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Bilateral Trade Between Laos and Vietnam up 20.6% This Year

The Lao Bao International Border Gate in Vietnam's Quang Tri Province
The Lao Bao International Border Gate in Vietnam's Quang Tri Province.

Bilateral trade between Vietnam and Laos climbed 20.6% year-on-year to USD 824 million in the first half of 2022, with fuels making up a large volume.

Over Half of Global Firms Struggle to Assess Cyber Risk Exposure

Trend Micro research reveals increase complexity and reduced confidence

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 25 July 2022 – New research from global cybersecurity firm Trend Micro has revealed that 54% of global organizations feel their cyber risk assessments are not sophisticated enough – exposing them to ransomware, phishing, IoT and other threats. Respondents also indicated that overly complex tech stacks and lack of awareness from leadership are exacerbating issues.

For more information on Trend Micro’s global risk research, click here: https://www.trendmicro.com/explore/trend_global_risk_research_2

Many organizations are struggling with manual approaches to attack surface mapping (28%), and 32% report difficulty working with multiple tech stacks. This may explain why only around 40% are able to accurately detail any one of the following based on risk assessments:

  • Risk levels for individual assets
  • Attack attempt frequency
  • Attack attempt trends
  • Impact of a breach on any particular area
  • Industry benchmarks
  • Preventative action plans for specific vulnerabilities

Bharat Mistry, Technical Director at Trend Micro: “We already knew that organizations are concerned about a fast-expanding digital attack surface with limited visibility. Now we know that they also need urgent help to discover and manage cyber risk across this environment. In many cases, the challenge is compounded by siloed point solutions. Organizations must search for a single platform that gives them the certainty and security they require.”

About one third of the IT and business decision makers Trend Micro interviewed say that assessing risk is the main area of attack surface management they struggle with. As a result, over 80% feel exposed to ransomware, phishing and IoT attacks.

The inability of organizations to accurately assess attack surface risk also keeps business leaders in the dark. Over half of respondents struggle to quantify risk exposure to leadership, and only 3% believe their C-suite fully understands cyber risk at present.

There’s a clear opportunity here for organizations to leverage third-party expertise.

Two-fifths (39%) of respondents are already invested in a platform-based approach to attack surface management, while half (50%) of respondents say they’d like to do the same. Of those who’ve already made the move, improved visibility (38%), faster breach detection (35%) and accelerated response (34%) are the most cited advantages.

Trend Micro commissioned Sapio Research to interview 6297 IT and business decision makers across 29 countries to compile the study.

Hashtag: #TrendMicro

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro’s cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world.

#ShopeeGivesBack raised RM2.9 million to support underserved families

Donations to 40 NGOs sustains long-term community-building for B40

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 25 July 2022 – #ShopeeGivesBack, Shopee’s long-term community initiative, has collectively raised RM2.9 million across two years, through fundraising efforts with over 40 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to help underprivileged Malaysians in times of need.

#ShopeeGivesBack which launched on 1 May 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, uses technology to help the underserved in Malaysia across four areas: underprivileged communities development, children and family services, health charities, and environmental charities. The platform provides Malaysians with an online avenue to support their favourite causes in the most convenient way. Shopee ensures that these NGOs have credible track records and are registered with the Registry of Societies.

RM2.1 million came through always-on platform donations as buyers shopped on a daily basis and made informed choices on which causes to donate to via the #ShopeeGivesBack dedicated microsite. 56% of donations raised through this channel went to B40 and community aid NGOs such as Pertubuhan Kasih Neelofa, Islamic Relief Malaysia, and Pusat Jagaan Nurul Jannah. 20% of the funds raised went to NGOs providing medical kits and mobile clinics during floods such as MERCY Malaysia. 14% of the donations assisted partners like UNICEF Malaysia in meeting critical needs of marginalised children and their families in Covid-19. 10% went towards environmental causes such as Zoo Negara, where the funds aid in the annual food, enrichment, and veterinary care of the animals.

RM800,000 was raised during special e-commerce campaigns helping targeted causes: Zoo Negara ticket sales for example raised over RM400,000 for animal welfare whereas over RM200,000 in flood relief funds (including RM100,000 matching contribution from Shopee) helped 1,300 families rebuild their lives after recent floods in Kedah, Kelantan, Selangor, Pahang, Terengganu, Johor, and Negeri Sembilan.

Huiyan Pan, Head of Brand Marketing at Shopee Malaysia said, “Based on the estimates from our key community development NGOs, we would have provided food and essential supplies to over 3,000 families in dire need during the pandemic. Shopee is humbled to be able to obtain the support of our NGO partners and galvanise shoppers on our marketplace to contribute towards long-term sustainability of these communities.”

Pertubuhan Kasih Neelofa, Islamic Relief Malaysia, and Pusat Jagaan Nurul Jannah are #ShopeeGivesBack’s longer-term partner NGOs. These three NGOs raised nearly RM400,000 in food aid, essential needs and household products for B40 families and homes in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Sabah and Sarawak.

“Pertubuhan Kasih Neelofa was moved by the kindness of Malaysians to aid the underprivileged communities that have been affected by various unfortunate circumstances. The #ShopeeGivesBack program has provided a platform for generous donors to pledge their support, and we are grateful for the trust Malaysians placed in us to give back to the needy,” said Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor, Founder of Pertubuhan Kasih Neelofa.

For more information, please refer to the #ShopeeGivesBack microsite here: https://shopee.com.my/m/ShopeeGivesBack

Hashtag: #ShopeeGivesBack #Shopee

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.

Terraoil Swiss AG: Terraoil Announces Positive Developments on New Oilfield

Albanian Energy Minister Directs State Oil Company to Negotiate Final Terms for Amonicë

STEINHAUSEN, SWITZERLAND – EQS Newswire – 25 July 2022 – Terraoil Swiss AG, an energy company with a strong focus on the Mediterranean is pleased to announce that the Company has received notification from the Albanian Government’s Minister of Infrastructure and Energy that she has ordered Albpetrol, the state-owned oil company to negotiate the final terms of a Petroleum Agreement for the Amonicë oil field with Terraoil.

The Minister appointed a negotiation group to meet with Terraoil representatives and conclude the final terms of the Petroleum Agreement. Once the final terms are agreed and approved by both parties, the Petroleum Agreement will be sent to the Council of Ministers for final approval followed by the commencement of operations by Terraoil at Amonicë.

Chief Executive Officer, Peter Krempin commented:
“This is a very positive development for the expansion of our business in Albania. On completion of negotiations and conclusion of the necessary steps for the approval of the Petroleum Agreement, Amonicë will be the first of the three new fields for which the Heads of Agreement were agreed in June 2018 to be finally ratified and turned over to Terraoil. We are confident that the remaining two oil fields will be negotiated and approved in due course.”

If you are an Terraoil shareholder and would like additional information, contact Peter Krempin either via email investors@terraoil.swiss or by telephone at +41 71 544 01 20.

Hashtag: #TerraoilSwissAG

About Terraoil Swiss AG

Terraoil is an international energy company with a focus to identify and rapidly advance business opportunities in the upstream oil and gas and renewable energy sectors in the Mediterranean region.

Terraoil forward-looking statements
This media release serves informational purposes and constitutes neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation or an advertisement to buy any shares of Terraoil Swiss AG in any jurisdiction. This media release does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of Article 35 et seqq. of the Swiss Federal Act on Financial Services. In addition, investors should seek advice from their bank or their financial adviser. This media release and the information contained therein are not being issued for the purpose of selling shares in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the European Economic Area and must not be distributed within or to such countries or via publications with a general circulation in such countries.

This media release contains forward-looking statements such as projections, forecasts, and estimates. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results, performance, or events to differ materially from those anticipated in this media release. Readers should therefore not rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this media release are based on the views and assumptions of Terraoil Swiss AG as of this date and Terraoil Swiss AG does not assume any obligation to update or revise this media release.

Sports Fans Upset by Kun Khmer/Muay Merger in Upcoming 32nd SEA Games

Cambodian sports fans have recently been upset with the decision to combine ‘Kun Khmer,’ the Cambodian national martial art – with Muay, the Thai/Lao kickboxing martial art in the upcoming-year 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), which was being organized in Cambodia for the first time.

Aspire and Know Your Customer together to financially empower SMEs and entrepreneurs across South-East Asia

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 25 July 2022 – Aspire, the #1 all-in-one finance operating system for growing businesses in Southeast Asia, has joined forces with award-winning RegTech provider Know Your Customer to safely facilitate access to its financial products to underserved SMEs and entrepreneurs in the region.

It is estimated that there are 70 million micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Southeast Asia today that employ over 140 million people and account for 99% of all businesses in the region. Moreover, thousands of new start-ups and SMEs are registered every day: recent research* has revealed that an average 9% of all entities present in company registries were incorporated in the course of the last year for which data was available.

These companies are often in urgent need of financial services such as business accounts, loans, credit cards, and a platform to manage their receivables and payables. Despite this, access to viable financial products remains difficult for many of them due to the challenges of financial institutions looking to verify these companies’ shareholding structures. In these instances, having real-time access to company registries is essential for any FI looking to serve new companies not yet present in conventional KYC databases.

By working together, Know Your Customer and Aspire will now be able to capture this fast-growing demand in full compliance with local and international regulatory requirements.

The new partnership will enhance Aspire’s ability to digitise and streamline the crucial phase of corporate onboarding for SMEs, entrepreneurs and corporate clients across the whole region through Know Your Customer’s digital solutions and unmatched coverage of real-time registry connections in APAC and globally.

Founded in 2018 to provide working capital loans for small to medium-sized businesses, Aspire now offers a portfolio of services to over 10,000 businesses across the region, including multi-currency accounts and cards, expense management, payable management, and receivable management solutions – all in one account.

Know Your Customer is an award-winning regulatory technology (RegTech) company specialised in modular compliance solutions which enable businesses to build the corporate onboarding process that best fits their unique needs. The company recently announced the expansion of its real-time coverage to 500+ company registries across 123 countries worldwide, officially becoming the No. 1 KYB provider in the industry.

Tarini Ponniah, Head of Compliance of Aspire, commented:

At Aspire, we are always looking for ways to support our customers, and make sure they have a seamless onboarding journey with us. We strive to make alliances with companies that share the same vision and can assist us in providing our services in full compliance with the applicable regulations. Know Your Customer’s RegTech solution has helped us to achieve this incredible milestone in a very short time span.”

Claus Christensen, CEO & Co-Founder of Know Your Customer, added:

Aspire has quickly become a powerful force in the APAC Fintech space and we are delighted to be playing such a strategic part in their current and future growth. I strongly believe that building solid synergies between disruptive Fintechs and innovative RegTech providers is key to drive the whole industry forward and this partnership is a perfect example of two innovative companies coming together to meet a pressing market need. We look forward to supporting Aspire’s business growth through our modular solution and unparalleled coverage of real-time registry connections globally.”

The partnership announcement was officially commemorated by a signing ceremony held in Singapore on the occasion of the visit of Micheál Martin, Taoiseach of Ireland (Prime Minister) on 22 July 2022.

Kevin Ryan, Director South-East Asia of Enterprise Ireland added:

The Government of Ireland, via Enterprise Ireland are proud to support innovative companies like Know Your Customer on their expansion. The signing today signifies their commitment to raising the bar for RegTech in Southeast Asia and we congratulate them wholeheartedly. ”

*New Company Registered Yearly, Know Your Customer, March-2022: https://kycl.io/34HwDgQ

About Know Your Customer

Know Your Customer is an award-winning RegTech company specialised in next generation digital onboarding solutions for financial institutions and regulated organisations worldwide. By providing a single source of truth, Know Your Customer enables clients to reduce AML risk, streamline processes through agile automation, improve data accuracy through live connections to company registries, and comply with internal, board and regulatory reporting demands. The result is an acceleration in the onboarding time of new corporate clients from an industry average of 26 days to a few hours, reducing compliance manual work by up 85%.

With offices in Singapore, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, and Shanghai, Know Your Customer has established a global presence and a reputation for excellence. Our customer list spans across 11 verticals – including banking, FinTech, insurance, payments, real estate, asset management, legal firms – and 18 jurisdictions.

For more information visit or follow Know Your Customer on or .

About Aspire

Aspire is the all-in-one finance operating system for growing businesses. The company serves over 10,000 startups and SMEs in Southeast Asia, helping them save time and money with multi-currency accounts and cards, expense management, payable management, and receivable management solutions – all in one account. Headquartered in Singapore, Aspire has over 400 employees across four countries, and is backed by some of the world’s best VCs, including Sequoia and Y-Combinator.

Hong Kong Artist Shiga Lin and DJ Ah Jeng Share their Dream Weddings and Diamond Rings; Both Shine in Diamond Jewellery from De Beers Forevermark

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 25 July 2022 – With the idea in mind that every girl dreams of a wedding that is memorable for a lifetime, De Beers Group recently launched an online pre-bridal survey to understand more about wedding planning among younger generations. Celebrating this new initiative, a short video titled Flash Your Happiness as You Like was posted in social media. Produced by Commercial Radio Hong Kong, the short video featured the newly engaged singer/actress Shiga Lin and popular DJ Bonnie Wong (aka Ah Jeng), who shared their genuine feelings about their dream weddings and diamond rings, while beaming natural radiance from the glittering diamond jewellery from De Beers Forevermark.

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For high-resolution photos, please click here.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many lovers are forced to delay their weddings, and they also start to rethink about how they want to structure the biggest day in their life, including their preference towards more simplified wedding proposals, ceremonies, and banquets. However, their desire for wedding rings with natural diamonds remain consistent. It is also the belief of both Shiga and Ah Jeng that the eternal love between a couple can only be symbolized by a wedding ring that is adorned with exquisite, sparkling natural diamonds.

About her dream wedding, Shiga revealed her sweetest wishes. “Marriage is such an important milestone, and a solemn ceremony would give me the right feeling. Dressed in a graceful wedding gown for an afternoon church ceremony and wearing an elegant evening dress to cut the wedding cake in a banquet, that would be ideal!”

On the other hand, Ah Jeng would like to have a fairy tale style wedding, though she is still in search of her soul mate. She would invite her friends and loved ones to join the occasion as an online live session. A wedding ring is also a must for her, and natural diamonds represent the definite choice.

Please click here to watch the short video Flash Your Happiness as You Like.

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Marriage Proposal Concepts of Gen Z

The image of a dream wedding differs among people of different generations, and Gen Z of course have their say to define their own marriage proposals and engagements.

How to propose: As indicated by a study jointly conducted by De Beers Group and The Knot in the U.S., Gen Z women put a lot of emphasis on the process of how the marriage proposal is made. Instead of grand gestures and elaborate public displays, they want the proposal to be more intimate and personal. Gone are the days when proposals were made by going down on one knee with 999 roses in a romantic restaurant. Girls like it more now that their partners present the promise of love in a private environment for only the two of them, or make a ceremonious proposal under the witness of family and friends.

Proposal by girls, why not: Gen Z women believe proposing for marriage is not something exclusive for men. Girls can also take the initiative to propose to their partners, instead of waiting passively for the proposal to come.

Choosing the engagement ring together: Gen Z women prefer choosing the engagement ring together with their partners. As the sharing goes from Shiga and Ah Jeng in the video: “The engagement ring is going to stay with us for a lifetime. You must choose the ring that you really love!”

Gen Z Prefers Natural Diamond Rings

While the proposal itself is highly valued by the girls, the engagement ring is equally important, if not more, especially the brilliance of the diamond. However, the size of the diamond is less a priority than the style and sparkle of the stone. Traditionally, the 4C measurements have been used to determine the value of the diamonds, but Gen Z pursues more as they embrace the new 5C standard, adding Confidence to the original 4C of Colour, Clarity, Carat and Cut.

Caring more about the community and the environment, Gen Z appreciates brands that focus on people’s well-being, social responsibility, and environmental protection. That is why De Beers Forevermark has become their trusted diamond jeweller. Set at the core of De Beers Forevermark is the celebration of everlasting love and values, including the support for sustainable development of the planet, protection of the environment, and implementation of social responsibilities. De Beers Group is committed to “Building Forever,” an approach of sustainable development that brings together a wide array of professional parties to work together with the Group for the long-term sustainable benefits of the people living in diamond-producing countries. This serves as a promise of Confidence for consumers to live up to the 5C standard.

Hashtag: #DeBeersForevermark #DeBeers #NaturalDiamond #diamond #MarriageProposal #marriage #wedding #WeddingRings #GenZ

About De Beers Forevermark

De Beers Forevermark is a Jewellery House offering contemporary designs featuring responsibly sourced diamonds that are hand selected for their beauty. Created for marking special moments and wearing every day, Forevermark diamond jewellery is timeless with a twist. The Forevermark Avaanti collection embodies the spirit of possibility, and the Forevermark Icon collection is inspired by the stars in the South African sky.

Less than 1% of the world’s diamonds can carry the unique Forevermark inscription, proof that they are beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced. De Beers is committed to Building Forever, ensuring that every diamond it discovers creates a lasting positive impact for the people and places where it is found. This comes with a pledge to build a better future – one that is fairer, safer, cleaner and healthier, ensuring communities thrive, ethical practices are maintained, and the natural environment is protected.

De Beers Forevermark jewellery is sold through forevermark.com and in approximately 2,400 jeweller locations worldwide. Find your nearest De Beers Forevermark Authorised Jewellers, please visit @forevermark

About De Beers Group

Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of the De Beers Group strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions, such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives GemFair and Tracr. De Beers Group is committed to ‘,’ a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit .

Premia TNC Is Making Singapore Business Setup And Expansion Easier For Foreign Entrepreneurs

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 25 July 2022 – Premia TNC (Singapore), a market-leading business consulting and accounting firm, promotes entrepreneurship by supporting foreign talents to set up new businesses and expand further in Singapore.

Founded in 2003, Premia TNC has been committed to delivering one-stop company formation, corporate secretarial and accounting services in Singapore and across South East Asia. The team operates with expert industry knowledge, extensive experience and strong partnerships with multinational and local banks such as Citibank, HSBC, OCBC, UOB and Standard Chartered.

Key professional services provided by Premia TNC in Singapore include but are not limited to:

  • Business Registration
  • Provision of Secretarial Services
  • Accounting and Taxation Services
  • Employment Pass Application
  • Payroll Services
  • Food Licensing Application
  • Compliance Matters
  • Legalisation and Notarisation Services
  • Related Ad-hoc & Administration

By providing professional advisory and other services, Premia TNC has begun to foster the growth of an eCommerce shipping business in the Singapore market since it was set up in 2013. Having been advised to take advantage of Singapore’s Free Trade Zone (FTZ), the German national-owned business strategically expanded over the years with Premia TNC’s specialist assistance on company registration, accounting preparation, tax filing services, introduction of talents in Singapore and additional professional services. Harnessing the trusted relationship with DBS, Premia TNC introduced one of the bank’s seasoned bankers to the start-up team, who later became an in-house relationship manager focusing on the company’s transactions, and worked collectively with Premia TNC in facilitating the setting up of two more entities in Singapore, in the year 2016 and 2018 respectively.

For clients who have achieved business success overseas, the Premia TNC assists them in tapping into the Singapore market by contributing a wealth of local expertise along with all-around company formation services. A prosperous South Korean business marked a triumphant entrance into the Singapore market with the help of Premia TNC, covering business registration, accountancy services, corporate bank account opening through Singapore banks, food licensing applications and much more.

Premia TNC(Deputy Managing Director, Shoo), said: “We are seeing many foreign entrepreneurs looking to set up and expand their businesses in Singapore. As a leading accounting and business consulting firm in Singapore, we hope to help cultivate talents and accelerate economic development in the country by doing what we do best – offering comprehensive corporate and accounting services.”

“We look forward to continuing our efforts and assisting clients on Singapore’s internal compliance requirements so that they can focus on revenue generation and other significant business functions.”

Premia TNC maintains its cooperation and relationship with the mentioned clients, remaining a helping hand for many more business expansion plans in the future.

Hashtag: #PremiaTNC

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

About Premia TNC

A subsidiary of the Premia Holdings Limited Group, Premia TNC is a leading Business Consulting and Accounting firm with nearly 20 years of experience in providing Company Formation, Accounting/Taxation and Trading Services with international branches in Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Korea.

With a vision to support domestic, foreign entrepreneurs, SMEs and MNCs with quality services, Premia TNC launched the Company Management Service (CMS), a premium one-stop package service that covers professional functions such as investment feasibility review, incorporation of limited company/branch/representative office, accounting and trading for global clients.

For more information, please visit