The legendary brand’s properties in Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Shanghai all earn inclusion on this year’s prestigious list of top international hotels

HONG KONG, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Peninsula Hotels is proud to announce that two of the twelve properties in its portfolio have been named to The 50 Best Hotels 2026: The Peninsula Istanbul (No.31) and The Peninsula Hong Kong (No.46). The Peninsula Shanghai (No.99) additionally made its debut among The 50 Best Hotels 51-100 extended list. Announced on the evening of 15 September at the awards ceremony at Les Salles du Carrousel in Paris, the distinctions mark the first inclusions for Peninsula hotels on the illustrious annual list’s top 50.

The recognition reflects the breadth of The Peninsula’s portfolio across three distinctive destinations, as well as the dedication of the teams behind each property. From Hong Kong, where the brand’s story began in 1928, to Shanghai and Istanbul, the honoured hotels share the brand’s global commitment to gracious service, timeless elegance, and celebration of the distinctive character and heritage of their destination cities.

“We are deeply honoured to be recognised by The 50 Best Hotels Academy and to stand alongside other distinguished hotels,” said Benjamin Vuchot, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Peninsula’s parent company, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited. “This achievement reflects the extraordinary commitment of our colleagues across our recognised properties, whose passion, expertise, and dedication to creating unforgettable guest experiences continue to define The Peninsula standard of hospitality around the world. We are immensely proud of our teams and grateful for this acknowledgment of their continued pursuit of excellence.”

Hong Kong: A Centenary Approaches

As the flagship property in the brand’s portfolio and the foundation upon which the brand’s legacy was built, The Peninsula Hong Kong has been an icon of stylish glamour and gracious hospitality for almost a century. Since first opening in 1928, the “Grande Dame of the Far East” has drawn both elite international travellers and local residents, who prize the property’s Michelin-starred dining, refined gathering spaces, and sumptuous accommodations overlooking Victoria Harbour. Its recognition among The 50 Best Hotels 2026 is a first for the hotel, following its ranking of No.54 on last year’s list. Approaching its centenary in 2028, the hotel continues to define luxury hospitality on the world stage.

Istanbul: A New Icon on the Bosphorus

Just three years after its 2023 debut, The Peninsula Istanbul has earned its first inclusion among The 50 Best Hotels – and stands as the only Türkiye property on this year’s list. Set along the Bosphorus in historic Karaköy, the hotel unites three meticulously restored early-1900s landmark buildings with an elegant, newly built fourth, surrounded by landscaped waterfront gardens. Featuring expansive accommodations, a private boat dock and luxury yacht, and a collection of chic semi-alfresco restaurants and bars – all with spectacular water views – the hotel has quickly established itself as one of the city’s most sought-after destinations. For one of the newest additions to The Peninsula’s portfolio, recognition among The 50 Best Hotels confirms how quickly the hotel has become a modern Istanbul landmark – one that honours both the character of its destination and the heritage of the brand.

Shanghai: Art Deco Address 

Also recognised among The 50 Best Hotels for the first time this year is The Peninsula Shanghai, which since 2009 has epitomised the dynamic and captivating spirit of its home city. Situated on the Bund, a vibrant protected heritage district fronting the Huangpu River, the property also looks directly over the futuristic modern skyscrapers of Pudong. This commingling of old and new is further echoed by the guest experience at the hotel, which offers both luxurious modern comforts and numerous opportunities to dive into the city’s distinctive art, illustrious history, and delectable culinary traditions.

Now in its fourth edition, The 50 Best Hotels has become one of the hospitality industry’s most anticipated annual awards, recognising leading hotels for their innovation, creativity, and excellence. The 2026 honourees were revealed at the awards ceremony held in Paris on 15 September, bringing together industry leaders from around the globe to celebrate the properties setting the benchmark for luxury travel. The annual list is curated by The 50 Best Hotels Academy, an independent panel of more than 800 anonymous experts recognised for their extensive knowledge and experience, and insight into the international hospitality sector.

For more information on The Peninsula Hotels, please visit: www.peninsula.com.

About The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (Stock Code: 45)

Incorporated in 1866 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited is the holding company of a group which is engaged in the ownership, development, and management of prestigious hotels and commercial and residential properties in key locations in Asia, Europe and the United States, as well as the provision of tourism and leisure, retail and other services. The Peninsula Hotels portfolio comprises The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Peninsula Shanghai, The Peninsula Beijing, The Peninsula Tokyo, The Peninsula London, The Peninsula Paris, The Peninsula Istanbul, The Peninsula New York, The Peninsula Chicago, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, The Peninsula Bangkok and The Peninsula Manila. The property portfolio of the group includes The Repulse Bay Complex, The Peak Tower and St. John’s Building in Hong Kong, and 21 avenue Kléber in Paris, France. The Peak Tram, Retail and Others portfolio of the group includes The Peak Tram in Hong Kong; The Quail in Carmel, California; Peninsula Clubs and Consultancy Services, Peninsula Merchandising, and Tai Pan Laundry in Hong Kong.

Learn more at www.peninsula.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

About The 50 Best Hotels

Following the success of The 50 Best Restaurants and The 50 Best Bars, The 50 launched The 50 Best Hotels in 2023, marking the brand’s first global launch since 2009. The list is created by The 50 Best Hotels Academy, an influential group of more than 800 independent leaders, each selected for their expert opinion of the international hotel scene. The 50 Best Hotels event programme – including the awards ceremony and unveiling of the list – provides a unique opportunity to unite hoteliers, restaurateurs, bar owners, media, business and luxury travellers at a captivating celebration of hospitality, passion and talent. The first edition of the awards was held in London, UK, in September 2023.

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SOURCE The Peninsula Hotels

Scan to pay for onboard fares on Taiwan Railway, earn a 5% voucher when riding Keelung city buses, and book MICHELIN Guide restaurants through EZTABLE with one tap from the App home screen

TAIPEI, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PXPay Plus has added another international travel partner. International travel platform Trip.com now accepts PXPay Plus on both its Taiwan website and its App, allowing users who book Japan and Korea flights and hotels on Tuesdays to enjoy instant discounts of up to NT$1,300 per transaction. Beyond international travel, PXPay Plus continues to deepen its presence in public transport and everyday scenarios: in line with Taiwan Railway’s new onboard payment policy, passengers can now settle onboard fares with PXPay Plus, while the Transit QR Code has expanded beyond Taipei and New Taipei to Keelung city buses, rewarding riders with a Commuter Rewards Voucher that earns a 5% PXPay Plus Points reward on purchases. For dining, users can tap “Restaurant Reservations” on the App home screen to enter the EZTABLE zone and book MICHELIN Guide restaurants and hotel buffets — connecting travel, transport and dining in one app.

Expanding into international travel booking: up to NT$1,300 off Japan and Korea itineraries on Trip.com

The Trip.com Taiwan site and App now officially support PXPay Plus at checkout, and a limited-time launch promotion is already underway. A limited-quantity discount code campaign runs every Tuesday from today through October 11, 2026. Users who claim a code on the dedicated Trip.com campaign page and select PXPay Plus at checkout will receive NT$1,300 off bookings of NT$12,000 or more, or NT$600 off bookings of NT$6,000 or more, on flights departing Taiwan for Japan or Korea and on hotels in those markets. Codes are issued in limited quantities while supplies last. With autumn and winter flights to Japan and Korea now on sale, travelers can start saving right from the booking stage.

Deeper coverage in transport: cashless onboard fares on Taiwan Railway, plus a 5% Commuter Rewards Voucher on Keelung buses

In response to the new onboard ticketing policy introduced by Taiwan Railway, PXPay Plus QR code payment is now supported for onboard fares across all train lines, eliminating the need for passengers to worry about carrying enough cash. Following Taipei Metro (excluding the light rail lines) and city buses in Taipei and New Taipei, the PXPay Plus Transit QR Code has also opened across all Keelung city bus routes, giving commuters and visitors in Taipei, New Taipei and Keelung a single way to pay for public transport. Riders simply open the Transit QR Code in the PXPay Plus App to complete payment — no coins, no cards. Once the fare is deducted, they receive a Commuter Rewards Voucher, which earns a 5% PXPay Plus Points reward on purchases at PX Mart, MEGA PX MART and PXPay Plus partner merchants, capped at 15 PXPay Plus Points per transaction, adding a little extra value to your daily commute.

EZTABLE reservation zone: no extra sign-up, no app switching — from MICHELIN Guide restaurants to hotel buffets in one place

For dining, PXPay Plus has partnered with EZTABLE to launch a “Restaurant Reservations” zone directly on the App home screen. A single tap takes users straight into the zone, bypassing repeat registration and form-filling, to book MICHELIN Guide restaurants, hotel buffets and fine dining from around the world. The MICHELIN Guide section features top names including Bencotto, Danny’s Steakhouse, Kiccho Kappo Sushi and Molino de Urdániz. After setting a date, party size and city to search available time slots, users confirm the booking and complete payment with their existing PXPay Plus account for a seamless end-to-end experience. Selected partner restaurants offer limited-time discounts, and the reservation fee can be applied toward the bill on the day of dining. EZTABLE is also a participating brand in the PXPay Plus “Top 100 Brands” campaign: after registering for the campaign, reservation fees of NT$1,500 or more earn an additional 5% PXPay Plus Points reward (capped at 150 PXPay Plus Points per account per month), rising to a 7% reward when paying with designated bank cards. From overseas travel to daily commutes to dinner reservations, PXPay Plus links a wide range of everyday scenarios under one account, making every routine transaction more convenient and more rewarding for members.

About PXPay Plus

PXPay Plus, an e-wallet brand founded and 100% fully owned by the PX Mart Group. In June of 2021, PXPay Plus obtained licenses and approval for operating electronic payment related business from the FSC (Financial Supervisory Commission) in Taiwan. Continuing the company culture of the PX Mart group, building a delightful company environment for everyone. With the launch of PXPay Plus, users can now enjoy enhanced wallet features, providing a seamless and secure payment experience.

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SOURCE PXPay Plus

The interactive educational website makes NTDs understandable
to a general audience, the first step toward public support that drives R&D
for the 1.5 billion people affected by these diseases

TOKYO, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund announced the launch of “NTDpedia: Your Guide to Neglected Tropical Diseases.” Designed as an accessible, visually intuitive digital encyclopedia, NTDpedia aims to address a root cause of neglect: Most people have never heard of these diseases. Awareness is the first step; people cannot advocate for, fund, or research a disease they do not know exists.
Website URL: https://www.ghitfund.org/ntdpedia/en

Overcoming Indifference: Why NTDpedia Matters Today
While Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) sets a clear mandate to end epidemics of NTDs by 2030 under the banner “Leaving No One Behind,” NTDs remain severely underfunded and overlooked. Affected populations are trapped in a vicious cycle: Poverty breeds disease and disease deepens poverty. Lack of clean water and sanitation elevates infection risks, while inadequate healthcare infrastructure leads to severe complications, economic loss, social stigma, and further marginalization.

“The greatest barrier to ending NTDs is not just the lack of medical tools but also lack of awareness and societal apathy,” said Osamu Kunii, CEO of the GHIT Fund. “NTDpedia was built to transform a distant problem into something people can understand and then care about, which is the first step toward meaningful global action.”

Key Features of NTDpedia: Connecting Global Challenges to Daily Life
Supervised by world-renowned tropical medicine and global health expert Prof. Kenji Hirayama from Nagasaki University, NTDpedia covers the 21 disease groups recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), including viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal infections, as well as snakebite envenoming and noma.

To help users intuitively navigate and relate to these complex conditions, the platform introduces two distinct visual discovery frameworks:

1. Four Curated Key Phrases to Personalize the Cause:
   • Climate change: Highlighting diseases that expand into new geographies, including high-income nations, as a warming climate combines with global travel and trade
   • Poor sanitation and poverty: Showing how unsafe water, poor sanitation, and crowded housing keep these diseases circulating and how illness in turn deepens poverty.
   • Children at high risk: Highlighting diseases that fall hardest on children, affecting growth, schooling, and lifelong health.
   • Once common in Japan: Revealing that several of these diseases were once present in Japan and no longer remain in living memory.
2. Categorized Visual Transmission: Diseases are categorized by how they spread and what causes them: parasites, bacteria, viruses, insects, other animals, water/soil, and other routes.

Catalyzing R&D and Global Action
The GHIT Fund envisions NTDpedia becoming a resource for anyone curious about these diseases, from students and teachers to companies and advocates. Apathy often reflects unfamiliarity rather than indifference. By making these diseases visible and understandable, the GHIT Fund aims to build public support that drives investment in research and development of drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for NTDs.

*Please note that this website was created for general readers who may not have background expertise in the field. Estimates and figures regarding NTDs can differ across various sources; therefore, the content herein has been compiled from multiple references. We kindly ask users to verify the latest data and primary sources prior to referencing this information.

The GHIT Fund is a Japan-based international public-private partnership (PPP) fund that was formed between the Government of Japan, multiple pharmaceutical companies, the Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The GHIT Fund invests in and manages an R&D portfolio of development partnerships aimed at addressing neglected diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases, which afflict the world’s vulnerable and underserved populations. In collaboration with global partners, the GHIT Fund mobilizes Japanese industry, academia, and research institutes to create new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases. https://www.ghitfund.org/

For more information, contact:
Katy Lenard at +1-202-494-2584 or [email protected]
Eriko Mugitani at +81-36441-2032 or [email protected]

SOURCE GHIT Fund

First Fresh Start Server ZERO Eases Growth and Competition Barriers, While Existing Servers Receive “Legendary Festival” Rewards

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality games, has launched a major update for its dark fantasy MMORPG RAVEN2, opening the game’s first fresh start server “ZERO,” alongside “Legendary Festival” for existing servers. 

ZERO opened on September 15 (UTC +0) as a specialized server with a different ruleset from existing servers. Built for new and returning players, ZERO eases growth burdens, monetization pressure, PK stress, and competition barriers through increased equipment drop rates and EXP gains, adjusted combat balance, and a simplified progression structure that excludes Mythic-grade Summons and Awakenings. A key feature is Farming Crystals, which allows players to obtain Crystals, a core in-game currency, through hunting and gameplay.

Certain fields are peace zones where PK is disabled, while field bosses in these zones allow broader participation, guild crafting materials, and high-grade equipment crafting. ZERO currently lets players experience Abyss 1F and the Sinerim region, with future content to follow sequentially.

ZERO-exclusive events offer 550 Summon Scrolls, Legendary Holy Garment and Familiar, weekly chances to obtain Heroic Holy Garment or Familiar during the first month after launch, and level milestone chests. The ZERO Special Corps Member Growth Event provides Heroic equipment and skill books, while the [ZERO] Special Starter Package, containing Heroic Holy Garment (1) Summon Scroll, Heroic Familiar (1) Summon Scroll and more, is available to all players upon login.

For existing servers, “Legendary Festival” offers Legendary Holy Garment and Familiar, 330 Summon Scrolls, Abyss-related benefits, and the upgraded Elite Special Corps Member Growth Event with high-grade equipment and more. Running through October 7, the event dungeon “Full Moon Forest” will be available across both existing servers and ZERO, offering generous rewards to participants. 

An official sequel to Raven (EvilBane: The Iron King), RAVEN2 is a blockbuster MMORPG set in a dark fantasy realm reimagined with unrivaled graphics. As a member of the Special Corps, players will embark on a journey to investigate dangerous and bizarre incidents under royal order, and engage in a large-scale, cruel war.

For more information about RAVEN2, stay tuned to the game’s official forum, YouTube channel and Facebook.

About Netmarble Corporation

Founded in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading global game developer and publisher. Through acclaimed franchises and strategic partnerships with top-tier IP holders, the company delivers innovative and engaging gaming experiences to audiences worldwide. As a parent company of Kabam, SpinX Games, Jam City, and a major shareholder of HYBE and NCSOFT, Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Solo Leveling:ARISE, Seven Knights Re:BIRTH, RAVEN2, MARVEL Future Fight, and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com.

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SOURCE Netmarble Corporation

HONG KONG, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT Hon Teng, HKEX: 6088) today hosted FIT Tech Day 2026, themed “Light at Scale: The Next Frontier in Data Center Interconnects.” The event brought together global leaders from the optical communications, AI, and semiconductor industries to explore the next generation of connectivity for AI, spanning light sources, materials, photonics, network architectures, manufacturing, and the broader industry ecosystem.

The event also showcased the cross-disciplinary integration capabilities of the Hon Hai Technology Group. Young Liu, Chairman of Hon Hai Technology Group, attended the event, while Brand Cheng, Chairman of FII, delivered the opening remarks. Together, they highlighted the Group’s comprehensive capabilities spanning semiconductors, AI, cloud infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing.

“AI is redefining data center architectures while simultaneously driving optical communications into a new phase of development. Over the next decade, we expect to see not only faster optical technologies, but also how optical connectivity can be deployed more reliably and efficiently at scale,” said Sidney Lu, Chairman of FIT. “By integrating the diverse businesses and technological capabilities across the Hon Hai Technology Group, we have an opportunity to advance innovation in optical communications beyond individual components toward more integrated systems and large-scale applications.”

The first half of the event featured four keynote sessions exploring the next steps for optical communications in the AI era from different layers of the technology stack. Dr. Wupen Yuen of Lumentum examined the interconnect requirements driven by Scale-up, Scale-out, and Scale-across in AI system architectures, as well as the trend toward optics becoming a core element of AI system architecture. Dr. Chuck Mattera reviewed the evolution of semiconductors, lasers, fiber optics, computing, and manufacturing, and looked ahead to the evolution from Pluggable Optics, CPO, and Optical I/O to Photonic Fabrics, supporting the transition of optical technologies toward large-scale deployment. Mr. Yoshiaki Sato of NTT Innovative Devices focused on the evolution of photonics-electronics convergence from an industry vision toward practical implementation, and shared the detachable Optical Engine architecture based on socket technology co-developed with FIT. Mr. Ashkan Seyedi of ams OSRAM introduced Wide & Slow Optics and Micro Emitter technologies, exploring how optics moving closer to the compute core can address low latency, efficiency, density, reliability, and manufacturability.

The second half of the event featured a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Thomas Liu of FIT, bringing together Dr. Hong Hou, CEO of Semtech; Dr. WP Huang, Chairman of Ligent; Mr. Ernest Muhigana of MACOM; and Dr. Hao-Chung Kuo, Head of the Semiconductor Research Center at Hon Hai Research Institute. The panel explored optical modules, CPO, high-speed interconnects, and the broader ecosystem required by AI infrastructure, discussing how innovations in optical communications can advance toward reliable and scalable large-scale deployment as AI infrastructure continues to expand.

FIT Tech Day 2026 brings together leaders across the optical communications, AI, semiconductor, and data center industries for in-depth cross-industry exchange. Through “Light at Scale,” FIT and its global industry partners are exploring the technologies, architectures, and collaborations shaping the next generation of connectivity.

About Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT Hon Teng)

Foxconn Interconnect Technology (HKEX: 6088) was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2017 and is the largest consumer electronics connector manufacturer in Greater China. While connectors remain its core business, the company has strategically expanded in recent years into 5G AIoT, electric vehicles, and acoustic electronic components, while also entering the consumer brand sector. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.fit-foxconn.com

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SOURCE FIT Hon Teng Ltd

• A strategic partnership strengthening the region’s leading destination for Korean beauty
• ⁠Bringing globally loved Korean skincare closer through a seamless customer experience
• ⁠A long-term vision to shape the next chapter of K-Beauty in the Middle East

HAWALLY, Kuwait, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Korea Town by Boutiqaat proudly announces the official launch of AXIS-Y, one of Korea’s most recognized skincare brands, marking another milestone in its mission to bring the latest innovations in Korean beauty closer to customers across the GCC and the Middle East. Renowned for its ingredient-focused philosophy and climate-inspired formulations, AXIS-Y further reinforces Korea Town’s position as the region’s premier K-beauty destination.

Korea Town’s expansion strategy continues to gain momentum with nine stores in Kuwait, the recent opening of its flagship in The Avenues, Bahrain, and the upcoming launch of a new store in Qatar. As part of this regional growth, AXIS-Y will be introduced across additional Korea Town locations, ensuring greater accessibility for skincare enthusiasts throughout the Gulf.

Looking ahead, Korea Town by Boutiqaat aims to expand its regional presence by the end of 2027 through new store openings, strategic K-beauty partnerships, and stronger offline-to-online customer experiences, building the GCC’s most connected and inspiring K-beauty ecosystem.

Souha Hasan, General Manager of Korea Town by Boutiqaat, said: “Our partnership with AXIS-Y represents more than a brand launch—it reflects Korea Town’s long-term vision of making authentic Korean beauty more accessible across the GCC and the Middle East. As we continue expanding our retail footprint, we remain committed to delivering an integrated omnichannel experience that connects customers with the very best of K-Beauty.”

The partnership introduces AXIS-Y through a seamless customer journey combining immersive retail experiences, brand activations, and digital accessibility. Customers can discover the brand across Korea Town stores while also shopping the full AXIS-Y range online through Boutiqaat, expanding convenient access across the GCC and the Middle East.

Globally recognized for its innovative skincare and hero products such as the Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum, AXIS-Y delivers targeted solutions for dark spots, uneven skin tone, sensitivity, dehydration, and skin barrier health. Its climate-conscious approach makes the brand highly relevant to today’s discerning beauty consumers and a new generation of skincare enthusiasts.

Contact:
[email protected] 

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SOURCE Boutiqaat Group For Perfumes & Beauty Products

Angels & Mara transforms temples, museums, landmarks and public spaces into an art route for culture-led travel

BANGKOK, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is highlighting Bangkok Art Biennale 2026 (BAB 2026) as a citywide contemporary art experience that will strengthen Bangkok’s position as a global art destination. Scheduled from 29 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 under an Angels & Mara theme, the fifth edition brings Thai and international artists into dialogue with the capital’s heritage, spirituality, urban life and creative future.

TAT Governor Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool said, “Bangkok Art Biennale 2026 reflects TAT’s direction to position Thailand as a high-value and meaningful destination, where culture, creativity and contemporary identity create deeper reasons to travel. By turning Bangkok into a citywide platform for artistic discovery, Angels & Mara strengthens the Thai capital’s global visibility, supports the Festival Economy, and connects visitors with experiences that bring together heritage, imagination and the creative energy of Amazing Thailand.”

Angels & Mara shapes the citywide platform that explores the tension between guardians of light and forces of temptation. Drawing on religious, cultural and philosophical traditions, BAB 2026 examines the dualities that define modern life, from hope and despair to spirituality and materialism, memory and forgetting, desire and restraint. Set in Bangkok, whose Thai name, Krung Thep, means City of Angels, the theme gives visitors a deeper look into the capital, while offering artists a powerful framework to reflect on the uncertainty, conflict and transformation of modern life.

The programme features a growing roster of artists and collectives from Thailand and around the world, working across painting, sculpture, photography, performance art, film and multimedia. The line-up reinforces BAB 2026 as an international platform for artistic dialogue, stimulating conversation across cultures, generations and disciplines.

BAB 2026 will unfold across temples, museums, cultural institutions, educational spaces and major public venues. Locations include Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), Wat Prayoon (Temple of the Iron Fences), Museum Siam, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, One Bangkok, centralwOrld, Siam Paragon, the National Museum Bangkok and the Art Centre, Silpakorn University. Together, these venues connect Bangkok’s historic quarters, riverfront communities, civic landmarks and emerging areas, offering visitors a new art route to explore the capital.

Against this urban backdrop, TAT will connect BAB 2026 with Thailand’s wider tourism appeal, encouraging visitors to experience Bangkok through contemporary art, heritage sites, creative districts and everyday city life. This approach supports culture-led travel and reinforces the capital as a place where heritage, creativity and contemporary urban culture converge.

The festival is a collaboration of Thailand’s cultural, tourism, government and private-sector partners, with Thai Beverage Public Company Limited as a major supporter since 2018. This shared commitment reinforces Bangkok’s appeal as a regional centre for contemporary art and extends the value of art into tourism, education, public engagement and the wider economy.

Founded in 2017 and first staged in 2018, Bangkok Art Biennale was created to transform Bangkok into one of Southeast Asia’s leading modern art destinations. Previous editions have attracted more than 3.5 million visitors and presented works by over 300 artists from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Oceania and Africa. Meanwhile, the pandemic-era BAB Virtual Venue reached over 2.3 million online viewers worldwide.

More information, including the latest participating artists, artworks, venues and public programmes, is available through official Bangkok Art Biennale channels.

Website: www.tatnews.org

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SOURCE Tourism Authority of Thailand

Targeted recycling policies would deliver 68% greater recycling gains than a 5% virgin plastic production cap while supporting affordability by minimizing impacts on household welfare

BRUSSELS, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Focusing waste collection and recycling policies where they can reduce the most mismanaged waste could achieve the same reduction in plastic leakage as a global cap on virgin plastics production, but at substantially lower economic costs and significantly more plastics recycling, according to a new Oxford Economics study commissioned by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA).

Evaluating Policy Pathways to End Plastic Pollution is the second phase of Oxford Economics’ analysis for ICCA. It builds on the 2024 study, Mapping the Plastics Value Chain, which documented the plastics industry’s global economic footprint and examined the potential consequences of constraining production.

The report’s main comparison is between a scenario with a modest 5% cap on virgin plastics production (Scenario 1) and a scenario that targets stronger collection and recycling incentives to regions with the greatest potential to reduce mismanaged plastic waste (Scenario 2a).

Oxford Economics used the modeled leakage outcome under a 5% production cap as a common benchmark to calibrate the remaining scenarios. This allowed the study to compare each scenario’s effects on recycling, prices, output and welfare on equal terms.

Compared with the 5% production cap scenario, targeted collection and recycling policies and incentives would deliver:

• More recycling: a 33.6 million metric ton increase, compared with 19.9 million metric tons under the cap, yielding approximately 68% more recycled plastic.
• Stable plastic prices: a 0.2% decline in total plastic prices (combining virgin and recycled plastic prices), compared with an 8.5% increase under the cap, which has the potential to raise costs on consumers, disproportionately impacting low-income households.
• Far less harm to consumers: a $0.5 billion decline in global household welfare, a measure of the real value of goods and services consumed by households, compared with a $128.4 billion decline under the cap.
• Stronger economic performance: a $0.2 billion increase in global output, compared with a $20.2 billion decline under the cap.

These effects would be felt around the world, though their scale would vary significantly by region. Under the production cap scenario, household welfare would decline by $38.5 billion in East Asia, $37.7 billion in Western Europe, $22.1 billion in North America, $8.8 billion in Southeast Asia, $6.1 billion in the Middle East and $6.0 billion in Latin America. Every region modeled would experience a decline in household welfare.

“Plastics are deeply embedded in products and supply chains, and other materials cannot readily replace them in many applications,” said Alice Gambarin, one of the report’s authors and associate director at Oxford Economics. “That makes demand for plastics relatively inelastic. When virgin supply is capped, demand does not simply disappear or shift to other materials. Instead, prices rise across the plastics value chain, increasing costs for businesses and consumers and lowering household welfare.”

In contrast, targeting recycling incentives according to each region’s potential to reduce mismanaged waste would achieve the same global leakage reduction at far lower economic cost. In that scenario, recycling could increase by 20.5 million metric tons in South Asia and 13.7 million metric tons in East Asia, the two regions where the model identified the greatest absolute opportunity for improvement.

“This study shows that environmental ambition and economic well-being do not have to be in conflict,” said Marco Mensink, ICCA council secretary and director general of Cefic. “The global plastics pollution agreement is an opportunity to boost a circular economy worldwide by expanding plastic recycling and reuse, while tackling plastic waste pollution by prioritizing solid waste collection for the 2.7 billion people worldwide who still lack access.”

The findings reinforce the need for a global agreement that mobilizes finance, builds capacity, and enables governments to focus resources to tackle plastic waste leakage most effectively in their communities.

Oxford Economics conducted the analysis independently, and the conclusions reflect its views.

The full report and a fact sheet are available here.

International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA)

The International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) is an association of innovators, visionaries, solutions providers and product stewardship pioneers. Through ongoing innovation in chemistry and the constant improvement of safe chemicals management, the global chemical industry makes a significant contribution to a sustainable society: improving human health, protecting the environment, and delivering prosperity worldwide.

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SOURCE International Council of Chemical Associations

KYOTO, Japan, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Australian medical technology company Ferronova has announced preliminary findings from the MAGMAP multi-centre trial involving 62 gastric and oesophageal patients evaluating the safety and feasibility of a new nanoparticle-based platform to assist clinicians in identifying lymph nodes draining a primary cancer (sentinel nodes). The findings were presented today by principal investigator Dr Markus Trochsler at the 22^nd ISDE World Congress for Esophageal Diseases held in Kyoto, Japan.

The lead study site was Royal Adelaide Hospital with participating hospitals and research organisations including the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Austin Hospital, the Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute, Flinders Medical Centre, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute Clinical & Research Imaging Centre.

Key findings

• FerroTrace® was administered to 62 patients with no toxicity related adverse events. 
• In 24 patients considered potentially suitable for a de-escalated surgical approach, 18 had pre-operative chemotherapy (75%). Sentinel nodes were identified in 23 of these patients (identification rate of 96%), no false negatives were observed among the seven node-positive patients evaluated (FNR=0%), and the patient level negative predictive value of sentinel node pathology was 100% (n=16).
• In 26 patients with gastric-oesophageal junction or distal oesophageal cancers 10 were node positive.  The FerroTrace sentinel node drainage direction corresponded to the positive node direction in all 10 patients.  Of 19 patients with Siewert Type I or II cancers, seven had drainage confirmed to the gastric lymphatic basin, highlighting the potential for lymphatic mapping to inform less extensive surgery in selected patients.
• Overall, 68% of patients had at least one identified sentinel lymph node outside the tissue removed using standard of care surgery.

Dr Trochsler said using radioisotopes and dyes for identification of lymph nodes draining a primary tumour is already a standard of care in breast cancer and melanoma and is highly effective. However, efforts to translate this technology to gastric and oesophageal cancer patients, who typically undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy before surgery, have been unsuccessful to date.

“To our knowledge, this study was the first where a marker was injected prior to pre-surgical chemotherapy or radiotherapy and shown to persist and be detectable at the time of surgery.  The preliminary results are extremely promising.

“The absence of false-negatives and the high negative predictive value observed in this preliminary cohort of patients with earlier-stage disease are encouraging and suggest the potential to minimise surgery in selected patients. Future research will build on these findings by investigating a larger patient cohort. We hope this ongoing work will identify new opportunities to individually tailor treatment approaches.”

Mr Geoff Parnell, GI cancer survivor, patient advocate, and Chair of GI Cancer Trials (Australia), said new developments to improve the patient experience were vital.

“Those with lived experience know the journey of a patient with oesophageal or stomach cancer isn’t pretty,” Mr Parnell said.

“I was lucky to have found the cancer very early and purely by accident, but the surgery and long recovery was tough.

“This new study sponsored by Ferronova will help us investigate approaches that improve quality of life for patients without compromising long-term survival, while ideally also improving overall outcomes. This is particularly important because the outlook for patients with gastric and oesophageal cancers remains relatively poor.”

Ferronova’s CEO Mr Stewart Bartlett and the clinical team will be at the Kyoto conference until Friday 18^th September at booth number 7.

ENDS

BACKGROUND NOTES

Dr Trochsler MD FMH MMIS FRACS leads the Upper Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery Unit at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide, Australia, is a senior consultant at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, and a senior lecturer in surgery at Adelaide University.  He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed research publications and contributes to numerous multidiscipline projects in cancer and clinical science.

ABOUT FERRONOVA

Ferronova is an Australian medical technology company headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia. Its mission is to improve treatment options in early stage, complex cancers and increase survival rates with its unique surgical oncology marker system. Shareholders include Renew Pharmaceuticals Limited (subsidiary of UltraGreen.ai), Uniseed/UniSuper, the South Australian Venture Capital Fund (SAVCF), Artesian Venture Partners, the University of South Australia, Powerhouse Ventures, the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, the University of Sydney, PAN Ventures, STOIC Venture Capital, and Perennial Partners Future of Healthcare Fund.  Grant assistance has been provided by the SA Government since 2016 and through the Federal Government’s BioMedTech Horizons Program, operated by MTPConnect and Australian Government CRC-P program. For more information go to: www.ferronova.com.au

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Media Contact: 

Bartlett Stewart
[email protected] 
0403951272

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/ferronova-announces-preliminary-results-of-magmap-a-62-patient-gastric-and-oesophageal-cancer-trial-investigating-lymph-node-mapping-302875882.html

SOURCE Ferronova

HONG KONG, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ViaBTC, a leading global multi-cryptocurrency mining pool, today announced a partnership with Mempool to expand access to Bitcoin transaction acceleration services. Under the partnership, ViaBTC will use its Bitcoin mining pool infrastructure and expertise in block construction and transaction processing to accelerate eligible transactions, helping more users get their Bitcoin transactions confirmed sooner. 

Bitcoin transactions can remain unconfirmed for extended periods when the network is congested or transaction fees are too low. To help users address these delays, ViaBTC became one of the first providers to launch a Bitcoin transaction accelerator in 2016, offering free and paid options. It has continued to refine the product and its underlying technology ever since. As of September 16, 2026, ViaBTC has accelerated more than 800,000 BTC transactions.

The partnership marks another step in ViaBTC’s efforts to build partnerships across the Bitcoin infrastructure ecosystem. Since its launch in 2016, ViaBTC has navigated multiple market cycles and Bitcoin halvings, building a decade of experience in mining pool operations and technology development. That experience underpins its services for miners worldwide and supports the expansion of offerings such as transaction acceleration. Working with Mempool extends the reach of ViaBTC’s mining pool infrastructure, bringing its technical expertise to more applications across the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Haipo Yang, Founder and CEO of ViaBTC, said that miners’ long-term trust is built on reliable day-to-day operations and sustained investment in technology and service. Whatever the market does, ViaBTC puts the security, stability, and efficiency of its mining pool first. The partnership with Mempool marks another step in expanding the company’s ecosystem collaboration, drawing on years of technical and operational experience. Going forward, ViaBTC will stay focused on what miners need, strengthening its infrastructure to support their long-term growth and the continued operation of the Bitcoin network.

The partnership will not change how users access or use the ViaBTC Transaction Accelerator. Users can continue to submit eligible transaction IDs through the ViaBTC website and mobile app, where they can also view their acceleration history and request status.

ViaBTC will continue to strengthen the security, stability, and efficiency of its mining pool infrastructure while improving its products and services for miners. It will also explore further partnerships with block explorers, wallets, and other Bitcoin infrastructure providers to bring its technology to more applications. Through continued investment in technology and collaboration, ViaBTC aims to serve miners worldwide while providing reliable infrastructure for a broader range of needs across the Bitcoin ecosystem.

About ViaBTC

ViaBTC is a multi-cryptocurrency mining pool serving miners worldwide. Launched in 2016, it specializes in secure, stable, and efficient Proof-of-Work (PoW) mining services, supporting major PoW cryptocurrencies including BTC, LTC/DOGE, BCH, ZEC, and KAS. ViaBTC has served more than 2 million users across over 150 countries and regions. Its BTC, LTC/DOGE merged-mining, BCH, and ZEC pools rank among the world’s leading mining pools.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/viabtc-partners-with-mempool-to-expand-access-to-btc-transaction-acceleration-services-302878998.html

SOURCE ViaBTC