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Khammouane Flooding Leaves One Dead, LAK 108 Billion in Damages

Flood in Hinboun district on 30 July 2025. (Photo: Khammouane News)

Severe flooding in Khammouane Province, triggered by heavy rains and worsened by Tropical Storm Wipha, has left one child dead and caused over LAK 108 billion (USD 5 million) in damages, as rivers overflowed and flash floods submerged homes, farms, and roads.

Kind Malaysia 2025: Where Kindness Unites Humanity — Just One Week to Go

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The countdown has begun. With just one week to go, Kind Malaysia 2025 returns for its 4th powerful edition, once again championing kindness as a unifying force for social change. Since its inception in 2018, Kind Malaysia has stood as a platform dedicated to bridging the gap between corporations, NGOs, social enterprises and individuals, inspiring collective action and lasting impact.

Kind Malaysia 2025: Where Kindness Unites Humanity — Just One Week to Go
Kind Malaysia 2025: Where Kindness Unites Humanity — Just One Week to Go

This year, Kind Malaysia takes a transformative leap forward, co-locating for the first time with EventXpo, Malaysia’s premier business events marketplace. This landmark partnership connects corporate responsibility with economic resilience, amplifying both platforms under the shared vision that “Kindness Unites Humanity” and “Business Events Build Nations.”

The synergy between the two events is expected to draw unprecedented participation from the business events community, NGOs, CSR leaders, and members of the public, making Kind Malaysia 2025 the most dynamic and impactful edition yet.

“Kind Malaysia is a unique platform with a powerful purpose; to unite corporations, NGOs and individuals in the spirit of giving. As Chairman, I believe that kindness must be a central pillar in the development of our society. In today’s world, where challenges grow more complex, collaboration and compassion must guide the way forward. Kind Malaysia offers that space, where business meets benevolence, and where impact begins with intention.” said Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin, Chairman of Kind Malaysia.

“Kind Malaysia was founded on a powerful belief that when corporations and communities come together, meaningful and lasting change can happen. Our co-location with EventXpo this year strengthens that mission by uniting purpose with platform, and proving that kindness, when embedded in business, becomes a force for nation-building. To our corporate leaders, I urge you to come forward, not just as observers, but as active changemakers. And to our NGOs, this is your moment to be seen, heard, and supported.” – Datuk Dr M Gandhi, Co-Founder of Kind Malaysia & President of MACEOS

What to Expect at Kind Malaysia 2025:

  • 27 participating NGOs across vital causes: Animal Welfare, Children’s Rights, Women’s Empowerment, Disabilities, Medical & Health, and Youth Development, among others.
  • On-site CSR activations, NGO showcases, real-time volunteer sign-ups, and direct engagement opportunities for corporates and the public.
  • Better World Corner: Bite-sized pocket talks by NGO leaders sharing raw, real stories of impact from the field.
  • Carbon Footprint Calculation: In partnership with ESG Malaysia, the event will adopt ESG best practices including carbon footprint measurement and reporting, ensuring sustainability remains at the core of our mission.

Driving Corporate Social Responsibility Forward

Kind Malaysia 2025 proudly welcomes a growing list of CSR and sustainability partners, including MACEOS, ESG Malaysia, Evenesis, Artisense, and Web Temple, each contributing expertise, technology and purpose-driven support. Together, we’re creating a platform where businesses give back, and communities move forward.

Whether you’re a company seeking meaningful CSR partnerships, an NGO championing a cause, or an individual with a heart to help, Kind Malaysia 2025 is your place to connect, contribute, and create real change.

Admission is free and open to all. Register now at https://form.evenesis.com/eventxpo2025/VISITOR  or visit www.mykindmalaysia.com

PR Newswire is the official news distribution partner of Kinds Malaysia 2025.

CAS SciFinder integrates transformative new science-smart AI capabilities to enhance R&D efficiency and boost innovation

Pioneering solution provides scientists with actionable answers faster to accelerate scientific discovery

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society specializing in scientific knowledge management, announces the launch of the next evolution of CAS SciFinder®, the leading scientific search and insights platform. By integrating advanced AI—optimized for scientific applications—with the largest human-curated collection of global scientific knowledge, CAS SciFinder empowers researchers across R&D to work faster and unlock new opportunities for innovation.

This marks the most significant integration of AI within the CAS solution portfolio to date. “Scientific information is diverse and complex, making it challenging for common AI tools to interpret accurately,” noted Tim Wahlberg, CAS Chief Product Officer. “Applying these technologies to the high-quality, structured data in the CAS Content Collection™ and engaging our team of scientists to verify the advanced AI models enabled us to develop a science-smart AI approach that delivers accurate and reliable answers scientists can trust.”

SearchSense, a collection of new AI-driven search capabilities in CAS SciFinder, was developed to make scientific information more accessible across R&D workflows and help researchers reach actionable answers faster. With a single search box, users can initiate a broad range of inquiries by asking simple questions using natural language. AI-enabled summaries help users quickly interpret results and pinpoint the most relevant information to provide a clear answer they trust. Ninety-three percent of beta testers agree that the new search features in CAS SciFinder make them more efficient. The platform also learns from user activity to personalize results and streamline future searches. To ensure the security of all user queries, results, and interactions in CAS SciFinder, AI features operate within a closed system.

CAS also continues to lead innovation in retrosynthesis with the introduction of the first real-time, interactive synthetic planning tool. This is a paradigm shift for chemists that slashes the time needed to generate a synthetic plan from minutes to just a few seconds. By eliminating wait times and providing real-world evidence directly in synthetic maps for quick comparison, Interactive Retrosynthesis in CAS SciFinder significantly increases efficiency and enables greater creativity in reaction planning and optimization. Scientist-enhanced AI is also being leveraged for more accurate interpretation of users’ reaction queries to deliver unmatched search accuracy and precision within the largest collection of curated reaction information.

To address a growing need among scientists and stakeholders in all phases of R&D to have greater visibility of the intellectual property (IP) landscape, additional IP search support, visualization capabilities, and patent details have also been added to CAS SciFinder. Users can now easily identify prior art within their typical workflow with the help of IP Connections. This CAS-developed AI algorithm matches relevant patent and non-patent publications from any free-text input to inform more confident prioritization and reduce the risk of wasted time and investment.

“The process of scientific discovery is constantly evolving, and we are committed to advancing our solutions with the latest technology to provide the best insights, most efficient workflow, and an optimal user experience to meet our customers’ changing needs,” said Manuel Guzman, President of CAS. “With so many scientists around the globe relying on CAS SciFinder, these new capabilities meaningfully impact the speed of discovery and ultimately help deliver life-changing innovations faster.

Visit the CAS SciFinder preview site to learn more about the new features, which will be deployed to users in phases over the next two months.

About CAS

CAS connects the world’s scientific knowledge to accelerate breakthroughs that improve lives. We empower global innovators to efficiently navigate today’s complex data landscape and make confident decisions in each phase of the innovation journey. As a specialist in scientific knowledge management, our team builds the largest authoritative collection of human-curated scientific data in the world and provides essential information solutions, services, and expertise. Scientists, patent professionals, and business leaders across industries rely on CAS to help them uncover opportunities, mitigate risks, and unlock shared knowledge so they can get from inspiration to innovation faster. Connect with us at cas.org. CAS is a division of the American Chemical Society.

 

Forrester Announces The APAC Recipients Of Its 2025 Technology Awards

FWD Group, YCH Group, and The Hong Kong Jockey Club to be recognized for aligning their technology and business strategies to accelerate growth

SINGAPORE, Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) today announced that FWD Group and YCH Group are the winners of its 2025 Technology Strategy Impact Award for Asia Pacific and that The Hong Kong Jockey Club is the APAC winner of its Enterprise Architecture (EA) Award. These awards, which will be presented at Technology & Innovation Summit APAC, taking place in Sydney, Australia, and digitally, on August 19, 2025, will recognize these organizations for aligning their technology strategies to accelerate business outcomes.

“This year’s Technology Award winners exemplify how aligning tech strategy with business goals can drive measurable impact,” said Frederic Giron, VP and senior research director at Forrester. “These organizations delivered trusted, secure, and resilient technology foundations that empower their organizations to adapt swiftly to market shifts and evolving customer needs. Their successes reflect a deep commitment to using technology as a catalyst for innovation, growth, and long-term value. We look forward to hearing their success stories at Technology & Innovation Summit APAC.”

Information about Forrester’s 2025 Technology Strategy Impact Award winners and runner-up:

  • FWD Group (winner), a pan-Asian life and health insurer operating with a bold vision of changing the way people feel about insurance, adopted a customer-led and tech-enabled approach in its business. Through its cloud-first strategy, AI-powered platforms, and a relentless focus on customer experience, FWD has transformed itself into a high-performance IT organization: one that is agile, trusted, and aligned to deliver measurable business impact.
  • YCH Group (winner), a Singapore-based logistics company, partnered with Y3 Technologies Pte Ltd to execute a major technology transformation across Asia Pacific. The company operates integrated supply chain solutions to deploy automation, AI, IoT, and data platforms to modernize warehousing, distribution, and trade finance operations. By integrating robotics-enabled facilities with autonomous logistics systems, YCH is advancing a digitally connected, intelligent supply chain that serves customers across multiple industries in the region.  
  • AIA Group, a leading insurance provider in Asia, is a runner-up for Forrester’s 2025 Technology Strategy Impact Award for APAC.

Information about Forrester’s 2025 Enterprise Architecture Award winner and runners-up, presented in partnership with The Open Group:

  • The Hong Kong Jockey Club (winner), a non-profit organization and providing horse racing, sporting and betting entertainment, embraced a disciplined, outcome-driven enterprise architecture (EA) strategy to modernize its digital capabilities, strengthen governance, and enhance its stakeholder experience. Their structured EA governance framework allowed faster evaluation of digital investments. For example, mobile-first customer platforms, digital-led venue experiences, and predictive analytics for customer engagement were architecturally guided to ensure resilience, scalability, and alignment with customer-centricity and enterprise goals.
  • Insurance providers AIA Group and Nan Shan Life Insurance Co., Ltd are runners-up for Forrester’s 2025 Enterprise Architecture Award for APAC.

Resources:

About Forrester

Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We empower leaders in technology, customer experience, digital, marketing, sales, and product functions to be bold at work and accelerate growth through customer obsession. Our unique research and continuous guidance model helps executives and their teams achieve their initiatives and outcomes faster and with confidence. To learn more, visit Forrester.com.

 

VISA Partners with M moneyX to Expand Digital Payments in Laos

VISA Partners with M moneyX to Expand Digital Payments in Laos

Lao Mobile Money Sole Co., Ltd., the operator of M moneyX, has signed a major partnership with global payments giant VISA to bring secure and convenient digital payment services to Laos.

RSM Singapore’s Scholarship Endowment Fund to Support Disadvantaged Students

SINGAPORE, Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Students from disadvantaged families will now have a boost to receive higher education, as RSM Singapore has pledged to donate S$4 million to nine local higher education institutions to establish scholarship funds. The firm is also committing a total of $900,000 to the Community Chest over three years.

RSM Singapore (RSM新加坡) is the largest professional services firm outside the Big Four in Singapore and a member of RSM, the sixth-largest professional services network globally. The homegrown firm provides assurance, tax, advisory, as well as business solutions, with a focus on helping growing businesses to optimise profits, enhance business value and internationalise.

The nine institutions receiving support are:

  • Nanyang Polytechnic
  • Singapore Management University
  • Nanyang Technological University
  • Singapore Polytechnic
  • National University of Singapore
  • Singapore University of Social Sciences
  • Ngee Ann Polytechnic
  • Temasek Polytechnic
  • Singapore Institute of Technology

RSM Singapore CEO Chio Kian Huat said education and giving back to society are the twin pillars of inclusive progress.

“Progress carries with it the responsibility to uplift those who may be left behind. We could not be where we are today without our staff, our clients, and the community. Through these efforts, we hope to contribute towards nurturing tomorrow’s leaders, and to cultivate a more compassionate society.” he said.

With regard to the Singapore Community Chest, RSM Singapore is participating in the SG Gives Enhanced Matching Programme, where the government will match 1.5 times its donation with the aim of amplifying the impact on the occasion of SG60.

The firm’s announcement was made in conjunction with its recent Charity Walk Carnival, which celebrates its 40th anniversary. It was held at Southside Sentosa and attracted about 1,500 participants, including employees, their families, customers and business partners.

 

Thailand, Cambodia Trade Accusations Ahead of Key Border Talks

Following the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia on 28 May 2025, Thai Government Spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to peacefully resolve the issue through dialogue and legal agreements. (Photo: Royal Thai Government)

Tensions are rising along the Thailand-Cambodia border as both sides trade accusations of military provocations ahead of the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting from 4 to 7 in Kuala Lumpur. Although the border remains calm, troops are on high alert amid warnings of ceasefire violations and misinformation.

Advancing Global Tourism Industry Trade: Tourism Plus Shanghai 2026 Calls for Worldwide Exhibitors

SHANGHAI, Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — From March 29th to April 3rd, 2026, Tourism Plus Shanghai (TPS 2026) will convene over 6,000 global exhibitors in Shanghai, China, showcasing comprehensive solutions across the tourism and lifestyle sectors — spanning catering, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment. Visitor attendance is projected to exceed the 2025 record of 445,737 participants from 148 countries and regions. 

Tourism Plus Shanghai (TPS 2026) is guided by Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, co-sponsored by China Tourism Association, and hosted by Shanghai Sinoexpo Informa Markets International Exhibition Co., Ltd. and Shanghai International Convention & Exhibition Co., Ltd. The expo accelerates the deep integration of “tourism + industries” and “industries + tourism”, catalyzing innovation in hospitality, retail, sports, and related sectors. It fosters emerging business models and establishes a new framework for global tourism industry development. Suppliers of tourism services, catering supply chain, hotel supplies, retail technology and equipment, boat and outdoor products, and entertainment projects will present their latest products and services to international buyers. 

Concurrently, TPS 2026 provides a strategic platform for overseas destinations to access the Chinese market and facilitates partnerships with Chinese investors and trade entities. Through targeted matchmaking conferences and digital tools, the event bridges global supply chains with demand-driven opportunities. 

Three Major Venues in Shanghai Host 42 Exhibition Categories

March 29th-31st, 2026

Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention CenterTourist Destinations & Road trip route | Tourism & Cultural Technology | Tourism Operation & Facilities | Tourism & Cultural Consumption | Outdoor Sports | Health Plus | Boat | Boat Equipment and Accessories | Boat Service | Water sports | BBDS | Lure Fishing l Design company | Manufacturing factory | Internet-famous Prop | Light-based Art Display

March 30thApril 2nd, 2026

National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)Catering Equipment & Supplies | Central Kitchen Equipment & Food Machinery and Equipment | Refrigeration Equipment | Tableware | Finefood | Beverage | Coffee &Tea | Ice Cream & Dairy | Baking Equipment & Raw Materials | Food & Catering Packaging | The Bar & Drinks | Brand Franchising & Chain Store Resources

March 31stApril 3rd, 2026

Shanghai New International Expo Center:Hotel Supplies | Smart Hotel | Hotel Franchise | Building & Decoration | Engineering Design | Lighting | Commercial Retail | Smart Office | Landscape Gardens | Hotel Furniture | Sunshading Material | Cleaning Operation & Maintenance | Property Management | Urban Appearance & Environmental Sanitation

From March 29th-April 3rd, 2026, we hope to see you in Shanghai, China.

Website: www.lbhgle.com/en-tps 

Contact: Betty Hu
Mail: Betty.Hu@informa.com