Tag Archives: ITE

Chasing Dreams in Tibet

BEIJING, July 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on the dream-chasing stories of Tibetan youngsters:

Tibet is a vast but mysterious land in southwestern China. There, Tibetan youngsters are chasing their dreams.

Gesangciren comes from a herdsman family. As a child, he used to lie on the grass fields and gaze at planes flying over the sky. Back then, he only dared to imagine that one day, he himself would pilot a plane. In 2017, a policy of poverty alleviation via general aviation was carried out in Tibet, bringing new opportunities for over 20 youngsters from poor Tibetan families, including Gesangciren. From pilot training to short intercity flights, then to high-altitude long-distance flights, Gesangciren finally became one of the first batch of general aviation pilots in Tibet after repeated practice drills and rounds of screening.

One could say Gesangciren transformed his life with the help of national policy and aid projects, while Zhaxilamu, a Tibetan girl also from a herdsman family, changed her life via the internet. In Tibet, every village now has access to mobile reception. Zhaxilamu shares her daily life on short video platforms: Herding sheep, making Tibetan pastry zanba and fixing butter tea… These ordinary episodes of Tibetan life have garnered over a million followers on social media. With improved transportation and logistics in Tibet, deliveries have become more convenient, so Zhaxilamu also managed to do a great job in livestream influencing, which could help her fellow villagers market local agricultural products on the platforms. Now, she is trying to open a B&B as an additional income source for the villagers.

Danzengyixi, a cultural inheritor of traditional Tibetan Opera, is also grabbing the tide of the internet age to further promote and develop the art. It is said that he has been fond of Tibetan Opera since childhood. One time by coincidence, an opportunity came up, allowing him to learn the art from a Tibetan Opera master.

Now, Tibetan culture, with Tibetan Opera as a hallmark, has received support from the CPC and the Chinese government, and more and more young people are participating in the promotion of the art. After graduating from college in Beijing, Danzengyixi chose to go back to Tibet to further research on and promote Tibetan Opera. He compiled works, partnered with artists home and abroad, and innovated the performing art of Tibetan Opera. It is his ambition to reinvent Tibetan Opera by injecting new vitality into it.

Besides them, there is also Luobuzhandui, an English teacher who started his own business in Lhasa, hoping to open Tibetan children up to a larger world; and Cirendajie, a Tibetan teenager studying in Beijing, who received a reply to his letter from China’s Shenzhou spacecraft Taikonauts in the Tiangong space station… More stories about dreams like these are appearing every minute.

Over the past seven decades or so, absolute poverty was eradicated in Tibet; the Qinghai-Tibetan railway was completed on the Tibetan plateau, and mobile and internet reception became more accessible for ordinary people. In the new era, the CPC and the Chinese government have kept up their pace in improving public services, providing higher quality education and health care; they have made efforts to promote communication, interaction and integration among different ethnic groups, helping premium Tibetan culture gain respect while being passed on and developed. The realization of those dreams relies on the concerted efforts of the government, society and individuals. Meanwhile, it is exactly the realization of dreams that shows people the progress of modernization with Chinese characteristics in Tibet.

The vivid Tibetan life is captured in each and every Tibetan person.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

Chasing Dreams in Tibet
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2023-07/27/content_95603830.htm

True and ZTE launch Joint Innovation Center to inject new vitality into Thailand’s digital transformation

  • True and ZTE have jointly established the “True & ZTE Innovation Centerat True Digital Park in Bangkok.
  • The Joint Innovation Center offers endless possibilities, including ultra-high-capacity, optical networks, 5G wireless coverage, AI technology, Smart Factory, and various 5G applications.

BANGKOK, July 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a global leading provider of information and communication technology solutions, together with True Corporation, Thailand’s leading Telecom-tech company, have jointly launched the “True & ZTE Innovation Center” at True Digital Park in Bangkok. The innovative collaboration between True and ZTE will inject new vitality into Thailand’s digital transformation.

The “True & ZTE Innovation Center” aims to provide advanced digital solutions to Thai society and enterprises through technological, business, enterprise digital, and business model innovation. This will drive Thailand’s competitiveness in the global digital economy and jointly contribute to implementing Thailand’s digital strategy, serving Thailand’s digital strategy and social digital transformation.

Mr. Manat Manavutiveth, Chief Executive Officer of True Corporation Plc said, “Walking through the Innovation Center, you must have witnessed a large variety of cutting-edge digital products and solutions, which will play an important role in further promoting Thailand’s digitalization process and beyond.

“We look forward to close collaboration beyond the excellent relationship with ZTE to provide wireless and wired networks. The cooperation shows how we join force to provide cutting-edge digital products and solutions, which will play an important role in promoting Thailand’s digitalization process, providing good support for regional digitalization and reliable business environment. We therefore must efficiently capitalize on the Joint Innovation Center, which offers endless possibilities. Chief among them are: ultra-high-capacity, optical networks, 5G wireless coverage, AI technology, Smart Factory, and various 5G applications.”

Mr. Li Zixue, Chairman and Executive Director of ZTE Corporation, said, “Thailand is the most important strategic market for ZTE. We are very honored to be an important partner of True. The two sides support each other and develop together. We will continuously provide excellent wired and wireless network solutions, with comprehensive support of the highest priority. Today, in the event of the establishment of this Joint Innovation Center, we hope the cooperation between ZTE and True can become a benchmark and the model for digital cooperation between China and Thailand, to work together and create the cutting-edge digital network in Thailand, to develop Thailand’s digital economy and bring benefits to Thai people.”

As part of the center, ZTE and True will explore and apply the latest communication technologies, including Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS), network AI autonomy, extreme green and efficient networks, cloud IP, and portable industry core i5GC. This collaboration aims to provide efficient and reliable communication infrastructure for Thai enterprises to meet the needs of Thailand’s digital strategy.

Currently, enterprise digital innovation is one of the center’s core objectives. Through cooperation, True and ZTE will provide tailor-made innovative solutions, including digital factories, intelligent manufacturing, smart agriculture, intelligent logistics, AI machine vision applications, and frontline operational safety management. These solutions aim to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance production quality, helping enterprises achieve digital transformation and increase their competitiveness in the global market.

Furthermore, smart homes and smart living are also focal points of the innovation center. By applying AI technology and innovative solutions, the center aims to provide more convenient and intelligent experiences for personal and family life. Products such as smartphones, gaming phones, smart wearable devices, health trackers, glasses-free 3D tablets, cloud computers, WiFi 7 home routers, whole-home fiber optics, smart speakers, and smart home videos offer convenient living experiences. The users can remotely control lighting, temperature, curtains, televisions, air conditioners, and other household appliances using voice assistants or smartphones. In addition, the center offers personalized services and automated scenario settings based on environmental perception and user behavior so that life, learning, and residence can be more comfortable, safe, and convenient.

In collaboration with local ecosystem partners, the joint innovation center will thrive in the industry ecosystem through technological innovation, business innovation, enterprise digital innovation, and business model innovation. Additionally, the center will display innovative products, demonstrate innovative solutions, test new technologies, and cultivate digital skills and capabilities. ZTE will work hand in hand with True to embrace the bright future of digital society in Thailand, a vigorous, beautiful and colorful country!

MEDIA INQUIRIES:
ZTE Corporation
Communications
Email: ZTE.press.release@zte.com.cn

Introducing Unitree Go2 – Quadruped Robot of Embodied AI

HANGZHOU, China, July 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On 12 July, Unitree unveiled its latest quadruped robot – the Unitree Go2, which features embodied AI. This product is expected to revolutionize the consumer-grade quadruped robots industry, leading to a transformation of the sector. Back in June 2021, Unitree released its first side-follow bionic robot—Go1, a technological breakthrough that attracted widespread attention and generated discussions worldwide upon its release. As a leading company in science and technology innovation, Unitree is now back, once again leading the industry! Equipped with standard 4D ultra-wide LiDAR and empowered by GPT’s large language model, Unitree Go2 of embodied AI joins you in exploring the future world!

Introducing Unitree Go2 - Quadruped Robot of Embodied AI
Introducing Unitree Go2 – Quadruped Robot of Embodied AI

Unitree Go2, as a quadruped robot, is not only advanced in its configuration and cool appearance, but also offers a range of interactive functions, perfectly simulating the behaviour of a real pet dog. This create a more intimate and enjoyable human-robot interaction experience. Now, Unitree Go2 is coming with a starting price from $1,600 (tax and freight excluded),

1. Standard 4D ultra-wide LIDAR upgrades recognition System by 200%.

Go2 features Unitree’s self-developed 4D LIDAR L1 with 360°x90°hemispherical ultra-wide recognition, super small blind spot and a minimum detection distance as low as 0.05m, enabling it to recognize different terrains.

2. Embodied Intelligence: AI+robot, Go2 is born with the empowerment of GPT

GPT embraces great language capacity and a large language base, which enables Go2 to fully understand its user’s intention and better comprehend its surroundings. Also, Go2 is able to make decisions based on information from its sensor. The increasing information it stores adds its unique characteristics, making it the closest friend of its user.

3. Remote control+long endurance+high-performance motor, hardware upgrades make the robot a new intelligent friend.

To execute more complex actions, Go2 had its motor performance enhanced by 30% with a peak joint torque of 45N.m. A new internal trace connecting technique allows greater flexibility and smoother movement for the robot. Besides, it is also equipped with a battery capacity increased to 8,000mAh, with an optional 15,000mAh ultra-long life battery available for even longer operation. What may surprise you most is that Go2 also features with 4G module, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and more stable and various network connections.

4. Gait + Posture + Offline Interaction, software upgrades make the robot understand you better.

To better adapt to different terrains, Go2 adopts an advanced Operation and Control System to realize more graceful pacing and stronger balance, including going up and down stairs, jumping, headstand, handshake and flip. In addition, Go2’s voice assistant including offline voice commands has been fully upgraded, which means that users can control the robot’s movements and functions through voice commands even when there is no internet.

5. Image transformation+force sensor+OTA Upgrades, enjoy limitless fun in the new App.

Go2 provides real-time image transmission and radar altitude map display, which helps users to check the surroundings anytime and anywhere. The app also supports displaying ethe parameters of each sensor, so as to have a clearer picture of the robot’s operation status. Besides, equipped with 4G module, it can control the robot in an over-the-horizon distance. Another advantage is that it supports OTA upgrades. The robot automatically connects to UnitreeCloud and upgrades and optimises its own program through OTA service, thus continuously improving user experience.

6. Robotic Arm+charging pile+ high computing power module, equipped with more advanced tech devices

Go2 is equipped with a servo robotic arm, which can complete grasping, carrying and other actions. Combined with navigation LIDAR, high computing power module and charging piles, Go2 achieves home guarding, independent inspection route planning, and positioned shoot and record, and provides acoustic and visual alarms when encountering anomalies. Also, it is worth mentioning that Go2 can also carry a range of powerful and high-performance accessories to suit different customer needs, bringing even more possibilities for exploring the real world.

Announcing Unitree Go2 marks another revolution in the field of robotics. This robot is not only an outstanding example of high-tech achievements, but also an indispensable part of future intelligent life. It can be applied in many fields, such as family entertainment, intelligent assistant, education and training, medical care, offering people more convenient, intelligent and efficient services. We believe that as Unitree continues to explore and innovate, it will keep leading the development of the quadruped robot industry. When exposed to the charm of science and technology, we want to invite you to create a better technological world and a brighter human future with Unitree Go2.

To find out more about where you can purchase a Go2 quadruped robot, visit our website.

Official: www.unitree.com/en/go2
Store Go2: https://bit.ly/43t9R5d
Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zPvT0ig1VM
Business cooperation: sales_global@unitree.cc
Business contact: +86 15776583869
Marketing cooperation: pr@unitree.com

Facemoji Keyboard Launches 2023 Global State of Emoji Report

Report reveals the classic emoji remains a beloved means of creative self-expression as well as the rising trend of animated emoji stickers

SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Facemoji Keyboard today published its 2023 State of Emoji Report to celebrate World Emoji Day on July 17. The report highlights a notable change in the No. 1 most-used emoji and for the first time includes Argentina’s flag among the top 20.

Key findings about emoji usage include:

  • The Loudly Crying Face overtook the long-time favorite Face with Tears of Joy as the most-used emoji globally.
  • Lionel Messi finally taking home the gold in the 2022 World Cup was a moment felt around the world, and it pushed Argentina’s flag all the way into the top 20.
  • European countries such as Spain, France, the U.K., Italy and Russia all have the Partying Face in their top 10, suggesting a return to a festive mood post-pandemic.
  • The Face with Tears of Joy, the Loudly Crying Face, the Red Heart, the Rolling on the Floor Laughing, and the Pleading Face all remained in the top five this year, proving that while we all appreciate options, we always end up going back to our favorites.
  • Whether crying from laughter or straight up crying, the top three emoji all featured tears. 
  • Canada was the only country to have a piece of clothing in its top 10 – with the pants emoji coming in at .
  • The Skull ranks among the top 10 in Canada, the U.K., and the U.S. – all English-speaking countries.

With emoji becoming a popular fixture in messaging, the more creative users started looking for new avenues to infuse even more joy and excitement into their messaging, specifically with emoji stickers which bring emoji to life with animation.

“Emoji are a staple in our digital and cultural landscape,” said Natalia Lin, product lead at Facemoji Keyboard. “Our State of Emoji Report reveals how emoji have become a beloved form of creative self-expression for individuals worldwide. They continue inspiring us to create fun emoji-centric content.”

The data in this report covers global emoji usage habits of Facemoji Keyboard’s Android and iOS users between June 2022 and June 2023. Emoji rankings in this report reflect global overall emoji usage frequency by app and by country – displaying data from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Great Britain, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Thailand, and the United States. 

To read the full State of Emoji Report 2023, click here.

About Facemoji Keyboard  

Facemoji Keyboard is the world’s first content-creation keyboard that allows users to find, design or invent the trendiest and smartest ways to express themselves. With Facemoji, users can fully customize their keyboard and create and share unique expressive designs, so every user can be a modern trendsetter in content creation.  

NetEase Cloud Music and RYCE Entertainment Form Strategic Partnership

HANGZHOU, China, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Cloud Music Inc. (HKEX: 9899, “NetEase Cloud Music” or the “Company”), a well-known online music platform featuring a vibrant content community, today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership agreement (the “Agreement”) with RYCE Entertainment, one of China’s leading music and entertainment companies, to further expand the Company’s sweeping music content library.

Beyond the extension of previous cooperation, NetEase Cloud Music is now able to access an expanding portfolio of RYCE Entertainment’s music catalog in China with 30-day initial launch rights to distribute new additions to the catalog under the latest terms of the Agreement. The two companies will collaborate to promote RYCE Entertainment’s prominent artists and music catalog in China through the synergies of extensive music production and distribution prowess. 

Since its founding in 2021, RYCE Entertainment has been devoted to creating and distributing critically acclaimed music to a global audience, and its music catalogue boasts works from a diverse roaster of talented artists, including Jackson Wang, Amber Liu, Tablo, PSY.P, Caelan Moriaty, Oscar Wang, AnsrJ and Renyu Zheng, among others.

As one of China’s leading online music platforms, NetEase Cloud Music is a preferred online destination for younger generations to enjoy music across a wide variety of genres from artists both at home and abroad. The platform boasts a unique music community atmosphere, highly interactive user base and impressive user stickiness. In 2022, NetEase Cloud Music hosted 189 million monthly active users who showcased vigorous average daily music listening trends and interactions with other users in the community. Together, these features underpin NetEase Cloud Music’s robust capabilities in efficiently promoting music content and enhancing the interactions between artists and their fan base.

As a forerunner in China’s online music industry, NetEase Cloud Music continues to partner with leading entertainment companies around the globe. Earlier in 2023, the Company further extended its portfolio of C-pop music and other popular genres through partnerships with other iconic production companies including Rock Records and B’in Music. With a powerful and growing portfolio of music from major labels that span a wide range of genres and geographies, NetEase Cloud Music is known for incubating independent musicians and fostering emerging musicians as it continues to grow its production capabilities and loyal Gen Z community of dedicated music fans.

About RYCE ENTERTAINMENT

RYCE is an innovative global music and entertainment company which operates in three main business sectors: music, artist management, and IP development.

Having integrated top management and production teams from across the industry, RYCE presents a strong lineup of talent, backed with vast copyright and media resources, industry access and networks. The company continues to develop creative business models to produce entertainment content that adapts to new media trends and is committed to creating a diversified and contemporary entertainment company.

About Cloud Music Inc.

Launched in 2013 by NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES; HKEX: 9999), Cloud Music Inc. (HKEX: 9899) is a well-known online music platform featuring a vibrant content community. Dedicated to providing an elevated user experience, Cloud Music Inc. provides precise, personalised recommendations, promotes user interaction and creates a strong social community. Its focus on discovering and promoting emerging musicians has made Cloud Music Inc. a destination of choice for exploring new and independent music among music enthusiasts in China. The platform has been recognised as the most popular entertainment app among China’s vibrant Generation Z community.

Please see http://ir.music.163.com/ for more information.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to the business outlook, estimates of financial performance, forecast business plans and growth strategies of the Company. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are stated herein on the basis of the outlook at the time of this press release. They are based on certain expectations, assumptions and premises, some of which are subjective or beyond our control. These forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect and may not be realised in the future. Underlying these forward-looking statements are a lot of risks and uncertainties. In light of the risks and uncertainties, the inclusion of forward-looking statements in this press release should not be regarded as representations by the Board or the Company that the plans and objectives will be achieved, and investors should not place undue reliance on such statements.

Investor Enquiries:

Angela Xu
Cloud Music Inc.
music.ir@service.netease.com

Media Enquiries:

Zhang Mengqi
NetEase, Inc.
globalpr@service.netease.com

Source: NetEase, Inc.

Call for Entries for Mozilla’s Rise 25 Awards

SAN FRANCISCO, July 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Mozilla, the nonprofit-backed tech company whose mission is to ensure the internet is a global public resource that is open and accessible to all, today announced their Rise 25 Awards final deadline for entry as July 17, 2023. The awards will recognize and celebrate the 25 game-changers who are shaping the future of the internet to be more ethical, responsible and inclusive, ensuring a positive future for all. To commemorate Mozilla’s 25th anniversary, a ceremony will be held in October in Berlin, with details including programming updates to be announced in the near future.

“Mozilla’s mission has always been to benefit public interest, from when we first open-sourced our Firefox browser code 25 years ago, to the technologies we create today that spark innovation, more competition, and more choice online,” said Lindsey O’Brien, Chief Marketing Officer at Mozilla. “With Rise 25, we celebrate our 25th anniversary and honor the innovators who are shaping the future of the internet, creating technologies to be more ethical, responsible and equitable, and content that is more inclusive and diverse.”

Five honorees will be selected for the following categories:`

  1. Artists creating innovative and thought-provoking digital artwork who use the internet as their canvas to inspire others and re-think what’s possible online.
  2. Activists who are using the internet to drive social and political change, and to amplify their voices to make a difference in the world.
  3. Creators, filmmakers, educators, comedians, etc. who are using storytelling to build community online, inspiring their audiences and sparking important conversations.
  4. Builders, engineers and technical people who are building the infrastructure of the internet, shaping the technical side of the web, making it faster, more secure and accessible to everyone.
  5. Advocates, policymakers, lawyers, etc. who are shaping the regulations and policies governing the internet, fighting to keep it open and free.

The 25 honorees will receive roundtrip transportation to Berlin, as well as accommodations to attend the ceremony in person. To submit a nominee for consideration, visit https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/rise25 by Monday, July 17, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The 25 honorees will be announced at a later date.

About Mozilla
Founded in 1998 in San Francisco, Mozilla is the non-profit-backed technology company behind pioneering brands like Firefox, the privacy-minded web browser. More than 270 million people around the world use Mozilla products every month.

Media Contact:
pr@mozilla.com 

Lockin Company Sets New Standards in Mobile App Security Solution

SEOUL, South Korea, July 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Lockin Company, a leading cybersecurity service provider, is proud to announce a significant improvement of their app security solution called LIAPP. With the upcoming launch of their upgraded app security solution, LIAPP, on June 30th, Lockin Company aims to revolutionize the way developers protect their mobile applications. The latest enhancements focus on enhancing user convenience and fortifying security measures, ensuring a seamless and secure experience for app developers and users alike.

Dashboard of LIAPP offers enhanced UX/UI
Dashboard of LIAPP offers enhanced UX/UI

LIAPP, a user-friendly no-code SaaS-based security service, empowers developers to apply robust security measures to their apps effortlessly. By simply uploading their completed applications, developers can secure their mobile apps without the need for additional coding. This innovative solution offers flexible subscription plans, including annual and monthly options, catering to users’ preferred duration and budgetary requirements. The accolades received at the esteemed “Cybersecurity Excellence Awards” in March, where LIAPP triumphed in three categories – “Application Security,” “Mobile Application Security,” and “Runtime Application Self-Protection,” – further validate its effectiveness and popularity among industry professionals.

The upgraded LIAPP introduces a clean and intuitive user interface, enabling app developers to implement security measures with ease. The app protection and threat detection options have been enhanced, allowing developers to customize the application’s security based on their specific operational requirements. Furthermore, the subscription payment process has been redesigned for improved usability, ensuring a hassle-free experience for users. Recognizing the international user base, with over 40% of users coming from overseas, Lockin Company now offers support for English and Spanish languages, catering to global users and facilitating seamless adoption of LIAPP across different regions.

In response to the evolving landscape of hacking types and methods, LIAPP’s capabilities have been significantly enhanced. The solution now incorporates strengthened administrator privileges and virtual machine detection, optimizing post-security compatibility. Additionally, several security upgrades have been implemented, including support for two-factor authentication during login, providing an elevated level of protection against unauthorized access and potential threats.

Myoung Kyu Choi, CEO of Lockin Company, expressed his enthusiasm for the upgraded LIAPP, stating, “As the demand for our services grows in regions like Latin America and Europe, we have focused on enhancing convenience and fortifying security features, including multilingual support. With these extensive upgrades, we anticipate attracting a broader global user base due to the strong capabilities of LIAPP.”

Since its establishment in 2013, the company’s commitment to excellence and innovation has resulted in widespread adoption of LIAPP in numerous countries, including South Korea, Japan, India, the United States, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Brazil. Recognized as a prominent application security provider by Gartner, Lockin Company’s LIAPP has also been designated as an “Excellent Information Security Technology Product” by the Ministry of Science and ICT in South Korea.

Chinese scientists: Technology-driven and law-based system key to lake ecosystems, biodiversity protection

BEIJING, June 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on the role of technologies and laws on the lake ecosystems and biodiversity protection:

“We should integrate our technological resources and build up a sound technological support system, accelerating the building of relevant law & regulation systems for lake protection and management,” Zhang Ganlin, director and researcher of the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), notes in an article released by the Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (BCAS, in Chinese), a think tank journal supervised and sponsored by the CAS, which focuses on strategic and decision-making research.

Among important land resources and as key geographical units of land surface systems, lakes(including artificial reservoirs) are important surface water resources, and they are also an important part of the earth surface system consisting of “mountains,rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grassland and sand,” as Zhang points out in his article “Ecological and Environmental Changes and Protection Measures of Lakes in China.” The article also notes that lakes play an irreplaceable role in water resource supply, flood control and drought alleviation, water quality purification, and biodiversity protection.

Given the important roles and significance of lakes in socio-economic development, the article, based on long-term lake research and monitoring data, proposes the strategies for the protection, management, and restoration in response to the problems faced by lake ecosystems in China.

In recent years, the overall condition of the ecological environment of lakes in our country has been becoming better, and the protection to lakes has achieved remarkable results. For example, the water quality of Poyang Lake, which is located in the eastern plains of China has shown a trend of improvement in recent years, and the annual average concentration of total phosphorus, the main pollutant, has declined slightly. From 2012 to 2020, the inter-annual variation of wetland vegetation biomass in Poyang Lake was flat, and the variation range was relatively small. Since 2012, the importance value of the dominant species of the typical plant communities in Poyang Lake wetland have remained above 0.6, showing a relatively stable community structure and playing an important supporting role in the stability of the ecosystem structure and the maintenance of ecological functions in the lake.

The paper also reveals that for the past decades, China has strengthened ecological conservation and environment protection at all times and in all dimensions and regions. Since 2021, China has achieved initial success in the critical battle against water pollution. Major action plans on addressing water pollution have been fully implemented. Also, the country has redoubled efforts to preserve and restore lake ecosystems and protect biodiversity, with the integrated protection and restoration of various ecosystems and implementation of a series of fundamental, pioneering, and long-term programs.

First, a significant increase can be seen in the total amount of available freshwater resources in lakes. There are 2,670 natural lakes over 1 km2 of area in China, and 98,600 reservoirs with an increase of 10,100 over 2011. Thanks to the lake protection and water quality improvement, the proportion of centralized drinking water sources from lakes and reservoirs across China has increased from 33% to 40% in the past five years, which serves nearly 50% of the population of the country.

Second, the lakes under priority control have reported steady improvement of water quality. For instance, the “three lakes” (the Taihu Lake, Chaohu Lake and Dianchi Lake), have registered significantly checked eutrophication trend. With the increase in the transparency of about 70% of large and medium-sized lakes in China in the past 10 years, the lakes have become clearer overall.

Third, with the restoration of the aquatic vegetation in lakes and the steady rise in the biodiversity of major lakes, the lakes have reported improvement of ecological service functions. This has been approved by the fact that about 43% and 40% showed a significant improvement of aquatic vegetation between 2010-2014 and between 2015-2019, respectively.

However, China still needs to continue with science and technological innovation in lake ecological environment management and protection. There are significant rooms for development of higher level processing materials, key technologies, and equipment, and relevant basic and applied research.

Therefore, Chinese scientists have put forward several key approaches to exploring the paths to high-quality development for lake watersheds with low resource consumption and environmental costs.

Among all the suggestions, the article attaches great importance to building a technology-driven and law-based system, in an effort to protect lake ecosystems and biodiversity in China.

More efforts should be made to set up sound systems in the following areas: performance evaluation and accountability for ecological conservation, compensation for ecological conservation, designation of river and lake managing chiefs. Meanwhile, corresponding laws and regulations should be further formulated or revised.

The article further explains that it is necessary to strengthen the role of technology in supporting the lake-type ecological environment protection, that is to say, to integrate all possible technological resources and build up a sound technological support system, and vigorously promote the technology-based lake manager system to further enhance the scientific management and protection of lakes.

National legislation for lake protection should also be promoted, accelerating the building of relevant law & regulation systems for lake protection and management and improve the mechanism for the alignment between administrative law enforcement and criminal justice in lake watershed protection.

On the institutional level, it is advised to adopt an “ecological bank” model and improve the compensation system for the ecological benefits of lakes.

Chinese scientists: Technology-driven and law-based system key to lake ecosystems, biodiversity protection
http://belt.china.org.cn/2023-06/25/content_89263128.htm 

PalmPay celebrates 25 million user milestone in Nigeria, network of 800,000 mobile money agents and merchants

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — PalmPay, a pioneering Africa-focused fintech platform, celebrates a significant landmark in its journey, marking 25 million users on its app and an extensive network of 500,000 mobile money agents and 300,000 merchants in its payments ecosystem.

PalmPay executives at the Media Parley in Lagos
PalmPay executives at the Media Parley in Lagos

This rapid growth within just four years of its market entry in Nigeria is testament to the company’s robust strategy centered on offering secure, user-friendly and inclusive financial services.

“We are proud to be a driving force of financial inclusion and cashless payment adoption in Nigeria.”, stated Sofia Zab, Global CMO of PalmPay. “PalmPay’s growth validates our approach and illustrates the increasing demand for innovative fintech solutions that address the unique needs of Africa’s underserved population.”

PalmPay’s user-friendly application simplifies digital transactions, making them swift and convenient. This has driven a shift in consumer behaviour from cash to digital payments. Today, the company processes more than 5 billion USD per month.

The PalmPay app offers a comprehensive suite of financial services that empower its customers with tools to manage their finances in one place.

This week, the company is launching its savings service, which include a 20% annual interest savings plan available to all users. The fintech also provides banking services for businesses, equipping them with dedicated apps, web portal and POS.

PalmPay’s efforts in promoting financial inclusion have been notably impactful, with around 30% of its users stating that their first-ever financial account was created on the app.

Its expansive network of mobile money agents help users deposit and withdraw money and guide consumers on how to use the PalmPay app. Its agents also serve consumers who do not have access to smartphones by transacting on their behalf, thereby extending access to PalmPay’s services to millions of additional people.

The company’s success in Nigeria has been propelled by its proprietary payment infrastructure, which offers unmatched reliability in a market that has long grappled with unstable financial systems. The platform boasts a 99.5% 10-second transaction success rate, distinguishing PalmPay in a highly competitive fintech space.

“PalmPay is more than a digital wallet – we are building a comprehensive platform to offer consumers all the tools they need to thrive financially. As we move forward, our aim is to become Africa’s financial superapp. “, added Zab. “Our partners benefit from our robust payment infrastructure and data-driven approach, which enables us to connect their offerings directly to their target customers, fostering mutual growth within our digital ecosystem.”

The company’s next strategic step is to bridge the gap between consumers and businesses by digitising merchant payments. PalmPay is onboarding tens of thousands of offline retailers every month, many of whom are spurred to join the platform following requests from its customers who want to be able to pay with transfer.

“The consumer base has now become one of the major driving forces of wider cashless adoption in the Nigerian payments ecosystem”, said Chika Nwosu, PalmPay Nigeria Managing Director, “We see an enormous potential in digitising payments for the retail and informal economy, which reduces their cost of doing business and helps them build the digital track record to qualify for credit and other financial services.”

Looking ahead, PalmPay is extending its operations to more countries and plans to offer cross-border transactions in future. The company is already piloting services in Ghana and is preparing launch plans for several other African markets.

About PalmPay

PalmPay is a leading Africa-focused fintech platform committed to driving economic empowerment across the continent. Through its secure, user-friendly and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay brings top-tier products into the pockets of everyday Nigerians.

PalmPay offers money transfers, bill payments, credit services and savings on its app and via its network of 500,000 mobile money agents.

Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator license, the platform has grown to 25 million users. Over 300,000 merchants are part of its cashless payment ecosystem.The company has raised $140m USD.

The PalmPay app is available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store in Nigeria and Ghana, with more markets going live in 2023.

LTIMindtree Launches Canvas.ai, A Generative AI Platform To Accelerate Concept-To-Value Realization For Enterprises


The Platform, built using well-architected framework, enables clients to build, manage and consume generative AI solutions responsibly

WARREN, N.J. and MUMBAI, India, June 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — LTIMindtree (NSE: LTIM) (BSE: 540005), a global technology consulting and digital solutions company, today launched Canvas.ai, an enterprise-ready generative AI platform designed to accelerate the concept-to-value journey for businesses using mindful AI principles.

Canvas.ai is among the first-of-its-kind platform designed to help enterprises jump start and scale generative AI capabilities, bolstering business innovation and engineering productivity. Leveraging well-architected framework and sound governance measures, Canvas.ai effectively manages proprietary and industry-specific data, while factoring its ethical use, sustainability, privacy and security. The platform-based architecture of Canvas.ai caters to the business requirements of three key personas – creators who build the generative AI solutions, admins who manage, and users who consume governed generative AI solutions.

Debashis Chatterjee, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at LTIMindtree said, “Generative AI is a seminal trend that is slating the next phase of autonomous enterprises. Through our 4E model of Educate, Experience, Explore and Employ, we remain invested in helping our clients adopt and adapt generative AI ways of working. We are happy to note that several global clients are already leveraging Canvas.ai to solve for unique business needs in their journey towards digital transformation and cutting-edge experience.”

Nachiket Deshpande, Whole-Time Director and Chief Operating Officer at LTIMindtree said, “With Canvas.ai, clients gain access to LTIMindtree’s partnership with leading Large Language Model (LLM) providers and ecosystem of proprietary accelerators, domain-specific solution and product offerings, and future-ready talent pool. This will help clients harness the power of Generative AI and build out solutions for data monetization, productivity co-pilots, and engineering frameworks. Furthermore, the platform-centric design of Canvas.ai makes it adept at facilitating standardization, while accommodating the upgrades to generative AI technology, promoting enterprise-wide efficiency and reducing infrastructure and operating costs in the long term as clients digitize their core businesses.”

Canvas.ai guarantees up to 40-50% reduction in time and effort for app modernization and cloud migration programs.

“Rapid advancements in technology and pervasiveness of generative AI make it necessary for organizations to carefully weigh in the ethical ramifications of its adoption,” said Jitendra Putcha, Global Head, Data, Analytics and AI at LTIMindtree. “With built-in features such as explainable AI and security-first approach, which serve as guardrails, Canvas.ai prevents the abuse of the technology. It can help organizations traverse data regulations, minimize unintended bias and ensure transparency across the business supply chain. It gives them the scope for mindful innovation and the resources to deploy generative AI responsibly.”

Canvas.ai is available for clients globally through LTIMindtree’s Generative AI Studios in Warren, NJ; Dallas, TX; Hartford, CT; and Minneapolis, MN in US; London and Paris in Europe; and Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad in India.

About LTIMindtree

LTIMindtree is a global technology consulting and digital solutions company that enables enterprises across industries to reimagine business models, accelerate innovation, and maximize growth by harnessing digital technologies. As a digital transformation partner to more than 700 clients, LTIMindtree brings extensive domain and technology expertise to help drive superior competitive differentiation, customer experiences, and business outcomes in a converging world. Powered by 84,000+ talented and entrepreneurial professionals across more than 30 countries, LTIMindtree — a Larsen & Toubro Group company — combines the industry-acclaimed strengths of erstwhile Larsen and Toubro Infotech and Mindtree in solving the most complex business challenges and delivering transformation at scale. For more information, please visit https://www.ltimindtree.com/.  

Media Contact :
media@ltimindtree.com