The Macroeconomics Research Institute (MRI) recently conducted a survey to identify the main obstacles businesses are facing in Laos.
Healthy Seas joins hands with Ghost Diving Hong Kong to remove gill nets in Hong Kong
Healthy Seas is an environmental nonprofit organization founded in 2013 that began its marine conservation work in the Netherlands. Today, the organisation operates in 20 countries throughout the world, including many countries in Europe, the United States, New Zealand and through its recent collaboration with Ghost Diving Korea and now Ghost Diving Hong Kong, has expanded to Asia, with regular activities in the Sai Kung Area – Port Shelter, Nine Pins Island Group, East Dam with regular ghost net cleanup projects.
Ghost net removal
On March 18th, the Ghost Diving Hong Kong volunteer team kicked off its collaboration with Healthy Seas and with support from DWS Group, successfully recovered about 120kgs of gill nets in the area of Sharp Island, Hap Mun Bay, Sai Kung. Although gill nets are typically very light, they are also the deadliest type of marine litter to marine animals.
Recently, the volunteers had recovered another 150 meters of net from the same location, while a third dive will be necessary and planned in the upcoming period to remove the nets that are still left underwater and continuing to threaten marine life.
“We are extremely proud to be working with Healthy Seas and the Ghost Diving Foundation in order to remove these nets and through our work we hope to spread the message and educate the Hong Kong community to the important role we all share to remove marine pollution, not just ghost gear but debris of all forms,” says Andrew Couch, Coordinator of Ghost Diving Hong Kong
The ghost fishing problem
It is estimated that 640,000 tons of fishing gear are lost or abandoned in the seas and oceans each year. It is plastic waste that does not biodegrade, remaining hundreds of years in the environment, all the while losing tiny particles called microplastics that end up in the food chain. The phenomenon takes the name “ghost fishing” because the nets that are made to appear invisible underwater are trapping and killing all manner of marine animals including turtles, fish, mammals and birds that get entangled, suffer and eventually die.
Fishing practices & trawling ban in Hong Kong
Capture fishing and aquaculture have a long history in Hong Kong, with the conservation of the environment and the well being of the fishing industry being at the forefront of the Hong Kong government’s agenda. Over the past few years, there has been a proactive approach to promote the conservation and preservation of Hong Kong’s marine habitat.
Since December 2012, there has been a ban on trawling within Hong Kong coastal waters to try to restore the damaged seabed. Combined with the Fisheries Protection Ordinance which is designed to regulate the size of local fishing vessels, these efforts aim at controlling fishing practices that resulted in the depletion and destruction of Hong Kong’s marine biodiversity.
Despite the efforts that have been made to conserve Hong Kong’s marine environment, there still remain challenges for the protection of the sea and coastline surrounding Hong Kong. For example, the numerous small speed boats that operate daily and deploy fine gill nets often for hundreds of meters along the sea floor. These are often lost or discarded becoming a major hazard to all marine life as well as the divers who enjoy Hong Kong’s waters. Volunteer divers also encounter the remains of nets from the trawlers that were lost or abandoned long ago and caught on submerged rocks and reefs (both natural and artificial) and aim to remove them from the ocean floor.
Hashtag: #HealthySeas
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Healthy Seas
Healthy Seas is a non-profit organisation with a mission to remove waste from the seas, in particular fishing nets, and ensure marine litter will become a valuable resource. Nylon fishing nets are regenerated into ECONYL® yarn, a high-quality raw material used to create new products, such as socks, swimwear, sportswear or carpets, while other types of plastic nets are also reused, becoming jewelry, accessories or provided for research and education purposes. Since its founding in 2013, Healthy Seas has collected over 905 tons of fishing nets and other marine litter with the help of volunteer divers and fishers.
Police Besiege Gunman in Thailand Who Killed at Least Three

BANGKOK (AP) — Police in Thailand said Wednesday they cordoned off a neighborhood in a city southwest of the capital and trapped a gunman inside his house after he shot dead at least three people and wounded several others.
Vientiane Authorities Clarify Pedestrian Bridge Construction After Online Complaints
Head of the Department of Public Works and Transport, Mr. Soulivanh Phommahaxay, recently spoke to residents about the construction of a pedestrian bridge at “LAK 5” on Kaysone Phomvihane Avenue in Vientiane Capital, following concerns raised on social media.
Dynamic US and Australian CEOs Tour Prince Horology, Asia’s Premier Swiss Watchmaking School

The delegation had the chance to tour the classrooms and engage with the students. The esteemed delegates also witnessed the use of state-of-the-art equipment in delivering a curriculum designed to meet Swiss standards.
Gabriel Tan, Chief Communications Officer of Prince Holding Group, expressed his gratitude for the visit, stating, “We are honored to host these dynamic leaders, learn from their extensive experience and showcase our human capital development program. In particular, Anthony’s immense contribution to the growth of Cambodia is truly remarkable and will be remembered for years to come.”
Prince Horology was founded by Neak Oknha Chen Zhi, Chairman of Prince Holding Group. This year, Prince Horology accepted its first two female students, in addition to its first student from Switzerland. The admission reinforces its dedication to providing top-notch education and promoting gender diversity. The inaugural batch of six Cambodian watchmakers is also currently serving as apprentices in the school to further refine their horological skills.
During the visit, Mr. Anthony Galliano commended Prince Horology’s commitment to human capital development. “The students and apprentices at Prince Horology are testaments to the fact that hard work and dedication to learning can open immense opportunities for Cambodian youth, and create a brighter future for the Kingdom,” he added.
At Prince Horology, students have access to Swiss-trained professionals with more than 60 years of combined experience in Swiss watchmaking and Swiss watchmaking education. Namely, the experience with The Swatch Group and Richemont, as well as world-renowned Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program (WOSTEP).
Hashtag: #PrinceHoldingGroup
https://www.linkedin.com/company/prince-group-cambodia/
https://www.facebook.com/princehorology
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Prince Holding Group
Prince Holding Group is one of Cambodia’s largest business groups spanning across real estate development, financial services, and consumer services.
Prince Holding Group’s key business units in Cambodia include Prince Real Estate Group, Prince Huan Yu Real Estate Group, Prince Bank, Cambodia Airways, Belt Road Capital Management, as well as Awesome Global Investment Group. Via its subsidiaries, Prince Holding Group has over 100 businesses in Cambodia operating in real estate development, banking, finance, aviation, tourism, logistics, technology, food and beverages, lifestyle sectors, etc.
Leveraging a network of industrial, business, and financial professionals across Asia, Prince Holding Group is firmly committed to the long-term development of Cambodia.
For more details, please visit: www.princeholdinggroup.com
About Prince Horology
At the Prince Horology Vocational Training Center in Cambodia, students learn the art of contemporary watchmaking through a comprehensive and practically based educational program that is unique in the Asia-Pacific region.
In this unique setting, students remain faithful to centuries of traditional Swiss watchmaking expertise. Through an unparalleled investment in modern state-of-the-art specialized equipment and technical know-how, the Prince Horology Vocational Training Center in Cambodia offers students an incredible opportunity to learn the art of Swiss watchmaking and gain skills which will serve them for a lifetime.
For more details, please visit: www.princehorology.com
Infobip announces new APAC leadership team to help businesses boost CX in the region
- Appointments signal the company’s commitment to Asia Pacific
- Infobip leads local and global businesses toward a conversational future
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 23 March 2023 – Infobip, a global cloud communications platform, has appointed Ruslana Reznikova as Vice President and General Manager, APAC & Eurasia, and Velid Begovic as Vice President, Revenue, APAC. The leadership appointments signal the company’s commitment to Asia Pacific and its objective to deliver improved business results for companies in the region by simplifying how they connect and engage with their customers at scale. Reznikova, who was previously the Managing Director, Eurasia, will leverage her deep understanding of the enterprise sector to help businesses execute their customer engagement strategies. At the same time, Begovic, previously Sales Director, APAC, will play an essential role in driving digital transformation with his expertise in cloud-based communications technology.

To further drive omnichannel customer experiences across APAC, the company has also appointed two Sales Directors, Tina Wang for North APAC and Cecile Perez Tizon for South APAC. Together, the new leadership team will enable companies to meet fast-evolving consumer demands in the region, helping them achieve better customer engagement with innovative omnichannel communication technology that creates seamless interactions between businesses and customers.
Silvio Kutic, CEO at Infobip, said: “Our commitment to the APAC region is not just a business strategy; it’s a reflection of our deep respect for the rich cultural diversity, entrepreneurial spirit, and innovative potential of this dynamic region. With our new leadership team in place, we are confident that we have the right people, with the right skills and vision, to steer our company towards a successful future.”
Infobip has been at the forefront of transforming the customer experience landscape through omnichannel solutions available on a single platform. The company is committed to enabling businesses to provide personalized interactions and paving the way for businesses across the region to create a direct, trusted, always-on connection throughout the customer journey—through the channels customers prefer.
Ruslana Reznikova, Vice President and General Manager, APAC & Eurasia, said: “Infobip is on an ambitious journey to help brands and businesses build and intelligently orchestrate all engagement activities across their customers’ lifecycles. As we embark on this next chapter, we are focused on enabling businesses with enhanced digital capabilities to lay the foundation for a conversational future built on connected experiences.”
Velid Begovic, Vice President Revenue, APAC, said: “The Asia Pacific region encompasses a wide range of diverse customer expectations. To capitalize on the potential opportunities and fulfil the demands of customers, both local and global businesses, can leverage omnichannel communications to develop always-on services and offer personalized interactions that foster trust and loyalty.”
Hashtag: #Infobip
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Infobip
Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected experiences across all stages of the customer journey. Accessed through a single platform, Infobip’s omnichannel engagement, identity, user authentication and contact centre solutions help businesses and partners overcome the complexity of consumer communications to grow business and increase loyalty. With over a decade of industry experience, Infobip has expanded to 70+ offices globally. It offers natively built technology with the capacity to reach over seven billion mobile devices and ‘things’ in 6 continents connected to over 9,700+ connections of which 800+ are direct operator connections. Infobip was established in 2006 and is led by its co-founders, CEO Silvio Kutić, Roberto Kutić and Izabel Jelenić.
Recent award wins include:
- Infobip named a leader in the CPaaS Leaderboard, Juniper Research (February 2023)
- Infobip named a leader in the CCaaS Leaderboard, Juniper Research (Aug 2022)
- Omdia Ranks Infobip as Leader in CPaaS Universe Report (May 2022)
- Ranked the leading service provider in CPaaS by Juniper Research in its new Competitor Leaderboard CPaaS Vendors (October 2021)
- Infobip named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) 2021 Vendor Assessment (doc #US46746221, May 2021)
- Best A2P SMS provider for the fourth year running by mobile operators and enterprises in ROCCO’s annual Messaging Vendor Benchmarking Report
- Best CPaaS Provider of the Year, Best RCS Provider of the Year, and Mover & Shaker in Telco Innovation at the 2021 Juniper Digital Awards
Cambodian Court Charges Activists with Insulting King Online

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Two anti-government activists in Cambodia were charged in court Wednesday with insulting the king and incitement to commit a felony for comments they made on social media about Prime Minister Hun Sen and King Norodom Sihamoni.
Velocity Global Announces New Financial Metrics; Crosses $200M ARR
Valued at $2B, the global talent solution provider reports significant momentum as the demand for remote-first workplace solutions accelerates
Denver, US – News Direct – 22 March 2023 – Velocity Global, the leading provider of global talent solutions, today announced new financial metrics and corporate momentum to include:
- Crossed the $200M ARR threshold.
- More than 40% organic growth YoY.
- Profitable YTD in 2023, as it has been seven of the last nine years.
- Nearly 1,500 customers, including Databricks, Penguin Random House, Linksys, International Justice Mission, Crunchbase, Dragonfly, and Schwans International.
- Enhancements to the employee and employer experience through partnerships with companies like Upflex and strategic integrations with leading HR technologies like BambooHR, Greenhouse, HiBob, and Namely.
- Platform updates including automated quoting and faster, self-service employment contract creation, which is already helping early customers experience 50% faster onboarding times as well as a forthcoming simplified UI to improve the customer experience.

The increase in demand for technology platforms that make it possible to compliantly hire and pay talent around the world has provided significant tailwinds for Velocity Global. That demand has been accelerated by economic uncertainty and other macroeconomic issues that make remote work, global expansion, and access to talent mission critical. Earlier this month, nearly 20% of Velocity Global’s client base was directly affected by Silicon Valley Bank, accounting for hundreds of millions of dollars in payroll. The good news: redundancies built directly into the Global Work Platform – alongside a strong balance sheet and ample liquidity – allowed us to ensure our clients’ payroll would not be disrupted.
“Velocity Global’s growth is a testament to our team’s commitment in building a solution that is defining the future of work, while navigating the complexities of compensating employees across the world in a compliant way,” said Ben Wright, CEO and co-founder. “In our industry, being right is just as important as being fast, and that’s reinforced by 70% of our customers who cite compliance measures as to why they chose our platform. The fact is that recent developments in the financial sector reminded us that building redundancies around payroll and compliance are non-negotiable. We are building a platform that isn’t just reactionary to the industry, but pioneering its future.”
Other Notable Milestones & Company Updates:
- Key Technology & Product Hires: Across design, engineering and technology including Winnie Wong, Vice President of Design, Kumar Ramanathan, Vice President of Engineering & Chief Architect, and Chuck Kim, Vice President of Cloud and Corporate Infrastructure.
- Global Expansion: Offering support in more than 185 countries with more than 7,500 supported employees across more than 60 entities around the world. This includes recent additions like Ghana, Egypt, Uruguay, Ukraine, and Argentina, with several more planned for Q2.
- Customers: Velocity Global continues to expand its enterprise clientele with more than a dozen major universities, 50+ global retail brands, dozens of nonprofits including three NGO’s, and thousands of other large companies in every major industry spanning rocket builders to amusement parks to publishers to technology companies to cutting-edge investment firms.
- New Partnerships: With Upflex, whose platform gives people access to 10,000 locations from more than 1,250 providers – including Wework, Industrious, and The Office Group, Velocity Global now has the capabilities to offer non-traditional benefits options for clients and supported employees.
- Industry Analyst Recognition: Velocity Global was named as a leader in NelsonHall’s Vendor Evaluation & Assessment Tool (NEAT) for global employer of record (EoR) services as well as Everest Group’s PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2022 for employer of record (EoR) solutions.
- Integrations: New integrations with Bamboo HR, Greenhouse, HiBob, and Namely to source talent, onboard, and manage the workforce, remove the friction of dealing with multiple systems and data transfers. Most companies already use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and HR Information Systems (HRIS), so by integrating these into Velocity Global’s EoR solution, Global Work Platform, expanding and maintaining a global workforce becomes as easy as a click away.
“We’ve seen double-digit growth in the EoR market over the last few years and expect this growth to continue as the model addresses a very real need for companies to attract and retain top talent anywhere in the world,” said Jeanine Crane-Thompson, Principal HR Analyst at NelsonHall. “As an early player in the industry, Velocity Global stands out with its deep in-country expertise and continued technology innovation providing its customers with peace of mind and speed as it comes to employing talent across the globe.”
For more information, visit www.velocityglobal.com.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Velocity Global
Velocity Global helps you compliantly hire, pay, and manage anyone, anywhere. We simplify the employer and talent experience—combining cloud-based technology and unmatched human support in 185+ countries. Start hiring across borders at VelocityGlobal.com.