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Laos Confirms 49 New Cases of Covid-19

Covid-19 Update

Laos has confirmed 49 new cases of Covid-19 today according to an announcement by the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

BusinessFocus Award 2021 Grand Ceremony & Winners Unveiled

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 18 May 2021 – The award presentation ceremony of “BusinessFocus Award 2021”, presented by BusinessFocus, the market-leading business and finance online magazine, was successfully held at the JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong on April 27, 2021. A number of both local and international corporations were honoured for their outstanding performance and innovation amid the economic, social disruption and daunting challenges posed by the pandemic. All winning companies were carefully selected by a group of professional panels. Standing out from the rest of the candidates has proven these winners to be highly competitive, thus worth recognizing.

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The pandemic has hit everyone hard in different ways, but some organisations in Hong Kong have never given up and turned crisis into opportunities. BusinessFocus Award 2021 aims to honour these diligent people and spread positive energy to the business world. This year, there are 12 award-winning companies ranging from large to SMEs boasting in various business categories, including real estate business, financial services, information and technology services, mobile telecommunications providers, electronic payment solutions services, student intermediary services and medical supplies services, etc.

The winners are:

  • Henderson Land Development Company Limited
  • New World Development Company Limited
  • DBS Hong Kong
  • Amazon Web Services
  • SmarTone
  • LG Business Solutions
  • Hang Seng Bank (Commercial Banking)
  • EFT Solutions
  • perform
  • Gang Piao Jia
  • Haenim
  • A&D Medical


Various renowned guests from different sectors were invited to present awards, including the Executive Council convenor Bernard Chan, and the Co-founder & CEO, iClick Interactive Asia Limited Mr Sammy Hsieh, were invited to present awards. Our honourable guests also shared their expertise and experience in managing business under the pandemic. Although some areas of the economy have been damaged and may never fully recover, other areas will adapt, reinvent, and help reinvigorate growth. Through exchanging ideas and inspirations, we all looked forward to a powerful recovery after a long period of economic shutdown.


For more information on the award, please visit https://businessfocus.io/campaign/award2021

About BusinessFocus

BusinessFocus, under PressLogic, is a fast-growing online business and finance magazine that provides managers, technology enthusiasts and entrepreneurs with new business, investment, technology and entrepreneurial inspiration. Combining our proprietary AI-powered analytic system, BusinessFocus crafts and distributes strategic native content that connects and inspires people. With over a million social media followers, BusinessFocus empowers brand marketers and corporations to engage target audiences. and create impactful branded contents with partners.

#BusinessFocus

Champasack Police Issue Statement on Slapping Incident

Police issue statement on slapping incident

Champasack police have issued a statement regarding the case of a man who was arrested for arguing with a police officer at a Covid-19 checkpoint.

Korean Company to Study Expansion of Luang Prabang Airport

Luang Prabang International Airport

The Korean Airports Corporation (KAC) has been selected to lead a feasibility study on the expansion of Luang Prabang International Airport.

LUX Smashes Sexist Labels Through Rousing Pop Anthem

Global beauty brand leverages pop culture to reframe mindsets on female stereotypes

 

SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach – 18 May 2021 – Helming the rise of a new generation of bold and purpose-driven pop artists, Unilever’s global beauty brand LUX has set itself the task of championing a breakthrough against female labels leveraging China’s music industry. Released in April 2021, in collaboration with Universal Music Group China, WPP’s Mindshare and Wunderman Thompson, its music video “势不可挡 (Unstoppable)” has gone viral with the campaign garnering over 330 million views since its launch. The track features popular artist Dylan Xiong who reinterprets award-winning American singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson’s hit single “Stronger” with new lyrics comprising a crowd-sourced litany of judgements that women in China receive every day such as 拜金 (materialistic), 花瓶 (“flower vase”: pretty but empty) or 心机 (scheming, manipulative).

The music video spotlights strong, unstoppable women by showcasing their unapologetic beauty as they rise against this barrage of everyday judgements. With lyrics such as “Nobody can stop you from blossoming. Your light is unstoppable, you are your own bright shining light”, the rousing anthem celebrates women who are empowered and have the confidence to smash labels, bringing to the fore the need for women to express themselves just how they want to.

The track was released on all music streaming platforms in China on 12 April 2021. It was also performed on China’s largest music reality show 乘风破浪的姐姐 (Sisters Who Make Waves) where it went viral with 54.2 million users tuning in live and 280 million views on-demand thereafter. It was then shared globally among Dylan’s fan club accounts in the Philippines and Vietnam across Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The release of the music video on 30 April 2021 sparked a huge number of positive conversations online, with the #熊梓淇新歌势不可挡 campaign racking up over 61 million impressions to date.

Recognising music as a universal language that allows communication across cultural and linguistic boundaries, LUX crowd-sourced the judgements faced by respondents in China for UMG’s singer-songwriter Tifa Chen to incorporate them into the lyrics. This helped drive huge resonance and, consequently impact. “Your light is unstoppable, you are your own bright shining light”, was the most quoted lyrics of the song online suggesting the lyrics truly strike a chord with women in China.

Delving deeper into the impact of sexist labels on women, a global Nielsen study shows that 1 out of 2 women around the world have been judged for expressing themselves differently, and 70 per cent of these judgements are related to their appearance[1]. This data points to the growing consensus that a lack of confidence and self-editing to silence the critics is a long-term, critically damaging issue.

The music video also focuses greatly on allyship and its role in celebrating beauty as a source of strength, while advocating for greater social inclusivity to break down stereotypes. “A message is only as strong as the way it is delivered. The choice of having a young, inspiring male artist like Dylan to deliver this strong concept of allyship through popular culture truly has the power to make an impact at scale” shared Nicolas Tran Dinh, Global Digital & PR Lead at LUX. Additionally, Dylan also reiterates that “the lyrics in the song perfectly describe the independent attitude of women in the new era. I hope that my singing can bring you strength, and that you will be unafraid of labels and keep on shining, because your beauty is unstoppable!”

While inviting women to express themselves unapologetically is a mission that LUX has taken on for years now, having allies like Dylan rally to the cause strengthens the message and expands its reach. “With women constantly facing judgements around the world, LUX has been committed to inspiring women to embrace authentic beauty and empower true femininity without the need to self-edit,” shared Severine Vauleon, Global VP at LUX.

“In China, LUX has been tackling sexist labels and encouraging women to rise above with our communication campaigns for more than two years now. With the launch of this track and music video, we are igniting an important conversation on smashing female labels and empowering women to embrace their beauty fully and authentically. Through this partnership with Universal Music Group, we want to inform, educate, challenge and advocate for unapologetic self-expression and authenticity. At LUX, we believe that beauty should be a source of strength rather than a source of judgement,” Severine adds.

Echoing her comments, LUX’s Global Business Director at WT, Hinoti Joshi shares: “Through our creative thinking, we want to inspire women and those around her to embrace a more all-inclusive mindset on beauty. While this music video reflects the progressive narrative of unapologetic beauty that we wish to nurture, we recognise that the work is far from over and this is only the beginning.”

[1] Unveiling Concerns & Judgements Women Face Every Day, NIELSEN Quantitative Study, April 2020

About LUX

Lux has been celebrating beauty and femininity since 1925. We understand that beauty is a woman’s armour, her source of strength. It is hers to express, unapologetically. We will continue to help women everywhere fight casual sexism at home, in the workplace and in wider society. Lux is committed to reduce instances of, and inspire women to rise above, everyday sexism through content, activations and partnerships.

#LUX

TECNO TAIVOS™ Lab: How can signal processing and AI Imaging build the ultimate selfie

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 18 May 2021 – TECNO, a rising global smartphone brand, is taking huge steps forward with its cutting-edge innovations in AI-enhanced photography through its TECNO TAIVOS™ Lab. Set up to enhance photography and videography through research and deep analysis, the lab’s rational and meticulous approach has been garnering a lot of attention as well as adoption. With a goal of enhancing image beautification through photography and videography technology, TECNO’s TAIVOS™ Lab has been provided users an excellent and unprecedented visual experience, especially at night and low-light environments and its AI imaging boost a lot in the selfie exemplifying the latest TECNO CAMON 17 Pro.

One of the key indicators of success in research development is the number of patents being applied for. TECNO’s TAIVOS™ Lab is taking on proportions in terms of patent applications, applicable technology, and original research. To date, there has been hundreds of patent applications related to the work done in the TECNO TAIVOS™ Imaging Laboratory in 2020. Of these, regard, with an increasing number of patent applications expected to come from this dynamic and fertile idea generation test bed.

It is this understanding of the subjectiveness of beauty, which has led to the establishment of several imaging research centers and localized non-entity joint research institutions worldwide. These centers add to the growing and substantial research already conducted at the three core centers in China. More than 3000 local samples with approximately 6,120 evaluation scenarios spanning 115 countries enable the team possible to focus on the localized ethnic research, overall social aesthetic ideology and subjective aesthetic preference research, the author explored localized image product effect debugging, development and evaluation, so as to make the experience of product image effect direction conform to the localization trend. This covers at least 95% of the scenarios in which users will be utilizing their cameras. Where proof collection is concerned, TECNO is partnering with both individuals and organizations in the private and public sectors, with information and raw data coming from direct local, ethnographical sources.

Equipped with the 3A Algorithm and ISP (Image Signal Processor) module, all the TECNO TAIVOS™ verified cameras can be achieved a staggering 4,500 fine tuning parameters. This provides thoroughly fine-tuned and polished images with TECNO products. It helps to sharpen images for all three major skin types, covering all people groups, especially for those with darker skin tones. The Material Library inclusively extends over nine skin types and 76 categories. The materials were used over 1.3 billion times in 2020, with over 24 million users accessing this library. This assures consumers that no matter where they come from, their beauty can be enhanced effectively. It ensures higher quality selfies taken in day or night conditions. It explains the CAMON 17’s prowess through the Super Night Mode, which adds unrivalled clarity to photos, even when taken in the dark. The 1.6μm camera lets in more light and optimizes details against a low-light background. It also boost the quality dimensions of videography, such as “anti-shake, texture, noise, color, pseudo color”, as well as the application of video HDR, video night scene, video ZOOM and other scenes.

TECNO’s TAIVOS™ Labs have also made huge advances in Image Algorithm Technology. Incorporated within the CAMON devices latter half this year, the Galileo Algorithm Engine includes the “Moon Lock Focus System”, “Lunar Revolution Elimination Algorithm”, “Lunar Details Protection Algorithm”, and “AI Deep Learning Enhancement Algorithm”. All of these come together to produce ultra-clear telescopic images from the camera of a handphone. The Pixel-Level Segmentation Algorithm Engine includes the “3D Depth Calculation Algorithm” and the “Detection and Recognition Calculation”, to achieve pixel-level image segmentation accuracy, which paves the way for large aperture shooting, portrait bokeh shooting, and magical sky effects.

These technologies have elevated TECNO products above being merely smartphones, but rather distinguishing them as state-of-the-art cameras housed within a phone. The growth in the TECNO TAIVOS™ concept can be demystified by a clearer look at the technology employed, which debugged the secret to the report Counterpoint released the other day says TECNO Mobile leads in AI-enhanced photography as well.

#TECNO

Jewellery training now enjoys generous SkillsFuture Funding

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 18 May 2021 – As part of a concerted effort by SkillsFuture Singapore, Workforce Singapore, Enterprise Singapore and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and thanks to the strong support of the Singapore Jewellers Association, 28 courses from the Jewellery Design & Management International School (JDMIS) are now supported under SkillsFuture initiatives. This development ensures that the jewellery industry in Singapore evolves with the changing economy and technologies; it enables companies and individuals to remain up to date with the latest skills and knowledge in this creative field.

Tanja Sadow, the Dean and Director of JDMIS, said: “We would like to express heartfelt thanks to SkillsFuture Singapore, the Singapore Jewellers Association and the many passionate individuals from all agencies, associations and local jewellery business partners, who worked tirelessly with us to achieve this level of support for our industry. This is an important step in improving Singapore’s competitiveness and relevance in the global jewellery stage.”

JDMIS 30-hour professional certification courses include expert training in gemstone knowledge, classical and digital jewellery design, jewellery hand-fabrication using traditional methods and new technologies, fashion jewellery, trends and jewellery business topics. Each course includes all necessary tools and materials such as gems and precious metals (which participants keep and take home after class.) Course fees range from $1,800 to $2,850.

All are now eligible for SkillsFuture Baseline funding (amounting to $435) for younger Singaporeans and Permanent Residents. Citizens over 40 can additionally avail of the SkillsFuture Mid-career enhanced training subsidies (providing total support of $1,450.) Companies sending staff for training receive similarly generous subsidies as well as the ability to claim absentee payroll for workers they send for training. In-line with Singapore’s support for the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises, these organizations also receive enhanced support for training their employees in the latest jewellery skills.

Finally, the course tuition fees can be further offset using SkillsFuture credits given to all Singaporeans aged 25 and above in an initiative by the government to promote lifelong learning and encourage Singaporeans to take ownership of their skills development.

With these various options, the JDMIS has been leveraging SSG’s data interchange initiative to create a simple SkillsFuture calculator on all of its course pages online. Interested applicants can quickly determine the level of funding and payable amount for each course based on their residential status, age and SkillsFuture credits. They can then enrol and start their training using a streamlined application and administration process.

Given the recent restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID19 in Singapore, JDMIS has implemented synchronous eLearning options so that students enrolled in ongoing courses can continue their jewellery training online from the comfort and safety of their home.

To learn more about JDMIS and the various jewellery specialisations available, visit https://jdmis.edu.sg

Jewellery Design and Management International School

The Jewellery Design and Management International School is the only educational institution in Singapore to focus exclusively on the jewellery arts and the largest specialized jewellery school in South-East Asia. Incorporated in 2007, JDMIS entered a joint-venture partnership in 2018 with MDIS, Singapore’s oldest not-for-profit professional institute for lifelong learning.

JDMIS offers internationally recognized professional certifications, diplomas and advanced diplomas in jewellery design, fabrication and business that lead to employment, entrepreneurship, and academia. JDMIS has trained over 20,000 jewellery professionals with over 4,500 students from 42 countries graduating from its professional certificate and diploma qualifications. JDMIS’ joint-venture with MDIS expands the educational possibilities in jewellery to include pathways to degree programmes with prestigious university partners.

Learn more at: https://jdmis.edu.sg.

LOCATION: 501 Stirling Road – MDIS Campus Franklin Block
F-1075 to F-1082, Singapore 148951

OPERATING HOURS: Monday -Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 11am-7pm, Closed on public holidays

CONTACT DETAILS: +65 62215253 info@jdmis.edu.sg https://jdmis.edu.sg

SOCIAL MEDIA:

YouTube (11,100 Subscribers) JewelleryDMISchool

Facebook (13,000 Fans) JewellerySchool

Instagram (800 Followers) @jdmis

#jdmis #jewellerytraining #jewelleryeducation #learnjewellery #jewelleryindustry

Prime Minister of Laos Discusses Lockdown Measures, Calls for More Vaccines

Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh meets Covid-19 Taskforces

Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh held a meeting via video conference yesterday with the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control as well as provincial taskforces to discuss the pandemic situation.