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National University of Laos to Expands Student Housing with New Dormitory Project

Sea Game Dormitory at the National University of Laos (Photo: Xaiyaphout MK)

The National University of Laos (NUOL) has announced plans to expand student accommodations at its main campus in Dong Dok village, Vientiane.

Cambodia PM calls for ‘peaceful’ resolution to border temple row

Cambodia PM calls for 'peaceful' resolution to border temple row
Cambodia PM calls for 'peaceful' resolution to border temple row

AFP-Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called on Wednesday for a “peaceful” resolution to a row with Thailand over a disputed Khmer temple in a sensitive border area.

Thailand said on Monday it had formally protested to Cambodia after a group of Cambodian women was filmed singing a nationalist song at the contested Prasat Ta Muen Thom — or Prasat Ta Moan Thom in Khmer — on the border of the two countries.

The clip shows Cambodian women in traditional dress singing “all Khmer people are happy to sacrifice their lives when the nation is at war and shedding blood”.

Thai soldiers guarding the temple then ushered the women away from the

11th-century temple, which lies right on the border, to the Cambodian side.

Hun Manet called on both Cambodian and Thai troops on Wednesday to remain calm and allow the two countries to work to end the “historic issue peacefully”.

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on Monday he was “uncomfortable” with the incident and had sent a letter of protest.

“We are worried that history will repeat itself,” he told reporters.

This was an apparent reference to the bloody military clashes that erupted in 2008 between Thailand and Cambodia over the Preah Vihear temple, which lies some 150 kilometres east on the same stretch of border.

The row over a patch of land next to Preah Vihear led to several years of sporadic violence, resulting in at least 28 deaths before the International Court of Justice ruled the disputed area belonged to Cambodia.

Hun Manet told a graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh that the dispute should be resolved peacefully but that Cambodia would protect its sovereignty.

“Cambodia wants to resolve it peacefully but Cambodia reserves the right to protect itself by whatever means — including through the use of armed force — if any country uses force to invade Cambodia,” Hun Manet said.

Prasat Ta Muen Thom was built by Jayavarman VII, king of the Khmer Empire that dominated the region from the 11th to 13th centuries.

Xinhua Silk Road: Winter Asiad ignites “skiing economy” in east China city

BEIJING, Feb. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In Longkou, an east China-situated coastal city, the 9th Asian Winter Games-spurred skiing spree helped local ski resorts teem with more travelers eager to try skiing under the pleasant winter and early spring days there.

In the past, traveler inflows usually declined notably after the Spring Festival holiday, but this year, crowds of skiing lovers are still rushing into the city now, said the head of Nanshan International Ski Resort, a popular local skiing venue.

Stepping into the ski resort, skiing lovers and enthusiasts equipped with gears of varied colors will always find delight from the wide ski runs and enjoy heartfelt excitement from the sport resembling “The Fast and the Furious” on snow.

Setting out from Ji’nan, capital city of Shandong Province where Longkou sits, it took merely less than two hours to travel to Longkou by high-speed trains and experience the joy of skiing in the resort, said a traveler from Ji’nan.

Without having to go to Harbin, Jiang Yan, a Longkou native that studies in Harbin, can now go skiing on her doorstep on vacation days and galloping on the snow in Nanshan International Ski Resort really cheers her up.

In a bid to satisfy the ardent travelers, Nanshan International Ski Resort engaged an extra batch of coaches during the winter vacation, introduced the resort head, highlighting further efforts in enriching its gears, food and related activities.

For starters, the ski resort and other local skiing venues have employed professional coaches to instruct them, which not only brings new jobs, but also provides better experiences for new skiing learners.

Compared with the same period of last year, travelers for the popular ski resort increased by 30 percent so far in 2025 and its coaches are busy every day, according to the resort head.

When local skiing economy is in full swing, restaurants surrounding ski resorts in Longkou are also embracing tremendous customer flows, said a local cuisine operator, adding that it is a common sight for his restaurant and peers to have a fully-booked weekend.

From a niche sport to one loved by many people from near and far, skiing is injecting new impetus into tourism development in Longkou.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/344484.html

TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR THE FORMULA 1® ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2025

ABU DHABI, UAE, Feb. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — With the countdown to the 2025 Formula 1® season underway, Ethara has officially launched ticket sales for the FORMULA 1® ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2025, inviting fans to experience the thrilling season finale at Yas Marina Circuit from Friday, December 5 to Sunday, December 7, 2025.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix hosts the season finale of the 2024 F1 season at Yas Marina Circuit
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix hosts the season finale of the 2024 F1 season at Yas Marina Circuit

 

As the ultimate race of the F1® calendar, where championships can be won or lost. Having hosted four title-deciding showdowns, including McLaren’s 2024 Constructors’ Championship victory, Abu Dhabi continues to be a defining moment in the Formula 1® world. With the sport celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2025, this milestone edition promises to be one of the most highly anticipated yet, with a packed weekend of motorsport action and world-class entertainment.

Encouraging fans to make the most of their weekend in the capital, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders will enjoy exclusive one-day access to Abu Dhabi’s top attractions, including Ferrari World Yas Island Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Yas Island Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World Yas Island Abu Dhabi, SeaWorld Yas Island Abu Dhabi, and cultural landmarks like Qasr Al Watan and Louvre Abu Dhabi, all included with their ticket

Following record-breaking attendance in 2024, where over 192,000 spectators gathered at Yas Marina Circuit, demand for 2025 tickets are already at an all-time high. Organizers have confirmed a wide range of sought-after experiences, from Grandstands to luxury experience options, offering fans the best vantage points of the 5.2 km circuit. Popular fan zones including Abu Dhabi Hill, Horizon 360, and the North and West Straight Grandstands return, providing spectacular views of the on-track battles as the Constructors’ Championship could once again be decided under the Abu Dhabi lights.

Saif Rashid Al Noaimi, CEO, Ethara said, “Following another record-breaking Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, we are excited to build on this success and welcome even more fans in 2025. With unprecedented demand already recorded, we anticipate another incredible year of world-class racing and entertainment. As one of the region’s premier events, we remain committed to delivering an exceptional fan experience at Yas Marina Circuit.”

Elevating the race weekend experience, Abu Dhabi GP will once again host globally renowned restaurants and luxury trackside experiences, with returning favourites such as Deck at Nine featuring Opa, Luna Lounge featuring CÉ LA VI, and collaborations with Michelin-starred restaurants including Hakkasan, Nobu, Estiatorio Milos, and more.

Beyond the track, Yasalam After-Race Concerts promises four days of unforgettable performances at Yas Island. Following a 2024 lineup featuring global icons like Eminem and Maroon 5, the unmissable weekend of music will once again deliver show-stopping entertainment to record-breaking crowds.

With Formula 1® set for one of its most competitive seasons in history, major driver moves, including Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated switch to Ferrari, have set the stage for an intense championship battle, with the possibility of another title-deciding finale in Abu Dhabi.

As demand for tickets continues to soar, fans are encouraged to book their spots for the region’s biggest racing weekend at www.abudhabigp.com.

 

Maroon 5 performs at the Yasalam After-Race Concerts supporting the 16th edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Maroon 5 performs at the Yasalam After-Race Concerts supporting the 16th edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

 

Euvella Unveils Two New Captivating Scents for Reed Diffusers


SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 February 2025 – Singapore-based fragrance company Euvella is set to expand its collection with the introduction of two new scents—White Musk and Aquamelon—designed to elevate home ambience through their signature reed diffuser sticks. Slated for a tentative early March release, these new fragrances promise to bring a fresh and sophisticated touch to living spaces.

White Musk, a delicate and refined scent, combines fruity and floral notes with a warm, musky base. The fragrance opens with crisp apple and juicy peach, followed by a floral heart of rose, muguet, and lilac. Finally, the scent deepens with musky and sandalwood undertones, offering a comforting and elegant finish. This scent is ideal for those who appreciate a soft yet enduring fragrance in their homes.

Aquamelon, on the other hand, delivers a vibrant and refreshing experience with its bright and juicy composition. The top notes feature a blend of melon, apple, and aldehydic citrus freshness, leading into a heart of pineapple, grapefruit, galbanum, and rose. The base settles into a sweet combination of peach, sugar, vanilla, and raspberry, creating a delightful contrast between crisp freshness and gourmand warmth. Perfect for those who enjoy invigorating, fruity fragrances, Aquamelon is set to be a standout addition to Euvella’s collection.

As consumers increasingly seek ways to create a relaxing and personalised atmosphere at home, the new White Musk and Aquamelon scents are poised to become favourites among fragrance enthusiasts. The new scents will complement the brand’s existing range, including popular selections such as the red currant reed diffuser, grapefruit reed diffuser, and white tea reed diffuser. Whether used in the living room, bedroom, or workspace, these reed diffuser scents provide a continuous and effortless way to enhance any environment.

Euvella has built a reputation for crafting high-quality fragrances that transform spaces into inviting retreats. With their commitment to premium ingredients and carefully curated blends, Euvella’s latest offerings reinforce their position as a go-to brand for home fragrances.

For more information, please visit https://www.geteuvella.com/.

Hashtag: #Euvella #ReedDiffusers

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

Sinch Delivers Charging and Policy Control for Huge NXTGN Digital MVNE Stack in South African Market

STOCKHOLM, Feb. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sinch (Sinch AB (publ)) – (XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its digital Customer Communications Cloud, is pleased to provide critical real-time charging, policy control, and messaging solutions which has enabled Huge NXTGN to launch its advanced digital VNE platform.

Huge NXTGN’s digital VNE platform empowers businesses in South Africa to deliver value-added digital connectivity services, enabling them to create distinctive customer experiences. The platform significantly reduces go-live time to just a few weeks, compared to the months traditionally required.

Huge NXTGN, a Johannesburg-based leader in digital and embedded communications services and part of the publicly listed Huge Group Limited’s investment portfolio, is revolutionizing the Virtual Network Enabler (VNE) landscape in South Africa. By enabling businesses of all sizes—micro, mini, and large—to seamlessly launch VNO services on-demand, Huge NXTGN empowers brands to enhance their strategies while delivering greater value and a differentiated customer experience compared to existing mobile offerings.

Sinch’s carrier grade cloud platform delivers scalable, fast and flexible online policy and charging for voice, data, messaging, fraud and security, and digital services solutions to meet MVNOs’ requirements. Sinch also provides a range of services to help operators drive customer A2P Monetization, firewalls, analytics and reporting solutions for telecom operators with full suite of professional and managed services.

Nicklas Molin, EVP, Market Unit International at Sinch stated, “We are excited to partner with Huge NXTGN to deliver the value of communications and digital services to businesses, while protecting operators’ networks & their subscribers. This collaboration delivers innovation and improved services to businesses via MVNO offering and we are dedicated to support our clients in delivering such advanced solutions and better experiences to consumers.”

Jason Harmsen Chief Executive Officer, Huge NXTGN said: “Our growth strategy leverages an innovative digital enablement ecosystem that empowers brands of all sizes to seamlessly integrate and launch connectivity services aligned with their unique strategies. By lowering barriers to entry, we redefine accessibility, helping businesses transform their propositions and deliver unmatched value to customers. This ecosystem represents a game-changing approach in the South African market, making advanced digital connectivity solutions available to brands faster and more efficiently. Our partnership with Sinch underscores our commitment to delivering advanced, best-of-breed solutions that support our partners and ensure their success through innovation and exceptional customer experiences.”

For more information about Sinch and its comprehensive suite of communication solutions, please visit Sinch.com

For more information, please contact:
Janet Lennon, Director of Global PR & Communications
janet.lennon@sinch.com

Craig Atherfold, Public Relations and Communications for Huge NXTGN
Craig.A@corporateimage.co.za

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

 

CKGSB and Johns Hopkins University Launch AI-Driven Healthcare Innovation Program

BEIJING, Feb. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School are proud to announce the launch of the AI-Driven Healthcare Innovation Program, a pioneering joint initiative designed to empower senior leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators in the healthcare and technology sectors. This program, to be held at Johns Hopkins’ Washington, D.C. campus from May 5-9, 2025, is strategically tailored to equip participants with cutting-edge knowledge, essential leadership skills, and valuable industry connections to navigate the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and healthcare.

The program is a key component of CKGSB’s Global Unicorn Programs, designed to cultivate the next generation of business leaders, helping startups scale to unicorns with a focus on global responsibility, social impact, and long-term sustainability.

“This collaboration with Johns Hopkins University is a testament to our shared vision of empowering leaders to harness innovation responsibly,” stated CKGSB Founding Dean and Dean’s Distinguished Chair Professor of China Business and Globalization, Xiang Bing. “By combining AI expertise with healthcare leadership, this program aims to drive transformative changes that benefit societies globally,” he emphasized.

The CKGSB-Johns Hopkins AI-Driven Healthcare Innovation Program offers a multidisciplinary curriculum that spans the technological, managerial, and strategic dimensions of AI’s transformative impact on healthcare. Located in Washington, D.C., a hub for healthcare innovation and policymaking, participants will engage with leading experts from academia, industry, and government, creating a vibrant platform for collaboration and networking.

This program equips participants with the skills to:

  • Assess AI technologies for improving healthcare delivery and decision-making.
  • Create strategic plans for adopting AI solutions to optimize patient care and improve operational efficiencies.
  • Navigate the ethical and regulatory challenges of AI integration in healthcare.
  • Build and lead cross-disciplinary teams that can drive AI-focused healthcare innovations.

About the Schools

Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business

CKGSB is China’s first privately-funded, research-intensive and non-for-profit business school. The school aims to cultivate transformative business leaders with a global vision, sense of social responsibility, innovative mindset, and ability to lead with empathy and compassion.

Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) is a prestigious university founded in 1876 as America’s first research institution. It covers multiple campuses throughout Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and offers 50+ degree programs.

For more details and to apply, please visit AI-Driven Healthcare Innovation Program.

DNV appointed by the ASEAN Taxonomy Board as technical advisor to develop latest version of the ASEAN Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance

ASEAN Taxonomy provides a unified classification system for sustainable economic activities within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

BANGKOK, Feb. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — DNV, the independent assurance and risk management provider, has been engaged by the ASEAN Taxonomy Board (ATB) to support the development of Version 4 of the ASEAN Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. This collaboration reinforces DNV’s longstanding role as a trusted ecosystem partner in advancing sustainable finance practices and fostering regional cohesion in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

As a key technical advisor, DNV has been working closely with the ATB working groups to enhance the ASEAN Taxonomy’s scope. This includes refining classifications for focus sectors such as agriculture, forestry and fishing; manufacturing; and water supply, sewerage, waste management.

Additionally, two enabling sectors, information and communication, and professional, scientific, and technical activities, will be incorporated, ensuring a comprehensive framework that addresses both key and enabling industries.

The ASEAN Taxonomy provides a unified classification system for economic activities aligned with sustainability goals. Developed under the guidance of ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, the ASEAN Taxonomy enables an orderly transition to sustainability-focused economies.

By standardising definitions and guidelines, the ASEAN Taxonomy creates pathways for sustainable investments, accelerates the adoption of green financing, and drives meaningful progress towards net-zero targets. ASEAN’s growing focus on Green, Social, and Sustainability (GSS) financing underscores the urgency of addressing climate change, resource scarcity, and inequality.

The ASEAN Taxonomy offers a common language to bridge regional disparities, enabling a cohesive strategy for achieving sustainable economic growth and attracting international investment. The ASEAN Taxonomy also acts as the taxonomy of equivalence for ASEAN Member States’ national taxonomies.

“The release of the latest version of the ASEAN Taxonomy marks a pivotal moment in ASEAN’s journey toward a sustainable future,” said Eugene Wong, CEO of Sustainable Finance Institute Asia (SFIA), Host of the ATB. “SFIA is pleased to have worked with DNV to contribute to the ATB’s efforts in creating a common language for ASEAN on sustainable finance that will facilitate a just and orderly transition for the region, incorporating credibility with pragmatism.”

“We are honoured to continue our longstanding relationship with the ATB and contribute with our technical expertise to the ASEAN Taxonomy’s latest development, a critical milestone for sustainable finance in the region,” added Percy Lakdawalla, Regional Manager Asia Pacific, India and Middle East, Supply Chain & Product Assurance at DNV. “Version 4 of the ASEAN Taxonomy will provide stakeholders across ASEAN with the tools to align their efforts with global sustainability objectives while effectively addressing local priorities and challenges.”

“This collaboration underscores our continued commitment to supporting the ATB in advancing sustainable finance across ASEAN, leveraging our global expertise to create tailored solutions for regional needs” noted Thomas Leonard, Head of Sustainability Services ASEAN – Supply Chain & Product Assurance at DNV.

Together with the ASEAN Taxonomy Board, DNV aims to enable an inclusive and resilient pathway towards a sustainable future for ASEAN and beyond.

About DNV  

DNV is an independent assurance and risk management provider, operating in more than 100 countries. Through assessment and digital assurance solutions, DNV helps companies build trust and transparency around products, assets, supply chains and ecosystems.   

Whether certifying products, verifying claims or optimizing and decarbonizing supply chains, DNV helps companies manage risks and realize their long-term strategic goals, improving ESG performance and generating lasting, sustainable results.

Combining sustainability, supply chain and digital expertise, DNV works to create new assurance models enabling interaction and transaction transparency across value chains. Drawing on its wide technical and industry expertise, DNV works with companies worldwide to bridge trust gaps among consumers, producers and suppliers.

Driven by its purpose, to safeguard life, property, and the environment, DNV helps tackle the challenges and global transformations facing its customers and the world today and is a trusted voice for many of the world’s most successful and forward-thinking companies.

Learn more at www.dnv.com/about/supplychain/