Businesses
Here's a look at documents from U.S. and international businesses
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MENA Sustainable Finance Market Hits $35.1 Billion Led by Financials and Energy: Bloomberg Intelligence
NEW YORK, Jan. 13 (TNSxrep) -- Bloomberg issued the following news:
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MENA Sustainable Finance Market Hits $35.1 billion Led by Financials and Energy: Bloomberg Intelligence
* Bloomberg Intelligence report shows MENA sustainable finance issuance has risen sevenfold since 2020
* Saudi Arabia emerged as the region's largest issuer by volume in 2025, supported by its 2024 Green Financing Framework
* Financial institutions are driving a bank-led expansion of sustainable finance, with UAE lenders anchoring scale, profitability and product innovation
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Dubai - A new report by Bloomberg Intelligence
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Jan. 13 (TNSxrep) -- Bloomberg issued the following news:
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MENA Sustainable Finance Market Hits $35.1 billion Led by Financials and Energy: Bloomberg Intelligence
* Bloomberg Intelligence report shows MENA sustainable finance issuance has risen sevenfold since 2020
* Saudi Arabia emerged as the region's largest issuer by volume in 2025, supported by its 2024 Green Financing Framework
* Financial institutions are driving a bank-led expansion of sustainable finance, with UAE lenders anchoring scale, profitability and product innovation
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Dubai - A new report by Bloomberg Intelligencehighlights the continued structural evolution of the Middle East and North Africa's (MENA) sustainable finance market, with issuance expanding sevenfold since 2020 despite easing to $35.1 billion in 2025 (18% below its 2023 peak) amid global market headwinds.
The report finds that the market has transitioned from being predominantly sovereign-led to a more diversified ecosystem anchored by financial institutions and energy-related issuers. Financials accounted for almost 50% of MENA issuance in 2025, up from 32% in 2020, reflecting stronger regulatory signaling and higher underwriting and lending activity as banks decarbonized balance sheets and adopted taxonomies.
Saudi Arabia emerged as the region's largest sustainable finance issuer by volume in 2025, reaching $19.7 billion, overtaking the UAE, further supported by publication of the country's 2024 Green Financing Framework.
Green-labelled instruments represented the largest share of MENA issuance, increasing by 60% to $25.8 billion in 2025. Capital was primarily directed toward renewable energy, low-carbon infrastructure and water-efficiency projects aimed at strengthening climate adaptation and resilience, with growing potential as the region expands its data-center capacity.
UAE banks including First Abu Dhabi Bank and Emirates NBD played a prominent role in the bank-led expansion of sustainable finance through underwriting and lending, reflecting strong balance-sheet deployment across green bonds, sustainability-linked instruments and lending. The UAE Banking Federation's AED 1 trillion sustainable finance target by 2030 continues to underpin long-term growth. Banks are well positioned to capture a $2 trillion opportunity across renewables, water and low-carbon infrastructure.
Grace Osborne, ESG Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, said: "MENA's sustainable finance market has matured rapidly over the past five years, driven by government initiatives, supportive regulations and increased investor demand. While issuance eased in 2025 in line with global trends, the shift toward bank-led and green-labelled financing reflects a more durable market structure well positioned for further growth. Saudi Arabia's emergence as the largest issuer highlights how national frameworks and regulatory clarity can accelerate capital mobilization at scale."
The report notes that regulatory progress across the region is strengthening foundations for future growth, although the absence of a harmonized regional taxonomy continues to limit the classification of transition activities. As markets move toward International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) aligned disclosures, forward-looking climate risk assessment and transition planning are expected to become key differentiators for issuers seeking sustainable capital. Moreover, rising investment in AI-driven data centers in the region are likely to sharpen the focus on energy efficiency, water security and climate-resilient infrastructure.
The full report is available to Bloomberg Terminal subscribers who can access the research via {BI}.
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About Bloomberg Intelligence
Bloomberg Intelligence (BI) research delivers an independent perspective providing interactive data and research across industries and global markets, plus insights into company fundamentals. The BI, team of 400 research professionals is here to help clients make more informed decisions in the rapidly moving investment landscape. BI's coverage spans all major global markets, more than 135 industries and 2,000 companies, while considering multiple strategic, equity and credit perspectives. In addition, Bl has dedicated teams focused on analyzing the impact of government policy, litigation and ESG.
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About Bloomberg
Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration. For more information, visit Bloomberg.com/company or request a demo.
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Original text here: https://www.bloomberg.com/company/press/mena-sustainable-finance-market-hits-35-1-billion-led-by-financials-and-energy-bloomberg-intelligence/
[Category: BizMedia]
Lee Health Announces the Opening of Its New Advanced Heart Failure Center at the Lee Health Heart Institute
FORT MYERS, Florida, Jan. 13 -- Lee Health issued the following news release:
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Lee Health Announces the Opening of its New Advanced Heart Failure Center at the Lee Health Heart Institute
The Advanced Heart Failure ambulatory clinic and 27-bed hospital unit dedicated to heart failure patients will offer specialized care for advanced heart failure patients in Southwest Florida.
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Next generation, highly specialized heart failure care is now available close to home. Lee Health has opened a new Advanced Heart Failure Center at the Lee Health Heart Institute at HealthPark Medical Center,
... Show Full Article
FORT MYERS, Florida, Jan. 13 -- Lee Health issued the following news release:
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Lee Health Announces the Opening of its New Advanced Heart Failure Center at the Lee Health Heart Institute
The Advanced Heart Failure ambulatory clinic and 27-bed hospital unit dedicated to heart failure patients will offer specialized care for advanced heart failure patients in Southwest Florida.
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Next generation, highly specialized heart failure care is now available close to home. Lee Health has opened a new Advanced Heart Failure Center at the Lee Health Heart Institute at HealthPark Medical Center,bringing cutting-edge cardiac treatment to Southwest Florida patients who previously may have needed to leave the region for care.
Heart failure affects more than six million Americans, and an estimated 10% are living with advanced heart failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For these patients, standard therapies are no longer effective, symptoms are severe, and care requires a highly specialized, multidisciplinary approach.
Patients who otherwise must have travelled to other specialized centers in the region can now be seen locally, including those who require advanced therapies such as infusion of inotropes, and recipients of left-ventricular assist devices and heart transplant, as well as those with rare cardiac conditions, like cardiac amyloidosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or cardiac sarcoidosis.
In addition, the Clinic will offer remote monitoring of implantable devices and collaborate with virtual remote monitoring programs to manage patients at home. Staffed with a multidisciplinary team of heart failure providers, nurses, and pharmacists. The team will also soon integrate a social worker, nutritionist, and palliative care physician. This ambulatory center will offer a continuum of care at an expert level that rarely exists outside major metropolitan hospitals.
The opening of Advanced Heart Failure Center coincides with the HealthPark Medical Center launching a specialized 27-bed Advanced Heart Failure Unit, one of the few in the state of Florida. The Advanced Heart Failure unit allows for a streamlined and systematic transition of care to the outpatient setting, including multidisciplinary patient discharge, visit at the heart failure transitions clinic, outpatient heart failure appointments, cardiac rehabilitation and remote patient monitoring. Educating patients and caregivers about heart failure is an essential part of this integrated process.
These developments mark a major step forward in cardiac care of our community, and this important milestone will be celebrated at the open house and ribbon cutting of the first Advanced Heart Failure Clinic at Lee Health on January 16, 2026.
"By centralizing advanced heart failure care within the Lee Health Heart Institute, we can provide comprehensive, coordinated support for patients facing the most complex cardiac conditions," said Medical Director of the Lee Health Advanced Heart Failure Program Dr. Katherine Lietz. "Having our multidisciplinary teams working together in one location allows us to manage symptoms better, collaborate seamlessly with cardiologists and specialists, and deliver highly personalized, high-quality care. This advancement not only elevates outcomes for patients with advanced heart failure but also strengthens access to specialized cardiac care for our community and reinforces the Lee Health Heart Institute's role as a leading national destination for cardiovascular care."
This opening is one of many recent additions to the Lee Health Heart Institute, the largest heart program in Southwest Florida. It uses a collaborative approach to cardiac care, with cardiac specialists working closely with the referring physician to ensure a personalized care plan that meets each patient's unique needs.
The Lee Health Heart Institute offers cardiology services in advanced specialties, including cardiothoracic surgery, advanced cardiac imaging, electrophysiology, interventional cardiology, cardiac rehabilitation and more.
To learn more about the Advanced Heart Failure Center, please visit www.leehealth.org.
It is located inside HealthPark Medical Center, 9981 S. HealthPark Dr., Fort Myers.
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Original text here: https://www.leehealth.org/about-us/media/press-releases/lee-health-announces-the-opening-of-its-new-advanc
[Category: BizHealth Care]
HPE Helps Retail Customers Ensure Business Continuity and Enhance Security With Expanded HPE Networking and HPE Compute Portfolios
SPRING, Texas, Jan. 13 -- Hewlett Packard Enterprise, an information technology company, issued the following news release:
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HPE helps retail customers ensure business continuity and enhance security with expanded HPE Networking and HPE Compute portfolios
New self-driving features in HPE Aruba Networking CX switch, expanded AI-native retail analytics, and HPE Nonstop Compute capabilities strengthen infrastructure for critical retail transactions
In this article
* HPE helps retailers keep operations running with secure, resilient, AI-powered infrastructure from store edge to core
* New
... Show Full Article
SPRING, Texas, Jan. 13 -- Hewlett Packard Enterprise, an information technology company, issued the following news release:
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HPE helps retail customers ensure business continuity and enhance security with expanded HPE Networking and HPE Compute portfolios
New self-driving features in HPE Aruba Networking CX switch, expanded AI-native retail analytics, and HPE Nonstop Compute capabilities strengthen infrastructure for critical retail transactions
In this article
* HPE helps retailers keep operations running with secure, resilient, AI-powered infrastructure from store edge to core
* Newself-driving networks and AI-native analytics give retailers faster insight, smarter operations, and more reliable in-store experiences
* HPE Nonstop Compute and HPE Aruba CX switching deliver performance to protect transactions, data, and customer trust at scale
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NEW YORK - January 12, 2026 - NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show - HPE (NYSE: HPE) today announced an expansion of its retail-ready portfolio to help customers improve connectivity, security, insight, and performance across their operations. The expanded solutions help retailers manage transactions, data, and shopping experiences with confidence across their entire landscape, from the back office and warehouse to the front of the store and curbside.
At NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show, HPE is showcasing expanded retail solutions that bring together the self-driving networks of HPE Aruba Networking CX switching and Mist AIOps at the branch edge with the latest HPE Nonstop solutions at the core, demonstrating how secure, resilient connectivity underpins retail modernization. These solutions are combined with HPE AI-native insight and assurance to give retailers the performance and confidence needed to support in-store operations and modern customer experiences.
Built for environments that require absolute continuity, the HPE Nonstop Compute NS9 X5 and NS5 X5 solutions help retailers keep transactions running and data available during peak demand, while new 8-port models in the HPE Aruba Networking CX 6000 Switch Series enable flexible deployment at checkout lanes and overhead crawl spaces through a compact, completely silent design.
"In modern retail, a single lost transaction is a lost customer or a damaged reputation. HPE is raising the bar for retail by combining resilient edge connectivity, self-driving AI-native operations, and fault-tolerant compute to give retailers the insight, automation and assurance they need to meet existing and future shopper demands," said Sujai Hajela, EVP & GM, Campus & Branch, HPE. "This unified foundation combines key HPE solutions to help retailers deliver continuous operations and consistent performance at scale, building trust in the next era of retail, where every transaction counts and every experience matters."
Connecting edge, assurance, and intelligence for always-on retail operations
By strengthening the store edge, user experience visibility, and business insight, HPE addresses retailers' needs for uptime, security, and scalability from the point of customer interaction through core business systems, introducing new innovations that include:
* For Business Insight: HPE is expanding access to retail insights, provided by the Mist AIOps platform, by integrating the Marvis virtual network assistant with HPE Juniper Networking Premium Analytics. This integration brings location intelligence and network performance data, including engagement and occupancy analytics, into Marvis' natural language interface, helping retailers move from reactive troubleshooting to proactive decision-making. As a result, IT, business operations, and marketing teams can quickly gain actionable insights to respond faster, optimize operations, and improve customer experiences.
* For the Edge: The HPE Aruba Networking CX 6000 Switch Series includes new 8-port Power over Ethernet (PoE) and non-PoE models that securely connect point-of-sale (POS) terminals, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and staff systems to the network. Compared to legacy solutions, the new switches offer increased PoE capacity to support modern retail devices such as wireless access points, cameras, and sensors, enabling retailers to deploy new in-store services like digital signage, smart checkout, and edge analytics without reworking their network infrastructure. Advanced telemetry, IoT probing, and total system monitoring support self-driving operations, reduce dropped connections, and deliver more accurate energy usage insights.
* For User Assurance: HPE Aruba Networking User Experience Insight, part of HPE Aruba Networking Central, acts as an early warning system for organizations modernizing their networks. With support for Wi-Fi 7, User Experience Insight Sensors identify issues introduced by upgrades or network changes before users are impacted, helping protect revenue. Used alongside agents, the sensors deliver a comprehensive view of end-user activity, allowing IT teams to baseline network performance, continuously test network health, track trends, and plan for device growth and AI-native use cases.
New HPE Nonstop Compute advancements power next-generation retail
HPE Nonstop Compute delivers continuous, fault-tolerant solutions for backend payment processing, inventory management, and other mission-critical applications. The platform keeps applications running without interruption, even during hardware failures or network disruptions, reducing downtime and protecting revenue during peak shopping periods.
To support the increasing demands of digital and AI transformation in retail, HPE is introducing new enhancements to the Nonstop portfolio:
* Higher performance and scale: HPE Nonstop solutions support linear, distributed scale to up to 4,000 nodes through multi-generational clustering and deliver up to 15 percent more performance capacity, based on internal benchmarks comparing HPE Nonstop Compute NS8 X4 and HPE Nonstop Compute NS9 X5. The Nonstop OS software scales easily to handle growing transaction volumes, preparing the core infrastructure to handle greater workloads and new data-rich applications like real-time analytics and AI.
* Enhanced data protection: Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) provides stronger security for sensitive customer data and helps retailers meet evolving data privacy and compliance regulations.
Both the HPE Nonstop Compute and HPE Aruba Networking CX Switching solutions are available as a service through the HPE GreenLake cloud platform, allowing retailers to align IT investments with business outcomes through a flexible, subscription-based model.
Future-ready for digital and AI transformation
By deploying a unified data fabric across the edge and core, retailers gain the foundation needed to drive customer engagement and operational efficiency. HPE Aruba Networking CX enables easy expansion to new stores and devices, while new AI-native capabilities simplify operations and provide deeper insight into shopping experiences. At the core, an enhanced HPE Nonstop environment delivers the memory and bandwidth for real-time analytics, and high-volume omnichannel services without compromising availability.
Discover the HPE showcase at booth 3203. For more information, visit the HPE Newsroom.
Availability
The HPE Nonstop Compute solutions and HPE Aruba Networking CX 6000 Switch Series are available today from HPE and its worldwide channel partners.
Related Resources:
* Blog: AI-readiness for retail: HPE is powering retail transformation at NRF 2026
* Blog: NRF 2026: Extend Networking and Security with New Compact Switches
Recent HPE News:
* HPE disrupts networking industry with expanded AI-native portfolio; reimagines future of IT operations with self-driving networks strategy
* Hewlett Packard Enterprise enhances robust compute platforms for mission-critical operations
* HPE Aruba Networking doubles down on security-first, AI-powered networks with innovations for retailers' IoT data collection and edge processing
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About Hewlett Packard Enterprise
HPE (NYSE: HPE) is a leader in essential enterprise technology, bringing together the power of AI, cloud, and networking to help organizations achieve more. As pioneers of possibility, our innovation and expertise advance the way people live and work. We empower our customers across industries to optimize operational performance, transform data into foresight, and maximize their impact. Unlock your boldest ambitions with HPE. Discover more at www.hpe.com.
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Original text here: https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2026/01/hpe-helps-retail-customers-ensure-business-continuity-and-enhance-security-with-expanded-hpe-networking-and-hpe-compute-portfolios.html
[Category: BizComputer Technology]
Go Well Beyond Medicine: Experience Nemours Children's Health at the 2026 Pediatric Collaborative
LINCOLN, Nebraska, Jan. 13 -- NRC Health, a provider of customer intelligence in healthcare, issued the following news:
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Go Well Beyond Medicine: Experience Nemours Children's Health at the 2026 Pediatric Collaborative
When pediatric leaders gather for NRC Health's 2026 Pediatric Collaborative, the conversations will be forward-thinking, the connections meaningful, and the ideas transformative. But one of the most powerful moments of the event invariably happens when learning moves beyond the conference room and into care itself.
As part of the Pediatric Collaborative on March 25-26,
... Show Full Article
LINCOLN, Nebraska, Jan. 13 -- NRC Health, a provider of customer intelligence in healthcare, issued the following news:
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Go Well Beyond Medicine: Experience Nemours Children's Health at the 2026 Pediatric Collaborative
When pediatric leaders gather for NRC Health's 2026 Pediatric Collaborative, the conversations will be forward-thinking, the connections meaningful, and the ideas transformative. But one of the most powerful moments of the event invariably happens when learning moves beyond the conference room and into care itself.
As part of the Pediatric Collaborative on March 25-26,NRC Health is thrilled to partner with Nemours Children's Health to offer an exclusive, on-site tour of its renowned children's hospital in Orlando's Lake Nona Medical City--a destination that exemplifies what it means to go Well Beyond Medicine.
This immersive tour invites attendees to experience firsthand how Nemours is creating the healthiest generations of children through innovation, design, and deeply human-centered care.
A Destination Unlike Any Other
From the moment you arrive at Nemours Children's Health, it's clear: this is not a traditional hospital environment. Purposefully located in Lake Nona Medical City, one of the nation's most forward-looking health and life sciences communities, the hospital reflects Nemours's commitment to pushing the boundaries of traditional pediatric care.
Every detail, from the building's architecture to features like specially designed play areas, was created with children and families in mind. The environment supports healing, reduces anxiety, and fosters connection, reinforcing Nemours Children's Health's tenet that exceptional care starts with an intentional focus on experience.
During the tour, attendees will explore how physical space, clinical excellence, and operational strategy come together to support family-centered care at scale.
A Full Spectrum of Pediatric Care
Nemours Children's Health is one of the largest pediatric health systems in the country, offering a comprehensive continuum of care that supports children and families at every stage of life.
Through an extensive network across Central Florida and the surrounding communities, Nemours delivers seamless care that includes:
* Fetal care in the womb, through the Nemours Center for Fetal Care
* Primary and preventive care, including routine well-child visits
* Urgent and emergency care for life's unexpected moments
* Specialty and inpatient services for complex and chronic conditions
This integrated approach ensures that families are never navigating care alone. For Pediatric Collaborative attendees, the tour offers insight into how Nemours aligns systems, teams, and services to provide continuity, clarity, and compassion across the care journey.
Acclaimed Care for Kids
At Nemours Children's Health, taking care of kids isn't just part of the mission--it is the mission.
Recognized as one of the nation's safest pediatric hospitals, Nemours brings together some of the brightest minds and most caring hearts in children's health. Multidisciplinary teams of physicians, nurses, researchers, and support specialists work collaboratively to deliver care that is both clinically advanced and deeply personal.
As you move through the hospital during the tour, you'll see how safety, quality, and experience are embedded into daily operations, and how those principles translate into better outcomes for children and families alike.
Signature Services That Redefine What's Possible
A highlight of the tour is the opportunity to learn more about Nemours Children's Health's signature services, many of which are nationally recognized for innovation, outcomes, and leadership in pediatric care.
These include:
Advanced and Specialized Pediatric Programs
* The Nemours Cardiac Center, offering expert testing, condition management, inpatient critical care, and pediatric cardiac surgery
* The Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, an award-winning program delivering advanced, compassionate oncology and hematology care
* World-renowned clinical trials and expertise for rare and complex pediatric conditions
Innovation in Complex and Rare Care
* The Nemours Center for Fetal Care, supporting high-risk pregnancies and babies before birth
* Interventional radiology services, including the first dual-trained pediatric diagnostic and interventional radiologists in the state
* A statewide multidisciplinary vascular anomalies program, coordinating care across specialties and locations
Life-Changing Specialty Programs
* A chest-wall disorders program, treating conditions such as pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum
* A cochlear-implant program for children with profound hearing loss
* The NCH Spina Bifida Center of Excellence, providing coordinated care from prenatal stages through adolescence
* An MDA-certified muscular dystrophy program, the first of its kind in central Florida
* The Medically Complex Coordination Clinic, helping families and pediatricians prioritize and streamline care for children with complex needs
Each program reflects Nemours Children's Health's commitment to pursuing life-changing innovations with a measured, thoughtful approach, always centered on what's best for children and families.
Learning That Extends Beyond the Agenda
The 2026 Pediatric Collaborative is designed for pediatric leaders who, in addition to inspiration, want real-world insights that they can apply within their organizations.
The Nemours tour enhances the event experience by offering:
* Practical examples of family-centered care in action
* Exposure to innovative pediatric care models
* Opportunities to explore how environment, culture, and operations intersect
* Fresh perspectives on designing systems that support children, families, and care teams
Join Us in Orlando
NRC Health is thrilled to partner with Nemours Children's Health to host the 2026 Pediatric Collaborative, bringing together pediatric experience leaders from across the country.
Join us March 25-26 to:
* Exchange ideas with peers who share your passion for pediatric excellence
* Engage in forward-thinking conversations about the future of children's health
* Experience firsthand how Nemours Children's Health is creating a healthier future Well Beyond Medicine
You'll leave inspired, energized, and equipped to make a meaningful impact for the children and families you serve.
Save your spot today!
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NRC Health is thrilled to partner with Nemours Children's Health for the 2026 Pediatric Collaborative March 25-26.
NRC Health's Pediatric Collaborative brings pediatric leaders together to connect, learn, and feel inspired to create change. Strengthen your network, deepen your expertise, and spark new motivation--powered by inspiring speakers. Register today!
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Original text here: https://nrchealth.com/blog/nemours-tour-pediatric-collaborative/
[Category: BizHealth Care]
CrowdStrike and Nord Security Announce Strategic Partnership to Redefine SMB Cybersecurity
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 13 -- CrowdStrike Inc., a cybersecurity platform for protecting areas of enterprise risk - endpoints and cloud workloads, identity and data, issued the following news on Jan. 12, 2026:
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CrowdStrike and Nord Security Announce Strategic Partnership to Redefine SMB Cybersecurity
The partnership combines Nord Security's secure access and credential management solutions with the CrowdStrike Falcon platform, delivering enterprise-grade protection that's simple, accessible, and built for every business
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CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) and Nord Security today announced a strategic
... Show Full Article
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 13 -- CrowdStrike Inc., a cybersecurity platform for protecting areas of enterprise risk - endpoints and cloud workloads, identity and data, issued the following news on Jan. 12, 2026:
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CrowdStrike and Nord Security Announce Strategic Partnership to Redefine SMB Cybersecurity
The partnership combines Nord Security's secure access and credential management solutions with the CrowdStrike Falcon platform, delivering enterprise-grade protection that's simple, accessible, and built for every business
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CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) and Nord Security today announced a strategicpartnership to redefine SMB cybersecurity. The collaboration combines CrowdStrike's AI-native Falcon(R) platform with Nord Security's secure access and credential management solutions to deliver enterprise-grade protection that's simple, accessible, and built for every business.
Challenged by limited budgets and cyber security expertise, CrowdStrike's State of SMB Cybersecurity Survey shows just 36% of small and midsize businesses are investing in new tools, and only 11% have adopted AI-powered defenses. At the same time, adversaries are increasingly targeting smaller organizations with enterprise-level attacks. This partnership directly addresses that gap, seamlessly giving SMBs access to the AI-powered protection, intelligence, and speed trusted by the world's largest enterprises.
The partnership introduces two key innovations:
* Simplified e-commerce access: Nord Security will offer Falcon(R) Go, CrowdStrike's AI-powered solution purpose-built for SMBs, and Falcon(R) Enterprise directly through NordLayer, a toggle-ready network security platform for business, pairing the power of the Falcon platform with NordLayer's secure access to make enterprise-grade protection easy to buy and deploy.
* Expanded MSP offerings through Pax8: CrowdStrike, Nord Security, and Pax8 will launch an add-on for Falcon(R) Next-Gen SIEM that combines speed, detection and accuracy of the Falcon platform with Nord Security's secure access and network solutions, including 90 days of free access for qualifying customers.
"This partnership transforms how SMBs secure their business," said Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer at CrowdStrike. "Together with Nord Security, we're redefining cybersecurity for SMBs - combining the power of the Falcon platform with Nord Security's SMB go-to-market prowess and secure access technology to deliver enterprise-grade protection that's fast to deploy, simple to manage, and built to stop breaches."
"Every growing business faces the same challenge: their attack surface is expanding faster than their ability to secure it," said Mantas Ulozas, Chief Business Development Officer at B2B Commercial at Nord Security. "By combining our secure access and credential management solutions with CrowdStrike's Falcon platform, we're removing barriers of cost and complexity that have long limited SMBs' access to enterprise-grade protection - giving them the visibility and confidence to defend against modern threats."
For more information on the CrowdStrike-Nord Security partnership, visit here (https://nordlayer.com/cybersecurity-services-for-small-business/).
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About CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD), a global cybersecurity leader, has redefined modern security with the world's most advanced cloud-native platform for protecting critical areas of enterprise risk - endpoints and cloud workloads, identity and data.
Powered by the CrowdStrike Security Cloud and world-class AI, the CrowdStrike Falcon(R) platform leverages real-time indicators of attack, threat intelligence, evolving adversary tradecraft and enriched telemetry from across the enterprise to deliver hyper-accurate detections, automated protection and remediation, elite threat hunting and prioritized observability of vulnerabilities.
Purpose-built in the cloud with a single lightweight-agent architecture, the Falcon platform delivers rapid and scalable deployment, superior protection and performance, reduced complexity and immediate time-to-value.
CrowdStrike: We stop breaches.
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About Nord Security
Nord Security is home to advanced cybersecurity solutions that share the Nord brand and values, including the world's most advanced VPN service NordVPN, the next-generation password manager NordPass, the file encryption tool NordLocker, threat exposure management platform NordStellar, the toggle-ready network security platform for business NordLayer, an all-around identity theft protection service NordProtect, and Saily, an eSIM service. Established in 2012, Nord Security's products are now acknowledged by the most influential tech sites and IT security specialists. More information: nordsecurity.com.
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Original text here: https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/press-releases/crowdstrike-nord-security-announce-strategic-partnership-redefine-smb-cybersecurity/
[Category: BizComputer Technology]
Barbie Introduces the First Autistic Barbie Doll, Championing Representation for Children Through Play
EL SEGUNDO, California, Jan. 13 -- Mattel, a toy manufacturing company, issued the following news on Jan. 11, 2026:
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Barbie(R) Introduces the First Autistic Barbie Doll, Championing Representation for Children through Play
Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) unveiled today its first-ever autistic Barbie doll created with guidance from the autistic community to represent common ways autistic people may experience, process, and communicate about the world around them. This doll invites more children to see themselves represented in Barbie.
Developed for more than 18 months in partnership with ASAN,
... Show Full Article
EL SEGUNDO, California, Jan. 13 -- Mattel, a toy manufacturing company, issued the following news on Jan. 11, 2026:
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Barbie(R) Introduces the First Autistic Barbie Doll, Championing Representation for Children through Play
Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) unveiled today its first-ever autistic Barbie doll created with guidance from the autistic community to represent common ways autistic people may experience, process, and communicate about the world around them. This doll invites more children to see themselves represented in Barbie.
Developed for more than 18 months in partnership with ASAN,a non-profit disability rights organization run by and for autistic people that advocates for the rights of the autistic community, this doll joins the Barbie Fashionistas collection, which features the most diverse range of skin tones, hair textures, body types, and various medical conditions and disabilities.
"Barbie has always strived to reflect the world kids see and the possibilities they imagine, and we're proud to introduce our first autistic Barbie as part of that ongoing work," said Jamie Cygielman, Global Head of Dolls, Mattel. "The doll, designed with guidance from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, helps to expand what inclusion looks like in the toy aisle and beyond because every child deserves to see themselves in Barbie."
In close collaboration with ASAN, the Barbie design team made intentional design choices for the autistic Barbie doll to authentically reflect some experiences individuals on the autism spectrum may relate to. The autistic Barbie doll features and accessories include:
* Body: The autistic Barbie doll features elbow and wrist articulation, enabling stimming, hand flapping, and other hand gestures that some members of the autistic community use to process sensory information or express excitement.
* Eye Gaze: The doll is designed with an eye gaze shifted slightly to the side, which reflects how some members of the autistic community may avoid direct eye contact.
* Accessories: Each doll comes with a pink finger clip fidget spinner, noise-cancelling headphones and a tablet.
* Fidget Spinner: The doll holds a pink finger clip fidget spinner that actually spins, offering a sensory outlet that can help reduce stress and improve focus.
* Headphones: Pink noise-cancelling headphones rest on top of the doll's head as a helpful and fashionable accessory that reduces sensory overload by blocking out background noise.
* Tablet: A pink tablet showing symbol-based Augmentative and Alternative Communication apps (AAC) on its screen serves as a tool to help with everyday communication.
* Sensory-Sensitive Fashions: The doll wears a loose-fitting, purple pinstripe A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt that provides less fabric-to-skin contact. Purple shoes complete the outfit, with flat soles to promote stability and ease of movement.
"As proud members of the autistic community, our ASAN team was thrilled to help create the first-ever autistic Barbie doll. It is so important for young autistic people to see authentic, joyful representations of themselves, and that's exactly what this doll is. Partnering with Barbie allowed us to share insights and guidance throughout the design process to ensure the doll fully represents and celebrates the autistic community, including the tools that help us be independent. We're honored to see this milestone come to life, and we will keep pushing for more representation like this that supports our community in dreaming big and living proud." - Colin Killick, Executive Director, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
As part of the doll launch, Barbie is teaming up with advocates for the autistic community, including mother-daughter duo Precious and Mikko Mirage, autism advocate and creative entrepreneur Madison Marilla, and autistic fashion designer and visual artist Aarushi Pratap, to celebrate their lived experiences and lifestyles. The Barbie team filmed a unique video with them to capture and honor their personal experience with autism and delighted reactions to seeing the autistic Barbie doll for the first time. The video is available to view on the Mattel YouTube channel.
"Dolls have always brought me comfort, stability, and joy. I've been collecting Barbie dolls since I was four years old, and now this autistic Barbie will be one of my favorites," said Madison Marilla, Autism Advocate and Creative Entrepreneur. "My good friend said these words to me, let yourself out and don't hold yourself in, and it taught me how to educate people about autism. This autistic Barbie makes me feel truly seen and heard. I hope all the kids I've mentored feel the same when they see her, and I hope people who aren't autistic feel educated and gain a better understanding of autism when they see this doll."
Consistent with the Fashionistas dolls representing individuals with type 1 diabetes, Down syndrome and blindness, the autistic Barbie doll was named and created with the community's guidance to allow more children to see themselves in Barbie. This doll, along with the entire Fashionistas collection boasts over 175+ looks, can help children better understand the world around them by encouraging doll play outside of a child's own lived experience. It's yet another step in making the Barbie brand a more inclusive reflection of the children who play with it.
Building on the importance of feeling understood and connected through play, beginning in 2020, Barbie set out to research the short- and long-term benefits of doll play through a multi-year study with researchers at Cardiff University, finding that playing with dolls activates parts of children's brains involved in empathy and social processing skills. In recent years, the study has continued to build on these findings, suggesting that doll play could help develop social skills for all children, including those who display neurodivergent traits commonly associated with autism.
To celebrate the launch, Barbie will donate more than 1,000 autistic Barbie dolls to leading pediatric hospitals that provide specialized services for children on the autism spectrum, including Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), and Rady Children's Hospital Orange County. This donation is intended to bring moments of joy, comfort, and representation to the community, reinforcing the power of play to foster connection and confidence.
The autistic Barbie doll is now available on Mattel Shop and from major retailers.
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About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie(R), Hot Wheels(R), Fisher-Price(R), American Girl(R), Thomas & Friends(TM), UNO(R), Masters of the Universe(R), Matchbox(R), Monster High(R), Polly Pocket(R), and Barney(R) as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world's leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.
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About Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is a national grassroots disability rights organization run by and for autistic people. We work to support all forms of self-advocacy and to change the way people think about autism. Our members and supporters include autistic adults and youth, cross-disability advocates, and non-autistic family members, professionals, educators, and friends. ASAN believes that the goal of autism advocacy should be a world in which autistic people enjoy equal access, rights, and opportunities. We work to empower autistic people across the world to take control of our own lives and the future of our common community, and seek to organize the autistic community to ensure our voices are heard in the national conversation about us. Nothing About Us, Without Us!
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Original text here: https://corporate.mattel.com/news/barbie-introduces-the-first-autistic-barbie-doll-championing-representation-for-children-through-play
[Category: BizConsumer Products]
AI Singapore Collaborates With Dell Technologies to Help Democratize Access to AI in Southeast Asia
ROUND ROCK, Texas, Jan. 13 -- Dell Technologies, a company that says it provides technology and services portfolio for the data era, issued the following news:
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AI Singapore Collaborates with Dell Technologies to Help Democratize Access to AI in Southeast Asia
Story Highlights
* AI Singapore and Dell Technologies are bringing the SEA-LION model to AI PCs and edge devices
* The collaboration enhances Southeast Asian language models for efficient performance on lightweight infrastructure
* Running models locally empowers organizations with offline capabilities, enhanced privacy and lower
... Show Full Article
ROUND ROCK, Texas, Jan. 13 -- Dell Technologies, a company that says it provides technology and services portfolio for the data era, issued the following news:
* * *
AI Singapore Collaborates with Dell Technologies to Help Democratize Access to AI in Southeast Asia
Story Highlights
* AI Singapore and Dell Technologies are bringing the SEA-LION model to AI PCs and edge devices
* The collaboration enhances Southeast Asian language models for efficient performance on lightweight infrastructure
* Running models locally empowers organizations with offline capabilities, enhanced privacy and lowercosts
* Optimized infrastructure democratizes access to culturally relevant AI innovation across the region
*
Singapore - January 12, 2026 -- AI Singapore (AISG) is working with Dell Technologies to enhance its SEA-LION (Southeast Asian Languages in One Network) family of open-source large language models (LLMs). The organizations are testing and validating SEA-LION models across various Dell AI PCs and edge infrastructure, supporting AISG's efforts towards building models that are resource-efficient and deployable on lightweight setups.
Why it matters
Global language models often prioritize English, leaving gaps in their ability to address the linguistic and cultural nuances of Southeast Asia. SEA-LION bridges this gap by training open-source models on a vast, high-quality corpus of region-specific data. This approach embeds local linguistic characteristics, enabling hyper-local multilingualism and fostering innovation tailored to the region. As an open-source initiative, SEA-LION also democratizes AI by reducing the high costs associated with foundational model training. Its permissive licensing encourages community contributions, supports regional control and provides an accessible alternative to proprietary systems.
Dell leverages its specialised expertise in infrastructure optimisation to help AISG ensure quantized models, like SEA-LION, can be deployed on edge devices. Dell's powerful, resource-efficient AI PCs deliver seamless performance even in resource-constrained environments.
Demonstrating real-world applications
AISG's Voice Transcriber for Southeast Asian Languages is integrated with OpenAI's Whisper automatic speech recognition (ASR) system, powered by the SEA-LION model and deployed on Dell AI PCs. This Voice Transcriber provides real-time transcription of Southeast Asian languages for chatbots, reporting apps and multilingual communication tools, addressing growing demand. The technology enables customers to run LLMs directly on their devices, operating fully offline to ensure privacy, speed and reliability for enterprise applications.
Future aspirations
AISG aims to continue advancing SEA-LION by expanding its modalities to include robust audio and speech understanding, improving its linguistic accuracy and enhancing resource efficiency for deployment on a wider range of infrastructure. The work also lays a foundation to support the development of agentic AI capabilities, enabling advanced AI agents to perform complex, cross-sector tasks across Southeast Asian languages and contexts.
Perspectives
"SEA-LION's transformative understanding of 11 Southeast Asian languages and cultural nuances requires practical application," said Andy Sim, vice president and managing director, Singapore, Dell Technologies. "This collaboration demonstrates that this sophisticated, culturally intelligent AI can run efficiently on laptops and edge devices. Together, we are democratizing AI in Southeast Asia and are fostering a future where advanced AI is accessible to all."
"This collaboration is a key step in realizing our vision for SEA-LION--models that are not only local and culturally relevant but also resource-efficient enough to be deployed on the edge," said Dr. Leslie Teo, senior director, AI Products, AI Singapore. "By running fully featured LLMs directly on Dell devices, we provide enterprises with privacy and lower cost alternatives while remaining responsive and reliable."
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About Dell Technologies
Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) helps organisations and individuals build their digital future and transform how they work, live and play. The company provides customers with the industry's broadest and most innovative technology and services portfolio for the AI era.
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About AI Singapore
AI Singapore (AISG) is a national programme launched by the National Research Foundation (NRF), Singapore, to catalyse, synergise and boost Singapore's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to power our future digital economy. AISG will bring together all Singapore-based research institutions and the vibrant ecosystem of AI start-ups and companies developing AI products, to perform use-inspired research, grow the knowledge, create the tools, and develop the talent to power Singapore's AI efforts. AISG is driven by a government-wide partnership comprising NRF, Smart Nation Group (SNG), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Economic Development Board (EDB), Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), amongst others. For more information on AI Singapore, please visit https://www.aisingapore.org.
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About SEA-LION
SEA-LION is one of two national LLMs under Singapore's S$70M National Multimodal Large Language Model Programme (NMLP), supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and National Research Foundation (NRF), Singapore. More information on SEA-LION is available here: https://sea-lion.ai/.
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Original text here: https://www.dell.com/en-us/dt/corporate/newsroom/announcements/detailpage.press-releases~usa~2026~1~dell-technologies-and-ai-singapore-collaborate-to-optimise-sea-lion-for-dell-ai-pcs-and-edge-infrastructure.htm#/filter-on/Country:en-us
[Category: BizComputer Technology]
