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BlackPink’s Rosé Declares Her Love for Spicy Mango Dipping Sauce

Blackpink’s Rosé Declares Love for Spicy Mango Dipping Sauce
Rosé BLACKPINK Lovesick Girls (photo: uhdpaper)

Roseanne Park, or Rosé, from the popular South Korean pop band  “BlackPink,” revealed her favorite Thai food as “Mamuang Nampla Wan” or “Spicy Mango Dipping Sauce,” on her official Instagram account last weekend.

VinFuture foundation officially calls for nominations for the 2023 season

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach – 9 January 2023 – The VinFuture Prize officially kicks off its 2023 season with the nomination period open from 14:00 January 9th, 2023, to 14:00 May 15th, 2023 (GMT+7). The 3rd season of the VinFuture Prize is focused on scientific and technological innovations and solutions that help promote resilient and sustainable development amid the forecasted global socioeconomic challenges in 2023.

Caption

In 2023, humanity will face many challenges due to the impact of global conflicts and economic challenges. According to the World Food Program, an additional 50 million people could be on the brink of starvation by 2023. In addition, global energy consumption is expected to increase amid slow growth and high energy prices. The shortage of gas supply can force countries to continue using fossil fuels, thus slowing down the transition to green energy.

With its vision and mission of “science for humanity,” the 2023 VinFuture Prize aims to recognize and honor scientific research and technological breakthroughs, thereby contributing to resolving problems that humanity is facing, and facilitating sustainable development for the future.

Prof. Sir Richard Henry Friend, Chair of the VinFuture Prize Council, shared: “When we look at the broad fields, it’s interesting to see how global sentiment has changed. We’re increasingly concerned about global well-being and anxious about a stable and sustainable life after unpredictable incidents. We aim to search for innovations and breakthroughs across all fields to honor scientific innovations that create positive and sustainable changes in the lives of many people. We believe this year’s nomination will receive more quality nominations, thus increasing the opportunities to find worthy scientific works and research.”

To participate in the 2023 VinFuture Prize, scientific and technological innovations and solutions must fully meet the Prize’s nomination criteria* and be nominated by prestigious organizations or individuals in the field of science and technology worldwide. Nominated projects will be screened and chosen by the VinFuture Prize’s Pre-Screening Committee and Prize Council, composed of leading scientists and experts who have won prestigious awards, such as Nobel, Turing, and Millennium Technology prizes.

Previously, the 2022 VinFuture Prize received an exceptional response from the global science and technology community, with 970 quality nominations from scientists, researchers, and inventors from six continents. The 2022 VinFuture Grand Prize (worth US$3 million) was awarded to five scientists: Professor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Dr. Vinton Cerf, Dr. Emmanuel Desurvire, Dr. Robert Kahn, and Professor Sir David Payne for their ground-breaking research on global network technology. The 2022 VinFuture Special Prize for Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields was awarded to Dr. Demis Hassabis and Dr. John Jumper for their pioneering work on AlphaFold 2 – an artificial intelligence program that has revolutionized the modeling of protein structures. The 2022 VinFuture Special Prize for Developing Country Innovators was awarded to Professor Thalappil Pradeep for his development of a low-cost filtration system to remove arsenic and other heavy metals from groundwater. The 2022 VinFuture Special Prize for Female Innovators honored Professor Pamela Ronald for her breakthroughs in isolating the Sub1A gene which facilitated the development of submergence-tolerant rice varieties.

The 2023 VinFuture Prize’s Nomination Portal is available at: https://online.vinfutureprize.org/nomination

For more details about the Prize:

* 10 criteria for nomination to the VinFuture Prize:

  • There should be clear evidence, or potential, for an end-product or service based on the solution, which has an everyday practical application;
  • Solutions should have already benefited millions of people in the past 10 years for the Grand Prize, or have the potential to benefit millions of people in the next 10 years for the Special Prizes;
  • Solutions should be aligned with one or more of the United Nation’s SDGs;
  • Solutions must be scientifically proven (i.e., there should be clear evidence of passing relevant scientific trials, and in the case of research, it must be empirically proven or widely reviewed);
  • Open to researchers or inventors who were involved in developing the underlying solutions, and not entrepreneurs or corporates who helped in the commercialization/diffusion of the technology;
  • End-products of the research should benefit people globally, including those from developing and less developed countries, as well as lower-income and disadvantaged communities;
  • Open to individuals or teams of researchers/inventors;
  • Preferences are considered for nominees in the active stages of their careers;
  • Same individual/team can be nominated for one or more of the VinFuture Special Prizes if eligible;
  • Research/Solution/Invention can be underpinned in any discipline of science, engineering, or technology, including potentially multi-disciplinary approaches.

Hashtag: #VinFuture #Vingroup

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

About VinFuture Foundation

The VinFuture Foundation, established on December 20th, 2020 on the occasion of International Human Solidarity Day, is a non-profit organization co-founded by billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong and his wife, Mrs. Pham Thu Huong.

The Foundation’s vision is catalyzing meaningful change in the everyday lives of millions of people by honoring transformational technological innovations at a global scale. The Foundation’s core activity is awarding the annual VinFuture Prize for breakthrough scientific and technological innovations that have created or have the potential to create meaningful changes in the everyday lives of millions of people across the planet.

The VinFuture Prize consists of four prize categories, of which the Grand Prize – with a value of US$3 million – is one of the largest annual global prizes, and three Special Prizes, worth US$500,000 each, are dedicated to Female Innovators, Innovators from Developing Countries, and Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields.

In addition, the Foundation conducts many activities to accomplish its mission, such as funding academic activities, catalyzing intellectual connections, collaborating in sci-tech development, and promoting STEM education.

Laos Sees 3 Percent Growth in Agriculture Sector in 2022

Laos Sees Three Percent Growth in Agricultural Sector in 2022
Farmer planting rice on a field in the outskirts in Laos (photo: sdhsprogram)

Laos recorded a 3 percent growth in the agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and rural development sector in 2022, in line with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s aim of accomplishing a domestic food production target of 70 percent in 2023.

Thailand Scraps Vaccine Checks for International Passengers

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday afternoon.

Less than 24 hours after measures were put in place to check Covid-19 vaccination records for foreign travelers into the country, the Thai government canceled them. 

Shopee: 63% of Malaysian Sellers Positive about E-Commerce

Shopee’s New Consumer Trends Report Reveals Consumer Trends Driving Seller Resilience and Relevance

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 9 January 2023 – Shopee Malaysia kickstarted the New Year by launching its three-part 2023 Consumer Trends series called ‘Adapting to Malaysia’s Digital Consumers in 2023’. The first part of the series that focuses on sellers found that 63% of Malaysian Sellers feel excited and positive about e-commerce opportunities in 2023. In particular, sellers from the Health and Beauty (71%), Toys, Kids, and Babies (69%), and Fashion and Lifestyle (66%) categories are the most optimistic, stating that they are on the right track to capture the opportunities in 2023.

Parts 2 and 3 of the series that focuses on Malaysian buyers and influencers will be shared in greater detail in the upcoming weeks. Findings can be utilised by businesses to tap e-commerce and digital services to drive resilience and stay relevant.

The survey covering over 1,000 Malaysian marketplace sellers in December 2022 found that sellers are excited to take advantage of three main e-commerce trends observed by Shopee, in staying digitally resilient and relevant on e-commerce: 1) Increased and savvier use of digital services, 2) Growing adoption of digital services among consumers living outside big cities, and 3) The rise of younger, more purposeful buyers.

1. Increased and savvier use of digital services

When asked what milestones they would like to achieve for 2023, given the digital savviness of buyers who spend more time online, 8 in 10 sellers agreed that they wanted to increase product discovery, consideration and purchase online. Specifically, 5 in 10 wanted to take advantage of Shopee’s hyperlocal campaigns tailored to engage consumers and Shopee Loyalty Program rewards to increase traffic and demand, 2 in 10 wanted to engage audiences with higher value transactions from Shopee Mall and cross-border platforms, and the remainder wanted to use Shopee’s customised recommendation tools like Daily Discover to gain better visibility and consideration.

With the Shopee Growth Program, all local sellers are also eligible to boost store performance and sales with one week free trial of the highly popular Shopee RebateNOW where buyers enjoy 10% off between 9 till 15 January 2023. In addition, local marketplace sellers can claim up to RM100 Free Ads credit for two months to enhance their store visibility and traffic between January to March.

2. Growing adoption of digital services amongst consumers living outside big cities

With technology giving better access to affordable and convenient digital products and services outside big cities, 7 in 10 sellers surveyed are interested in reaching consumers who live in Borneo in 2023. Thanks to Shopee’s integrated logistics infrastructure, sellers can take advantage of the nationwide network of warehouses and delivery hubs to reach more customers in Sabah and Sarawak. Among the sellers most keen to tap new audiences in Borneo, by category, are: FMCG (81%), Sports, Entertainment & Recreation (75%), and Groceries & Pets (74%).

3. The rise of younger, more purposeful buyers

In response to the rise of younger, more purposeful buyers entering the marketplace in 2023, 50% of sellers surveyed are interested in catering to value-based shoppers who support Local Malaysian Made goods via Shop Malaysia circle, and Green Sellers via ShopeeGivesBack microsite. They are also excited about the inclusion of more educational content in influencers’ live streams that demonstrate the importance of supporting these causes.

As part of their 2023 New Year Resolutions, 95% of sellers want to upskill themselves with free Shopee University Courses in Sales, Marketing, and Operations. The most popular Shopee marketplace features they would like to incorporate in their strategies are: Marketing Tools (35%), Listing Optimizers (29%) and Business Insights (27%). A small percentage of sellers require Batch Tools (8%) to process bulk orders efficiently.

Kenneth Soh, Head of Marketing Campaigns at Shopee Malaysia said, “I am beyond excited for the marketplace sellers who have positive resolutions in 2023 to try new features and discover new opportunities. Just two weeks ago, I personally handed out 34 awards at our Shopee Super Awards to Super Growing, Super Customer Satisfaction and Super Favorite Sellers, so I know that they can succeed. We always put a spotlight on sellers who light the path for other sellers to succeed and create a supportive environment for them.”

Survey Methodology

  • The first part of 2023 “Adapting to Malaysia’s Digital Consumers in 2023” survey was conducted by Shopee Marketplace, between 23 December and 27 December 2023. Voluntary feedback was obtained from 1,085 Malaysian sellers on the platform.

Hashtag: #Shopee

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

About Shopee

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia & Taiwan. Shopee promotes an inclusive and sustainable digital ecosystem by enabling businesses to digitalise and grow their online presence, helping more people access and benefit from digital services, and uplifting local communities.

Shopee offers an easy, secure, and engaging experience that is enjoyed by millions of people daily. Shopee is also a key contributor to the region’s digital economy with a firm commitment to helping homegrown brands and entrepreneurs succeed in e-commerce.

Shopee is part of Sea Limited (NYSE: SE), a leading global consumer internet company. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology through its three core businesses: Shopee, Garena and SeaMoney.

Ko Yo Group has built a new energy industry base with over 10 billion tons of phosphate ore

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 9 January 2023 – Recently, the Longmenshan phosphate ore mineral processing technology research project in the Tianjinggou section of the Longwangmiao phosphate mining area in Mianzhu, Sichuan Province, passed the expert review in Changsha, Hunan Province. The project mainly studies the technology of direct production of phosphoric acid at low cost from the unique siliceous carbonate phosphate ore in Longmenshan. The on-site review expert group includes academician Jiang Tao from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Central South University, Professor Xia Jingyuan from the National Engineering Research Center for Phosphorus Resources Development and Utilization, Professor Ge Yingrong from Wuhan University of Technology, Professor Zhang Ligang from Changsha Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Co., Ltd., and Tong Yongshuang from North China Huanqiu Co., Ltd. The review experts agreed that the technology reached the international advanced level, which is of great significance for the development of phosphate ores in Longmenshan Area, Deyang.

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With the iteration of new energy vehicles and the implementation of the national energy storage plan, the lithium iron phosphate battery market has broad prospects, which drives the demand for phosphate ore. Ko Yo Chemical (Group) Co., Ltd. (Stock code: 00827; “Ko Yo Group” or “the Group”) has leaped to become a resource-based head of the domestic new energy industry with over 100 million tons of phosphate ore resources.

Ko Yo Group, as one of the two enterprises with legal mining permits for phosphate ore, has significant regional monopoly advantages with phosphate ore reserves up to 115 million tons, according to relevant geological reports. In order to complete the strategic layout of phosphate ore resources and improve the Group’s mineral processing technology, the Group has set up a professional team to actively invest research and development funds in the Longmenshan phosphate ore project development. The project team members overcame the impact of the epidemic on the entry of various materials, equipment and personnel, as well as the transportation inconvenience caused by special geographical conditions and other difficulties, and constantly compared, screened, developed, and tested the new mineral processing technology. Finally the mineral processing technology was developed successfully thanks to the whole team’s efforts. The project team mined low-grade ore to make phosphoric acid with a proprietary process, reducing processing steps and lowering processing costs, which is expected to bring tens of billions of potential earnings benefits to the Group. This project is in line with the strategic development layout of Ko Yo Group, which can further promote the diversified and in-depth development and utilization of phosphorus resources, provide high-quality and stable phosphorus concentrate resources for fine phosphorus chemical and new energy battery material industries, and help accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the company’s industrial structure. The project not only provides a reliable resource guarantee for the Group’s layout of the new energy industry, but also creates excess profits and high returns for the company’s shareholders at home and abroad, and provides industrial blood for the sustainable development of Deyang’s phosphorus chemical industry.

Statistics show that Deyang is one of the four major phosphate ore bases in China, with more than 90% of the ore distributed in Jiudingshan Nature Reserve and Giant Panda National Park. There are many phosphorus and titanium chemical enterprises gathered under the mountain due to the rich mineral resources of Jiudingshan. Data show that in 2016, there were 58 phosphorus and titanium chemical enterprises in Mianzhu, producing 4 million tons of phosphate ore with a total output value of 16.5 billion yuan. By taking the upstream mining into consideration, the total output value of Mianzhu’s phosphorus and titanium chemical industry reached 23.48 billion yuan, accounting for 44.33% of the total industrial output value.

Since 2017, the Jiudingshan Nature Reserve in Deyang, Sichuan Province, has carried out a comprehensive clean-up to restore the ecological environment of the mining area. Up to now, 46 mining rights in the Jiudingshan Nature Reserve have basically completed the task of rectification, and a total of 243 mines have been closed.

In the next step, Ko Yo Group will continue to improve the company’s mineral processing technology, continuously optimize related technologies, and strive to help the national new energy and low-carbon construction in the future new energy boom.

Hashtag: #KoYoGroup

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

csl. 5G Lens and M+ present first AR display of Yayoi Kusama’s pumpkin sculpture in Hong Kong to share love

“csl. 5G Lens x M+ Capture the AR Pumpkin” lucky draw to give away 100 pieces of merchandise of M+’s Special Exhibition on Yayoi Kusama

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 9 January 2023 – CSL Mobile (CSL) announced today its crossover with M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture, on Hong Kong’s first cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) presentation of two large-scale sculptures Pumpkin (2022) by renowned artist Yayoi Kusama.

Yayoi Kusama has been fascinated by the strange yet unpretentious appearance of pumpkins since childhood. She once said, “I adore pumpkins. As my spiritual home since childhood, and with their infinite spirituality, they contribute to the peace of humankind across the world and to the celebration of humanity.” The iconic Pumpkin (2022) currently on view in the Main Hall of M+ is a highlight at the museum’s Special Exhibition Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now. Combining art with technology, the virtual presentation of Pumpkin (2022) through AR has broken geographical barriers to offer a new virtual art experience and share love and joy with the local public at five locations across the city.

HKT is the Major Sponsor of Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now. CSL, HKT’s consumer mobile unit, combines ground-breaking markerless AR and floor detection with SLAM technology to present a 3D model of the artwork in the real world. Utilising geo-targeting, CSL has transformed five popular locations in Hong Kong to where the artist’s works are showcased virtually. Visitors can simply head to the locations, open the csl. 5G lens app and view a virtual pumpkin on their mobile phone. ARKit and ARCore technologies enable users to enjoy a 360-degree view of the artwork with a quote from Kusama to create a special experience.

With the photography function of the csl. 5G lens app, users can creatively take photos with the virtual pumpkin, fusing the virtual and reality for greater interaction.

“csl. 5G Lens x M+ Capture the AR Pumpkin” lucky draw

To encourage the public to experience the new art tech, CSL is hosting the “csl. 5G Lens x M+ Capture the AR Pumpkin” lucky draw from 12 January to 9 February 2023. Users can simply download the csl. 5G lens app and register as a user, head to the designated locations (including M+ Roof Garden, West Kowloon Art Park, Statue Square, The Peak Tower and Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Gardens), take a photo with a virtual pumpkin and tap on “Complete” in the app. They can then automatically enter the lucky draw for a chance to win one of the 100 prizes, including Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now exhibition tickets, Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now Exhibition Publication, Yayoi Kusama water bottles, knitted socks, chocolates, and M+ 1st Anniversary Special Tote.

In promoting greater accessibility of culture in the society, CSL will sponsor private viewing tickets for KELY Support Group to visit Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now. A non-profit organisation in Hong Kong, KELY Support Group offers support for Chinese- and English-speaking local and ethnic minority youth aged between 14 and 24 around three core focus areas – drug and alcohol awareness, mental health and wellbeing, and positive youth development – to equip them with skills and knowledge to support themselves and one another.

*Note: each user can get one entry to the lucky draw by taking photos at each location, with a maximum of five entries. The “csl. 5G Lens x M+ Capture the AR Pumpkin” lucky draw will take place on 16 February 2023. Results will be announced on the same day on the CSL website and published on Sing Tao Daily and The Standard on 22 February 2023.

Download the csl. 5G Lens app now: https://bit.ly/3gvulU7
For more details and terms & conditions, please visit www.hkcsl.com/en/capturethearpumpkin
Trade Promotion Competition Licence No.: 556534-5

Hashtag: #HKT #CSL

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

About HKT

HKT is a technology, media, and telecommunication leader with more than 150 years of history in Hong Kong. As the city’s true 5G provider, HKT connects businesses and people locally and globally. Our end-to-end enterprise solutions make us a market-leading digital transformation partner of choice for businesses; whereas our comprehensive mobile communication and smart living offerings enrich people’s lives and cater for their diverse needs for work, entertainment, education, well-being, and even a sustainable low-carbon lifestyle. Together with our digital ventures which support digital economy development and help connect Hong Kong to the world as an international financial centre, HKT endeavours to contribute to smart city development and help our community tech forward.

For more information, please visit .
LinkedIn:

Issued by HKT Limited.
HKT Limited is a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands.

Impro (1286.HK) Issues Positive Profit Alert

2022 Net Profit Attributable to Shareholders of the Company Expected to be between HK$550 Million and HK$600 Million, Significant Year-on-Year Growth of between 43.6% and 56.7%

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 9 January 2023 – Impro Precision Industries Limited (“Impro” or the “Group” or the “Company“) (Stock Code: 1286), a world-leading manufacturer of high-precision, high-complexity and mission-critical components, is pleased to announce that the Group expects to record a net profit attributable to shareholders of the Company in the range of HK$550 million to HK$600 million for FY2022, which represents a significant year-on-year growth of between 43.6% and 56.7% as compared with a net profit attributable to shareholders of the Company of HK$383 million for the same period in 2021. The substantial increase in net profit was mainly due to strong revenue growth in the aerospace and medical end-markets, as well as good revenue growth in the industrial and other end-markets, which were sufficient to offset the revenue decline in the passenger car end-market, resulting in a year-on-year revenue growth of approximately 15% for the financial year. Expansion of operating profit margin was mainly due to economies of scale; weakening of the Renminbi against the Hong Kong Dollar; one-off gain after tax on the disposal of land, building and machinery of a plant in Germany of approximately HK$13 million, which were partially offset by a one-off impairment provision charge after tax of approximately HK$73 million against net book value of building, machinery, equipment, inventory, etc. which were damaged in a fire that occurred at the Group’s Nantong plant in June 2022.

Mr. Lu Ruibo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Impro, said, “In 2022, the global economy faced multiple challenges due to the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian-Ukrainian war and high inflation. In the face of an extremely difficult market environment, the Group has achieved remarkable results for the year owing to its diversified end-markets and global operations, both of which are its competitive edges. During the year, the Group has continued to perfect and expand its production bases in Asia, Europe and the Americas. The Group’s third plant, an investment casting plant, at its production base in Mexico was officially put into operation in November 2022, and the remaining aerospace components and surface treatment plant are expected to commence production in 2023. In addition, Impro is actively expanding into the aerospace and hydraulic markets, having acquired two related company and business last year, which will start to create strong synergies for the integration of supply chain and global market coverage. Furthermore, the recovery and development of various end-markets will continue to promote substantial development of its business and bring long-term returns to shareholders.”Hashtag: #Impro

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

About Impro

Impro Precision Industries Limited was established in Wuxi, China in 1998 and its headquarters was moved to Hong Kong, China in 2011. It is a global top-ten manufacturer of high-precision, high-complexity and mission-critical casting, machined components and hydraulic orbital motors for diversified end markets. According to market research, Impro Precision was the world’s sixth-largest independent and China’s largest investment casting manufacturer and also the world’s fourth-largest precision machining company in the end markets of automotive, aerospace and hydraulics, each in terms of total revenue in 2021. The Group is also one of the few domestic suppliers offering one-stop solutions, including initial research and development, tooling design and manufacturing, casting, heat treatment, secondary machining and surface treatment. Impro Precision has established a global manufacturing layout and comprehensive service network. It has 21 production facilities in China, Germany, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Mexico, which are supported by 9 sales offices in China, the US, Luxembourg, Turkey, Germany, Mexico and Hong Kong, as well as warehousing capacities in China, North America, Luxembourg, Mexico, Germany and Turkey. Impro Precision has established long-term strategic cooperative relationships with a number of globally recognized industry leaders, selling its products in more than 30 countries and regions.