25.7 C
Vientiane
Thursday, August 21, 2025
spot_img
Home Blog Page 23

Capture the World: Agoda Develops a Curated Guide to Picture-Perfect Nature Destinations this World Photography Day

SINGAPORE, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Digital travel platform Agoda has created a curated guide to some of Asia’s most breathtaking landscapes this World Photography Day, celebrated on 19 August, as research from Virgin Media shows that adults on holiday take more than 14 selfies a day and upload 7 images to social media a week.

As the quality of camera-phone technology continues to advance, more and more travelers are sharing their experiences on social media platforms to breathtaking effect. From lush forests to dramatic coastlines, these lesser-known destinations offer budding photographers the perfect backdrop to capture nature’s beauty. Photography is increasingly becoming inseparable from travel, encouraging the exploration and appreciation of diverse cultures and landscapes. Travelers now use camera phone photography as a way of documenting their experiences as well as inspiring others.

Here’s Agoda’s list of 6 breathtaking nature destinations in Asia where novice and professional photographers alike can frame the perfect shot:

1.      Ha Giang Loop, Vietnam

Nestled in northern Vietnam, the Ha Giang Loop is a paradise for photographers. With its winding roads, towering limestone peaks, and vibrant rice terraces, this region offers endless opportunities for stunning shots. Travelers can explore nearby villages and experience the rich local culture.

2.      Meghalaya, Shillong, India

Known as the “Abode of Clouds,” Meghalaya boasts lush green hills, cascading waterfalls, and living root bridges. Photographers can capture the ethereal beauty of the region’s misty landscapes and local life. The famous Cherrapunji and Mawlynnong villages are must-visit spots.

3.      Yakushima Island, Japan

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Yakushima Island is famed for its ancient cedar forests and diverse ecosystems. Photographers can capture the mystical atmosphere of the moss-covered trees and the island’s unique wildlife. Hiking trails offer breathtaking views and a chance to immerse in nature.

4.      Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Raja Ampat is a diver’s paradise with its crystal-clear waters and vibrant coral reefs. Above water, photographers can capture the stunning karst island formations and pristine beaches. Underwater, travelers can capture the beauty of the tropical wonderland.

5.      Palawan, Philippines

Known for its dramatic limestone cliffs and turquoise waters, Palawan is a haven for landscape photographers. The stunning scenery of El Nido and Coron offers endless opportunities for capturing breathtaking images. Island tours and snorkeling adventures reveal vibrant marine life.

6.      Taroko Gorge, Hualien, Taiwan

Taroko Gorge is a natural wonder with its towering marble cliffs and winding river. Photographers can capture dramatic landscapes and explore the numerous hiking trails. The gorge’s unique rock formations and lush vegetation make it a must-visit destination for nature lovers.

Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President, Supply at Agoda shared, “World Photography Day is the perfect excuse to pack a camera and explore Asia’s breathtaking hidden gems. Agoda is here to help capture the world’s beauty, one stunning landscape at a time. So, grab the gear, see the world, and let the lens tell the story!”

Agoda offers over 6 million holiday properties, more than 130,000 flight routes, and over 300,000 activities, all of which can be combined in the same booking. Discover the best deals on Agoda’s mobile app and start planning the next photographic adventure. Visit Agoda.com for more information.

— ENDS —

Vietnamese Man Arrested for Trafficking 16 into Laos

Ly Van Sang at the police station. Photo: Nghe An Police

Vietnamese authorities arrested 26-year-old Ly Van Sang on 17 August for human trafficking after he smuggled 16 people into the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos to work in an online scamming operation. He later confessed to the charges.

HEISHA and Unibird Unveil Groundbreaking Drone Defence Tower (DDT) System

SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In a strategic collaboration, HEISHA Technology and Unibird have launched the Drone Defence Tower (DDT), an advanced autonomous hangar system integrating one search drone and 32 defensive strike FPV drones. This innovative solution combines HEISHA’s expertise in multi-layered autonomous drone docks with Unibird’s high-performance FPV drone technology, setting new standards in security and defence applications.

DDT video link: The HEISHA drone defense tower is a new milestone for autonomous swarm control with Unibird FPV – YouTube

The DDT system features remote dispatch software enabling autonomous patrols and precision strikes, with a modular design accommodating 7-inch FPV drones and customizable configurations for various unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) dimensions. Its core technological advantages include:

Advanced Anti-Jamming Capabilities: The device is equipped with cutting-edge 95dB GPS technology, which supports both Beidou B1 and GPS frequencies, ensuring reliable navigation even in the presence of complex electromagnetic interference.

Leveraging advanced AI visual analysis, the integrated strike module offers a 300-meter recognition range for human and vehicle targets, coupled with autonomous tracking capabilities, ensuring precise engagement even when communication links are compromised.

Long-Range Data Transmission: This fiber optic communication module is capable of supporting a transmission distance of up to 20 kilometers and a data throughput of 30Mbps. It employs OFDM and MIMO technologies to enhance its anti-jamming capabilities, ensuring robust performance in data transmission.

“DDT represents a paradigm shift in integrated air defence systems,” said a HEISHA spokesperson. “Our modular dock design, combined with Unibird’s agile FPV technology, delivers an unprecedented level of autonomous threat response capability.”

Weighing under 400g with dimensions of 65mm×65mm×21mm, the compact system offers flexible deployment options for both vehicle-mounted and fixed installations. Its applications span military base protection, critical infrastructure security, and border patrol missions, providing 24/7 autonomous surveillance and rapid response capabilities.

The collaboration leverages HEISHA has demonstrated a strong track record in the autonomous drone charging station industry, with products like the D80 and V200 that are compatible with leading UAV platforms. DDT integrates the drone dock with the swarm control of FPV, and is set to profoundly transform approaches to defense.

Media Contact:
James Penn
james.penn@heishatech.com 
+86 18664516999

Laos Set to Export 120 Tons of Roselle to South Korea

Roselle, scientifically known as Hibiscus sabdariffa, is a species of flowering plant in the hibiscus family, native to Africa. This photo is for representational purpose only.

Laos is on track to export 120 tons of roselle to South Korea, with plans to expand commercial cultivation to include black and white sesame, large onions, and others related for the Korean market.

On 14 August, the Lao Agricultural Business Association (LABA) officially launched the project. 

LABA and the Korean company signed a key export agreement valued at LAK 16.2 billion (approximately USD 771,000). Additional crops will be introduced in the future.

LABA Vice President Khanthong Siphasert highlighted the project’s innovative “four-way” collaborative model, which strategically connects producers, processors, suppliers, government institutions, financial organizations, and international buyers. 

He emphasized that the initiative not only boosts exports but also provides technical guidance, market insights, and investment opportunities for all participants.

So far 2025, LABA expanded the roselle cultivation project to cover six key areas, totaling 2.135 hectares.

According to the vice president, roselle is easy to grow, drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and ready to harvest in 110 days with high yields. 

Its vitamin C-rich, ruby-red fruit is valued worldwide for jellies, teas, sauces, syrups, and wines, making it highly marketable internationally.

The project is managed by the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), serving as a coordination hub to connect producers and suppliers with government agencies, financial institutions, and international buyers.

Sinch Solidifies U.S. Market Leadership with Full RCS Coverage Across All Tier 1 Carriers

Building on U.S. and global campaign experience, Sinch now provides brands complete RCS reach in its largest market, in time for the holiday shopping season

ATLANTA and STOCKHOLM, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sinch AB (publ) (XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its Customer Communications Cloud, announced that it is live with Rich Communication Services (RCS) for Business with all major Tier-1 U.S. mobile operators. This gives businesses across the U.S., the ability to transform the way they engage with their customers through verified, conversational experiences.

Sinch is leading the transformation to RCS, with products and solutions that seamlessly orchestrate messaging across RCS, SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp with built-in fallback and integration across channels email and voice for a unified, intelligent customer experience. As businesses compete for attention during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, RCS for Business gives them a powerful edge, boosting engagement, click-throughs, and purchase decisions through richer, more interactive conversations.

“We are proud to have been delivering successful RCS campaigns for major American brands for years,” said Julia Fraser, EVP of Americas for Sinch. “Our proven track record of delivering at scale in the US, combined with our extensive global experience with rich messaging, uniquely positions Sinch as the trusted partner for businesses looking to engage with their customers to create next generation customer engagement experiences.”

With unmatched expertise in navigating complex carrier interactions and ensuring full compliance with industry regulations, Sinch is at the forefront of the RCS revolution – enabling businesses to deliver personalized, branded, and secure messaging at scale. Leading U.S. brands are already seeing results with Sinch’s RCS capabilities: a large global delivery services company is building trust with verified, branded notifications; a gig economy leader is boosting driver engagement, a financial services provider is building trust, and Enfamil is connecting with parents on a deeper level. ”Every year we deeply engage with millions of expecting parents to help make them confident, informed, and valued throughout their journey of parenthood,” said Brian Truss, Director of Consumer Engagement at Mead Johnson Nutrition, makers of Enfamil. “Our ability to use RCS to create personalized, rich, interactive messaging has dramatically improved our engagement with parents.”

Sinch is uniquely positioned in the U.S. market, where it’s witnessing firsthand the rapid rise of RCS, now reaching up to 75% of handsets among Sinch customers, fueled in part by Apple’s adoption. As a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for CPaaS for the third consecutive year, Sinch powers over 900 billion customer engagements annually, and is trusted by 8 of the 10 largest U.S. tech companies. With Americas driving more than 60% of revenue, Sinch’s momentum is reinforced by its latest State of Customer Communications report, which found that 87% of enterprise leaders are familiar with RCS, and 76% of consumers expect multi-channel engagement during peak moments like BF/CM.

For more information, please visit www.sinch.com

For more information, please contact:
Janet Lennon, Director of Global PR & Communications
janet.lennon@sinch.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

https://news.cision.com/sinch-ab/r/sinch-solidifies-u-s–market-leadership-with-full-rcs-coverage-across-all-tier-1-carriers,c4218849

Nilesh Shah joins Illumina as Head of Region, AMEA

SINGAPORE, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN), a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, announced today the appointment of Nilesh Shah as Head of Region, AMEA, effective immediately.

Nilesh Shah, Head of Region, AMEA, Illumina
Nilesh Shah, Head of Region, AMEA, Illumina

Nilesh brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the medical technology and life sciences industries, having held senior roles at Johnson & Johnson, GE Healthcare and most recently, West Pharmaceutical Services. At West, he served as Vice President & General Manager, Emerging Markets, where he led commercial, operational, and manufacturing strategies spanning Asia-Pacific and Latin America. During his tenure, he drove regional transformation, enhanced customer engagement, and delivered strong growth through a more aligned and agile operating model.

“We are excited to welcome Nilesh to Illumina. His deep expertise in healthcare and global organizations is a valuable addition to the AMEA team and our broader commercial organization,” said Everett Cunningham, Chief Commercial Officer at Illumina. “AMEA represents one of the most dynamic and fast-growing regions in the world, with significant opportunities to expand access to genomic technologies. We look forward to seeing how Nilesh’s leadership will help shape the next chapter of growth and impact across the region.”

“Genomics and multi-omics are rapidly transforming precision medicine and reshaping healthcare across every stage of life,” Nilesh stated. “I am honored to join Illumina as Head of AMEA. Together, we will work with our customers, partners, and the entire ecosystem to harness the full potential of these technologies – not just advancing regional health outcomes, but improving health for communities worldwide.”

Nilesh will be based in Singapore. He succeeds Bas Verhoef, interim Head of Region, AMEA. Verhoef will continue to serve as Head of Region for Europe. 

About Illumina

Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit illumina.com and connect with us on XFacebookLinkedInInstagramTikTok, and YouTube.

The 12th Annual Meeting of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF2025) is set to be held October 8-9, 2025 in Tokyo

— World leaders from industry, academia and government gather to discuss global warming countermeasures and innovation —

TOKYO, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) will hold the two-day 12th Annual Meeting of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF2025) on Wednesday, October 8 and Thursday October 9 at The Westin Tokyo, Japan and online. The ICEF Annual Meeting has been held every year since 2014 by METI and NEDO as an international conference where the world’s leaders from industry, academia, and government gather under the one roof to promote “innovation,” the key to solving climate change.

Image of The 12th Annual Meeting of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF2025) is set to be held October 8-9, 2025 in Tokyo.
Image of The 12th Annual Meeting of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF2025) is set to be held October 8-9, 2025 in Tokyo.

This year’s 12th conference will feature approximately 10 sessions under the main theme “Innovation for Green Transformation (GX) and Security.”

■ Overview of the Forum 
《Conference name》 Innovation for Cool Earth Forum 12th Annual Meeting (ICEF2025)
《Hosts》 Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry (METI);
                  New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
《Dates》 October 8 (Wednesday) and 9 (Thursday), 2025
《Venue》 The Westin Tokyo, Japan (address: 1-4-1 Mita, Meguro-ku, Tokyo)
                  (To be held as a hybrid event with online sessions.)
《Language》 English (with Japanese-English simultaneous translation)
《Participation fee》 No charge (pre-registration required)
《Official website》 https://www.icef.go.jp/
《Co-Hosts》 Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology;
                       Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Ministry of the Environment
《Institutional Partners》 IEA, BloombergNEF, UNIDO, IRENA

Highlights of ICEF2025 and other details (PDF)

Please check the official website for the latest program and other details.
https://www.icef.go.jp/program/

 

DEAL HOLDINGS LAUNCHES FAB GROUP, THE REGION’S NEW CULINARY AND LIFESTYLE FORCE

FAB Group set to elevate hospitality offerings across the Middle East

Flagship destinations to open in major cities across the GCC, including a minimum of 25 in the UAE over the next five years

Over 800 jobs to be created in the UAE hospitality sector alone

DUBAI, UAE, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — FAB Group, a lifestyle and culinary venture created by UAE-based investment and development company, DEAL Holdings, launches today with the aim of leading innovation in hospitality, dining and brand development across the MENA region.

Abdalla Al’Mheiri – CEO, DEAL Holding
Abdalla Al’Mheiri – CEO, DEAL Holding

Through the combination of a forward-thinking approach and exceptional local insight, FAB Group will launch popular boutique brands featuring Michelin-star talent from the UK and Europe across the region, while also creating immersive culinary and lifestyle experiences, elevating MENA’s position on the global hospitality map.

Fully supported by DEAL Holdings, a local investment and development company, FAB Group is committed to delivering long-lasting impact across the region, with a minimum of 25 new locations set to open in the UAE over the next five years, with additional flagship destinations arriving in Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha and the Red Sea.

Along with enhancing the region’s ever-growing reputation as a global culinary hub, the launch of FAB Group will support local talent, providing access to employment opportunities with roughly 800 jobs set to be created in the UAE alone over the next five years, and more across the wider GCC.

Andrew Cullen, FAB Group Regional F&B Director, said: “Over the course of the next few months, we will be making some hugely exciting announcements which will significantly enhance the region’s F&B offerings and redefine how the industry is perceived both on a regional and global level.

“The Middle East is already widely regarded as a leader in this space, with many of the world’s biggest brands now operating in the region. Our ambition is to build on the fantastic work which has already been carried out and strengthen MENA’s global status.”

Abdalla Al’Mheiri, DEAL Holdings CEO, added: “We are thrilled to introduce FAB Group to the Middle East market, marking a significant moment for the region’s hospitality sector, which continues to thrive.

“Created by DEAL Holdings, FAB Group has big ambitions, and we are fully committed to making strategic investment, enabling the brand to evolve with a clear direction while achieving its long-term objectives.”

FAB Group’s portfolio will span fine dining, contemporary cuisine, café culture, nightlife, wellness concepts, and luxury brand collaborations. Several flagship projects are already in development and will be announced in the coming months.

A major investment and development company, DEAL Holdings boasts a substantial number of branded residences, hospitality projects and commercial real estate across the MENA region.

For more information about DEAL Holdings and FAB Group, visit: www.deal.holdings | thefoodandbeverage.group