Media OutReach
VinFuture: Seeking Tangible Innovations for Mankind
To truly make a difference, scientific innovation must translate into tangible benefits for society. VinFuture’s award criteria reflect this commitment to recognizing research with real-world applications.
HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 December 2024 – Prof. Richard Friend, Professor of Physics at the University of Cambridge (UK), Chair of the VinFuture Prize Council, expressed his enthusiasm for this year’s groundbreaking awards. He noted that the annual VinFuture Prize continues to surprise with its innovative selections.
This year, he was particularly impressed by the Main Prize, which recognized a “power trio” in the field of Artificial Intelligence: Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton, and Yann LeCun for their foundational mathematical and algorithmic work; Fei-Fei Li for her pioneering dataset; and Jensen Huang for his hardware breakthroughs. “All of those three components brought together have made possible this astonishing AI revolution,” he said.
On December 6, 2024, the VinFuture Foundation recognized four groundbreaking scientific achievements. The US$3 million Grand Prize was awarded for transformative contributions to deep learning. Additionally, three Special Prizes honored innovations in oral cholera vaccination, polymeric biomaterials, and CAR T-cell therapy.
Selected from nearly 1,500 nominations across 80+ countries, the four winning works represent the pinnacle of scientific innovation. These breakthroughs exemplify the “resilient rebound” spirit, demonstrating the potential to revolutionize various fields and shape a brighter future.
VinFuture: Celebrating Diversity and Innovation
Prof. Friend was deeply inspired by the groundbreaking achievements recognized by the Special Prizes. The revolutionary CAR-T therapy offers a beacon of hope for countless cancer patients. Dr. Firdausi Qadri’s lifesaving cholera vaccine for Rohingya refugees exemplifies the power of science to address real-world challenges. And Prof. Kristi Anseth’s pioneering research in biomaterials bridges the gap between laboratory innovation and clinical application.
Prof. Friend highlighted that these remarkable works share a common purpose: enhancing the human condition. This aligns perfectly with VinFuture’s mission to recognize and reward scientific breakthroughs that benefit humanity.
Mr. Friend also highlighted the importance of diverse perspectives in scientific research. He noted that the unique experiences and approaches of scientists have led to remarkable breakthroughs. VinFuture’s commitment to recognizing diverse talent reflects its belief in the power of different viewpoints to drive innovation.
“They have seen something that others have not, or they have had the perseverance to know that it is worth sticking with the journey. It is the collection of stories that is what we should celebrate. I believe it is the diversity in approaches and thinking among scientists that has led to the extraordinary breakthroughs we are witnessing,” he shared.
This year’s VinFuture Prize celebrates a diverse range of innovators, from academic researchers to industry leaders like the CEO of NVIDIA. This recognition underscores the interconnectedness of fundamental research and technological application. The AI revolution, a testament to this synergy, has been propelled by advancements in mathematics, algorithms, datasets, and hardware. VinFuture’s mission is to honor the full spectrum of contributions that drive scientific and technological progress.
When academic research and industrial development converge, the potential for groundbreaking innovation is limitless. As Prof. Friend observed, ” Only when scientists and businesses collaborate can we create truly meaningful breakthroughs for humanity.”
Honoring Science That Solves Real-World Problems
This year’s honored research is making significant strides in addressing humanity’s most pressing challenges. In the healthcare sector, a paradigm shift is underway, moving from treatment to prevention. Preventive interventions offer a cost-effective and sustainable approach to improving public health. Prof. Friend emphasized the transformative potential of CAR-T cell therapy, a groundbreaking treatment that has revolutionized cancer care.
“In cancer treatment, we’re seeing a historic turning point. Despite decades of understanding cancer, we haven’t found truly effective treatments until now. CAR-T cell therapy has changed that, ushering in a new era of cancer treatment with promising results,” said Prof. Friend.
According to Prof. Friend, after decades of promise, AI has finally made significant breakthroughs. Discussions at the scientific conference revealed that while the achievements are impressive, they are only the beginning. Pioneering scientists in this field modestly acknowledge that there is much more to explore and develop.
“This year, I’m particularly proud to share that the VinFuture Prize has once again demonstrated its ability to recognize groundbreaking research with global impact. Before the Nobel Prizes were announced, we honored Professor Geoffrey Hinton, who subsequently won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to AI,” said Professor Friend.
In fact, VinFuture has a proven track record of identifying future Nobel Prize winners. Two years ago, VinFuture honored Demis Hassabis and John Jumper from Google DeepMind for their revolutionary work in protein structure modeling. Their recent Nobel Prize in Chemistry validates its commitment to recognizing groundbreaking research.
Hashtag: #VinFuture
https://vinfutureprize.orgThe issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Media OutReach
Woodfibre LNG Marks 2025 as a Year of Construction Progress, Environmental Stewardship and Community Partnership
Over the past year, the project advanced from planning into visible, on-the-ground execution. Major construction milestones included the pouring of foundations for key modules, continued progress on marine piling, and further implementation of modular construction techniques designed to reduce on-site footprint while accelerating delivery timelines.
These advancements were achieved through close collaboration with project partners, suppliers and contractors, and in partnership with the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation).
In 2025, Woodfibre LNG, a member of the RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, continued to operate its floatel workforce accommodation solution, designed to minimise pressure on local housing and community services. As of November, two floatels were in active operation, providing high-quality, safe and comfortable living conditions for the project workforce while supporting construction efficiency.
Environmental protection remained a central focus throughout the year. The project’s Marine Mammal Monitoring Programme, which includes hydroacoustic monitoring, exclusion zones and shore-based observation posts, delivered measurable outcomes by enabling real-time operational decisions, including pauses to marine activities when marine mammals entered exclusion areas.
In parallel, remediation of legacy materials from the former pulp mill site continued, with hundreds of thousands of tonnes of historical waste removed. These efforts have contributed to improving site conditions for both local communities and marine and terrestrial ecosystems in Howe Sound.
Woodfibre LNG’s Operator Training Programme, delivered in partnership with the Squamish Nation Training and Trades Centre and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), progressed throughout the year. The programme’s first cohort of graduates transitioned into full-time roles, supporting the development of long-term, skilled local employment opportunities linked to the project.
Through its Community Partnership Programme (CPP), Woodfibre LNG continued to invest in local communities across the Sea-to-Sky corridor. In 2025, the programme surpassed $1 million in total grants since its inception, supporting initiatives in sports, healthcare, emergency services, arts and culture, and youth development.
Luke Schauerte, CEO of Woodfibre LNG, said, “2025 has been a year of significant progress for Woodfibre LNG. We are proud of what our team and partners have accomplished together and look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead.”
With more than half of the project’s development now complete, Woodfibre LNG remains focused on advancing construction safely and responsibly, while maintaining strong partnerships with Indigenous communities, local stakeholders and regulators.
As the project looks ahead to 2026, Woodfibre LNG continues its work toward delivering lower-carbon, responsibly produced Canadian energy to international markets.
Hashtag: #RGE #PacificEnergy #PacificCanbriamEnergy #WoodfibreLNG #LNG #environment #partnerships #LNG #liquefiednaturalgas #energy #sustainability
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Woodfibre LNG
The Woodfibre LNG Project is owned by Woodfibre LNG Limited Partnership, owned 70 per cent by Pacific Energy Corporation (Canada) Limited and 30 per cent by Enbridge Inc. The Woodfibre LNG facility is being built on the site of the former Woodfibre pulp mill site, which is located about seven kilometres southwest of Squamish, B.C. Woodfibre LNG will source its natural gas from Pacific Canbriam Energy, a Canadian company with operations in Northeastern British Columbia. Pacific Canbriam is an industry leader in sustainable natural gas production. Woodfibre LNG and Pacific Canbriam Energy are subsidiaries of Pacific Energy Corporation Limited. Woodfibre LNG is the first industrial project in Canada to recognise a non-treaty Indigenous government, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), as a full environmental regulator.
Media OutReach
New Opportunities in Southeast Asia’s Digital Shift: Thailand Emerges as the New ASEAN’s AI Hub
The expansion of AI and data centers (DCs) in Thailand is driving several transformative trends:
- Changing data traffic patterns. As DCs multiply in Bangkok, Chonburi, and beyond, Thailand is evolving from a traditional data “transit point” into a regional “convergence hub.” East-west digital traffic is accelerating, with Thai DC clusters increasingly meeting the computing demands of Southeast Asia and the broader Asia-Pacific.
- Optimized data routing. Data flows that once relied on submarine cables via Hong Kong and Singapore are gradually shifting to land-based digital corridors linking China, Laos, and Thailand. This route reduces data transmission latency from southwestern China to Southeast Asia.
- Elevated business expectations. Demand is shifting beyond “sufficient bandwidth” toward “high-quality experience.” Thailand sits in a “latency sweet spot” for key Asia-Pacific markets, with latencies to Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia falling within an optimal range—a crucial advantage for latency-sensitive sectors like autonomous driving, telemedicine, and fintech.
New opportunities inevitably bring new challenges, and Thailand also addresses the following three challenges:
1. Massive traffic impacting existing networks: Compared with mature hubs like Singapore, Thailand has insufficient international submarine cables. A large volume of cross-border data still needs to be transmitted through detours. Meanwhile, as DC investments continue to accelerate, traffic will keep rising. Analysis shows that by 2029, Thailand’s DC capacity may reach 2000 MW, with cross-region traffic surging to 630 Tbps. The current network architecture is no longer capable of supporting such heavy traffic.
2. Latency advantages not fully realized: Despite its geographic advantages, Thailand’s network latency performance has yet to reach its full potential. Routes to key markets, like China, still require third-party transit. What’s more, traditional network scheduling lacks intelligent route selection capabilities, making it difficult to provide deterministic assurance for latency-sensitive services like financial transactions and real-time AI interactions.
3. Potential risks in network reliability: Thailand’s network reliability faces structural challenges. Single points of failure have previously caused hours-long interruptions to critical services, directly undermining enterprise users’ confidence.
To overcome these challenges, Thailand can take a systematic approach to upgrading its digital infrastructure, aiming to build next-generation AI-ready networks.
1. Building ultra-high-bandwidth “sea-land” connectivity. By actively introducing new submarine cables, Thailand can significantly enhance its connectivity with the Asia-Pacific region and the world. Meanwhile, accelerating the construction and expansion of key terrestrial cable routes—such as China-Laos-Thailand and Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore—will transform Thailand’s geographic advantage into a tangible connectivity advantage.
2. Optimizing network routes to create a regional low-latency core. Strengthening the Kunming-Laos-Thailand terrestrial cable route will continuously reduce transmission latency between China and Thailand, meeting the needs of real-time applications. In addition, the introduction of autonomous networks will enable automatic selection of the optimal, shortest route, shifting from “best effort” to “deterministic low latency.”
3. Designing a “never-interrupted” high-resilience architecture. Deploying active-active DC networks with millisecond-level switchover capabilities ensures the continuity of core services. Meanwhile, AI-driven intelligent O&M can reduce fault detection and diagnosis from hours to minutes.
Thailand’s booming AI and DC industries are driving rapid growth in regional and cross-border business demand. In this trend, network infrastructure construction centered on DCs is the core engine that drives AI transformation, propelling Thailand toward its vision of becoming the new AI hub for ASEAN.
Hashtag: #huawei
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Media OutReach
MyRepublic Launches Card Sub, Singapore’s First Subscription Service for Trading Card Game Fans
Hashtag: #CardSub, #MyRepublic #MyRepublicCardSub #CardSubSG #TCG #GeeksUseUs
https://myrepublic.net/sg/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/myrepublic
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https://www.facebook.com/MyRepublicSG/
https://www.instagram.com/myrepublicsg/
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MyRepublic
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