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A Quarter Of World Population Lacks Safe Drinking Water: UN

A quarter of world population lacks safe drinking water: UN
Person washing clothes with unsanitary water. ( Photo : AP )

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A report issued on the eve of the first major UN conference on water in over 45 years says 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lacks access to basic sanitation.

Laos-China Railway to Start Cross-border Travel to China in April

Laos-China Railway. (Photo: New Civil Engineer).

Laos-China Railway will extend its passenger services on the international route to China – from Vientiane to Kunming and return – starting next month.

Google Officially Partners with Respond.io, Bringing Google Business Messages to More than 10,000 Businesses Globally

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 23 March 2023 – Respond.io, a leading customer conversation management software, announced today that they are now an official Google’s Business Messages Partner.

Based in South East Asia and one of the first few companies in this region to be selected as Google’s Business Messages provider, respond.io currently caters to a global customer base of over 10,000 companies. The company is well-poised to deliver on its mission to help businesses connect with their customers and enhance brand experiences, regardless of location.

With its massive user base and high accessibility, Google provides businesses worldwide with a streamlined messaging experience through Google’s Business Messages. Customers can easily connect with brands through various Google touchpoints like Search, Maps and brand-owned channels and more.

With direct access to the chat option, customers can quickly and easily communicate with businesses, including using photos and carousels. Plus, businesses can also provide important information such as business hours, appointment scheduling, status order updates and more, aiding in the customers’ decision-making process.

“We are thrilled to be part of Google’s Business Messages program. This represents a significant step forward for our clients and us. It is a testament to the expertise and dedication of our team in providing our clients with the best cutting-edge solution to enhance customer conversations,” said Gerardo Salandra, CEO of respond.io.

Brands around the world have found significant improvements in customer satisfaction and sales since implementing Google Business Messages. Global footwear retailer Foot Locker increased its average CSAT score by 10 points during its busiest season, while India’s automotive manufacturing company Bajaj Auto saw its lead conversions skyrocket by over 14x.

“Respond.io is committed to helping as many brands as possible leverage the benefits of Google’s Business Messages by working closely with our clients globally to adopt and implement the feature into their existing workflows and business processes. We are confident in helping our clients stay ahead of the curve and continue to thrive in today’s fast-paced and competitive digital landscape,” added Iaroslav Kudritskiy, COO of respond.io.
Hashtag: #respond.io #GoogleBusinessMessages

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About respond.io

Respond.io is a customer conversation management software that enables companies to respond to messages from any channel from one centralized dashboard by teams of all sizes, thus making communication with customers easier, faster, and more satisfactory. Over 10,000 companies from 86 countries, including Klook, Decathlon, Abenson, Yoho, Roche and ShareChat use respond.io, and the platform processes more messages than three of its main competitors combined. The company is headquartered in Asia.

For more information, please visit .

Association’s newly elected management committee to focus on building a resilient society and a progressive life insurance industry

Key priorities for the year include bridging Singapore’s protection needs and financial gaps amidst rising inflation, enhancing the digitalisation journey for consumers and the industry, and supporting Singapore’s sustainability agenda

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 23 March 2023 – The Life Insurance Association, Singapore (LIA Singapore) today announced the newly elected members of its Management Committee at the Association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and annual luncheon held on 21 March 2023.

LIA Management Committee, 2023 – 2024
Officers Member Company
President Mr. Dennis Tan Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Limited
Deputy President Ms. Wong Sze Keed AIA Singapore Private Limited
Deputy President Mr. Raymond Ong Etiqa Insurance Pte. Ltd.
Secretary Dr. Khoo Kah Siang Manulife (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
Treasurer Mr. Andrew Yeo Income Insurance Limited
Members
Member Ms. Ho Lee Yen HSBC Life (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
Member Ms. Pearlyn Phau Singapore Life Ltd.
Member Mr. Khor Hock Seng The Great Eastern Life Assurance Company Limited

Newly elected President for 2023 – 2024, Mr Dennis Tan (on the right) with Guest-of-Honour, Mr Marcus Lim, Assistant Managing Director of the Banking and Insurance Group, Monetary Authority of Singapore (on the left).
Newly elected President for 2023 – 2024, Mr Dennis Tan (on the right) with Guest-of-Honour, Mr Marcus Lim, Assistant Managing Director of the Banking and Insurance Group, Monetary Authority of Singapore (on the left).

Mr Dennis Tan is the newly elected President for 2023 – 2024, taking over the presidency from Mr Khor Hock Seng who has served the previous four terms as President. Ms Wong Sze Keed has been re-elected as Deputy President alongside Mr Raymond Ong who begins his first term as Deputy President. D Khoo Kah Siang was re-elected Secretary and Mr Andrew Yeo as Treasurer.

“Amidst the challenges brought about by the pandemic and the volatile macroeconomic environment, the life insurance sector has remained resilient. In 2023, we will focus our efforts on supporting consumers in their financial planning journey and identifying their protection gaps through our protection gap study. At the same time, we will continue our digitalisation efforts and play our part in supporting the government’s sustainability agenda,” said Mr Dennis Tan, President of LIA Singapore, in his opening address at the luncheon.

This was followed by a speech by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Marcus Lim, Assistant Managing Director of the Banking and Insurance Group, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), who highlighted the importance of the industry maintaining public trust through managing financial and non-financial risks well, and by treating customers right. He also urged the industry to continue to push ahead with its efforts to address environmental risk.

The Management Committee, comprising eight members, have identified the following top priorities for the term office, namely:

  • Identifying and developing key initiatives to bridge Singapore’s protection needs and financial gaps, especially through the nationwide protection gap study
  • Continuing digitalisation efforts in the life insurance sector to enhance the digitalisation journey for all stakeholders including the wider public
  • Supporting the nation’s sustainability agenda through sustainable investing and green solutions

Identifying and understanding various protection gaps and helping consumers with their financial planning goals

With 2023 being the first endemic year since Singapore reopened its borders and transitioned towards living with COVID-19, the pandemic has reminded consumers of the importance of ensuring that they are well protected. LIA Singapore will release findings of the nationwide protection gap study in the coming months. This is a study conducted once every five years to better understand and identify various protection gaps that will help in the development of key initiatives that meet individuals’ mortality and critical illness protection needs.

Amidst the rising cost of living and inflation, the life insurance industry will also continue to roll out people-first products and services that support consumers in their financial planning journey.

Continuing digitalisation efforts in the life insurance sector

The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital tools across the life insurance sector and transformed the way insurers and consumers interact with one another. With increased demand for digital services, life insurers will continue to work with its partners and the MAS to ensure the seamless use of digital tools and solutions that enhance the digitalisation journey and experience for consumers.

Supporting Singapore’s sustainability agenda

As a Strategic Partner of the Green Finance Industry Taskforce (GFIT), LIA Singapore will continue to work with key partners to support sustainable investments and develop more green financial solutions.

Industry continues to show resilience and stability

Despite the macroeconomic headwinds, the life insurance industry continues to recover from the pandemic and recorded a total of S$5.10 billion in weighted new business premiums[1], a dip of 5.2% as compared to a year ago, mainly due to a drop in single premium business. The results also reflected an increase in demand for protection-focused policies in 2022, as uptake in total weighted new business premiums for Annual Premium plans recorded a 16.0% increase in Q4 2022 compared to Q4 2021.

Total weighted new business premiums for Individual Health Insurance for YTD Q4 2022 was at $360.2 million – consistent with the previous year. Total new business premiums[2] for Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) and IP riders for YTD Q4 2022 amounted to S$306.2 million, a 2.5% increase compared to YTD Q4 2021, highlighting how IP remains a priority health insurance product for Singaporeans.


[1] Weighted new business premiums measures premiums collected on new policies by taking into account (1) 10 per cent of the value of single premium products, (2) all of a year’s premiums for annual premium products, and (3) adjusted value for products with premium payment durations of less than 10 years. The figure is calculated as follows: 10% Single Premium Insurance + 100% Annual Premium Insurance + Adjusted premium for Insurance with premium payment durations of less than 10 years.

[2] With effect from 1 January 2016, MediShield Life premiums have been excluded from LIA statistics. New Business premiums refer to the premium due to the new business sold in the year, as well as incremental premiums from any repricing of plans, and change in age-band of the insureds.

Hashtag: #LIASingapore

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Life Insurance Association, Singapore (LIA Singapore)

Established in 1962, the Life Insurance Association, Singapore (LIA Singapore) is the not-for-profit trade body of life insurance product providers and life reinsurance providers based in Singapore and licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Vision and Mission

The vision of member companies is to provide individuals with peace of mind and to promote a society where every person is prepared for life’s changing cycles and for those situations unforeseen.

They are committed to being a progressive life insurance industry by collectively enhancing consumer understanding, promoting industry best practices, and through the association fostering a spirit of collaboration and mutual respect with government and business leaders.

Values underpinning the association and its members

Unified in our resolve to deliver innovative solutions where every individual’s needs are best met.

Professional in the way we conduct ourselves and in the counsel we give.

Ethical in ensuring our policyholders’ interests are managed with utmost integrity.

Fair in how we strive to provide favourable outcomes to both our policyholders and shareholders.

Open & honest in all that we do to build an environment of trust and transparency.

Proactive in the steps we take to give our people the skills and knowledge to provide sound solutions at all times.

Lao Airlines to Start Additional Flight to China

Lao Airlines to Start Additional Flight to China
Lao Airlines Airbus A320 (photo: Wikipedia)

Lao Airlines announced on Tuesday that the flag carrier will resume flights from Vientiane to China’s Guangzhou province by next month.

Staff Shortage, High Production Costs Remain Key Obstacles To Lao Businesses

Staff Shortage, High Production Costs Remain As Key Obstacles To Lao Businesses : survey
Workers walking towards the sunset.

The Macroeconomics Research Institute (MRI) recently conducted a survey to identify the main obstacles businesses are facing in Laos.

Healthy Seas joins hands with Ghost Diving Hong Kong to remove gill nets in Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 23 March 2023 – In conjunction with World Water Day, Healthy Seas is proud to announce it has expanded its geographic focus and launches activities to Hong Kong.

Healthy Seas is an environmental nonprofit organization founded in 2013 that began its marine conservation work in the Netherlands. Today, the organisation operates in 20 countries throughout the world, including many countries in Europe, the United States, New Zealand and through its recent collaboration with Ghost Diving Korea and now Ghost Diving Hong Kong, has expanded to Asia, with regular activities in the Sai Kung Area – Port Shelter, Nine Pins Island Group, East Dam with regular ghost net cleanup projects.

Ghost net removal

On March 18th, the Ghost Diving Hong Kong volunteer team kicked off its collaboration with Healthy Seas and with support from DWS Group, successfully recovered about 120kgs of gill nets in the area of Sharp Island, Hap Mun Bay, Sai Kung. Although gill nets are typically very light, they are also the deadliest type of marine litter to marine animals.

Recently, the volunteers had recovered another 150 meters of net from the same location, while a third dive will be necessary and planned in the upcoming period to remove the nets that are still left underwater and continuing to threaten marine life.

“We are extremely proud to be working with Healthy Seas and the Ghost Diving Foundation in order to remove these nets and through our work we hope to spread the message and educate the Hong Kong community to the important role we all share to remove marine pollution, not just ghost gear but debris of all forms,” says Andrew Couch, Coordinator of Ghost Diving Hong Kong

The ghost fishing problem

It is estimated that 640,000 tons of fishing gear are lost or abandoned in the seas and oceans each year. It is plastic waste that does not biodegrade, remaining hundreds of years in the environment, all the while losing tiny particles called microplastics that end up in the food chain. The phenomenon takes the name “ghost fishing” because the nets that are made to appear invisible underwater are trapping and killing all manner of marine animals including turtles, fish, mammals and birds that get entangled, suffer and eventually die.

Fishing practices & trawling ban in Hong Kong

Capture fishing and aquaculture have a long history in Hong Kong, with the conservation of the environment and the well being of the fishing industry being at the forefront of the Hong Kong government’s agenda. Over the past few years, there has been a proactive approach to promote the conservation and preservation of Hong Kong’s marine habitat.

Since December 2012, there has been a ban on trawling within Hong Kong coastal waters to try to restore the damaged seabed. Combined with the Fisheries Protection Ordinance which is designed to regulate the size of local fishing vessels, these efforts aim at controlling fishing practices that resulted in the depletion and destruction of Hong Kong’s marine biodiversity.

Despite the efforts that have been made to conserve Hong Kong’s marine environment, there still remain challenges for the protection of the sea and coastline surrounding Hong Kong. For example, the numerous small speed boats that operate daily and deploy fine gill nets often for hundreds of meters along the sea floor. These are often lost or discarded becoming a major hazard to all marine life as well as the divers who enjoy Hong Kong’s waters. Volunteer divers also encounter the remains of nets from the trawlers that were lost or abandoned long ago and caught on submerged rocks and reefs (both natural and artificial) and aim to remove them from the ocean floor.

Hashtag: #HealthySeas

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Healthy Seas

Healthy Seas is a non-profit organisation with a mission to remove waste from the seas, in particular fishing nets, and ensure marine litter will become a valuable resource. Nylon fishing nets are regenerated into yarn, a high-quality raw material used to create new products, such as socks, swimwear, sportswear or carpets, while other types of plastic nets are also reused, becoming jewelry, accessories or provided for research and education purposes. Since its founding in 2013, Healthy Seas has collected over 905 tons of fishing nets and other marine litter with the help of volunteer divers and fishers.

Police Besiege Gunman in Thailand Who Killed at Least Three

Police besiege gunman in Thailand who killed at least 3
Policemen with guns take positions on a street near the neighborhood of a gunman's house in Phetchaburi province, southwest of Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, March 22, 2023. ( Photo : AP )

BANGKOK (AP) — Police in Thailand said Wednesday they cordoned off a neighborhood in a city southwest of the capital and trapped a gunman inside his house after he shot dead at least three people and wounded several others.