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Singapore’s Space SME OculloSpace Successfully Flies First Rocket, AZAD “The Dreamer”, from Oman

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Self-funded maiden flight achieves an apogee altitude of 10 km, marking a milestone in OculloSpace’s space technology development, six months after its first satellite launch, as the company advances towards its 100 km ambition.

SINGAPORE, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Singapore-based space technology company OculloSpace has successfully completed the maiden flight of AZAD “The Dreamer”, its first experimental sounding rocket, making a significant milestone in the company’s development of launch and space technology capabilities. The rocket achieved an apogee altitude of 10 km during its maiden flight from Etlaq Spaceport, Oman.

The mission, designed Karman X1, was conducted in collaboration with Oman-based aerospace company Stellar Kinetics MCT, with support from international partners across Singapore, Oman and Australia.

The two-stage rocket, measuring 4.3 metres and weighing 26 kg, successfully lifted off from Etlaq on October 1st, 2026, reaching an apogee altitude of 10 km. Both stages completed their burns, with telemetry received throughout the flight. While the upper-stage parachute did not deploy, launch operator Stellar Kinetics reported that the majority of the mission objectives were achieved, providing valuable flight data for future development.

A Singapore-Owned Space Technology Programme

Initiated by Dr Franco Gan, Founder and CEO of OculloSpace, the AZADRocket programme represents approximately two years of development and was self-funded by the company.

OculloSpace owns and leads the AZADRocket programme, retaining ownership of its programme intellectual property. The mission brought together international space industry expertise, with Stellar Kinetics serving as an engineering, manufacturing and launch partner in Oman.

“Six months ago, we sent our first satellite to orbit, and now we have flown our own rocket. I’ve always looked at the sky and wondered whether I could build something that reaches it. The Dreamer represents about two years of work by our team to take an idea from the drawing board to an actual flight,” said Dr Franco Gan.  

The mission also involved Orbit2Orbit (Australia), which supplied the 1kg Snowball experimental payload, and WWG Engineering Pte. Ltd. (Singapore), which contributed coated material samples for in-flight evaluation. Etlaq Spaceport provided launch infrastructure and range safety support.

Two Space Milestones in Six Months

The flight follows OculloSpace’s flight satellite mission, DECIMALSAT-1, a PocketQube satellite deployed into orbit through Alba Orbital aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 rideshare mission on 30 March 2026.

Within approximately six months, OculloSpace has achieved two important milestones: deploying its first satellite into orbit and completing the maiden flight of its first experimental rocket, achieving an apogee altitude of 10 km.

These achievements strengthen the company’s experience in satellite systems, experimental rocket development, flight operations and international space missions, laying the foundation for future space technology and commercial opportunities.

Next Ambition: Reaching 100 km

Building on the Karman X1 mission, OculloSpace is developing AZAD-2, its next-generation experimental sounding rocket targeting an altitude of 100 km, the Kármán line widely recognised as the boundary of space.

The company plans to apply lessons and flight data from The Dreamer towards AZAD-2, with future opportunities for suborbital research, space technology demonstrations and commercial payload services.

OculloSpace is exploring up to 5 kg of research payload capacity aboard AZAD-2, subject to further engineering validation, testing and regulatory approvals.

“Our next goal is AZAD-2 and a 100 km flight. We are now looking to work with partners who share our ambition to develop more accessible launch and space capabilities from the region, and to take what we have demonstrated with The Dreamer to the next level,” said Dr Franco Gan.

OculloSpace welcomes discussions with strategic investors, space industry partners, research institutions and prospective payload customers interested in participating in its next phase of development.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/singapores-space-sme-ocullospace-successfully-flies-first-rocket-azad-the-dreamer-from-oman-302903258.html

SOURCE OculloSpace

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New Asia Forum Targets US$30 Billion in Investment into the New Asia at Its Inaugural Edition in Bali

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October 9, 2026

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Under the Patronage of His Excellency Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 9, 2026/PRNewswire/ — A new global platform for investment, capital formation and economic partnership will launch 3-4 December in Bali, Indonesia. The New Asia Forum has set a target of US$30 billion in investment into the New Asia at its inaugural edition. The forum will connect long-term capital with the opportunities shaping Asia’s next decade.

Powered by Danantara Indonesia (Indonesia’s sovereign fund) and produced by Richard Attias & Associates, New Asia Forum is being created with a clear ambition: to become the global gateway to the New Asia, connecting long-term capital with the projects, partnerships and policymakers capable of transforming vision into investment.

The world’s economic center of gravity is shifting. A new generation of economies is emerging across the region; increasingly connected, technologically ambitious, investment-driven and capable of financing its own future. Asia-Pacific already generates close to 60% of global economic growth (IMF, 2025). Yet, it attracts far less of its share of long-term international capital. New Asia Forum aims to close that gap.

Unlike traditional conferences, New Asia Forum is designed around transaction readiness, capital deployment and execution. The US$30 billion target will be pursued through a curated pipeline of investment-ready opportunities. Heads of state, ministers, sovereign investors and global CEOs will turn diligence into signed commitments across eight strategic sectors:

1. Strategic Resources and Downstreaming 2. Energy and Power 3. Mobility and Advanced Manufacturing 4. Digital Infrastructure and AI 5. Food and Agribusiness 6. Trade and Connectivity 7. Tourism and Creative Economy 8. Education and Human Capital

New Asia Forum will track commitments and progress across editions, creating an ongoing platform of accountability, partnership and investment.

Rosan Roeslani, Chief Executive Officer of Danantara Indonesia and Minister of Investment to the Republic of Indonesia, said, “New Asia Forum brings long-term global capital closer to the opportunities being created across Indonesia and the wider region. As Indonesia’s sovereign investor and a founding partner of the Forum, Danantara Indonesia is inviting partners together to unlock these opportunities for long-term value. Under the patronage of President Prabowo Subianto, this is Indonesia engaging the world from a position of confidence, ambition, and collaboration.”

“For decades, Asia has been viewed primarily as a destination for global capital. That story is changing,” said Richard Attias, Founder and Chairman of Richard Attias & Associates. “The New Asia will not simply attract capital. It will increasingly create it, direct it and determine where it can have the greatest impact. We are entering one of the most important investment cycles of our generation, and Asia is at its center.”

The inaugural New Asia Forum will be an invitation-only gathering of more than 1,000 leaders, featuring over 100 speakers and over 40 sessions across two days.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-asia-forum-targets-us30-billion-in-investment-into-the-new-asia-at-its-inaugural-edition-in-bali-302903300.html

SOURCE Danantara Indonesia

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Never forget breakfast again with the new UNCLE TOBYS Oat Ring

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October 9, 2026

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 UNCLE TOBYS is giving Australians the chance to get their hands on the world’s least advanced wearable, because breakfast shouldn’t need biometrics T&Cs apply.

SYDNEY, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In a world where everything from sleep to stress levels and recovery can be optimised, UNCLE TOBYS has identified the next frontier: remembering breakfast. Enter the Oat Ring – a wearable with one job of reminding you to put your overnight oats in the fridge for tomorrow’s breakfast. 

The UNCLE TOBYS Oat Ring features: 

Milk-proof technologyIndustry-leading non-charging capabilities Zero health trackingZero sleep data Fully wearable designA reminder to put oats in the fridge 

No app. No dashboard. No sleep score. No biometrics. Just a simple reminder that breakfast does not need to be optimised. 

The launch comes as nearly a third of Australians aged 18+ spend more than $3,300 a year on wellness products and services, while over half (55%) say they feel fatigued and overwhelmed by wellness content – from sleep scores, 4:30 am alarms and ice baths, to mouth tape, vagus nerve stimulation and the latest cottage cheese trend. 

Developed in response to over one in two (56%) Australians skipping breakfast at least once a week, the UNCLE TOBYS team is launching the Oat Ring as part of its Oatimisation Protocol — a no-fuss routine for making breakfast happen: 

POURCHILLEAT REPEAT 

To champion the Oatimisation Protocol, UNCLE TOBYS has appointed Liam Stapleton as its first C-OAT-O (Chief Oat Officer). His extensive lack of experience running a multinational tech company made him uniquely qualified to launch a tech ring that tracks absolutely nothing. He says: “The wellness industry keeps telling us we need more data, more tracking and more optimisation. We had a different idea. What if people just needed a reminder to make breakfast?”

UNCLE TOBYS Head of Marketing, Kimberley Finsten, said: “The Oat Ring is probably the least advanced wearable ever created, and that’s exactly the point. It doesn’t measure, monitor, or optimise a thing. It just reminds you to put your Overnight Oats in the fridge before bed. In a world obsessed with tracking everything, we’re celebrating something much simpler: making it easier to start the day with a nutritious breakfast.”

Limited Edition UNCLE TOBYS Oat Ring
A limited number of Oat Rings are up for grabs. To be in the running, visit the pinned Instagram post on UNCLE TOBYS social channels and comment on the pinned promotional post, providing an answer to the question: “What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve done to “optimise” your life?” (in 25 words or less). Competition Period: The competition commences at 6:00 am AEST on 28 September 2026 and closes at 11:59 pm AEDT on 11 October 2026. T&Cs apply.*
UNCLE TOBYS Overnight Oats are available in a range of flavours at major supermarkets nationwide. For more information about the Oatimise Your Life campaign, visit www.uncletobys.com.au/oatimise. 

END

Research methodology 
The UNCLE TOBYS Oatimise Your Life research was conducted among a nationally representative sample of n=1,019 Australians aged 18+, across all states and territories, in September 2026 by Pureprofile.

Abbreviated competition T&Cs
*Starts 6:00am AEST 28/9/26. Ends 11:59pm AEDT 11/10/26. Aus. res. 18+. Limit 1 entry/person. Prize: engraved UNCLE TOBYS ‘oat’ silver ring (6mm wide) with synthetic Ruby stone & 1 x sachet of UNCLE TOBYS Overnight Oats (prize valued at up to $350.70 ea) (30 to be won). Judging occurs 10am AEDT 14/10/26 at 1 Homebush Bay Drive, Rhodes NSW 2138. Prize winners notified via Instagram DM, and published at www.nestle.com.au/productnews/winners by 20/10/26. Claim prize by 11:59pm AEDT 17/11/26. Re-judging occurs 12pm AEDT 19/11/26. Promoter: Nestlé Australia Ltd, ABN 77 000 011 316, 1 Homebush Bay Drive, Rhodes NSW 2138. See https://www.uncletobys.com.au/oatimise for Terms and Conditions.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/never-forget-breakfast-again-with-the-new-uncle-tobys-oat-ring-302903251.html

SOURCE UNCLE TOBYS

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‘Kung fu tea’: US journalist Douglas’ journey into the art of Wuyi rock tea

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October 9, 2026

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BEIJING, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from chinadaily.com.cn:

Three hundred years ago, a British man stole the seeds of Wuyi rock tea to plant them elsewhere. Three centuries later, US journalist Douglas travels to Xiamei village at the foot of Wuyi Mountain in Fujian province to learn the age-old craft.

After the entire experience, he understands why people call it “kung fu tea”. For him, picking tea requires “eagle claw skills” and shaking the leaves demands “tai chi hands”. Every step is filled with a sense of mastery and dedication.

Why did Douglas travel all the way to Xiamei village to learn the art of tea-making? What are his insights on the 13,000 km Tea Road? Watch the video to find out.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kung-fu-tea-us-journalist-douglas-journey-into-the-art-of-wuyi-rock-tea-302903196.html

SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn

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