Blue California Commercializes Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) for Supporting an Increased Healthspan

A better cost-effective option is now available for dietary supplement, functional food, and beverage manufacturers.

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., July 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue California joins with the innovative Massachusetts-based biotech company Conagen to announce the commercialization of high-purity, fermentation-derived nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). A nature-based metabolic component which has caught the attention of health-conscious consumers for supporting energy and longevity.

The quest to age healthily and support longevity is surging among health-conscious consumers. “Consumers are reassessing their dietary regimen to make room for ingredients that can support an increased healthspan,” said Chief Science Officer at Blue California, Dr. Priscilla Samuel.

NMN supplements are highly sought-after for healthy aging applications, including brain health, vitality, heart health, metabolic health, and even cosmetics. However, current NMN ingredients used in products on the market are mostly produced by chemical synthesis.

While consumers are exploring dietary supplements for a holistic approach to health, they are also demanding clean labels from their supplements, and moving away from synthetic ingredients. Blue California’s fermentation-derived NMN opens new opportunities for producers to consider consumers’ health more holistically while acquiring a closer-to-nature position.

NMN serves as a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme present in all living cells and critical for mitochondrial function.

Increased intracellular levels of NAD+ boost energy production and improve cellular health, but levels decline dramatically with age. Replenishing NAD+ in the body with its precursor NMN has been proposed as a way to possibly combat age-related degeneration and increase healthy lifespan.

“Our fermentation-derived offering is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing recognition of NMN as an important ingredient in the food and supplement spaces,” said Samuel. “NMN is a well-known molecule in the longevity research community, and emerging research also suggests potential applications for immune health as well as sports nutrition.”

Harvard professor David Sinclair, a well-recognized leader in the field of aging research, is an advocate of NMN for improving the health of aging populations.

“NMN is a logical extension to our line of “longevity ingredients” which includes ergothioneine and pyrroloquinoline quinone. All of these molecules are made by our own proprietary fermentation processes, enabling our customers to better serve consumers who might reject chemically-derived ingredients,” said VP of Innovation at Conagen, Dr. Casey Lippmeier. “Because of the way we make it, Conagen’s NMN is of the highest purity and quality.  It is also very cost-effective and compatible with clean-label trends, all of which demonstrates our strength as a strategic partner with Blue California.”

As innovation in dietary supplemental nutrition advances, so does the growth of global vitamin, mineral and supplement (VMS) launches. Mintel reported a growth of 67% of global VMS launches in Apr 2020 – Mar 2021, as compared to Apr 2016 – Mar 2017 — where the United States leads the VMS market.

About Blue California

Blue California is a vertically integrated technology company providing innovative ingredient solutions to global partners. With more than 20 years of innovation success, our ingredients are used in commercial products and applications in the industries of nutrition, personal care, healthy aging and wellness, functional food and beverage, and beauty. www.bluecal-ingredients.com

About Conagen

Conagen is making the impossible possible. Our scientists and engineers use the latest synthetic biology tools to develop high-quality sustainable nature-based products through systems of manufacturing on a molecular level and fermentation basis. We focus on the bioproduction of high-value ingredients for food, nutrition, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceutical, and renewable materials industries. www.conagen.com

Attachment

Ana Arakelian
Blue California ingredients
+1-949-635-1991
ana@bluecal-ingredients.com

Halfords Implements Descartes’ Last Mile Delivery Solution to Enable Dynamic Delivery Appointment Pricing in Mobile Service Business and as Part of New Avayler Field Service Software Platform

LONDON, July 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, has announced that UK-headquartered Halfords, a leading automotive products and services retailer, is using Descartes’ last mile delivery solution to enable dynamic delivery pricing in its customer-facing mobile tire replacement service and as its new international field service software solution called Avayler. First metrics show that Halford’s mobile service business has already been able to improve gross profit by 5% and reduce miles per delivery by 13%.

Descartes’ last mile delivery solution provides an end-to-end platform for home and last mile delivery operations. The solution spans delivery appointment booking, route planning and execution, mobile proof-of-delivery (POD) and notifications processes. Its delivery appointment schedule is dynamically generated for each customer and time window options are scored. This allows organizations such as Halfords to intelligently control the booking process, which maximizes booking density and productivity and enhances the customer experience while minimizing costs.

“As part of our innovative ecommerce-based mobile tire replacement service, we wanted to more accurately reflect the logistics cost of the mobile service when customers were booking service appointments and balance demand with our ability to serve customers,” said Chris McShane, Director, Strategy, Transformation & Business Development at Halfords. “Extending Descartes’ dynamic scheduling solution into Avayler made perfect sense. The solution will allow garages, distributors and other service-based organizations to provide their customer base with unique service appointment pricing as they are making purchases and the ability to optimize customer demand.”

The advanced real-time capabilities of the Descartes solution enable Halfords to offer dynamic delivery pricing that considers existing orders, business objectives, road network, vehicle capacity and service constraints to price delivery appointment options. In addition, Halfords uses Descartes’ forward-looking vehicle capacity information to help adjust its online marketing to ensure it balances demand generation with the ability to service that demand. As a result, Halfords has been able to target pay-per-click marketing spend by matching orders booked with the ability to service more customers in the coming days in particular regions.

After successfully using the Descartes last mile delivery solution to drive efficiencies in its own operations, Halfords has now integrated it into Avayler, its newly launched, end-to-end, customer-centric field service solution that will be rolled out globally. Avayler will provide other businesses with an end-to-end SaaS solution wherever they offer services whether in store, at garages, workshops, clinics, pop-up sites, in the driveway or across the threshold.

“By using logistics information and constraints in real-time during the customer buying experience, Halfords is taking last mile delivery strategies and solutions the next level,” said Pol Sweeney, Vice President of U.K. and Ireland Sales at Descartes. “Home and last mile delivery and services continue to be market differentiators, but expensive to operate. Halfords’ combination of our dynamic delivery appointment booking with its advanced pricing algorithms and capacity management allow the company to provide one of the most innovative and intuitive field service solutions on the market.”

About Halfords
Halfords is the U.K.’s leading retailer of motoring and cycling products and services. Through Halfords Autocentres, it is also one of the U.K.’s leading independent operators in vehicle servicing, maintenance and repairs. Headquartered in Redditch, West Midlands, Halfords employs nearly 10,000 colleagues up and down the country. For more information, visit www.halfords.com or contact:

Steve Marinker – +44 (0)7779 031 936
steve.marinker@powerscourt-group.com

Harold Amoo – +44 (0)7864 607 220
harold.amoo@powerscourt-group.com

About Descartes
Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, performance and security of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, schedule, track and measure delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Global Media Contact
Cara Strohack
Tel: +1(800) 419-8495 ext. 202025
cstrohack@descartes.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relate to Descartes’ solution offering and potential benefits derived therefrom including the ability to combine certain capabilities of Descartes with the proprietary systems of Halfords; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada including Descartes most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

Junshi Biosciences and Immorna Announce Joint Venture to Develop Innovative Self-Replicating and Conventional mRNA Therapeutics and Vaccines

SHANGHAI, China, July 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapies, announced today that the company has established a joint venture with Immorna, a fast-growing biotechnology company focusing on the process development and optimization of mRNA and delivery vehicles and the research and development of new nucleic acid drugs, to develop and commercialize new drugs for the global market in the fields of cancer, infectious diseases, rare diseases, and other diseases, based on the mRNA technology and other technology platforms.

Immorna’s unique mRNA construction and established versatile process platform are suitable for the development of self-replicating mRNA as well as conventional non-replicating mRNA products, enabling the construction of a customized form of mRNA molecule for a specific disease. In terms of delivery vehicles, Immorna has developed several nanoliposome particles (LNP) suitable for different administration methods and has technical capabilities in the field of research and development of new non-LNP delivery vehicles.

Under the terms of the agreement, Junshi Biosciences will inject at most 799 million RMB in cash into the joint venture. The initial investment is 200 million RMB, of which 50 million RMB will be used to subscribe to 50% of the registered capital of the joint venture. Immorna will invest in the joint venture company with intellectual property rights involved in the mRNA technology platform. The 50 million RMB in the estimated asset value of the platform will be used to subscribe to other 50% of the registered capital of the joint venture company.

“As the mRNA Technology Platform gradually matures, its potential in a variety of fields—including infectious diseases, cancer, rare diseases, and other diseases—has become increasingly evident,” says Dr. Ning Li, Chief Executive Officer of Junshi Biosciences. “This is highly consistent with the therapeutic areas covered by Junshi Biosciences’ R&D pipeline and our desire to explore the next generation of innovative therapeutics. Immorna has a wealth of experience and expertise in mRNA industrialization. We look forward to working together to develop more revolutionary therapeutics for patients worldwide through our mRNA Technology Platform with domestic intellectual property rights and promote public health on a global scale.”

“Immorna is very pleased to reach a strategic collaboration agreement with Junshi Biosciences, under which a joint venture company has been created,” says Dr. Zihao Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Immorna Therapeutics. “We are very confident that this new entity will allow us to take advantage of each other’s core competency, quickly and efficiently utilize the versatile mRNA platform technology in immunotherapy and infectious disease prevention, and continue our search for new directions of the application.”

About Immorna
Immorna is an innovative drug research company that focuses on developing self-replicating and conventional mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines. It has maintained stable and fast growth since its incorporation in 2019. Currently, it has built a comprehensive set of mRNA synthesis, purification and analytical quality control processes well suited for commercial production and developed a common mRNA platform with higher expression levels (including self-replicating and non-self-replicating mRNA). With the aid of its efficient screening tools, Immorna has developed an arsenal of mRNA delivery vehicles including polymers and lipid nanoparticles. Immorna possesses multiple independent intellectual property rights applicable to cationic lipids suitable for intramuscular, intravenous or tissue-targeting delivery. Immorna has a diverse product pipeline spanning cancer immunotherapy, infectious diseases, rare genetic diseases and cosmetology. Immorna is quickly advancing its oncology and infectious disease projects into their clinical stages.

About Junshi Biosciences
Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. The company has established a diversified R & D pipeline comprising 28 innovative drug candidates and 2 biosimilars, with five therapeutic focus areas covering cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and infectious diseases. Junshi Biosciences was the first Chinese pharmaceutical company that obtained marketing approval for anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody in China. Its first-in-human anti-BTLA antibody for solid tumors was the first in the world to be approved for clinical trials by the FDA and NMPA and its anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody was the first in China to be approved for clinical trials by the NMPA. In early 2020, Junshi Biosciences joined forces with the Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Science and Eli Lilly to co-develop JS016 (etesevimab), China’s first neutralizing fully human monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2. JS016 administered with bamlanivimab has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US FDA in February 2021 for the treatment of recently diagnosed, mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients who are at a high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. The JS016 program is a part of our continuous innovation for disease control and prevention of the global pandemic. Junshi Biosciences has over 2,000 employees in the United States (San Francisco and Maryland) and China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing and Guangzhou). For more information, please visit: http://junshipharma.com.

Contact Information

IR Team:
Junshi Biosciences
info@junshipharma.com
+ 86 021-2250 0300

Solebury Trout
Bob Ai
bai@soleburytrout.com
+ 1 646-389-6658

PR Team:
Junshi Biosciences
Zhi Li
zhi_li@junshipharma.com
+ 86 021-6105 8800

Swift Navigation และ KDDI ประกาศความร่วมมือเพื่อต่อยอดจากการขยายการระบุตำแหน่งที่แม่นยำทั่วโลก

ซานฟรานซิสโก, July 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Swift Navigation บริษัทเทคโนโลยีในซานฟรานซิสโกกำลังสร้างนิยามใหม่ของ GNSS (ระบบนำทางด้วยดาวเทียมทั่วโลก) และเทคโนโลยีระบุตำแหน่งที่แม่นยำสำหรับยานพาหนะอัตโนมัติ ยานยนต์ แอปพลิเคชันมือถือและตลาดมวลชน วันนี้ได้ประกาศความร่วมมือกับ KDDI Corporation ซึ่งตั้งอยู่ในโตเกียว KDDI เป็นบริษัทโทรคมนาคมแนวหน้าระหว่างประเทศในการใช้นวัตกรรมเทคโนโลยีเพื่อให้บริการเครือข่ายที่มีคุณภาพและความน่าเชื่อถือสูง ที่สามารถตอบสนองความต้องการด้านการสื่อสารของลูกค้าทั่วโลก ความร่วมมือนี้จะเป็นสิ่งสำคัญในการนำเทคโนโลยีระบุตำแหน่งที่แม่นยำของ Swift ไปสู่ตลาดญี่ปุ่น และเพิ่ม KDDI เป็นพันธมิตรหลักในการขยายบริการระบุตำแหน่งที่แม่นยำของ Skylark ไปสู่ระดับโลก ซึ่งขณะนี้มีให้บริการทั่วทวีปสหรัฐอเมริกาและยุโรปภายใต้ความร่วมมือกับ Deutsche Telekom

เดิมที การแก้ไข GNSS ที่แม่นยำนั้นใช้เทคนิคจลนศาสตร์แบบเรียลไทม์ (RTK) ซึ่งต้องใช้สถานีรับสัญญาณดาวเทียมอ้างอิงความหนาแน่นสูง ซึ่งสามารถทนต่อความคลาดเคลื่อนที่จำกัด การเป็นพันธมิตรกับ Swift ทำให้ KDDI สามารถใช้โซลูชันการแก้ไขเป็นพื้นที่กว้างที่จดสิทธิบัตรของ Swift ซึ่งเป็นการผสมผสานของการระบุตำแหน่งความแม่นยำสูง (PPP) และ RTK โซลูชันนี้จะนำเสนอการแก้ไขเป็นพื้นที่กว้าง ด้วยสถานีอ้างอิงความหนาแน่นต่ำ การรวมที่รวดเร็ว ความแม่นยำระดับเซนติเมตร ทั้งหมดนี้จากบริการที่น่าเชื่อถือสูงที่นำเสนอได้อย่างราบรื่นผ่านระบบคลาวด์

ความแม่นยำระดับนั้นที่ก่อนหน้านี้อาจเป็นประโยชน์ต่ออุปกรณ์ในไซต์งาน หรือในภาคสนามเพียงไม่กี่ชนิด ในตอนนี้สามารถเข้าถึงได้โดยผู้ใช้นับล้านจากทุกทวีป ความแม่นยำของบริการระบุตำแหน่งที่เที่ยงตรงของ Skylark ช่วยให้สามารถระบุตำแหน่งระดับเลนได้อย่างรวดเร็ว เพื่อความปลอดภัย ความน่าเชื่อถือ ความถูกต้อง และความพร้อมใช้งานตามความต้องการของระบบอัตโนมัติ แอปพลิเคชันตลาดมวลชนและมือถือ Skylark เป็น GNSS ที่ไม่ขึ้นกับฮาร์ดแวร์ ทำให้ลูกค้ามีทางเลือกในการใช้เซ็นเซอร์ GNSS และช่วยให้ผู้ใช้ในอุตสาหกรรมต่างๆ ได้รับประโยชน์จากความแม่นยำที่สูงขึ้นเพียงแค่สมัครเป็นสมาชิก Skylark การเข้าถึงที่ง่ายและเอาต์พุตที่แม่นยำสูงขึ้นมีประโยชน์สำหรับอุตสาหกรรมต่างๆ ผู้ผลิตยานยนต์สามารถได้ความแม่นยำระดับเลนในชุดเซ็นเซอร์ความถูกต้องสูง การปรับแต่งเส้นทางนั้นช่วยเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพการดำเนินงานและประหยัดต้นทุนให้บริษัทจัดส่งของต่างๆ บริษัทแอปพลิเคชันมือถือปรับปรุงการวิเคราะห์โดยใช้ข้อมูลที่แม่นยำเพื่อสร้างแผนที่ที่ดีขึ้นและแอปที่มีประสิทธิภาพสูงขึ้น การใช้งานในอุตสาหกรรมช่วยให้อุปกรณ์ทำงานเป็นอัตโนมัติ และเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพด้วยการระบุตำแหน่งที่แม่นยำและเชื่อถือได้

“Swift Navigation มีความยินดีที่ได้เป็นพันธมิตรกับ KDDI เพื่อขยายการระบุตำแหน่งที่แม่นยำของ Skylark ในญี่ปุ่นและให้ประโยชน์แก่ลูกค้าทั่วโลก” Timothy Harris ผู้ร่วมก่อตั้งและ CEO ของ Swift Navigation กล่าว “KDDI เป็นผู้นำในการนำเสนอโซลูชันเทคโนโลยีอันล้ำสมัยแก่ลูกค้ามาโดยตลอด และ Swift ยินดีที่จะเพิ่มคุณค่าให้กับธุรกิจของตนผ่านความแม่นยำที่เชื่อถือจาก Skylark”

“เราเชื่อว่าโซลูชันระบุตำแหน่งความแม่นยำสูงของ Swift จะช่วยเพิ่มขีดความสามารถทางธุรกิจของเราในด้านความคล่องตัว และมีส่วนช่วยขยายขอบเขตธุรกิจไปยังยานพาหนะอัจฉริยะ” Hiromichi Matsuda เจ้าหน้าที่บริหาร สำรวจและพัฒนาธุรกิจที่ KDDI CORPORATION กล่าว “ความแม่นยำที่ได้จากการระบุตำแหน่งที่แม่นยำช่วยให้โอกาสสำหรับธุรกิจและอุตสาหกรรมต่างๆ มากมาย และเพิ่มมูลค่าให้กับลูกค้าของเราในญี่ปุ่น”

หากต้องการเรียนรู้เพิ่มเติมเกี่ยวกับวิธีการผสานรวมโซลูชันของ Swift และ KDDI เข้ากับแอปพลิเคชันของคุณได้อย่างง่ายดาย โปรดไปที่ swiftnav.com/kddi

เกี่ยวกับ SWIFT NAVIGATION

Swift Navigation นำเสนอโซลูชันระบุตำแหน่งที่แม่นยำสำหรับยานยนต์ ยานยนต์อัตโนมัติ แอปพลิเคชันมือถือและตลาดมวลชน โดยเริ่มต้นจากเครื่องรับสัญญาณจลนศาสตร์แบบเรียลไทม์ (RTK) ราคาถูก ความแม่นยำสูงรุ่นแรกของอุตสาหกรรม GNSS ซึ่งได้พัฒนาเป็นระบบนิเวศ Swift Navigation ของโซลูชันระบุตำแหน่งสำหรับแอปพลิเคชันที่ทำงานอัตโนมัติ จากบริการระบุตำแหน่งที่แม่นยำของ GNSS ระดับทวีปที่ให้บริการจากระบบคลาวด์โดย Skylark™ โซลูชันซอฟต์แวร์แบบบูรณาการที่ไม่ขึ้นกับฮาร์ดแวร์ Starling® ที่เป็นเครื่องมือระบุตำแหน่ง ไปจนถึงเครื่องรับสัญญาณ Piksi® Multi ที่มีความแม่นยำในระดับเซนติเมตร Duro® และ Duro Inertial RTK ที่ทนทาน Swift Navigation กำลังจะช่วยให้ยานยนต์อัตโนมัติแห่งอนาคตสามารถนำทางและเข้าใจโลกได้ เรียนรู้เพิ่มเติมแบบออนไลน์ได้ที่ swiftnav.com ติดตาม Swift บน Twitter @Swiftnav

เกี่ยวกับ KDDI

KDDI เป็นผู้ให้บริการโทรคมนาคมในประเทศญี่ปุ่น ที่ให้บริการทั้งการสื่อสารแบบโทรศัพท์เคลื่อนที่และแบบโทรศัพท์พื้นฐาน ด้วยฐานลูกค้าที่มั่นคงกว่า 58 ล้านราย และบริการมือถือและร้านค้าที่นำเสนอแบรนด์ “au” KDDI กำลังขยายบริการสู่ธุรกิจ “ออกแบบชีวิต (Life Design)” ซึ่งรวมถึงอีคอมเมิร์ซ ฟินเทค บริการสาธารณูปโภคพลังงานไฟฟ้าทั่วประเทศ ความบันเทิงและการศึกษา KDDI มีประวัติความเป็นมา 60 ปี และปัจจุบันมุ่งเน้นที่การสร้างโครงสร้างพื้นฐานอัจฉริยะผ่านเทคโนโลยี IoT และนวัตกรรมแบบเปิด ร่วมกับพันธมิตรและบริษัทสตาร์ทอัพในหลากหลายอุตสาหกรรม KDDI กำลังเร่งการเติบโตของธุรกิจผู้บริโภคด้านโทรคมนาคมทั่วโลก โดยมีการดำเนินธุรกิจในเมียนมาร์และมองโกเลีย และในธุรกิจไอซีทีระดับโลกภายใต้แบรนด์ “TELEHOUSE”

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NTT reopens Padar Island to tourists

Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NT (ANTARA) – The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) authorities reopened the Padar Island tourist resort in Komodo National Park (TN), West Manggarai District, to tourists after being shut since July 5 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Director of the Executing Agency for the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority (BPOLBF) Shana Fatina stated here on Tuesday that the tourist area was opened since July 19, 2021.

“It has been reopened after being closed for approximately 14 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” she stated.

Tourists visiting the island are requested to adhere to stringent health protocols as set by the agency and the national park authority.

The number of tourists visiting the park is limited to a maximum of 300 people. The visitor cap is deemed necessary, as the protected park has only one trekking path spanning 522 meters.

The visiting hours for tourists are also limited to only between 5:30 and 7:30 WITA (local time) and from 8:00 WITA to 10:00 WITA and between 15:00 and 18:00 WITA.

“The entry hours have been split into several segments to prevent crowds at the Komodo National Park area,” she explained.

Fatina remarked that tourists arriving at Padar Island are required to wear face masks or face shields, maintain a distance of about a meter from one another, and get their body temperature checked upon arrival at the island’s dock.

Padar Island, though small, is the third-largest island of Komodo National Park, and was once a stomping ground for large Komodo dragons that gave the reserve its name.

The island is about 20 miles (30 km) from Labuan Bajo, a fishing town on the westernmost part of Flores.

Source: Antara News

Five hotspots indicating forest fires detected on Sumba Island

Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) – Five hotspots, indicative of forest fires, were detected on Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, the El Tari Kupang Meteorological Station confirmed here on Tuesday.

“Of these five hotspots, one was found in Katikutana Sub-district, Central Sumba District, and four in East Sumba District, respectively one in Paberiwai Sub-district and three in Rindimalulu,” Head of the El Tari Kupang Meteorological Station Agung Sudiono Abadi stated.

Hotspots began surfacing on July 18-19, with a confidence level of above 80 percent.

Earlier, four hotspots were detected in East Sumba comprising two in Pandawai Sub-district and one each in Haharu Sub-district and Tabundung Sub-district.

Moreover, a hotspot surfaced in Wewewa Timur Sub-district, Southwest Sumba District.

The hotspots were detected by the Terra, Aqua, Suomi NPP, and NOAA20 satellites of the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN).

Abadi noted that the satellite imagery only assessed the reflectivity and ambient temperature anomalies for the hotspots that were showing up, although the cause of the anomalies could not be ascertained.

Abadi stated that drought conditions and strong winds were also indirect causes of the distribution of hotspots.

Source: Antara News

“Indonesia Spice Up the World” to boost culinary industry: Uno

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, the tourism and creative economy minister, concurrently Tourism and Creative Economy Agency’s head, is optimistic that the “Indonesia Spice Up The World” event would boost the country’s culinary industry.

Uno noted in a statement here on Tuesday that his ministry fully supported the promotion event initiated by the coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment by sending a supporting delegation to the United States in the near future.

“This program has been well-designed for a long time. There was a choice between being postponed or implemented with some adaptations. I choose adaptations to ensure that our economic recovery is not delayed. Hence, we will not be fully physically present but hybrid,” he explained.

“Indonesia Spice Up The World” is one of the government’s main programs involving cross-ministerial and institutional efforts aimed at expanding the marketing of Indonesian spice products or processed food and spices.

In addition, the program is focused at boosting Indonesia’s culinary industry by developing Indonesian restaurants abroad or as part of our gastrodiplomacy efforts.

The minister cited data that Indonesia’s export value of processed and fresh spices had clocked growth averaging 2.95 percent over the last five years. In 2020, the export value was recorded at US$1.02 billion.

The “Indonesia Spice Up The World” promotion event is being organized until 2024, with the objective of boosting the export value of spices and herbs to US$2 billion and increasing the presence of four thousand Indonesian restaurants abroad.

Uno noted that the United States is a big market for the Indonesian spice and culinary sales, constituting 20-25 percent of Indonesia’s spice exports.

Source: Antara News

Indonesia’s poverty rate reduction possible through Java-centric cut

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s poverty rate can be curbed if the poverty eradication program is focused on the country’s most populated island of Java, according to Chief of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) Margo Yuwono.

“Java has a very large population,” Yuwono noted in a press statement on Tuesday.

The BPS reported that the country’s poverty rate had reached 10.4 percent in March 2021, with 27.54 million out of the country’s population of 270 million living in poverty.

Yuwono highlighted that in order to reduce the poverty rate, all related authorities should focus attention on factors, such as controlling prices, providing social assistance to vulnerable people, and boosting the public’s income through various stimuli.

The social protection program launched by the government in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic can contribute to lowering the poverty rate in due course of time, the BPS chief noted.

“In essence, (we should think of) how to ensure that the social assistance will reach the targeted recipients and will be used properly,” he emphasized.

The BPS announced earlier that the number of Indonesians living in poverty had fallen by 0.01 million to reach 27.54 million in March 2021, from 27.55 million in September 2020, as several economic sectors recovered.

Accordingly, the poverty rate dropped to 10.14 percent in March 2021, from 10.19 percent in September 2020, the BPS chief noted at an online press conference in Jakarta last Thursday. However, as compared to March 2020, the number of poor increased by 1.12 million in March 2021, he stated.

The number of poor in urban areas rose by 138.1 thousand to reach 12.18 million in March 2021, from 12.04 million in September 2020, Yuwono pointed out.

Consequently, the poverty rate in urban areas increased by 0.01 percent to reach 7.89 percent in March 2021, from 7.88 percent in September 2020, he noted.

In contrast, the number of poor in rural areas fell by 145 thousand to reach 15.37 million in March 2021, from 15.51 million in September 2020, Yuwono stated.

Thus, the poverty rate in rural areas declined by 0.10 percent to reach 13.10 percent in March 2021, from 13.2 percent in September 2020, he noted.

The BPS chief attributed the drop in the number of poor people in rural areas to the success of various development programs, including village fund disbursement.

Source: Antara News