The discovery of an ancient tooth in a cave in Northern Laos this week is helping scientists understand the migration patterns of early hominins, relatives of modern humans.
Ancient Denisovan Tooth Found in Laos Cave Illuminates Migration History

Farmers in Laos Make Desperate Plea for Assistance Amid Fuel Crisis
Lao farmers are in desperate need of fuel and are pleading for an urgent solution to the ongoing fuel crisis.
LiveSpo: Spobiotic Research Center opens – A breakthrough solution for an antibiotic-free future
Antibiotic resistance, the challenge of humanhealthcare
HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach – 19 May 2022 – A Lancet publication in early 2022 reported that an estimated 5 million deaths are associated with antibiotic resistance every year [1]. Despite great efforts to call for a global fight against the alarming antibiotic resistance crisis for many years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not proposed a particularly effective solution to solve the problem yet.

Spore Probiotics – a breakthrough solution for an antibiotic-free future
Theoretically, besides antibiotics, probiotics can be used to inhibit and kill pathogenic bacteria.
The University of California, Berkeley, in 2013 showed strong evidence from intensive studies that probiotics can be helpful for the treatment of acute diarrhoea within three days [2]. Even though three-day is still long compared to using antibiotics as an alternative, this would fuel more cutting-edge researches into probiotic products for the gradual replacement of antibiotics with superior advantages in terms of safety.
In the International Scientific Conference on Probiotics 2019 held in Prague, the Czech Republic, LiveSpo COLON and LiveSpo SOS Spore Probiotics in liquid form, multi-strains, and high concentration from Viet Nam have drawn full attention from scientists worldwide thanks to their super durability and outstanding effects compared with traditional probiotic products.
LiveSpo SOS products mainly show their helpfulness in prompt and effective treatment of acute diarrhoea caused by bacterial infections like antibiotics, especially in many cases of children when antibiotic treatment has failed.
The results made a big splash at the conference and were broadcast by Vietnam Television (VTV). Spore Probiotics marks the breakthrough in gradually reducing human’s dependence on antibiotics.
Launching a pioneering Spobiotic Research Center
Given such a milestone, it’s crucial to conduct further in-depth research on spore probiotics, expand their functions, and find new applications in treating not only gastrointestinal diseases but also respiratory infections, ear infections, dermatitis, and gynaecological inflammation.
This will then help to enable the gradual replacement of antibiotics.
Therefore, with the establishment of the world’s first Spobiotic Research Center on May 18, 2022, LiveSpo Global JSC hopes to be the driving force for more scientists to be interested in and develop Spore Probiotics as a solution toward An Antibiotic-Free Future.
A brief introduction to the Spobiotic Research Center and LiveSpo Global
LiveSpo Global, formerly known as ANABIO R&D, was founded in 2010, by a group of 3 founders, with proprietary technology developed by Dr. Nguyen Hoa Anh. After 15 years of studying and working in molecular biology at Tohoku University, Japan, Dr. Nguyen Hoa Anh returned to Vietnam in 2010.
After months working around the clock, in 2013, the first commercial spore-based probiotics in water form was launched. This technology surpassed all the disadvantages of traditional probiotics: multi-strains, high concentration, resistant to temperature up to 80oC, and resistant to acid, even at pH2, the acid level in the stomach.
In 2012, LiveSpo Global began to export its products to more than 20 countries in Europe, America, and Asia. In 2021, LiveSpo Global successfully attracted investment from Mekong Capital to speed up the realisation of its vision for an antibiotic-free future.
LiveSpo Global‘s Spobiotic Research Center invests in modern machinery and equipment for in-depth research on microbiology, biophysics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and cells on Spore Probiotics.
The establishment of the centre has realised Dr. Nguyen Hoa Anh’s dream to contribute to his homeland and prove Viet Nam’s capability for being recognised as a country with a considerable contribution to the invention of cutting-edge technology.
[1] The Lancet (February 12th, 2022). “Global Burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis” https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02724-0/fulltext
[2] University of California, Berkeley (2013). “Probiotics” https://uhs.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/Probiotics.pdf
Press conference upon the opening of the Spobiotic Research Center
Time: 10:00 on May 18th, 2022
Venue: No. 22 Lot 7.8 La Khe, Van Khe, Ha Dong, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
#LiveSpo
PolyU’s Pioneering Technologies in AI, Materials Science and Biotechnology Awarded at TechConnect 2022 Innovation Awards

This is the sixth consecutive year that PolyU research teams have snatched the esteemed awards among top-ranked innovators, and PolyU is the only higher education institution in Hong Kong to be honoured with the awards this year.
The award-winning PolyU innovations include an AI-empowered chest X-ray imaging technique for clinical applications and an automatic temperature-controllable mask. They are dedicated to improving medical diagnosis or bringing greater comfort to people’s daily protection during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The other prized PolyU innovation is a new type of more environment-friendly moisture-absorbing and sweat-releasing fabric. All three inventions are among the 70 awarded technologies from leading institutions around the world like the US National Laboratories and other top universities.
Professor Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said, “The University is delighted that our research teams continue to bring superior award-winning technologies to the world and have been recognised at this global event for the sixth consecutive year. PolyU has been undertaking various strategic initiatives to build a strong I&T ecosystem, cultivating solid fundamental knowledge and fostering innovative mindsets to stimulate and lead novel research.”
At the TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo to be held in Washington, D.C. from 13 to 15 June, a PolyU delegation will showcase a number of innovative projects. Professor Larry Chow, Director of Research and Innovation of PolyU, said, “TechConnect has connected the world’s top applied research and early-stage innovations from academia to industry for over 20 years. It has become a forward-looking technology platform which supports global science and technology initiatives as well as opens up numerous partnership opportunities. The PolyU delegation will meet with technology companies for potential collaborations.”
Details of the three PolyU winning innovations are as follows:
AI-Empowered Chest X-Ray and CT Quantitative Analysis for COVID-19 Patient Management (Prof. Jing CAI, Department of Health Technology and Informatics)
The AI-enhanced techniques for COVID-19 clinical applications provide accurate and low-cost imaging solutions for the diagnosis, severity stratification and prognosis of COVID-19. These applications include AI-empowered chest X-ray imaging, AI-assisted COVID-19 disease segmentation, and multi-view analysis. Their high accessibility will benefit developing countries that do not have the needed resources to accurately diagnose and monitor COVID-19.
Moisture-Absorbing and Sweat-Releasing Multilayer Polylactic Acid Fabric and Manufacturing Technology (Prof. Hong HU, Institute of Textiles and Clothing)
The new fabric stands out from existing moisture-absorbing fabric technology in that its fabrication technique is simpler, cheaper, and more environment-friendly. By employing double weft knitting technology, it only takes one single manufacturing process to produce the new fabric structure with improved moisture-absorbing and sweat-releasing properties. It is also has inherent biological resistance and is ideal for use in school uniforms and sportswear.
Omni-Cool-Breath: A Smart Air-Conditioned Mask (Dr Dahua SHOU, Professor FAN Jintu and Dr HUANG Guanghan, Institute of Textiles and Clothing)
Omni-Cool-Breath is the first automatic temperature-controllable mask that brings revolutionary access to all-day cool breath and thermal comfort under various activities and thermal conditions. It reduces temperature by 12°C and humidity by 65% under low voltage via an innovative miniature thermoelectric cooling system. The ergonomically designed lightweight mask uses skin-friendly and biodegradable 3D printing materials that enable the user to enjoy nine hours of clean air.
For details of the TechConnect 2022 Innovation Awardees, please visit the official website:
https://www.techconnectworld.com/World2022/participate/innovation/awards.html
OPPO celebrates this year’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day with collaboration with Blind Mountain Biker Xavier Hopkins

Hopkins, who was born with albinism, suffers from highly sensitive eyes as well as a condition called nystagmus, which causes his eyes to move involuntarily from side to side. To him, anything further than two meters appears as a great blur, making it difficult for him to accurately perceive distances.

“I try to memorize what’s where because if there are big rocks, I won’t be able to see them until I’m about to hit them. So, I walk the route before each ride to try and avoid crashes.” Hopkins said.
“I’ve had a few crashes and broken my collarbone and hurt my neck before. But I love what I do, and a few crashes are not going to get in my way”

In the video, futurist AI technology is used to create a 3D model of the mountain routes that Hopkins travels and to predict road conditions in almost real time, enabling him to visualize the road ahead just like anyone else. Although the technologies in the film may appear like something from a distant future, they are inspired by real prototypes developed by OPPO, including its assisted Reality device OPPO Air Glass and the AR application CyberReal 2.0.
OPPO strongly believes that the benefits of technology should be equally accessible to all. Therefore, OPPO has implemented several accessibility related services, including the Color Vision Enhancement technology first release on the Find X3 smartphone, which assists users with color vision deficiencies. In addition to including a suite of accessibility features on its own products, OPPO has also recently launched the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator — a platform through which it will work with innovators worldwide to develop accessible technology and digital health solutions aimed at empowering people to live life their own way.
To watch the Inspiration Matters concept video or learn more about the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator, please visit the program official website at oppo.com/en/proposal/.
Top Cryptocurrency Exchange Bybit Offers Up to 30% APY on Its New Liquidity Mining Pools
Bybit users will have access to three liquidity pools: Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and BitDAO (BIT), all paired with Tether (USDT). The pools will allow users to deposit funds and earn up to 30% APY, with even higher rewards available when using up to 3x leverage.
Liquidity providers in all 160 countries where Bybit operates will be able to add one or both sides of the liquidity pair. The pool will automatically rebalance the assets and minimize the risk of impermanent loss. Liquidity providers will earn rewards in USDT that can be credited to their accounts or reinvested in the pool to increase rewards.
Bybit’s Liquidity Mining pools are based on a revamped automated market maker (AMM) model. Users can add liquidity to earn yield derived from trading fees. They can also add leverage to increase their share of the pool and maximize their yield. The liquidity pools will also allow Bybit users to swap between assets without needing to leave the platform and with minimal slippage.
Our leverage feature allows users to access greater yields using their funds as collateral. Users can manage risks and safeguard themselves against excessive losses with multi-layered liquidation protocols to ensure safety and fairness across all Bybit trades, every step of the way.
We also have strategies to lock in profits and limit losses based on market movements, real prices that protect users against market manipulation, and an insurance fund that helps to protect traders from negative equity and significant losses beyond a trader’s position margin.
“We are very excited about the opportunities Bybit’s Liquidity Mining will open up for all Bybit users. As traders ourselves, we understand the importance of having a diversified trading and investment strategy optimized for earning passive income on your assets. To that end, our products offer some of the best yield-earning opportunities in the market today on one of the most reliable trading platforms out there. This marks another milestone in sharing growth opportunities with our community who believe in a future of DeFi and personal financial freedom,” said Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit.
Apart from an opportunity to gain returns with a low barrier to entry, one added benefit of liquidity mining is community building through trust. It incentivizes asset holders to be more involved in the community and play more active roles.
Bybit’s Liquidity Mining pools join other stellar products as part of their Bybit Earn range catering for investors of varied risk appetites. The range includes Dual Asset, which allows users to deposit their preferred asset and lock in an attractive yield; and Flexible Savings, which can serve investors as saving accounts for cryptocurrencies and feature safe, predictable yield payments.
About Bybit
Bybit is a cryptocurrency exchange established in March 2018 that offers a professional platform where crypto traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, excellent customer service and multilingual community support. The company provides innovative online spot and derivatives trading services, mining and staking products, an NFT marketplace as well as API support, to retail and institutional clients around the world, and strives to be the most reliable exchange for the emerging digital asset class. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One racing team, Oracle Red Bull Racing, esports teams NAVI, Astralis, Alliance, Virtus.pro and Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports, and association football (soccer) teams Borussia Dortmund and Avispa Fukuoka.
For more information please visit: https://www.bybit.com/
For updates, please follow Bybit’s social media platforms on
https://discord.com/invite/bybit
https://www.facebook.com/Bybit
https://www.instagram.com/bybit_official/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bybitexchange/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Bybit/
https://t.me/BybitEnglish
https://www.tiktok.com/@bybit_official
https://twitter.com/Bybit_Official
https://www.youtube.com/c/Bybit
#Bybit
Vovinam Athletes Win First Gold Medal for Laos
Laos has received its first gold medal in Vovinam at the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Tongcheng Travel Achieves Solid User Growth in First Quarter of 2022 Amid Challenging Operating Environment
Despite strong recovery of the domestic travel industry in the first two months of 2022, the sudden virus outbreaks in first-tier cities and regions since March 2022 has brought severe impact to the travel industry and halted recovery. Tongcheng Travel swiftly adjusted its business strategy in response to the rapidly changing operating environment and implemented stringent cost control measures to maintain resilience. It continued to deliver solid operational results in 2022 Q1. Financial highlights for the first quarter with comparative figures of the previous year are as follows:
- Revenue increased by 6.5% to RMB1,718.0 million (2021 Q1: RMB1,613.8 million)
- Adjusted EBITDA rose 4.4% to RMB438.4 million (2021 Q1: RMB420.0 million)
- Adjusted profit for the period amounted to RMB245.0 million (2021 Q1: RMB298.9 million)
Sustainable user growth was recorded in the first quarter of 2022. Key operational data are as follows:
- Number of average monthly active users (“MAUs”) increased by 4.5% to 244.8 million (2021 Q1: 234.2 million)
- Number of average monthly paying users (“MPUs”) climbed 16.1% to 31.7 million (2021 Q1: 27.3 million)
- Number of paying users (“APUs”) rose by 21.4% and reached a new high of 205.6 million (2021 Q1:169.3 million)
- User paying ratio increased to 12.9% (2021 Q1: 11.6%)
Mr. Ma Heping, Executive Director and CEO of Tongcheng Travel, said, “The first quarter of 2022 was a period of mixed opportunities and challenges as the pandemic continued to disrupt the travel industry in China. Tongcheng Travel reacted swiftly to the market turbulence, maintained flexible operations and continued to deliver stable growth in MAUs and MPUs. Our accommodation business in particular delivered robust growth in the first quarter, posting more than 10% growth in room nights sold in lower-tier cities, with its absolute amount significantly surpassing the pre-COVID level. In the short run, the adverse impact of the pandemic will continue to exert pressure on the travel industry. We expect to see a shift in consumer travel preference from long-haul travel to first-tier cities to short-haul trips to nearby regions. Tongcheng Travel will leverage its diversified travel resources, leading market position, flexible operational strategy, and advanced technological capabilities to capture opportunities from this change.”
Multi-dimensional Traffic Channels to Boost User Acquisition
During the period under review, Tongcheng Travel continued to expand its traffic channels through multi-dimensional cooperation with Tencent to strengthen its brand exposure and direct users to its mini-program from multiple platforms. It also made use of a popular IP right authorized by Tencent to launch a series of eSports-related online and offline activities to engage the younger generation.
To enhance user experience, Tongcheng Travel improved the user interface of its App and enriched the contents therein. Collaboration with China’s major handset vendors enabled it to provide users with comprehensive products and services through its quick Apps on mobile phones and other mobile devices. Moreover, it worked with location-based apps to boost user acquisition and made use of short-video platforms to increase user engagement.
In view of the enormous potential in the under-penetrated yet rapidly-growing lower-tier cities market, Tongcheng Travel keeps exploring alternative offline user acquisition opportunities to expand its user base. It continued to collaborate with hotels and tourist attractions to acquire offline users. On top of that, it fostered strategic cooperation with urban and rural bus operations and continued to roll out smart ticketing equipment to enhance its offline coverage across the country.
Online and Offline Branding and Marketing Campaigns Strengthened User Engagements
Tongcheng Travel enhanced its brand profile both online and offline. To reach out further to the Z-generation, it appointed a Z-generation actress as its new brand ambassador. It also increased offline advertisement placement in tier-3 and below cities to build a stronger presence to amplify its lower-tier city strategy. In addition, the Group enriched the “campus card” program with added tailor-made products and services for university students. Marketing promotions were launched at universities and vocational schools to enhance interactions and user engagements.
Technology-driven Support to Promote Industry Digitization
With technology innovation at its core, Tongcheng Travel is committed to promoting digitization of the travel industry. It further optimized the Huixing system to provide intelligent travel solutions when the supply of transportation tickets was in shortage during the pandemic and the Spring Festival travel rush. It strengthened cooperation with airports to help them enhance operational efficiencies with its technological innovations. In addition, Tongcheng Travel provided SaaS solutions to more small- and medium-sized hotels in lower-tier cities to help them drive higher operational efficiency. The nationwide rollout of bus ticketing system and smart ticketing machine also contributed to the digitalization of the bus-ticketing sector.
Support to Small Chain Hotels to Weather the Pandemic
As a socially responsible enterprise, Tongcheng Travel endeavors to bring positive influence to society and proactively take part in charitable social activities. It volunteered to utilize its artificial intelligence automated calling system to help disseminate COVID prevention policy information in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, which greatly enhanced the efficiency of information distribution. To help individual and small chain hotels overcome the difficulties posed by the pandemic, it launched a series of free online professional courses containing industry-specific content. It also cooperated with Tencent and launched a charity activity to help rebuild the village that had suffered from a flooding disaster in Henan Province.
Rebound Anticipated after Temporary Disruption
The travel market is expected to experience volatility in the short term due to the pandemic. However, the travel market is expected to rebound once the pandemic situation becomes stable. The accelerated online penetration rate amid the pandemic has created immense opportunities for OTAs.
Mr. Ma said, “Going forward, we will further penetrate the travel market by leveraging our diversified traffic channels and actively exploring alternative travel resources to enlarge our user base. We will further enhance products and services by utilizing innovation and strengthen our technological capabilities to transform from an OTA to ITA. Moreover, we will seek investment opportunities aligned with our core strategies to propel future growth. Last but not least, we will reinforce corporate governance, environmental protection, and social responsibility in the course of operations to generate sustainable value for our stakeholders and the communities we serve”.
About Tongcheng Travel Holdings Limited (HKSE Stock Code: 0780.HK)
Tongcheng Travel (formerly known as Tongcheng-Elong) is an innovator and market leader in China’s online travel industry. It was formed out of the merger of Tongcheng and eLong, the leading online travel agencies in China, in 2018. It is a one-stop shop for users’ travel needs. With the mission “make travel easier and more joyful”, Tongcheng Travel offers a comprehensive and innovative selection of products and services covering nearly all aspects of travel, including transportation ticketing, accommodation reservation, tourist attraction ticketing, and various ancillary value-added travel products and services designed to meet users’ evolving travel needs throughout their trips primarily through its online platforms, which comprise its Tencent-based platforms, its proprietary mobile apps, quick apps and other channels.
As a technology-driven company, Tongcheng Travel leverages big data and AI capabilities to better understand the preferences and behaviors of users, thereby offering users customized products and services. Tongcheng Travel has a strategic focus on lower-tier cities in China and seized opportunities there supported by its and diversified traffic sources, product innovation capability and flexible operation strategies. Through the in-depth understanding of user experience and advanced technological capabilities, Tongcheng Travel has been revolutionizing what consumers expect from the online travel industry, making the entire travel process more convenient, personalized and enjoyable than ever. Tongcheng Travel aims to develop and apply its advanced technology to transform from an online travel agency to intelligent travel assistant.
For more information, please visit the Group’s website at https://www.tongchengir.com
#TongchengTravel