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Sustainability Top of Mind for Malaysian Travelers in 2025 – Agoda Survey Reveals

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Digital travel platform Agoda’s 2025 Sustainable Travel Survey reveals Malaysia as the fourth most sustainability-conscious travel market in Asia, with nearly four in five Malaysian travelers (80%) factoring sustainability into their 2025 travel plans, higher than the average for all Asian travelers combined (68%).

This survey, which engaged over 6,000 respondents across 11 Asian markets, spotlights the evolving landscape of sustainable travel in Asia, where authentic tourism, and off-peak travel are becoming more prominent.

Community Impact Drives More Sustainable Choices

Malaysian travelers are increasingly motivated by the opportunity to contribute positively to local communities (28%), the allure of authentic experiences (24%) and personal values and beliefs (24%) as their primary motivations for more sustainable travel. This trend underscores a broader movement towards travel that is not only enjoyable but also meaningful and impactful.

Conscious Travel Gains Momentum 

The survey also found that many Malaysian travelers are making conscious choices to minimise their environmental impact, with nearly a quarter (24%) opting to travel during off-peak seasons to reduce overcrowding. Additionally, 19% choose accommodations with sustainability certifications, while 18% actively support local small-to medium-scale businesses and cultural preservation efforts.

Fabian Teja, Country Director for Malaysia and Brunei at Agoda, shared, “With sustainability being a key focus of Visit Malaysia 2026, it is encouraging to see more travelers making responsible choices, and Agoda is here to support their journey. Through our Eco Deals Program, travelers can enjoy great discounts on partnering properties while Agoda contributes one US dollar towards local conservation efforts for every booking through the program. We’re excited to help Malaysian travelers see the world for less, while also giving them the opportunity to protect the destinations they explore.”

Since the recent launch of the 2025 edition, Agoda’s Eco Deals program has provided travelers with discounts of up to 15% on partner hotels across 10 Asian markets. For every Eco Deals booking, a dollar is donated to WWF conservation projects aimed at protecting wildlife and conserving critical habitats across Asia. More information can be found on www.agoda.com/ecodeals.

Agoda’s offerings include over 5 million holiday properties, more than 130,000 flight routes, and over 300,000 activities, all of which can be combined in the same booking. Download Agoda’s mobile app or visit Agoda.com to discover the best deals.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/sustainability-top-of-mind-for-malaysian-travelers-in-2025–agoda-survey-reveals-302404289.html

SOURCE Agoda

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The Next Frontier: Consciousness & UAP: $100,000 Research Prize Winner Announced

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The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) has announced the winner of the 2026 Linda G. O’Bryant Noetic Sciences Research Prize, a $100,000 award that will fund a study of consciousness-associated Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP, formerly known as UFOs).

NOVATO, Calif., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The winning study, selected from more than 80 qualifying proposals, comes from a multidisciplinary team of six. Peter Skafish, PhD, a sociocultural anthropologist and Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Sol Foundation, leads the team as Principal Investigator. Brian Lord, PhD, a cognitive neuroscientist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona, serves as Co-Principal Investigator, and David Dominguez Hooper, engineer and Founder and CEO of ELDAEON Inc., is Co-Investigator. Collaborators are Damon Abraham, PhD (experimental psychologist, Entangled Labs); Jacob Haqq-Misra, PhD (astrobiologist, Blue Marble Space); and Garry Nolan, PhD (immunologist, Stanford University School of Medicine). For the first time in the prize’s four-year history, a single team will receive the full $100,000.

“IONS proved itself to be over the horizon of even heterodox thinking in their decision to fund a scientific inquiry not only into UAP but also into one of the most enigmatic questions the phenomena raise: what is their relationship to human consciousness?”–Peter Skafish

The team will organize a group of experienced practitioners to apply meditation and conscious intention to invite contact with UAP at a remote site in the American Southwest. Practitioners’ experiences will be recorded alongside physiological measures and instrumental records of the sky and the physical environment. Using preregistered methodology, the study will analyze the data to test whether deliberate contact practice generates changes in reported experiences and in independently recorded events in the sky and environment. De-identified data and methods will be shared openly, and null results will be released on the same schedule as positive ones.

According to IONS leadership, this year’s prize was created to bring UAP into open, consciousness-inclusive science, and to carry forward a question with profound implications for humanity that its founder, Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, pursued for decades: whether consciousness and contact are connected.

“The Sol Foundation couldn’t be more happy to receive the recognition of IONS for our research,” said Peter Skafish. “IONS proved itself to be over the horizon of even heterodox thinking in their decision to fund a scientific inquiry not only into UAP but also into one of the most enigmatic questions the phenomena raise: what is their relationship to human consciousness?”

This year, distinguished external experts, including Daniel P. Sheehan, Jessica Utts, Adam Curry, Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, Richard Dolan, and J.J. Hurtak, joined members of the IONS science team on the judging panel, chaired by Arnaud Delorme. The panel’s selection was then ratified by the IONS Board of Directors.

IONS researchers will collaborate with the winning team on the study, which is expected to begin in December and run for one year, with results to be shared in 2028. The winning team was announced on October 30 during a live event, which can be watched here.

More About IONS & the Linda G. O’Bryant Noetic Sciences Research Prize

The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) is a nonprofit scientific research center whose mission is to reveal the interconnected nature of reality through scientific exploration and personal discovery. Founded in 1973 by Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, IONS investigates consciousness, interconnectedness, and extended human capacities to help foster a more compassionate and thriving world. The Linda G. O’Bryant Noetic Sciences Research Prize, now in its fourth year, is funded through an endowment created by Linda G. O’Bryant, member of the IONS Board of Directors, and overseen by the Board. To arrange an interview with Peter Skafish or IONS leadership, contact communications@noetic.org. More details about the prize and winners can be found here.

Media Contact

Leslie G. Lovejoy, Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), 1 707-775-3500, communications@noetic.org, www.noetic.org

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/the-next-frontier-consciousness–uap-100-000-research-prize-winner-announced-302930915.html

SOURCE Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS)

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Budget 2026 advances national electricity strategy, a downpayment on unlocking $3 trillion in economic growth

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Proposed tax credit extensions and support for industrial electrification and EV charging can help build more clean power and put it to work

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 5, 2026 /CNW/ — New Economy Canada strongly supports the finalization and funding of Powering Canada Strong in Budget 2026 with a $50 billion commitment, marking an important step toward doubling Canada’s electricity supply by 2050. Budget 2026 puts electrification at the heart of Canada’s economy, ensuring energy security and affordability for businesses and households.  

Ian Bruce, President of New Economy Canada said:

“Today we are celebrating a critical win for Canada. By finalizing and funding Powering Canada Strong, the federal government has made electricity an economic priority.  Budget 2026’s $50B commitment to doubling the grid, including strengthening and extending the clean economy investment tax credits, is a significant step.

Budget 2026 puts an electrified economy at the heart of Canada’s economic strategy. We are glad to see the federal government recognize that building more clean electricity, electrifying more of our economy, and improving energy efficiency are some of the most effective ways to build a competitive, strong economy and ensure energy security for businesses and households alike.

Our economic report shows the opportunity on the table. Doubling electricity supply and doubling the share of energy that homes, businesses and industry meet with electricity could add more than $3 trillion cumulatively to Canada’s economy by 2050. Getting there will take sustained investment and a workforce that can build projects at the pace and scale we need.”

Why this matters:

Affordable, clean electricity can help Canada win investment, strengthen competitiveness, modernize manufacturing and create jobs. As Canada looks for new investors and trading partners in an electrifying global economy, its abundant, affordable and clean electricity is a competitive advantage.Doubling Canada’s electricity supply and putting it to work could unlock $3 trillion of economic opportunity for Canada and 1.6 million jobs.The budget’s extension of investment tax credits will support much-needed investment in generating and transmitting more electricity. And support for industrial electrification and EV charging will help businesses and households make greater use of that power.Every province stands to benefit, with cross-sectoral growth. Growth associated with an electrified economy spans all provinces and beyond electricity generation to services, mining, construction and more. 

New Economy Canada is a non-partisan initiative uniting 70+ companies, labour unions and Indigenous organizations, all committed to accelerating investment in Canada’s clean economy. Our partners employ or represent over 750,000 workers. https://neweconomycanada.ca 

SOURCE New Economy Canada

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East Side Games Group to Announce Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results

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VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 5, 2026 /CNW/ — East Side Games Group (“ESGG” or the “Company”), Canada’s leading free-to-play mobile game group, will release its third quarter ended September 30th, 2026, after market close on November 12th. Following the release, the Company will host a conference call to review its performance with the investment community at 3:30pm PT (Western Canada), 2:30pm PT, 5:30pm ET on the same day.

Related earnings release materials can be found in the Investors section of ESGG’s website at https://eastsidegamesgroup.com/investors/financial-information/.

Conference Call Details:

Toll Free Dial-In Number:       (+1) 800 717 1738
Local Dial-In Number:            (+1) 289 514 5100
Conference ID:                       53358

A replay will be available by dialing (+1) 888 660-6264 or (+1) 289 819-1325 and entering passcode 53358#.

ABOUT EAST SIDE GAMES GROUP

ESGG is a leader in free-to-play mobile gaming, thrilling players with unforgettable experiences that spark lifelong fandom. Fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit, we are driven by creativity, flawless execution, and a laser-focused growth strategy. We develop and publish both original and licensed IP titles, license our cutting-edge GameKit(s) platforms, and strategically acquire studios or games to expand our family. Headquartered in Vancouver with around 80 talent-dense team members, we operate over a dozen titles under East Side Games (“ESG”) and LDRLY (Technologies) Inc. (“LDRLY”). Together, we’re crafting, launching, and publishing mobile games across our own studios and an extended Game Kit partner network–reaching players on iOS and Android worldwide.

We power our success through in-app purchases (“IAP”)–offering exclusive, game-enhancing virtual items–and in-game advertising. To keep growing, we focus on captivating audiences, keeping them engaged, and unlocking exciting new ways to monetize. We’ll drive this momentum by launching bold new titles, enriching our current lineup, innovating discovery, expanding into fresh markets and exploring new distribution platforms.

Additional information about the Company continues to be available under its legal name, East Side Games Group Inc., at www.sedar.com.

Forward-looking Information

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding the proposed transactions described herein. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management’s current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including factors beyond the Company’s control. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release.

SOURCE East Side Games Group Inc.

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