Farmers are encroaching on national parks and protected forests in Laos, burning and clearing large areas to make room for cassava crops.
Cassava Boom Leading to Deforestation, Air Pollution in Laos

Beat the Heat and Stay Cool with These 10 Easy Tips During a Heatwave
Most of Laos is now experiencing soaring temperatures hovering between 35 to 40 degrees. Staying safe and cool during a heatwave is important to avoid heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke. It is especially important to look after vulnerable individuals like the elderly, and those with chronic medical conditions.
Monitchem Holdco 2 S.A.: Thomas H. Ahrens will become new CEO of CABB Group
“We are very pleased that with Thomas Ahrens, we have attracted an experienced leader who has an outstanding track record in driving sustainable growth and profitability. Building on his extensive industry expertise, he will further strengthen CABB’s position as a premier contract development and manufacturing organisation and leading producer of proprietary ingredients for customers in the Life Science and Performance Materials industries. We are convinced that after a smooth transition from Valerie he will successfully lead CABB into the next chapter of its growth story”, said Roberto Gualdoni, Chairman of the Advisory Board.
Ahrens has more than 20 years of industry experience at executive board level with a strong focus on driving global expansion strategies and delivering long-term profitable growth. Prior to his time at COMPO EXPERT where he took over as CEO in March 2016, he spent four years as Vice President Europe at ENTHONE, a global leader in chemical solutions for surface finishing in a variety of industries. Both companies have seen a strong performance improvement during Ahrens’ tenure.
“CABB with its high-quality products and services is ideally positioned to excel in an exciting industry,” said Ahrens. “I very much look forward to joining forces with my more than 1’000 colleagues around the globe, the whole management team, and the owner Permira. Together, we will continue to unlock CABB’s full potential and drive our sustainable growth agenda.”
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About CABB
The CABB Group is a leading Crop Science contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), supplying customized active ingredients. CABB also offers high-complexity and high-purity chemical ingredients to customers in the Life Sciences and Performance Materials markets. The company operates six production sites in Pratteln (Switzerland), Kokkola (Finland), Galena (USA), Knapsack and Gersthofen (Germany), Jining (China). With around 1,200 employees, CABB recorded an annual turnover of about €755 million in the 2022 financial year.
Attapeu Officials Clarify Viral Image of Logging Truck Damaging Bridge
The images of an overloaded timber-carrying truck destroying a bridge in Sanamxay District, Attapeu Province, drew the ire of the general public, who suspected illegal logging to have led to the damage.
Oasys and SBI VC Trade Partner to Introduce Innovative Wallet Solution for Blockchain Gaming in Japan

As part of the partnership, the Oasys network will support SBI Web3 wallet, which has been operational in Japan since January this year. The wallet’s automated exchange of the user’s crypto assets for Japanese yen simplifies trading NFTs in blockchain games, reducing the barriers to entry for users and making it more accessible to purchase tokens, trade NFTs, and play blockchain games. Additionally, Oasys and SBI VC Trade are exploring various collaborations, including the listing of OAS tokens, a partnership with SBINFT Market, and liquidity provision with B2C2.
Tomohiko Kondo, Executive Managing Director of the Board, SBI VC Trade, said: “We are confident that the partnership with Oasys, which is making advanced efforts toward the mass adoption of blockchain games, will be a great force in expanding our business in the Web3 area. Under this partnership, we will provide various solutions of the SBI group, including the “SBI Web3 Wallet” that enables on-chain NFT transactions, to Oasys and the participating companies in the Oasys network. We will strongly support the growth and development of the GameFi ecosystem.”
Daiki Moriyama, Director, Oasys, said: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with SBI Group, who is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge web3 related businesses. Strong ecosystem partners are critical for the mass adoption of blockchain games, and we look forward to exploring multiple collaborations with the SBI Group in the future, starting with this strategic alliance. Together, leveraging our combined expertise, we can provide exceptional value and user experiences for gamers and drive the growth of the blockchain industry.”
Through the integration of SBI Web3 wallet and the various partnerships, Oasys is set to revolutionise the gaming industry, offering an unparalleled gaming experience that is accessible, transparent, and secure. With this collaboration, Oasys is well positioned to become the undisputed leader in the blockchain gaming industry.
Hashtag: #Oasys #Blockchain #Gaming
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Oasys
Oasys was established in February 2022 to increase mainstream play-and-earn adoption, and at launch, committed to partnering with 21 gaming and Web3 tech companies to act as validators, such as Bandai Namco, SEGA, Ubisoft and Yield Guild Games. Led by a team of blockchain experts and joining forces with the biggest gaming company names to serve as the initial validators, Oasys is revolutionising the gaming industry with its Proof-of-Stake (PoS) based eco-friendly blockchain.
With a focus on creating an ecosystem for gamers and developers to distribute and develop blockchain-based games, Oasys solves the problems game developers face when building games on the blockchain. The trifecta approach of the fastest network powered by the gaming community, a scalable network powered by AAA game developers and the blockchain offering the best user experience with fast transactions and zero gas fees for users, readies participants to enter the Oasys and play.
More information on Oasys is available at:
Website: https://www.oasys.games/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oasys_games
Discord: http://discord.gg/oasysgames
About SBI VC Trade
SBI VC Trade provides a full lineup of services for crypto-asset by utilising the comprehensive strengths of the SBI Group, one of the largest Internet financial groups in Japan. As a Japanese licence holder with a high security system, SBI VC Trade creates innovative services and businesses of not only crypto-asset trading services but also SBI Web3 wallet that contributes to the expansion of the Web3/NFT field etc.
More information on SBI VC Trade is available at:
https://www.sbivc.co.jp/
97 Percent of SEA Countries Breathed Unhealthy Air in 2022
A recent report by IQAir, the world’s largest free real-time air quality information platform, reveals that air quality in more than 97% of Southeast Asian (SEA) countries in 2022 was unhealthy due to air pollution.
Thai Police Bust Call Scammers Who Preyed on Older Americans

BANGKOK (AP) — Thai police said Wednesday they busted an international gang that operated call centers to deceive older Americans into wiring them money, netting more than THB 3 billion (USD 87 million).
Authorities Order Closure of Vientiane’s Sihom Night Market
Authorities in Vientiane Capital ordered the immediate closure of the Sihom Night Market, also referred to as “Hengboun Food and Culture Street,” yesterday evening.