Amid escalating tensions between Thailand and Cambodia over disputed border areas, regional activist group ACT4DEM (Action for People’s Democracy) has issued a statement urging citizens to resist political division and embrace unity across borders.
Laos Transfers Media Oversight to Party Committee
As part of the Lao government’s push to streamline administration, the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism has been restructured, with its media sector now placed under the Party Central Committee’s Propaganda and Training Board.
Prudential announces $880,000 community investment to celebrate SG60 and its move to Labrador Tower
The investment includes household essentials hampers for over 1,100 ComLink+ families, a cash donation to the Prudential Longevity Pledge, and community edible gardens
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 June 2025 – Prudential Singapore (“Prudential”) has unveiled a special $880,000 SG60 community investment to celebrate Singapore’s 60th birthday and its office move to Labrador Tower.

Aligned with the SG60 theme of “Building Our Singapore Together”, Prudential’s community initiatives focus on uplifting and connecting Singapore residents to build a resilient and inclusive society for generations to come. They include household essentials hampers for over 1,100 ComLink+ families residing in the vicinity of Prudential’s new office at Labrador Tower. In addition, the company will make a donation to the Prudential Longevity Pledge to further support KidSTART families through an ongoing fresh food produce programme, as well as establish community edible gardens later this year to nurture community bonds.
Ms Chan San San, CEO of Prudential Singapore, said: “With over 90 years of history in Singapore, Prudential has a deep connection with the country and its people. As Singapore marks its 60th year of independence and Prudential moves to its new office at Labrador Tower, we want to celebrate by investing in the wellbeing of our community.”
Bringing corporate and agency teams under one roof at Labrador Tower
In May 2025, Prudential completed its move to Labrador Tower, occupying a floor area of over 170,000 square feet in total. The extensive space houses both its corporate office which spans two and a half floors, and its agency offices which occupy five floors. The insurer has also incorporated an additional shared floor into the layout where corporate and agency teams can interact more easily. This will strengthen the synergy between Prudential’s 1,200-strong corporate employees and 5,400-strong financial representatives in its agency.
Ms Chan said: “The move to Labrador Tower strategically unites our corporate and agency teams under one roof. We anticipate that the shared spaces and increased interactions will foster deeper collaboration, facilitate greater knowledge exchanges, and promote a more seamless approach to serving our customers.”
Prudential’s existing distribution channels also include strategic bancassurance partners, United Overseas Bank (UOB) and Standard Chartered. This year marks the 15th anniversary of working with UOB, while 2024 was the 25th anniversary with Standard Chartered. Together with Prudential’s tied agency and financial advisory arm, Prudential Financial Advisers Singapore, they serve the financial needs of more than one million customers.
Prudential’s new office supports hybrid work with a variety of spaces to cater to different work requirements and greater collaboration between corporate and agency teams. These include libraries for focused tasks, different types of meeting areas for both informal and formal discussions, and convenient phone booths to take calls. Combined with Prudential’s flexible work arrangements, the new office encourages both planned and spontaneous interactions to support knowledge sharing, enabling the corporate and agency teams to work together more effectively to better meet customers’ needs.
For more information on Prudential’s $880,000 community investment, please refer to Annex A.
Annex A – Prudential’s SG60 community investment
The $880,000 community investment comprises:
- Household essentials hampers for ComLink+ families
Prudential volunteers will be packing and distributing household essentials hampers to over 1,100 ComLink+ families residing in the vicinity of Prudential’s new office at Labrador Tower. Items in the hamper include household essentials such as hand soap and dishwashing liquid to support families in maintaining their wellbeing through access to essential personal hygiene and household cleaning items for a clean and healthy home environment.
- Cash donation to the Prudential Longevity Pledge
The SG60 community investment includes a cash donation to the Prudential Longevity Pledge, a fundraising programme established in partnership with Community Chest in 2021 to provide support to vulnerable groups in the community. This collaboration ensures sustained financial support, and is bolstered by Prudential’s annual contributions.
The SG60 cash donation will go towards supporting KidSTART Singapore (“KidSTART”) families through its community programme, Healthy with KidSTART, which was launched in 2020 as a collaboration between Prudential and KidSTART. Aimed at promoting healthy eating habits among children aged 0-6 years old, Prudential contributes by funding the packing and delivery of monthly fresh produce packs to families, holding interactive and educational events, and producing resources such as live online cooking shows and recipe cards with tips on how to engage young children in the kitchen during meal preparation. Prudential[1] and KidSTART volunteers have clocked almost 20,000 volunteering hours since the inception of the programme, packing and delivering the fresh produce packs at least three times a year to benefit more than 3,000 KidSTART families.
- Establishment of community edible gardens
To foster community resilience for a more sustainable future, Prudential will be launching a new initiative called Heathy Harvest later this year. With this initiative, the company aims to drive environmental responsibility and enhance wellbeing by setting up community edible gardens. These gardens will serve as social and therapeutic green spaces that enable connection with nature, encourage sustainable gardening activities and promote healthy eating through the distribution of fresh produce grown at the gardens.
More details on the community gardens will be shared at a later date.
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About Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd (Prudential Singapore)
Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd is one of the top life and health insurance companies in Singapore, serving the financial and protection needs of the country’s citizens for 94 years. The company has an AA- Financial Strength Rating from leading credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s, with S$57.7 billion funds under management as at 31 December 2024. It delivers a suite of well-rounded product offerings in Protection, Savings and Investment through multiple distribution channels including a network of more than 5,400 financial representatives.
About ComLink+
ComLink+ aims to uplift lower-income families with children towards stability, self-reliance and social mobility (3S). These lower-income families face additional challenges and often have to stretch limited resources to meet various needs. Through ComLink+, MSF partners and supports families over the longer term as they work towards achieving their aspirations and goals.
Under ComLink+:
- Family coaches and volunteer befrienders journey with ComLink+ families on their customised action plans to support their needs and aspirations.
- Government and the community work together to provide Comprehensive, Convenient, and Coordinated (3C) support.
- Government and the community give additional longer-term support to ComLink+ families who do their part to secure a better future.
About Community Chest
As the hallmark of care and share, Community Chest has been uniting the community to mobilise resources and raise funds to serve those in need since 1983. Community Chest supports more than 200 critical programmes to meet underserved and critical social needs. As our fundraising and operating costs are covered mainly by Tote Board, 100% of your contributions goes towards empowering the lives of adults with disabilities, children with special needs and youth-at-risk, persons with mental health conditions, and families and seniors in need of support.
For more information about Community Chest, visit www.comchest.gov.sg.
About KidSTART Singapore
KidSTART Singapore Ltd (KidSTART SG) is a non-profit organisation specialising in supporting families in early childhood development.
We partner the government, the hospitals and the community to empower families with less resources in building strong foundations for their children under 6 years old. Our team of highly trained KidSTART practitioners support caregivers with evidence-based guidance on pregnancy, child development and assessments on the developmental progress of children from birth onwards. Our vision is to give children a good start in life.
KidSTART SG is a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) and registered as a charity with Institution of a Public Character (IPC).
Click here to check eligibility and for more information on KidSTART SG.
About Healthy with KidSTART
Healthy with KidSTART is an early childhood nutrition programme, launched in 2020 as a collaboration between KidSTART Singapore (“KidSTART”) and Prudential Singapore. The initiative is aimed at promoting healthy eating habits among children aged 0-6 years old, recognising that good nutrition during this stage is crucial to their development.
Through the programme, families receive monthly deliveries of fresh vegetables and fruits. They also gain access to recipe cards that teach them how to make healthy meals via simple and affordable recipes with the items they receive.
Mind the B-Gap: Telcos see a compelling case for digital inclusion powered by cloud technology
New research from CloudMosa shows digital inclusion is shifting from CSR to a core business strategy – and telcos stand to gain if they move quickly
- Majority (97%) of telco leaders say digital inclusion is now central to their business strategy, driven primarily by the need to bridge the digital divide (71%)
- With 92% of respondents seeing a strong alignment with government affordability initiatives as a key benefit of prioritizing digital inclusion
- Despite 2G network phaseouts progressing – with 62% of telcos completing the transition – 40% of Indian consumers still rely on 2G, exposing a critical gap in access
- 93% express confidence in cloud-powered solutions to help close the digital inclusion gap across high-growth markets
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 June 2025 – Millions of would-be customers remain offline across Asia’s fastest-growing digital economies. This is not a lifestyle choice; it’s because telcos are overlooking them — and a big growth opportunity in the process. In India, Vietnam, and the Philippines alone, over 600 million people still lack affordable access to the internet. CloudMosa, a leading cloud and mobile technology company, today released its inaugural B-Gap Barometer report, exploring the barriers keeping people offline in markets with network access as well as attitudes to potential solutions.

Based on insights from senior telecommunication leaders across the digitally ascending markets of India, Vietnam, and the Philippines, the report maps telcos’ 2G-to-4G migration, identifies persistent barriers to digital inclusion, and outlines how decision-makers are rethinking innovation and business strategies amid network transitions. The research also reveals the shift we’re seeing in digital inclusion becoming a strategic business priority, underscoring affordable access as the next frontier for growth.
“Telcos are racing to the future with 5G, but growth won’t come from the top alone,” said Shioupyn Shen, CEO of CloudMosa. “The real opportunity lies in those being left behind in the migration to 4G and beyond. This report is a call to action for industry leaders: those who move first to bridge the affordability gap will shape the next decade of the industry.”
Rising demands for affordable connectivity
Telcos are now at a crossroads. According to the B-Gap Barometer, 62% of operators across India, Vietnam, and the Philippines have already completed their 2G shutdowns, and another 26% are prepared for migration. Yet, despite the rapid progress in network infrastructure to support 4G, large populations still rely heavily on 2G networks. This is particularly evident in India, where 40% reported that up to half their company’s user base is still on 2G networks.
Despite existing network coverage, many users remain offline because affordability still prevents underserved consumers from fully participating in the digital economy – a challenge CloudMosa has termed the “B-Gap”.
In the Philippines, 66% of telco leaders cite costly data plans as consumers’ top barriers in transitioning to 4G and beyond. Vietnam and India follow closely, with 57% and 51% reflecting a similar sentiment. While more users are aiming to upgrade to smartphones – 73% in Vietnam and 62% in the Philippines – many still lean on feature phones given cost limitations. Seventy-five percent of Indian users still prefer traditional feature phones, driven by cost, simplicity, and reliability.
While the rest of the world is rushing towards 5G, these users present the region’s most overlooked commercial opportunity and telcos are uniquely positioned to move them up the value chain to ultimately close this gap. Doing so will unlock revenue, drive education, employment, economic mobility, and social inclusion.
Why inclusion is now a business imperative
As telcos continue to grapple with legacy network costs, stagnant average rate per user, or how to expand to underserved markets, digital inclusion is no longer a CSR initiative. It is becoming a critical commercial strategy to reach more users across digitally ascending markets.
A staggering 97% of industry players across three markets pointed to digital inclusion as a central component of their business strategy, with the biggest driver being bridging the digital divide (71%), followed by aligning with CSR goals (56%). More than half (53%) see inclusion helping with market expansion, customer retention and loyalty. The benefits are multifaceted, but the bottom line is clear: digital inclusion is a business growth engine that telcos can’t afford to ignore.
Driving the future of inclusive connectivity
While tech affordability has long been a challenge, key players are now presented with a solution in the form of cloud-based mobile devices to reach wider communities. Developed by CloudMosa, Cloud Phone is a breakthrough solution that transforms low-cost feature phones into modern, internet-capable devices. By shifting computing and data processing to the cloud, Cloud Phone delivers seamless online experiences that were previously out of reach for users on basic handsets.
In fact, telco leaders feel positively about this technology in helping to bridge the gap for billions of people worldwide that still lack crucial access. Ninety-one percent believe this solution can help close the B-Gap, with another 90% interested in its potential to dramatically improve UX for low-income users. Eighty-five percent have even cited running premium applications on low-cost devices as an attractive feature.
“We’re not just bringing the internet to feature phones — we’re unlocking opportunity for billions,” Shen added. “What we’ve built with Cloud Phone introduces a new growth model for telecom carriers, phone manufacturers and content providers. We want to show the mobile ecosystem how doing good doesn’t need to come at the expense of profitability. Telcos can still achieve commercial success while providing solutions that meet people where they are.”
What’s next: The business playbook for telcos
Traditionally viewed as low revenue customers, 2G feature phone users now represent a significant untapped opportunity. With cloud-based solutions reducing device and data costs, telcos can serve this segment profitably, offering app-based services on feature phones that operate like smartphones.
Solutions such as Cloud Phone offer a high-margin innovation platform to tackle the challenges telcos are facing by unlocking new growth while enabling digital transformation and wider business goals. Along with the right partnerships and business models, telcos can transform inclusion into real impact.
Download the B-Gap Barometer here: https://www.cloudphone.tech/b-gap-barometer.
For more information on CloudMosa, click here for the full press kit.
Hashtag: #CloudMosa
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About the B-Gap Barometer Report

About CloudMosa
CloudMosa is a pioneer in providing cloud computing and remote browser solutions for both the consumer and enterprise sectors. For over a decade, CloudMosa has developed products with unparalleled security, speed, and efficiency for its clients. With a suite of offerings powered by its flagship product, Puffin Cloud Avatar Technology, CloudMosa is committed to reshaping the digital landscape and empowering users for a faster, more secure mobile experience. To learn more about CloudMosa’s cloud-powered solutions, visit https://www.cloudphone.tech/
Cambodian Govt Musters Support From Huge Crowds in Thai Border Row

AFP – On 18 June, tens of thousands of Cambodians took to the streets of Phnom Penh for an official rally to support the government’s actions in its recent border dispute with Thailand.
Henderson Land Sets Record for Central’s Largest Single Office Lease
New Central Harbourfront Site 3 Project Leases Over 70% of Phase 1 Office Premises
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 June 2025 – Henderson Land Development Company Limited (“Henderson Land” or “The Group”) (Stock code 12) is delighted to announce that, through its subsidiary, it has entered into an Agreement for Lease with Jane Street, a quantitative trading firm and liquidity provider, as the first anchor tenant of the Group’s latest New Central Harbourfront flagship development project. Jane Street will occupy over 223,000 square feet across six floors, leasing over 70% of the development’s Phase 1 premium office and ancillary space. The signing of the lease is nearly two years ahead of the anticipated handover in early 2027. This lease marks the largest single office leasing transaction for Hong Kong’s Central Business District in decades.

Chairman of Henderson Land, Dr. Martin Lee Ka-shing, said: “We are proud to welcome Jane Street to our New Central Harbourfront flagship development project.” He added, “Deeply rooted in Hong Kong, our Group is committed to advancing the city’s core districts, and this anchor tenancy reinforces Hong Kong’s unrivalled position as an international financial powerhouse. This development will reinvent Central by connecting the multi-worlds of retail, culture and commerce with nature and entertainment. Fuelled by the passion of our talented teams, we are confident that this global development will connect Hong Kong to the world stage, forging a bold new chapter for the city’s future.”
The New Central Harbourfront project spans over 1.6 million square feet of gross floor area. This transformative project will not only redefine the city’s iconic skyline, but also elevate Central as a cutting edge, vibrant global district.
The 400 meter-long development includes 700,000 square feet of office and ancillary space that offers the largest premium Grade-A Office floor plates in Central, 900,000 square feet of retail space and the first Broadway-calibre theatre in Central.
Inspired by a concept of “The Bridge”, this people-centric development is a superconnector that seamlessly bridges Hong Kong and the world, enhances connectivity in Central and fosters integration with its surroundings – strengthening synergies between urban and nature, commerce and culture. The development provides an unprecedented 300,000 square feet of green and open spaces, including a rooftop garden for public enjoyment. It links Central district’s vibrancy to the waterfront and the iconic Victoria Harbour, forming the new heart of Central. The site will unfold in two phases, with Phase 1 set for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026, and Phase 2 in 2032.
Two years ahead of its first phase opening, the project has earned the highest standard industry certifications for its sustainability-focused architectural design, including awards and accreditations from LEED, BEAM Plus, WiredScore, Construction Industrial Council (CIC), Green Business Certification Inc., The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and Hong Kong Green Building Council.
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About Henderson Land Group
Founded in 1976 and listed in Hong Kong since 1981, Henderson Land Development Company Limited (Stock code: 12) is a leading property group, focusing on Hong Kong and mainland China. Henderson Land is carrying on its legacy into the future, curating a property portfolio that grows from strength to strength and encompasses award-winning landmark projects such as the International Finance Centre complex and The Henderson.
In addition to its core business in property development and property investment, the Group holds strategic investments in two listed subsidiaries (namely, Miramar Hotel and Investment Company Limited and Henderson Investment Limited) and three listed associates (namely, The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (which in turn has equity stakes in a listed subsidiary, Towngas Smart Energy Company Limited), Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Company Limited and Sunlight Real Estate Investment Trust).
Henderson Land is dedicated to the long-term commitment of sustainability and is a pioneer in green building and sustainable practices, which harness innovation and technology to create new, smarter living. The Group is also a strong advocate of social responsibility and invests in a broad range of community causes and initiatives. For more information, please visit www.hld.com.
About Jane Street
Jane Street is a global quantitative trading firm and liquidity provider with expertise in a wide range of financial products, including ETFs, equities, futures, commodities, options, bonds, and currencies. Founded in 2000, Jane Street has offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, and Singapore. Jane Street’s global footprint allows it to make markets continually on more than 200 electronic exchanges and other trading venues in more than 45 countries around the world.
The 17th Straits Forum Held in Xiamen, China: Promoting Cross-Strait Folk Exchanges and Integrated Development

XIAMEN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 June 2025 – The opening ceremony of the 17th Straits Forum was held in the morning of the 15th in Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China. As the largest-scaled, widest-ranging and most influential folk exchange event across the Taiwan Strait, guests from both sides of the Taiwan Strait gathered together to discuss the beautiful vision of cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation.

This session of the Straits Forum focused on the theme of “Expanding Folk Exchanges and Deepening Integrated Development”. It set up four major sections, namely grassroots exchanges, youth exchanges, cultural exchanges, and economic exchanges, with 56 series of activities arranged. The main venue of the forum was in Xiamen, while related activities were held in relevant prefecture-level cities in Fujian and the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone. More than 7,000 people from all walks of life in Taiwan were invited to participate.
Ma Ying-jeou, the former chairperson of the Kuomintang who attends the Straits Forum for the first time, stated in his speech at the meeting that the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations is the common aspiration of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The natural bond of Chinese people on both sides, who share the same roots and origin, cannot be severed, and non-governmental exchanges across the Strait are unstoppable.
Currently, Fujian is steadfastly expanding economic and trade cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, deepening folk exchanges between Fujian and Taiwan, and enhancing the well-being of Taiwan compatriots, so as to make new contributions to the great cause of promoting the reunification of the motherland. Zhou Zuyi, Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, said, “We warmly welcome our Taiwan compatriots to actively participate in building the Cross-Strait Integrated Development Demonstration Zone. Let us move forward together, work hand in hand, and jointly seize development opportunities to share the fruits of integration”
Xiamen has earnestly implemented the Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Supporting Fujian in Exploring a New Path for Cross-Strait Integrated Development and Building a Cross-Strait Integrated Development Demonstration Zone. It continues to take the lead in piloting innovations for cross-strait integrated development, promoting integration through connectivity, preferential policies, and emotional bonds, so as to create more development opportunities and broader space for Taiwan compatriots.
It is reported that the Straits Forum has been successfully held for 16 sessions, with nearly 800 activities of various types carried out. A total of more than 350,000 person-times of compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Strait have participated, among whom over 140,000 person-times are Taiwan compatriots. The Straits Forum has effectively played an important role in expanding cross-Strait folk exchanges and deepening cross-Strait integrated development.
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After Four Months Under Wraps, F.F.O Sets to Unveil New MV《大丈夫》from Japan Ski Trip

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 June 2025 – Emerging as champions of the hit Taiwanese talent show《Atom Boyz 2》, the boy group F.F.O officially debuted at the end of 2024 during the Graduation Concert. Their debut track《腦袋漂流記》received glowing reviews from fans, and their first album, now available for pre-order, has already seen impressive sales. With strong fan support at every appearance, from pop-up events to brand promotions, F.F.O is quickly becoming one of Taiwan’s most popular new idol groups. Their popularity even reached Japan, with digital billboards in Shinjuku drawing fans eager to catch a glimpse of the group.

Just two months after their debut, F.F.O was invited to Japan to collaborate with renowned ski brand Ski Addicts as ambassadors for a special ski campaign. The members went to Echigo-Yuzawa for a 6-day skiing trip. Not only did they enjoy the snow scene to the fullest, the group also surprised fans by shooting a brand-new music video《大丈夫》. With a tight schedule and nonstop energy, F.F.O showed remarkable dedication and professionalism.
The 《大丈夫》 MV is styled as a travel diary with a carefully written story behind it, capturing the group’s most authentic moments. Fans will see the members handing out their group logo stickers in Akihabara, bravely introducing themselves to locals while having their most genuine reaction captured by cameras. Of course, their snow-filled adventures also made it into the MV—featuring playful snowball fights, GoPro-filmed moments, and even ice cream in the freezing cold. The result is a heartfelt visual journey that feels like a personal postcard from F.F.O to their fans.
The MV was entirely shot in Japan. It captures the romantic encounter between F.F.O and the snow, and the highlights and memories of the Journey. “This MV is like a snapshot of our trip, full of fun and challenges. Stay tuned!” the members shared. The MV shoot spanned both Tokyo and Niigata, meaning that the F.F.O members had to rush between locations day and night. Not only did they finish the MV shooting in Akihabara and Echigo-Yuzawa, they even squeezed in a final shoot at Ueno Park for social media content just a day before they returned to Taiwan. Despite the intense schedule and freezing temperatures, they still gave it their all and showed impeccable professionalism to deliver the best possible visuals to their dedicated fans.
Now, several months after the shoot, F.F.O is thrilled to finally share《大丈夫》with fans. More behind the scenes footage and details will be revealed soon, so fans are encouraged to pay close attention to F.F.O’s official social media accounts to witness the exciting results of their very first trip since debut!
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