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BDStar Hosted 2026 Ecosystem Partner Conference in Munich, Germany

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Advertorial Desk
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MUNICH, GERMANY – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2026 – Recently, BDStar successfully hosted its 2026 Ecosystem Partner Conference in Munich, Germany. The event aimed to strengthen communication and collaboration and build a more robust industry ecosystem. Customers, distributors, and partners from multiple countries attended the conference.

Under the theme “Ecosystem Synergy for Intelligent Evolution,” the event introduced BDStar’s iLDB® strategy and shared the applications and development roadmap of GNSS Services. Training sessions were also organized for distributors. BDStar and attendees engaged in in-depth discussions on strengthening cooperation and fostering ecosystem synergy.

BDStar Founder and Chairman Zhou Ruxin stated that internationalization is a key strategy currently being implemented by BDStar. The company will continue to increase investment in global markets and build localized teams to provide customers worldwide with not only better products, but also enhanced services and support.

Meanwhile, BDStar also participated in INTERGEO 2026 in Munich, showcasing its GNSS chips, modules, antennas, services, and Chip-Cloud GNSS Solutions for a wide range of applications.

Hashtag: #BDStar

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Global Influencers Embark on a “Mystery Box” Journey in Tacheng, Xinjiang, China

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Advertorial Desk
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TACHENG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2026 – On September 16, more than 20 Chinese and foreign influencers and bloggers from 14 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Venezuela, Hungary and Brazil, gathered in Tacheng, Xinjiang, China. Over the course of a seven-day media tour, they will explore Xinjiang in autumn from a variety of perspectives, embarking on an immersive journey of discovery and content creation.

Global Influencers Embark on a

The launch ceremony, themed “A Tribute to the Land,” was held in a field on the outskirts of Tacheng City, inviting Chinese and international guests to immerse themselves in the spectacular autumn harvest.

The event centered on processional performances, all presented by local performers from Tacheng. As the performances unfolded along the route, the influencers watched and captured the most touching moments with their cameras.

According to the organizers, the influencers will determine their routes by opening “mystery boxes”. They will split into two groups and take two different routes deep into Tacheng for traveling, immersive field experiences and content creation. Through short videos, photo essays, live streams and other formats, they will continue to share original content across social media platforms and media outlets in China and abroad.

Located in northwestern Xinjiang, China, Tacheng has long been home to people from different ethnic groups. Its diverse folk traditions and cultures have given this Silk Road border city a distinctive and vibrant character.

Hashtag: #Tacheng

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Laos Presents Spoken Lao Teaching, Learning Materials Success at Oxford

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Public Diplomacy
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Laos presented its national Spoken Lao program at Oxford, highlighting how classroom research helped expand language support nationwide. (Photo supplied by BEQUAL)

The Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos, in partnership with the Australian Government, presented the achievements of the “Spoken Lao teaching and learning materials” at the What Works Hub for Global Education Conference 2026, held at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, from 15–16 September.

The presentation shared Laos’ important lessons and experience in using evidence and findings from classroom-based research to develop an education innovation and scale it up nationally. The initiative began with a pilot in seven districts between 2019 and 2021, before expanding to 21 districts during the 2023–2024 school year. Based on the results of the pilot, evaluation and continuous improvement, Spoken Lao was formally incorporated into supplementary teaching and learning for the Lao language subject within the national curriculum.

The teaching and learning materials focus on developing Lao listening and speaking skills among Grade 1 primary students. They are particularly intended for students whose mother tongue, or first language, is not Lao, as well as students who experience difficulties or are progressing slowly in Lao language learning. The package includes a teacher guide, student books, educational games, paper puppets and vocabulary cards. It uses student-centred teaching and learning approaches.

Vongphet Oudomlith, Director General of the Research Institute for Educational Sciences, Ministry of Education and Sports, said: “This work is an excellent example of how real problems from the classroom can be developed into a solution at national level through the use of scientific evidence. This was achieved through close cooperation with the Australian Government, through the Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR program, or BEQUAL. The initiative was implemented and improved systematically, in line with the principles of education science.”

Keomany Thongpaseuth, Vice Head of the Lao Language Research Center, Research Institute for Educational Sciences, further emphasised: “The presentation at the University of Oxford was not only an opportunity to showcase the Spoken Lao initiative. It was also an opportunity to share Lao PDR’s experience with the international education community. It demonstrated that evidence-informed pilots, supported by collaboration, evaluation and continuous improvement, can progress towards policy development and practical implementation at national level.”

Meanwhile, Michael Currie, First Secretary at the Australian Embassy in Laos and the Embassy’s representative overseeing BEQUAL, said: “The Australian Embassy is very proud to have supported the Ministry of Education and Sports in developing the Spoken Lao teaching and learning materials. This achievement demonstrates the value of cooperation in creating sustainable work that can be applied in practice. These materials will help establish a strong foundation in language and literacy for children from the beginning of their schooling. This is an important foundation for learning in every subject. It is also a lesson that can be shared internationally, and an investment that lays an important foundation for human resource development and the long-term development of Lao PDR.”

Participation in this international conference also provided an important opportunity for the Lao delegation to exchange knowledge and learn about research findings, pilots and experiences in education reform from many countries. These lessons will provide important information and ideas for adaptation in research, curriculum development, innovation pilots and efforts to improve the quality of learning in Lao PDR.

In particular, the lessons will support the ongoing reform of the general education curriculum structure, from 5+4+3 to 6+3+3, led by the Ministry of Education and Sports. The participation also helped expand cooperation and academic exchange networks with researchers and experts from different countries, so that appropriate lessons can be adapted to the Lao context in the future.

Editor’s Note: This article was contributed by BEQUAL Laos. Views and information presented are those of the author.

Firstpack Engineers Custom Colours That Go Beyond the Pantone Chart for a Global Luxury House

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Advertorial Desk
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Singapore’s 50-year packaging house formulates a bespoke tone close to real human skin — plus a signature couture black — for a leading French luxury beauty maison, colours no standard Pantone reference could reproduce.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2026 – Firstpack, a Singapore-and-Johor packaging manufacturer with more than fifty years and three generations behind its press floor, has developed custom ink colours for a leading French luxury beauty maison that reach beyond the standard Pantone matching system — a true-to-life skin tone for one of the maison’s flagship product lines, and a deep, signature black.

Some colours simply live outside the books. The Pantone system is the global language of print colour, yet a lifelike human skin tone and a truly saturated, dimensional black both sit at the edges of what any standard swatch can specify. For a house of this calibre, where the packaging is part of the product’s promise, matching “close to” a reference was never going to be enough.

Rather than settle for the nearest library match, Firstpack’s colour team formulated each shade from the ground up as a dedicated custom ink. The skin tone was built to read as real skin — warm and natural rather than flat or printed. The black was engineered for depth and richness beyond a standard process or spot black. Each colour was profiled and proofed on X-Rite spectrophotometry and held to a tight Delta-E tolerance across the full run, so every carton left the floor matching its target — sheet after sheet, batch after batch.

“Some colours don’t exist in any book — you have to build them,” said [Joseph Tan, Director], Firstpack. “A skin tone has to look like skin, and a signature black has to have depth you can feel. We formulate the colour until it’s right, then make it repeatable at scale. That’s the difference between printing a colour and engineering one.”

The work draws on a capability Firstpack has invested in for decades: colour that is measured, not guessed. Its six-colour Mitsubishi offset presses, in-line spectrophotometric control, hot-foil finishing and die-cutting let it serve luxury, beauty and F&B brands across Singapore and the region — where the box is the first impression a brand makes, long before a word is read.

Hashtag: #printing #packaging #paperbox

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Firstpack Enterprise Pte Ltd

Firstpack is a Singapore-headquartered packaging manufacturer and supplier producing paper bags, paper boxes and carton boxes for brands across Singapore and Malaysia. Family-run across three generations and more than fifty years, Firstpack operates two six-colour Mitsubishi offset presses with X-Rite colour management, hot-foil finishing and die-cutting under one roof. Learn more at .

Japan’s Leading Pre-Owned Fashion Retailer 2nd STREET Makes Its Debut in Causeway Bay

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Advertorial Desk
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Grand Opening on 18 September; Receive a Limited-Edition Eco Bag with Spending of HK$250 or More During the First Three Days

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2026 – The pre-owned fashion trend is sweeping Hong Kong. 2nd STREET, Japan’s leading specialist retailer of pre-owned apparel, will officially open its new Causeway Bay store on 18 September 2026, bringing a fresh, treasure-hunt shopping experience to trend-conscious shoppers on Hong Kong Island.

Known for its diverse brand selection, quality pre-owned pieces and bright, welcoming store environment, 2nd STREET has become a favourite among local fashion enthusiasts. The brand’s arrival in the heart of Causeway Bay further extends its RE-USE sustainable fashion philosophy to Hong Kong Island.

Limited-Time Grand Opening Offer at the Causeway Bay Store
To celebrate the new store opening, the 2nd STREET Causeway Bay WINDSOR Store will offer an exclusive shopping reward during its first three days of trading, from 18 to 20 September. Customers who spend HK$250 or more in a single transaction will receive one limited-edition eco bag on a complimentary basis. Both practical and commemorative, the eco bag reflects the brand’s commitment to encouraging greener everyday living. Quantities are limited and available while stocks last.

2nd STREET Causeway Bay WINDSOR Store Information

Address: Shops G4–G11 and G26–G31, G/F, WINDSOR, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Opening hours 11:00 am–10:00 pm

Hashtag: #2ndSTREET


The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Tianjin University Leads World’s 1st ISO Standard for Single-Herb TCM Formula Granules

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Advertorial Desk
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TIANJIN, China, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published ISO 21756:2026, the world’s first international standard for single-herb Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula granules. Titled Traditional Chinese Medicine — Salvia miltiorrhiza Root and Rhizome Aqueous Extract Granules, the standard represents a significant step forward in promoting global quality harmonization of TCM.

Led by Professor Gao Wenyuan from the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology at Tianjin University, with Professor Li Xia as a core member, the standard was developed in collaboration with Tasly Pharmaceutical Group and China Resources Sanjiu. Through multiple international seminars and rigorous technical reviews with experts from dozens of countries, the team forged broad global consensus for the standard’s publication.

TCM formula granules represent a modernized innovation of traditional herbal decoctions. They preserve the core TCM principles of syndrome differentiation and personalized treatment while solving preparation and storage challenges. This format aligns with global demands for standardization, making it increasingly accessible and acceptable to international markets.

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a globally recognized herb, with growing international demand for its formula granules. However, the absence of unified production protocols and quality evaluation standards has long hindered the globalization of these products.

ISO 21756:2026 fills this gap by establishing systematic regulations across the product lifecycle—from raw material traceability to finished product testing. The standard introduces quantifiable metrics, including characteristic chromatograms, content assays, and safety limits, providing a unified benchmark for global production. Moreover, it offers a replicable and scalable pathway for developing ISO standards for other single-herb formula granules.

Serving as the core technical support for this standard, Tianjin University was deeply involved in every stage of its development. The university’s team continuously refined the feasibility studies and technical framework, and guided the design of the overall technical architecture and the establishment of testing methodologies. “We also optimized technical clauses in strict accordance with ISO rules and international pharmacopoeial requirements, and led international conference defenses to drive global consensus,” Professor Gao said.

He added that accelerating the implementation of international standards for TCM formula granules not only safeguards international trade but also promotes the global dissemination of TCM.

Looking ahead, the team plans to collaborate with TCM enterprises and international standardization bodies to advance the development of additional international standards, contributing to global public health.

Avnet and The University of Hong Kong Open EMUS Lab to Accelerate AI Innovation and Commercialization in Hong Kong

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Advertorial Desk
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New innovation hub accelerates AI commercialization through research, engineering expertise and global supply chain support

HONG KONG, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Avnet (NASDAQ: AVT), a leading global technology distributor and solutions provider, today joined The University of Hong Kong (HKU) in officially opening the Emerging Microelectronics and Ubiquitous Systems Lab (EMUS Lab), a collaborative innovation hub designed to accelerate AI hardware commercialization by connecting research, innovation, engineering expertise and global supply chain capabilities.

A shared vision brought to life. Leaders from Avnet, The University of Hong Kong, HKSTP, and EMUS Lab commemorate the official opening of the EMUS Lab, strengthening collaboration between academia and industry to drive innovation and technology advancement.
A shared vision brought to life. Leaders from Avnet, The University of Hong Kong, HKSTP, and EMUS Lab commemorate the official opening of the EMUS Lab, strengthening collaboration between academia and industry to drive innovation and technology advancement.

Located at the Data Technology Hub in Tseung Kwan O InnoPark, EMUS Lab focuses on next-generation technologies including edge AI, physical AI, robotics, high-performance computing (HPC) and emerging microelectronics. By bringing together academic research, startups and industry, the Lab provides innovators with access to engineering consultation, GPU computing resources, prototyping support, manufacturability assessments and supply chain expertise needed to transform breakthrough ideas into scalable, market-ready products. Through Avnet’s broader ecosystem, including element14, an Avnet company specializing in proof-of-concept development and prototyping, innovators can access the tools, technologies and support needed in the early stages of product development, while leveraging Avnet’s engineering, design chain and global supply chain expertise to accelerate the journey from prototype to production.

As AI moves beyond cloud-based models into intelligent devices, robotics and industrial systems, bringing AI into the physical world increasingly depends not only on advanced AI models, but also on the ability to engineer, manufacture and scale AI-enabled hardware. Industry analysts project strong growth in the adoption of edge AI, physical AI and intelligent autonomous systems over the coming decade¹. With its strong research ecosystem, international connectivity and proximity to the Greater Bay Area manufacturing network, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to accelerate the commercialization of AI-enabled hardware technologies.

Arthur Chung, Vice President, Sales and Supplier Management, Asia, Avnet, said: “Building a great AI model is only the beginning. Turning AI innovation into a reliable, manufacturable and scalable product remains one of the biggest barriers to commercialization. EMUS Lab was created to help innovators bridge that gap by combining research with engineering expertise, supply chain readiness and market access, enabling them to move faster from prototype to product.”

Prof. Ngai Wong, Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at HKU Faculty of Engineering, and Director of EMUS Lab, said: “EMUS Lab was established to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world application. By bringing together researchers, students, startups and industry partners, we are creating an environment where research excellence, engineering expertise and industry needs converge to accelerate AI and microelectronics innovation. Together with Avnet, we are helping transform research outcomes into technologies that deliver meaningful societal and economic impact.”

Prior to its official opening, EMUS Lab had already demonstrated measurable impact. Research supported by Avnet-sponsored GPU infrastructure has contributed to publications in Nature family journals and presentations at leading AI conferences including ICLR and ICML, highlighting the Lab’s early research impact.

The opening ceremony brought together representatives from Avnet, HKU and local universities, the broader innovation ecosystem, industry partners and the technology community for keynote presentations, a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony, laboratory tours and technology demonstrations.

Accelerating AI Innovation from Prototype to Product

One of EMUS Lab’s first major industry engagement initiatives is the DfMA Launchpad for AI MMP Programme, a 12-month co-incubation programme that connects EMUS Lab, Avnet and ecosystem stakeholders to support AI startups.

The programme combines Avnet’s engineering and global supply chain expertise with EMUS Lab’s advanced research infrastructure and the startup ecosystem of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) to provide technical mentorship, hardware-software co-design, system validation, manufacturability guidance and industry connections, helping startups move more efficiently from prototype development to scalable production.

The programme has already attracted strong interest from the startup community, with 27 startup teams selected to participate, reflecting growing demand for practical expertise that helps accelerate the path from AI innovation to market deployment.

As AI increasingly shifts from experimentation to large-scale deployment, EMUS Lab provides a collaborative platform where academia, startups and industry partners can accelerate AI hardware innovation across healthcare, robotics, industrial automation, smart living and smart city applications. By combining world-class research, startup innovation, engineering expertise and global supply chain capabilities within a single ecosystem, the Lab helps transform breakthrough ideas into products that can be built, scaled and deployed globally, while strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a leading hub for AI hardware innovation and technology commercialization.

About Avnet

As a leading global technology distributor and solutions provider, Avnet has served customers’ evolving needs for more than a century. Through regional and specialised businesses around the world, we support customers and suppliers at every stage of the product lifecycle. We help companies adapt to change and accelerate the design and supply stages of product development. With a unique viewpoint from the center of the technology supply chain, Avnet is a trusted partner that solves complex design and supply chain issues so customers can realize revenue faster. Learn more about Avnet at www.avnet.com.

About HKU Faculty of Engineering

The Faculty of Engineering is one of the founding Faculties of The University of Hong Kong established in 1912. Since its foundation, the Faculty has kept pace with developments in the engineering world and aims at providing an all-round education for students, equipping graduates not only with knowledge of cutting-edge technology, but also excellent communication and social skills, an innovation mindset, a lifelong learning attitude, professional integrity and international exposure. For more information, visit https://engg.hku.hk.

¹ Source: Deloitte, The State of AI in the Enterprise 2026: The Untapped Edge. Deloitte reports growing adoption of physical AI technologies, with more than half of surveyed organizations already using physical AI and adoption expected to increase significantly over the next two years.

Houaphanh Finds LAK 12.8 Billion in Losses Linked to Official Violations

By
Thongsavanh Souvannasane
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A picture used for illustration purpose only.

Authorities in Houaphanh, northern Laos, have uncovered 120 officials who had allegedly  violated party regulations and state laws, with related financial damage totaling nearly LAK 13 billion (USD 579,700), state media reported.

Officials revealed the findings on 10 September during a five-year review (2021-2025) of the province’s inspection work. The committee issued reprimands, criticisms, and demotions to part of the group, it suspended 28 party memberships, and expelled 45 members. Official statements did not provide details of the violations.

Authorities also disciplined 37 officials for corrupt practices, with penalties ranging from formal warnings to outright dismissal and referral for criminal prosecution in the most serious cases.

In total, further inspections uncovered financial losses exceeding LAK 12.8 billion (USD 570,800), about LAK 5.9 billion (USD 263,100) from state administrative inspections and LAK 6.9 billion (USD 307,200) from anti-corruption investigations. 

Authorities have recovered a little over a third of that combined total so far, with the rest still outstanding.

For the next five-year plan, the authorities plan to inspect 12 public investment projects, audit large state contracts, and track fund recovery from offenders through 2030. 

A Broader National Pattern

Houaphanh’s findings extend a national anti-corruption push that has gathered pace throughout 2026. 

Most recently, on 8 September, the Vientiane Capital People’s Court handed life sentences to several former bank employees for bribery, illegal foreign exchange dealing, and money laundering tied to an estimated LAK 2.29 trillion (USD 101.7 million) in damages. 

In late July, the Attapeu Provincial People’s Court sentenced 15 officials, ten to life, over a 2021-2024 scheme that moved more than LAK 103.5 billion (USD 4.64 million) and confirmed state losses of roughly LAK 51.9 billion (USD USD 2.3 million). 

Earlier that month, the Vientiane Capital People’s Court sentenced 17 defendants from the State Inspection Authority, the central bank, the Agricultural Promotion Bank, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Electricity of Laos, with at least 10 receiving life sentences and courts ordering more than USD 24.8 million in compensation in one hydropower case. 

Laos ranked at the 114th place in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, though its score of 34 still trails the global benchmark of 50.

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