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Scientists Map Threats Against Valuable Asian Rosewood

Rosewood plantation in Laos
A Rosewood plantation in Laos.

The extremely valuable Asian Rosewood tree faces several threats to its survival, according to a new study, published last month in the scientific journal Biological Conservation. 

TRON DAO and Other Blockchain Leaders Jointly Roll out USDD

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Media OutReach – 5 May 2022 – On May 5, Justin Sun, Founder of TRON, announced on Twitter that the TRON DAO Reserve rolled out a decentralized stablecoin named USDD, which has so far been listed on Sunswap, Sun.io, Curve, Uniswap, Ellipsis, Pancakeswap, Kyberswap, etc., with an initial total supply of one hundred million. Through the cross-chain protocol BTTC, both of the circulating supply on Ethereum and BSC are near twenty million.

USDD is a decentralized algorithmic stablecoin launched collaboratively by the TRON DAO Reserve and top-tier mainstream blockchain institutions. The USDD protocol runs on the TRON network, is connected to Ethereum and BNBChain through the BTTC cross-chain protocol, and will be accessible across more blockchains in the future. USDD is pegged to the US Dollar (USD) through TRX and maintains its price stability to ensure users have access to a stable and decentralized digital dollar system that guarantees financial freedom. The website of USDD is now online (http://usdd.io) . The contract address shall be subject to the announcement on the official website. The addresses of Tron, Ethereum and BSC are:

https://tronscan.org/#/token20/TPYmHEhy5n8TCEfYGqW2rPxsghSfzghPDn

https://etherscan.io/token/0x0C10bF8FcB7Bf5412187A595ab97a3609160b5c6

https://bscscan.com/token/0xd17479997f34dd9156deef8f95a52d81d265be9c

USDD is a cryptocurrency issued by the TRON DAO Reserve with a highly stable price and diverse use cases. It is based on TRON and pegged to the U.S. dollar at a ratio of 1:1, which means regardless of market volatility, the USDD protocol will keep USDD stable at 1: 1 against the US dollar via proper algorithms in a decentralized manner. Like other TRC-20 tokens, USDD can be traded with no brokers; it depends solely on the smart contracts on the TRON network. Being free from the control of any individual or organization makes USDD more capable of playing its role as a stablecoin. As a fast, low-fee crypto asset with a large supply and competent for cross-border transactions, USDD brings its holders tremendous benefits of the blockchain technology without the risk of volatility.

According to available information,the TRON-based decentralized stablecoin USDD was born with the mission of building a modern financial system on the blockchain. Its permissions are managed by the TRON DAO Reserve, which functions as its early custodian. Also, the TRON DAO Reserve ensures USDD’s price stability and decentralization by collateralizing this cryptocurrency with reserves. This organization aims to safeguard the overall blockchain industry and crypto market, prevent panic trading caused by financial crises, and mitigate severe and long-term economic downturns. By setting risk-free interest rates and regulating the market through liquidity provision, it is able to stabilize the exchange rates of centralized and decentralized stablecoins on TRON and other blockchains. It also intends to formulate and implement monetary and exchange rate policies, play the role of a lender of last resort to minimize systemic risks and ensure the stability of the financial market.

On April 21, TRON founder Justin Sun tweeted an open letter stating that the TRON DAO Reserve, at its initial stage, would provide custody service for the $10 billion worth of highly liquid assets raised from initiators of the blockchain industry as an early-stage reserve, all of which would go to the TRON DAO Reserve in six to twelve months. The Reserve will continue to attract more liquidity assets into its reserves to better play its role as a decentralized institution.

After four years of growth, TRON has seen over 88 million on-chain users and 3 billion transactions in its ecosystem. At present, the circulating supply of TRC-20 USDT has exceeded that of ERC-20 USDT, making TRON the world’s largest stablecoin network, which boasts over $55 billion worth of financial assets, including on-chain stablecoins, and has settled and cleared $4 trillion worth of assets. In December 2021, the TRON network became fully decentralized and was restructured into the TRON DAO community, the largest decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) in the world.

At the end of 2021, Justin Sun was officially appointed by the government of Grenada as its Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO and was authorized to represent Grenada at the WTO meetings during his mandate. Justin said that he would proactively promote the integration of cryptocurrencies and sovereign states to build a new financial system that is secure, efficient, and inclusive. In the meantime, he would also leverage his experience in the digital currency field for a joint response to the new challenges regarding digital transformation in the post-pandemic era.

#TRONDAO

Schneider Electric Forms Strategic Partnership with Inchcape to Provide One-Stop Total eMobility Solutions for Car Park Operators and Electric Vehicle (EV) Drivers

  • Best-in-class EV solutions with charging facilities and comprehensive services will increase driver convenience and promote Hong Kong’s Smart Mobility and Sustainability
  • Schneider Electric unveils new EV chargers, EVlink™ Pro AC and EVlink™ Home, for efficient, resilient and sustainable all-electric transportation

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 5 May 2022 – Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announced a strategic partnership with Inchcape, world’s leading international vehicle services groups, to launch a portfolio of one-stop total eMobility solutions for EVs.

Schneider Electric announced today a strategic partnership with Inchcape, world’s leading international vehicle services groups, to launch a portfolio of one-stop total eMobility solutions for EVs. Jonathan Chiu, President, Schneider Electric Hong Kong (right), and Ted Lau, Managing Director of Greater China of Inchcape (left), came together in a signing ceremony to seal the collaboration.

The rapid transition to zero emission vehicles is vital to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change. That transition is accelerating, especially in Hong Kong where in March 2022, EVs represented about 3.4% of the total number of vehicles.

Supporting the HKSAR government’s EV popularization initiative and the Home Subsidy Scheme, the company has planned to install around 3,000 EV chargers in nearly 90 locations by the end of the year. This will pave the way to achieving its goal of installing more than 15,000 EV chargers by 2025.

“As an impact company, Schneider Electric is dedicated to helping customers, partners and communities around the world to make positive, long-term changes. We are proud to partner with Inchcape to contribute to the global electrification and decarbonization of transport and help Hong Kong achieve its ambition of reaching net-zero in terms of carbon emissions by 2050,” said Jonathan Chiu, President of Schneider Electric Hong Kong.

Strategic Collaboration with Inchcape

Sharing the same vision for an efficient and sustainable future for electric mobility, Schneider Electric has formed a strategic partnership with Inchcape to provide car park operators, facilities managers, as well as private EV drivers with an integrated EV solution, including electric cars, seamless charging and comprehensive services.

“This collaboration is an important step in popularizing EVs and supporting the growth of sustainable mobility across Hong Kong. Combining our advanced EV charging technology with Inchcape’s extensive business network, we will accelerate the development of smart, end-to-end solutions and transform the entire electric mobility ecosystem,” said Chiu.

2.jpg

This year, Schneider Electric has planned to launch two new EV chargers, EVlink™ Pro AC (left) and EVlink™ Home (right). The advanced connectivity and smart charging of EVlink Pro AC enable remote monitoring and control, and optimize energy consumption; while EVlink Home is a simple and easy to install charger for homeowners, minimizing any risk of power supply disruptions.

Ted Lau, Managing Director of Greater China of Inchcape said, “The country’s 14th Five-Year Plan stipulates that carbon neutrality is a priority development direction, leading to the growth of new energy vehicle as a strategic, new product industry. In Hong Kong’s Roadmap on Popularization of Electric Vehicles, the HKSAR Government has also committed to driving EV development, with a forecast of 150,000 units of charging devices built in private commercial or residential parking spaces and another 5,000 units in public charging facilities by 2025. Consistent with the Government’s goal to build more charging facilities to address a pain-point in the development of the current EV market, Inchcape is collaborating with Schneider Electric to provide drivers with more charging facilities and solutions.”

EcoStruxure™ for eMobility for an efficient, resilient and sustainable all-electric mobility

The electrification of transportation is critical in the journey to a net-zero future. Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure for eMobility is a connected, end-to-end solution that is easy to install, maintains power reliability in car parks and buildings, and provides a convenient experience for operators and EV drivers.

This year, the company plans to launch two innovative new EV chargers for eMobility, catering different users’ needs:

EVlink™ Pro AC for landlords, car park operators, and facility managers:

Advanced connectivity enables remote monitoring and control and supports third party payment systems

Smart charging optimizes energy consumption and maximizes uptime and efficiency

Modular and scalable design allows flexibility for operators to add EV chargers whenever needed

EVlink™ Home for homeowners:

Accessible and interoperable with all EVs on the market

Robust design (waterproof and impact resistant) is suitable for outdoor and indoor use

– Optional Peak Controller minimizes the risk of power supply disruptions

The new EV chargers are Green Premium™ certified, which promises compliance with the latest regulations, transparency on environmental impacts, as well as minimizing CO2 footprint.

Beyond EV chargers, landlords, car park operators, and facility managers are also looking for ways to improve energy management and reshape EV charging infrastructure to accommodate increased electricity demands. Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure EV Charging Expert, a charging load management system, enables property owners or operators to efficiently monitor and control EV infrastructure and smartly distribute real-time available power to charging stations within their building.

Aspiring to a future of net-zero eMobility, these capabilities are all part of Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure for eMobility, which offers a complete, end-to-end integrated ecosystem of hardware, software and services. They help owners, individuals, and stakeholders involved in public and private eMobility infrastructure projects to make them resilient, efficient and green to support future demand and address the challenges posed by climate change.

Appendix: Highlights of Schneider Electric EV Chargers

For landlords of commercial and residential buildings, car park operators, and facility managers For homeowners
EVlink™ Pro AC EVlink™ Home
Advanced connectivity and sustainable

  • Supports remote monitoring and control, making operations more efficient
  • Smart charging optimizes energy consumption

Flexible and user-friendly

  • Modular and scalable design
  • Accessible and interoperable with all EVs on the market
  • Simple and intuitive to install, commission, use, operate and maintain

Reliable and safe compliant

  • Robust design (waterproof and impact resistant) is suitable for indoor and outdoor use
  • Compliant with international safety standards
Budget-friendly and sustainable

  • Affordable solution
  • With Green Premium™ label and sustainable certifications

Convenient and user-friendly

  • Accessible and interoperable with all EVs on the market
  • Easy for homeowners to install and use

Reliable and safe compliant

  • Optional Peak Controller minimizes the risk of power supply disruptions
  • Robust design (waterproof and impact resistant) is suitable for indoor and outdoor use
  • Compliant with international safety standards
Will be available in Sep 2022 Will be available in Jul 2022

For high-resolution images, please download here.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.

We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.



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#LifeIsOn #eMobility #EVcharger #EcoStruxure

Laos Confirms 230 New Cases of Covid-19

Covid-19 Update Vientiane

Laos has recorded 230 cases of Covid-19 across the country today.

AsiaInfo CEO Gao Nianshu voted “Best CEO in China” in FinanceAsia poll

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 5 May 2022 – FinanceAsia, an authoritative financial magazine in Asia, recently announced the results of its 2022 Asia’s Best Companies poll. Mr. Gao Nianshu, executive director and CEO of AsiaInfo Technologies Limited (“AsiaInfo” or “the Company”, stock code: 01675.HK), was voted “Best CEO in China”.

FinanceAsia is one of the most representative and influential capital market journals in Asia Pacific region and an international authoritative financial magazine for institutional investors, analysts and fund managers. Its Asia’s Best Companies poll covers companies from more than 10 countries in Asia, where respected analysts and investors in different regions are invited to vote and assess the overall management and performance of various attributes of companies in Asia Pacific region. The results are considered as highly representative, fair and influential in the market.

The achievement of the award demonstrated Mr. Gao’s excellent corporate management and governance capabilities were recognised by the industry and capital market, and at the same time, was an endorsement of AsiaInfo’s leadership in overall management.

In July 2016, Mr. Gao was appointed as the executive director and CEO of AsiaInfo. Under his leadership, AsiaInfo accurately grasped the opportunity of digital transformation of economy and society, pioneered in “Data-driven operation as-a-service (DSaaS)” business and was successfully listed on the Mainboard of Hong Kong Stock Exchange in end 2018.

In 2019, AsiaInfo formulated the strategy of “One consolidation, Three development”, building on the solid foundation in telecommunication operators market to accelerate the growth of DSaaS and gradually and successfully penetrate into other large enterprises markets, such as finance, government affairs, energy, cable TV, transportation and postal, etc., and set the goal of “business scale to exceed RMB10 billion and the new businesses to contribute a half by 2025”, which embarked the “reengineering journey” of AsiaInfo.

In the three years after listing, on cumulative basis, AsiaInfo’s revenue, net profit, earnings per share and net assets per share were up by 32.8%, 283.2%, 168.8% and 30.3% respectively. In 2021, the Company’s operating revenue reached RMB6.9 billion and “The three new businesses” revenue accounted for more than 22% of operating revenue. The business transformation achieved remarkable results, demonstrating the Company’s strong strategic execution and management capabilities.

In early 2022, AsiaInfo successfully acquired iResearch and forged seven core digital and intelligent capabilities, namely consulting and planning, product development, implementation and delivery, system integration, smart decision-making, data operation, and customer service, creating a closed-loop offerings to customers and becoming a leading provider with full-stack digital and intelligent capabilities.

In recent years, AsiaInfo has firmly implemented the national “dual carbon” (i.e. carbon peaking and carbon neutrality) strategy and pledged to achieve “carbon peak” in 2025 and “carbon neutrality” in 2028, while empowering the implementation of “dual carbon” in society at large with scientific and technological capabilities. Moreover, AsiaInfo is a firm advocate and performer of corporate social responsibility, with active participation in the work of fighting the epidemic with science and technology, poverty alleviation and education support, delivering corporate citizenship with actions.

About AsiaInfo Technologies Limited

AsiaInfo Technologies Limited (stock code: 01675 HK) was founded in 1993 and successfully listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 19 December 2018. It is a leading provider of software products, solutions and services, a leading provider of integrated cloud and network management services, and a leading provider with full-stack digital and intelligent capabilities.

#AsiaInfoTechnology

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

Lao Officials Promote Environmental Protection at Mining Projects

Vangtat Mining Company in Attapeu Province, Laos
Vangtat Mining Company in Attapeu Province, Laos.

Laos is promoting investment in mining to boost revenue through the export of natural resources, however, officials say it must also ensure environmental protection. 

YGG SEA Announces its $SEA Token IDO Public Sale on Copper

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 5 May 2022 – Yield Guild Games Southeast Asia (YGG SEA), a sub-decentralised autonomous organisation (subDAO) of blockchain gaming startup Yield Guild Games (YGG), announced the upcoming Initial DEX Offering (IDO) of its $SEA token begins on May 9th at 11:00 MYT (GMT+8) and runs until the 14th, on Copper launchpad.

The IDO will offer community members the opportunity to stake a total of 75 million tokens, representing 7.5 percent of the total supply of one billion tokens. The starting price is set at $0.50.

“The IDO is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to appreciate our community’s unconditional support,” said YGG SEA Co-founder Irene Umar. “We are where we are because of the community and we would like the community to own a piece of YGG SEA through the IDO.”

As the governance token of YGG SEA, $SEA gives community members the right to vote on governance proposals, ecosystem reward allocations, most desired features and reward models that reflect local needs, and whitelist opportunities for both non-GameFi/GameFi non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The Token Launch Auction on Copper allows for real-time price discovery, open and permission-less participation, and fair distribution of tokens. It disincentivises front-running bots and whales to get the $SEA token into the hands of as many participants as possible, a commitment the guild takes to provide a fair and transparent playing field for everyone who wants to participate in the IDO.

Surpasses 10,000 Scholarships in Just Six Months of Launch

In YGG Ecosystem, the goal is not just to onboard players as scholars; but to also be the bridge that brings the Web2 community into Web3 space through GameFi. It has been aggressively onboarding scholars through heavy localisation and a grassroots level approach in each country.

Invested in 76 projects, it has already offered 10,000 players scholarships since November 2021, which is a revenue-sharing program lending YGG SEA’s game assets such as NFTs to players who cannot afford them to start playing play-to-earn (P2E) games. Players, in turn, share a fraction of the in-game rewards with YGG SEA.

This presents an economic opportunity by onboarding more people to blockchain across Southeast Asia which will help local players to benefit financially from P2E game model.

Players can participate in the YGG SEA scholarship by joining the guild’s Discord channel, and the program provides training, mentorship, and a plethora of other benefits.

$15 Million from Marquee Investors a testament to the Potential of Play-to-Earn Model as the Future of Gaming Industry

With offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, it plans to expand into three additional countries within six months, with ambition to achieve complete SEA coverage by 2024.

YGG SEA also entered a new partnership last week with Solana Ventures, the investment arm of Solana Labs, to bolster its subDAO’s operations in Southeast Asia while providing resources and training to blockchain game developers in Southeast Asia.

Evan Spytma, CEO and Co-Founder of YGG SEA said, “The demand for P2E games is higher than ever, especially in ASEAN countries. The new partnership with Solana Ventures will give YGG SEA a boost in offering the best resources to players and developers in Southeast Asia.”

YGG SEA had earlier secured $15 million across two different private funding rounds which the proceeds will be used to boost the adoption of play-to-earn gaming in ASEAN countries.

While the initial round was led by YGG and Infinity Ventures Crypto (IVC), the follow-up round saw participation from notable marquee investors headlining by Crypto.com Capital, Animoca Brands, Polygon, United Overseas Bank (UOB) Venture Management, and others.

About YGG SEA

, the first subDAO of Yield Guild Games, is a decentralized autonomous organization for acquiring and managing NFTs used in the metaverse. Its mission is to create the biggest and most sustainable play-to-earn virtual economy in Southeast Asia. YGG SEA is a founding member of the Asia Blockchain Gaming Alliance.

For more information, visit: | | |
#YGGSEA

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

CPA Australia: COVID-19 a double-edged sword for Taiwan’s small businesses

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach – 5 May 2022 – The pandemic has helped many Taiwanese small businesses unlock hidden growth opportunities, while wreaking havoc on others. Half of Taiwan’s small businesses grew in 2021, while 63 per cent expect to expand this year. Both results are the highest among the advanced economies included in a regional survey conducted by CPA Australia, one of the world’s largest professional accounting bodies.

CPA Australia’s annual “Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey” surveyed 4,252 small business owners or senior managers across 11 Asia-Pacific markets, including 310 from Taiwan. Conducted from November to December 2021, the survey was designed to understand local business conditions, challenges and confidence.

Mr Elic Lam FCPA (Aust.), Honorary Taiwan Adviser to CPA Australia, said, “COVID-19 is a double-edged sword for Taiwan. Fifty-two per cent of small businesses nominated COVID-19 as a major negative factor in 2021, up from 45 per cent in 2020. However, 38 per cent also said it was a major positive influence on their business. For the second consecutive year, COVID-19 was nominated as both the top positive and negative influence on local small businesses.”

“This is not a coincidence. Taiwanese small businesses in export-oriented and technology sectors such as manufacturing, transportation and information technology continue to benefit from surging global demand,” Lam explained.

“In addition, the rise of the Otaku (“stay‑at‑home”) economy in Taiwan has boosted domestic demand for computer and internet-related devices, delivery services and gaming. Many small businesses have grasped these opportunities, even under strict social restrictions. However, tourism-related industries such as retail and hospitality registered relatively weaker performance due to a drop in local consumption and overseas travellers.”

In response to COVID-19 last year, Taiwanese small businesses were most likely to reduce capital expenditure (27 per cent), followed by seeking government support and subsidies (22 per cent).

“The government’s relief measures aided many small businesses to overcome major COVID-related challenges last year. However, with small businesses facing a new COVID-19 outbreak, increasing costs and the possible end of government support in June, they should be proactive in transforming their business model, especially increasing their focus on digitalisation.”

Many Taiwanese small businesses improved their digital capabilities last year. Forty-five per cent reported more than 10 per cent of their sales were received through new digital payment technology in 2021, a record high for Taiwan. Another 45 per cent said that they earned more than 10 per cent of their revenue from online sales last year, also a record high for Taiwan. However, these figures were still well below the survey average of 65 per cent and 61 per cent, respectively.

“Stimulus voucher programs such as the ‘5000 Quintuple Stimulus Voucher Program’ were successful initiatives that not only helped to stimulate the local economy but also accelerated the adoption of digital payments,” Mr Lam explained. “The government may consider introducing similar stimulus measures to continue encouraging adoption of technology and to boost Taiwan’s digital economy.

“Aside from digitalisation, the survey findings indicate that high-growth small businesses in the Asia-Pacific were more likely to focus on innovation. It’s pleasing to see expectations to innovate in Taiwan this year rose to a record high of 67 per cent,” Mr Lam said. “This is further evidence that COVID-19 has caused many businesses to look for hidden growth opportunities.”

Based on the characteristics of high-growth small businesses from the survey, CPA Australia recommends that small businesses in Taiwan consider the following actions:

  • increase their focus on online sales and digital transformation
  • seek professional advice to improve the profitability of their technology investments
  • explore opportunities to innovate through new products, services or processes

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 22,200 members in Greater China. 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

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