SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Packaging machinery and automation equipment specialist wooshinfaandt is stepping up its global expansion efforts by introducing a new series of compact, electric-driven packaging machines.
Founded in the 1990s and headquartered in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, wooshinfaandt has developed and manufactured a wide range of packaging machinery and automation equipment for both domestic and overseas markets. Leveraging proprietary technologies and multiple patents, the company supplies tea bag packaging machines, coffee drip bag packaging machines, and dual-lane stick packaging machines to tea manufacturers, agricultural corporations, and public institutions across Korea.
wooshinfaandt plans to officially unveil its newly developed compact packaging machine series at major domestic and international exhibitions this year. Developed over the past two years, the new lineup focuses on addressing the limitations of conventional packaging equipment. While traditional machines are often large, costly, and dependent on compressed air systems, the new models feature a significantly reduced footprint and operate entirely on electric power, improving installation flexibility and ease of operation.
A key advantage of the new machines is that they can be operated without an air compressor, helping to lower initial equipment investment costs. Combined with competitive pricing, the machines are expected to be well suited for small cafés and small-scale businesses seeking efficient and affordable packaging solutions.
Looking ahead, wooshinfaandt is targeting market entry into the United States, Japan, and Dubai by 2026. The company plans to actively promote its new products at major exhibitions, including events in San Diego, Seoul, and Tokyo, to strengthen its presence in key global markets.
A wooshinfaandt representative said, “Our compact, fully electric design significantly reduces both space requirements and cost burdens for customers. Through continuous technological innovation, we aim to grow into a leading global provider of packaging automation solutions.”
HONG KONG, Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Countryside Conservation Office (CCO) under the Environment and Ecology Bureau will host the Countryside Harvest Festival 2026: “Hong Kong Soundscape – Opera & Dance” One Day Music Festival on 1 March 2026. The event will take place at Yan Chau Tong, situated within Mirs Bay, Hong Kong, which has been selected by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment as an “Outstanding Example of Beautiful Bays”. The festival is also featured as one of the “Festival PLUS” events of the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
Countryside Harvest Festival 2026: “Hong Kong Soundscape – Opera & Dance” One Day Music Festival
The festival features Maestro Tan Dun — UNESCO Global Goodwill Ambassador, Hong Kong’s Ambassador for Cultural Promotion, and an internationally renowned composer and conductor — as Artistic Director and Conductor. Maestro Tan has created a unique musical composition specifically inspired by the serene northeastern countryside of Hong Kong. Renowned for his ability to merge Eastern and Western musical traditions, transcend cultural boundaries and push artistic frontiers, he is widely recognised as one of the most influential contemporary musicians, and has received numerous international music accolades.
During this exceptional event, Maestro Tan will collaborate with distinguished musicians and dancers from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas, presenting a powerful artistic dialogue between music, dance and nature on an open‑air stage surrounded by mountains and the sea. Audiences will be able to appreciate both the stunning countryside scenery of Hong Kong’s northeastern region and the compelling musical performances in an immersive setting.
The One Day Music Festival will be broadcast live globally across various online platforms, including Brand Hong Kong, HK PLUS, Hong Kong Arts Festival and Phoenix TV. Members of the public around the world are cordially invited to join the event online and experience the artistic charm and conservation significance of this international cultural occasion from the comfort of their own homes.
In addition to the global online broadcast, one segment of the festival invites the public to join in person through a dedicated Live Concert arrangement. This on‑site session offers participants the opportunity to experience the performance in the countryside setting and to enjoy first‑hand the remarkable natural landscape and live music of Hong Kong’s northeastern region.
According to the “Countryside Harvest Festival 2026: ‘Hong Kong Soundscape – Opera & Dance’ One Day Music Festival – Live Concert” official page, the on‑site participation session is scheduled as follows:
Time: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm (Live performance)
Format: Outdoor performance. Comfortable casual wear and footwear are recommended; participants are advised to bring their own snacks and drinking water.
On the event day, apart from taking the regular Kaito ferry services from Ma Liu Shui or Sha Tau Kok to Lai Chi Wo, free boat services will be provided on the event day (1 March 2026), shuttling between Sha Tau Kok and Lai Chi Wo. Starting 20 February 2026, participants can reserve ferry tickets through the following website (https://art-mate.net/en/doc/92750). Tickets are free of charge. 250 seats per trip, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Participants are reminded that a valid Sha Tau Kok Frontier Closed Area Permit is required to board at Sha Tau Kok, and that the permit must be applied for in advance via the Hong Kong Police e‑Services system, at least two full working days before the intended visit date.
Detailed information on programme rundown and online live broadcast platforms of the One Day Music Festival can be found on the Online Concert webpage. Further information on the overall festival concept and artistic direction is available on the English news page of the Countryside Conservation Office.
THE EDL annual review meeting on 20 February to eviewed last year’s performance and outlined priorities for 2026. (Photo by EDL)
Electricité du Laos (EDL) will accelerate the Nam Ngum 3 hydropower project and push forward 12 large-scale solar farms as it works to secure stable electricity supply between 2025 and 2027.
At its annual review meeting on 20 February, Director General Akhomdeth Vongsay told senior officials that rising demand requires urgent action. Minister of Industry and Trade Malaithong Kommasith chaired the session, which reviewed last year’s performance and outlined priorities for 2026.
Future Plans
EDL plans to complete the Nam Ngum 3 hydropower project by 2027. The state utility will also fast-track 12 solar power projects across the country, with a combined installed capacity of 830 megawatts. These projects aim to strengthen domestic supply as consumption continues to climb.
Beyond building new power plants, EDL will upgrade transmission and distribution systems nationwide. The company will improve the 115 kV transmission network and modernize transformers, particularly in high-demand areas such as Vientiane Capital.
Officials want to reduce voltage drops and prevent widespread outages, especially during the upcoming summer season when electricity use typically surges.
Past Review
In 2025, EDL traded 19,298 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, including imports and domestic production, up 3 percent from 2024. Domestic sales and exports reached 17,828 GWh, an increase of 2.4 percent year-on-year. The country now operates 107 power generation sources with a combined installed capacity of 4,962 megawatts.
At the same time, EDL continues internal reforms. The utility will restructure its organization, adjust electricity tariffs to better reflect actual supply costs while protecting low-income households, renegotiate generation pricing, and restructure outstanding debt with financial institutions.
The company also plans to expand smart meter systems and digital management tools to improve efficiency and revenue collection.
For 2026, EDL identified five major focus areas and 26 priority actions. Officials say reliable electricity remains essential to economic growth, industrial expansion, and public stability as demand increases nationwide.
LODZ, Poland, Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BTCC, the world’s longest-serving cryptocurrency exchange, announces the launch of BTCC TradFi, a new cross-market feature that gives users direct access to forex, commodities, indices, and stocks, all margined and settled in USDT.
BTCC TradFi allows USDT-based trading across traditional markets, including forex, gold, oil, global indices, and US stocks.
Global forex trading volumes reached record highs in 2025, while precious metals posted their strongest rally in years, reflecting increasing demand for TradFi-linked instruments among users seeking to hedge or diversify during volatile conditions. BTCC TradFi is designed to meet this demand, allowing users to trade traditional assets using cryptocurrency on a single platform.
The launch of BTCC TradFi represents a strategic expansion of the exchange’s multi-asset ecosystem, building on the success of its tokenized precious metal products. Tokenized gold, in particular, generated $5.72 billion in trading volume throughout 2025, with Q4 surging 809% over Q1, as reported in January 2026.
BTCC TradFi offers several key features:
One-Stop Trading with USDT: Trade traditional assets, including forex, commodities such as gold and silver, indices, and stocks on a single platform using USDT margin, eliminating the need to switch between different markets and systems.
Seamless Cross-Market Access: Move freely between crypto and traditional markets to capture opportunities on a single platform.
USDT Settlement: All transactions are settled in USDT, removing currency conversion complexity for a smoother trading experience.
Competitive Spreads & High Leverage: Industry-competitive spreads with flexible leverage up to 500x on select instruments.
In the first phase, BTCC TradFi offers over 25 instruments across five major asset classes:
Accessible via both web and mobile app, BTCC TradFi follows the exchange’s strategic priority to expand into the real-world asset (RWA) sector. BTCC previously achieved a record in tokenized precious metals, with $301 million in daily trading volume as silver surged amid global uncertainty.
BTCC is one of the industry’s earliest exchanges and serves over 11 million users worldwide. The platform continues to build infrastructure connecting traditional financial markets with cryptocurrency trading, with plans to expand asset classes and introduce more popular TradFi instruments in the coming months.
About BTCC
Founded in 2011, BTCC is a leading global cryptocurrency exchange serving over 11 million users across 100+ countries. Partnered with 2023 Defensive Player of the Year and 2x NBA All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. as global brand ambassador, BTCC delivers secure, accessible crypto trading services with an unmatched user experience.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 February 2026 – Esperanza Fintech (Securities) Limited (“Esperanza Securities“, or “Company“) announced today that, following the granting of the formal permission on its tokenized investment business by the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (“SFC“) on 13 February 2026, the Company is introducing an innovative financing and community engagement model for the live entertainment industry.
The tokenized investment model enables Esperanza Securities to issue investment tokens (also known as security tokens) through an investment fund it manages, allowing eligible investors to participate with a significantly lower entry barrier and trade the tokens in secondary markets.
Against the emerging tokenized real-world-asset (RWA) trend worldwide, Esperanza Securities is among the first platforms with a systematic focus on the live entertainment industry. Following the granting of the permission by the SFC, two upcoming tokenized entertainment investments will include the Chris Wong 40th Anniversary Concert which will take place in Hong Kong on 6 to 7 March 2026 and a Korean boy band concert which will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 11 April 2026.
Innovation beyond technology: a focus on product structure
Entertainment industry assets have long benefited from a clear business model and income structure, which include box office receipts, sponsorships and merchandise revenue. Through tokenization, Esperanza Securities offers a new path for asset owners such as concert organizers to access capital without altering their operational models, while enabling investors to directly participate in opportunities linked to real economic activities.
The application of the tokenized investment model spans beyond the live entertainment industry. In fact, opportunities with clear business models and easily valuated underlying assets possess immense potential for tokenization. For instance, cultural and experiential projects with clear community monetization models and assets with stable and predictable cash flows, such as commercial properties, can all benefit from tokenization.
Bridging global investors to Asian assets through a 24×7 platform
Through the proprietary platform, espetopia.com (“Platform“), Esperanza Securities enables eligible investors to back real economy linked Asian projects, anytime and anywhere, without geographical limitations.
Eligible investors from all over the world can access all investment-related information, trade investment tokens and redeem utilities and experiences associated with the underlying assets through the Platform. This infrastructure enhances the visibility of Asian opportunities in global markets and effectively pools global capital to fund real economic developments, across verticals from cultural intellectual properties to the broader experience economies.
Looking ahead: charting a digital financing path for high-quality real assets
Looking forward, Esperanza Securities will continue to advance its asset-backed tokenized investment model under a prudent and compliant framework. The Company aims to progressively build a sustainable digital investment ecosystem centered on real assets with clear economic foundations.
As market acceptance of RWA digitization continues to grow, the Company sees promising potential for asset-backed tokenization to become an integral financing option alongside traditional public listings and private placements.
Hashtag: #EsperanzaFintech
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Esperanza Fintech (Securities) Limited
Esperanza Securities is a licensed corporation under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap 571 of the law of Hong Kong) with permission to carry out Type 4 (advising on securities) and Type 9 (asset management) regulated activities. On 13 February 2026, Esperanza Securities received a “no further comment” letter from the SFC in relation to its proposal to tokenize managed funds, effectively granting formal permission for Esperanza Securities to conduct tokenized investment businesses.
About Esperanza Fintech Group
Esperanza Fintech Group is a fintech group headquartered in Hong Kong. The group’s licensed businesses include (i) gold trading and tokenized gold services operated by Esperanza Fintech (Commodities) Limited, a DPMS (dealers in precious metals and stones) Category A Registrant (No. A-B-25-03-08913) with the Hong Kong Customs with permitted businesses including the issuance, redemption and trading of gold backed instruments on www.espetopia.com; (ii) client asset custodian service operated by Esperanza Fintech (Nominees) Limited, a licensed Trust or Company Service Provider in Hong Kong (Licence No. TC010260), regulated by the Hong Kong Companies Registry; and (iii) tokenized investment services operated by Esperanza Securities, an SFC-regulated asset manager with permission to carry out tokenized investment businesses.
Four Coffee Shops from Australia, Singapore and Malaysia Ranked in Top 10
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 February 2026 – The second edition of THE WORLD’S 100 BEST COFFEE SHOPS 2026 with DaVinci Gourmet announced its global rankings at CoffeeFest Madrid 2026, revealing a reshaped coffee landscape for the Asia Pacific region.
This definitive list of the world’s best specialty coffee shops saw Australia deepening its leadership with seven coffee shops in the global ranking, Taiwan with four, returning favourites such as Singapore’s Apartment Coffee maintaining its 2025 ranking, and Malaysia’s Story of Ono climb one level up.
Australian newcomer Only Coffee Project Crows Nest clinched 4th position followed by Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters in 5th. Returning to the list were Proud Mary Coffee and Coffee Anthology, joined by newcomers Beta Coffee and Single O. The blend of returning icons and new entrants underlines Australia’s ongoing influence on global café standards.
In Asia, Apartment Coffee in Singapore and Story of Ono in Malaysia took 6th and 8th place respectively, with The Republic of South Korea, Japan, China, and The Philippines securing placements in this year’s Top 100 rankings.
The list confirms the emergence of new global capitals of quality coffee, as well as the consolidation of an increasingly diverse and innovative international coffee community that includes The United States, which leads the ranking with nine selected coffee shops, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and Middle East.
“Congratulations to all 100 ranked coffee shops. The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026 with DaVinci Gourmet is the global benchmark celebrating the cafés shaping the future of coffee, and as a leading beverage solutions brand, DaVinci Gourmet is proud to stand alongside it as the global title partner,” said Eloise Dubuisson, General Manager, Food Service Brands, Kerry Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa.
A GLOBAL EVALUATION PROCESS
The ranking is produced through a mixed system combining the evaluation of more than 800 professional judges from all continents with public voting, which exceeded 350,000 votes in this edition. In total, more than 15,000 coffee shops worldwide were analysed.
RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE IN COFFEE
A benchmark for the industry and professionals, The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops aims to highlight coffee shops that not only serve exceptional coffee but also create unique coffee experiences.
As Global and Title Partner of the 2026 edition, and together with initiatives like the DaVinci Gourmet Barista Craft Championship, DaVinci Gourmet remains committed to championing global beverage artistry and café culture.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
DaVinci Gourmet
DaVinci Gourmet is a global beverage brand that emphasizes innovation and sustainability while offering beverage solutions for the Foodservice channels. At DaVinci Gourmet, our passion for coffee is at the heart of everything we do. We provide a vibrant palette of authentic flavors crafted from the highest quality ingredients, empowering drink artists to create their next masterpieces.
HSINCHU, Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — M31 Technology (M31), a global leader in silicon intellectual property (IP), today announced that the silicon-proven MIPI M-PHY v5.0 IP has been validated on an advanced 4nm process node and is actively advancing development toward the 3nm node. This milestone demonstrates M31’s core technical capability to enable UFS 4.1 (Universal Flash Storage) through a comprehensive high-speed storage interface solution, addressing the growing performance demands of flagship smartphones, automotive smart cockpits, and AI edge computing devices.
As AI and autonomous driving technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace, end devices are experiencing exponential growth in demand for data throughput. The MIPI M-PHY v5.0 IP introduced by M31 strictly complies with MIPI Alliance specifications and delivers per-lane data rates of up to 23.32Gbps in HS-G5 (High Speed Gear 5) mode—doubling the performance of the previous HS-G4 generation. The IP integrates adaptive equalization (Adaptive EQ) and multi-amplitude signaling support, ensuring excellent signal integrity and a low bit error rate (BER) even at high data rates. In addition, an optimized hibernate mode effectively extends battery life in end devices, achieving an optimal balance between high performance and low power consumption.
To further accelerate SoC development cycles, M31 has built a comprehensive UFS solution. In addition to the physical layer (PHY), the solution integrates a JEDEC-compliant UFSHCI v4.1 controller IP and a UniPro control layer IP. This one-stop solution significantly reduces integration complexity and incorporates ISO 26262 functional safety design processes and certification, meeting the requirements of automotive and high-reliability end applications.
“In the wave of AI deployment and automotive intelligence, M31 leverages its deep expertise in high-speed interface IP to deliver silicon-proven M-PHY v5.0 performance on 4nm,” said Jerome Hung, Vice President of RD at M31. “By combining this with a fully integrated UFS 4.1 controller solution, we continue to expand our presence in advanced process technologies and automotive safety standards, positioning M31 as a trusted technology partner for next-generation high-speed storage platforms.”
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gemtek today unveiled its next-generation broadband strategy centered on Wi-Fi 8, positioning the new standard as a foundational technology for AI-driven, service-oriented networks. The announcement underscores Gemtek’s commitment to supporting service providers as the industry transitions from bandwidth-focused connectivity to intelligent, experience-driven networking.
Gemtek promotes its AI-powered network solutions at MWC 2026 with a focus on intelligent connectivity and advanced technologies such as Wi-Fi 8 and Edge AI
Under the theme “From Speed to Intelligence,” Gemtek demonstrated the integration of Wi-Fi 8, WoMT (Wi-Fi over mmWave Technology), Edge AI, and the AI OSM (Open Standard Module) platform. Together, these technologies transform broadband infrastructure into an intelligent network platform capable of real-time awareness, adaptive optimization, and service enablement for operators and enterprises.
Gemtek’s Wi-Fi 8 solutions deliver deterministic low latency, carrier-grade reliability, multi-AP coordination, and AI-assisted optimization, enabling support for immersive applications, real-time AI interaction, and large-scale residential and enterprise deployments.
To address growing global demand for cost-efficient, high-capacity Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), Gemtek introduced its WoMT solution, which extends Wi-Fi 7 baseband technology into the 5G FR2 mmWave spectrum, enabling multi-gigabit throughput while alleviating congestion in the FR1 spectrum. In addition, WoMT serves as a cost-effective alternative for cellular tower backhaul deployments.
At the network edge, Gemtek’s AI Gateways and Routers embed AI compute capabilities directly into customer premises equipment (CPE), enabling low-latency, on-device AI services, enhanced data privacy, and reduced dependency on centralized cloud resources. Through the deep integration of Wi-Fi 8, WoMT, Edge AI, and AI OSM, Gemtek enables service providers to evolve from traditional connectivity providers into AI service enablers, accelerating the industry’s shift toward intelligent, scalable, and service-centric broadband networks.
Gemtek cordially invites industry partners, customers, and media representatives to visit MWC 2026, Hall 5, Stand E11, to experience firsthand its next-generation Wi-Fi 8 and AI-powered intelligent connectivity solutions.
www.espetopia.com
