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International Street Work Conference 2026 Concludes Following Hong Kong Debut

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Delegates from 40 Countries and Regions Discuss Emerging Youth Challenges and Strengthen Cross-Sector Collaboration


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 November 2026 – The International Street Work Conference 2026 concluded on 8 November at Saint Francis University, marking the first time the international conference was held in Hong Kong. Jointly organised by the Children and Youth Research Centre of Saint Francis University and Hong Kong Playground Association, the conference brought together representatives from 40 countries and regions across five continents, representing more than 80 international and local organisations. More than 400 academics, experts, frontline youth workers and social workers from places including Albania, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Greece, India, Portugal, Senegal, Singapore, Spain and Vietnam attended the event.

Mr Edward To Wing-hang, JP, Director of Social Welfare (third from left); Mr Edwin DE BOEVÉ, Director of Dynamo International – Street Workers Network (fifth from left); Mr Arthur Li, Chairman of Hong Kong Playground Association (fourth from left); Professor Lui Tai-lok, Research Professor of Felizberta Lo Padilla Tong School of Social Sciences at Saint Francis University (second from left); Professor Francis Lo Tit-wing, Co-chairman of the Organising Committee of the International Street Work Conference 2026 and Vice President (Research and Innovation) of Tung Wah College (sixth from left); and Dr Wan Lap-man, Co-chairman of the Organising Committee and Executive Director of Hong Kong Playground Association (first from left), officiated at the opening ceremony of the International Street Work Conference 2026.
Mr Edward To Wing-hang, JP, Director of Social Welfare (third from left); Mr Edwin DE BOEVÉ, Director of Dynamo International – Street Workers Network (fifth from left); Mr Arthur Li, Chairman of Hong Kong Playground Association (fourth from left); Professor Lui Tai-lok, Research Professor of Felizberta Lo Padilla Tong School of Social Sciences at Saint Francis University (second from left); Professor Francis Lo Tit-wing, Co-chairman of the Organising Committee of the International Street Work Conference 2026 and Vice President (Research and Innovation) of Tung Wah College (sixth from left); and Dr Wan Lap-man, Co-chairman of the Organising Committee and Executive Director of Hong Kong Playground Association (first from left), officiated at the opening ceremony of the International Street Work Conference 2026.

Through keynote presentations, research sharing and international exchanges, the conference focused on six key areas affecting young people: mental health, digital safety, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, career development & employment, and street work. Participants explored the challenges facing youth services worldwide and discussed directions for future development.

The opening ceremony was held on 7 November, officiated by Mr Edward To Wing-hang, JP, Director of Social Welfare of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr Edwin DE BOEVÉ, Director of Dynamo International – Street Workers Network; Mr Arthur Li, Chairman of Hong Kong Playground Association; Professor Lui Tai-lok, Research Professor of Felizberta Lo Padilla Tong School of Social Sciences at Saint Francis University; Professor Francis Lo Tit-wing, Co-chairman of the Organising Committee of the International Street Work Conference 2026 and Vice President (Research and Innovation) of Tung Wah College; and Dr Wan Lap-man, Co-chairman of the Organising Committee and Executive Director of Hong Kong Playground Association.

Mr Edwin DE BOEVÉ, Director of Dynamo International – Street Workers Network, said, “We organise an international conference every two years to provide street workers with opportunities for in-depth exchanges. We are grateful to Hong Kong for hosting this year’s conference and for the thoughtful arrangements and opportunities to engage with local communities, which contributed to the smooth running of the event. We are also delighted to welcome Singapore as a new member and hope to see our network continue to grow.”

Professor Lui Tai-lok, Research Professor of Felizberta Lo Padilla Tong School of Social Sciences at Saint Francis University, said, “As one of Hong Kong’s universities of applied sciences, Saint Francis University is committed to building strong partnerships with different industries and communities, combining professional training with academic excellence. This conference is a successful example of that commitment in action.”

Professor Francis Lo Tit-wing, Co-chairman of the Organising Committee of the International Street Work Conference 2026 and Vice President (Research and Innovation) of Tung Wah College, said, “In 1979, the Hong Kong Government established the direction and status of outreaching social work services for young people. At that time, there were 18 daytime outreaching social work teams across Hong Kong, with 180 outreach social workers serving different communities. Today, the sector has developed to a stage where professionals can collaborate with counterparts around the world. It is encouraging to see so many people gathered here today to share their experiences.”

Dr Wan Lap-man, Co-chairman of the Organising Committee of the International Street Work Conference 2026 and Executive Director of Hong Kong Playground Association, said, “Street work is not simply about reaching out to young people on the streets. More importantly, it is about building trust, walking alongside them, and bringing them hope and the prospect of a better future. We would like to thank the Social Welfare Department and 18 local organisations for their support in making this two-day conference and its accompanying activities possible.”

Collaborative Asia-Pacific Study of 1,116 Children and Young People Reveals Mental Well-being and Digital Safety Challenges

At the keynote presentation titled Hidden Risks, Visible Needs: Mental Wellness and Digital Safety in Asia-Pacific Street Youth Populations, Dr Wan Lap-man, Co-chairman of the Conference Organising Committee and Executive Director of Hong Kong Playground Association, and his research team shared findings from a study covering six countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific.

The study collected data from 1,116 young people in Hong Kong, Australia, India, Nepal, the Philippines and Timor-Leste. It examined the living conditions and potential needs of young people experiencing street involvement and other forms of vulnerability, focusing on mental well-being, resilience, emotional distress, street survival risks and digital safety. The findings provide an evidence-based reference for frontline youth support services and intervention strategies.

The study found that resilience is an important factor closely associated with young people’s mental well-being. After controlling for factors including age, gender and country or region, the data showed that every one-point increase in resilience was associated with an average increase of 5.41 points in the mental well-being index. The statistical model also explained nearly 48% of the variation in mental well-being. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening support networks, fostering relationships with trusted adults and promoting community connections to help young people build resilience.

Living conditions were also found to be closely associated with young people’s psychological well-being. Among the street-involved and vulnerable young people surveyed, those living in formal shelters generally reported better psychological well-being, lower levels of emotional distress and stronger resilience. Their psychological well-being scores were, on average, approximately 17.6 points higher than those of young people living in other settings. This suggests a close relationship between safe, supportive living environments and young people’s psychological well-being.

In contrast, young people staying temporarily with friends reported lower levels of psychological well-being and resilience, as well as higher levels of emotional distress. This highlights the often-overlooked needs of young people experiencing hidden homelessness and underscores the importance of extending youth services beyond those who are visibly homeless on the streets.

In terms of digital safety, the study identified a strong positive correlation between street survival risks and digital safety risks (r = 0.619). Street survival risks included hunger, the lack of a safe place to sleep, exposure to violence or control, and making high-risk choices to survive. This suggests that young people facing greater risks in their everyday lives also tend to face greater threats to their safety online.

The study also found that young people of different genders faced different challenges. Female participants reported lower levels of mental well-being and resilience, alongside higher levels of emotional distress. Male participants, meanwhile, recorded higher overall scores for street survival risks. These findings highlight the need for youth support services to adopt tailored strategies that address the circumstances and needs of different groups.

Of particular concern, nearly one-third (31.15%) of young people experiencing severe emotional distress reported current suicidal thoughts, highlighting the importance of early risk identification, timely psychological support and effective referral mechanisms.

Conference Sessions Explore Drug Trends and Social Networks Among Street-Connected Youth

Over the two-day conference, nearly 40 presentations and workshops explored challenges facing street-connected young people, covering international policy, youth social networks, juvenile offending and drug-related issues.

Mr Edwin DE BOEVÉ, Director of Dynamo International – Street Workers Network, delivered a presentation titled Social Street Work on the International Agenda, sharing insights into the development and positioning of social street work on the international agenda. He also explored how international networks can work together to support young people and vulnerable communities.

Professor Jessica Li Chi-mei, Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, presented a study titled Risk Perception and Reward Expectancy in the Illicit Use of Etomidate Among Young People in Hong Kong: A Qualitative Study. The presentation examined how young people in Hong Kong perceive the illicit use of etomidate, commonly known as “space oil”, including their understanding of the associated risks and the considerations behind its use. The study aimed to deepen understanding of why young people are exposed to and use space oil, providing insights for related prevention education and support services.

Another presentation, The Science of Lepaking, explored how street-connected young people in Singapore chose their companions and formed group relationships known as “street families” before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, gaining a sense of belonging and protection through these connections. The research team conducted in-depth recorded interviews with young people and invited outreach social workers from local youth service organisations to participate in discussions. The study explored the factors influencing young people’s choice of companions, including gender differences, providing insights for the development of more targeted street outreach strategies.

Other presentations also explored the role of social work in preventing and addressing juvenile offending, with participants sharing practical experiences and approaches to supporting young people in different regions.

HKPA Showcases Innovative Digital Support and Street Music Initiatives to Engage Hidden Youth

In addition to keynote presentations and research exchanges, Hong Kong Playground Association shared its practical experience in local youth services. These included the “FEEL3 Youth at Cyber Risk Support Service”, which helps young people respond to cyberbullying and online crises, and the “Make Some Voice” Street Music Project, which uses music and creative activities to engage hidden youth who may be less likely to actively seek help, while establishing channels for trust and communication.

The conference also arranged visits for overseas delegates to local service organisations, including first-hand observations of night-time youth outreach services. Through these visits, delegates gained a better understanding of the daily operations and service models of frontline youth work in Hong Kong, exchanged experiences with local practitioners and explored opportunities for mutual learning and collaboration across regions.

Through two days of international exchanges, the International Street Work Conference 2026 successfully connected researchers, policymakers and frontline youth workers from different countries and regions, highlighting the important role of street work in responding to the challenges facing young people today.

The organisers hope that the conference will help establish closer international partnerships and promote continued knowledge exchange and service innovation. Youth services should not focus solely on addressing risks, but also place emphasis on building trust, strengthening support networks and enhancing resilience, enabling children and young people to grow up in safe and supportive environments.

Hashtag: #InternationalStreetWorkConference2026 #ISWC2026 #StreetWork

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About the International Street Work Conference 2026

The Street Workers Network is a social movement led by street workers. Guided by a strong sense of civic responsibility, its members are committed to upholding human rights, combating inequality and promoting social justice to support the most vulnerable groups, particularly those living in street situations.

The Network brings together 57 national platforms, representing more than 1,600 organisations and 10,000 street workers across Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Through the continuous enhancement of its organisational structure and operational framework, the Network has progressively built a genuine and influential global solidarity network, enabling street workers to advance their professional development and strengthen mutual support and collaboration in serving marginalised communities.

The International Street Work Conference is held biennially in different regions around the world. In 2026, the conference was held in Hong Kong, China for the first time. It was jointly organised by the Children and Youth Research Centre (CYRC) of Saint Francis University and Hong Kong Playground Association.

This year’s Conference brought together over 400 participants from more than 80 organisations across 40 countries and regions spanning five continents, providing an international platform for professional exchange and collaboration in youth services.

Through keynote speeches, thematic discussions and interactive workshops, the Conference explored six key areas: mental well-being, digital safety, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, career development and employment, and street outreach work. Participants shared frontline service experiences, research findings and innovative intervention strategies, while exploring service approaches to address the needs of young people and marginalised communities and strengthening collaboration between international and local youth service networks.

For more information, please visit:

About Children and Youth Research Centre of Saint Francis University

Established in January 2024, the Children and Youth Research Centre (CYRC) is funded by the Competitive Research Funding Schemes (UGC/IDS(R)11/23) for the Local Self-Financing Degree Sector of Research Grants Council in Hong Kong.

The CYRC aims to improve the wellbeing of children and youth in Hong Kong by addressing the complex needs and challenges they face in a rapidly evolving economic, cultural, and social environment through conducting scientific research, facilitating cost-effective service programmes, and informing policy decisions.

Saint Francis University (SFU), formerly known as Caritas Institute of Higher Education and originally established as Caritas Francis Hsu College, has a history of more than 40 years in higher education. In 2024, the institution was officially granted university status and became a University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in the same year.

As a pioneer among Hong Kong’s Universities of Applied Sciences, SFU integrates theory with practice and offers more than 40 programmes at different levels, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Its programmes cover a wide range of professional disciplines, including health sciences, social sciences, techno-humanities, and business administration. The University is committed to nurturing a new generation of talent equipped with professional knowledge and a spirit of lifelong learning.

About Hong Kong Playground Association

Established in 1933, Hong Kong Playground Association is a long-time non-governmental organisation providing social services to children and young people in Hong Kong.

The Association’s services are organised under “Central Administration & Corporate Communication Division”, “Social Work Division” and “Culture, Sports & Arts Division”. Service units are located across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and outlying islands.

Through a diverse range of services, HKPA is committed to nurturing the balanced physical, intellectual, moral, social and aesthetic development of young people, helping them grow into the next generation of contributors to Hong Kong society.

The 27th China International Education Annual Conference held a cloud dialogue, where Yin Yuzhen and Saikaos discussed the exchange of folk ecological education

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BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 November 2026 – The 27th China Annual Conference & Expo for International Education (CACIE) hosted a “CACIE Talk” session in Beijing on October 30, where Yin Yuzhen, a Chinese anti-desertification pioneer, Bai Fan, head of the Luoyang No. 2 Foreign Language School Education Group, and their American friend Sakolsky, whose full name is Ronald Sakolsky, reconnected via video link. The brief conversation added a new footnote to a cross-border green story now spanning 26 years.

In the video link, Sakolsky said he had launched preparations on October 1 to establish the Sakolsky Foundation. He plans to work with the China Education Association for International Exchange to build a platform for exchanges between Chinese and American teachers and students, using people-to-people exchanges to bridge cultural divides. Communication and understanding, he said, are important bridges to a peaceful future for young people in the global village we all share. Bai Fan also noted that face-to-face cross-border educational exchanges can help young people learn tolerance and respect, and see a real, multi-dimensional China. Yin Yuzhen responded with a simple observation that resonated with the audience: planting trees and nurturing people both come down to perseverance.

On August 24th, after 26 years, 'Saikai Si' returned to the Maowusu Desert and planted saplings again with Yin Yuzhen and her husband. After planting trees with Yin Yuzhen (left), 'Saikai Si' sniffed the saplings.
On August 24th, after 26 years, ‘Saikai Si’ returned to the Maowusu Desert and planted saplings again with Yin Yuzhen and her husband. After planting trees with Yin Yuzhen (left), ‘Saikai Si’ sniffed the saplings.

The friendship had its origins in the Maowusu Sandy Land. In 1999, Sakolsky, then teaching in Luoyang, was moved by Yin Yuzhen’s story of taking root in the desert to control desertification, and raised $5,000 himself to support her afforestation efforts. Yin invested the entire sum in the sandy land, planted some 50,000 saplings, erected a stone marker bearing her friend’s name, and kept one dollar as a memento.

The two then lost touch for more than two decades. Yin kept up her sand-control work day after day while thinking of her friend far away. In May 2026, she posted a video appeal to find him and located Sakolsky within 26 hours. In August that year, the two met in person in Ordos and walked together into the forest that now stands there.

For more than four decades, Yin Yuzhen and her husband have remained committed to the Maowusu, bringing a total of 70,000 mu (about 4,667 hectares) of barren sand under control. The shifting dunes that once rolled with yellow dust have gradually become woodland and pasture. Today, 85 percent of the Maowusu Sandy Land in Uxin Banner has been treated, and the transformation of this sandy expanse is regarded as a model case in reversing land degradation worldwide. Over the years, the area has continued to attract volunteers from many countries to take part in desertification control, and people-to-people cooperation on environmental protection has continued to grow.

On October 16, in Rome, Italy, Yin Yuzhen (right), a Chinese desert control expert, national model worker, and one of the '100 Female Heroes of the Food and Agriculture System and Rural Development' by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, participated in the 'World Food Day' celebration with her American friend, Saikosi.
On October 16, in Rome, Italy, Yin Yuzhen (right), a Chinese desert control expert, national model worker, and one of the ‘100 Female Heroes of the Food and Agriculture System and Rural Development’ by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, participated in the ‘World Food Day’ celebration with her American friend, Saikosi.

The goodwill that began with sand control has long gone beyond a single stretch of sandy land. On October 15 this year, Yin Yuzhen was named one of the inaugural “100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development” at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome. There she joined Sakolsky and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu in planting a crape myrtle as a symbol of friendship, sharing China’s experience in desertification control on the international stage. Windblown sand respects no borders, and a shared commitment to ecological conservation has carried the story of two ordinary people out of the desert and onto the international multilateral platform.

The thread of people-to-people friendship clearly runs from the saplings in the Maowusu to the crape myrtle as a mark of friendship in Rome, and now to the conversation in Beijing about exchanges among young people. Sakolsky’s plan to establish the foundation is meant to carry forward the goodwill that began in the desert: starting from an ecological commitment, using educational exchange as a bond, and helping more young people build connections and pass on the power of goodness and beauty.

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Huawei Launches LUTERRA® S2, Redefining the Future of Residential Energy Systems with Three Ultimate Innovations

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PALMA, SPAIN – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 November 2026 – Huawei announced the launch of HUAWEI LUTERRA S2, an all-in-one residential energy system that integrates a hybrid inverter, storage, and AI-powered energy management in one stackable unit. Designed for easy deployment, LUTERRA S2 can be installed and commissioned in minutes. Available in single-phase (3-10 kW) and three-phase (5- 20 kW) configurations, LUTERRA S2 is the industry’s first all-in-one residential energy system built on Huawei’s proprietary full-SiC (silicon carbide) architecture, delivering exceptional efficiency, power density, and reliability.

HUAWEI LUTERRA S2
HUAWEI LUTERRA S2

“We are thrilled to introduce HUAWEI LUTERRA S2, our next-generation all-in-one residential energy system,” said Steve Zhang, President of Huawei Distributed PV & BESS Business. “By combining full-SiC architecture, AI-driven energy management, and industry-leading safety, LUTERRA S2 is designed to be smaller, lighter, quieter, safer, smarter and more powerful than ever before.”

Steve Zhang delivering the speech
Steve Zhang delivering the speech

As solar, storage, EV charging, and home energy management continue to converge, homeowners are looking for solutions that go beyond power and capacity to deliver greater intelligence, efficiency, and safety.

To meet these evolving needs, Huawei introduces HUAWEI LUTERRA S2, a breakthrough residential energy system built on three defining pillars: Ultimate Experience, Ultimate Intelligence, and Ultimate Safety.

Ultimate Experience: From Core Technology to Everyday Experience

LUTERRA S2 combines high power density and compact design, delivering 20 kW-class power in a streamlined form factor. Powered by Huawei’s proprietary full-SiC architecture and ANPC topology, it achieves up to 99% efficiency. Built-in energy optimizers enable up to 5.0 MWh/kWh of lifetime usable energy and a design lifespan of more than 15 years.

Beyond technical performance, LUTERRA S2 is designed to integrate naturally into modern homes. Its art-inspired design, Red Dot Award-winning hardware, App 3.0, and intelligent breathing light create a seamless blend of technology and lifestyle.

The industry’s first 20 kW-class all-natural cooling design eliminates the need for external fans and maintains operating noise below 29 dB.

Ultimate Intelligence: From Automation to Active Decision-Making

Through the AI Energy Management 2.0 platform, LUTERRA S2 brings intelligence to energy planning, operation, and value optimization.

By integrating weather forecasts, electricity prices, household loads, and energy status, the platform intelligently coordinates photovoltaic systems, energy storage, EV charging, heat pumps, and virtual power plants (VPPs). This coordination maximizes the value of every kilowatt-hour generated, stored, and consumed.

For homeowners, the AI Assistant turns complex energy management into simple, conversational interactions, enabling users to make informed energy decisions with ease. For installers, AI 3D modeling simplifies planning and design by identifying roof structures and installation environments. AI-powered diagnostics and remote support further enhance operation and maintenance efficiency.

Ultimate Safety: From Cell-Level Protection to End-to-End Safety

Safety is built into every layer of LUTERRA S2, from battery cells to system-level operations.

Each battery cell incorporates an independent protective isolation structure, supported by Huawei-developed safety components and localized non-propagation design to help contain thermal risks. An intelligent smoke-duct design enables directional pressure relief, smoke evacuation, and cooling, while continuous AC and DC terminal temperature detecting provides proactive detection and protection of critical connections.

LUTERRA S2 has been validated against relevant EU Battery Regulation requirements and complies with key international standards, including IEC 63027 AFCI. It has also undergone TÜV Rheinland safety testing, including a cell thermal runaway test, a 20-minute fire test at 1,000°C, and a 20% hydrogen explosion test, as well as UL 9540A validation.LUTERRA S2 has received the highest-level Safety Mark certification from TÜV Rheinland, backed by the industry’s first cell-level thermal insulation design, safety venting design, and full-link terminal over-temperature protection.

Leading the Future of Residential Energy Systems

More than an energy storage system, LUTERRA S2 connects intelligent technology, enhanced quality of life, and sustainable living. Huawei is setting a new benchmark for next-generation residential energy and accelerating the transition toward a smarter, more sustainable future.

Technical highlights:

Inverter Up to 3 inverters in parallel, 60kW (20*3) max
Battery Up to 48 packs in parallel, 336kWh (4*4*3*7) max
Efficiency Maximum efficiency of 99%
Backup Switchover under 10 ms; up to 20 kW off-grid load
Cooling and noise Fanless natural cooling; below 29 dB
Operating range –25°C to +60°C; IP66; up to C5-M corrosion protection
Connectivity EEBUS, SG-Ready, OCPP, Modbus-TCP
Safety validation TÜV Rheinland testing; UL 9540A; AFCI to IEC 63027

More information is available at https://solar.huawei.com/en/products/luterra-s2-xl-xm/

Hashtag: #Huawei

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Ayam Brand™ Nurtures Healthier Futures with #AyamBersamaMu: Bekal Sihat Masa Depan

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The CSR initiative promotes healthier habits among school children through nutrition education, practical food skills, and sustainability, alongside nationwide food donations to orphanages and welfare homes

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 November 2026 – Ayam Brand™, a household name with over 130 years of heritage, has recently completed its #AyamBersamaMu: Bekal Sihat Masa Depan CSR initiative, reaching 10 primary schools across 10 states in Peninsular Malaysia while supporting over 700 beneficiaries through food donations to 20 orphanages and welfare homes nationwide.

Ayam Brand™ has recently completed its #AyamBersamaMu: Bekal Sihat Masa Depan CSR initiative, reflecting the brand's continued commitment to making nutritious food more accessible, encouraging sustainable habits among younger generations and supporting communities in need.
Ayam Brand™ has recently completed its #AyamBersamaMu: Bekal Sihat Masa Depan CSR initiative, reflecting the brand’s continued commitment to making nutritious food more accessible, encouraging sustainable habits among younger generations and supporting communities in need.

The school-based programme combines nutrition education, hands-on meal preparation, and sustainability activities to help students develop healthier eating habits and a better understanding of environmental responsibility. Through these activities, students gained practical knowledge and skills to make more informed choices in their everyday lives. Together with its nationwide food donation initiative, #AyamBersamaMu reflects Ayam Brand™’s continued commitment to making nutritious food more accessible, encouraging sustainable habits among younger generations and supporting communities in need.

Learning and Practicing the Foundations of Healthy Eating
The programme featured an interactive Ayam Brand Nutrition Health Talk led by Puan Shazwani binti Magini from the Jabatan Kesihatan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya, introduced students to balanced eating, food groups, and portioning through the familiar “Suku-Suku Separuh” concept promoted by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. Students learnt about key nutrients found in Ayam Brand™ products, such as protein and Omega-3, and their roles in supporting growth and overall wellbeing.

Students then put their learning into practice during their Kemahiran Hidup classes, preparing simple, nutritious meals such as Pulled Chicken sandwiches, wraps and Teriyaki Pulled Chicken rice bowls using Ayam Brand™ products.

Ayam Brand™ team bringing Kebun Ayam Brand to life through gardening, creative upcycling, and interaction with students and school representatives.
Ayam Brand™ team bringing Kebun Ayam Brand to life through gardening, creative upcycling, and interaction with students and school representatives.

Giving Everyday Cans a New Life
The learning journey continued through Kebun Ayam Brand, where students worked with their schools’ Kelab Kelestarian or Kelab Alam Sekitar to repurpose Ayam Brand™ cans and other recyclable materials into creative additions to their school gardens. Through the Kebun Ayam Brand contest, students learnt about upcycling, waste reduction, and environmental responsibility while developing their creativity and teamwork. The initiative reflects Ayam Brand™’s ongoing commitment to encouraging sustainable habits among younger generations and supporting communities in need.

“At Ayam Brand™, we believe that nurturing healthier futures goes beyond providing nutritious food. Through #AyamBersamaMu: Bekal Sihat Masa Depan, we hope to make learning about nutrition, food preparation and sustainability meaningful and enjoyable, while encouraging healthy habits that stay with children as they grow,” says Teoh Wei Ling, Marketing Director, Ayam Brand™.
Extending the Impact Beyond Schools
Beyond the school programme, Ayam Brand™ has also completed its nationwide food donation initiative, reaching more than 700 beneficiaries from 20 orphanages and welfare homes across Malaysia. The initiative reflects the brand’s continued commitment to supporting underprivileged communities by helping make nutritious and convenient food more accessible.

With all 10 school activations completed and food donations delivered to 20 orphanages and welfare homes nationwide, #AyamBersamaMu: Bekal Sihat Masa Depan brings together education, practical skills, sustainability and community support. Through these efforts, Ayam Brand™ continues to contribute towards healthier communities today while nurturing better habits for generations to come.

Hashtag: #AyamBrand




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About Ayam Brand

Ayam Brand™, a 134-year-old Malayan heritage brand famed for its wide range of quality, preservative-free, no added MSG, healthy, convenient and Halal certified canned food. Ayam Brand™ products are manufactured in state-of-the-art facilities that meet the highest international standards with worldwide-recognized certifications (HACCP, ISO 9001). All Ayam Brand™ products are on the JAKIM (Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia) whitelist of Trusted Halal Food Brand. Ayam Brand™ has been ranked in the Top 10 as Malaysia’s most chosen FMCG brands, according to Kantar Malaysia Brand Footprint Study 2024.
For more information on Ayam Brand™, please visit or join

Lead Intelligent Shares Digital Manufacturing Insights at Battery Production Days 2026, Helping European Gigafactories Drive Sustainable Profitability

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AACHEN, Germany, Nov. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The second Battery Production Days 2026 brought together industry leaders, leading research institutions and experts in economic and industrial policy in Aachen, Germany. Co-organised by RWTH Aachen University and battery research institutes within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the event provided a platform for discussing the latest developments and challenges in battery manufacturing.

At the event, a technical expert from Lead Intelligent delivered a keynote presentation entitled Perspectives on Digitalization from a Manufacturing Solution Provider: How Physics-Informed AI and Predictive Maintenance Can Stabilize Battery Production. The presentation examined how physics-informed AI and predictive maintenance can improve equipment reliability, minimise unplanned downtime and support more stable battery manufacturing operations.

From Capacity Expansion to Operational Excellence: Digitalization Becomes the Next Competitive Frontier

Europe’s battery industry is navigating a period of structural adjustment. Manufacturers face mounting economic pressure during production ramp-up, while some projects have been delayed or forced to undergo restructuring. As highlighted by the event organizers, true competitiveness is not determined by laboratory-scale achievements, but by a factory’s ability to achieve shorter cycle times, lower NG rates and highly automated mass production capacity.

As the industry moves towards more refined operations, the ability to maintain stable, efficient production while achieving economies of scale is becoming a decisive factor in long-term competitiveness.

In response, Europe’s battery industry is shifting its focus beyond capacity expansion towards building more resilient manufacturing operations. Participants at the conference shared a common view: artificial intelligence, digital process monitoring and advanced simulation technologies are becoming essential tools for addressing production ramp-up challenges, improving yield rate and enabling more flexible manufacturing.

This is also where Lead Intelligent has been building its expertise through years of practical experience in digital manufacturing.

Cost-Efficient Deployment, Long-Term Value: Predictive Maintenance for TWh-Scale Manufacturing

During the keynote, Lead Intelligent’s technical expert emphasised that installing production equipment is only the first step. The real challenge lies in maintaining long-term operational stability and high equipment availability – both essential to overcoming production ramp-up challenges and achieving economies of scale.

Consider a lithium-ion battery factory with a production capacity of 20 GWh across six production lines. Every hour of unplanned downtime on a single line can result in more than €25,000 in direct losses. Meanwhile, assembly lines involve more than 100 types of high-frequency faulty components across different machines, with complex faults often taking over two hours to repair on average.

These challenges are further compounded by gaps in engineering expertise and the difficulty of maintaining consistent long-term support from equipment suppliers. Under such conditions, a reactive maintenance approach – fixing equipment only after it breaks down – can become a major constraint on overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and product quality.

To address these challenges, Lead Intelligent has developed LEADACE PHM, an equipment predictive maintenance system designed to transform conventional maintenance practices through a fundamentally different approach. Rather than relying on the large-scale installation of expensive vibration sensors, LEADACE PHM directly captures high-frequency signals from existing PLCs across production lines. By applying kinematic and load-based models, the system analyses anomalies in servo motor torque and speed, as well as cycle time deviations in pneumatic cylinders, to identify potential mechanical wear in critical components such as bearings and ball screws.

This approach reduces deployment costs to approximately one-tenth of those associated with conventional sensor-based solutions, while covering more than 60% of potential faults involving critical drive components across production lines. Its read-only, bypass architecture also supports local deployment while safeguarding production data.

At the algorithm level, Lead Intelligent has established a strong technological foundation in equipment fault identification and diagnostic accuracy. The system integrates AI models developed using cycle time and visual data with expert models based on component-specific engineering knowledge to enable more accurate equipment diagnostics and component-level predictive maintenance.

Field test results show that this integrated approach can achieve diagnostic accuracy of up to 90% – significantly outperforming the 50–65% typically achieved by purely data-driven models. It can also provide early warnings 7 to 15 days before potential failures occur, giving maintenance teams valuable time to plan interventions and minimise unplanned downtime.

Beyond equipment diagnostics, LEADACE PHM also establishes a closed-loop maintenance knowledge management process. By integrating predictive maintenance with RAG-powered AI capabilities, LEAD Intelligent connects PLC alarm logic, troubleshooting standard operating procedures (SOPs) and Manufacturing Execution System (MES) work orders.

When an equipment anomaly occurs, on-site engineers can use natural-language queries to access targeted troubleshooting instructions, making specialist maintenance knowledge more accessible to frontline teams.

Once an issue has been resolved, the system automatically captures the troubleshooting process and converts it into structured maintenance knowledge and reusable troubleshooting cases. This enables valuable supplier expertise and maintenance experience to be retained as the factory’s own digital knowledge assets, supporting continuous learning and greater operational independence.

The solution has already demonstrated its value on a continuous 24/7 production line operated by a leading battery manufacturer, delivering measurable improvements:

  • 50% improvement in consistency of production parameters across different machines.
  • Approximately 159 hours of unplanned downtime avoided over six months, with an estimated annual production value increase of approximately €4.9 million per production line.
  • 40% improvement in engineers’ equipment inspection efficiency.

From capturing high-frequency equipment signals and applying physics-informed AI to enabling predictive maintenance and closed-loop knowledge management, LEAD Intelligent is translating its equipment engineering expertise into greater reliability, operational resilience and production stability for customers.

As the global battery industry shifts its focus from scaling up production capacity to achieving sustainable profitability, Lead Intelligent will continue to leverage edge computing, physics-informed AI and full-lifecycle data integration, helping manufacturers improve equipment reliability, minimise unplanned downtime and maintain stable, efficient production.

Volvo CE Appoints Laothani Tractor as New Dealer in Laos

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Representatives from Volvo CE and Laothani Tractor at the dealer inauguration in Vientiane, Laos.

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) and its new national distributor in Laos, Laothani Tractor, have launched their partnership with a dealer inauguration and customer roadshow showcasing Volvo CE’s latest excavators and compaction machines.

The partnership aims to improve customer service and support businesses across Laos’s mining, construction, and infrastructure sectors.

Laothani Tractor will provide sales and aftersales services for Volvo CE equipment in Laos. The partnership combines Volvo CE’s machinery, technology, and nearly 200 years of industry experience with Laothani Tractor’s local market knowledge and service network.

Both companies said they aim to support sustainable growth, environmental protection, and climate resilience. Their offering includes electric construction machines and charging solutions.

Laothani Tractor welcomed customers to its facility in Vientiane on November 4, 2026, for the inauguration and roadshow.

The partnership comes as Laos implements its 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan, which sets out priorities for the country’s development through 2030. The plan focuses on economic growth, infrastructure, human capital, social development, and climate resilience as Laos prepares to graduate from Least Developed Country status.

Planned infrastructure projects are expected to create demand for construction equipment. Volvo CE and Laothani Tractor offer wheel loaders, excavators, articulated haulers, compactors, and electric machinery for mining, heavy infrastructure, and construction projects.

Volvo CE said the partnership would strengthen local maintenance and spare-parts services, helping customers reduce equipment downtime and maintain productivity.

“At Volvo CE, we are committed to giving customers the support they need to get the most out of their machines,” said Wilson Shee, Head of Markets Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos at Volvo CE. He said the company would provide spare parts and train technicians to carry out on-site maintenance and repairs.

Local Support Across Laos

Based in Vientiane, Laothani Tractor plans to support customers nationwide, including in rural areas, through on-site services and satellite branches where needed.

“Laothani is a Laotian company with an established presence in the mining and construction sectors and a strong understanding of our customers, local language, and culture,” said Ladsasiphon Phimphachanh, Managing Director of Laothani Tractor.

He said the partnership would help the company improve services for Volvo CE customers while contributing to national development and local livelihoods.

Volvo CE machines displayed at the dealer inauguration and customer roadshow.

Laos’s mining and construction sectors offer opportunities for both companies, particularly in mining, road construction, heavy infrastructure, and rural development. Growing tourism is also driving demand for supporting infrastructure, including airport upgrades, transport links, and hotels.

Volvo CE said its range of excavators, including electric models, could support infrastructure projects while helping businesses reduce emissions.

The inauguration and roadshow gave customers an opportunity to see the company’s latest excavators and compaction machines and meet the local team responsible for sales, spare parts, and servicing.

The partnership is intended to improve equipment availability, reduce downtime, and provide long-term support to customers across Laos.

TIER IV unveils end-to-end autonomous driving adaptable to map information and sensor configurations

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Multiple open-source AI models are available with Autoware

TOKYO, Nov. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TIER IV, the pioneering force behind Autoware, open-source software for autonomous driving, today announced the development and open-source release of multiple end-to-end (E2E) autonomous driving AI models that support different system requirements, including map information and sensor configurations. The models offer flexible options ranging from camera-only configurations to those incorporating LiDAR, radar and high-definition (HD) maps, enabling developers to select AI models suited to their performance requirements. Through Autoware, TIER IV provides a development environment for optimizing these models and integrating them into vehicle systems, helping automakers and technology partners develop and deploy their own autonomous driving stack.

Overview of the Autoware 2.0 Architecture

TIER IV is leading the development of Autoware 2.0, the next-generation architecture of Autoware. Autoware 2.0 is a scalable and adaptable architecture that flexibly combines AI models with conventional rule-based technologies. By supporting different AI models and sensor configurations, it enables autonomous driving systems to be built for a range of applications and system requirements. The E2E autonomous driving AI models announced today are concrete technological outcomes designed to leverage this architecture.

NVIDIA Alpamayo 2 Edge

As part of its collaboration with NVIDIA announced in March 2026 , TIER IV has been evaluating the performance of NVIDIA Alpamayo, a vision-language-action (VLA) foundation model, and integrating it with Autoware. The latest model, Alpamayo 2 Edge, is an E2E autonomous driving AI model that takes only camera images as input and uses reasoning to generate driving trajectories. With 2 billion parameters, compared with 34 billion in Alpamayo 2 Super, it is substantially smaller and offers promise for practical deployment in vehicles. TIER IV is currently optimizing the model and adapting it to real vehicles, while having completed its integration with Autoware.

AutoE2E

AutoE2E, whose development is led by the Autoware Foundation (AWF) and TIER IV, is an E2E autonomous driving AI model capable of running on computing platforms beyond NVIDIA hardware. It adopts a Fast–Slow architecture combining a Reactive Model for real-time driving decisions, a World Model for predicting future changes in the surrounding environment, and a Reasoning Model that supports driving decisions. It can accommodate configurations ranging from cameras alone to those incorporating LiDAR and radar sensor data. With 79.9 million parameters, it is lighter than Alpamayo 2 Edge. The Reactive Model has been released, while development of the World Model and Reasoning Model continues, alongside consideration of commercialization for robotaxi applications. Integration of the Reactive Model with Autoware has been achieved.

METEOR

Developed independently by TIER IV, METEOR is a lightweight, multitask E2E autonomous driving AI model primarily intended for privately owned passenger vehicles. Built on a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, it uses a bird’s-eye-view (BEV) representation to perform everything from perception of the surrounding environment to driving trajectory generation within a single neural network, without relying on high-definition maps. It supports configurations using images from one to eight cameras and can also incorporate LiDAR and radar sensor data. With 16 million parameters, it is even lighter than AutoE2E and supports operation across different semiconductor platforms, including NVIDIA and Renesas. TIER IV also uses CoMET, the automated labeling platform within Co-MLOps, together with agentic AI to automate data labeling and model training, evaluation, and improvement, eliminating the need for manual coding and labeling. Automakers and component suppliers can optimize the open-source model to meet their own vehicle specifications and performance requirements.

OnePlanner

OnePlanner is an E2E autonomous driving AI model that integrates perception of the surrounding environment with motion planning. It currently uses BEVFusion, which generates a BEV representation from LiDAR point-cloud data, with a planned transition to PTv3. Its flexible architecture allows the perception model to be replaced while directly using features extracted during perception for motion planning. Conventional autonomous driving systems convert perception results into information such as object positions and velocities before passing them to the planner. OnePlanner reduces these intermediate conversions, enabling richer use of information about the surrounding environment. It also incorporates HD maps, route information, traffic-signal states, and vehicle motion states to generate driving trajectories for the next six seconds. Integration with Autoware has been achieved.

LatentDrive

LatentDrive is an E2E autonomous driving AI model that uses a world model to integrate predictions of the surrounding environment with motion planning. Using V-JEPA, a self-supervised learning approach, it represents features of the surrounding environment extracted from camera video in a latent space and uses these features to generate vehicle trajectories. Its distinguishing feature is that it directly leverages information from video for motion planning without intermediate processes such as object detection and tracking. It does not require HD maps and generates trajectories for the next four seconds using camera video, route information, and vehicle motion states. It supports configurations with either one or three cameras, and work is underway on integration with Autoware and validation in an in-vehicle environment.

“Advances in E2E autonomous driving are fundamentally changing how autonomous driving systems are developed.” said Shinpei Kato, founder and CEO of TIER IV. “For automakers and component suppliers to incorporate AI technology into their own products, however, it is essential that they be able to internalize technologies according to their applications and performance requirements, without depending on a particular AI model or semiconductor platform. By releasing multiple AI models developed under the leadership of TIER IV and the Autoware Foundation, alongside the results of our collaboration with NVIDIA, we have significantly expanded those choices. We will continue to advance the open-source ecosystem centered on Autoware and work with partners around the world to democratize autonomous driving.”

“Advancing autonomous driving requires AI that can reason through complex situations and run efficiently in the car.” said Ali Kani, vice president of automotive at NVIDIA. “TIER IV’s integration of NVIDIA Alpamayo 2 Edge with Autoware gives developers an open foundation to bring that intelligence from research into their own vehicles.”

“The advancement of autonomous driving technology depends on an ecosystem in which diverse AI models can be developed and evaluated openly, then applied according to their respective use cases.” said Muhammad Zain Khawaja, President of the Autoware Foundation. “The AI models released today are an important demonstration of how Autoware is evolving into a flexible development platform that is not tied to any particular technology or hardware. We welcome TIER IV’s continued technology development and its collaboration with partners including NVIDIA. The Autoware Foundation will continue working with the global open-source community to make advanced autonomous driving technology accessible to everyone.”

Next Steps

TIER IV will continue improving the performance of the AI models released today and optimizing them for in-vehicle environments, while promoting the development and commercialization of E2E autonomous driving technology by automakers and partners through Autoware. TIER IV will also strengthen collaboration with the global open-source community and work to expand the adoption of autonomous driving systems across diverse vehicle types and applications.

About TIER IV

TIER IV stands at the forefront of deep tech innovation, pioneering Autoware, open-source software for autonomous driving. With a comprehensive suite of platforms and services built around Autoware, TIER IV provides everything from software development and vehicle procurement to operational support. Through the Autoware ecosystem, TIER IV works with partners worldwide to shape the future of intelligent vehicles with open-source software, aiming to create mobility that is safer, more sustainable, and accessible to all.

The word marks and logos of TIER IV are trademarks or registered trademarks of TIER IV, Inc. in Japan and other countries. All other company names, product names, service names, and logos referenced herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Autoware is a registered trademark of the Autoware Foundation.

Media contact
pr@tier4.jp 

IASO Bio Announces NMPA IND Approval for IASO208, Advancing Its In Vivo CAR-T Platform into Synchronized U.S.-China Clinical Development

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First lentiviral-vector-based in vivo CAR-T product from China to receive a U.S. FDA IND clearance; a Phase Ib study in R/R B-NHL will be initiated directly in the United States

SHANGHAI, NANJING, China, and PLEASANTON, Calif., Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — IASO Biotechnology (“IASO Bio”), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of novel cell therapies and biologics for hematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases, today announced that its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for IASO208, a CD20-targeting in vivo CAR-T therapy developed on the company’s proprietary InTelliCAR™ platform, has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China. This follows the implicit clearance of the IASO208 IND by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2026. As the first lentiviral-vector-based in vivo CAR-T product from China to receive an FDA IND clearance, IASO208 will build on investigator-initiated trial (IIT) data generated in China to initiate a Phase Ib clinical study directly in the United States, targeting adult patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (R/R B-NHL).

The approval of the China IND marks the formal entry of IASO’s InTelliCAR™ platform into a phase of synchronized U.S.–China clinical development, and further validates the feasibility of leveraging China’s early clinical data to support global registrational development. IASO208 is the company’s first product to obtain IND approval through China’s 30-day expedited review pathway. This not only reflects regulatory recognition of the scientific merit of IASO208, but also demonstrates that IASO has established mature, end-to-end capabilities across the full development value chain for in vivo CAR-T products—spanning chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC), nonclinical studies, clinical trial design, and communication with regulatory authorities.

IASO208 is currently being evaluated in an investigator-initiated, single-arm, open-label, dose-exploration study designed to assess its safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies. In this study, patients are not required to undergo conventional apheresis or lymphodepleting conditioning and receive a single intravenous infusion of IASO208. To date, 11 patients have been dosed. Early data have demonstrated favorable tolerability and promising anti-tumor activity, laying a solid foundation for larger, more systematic clinical studies to be conducted in both China and the United States. The early results of this study have been selected for an Oral Presentation at the 2026 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting (Abstract :#705).

Ms. Jinhua Zhang, Founder, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of IASO Bio，stated:“The approval of the China IND for IASO208 is another milestone for IASO’s proprietary in vivo CAR-T platform, InTelliCAR™, following our receipt of FDA IND clearance. It marks a decisive step for this product—the first lentiviral-vector-based in vivo CAR-T from China to receive an FDA IND clearance—from ‘U.S. IND approval’ toward ‘synchronized U.S.–China clinical development.’ Leveraging the InTelliCAR™ platform, IASO has assembled a portfolio of in vivo CAR-T product candidates across hematologic malignancies, autoimmune diseases and solid tumors, with several candidates now in the IND-enabling stage. The launch of synchronized U.S.–China clinical development for IASO208 lays a critical foundation for the global expansion of the InTelliCAR™ platform. Looking ahead, IASO will accelerate the global clinical development of IASO208 so that this China-originated, innovative in vivo CAR-T product can reach and benefit an even broader patient population worldwide at an earlier date.”

About IASO Bio

Founded in 2017, IASO Bio is one of the few commercial-stage biopharmaceutical companies in the Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) sector bringing China‘s breakthrough innovations to the global market. We specialize in developing cell therapies and biologics for hematological malignancies and autoimmune diseases. Our industry-leading, fully integrated platforms leverage cutting-edge technologies that span the entire product lifecycle—from discovery and development to manufacturing and commercialization.

We have established a robust and synergistic pipeline, reflecting our commitment to making transformative cell therapies broadly accessible to patients worldwide. Our current portfolio includes ten products and product candidates, anchored by our core product, Equecabtagene Autoleucel (eque-cel). The CAR-T therapy Eque-cel has been approved in China for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (r/r MM) in patients who have progressed after at least three prior lines of therapy. It is also being developed for use in earlier lines of r/r MM treatment and for autoimmune diseases, including myasthenia gravis (MG), multiple sclerosis (MS), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)/lupus nephritis (LN). Beyond eque-cel, we are developing nine additional therapeutic candidates—including three autologous chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies, five in vivo CAR-T cell therapies, and one antibody product candidate.

We collaborate with leading biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies such as Innovent, Sana, Cabaletta, and Umoja, as well as top-tier academic institutions and hospitals, to strengthen our product development capabilities.

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