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Taskforce Launches Fundraising Campaign to Combat COVID-19

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The Lao Government has opened a donation channel for all those looking to contribute financially to the fight against the outbreak of COVID-19.

Laos Mandates Graphic Health Warnings on Cigarette Packages to Combat Smoking Epidemic

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Laos Mandates Graphic Health Warnings on Tobacco, E-Cigarettes to Combat Smoking Epidemic
FILE: this image is used only for representational purpose (photo credit: J&C Group)

The Lao Ministry of Health has mandated that 75 percent of all cigarette packages must feature graphic health warning images by December this year. This initiative aims to curb smoking and its associated health risks, particularly among the nation’s youth.

North Korea’s World Cup Qualifiers Moved from Pyongyang to Laos

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Lao National Stadium (Photo: Lao Football Federation)

North Korea’s World Cup qualifying matches against Syria and Myanmar have been relocated from Pyongyang, North Korea, to Vientiane, Laos. This decision marks the third and fourth time in recent months that international football matches have been moved out of North Korea.

Largest Buddha Statue Unearthed in Laos Sparks Viral Debate Over Ownership Among Mekong River Nations

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(Photo: Laotian Times)

The recent discovery of the largest Buddha statue ever found in Laos, standing at least two meters tall, has ignited a viral sensation and intense debates across social media platforms in the Mekong River countries, including Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia. The statue, unearthed in the Tonpheung District of Bokeo Province near the Mekong River, has become a focal point of controversy regarding its authenticity and original ownership.

World Bee Day: Celebrating the Role of Bees in Our Ecosystem

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World Bee Day: Celebrating the Role of Bees in Our Ecosystem
FILE: this image is used solely for representational purpose (photo credit: greenpeace)

Today, 20 May, the world celebrates World Bee Day, an international event dedicated to recognizing the critical role bees and other pollinators play in sustaining our ecosystem.

Jessica Mudditt Chronicles Her Journey Through Southeast Asia in New Memoir

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Jessica Mudditt. Photo supplied.

It was the early 2000s when Jessica Mudditt spent months wandering through Southeast Asia, immersing herself in the stories of locals, channeling the spirit of Martha Gellhorn, an iconic journalist, and jotting down thousands of words of stories in hostel rooms. Little did she know, these diaries would become the foundation of her new life, which she skillfully described in her latest book, “Once Around the Sun.”

In this book, which is the first of two, Mudditt shares her transformative journey, stepping away from her ‘ordered’ life, leaving behind family, friends, and a career to embrace her “freedom.” 

Once Around The Sun

Mudditt began her journey in Southeast Asia at just 25, humble, lost in life, and unsure about her future. She is now an accomplished journalist with over a decade of experience, “I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t want to stay and have a boring 9-5 job in Melbourne, so I took off and traveled,” Mudditt said. “Asia called me, and there I went.” 

Her experiences in Asia encompassed love, culture, friendship, and risks, illustrating a young adult’s deep dive into the region.

In Laos, one of her first stops, she began her journey with a backpack heavy with uncertainty. 

Mudditt’s story resonates with many, evoking memories of their own transformative journeys in Asia. Her account of traveling from Cambodia to Tibet, through Vietnam, China, Laos, and Hong Kong, shares the highs and lows of backpacking.

“Traveling could be totally amazing and intensely uncomfortable – all within the space of a day,” she writes.

In her insightful narrative, Mudditt depicts the dual nature of travel, where moments of solitude intertwine with shared connections, often with fleeting companions whose names may fade from memory over time.

Playing football in Don Det. Photo supplied.

Through her storytelling filled with sensitivity, honesty, and humor, readers are transported to lesser-known landscapes of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China, such as the then-unique experience of tubing in Vang Vieng, Laos. 

“It was in early 2000, not many tourists were there and there certainly was no social media,” Mudditt said. “It was just me with a few other backpackers and nature. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.” 

But it was only a few months later, in Pakistan, that clarity found her unexpectedly. Over tea at a military museum, a simple question—”Are you a journalist?”—ignited a spark within. Suddenly, the path ahead seemed clearer, and Jessica dared to believe that, maybe, she could really be a journalist. 

“It took someone else saying it for me to believe it,” she said. “But that wasn’t the end of the story. I’d still have to fight imposter syndrome.”

Soon after that backpacking trip, Mudditt decided to take a step in a new professional direction and after two years of hard work, she became an accredited journalist in the United Kingdom in 2009, but Asia never stopped calling for her. From unpaid internships in the UK to an unexpected journey in Bangladesh, Jessica’s path took another surprising turn. 

But things weren’t easy for the industry. The media landscape in the UK was facing a severe crisis. The London newspaper scene was bleak, with local papers shutting down. Journalists lost their offices due to unpaid rent and were forced to file stories from park benches in freezing conditions, highlighting the severe lack of resources. Amidst this turmoil, Mudditt found an opportunity in Bangladesh, where what was intended as a short-term gig quickly blossomed into love, marriage, and motherhood. Bangladesh became more than a stopover; it became home.

“Well, I married my translator so things got pretty personal in Bangladesh,” she admitted.

Reporting at Bishwa Ijtema in Bangladesh Photo suppliled.

Three years later, Southeast Asia’s flourishing media environment secured her a position at a local newspaper in Myanmar. It felt like the chance of a lifetime.

In stark contrast, Asia’s media environment was booming. In Myanmar, for instance, the media landscape was thriving, with between 20 and 40 newspapers publishing in both Burmese and English. That growth in Myanmar stood in sharp contrast to the decline of print media in the UK, marking a period of media expansion in the region.

During her extensive overland backpacking trip, she missed out on visiting Myanmar. However, while in Bangladesh, from 2009 to 2012, she got in touch with a mutual friend who owned the ‘Myanmar Times.’ She reached out to him and asked to go over there for a trial period. He agreed, and she arrived in Myanmar in July 2012.

She couldn’t miss the chance, she said. After two years at The Myanmar Times, she became the first foreign editor at the state-run newspaper in the lead- up to the historic elections. Mudditt spent a total of seven years reporting in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

“It was in 2015 when Aung San Suu Kyi won by a landslide. We watched the results in the newsroom, we watched the votes being counted and everyone knew it was history unfolding in front of your eyes. That was my life.”

But only a year later, she left Myanmar and returned to Australia. 

Even though she separated from her husband after a decade and now lives in Australia, Bangladesh remains a significant part of her life. “My heart still beats for Asia,” she said, reflecting on the lasting connection she feels to the region.

Mudditt is the author of two memoirs and the founder of Hembury Books. Her first book, “Our Home in Myanmar,” was published in 2021 and she is now preparing for the launch of the second part of “Once Around the Sun,”  “Kathmandu to the Khyber Pass,” slated for publication in 2025. 

US Ambassador Heather Variava Outlines Vision for Strengthening Relations with Laos

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US Ambassador Heather Variava Outlines Vision for Strengthening Relations with Laos
The US Ambassador to Laos Heather Variva (photo credit: Palawan News)

Heather Variava, the United States (US) Ambassador to Laos, who assumed her position in February this year, spoke with Lao media officials on 14 May in a press conference where she officially introduced herself and shared the vision for her three-year tenure in Laos with the public.

China Identified as Most Influential Economic Power in Southeast Asia, Survey Finds

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A graphic displays "Which Economic Powers Hold the Most Influence in Southeast Asia?" (Photo: Laotian Times)

A recent survey of nearly 2,000 respondents from the 10 ASEAN countries has identified China as the most influential economic power in the region.

Quality Building Award 2024 Unveils Finalist List

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QBA 2024 Announces 35 Finalists Competing for Hong Kong’s Highest Honour in the Building Industry

HONG KONG – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 May 2024 – Quality Building Award (QBA) 2024 has announced its shortlist of finalists, with 35 projects successfully advancing to the final round. Following presentations to the jury panel scheduled next month, the finalists will compete for the ultimate recognition. Held biennially, Quality Building Award is regarded as a landmark event in Hong Kong’s building and construction industry, aiming to recognize outstanding building projects that exemplify exceptional teamwork. The theme for QBA 2024 is “Empowering Innovation|Sustaining Green|Generating Wellness,” encouraging the industry and professionals to embrace innovative and sustainable strategies.

This year, QBA is proud to introduce a new award category, “Building in GBA (not including Hong Kong),” which is dedicated to showcasing projects within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, excluding Hong Kong, and fostering collaboration between Hong Kong and other cities within the Greater Bay Area. This category aims to promote knowledge sharing, exchange industry practices, and contribute to the shared prosperity of the Greater Bay Area.

“We are extremely proud to announce that we have received 55 entries for the QBA 2024, surpassing the previous record,” said Mr Daniel Shum, Chairman of QBA 2024 Organizing Committee, “We are delighted to witness the industry’s response to the theme of QBA, which reflects a growing emphasis on green and sustainable development. Architects and building professionals are actively exploring innovative ways to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprints in response to our environmental and social responsibilities.”

Ir Barry Sin Wing Ning, Chairman of QBA 2024 Jury sub-committee, stated, “QBA has always been committed to recognizing and promoting projects that contribute to the development of our industry. The introduction of the new category, ‘Building in GBA (not including Hong Kong),’ signifies further development and innovation for QBA 2024. We look forward to seeing outstanding projects under this new category, as they will make positive contributions to urban development of the construction industry, adding new chapters to the award.”

Please stay tuned for the QBA 2024 award ceremony on 27 September, where we will celebrate together the glorious moments of top-notch architectural projects and the limitless possibilities for the future!

For more information about the QBA 2024, please visit Facebook: QBAHK or Linkedin: QBAHK or Weibo: 优质建筑大奖 or WeChat: 优质建筑大奖 or Official Website: qba.com.hk.

Finalists of the Quality Building Award 2024 (In alphabetical order)

Hong Kong Residential (Single Building)
1 Blissful Place
2 KENNEDY 38
3 Mei Yun Tang
4 ONE SOHO

Hong Kong Residential (Multiple Buildings)
1 Grand Victoria
2 Monaco
3 One Innovale
4 Public Housing Developments at Queen’s Hill, Fanling
5 St. George’s Mansions and CLP Pulse

Hong Kong Non-Residential (New Building – Government, Institution of Community)
1 Chung Chi Student Development Complex
2 Hoi Tat Connectivity Hub
3 Hong Kong Palace Museum
4 Inland Revenue Centre
5 Kwu Tung North Multi-welfare Services Complex

Hong Kong Non-Residential (New Building – Non-Government, Institution of Community)
1 AIRSIDE
2 The Henderson
3 Two Taikoo Place
4 11 SKIES Phase 1

Hong Kong Building (Renovation / Revitalization)
1 Metro South
2 Nina Park (and Wood Fossil Experience Centre) – Revitalization of an old podium roof garden
3 Pound Lane Public Toilet and Bathhouse
4 The Staunton Street / Shing Wong Street Revitalization Project (H19)

Temporary Building
1 Ho Yuet Home
2 Tenacity Residence
3 Transitional Housing Project at Hung Shui Kiu, Yuen Long, New Territories
4 Tung Chung Community Liaison Centre
5 United Court
Building Outside Hong Kong
1 City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan) Project (Phase I)
2 Ningbo World Centre Phase 2
3 Shenzhen Qianhai CTF Finance Tower
Building in GBA (Not include Hong Kong)
1 De-Rucci Bedding Supplies Production and Supporting Project
2 DJI SKY CITY
3 Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Expansion Project Third Runway Placement Area Phase II (East Area)
4 Hengqin Port and Integrated Transportation Hub Project
5 No.1~4 Commercial Residential Building, No.5 Kindergarten and Basement, Tianyue Home

About Quality Building Award

The Quality Building Award (QBA) is a biennial award that recognizes buildings of outstanding quality and those that demonstrate outstanding teamwork. The provision of quality buildings is an essential ingredient of a prosperous and modern society, and the Quality Building Award aims to promote a collective commitment by the building industry to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and competitiveness.

The theme of QBA 2024 is “Empowering Innovation | Sustaining Green | Generating Wellness,” which aims to encourage the industry to work on innovative and eco-friendly solutions for the benefit of society while committing to work holistically to serve every community to the best of its ability. As always, QBA 2024 will continue to promote eminent contribution to the community and push for the continuous advancement of Hong Kong and beyond.

Organizers

QBA 2024 is jointly organized by nine leading professional organizations:

The Hong Kong Construction Association (QBA 2024 Chairing Organization)

The Hong Kong Institute of Architects

The Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers

The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers

The Hong Kong Institute of Housing

The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors

The Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency

The Hong Kong Chapter of International Facility Management Association

The Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong

Hashtag: #QualityBuildingAward

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.