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Laos Confirms 1,508 New Covid Cases

Vientiane Covid Update

Laos has recorded 1,508 cases of Covid-19 across the country today.

Unveil Providers of the Year at the Benchmark Taiwan Fund Awards 2021

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach – 18 March 2022 – Benchmark is proud to announce the Providers of the Year to its 6th Fund Awards for Taiwan!


The Awards represented a meticulous, methodical process and characterized the diligence of more than 60 jurors coming from Private Banks, Family Offices, Consultants, and EAMs. The 51 judges and gatekeepers occupying 235 seats over three days were involved in 47 sessions delivered by 57 senior fund house representatives and supported by a thorough due diligence questionnaire focused on the five key pillars, 48 KPIs, and 438 attributes, with independent sustainability data supported by BlueOnion. 51 jurors have attended the annual Gatekeepers Forum, where 5 to 6 jurors will meet the CIO or Portfolio Manager face to face to drill down into their investment process and ESG performance.

Provider of the Year – companies are assessed by the breadth of winnings across different investment and operational capabilities rather than simply hindsight returns. Weights are allocated to four award categories: House 40%, Sustainability 30%, Manager of the Year 20%, and Quantitative winnings 10%.

Franklin Templeton Investments (” Franklin Templeton”) has been crowned Provider of the Year (Mutual Fund) 2021. The two runners-up for this grand award were Allianz Global Investors Taiwan (“AGI”) and FSSA Investment Managers (“FSSA”). Franklin Templeton is applauded for its consistency of styles, risk control, and governance across a well-diversified range of asset classes, bringing investors excellent risk-adjusted returns. ESG is of high emphasis and nicely integrated across the board. The committee also praised Franklin Templeton for their continuous effort in advocating investor education, especially for the younger generation. AGI is commended for its commitment to investors’ rights and voluntary disclosure and actively implementing ESG to the teams across the continents. FSSA is praised for having an exemplary stewardship team, putting investors’ interests first, and successfully integrating ESG across all groups managing various asset classes.

Cathay Securities Investment Trust (“Cathay Securities”) is crowned Provider of the Year (ETF) 2021. Cathay Securities is praised for its top-of-the-line stewardship and ESG implementation, and for committing to an active voice although being a passive investor with an active voice. The teams have demonstrated exemplary disclosure to investors and engagement with investees on key issues, including achieving net-zero, while delivering excellent performance, being innovative, and keeping tracking errors low as expected.

“I am excited to see more asset managers in Taiwan taking a more serious approach to Sustainable Investing, and by adopting a more responsible investing approach, despite business disruptions under an ongoing pandemic. While some managers are still studying whether ESG is financially material, our platform, BlueOnion, tells us that higher returns and higher ESG are getting more correlated and convincing by the day,” said investor activist organizer Elsa Pau.

About Benchmark Fund of the Year Awards

The 18th Benchmark Fund of the Year Awards organized by WealthAsia Media (“WAM”) has gained a solid industry reputation for running distinguished awards safeguarded by powerful gatekeepers from global institutions. The awards can be interpreted as a buy-side driven and a client-centric initiative. Banks’ gatekeepers and service users such as asset owners will dominate the awards’ decision-making process. The awards also raise awareness of responsible investing and drive better practices in responsible and sustainable investing.

About BlueOnion
BlueOnion is Benchmark’s research tool that empowers institutional investors, asset owners, and private banking gatekeepers to find, screen, and monitor the sustainable performance of over 290K mutual funds covering 40K+ issuers in 99 countries, with over 300 key indicators spanning 22 sectors and 130 industries. It uses the three-lens approach by peeling back the funds’ layers in their investment returns, Sustainability performance, and forward-looking Qualitative capabilities. BlueOnion holds managers accountable for their ESG strategies by analyzing their sectors, industries, and investment/divestments actions to validate that they follow their stated ESG integration philosophies. The data-driven process for outcomes reflects how they have taken materiality issues of specific ESG issues into their investment processes.

#Benchmark #BenchmarkAwards #BlueOnion

About the Gatekeepers Forum

The virtual event in 2021 involved 47 sessions delivered by 57 senior fund house representatives, with 51 judges and gatekeepers occupying 235 seats over three days. The Gatekeepers’ Forum is a sub-set of the judging process, with four to six jurors holding a two-way conversation with the Manager of a contesting strategy. The Forum allows the contestants’ CIO or Portfolio Manager to showcase how they are running a profitable system and respond to technical questions raised by the gatekeepers. The Gatekeepers’ Forum is a highly curated platform that connects both the buy and sell-side of funds and empowers gatekeepers from Private Banks, Institutions, Foundations, Single and Multi-Family Offices to look under the hood before they invest.

About WealthAsia Group

WealthAsia Group is a profit-for-purpose organization – a purpose-driven organization with a mission to drive best practices in the finance community by emphasizing social responsibility and advocating for investors’ protection. Our business model focuses on industry benchmarking, assessment, and ranking to help financial institutions improve.

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

Spackman Media Group Artist Son Suk-Ku’s K-Drama, MY LIBERATION NOTES, To Premiere On April 9 In Korea

  • MY LIBERATION NOTES, starring Spackman Media Group artist Son Suk-ku, to be released on JTBC on April 9, 2022
  • Represented by SBD Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spackman Media Group, Son Suk-ku previously headlined in the romance comedy film, NOTHING SERIOUS
  • Alongside Ma Dong-seok, Son Suk-ku also stars in THE OUTLAWS 2, a sequel to the 2017 box office hit THE OUTLAWS, which is scheduled to premiere in 2022

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 18 March 2022 Spackman Entertainment Group Limited (the “Group“), one of Korea’s leading entertainment production groups founded in 2011 by media & technology investor Charles Spackman, wishes to announce that MY LIBERATION NOTES, starring Spackman Media Group artist Son Suk-ku and Kim Ji-won, one of the main stars of DESCENDANTS OF THE SUN (2016), is set to premiere on April 9, 2022 in Korea.

Represented by SBD Entertainment Inc. (“SBD Entertainment“), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Group’s associated company, Spackman Media Group Limited (“Spackman Media Group“), Son Suk-ku’s K-drama MY LIBERATION NOTES will air every Saturday and Sunday at 22:30 on JTBC.

MY LIBERATION NOTES tells the story of a secretive stranger (Son Suk-ku) and three siblings (Kim Ji-won, Lee Min-ki and Lee El), who long to escape from their dead-end lives. The Korean drama is produced by Chorokbaem Media and JTBC Studios.

Previously, Son Suk-ku starred in the romance comedy film, NOTHING SERIOUS (2021), which ranked #1 at the weekend box office in Korea during its debut, and K-dramas, Netflix’s D.P. (2021), DESIGNATED SURVIVOR: 60 DAYS (2019) and MATRIMONIAL CHAOS (2018). He also starred in American drama series SENSE8 alongside Hollywood stars.

Son Suk-ku shall headline alongside Ma Dong-seok in THE OUTLAWS 2, a sequel to the 2017 box office hit THE OUTLAWS, which is expected to premiere in 2022.

Other than Son Suk-ku, SBD Entertainment also represents one of Korea’s rapidly rising young actors, Han Ji-hyun of popular K-drama THE PENTHOUSE 3, who won the Best Rookie Female Actor in the 2021 Brand Customer Loyalty Awards in Korea and endorsed luxury brand Gucci in April 2021.

About Spackman Entertainment Group Limited

Spackman Entertainment Group Limited (“SEGL” or the “Company“), and together with its subsidiaries, (the “Group“), is one of Korea’s leading entertainment production groups. SEGL is primarily engaged in the independent development, production, presentation, and financing of theatrical motion pictures in Korea.

The Company was founded in 2011 by media and technology investor Charles Spackman who served as the Company’s Executive Chairman until 2017. For the past two decades, Mr. Charles Spackman has been a powerhouse in the Korean entertainment industry starting in the early 2000’s with the pioneering success of Sidus Pictures, the largest movie production company at the time and the first to be listed in Korea. Mr. Spackman is also the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the global investment firm, Spackman Group. For more information, please visit

Since its founding, SEGL had produced more than 30 major motion pictures including a number of the highest grossing and award-winning films in Korea, namely #ALIVE (2020), CRAZY ROMANCE (2019), DEFAULT (2018), MASTER (2016), THE PRIESTS (2015), SNOWPIERCER (2013), COLD EYES (2013) and ALL ABOUT MY WIFE (2012).

Our films are theatrically distributed and released in Korea and overseas markets, as well as for subsequent post-theatrical worldwide release in other forms of media, including online streaming, cable TV, broadcast TV, IPTV, video-on-demand, and home video/DVD, etc. Generally, we release our motion pictures into wide-theatrical exhibition initially in Korea, and then in overseas and ancillary markets.

The Group also invests into and produces Korean television dramas. In addition to our content business, we also own equity stakes in entertainment-related companies and film funds that can financially and strategically complement our existing core operations. SEGL is listed on the Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited under the ticker 40E.

Production Labels

SEGL owns Novus Mediacorp Co., Ltd. (“Novus Mediacorp“), an investor, presenter, and/or post-theatrical distributor for a total of 79 films (58 Korean and 21 foreign) including ROSE OF BETRAYAL, THE OUTLAWS and SECRETLY, GREATLY, which was one of the biggest box office hits of 2013 starring Kim Soo-hyun of MY LOVE FROM THE STARS, as well as FRIEND 2: THE GREAT LEGACY. In 2012, Novus Mediacorp was also the post-theatrical rights distributor of ALL ABOUT MY WIFE, a top-grossing romantic comedy produced by Zip Cinema. In 2018, THE OUTLAWS, co-presented by Novus Mediacorp broke the all-time highest Video On Demand (“VOD“) sales records in Korea. For more information, please visit

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Simplex Films Limited (“Simplex Films“) which is an early stage film production firm. The maiden film of Simplex Films, JESTERS: THE GAME CHANGERS (2019), was released in Korea on 21 August 2019. Simplex Films has several line-up of films including HURRICANE BROTHERS (working title).

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Take Pictures Pte. Ltd. (“Take Pictures“) which produced STONE SKIPPING (2020) and THE BOX (2021), and shall release GUARDIAN (working title) in 2022 tentatively.

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Greenlight Content Limited (“Greenlight Content“) which is mainly involved in the business of investing into dramas and movies, as well as providing consulting services for the production of Korean content. Through the acquisition of Greenlight Content, the Group’s first co-produced drama, MY SECRET TERRIUS, starring top Korean star, So Ji Sub, achieved #1 in drama viewership ratings for its time slot and recorded double digits for its highest viewership ratings. Greenlight Content was one of the main investors of MY SECRET TERRIUS.

The Company owns a 20% equity interest in The Makers Studio Co. Ltd., which plans to produce and release four upcoming films, the first of which will be THE ISLAND OF THE GHOST’S WAIL, a comedy horror film.

Talent Representation

The Company holds an effective shareholding interest of 43.88% in Spackman Media Group Limited (“SMGL“). SMGL, a company incorporated in Hong Kong, together with its subsidiaries, is collectively one of the largest entertainment talent agencies in Korea in terms of the number of artists under management, including some of the top names in the Korean entertainment industry. SMGL operates its talent management business through renowned agencies such as MSteam Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Son Ye-jin, Wi Ha-jun, Lee Min-jung, Ko Sung-hee), SBD Entertainment Inc. (Son Suk-ku, Han Ji-hyun, Lee Cho-hee, Park Keun-rok), UAA&CO Inc. (Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Hye-ri, Kim Ji-young, Wang Ji-won), Play Content Co., Ltd. (Kang Min-ji, Hwang-hwi) and Kook Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Baek Si-won, Shin Ji-woong). Through these full-service talent agencies in Korea, SMGL represents and guides the professional careers of a leading roster of award-winning actors/actresses in the practice areas of motion pictures, television, commercial endorsements, and branded entertainment. SMGL leverages its unparalleled portfolio of artists as a platform to develop, produce, finance and own the highest quality of entertainment content projects, including theatrical motion pictures, variety shows and TV dramas. This platform also creates and derives opportunities for SMGL to make strategic investments in development stage businesses that can collaborate with SMGL artists. SMGL is an associated company of the Company. For more information, please visit

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Constellation Agency Pte. Ltd. (“Constellation Agency“). Constellation Agency, which owns The P Factory Co., Ltd. (“The P Factory“) and Platform Media Group Co., Ltd. (“PMG“), is primarily involved in the business of overseas agency for Korean artists venturing into the overseas market. The P Factory is an innovative marketing solutions provider specializing in event and branded content production. PMG is a talent management agency which represents and manages the careers of major artists in film, television, commercial endorsements and branded entertainment.

Strategic Businesses

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Frame Pictures Co., Ltd. (“Frame Pictures“). Frame Pictures is a leader in the movie/drama equipment leasing business in Korea. Established in 2014, Frame Pictures has worked with over 25 top directors and provided the camera and lighting equipment some of Korea’s most notable drama and movie projects including ITAEWON CLASS (2020), HOW TO BUY A FRIEND (2020), KIM JI-YOUNG, BORN 1982 (2019), FOUR MEN (2019) and ASADAL CHRONICLES (2019).

We also operate a café-restaurant, Upper West, in the Gangnam district of Seoul and own a professional photography studio, noon pictures Co., Ltd.

For more details, please visit

#SpackmanEntertainmentGroupLimited

OPPO Uses Advanced Engineering to Build Find X5 Pro

OPPO conducted more than 300 tests to build a smartphone with high intelligence, 5-axis camera stabilization, waterproof, durable and long lasting

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media OutReach – 18 March 2022 – OPPO designed and optimized the hundreds of processes that go into the construction of the OPPO Find X5 Pro, to ensure the first phone off the production line and the thousandth are not just identical twins but of world-class quality.

A trip to the factory floor

The human brain has countless folds. The OPPO Find X5 Pro’s motherboard structure is a little like that of the human brain, connecting all the phone’s components together with an ultra-fine labyrinth of miniature metal paths.

Assemble of PCB


These roads are printed onto the motherboard, in rooms full of robotic printers that can produce up to 10 million boards a month. High-speed modular machines would mount components like the CPU and capacitors onto the board at a level of accuracy that would likely be impossible with the human hand. The smallest component measures just 0.4mm by 0.2mm, and the chip mounter can place more than 400,000 components an hour.

OPPO uses an Auto Optical Inspector camera to check for any minute errors in the process. Every pathway on the OPPO Find X5 Pro motherboard is bespoke, each component is either custom-designed or carefully chosen. The Auto Optical Inspector is programmed to notice any slight deviation from the blueprint.

The last line of solder printed and last chip inspected, the OPPO Find X5 Pro board is baked to melt the metal powder into a rigid conductive map. Every part of this process is carefully controlled, from the humidity and temperature of the factory floor to X-ray testing of the solder every two hours to check its quality. A solder paste inspection machine (SPI) reviews each board. When the smallest steel mesh opening measures just 0.18 mm × 0.18mm, only the highest level of precision is acceptable.

90% of the testing is automated, meaning OPPO’s production experts largely only need to step in at the first signs of any potential issue.

OIS Lens Stabilization Test


Such attention to detail is all the more important in ensuring the quality of brand new features, like OPPO’s revolutionary 5-axis camera stabilization. Each OPPO Find X5 Pro camera is put through an OIS test for both the lens image stabilization and the sensor image stabilization, checking for its ability not just to function, but operate at the peak of its expected performance.

The OPPO Find X5 Pro is mounted to a machine set to provide a jitter angle of three degrees and 6Hz frequency. This means it wobbles back and forth by 3° six times per second, mimicking handshakes in daily scenarios during photo shooting. The new 5-axis system also compensates for sensor roll, so OPPO also applies a 0.7-degree rolling motion in testing. On top of the traditional OIS motor, the OIS test for sensor-shift (x-axis/Y-axis) and sensor-rotation (Z-axis) are also tested separately. It is the first of its kind and offers the best optical stabilization experience in the industry.

During the tests, shutter speed is set to 167ms which is the same as the frequency of vibration. To pass the test the final image must appear sharp, not blurred.

A look inside the OPPO QE Reliability Lab

There are two sides to the OPPO Find X5 Pro testing program. Some tests are run on every single phone, rooting out any defective components or manufacturing errors.

However, some of the most intensive testing takes place at OPPO’s QE Reliability Lab. It is where OPPO undertakes a kind of torture testing that compresses the hard treatment of years of normal use into a much shorter time window.

Waterproofing and Rainproofing Tests


In-production testing makes sure specific OPPO Find X5 Pro stacks up to OPPO’s meticulous standards. The QE Reliability Lab makes sure the original design can handle real-world stresses, involving over 150 tests. Here are some of the highlights.

In the Tumble test, the OPPO Find X5 Pro is placed in a 1-meter-long turning chamber that rotates 3.5 times a minute. It emulates the force of the phone being dropped 300 times from a height of a meter, onto a hard surface. Common Drop Test is also conducted as it simulates a typical free-fall scenario from various height from 1 meter to 1.5 meters.

Another test sees the OPPO Find X5 Pro dropped from a height of 10 centimeters to more than 28,0000 times. This simulates the kind of everyday drops,but can eventually weaken the structure of a less well-designed phone.

In QE Reliability Lab, OPPO not only required the phone to meet industry standard but for many tests with even more rigorous standards because OPPO aims to provide not just solid device longevity and reliability but impeccable durability. This dedication to quality is why OPPO put so much work into the strength and finish of the ceramic casing — a 45-stage process that includes calcination at 1000 degrees centigrade.

Environment Adaptability Testing

For further testing on durability, the OPPO Find X5 Pro is kept in both high 75 degrees centigrade and freezing minus 40 degree environments for a full week, and tested afterwards to ensure there is no damage or corrosion. The phone is submerged in water at a depth of 1.5m and held there for 30 minutes, before being dismantled to check for any liquid ingress.

OPPO Find X5 Pro, a phone that can withstand bumps, drops, freezing, shock, being doused with water and soaked with sweat. Buttons, sockets and fingerprint scanners are tested more than tens of thousands of times to prove the design works in practice just as well as it does on paper.

The OPPO Find X5 Pro is a phone brimming with advanced features and ambitious engineering, but OPPO’s rigorous manufacturing standards ensure they are ready not just for day one but years of use.Read more on the OPPO Find X5 Pro’s camera, display and design technologies at the OPPO website.

#OPPO

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

Saudi Foreign Minister Visits Laos

Saudi Foreign Minister Visits Laos
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith.

His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has paid an official visit to Laos today.

MGI Helps Combat Covid-19 Pandemic In Laos With Innovative Container Laboratory

Container laboratory.
Container Laboratory

MGI Tech Co., Ltd. (MGI), a global life science leader and innovator, has developed Champa LSEA Laboratory, the first 3rd party detection center in Laos.

Vang Vieng Prepares for First Cabbage Festival

Cabbage Festival in Vangvieng.
Cabbage Festival in Vangvieng.

The nation’s first Cabbage Festival will be held at the end of this month in Vang Vieng.

Jaguar Land Rover Lao Reveals New Defender 90

Jaguar Land Rover Lao, the leader in premium vehicle segment revealed New Defender 90 at Vientiane Motor Show at Lao ITCC mall on 5/3/2022.