Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0600 GMT, April 27

DHAKA -- The leading mobile financial services provider of Bangladesh, bKash Limited ("bKash") and Ant Financial Services Group ("Ant Financial"), operator of China's Alipay, have announced a strategic partnership to promote financial inclusion for the unbanked and underbanked communities in Bangladesh on Thursday in Dkaka.

The partnership involves Ant Financial investing into bKash and increasing its technological capabilities, allowing it to provide greater convenience and security in mobile financial services throughout Bangladesh. (Bangladesh-China-Finance)

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CANBERRA -- The Australian Academy of Sciences (AAS) on Friday launched a 10-year study, along with New Zealand's Royal Society Te Aprang, to name and study unknown species, saying a deep knowledge of biodiversity was key.

Time is running out to study Australia's unique species facing extinction, the nation's top scientists warned. (Australia-Unknown Species)

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CANBERRA -- Australian researchers have unlocked the ability to engineer new enzymes for use in medicine and industry.

In a study published on Friday, a team from Australian National University (ANU) detailed how they retraced the evolutionary history of a modern enzyme. (Australia-Enzyme)

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KATHMANDU -- A total of 60 women received permit from the Nepali government to climb the Mt. Qomolangma this spring as of Thursday and the number surpassed that in 2017, Nepal's Department of Tourism (DoT) said.

As many as 59 women received such permits last year. Of them, 33 women had succeeded conquering the famous Himalayan peak. (Nepal-Women Climbing) Enditem