Matthew Rolph, a paramedic trainer from the UK, successfully conducted an intensive seven-day foundation course to enhance the life-saving capabilities of trainers at Vientiane Rescue, a volunteer-run rescue service in Vientiane Capital, from 4-10 September.
Lao Farmer Seeks Reduced Jail Term for Drug Trafficking in Cambodia

Sophavan Soengnovvan, a 55-year-old Lao farmer who was jailed for life and fined KHR 40 million (approximately USD 9,600) by the Stung Treng Provincial Court in late October 2017, pleaded on Thursday with the Phnom Penh Appeal Court to have his life sentence reduced.
Metalloinvest Opens Its Green Metallurgy Enterprises to Tourists
The Company began operating guided tours this summer at its largest facility, Lebedinsky GOK, in the Belgorod region, where tourists can see the world’s largest open-pit iron ore mine from an observation deck. With a width of 5 km, the pit earned its place in the Guinness Book of Records several years ago. Tours also include visits to the beneficiation plant and the direct iron reduction plant – the latter employs a technology that underpins the future development of green metallurgy.
Since 2001, Lebedinsky GOK has been producing hot briquetted iron (HBI) – a form of direct reduced iron in the shape of convenient-to-transport briquettes. HBI is a sustainable raw material capable of cutting carbon dioxide emissions from steel production by up to 50%. Given steel companies’ current drive to curtail carbon emissions and mitigate global warming, HBI is experiencing a well-deserved surge in demand, both within Russia and in export markets.
Metalloinvest’s other mining unit, Mikhailovsky GOK, located in the Kursk region, initiated industrial tourism as early as 2021. Its offering includes opportunities to take photographs with a giant mining truck and to eat meals at the miners’ canteen.
The steelmaking division of Metalloinvest, OEMK, began welcoming tourists earlier this year. OEMK adopted direct iron reduction technology to produce steel as far back as the 1980s, bypassing the use of traditional blast furnaces. With the industry’s growing emphasis on curbing carbon emissions, the direct reduction of iron is now gaining traction as a sought-after technology for steel production. The world’s largest steelmakers are turning to it when designing their new production facilities.
Hashtag: #Metalloinvest
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pCloud Celebrates a Decade of Innovation and Security in Online Storage: A Decade of Data Management Excellence
A Symphony of Achievements:
1. Global User Reach: With its worldwide presence, pCloud has fostered a global community of 19 million users who rely on its exceptional services for their data storage needs.
2. Innovation and Security: Throughout the past decade, pCloud’s innovation has set new industry standards, all while maintaining an unblemished record of data security. pCloud utilizes advanced encryption techniques to safeguard user data. The company also boldly launched the “Hacking Challenge”, inviting the world’s best hackers to test its security measures, with none succeeding.
3. Championing Data Privacy: Over the years, pCloud’s commitment to privacy has stood unwavering, resulting in zero data breaches. Users can trust that their data is safe and remains their own.
4. Launch of pCloud Pass: In 2022, pCloud extended its commitment to security by launching pCloud Pass, a truly secure European password manager. pCloud Pass provides users with a safe and convenient way to manage their passwords, enhancing their online security.
5. More Security Tools: pCloud introduced innovative security tools like a Data Breach Checker, Password Strength Checker, and Strong Password Generator, empowering users to safeguard their digital presence.
6. Unique Offerings: pCloud has been at the forefront of innovation by becoming the first cloud storage to offer Lifetime plans with a unique payment model. Additionally, pCloud introduced a pioneering 10TB storage plan, meeting the evolving needs of its user base.
7. Referral Campaign: To thank its loyal users for a decade of support, pCloud is launching a referral campaign that rewards users with free storage. For each successful referral, users and their friends both receive additional storage space, strengthening the pCloud community.
An Exciting Future Ahead:
As pCloud embarks on its next decade, the company remains steadfast in its commitment to pushing the boundaries of data management technology. “Tunio Zafer, CEO of pCloud, expressed, “Our journey of the last 10 years has been characterized by innovation, security, and unwavering user trust. We’re excited to carry this legacy forward as we continue to redefine data management.”
Hashtag: #pCloud#pCloud10Years
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About pCloud
pCloud is a Swiss trailblazing online storage and data management platform that has transformed the way individuals and businesses interact with their data. Established in 2013, pCloud’s focus on innovation, security, and user satisfaction has garnered the trust of 19 million users worldwide.
Hong Kong Survey Reveals Over Half of Middle-Aged and Elderly Unvaccinated Due to Low Pneumococcal Vaccination Awareness
Medical professionals and social organizations call for increased awareness of pneumococcal threat and strengthened preventative measures among high-risk individuals
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 September 2023 – Recent findings from a comprehensive survey conducted in Hong Kong have revealed an alarming lack of awareness about the pneumococcal vaccine, leaving more than half of the city’s middle-aged and elderly population unprotected against this potentially deadly infection. Despite the established effectiveness of vaccination as a preventative measure against pneumococcal disease, the city’s current vaccination rate is unsatisfactory.
As the next generation of pneumococcal vaccines with broader serotype coverage becomes accessible in Hong Kong, international vaccination guidelines, including those from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have been updated to encompass the latest immunization recommendations.
Hong Kong’s medical and social welfare communities have come together to issue a joint appeal, urging the public to recognize the serious threat posed by pneumococcal disease. The appeal emphasizes the importance of preventive measures, particularly among high-risk individuals.
Alarming low pneumococcal vaccination rate among high-risk elderly in Hong Kong
“Pneumonia, predominantly triggered by pneumococcal disease, ranks as the second leading cause of death in Hong Kong,” emphasized Dr Stanley Tam Kui-fu, President of the Hong Kong Geriatrics Society. “With pandemic prevention measures relaxing, we’re seeing a resurgence of serious illnesses linked to pneumococcal infections back to pre-epidemic levels. The elderly, particularly those grappling with chronic diseases, are at a significant risk. Their likelihood of hospitalization due to pneumococcal pneumonia is more than ten times higher compared to those in the 18-49 age group.”
Mr. Chow Chun-man, Vice President of Hong Kong Respiratory Nursing College, concurred, noting that older adults are particularly susceptible to severe complications from pneumococcal disease. “Many elderly patients hospitalized due to pneumococcal infections require intensive care and mechanical ventilation, with many suffering from significant sequelae, including reduced lung function, even after discharge,” he remarked.
To address the less-than-ideal vaccination rate — currently only 40% of the elderly population have been vaccinated — The Hong Kong Alliance of Patients’ Organizations partnered with the School of Nursing of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to conduct a territory-wide survey through 90 trained elderly health ambassadors, inviting individuals aged 50 and above to answer questions about their knowledge of pneumococcus and their attitudes towards vaccination. This extensive outreach has successfully garnered over 2,000 completed surveys, providing a wealth of insightful data with highlights as follows:
1. General public’s knowledge of pneumococcal infection is limited, leading to oversight of the severe consequences it can bring.
- Few people pay attention to symptoms such as ear pain, mental confusion, and neck stiffness that may appear during pneumococcal infection, most focus only on symptoms like fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
- Additionally, few people know that pneumococcus can also cause severe diseases such as meningitis and septicemia.
2. The ratio of total vaccinated population is low, mainly due to a lack of knowledge about the vaccine.
- Although the majority of people know that vaccination is an effective way to prevent pneumococcal infection, about half of the respondents have not been vaccinated.
- The primary reason for not getting vaccinated is “not knowing /do not have adequate knowledge about the pneumococcal vaccine”. In addition, “lack of sufficient vaccine information” and “fear of vaccine side effects” are common reasons for not getting vaccinated.
- On the hand, about half of the people do not know where to get the pneumococcal vaccination, and they are unaware that individuals aged 65 or above are eligible to receive subsided or even free government vaccination services.
3. A single-dose pneumococcal vaccine providing sufficient protection could be a game-changer in terms of encouraging prompt vaccination
- More than 80% of respondents stated that if only one dose of vaccine is required to provide sufficient protection, it would increase their willingness to get vaccinated.
- Long-lasting protection, availability of free vaccination, and high safety profile of the vaccine are the most important considerations for pneumococcal vaccination.
Professor Angela Leung Yee-man, Professor of School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, who led this research, said: “The survey results show that in addition to strengthening disease education, information about vaccines needs to be more targeted and easier to understand to increase the vaccination rate among the elderly.”
CDC updates national guidelines for pneumococcal vaccination following Introduction of new-generation vaccines
The HKSAR Government currently offers 13-valent and 23-valent pneumococcal vaccines. The former, a conjugate vaccine, provides long-lasting protection but only covers 13 serotypes. The latter, a polysaccharide vaccine, covers more serotypes but has a shorter duration of protection.
In recent years, there have been breakthrough developments in pneumococcal vaccines with the emergence and subsequent registration of 15-valent and 20-valent pneumococcal vaccines by the Department of Health in Hong Kong. Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, Chair Professor and Head of Division of Infectious Diseases of HKU Medical Faculty, pointed out that, both the aforementioned new vaccines are conjugate vaccines, offering durable protection, and cover a broader range of serotypes than the conventional 13-valent conjugate vaccine. Taking the 20-valent pneumococcal vaccine as an example, its coverage rate is 13.4% higher than that of the 13-valent vaccine, and at the same time covers the more popular serotypes overseas. He indicated that vaccines with broad serotype coverage are particularly important for Hong Kong as it is an open city with a mobile population that is susceptible to exposure to other serotypes of pneumococcus.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its national guidelines for pneumococcal vaccination. The new guidelines reflect the most recent scientific insights and recommendations, ensuring the best possible protection against pneumococcal disease for the general population. The updated guidelines indicate that individuals aged 65 and above, or those aged 19-64 with chronic illnesses who have never been vaccinated against pneumococcal disease:
- should receive a dose of the 15-valent vaccine, followed by a dose of the 23-valent vaccine a year later;
OR
- after receiving a dose of 20-valent vaccine, no additional pneumococcal vaccination is required.
“New-generation vaccines cover a wider range of serotypes. It is important for the HKSAR Government to promptly update vaccination recommendations and provide subsidy for the elderly to get the latest vaccines free of charge, giving the high-risk individuals in our city a higher level of protection.” Professor Ivan Hung remarked.
Introduction of new-generation pneumococcal vaccine and simplified vaccination policy to boost uptake among Hong Kong elderly
The HKSAR Government currently provides a pneumococcal vaccine subsidy scheme for individuals aged 65 and above. However, the type and dose of vaccine administered are decided based on the individual’s medical history, and are divided into high-risk and low-risk groups, each with different vaccination arrangements and doses.
Ms Iris Chang, President of the Hong Kong Academy of Pharmacy, believes that the complexity of the current vaccine measures can be confusing for the public and burdensome for healthcare professionals to explain, thus potentially deterring elderly individuals from getting vaccinated. She recommends that the government swiftly introduce the new-generation pneumococcal vaccine to expand serotype coverage, enhance herd immunity, and simplify the vaccination policy to encourage more elderly to get vaccinated.
Mr Yuen Siu-lam, President of the Hong Kong Alliance of Patients’ Organizations, also urges the government to strengthen public education on pneumococcal disease and enhance preventive measures. This includes lowering the threshold for vaccine subsidies, such as considering all individuals aged 65 and above, regardless of their risk level, for free pneumococcal vaccination. Moreover, as chronic diseases can increase the chance of severe illness and hospitalization, it is also recommended that patients aged 50-64 with chronic disease be provided with subsidies to allow more high-risk individuals to be protected by the vaccine.
Hashtag: #pnemococcal #pneumonia #vaccine
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Vietnam and the United States: Promoting trusted trade partnership and green growth in agriculture
The Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has welcomed the delegations of the US Secretary of Agriculture, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), two US Deputy Secretaries of State, two US Deputy Secretaries of Agriculture, and the Governors of Nebraska and California over the past year. This demonstrates the importance of Vietnam in cooperation with the United States. Concurrent with the bilateral contacts is a series of exchanges, negotiations, shared understanding and coordination activities between the 2 sides, building partner trust and a very important foundation for promoting stronger agricultural cooperation. With President Biden’s upcoming visit to Vietnam, relations between the two countries will be raised to a new level, creating favorable conditions for promoting bilateral cooperation between the 2 countries in general and the agriculture and rural development sector in particular.
To foster trusted partnership and development of agricultural trade
The United States has been on the top list of export markets of Vietnam in general and for agricultural products in particular. Vietnam’s agricultural, forestry and fishery exports to the United States reached 13 billion USD in 2022, accounting for 24.4% of the total country Agro-forestry-fishery (AFF) exports to the world. However, it only represents 6.7% of the US’s AFF imports, showing a potential for Vietnam exports in the US market.
The United States applies strict requirements and a wide range of technical and SPS standards on agricultural and food products. In that context, Vietnam is making efforts to better meet those requirements.
Organization of production associated with the needs, tastes and technical standards of the United States. In details, priority is given to R&D investment on plant and animal breeds, etc., that meet technical, food safety and animal and plant health conditions and standards; promoting imported seed suitable to local conditions, increasing the diversity of agricultural products, targeting the US market; building value chain integration between US import enterprises and Vietnamese enterprises to transfer technology and varieties besides ensuring quality control to meet the requirements of technical and quality standards of the US market.
Improvement of product quality and value to satisfy the requirements of the US market. It is essential to review and finalize the current system of technical standards and national technical regulations for agricultural products with reference to US standards. It is also necessary to complete the food safety and disease safety control system crop, livestock, seafood, animal feed, etc., for consideration, evaluation, recognition of equivalence, and opening export markets by the United States.
Moreover, many agricultural products of the two countries have been opened market access in recent years. With active negotiation between two countries, the United States is becoming the largest poultry meat exporter to Vietnam (accounting for about 34% of total poultry meat imports), the second largest beef exporter (after Australia, accounting for about 16%) and the sixth largest pork exporter (accounting for about 5%) to Vietnam.
At the same time, the United States also opened the market for many Vietnamese products. Most recently, on August 7, 2023, APHIS completed updating the online database of Agricultural Commodity Import Requests (ACIR) to approve imports of Vietnamese fresh coconuts.
In the coming time, Vietnam will prioritize boosting the export of wood and wood products, seafood, and cashew nuts, pepper, and coffee, fruits into the US market.
To promote green growth and sustainable development
The cooperation agricultural green growth between Vietnam and the United States has brought many benefits, including environmental protection and improved product quality and the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. Two countries continue to cope with environmental challenges and climate change together.
Vietnam Government pays close attention to sustainable development, climate change and international commitments. At the COP26 (The UN Climate Change Conference), Vietnam made a commitment to bring net emissions to zero by 2050, joined the “Methane Pledge” and the “Glasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use”.
To implement the commitments at COP26, COP27, Vietnam has participated in many initiatives with the United States and other countries and international organizations such as: i) Initiative “Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate Change” (AIM4C); ii) the Action Alliance “Promoting Sustainable Productivity Growth for Food Security and Resource Conservation” (SPG); iii) the World Economic Forum’s “Food Innovation Hub” (FIH) and iv) the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) “100 Million Farmers: Transitioning to Zero-Emission and Environmentally Friendly Food Systems”; v) Coalition on “Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance ” (LEAF).
As agreed between the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the US Secretary of Agriculture, from April 2022, the US-Vietnam Climate Change Working Group was launched with the participation of relevant agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and representatives of USDA, USAID, and USFS to reduce emissions in agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry.
In the immediate future, the two sides focus on the implementation of projects including the project “Adaptation to Climate Change in the Mekong Delta”, “Fertilizer Right”, “Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation in Livestock Sector” (TRANSFORM). In particular, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam is coordinating with the US WF to complete the signing of the Letter of Intent and develop the program ” Viet Nam for Life: Nature-based Solutions for the Central ” with a long-term cooperation framework lasting up to 20 years, with a budget of up to 300 million USD, focusing on addressing climate change issues, protect and restore biodiversity, while benefiting local communities in the Central Annamite Mountains, one of Asia’s largest adjacent primary forests.
Vietnam will join hands to cooperate with the US Government, organizations, and investors as trusted partners to develop a green and sustainable agriculture and develop better agricultural supply chains and contribute to the global food security.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
BingX shows possibility as first CEX to launch Banana Gun Token
In recent days, the crypto community has been abuzz with discussions about the launch of Banana Gun token. This bot project has recently unveiled details about its token economy, airdrop, and token pre-sale, capturing significant attention. Notably, the Banana Gun boasts a vast user base, with most users previously only familiar with bot-type projects like Unibot and Maestro.
While the fervor around Unibot still lingers, Banana Gun has swiftly emerged as the preferred bot for many prominent owners and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). Touted as the fastest sniper robot for workers in the TG market, Banana Gun’s rapid rise is evident.
Comparative Analysis: Unibot vs. Banana Gun
A quick glance at the data reveals the potential of Banana Gun:
- Unibot: Market Cap: Approximately $85 million, FDV: Approximately $85 million, 5% transaction tax.
- Banana Gun: Approximately $1.3 million (800ETH, 20%), FDV: Approximately $6.5 million, 4% transaction tax.
While Banana Gun might currently trail Unibot in some metrics, its user base is fast approaching that of Unibot. Given the recent pre-sale hype, it’s anticipated that Banana Gun will soon surpass its competitor.
Banana Gun stands out from other trading bots due to its primary focus on sniper openings. It allows users to snipe upcoming tokens or trade issued tokens. With an aim to be the sniper/manual purchase bot of choice on the Ethereum network, Banana Gun has plans to expand to more chains in the future.
BingX’s decision to possibly integrate Banana Gun onto its platform underscores its commitment to offering its users access to the latest and most promising trading tools. By bringing Banana Gun onboard, BingX aims to enhance its platform’s capabilities and provide its users with a competitive edge in the fast-paced world of crypto trading. Find out how to get Banana Gun Presale on BingX Guide, before it’s official token launch.
Hashtag: #bingx #cryptoexchange
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About BingX

ROSEN, A LEADING LAW FIRM, Encourages Sea Limited Investors to Secure Counsel Before Important September 19 Deadline in Securities Class Action – SE
New York, New York – Newsfile Corp. – September 8, 2023 – WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Sea Limited (NYSE: SE) between April 23, 2022 and May 15, 2023, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important September 19, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Sea securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Sea class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=17863 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 19, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Sea overstated its ability to manage the growth of its user base and loan book while enhancing its profitability; (2) Sea’s expansion to a broader user base and growing loan book rendered the Company significantly more vulnerable to higher credit losses; (3) as a result, the Company was likely to book a significant increase in loan loss reserves; (4) the foregoing was likely to have a significant negative impact on Sea’s earnings; and (5) as a result, the Company’s public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Sea class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=17863 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
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Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
——————————-
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
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The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
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