The Government of Laos has set up a special committee to reform Electricite du Laos (EDL) as part of attempts to reign in bloated but underperforming state enterprises.
Laos Forms New Committee to Reform Struggling Power Company

Laos Government, UNICEF and UNFPA Sign MOU on National Survey on Woman and Child Wellbeing
The Lao Social Indicator Survey III is a survey tool that will help generate useful national and provincial data to help inform the Lao Government’s policies and track socio-economic development progress in the country.
Phu Bia Mining Builds Road for Future Development of Xaysomboun Province
Phu Bia Mining handed on Thursday over its 100 per cent investment in the newly constructed concrete road in Nam Mo village, located in Xaisomboun Province’s Anouvong District.
Hong Kong Shopping Centre Industry Leaders flaunt their A-Game winning in the inaugural ISCM Awards 2021
Founded by the Institute of Shopping Centre Management in 2020, the Awards set the stage with the theme “The Proven Strengths of Asia’s Shopping City: Hong Kong”, for local malls to collectively establish what it truly takes to be at the heart of Hong Kong’s culture and to duly claim its title as the “city of malls”.
ISCM Chairman, Mr Baldwin Ko said, “We are grateful to see our local professionals always thinking several steps ahead when it comes to supporting our shopping centres and the community they serve. We are all aware of how challenging the past 2 years have been for the industry, not just for the malls, but for the teams, tenants and all staff. And today, we celebrate all winners for giving Hong Kong’s malls that extra edge and generating healthy competition for the continuous development of our economy and its articulation for a prosperous Greater Bay Area.
OC Chairlady of ISCM Awards 2021, Ms Angie Chung added, “Our city is the densest concentration of shopping malls and we’ve witnessed them in the best and worst of times. So, we are very proud of all the professionals in the industry. Especially in the past few years with social unrest and the pandemic, it was truly a difficult time for shopping malls’ frontline staff and operators, yet the industry used its creativity and adapted to the situation; with latest examples from strategically thought-out promotions for the potential revenge shopping that can be leveraged by consumption vouchers provided by the government. In comparison to last October’s results, Hong Kong’s retail sales rose 12 percent year-on-year with the assistance of the e-vouchers, and we hope to see resembling results in 2022.”
The competition is strong with largely developers and their respective shopping malls winning various awards including Best Rejuvenate Shopping Centre, Best Retail Marketing and Promotion Campaign, Best Retail Leasing Team, Best Property Management Team, and Best Corporate Social Responsibility Project. All winners have been duly recognised by the jury panel for their commitment to upholding the standards for all of Asia’s shopping centres, particularly in Hong Kong.
Results of the ISCM Awards 2021 are as follows:
Category | Project Name | Award Type |
Best Rejuvenate Shopping Centre | Hin Keng Shopping Centre | Grand |
HarbourNorth | Excellence | |
Lok Fu Place | Excellence | |
New Town Plaza | Merit | |
V Walk | Merit | |
Best Retail Marketing and Promotion Campaign | Olympian City – Leonardo da vinci | Grand |
apm – Flash of Beauty Livestream 2020 | Excellence | |
CityWalk & Lee Tung Avenue 「Gaia」地球藝術裝置展覽 | Excellence | |
T.O.P. – Cheap Century Christmas Campaign | Excellence | |
Lee Tung Avenue – The Spirit of Christmas | Merit | |
Lee Tung Avenue – Butterflies of Hope | Merit | |
Lok Fu Place – Lok Fu Place Urban Retreat | Merit | |
Olympian City – Doraemon Secret Garden Laboratory | Merit | |
Tai Po Mega Mall – Online Learning is Fun | Merit | |
Best Retail Leasing Team | 618 Shanghai Street | Excellence |
Park Aura | Excellence | |
Best Property Management Team | World Trade Centre | Grand |
CityWalk | Excellence | |
Metroplaza | Excellence | |
Landmark North | Merit | |
MOKO | Merit | |
Tsuen Wan Plaza | Merit | |
Best Corporate Social Responsibility Project | Metroplaza | Grand |
Tai Po Mega Mall – United for Kids Future | Excellence | |
CityWalk | Merit | |
Tai Po Mega Mall – Love Our Earth | Merit |
For more award details, please visit: www.iscmawards.com/2021
About ISCM
The Institute of Shopping Centre Management (ISCM) is a non-profit organization founded by a group of local shopping centre professionals, certified practitioners and professors in the shopping centre management industry. We have extensive knowledge, skills and practical experience in managing various shopping centre portfolios in Hong Kong and the Mainland China. As a professional society and a recognized governing body in Hong Kong, ISCM aims to standardise and enrich the overall professional profiles within the industry and act as a representative in the shopping centre industry. Our mission is to identify various prospective channels with government bodies, thereby creating a platform to exchange best practices in the art and science of shopping centre management within the Asia Pacific region.
#ISCM
CPA Australia: Malaysian small businesses are gearing up for an innovative 2022
This innovative small business culture is critical to Malaysia attaining a ‘high technology nation’ status by 2030, supporting long-term growth and improving the competitiveness of Malaysia’s small businesses.
CPA Australia’s Malaysian Digital Transformation Committee Chairman Bryan Chung FCPA (Aust.) said the findings on Malaysia’s innovative culture are encouraging when compared to small businesses from Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan.
Bryan said that business owners’ mindsets have shifted, which augurs well. Business owners are now motivated to pursue technological innovations for long-term growth as opposed to short-term survival.
“The findings are indicative of a new generation of entrepreneurs who are tech-savvy, innovative and eager to promote what their business has to offer, both to the region and the world. Malaysian respondents are typically younger with 55.9 per cent under 40, compared with the survey average of 45.2 per cent.
“The focus on technology is reflected in cybersecurity preparedness, with 40.1 per cent of local small businesses reviewing their cybersecurity measures in the past six months, while 38.5 per cent expected their business will be cyberattacked in 2022,” he said.
Bryan also observed that the reasonable rate of technology investment is heartening against a highly challenging business environment where survival and sustainability is paramount. Of the businesses surveyed, close to 40 per cent invested in technology and said their investment improved their profitability. While for some it may have been a knee-jerk response, the positive business outcomes will to a large extent, validate continuous investments.
“This demonstrates that Malaysia’s small businesses are generally pretty good at adopting technology into their business, however there is room to improve. We suggest that more small businesses seek information and advice to ensure they adopt the right technology solutions for their business,” said Bryan.
Reflecting the tech-savvy nature of many Malaysian small businesses, eight in ten earned revenue from online sales and 62.5 per cent received more than 10 per cent of their sales through digital payment options such as Grabpay, Alipay and iPay88.
Given the impact of COVID-19, it’s not surprising that of those that sought external finance in 2021, close to 55 per cent sought it for business survival and nearly half found that accessing finance was challenging.
Malaysia is also the only market where businesses found it more difficult than easy to pay their debts in 2021. These solvency problems are expected to continue this year with Malaysian small businesses again more likely to expect difficulty repaying debt than easy repayment conditions.
Despite facing a difficult 2021, during which Malaysia’s small businesses were more likely to report that they shrunk than grew, most are bullish about their expected performance this year. Just over 66 per cent of businesses expect to grow, which is higher than the survey average of 61.9 per cent.
Read CPA Australia’s Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey 2021-2022
About CPA Australia
CPA Australia is one of the largest professional accounting bodies in the world, with more than 170,000 members in over 100 countries and regions, including more than 10,500 members in Malaysia. CPA Australia has been operating in Malaysia since 1956 and opened our Malaysian office in 1994. Our core services include education, training, technical support and advocacy. CPA Australia provides thought leadership on local, national and international issues affecting the accounting profession and public interest. We engage with governments, regulators and industries to advocate policies that stimulate sustainable economic growth and have positive business and public outcomes. Find out more at cpaaustralia.com.au
#CPAAustralia
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Masan High-Tech Materials’ Tungsten production hits record highs

In 2021, MHT’s total Tungsten production increased by a record 97% compared to 2020, 26% of production came from recycling of tungsten scraps with 74% coming from primary supply sources including MHT’s Nui Phao in Thai Nguyen. Net Revenues were up 86% year on year at VND13,564 billion. Tungsten revenues were significantly higher due to the consolidation of H.C. Starck Tungsten Powders (“H.C. Starck”) and the higher APT price for FY2021 ($286/mtu) as compared to the same period last year ($222/mtu). EBITDA increased by 114% for 12M2021 at VND3,070 billion. Our forward order book is the strongest it has been in many years, which is positive for both sales volumes and prices.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Craig Richard Bradshaw, CEO of Masan High-Tech Materials said “Masan High-Tech Materials performed strongly in 2021 despite the challenges of the global Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent impact on global supply chains and transport systems. We achieved record revenue for the year along with record tungsten production and recycling rates”.
2021 witnessed results of the successful integration with the tungsten business platform of H.C. Starck operating in Germany, Canada and China when Masan High-Tech Materials robustly carried out technology transfer, leveraging more than 100 years of experience of H.C. Starck, while at the same time promoting global business restructuring with the goal of improving operational efficiency and expanding the business and product portfolio. The HCS business contributed significantly to the overall MHT result with an EBITDA of VND 746 billion whilst the Vietnam-based businesses (Nui Phao Mining and Masan Tungsten Company) contributed VND 2,324 billion to the overall result. This result vindicates the decision to acquire the HCS business in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and sets MHT up well for the future.
Our ongoing investment in innovation and development is also delivering value with new customer-centric products specifically tailored for the electric mobility and 3D printing segments coming into the market soon. Beyond these new product ranges the team have also developed new analytical equipment which is now in prototyping stage having been patented in late 2021. In recycling, we have filed additional patent applications for a new recycling process for cobalt bearing sludges and battery black mass. This new process will enable the recycling of various hard cutting tool sludges and battery black mass with a lower environmental footprint than current recycling processes. We see this as a potential game changer for environmentally sustainable recycling of Copper, Cobalt, Nickel, Manganese, Lithium etc. from these materials.
With a strong commitment to investment in technology and innovation across all processing chains, Masan High-Tech Materials continues to dominate the high-tech materials manufacturing industry, while gaining further acclaim at both national and international levels, with 16 domestic patents, 87 international patents, 54 application patents, 40 ongoing scientific projects and 32 projects in the ideation stage.
Mr. Danny Le – Chairman of Masan High-Tech Materials shared the company’s strategic vision for 2022-2025 “In the very near future, Masan High-Tech Materials will be more than a supplier of strategic high-tech materials, partnering with disruptive consumer technology platforms to create direct-to-consumer products where tungsten is a key element. Most importantly, we envision a circular platform where we can recycle these products to drive sustainability and productivity”.
In 2022, the Company will continue to focus on recycling raw materials, implementing carbon neutrality initiatives and promoting the benefits of the circular economy. In the context of the global economic recovery after Covid-19, positive signals in the tungsten market and the shift from gasoline to electric vehicles, Tungsten prices will be likely to go up in 2022. The company expects to achieve 2022 revenue of about VND 14,500-15,000 billion, pre-allocated net profit to shareholders is about VND 300 billion to 500 billion.
At the meeting the shareholders also approved the issuance of new shares under the employee stock ownership program (ESOP) at the price of VND20,000 /share, which is expected to take place in the second quarter of 2022. This incentive policy aims to recognize contributions of outstanding employees to the company. Proceeds from the issuance will be used to improve capital conditions, fund business activities, and replenish the company’s working capital.
Towards building a long-term sustainable business for Masan people and the community, Masan High-Tech Materials remains committed to ‘Growth through Sustainability’, striving to affirm its position and brand in the domestic market and area. In the future, Masan High-Tech Materials will not only be a supplier of strategic high-tech materials. We focus on research and development and cooperate with the world’s leading innovative businesses to create strategic and high-tech advanced materials. We also strive for steady improvement of our processes to meet the ever-changing needs of high-tech industry customers. Our ambitions remain on going downstream and building a global consumer business. “Instead of just supplying key materials to make smartphones, cars, planes, and submarines, Masan High-Tech Materials may one day create practical consumer products for these critical industries”, Bradshaw said.
ABOUT MASAN HIGH-TECH MATERIALS
Masan High-Tech Materials is the global leader in providing advanced tungsten materials used in key industries such as electronics, chemical, automotive, aviation and aerospace, energy and pharmaceuticals with production facilities in Vietnam, Germany, Canada and China, servicing the world. As the largest manufacturer of mid-stream tungsten products outside of China, the company has two research and development centers in Germany and Vietnam, and it is currently operating the Nui Phao polymetallic mine and a state-of-the art processing plant in Thai Nguyen province. Masan High-Tech Materials is also a globally significant producer of fluorspar and bismuth.
#MasanHighTechMaterials
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Laos Confirms 229 New Cases of Covid-19
Laos has recorded 229 cases of Covid-19 across the country today.
Launch of RARE AS NFT by NBA All-Star LaMelo Ball in May
Connecting fans, NFT enthusiasts in Metaverse
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 25 April 2022 – NBA Charlotte Hornets player LaMelo Ball is ready to meet fans and other NFT enthusiasts in the metaverse through his very own NFT project RARE AS by LaMelo Ball – set to launch in May! A project designed to form an extraordinary community, RARE AS will connect the All-Star player with fans and others in the RARE AS Metaverse as a team, showering them with countless exclusive rewards. Are you ready to catch these alley-oops?

Inspired by Ball’s zodiac sign Leo, the RARE AS NFT project features a series of 3D built artistic lions with streetwear and accessories that simply resemble LaMelo Ball. 10,000 NFTs are minted, for sale starting in May.
Ball believes that an NFT project’s success lies in the effectiveness of related products and events in assembling individuals with common interests. As such, the goal of RARE AS is for LaMelo Ball and fans to embark on a journey in the metaverse as a team, connect them and other NFT enthusiasts around the world, and create a cohesive platform for metaverse dwellers to exchange insights. Not only do holders of the RARE AS NFT own the avatar, but they also get chance to receive exclusive rewards – LaMelo Ball figurines, autographed jerseys and basketball shoes – to name but a few. The NFT project will also COL-LAB with phone case brand ONLLY CASE to “Tailor-mint” your NFT phone case!
In addition to creating a LaMelo Ball community, RARE AS introduces RARE AS: THE ARENA – a basketball GameFi platform for the public and NFT holders to join a multi-player Streetball game. Upon accomplishing a task or winning a game, NFT holders will earn game tokens that enable them to trade or unlock gear, gifts, and other items. According to the developer, THE ARENA will soon be open to other metaverse avatars. Ever dreamt of playing a basketball game with Bored Ape from BAYC or Azuki characters? RARE AS: THE ARENA will make your dream come true!
“The potential of RARE AS simply exhilarates everyone in the team,” Ball remarks. “It’s surreal to be able to connect NBA stars, fans, and other NFT enthusiasts. We also want to give new meaning and perspectives to the NFT culture, so that it’s not just a costly JPEG file.”
There are countless NFT projects in recent years, with several hundred launches every month. Trades on Opensea have even plummeted by 50% in Q1 this year, triggering worries about the prospects for the NFT industry. Despite that, LaMelo Ball’s project crew views it as an opportunity to turn NFT as a speculative investment into a productive Web3 derivative. They are confident that the evolving market will reinforce the development of NFT and DeFi (Decentralized Finance). What a young, fine man with great acumen – both in a basketball court and in the investment market!
NFT Newbie-friendly
New to trading NFT and interested in RARE AS by LaMelo Ball? Fret not! There are specialists in the community who can help to set up your virtual wallet and educate you about DM frauds. Holders of RARE AS NFT automatically become members of the RARE AS private club in the metaverse. The NFT is also a member-specific game pass that grants access to customizable gear and multi-player basketball games, as well as numerous exclusive discounts, gifts, and RARE AS worldwide celebrations – a truly unmissable opportunity to meet LaMelo Ball in person!
Click here to download photos: https://bit.ly/LaMelo_Ball_NFT
Website: https://www.rareaslamelo.io/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RareAs_LaMelo/
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/nfnWArUHb8
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rareas_lamelo/
Onllycase: http://onllycase.com/
About LeMelo Ball
Born in 2001, LaMelo Ball is from a family of basketball players. His father LaVar Ball is a former American Football player and NCAA basketball player, whereas his two elder brothers Lonzo Ball and LiAngelo Ball are players in the NBA and NBA G-League respectively. Currently, LaMelo Ball plays for the Michael Jordan-owned Charlotte Hornets as a point guard. He was selected by the Hornets with the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft, and was voted the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021 and named an NBA All-Star in 2022.
#LeMeloBall