In a recent YouTube video hosted by the popular internet personality, James “Jimmy” Donaldson, better known by his YouTube username “Mr. Beast,” a contestant representing Laos had the remarkable opportunity to participate in a highly competitive sporting event.
Laos Sets Ambitious Target to Attract Over 2.7 Million Tourists in 2024
Laos is gearing up for Visit Laos Year 2024, projecting to welcome more than 2.7 million tourists to stimulate post-pandemic economic growth.
Igniting Innovation: Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2023 Aims to Inspire Secondary School Changemakers

Solve for Tomorrow 2023 intends to inspire and uncover the next generation of changemakers by encouraging secondary school students to think deeply about the social issues affecting their community and pioneer positive social change through technology and innovation.
Aligned with Samsung’s global vision for CSR efforts – ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’, the competition aims to equip students with the experience and mindset to unlock technology’s potential. It also gives students a platform to explore their passion and nurture their social responsibility, allowing them to grow and thrive as a global citizen.
“We envision the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition as a catalyst to redefine youths’ connection with technology, empowering them to transition from mere users to technology creators with the potential to positively impact our community and environment,” said Dennis Jang, President, Samsung Electronics Singapore. “In a fast-evolving world, the interdisciplinary skills instilled in this competition – critical and design thinking, presentation and communications skills, as well as and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) knowledge, will definitely stand the students in good stead for their future.”
Team Hearable, the winning team from the 2022 edition, shares their takeaways – “We are really thankful to Samsung for organising the competition, which encouraged us to apply knowledge from the classroom to solve problems in the real world,” said team lead Christopher Angelo. “Our participation in Solve for Tomorrow 2022 not only expanded our horizons beyond classroom subjects but also honed our skillsets and deepened our STEM knowledge. We encourage our fellow students and aspiring inventors to join this transformative experience.”
Addressing Singapore’s Present and Future Challenges
Samsung has identified five broad themes for this year’s competition. Participants can develop their ideas around any one of these themes:
Samsung has identified five broad themes for this year’s competition. Participants can develop their ideas around any one of these themes:
1. Environmental Sustainability Sustainability remains a critical challenge today. Our society needs bold ideas to address our most pressing environmental issues and build a sustainable future. |
2. Wellness Technological innovations hold the key to unlock better quality of life, physically and mentally, for Singaporeans. It will also play a vital role in battling pandemics and other health risks in our society. |
3. Learning & Education Innovation and creative technology applications will play a pivotal role in transforming youths’ learning journey and prepare them more effectively for the evolving future. |
4. Inclusive, Harmonious Society To build an inclusive and harmonious society amongst the diverse communities in Singapore, we will need approaches and solutions that encourage them to share commonalities, values and experiences with one another. |
5. Singapore’s Digital Future As Singapore continues on its digitalisation journey, there are tremendous opportunities for the next generation of innovators to create future solutions that are uniquely Singapore, and to help the growth of our digital economy. |
Competition Details
From today until 15th October 2023, students can submit their entries for the competition by forming groups of two to four from the same school and submitting their innovative ideas or solutions on the Solve for Tomorrow 2023 website.
- Eligibility: Full-time students aged 12 to 18 years old, enrolled in any secondary school in Singapore.
- Secondary 1 to Secondary 5 if they are enrolled in the following:
- Government schools (including autonomous schools)
- Government-aided schools (including autonomous schools)
- Independent schools
- Specialised independent schools (SIS)
- Specialised schools
- Special education (SPED) schools
- Secondary 1 to Secondary 4 students if they are enrolled in IP (Integrated Programme) secondary schools with 6-year IP programmes.
Prizes
A total of 10 teams will be shortlisted to showcase their solutions at the finale in December 2023. The top three teams will receive the following prizes:
- First Prize:
- S$10,000 worth of Samsung products
- S$6,000 cash prize
- Second Prize:
- S$7,000 worth of Samsung products
- S$4,000 cash prize
- Third Prize:
- S$5,000 worth of Samsung products
- S$2,000 cash prize
For more information visit https://www.samsung.com/sg/solvefortomorrow or reach out to the team at samsungsolvefortomorrow@infom.asia.
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.
Lao Prime Minister Congratulates His Newly-Elected Cambodian Counterpart
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphadone sent a congratulatory message to Cambodia’s newly elected Prime Minister, Hun Manet after he took over the Prime Ministerial position from his father, Hun Sen on Tuesday.
Four Thai Bank Branches Discontinue Services in Laos

The Deposit Protection Office (DPO) of the Bank of Lao PDR announced this month that four Thai commercial bank branches in Laos have voluntarily terminated their membership in the DPO and closed operations due to business strategy changes in their head offices.
Young people want it all – financial freedom and time to enjoy life
Prudential poll shows that Gen Zs and Millennials define financial success as more than just affluence, with 76 per cent aiming for financial freedom, and 65 per cent seeking work-life balance
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 23 August 2023 – Young people today have a more holistic view of financial success compared to yesteryears when the traditional “5Cs”[1] were symbolic of having made it in life. More than three in four (76 per cent) Gen Zs and Millennials say that financial success for them means enjoying the financial freedom to pursue the lifestyle that they desire and to be free from financial concerns (Figure 1). This is according to a poll commissioned by Prudential Singapore (“Prudential”) which explores the priorities, aspirations and goals of Singapore residents aged 16 to 29 who have just started their careers.
Work-life balance also came up as an important definition of financial success for 65 per cent of the 1,000 respondents surveyed. This shows that while being financially secure is important, young people also want a fulfilling life that includes time for aspirations such as travelling the world, giving back to society (Figure 2), and prioritising their personal wellbeing (Figure 3).
Work-life balance being a priority also suggests that young people don’t see hustling (putting work above all else) as their main strategy to achieving financial success. Instead, they are looking to grow their wealth through other sources such as investments and passive income, so that they have more time to live life to the fullest. More than half (58 per cent) said that they would like to retire early (Figure 2).
Mr Ben Tan, Chief Corporate Development Officer, Prudential Singapore, said: “Owning the ‘5Cs’ including material assets such as a car or condominium used to be the measure of whether one has made it in life. According to our study, this definition has broadened with young people today having a more holistic view of success. They want to achieve financial freedom, and for them, this means having it all – wealth as well as the time to spend with their loved ones and on their personal passions and wellness.
“We are leading longer lives and living costs are increasing. Therefore, taking steps to achieve financial freedom early in one’s career is important as this gives you a longer runway to prepare for milestones such as buying a home, starting a family and retirement. Building financial literacy early is also crucial as it sets the foundation for a healthy financial future.”
How young people are working towards financial freedom
According to the Prudential poll, young people are prioritising building up savings (61 per cent), growing wealth (49 per cent), and investing to make their money grow (41 per cent). However, planning for retirement and being adequately insured are not as high on their list, with less than one in five choosing them as priorities (Figure 3).
Commenting on the importance of having sufficient protection, Mr Tan said: “Insurance is an important component of financial and retirement planning as it not only provides protection for you and your family, but also helps to build your wealth and cushion the impact of inflation. If you are adequately insured when you are young and healthy, you can achieve financial freedom as you pursue your life goals with peace of mind knowing you are well-protected against unexpected life events.”

About the poll
This poll was commissioned by Prudential and conducted by Milieu Insight and surveyed 1,000 Singaporean residents aged 16 to 29 who are still studying or working. Responses for the online poll were collected in July 2023.
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About Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd (Prudential Singapore)
Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd is one of the top life insurance companies in Singapore, serving the financial and protection needs of the country’s citizens for 92 years. The company has an AA- Financial Strength Rating from leading credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s, with S$49.4 billion funds under management as at 31 December 2022. It delivers a suite of well-rounded product offerings in Protection, Savings and Investment through multiple distribution channels including a network of more than 5,000 financial consultants.
Etiqa Insurance Singapore launches ‘With You for the Ride’ campaign: Your Trusted Partner at Every Stage of Life
“We believe that life is meant to be lived with enthusiasm and a spirit of adventure,” said Shirley Tan, Chief Marketing Officer, Etiqa Insurance Singapore. “We take immense pride in being the steadfast partner our customers can count on, no matter where their journey leads. Our fresh ‘With You for the Ride’ campaign encapsulates this very essence, illustrating that we stand by individuals through every twist and turn, defying the constraints of age.”
Journeying together through life with Etiqa
At the core of this campaign, Etiqa Insurance Singapore seeks to transform the way insurance is portrayed, through the use of compelling narratives and dynamic visuals that appeal to the target audiences. The company will also spearhead a holistic array of initiatives across a comprehensive 360 campaign mix across online and offline channels. Etiqa Insurance Singapore aims to establish itself as a trusted companion through these initiatives, providing financial protection and support while empowering individuals to pursue their passions and dreams.
The ‘With You for the Ride’ campaign showcases Etiqa Insurance Singapore’s dedication to humanising insurance and making it relatable to the aspirations and dreams of Singaporeans. By fostering a sense of partnership, trust, and confidence, Etiqa Insurance Singapore aims to build meaningful connections with customers and help them navigate life’s journey with ease.
“In a world where uncertainties abound, Etiqa aspires to redefine the insurance journey by underscoring the significance of a robust and unwavering alliance between insurers and their esteemed customers,” added Shirley. “We fully comprehend the value of trust in cultivating enduring relationships, and our fresh campaign embodies Etiqa’s dedication to protection and transparency, pledging to be the unwavering partner that our customers can depend on.”
Etiqa’s comprehensive suite of insurance products is thoughtfully designed to meet the ever-changing needs of its diverse customer base. These include youth-oriented plans that foster financial growth, protection to tailor-made solutions for adults seeking stability and security, even for those looking beyond the next generations, and retirement-focused products that ensure peace of mind during the golden years.
The ‘With You for the Ride’ campaign will be widely featured across digital, social media and out-of-home channels including bus shelters, MRT stations, and movie theatres in Singapore. To learn more about Etiqa Insurance Singapore ‘With You for The Ride’ campaign, please visit https://www.etiqa.com.sg/withyou/.
Hashtag: #EtiqaInsurance #WithYouForTheRide
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Etiqa Insurance Pte. Ltd. (Etiqa Insurance Singapore)
Protecting customers since 1961, Etiqa Insurance Singapore is a licensed life and general insurance company regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and governed by the Insurance Act. The local insurer is the Singapore operating entity of Etiqa Insurance Group – a leading insurance and takaful business in ASEAN offering life and general insurance and family and general takaful products through its agents, branches, offices and bancassurance network in the region. Etiqa is rated ‘A’ by credit rating agency Fitch for the group’s ‘Favorable’ business profile and ‘Very Strong’ capitalisation.
Etiqa is owned by Maybank Ageas Holdings Berhad, a joint venture company that combines local market knowledge with international insurance expertise. The company is 69% owned by Maybank, the fourth largest banking group in Southeast Asia, and 31% by Ageas, an international insurance group with footprints across 16 countries and a heritage that spans over 190 years.
Wealthy Property Developer Srettha Thavisin is New Thai PM Who Didn’t Hide His Political Views

BANGKOK (AP) — The leader of one of Thailand’s best-known property empires has been selected prime minister just nine months after joining a political party that champions the poor.