SINGAPORE, Aug. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The 30-second Film Awards (30SFA) is a non-profit competition organised by GYC Financial Advisory and UOB Asset Management. It is open to all Singapore-based creators irrespective of nationality and runs from 1 Jun to 14 Sep 2025. Participants stand to win cash prizes amounting to $14,000.

The open call is inspired by the navigation of meaningful relationships from one generation to the next as part of the wealth management and legacy planning process that both firms excel in. As the nation approaches its own citizen’s statutory retirement age of 63 (this year being SG60), the theme of competition is particularly apt.

The creative brief is to produce a short video showcasing a real-life heartwarming relationship between two people from different generations (an older and a younger person) and the positive impact it had on their lives.

Singapore June 2025 —

This project is spearheaded by a practising artist and an ex-architect – Jogoh (Head of Comms & Client Experience, GYC) and James (Senior Associate, GYC) – who feel that the qualitative aspect of relationships is what brings meaning and fulfilment to the job. Aside from the performance numbers, ROIs, and illustrative projections that are part and parcel of wealth management, they wanted to highlight the intricacies of intergenerational relationships that families navigate when they consider the matter of passing on their wealth.

‘There are some really precious and vulnerable conversations that take place when people are confronted with the fact that one day, they will no longer be around.’ Jogoh notes, ‘Wealth that was built through a lifetime, and the weight of that — we want to honour what these individuals went through, their stories, precious lessons learnt, and communicate some of the essence of their life and values to their children and family.’

30SFA is particularly challenging as participants must convey that very essence of their own meaningful intergenerational relationships within half a minute. ‘We felt that we’ve seen narratives fleshed out in a minute before,’ James said, ‘take 60-second Docs for example. Given the decreasing attention span of society, we are excited to see what creatives can produce and the feelings they can evoke in just 30-seconds.’

The competition is officially supported by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA, University of the Arts Singapore), with its president, Mrs Tan-Soh Wai Lan, sitting on the judging panel. While there is a registration fee — to encourage commitment from applicants — it is heavily discounted for students, and one team just pays a single registration fee. As a non-profit competition, all fees paid after administrative costs goes back into the competition itself, e.g. hosting the award ceremony for winning participants.  Any balance left over will be disbursed to charities or schools to support the arts and culture in Singapore.

‘Back when I  was solely focussed on building my art practice, I came across quite a few competitions with many different types of prizes,’ Jogoh recounts, ‘but I felt what would have truly helped me was simply cash, to help defray living expenses and to help me further my craft. We’re so excited that we’re able to offer that to creators today and hopefully encourage them in their journey to produce heartwarming stories.’

To find out more about the competition visit the GYC website at gyc.com.sg/30-second-film-awards or the UOBAM website under partnerships at uobam.com.sg/index.page#exploring-for-partnership

HONG KONG, Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Omdia, a renowned global market research authority, has recently released its “Omdia Market Radar: Cloud Platforms for Games – 2025″ report. Building on its previous recognition as a “Leader” in Omdia’s 2024 report on cloud platforms for games in Asia Pacific and Oceania, Tencent Cloud—the cloud business of global leading technology company Tencent—has, for the first time, been positioned as a “Leader” in Omdia’s global report for cloud platforms for games. This achievement is attributed to Tencent Cloud’s cutting-edge technological capabilities and strong market leadership. According to the report, Tencent Cloud demonstrated outstanding performance across seven key capability dimensions.

Poshu Yeung, Senior Vice President of Tencent Cloud International, said: “We are proud to be recognized by Omdia as a global leader in cloud platforms for games. This achievement reflects our dedication to driving innovation and equipping developers with world-class infrastructure and solutions tailored for the gaming industry. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as AI & machine learning, Tencent Cloud is committed to delivering secure, scalable, and immersive gaming experiences for players everywhere. As we continue to partner with developers and industry leaders across the globe, we are excited to shape the future of gaming and power the next wave of industry growth and transformation.”

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of global cloud platforms, analyzing their strengths across seven core capability dimensions: game development, game servers, multiplayer services, LiveOps, database & analytics, AI & machine learning, as well as partners and integrations. Notably, this is the first time Omdia has included AI & machine learning as evaluation criteria, providing a more nuanced perspective on the technological maturity and industry adaptability of cloud platforms.

In this assessment, Tencent Cloud achieved the highest rating of “Advanced” in game servers, multiplayer services, and AI & machine learning, while also delivering exceptional performance in game development, LiveOps, and database & analytics. Through its robust technical capabilities and significant industry influence, Tencent Cloud was recognized as one of the global leaders in cloud platforms for games in 2025.

For the gaming industry, Tencent Cloud has established a global, high-performance network infrastructure and developed end-to-end solutions tailored specifically for gaming. These solutions are particularly robust in areas such as game servers, multiplayer services, and AI & machine learning.

Tencent Cloud offers industry-leading game server solutions supported by a global data center network with 21 geographic regions and 56 availability zones. These solutions provide game companies with low-latency, high scalability, and robust DDoS protection, making them especially effective at managing the fluctuating workloads typical of game servers. During surges of players from around the world, Tencent Cloud’s servers dynamically scale and intelligently manage traffic, ensuring a seamless and smooth gaming experience for all users.

As large models become increasingly integrated into gaming industry applications, Tencent Cloud’s solutions—powered by its Hunyuan—has developed a comprehensive suite of AI design tools and services for game developers. These tools enable an end-to-end workflow for game asset creation, featuring capabilities such as text-to-3D and image-to-3D modeling. Additionally, with platforms like Tencent Cloud TI-ONE and a reinforcement learning platform tailored for virtual character training, developers can now shorten the time required to train NPC behavior from several months to just a few days.

For example, Kuro Games’ open-world action RPG “Wuthering Waves” leverages Tencent Cloud’s GoSkinning technology—powered by Tencent’s advanced expertise in art asset creation and AIGC capabilities—to intelligently and automatically skin a diverse range of characters and costumes. By automating vertex weight assignment, this solution significantly reduces the manual effort typically required for hand skinning, greatly increasing production efficiency and reducing the manual adjustment workload for animators.

The third-person shooter game “Kalpa of Universe”, developed by iDreamSky, has been launched to players worldwide. To navigate the complex and diverse challenges of global game publishing, Tencent Cloud provided comprehensive support covering compliance, networking, and architecture, ensuring a seamless rollout across all regions. Backed by over 400 professional certifications and more than 20 compliance accreditations both domestically and internationally, Tencent Cloud leverages its robust technical expertise to empower companies to expand confidently into overseas markets.

In the area of security, Tencent’s Anti-Cheat Expert (ACE) delivers comprehensive game security services by leveraging AI and big data technologies to detect and prevent cheating behaviors, including emerging cheats such as DMA (Direct Memory Access) and AI-based cheats. Leveraging nearly 20 years of anti-cheat experience and a vast database of cheat samples, ACE has fostered a fair and secure gaming environment for millions of players across hundreds of games worldwide. For instance, “The Bornless”, a PC action horror First Person Shooter (FPS) game developed by Cathedral Studios, has adopted ACE to tackle diverse online security challenges and ensure a fair, competitive experience for its ever-growing player community.

Drawing on years of deep expertise and industry-leading technologies in gaming, Tencent Cloud delivers comprehensive, full-lifecycle cloud services to game developers worldwide. From high-performance global deployment networks and specialized game servers to advanced security solutions, AI-powered creative tools, real-time operations platforms, and data analytics, Tencent Cloud is dedicated to being the most trusted technology partner for game developers, empowering them to overcome the challenges of globalization and capture the opportunities of the AI era.

About Tencent Cloud:

Tencent Cloud, one of the world’s leading cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through our extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT, and network security. It is our constant mission to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of gaming, media and entertainment, finance, healthcare, property, retail, travel, and transportation.

GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) [HKUST(GZ)] has announced early admissions for two Master of Science programs: MSc in Carbon Neutrality and Green Finance (MSc CNGF), and MSc in Technology and Policy (MSc TP). This early admission round offers several advantages, including eligibility for merit-based scholarships covering 25% to 50% of first-year tuition fees and early confirmation of study places. Applicants with outstanding academic backgrounds from top-ranked institutions, strong professional experience, or significant achievements are encouraged to apply.

“These programs represent the pioneering master’s programs at Society Hub, providing training that helps students master skills to deal with the significant challenges we face today,” said Prof. Wu, Associate Dean of Society Hub at HKUST(GZ). “Students will benefit from our unique cross-disciplinary approach and strong industry connections within the programs.”

“The MSc CNGF program equips graduates to excel in sustainable finance, with coursework that includes carbon markets, ESG investing, and carbon neutrality technologies. The MSc TP program prepares students to address the governance challenges posed by emerging technologies. We have a natural advantage in being in Asia, which is increasingly viewed as the engine of technological breakthroughs,” said Prof. Du, MSc Program Director of Society Hub.

Both programs leverage HKUST(GZ)’s strategic location in China’s most dynamic economic region, the Greater Bay Area, offering students unparalleled access to industries and innovations. The curriculum combines rigorous academic training, including internship opportunities.

Established in 2022 in collaboration between HKUST and the Guangzhou Government, HKUST(GZ) is a part of HKUST’s development. The two campuses operate under the “Unified HKUST, Complementary Campuses” framework, sharing faculty and research resources while maintaining identical academic standards. Its signature “Hub-Thrust” structure promotes interdisciplinary learning and nurtures globally competitive talents.

As one of the four hubs at HKUST(GZ), Society Hub is dedicated to addressing global societal challenges both through technological innovation and in response to the impacts of emerging technologies in an era of unprecedented change. With a highly international and diverse faculty and student body, Society Hub welcomes applications from all backgrounds globally.

Early admissions for the 2026/27 intake close on September 30, 2025. The regular application deadline for this academic year is July 15, 2026. Prospective students are encouraged to apply to secure their place and maximize scholarship opportunities.

Learn more:

MSc in Carbon Neutrality and Green Finance: https://fytgs.hkust-gz.edu.cn/programs/2025-26/society-hub-2025-26/carbon-neutrality-and-green-finance
MSc in Technology and Policy: https://fytgs.hkust-gz.edu.cn/programs/2025-26/society-hub-2025-26/technology-and-policy-2 

BEIJING, Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A report from China Daily:

Seasun Games, a Chinese game company with a history of over three decades, showcased its recently launched Mecha Break game during this year’s China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference, also known as ChinaJoy, in Shanghai from August 1 to 4, arousing great attention among game players both at home and abroad.

Its booth offered not only a rich array of peripheral gifts, special cosplay performances, and exciting shows by elite players, but also featured activities such as game trials and limited-edition badges, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the dynamic atmosphere and engage with the vibrant gaming community.

Behind the popularity of the new game is cultural globalization, which constitutes the essence of taking games overseas, explained Yao Zhe, vice-president of Seasun Games.

“And the key to successful international expansion for Chinese game companies lies in conveying the core of Chinese culture through an internationalized expression,” he added.

Yao said that his company‘s answer to expanding globally is to combine science fiction with mecha, striving to create a globally recognized Chinese mecha intellectual property.

Historically, IP works in the mecha genre have been dominated by Japan and Western countries. Works like Gundam and Transformers have had a profound impact on those born in the 1980s and 1990s. However, this dominance has also laid a solid foundation for young people worldwide to embrace mecha games, making it a culturally accepted medium for the global digital native generation.

Seasun Games‘ Mecha Break, upon its release on July 2, quickly garnered global player appreciation, with some players stating that it “completely refreshes the perception of mecha enthusiasts.”

It reached a peak of 132,000 concurrent players on the international gaming platform Steam, claiming the top spot on both the Trending Games and Popular Releases lists, and reaching as high as fifth place on the Most Played Games list. It has become another “breakthrough hit” overseas, earning international recognition for Chinese game developers’ innovation and capabilities.

The creation of this hit game is attributed to the support of hardcore technology and original game concepts. Mecha Break has accumulated a wealth of innovative technologies, currently holding 60 patents in areas such as image processing, character animation processing, data management, human-computer interaction, and virtual reality and augmented reality, in addition to a national patent award. In particular, it has focused on patent deployment in core areas such as image processing and character animation processing.

Insights into consumer profiles in overseas markets have proven indispensable and have exceeded the company‘s expectations, Yao said. About 73 percent of overseas users are under the age of 26.

In terms of markets, Japanese players exhibit a stronger-than-expected preference for competitive player-versus-player gameplay, while North American players show high purchasing intent for derivative merchandise such as model kits and collectible figures.

In the future, Southeast Asia, South America, and Europe are also expected to become the fastest-growing markets for Seasun Games‘ user base, he said.

SINGAPORE, Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sephora has launched ‘The Perfect Shade For You,’ a major new campaign across Asia Pacific that sets out to redefine beauty standards by championing individuality, authenticity and inclusivity.

Building on Sephora’s global brand signature, ‘We Belong to Something Beautiful’, the campaign underscores the brand’s commitment to inclusive beauty in the region. Highlighting Sephora’s industry-leading range of over 1,500 foundation shades, ‘The Perfect Shade For You’ aims to empower individuals to discover and celebrate their unique identities through makeup as a tool for self-expression.

“At Sephora, we believe beauty is inherently diverse and everyone possesses a unique beauty worth celebrating,” said Jenny Cheah, Managing Director, Southeast Asia, Oceania & India. “In today’s context where consumers increasingly demand authenticity and personalization, especially in a region as culturally rich as ours, it’ll be remiss if we confine beauty to a narrow definition. With ‘The Perfect Shade For You’, we’re investing in a future where every individual in Asia Pacific feels seen, represented, and empowered to embrace their unique beauty. We believe this initiative will drive meaningful conversations and change in the beauty industry and set a new standard for inclusivity.”

In partnership with creative agency, Virtue Asia, the campaign provides an intimate, behind-the-scenes glimpse featuring a diverse cast of individuals from across Asia Pacific. This inclusive representation spans a wide range of cultures, ages, and backgrounds from the region and encompasses a broad spectrum of skin tones, body types, and hair textures. Regional Sephora Squad members also shared their stories on the liberation and impact of finding their own perfect shade. By embracing and showcasing this diversity, free from hiding or retouching imperfections, the campaign empowers audiences to explore the true meaning of ‘the perfect shade’ as a uniquely personal celebration of their own beauty.

‘The Perfect Shade For You’ is now live across Sephora stores, social media channels, and digital platforms in nine key markets – Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand and will be rolled out in Indonesia from 7 August. Check out the campaign and find your perfect shade at your nearest Sephora store or online.

About Sephora

Sephora is the world’s leading global prestige beauty retail brand. With 52,000 passionate employees operating in 35 markets, Sephora connects customers and beauty brands within the world’s most trusted and dynamic beauty community. We serve a highly engaged community of hundreds of millions of beauty followers across our global omnichannel network of more than 3 000 stores and iconic flagships, and our e-commerce and digital platforms, offering personalized and immersive seamless experiences across every touchpoint. With our curation of close to 500 brands and our own label, Sephora Collection, we offer the most unique and diverse range of prestige beauty products, tailored to our customers’ needs from fragrance to make-up, haircare, skincare and beyond, as we constantly reimagine the world of prestige beauty.

Since our inception in 1969 in Limoges, France, and as part of the LVMH Group since 1997, we have been disrupting the prestige beauty retail industry. Today, we continue to break with convention to drive our mission: champion a world of inspiration and inclusion where everyone can celebrate their beauty.

– Enhancing BORA tokenomics by establishing a joint liquidity pool and applying a burn mechanism
– Adopting a gas abstraction model, enabling BORA tokens to be used as a substitute for Kaia transaction fees

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — METABORA GAMES (CEO Choi Se-hoon), a leading blockchain game developer, announced today that it has completed the integration of the ‘Consensus Liquidity (CL) Protocol’ of the blockchain platform Kaia into the BORA ecosystem.

The ‘CL’ is an innovative infrastructure protocol based on the Kaia chain that enables simultaneous participation in validator staking and liquidity provision.

By integrating Kaia’s CL technology into the BORA ecosystem, METABORA GAMES will begin full-scale connectivity with external chains through the establishment of a joint liquidity pool, the introduction of a ‘gas abstraction’ model (which enables transaction fees to be paid on behalf of users), and the implementation of a fee-burning mechanism.

With the completion of the CL integration, METABORA GAMES and the Kaia Foundation established a joint liquidity provision plan and provided approximately $2 million in liquidity as of August 5. The partners plan to further boost the BORA ecosystem and enhance the token’s value through additional phased liquidity injections.

Additionally, a burn mechanism will be applied to the fee revenue generated from the joint liquidity pool. A certain portion of BORA-denominated profits will be burned, reinforcing the ecosystem’s deflationary tokenomics. The burn rate and frequency will be adjusted flexibly in accordance with market conditions and revenue scale.

The integration will also introduce a ‘gas abstraction’ feature, allowing users to pay transaction fees on the Kaia mainnet using BORA tokens. This enables users to cover transaction fees with BORA tokens even if they do not hold any Kaia tokens.

A METABORA GAMES representative stated, “The integration of the CL Protocol marks the first step for the BORA chain in achieving functional flexibility and scalability by structurally connecting with external public infrastructure. This signifies a transition and expansion from an independent BORA mainnet model to an interactive structure that engages with external ecosystems.” They added, “Starting with the launch of mini Dapps based on LINE Messenger and onboarding on Kaia, we will further strengthen BORA’s tokenomics by expanding external utility and operating an organic burn mechanism that functions seamlessly across multiple chains.”

About METABORA

METABORA is a casual game developer and the service operator of the blockchain platform BORA.

The BORA ecosystem brings together partners across various industries—ranging from tokenomics and content to blockchain technology—driving innovation and collaboration across games, sports, and entertainment.

BORA is a national game/entertainment token with a high liquidity in the market and reinforcing the accessibility of users and services abroad by increasing the listing on global cryptocurrency exchanges and expanding partnership.