Teams from Laos have won several matches at the King’s Cup Sepak Takraw tournament held in Bangkok, Thailand from 23 to 31 July.
Laos Behind Other ASEAN Nations in Digital Maturity
Laos ranks ninth out of the ten ASEAN countries in terms of digital access, affordability, and quality of internet services, according to a new UNDP report.
BS Capital Group’s Subsidiary Carros Announces Successful Acquisition Of 100% Shares In Premier Taxis
Incorporated in 2003, BS Capital Group owned by SGX-Mainboard listed Enviro-Hub Holdings’ controlling shareholder and executive chairman, Raymond Ng Ah Hua. Over the years, the Group has built a diverse portfolio of industrial, commercial, retail and residential assets, establishing itself as a key regional player. In 2012, The Group founded Carros Project Management Pte Ltd (The Company), a subsidiary with the purpose of expanding The Group’s presence in different sectors.
One of Carros Project Management’s signature projects is the Carros Centre, an eight-story automotive mega hub with a total build-up area of 2.3 million sq ft of space. The project has received wide acclaim for creating an one-stop eco-system with more than 200 automotive-related occupants, a testament to the development’s success.
Commenting on the acquisition, Owner of The Group, Mr. Raymond Ng said, “As we emerge at the tail-end of the pandemic, it’s important that we take steps well in advance so that we can best position ourselves to capitalize on any opportunities that arise. The acquisition of Premier Corporation comes at a time of renewed interest in travel and leisure activities.”
The Company further deepened its commitment to the automotive industry with the launch of BIS Motoring at the end of 2017. The venture into the Motor Vehicle Leasing Business has already gained much traction. Currently, the Company operates a fleet of more than 1,000 private hiring vehicles (PHV).
Carros Project Management believes it has a lot to gain from the synergies between its PHVs and Premier Taxis’ Taxis. The acquisition of 100% shares in Premier Corporation on August 5th, 2022 will further strengthen its foothold in the automotive space, allowing the Company to expand their fleet and provide greater convenience to commuters.
Hashtag: #BSCapitalGroup
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
NTU Singapore and RGE launch S$6 million joint research centre to tackle textile waste
Researchers in the S$6 million joint research centre will look into areas such as next-generation eco-friendly and sustainable textiles, and refabricating textile waste into fibre. The aim is to study the chemistry of various textile materials and determine the optimal processes and techniques required to bring us closer to a circular textile economy. This is in line with Singapore’s Zero Waste vision, as well as the Singapore Green Plan 2030.
The research centre, located at NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, was officially launched today by Ms Grace Fu, Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment.
It comes at a time when an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste[1] is created globally each year. Only 12 per cent of the material used for clothing ends up being recycled. The textile industry itself is responsible for 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions[2] – more than international flights and maritime shipping combined.
NTU President Professor Subra Suresh said: “The goal of the RGE-NTU Sustainable Textile Research Centre (RGE-NTU SusTex) is very much aligned with Singapore’s zero waste vision to build a sustainable, resource-efficient and climate-resilient nation. This partnership between NTU and RGE draws on RGE’s industry experience as a global resources-based manufacturing group and leverages NTU’s intellectual assets in materials and environmental chemistry.”
RGE Executive Director, Perry Lim, said: “We want to contribute where we can achieve the most impact. More countries are banning the import of waste including textile waste. However, current textile recycling technologies, which rely on a bleaching and separation process using heavy chemicals, cannot be implemented in urban settings such as Singapore. This is where RGE can help, drawing on our 20 years of experience in viscose fibre making, to provide S$6 million in funding to establish the research centre and fund its work; share our global R&D expertise as the world’s largest viscose producer; and to potentially scale up the viable innovations and solutions across our global operations. Backed by Singapore’s strong research ecosystem and leveraging NTU’s engineering capabilities, we aim to catalyse innovation and develop a first-of-its-kind urban-fit textile recycling solution.”
NTU Senior Vice President (Research) Professor Lam Khin Yong said: “Collaboration between universities and the industry has never been more important to tackle today’s complex social, environmental and economic challenges. The RGE-NTU SusTex is yet another example of how the culture of collaboration with industry is embedded in NTU’s innovation ecosystem. Such collaborations allow for a healthy exchange of ideas and know-how between industry and academia, and help pave the way for the translation of research ideas, maximising the reach and impact of NTU’s research for society’s benefit.”
Singapore Economic Development Board’s (EDB) Senior Vice President, Dino Tan said: “The successful launch of RGE-NTU SusTex is a testament to EDB’s efforts in connecting our corporates with Singapore’s research institutes. We are confident that by combining RGE’s manufacturing expertise with NTU’s research capabilities, the new research centre will represent a significant step towards meeting Singapore’s sustainable manufacturing goals. We look forward to forging more such partnerships, to support the development of innovative green technologies and solutions that can be scaled in Singapore and the region.”
The joint research centre is part of NTU’s ambition and efforts to mitigate our impact on the environment under its NTU 2025 strategic plan, and builds on RGE’s sustainability commitment, part of which is to explore how waste can also be used as a resource to generate new materials.
Driving high-impact research through interdisciplinary collaboration
The RGE-NTU SusTex leverages the University’s emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration to catalyse high-impact research and take innovative ideas from the lab to the real world. It also builds on RGE’s wealth of industry experience and strong manufacturing capabilities. EDB seeded the relationship between NTU and RGE when the idea of an urban-fit textile recycling centre was first germinated last year.
The joint research centre will draw upon the expertise of NTU scientists in the School of Materials Science and Engineering and the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering.
It will look into four research areas:
- Cleaner and more energy efficient methods of recycling: looking at greener ways of textile recycling, with a focus on cellulose-based fabrics including rayon, viscose and cotton, minimising the degradation of fabric properties, and refabricating textile waste into fibre;
- Automated sorting of textile waste: using a combination of advanced spectroscopic techniques and machine learning capabilities for identifying and sorting textile waste based on fibre composition, and developing an automated system to remove accessories such as zips and buttons;
- Eco-friendly dye removal: developing eco-friendly methods of removing dye from textile waste using little to zero chlorinated chemicals, and formulating greener and biodegradable dye substitutes;
- New textiles: finding alternative uses for textile by-products and developing a new generation of eco-friendly and smart textiles with attributes such as moisture insensitivity, electrical conductivity, and infrared/ ultraviolet radiation reflectivity.
Leading the joint research centre in these research projects is Professor Hu Xiao from the NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering, who is also the director of the Environmental Chemistry & Materials Centre at NTU’s Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute.
In conjunction with the establishment of the RGE-NTU SusTex, RGE plans to build a textile recycling pilot plant that is low carbon, low chemical emissions, and energy efficient in Singapore. The new sustainable textile recycling solutions developed under the RGE-NTU SusTex are expected to be test bedded in this pilot plant.
Hashtag: #NTUSingapore #RGE
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has 33,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Engineering, Business, Science, Medicine, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, and Graduate colleges.
NTU is also home to world-renowned autonomous institutes – the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering – and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) and Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N).
Under the NTU Smart Campus vision, the University harnesses the power of digital technology and tech-enabled solutions to support better learning and living experiences, the discovery of new knowledge, and the sustainability of resources.
Ranked amongst the world’s top universities, the University’s main campus is also frequently listed among the world’s most beautiful. Known for its sustainability, over 95% of its building projects are certified Green Mark Platinum. Apart from its main campus, NTU also has a medical campus in Novena, Singapore’s healthcare district.
For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg
About RGE
Headquartered in Singapore, RGE is a group of resource-based manufacturing companies with global operations. We produce sustainable natural fibres, edible oils, green packaging and clean natural gas used to create products that feed, clothe and energise the world. We help improve billions of peoples’ lives through sustainable products they use every day. With more than US$25 billion in assets and 60,000 staff, we are creating a more recyclable, biodegradable and lower carbon future.
Committed to sustainable development, conservation and community development, we strive towards what is good for the community, good for the country, good for the climate, good for the customer, and good for the company. With current operations spanning across Indonesia, China, Brazil, Spain and Canada, we continue to expand and engage new markets.
Bracell Launches ‘One to One’ Commitment to Support Conservation of Areas of Native Vegetation and Forest in Brazil
- Company commits to one hectare of conservation area for every hectare of plantation by 2025
- Several partnerships put in place to support achievement of target
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Media OutReach – 5 August 2022 – Bracell, a global leader in the production of dissolving pulp, has launched a ground breaking conservation commitment which will have a positive impact on the protection of native vegetation and biodiversity in Brazil. Bracell’s ‘One to One’ commitment will see the company conserve and protect one hectare of native land for every hectare of plantation.
Bracell, which is part of the RGE group of companies, has committed to achieving this target by 2025. The company’s ratio of conservation land to plantations is currently 0.56 and it has made an initial investment of R$12m (US$2.3m) to support its new commitment.
In addition to conserving existing native areas in Bracell’s production areas, the commitment will also support conservation in public areas and the recovery of degraded areas through partnerships with governments and other institutions. It will also work to prevent and fight forest fires, deforestation and the theft of native wood, alongside the prevention of illegal hunting and capture of wild animals.
Marcio Nappo, Vice president of Sustainability and Corporate Communications, Bracell, said: “This is an unprecedented initiative because it expands our area of activity in the conservation of biodiversity beyond our areas of operation. We have adopted this commitment on a permanent basis, so if we increase the areas of our eucalyptus plantations after 2025, the total number of conserved areas will also be increased to maintain our focus on achieving the target”.
João Augusti, Environment and Certifications Manager, Bracell, said: “Environmental preservation is part of Bracell’s essence. Eucalyptus plantations interspersed with native vegetation form forest mosaics that provide environmental benefits for our plantations and for biodiversity. Also, a healthy environment provides benefits for society as a whole”.
Another central element in Bracell’s strategy to protect biodiversity is the constitution of Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs). In these conservation areas of private domain, only scientific research, environmental education and tourist visitor activities are allowed.
Bracell has four RPPNs, which are areas with fully protected native vegetation, fauna and flora. Among these, the Lontra RPPN has been designated as an Advanced Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Forest by UNESCO and is home to hundreds of species of wild fauna and flora, many of them rare and/or threatened by extinction.
Several partnerships have already been signed to achieve the ‘One-to-One’ goal. Bracell has signed an agreement with the São Paulo Forest Foundation to sponsor protection efforts across 66,000 hectares of native forests, including relevant parts of the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado Paulista areas.
The company has also signed a cooperation agreement with the Bahia Secretariat for the Environment (Sema) to carry out joint actions aimed at protecting biodiversity in Atlantic Forest Conservation Units (UCs) in the state, such as the Subaé Canyons and the Subaúma river basin.
The goal is to work in partnerships that contribute to the conservation and maintenance of UCs and safeguard the natural heritage, and protect rare and endangered species of fauna and flora, and water resources, guaranteed by forest formations.
The company also signed a partnership with the SOS Atlantic Forest Foundation through which it will support actions to promote the restoration of the Atlantic Forest in Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and Legal Reserve areas, contributing to the formation of ecological corridors, the connection of remaining fragments of forest areas and the preservation of water resources.
In addition, Bracell, which since 2021 has been a member of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), joined in April the nine goals of the Brazilian Business Commitment to Biodiversity, an initiative aligned with its sustainability strategy and aimed at reinforcing the adoption of good practices for the protection of biodiversity.
“All these signed actions and partnerships are among the first steps we are taking towards our goal. The company will review this commitment and its results annually, which will be verified by an independent audit and reported publicly,” said Nappo.
“Our ‘One-to One’ commitment is an important milestone in our sustainability strategy and is fully aligned with our company values. Our operations are guided by our philosophy that everything we do must be good for the country, the climate, communities and customers, and only then will it be good for our company”, he added.
Hashtag: #Bracell
About Bracell:
Bracell is a global leader in the production of dissolving pulp and specialty cellulose with two main operations in Brazil in Camaçari, Bahia and in Lençóis Paulista, São Paulo. In addition to its operations in Brazil, Bracell has a management office in Singapore and sales offices in Asia, Europe and the U.S.
www.bracell.com
About RGE:
Headquartered in Singapore, RGE is a group of resource-based manufacturing companies with global operations. We produce sustainable natural fibres, edible oils, green packaging and clean natural gas used to create products that feed, clothe and energise the world. We help improve billions of peoples’ lives through sustainable products they use every day. With more than US$25 billion in assets and 60,000 staff, we are creating a more recyclable, biodegradable and lower carbon future. Committed to sustainable development, conservation and community development, we strive towards what is good for the community, good for the country, good for the climate, good for the customer, and good for the company. With current operations spanning across Indonesia, China, Brazil, Spain and Canada, we continue to expand and engage new markets.
www.rgei.com
Fire Kills 13 at Satthahip Pub in Thailand
Thirteen lives were lost in the flames at a new pub early this morning in Chonburi Province, Thailand.
Transboundary Cooperation Reignited to Counter Wildlife Trafficking

Almost 100 representatives from wildlife relevant enforcement agencies from Laos and Thailand met in Huay Xai, Bokeo Province on 3-5 August to rekindle cross border cooperation to combat transboundary wildlife crime after a two year hiatus due to Covid-19.