Allianz General makes home protection smarter with multi-year coverage and exclusive rewards

Sean Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Allianz General

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) -- Allianz General Insurance Company (Malaysia) Berhad (Allianz General) continues its 25th anniversary celebration by making home protection smarter and more rewarding with the Smart Home Cover Multi-Year Plan, offering three years of uninterrupted coverage and a complimentary 2-in-1 Hotpot & Barbecue Grill Cooker for eligible policies starting 1 July 2026.

Allianz General’s Smart Home Cover is a comprehensive home insurance solution designed to provide customers with smarter, more flexible home coverage tailored to their needs, ensuring peace of mind for homeowners, tenants and landlords.

With the Multi-Year Plan, customers can enjoy three years of uninterrupted protection with a single premium payment, eliminating the hassle of annual renewals while benefitting from lower premiums.

“Allianz General is committed to delivering value and convenience to our customers. With this campaign, the Smart Home Cover Multi-Year Plan not only ensures long-term protection for your home but also rewards our customers with an exclusive gift,” said Sean Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Allianz General.

With the increasing risks of natural disasters and unforeseen events, safeguarding one’s home is no longer optional, but a high priority. Allianz General’s Smart Home Cover goes beyond basic home insurance, offering a comprehensive, all-in-one solution that includes protection for home structure, contents and even additional benefits such as Mortgage Loan Installment Protection, HomeFix and Landlord Insurance.

Customers who opt for the Multi-Year Plan will not only enjoy lower premiums and uninterrupted three-year protection, but also free reinstatement for the first two valid losses paid under the HouseOwner or HouseHolder components.

To redeem the complimentary exclusive gift, customers can follow the steps below:

1. Contact an authorised Allianz General agent to purchase a Smart Home Cover Multi-Year policy with minimum gross premium of RM1,000. Only new policies are eligible; customers who previously held an annual Smart Home Cover policy and subsequently converted to the Multi-Year option during renewal will also be eligible for the complimentary gift.

2. Provide a valid mobile number and email address to the servicing agent during policy issuance.

3. Receive one (1) complimentary 2-in-1 Hotpot & Barbeque Grill Cooker within 30 working days from the policy issuance date, upon confirmation of delivery address via email.

The campaign will run from 1 July 2026 until the total number of cookers given away reaches 1,000 units. The giveaway is on a first-come first-served basis.

For more information on Allianz General’s Smart Home Cover Multi-Year Plan and this campaign, please visit: https://www.allianz.com.my/personal/home-motor-and-travel/home/smart-home-cover.html

SOURCE: Allianz Malaysia Berhad ​

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Shamala Gopalan
Group Head
Corporate Communications Department
Allianz Malaysia Berhad
Tel: 016.285.0685
Email: shamala.gopalan@allianz.com.my

Name: Gary Mark Nagan
Manager
Corporate Communications Department
Allianz Malaysia Berhad
Tel: 012.367.1450
Email: gary.nagan@allianz.com.my

--BERNAMA

HEILONGJIANG TOURISM CONFERENCE TO OPEN IN JIXI CITY ON JULY 8 – 9

The autumn landscape of the Xingkai Lake embankment in Mishan, Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province (drone photo)

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) -- The eighth Tourism Industry Development Conference in Heilongjiang Province will open in Jixi City from July 8 to 9, under the theme "Integration, Innovation, and Opportunity".

Centred on the theme and guided by principles of simplicity, safety and excellence, the conference aims to build platforms for cultural-tourism exchange and cooperation, innovative applications, and consumption upgrading.

It will showcase Heilongjiang’s ecological beauty, industrial heritage, culinary offerings, and openness, further unlocking the potential of cultural and tourism consumption, according to a statement.

During the conference, Jixi City will roll out a series of curated travel itineraries built around three themes, namely "Ignite the Games, Rock the Lakes", "Drive the Border, Embrace Wellness", and "Explore the Countryside, Learn Through Play".

A range of visitor-friendly incentives will also be introduced, including dining discounts, guaranteed accommodation packages, free admission to scenic spots, and shopping promotions, aimed at enhancing the overall travel experience.

The Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province Deputy Director, Jiang Xingcheng said this year's conference features three highlights.

First, driven by integration, it seeks to build a new landscape for all-for-one tourism by promoting deeper links between culture and tourism with industry, agriculture, commerce and sports, including the development of a signature travel IP linked to sporting events.

Second, driven by innovation, the event will leverage digital and intelligent technologies. A dedicated smart culture and tourism exhibition zone will feature applications such as AI-powered tourism services, metaverse immersive experiences, and digital intangible cultural heritage displays.

Third, as a platform for cooperation, the conference will strengthen international engagement through the Belt and Road Initiative, bringing together government and business representatives from 13 countries and regions and expanding Heilongjiang’s global cultural and tourism partnerships.

-- BERNAMA

AZALEA VISION SECURES EIC ACCELERATOR FUNDING TO ADVANCE SMART CONTACT LENS PLATFORM

Azalea Vision Co-founder and CTO Andrés Vásquez Quintero undergoing an on-eye evaluation of the ALMA smart contact lens.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) -- Azalea Vision, a Belgian healthtech company, announced it has been selected for the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, the European Union’s (EU) flagship programme for breakthrough, market-creating deep tech.

As the only Belgian company selected in this round, Azalea Vision will receive up to 7.5 million euros, including a non-dilutive 2.5 million euros grant and a planned five million euros equity investment from the EIC Fund, to advance its medical-grade smart contact lens platform into clinical development. (1 Euro = RM4.64)

“This is one of the toughest funding programmes in the world to win, and it validates everything we have been building, our technology, our vision, and the size of the market in front of us.

“Our technical validation is nearly complete, and the core platform works. This award gives us the resources to prove it clinically and to do it from Europe. We intend to move fast,” said Azalea Vision co-founder and chief technology officer, Andrés Vasquez Quintero in a statement.

The EIC Accelerator, part of the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, supports the start-ups judged most likely to create or disrupt global markets, and fewer than five per cent of applicants make it through its expert and jury reviews.

The EIC Fund's equity investment alongside the grant signals confidence in a company's technology, vision and market while reducing risk for private co-investors. Azalea Vision ranked among the highest-scoring applicants in its cohort and has begun the funded programme.

The funding will support clinical development alongside the final engineering work needed to bring the platform to patients.

With core platform functionality established and technical validation nearing completion, the EIC award accelerates the transition from proven technology to a certified medical product.

Following the EIC endorsement, Azalea Vision has begun discussions with strategic and financial investors across Europe and the United States to co-invest alongside the EIC Fund in its upcoming financing round.

-- BERNAMA

Chery Malaysia Marks Three Years of Driving Investment, Growth and Nation-Building for Malaysia

(fifth from left) His Highness Tengku Amir Shah, The Raja Muda of Selangor was present together with (first from left) Chen Chun Qing, Vice President of Chery International, Zhang Guibing President of Chery International and Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery Automobile Co. Ltd during the groundbreaking ceremony of Chery Smart Auto Industrial Park held early in 2025.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Bernama) -- Chery Malaysia continues to deepen its roots in the country through investments that create jobs, partnerships that strengthen local industries, and initiatives that deliver value to communities nationwide. Over the past three years, the automotive company has focused on creating long-term value for Malaysia by contributing to economic development, talent cultivation and community well-being.

A key milestone in Chery Malaysia's long-term commitment in Malaysia is the development of the Chery Smart Auto Industrial Park manufacturing facility in Lembah Beringin, Selangor.

Chery recently celebrated the topping-out of phase one, marking the completion of the main structure of the assembly plant, following a groundbreaking ceremony held last year in the presence of His Highness Tengku Amir Shah, The Raja Muda of Selangor.

The 200 acre facility is expected to become a catalyst for economic growth in the area, driving industrial development while creating new employment and local business opportunities. Upon completion of the first phase, the plant is expected to generate approximately 2,000 jobs, with total direct employment projected to grow to 5,000 positions through subsequent development phases planned for 2028 and 2029.

Chery's commitment to Malaysia extends beyond mobility. Through strategic industry collaborations, supplier development initiatives and talent-building programmes, while creating job opportunities for Malaysians.

Efforts such as the Chery’s Supply Chain Programme have fostered partnerships between local and international industry players, encouraging technology exchange, skills development and supply chain growth. At the same time, Chery continues to nurture future talent through knowledge transfer initiatives, technical training and collaborations with local TVET institutions, helping equip the next generation of Malaysians with the skills needed to thrive in an evolving automotive industry.

Beyond business growth, Chery believes in making a positive difference in the communities where it operates from community welfare, environmental conservation to sports and youth development.

Among these efforts was Chery's swift response during the Putra Heights fire incident whereby 50 Chery vehicles were loaned to affected residents helping them ease their mobility needs as well as monetary support to a local mosque providing shelter to the victims.

Chery has also contributed to environmental conservation programmes, including partnerships focused on biodiversity protection and turtle conservation programmes.

The company has backed youth and sporting excellence initiatives such as the Olympic Games 2023, Asian Youth Para Games 2025 and most recently the inaugural Chery x Lee Chong Wei Cup which will be held next month, helping provide opportunities for young local athletes to pursue their aspirations and realise their potential.

"Our journey in Malaysia goes beyond mobility. By investing in people, creating opportunities and supporting communities, we are committed to advancing with Malaysia and delivering value beyond the automotive industry and create a lasting impact for generations to come,” said Men Lin Bo, Chery Corporate Malaysia Executive Vice President.

Chery Malaysia also believes in fair and healthy competition within the automotive industry as it drives innovation and ultimately benefits Malaysian consumers.

About Chery Malaysia
Chery Malaysia is part of Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Chery Group, a leading Chinese automobile manufacturer headquartered in Wuhu, China. Established in 1997, Chery has been a key player in the automotive industry, renowned for its diverse lineup of passenger cars, SUVs, and electric vehicles. Chery has earned a prominent position in both domestic and international markets, exporting vehicles to over 80 countries worldwide, including Malaysia. For 22 consecutive years, Chery has been the No.1 brand in China for vehicle exports.

For more information, visit www.chery.my
Follow Chery Malaysia Facebook www.facebook.com/cherymalaysiaofficial

SOURCE: Chery Auto Malaysia Sdn Bhd

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
PR and Communications
Name: Christina Low
Email: christinalow@chery.my

--BERNAMA

Zhaoge Launches Spring Festival Fair With 3,000-Year Cultural Theme

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 (Bernama) -- The millennia-old city of Zhaoge in Qi County has kicked off the nearly month-long "Encounter Qi, Dreamy Zhaoge" Spring Festival Fair, welcoming residents and tourists to embark on a 3,000-year cultural journey.

According to a statement, Zhaoge Old Street in Qi County, Central China’s Henan Province, was illuminated with festive lights and teemed with visitors celebrating the Spring Festival.

Zhaoge, which served as the capital for the last four kings of the Shang Dynasty and later as the capital of the Wei State during the Western Zhou period, stands among Henan Province’s first designated historical and cultural cities and is regarded as the cradle of Chinese surname culture.

The highlight of the fair is "Zhaoge: The Enchanted Dance of the Fengshen", a processional immersive performance staged against the backdrop of the city’s historical heritage, recreating events from 3,000 years ago.

The ancient thoroughfare comes alive with pop-up performances and NPC character parades, while speciality markets and local delicacies engage visitors. Tourists can also admire murals depicting characters from Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi), decode decorative lanterns, and purchase Fengshen-themed cultural products.

Ranked among Henan’s first designated historical and cultural blocks, Zhaoge Old Street is also recognised as a leisure tourism district and nighttime cultural tourism consumption cluster, and has become a popular nighttime destination for both locals and visitors.

-- BERNAMA

Autheo Introduces the Internet Operating System: A Decentralized Coordination Layer for the Web, Blockchain, and AI

Five years in the making, Autheo is launching its decentralized operating system on Mainnet — after public testnet adoption surpassed 1.8 million wallets, nearly 1 million smart contracts, and 8.8 million transactions

SHERIDAN, Wyo., June 30 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Autheo today launched the Mainnet of its decentralized operating system — a coordination layer enabling the Web, Web3, AI agents, and crypto applications to interoperate natively, with post-quantum security for digital identity, tokens, smart contracts, and agentic AI.

THE COORDINATION LAYER THE INTERNET NEVER HAD

Today’s blockchain landscape is fragmented — Web2, Web3, AI agents, and crypto applications cannot interoperate natively, and cross-chain bridges operate at the bridging layer. Autheo provides a coordination and execution layer where Web services, blockchain networks, and AI agents coordinate natively on a common identity, messaging, and execution surface, anchored by an on-chain, quantum-resistant trust and identity layer for agentic AI.

“We didn’t set out to build just another network,” said Scott Bayless, Managing Director and co-founder of Autheo. “We set out to find the right relation between the ones we already have. A body has many parts. A city is many trades. The Internet today is many systems — each doing its work, none of them moving as one. With Mainnet now live, Autheo is the layer where the web, the chain, and the agent can finally work together.”

FOUNDED BY LONG-TIME COLLABORATORS

Founded in July 2021 by Todd Mortenson and Scott Bayless, Autheo was built around four architectural foundations: TheoID (W3C-compliant DID for users, services, and AI agents); PQCNet (post-quantum framework on NIST standards: ML-KEM, ML-DSA, and SLH-DSA); a sovereign Cosmos SDK Layer 0 with native IBC interoperability; and an integrated EVM-compatible Layer 1 execution environment, operating as a Proof-of-Stake with delegated staking and licensed validators, secured by block finality through CometBFT consensus (“Proof of Autheo”). Engineering is led by CEngO Kenneth Harper, with contributors across MIT, Harvard, Stanford, and Caltech. Audits: Halborn (testnet) and CertiK (Mainnet). Partners include Zeeve, InfStones, Hydrex, Halborn, CertiK, TrustSwap, Team.Finance, and Utila.

TESTNET ADOPTION HAS COMPOUNDED

Autheo’s public testnet went live in 2025 and attracted 350,000 wallets and 60,000 smart contracts over its first twelve months. Following the May 12, 2026 Mainnet Phase 1 announcement, adoption accelerated: wallet addresses grew more than 5x and smart contracts more than 15x in the 45 days since. Cumulative totals:
1,812,088 wallet addresses
968,502 smart contracts

(Figures per Autheo network data, June 24, 2026. Independently verifiable on the public testnet explorer: testnet-explorer.autheo.com · verified contracts.)


“Mainnet is live,” said Todd Mortenson, Managing Director and co-founder of Autheo. “The industry will be racing to retrofit post-quantum security ahead of NIST’s timeline — our developers won’t have to. We built PQC in from the ground up. One interface for Web services, on-chain protocols, and AI agents. One million human developers on-chain within three years. And the AI agents building alongside them? Orders of magnitude more. The coordination layer for that future is live today.”


WHAT’S NEXT

Developer access (Mainnet, live today):Docs: docs.autheo.com
Mainnet block explorer: evm-explorer.autheo.com
Chain ID: 2127 (0x84f)
Public RPC endpoints: rpc1.autheo.com · rpc2.autheo.com · rpc3.autheo.com
Testnet explorer (with verified-contract source): testnet-explorer.autheo.com

The THEO token is anticipated to list on Hydrex.fi in early July 2026. Core Node, Prime Node, and Sovereign Validator (399 NFT-licensed; 275 subscribed) programs at commerce.autheo.com.

The complete press release with extended technical detail is available at autheo.com/press.

ABOUT AUTHEO

Autheo is building the Internet operating system: a decentralized coordination layer for Web, blockchain, and AI agents, anchored by PQCNet (NIST post-quantum cryptography) and W3C DIDs. Addresses the convergence of AI, blockchain, and crypto — supporting agentic AI, tokenomics, enterprise blockchain, and on-chain digital sovereignty against quantum computing. autheo.com · @Autheo_Network.

MEDIA CONTACT

Ryan Teigen, Director of Product Marketing
Email: ryan@autheo.com · press@autheo.com · Phone: 608-713-1028
autheo.com · X: @Autheo_Network

Forward-looking statements: Certain statements in this release, including statements regarding anticipated network growth, partnerships, and roadmap, are forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ. Autheo undertakes no obligation to update such statements except as required by law.

A video accompanying this release is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/99a95dde-f8e8-42d6-8e59-72d34724b7f9

SOURCE: Autheo LLC

DISCLAIMER: BERNAMA MREM are not accountable for any causes of website defacement, misuse, or illegal activities connected to cryptocurrency, blockchain, tokenisation, or bitcoin. This material should not be considered as guidance or an opinion, as it does not constitute financial or investment advice. Use this information at your own risk; we are not liable for any losses or damages caused by the republication of this article.

--BERNAMA

COOCON TO LAUNCH MCP-BASED DATA BUSINESS FOR AI AGENTS

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 (Bernama) -- COOCON, a South Korean business data platform company, planned to launch Model Context Protocol (MCP)-based data services as it expands into the artificial intelligence (AI) agent market.

The company said it aims to become a "dedicated data hub for AI agents" by converting its existing data into MCP format, enabling AI systems to directly access information across finance, the public sector, logistics and telecommunications.

COOCON chief executive officer, Kim Jong-hyun said enabling AI agents to access trustworthy data would be key to the AI era.

“We aim to evolve from providing application programming interfaces (APIs) for human users to delivering data directly for AI agents.

“COOCON’s distinctive business structure, built on the MCP open standard, will serve as a gateway to the global AI agent ecosystem," he said in a statement.

According to the company, it will launch a "Dedicated AI-Ready Data Zone" on its COOCON.NET platform in July, initially offering about 30 MCP-based products before expanding the catalogue to more than 100 products by the end of the year and its full portfolio by 2027.

COOCON said the platform is designed to enable companies to integrate external data for AI agents through standardised interfaces, reducing the need for manual system integration while supporting organisations adopting AI technologies.

The company also joined the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation in June and will participate in the MCP Working Group alongside technology companies including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Circle, Tron and Stripe to help develop global MCP standards.

COOCON said it expects the MCP-based business to strengthen revenue growth by increasing AI-driven data requests while expanding AI-compatible payment services alongside its existing data business.

-- BERNAMA