Authorities in Vang Vieng have detained 23 people, most of them under the age of 18, during a raid targeting drug use at a local food and beverage establishment.
World-leading Experts to Name First Shaw Prize in Computer Science Winners
HONG KONG, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On 28 January, The Shaw Prize Foundation announced the establishment of The Shaw Prize in Computer Science, joining the existing prizes in Astronomy, Life Science and Medicine, and Mathematical Sciences.

The Selection Committee Members of The Shaw Prize in Computer Science come from diverse regions and possess comprehensive backgrounds, including Turing Award laureates, former university presidents, and senior leaders in the I&T and education sectors.
The inaugural Selection Committee, comprising world-leading experts, will select the first laureate(s). Nominations will open from September to November 2026, with the announcement scheduled for spring 2027.
Leading the committee is Professor Jennifer Chayes, Dean of the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society at UC Berkeley. She pointed to the committee’s diverse composition as a core strength: “Our committee brings together extraordinary expertise from around the globe, reflecting the international and interdisciplinary nature of computer science today. This diversity ensures a balanced, inclusive, and rigorous evaluation process.”
Professor Tony Chan, who chaired the Planning Committee that shaped the new prize, joins the Selection Committee as a member. A former President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, he hoped that The Shaw Prize “will lend its prestige and track record to recognize true outstanding contributions to computer science.”
Another former university president on the committee is Professor John L Hennessy, who served as President of Stanford University for 16 years and received the 2017 ACM A.M. Turing Award. “I hope The Shaw Prize,” he said, “brings deep recognition of the importance and intellectual depth of computer science as a field.”
The committee includes another three Turing Award laureates – Professors Jack Dongarra, Yann LeCun, and Joseph Sifakis. Professor Dongarra, a 2021 Turing awardee and currently Research Professor Emeritus at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, said it is a privilege to help define this new prize from the ground up: “I hope the Prize signals that bold, field-defining ideas—especially recent ones—are seen, valued, and celebrated by the global community.”
Professor Sifakis, a 2007 awardee and currently Emeritus CNRS Research Director at Verimag Laboratory, addressed the field’s deepest challenges: “The answer to the quest for intelligence lies in exploring mental phenomena and understanding how consciousness arose in living organisms.”
Professor LeCun, Executive Chairman at AMI Labs and Jacob T. Schwartz Professor of Computer Science at New York University, received the Turing Award in 2018. He served for many years as Chief AI Scientist at Meta.
“Computing is one of the most important human capabilities”, said Council Chairman of HKUST, Professor Harry Shum. He recognised the power of computer science: “We are reaching human intelligence level quickly. This is going to have unprecedented and profound impact to humanity, mostly beneficial, but not without many concerns.”
Concluding the perspectives, Professor Jeannette M Wing, Executive Vice President for Research and Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University, said: “It’s a tribute to computer science for The Shaw Prize Foundation to recognize our field and to honor those who have not only provided a scientific understanding of computation, but also developed technology that has transformed every aspect of our lives.”
74% of Asia Pacific Consumers Already Use AI to Shop, But Trust and Transparency Hold the Key to Checkout: Visa Survey
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- Findings from Visa’s State of Digital Commerce in Asia Pacific study, commissioned by Visa and conducted by YouGov, surveying 14,764 consumers across 14 markets.
SINGAPORE, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visa, a world leader in digital payments, today released new survey findings on the state of digital commerce in Asia Pacific, revealing that while consumers are increasingly using AI to shop, concerns over security and transparency are creating hesitation at the crucial moment of checkout.
With Asia Pacific’s rapid shift towards digital commerce and mobile-first shopping, the research shows that consumers are drawing a clear line between using AI to help them browse and trusting the same technology to handle their money and personal data. Demonstrating clearly how AI is used to spark discovery and securely handle payments is critical for consumers to feel confident using the technology to shop and pay.
“The way people shop is changing quickly, with AI now playing a growing role in how consumers discover and choose products,” said T.R. Ramachandran, Head of Products & Solutions, Asia Pacific at Visa. “But as AI becomes part of the checkout experience, trust and control become even more important. Consumers want to understand how their data is being used and feel confident that every transaction is secure. Building that trust is what will determine whether AI-powered commerce can truly scale.”
Affluent and digitally savvy consumers show higher levels of caution toward AI-enabled shopping
Consumers across Asia Pacific are increasingly relying on AI for the early stages of shopping, with 74% using AI-powered tools to discover, track or learn about products. Yet 26% remain unsure if AI recommendations fully align with their best interests, pointing to a desire for greater transparency and user control in AI-powered shopping.
The research also reveals that this caution is more pronounced among affluent households[1], where 39% express higher expectations around how their data is used, compared to 29% among lower-income groups. Digital-first markets such as Australia (38%), New Zealand (37%) and Singapore (34%) also show above-average caution.
These findings underscore the need for trusted frameworks in AI-driven commerce, an area where Visa is enabling businesses to connect consumers, AI agents and merchants through a secure, scalable trust layer supported by Visa Intelligent Commerce and the Trusted Agent Protocol.
AI powers discovery, but trust decides the checkout
While consumers are comfortable using AI to compare prices and better understand product features, this confidence fades as transactions become more personal. The study finds that 32% of consumers remain reluctant to share personal or payment information with AI systems, and nearly half (45%) say they would be more open to AI-powered or agentic commerce if they had stronger assurances around payment security.
These findings highlight that while AI can successfully drive discovery, secure authentication and trusted payment experiences are essential to convert interest into action to unlock the full lifecycle of AI-enabled commerce.
“Consumers are ready for AI to play a more active role in shopping, and agentic commerce has already started scaling beyond concept and into daily life,” added T.R. Ramachandran. “For this shift to accelerate, trust and secure authentication must be in place. With solutions such as Tokenisation and Visa Payment Passkeys, Visa is delivering the seamless and secure experiences customers need — enabling people to shop with greater confidence as AI becomes a more natural part of everyday commerce.”
Emerging markets show higher openness to AI-driven commerce
Openness to agentic commerce varies across Asia Pacific, revealing that digital maturity does not automatically translate into trust. India and Vietnam lead the region, with 42% of consumers in each market open to using AI for online purchases, indicating strong appetites to experiment with new ways of shopping.
In contrast, consumers in digitally mature economies show greater reservation towards AI-enabled online shopping, with 14% in Singapore, 14% in Japan and 16% in New Zealand expressing interest. This hesitancy reflects higher expectations for data protection, security and personal control before embracing agentic commerce. The study also finds that improved payment security is the strongest enabler of increased adoption in these markets, reinforcing the need for a secure and trusted agentic ecosystem.
About the State of Digital Commerce in Asia Pacific 2025 study
The State of Digital Commerce in Asia Pacific 2025 study was conducted by YouGov in September 2025. The study surveyed 14,764 consumers aged 18 years and above across 14 Asia Pacific markets.
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[1] For the purposes of this study, “affluent households” refer to respondents with a monthly household income of US$8,000 or above. |
About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.
Chinese New Year in Thailand: A National Celebration and a Regional Travel Magnet

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 February 2026 – As Asia-Pacific travel continues its strong rebound, Bangkok is reaffirming its status as one of the region’s most compelling cultural and retail destinations—particularly during the Chinese New Year season. In February 2026, Thailand’s capital will transform into a festive hub of heritage, gastronomy, and world-class shopping.

While Songkran marks Thailand’s traditional New Year, the Lunar New Year holds cultural significance across the country, shaped by generations of Thai-Chinese heritage. Each year, the festival drives one of Thailand’s most dynamic travel and consumption periods, attracting domestic and international visitors seeking meaningful cultural experiences alongside premium lifestyle offerings.
From 12–22 February 2026, The Mall Group—operator of flagship destinations including Siam Paragon, Emporium, EmQuartier, Emsphere, and The Mall Lifestore—will stage one of Southeast Asia’s largest Chinese New Year celebrations. Developed in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Ministry of Culture, and major global partners such as Trip.com, UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, and iQIYI, the campaign positions Bangkok as a regional gateway for festive travel, luxury retail, and cultural immersion.
Under the theme Joy, Luck, Love, the festival blends entertainment, tradition, and emotional connection. Highlights include an immersive collaboration with iQIYI, bringing a popular Chinese drama to life through experiential installations designed for today’s social and digital-first travelers. Cultural authenticity takes center stage with the installation of a Guan Yu Heavenly Temple replica, offering visitors an opportunity to engage with auspicious rituals rooted in centuries-old tradition.
Food and shopping remain central pillars of the celebration. Across The Mall Group’s destinations, visitors can explore more than 3,000 auspicious dishes curated from renowned restaurants and Michelin Bib Gourmand-listed establishments, reinforcing Bangkok’s reputation as a global culinary capital. At EM District, the Chinese Boulevard Food Market and Yunnan cultural showcases enhance the experience with regional flavors, crafts, and interactive workshops.
To encourage international travel, The Mall Group will launch exclusive tourist privileges from late January to early March 2026, including shopping rewards and cash incentives tailored for overseas visitors.
By combining cultural heritage, festive celebration, and premium retail, Joy Luck Love Chinese New Year 2026 positions Bangkok not only as a place to celebrate—but as a destination where culture, commerce, and travel converge, inviting Asia-Pacific travelers to begin the Lunar New Year in one of the region’s most dynamic cities.
Hashtag: #TheMallGroup #TheMallLifestore #JOYLUCKLOVE #ChineseNewYear2026 #BangkokShopping
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Guinness Malaysia reimagines Premier League matchdays with a football-themed stay built for watching matches after midnight
Football Matchday Isn’t Always in a Stadium – In Malaysia, It’s at the Guinness Clubhouse

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 February 2026 – In Malaysia, football fans are experiencing matchday a little differently this Premier League season. With kick-offs often taking place after midnight – sometimes as late as 1am or 3am – following a match has become a late-night commitment rather than a quick night out.

Introduced by Guinness, the official beer of the Premier League, Guinness Clubhouse is a football-themed experience created earlier this season to bring fans together around the rituals of matchday, not in a stadium or a pub, but in a shared, home-style setting designed for watching the game together when most places have closed.
Set to run through February 2026, Guinness Clubhouse reflects a broader shift in how football is experienced globally, particularly in countries where fans follow the game across time zones. Since its launch in November 2025, every weekend match night has been fully booked until February, highlighting strong demand for shared matchday experiences built around atmosphere, connection, and togetherness.
Inside Guinness Clubhouse
- Catch LIVE Premier League matches on a giant projector with surround sound recreating the atmosphere of a football stadium right in the living room. Perfect for those who live for the game.
- Share a bite or two from the fully stocked kitchen and pantry, featuring Guinness-infused snacks and match-night essentials, made for the ones who come for the snacks.
- Settle old scores upstairs in the Play Zone with foosball, table football, and the pool table, ideal for the friendly rivals in every group.
- End the night in comfort in Guinness and football-branded bedrooms that can house up to 20 guests, complete with a starter pack featuring Guinness Draught in a Can for those who want to stay on after the final whistle.
Redefining Matchday Culture
“Match nights are more than just about the beautiful game, they’re about the people, the banter, and a pint of Guinness that bring every kind of fan together,” said Joyce Lim, Marketing Manager at Guinness Malaysia. “We created Guinness Clubhouse as a space for different kinds of fans to come together, whether they’re here for the football, the food, or just the company, all over a shared love for Guinness, making every match night a Lovely Day for a Guinness.”
Hashtag: #guinnessclubhouse #GuinnessMY #ALovelyDayForGuinness
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Heineken Malaysia Berhad
HEINEKEN Malaysia is one of the leading brewers in the country with its portfolio of iconic international brands.
The Company brews, markets and distributes:
- The World’s No. 1 international premium beer Heineken®
- The World-acclaimed iconic Asian beer Tiger Beer
- The World’s No. 1 stout Guinness
- The premium wheat beer born in the Alps Edelweiss
- And many more. Visit
www.heinekenmalaysia.com for a full overview of our portfolio
HEINEKEN Malaysia advocates responsible consumption through its Enjoy Responsibly and When Your Drive, Never Drink campaigns. HEINEKEN Malaysia’s corporate responsibility initiatives are carried out by its corporate responsibility arm, SPARK Foundation, focusing on environment and community partnerships.
Listed on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market, the principal shareholder of HEINEKEN Malaysia is GAPL Pte Ltd headquartered in Singapore. GAPL Pte Ltd is 100% owned by Heineken N.V. For more information, please visit:
www.heinekenmalaysia.com.
Global Times: Feng Jicai: My thoughts on the ‘Bingwu’ Year of the Horse
BEIJING, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — I was born under the Chinese zodiac sign of the Horse, a sign that revisits me every 12 years in a cycle as constant as the seasons. The year 2026 is the seventh Year of the Horse that I have welcomed. Already, I hear the distinct and resonant sound of its hooves galloping closer from the far horizon.
My lifelong friend Han Meilin, a renowned Chinese artist, excels at painting horses. With each significant event in my life, he has always presented me a spirited and elegant horse portrait – using the horse as a metaphor for me – to express his heartfelt artistic sentiments.
The memory of my 80th birthday remains vivid to this day. Seized by a spontaneous call of passion, my friend Han painted 80 horses, each one entirely unique. When this artwork arrived in Tianjin by express delivery and was unrolled before my eyes, a breathtaking artistic panorama unfurled.
Within it, some steeds are depicted charging with fiery vigor, others soar as if taking flight; some reveal a grounded majesty, while others move with untamed elegance. Every expression stirred in me an emotion, a revelation, or an inspiration.
Twenty years ago, when the Feng Jicai Institute of Literature and Art of Tianjin University was established, Han gifted me a magnificent eight-foot ink-and-color painting titled Ben Ma (lit: Galloping Steed). Inscribed upon it was the renowned poem “Yong Yin Ma” (lit: Ode to the Drinking Steed) by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
I fathomed his painted message – he hoped I would pour my soul into a purpose greater than myself while achieving a meaningful career. Later, when I held a public-benefit painting exhibition at the Suzhou Museum to support the development of folk culture, he came all the way to Suzhou to support me. He also gifted me another horse painting titled Qiji Tu, which roughly translates to “Painting of a noble and exceptional steed.” Qiji is an elegant classical Chinese term referring to an exceptional, fleet-footed horse.
In 2025, when I completed the construction of a cultural museum at Tianjin University, he crafted a tall and majestic bronze sculpture titled Tian Ma (lit: Celestial Steed) and placed it at the museum’s entrance. Its base was designed as a slope, a quiet metaphor for his wish that I continue climbing upward, pausing neither my stride nor my journey across the vast skies.
I cherish his horses because they carry the profound heritage of Chinese culture. Within them, one traces the spirit of Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) and Tang Dynasty steeds, the brushwork of masters like Han Gan and Li Gonglin, and the earthy vitality of clay sculptures from Fengxiang district of Baoji, in Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province and Huaiyang district of Zhoukou, in Central China’s Henan Province. Yet the most vivid presence in every stroke remains Han himself.
His horses are all untamed and charge fearlessly forward. With bold sweeps of ink, he shapes the powerful bodies of the steeds. In a few expressive strokes, he captures the steeds’ strong backs and spines that bear great weight; following the brush’s momentum, he renders the manes and tails that seem to fly with passion; and with seemingly casual touches, he creates vigorous legs and swift hooves that slice through the wind… After over 40 years of friendship with him, I too have become one of the horses born from his brush.
From the horses he paints for me, I see his wishes for my health, for my perseverance, and his encouragement for my occasional successes – along with, of course, his generous and perhaps overly kind praise. The horse has become the most direct, intimate, and beautiful language between us.
Of course, my own stories with the horse are countless in their own right.
My Chinese zodiac sign is “Horse.” The character for my surname “Feng” is made up of the character for “horse” and the two brush stroke for “ice,” which is why colloquially the surname “Feng” is referred to as “two horses” in Chinese. The “Ji” in my given name “Jicai” also incorporates the character for horse.
Altogether that’s four horses, a number which later happened to align perfectly with the four main endeavors of my life: painting, literature, cultural heritage preservation, and education, earning me the nickname “The Carriage Drawn by Four Horses.”
Now that I am older, my passion for these pursuits remains undiminished, and I find myself unable to abandon any of them. With many ideas still left unrealized, I continue to drive all four forward in tandem. This year, in particular, brings me special joy as it is once again the Year of the Horse. The spirit of the horse – its vitality, tenacity, and relentless drive – are qualities I have always cherished. And of course, they are qualities our Chinese nation has treasured since ancient times.
We absorb the spirit of the horse into our very being. And so, at this very moment, we raise our arms high, wave our hands, and welcome the Horse of the Bingwu year. Then, with a steadying hand on the saddle, we leap onto its back, give it free rein, and gallop forth, embracing this Year of the Horse in all its courage, its boundless energy, and the exhilarating promise of a thousand-mile journey beneath the sun.
The author Feng Jicai is a renowned Chinese writer.
DeskIn Redefines Remote Desktop for Families: Bridging Distances with One Click, Delivering Boundless Care
SINGAPORE, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DeskIn, the flagship remote access software from Zuler Technology Pte. Ltd, is designed to make everyday family support simple, secure, and stress-free.
DeskIn helps families remotely: from troubleshooting seniors’ phones to sharing screens, tutoring homework, and managing kids’ device usage.
For families living apart, helping loved ones with technology can be frustrating. Traditional remote access tools often suffer from laggy controls, pixelated screens, and complicated set ups, making tasks like guiding parents with technology, tutoring children, or sharing photos feel frustrating rather than meaningful. With a single click, DeskIn turns any device into a smooth, intuitive bridge for seamless family support across distances.
Key Scenarios for Families
- Elderly Tech Support: Guide parents through device issues with clear visuals, remote control, and voice chat.
- Screen Sharing App: Browse photo albums or watch videos together in high definition, as if you’re side-by-side.
- Remote Learning and Tutoring: Help with kid’s homework or teach new skills through live screen sharing, audio chat, and annotation.
- Repurpose Old Devices: Turn unused phones into security cameras to check in on loved ones or pets.
- Parental Control Assistance: Manage minors’ screen time and web access.
DeskIn’s Core Technical Advantages
DeskIn supports cross-platform remote control and delivers a comprehensive, engaging, and secure experience.
- Crystal-Clear Visuals: Lossless 4:4:4 color and up to 4K streaming.
- Real-Time Control: Input under 40ms latency.
- Complete Features: Integrated voice calls, screen annotation, high-speed file transfer, and remote camera access.
- Root-free Android Control: Operates family Android devices remotely without rooting.
Secured Remote Access Built for Families
- Secure Connections: Set up dedicated whitelists and secure passwords for devices.
- Instant Privacy Protection: One click to enable privacy screen and auto-lock screen to safeguard family privacy.
- Bank-grade Encryption: Utilizes end-to-end AES-256 encryption.
- Permission Management: You can control the remote party’s access to the camera, microphone, or files at any time.
DeskIn Plan Promotion
Until February 28, 2026, subscribe to any DeskIn personal annual plan with the promo code [FAMILY26] to enjoy a 20% discount.
No matter where you are, let DeskIn bridge care and support for you and your family in one click.
About DeskIn
Installed on over 180 million devices and serving 40 million+ users, DeskIn leverages its proprietary ZeroSync® engine to deliver a superior remote access experience – so anyone can share, create, play, and work seamlessly.
For more information, visit: https://deskin.io/
Media Contact:
Wyncy Tan
Marketing Lead
Zuler Technology Pte. Ltd.
support@deskin.io
Registration Opens for the 21st ALUMINIUM CHINA: Driving the Non-Ferrous Metals Industry into a New Era
SHANGHAI, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visitor registration has officially opened for the 21st ALUMINIUM CHINA, one of Asia’s leading trade events for the non-ferrous metals industry, scheduled for July 8–10, 2026, at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC).
Set against a backdrop of global manufacturing restructuring and accelerating low-carbon transition, ALUMINIUM CHINA 2026 will introduce a series of strategic upgrades aimed at supporting the aluminium and broader non-ferrous metals sector as it adapts to new market demands. This year’s trade show will focus on cross-industry integration, intelligent manufacturing, and sustainable development, reflecting structural shifts in global supply chains.
Responding to Structural Changes in the Aluminium Market
The aluminium industry is entering a period of rapid transformation driven by the continued expansion of new energy vehicles (NEVs), the emergence of low-altitude aviation and humanoid robotics, and ongoing advances in material substitution and processing technologies. These trends are reshaping demand for lightweight, high-performance and low-carbon materials, significantly expanding the application scope of aluminium and related metals.
Building on more than two decades of industry development, ALUMINIUM CHINA 2026 aims to serve as a high-level international platform connecting producers, processors, equipment suppliers, and end users across the entire non-ferrous metals value chain.
Five Concurrent Trade Shows Under One Roof
A key highlight of the 2026 edition is the adoption of a “Five Concurrent Trade Shows” format. In addition to ALUMINIUM CHINA, the event will be held alongside Lightweight Asia 2026, Copper China 2026, Magnesium China 2026, and the 2026 Shanghai International Metal Recycling Expo.
The integrated format is designed to address growing demand for diversified materials and system-level solutions across industries such as automotive, electronics, energy, and advanced manufacturing.
The combined exhibition will feature:
- 60,000 square meters of exhibition space
- More than 650 exhibitors from around the world
- Over 35,000 professional visitors, including 4,000+ international attendees
The one-stop platform is expected to improve sourcing efficiency and promote collaboration across aluminium, copper, magnesium, and recycling sectors.
Structured Hall Layout Highlights Materials, Equipment and Global Technologies
To enhance professional engagement, ALUMINIUM CHINA 2026 will adopt a precisely segmented hall layout, focusing on three core areas.
The Materials Hall will showcase innovations spanning primary aluminium, alloys, and high-end fabricated products, with a particular emphasis on applications for NEVs, packaging, consumer electronics, low-altitude economy, and robotics. Exhibits will highlight performance enhancement, lightweight design, and advanced material solutions.
The Equipment Hall will focus on technologies enabling digitalization and intelligent manufacturing. Exhibitors will present integrated solutions covering aluminium processing, automation, and smart production systems aimed at improving efficiency, quality, and sustainability.
The International Hall will bring together leading global technology providers and manufacturers, offering a platform for international exchange, technology showcase, and cooperation. The hall is positioned as a bridge between China’s non-ferrous metals industry and global markets.
Platform for Global Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange
By combining multiple trade shows with targeted hall segmentation, ALUMINIUM CHINA 2026 seeks to create a high-density, professionally curated environment for technical exchange, business matchmaking, and strategic dialogue. The event will play a key role in supporting the industry’s transition toward high-end, low-carbon and intelligent development models.
Visitor Registration Now Open
Online visitor pre-registration for ALUMINIUM CHINA 2026 is now open. Complete registration via the official link: https://reed.infosalons.com.cn/reg/ALU26/web/#/en/login before June 30, 2026 to receive an e-badge and waiver of the USD 15 on-site entry fee.
Industry professionals from around the world are expected to gather in Shanghai this July to explore emerging technologies, market trends, and collaboration opportunities shaping the future of the global non-ferrous metals industry.




