BANGKOK (AP) — The political party that captured first place in Thailand’s general election two months ago — only to see the country’s unelected Senators block its expectations of taking power — announced Friday it’s fighting back, seeking to change the law to take away the Senate’s de facto veto over who can form a new government.
Reformist Thai Party, Thwarted From Forming New Government, Seeks Law Change to Limit Senate’s Power

Cassava Profits Conceal Alarming Environmental Threat in Laos
Cassava’s lucrative short-term benefits as Laos’ major agricultural export mask the devastating consequences of extensive slash-and-burn practices, putting the country’s long-term ecological stability in jeopardy.
Y Suites Bolsters Student Accommodation Options with Sydney and Canberra Launch

These properties offer a supportive and enriching environment for international students. The accommodation is designed to encourage independent living, with features such as kitchenettes and private study areas, allowing students to cook and study at their own pace. Situated in prime locations near major universities, Y Suites on Gibbons and Y Suites on Moore aim to ease the transition for students studying abroad and ensure their utmost comfort and convenience.
New Doors Open in Sydney and Canberra
The surge of international students in Australia has underscored a significant challenge — a critical shortage of suitable accommodation and soaring rents, as highlighted by The Straits Times. With these issues particularly pronounced near universities, finding quality and affordable housing has become increasingly difficult for international students.
Y Suites’ expansion into Sydney and Canberra, with the new locations of Y Suites on Gibbons and Y Suites on Moore, provides a solution to these challenges. Y Suites is committed to placing the student experience at the forefront of its mission. This is reflected in the creation of supportive environments that cater to the needs and interests of international students as they transition to studying abroad in Sydney and Canberra. The variety of room types in these locations is just one aspect of how Y Suites strives to provide a conducive space to live and study in.
The Y Suites Difference: Beyond Student Accommodations
Both Y Suites on Gibbons and Y Suites on Moore are located near city centres, providing students with access to universities, shopping centres, and public transport networks.
International students have the flexibility to select from a range of accommodation types at Y Suites, depending on their preferences and budget. They can choose between private studio apartments for a more independent living experience, or shared apartments for a communal living atmosphere.
In addition to accommodations, Y Suites also organises networking and socialising events to foster a sense of community among its residents. The Y Community Experience Programme (Y-CEP) includes a series of events and activities designed to help students acclimate to life in a foreign country and build connections with their peers.
Furthermore, Y Suites’ inter-city accessibility provides international students with the convenience of accessing amenities at any Y Suites location across Australia – a feature that comes in handy for those travelling around the country.
For more information about Y Suites and the accommodation options they offer, visit their website at www.ysuites.co.
Hashtag: #YSuites
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Y Suites
Established in 2020 under Wee Hur Hospitality, a subsidiary of the Singapore-listed Wee Hur Holdings Ltd, Y Suites is a student accommodation brand dedicated to enriching the student living experience. Prioritising customer service,
environmental sustainability, and technological integration, Y Suites provides
well-equipped facilities and supportive staff to foster a dynamic student community.
Mahsuri Collaborates with the Food Institute Of Malaysia (FIM) To Offer Scholarships to Young Culinary Talents Through Its Chef Muda Mahsuri Programme
Work hands in hands to contribute to the sustainable development of the food industry
PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 17 July 2023 – On 12 July, Mahsuri Food Sdn. Bhd. (“Mahsuri”) announced its commitment to giving back to the community through the Chef Muda Mahsuri programme by providing scholarship opportunities to aspiring Malaysians who wish to hone their culinary skills through the Certificate of Attendance in Malay Dishes Course at the Food Institute of Malaysia (FIM).

Dato Mohd Roslan Mahayudin, Non-Executive Director of Mahsuri said, “Thank you for Mahsuri’s generosity to offer scholarships to students of FIM. While there are many scholarships available for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) leavers who wish to further their studies in professional courses, Mahsuri as a sauces and condiments brand hopes to create opportunities for those interested in culinary arts and aspire to serve in this field.”
Mahsuri believes in making a positive impact to the local community with a special focus in empowering young talents. Mahsuri will be sponsoring 10 students for the Certificate of Attendance in Malay Dishes Course at FIM. The scholarship includes tuition fees, accommodation, and allowances, supporting their 7-month culinary training and 3-month job placement leading to a certificate.
At the launch event held today at FIM, Dato Roslan hopes that through the Chef Muda Mahsuri programme, there will be more professional chefs in Malaysia who can inspire passionate youth to be in the field. With partnership with FIM, the programme will be providing practical and useful training to develop and nurture young talented chefs to be future professionals, and in the long run contributing towards the development of the Malaysian Halal culinary industry.
For more information on Mahsuri, please visit: www.mahsurifood.com.my.
Hashtag: #Mahsuri
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About Mahsuri
Mahsuri is committed to creating tasty convenience for consumers, making cooking fun and easy, offering a range of sauces that are Halal and made in Malaysia. Mahsuri’s sauces have been available to the Malaysian public since the late 1990s, when Malaysia was undergoing a booming period of growth.
Through laborious efforts and countless trials and tribulations, Mahsuri successfully brought together expertise, modern manufacturing technology and fine Malaysian Halal recipes in offering effortless cooking for Malaysians – the blueprint for Mahsuri’s success in Malaysia today.
Mahsuri has created a range of convenient sauces to help Malaysian cook easy meals at home. But the story does not stop there. It is now time to expand beyond Malaysia, to bring uniquely Malaysian flavours and sauces Halal-certified sauces to the world.
About FIM
Founded in January 1998, FIM is a private community culinary school recognised by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Malaysia. Its primary vision is to train students to become professionals in the food industry. FIM has successfully produced thousands of graduates in the field of culinary, pastry & bakery, food service management as well as hotel and tourism.
Christopher Eubanks Named Winner of the OPPO Breakthrough Inspiration Award at Wimbledon 2023

Established to recognise excellent performances during The Championships, the OPPO Breakthrough Inspiration Award honours young players who have excelled and made breakthroughs and aims to inspire them to reach new heights in their playing careers.
With an exceptional level of skill and talent showcased through the event this year, Christopher Eubanks emerged as the winner after a rigorous selection process involving shortlisting by a panel of broadcast commentators and voting by global fans. This year’s other shortlisted candidates also included Mirra Andreeva, Marta Kostyuk, and Jiri Lehecka.
A sensation at this year’s Wimbledon, Christopher Eubanks roars to his career-high of No. 43 in the world and brings inspiration to all with his dazzling journey. With his remarkable performance and impressive career achievements, Christopher truly embodies the spirit of the OPPO Breakthrough Inspiration Award. His journey at this year’s Championships fully reflects OPPO’s brand proposition of “Inspiration Ahead”, demonstrating traits of optimism, strength, and elegance.
This year marks the fourth year since its inauguration in 2019 that the OPPO Breakthrough Inspiration Award has been presented by OPPO and The All England Lawn Tennis Club. Past winners include Carlos Alcaraz in 2022, Emma Raducanu in 2021, and Coco Gauff in 2019, all of whom exemplify OPPO’s spirit of commitment and its hopes of inspiring global audiences to go beyond their limits to achieve success.
Now in its fifth year, the partnership between OPPO and Wimbledon is built on shared values that have brought to life the powerful connection between technology, tennis and the exhilarating experiences that unfold on the courts of Wimbledon.
As OPPO continues to champion the spirit of “Inspiration Ahead,” it remains committed to supporting and empowering people worldwide to make a difference and find their own inspiration to succeed in the face of challenges.
For more information about OPPO’s initiatives at Wimbledon, please visit here.
Hashtag: #OPPO
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About OPPO
OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone – “Smiley Face” – in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find X and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO also provides its users with ColorOS operating system and internet services such as OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO has footprints in more than 60 countries and regions, with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.
About Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, is the oldest of the four tennis Grand Slams and the only one played on grass. Managed by The All England Lawn Tennis Club and staged on the Club‘s Grounds, Wimbledon has evolved from its origins as a private members’ croquet club in 1868, to one of the world’s biggest annual sporting events and one of the most well-respected brands in sport. Visit wimbledon.com and follow us @wimbledon on all major social media platforms.
Sing!China Metaverse Welcomes 100 Million Viewers and Fans, Unlocking a New Interactive Web3 Experience
A Web3 Entertainment Metaverse by Star CM and NFKings
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 14 July 2023 – Leading web3 technology company NFKings, through a joint-venture with the largest variety program IP creator and operator in China, Star CM Holdings Limited (Hong Kong Stock Exchange: 6698), have today announced the launch of Sing!Meta, a web3 entertainment Metaverse which will provide an immersive and unique interactive experience for over 100 million viewers and fans.
Sing!China is one of the most popular reality TV shows in mainland China. The show invites celebrity mentors to discover exceptionally talented musicians through blind auditions and team competitions. Sing!Meta, which is the Metaverse version of Sing!China will provide viewers, fans and contestants a more engaging and two-way interactive experience to the show. In addition, all items within the Metaverse will be uploaded onto the blockchain to become digital assets that users can own.
Elevating Traditional IP with Web3 Technology
This web3 joint-venture between NFKings and Star CM will spearhead a revolutionary new trend in the entertainment industry. Powered by NFKings’ web3 protocol, Sing!Meta offers a digital bridge for TV audiences to step onto the virtual stage of Sing!China and immerse themselves in their favourite entertainment. Over 100 million of Sing!China viewers and aspiring Sing!China contestants will find their place to participate in the Sing!China Metaverse. Users will be able to generate their unique decentralized identity, record and mint their music as non-fungible assets (“NFTs”), own and decorate their music rooms in the Metaverse which are also NFTs, and many other special accesses authenticated only through the NFTs they own.
Creating an Innovative Show Experience in the Metaverse
In recent years, a range of virtual reality products, including Apple’s first Mixed Reality (MR) Vision Pro, were introduced, underlying a growing attention and demand for a “glimpse into the future”. Sing!Meta is a virtual reality version of Sing!China, breaking the rules bounded by a seasonal programme, or location and time limitations imposed on contestants, becoming an all-season entertainment platform. Participants can now immerse themselves in the virtual stage for audition, performance, and engage directly with other viewers and contestants.
Web3 Development in Hong Kong and Mainland China
Web3 is entering an exciting phase of surging development as fostered by several openly issued government statements. The implementation of new regulations for virtual asset in Hong Kong, known as the “Guidelines for Virtual Asset Trading Platform Operators”, which officially took effect in June, indicates that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is committed to making Hong Kong a leading web3 hub for digital asset and digital finance. Furthermore, Beijing recently issued the “Beijing Web 3.0 Innovation and Development White Paper (2023)”, recognising web3 technology as an “inevitable trend in the future development of the Internet industry”.
Star CM’s Chief Executive Officer Mr. Tian Ming, NFKings’ Chief Executive Officer and Founder Mr. Matthew Lim, and NFKings founder Mr. Mario Ho attended the launch today. Mr. Tian Ming said: “Web3 and the Metaverse are subverting the existing mode of the entertainment industry, accelerating the combination of traditional entertainment and technology in various aspects. We are thrilled to introduce millions of Sing!China viewers and fans to Sing!Meta, and we look forward to the unique experience that the web3 Metaverse of Sing!China can offer to this industry.”
Mr. Matthew Lim and Mr. Mario Ho said the following statement: “We are delighted to enter this partnership with Star CM. Together, we will empower IPs with Metaverse, blockchain and cutting-edge technologies and optimise this synergy and realization of the huge traditional IP content matrix. NFKings’ powerful web3 technology will bring a different virtual interactive experiences to Sing!China’s viewers and fans.”
This event attracted attention from many well-known enterprises and media in both web3 and traditional sectors. Hash Global, a leading web3 venture capital firm in Asia, co-hosted and attended the event, joining force to help Sing!Meta with community building, technical developments and investments. TheOne.art, a leading digital art e-commerce platform in China, has also been invited to attend. With extensive experience in industrial web3 technologies and marketing solutions, TheOne.art will explore the boundless possibilities of web3 together with Sing!Meta.
Sing!Meta will be available for downloads worldwide. NFKings and Star CM will continue to bring blockbustervariety shows and top IPs, into the Metaverse, working together on creating a web3 entertainment ecosystem that marks the next chapter for both industries.
Hashtag: #NFKings #StarCM #SingMeta #Metaverse #Web3
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About NFKings
NFKings, established in 2021, is a rapidly growing, web3 technology company with investments from top venture capital institutions and well-known brands such as Binance Labs, Vertex China, Ventech, Pop Mart, and Team Wang. NFKings has successfully developed and launched over 50 web3 projects with global IPs such as Vogue, Jimmy Choo, Balmain, Real Madrid, and Authentic Brands Group (ABG) among many others.
About Star CM
Star CM is a HK listed (6698:HK) entertainment IP conglomerate with over 8K licensable music IPs, 84 variety TV programmes, 757 movies, and 154 celebrities with social influence exceeding 100 million fans. STAR CM has produced a number of blockbuster variety programmes in China, including the extremely popular reality TV competition such as “Sing!China”, “Street Dance of China”, and “Guess The Singer”.
Renowned Microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung and Virologist David Ho initiate Global Pandemic Research Alliance

“We are looking forward to deeper collaboration with HKU and several leading institutions in the world by setting up a ‘Pandemic Research Alliance'”, said Professor Ho, who is visiting Hong Kong after spending a week in mainland China. Professor Ho currently holds the positions of Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center at Columbia University.
Other partners in discussion include Tsinghua University and Doherty Institute/University of Melbourne. Professor Ho stated that the alliance will pursue “a comprehensive set of research initiatives on surveillance, diagnostics, antiviral drugs & monoclonal antibodies, viral evolution and resistance to therapeutics, antibody engineering, vaccine development and pathogenesis.” The alliance is expected to focus on respiratory viruses that can be directly transmitted person to person.
“Many emerging infectious diseases start at the Pacific Rim. It’s very important to have a cross Pacific alliance. In case another pandemic comes, we could perform much better. I do believe that the alliance can play a very important role,” Professor Yuen remarked.
“I feel very excited about this initiative, which will undoubtedly break new grounds in scientific research and save lives. By harnessing the combined expertise of distinguished institutions globally, we aim to create transformative solutions to protect the wellbeing of humanity,” said Professor Xiang Zhang, HKU President and Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Ho is amongst the first scientists to discover HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and to unravel the dynamics of this virus in infected persons. He is also the first scientist to demonstrate the efficacy of cocktail antiretroviral treatment for AIDS, now capable of achieving a near normal lifespan for a previously incurable disease.
Professors Ho and Yuen first collaborated in 2003 on the use of small molecule inhibitors and recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara against the SARS coronavirus.
Following his first successful collaboration with HKU’s Department of Microbiology, Professor Ho founded the AIDS Institute at HKU to conduct basic and applied research that facilitates the understanding of AIDS pathogenesis and the development of effective AIDS vaccines. The many years of collaboration have resulted in technological breakthroughs on B and T cell immunity, leading to the discoveries of broadly neutralizing antibodies and potent vaccines against HIV. Professor Zhiwei Chen, Director of the AIDS Institute and Professor of Microbiology at HKUMed, who is a key member of the team, said that these discoveries are undergoing phase 1 or 2 clinical trials.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HKU and Columbia research groups published eight collaborative articles on SARS-CoV-2 in leading scientific journals, including three articles in Nature, one in Immunity, and one in Science Translational Medicine. The pandemic research alliance will be built on top of this solid foundation of international collaboration.
Hashtag: #HKU
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Philippine’s Zack Tabudlo and South Africa’s Nasty C Team Up to Release New Single “Fallin’” With COKE STUDIO™
“Fallin'” video to be available globally July 14th – but fans can find an exclusive preview today at Coke Studio’s digital hub
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach – 14 July 2023 – Zack Tabudlo and Nasty C have released a new song – “Fallin'”, their first collaboration project with COKE STUDIO™, Coca-Cola global music platform, which brings the most exciting emerging and breakthrough artists from all corners of the world together to create ‘Real Magic.’
Coca-Cola ‘Real Magic’ brand philosophy celebrates the magic of human connection and the belief that our differences make the world a richer and more interesting place. It is a celebration of the real-life moments and the magic, that happens when people come together.
The performance video for “Fallin'”, which brings Zack and Nasty C together for an exclusive performance of the track, will be released globally on the Coke Studio YouTube channel on July 14th – but fans can get early access by scanning their Coke.
Zack Tabudlo may be the quintessential Gen Z Southeast Asian star of the new 20s: an alternative-pop and R&B singer, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer based in the Philippines. In 2022, he emerged as Spotify’s most-streamed local artist in the Philippines, next to Taylor Swift and BTS. Zack has recently become the first Filipino male solo artist to achieve 1 billion Spotify streams, with multiple songs charting #1 on Spotify’s Global Viral chart.
“This is my first time releasing a track with a rapper like Nasty C. I’d always had visions of doing more pop-hiphop tracks in the future, so when I heard Nasty C was going to be part of Coke Studio, it felt like the perfect time to do it,” said Zack Tabudlo.
The multi-award-winning, platinum-selling South African Nasty C originates from Durban in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. His escalating success led to his 2020 signing to the esteemed Def Jam Records in the USA, and the release of his third album Zulu Man With Some Power, which saw him making global waves.
“Exchanging vibes with Zack on this record was special. Collaborating with him was an organic process; we connected creatively and found a perfect balance between our unique styles,” said Nasty C. “I enjoy collaborations that highlight the magic that can happen when artists from different backgrounds come together to create music. I can’t wait for the world to hear what we’ve cooked up!”
Also released is the COKE STUDIO™ version of “Perfect,” by multi-platinum, GRAMMY®, BRIT, Golden Globe, and Academy Award-winning Sam Smith. Originally from Sam’s top-charting album Gloria, and featuring celebrated JUNO-winner Jessie Reyez, the new version adds double-platinum-seller South Londoner and BRITs Rising Star-nominated Cat Burns with a self-reflective but hopeful new lyrical take.
The release of “Fallin'” and “Perfect” follows “Be Who You Are (Real Magic),” this year’s COKE STUDIO™ anthem by Grammy-award-winning American musician, Jon Batiste featuring NewJeans, J.I.D, Camilo, and Cat Burns. More tracks will be released to global music fans on all music platforms across July and August.
“Collisions’ are central to COKE STUDIO™ and are all about bringing incredible musical talent together across genres and cultures, to create fresh new sounds,” said Joshua Burke, Global Head of Music & Culture Marketing, Coca-Cola™.
More than 16 of the biggest breakthrough music artists of the moment have been brought together from the US, UK, Canada, South Africa, Colombia, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, China, Korea, and the Philippines for COKE STUDIO™ 2023:
- Jon Batiste (US)
- Camilo (Colombia)
- NewJeans (Korea)
- J.I.D (US)
- Cat Burns (UK)
- Imagine Dragons (US)
- Sam Smith (UK)
- Diljit Dosanjh (India)
- Evdeki Saat (Turkey)
- Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (US)
- Nasty C (South Africa)
- Jessie Reyez (Canada)
- Shae Gill (Pakistan)
- Shreya Ghoshal (India)
- XIN LIU (China)
- Zack Tabudlo (Philippines)
- Afroto (Egypt)
The COKE STUDIO™ platform is a space for true borderless creation and collaboration amongst emerging and established music artists globally. Curated in collaboration with Universal Music Group, the world leader in music-based entertainment. It offers the rare opportunity for artists from all over the world to collaborate creatively and experiment with sounds from different cultures, fuse genres to create new music and reach global audiences – whether bringing Punjabi music to the US or South African beats to India.
Content from the COKE STUDIO™ global platform is available for fans to access at https://www.coca-cola.com/cokestudio.
Please access campaign images here and the music video here.
Hashtag: #CocaColaPhilippines
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About Coca-Cola Philippines
Coca-Cola has been refreshing Filipinos and making a difference in the Philippines for 110 years. The Philippines was Coca-Cola’s first market in Asia to begin local bottling operations. Today, the Coca-Cola system in the Philippines has evolved into a total beverage company, offering a diverse portfolio of brands in its beverage portfolio and employing over 10,000 Filipinos in over 20 manufacturing facilities and more than 70 distribution centers nationwide. As part of its long-standing commitment to the country, Coca-Cola continues to go beyond good as a business by continuously supporting safe water access programs in over 250 communities, empowering around 250,000 women entrepreneurs through training and peer mentoring, and accelerating packaging collection and recycling under its global World Without Waste initiative.
About Universal Music Group
At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audio-visual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information on Universal Music Group visit www.universalmusic.com
About Nasty C
Nsikayesizwe David Ngcobo, known as Nasty C, is a South African multi-platinum music sensation and award-winning artist who has generated over 1 billion streams globally. Nasty C’s talent has garnered international acclaim, leading to his signing with Def Jam Records in 2020. Featuring collaborations with esteemed artists such as T.I., Ari Lennox, Lil Gotit, and Lil Keed, his album “Zulu Man with Some Power” made an undeniable impact globally, solidifying Nasty C’s position as a force to be reckoned with worldwide.
Nasty C is currently focused on creating his fourth studio album, to be released via Def Jam Records, sure to exhibit his innovation as a true pioneer and game changer in the African musical landscape.
About Zack Tabudlo
Zack Tabudlo may be the quintessential Gen Z Southeast Asian star of the new 20s: an alternative-pop and R&B singer, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer based in the Philippines. In 2022, he emerged as Spotify’s most-streamed local artist in the Philippines, next to Taylor Swift and BTS. Zack has recently become the first Filipino male solo artist to achieve 1 Billion Spotify streams, with multiple songs charting #1 on Spotify’s Global Viral and Billboard’s Hits of The Week PH Chart.
Quote from Teejae Sonza, Coca-Cola Trademark Group Marketing Director, ASEAN & South Pacific
“Coke Studio has always taken pride in featuring our remarkable Filipino artists, and together, we have created a whole new experience of enjoying music with Coca-Cola. We are proud to have our own Zack Tabudlo featured on the Coke Studio global stage to showcase an incredible collision of musical talent that creates the taste of a fresh new sound.”