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Laos Extends Lockdown Until 20 May Amid Second Wave of Covid-19

Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Khaikhamphitoun Announces Lockdown Extension

Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the National Taskforce, Kikeo Khaikhamphitoun, has moved to extend the lockdown period for Laos until 20 May.

Coffee, anyone? Buying the one-and-only coffee at the CPA Australia pop-up café & museum!

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 4 May 2021 – In celebration of CPA Australia‘s 135th anniversary and 65 years in Hong Kong – CPA Australia assembled a pop-up café & museum at the celebrated heritage site – Jao Tsung-I Academy. At the opening ceremony, business magnate and iconic leaders like Dr Allan Zeman, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group, Dr George Lam, Chairman of Cyberport Management and Chairman of the United Nations ESCAP Sustainable Business Network and Mr Tim Lui, Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission, came together to try out their barista skills by making their first cup of latte! The lattes were then auctioned to the guests at the ceremony with the goal of raising funds to the Jao Tsung-I Academy for their heritage conservation effort. Under a sea of cheers and roars, a total of HKD26,500 was raised for the Jao Tsung-I Academy in this unique coffee auction. The CPA Australia pop-up café & museum will be opened to the public from 1 – 31 May at the Tsung-I Academy.

Hong Kong Tech Startup yyResearch Launches Privacy-focused Instant Messaging App Called OpusChat

Multi-layer privacy options, multiple personas, secure multimedia messaging and voice calls make OpusChat a fun and safe app for everyday communication

 

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 4 May 2021 – yyResearch, a Hong Kong tech startup that specialise in software and app development, today launches OpusChat, a privacy-focused and safe communication system that models how we manage relationships and interact with each other in real-life. With its multi-layer privacy options, multiple personas, secure multi-media messaging features and high-quality voice calls, OpusChat is an instant messaging app like no other and is now available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store.

Modeling Real-life Relationships and Interactions

“Privacy is not a luxury, it is a necessity. People should have the ability to protect themselves from scammers, spammers, stalkers, cyberbullies and doxing,” said Edmund Hor, co-founder and CEO of yyResearch. “Personal information is not only being misused for monetisation but also provides material for fraudsters and identity thieves, making data privacy a growing concern for everyone. This is the very reason we decided to develop OpusChat, an ethical communication system that gives users control over how their relationships are established and managed, and eliminates any unsolicited contact. More importantly, OpusChat does not require users to share their personal information and minimises data storage to protect their privacy.”

He continued, “With OpusChat, we’ve developed a fun and safer way for everyone to connect and communicate, and we are extremely excited to introduce this product to the world.”

OpusChat is a privacy-focused and safe mobile communication tool with all the features users look for in an instant messaging app and more.

Giving Users Full Control Over Their Data and Privacy

OpusChat does not require a phone number or email when new users register to use the app. Instead, it provides every user a unique ID and QR code so that others can search or scan to make a new friend connection. This ensures that the user is connecting to people they really know and eliminates any unsolicited phone calls or messages. For users who wish to invite friends from their phone’s contact list to chat on OpusChat, they have the option to do so as well. Once a new friend connection is established, users have full control over how they interact with each other, what they can see, share or receive, and customise the settings for each relationship. With these features, users can choose to be as private or as open as they like when using OpusChat.

Modeling Real-life Relationships and Interactions

One of the unique features in OpusChat is allowing users to create “Multiple Personas” under a single account. People have different identities and play different roles when connecting with family, friends, colleagues, and people in different social circles. In real life, we can choose how we interact with each individual and there is a varying degree of intimacy with each relationship. This “Multiple Personas” feature was designed with this in mind, giving user the ability to customise and control how they present themselves and how they manage each relationship.

Providing Users Peace of Mind and Protection

Prior to the launch of the OpusChat app, yyResearch’s leadership and R&D team have accumulated more than two decades of experience developing secure commodity e-trading platforms for world class exchanges, national utility companies and multinational financial institutes with an indisputable reputation for high business integrity. With these experiences and proven track record, OpusChat was designed and developed with the user’s privacy and security in mind. The app matches up to the industry’s standard for end-to-end encryption, there is no tracking of user experience data and it minimises storage of user data to protect the privacy of the user.

“At yyResearch, we believe that systems are easier to use if they work in harmony with how we behave as human beings. We created personas to model how we identify ourselves and interact with the various social groups in our lives. We want people to be able to communicate securely and feel confident that their data is being treated with the utmost respect and not being used for nefarious purposes. We hope that OpusChat will set a new bar in user privacy control and protection, and we are very excited to be launching it,” said Paul Blaikie, co-founder and CTO of yyResearch.

Download photos of the OpusChat app here.

For video introducing the key features of the OpusChat app, please visit here.

About yyResearch

yyResearch’s vision is to make online communication safer for everyone. OpusChat is an instant messaging app like no other. It is a privacy-focused and safe communication system that models how we manage relationships and interact with each other in real-life. OpusChat respects users’ preferences and gives them full control over their data and privacy. For more info about OpusChat, visit https://www.opuschat.app/

Download OpusChat:

#OpusChat

Bybit to Launch Cloud Mining to Democratize Ethereum Mining

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 4 May 2021 – Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit will launch in May Bybit Cloud Mining, a mining-as-a-service (MaaS) product that gives users instant access to ether (ETH) mining from as little as $100.

Democratizing and de-risking crypto mining

The relentless growth of cryptocurrencies in recent months has caught mainstream attention and fueled a surge in interest in crypto mining — or receiving crypto tokens for verifying blocks of transactions.

The profitability of this endeavor, however, is hampered by a number of factors: the supply and price of the computer system, operation and maintenance cost, and electricity fees that render crypto mining costly and painstaking.

As the first entry to Bybit’s ByFi product suite, Bybit Cloud Mining aims to help users navigate the booming yet ever-changing industry by lowering the barrier to entry and ensuring a hassle-free approach to mining, thus opening the door to greater profitability and fewer risks. Bybit Cloud Mining offers hashing power, or hash rate, to a remote data center with shared computing power to mine ether. Users can start from as low as $100 and without ever having to run their own hardware.


Hop on, hop off: high visibility and profitability

Bybit Cloud Mining offers flexible 7-, 21-, and 42-day plans. Users can customize a short-term investment plan for greater profitability, while minimizing the risks of price fluctuations and unforeseeable market activities in the long term. The service will be instantly available upon purchase, come with 100% usability, and have any downtime covered by Bybit, allowing users to mine with greater confidence.

“We are really excited to introduce Bybit Cloud Mining, and think it is an ideal solution for users who are interested in crypto mining, but don’t want to be bogged down by the hassle of operations and hardware maintenance, ” said Bill Xing, head of financial products at Bybit. “With Bybit Cloud Mining, all that users have to do is to purchase the amount of hashrate they want and sit back to see ETH harvested directly ‘from the cloud’. “

About Bybit

Bybit is a cryptocurrency exchange established in March 2018. The company provides online trading and mining services, as well as API support to retail and professional clients around the world.

For more information please visit: https://www.bybit.com/

For updates, follow Bybit’s social platforms on Twitter and Telegram.

#Bybit

Vietnam Assists Laos in Fight Against Covid-19

Vietnam sends assistance to Laos to fight Covid-19

The Vietnamese government has provided Laos with USD 500,000 as well as 35 medical personnel and supplies to help the country in its fight against Covid-19.

Authorities Address Lockdown Rumors as Laos Confirms 60 New Cases of Covid-19

Covid-19 update

Laos has confirmed 60 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 1,026.

London Property Buying Agent UK Holmes: Advice on How to Minimize Risks for Prime Working-Class Migrants Moving to UK with BNO Visa

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 4 May 2021 – UK government projections for its British National (Overseas) (BNO) visa scheme to attract 150,000 applicants in the first 12 months and 300,000 within five years are firmly on track. In mid-April, just ten weeks post launch, 35,000 Hongkongers had applied for the visa. The scheme is open to 5.4 million Hong Kong residents in total.

The scheme’s popularity is consistent with the 2020 research findings of UK Holmes, a London property search agent, on the subject of UK property investment. Of the 1,000 survey respondents, 80% indicated that they intended to apply for the BNO visa. Critically, these are people in the prime of their working lives:

  • 70% are aged between 30-49
  • 35% earn HKD1m plus and 9% have an annual income in excess of HKD2m
  • 40% are employed in the finance and technology sectors.

London’s strong financial and tech job markets

One of the major motivations to move to London was more diversified and professional job opportunities, with 58% of respondents affirmative on this point. Whilst both Brexit and the global pandemic have cast a pall on much of the UK economy, the outlook is considerably brighter for both finance and technology markets.

The City of London is second only to New York City in global financial rankings and is home to 402,000 finance sector employees. In defiance of gloomy predictions of job losses post Brexit, a 2020 Financial Times survey of 24 large international banks and asset managers found that the majority had increased their London headcount over the past five years.

According to the UK’s Tech Nation Report 2021, London achieved stellar growth of 87% in tech investment from USD5.6bn in 2018 to USD10.6bn in 2020. But finding local talent is problematic. In March the BBC reported that a leading think tank, The Learning and Work Institute, identified that over the past six years there has been a 40% drop in students taking IT subjects at GCSE level. Accenture says that demand for AI, cloud and robotic skills is soaring.

Emigrants focus on schools and security

Looking at other motivational factors for the move to the UK, the report from UK Holmes found that 36% of respondents were focused on financial benefits. Significant areas of concern were access to good quality schools (36%) and neighborhood security (22%), indicative of the fact that a high proportion of these Hongkongers looking to start a new life in the UK are young families.

UK government steps up support for BNO visa holders

On April 8, the UK government announced a £43m support package for BNO visa holders arriving into the UK, of which £30.7m will go to councils across England to assist with English language training and housing support. A further £5m will be used to establish 12 “virtual” welcome hubs across the country that will provide local helplines advising on school admissions, registering with a doctor and even starting a business.

Hongkongers’ mature outlook on London housing

On the subject of housing, Hongkongers have been prominent investors in London’s new-build property developments in Prime Central London (PCL) over recent years. Yet the UK Holmes report identified that 75% of respondents are interested in looking at established properties. This apparent contradiction is explained by the fact that only 17% of respondents were ‘pure’ investors. A total of 42% were intending to initially buy a UK home for investment purposes before occupying within the first two years whilst 34% were intending to occupy their new home immediately.

In a sign of growing market maturity 65% of respondents stated a preference for employing a UK-based property search agent to assist with their home purchase, double the 32% who were inclined to use a Hong Kong based equivalent. Contrary to all expectations the London residential market experienced strong growth in 2020, posting average gains approaching 9%.

London market offers shrewd investors excellent opportunities

Reflecting on this, Terry Stephens, founder of UK Holmes, commented: “The London property market in 2020 produced some unexpected winners and losers. But the first point to acknowledge is that the government’s economic rescue packages, both the furlough scheme and stamp duty holiday, underpinned the frenzy of sales activity and surging prices.”

“Equally compelling was the reaction of London residents to lockdown as housing transformed into remote offices, gyms and education centers. This created a desire for increased space, both indoors and outdoors, and an exodus from inner London to its leafier outer suburbs. The winners were vendors selling semi-detached and detached houses. The luxury home market was also a significant beneficiary of the £15,000 stamp duty saving on properties valued at £500,000 or above.”

“The losers were those selling flats, particularly those in Inner London, which experienced blowouts in time on the market and price drops. Aside from the change in buyer preferences, the market was also negatively impacted by a mass emigration of European immigrants due to Brexit and the trading embargo on high street hospitality and retail markets.”

“But the story is more complex than that and, to the untrained eye, the uneven price performance of neighboring London boroughs looks bewildering. The bottom line is that the London market is actually a complex ecosystem of individual markets that are being distorted by a variety of forces, not all of which will prevail in the longer term. There are excellent buying opportunities in London in 2021 but this isn’t a market for the faint-hearted. Before buyers take the plunge, they need to do their homework very well.”

About UK Holmes

UK Holmes is a London-based residential property buying agent providing turnkey solutions for offshore buyers. UK Holmes employs London’s House Detective, a property professional with 12 years’ experience. His in-depth knowledge of how to successfully navigate the complexities and pitfalls of the London market to find customers their ideal home provides true peace of mind. To learn more, please visit www.ukholmes.com.

#UKHolmes

Cellini Unveils Antibacterial Mattress As Singapore Celebrates World Sleep Day

Cellini launches antibacterial mattresses as part of its Nightingale product line-up exclusively for customers in Singapore. In conjunction with World Sleep Day hosted by the World Sleep Society, this latest edition mattress acts as a catalyst for conversations revolving around quality sleep. Tapping on both the global study that ranked Singapore as the fourth most sleep-starved population and the raised awareness of hygiene, Cellini aims to redefine sleep care.


SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 4 May 2021Released to coincide with World Sleep Day 2021, the global sleep survey conducted by Philips, a prominent health technology firm, reported that only 21% of Singaporeans feel well-rested in the morning. Having introduced a brand new, expanded mattress portfolio prior, Cellini Singapore‘s ever-growing collection now includes the luxury mattress, Seville Lux. The brainchild of the furniture brand’s partnership with Belgian company LAVA Textiles, the latest mattress of integrated ViroClean antimicrobial technologies aligns with consumer demands for a safer and more comfortable sleep environment.


Leveraging Innovation to Make Sanitary Sleep Environments Accessible

As a result of the pioneering ventures of Cellini with LAVA Belgium, the all-new Seville Lux mattress builds on the local brand’s legacy of delivering expertly engineered furnishings. By leveraging top-notch antibacterial technology, the latest addition to its luxury mattress collection features plush and super-soft TENCEL® fabric that has been treated with an unprecedented finishing supplement. Promising to reduce various forms of viral activity on its surface by approximately 98% within 4 hours, the permanent non-migrating Viroclean finish also eliminates a range of microorganisms and allergens known to cause bacterial infections. A product of rigorous testing, this revolutionary development is a progressive step for the whole industry linked to health and wellness.

Beyond the propriety Oekotex compliant antibacterial and virus-reducing fabric, the high-quality premium mattress showcases a hand-tufted topper designed with an amalgam of responsive micro-springs and Black Diamond treated natural latex. More than a beauty to behold, the Black Diamond™ coated latex mattress significantly improves thermal effusivity and maintains moisture transmission, keeping you cool throughout the night.

Embodying Cellini’s unwavering commitment to invariably exceed the industry’s highest standards, every mattress in the Nightingale collection presents itself as a dynamic bedding solution. Engineered with sustainable materials and treatments that elevate the idiosyncratic attributes the furniture brand is renowned for, this new launch poses as an influential product that offers unrivalled support and comfort for all.

About Cellini Singapore

Cellini is a home-grown designer furniture brand in Singapore. Investing in state-of-the-art technology, Cellini’s furniture showrooms boast specially curated pieces that are second-to-none in terms of quality craftsmanship. It has also expanded its services to offer timeless furniture pieces across Asia, in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan, in addition to making its mark as a successful e-commerce business. For more information, please visit: https://www.cellini.com.sg/.

#CelliniSingapore