Laos’ first smart road cleaning and cooling system is 95 percent complete in Vientiane, with the pilot project expected to finish in October and begin a 30-day trial. (Photo: Vte9 Channel)
Vientiane’s Smart Clean-Cooling Road System pilot project has reached 95 percent completion, and contractors expect to finish all work in October, the contractor said.
The project is the first of its kind in Laos and a pilot in the center of the capital. The contractor company, Muanglao Development Co., Ltd, is installing a 100-meter automatic water sprinkler system on each side of the road median, covering 200 meters in total along Lane Xang Avenue.
The stretch runs from Vientiane Secondary School and the United Nations House in Laos to the Patuxay Monument.
Bounleuth Khounthavong, President of Muanglao Development Co., Ltd., told local media that poles fitted with automated sensors will monitor road surface temperature.
If the surface exceeds 40 degrees Celsius, the system will immediately spray a water mist to reduce the heat. The sensors also detect air pollutants, including PM2.5 or PM10
The Government of South Korea funds 100 percent of the project through a grant.
Bounleuth said the company began work in March this year.
His team has built a 30-cubic-meter water storage tank, drilled a groundwater well to supply water for road spraying, and completed the concrete leveling on Lane Xang Avenue according to plan. The company installed the necessary equipment for the system on 26 and 27 September.
After the company finishes the remaining tasks in October, the system will undergo a 30-day official trial run. Authorities will hand over the project in mid-November 2026.
Officials have not announced any plan to extend the system to other roads in the capital or to other provinces.
South Korea developed the technology, known as the Smart Clear Cooling Road System, to help combat urban heat and fine dust.
The system uses automated nozzles embedded in roads to spray recycled groundwater, lowering asphalt temperatures during periods of extreme heat. South Korea began testing the system in 2007 on a small section of road in Seoul before expanding it to other major cities.
Flagship chef-led program offers Visa Infinite cardholders access to exclusive dining experiences across 13 Asia Pacific markets, designed around deeper access, discovery and stories behind the meal
SINGAPORE, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visa, a global leader in digital payments, today announced an expansion of Infinite Tastes: Beyond the Menu, its chef-led culinary marquee program created exclusively for Visa Infinite cardholders, offering immersive dining experiences across Asia Pacific. Designed to bring guests closer to the people, places and craft behind each meal, the program gives cardholders access to experiences that go beyond the restaurant — from guided market tours and immersive tastings to intimate chef-hosted tables, off-menu creations and one-night-only culinary journeys not typically open to the public.
Visa Expands ‘Infinite Tastes: Beyond the Menu’
Across Asia Pacific, affluent consumers are becoming more intentional in how they spend their time and money, placing greater value on experiences that reflect their passions, individuality, and desire for cultural discovery. Visa’s research shows that dining has become a defining passion point, with affluent cardholders accounting for more than 80% of incremental new spend between 2023 and 2025. Dining also ranks as the top annual spend category among affluent consumers, ahead of healthcare, entertainment and travel[1].
The research further highlights dining as a key expression of identity, taste, and social capital. Increasingly, affluent consumers are moving beyond traditional notions of fine dining in favour of curated experiences that offer discovery, authenticity and deeper engagement with the chefs, ingredients and stories behind every meal[2].
Since its debut in July, Infinite Tastes: Beyond the Menu has been rolled out across thirteen Asia Pacific markets, including Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mainland China, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, offering Visa Infinite cardholders access to exclusive, limited-time culinary experiences across the region. Bringing the program to life is a regional collective of chefs, makers and culinary storytellers whose unique perspectives, local ingredients and cultural influences offer cardholders a deeper connection to the creativity, craftsmanship and stories behind every meal.
The journeys showcased reflect the breadth of Infinite Tastes: Beyond the Menu across Asia Pacific, from Michelin-starred chef Dave Pynt’s hands-on brewing experience at People People Brewing Co. in Singapore, where guests co-create a personalised beer, to Deepanker Khosla’s overnight retreat at Terra Ananta in Thailand, featuring a fireside feast inspired by farm, field and forest. In Indonesia, Vallian Gunawan explores memory, heritage and Peranakan family traditions at Kindling, while in Sri Lanka, Nadishka Dayawansa reunites the three brothers behind GINI for a rare six-seat kitchen counter dinner.
“Infinite Tastes: Beyond the Menu reflects how Visa Infinite is evolving to connect our cardholders and partners with the experiences they value most,” said T.R. Ramachandran, Head of Products and Solutions, Asia Pacific, Visa. “By bringing together some of Asia Pacific’s most compelling culinary voices, we are enabling our partners to create richer, passion-led experiences that engage and reward affluent consumers, strengthen loyalty, and deliver differentiated value through shared discovery and memorable moments.”
Infinite Tastes: Beyond the Menu is part of Visa’s refreshed Visa Infinite proposition for Asia Pacific, which brings together intelligent payments, curated experiences and a regional ecosystem of partners to deliver more personalised and differentiated premium experiences. The program sits alongside other passion-led benefits across travel, wellness, dining and entertainment, reflecting Visa Infinite’s broader ambition to move beyond traditional perks and create experiences that feel relevant, distinctive and meaningful to the modern affluent.
Eligible Visa Infinite, Visa Infinite Privilege and Visa Infinite Private cardholders can explore and reserve experiences through Infinite Tastes: Beyond the Menu.
To learn more about the refreshed Visa Infinite suite, including its benefits and experiences, visit Visa Infinite.
About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, sellers, 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.
Appendix: A Snapshot of Culinary Journeys Across Asia Pacific
Among the inaugural establishments and chefs participating in the initiative are:
People People Brewing Co., Singapore: Michelin-starred chef Dave Pynt invites guests into the world of brewing through a hands-on experience at his microbrewery, culminating in a chef-hosted dinner and a personalised beer crafted and named by guests.
Araya, Singapore: Chefs Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero celebrate the flavours and heritage of Chile through a four-act culinary journey featuring a chef-led ceviche masterclass, as well as a chocolate and cacao experience with a tablescape designed by Guerrero.
Butcher’s Block, Singapore: Chef Jordan Keao brings Hawaiian cuisine to life through traditional imu-style cooking techniques, hands-on kitchen participation and a multi-course feast inspired by the islands’ rich culinary heritage.
Bar.Kar, Kuala Lumpur: Chef ZX Lee takes guests on an off-menu journey through Malaysia’s culinary landscape, showcasing extraordinary local ingredients alongside the producers and stories behind them, from oyster farms and fishing villages to heritage herb gardens.
Chipta 11A, Kuala Lumpur: Chef Jack Weldie and Diane Ong present a celebration of East Malaysian heritage through indigenous ingredients, hands-on traditional fermentation techniques, and a one-off tasting menu inspired by the cultures and traditions of Borneo.
CoCo Dining, Ho Chi Minh City: Michelin-starred chef Vuong Thanh presents a one-night-only “greatest hits” menu tracing the defining moments of his culinary journey, bringing together past signatures, current favourites and future creations through personal storytelling and shared discovery.
Terra Ananta, Kanchanaburi: Chef Deepanker Khosla hosts an overnight retreat at his private farmhouse, where guests experience locally sourced dining, storytelling and an intimate exploration of Thailand’s land, produce and traditions.
Cadence by Dan Bark, Bangkok: Chef Dan Bark and Fay Tragoolvongse welcome guests into their private cooking quarters for a deeply personal evening of off-menu creations, storytelling and dishes inspired by their culinary journey together.
NOBUO, Taipei: Chef Nobu Lee and tea master Jason Wang guide guests through Taipei’s culinary and cultural heritage, from historic tea traditions and local food culture to a seasonal menu inspired by Taiwan’s ingredients and landscapes.
Kindling, Jakarta: Chef Vallian Gunawan draws on memory, heritage and Peranakan family traditions for a communal dining experience built around nostalgia, storytelling and recipes inspired by his personal archives.
August, Jakarta: Chef Hans Christian closes August for one evening to present a bespoke menu built around exceptionally rare Indonesian ingredients sourced from remote regions, creating an unrepeatable dining experience that celebrates seasonality and discovery.
MONO, Hong Kong SAR: Chef Ricardo Chaneton explores the lost ingredients, techniques and traditions of ancient Latin American civilisations through a one-off menu inspired by the culinary heritage of the Mayan, Aztec and Quechua worlds.
GINI, Colombo: For the first time in two years, the three Dayawansa brothers reunite behind the fire for an intimate six-seat kitchen counter experience showcasing signature dishes, family stories and the origins of GINI.
BREAD.lk, Colombo: Artisan baker Harean Hettiarachchi and wine educator Shiyani Saranapala host an interactive masterclass that pairs bread, wine and flavour exploration, transforming everyday ingredients into a hands-on journey of taste and discovery.
[1] VisaNet Data, Visa Business & Economic Insights
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 September 2026 – Cashku, the AI-native digital wealth platform operated by Advisonomics Sdn Bhd and licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia (“SC“), today announced a distribution partnership with Kenanga Investors Berhad (“Kenanga Investors“), the asset and wealth management arm of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad and one of Malaysia’s largest investment management firms.
Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, CEO and Executive Director, Kenanga Investors Berhad and Raevendren Ramachandran, CEO, Cashku
Under the partnership, a selected range of funds offered by Kenanga Investors and its Institutional Unit Trust Adviser partners will be available to Cashku users with no sales charge and from a minimum investment starting from RM10.
For investors, the effect is practical: investors can review fund information, open an account, set their investing goals, invest and make additional investments within a single application, with suitability assessed at the point of investment and monitored continuously thereafter.
Cashku has rebuilt the advice layer of wealth management around agentic AI; software that does not simply answer questions, but carries out risk profiling, goal-based portfolio construction, suitability assessment and ongoing portfolio monitoring, under the oversight of licensed human advisers and within the SC’s regulatory framework. That architecture, for which Cashku received a DIGID award for data-driven advisory under the SC’s Digital Innovation Fund in 2024, is what allows the platform to reach investors at a materially lower cost to serve.
The partnership arrives as Malaysia’s fund management industry reaches record scale. Assets under management rose 6.9% to a record RM1.14 trillion in 2025, with unit trust funds forming the largest single category at roughly half of that total. The SC’s Capital Market Masterplan 2026–2030 targets a capital market of over RM6 trillion by 2030 and names an inclusive capital market for all Malaysians as one of its four strategic themes — an agenda that depends on reaching the Malaysians who are not investing today. Individual participation in the capital market currently stands at 25%, and the Masterplan finds that around 60% of non-investors are under the age of 40.
“Malaysia’s problem has never been the quality of its funds — it has been access to the advice that helps people use them well. Financial planning has traditionally been reserved for those wealthy enough to pay for it, which is why most households have never had a plan at all. Cashku exists to change that: to give every Malaysian a plan built around their own goals. Partnering with managers like Kenanga Investors is how that gap closes.”
“Digital distribution is a natural extension of the Group’s own digitalisation agenda. Working with a licensed platform such as Cashku allows us to reach investors who are starting earlier and investing in smaller amounts than traditional channels are built to serve, without compromising the standards of suitability, transparency and governance our clients expect.”
— Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Kenanga Investors.
Cashku will continue to expand the range of funds available on the platform.
Hashtag: #Kenanga
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Kenanga Investors Berhad 199501024358 (353563-P)
Kenanga Investors Berhad is a licensed fund management company regulated by the Securities Commission Malaysia and a wholly owned subsidiary of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad. It provides investment solutions spanning collective investment schemes, portfolio management services, alternative investments, and wills and trusts for retail, corporate, institutional and high net worth clients through a multi-distribution network.
The LSEG Lipper Fund Awards 2026 recognised four funds under the Malaysia Provident Funds category; Kenanga Growth Fund was named Equity Malaysia (5 Years), Kenanga Growth Fund Series 2 was awarded Equity Malaysia Diversified (3 Years), Kenanga Malaysian Inc Fund was awarded Equity Malaysia Diversified (10 Years) while Kenanga Managed Growth Fund was recognised with the title Mixed Asset MYR Balanced – Malaysia (10 Years).
The Hong Kong-based Asia Asset Management’s (“AAM”) 2026 Best of the Best Awards awarded Kenanga Investors under the following categories, Malaysia Best Impact Investing Manager, Best Impact Investing Manager in ASEAN, Malaysia Best Equity Manager, Malaysia CEO of the Year (Co-Winner), Malaysia CIO of the Year, Malaysia Best House for Alternatives and Malaysia Best ESG Engagement Initiative.
At the AAM ETF Awards 2026, Kenanga Investors received an accolade under the category Malaysia Leverage and Inverse ETF of the Year for the Kenanga KLCI Daily (-1x) Inverse ETF. The IFN Investor Awards 2025 awarded the Kenanga Islamic Balanced Fund under the categories of “IFN Investor Best Balanced Mixed Assets Fund in Malaysia — MYR 2025”, “IFN Investor Best Balanced Mixed Assets Fund in Asia Pacific 2025”, and “IFN Investor Best Global Balanced Mixed Assets Fund 2025”.
For the ninth consecutive year, we were affirmed an investment manager rating of IMR-2 by Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad, since first rated in 2017. The IMR rating on reflects the fund management company’s well-established investment processes and sound risk management practices.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 September 2026 – Se7en Friday Pte Ltd, an event management company in Singapore, provided show-calling services for the National Day Parade 2026 (NDP 2026) at the National Stadium on 9 August. The company fielded four experienced show-callers across three months of planning and rehearsals leading up to show day. It also planned and ran the appreciation event held after the parade for the participants, volunteers, and crew behind the production.
NDP 2026 returned to the National Stadium for the first time since 2016 and played to a capacity crowd of about 42,000, the largest National Day Parade audience in a decade. Staged under the theme “Majulah Singapura, Go Beyond!”, the show ran across six chapters on an arrow-shaped stage measuring 162 metres long and 74 metres at its widest, served by six stage lifts and eight tunnel entrances and exits. More than 2,600 performers and 36 artistes took part alongside 32 marching contingents and 1,271 civilian participants, according to the NDP 2026 organising committee. The production carried 1,654 entertainment lighting fixtures and over 170 special effects machines, and featured NDP’s first indoor drone display, in which 300 drones flew 30 metres above a stadium floor occupied by performers.
Show-calling is the discipline that commits all of that to a single running order. Working from a cue script, the show-caller calls each segment change, performer entry, lighting state, audio cue, video roll and effect in sequence over headset to the crews and stage managers executing them. What separates a parade from a corporate show is that there is no reset. The running order cannot be paused or restarted, so a late cue does not delay the show. It puts the performers, the drones, the lighting, and the broadcast feed out of alignment with one another for as long as it takes to recover. Se7en Friday’s show-callers worked through the full rehearsal ladder, including the combined rehearsals, the two National Education shows, and the previews on 25 July and 1 August, building and testing the cue stack and the contingency calls for weather, timing overruns, and equipment faults. This same level of show control and precision underpins Se7en Friday’s work in dinner and dance event management and large-scale corporate productions.
The appreciation event that followed the parade was planned and run by the same team, covering catering, event decoration, master of ceremonies services, and the games and segments that made up the programme. Because the team producing it had worked the production from planning through to show day, the event was built by people who knew the schedule the participants had been keeping. For the organisers, it also placed a single supplier in charge of both the show-calling and the appreciation event, rather than a second vendor briefed from scratch once the parade was over.
Henry Tan, Events and Managing Director at Se7en Friday, said the engagement was decided in rehearsal.
“A show this size is not difficult because it is big, it is difficult because nothing waits. If a cue lands a second late, the performers, the drones, and every light in the building are a second out of alignment, and there is no way to take it back. So most of the work happened in the stadium in the weeks before, building the cue stack and deciding in advance what we would do if something went wrong, which meant that on the night there was nothing left to decide. The appreciation event was the other half of it. For months everybody on this project had been working to somebody else’s cue, and that was the one evening the people who built the show got to sit down and be looked after.”
The same cue scripting, stage management, and rehearsal practice apply to the company’s commercial work at a smaller scale. Se7en Friday runs conference and seminar event management, dinner and dance events, product launches and openings, family days and retreats, and livestreamed and hybrid events, using an in-house production team with its own warehousing and logistics fleet and full-time crew.
The NDP engagement is the largest application to date of the production discipline Se7en Friday applies to its corporate work. The company continues to operate from Singapore, serving government ministries, statutory boards, and corporate accounts. The direction Tan has set out is for the company to continue operating as a single production partner across the full run of an event, from cue scripting and technical delivery through to the events that follow it, rather than as a supplier engaged for one component of a programme. Hashtag: #Se7enFriday
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Se7en Friday
Founded in 2015, Se7en Friday Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based corporate event management company with more than 10 years of industry experience. The company has delivered over 5,200 events across more than 20 industries for clients including the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, alongside statutory boards and Fortune 500 corporations. Its services span conferences and seminars, product launches and openings, dinner and dances, family days and retreats, and livestreamed, virtual and hybrid events, supported by an in-house production team, company-owned warehousing and a logistics fleet. Se7en Friday is bizSafe Level 3 certified, a certified Safe Event SG organiser, and the exclusive carrier of L-Acoustics professional audio systems in Singapore.
Unlock US$232,420+ PhD scholarship packages—apply by 1 Dec 2026
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 September 2026 – For prospective doctoral and research postgraduate students seeking to elevate their research on a global stage, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has opened applications for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), offering fully funded PhD opportunities for the 2027–28 academic year. Supported by competitive scholarship packages, distinguished faculty mentorship, and cutting-edge facilities, CUHK provides an ideal launchpad for high-achieving international scholars to drive global impact.
Dedicated Doctoral & Postgraduate Scholarships Through CUHK’s enhanced HKPFS Package, successful PhD candidates receive a scholarship package valued at over US$232,420+, covering annual stipends, full tuition fee waivers, lodging awards, and conference travel allowances across their normative study period. Additionally, competitive international awards, including the Belt & Road Scholarship, are available to cover full tuition fees for eligible research postgraduate students.
World-Class Academic & Research Ecosystem Ranked 18th globally by QS World University Rankings 2027 and 10th in Asia by Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2026, CUHK provides a top-tier environment for master’s and doctoral candidates alike. Situated on Hong Kong’s largest university campus, CUHK offers 240+ English-taught postgraduate programmes across eight faculties, featuring 20 subjects in the global top 30 and six in the top 10—including Education (#1), Gastroenterology and Hepatology (#2), Nursing (#6), Computer Science (#7), and Arts and Humanities and Artificial Intelligence (both ranked #9).
Research postgraduates at CUHK create real-world impact alongside 430+ top 2% global scientists while accessing 250+ interdisciplinary research institutes, four State Key Laboratories, and pioneering InnoHK centres. Through collaborations with leading universities worldwide, they contribute to innovations that generate tangible impact locally, nationally, and globally. Driven by this dynamic research environment, CUHK unlocked over US$324 million in annual research funding in 2024–25 alone.
Voices of International Students The transformative impact of CUHK’s academic environment is echoed by its international doctoral students:
“The HKPFS has enabled me to advance interdisciplinary research in Blue Humanities and Pacific environmental literature,” said Ananya Roy, an HKPFS awardee pursuing a PhD in English Literary Studies from India. “Through international conference presentations and forthcoming publications, I am developing a globally engaged research agenda that bridges literary studies and environmental thought.”
Alexandra Rose McCombie, a PhD candidate in Biology from Scotland, added: “The opportunity to study science at CUHK has allowed me to pursue my passion through an intellectually challenging and thoroughly enjoyable programme in one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Researching alongside world-class academics and talented peers has been incredibly motivational and inspiring for my future career.”
Take Your Next Step Global Applications for the 2027–28 HKPFS intake close on 1 December 2026 (11:59PM HKT).
To help prospective international applicants navigate admission requirements and scholarship applications, CUHK will host a Virtual Info Sessionon 15 October 2026. Attendees will connect live with professors and current students to gain key tips on admission and scholarship opportunities.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About CUHK
Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a leading comprehensive research university with a global reputation and world-leading rankings. Located in the heart of Asia, CUHK has a vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. The University has eight faculties: Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science, and Social Science. Together with the Graduate School, the University offers over 300 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. All faculties are actively engaged in research in a wide range of disciplines, with an array of research institutes and research centres specialising in interdisciplinary research of the highest quality.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 September 2026 – The Datawords Group announces its name change and becomes 87seconds. For 27 years, the group has supported the world’s leading brands in creating, deploying, and managing their content on an international scale, combining human expertise, proprietary technology, and artificial intelligence. Today, it adopts a name equal to that ambition.
Alexandre Crazover (CEO and co-founder of the group ), Didier Rosenberg (cofounder of the group)
87. AND EVERYTHING THOSE TWO DIGITS SAY ABOUT THE WORLD.
87seconds is not a name chosen at random. It carries both a cultural conviction and a strong business ambition.
In many Asian cultures, the number 8 symbolizes prosperity, success, and forward momentum. In the West, the number 7 is associated with luck, achievement, and success. Together, 8 and 7 bring two continents and two worldviews together around a single ambition: helping brands succeed everywhere, while respecting every culture. They reflect what the group has always been: a bridge between East and West, between markets, cultures, and audiences.
87seconds is also a unit of time that says everything there is to know about the attention challenge brands face today.
Choosing this name expresses the ambition to go beyond those few seconds, to create content and experiences that make people want to stop, discover, watch, engage, and remember. It is no longer enough to be seen. Brands must earn more time and more attention: turning a fleeting exposure into emotion, and an interaction into a lasting connection.
This name carries forward the group’s founding conviction: Everyone Matters. Every culture, every market, every audience, every platform matters. And so does every second it takes to reach them.
CREATE, DEPLOY, MANAGE: A THREE-PILLAR ORGANIZATION
With this name change, 87seconds is clarifying its organization around three major, complementary areas of expertise, making its offering easier to understand without affecting the identity or independence of its agencies:
CREATE, which brings together the expertise of 87seconds Creative and Switching-Time in content creation, production, and amplification;
DEPLOY, which unites Datawords and Wezen around the orchestration, management, and governance of content on an international scale;
MANAGE, which brings together Vanksen and Whatsquare around visibility, monitoring, digital performance, and conversational experiences.
The brands 87seconds Creative, Switching-Time, Datawords, Wezen, Vanksen, and Whatsquare continue to exist under their respective identities, with their expertise, teams, and organization intact.
“We didn’t change our name to change our image. We changed our name because we have changed. The group 87seconds represents 27 years of work, culture, and conviction, finally with a name capable of carrying it all.” Alexandre Crazover, CEO and Co-Founder of the Group. Hashtag: #87seconds #Datawords
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
WHO IS 87S ?
87seconds connects brands to the world.
Driven by the conviction that every individual deserves unique attention, 87seconds puts respect for local nuances across the globe at the core of its commitment and expertise. By combining artificial and emotional intelligence, the Group creates, deploys, and manages visual, audio, and written content—faster, smarter, and at scale. This guarantees that brand messages resonate across every touchpoint (websites, e-commerce, e-retail, social media, OOH, TV, and physical stores) across 160 cultures.
Powered by an international network of over 1,000 in-house experts operating 24/7, 87seconds has earned the trust of major global groups (Coty, L’Oréal, LVMH, Michelin) for 27 years to accelerate their international growth.
WHO IS 87S CREATIVE ?
We make every second count.
87seconds is now 87seconds Creative, the creative agency of the 87seconds group (formerly Datawords). Founded in 2010, the agency brings together +100 creative minds to design and produce campaign content across all touchpoints: TV, print, digital, social media, influencer marketing, brand content, activations, and events. Fully integrated, from strategy and creation to production and post-production, the agency turns trends and culture into ideas that capture attention and drive impact from the very first seconds.
Key clients: Henkel, L’Oréal, Darty, Pierre Fabre, Sanofi, Carrefour, Lacoste, Metagenics, Candia Baby, TotalEnergies, Nestlé, Thales, Cavaillès, and Candy’Up.
ALPHARETTA, Ga., Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Arclin, a leading materials science company, hosted the 2026 Nomex® Sustainability Forum in Ningbo, China, on September 23, bringing together more than 220 customers, distributors, end users, industry experts, and business partners from across the electrical insulation value chain.
Arclin Hosts 2026 Nomex® Sustainability Forum in China
Held under the theme “Empowering a More Reliable Future with Nomex®,” the forum was jointly hosted by Guilin Electrical Equipment Scientific Research Institute Co., Ltd. and Arclin Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., with support from several industry partners and distributors. As the flagship customer event for Nomex® in China and the third consecutive forum of its kind, this year’s gathering provided a platform for industry leaders to discuss market opportunities, technological innovation, and sustainable development trends shaping the future of the electrical insulation industry.
The forum marked Arclin’s first major event in China since completing its acquisition of the DuPont™ aramids business earlier this year, providing an opportunity to formally introduce the company and its expanded capabilities to customers and industry partners. The conference featured presentations and discussions on electrical insulation technologies, new energy vehicles, motors and transformers, artificial intelligence data center infrastructure, international trade, and supply chain resilience. Industry experts shared perspectives on sustainability trends, evolving insulation requirements for next-generation power systems, export opportunities, and emerging challenges shaping the global electrical insulation industry.
“The strong engagement at this year’s forum reflects the trust our customers and partners place in Nomex® and the value of collaboration within the industry,” said Kenny Chen, APAC Sales Manager for Arclin’s Aramids Business. “Bringing together stakeholders from across the electrical insulation value chain helps foster the exchange of ideas and expertise needed to address emerging industry challenges and support sustainable growth.”
During the forum, Arclin leaders highlighted the company’s expanded capabilities in insulation materials development, testing, and application support. Presentations showcased the company’s comprehensive laboratory capabilities, including material testing, system testing, lifetime assessment, and failure analysis, as well as its ongoing investments in local application development and technical support. These capabilities help customers improve insulation system reliability, accelerate product development, and optimize performance across a broad range of demanding applications.
“The electrification market is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by investments in power infrastructure, AI data centers, renewable energy, and transportation electrification,” said Suolong Ni, Ph.D., Global Market Leader for Arclin’s Energy Solutions Business. “As customer requirements continue to evolve, Arclin remains committed to investing in Nomex® technical capabilities, testing resources, and application expertise to help customers improve reliability, accelerate innovation, and meet the increasing performance demands of critical applications. Together with our customers and partners, we are helping build a more reliable and sustainable electrical future.”
About Arclin
Arclin is a leading materials science company and manufacturer of polymer technologies, engineered products, and specialized materials for the construction, agriculture, transportation infrastructure, weather & fire protection, pharmaceutical, nutrition, electronics, design, and other industries. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, Arclin has offices and manufacturing facilities across North & South America, Europe, and Asia and serves customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.arclin.com.
Arclin Media Contact Jana Wright Chief Marketing & Communications Officer inquiries@arclin.com
Nomex® is a registered trademark of Arclin.
DuPont™ is a trademark of affiliates of DuPont de Nemours, Inc.
HONG KONG, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has achieved its best-ever results in the newly released Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, advancing three places to rank 70th globally.
CityUHK has achieved its best-ever results in the newly released Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027, advancing three places to rank 70th globally.
CityUHK demonstrated stellar performance across multiple evaluation metrics, notably retaining the world No. 1 spot in the “Industry” pillar for the fourth consecutive year and remaining 1st in Hong Kong in “International Outlook”. These achievements reaffirm the University’s world-class strengths in pioneering research, international collaboration and knowledge transfer. CityUHK also recorded across-the-board score improvements in the three core pillars of Teaching, Research Environment and Research Quality.
The THE World University Rankings 2027 evaluated 2,297 institutions across 118 countries and territories using 17 indicators grouped under five core pillars: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry and International Outlook. Mr Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at THE, pointed out that the latest results reflect a permanent shift in the tectonic plates of global higher education, signalling a historic realignment of academic power from West to East and remaking the geography of academic excellence. In its official press release, THE also highlighted that the overall performance of Hong Kong’s higher education institutions continues to be strong, specifically noting that CityUHK has achieved its highest position to date.
“At a time of intensifying global competition, it is remarkable that CityUHK has continued its strong progress in the world university rankings, now moving into the world top 70 group,” said Mr Baty. “Universities need to have real strength-in-depth across our 17 metrics to perform so well in the rankings, but CityUHK has particular strength in its international outlook, which is a fantastic signal of being a global magnet for talent and partnerships and it has the highest score in the world, jointly, for its outstanding industry collaboration and technology transfer. These strengths combine to create a very potent force for good. Congratulations to all at a highly successful global research university.”
In industry-academia-research collaboration and internationalisation, CityUHK scored a perfect 100 in the “Industry” pillar, ranking 1st in the world for the fourth consecutive year. This accolade underscores the University’s pre-eminent standing in patent development, technology commercialisation, and the promotion of a dynamic innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Furthermore, having been named the “Most International University in the World” by THE for three consecutive years, CityUHK retained the top position in Hong Kong in “International Outlook” for the ninth consecutive year.
CityUHK also achieved continuous breakthroughs in academic reputation and research excellence. Scores for “Teaching Reputation” and “Research Reputation” climbed for the second consecutive year, while the “Research Quality” pillar surged into the global top 50, bolstered by full marks across multiple critical indicators.
“CityUHK has seen robust development in recent years, with its academic achievements and innovative research highly recognised both locally and internationally. The University has firmly established itself among the top 100 worldwide in four major global university rankings, which serves as a resounding affirmation of the CityUHK community’s steadfast commitment to innovation and research excellence,” said Professor Chun-Sing Lee, Acting President of CityUHK. “CityUHK will continue to embrace a pioneering mindset, deepen international research and pedagogical collaboration, and address pressing global challenges through visionary research outcomes and deep-seated industry-academia-research synergy.”
He added, “We remain dedicated to nurturing future leaders equipped with global competitiveness and social responsibility, continuously contributing to developing Hong Kong as an international post-secondary education hub and a cradle of world-class talent.”
CityUHK’s academic excellence has been consistently validated across major international benchmarks. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, CityUHK rose 11 places to 52nd globally, placing it firmly within the top 3% of universities worldwide. In the U.S. News & World Report 2026–2027 Best Global Universities Rankings, CityUHK climbed seven spots to 47th globally. And in the ShanghaiRanking Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026, CityUHK maintained its position among the world’s top 100 for the second consecutive year, ranking 95th globally and 2nd in Hong Kong. These accolades demonstrate the University’s continuously rising academic reputation and influence within the global higher education landscape.
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