Dusit International charts expansion of ASAI Hotels to meet the challenges of the new normal, opens its first hotel under the new affordable lifestyle brand in Bangkok

BANGKOK, Sep 2, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Dusit International, one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, will begin rolling out its new ASAI Hotels brand this September with the opening of ASAI Bangkok Chinatown in the heart of the city's renowned Chinatown district, followed by six more properties all operating under a thoughtfully lean hotel concept Dusit believes will be key to sustainable and profitable growth in the new normal.

ASAI Bangkok Chinatown

ASAI Bangkok Chinatown's thoughtfully designed rooms emphasise in-stay essentials such as superior quality beds, high-pressure rain showers, luggage space, and a work desk with USB charging station.

Self-check-in kiosks are available at the hotel's fourth-floor hub.

Designed to link millennial-minded travellers with authentic local experiences in the world's most vibrant neighbourhoods, ASAI Hotels is Dusit's sixth hotel brand and represents the company's expansion into the affordable lifestyle segment of the lodging spectrum. Its other brands – namely Dusit Thani, dusitD2, Dusit Princess, Dusit Devarana, and Elite Havens – cover upper-midscale through to luxury.

Drawing on Dusit's unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, ASAI Hotels is positioned to offer lean-luxury by providing thoughtfully pared-back services while focusing on in-stay essentials. Large communal spaces featuring sustainable and locally inspired lifestyle and dining experiences will be central to its offerings.

Starting this September, the brand will initially serve domestic travellers seeking authentic experiences in Bangkok's historic Chinatown district and culturally rich Old Town. Another ASAI hotel will open within 12 months in Bangkok's stylish Sathorn district, followed by three ASAI Hotels in Cebu, the Philippines; one ASAI hotel in the old Yankin area of Yangon, Myanmar; and one ASAI hotel in Kyoto, Japan.

Dusit International believes the ASAI Hotels concept is well-positioned to meet the challenges of a post-COVID-19 world and deliver long-term value for hotel owners, investors and other key stakeholders.

"With its highly agile management structure, streamlined designs, and limited personnel, the ASAI Hotels business model is compact, sustainable and efficient, and ultimately serves as a cost-effective, fitting solution for continuing to grow our business and expand our presence in the new normal," said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International. "By expanding our offerings across the lodging spectrum, we are not only tapping into the fast-growing market of millennial-minded customers who desire local experiences, but we are also offering new stay experiences to our existing customers too.

Collaborations with local restaurateurs and artisans, and sustainable sourcing of produce, are just some of the elements we have in place to capture the attention of the market as a whole, and we believe this integrated community approach will be vital to success in our industry following the deep social and economic impact of COVID-19."

Opening on 15 September, ASAI Bangkok Chinatown features 224 thoughtfully compact rooms (ranging from 18 – 26 sq m). Each room's contemporary and clean design emphasises in-stay essentials, such as superior quality beds, high-pressure rain showers, luggage space, and a work desk with USB charging station. A large communal area, meanwhile, includes large and comfortable work areas, a small gym, a bar highlighting craft beers and creative cocktails, a large courtyard with organic herb garden, and Jam Jam restaurant serving a creative twist on local and international favourites.

Located adjacent to Yaowarat Road, only 100 metres from Wat Mangkon MRT underground station, the hotel also puts guests in the heart of a vibrant neighbourhood renowned for its lively fresh markets, historic temples, traditional shophouses, hidden coffee shops and a vast array of streetside eateries. The Rattanakosin Island area, home to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, is only two stations away on the MRT. The city's major commercial districts can also be easily reached via the underground network.

"Easily accessible and equipped to cater to the needs of all kinds of travellers, from solo and groups to business and leisure, ASAI Bangkok Chinatown is a great option for lodging in Bangkok's fascinating Old Town," said Mr Siradej Donavanik, Managing Director, ASAI Holdings Company Limited, which operates ASAI Hotels. "We have all the elements in place to appeal to the tastes of modern travellers who appreciate sustainability and who want to experience the true essence of a destination. From our minimalist, locally inspired design with considerate technological touches, to our unique locally-inspired lifestyle and dining experiences, our hotel is set to become a hub of the community, offering highly comfortable, affordable stays for our curious and dynamic guests, and serving as an attractive and happening venue in which to work, rest, eat and play for Bangkokians at large."

Mr Donavanik is confident that there are many people throughout Thailand who would like to come and experience Bangkok's Old Town while discovering a new spin on Dusit's renowned high standards of service and hospitality.

"As the only international hotel chain in the area, we have a strong advantage, and we look forward to leveraging it to bring value to all of our stakeholders – guests, customers, employees, and owners alike."

In line with ASAI Hotel's overall concept, Live Local, each hotel in the ASAI portfolio will be geared to reflect its local character in terms of design, style and restaurant offering. This approach will be further evident when ASAI Hotels opens its second hotel, in Bangkok's Sathorn district, which will fully embrace the modernity of its inner-city setting to offer a complementary-yet-distinctive stay experience that differentiates it from the Chinatown property.

About Dusit International

Established in 1948, Dusit International is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Building on its two core areas of business – Hotels & Resorts and Hospitality Education – the company has expanded its operations over the past four years to comprise five business units. The additional units include Foods, Property Development, and Hospitality-Related Services. Today, the company's property portfolio comprises more than 300 distinctive hotels, resorts and luxury villas operating under six brands across 14 countries worldwide, as well as two leading hospitality colleges with campuses in Thailand and the Philippines. Following a three-pronged strategy for sustainable growth, including balance, expansion and diversification, the company has recently expanded into food production, on-demand hospitality services, and property development to reach new markets and add further recurring streams of revenue to the company. For more information, please visit www.dusit-international.com

Official photos of Dusit Hotels & Resorts can be downloaded at medialib.dusit.com

Media Contact:
Sureerat Sudpairak | Director of Marketing Communications | Dusit International
Tel: +66 (0) 2200 9999 ext. 3321 | Mobile +66 (0) 89 006 8697 | Email: sureerat.sp@dusit.com

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

More Impactful Partnership to Address Asia’s ‘Gathering Food Security Storm’ Urged by Regional Plant Science Industry

SINGAPORE, Sep 1, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – As the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) convened virtually to begin its Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific, CropLife Asia took the opportunity to raise the growing threat posed by a number of factors to the region's food supply and the critical need for shared, sustainable solutions driven by stakeholder collaboration across the food value chain.

"Our regional supply of safe and nutritious food is being threatened like never before," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director. "These unprecedented times call for an unprecedented response — including strong partnership among the region's food supply stakeholders.

"In the fields, regional farmers are contending with limited natural resources, increasingly erratic weather, and a greater number of weeds, diseases and pests with which to contend. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic has only added to the pressure on our regional growers as well as the larger food supply chain.

"The meetings this week are a great opportunity to bring our regional food supply stakeholders closer together in delivering shared solutions. It's critical that we use this opportunity to drive more impactful partnership across the food supply chain and meet the challenges posed by the gathering food security storm we face in Asia."

Earlier this year, the UN's 2020 State of Food Security & Nutrition in the World concluded that almost 690 million globally went hungry in 2019. The research also indicated that Asia is home to the greatest number of undernourished people.

In another policy brief released by the UN recently, The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition, serious concerns were also raised regarding the effect COVID-19 is having globally on the most vulnerable parts of society already experiencing hunger and malnutrition.

Plant science continues to play a crucial role in helping feed our growing global population. Biotech crops are developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others. These traits are important tools that enable farmers to meet global challenges such as food insecurity. Meanwhile, farmers continue to rely on crop protection products to produce more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without crop protection products, 40 percent of global rice and maize harvests could be lost every year and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90 percent.

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:

Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

The Babylon Project: A Blockchain Focused Hackathon and Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Aug 17, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – World Blockchain Hackathon, a 100% community funded global organization, have announced the details of their latest hackathon on October 9 -11, 2020, a 3-day global virtual event that will attract more than 3000 participants and contributions across 50 countries. The Babylon Project aims to democratize access to global innovation with blockchain technology: its a project that aims on developing a new generation of diverse leaders in the crypto community within the next 5 years.

Key Takeaways:
— Community focused, protocol agnostic blockchain hackathon w/ 3000 global participants
— Focusing on diversity and inclusion, with international 'Supernode' ambassadors
— 200 international mentors, investors & tech community partners

Babylon, from its history, is what many consider to be the cradle of civilization – the first time a complex societal structure came into existence by bringing together different people under one common vision to build. Gideon Nweze, the founder of World Blockchain Hackathon, is aiming to do the same with the Babylon Project, a hackathon that will focus on teaching developmental skills in blockchain and building an accompanying protocol-agnostic developer community.

"The way I see blockchain," Gideon says, "is the same way I see the rise of electricity in the late 1800s or the internet in the late 1900s. We're at a time where one revolutionary idea can create a significant amount of technological change in a short amount of time. Though I've been involved with blockchain for a long time, I have noticed that there isn't an easy way to onboard those who aren't familiar with this technology yet, and that it's fairly difficult to actually teach people the skills to make an impact in this ecosystem. This is what I want to change with the Babylon Project."

The Babylon Project is a protocol agnostic and community focused hackathon. For this reason, partnership is free and open to respected global and local organizations that have aligned visions. Chukwudi Derek Uche, the CoFounder and CEO of Village, a startup aiming to create an alternative to real estate ownership, is an active contributor to the hackathon. "Blockchain technology is still nascent, but for it to grow to its potential, we need to educate everyone about it," Chukwudi says. "We need to show people what the world can look like in ten, twenty, thirty years with it, and get enough current outsiders to believe the same vision the people in this community do."

Hackathons, short for "hacking marathons," are mini-conventions where designers, developers, and project managers congregate and fraction themselves into teams to make a product demo within a confined amount of time, usually between two and three days. They are essentially as old as the tech industry itself, and many products and companies were born from hackathons. Moreover, though, hackathons serve the purpose of creating an environment and a community willing to listen, network, and, most importantly, build.

Blockchain, on the other hand, is a distributed ledger technology, allowing users to send, receive, and create money without the interference or supervision of a third-party financial institution. For blockchain protocols such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, users trade coins for goods and services instead of cash or digital representations of state-backed currencies. The purpose of this is to return the power of currency back to the people, back to ancient Babylon where users bartered their goods and services before fungible currencies were created.

Dennis Liu, a director at BitTemple and a speaker at the Babylon Project, says, "Blockchain is the ultimate tool to remove international barriers by enabling trust and efficiency between different cultures." The Babylon Project is committed to supporting emerging and diverse leadership in the crypto space. 80% of the Babylon Project staff are of underrepresented backgrounds, further solidifying the organization's dedication to amplifying minority voices in the crypto & blockchain community.

The Babylon Project is partnering with international startups and developer communities, and impact focused organizations. Though the Babylon Project is creating the foundation to support up-and-coming blockchain companies that may launch at the event, many venture capital firms are already seeing the value of this technology. For example, Andreesen Horowitz, a prominent San Francisco fund, has invested in over twenty blockchain related funds in the last few years, betting that the next big wave of technology could provide more than just a return on investment.

The World Blockchain Hackathon series has been held for three years running, organized by a team of California blockchain evangelists. Adding to the excitement at this year's Babylon Project Hackathon, the strong potential for hackers' innovations to attract venture capital. "Silicon Valley VC firms and other international investors are actively participating in the judging for the stated purpose of assessing fresh blockchain investments," said Gideon.

The hackathon is 100% community funded, for establishing a strong foundation for a decentralized blockchain future through #BUILDING & value creation across the globe. Partners include Africa Blockchain Institute, BitTemple, Blockchain Acceleration Foundation, Blockchain Chamber of Commerce, GVA Capital, InvestShow, Wiase Capital, UniDAO, Blockchain Center Miami, ChickTech, AIHUB, BlockLeaders, Domineum, XR-Labs, Village and more.

"One of the problems of hackathons is that there are many projects that can become billion dollar companies," says Vadim Romanov, a venture capitalist at Elysium, a VC firm in Silicon Valley. "But they don't have a lifeline or a path to funding. Providing resources to foster and reward innovation will create even more innovation, expanding this technology even faster than automation, electricity, and internet technologies."

For more information please visit https://worldblockchainhackathon.com or email info@worldblockchainhackathon.com.

World Blockchain Hackathon: Educate, Empower & Elevate!
Jean Lombard | babylon@worldblockchainhackathon.com
Head of Communications | The Babylon Project | October 9 -11, 2020
The Babylon Project: Learning blockchain development skills, building a global developer community.
https://www.linkedin.com/events/projectbabylonbyworldblockchainhackathon/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gideon004/, https://vllg.io/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/cduche/

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Growing Food Crisis in Asia Calls for More Regional “Farm-to-Fork Cooperation & Collaboration” Says CropLife Asia

SINGAPORE, Jul 15, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – In the wake of the United Nations (UN) release of its 2020 State of Food Security & Nutrition in the World, CropLife Asia has issued a renewed call for the region's food value chain stakeholders to work together to better ensure a safe and nutritious food supply. Contained in the report is further evidence that hunger, malnutrition and obesity continue to plague a growing number of people in Asia and around the world.

Specifically, the UN research concluded that almost 690 million globally went hungry last year. While this figure reflects a smaller number compared to the 2018 estimate due to critical data updates, it represents an overall increase of nearly 60 million people over the past five years and signals a slow but steady rise in worldwide chronic hunger since 2014. Meanwhile, Asia continues to maintain a troubling distinction: it is home to the greatest number of hungry as well as undernourished people.

In another policy brief released by the UN last month, The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition, serious concerns were also raised regarding the effect COVID-19 is having globally on the most vulnerable parts of society already experiencing hunger and malnutrition.

"Sadly, another year has produced another UN report confirming that the troubling food crisis trends in Asia and around the world continue," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director. "Ensuring an ample supply of affordable and nutritious food reaches those who need it most is not a government, civil society or private sector responsibility – it's all our responsibility.

"From farm to fork, it's high time Asia's food value chain stakeholders worked together to deliver greater cooperation and collaboration in addressing these troubling trends and Asia's growing food crisis. We can do better, and we must do better."

Feeding our growing global population is a shared responsibility, and plant science continues to play a crucial role. Biotech crops are developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others. These traits are crucial tools that enable farmers to meet global challenges such as food insecurity.

Meanwhile, farmers continue to rely on crop protection products to produce more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without crop protection products, 40 percent of global rice and maize harvests could be lost every year and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90 percent.

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:
Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Growing Food Crisis in Asia Calls for More Regional “Farm-to-Fork Cooperation & Collaboration” Says CropLife Asia

SINGAPORE, Jul 14, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – In the wake of the United Nations (UN) release of its 2020 State of Food Security & Nutrition in the World, CropLife Asia has issued a renewed call for the region's food value chain stakeholders to work together to better ensure a safe and nutritious food supply. Contained in the report is further evidence that hunger, malnutrition and obesity continue to plague a growing number of people in Asia and around the world.

Specifically, the UN research concluded that almost 690 million globally went hungry last year. While this figure reflects a smaller number compared to the 2018 estimate due to critical data updates, it represents an overall increase of nearly 60 million people over the past five years and signals a slow but steady rise in worldwide chronic hunger since 2014. Meanwhile, Asia continues to maintain a troubling distinction: it is home to the greatest number of hungry as well as undernourished people.

In another policy brief released by the UN last month, The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition, serious concerns were also raised regarding the effect COVID-19 is having globally on the most vulnerable parts of society already experiencing hunger and malnutrition.

"Sadly, another year has produced another UN report confirming that the troubling food crisis trends in Asia and around the world continue," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director. "Ensuring an ample supply of affordable and nutritious food reaches those who need it most is not a government, civil society or private sector responsibility – it's all our responsibility.

"From farm to fork, it's high time Asia's food value chain stakeholders worked together to deliver greater cooperation and collaboration in addressing these troubling trends and Asia's growing food crisis. We can do better, and we must do better."

Feeding our growing global population is a shared responsibility, and plant science continues to play a crucial role. Biotech crops are developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others. These traits are crucial tools that enable farmers to meet global challenges such as food insecurity.

Meanwhile, farmers continue to rely on crop protection products to produce more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without crop protection products, 40 percent of global rice and maize harvests could be lost every year and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90 percent.

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:
Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by eight member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at http://www.croplifeasia.org.

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

VIET CAPITAL BANK and 7-ELEVEN VIETNAM Launch JCB CARD

Ho Chi Minh and Tokyo, Jul 6, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Viet Capital Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Viet Capital Bank), a major commercial bank in Vietnam, Seven System Viet Nam Jsc (7-Eleven Viet Nam), a worldwide convenient supermarket, and JCB International Co. Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co.,Ltd., today announced the launch of Viet Capital Bank JCB 7-Eleven Credit Card.

Viet Capital Bank JCB 7-Eleven Credit Card

A great population of more than 90 million people, Vietnam is considered an attractive market for consumer goods. Vietnamese people likely change the habit in purchasing consumer goods, need to be convinced and purchase all the time 24/7. That's causing the rapidly opening of convenience store.

7-Eleven Vietnam is evaluated as a reputation convenience store, in which developing utilities especially in diversifying the payment, and increasing the loyalty of customer, the co-branded card is launched.

As Viet Capital Bank and 7-Eleven Vietnam exploring,
– 7-Eleven Vietnam expect to operate 1000 stores by 2027.
– This is the first co-branded card of convenience store in Viet Nam.
– With the first step of the campaign, Viet Capital Bank and 7-Eleven Vietnam will prioritize and specifically focus on those group customers are currently member of 7-Eleven Vietnam.

The cardholders can access the JCB acceptance network with about 34 million merchants around the world, special privileges at selected merchants, and customer service at JCB Plaza, an overseas service counter.

In addition, Viet Capital Bank and 7-Eleven offers a lot of benefits with cardholders.
1) Free lifetime annual fee for cardholder, grace period up to 55 days.
2) Loyalty program from 7-Eleven: 1 point for each 1,000 VND transaction amount in App 7REWARDS.
3) Loyalty program from Viet Capital Bank: 5 point for each 1,000 VND transaction amount.

About Viet Capital Bank

Viet Capital Commercial Joint Stock Bank was established in 1992. Over 27 years of operation, with many changes, up to now with the right business vision and strategy, Ban Viet Bank is gradually asserting its position on financial and banking market with the ability to flexibly meet the diverse needs of customers' products and services. The Bank has planned and implemented the Development Strategy for the period of 2016-2020 with the message "We started from YOU" to aim to become a modern, versatile, customer-oriented retail bank. especially individual customers and small and medium business customers.

About 7-Eleven Viet Nam

The first 7-Eleven store in Viet Nam opens in 2017, making Viet Nam the 19th country to host the world's largest convenience store chain.

Seven System Viet Nam (SSV) is the Master Franchisee of the 7-Eleven convenience store system in Viet Nam, based in Ho Chi Minh City. SSV is a group of dynamic professionals who relentlessly make great efforts every day to continue the success story of this iconic brand.

Our mission is to always put our customers first – bringing them fresh food, convenient products and essential services compatible with the culture and lifestyle of a modern and dynamic Viet Nam.

About JCB

JCB is a global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 34 million merchants as well as cash advance locations around the world. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/

Contact
JCB Co., Ltd.
Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Corporate Communications Department
Tel: +81-3-5778-8353
E-Mail: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Myanmar Citizens Bank to issue MPU-JCB Co-Branded Debit Card in Myanmar

Yangon and Tokyo, Jul 1, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Myanmar Citizens Bank (MCB Bank), a listed company on the Yangon Stock Exchange in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Myanmar), and JCB International Co. Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., announced that MCB Bank will start to issue MPU-JCB Co-Branded Debit Cards as of June 2020.

The MCB MPU-JCB Co-Branded Card combines the MPU brand and JCB brand with the MCB brand, a strong and trusted banking brand in Myanmar. Cardmembers can use MPU's nation-wide merchant network in Myanmar and JCB's international merchant network with over 34 million locations globally.

The new MCB International Debit Card offers 2 different card types, Platinum debit card and Classic debit card. All the cardmembers can enjoy JCB privileges such as discounts at over 150 merchants in Yangon and also at an extensive merchant network around the world. JCB also provides lounge services in the city centers of several famous travel destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul, Taipei and Paris.

In addition to the above, the Platinum cardmembers can enjoy exclusive JCB Platinum services such as JCB Platinum airport lounge service for free at 61 lounges worldwide.

Takeshi Fujii, Chief Representative of JCB International (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (Yangon Branch) commented, "Myanmar is one of the most important countries for our global business expansion with the number of JCB cards in Myanmar now reaching 2 million. We would like to contribute significantly to the vision of a cashless society in Myanmar through this new tie-up venture with MCB".

Mr Godfrey Swain, CEO of MCB Bank commented, "I am delighted to announce the launch of Myanmar Citizens Bank MPU JCB Co-branded Debit card to support the needs of our customers with convenience of cashless transactions domestically in Mynanmar and internationally. The card can be used for all face-to-face and ecommerce payments as well as for ATM transactions. Our customers will enjoy the extensive range of merchant discounts and benefits that come with the card, please visit Myanmar Citizen Bank website for more product information. The launch of this card is another step forward in realizing the transformational vision of MCB Bank, a project that commenced in 2019 and is designed to transform the Bank by the year 2023.

About MCB

Established in 1992, Myanmar Citizens Bank is one of the first private commercial banks in the country, the first bank to be listed on the Yangon Stock Exchange and enjoys one of the fastest growth rates in Myanmar within the banking sector. MCB, a Bank with a traditional focus on Commercial and SME segments, is now rapidly expanding its Corporate and Retail banking arms distributing innovative and competitive products and services through a network of nearly 50 branches covering 26 cities in Myanmar. In 2019 MCB signed a wide-ranging, long term consultancy and partnership agreement with the International Financial Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank, embarking on a three-year transformation journey to modernize and build its banking operations, product and service offerings as a best in class model, meeting and exceeding international banking standards, efficiency levels and customer service. For more information, please visit: https://www.mcb.com.mm

About JCB

JCB is a global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 34 million merchants as well as cash advance locations around the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories, with more than 140 million cardmembers. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/

JCB (Head Office in Japan)
Contact: Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp
Phone: +81 3 5778 8353

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Launch of EIU report showing lack of integrated follow up care can increase risk of subsequent heart attack or stroke in APAC economies

HONG KONG, Jun 23, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Rehabilitation services designed to keep patients well and prevent their hospital readmission is key to reducing the incidence and cost of recurring (secondary) heart attacks or strokes (2). However, these services across the region remain underdeveloped (1).

This is according to a white paper "The cost of inaction: Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Asia-Pacific", released today by leading public policy commentator The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and sponsored by Amgen. (https://tinyurl.com/y8xwmu4w).

The report included a Scorecard which assessed the policy response to cardiovascular disease (CVD) across eight Asia-Pacific markets, including Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. It follows the 2018 EIU report, "The cost of silence: Cardiovascular disease in Asia", which examined the prevalence and costs of the top four modifiable risk factors that contribute to CVD across the same eight markets.

An estimated 80% of CVD, including heart disease and stroke, is preventable (3]. For example, lowering
LDL-C ('bad' cholesterol) reduces cardiovascular events (4), yet patients in Asia-Pacific are routinely not meeting guideline-defined LDL-C goals (5-8), due to lack of medication adherence (5).

Due to the high risk of recurrence of heart attacks and stroke (9), the two deadliest forms of CVD (10), secondary prevention through quality follow up care once patients leave hospital, is important to help to minimize the CVD economic burden (11).

"Patients who have experienced a heart attack or stroke carry a 30% higher risk of another event over the ensuing four year (9). Furthermore, two in three stroke survivors experience disabilities, such as paralysis or loss of vision (12). As a result, survivors may be unable to work or study, and may require the support of family members. This can pull family caregivers away from employment, training or education. As such, CVD-related disability can disrupt households and threaten family stability (13)," said Mr. Vernon Kang, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Heart Foundation. "CVD already accounts for approximately 18 million deaths each year worldwide (10). The findings from 'The cost of inaction: Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Asia-Pacific' confirms more can be done to ensure patients are supported to comply with their treatment and rehabilitation needs, and to reduce their risk of secondary disease, for which they are at high risk (4,5,14)."

Key findings from the report include (1):
– Heart attacks are rising among younger people across the Asia-Pacific markets examined.
– Heart disease is costing the Asia-Pacific markets USD 46.3 billion (estimated across Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand).
– CVD policies do exist in some form in all economies studied, however there is substantial room for improvement.
– Policies on modifiable risk factors exist, but the success of translating these into legislation and action, along with measuring impact, remains to be defined.
– Only one market (Australia) has implemented a comprehensive secondary prevention of CVD public health awareness campaign.
– Clinical practice guidelines for CVD secondary prevention, heart attack and stroke, vary substantially across economies.
– Government audits are lacking. Only two study economies have any form of audit in place.
– Integrated primary care systems are still emerging in many Asian economies, and in many cases, patient uptake of services remains low.

"Empowering patients through education and awareness may help to overcome the various barriers to attendance at, and participation in, cardiac rehabilitation across the region. Cardiac rehabilitation involves multidisciplinary CVD management plans combining exercise, education and behaviour modification. Although they have been shown to significantly improve patient outcomes (15,16), the white paper revealed participation rates across Asia-Pacific were as low as 6% in some economies," Mr Kang said.

Commenting on the findings, Amgen Vice President and regional General Manager, Penny Wan, said now more than ever, avoiding re-hospitalization from Cardiovascular disease, was imperative. "In many countries, good emergency care stops people dying from a heart attack or stroke. However, these patients are at higher risk of having another attack, which is compounded by lack of follow-up care, making future events more difficult to manage."

"Amgen is committed to working as part of a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach to shift healthcare models from 'Break It Fix It', to one that seeks to 'Predict and Prevent' to support patients and health care systems to become more resilient to health care shocks such as a pandemic," Ms. Wan said.

The Economist Intelligence Unit managing editor, Thought Leadership, Asia, Mr. Jesse Quigley Jones said "The cost of inaction: Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Asia-Pacific" white paper found that despite the availability of effective interventions and proven care models for CVD, these were inconsistently implemented across the eight economies studied. "For instance, although each had policies for controlling CVD risk factors, such as obesity and tobacco use, few make explicit provision for preventing recurrent cardiovascular events. Furthermore, lack of government audits against quality care standards and poor compatibility of electronic health and medical records, makes it difficult to track the application of guidelines, referral to rehabilitation services, treatment adherence and outcomes."

"Healthcare systems that integrate patient-centric intervention, education and empowerment, such as electronic reminders and health records, may help to increase adherence, and subsequently improve overall patient outcomes," Mr Quigley Jones said.

Available for interview
– Ms Penny Wan, Amgen Regional Vice-President and General Manager, JAPAC, HONG KONG
– Jesse Quigley Jones, The Economist Intelligence Unit, Managing Editor, Thought Leadership, Asia, HONG KONG
– Dr. Chan Ngai-Yin, President, Hong Kong College of Cardiology, HONG KONG
– Dr Saikiran Leekha, Amgen Regional Medical Director, JAPAC, HONG KONG
– Prof. Carolyn Lam, Senior Consultant, National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS), Professor of Duke-NUS Cardiovascular Academic Clinical Programme, SINGAPORE
– Mr Vernon Kang, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Heart Foundation, SINGAPORE
– Edwin, 29, financial adviser & former hip-hop dancer who survived a heart attack last year, SINGAPORE

Media contacts:
Kirsten Bruce and Julia Slater, VIVA! Communications, AUSTRALIA
+61 401 717 566 / +61 422 074 354
kirstenbruce@vivacommunications.com.au / julia@vivacommunications.com.au

Eleanor Ng, Amgen, JAPAC, HONG KONG
+852 9469 3000 / eng03@amgen.com

About cardiovascular disease (CVD)
As the world's leading cause of premature death (10,17) CVD claims the lives of 26,000 people a day in Asia alone (18). In fact, Asia currently bears half the global CVD burden (19) as the world's fastest ageing region (20,21). The elderly are on track to cost the region* an estimated USD 20 trillion in healthcare expenses between 2015 and 2030 (20). Based on findings of the GBD Study 2016, ischemic heart disease and stroke are forecast to be the top two causes of early death in 2040, not only on a global basis, but also for the regions of East Asia and Southeast Asia. The rising incidence and CVD-related cost-of-illness will challenge the sustainability of health and financial systems worldwide. Therefore, health systems will need to apply primary and secondary prevention strategies to reduce healthcare costs, increase economic productivity, and improve quality of life.
* Includes the 14 economies of Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

About the research
The Amgen-sponsored "The Cost of Inaction: Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Asia-Pacific" is an Economist Intelligence Unit and EIU Healthcare report. The report describes the EIU Healthcare-created Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Asia-Pacific Scorecard findings, together with 11 in-depth interviews featuring global CVD experts. The scorecard was developed to assess the burden and health system response to secondary cardiovascular events in eight Asia-Pacific economies: Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. The report follows the 2018 EIU report, "The Cost of Silence: Cardiovascular disease in Asia", which examined the prevalence and costs arising from the top four modifiable risk factors that contribute to CVDs across the same eight economies.

About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics, to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.

Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world, and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential. For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

References
1. Economist Intelligence Unit, "The cost of inaction: Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Asia-Pacific" 2020. https://tinyurl.com/y8xwmu4w.
2. Secondary prevention and rehabilitation after coronary events or stroke: a review of monitoring issues. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Editor. 2003, AIHW Cat. No. CVD 25: Canberra.
3. American Heart Association. CDC Prevention Programs. 2018 February 2020; Available from: https://www.heart.org/en/get-involved/advocate/federal-priorities/ cdc-prevention-programs.
4. Chan, M.Y., et al., Acute coronary syndrome in the Asia-Pacific region. Int J Cardiol, 2016. 202: p. 861-9.
5. Poh, K.K., et al., Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol target attainment in patients with stable or acute coronary heart disease in the Asia-Pacific region: results from the Dyslipidemia International Study II. Eur J Prev Cardiol, 2018. 25(18): p. 1950-1963.
6. Mach, F., et al., 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk. Eur Heart J, 2020. 41(1): p. 111-188.
7. Kim, H.S., et al., Current status of cholesterol goal attainment after statin therapy among patients with hypercholesterolemia in Asian countries and region: the Return on Expenditure Achieved for Lipid Therapy in Asia (REALITY-Asia) study. Curr Med Res Opin, 2008. 24(7): p. 1951-63.
8. Park, J.E., et al., Lipid-lowering treatment in hypercholesterolaemic patients: the CEPHEUS Pan-Asian survey. Eur J Prev Cardiol, 2012. 19(4): p. 781-94.
9. Bhatt, D.L., et al., Comparative Determinants of 4-Year Cardiovascular Event Rates in Stable Outpatients at Risk of or With Atherothrombosis. JAMA, 2010. 304(12): p. 1350-1357.
10. G. B. D. Causes of Death Collaborators, Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality for 282 causes of death in 195 countries and territories, 1980-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet, 2018. 392(10159): p. 1736-1788.
11. Notara, V., D.B. Panagiotakos, and C.E. Pitsavos, Secondary prevention of acute coronary syndrome. Socio-economic and lifestyle determinants: a literature review. Cent Eur J Public Health, 2014. 22(3): p. 175-82.
12. Deloitte Access Economics, The economic impact of stroke in Australia. 2013, National Stroke Foundation.
13. Harikrishnan, S., et al., A race against time: The Challenge of Cardiovascular Diseases in Developing Economies. Centre for Chronic Disease Control, 2014.
14. Yusuf, S., et al., Cardiovascular risk and events in 17 low-, middle-, and high-income countries. N Engl J Med, 2014. 371(9): p. 818-27.
15. Piepoli, M.F., et al., Challenges in secondary prevention after acute myocardial infarction: A call for action. Eur J Prev Cardiol, 2016. 23(18): p. 1994-2006.
16. Briffa, T.G., et al., An integrated and coordinated approach to preventing recurrent coronary heart disease events in Australia. 2009. 190(12): p. 683-686.
17. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. 2018: Seattle.
18. Roth, G.A., et al., Global, Regional, and National Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases for 10 Causes, 1990 to 2015. J Am Coll Cardiol, 2017. 70(1): p. 1-25.
19. Ohira, T. and H. Iso, Cardiovascular disease epidemiology in Asia: an overview. Circ J, 2013. 77(7): p. 1646-52.
20. Asia Pacific Risk Centre, Advancing into the Golden Years: Cost of Healthcare for Asia Pacific's Elderly. 2016.
21. Deloitte, Voice of Asia. 2017: p. 25.

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Werner Erhard and Martin Heidegger On Being

CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE, Jun 18, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – During these challenging times of uncertainty and disruption, we are spending many hours with our attention on what's no longer available to us and what might happen and might not happen. Perhaps for that reason alone, the new book "Speaking Being", has never been more relevant.

"Speaking Being: Werner Erhard, Martin Heidegger, and a New Possibility of Being Human" (Wiley), an Amazon #1 bestseller in Philosophy, is an opportunity to bring our focus to the relatively unexamined world of being.

Professors Bruce Hyde's (PhD) and Drew Kopp's (PhD) highly acclaimed book offers an unprecedented study of the ideas and methods developed by Martin Heidegger, one of the most prominent philosophers of the 20th century, and the ideas of Werner Erhard, the breakthrough thinker who created The Forum program in the 1980s (following his est Training in the 1970s).

Through a comparative side-by-side display and analysis of a transcript of Erhard's Forum, with his ideas and methodology, combined with Heidegger's philosophical ideas, the authors make the power of Erhard's ontological rhetoric and Heidegger's often difficult-for-the-layman ideas available to a wide range of audiences. It brings to life complex yet important new ideas for scholars at work within a variety of academic disciplines, and provides an entry to anyone interested in the possibility of and the access to being for human beings. In accomplishing all of this, what is revealed are new insights into the actual nature of being of human beings, and the opening up of new possibilities for being for human beings.

Jonathan D. Moreno, Professor of Ethics at University of Pennsylvania, said Speaking Being is "powerful, imaginative, frustrating, amusing, threatening, and enlightening – all at the same time. It also has the power to transform your life."

Michael E. Zimmerman, Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado, Boulder stated, "I regard Speaking Being as an enormously important contribution to understanding Heidegger and Erhard. The latter has received far too little serious academic attention, and this book begins to make up for that lack. Moreover, the book's analysis of Heidegger's thought is among the best that I have ever read. I commend this book to all readers without reservation."

SOURCE: Landmark Worldwide LLC

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

CropLife Asia Commends UN Call for Action to Avoid “Global Food Emergency” & Rallies Regional Stakeholders

SINGAPORE, Jun 11, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – A policy brief released this week by the United Nations (UN), "The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition", raises serious concerns regarding the effect COVID-19 is having on the most vulnerable parts of society already experiencing hunger and malnutrition. As a result, CropLife Asia is reiterating the need for greater coordination and collaboration across the regional food value chain to ensure a sustainable supply of safe and nutritious food.

Last year, the UN issued research indicating hunger, undernourishment and obesity are at critical levels globally and throughout Asia in particular. According to the 2019 State of Food Security & Nutrition in the World, some 820 million people did not have enough food to eat in 2018 – this was up from 811 million in 2017 and represented the third consecutive year of increase. Meanwhile, over 513 million of those hungry people (or over 62%) call Asia home. When it came to undernourishment, the statistics were also discouraging. In 2018, the largest number of undernourished people around the world (more than 500 million) lived in Asia.

"We're seeing first-hand the diabolical disruption COVID-19 continues to cause our food supply chain in Asia. This UN brief only reaffirms the effect the pandemic is having and heightens the needs for action," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director.

"CropLife Asia commends the UN for its leadership on this critically important issue. From farm to fork, we all have a role to play in ensuring a safe and nutritious supply of food reaches those who need it most. It's time for the regional stakeholders driving the food supply chain to answer this clarion call by the UN and work together to ensure a food emergency isn't realized in Asia. It's time for greater coordination and collaboration among governments, industries and civil society to deliver results. It's time to get to work."

Feeding our growing global population is a shared responsibility, and plant science continues to play a crucial role. Biotech crops are developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others. These traits are crucial tools that enable farmers to meet global challenges such as food insecurity. Meanwhile, farmers continue to rely on crop protection products to produce more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without crop protection products, 40 percent of global rice and maize harvests could be lost every year[1] and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90 percent.

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:
Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com