Across Aotearoa, our indoor shoe etiquette is shaped by culture, faith, upbringing and our own ideas about cleanliness.
Guna Magesan, president of the Hindu Council, says that even if a host tells his whānau shoes are fine inside, they’ll usually remove them anyway. For him, it’s about respect, cultural values, discipline and cleanliness.
It’s a habit of daily life which he says most Hindus, especially those from rural or traditional backgrounds, have become accustomed to, he told RNZ in an email. Even while living abroad, it’s become a tradition passed down through generations, he says.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – In response to the national 15th Five-Year Plan’s emphasis on developing new productive forces and positioning Hong Kong as an international hub for high-caliber talent, and in alignment with the talent development initiatives outlined in the 2026–27 Budget, the “New Productive Forces” Job Fair 2026 organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) was successfully held on 7 March.
As one of HKPC’s key annual initiatives promoting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and talent development, the job fair attracted over 2,000 tertiary students, fresh graduates and job seekers from across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The event brought together more than 50 leading enterprises, organizations and government departments, offering over 10,000 quality job opportunities in key areas of new productive forces such as AI and STEAM. The event successfully established an efficient two-way talent matching platform and demonstrated HKPC’s commitment to implementing a talent-driven development strategy through concrete action.
The Job Fair also served as a core event funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission’s “New Productive Forces Talent Programme”. The event received strong support from more than 30 organisations, including the Hong Kong Talent Engage, the Labour Department, the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Hong Kong Quality and Talent Migrants, as well as various tertiary institutions. The opening ceremony was held in the morning, with officiating guests including Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC; Miss Rosalind CHEUNG, Assistant Commissioner for Innovation and Technology (Funding Schemes)and Ms. Karen FUNG, Chief Marketing Officer of HKPC.
At the opening ceremony, Dr Lawrence CHEUNG emphasised: “This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan and represents a golden opportunity for Hong Kong to leverage its strengths and align with national strategies. We must seize this opportunity to attract talent from around the world and develop new productive forces with Hong Kong characteristics. This Job Fair not only serves as a bridge connecting job seekers and enterprises but also provides an important platform to showcase how new productive forces can lead Hong Kong’s future development. Over the past two years, the “New Productive Forces Talent Programme” has organised a series of courses and technology study tours, and trained more than 1,000 participants.”
In a subsequent sharing session, Mr. Brian WONG, Chief People and Culture Officer of HKPC, delivered a presentation titled “HR as the AI Change Agent: Driving Enterprise-wide AI Transformation.” He pointed out that the success of corporate transformation in the AI era hinges on whether human resources (HR) can effectively play the role of change drivers. He shared several practical strategies, including how to cultivate AI engineers and talent in related fields. He emphasised that a company’s talent strategy should not be limited to technical skills training but should also focus on nurturing high-level thinking and innovative capabilities in talent, driving the company to adapt to rapidly changing markets and achieve robust transformation.
This year’s Job Fair featured a strong lineup of exhibitors, including Huawei International Hong Kong, Alibaba Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Services Limited, The Bank of East Asia, EY and PwC, as well as government departments such as the Labour Department. Job opportunities covered key roles such as AI Consultant, Digital Transformation Specialist, Solutions Engineer and Digital Marketing Officer. Dedicated graduate programmes and internship opportunities were also offered, meeting the employment needs of a wide range of talent while providing companies with an important platform to recruit high-quality professionals in emerging technology sectors.
The atmosphere at the venue was vibrant, with many companies arranging on-site interviews, enabling job seekers to enjoy a seamless “one-stop interview” experience. HR representatives from participating companies highly praised the effectiveness of the event. Mr. Ryan Tang, Head of Personal Banking & Wealth Management Technology, Bank of East Asia, said: “The Job Fair attracted many professionals with experience in AI and technological transformation. I was very pleased to interact with them on site. Some candidates possess skills that match the bank’s needs, effectively strengthening our core talent pool.” Ms. Erica Kwan, Head of Business Development and Marketing, HSM Industrial Solution Company, said: “This Job Fair has improved our efficiency in recruiting digital and technical talent, enabling job seekers to connect more precisely with professional pathways in new industrialisation and become an important driving force for Hong Kong’s new productive forces.”Ms. Natalie Yuan, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of First Resume, remarked: “Job seekers on site showed a strong desire to enhance their job-hunting skills in the era of new productive forces. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with HKPC in the future to help talent strengthen their competitiveness.” Job seekers also widely noted that the event not only brought together a large number of quality job opportunities but also allowed them to communicate directly with company representatives and receive free career support, helping them better understand the talent requirements of emerging technology sectors and plan their future career development paths.
AI-Powered Services Enhance the Job-Seeking Experience
To help job seekers stand out in the competitive job market, the Job Fair continued to provide a wide range of free and comprehensive career support services. Among them, complimentary professional headshot photography remained one of the most popular services, helping many participants obtain professional photos suitable for job applications. At the same time, AI-powered CV optimisation, AI mock interviews, and one-on-one CV consultation services were also highly welcomed by participants. Multiple industry seminars and practical workshops were fully booked, covering topics such as “Applications of AI in Recruitment”, “AI Career Opportunities in the Finance and Technology Sectors”, and “100 Days of AI Transformation: Entering the Finance and Technology Industries”. Industry experts shared valuable job-hunting skills and insights into industry trends. In addition, the Job Fair introduced a new “Start–upZone“, allowing job seekers to engage directly with local startup entrepreneurs and broaden their innovative thinking. The founder of the startup CanTone said, “This event allowed more people to learn about our entrepreneurial vision, and it also helped us recruit student interns, enhancing our startup’s competitiveness.” The “MakerWorkshop“ also attracted many participants, who operated equipment such as 3D printers and laser engraving and cutting machines under the guidance of professional instructors, experiencing the appeal of innovation and technology manufacturing and further stimulating their interest in exploring the field of new productive forces.
HKPC has long been committed to cultivating talent with strong competitiveness for the Greater Bay Area. Through the integrated model of “job matching + career support + industry exchange”, the Job Fair not only helps enterprises address their talent needs but also enables job seekers to seize the opportunities presented by the development of new productive forces and achieve high-quality employment.
In the future, HKPC will continue to build diversified talent exchange and matching platforms while further enhancing the talent development ecosystem in the field of new productive forces.
Photo Captions:
Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC, delivered welcome remarks at the opening ceremony of the “New Productive Forces” Job Fair 2026, noting that the Job Fair not only connects job seekers and enterprises but also showcases how new productive forces can lead Hong Kong’s future development.
Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC (Middle) and Miss Rosalind CHEUNG, Assistant Commissioner for Innovation and Technology (Funding Schemes) (Right) and Ms. Karen FUNG, Chief Marketing Officer of HKPC (Left), officiate the opening ceremony of the “New Productive Forces” Job Fair 2026.
Guests of honour, supporting organisations, representatives from institutions and associations witnessed the grand opening of the “New Productive Forces” Job Fair 2026.
The Job Fair attracted a large crowd and brought together more than 50 leading enterprises, organisations and government departments, offering over 10,000 quality positions in key areas of new productive forces such as AI and STEAM.
Hashtag: #HKPC
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Driving R&D Translation and Sector Collaboration; Elevating Hong Kong as a Global Life & Health Innovation Hub
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today officially launched its new “Future Life & Health Tech Centre”, unveiling a suite of R&D achievements and application technologies across life sciences, medical technology, future food, biotechnology and modernisation of Chinese medicine. With a clear focus on accelerating R&D, pilot-scale development, smart manufacturing and commercialisation, the Centre aims to serve as an industry accelerator for life and health technology in Hong Kong, supporting the commercialisation of research outcomes from lab to market and driving the development of new productive forces.
Mr Edmond LAI, Chief Digital Officer of HKPC, said, “Life and health technology is a fast-rising focus for Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development. The Government’s 2026–27 Budget also outlines several initiatives to accelerate I&T development, with a primary focus on life and health technology. HKPC is committed to supporting the Government’s strategic development in this field by delivering forward-looking innovative technologies and services. Through the ‘Future Life & Health Tech Centre’, we will leverage AI, smart manufacturing, pilot platforms and cross-border collaboration to speed up the commercialisation of research outcomes, fostering Hong Kong as an international life and health innovation hub.”
An integrated platform from R&D to market adoption
Positioned as an end-to-end enabler across the full value chain, the “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” provides systematic support from research and pilot production through to scaleup and market adoption. It includes platforms for active ingredient efficacy validation, microencapsulation and controlled release, AI health monitoring model development, dosage form optimisation for Chinese medicine, future food technologies, medical device pilot capabilities and smart microfactory demonstration. The Centre serves as a bridge between universities and research institutes, healthcare providers, local enterprises and Greater Bay Area resources, facilitating upstream, midstream and downstream collaboration for life and health technology.
Exhibition Highlights Showcasing Diverse Applications in Life and Health Technology
According to HKPC’s “Hong Kong Life and Health Industry Development Study”, the sector’s long-term success hinges on technology-driven innovation and efficient industrialisation. The Centre showcases the following innovations:
1. Medical Technology and Diagnostics
Veterinary recombinant plasmid DNA vaccine injection technology: Enhances plasmid DNA uptake to boost antibody production and immune response while improving safety; supports animal vaccine R&D.
Innovative Porous Silica Capsule Technology: Delivers precise, sustained release of drugs or antibacterial agents; tested to eliminate over 95% of harmful microorganisms. HKPC co‑developed a customised hybrid process and smart production equipment for APEL to establish a “Smart Micro‑factory”, translating research into industrial application.
Modernisation of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Combines modern dosage form development with zebrafish model validation. A TCM-based hydrogel patch is undergoing drug registration, with approval targeted for Q3 2026.
AI Scalp Health Diagnosis System: Built on HKPC’s open AI platform “HKPC Picasso,” it utilises high-resolution imaging and multimodal data to detect scalp conditions and instantly generate personalised health reports.
2. Future Food and Functional Nutrition
Bioprotective Coating Technology for Preservation on Fresh Produces: A food-grade coating that reduces moisture loss, oxygen exposure and microbial growth to extend shelf life and enhance supply chain efficiency.
Microencapsulation and Controlled Release Technology for Functional Food: Embeds active ingredients within a carrier system to protect sensitive substances, enhance bioavailability and enable precise release control.
AI-enabled Liquid Chilling Tunnel System: A two-stage chilling solution that reduces cooling time by over 60% and boosts efficiency by 90%. An AI vision system automatically identifies products and optimises chilling cycles, ensuring food safety, process stability and full data traceability. The technology has received multiple international honours, including the Gold Medal at the 2017 International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.
HKPC emphasised that the “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” will act as a key platform for innovative research, pilot-scale development and industrial-scale commercialisation. Moving forward, HKPC will work closely with the Government, academia, healthcare organisations and industry partners in Hong Kong and other cities of the Greater Bay Area to strengthen the innovation ecosystem for life and health technology—supporting Hong Kong’s development as an international life and health innovation hub and advancing new industrialisation.
Photo Captions:
Mr Edmond LAI, Chief Digital Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, outlines the vision and strategy of the “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” and introduces a range of cutting-edge R&D outcomes in life and health technology.
The “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” showcases medical technology and diagnostic innovations, including the “Veterinary recombinant plasmid DNA vaccine injection technology” and the “Modernisation of Traditional Chinese Medicine”.
The “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” features future food technologies, including the “Bioprotective Coating Technology for Preservation on Fresh Produces” and “Microencapsulation and Controlled Release Technology for Functional Food”.
Hashtag: #HKPC
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
ARLESHEIM, SWITZERLAND – Newsaktuell – 9 March 2026 – During this season’s Paris Fashion Week, WELEDA is backstage at the Stella McCartney show ensuring radiant skin: make-up artists draw specifically on the trusted nurturing power of the WELEDA Skin Food range to prep and prime the runway models’ skin perfectly for make-up and create a natural glow.
WELEDA Skin Food Model backstage at Paris Fashion Week, 4 March 2026; CREDITS: WELEDA
“Weleda is such a great brand that has always stayed committed to natural, ethical and sustainable values without chasing trends – I really respect that, and I love Skin Food. My brand has never wavered from our core principles – we’ve been free from leather, feathers, fur and exotic skins since day one. So, to align with another company that proves integrity can last is truly meaningful.”says designer Stella McCartney.
StellaMcCartney Paris Fashion Show Backstage with WELEDA Skin Food, 4 March 2026, Credits: WELEDA
100 years of the WELEDA Skin Food Family
Launched in 1926, Skin Food is one of the few skincare products to have remained relevant for over a century. What began as a deeply nourishing cream for dry, stressed skin has become an internationally celebrated classic, firmly established among make-up artists, models and high-profile individuals from fashion and film – from the runway to the front row. The formula, with wild pansy, calendula, chamomile, rosemary and sunflower oil, nourishes intensively and gives skin the signature Skin Food glow.
Stella McCartney with WELEDA CEO Tina Müller at Paris Fashion Show, 4 March 2026, CREDITS: Weleda
Shared values: sustainability and responsibility
The collaboration with Stella McCartney highlights the shared mindset of both brands: responsible action, innovative approaches, and a clear commitment to sustainability. Stella McCartney has stood for cruelty-free luxury fashion and the use of sustainable materials for years, while WELEDA relies on natural, organically cultivated ingredients in its NATRUE-certified natural cosmetics. The packaging of the WELEDA Skin Food collection is also designed with recyclability in mind.
“Skin Food has been a favourite with generations of people for 100 years and remains an indispensable staple for many make-up artists. It’s something special to celebrate this anniversary at Paris Fashion Week together with Stella McCartney and to show how well sustainable fashion and natural cosmetics go together,” says Tina Müller, CEO of WELEDA.
For this milestone anniversary for WELEDA Skin Food, the WELEDA and Stella McCartney collaboration shines a spotlight on a product that stands for longevity, relevance and natural beauty.
Hashtag: #WELEDA #StellaMcCartney #SkinFood
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – Esperanza Fintech (Securities) Limited (“Esperanza Securities“, or “Company“) today announced a major business milestone for its first SFC permitted tokenized investment (STO) project with entertainment industry asset. With the underlying concert successfully concluded last weekend, this marks the commencement of the new investment model that combines entertainment industry assets with financial technology.
Esperanza Securities congratulated the renowned Hong Kong singer Chris Wong on the successful completion of his concert “Chris Wong 40th Anniversary Concert” and expressed gratitude for investors who participated in the STO, who have witnessed the first tokenized investment that integrates both a secondary trading market and exclusive experiential elements.
Ronald Leung, the responsible officer of Esperanza Securities said: “The entertainment industry carries strong investment potential while also embodying powerful community engagement and cultural influence. Through the STO model, we aim to establish a new participation framework for the cultural and entertainment sectors that integrates investment, content and the fan economy.”
Professional Investors Participate as Secondary Market Trading Begins
The project successfully attracted subscription from professional investors as Hong Kong’s first practical cases of entertainment STO. Investors are able to trade the investment tokens on Esperanza Securities’ 24/7 digital investment platform, espetopia.com. The platform has recorded secondary market transactions from both institutional and individual investors, marking a crucial step for tokenized investments as an alternative capital raising channel for the entertainment industry.
Besides investment return, project investors gain exclusive access to concert rehearsal, auspicious opening ceremony and backstage interaction with the artist.
Several participating investors noted that the integration of investment and fan culture offers a new form of interaction within the entertainment industry, demonstrating the innovative potential of combining the fans economy with financial technology.
Strong Retail Market Interest Amid Anticipation of Future Regulatory Developments
Esperanza Securities noted that, STO investments remain strictly limited to professional investors. Beyond professional investors, a significant number of retail investors have expressed strong interest in tokenized entertainment investment projects. Many hope to eventually participate financially in supporting their beloved artists and cultural content in the future.
Any potential investment access for retail investors will require further review and approval from regulators. Globally, financial regulators are increasingly studying ways to enable retail investors to participate in private market assets. For example, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has recently launched a public consultation on frameworks that may allow retail participation in private market investment funds, reflecting broader international developments in this area.
Next STO Project to Launch Soon, Inviting Asia-Pacific Investors to Join New Opportunities
Following the successful completion of the first project’s underlying concert, Esperanza Securities also announced today that the next entertainment STO project will be available for subscription and secondary market trading for eligible professional investors later this week. The underlying asset will be the concert project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, featuring Kyuhyun of Super Junior and Korean boy band AHOF, scheduled for April 11, 2026.
Professional investors participating in this upcoming STO project will enjoy exclusive experiential privileges in addition to potential investment returns, with further updates to be announced.
Looking Ahead: Expanding Tokenization Across Entertainment Assets
Looking ahead, Esperanza Securities plans to deepen the application of tokenized investment within the entertainment industry while exploring additional asset classes across the broader cultural and creative sectors. These may include projects related to film production, content rights, and intellectual property licensing, further expanding the potential integration between community-driven fan economies and tokenized investment models.
The Company believes that tokenization can introduce more flexible and innovative capital participation for the entertainment industry while enabling investors to engage more directly with cultural content and creative assets.
Hashtag: #EsperanzaSecurities
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – From March 2 to 5, the 2026 Mobile World Congress (MWC) was grandly held in Barcelona, Spain. China Telecom attended the Congress with two high-profile keynote speeches, an immersive interactive exhibition booth, and a Low-Altitude Economy Launch Event, presenting a panoramic showcase of its strategic vision and innovative achievements in transforming into a key promoter in the AI era. Having also won multiple prestigious international awards in the telecommunications field, China Telecom earned wide attention and high recognition from international operators, ecosystem partners, and global media with its hard-core technological strength and open, collaborative spirit.
China Telecom MWC 2026
Two Keynote Speeches Set the Tone: Charting a New Vision for Transformation in the AI Era
On March 2, China Telecom President Liu Guiqing attended the Congress opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech entitled “The Transformation of a Large Telco to a Key Promoter in AI Era.” Liu Guiqing stated that China Telecom is fully embracing AI and advancing its corporate strategy toward the “Cloudification, Digital Transformation and AI for Good” upgrade, consistently placing technological innovation at the core of its corporate strategy and driving the company’s transformation from a traditional telecommunications operator into a technology-oriented enterprise.
At the Congress, Liu Guiqing put forward five key judgements on the direction of operator development in the AI era: First, 6G standard innovation and network deployment must fully account for the rapid development of AI. Second, cloud-network integration will play an ever greater role in the AI era. Third, AI security governance will become a mandatory topic for global operators, and is also a watershed defining the strength of operational and service capabilities in the intelligent era. Fourth, computing-power and electricity coordination capability will become the key to the sustainable development of intelligent computing infrastructure. Fifth, the flourishing development of AI applications requires operators to open up and cooperate with greater force.
On March 3, Liu Guiqing attended the World Broadband Association (WBBA) Broadband Development Congress and delivered a keynote speech entitled “From Connectivity to Intelligence: A New Era for Cloud-Network Broadband.” Liu Guiqing noted that AI is fully advancing into the Agentic AI stage — characterized by autonomous execution and intelligent collaboration — heralding the dawn of an Agentic Internet. How to accurately seize the transformational opportunities driven by Agentic AI has become a shared challenge for telecommunications operators worldwide.
Liu Guiqing emphasized that China Telecom is willing to join hands with WBBA and all industry stakeholders, with Agentic AI as the core engine, to drive the iterative upgrade of new digital information infrastructure. Three proposals were put forward: First, to strengthen technological innovation in collaboration with WBBA, leading the transformation of new digital information infrastructure. Second, to deepen industrial cooperation through WBBA, expanding the value of new digital information infrastructure. Third, to leverage WBBA to bridge the global digital and intelligent divide, elevate the standard of global cloud-network services, lower the threshold for applying intelligent technologies, and ensure the dividends of Agentic AI development benefit a broader population.
Multiple Awards, Crowning Honours: International Recognition Sets a New Benchmark
On March 4, at the Global Mobile Awards (GLOMO Awards) — widely regarded as the “Oscars of the mobile communications industry” — China Telecom claimed an impressive haul of four accolades. The EasyOn 5G-A-RobotNet solution, developed jointly with ZTE, won the “Best Private Network Solution Award”; the direct-to-high-orbit satellite connectivity project for mobile phones, co-developed with Huawei, won the “Best Non-Terrestrial Network Solution Award”; the “Green Pepper Programme” in Lancang County, Pu’er, jointly submitted with the YouCheng Foundation and Huawei, won the “Best Mobile Innovation for Enhancing the Lives of Children and Young People Award”; and the “5G-A Empowering a New Model of Wireless Concert Livestreaming” project, developed together with ZTE and other industry partners, won the “Best Event Activation Award.” The multiple awards won underscore China Telecom’s comprehensive strength across technological innovation, social responsibility, and commercial application.
During the Congress, the GSMA Foundry Awards Ceremony was held with great fanfare. Three innovative proposals jointly developed by China Telecom with Huawei and ZTE stood out from the competition, capturing a total of four awards across two categories of the Foundry Excellence Awards 2026 and the GSMA Foundry Innovation GLOMO Award. Specifically, the “Mobile Network for Thriving AI” project, developed jointly with Huawei, received the Intelligent Networks & AI-Driven Infrastructure Award under the GSMA Foundry Excellence Awards; the “5G-Advanced Facilitates Multi-Robot Collaboration” solution, co-developed with ZTE, won the GSMA Foundry “Enterprise Innovation & New Revenue Models” award; and the “Relieving the Pressure on Physicians” solution has claimed both the GSMA Foundry “Cross-Cutting Excellence” Award and the GSMA Foundry Innovation GLOMO Award, demonstrating China Telecom’s globally leading capabilities in the convergence of 5G-A and AI technologies for industry applications.
One Exhibition Booth, One Launch Event: Co-Drawing a New Vision of Intelligence in the AI Era
During this year’s MWC, China Telecom’s exhibition booth was meticulously arranged under the theme “Embracing the Intelligent Era with New AI Infra.” From the stunning debut of the Xirang 2.0 “Triless Three-Independence Architecture,” to the “Xing Xiao Chen Intelligent Agent”‘s multi-task intent understanding and central control capabilities; from the quantum infrastructure covering over 40 major cities across China, to the panoramic vision of a low-altitude intelligent network and satellite communications spanning “air, space, ground, and sea” — China Telecom showcased four major infrastructure pillars, namely “AI + Intelligent Cloud,” “AI + Quantum,” “AI + Low-Altitude,” and “AI + Satellite Communications,” outlining the foundation of the intelligent era with a forward-looking vision and attracting numerous senior executives and professionals from international operators for in-depth exchanges.
On March 2, China Telecom Unmanned Technology held a Low-Altitude Economy Launch Event, unveiling China Telecom’s AI-powered “1+1+4+N” Low-Altitude Economy Capability System to the world. Leveraging key technologies including 5G-Advanced (5G-A), RedCap, millimeter-wave sensing, and Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), China Telecom has built an intelligent connected network with deep integration of “connectivity, sensing, computing, and platform,” forming a full-stack capability system covering low-altitude infrastructure, operational supervision, security protection, and intelligent operations. To date, the Capability System has been deployed in over 60 cities across China, generating more than 1,000 application scenarios, and has achieved application deployment in regions including West Africa, demonstrating mature large-scale rollout capabilities. The event also saw the launch of four digital platforms — Xingyun, Xingdun, Xingxun, and Xinghan — along with the “Tianqing” 5G-A RedCap Low-Altitude Module, delivering integrated and replicable system solutions to help low-altitude flight “fly safely and fly efficiently.”
Throughout the four-day exhibition, technological depth and the warmth of everyday life blended perfectly at the China Telecom booth. This year, the booth featured a dedicated AI Live TechShow, where performers presented China Telecom’s AI technologies and products woven into everyday life scenes in a lighthearted and entertaining way: the eSurf IntelliHub captured real-time footage of mischievous pets at home; the eSurf AI health & wellness companion robot precisely reminded users about their medication; the eSurf AI sports companion robot dog danced in time to the music… Every performance drew crowds of visitors who stopped to watch.
The “AI + Chinese Opera Face-Changing” interactive experience, powered by the Xingchen Large Model and image algorithms, allowed overseas visitors to instantly complete a Chinese opera costume transformation. Exquisite gifts given out on site — including Xing Xiao Chen magnetic snap figurines and panda blind box plushies — proved enormously popular with Congress attendees. This cross-language beauty of AI came with a very real sense of “something to take home,” leaving everyone with wonderful memories.
During the exhibition, mainstream media, industry media, and overseas outlets provided comprehensive coverage of the China Telecom booth through livestreaming, exclusive interviews, articles, and other formats, sparking extensive attention and discussion, with related topics trending continuously. On March 3, well-known media hosts took up position at the China Telecom booth and launched a global “Exhibition Exploration” livestream, offering tens of millions of online viewers an immersive, first-person experience of the cutting-edge technologies, igniting wave after wave of online buzz. China Telecom’s AI products and technological capabilities successfully achieved breakthrough viral reach well beyond the industry.
This MWC 2026 journey was not only a vivid demonstration of China Telecom’s transformation into a key promoter in the AI era, but also a profound dialogue with global partners on technology and development. Standing at the forefront of the intelligent era, China Telecom will continue to deepen its “Cloudification, Digital Transformation and AI for Good” strategy, responding to the questions of the times with forward-looking technological innovation, and moving forward hand in hand with partners in an open and mutually beneficial spirit, jointly ushering in a brighter new era of AI.
Today’s biggest stars express individuality and confidence with natural diamonds
LOS ANGELES, US – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – At this year’s The Actor Awards, the red carpet was illuminated with natural diamonds worn by some of the acting world’s most respected talents, with Desert diamonds taking center stage.
Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson and Michelle Williams at the Actors Awards wear natural diamonds; Photo Credits: Getty Images
Leading entertainers wore natural diamonds in ranges of shades from sunlit whites to cognacs that spoke to individuality, creativity and brilliance. Natural diamonds shone brightly on award winners Jessie Buckley and Michelle Williams, while nominees Kate Hudson and Rose Byrne proudly wore natural diamonds from Botswana and Namibia, respectively. In an array of shapes and designs, natural diamonds — especially in the latest Desert diamond hues — blended timeless elegance with effortless style.
Desert diamonds
Desert diamonds, ranging from sunlit whites to pale cognacs, were a defining presence of the evening, reinforcing the growing appetite for naturally warm-toned stones.
Kate Hudson embraced the trend in custom Emily P. Wheeler designs, including an open torque necklace centered with a pale cognac Desert diamond, two circular bubble statement rings featuring Desert diamond center stones sourced from Botswana, and a reinterpretation of the brand’s signature “twist” silhouette set with an east-west moval cognac diamond. She completed the look with bubble fringe earrings accented by pale cognac Desert diamond center stones.
Rose Byrne also opted for Desert diamonds, wearing sunlit white natural diamonds sourced from Namibia by Messika, including the brand’s EM Divine Enigma rings and Sirenetta earrings.
Michelle Williams selected additional Messika designs featuring natural diamonds from Namibia, including the Créoles PM Snake Dance earrings and the Totem Coeur ring.
Jessie Buckley had her own take on the trend in warm white Desert diamond earrings, a diamond button back necklace and a pear-shaped natural diamond button-back ring, all by Jessica McCormack.
Statement Earrings
Earrings of every silhouette and scale took center stage, emerging as one of the evening’s most defining jewelry statements. Chandelier styles proved particularly prominent, with Chase Infiniti in striking De Beers London desert-hued statement earrings, Mindy Kaling in Bucherer Fine Jewellery, and Demi Moore in a luminous Harry Winston set. Calista Flockhart wore dramatic large-scale natural diamond feather earrings by LEVIEV.
Medium-sized circular silhouettes also made a strong showing. Zanna Roberts Rassi selected Martin Katz circle diamond earrings; Hannah Einbinder opted for square hoop styles by Fope; Rhea Seehorn chose Marco Bicego teardrop hoops; and Kristen Bell wore diamond drops by Messika.
More closely cropped, ear-hugging designs offered a modern counterpoint. Yerin Ha wore David Yurman’s floating diamond shrimp earrings, while Teyana Taylor selected Tiffany & Co. ear clips.
The most prevalent style across the carpet, however, was the diamond stud. Seen on Jacob Elordi, Michael B. Jordan, Connor Storrie, Tyler, the Creator, Miles Caton, and Sarah Pidgeon (in Rahaminov Diamonds), the classic stud reaffirmed its status as a timeless classic.
Neck-Hugging Diamonds
Close-to-the-neck necklaces emerged as the evening’s most prominent neckwear trend, with torques, structured collars, and sculptural diamond designs defining the category. Sarah Paulson’s Boucheron necklace exemplified the look, as did Sheryl Lee Ralph’s De Beers London design. Connor Storrie made a confident statement in a Tiffany & Co. mixed cluster diamond collar, while Rhea Seehorn opted for a more understated yet striking Marco Bicego piece. Teyana Taylor, Ali Larter, and Wunmi Mosaku further embraced the trend in bold, closely cropped designs from Tiffany & Co., Repossi, and Messika, respectively.
Statement Rings
Statement rings served as a refined finishing touch. Kristen Bell selected the Messika by Kate Moss Exotic Charm ring, adding a sculptural accent to her ensemble. Connor Storrie opted for a statement design from Tiffany & Co., while Tyler, the Creator embraced a large yellow diamond ring, further solidifying the continued interest in warm-toned Desert diamonds. Wunmi Mosaku chose a substantial Messika ring and Zanna Roberts Rassi rounded out the trend with two standout Martin Katz designs: a modified heart rose-cut trillion diamond ring accented with microset diamonds in platinum, and a two row Asscher-cut diamond eternity band in 18kt white gold.
Desert diamonds highlight natural stones shaped by time and the elements, each one carrying the spirit of the land. They form a unique link between the earth and those who wear them.
There are calls for a ban on social media for under 16’s in New Zealand. (File photo)NurPhoto via AFP
Principals of two Auckland schools say they’ve had to hire counsellors specifically for dealing with the harm caused to children by social media.
The principal of East Auckland’s Riverina Primary School, Bryce Mills told Checkpoint children as young as eight were being exposed to extreme online content.
He said his school hired a counsellor to help deal with the damage and he was not the only one.
Auckland’s Whangaparāoa College had hired the equivalent of five school counsellors last year to help teenagers harmed by social media, it said.
It comes days after Parliament’s Education and Workforce Committee released its final report on the inquiry into the harm social media causes for young people, offering recommendations including banning under-16 year olds from social media.
Saasha Jolley is a teacher at Riverina Primary School and she regularly heard students talk about scrolling Instagram, Tiktok and Snapchat as well as gaming online the night before.
Primary school children were using social media apps like Instagram and Tiktok, a teacher said. (File photo)RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
“Roblox in particular is a big one at the moment, in terms of the chatter that happens, the games they have access to.
“I know that it’s both a platform for kids and adults, they can both access it, they can create the games on there, so I guess that makes it a lot more open.”
What the students see and hear online at night arrived with them at school the next day, she said, and they didn’t always understand what they were repeating.
“They heard it from their friend or they heard it from this person online, so they thought that it was okay to say.”
Last year, research from Te Mana Whakaatu the Classification Office, found young people don’t generally go looking for objectionable content.
Some examples of this included pornography and real-world violence.
Riverina Primary School principal Bryce Mills said similar content was being seen by children as young as eight at his school.
“There is the odd occasion unfortunately where you do hear some of that sexual stuff coming through as well,” he said.
The school of 150 students was self-funding its own online security system, which costed them $3000 each year.
But Mills said the school couldn’t control what the students saw once they went home for the day.
“I had a parent the other day say to me, that they got up at one in the morning to go to the bathroom and they could see a glowing light from a bedroom.
A child using the Roblox app. (File photo)MARIJAN MURAT
“Their daughter had gone out and got the phone off the dining room table and was on their phone.
“If they hadn’t gone up to go to the bathroom, they wouldn’t have known that. It [happens] behind those closed doors.”
The situation was similar at Auckland’s Whangaparāoa College.
Principal Steve McCracken said he had to hire the equivalent of five school counsellors last year to help teenagers harmed by social media.
It was costing the school hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“I think that it is largely driven by social media and what they see is cool, the people that they see online with rich backgrounds and fast cars and all the bling.”
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends
BALI, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – The multi-award-winning architecture ofFour Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan – an awe-inspiring, suspended rice bowl structure – remains as pioneering today as when it was unveiled 28 years ago. Now, the Forbes Five-Star resort draws on those cutting-edge foundations to reveal a thoughtful reimagining of its luxury riverside suite accommodations and jungle-view dining spaces.
The resort has partnered with the world’s largest hospitality design firm, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), for a revamp anchored in Balinese harmony and heritage. Guided by an ethos of refined, rejuvenated, and liveable, the resort refresh launches in July 2026 across seven suite accommodations: five Premier Duplex Suites and two Family Premier Suites.
Ayung Terrace – the resort’s elevated jungle-vista restaurant – and Jati Bar, its river valley hideaway, will also showcase new furniture, colour schemes and styling. Every element of the refresh is rooted in respect for the jungle, rice paddy and Ayung River valley surrounds.
Inspired by Craftmanship and Culture
Existing design elements combine with Balinese textiles and craftsmanship to weave a rich tapestry of local artistry in the upgraded guest sanctuaries. Light, earthy fabrics inspired by Ubud’s rice paddies partner with dark, stained wood for a fresh contemporary vibe.
Through the redesign, HBA pay homage to the resort’s original architectural concept while offering a renewed aesthetic and meeting contemporary demands. Integrated smart home elements like LUTRON lighting offer seamless control over the suite environment.
The Following Reimagined Suites Will be Open to Guests from July 2026:
Premier Duplex Suite – The ultimate retreat for couples who appreciate extra space, this two-level one-bedroom suite includes a dining area with floor-to-ceiling river-view windows, and a sun terrace. Rich teak wood and hand-loomed fabrics create a warm, welcoming ambience.
Family Premier Suite – Ideally located in the resort’s main building near the restaurants and spa, this luxury one-bedroom suite features a beautifully designed kids’ room. A large living space and views over the river valley provide a soothing retreat for the entire family.
Driven by Sustainability
From reused materials to energy-saving fixtures, the redesign is deeply grounded in sustainability principles. All new guest rooms have energy-efficient LED lighting alongside new air conditioning units that use environmentally friendly energy-saving refrigerants.
Optimising the existing framework and reusing and refurbishing through careful craftmanship has reduced the need for new building materials. Any new materials used have been carefully chosen for longevity and locally sourced where possible.
Dining with a Difference
Soaring over the lush jungle river valley, Ayung Terrace restaurant has long immersed diners in a sense of wonderment and natural beauty. Now, new elements such as plush grey river-view sofas, elegant wooden chairs and marbled-topped tables infuse a vibrant burst of energy. At Jati Bar, welcoming sofas and chairs in natural green and grey tones offer an elevated setting in which to enjoy creative cocktails, light bites and river vistas.
“Four Seasons Sayan is known for its cutting-edge design and architecture,” comments Tim Churchmack, Resort Manager, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. “This new design honours that heritage and pays further homage to our incredible natural home. We’re thrilled to unveil these elevated living and dining spaces with intuitive, modern facilities within refreshed surrounds. It’s an exciting new era for Four Seasons Sayan.”
The refresh follows a stand-out few years for the multi-award-winning riverside hideaway, including earning an inaugural Michelin key in 2025 for exceptional, unforgettable guest experiences. In the same year, the newly re-launched Sacred River Spa secured a Four-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide, hot on the heels of Ayung Terrace’s 2024 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for its unique, locally focused wine list.
Hashtag: #FourSeasonsBali
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Canterbury Police remind motorists that drink driving is never worth the risk.
If you’re heading out to enjoy an event, a gathering, or a night with friends, plan a sober ride home for your safety, and for everyone else on the road.
Over the weekend, several well‑attended events were held across rural Canterbury, including at the Lincoln Domain on Saturday evening and in Waipara on Sunday.
Senior Sergeant Rachel Walker says Police were pleased that the events were largely trouble‑free, but that it was disappointing to see that some drivers still chose to consume alcohol and then get behind the wheel.
“These decisions put themselves, their passengers and other road users at serious risk.”
Police commend the many motorists who made the right call by arranging safe transport and driving responsibly but have seen enough when it comes to impaired driving.
“The consequences of crashes caused by alcohol or drugs are devastating,” says Senior Sergeant Walker.
“For whānau, communities and for the emergency responders who attend them.
“Our staff will continue to maintain a strong presence on the roads to educate drivers and prevent harm.
“We see the damage so we’re unapologetic about prevention.”
With several major events coming up, including Supercars, Super Rugby fixtures and two busy long weekends with Easter and ANZAC Day, Police urge everyone to plan before heading out.
“If you’re drinking or using drugs, legal or illegal, don’t drive.
“Choose a sober driver. Call a taxi. Use public transport. Stay the night.
Associate Minister of Health Casey Costello has today announced Ms Erin James’ appointment as Aged Care Commissioner.
The Aged Care Commissioner sits within the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner, and advocates for quality health and disability services, and ensures the health system responds to the needs of older people.
“The appointment of Ms James as Aged Care Commissioner comes at a time when we are doing work across the aged care system to improve how care is designed and delivered”, Ms Costello says.
“We need a system that provides the right care at the right time and place, that allows for better transitions between types of care, and that is sustainable”.
Ms James is currently the Director of Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) team at the Office of the Ombudsman.
She has been appointed for a five-year term, beginning on 7 April 2026.
Employers trying to insert 90-day “fire at will” clauses into new collective agreements will face protests outside their workplaces, the PSA says.
“We need to resist 90-day trials whenever employers attempt to use them. We will hold rallies and keep opposing them.
“Employers are on notice about the damage 90-day trials cause to individuals and we will not hesitate to name and shame them if they go ahead anyway,” Fitzsimons said.
“This Government has made it easier to employ people on insecure employment but it is still wrong, oppressive and immoral to do so.
“The message employers could not be clearer: you don’t need trial periods, treat people fairly from day one, show respect for working people. Good employers don’t need to hide behind 90-day trials. More humane, dignified and fair employment rights are good for workers, good for business and actually good for New Zealand too.
Fitzsimons was speaking today at a rally in Dunedin outside the office of mental health and addiction support provider Able Minds, where staff represented by the PSA are pushing back on their employer’s insistence at introducing 90-day trials.
The rally heard from Jacqueline Atkinson who worked in a previous career as a baker on a 90-day trial and was suddenly dismissed from a local bakery just after Easter when the seasonal demand ended.
Jacqueline talked about balling her eyes out in her car after it happened.
“I remember going home quite devastated and thinking how could my boss say I was not good enough? I had told him I was going there to learn.
“I was freaking out about how I was going to pay the mortgage on my first house that I had bought with my partner if I didn’t find another job.
“It was an awful experience. Nobody should be subject to that. You should absolutely have the right to work in a job where you are treated fairly. You should have the right to a job where there are opportunities to grow and excel,” Atkinson said.
The rally also heard a stirring speech from Taieri MP Ingrid Leary about this Government’s appalling record on employment rights and from three Greens MPs – Dunedin-based MP Francisco Hernandez, Workplace Relations and Safety Spokesperson Teanau Tuiono and Green MP Mike Davidson.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahiis Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Attribute to Tararua Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Carey Williamson:
Manawatū Police are appealing for information following a burglary in Dannevirke last week.
On Friday 6 March, around 11.40pm, Police were called with a report that a burglary was in progress at a store on High Street.
Officers responded immediately, however the offenders had already fled the scene – taking with them a large amount of alcohol and cigarettes, as well as an amount of cash.
A scene guard was in place overnight and a scene examination was carried out early Saturday morning.
Enquiries are ongoing, however, Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the High Street area, between 11pm and midnight last Friday, and may have witnessed the incident, or any suspicious behaviour.
Additionally, anyone travelling in that area, around the same time, with dashcam footage is urged to get in touch so that we may be able to review that footage.
Information can be provided through 105, either online or over the phone, referencing file number 260307/3053.
You can also provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 – referencing the same file number.
Blues winger Caleb Clarke scores a second half try during the Super Rugby Pacific – Blues v Crusaders at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand.Photosport
Prior to the weekend, an uncomfortable question had started to form in the Blues camp.
An increasingly one-sided rivalry against the Crusaders had the Blues begin to wonder whether a mental block had crept in when facing the perennial powerhouses.
Heading into Saturday night’s 29-13 win at Eden Park, the Blues had won just three of 23 against the Crusaders dating back to 2014.
“I’ve only beaten them twice before in my career, third time tonight. So it’s always been a tough ride against them. Every team has that one team you always struggle with.”
Blues coach Vern Cotter said earlier in the week that the record against the Crusaders spoke for itself, and may have acted as a motivator for his troops.
“It was said, so I think the players said ‘we’ve had enough of that.’ I think it was more about us than the record. It was about us playing our game, imposing our game on them and you see what happens. I think that’s a real turning point for this team, knowing that when we do it right and we focus on it during the week, then put it out in the paddock.”
Papali’i said the head to head history can be given too much credence.
“You talk about that mental barrier, and in the years that we’ve played them and we’ve lost, we maybe push it a bit too much throughout the week and talk a bit too much about them.
“But the times I have beat them, we focused on ourselves. You study the other team as you always do, but then you’ve got to look within yourselves and actually find the buttons that push you to go forward.”
The All Blacks flanker said despite dropping two of three to start their campaign, the confidence did not wane.
“Tonight was no surprise, the whole week we were building and we weren’t panicking on the results, we talked our forward pack wanting to be dogs out there.
“I feel like when we have our attitude right, then we’re a team that can decide games and it’s all on us. I felt like we had the foot on the throat the whole game.
“I always think it is for a statement game as a forward pack to go against these guys.”
Elsewhere, the Hurricanes continued their dominance over the Waratahs, picking up their ninth win on the trot to shoot back up to third after the Lautoka slip.
The pace-setting Brumbies suffered their first loss, coming in dramatic and controversial fashion against the Reds.
Moana continue to look listless without Ardie Savea, with the Chiefs maintaining their unbeaten run against the bottom-placed battlers.
Jamie Joseph put the disappointment of missing out on the All Blacks job in the rear with a quality Highlanders win over the Force, with Caleb Tangitau continuing his stellar season in Dunedin.
Try of the round: Cody Vai’i’s miracle at Eden, launching himself to sensationally snag a Beauden Barrett crosskick and expertly grass it inches inside the line.
Stock rise: Highlanders flanker Veveni Lasaqa put in an absolute shift against the Force, bagging a try, three pilfers and making 17 tackles.
Stock drop: Taha Kemara was given the fullback jersey in Will Jordan’s absence, but made little impact from the back against the Blues, and was subbed at half-time.
Super Rugby standings after four rounds:
1. Brumbies
2. Chiefs
3. Hurricanes
4. Blues
5. Waratahs
6. Reds
7. Highlanders
8. Crusaders
9. Fijian Drua
10. Force
11. Moana Pasifika
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
A diabetic patient collapsed and died in a Waikato Hospital stairwell after a delay getting urgently needed food.
The 79-year-old had a head injury and no pulse when he was found unconscious and alone by a passing nightshift doctor.
It was more than an hour after a nurse had gone to get him a sandwich to lift his blood sugar.
The Health and Disability Commission has just released a report severely critical of the care the man received in December 2019.
Waikato Hospital now makes sure the ward fridges are always stocked with snacks for diabetics.
The man, who had mild dementia and reduced mobility, was in the cardiac care unit after a heart attack.
The commission’s report said at about 9.30pm, he received a falling blood sugar reading of 4.4mmol/L and told a nurse he was worried about it.
At that level, his family had told nurses he could become unsteady on his feet.
The nurse went to get him a sandwich but there were none in the ward fridge so she had to go to another ward.
When she returned 10-15 minutes later he was not in his room so she left the sandwich by his bed.
Ten minutes later he was still not there and she wrongly assumed he was in the toilet.
A search for him did not begin for 55 minutes, the report said.
In reality, he had left his room and was last seen on CCTV footage at the snack machine.
He had walked past the nurses station and had been passed by seven staff members, none of whom appeared to check on him, the report said.
He had then gone out a fire exit and was not found until the passing doctor found him unconscious. He got help and tried to resuscitate him but could not.
By then the man’s blood sugar was just 1.8mmol/L, the report said.
Reaction from family and expert
In a written response to the commission after its initial findings, one of the man’s family members wanted to thank the health professionals who found him in “a severe hypoglycaemic crisis” and tried to save him.
“I can only imagine what it must have been like to stumble across a lost patient dying in a stairwell late at night.”
Health NZ had failed to keep the man safe, the family member said.
An expert nurse who reviewed the case, told the commission the man’s nurse should have made sure he ate the sandwich, especially because he experienced some memory loss and could have forgotten one was coming.
“Administering this very important snack is similar to administering medicine – you have to stay and watch the patient consume it,” the expert nurse said.
The initial delay in getting food was not the nurse’s fault but she should have checked if the man (Mr A) was there by knocking on the bathroom door when she returned.
“Not communicating with Mr A led to a cascade of terrible events,” the expert nurse said.
Waikato Hospital carried out its own adverse event review after the man’s death, the report said.
It found if the nurse had not had to go to another ward for a sandwich it would have allowed the man to get food more quickly and reduced the risk of him leaving the ward.
When his wife brought the man to the ED she had his medicine, his diabetic kit and his diabetic record book.
She had talked to staff many times about his needs.
But the family member told the commission the family was overlooked and not communicated with properly.
Very poor care
Deputy commissioner Carolyn Cooper gave her condolences to Mr A’s family.
“Mrs A was closely involved in her husband’s care, and his sudden death has been traumatic for her and the family,” she said.
Cooper found some of what happened was a severe departure from the expected level of care, and when it came to nursing management of his diabetes, it was “very poor”.
She was critical of the lack of food on the ward, the lack of communication with the man to make sure he had eaten, the delay in the search for him and the lack of a system to alert staff when a patient left the ward.
Health New Zealand’s response
Waikato Hospital now makes sure the fridges in all its cardiac units are checked to ensure there are enough snacks for patients with diabetes.
It has given staff more diabetes and dementia management training, with at risk patients now placed closer to the nurses station.
There is an alert system on the unlocked doors at the fire exit stairs.
In a response to questions from RNZ, Waikato Hospital’s chief medical officer Margaret Fisher said it had apologised to the family for the distress and the lasting impact from the incident.
The hospital accepted the commission’s findings that it did not meet the standard of care.
It had many of the improvements mentioned in the report and was also looking at creating a patient-tracking system in acute care areas, she said.
The hospital did not answer RNZ’s questions about how well staff the ward was on the night the man died.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – Celebrating a new generation of digital artists working across generative systems, AI, immersive media and experimental formats, with winners selected by a panel of leading experts and exhibited at Phillips’ Asia headquarters in the West Kowloon Cultural District during Hong Kong Art Basel Week 2026.
Refik Anadol, ‘Sense of Healing’, 2023, AI Data Sculpture (Courtesy of the Artist)
The awards ceremony will take place on 24 March 2026, featuring the four key categories of Still Image, Moving Image, Innovation and Experiential and followed by a private sale exhibition hosted by Phillips in Hong Kong, from 25–28 March 2026.
As a highlight of Hong Kong’s spring art calendar, the awards celebrate the growing cultural significance of digital art and spotlights the visionary artists redefining visual culture through cutting-edge technologies.
Thirty two international finalists will be selected for their work pushing the boundaries of digital creativity. Each of the four category winners will receive a $10,000 USDC commission towards a new artwork.
The thirty two finalists include several prominent figures in digital and generative art, such as Erick Calderon (Snowfro) Founder of Art Blocks, Botto, Sarah Meyohas, William Mapan, Sasha Stiles and Mario Klingemann – underscoring the calibre of talent the awards are already attracting with over two hundred applications across more than fifty countries.
Refik Anadol is nominated for the Honorary Career Award for Sense of Healing, an AI Data Sculpture that emerges from Refik Anadol Studio’s long-term research into creating meditative art based on neurological data.
Finalists and winners will be selected by a panel of leading experts in art, hospitality and technology, including Irini Mirena Papadimitriou, Exhibitions Director at Diriyah Art Futures, Thomas Heyne, Co-Founder and CEO at Scorpios, Dorothy di Stefano, Art Curator and Creative Strategist at Molten Immersive Art, Danielle So, Hong Kong Head of Auction, Modern & Contemporary Art, Phillips, Sebastien Borget, Co-Founder & Global of The Sandbox, SANDchain, President of Blockchain Game Alliance and Co-Founder of Artverse, Jean-Michel Pailhon, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Grailcapital, Simonida Pavicevic, Co-Founder and Curator at HOFA, Justin Gilanyi, Founder of WhereArt.Works and Curator at SILK, and Matt Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner at Hivemind Capital.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – GOOD Vision Technologies Co., Limited, a pioneer in ophthalmic optics and diagnostics, today announced the global debut of oka³y! , a first-of-its-kind “3A” Freeform Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) solution. Unveiled at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, the technology solves the industry’s most persistent hurdles by leveraging proprietary AI and freeform optics: AI-guided fitting, Astigmatic precision, and Asymmetric cornea alignment.
Beyond Traditional Toric Lenses: The Future of Freeform Orthokeratology
With myopia expected to affect 50% of the world’s population by 2050, demand for effective management is high. While Ortho-K is a highly effective strategy, traditional symmetric and spherical/ toric designs often underestimate corneal shape complexity, causing lens decentration and poor visual outcomes.
The oka³y! freeform technology, incorporating the company’s proprietary FAST-360 and CORe Technology, surpasses traditional lens design. AI-based FAST-360 reconstructs missing corneal data for faster scans, while CORe ensures precise alignment with the visual axis, leading to 3.1 times greater stability.
Precision Myopia Correction and Control for High Astigmatism and Asymmetric Corneas
For optometrists and clinic owners, oka³y! ’s key benefit is improving workflow by automating complex mathematics, cutting chair time by 64%. This boosts myopia management capacity without extra staff or lengthy training. “As a registered optometrist in Hong Kong and a researcher in one of the world’s leading optometric institutes, I witnessed a growing gap between the number of patients seeking Ortho-K and the limited range of conventional products available to treat them,” says Dr.Kin Ho Chan, Ken, the lead inventor of oka³y! . “By focusing on the ‘3A’: AI-guided, Astigmatism, and Asymmetry, and working alongside The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Poly U), we have developed a design that not only delivers superior vision but also enhances safety by reducing corneal staining. We are turning a frustrating, manual trial-and-error process into a predictable one-click adjustment.”
From Niche Specialty to Global Enterprise: Scaling the Future of Eye Care
As myopia rates reach epidemic levels, GOOD Vision partners with PolyU, harnessing its research strengths and support from its startup ecosystem PolyVentures, to redefine primary eye care by transforming a niche specialty into a scalable global enterprise. By replacing manual OK lens design with oka³y! , the company has created a technology bridging clinical complexity and scalability. This transition enables practitioners to manage myopia, high astigmatism, and asymmetrical cases precisely, removing barriers to modern refractive error management.
“By embedding and automating the complex mathematics of lens design, we provide clinicians with the tools to treat ‘difficult’ patients who were previously considered unsuitable for Ortho-K,” added Professor Chea-su Kee, Founder of GOOD Vision. “This is about elevating the global standard of care and ensuring that precision myopia management is accessible to the next generation on a global scale.”
Experience the Future of Myopia Control
GOOD Vision invites investors, distributors, and practitioners to a live demonstration of the oka³y! at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva:
Location: PolyU Delegation Booth, Hall 2, Palexpo, CP 112, Route François-Peyrot 30, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland
Dates: 11–15 March 2026
Hashtag: #GOODVision
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
If you’re responsible for the mental load in your home and feel that burden isn’t understood, supported or recognised, this article is for you.
Because the mental load is invisible and constant cognitive and emotional labour involved in managing a household or family life, it can be hard to quantify.
All that organising, planning and remembering isn’t a “normalised form of work”, even though it’s relentlessly present, says Allison Daminger.
Cognitive labour is the “thinking part” of the mental load.
Unsplash
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
International students at Eastern Institute of Technology were officially welcomed to Hawke’s Bay at the region’s annual Mayoral Welcome ceremony.
More than 40 EIT students attended the event at Toitoi in Hastings on February 27, part of a cohort of new international students enrolled at the Hawke’s Bay campus, alongside newly arrived international students from secondary schools across the region.
International students at EIT attended a Mayoral Welcome ceremony in Hastings.
EIT Master of Nursing Science student Anne Margarette Zausa Nacar, who is originally from the Philippines, was among the student speakers.
“Coming to New Zealand has been a dream of mine. Hawke’s Bay has given me opportunities not only to grow academically, but also personally and professionally.”
The 31-year-old moved to New Zealand in July last year with her husband, and says she has experienced supportive lecturers, diverse classmates and a learning environment that values both knowledge and compassion.
“As a current postgraduate student, I’ve personally experienced how supportive and encouraging our academic environment is.”
Cultural performances from EIT students and family members included Punjabi Bhangra by Jasmine Kaur and Muskanpreet Kaur, Tai Chi by Jack Wu, and Sri Lankan Kandyan Ves dance by Lakshitha Wijekoon and Imasha Kariyawasam.
Philippa Jones, EIT Executive Director International, says: “Ensuring our students feel warmly welcomed and supported is important as they embark on a new chapter in their lives.
“For many, this journey is more than a move to a new place of study – it’s an introduction to a new culture, a new environment, and a new way of living. Fostering meaningful engagement, building deeper connections, and creating a lasting sense of belonging can help ease the transition for new international students and positively impact communities throughout the region.”
Hastings Mayor Wendy Schollum said having international students across Hawke’s Bay secondary schools and EIT is great for the region.
“International students bring outside perspectives that help us grow. It also benefits our local students and allows them to see the world without needing a passport.”
Napier City Councillor Sally Crown, who attended on behalf of Napier City Council, said it was a privilege to welcome the students.
“It is really humbling to think that so many people choose Hawke’s Bay. Having EIT here is crucial in attracting international students and then it is the community infrastructure that wraps around that as well. But it is so important economically, socially to have international students coming into our region.”
A group of alleged burglars on the hunt for booze instead ended up in custody in Clarks Beach on Monday morning.
Senior Sergeant Jeremy Steedman, Counties Manukau South Response Manager, says at about 1.30am Police received a report of an attempted break in at a liquor store on Seaway Road.
“A group of four males tried to enter the store by kicking the front door and hitting the glass with a hammer,” he says.
“However they were unsuccessful in gaining entry and fled the area after drawing attention from neighbouring properties with all the noise.”
The group left in a vehicle and headed onto the motorway, passing a Police unit on the way.
“Due to the manner of driving Police did not follow the vehicle as it sped north towards Takanini,” Senior Sergeant Steedman says.
“Eagle was quickly in the air and was able to monitor from a distance.”
The vehicle exited at Takanini and one alleged offender got out, before the car sped off again back onto the motorway.
“The vehicle continued on to East Tāmaki where it was dumped at a bus stop in the Ōtara town centre,” Senior Sergeant Steedman says.
“Three occupants ran into the township where they were quickly located by the dog unit, Delta and taken into custody.”
Senior Sergeant Steedman says subsequent enquiries discovered the vehicle had been stolen from Flat Bush the night before.
“We are pleased we have apprehended these alleged offenders and that they will answer for their actions,” he says.
“Police have zero tolerance for this type of offending.”
Four males aged between 15 and 17 have been referred to Youth Aid.