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Lao Journalists Go Green with Mass Media Environment Training

Lao Journalists Go Green with Mass Media Environment Training

Reporters from various provinces in Laos have gained valuable insights into reporting on green and sustainable development, as well as gender equality, through the Green Action through Media, Mass Organization and Civil Society in Laos (GAMCIL) project.

VVDN Launches AI-Powered Wi-Fi 7 Access Point Reference Designs Powered by the Qualcomm Dragonwing NPro A7 Platform at MWC Barcelona

GURUGRAM, India, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — VVDN Technologies, a global provider of Software, Product Engineering and Electronics Manufacturing services and Solution, has announced a collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. to introduce its next-generation Wi-Fi 7 Access Point Reference Design. Powered by the Qualcomm Dragonwing™ NPro A7 Platform, this AI-driven reference design is built for customizable deployments.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in wireless connectivity. It aims to enhance user experiences with superior performance and intelligence while providing a cost-effective solution for customers seeking the best AI and Wi-Fi experience at an affordable price.

The reference design includes a carrier-grade tri-band gateway and a carrier-grade dual-band extender. These solutions are optimized to intelligently manage network traffic, minimize latency, and elevate user experiences across multiple devices.

The reference design is the culmination of collaboration between VVDN and Qualcomm Technologies and is crucial for India’s rapidly evolving digital infrastructure, offering unmatched speed, intelligence, and reliability. It represents a significant leap forward in wireless networking, setting new benchmarks for AI-driven performance, enterprise-grade scalability, and cost-effective deployment.

Ready for mass manufacturing by March 2025, the AI-powered Wi-Fi 7 Access Points will be on display at MWC Barcelona 2025. Visit VVDN Technologies at Hall 2 Booth 2C78 at MWC Barcelona for the launch of this Access Point.

VVDN’s AI-driven Wi-Fi 7 Access Points, powered by the Dragonwing NPro A7 Platform, are designed for showcasing the advanced capabilities of the platform. They integrate Qualcomm Technologies’ state-of-the-art technologies, including the platform’s Qualcomm® Networking AI Engine designed for Wi-Fi connectivity and networking optimization. These access points are designed to enhance network efficiency, adapt dynamically to varying usage patterns, and ensure seamless connectivity in diverse environments. This intelligent management capability not only boosts performance but also supports scalability, catering to the evolving demands of smart homes, enterprises, and public spaces.

Puneet Agarwal, CEO, VVDN Technologies: “At VVDN Technologies, we are proud to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies to pioneer the next generation of wireless connectivity solutions. The new innovative AI based Wi-Fi 7 Access Point not only sets new benchmarks in performance but also maintains cost-effectiveness comparable to Wi-Fi 6, ensuring wider accessibility without compromising on quality.” 

Savi Soin, SVP & President, Qualcomm India said, Qualcomm Technologies is proud to collaborate with VVDN Technologies to introduce a line of access points, powered by our Dragonwing Networking platforms. These AI-powered Wi-Fi 7 Access Point Reference Designs are designed to enhance network efficiency while ensuring affordability for businesses, OEMs, and service providers.”

Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm and Qualcomm Dragonwing are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated.

About VVDN:

Founded in 2007, VVDN is a technology innovation company focusing primarily on Software Services, Product Engineering and Manufacturing Services. VVDN’s India HQ is located at Gurgaon, India, and its North America HQ is located in Fremont, CA, USA. VVDN has a presence across the world with offices in US, Canada, Europe, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan. With 11 advanced R&D Centres, VVDN is fully equipped to design, develop & test the complete hardware, mechanical & software required for a complete product or solution. VVDN’s 7 Manufacturing facilities are located at Manesar, Gurgaon, and Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, India, which includes in-house best-in-class SMT Factory, Mold & Tooling Factory, Injection Molding, Die Casting, Powder Coating, Sheet Metal, Product Assembly Factory, and Product Certifications labs. Company offers a comprehensive suite of services from Hardware to Mechanical, Embedded Software to Cloud & Apps, Testing & Validation to Automation as well as Mass Manufacturing to its global customers.

Logo: https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/vvdn_technologies_logo.jpg

 

Cisco @ Mobile World Congress 2025: Accelerating Service Provider Growth in the Age of AI

News Summary:

  • Cisco launches Agile Services Networking innovations to help service providers compete in the AI marketplace with simplified, resilient, and intelligent networking.
  • New assurance capabilities include real-time visibility into on-network and off-network connectivity, allowing service providers to build resilient, profitable AI-ready home and mobile subscriber experiences.
  • Early adopters are already delivering secure, competitive AI-connected experiences, improving networking, business performance, and customer outcomes.

BARCELONA, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS — Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking and security, today announced networking innovations that empower service providers to introduce differentiated services and deliver assured, AI-connected experiences at scale.

Cisco’s Agile Services Networking fundamentally evolves how service providers build and operate their networks—opening new ways to monetize the services needed to compete in the AI marketplace. A blueprint for growth, the architecture combines high-speed, feature-rich Silicon One routing, a unified software experience, and converged IP and optics within a single, seamless network. Early adopters of Cisco Agile Services Networking, including Arelion, Lumen, and Reliance Jio, have already vastly improved the performance of their network to cut costs, generate new business, and improve the customer experience.

“The pace of innovation in AI is astounding. Technical breakthroughs are just beginning to translate into new experiences for consumers and applications for businesses that will reshape how the world works and connects,” said Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer, Cisco. “This shift presents massive opportunities for service providers to grow their businesses and reduce costs by modernizing their infrastructure for AI. Cisco is perfectly positioned to help service providers monetize these new revenue streams, and our Agile Services Networking delivers the silicon, systems, and software innovation they need to thrive.”

Cisco Agile Services Networking: End-to-end Assurance for Differentiated Subscriber Experiences

Today, Cisco expands Agile Services Networking with two new innovations that deliver real-time visibility into both on-network and off-network connectivity for true end-to-end assurance. Combined, these solutions enable visibility from home- and mobile-connected users through to service provider core networks and off-net cloud-delivered services.

  • ThousandEyes Connected Devices: Extends the power of the Cisco ThousandEyes platform to service providers with enhanced visibility across subscriber experiences, from home to off-network services. Now, with insight into last-mile network performance, service providers can mitigate issues before users are impacted and compete on experience, not just speed.
  • Provider Connectivity Assurance: New AI-powered ‘User Experience’ capability enhances mobile service provider network performance. With real-time traffic insights and predictive demand intelligence, service providers can enhance user experience, reduce congestion, maximize speed, and dynamically adjust spectrum usage.

With enhanced visibility and AI-powered insight, service providers like Virgin Media O2 and Odido are leveraging assurance for increased customer satisfaction and net promoter scores (NPS), uncovering new opportunities for differentiated services and reducing churn.

“In an industry that’s fast consolidating around the same network type and service, we take pride in accelerating all the ways in which we deliver better service and more value to the millions of customers that rely on us,” said Gareth Lister, Director of Customer Products, Virgin Media O2. “Virgin Media O2 has long been recognized for ultrafast speeds and now, with ThousandEyes Connected Devices powering our Smart Support service, we’re uniquely able to see and proactively measure our customers’ connection and experience in their home in real time.” 

“At Odido, delivering an exceptional customer experience is our highest priority. Cisco’s Provider Connectivity Assurance User Experience application can provide deeper insights—into network throughput and latency and into real application performance,” said Juan Alberto Brescoli, Head of Access Network, Odido Netherlands. “The ability to deploy the solution directly onto existing infrastructure eliminates the need for additional hardware or network reconfiguration, making implementation seamless. As demand for our Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) product continues to soar, having a precise, real-time understanding of user experience is more critical than ever.”

Unlocking ‘Innovation as a Service’ for Mobile Network Operators
Cisco is introducing new capabilities to its Mobility Services Platform to accelerate revenue growth for service providers, including an application and API ecosystem, and advanced network services for people, spaces, and thingsall delivered as a service. Read more here.

Additional Resources 

About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that is revolutionizing the way organizations connect and protect in the AI era. For more than 40 years, Cisco has securely connected the world. With its industry leading AI-powered solutions and services, Cisco enables its customers, partners and communities to unlock innovation, enhance productivity and strengthen digital resilience. With purpose at its core, Cisco remains committed to creating a more connected and inclusive future for all. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on X at @Cisco.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco’s trademarks can be found at http://www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word ‘partner’ does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

PDF – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2631416/Cisco_ASN_Quote_sheet.pdf

Chubb to Acquire Liberty Mutual’s P&C Insurance Businesses in Thailand and Vietnam

Transaction represents an opportunity to enhance and expand Chubb’s business


ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 March 2025 – Chubb Limited (NYSE: CB) today announced agreements to acquire the insurance businesses of Liberty Mutual in Thailand and Vietnam. The terms were not disclosed.

The two companies — LMG Insurance in Thailand and Liberty Insurance in Vietnam —offer a range of consumer and commercial P&C products, including Automotive, Accident & Health and Non-Motor insurance such as fire/property and industrial all-risk. This portfolio is coupled with complementary distribution through 56 branches, 2,600 brokers and agents, and 26 finance partners. The combined operations produced approximately $275 million in net premiums written in 2024.

The transactions are expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2025 (Thailand) and late 2025 / early 2026 (Vietnam) and are subject to required regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Hashtag: #Chubb

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

About Chubb

Chubb is a world leader in insurance. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. The company is defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb employs approximately 43,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: .

Tianneng Invited to Vietnamese Prime Minister’s Roundtable Discussion

HANOI, Vietnam, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On February 28, 2025, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a symposium between the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Chinese enterprises in Hanoi. Li Mingjun, executive director of Tianneng Holding Group and president of the Tianneng International, was invited to attend the meeting and speak on behalf of Tianneng Group as a representative company in the field of new energy batteries. This is the second meeting after Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with the Tianneng delegation at the China-Vietnam Forum in Beijing in June 2023. It reflects the further deepening of the Vietnamese government’s trust and support for Tianneng, highlights Tianneng’s important position in Vietnam’s green energy transformation, and brings new opportunities for promoting ChinaVietnam new energy cooperation.

As a representative of the new energy industry, Tianneng shared the practical results in Vietnam in the past two years: the first phase of the new energy battery production base has been put into operation, and the second phase project is accelerating the construction. The technology covers the entire chain of power batteries, energy storage systems and circular economy, helping Vietnam’s energy structure transformation and upgrading, and promoting the construction of the “battery +” ecological chain. This strategy is highly consistent with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s proposal that “I hope Chinese companies will jointly develop green economy and circular economy with Vietnam to promote rapid and sustainable development”, and also demonstrates the positive role of Chinese new energy companies in regional industrial cooperation.

This symposium marks the entry of Tianneng’s “Vietnam Strategy” into a new stage. As a global leader in new energy, Tianneng will continue to play the role of industry benchmark, take Vietnam as a fulcrum, promote ChinaVietnam green cooperation to a higher level and wider field, and inject industrial momentum into the construction of a ChinaVietnam community of shared future under the background of coordinated regional economic development, and jointly draw a new blueprint for green development.

GuarantCo launches new report on mobilising private investment into sustainable infrastructure in Indonesia

  • Proposes knowledge-sharing among policymakers and market participants to increase awareness and demystify misconceptions of using credit guarantees for infrastructure in Indonesia
  • Recommends exploring the development of new guarantee products specific to Indonesia, based on a deep understanding of market needs

JAKARTA, Indonesia, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — GuarantCo, part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), has published an insightful new Indonesia Market Report on Credit Guarantees (“Indonesia Market Report”). The report explores how credit guarantees can be used to mobilise private investment into the country’s critical sustainable infrastructure projects.

The report is based on new data analysis and illustrated by case studies of how this strategic approach has been used successfully by GuarantCo in other emerging markets across Asia.

The report was launched at an exclusive PIDG Institute event, hosted in partnership with Infrastructure Asia, at the Ritz-Carlton Jakarta last night. The event was attended by key stakeholders in Indonesia’s infrastructure sector such as policymakers, investors, and project developers.

Indonesia, the largest nation in Southeast Asia by population and landmass, stands at a critical juncture in its pursuit of sustainable infrastructure development. With a commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060, the country is presented with both opportunities and challenges in achieving its long-term infrastructure goals.

A significant funding gap necessitates more innovative financing solutions. Infrastructure financing in Indonesia is highly dependent on public funds, with 37 per cent expected from the state budget and 21 per cent from state-owned enterprises, based on RJPMN 2020-2024 over the previous period. Private investment, covering the remaining 42 per cent of total needs, is key to sustaining infrastructure development. The private sector has significant potential to play a transformative role in bridging the financing gaps necessary to advance this nationally important agenda.

In the Indonesia Market Report, GuarantCo brings together analysis of the financing landscape, an evaluation of long-term debt credit options and assessment of market constraints to build a comprehensive vision for a way forward. The report is designed to be a practical resource to empower stakeholders with insights and strategies to engage blended finance players from the public and private sector in this critical mission.

The report highlights credit guarantees as one such innovative financing solution, which can more efficiently blend financing instruments to leverage larger amounts of private capital using public funding. Credit guarantees can play a vital role in unlocking new capital pools for infrastructure financing and offering an alternative approach for risk mitigation.

The report provides four recommendations, inviting further engagement amongst stakeholders to more effectively utilise this innovative financing product:

  • Conduct knowledge-sharing among policymakers and market participants to increase awareness and demystify misconceptions of using credit guarantees for infrastructure in Indonesia
  • Explore the development of new guarantee products specific to Indonesia, based on a deep understanding of market needs
  • Create partnerships with international and national guarantors to share guarantee capacity, knowledge and leverage each other’s unique strengths and knowledge
  • Engage in policy dialogue on guarantees to foster open communication and shared understanding on a way forward for development of credit guarantee markets for infrastructure.

British Ambassador to Indonesia Dominic Jermey said: “Mobilising private investment is essential to financing Indonesia’s sustainable infrastructure, as well as delivering economic growth and climate-resilient development. As a major funder of PIDG, the UK is delighted to see GuarantCo helping to unlock more private capital in Indonesia through innovative financial mechanisms, boosting investor confidence and enabling finance to flow. Together with our sustainable infrastructure platform, MELAJU, recently launched in Jakarta, the UK is working alongside Indonesia to deliver high-quality, bankable infrastructure projects that create jobs, benefit communities, promote equality and drive long-term prosperity.”

Philippe Valahu, CEO of PIDG and Chair of the GuarantCo Board, said: “The development of sustainable infrastructure is pivotal to bolstering economic growth and promoting equality in Indonesia. The Government has rightly prioritised this sector, resulting in significant improvements in both the quantity and quality of new infrastructure in recent years. There is a great opportunity for private capital to be mobilised to support these efforts. Our PIDG Institute event and the GuarantCo report are designed to help address existing barriers to accessing capital for sustainable projects and dramatically increase Indonesia’s global competitiveness in this regard.”

Nishant Kumar, Managing Director of Asia Investments at GuarantCo, said: “We have a wealth of experience in employing innovative credit solutions to help close the infrastructure funding gap by crowding in private capital. This report builds on our proven expertise across Southeast Asian markets, including Vietnam and Cambodia, and explores how these insights can be applied specifically to accelerating sustainable infrastructure development in Indonesia.”

Lavan Thiru, Executive Director of Infrastructure Asia, said, “We are pleased to co-organise the event with PIDG and extend our congratulations on the successful report launch. The report offers valuable insights on the use of innovative financing mechanism, such as credit guarantees, to mobilise private capital and bridge the funding gap. At Infrastructure Asia, we are committed to fostering strategic partnerships between public and private stakeholders to enable the co-development and financing of sustainable infrastructure across Asia. By working with trusted partners like PIDG and GuarantCo, we can unlock the potential of Indonesia’s infrastructure sector and contribute to its continued economic and social growth.”

The Indonesia Market Report is available to be downloaded here.

Liberty Mutual Insurance Agrees to Sell Thailand and Vietnam Operations to Chubb

Deal reflects Liberty Mutual’s conviction to its focused Asia Pacific strategy

BOSTON, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Liberty Mutual Insurance has agreed to sell its operations in Thailand and Vietnam to Chubb Limited. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Thailand is expected to close by the second quarter of 2025 and Vietnam is expected to close in 2026, subject to certain closing and regulatory conditions.

The sale includes LMG Insurance Public Company Limited (LMG Insurance), a top 10 motor and non-life insurer in Thailand, and Liberty Insurance Limited (Liberty Insurance), the leading foreign retail motor insurer in Vietnam. The majority of each company’s written premiums is motor insurance, and both also offer accident and health and other property casualty products through multiple distribution channels.

This transaction allows Liberty Mutual to focus on its portfolio in Asia Pacific, projected to be the largest property and casualty insurance market by 2045. The company will continue to execute on its strategy to capitalize on the greatest opportunities in the region through remaining operations in Australia, China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore and India.

Thailand and Vietnam are well-performing businesses with real potential, and this transaction aligns them with an organization that has the strategy and commitment to invest in the development of these markets,” said Liberty Mutual President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Sweeney. “We are grateful to our teams who have been dedicated to serving the needs of our clients, brokers and partners in these markets.”

Goldman Sachs acted as financial advisor, and Baker McKenzie, Thailand and Baker & McKenzie (Vietnam) Ltd. provided legal advice to Liberty Mutual in the transaction.

About Liberty Mutual Insurance 
At Liberty Mutual, we believe progress happens when people feel secure. By providing protection for the unexpected and delivering it with care, we help people and businesses embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow. 

In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, today we are the eighth largest global property and casualty insurer based on 2023 gross written premium. We also rank 87 on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the US based on 2023 revenue. As of December 31, 2023, we had $49.4 billion in annual consolidated revenue. 

We employ over 40,000 people in 29 countries and economies around the world. We offer a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, specialty lines, reinsurance, commercial multiple-peril, workers compensation, commercial automobile, general liability, surety, and commercial property. 

For more information, visit www.libertymutualinsurance.com

Media inquiries: mediarelations@libertymutual.com

Logo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/liberty_mutual_insurance_logo.jpg 

Thailand to Implement 300-Baht Tourism Tax by Year-End

Thailand to Implement 300-Baht Tourism Tax by Year-End
A tourist in a rented traditional Thai costume poses for photographs at Wat Arun Buddhist temple in Bangkok on November 18, 2024. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

Thailand’s 300-baht tourism tax for foreign visitors is set to take effect by the end of this year, Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong announced on 24 February.