and transparent tracking. The core value of RWA lies in reducing friction for enterprises in connecting to global capital, enhancing asset liquidity and valuation potential.
A Holistic Growth Model: “From People to Enterprises, From Enterprises to Capital”
Skychakra’s differentiated advantage stems from its foundational logic of “starting with people.” The Skychakra energy courses utilize scientific equipment to measure energy fields, emotional frequencies, and meridian states, assisting individuals in enhancing stability, insight, and decision-making abilities.
Based on this foundation, Skychakra constructs three major systems:
1. Enterprise Growth System: Enhancing organizational capabilities, introducing international business, and providing capital operation guidance.
2. Capitalization System: Building global financing capabilities through listings and RWA structures.
3. Asset Digitalization System: Making enterprise value quantifiable, verifiable, and tradable.
These three systems dynamically interact in a spiral structure, forming Skychakra’s unique full-link growth ecosystem.
Conclusion: Global Layout for Greater International Influence
The inauguration of Skychakra’s Hong Kong International Center signifies the official implementation of the group’s globalization strategy. Looking forward, the focus will be on Hong Kong as the core, with Asia as the main axis, while establishing deep collaborations with the North American and Middle Eastern markets. Through this global layout, Skychakra is creating a new organizational model that transcends regions, industries, and capital, enabling enterprises to achieve value flow in the global market and allowing more Asian companies to gain a stronger voice on the international stage.
Hashtag: #Skychakra
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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