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Hydeout: The Prelude Announces Phase Two of Immersive Digital Music Experience Platform

  • Featuring Charli XCX, Rita Ora, G Eazy, Wiz Khalifa, Tinashe, Kid Laroi, Alison Wonderland, TOKiMONSTA, Zedd, Hardwell, Fedde Le Grand, Armin Van Buren, Slushii, Pixel Terror, Habstrakt, Sullivan King, KTN, Yung Bae, Manila Killa, Bohan Phoenix and More
  • Kicking off April 11 with On Location Monstercat Stream Takeover
  • Purchase Season Pass for all HYDEOUT Phase Two Events and HydeCoins for Individual Show Access: hydeoutworld.com

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 13 April 2021 – Today immersive digital music platform HYDEOUT has announced a star-studded lineup for The Prelude: Phase Two as a continuation of its globally leading programming. Since its January 2021 launch, HYDEOUT’s goal has been simple: showcase the industry’s most in-demand artists across genres in unique virtual settings while offering a gathering place for music fans around the world. With this ethos at its core, HYDEOUT will kick off Phase Two on April 11 with some of its most impressive shows to date.

From festival mainstages to industry leading studio artists, HYDEOUT’s Phase Two programming defies genres and defines culture. Modern pop icons will be on full display with performances from English songstress Charli XCX, new-age America rap royalty G-Eazy and Wiz Khalifa, forward-thinking performer Tinashe and Australian wunderkind Kid Laroi.

Dance music’s most famed legends will also take the digital stage with heroic progressive house sets in line from Zedd, Hardwell, Armin Van Buren, and Fedde Le Grand, plus multi-genre throwdowns from global stars TOKiMONSTA and Alison Wonderland. Fans of the heavier end of the electronic spectrum will be treated to a Monstercat takeover to launch phase two featuring an on-location spectacle with Pixel Terror, Habstrakt, Sullivan King and KTN. Manila Killa and Yung Bae will bring their unique indie-electronic stylings to the platform.

Hydeout: The Prelude phase one led the digital event landscape with marquee performances from Rita Ora, Martin Garrix, NGHTMRE, Andrew Rayel, Cosmic Gate, Don Diablo, Nervo, Yellow Claw, Dombresky, Eptic, Flux Pavillion and more. These shows took place across six fully immersive digital environments at The Mirage Stage, futuristic cityscapes of HydeCity, HydeAlley, The Arch and Pandemonium, or tropical worlds of Aqua Sphere and Sanctum. HYDEOUT’s unique interactive features like global chat rooms, custom avatars, watch parties and mini games, offers a way forward for artists and fans looking for a deeper sense of connection.

Performance episodes from both phases are available after their premiere as Video on Demand for HYDEOUT Season Pass holders and Pay As You Go users alike. Season Passes allow access to over 40 episodes and all platform features for just $49.99 USD. HYDEOUT users looking to enjoy a handful of shows can opt for a Pay As you Go pass, with which they can gain access using HYDEOUT’s own in-platform currency HydeCoins. Individual shows range from the HydeCoin equivalent of $5-$10 USD. Season Passes and HydeCoins are available via – www.hydeoutworld.com

SunMirror AG announces successful placement of a convertible bond in the equivalent value of USD 10 million

ZUG, Switzerland – EQS Newswire – 13 April 2021 SunMirror AG (“SunMirror”; XETRA Vienna: ROR1; ISIN CH0396131929) announces the issuance of convertible bonds in the equivalent amount of USD 10,000,000. The convertible bonds with conversion rights to acquire 133,305 bearer shares with a par value of CHF 1.00 each was fully subscribed. The conversion price is CHF 70 per bearer share. The allocation has been fully completed. The shares are entitled to dividends as of 1 July 2020. The convertible bonds run until 30 May 2022.

End of ad hoc announcement

Information and Explanation of the Issuer to this News:

Explanatory part

Arranger of this transaction was Sunmirror’s corporate advisor Opus Capital Switzerland AG.

Opus Capital Switzerland AG and Opus Capital Asset Management GmbH (‘Opus Group’) specialize in bringing next generation companies to market by combining extensive industry expertise with one of Switzerland’s leading independent financial services firms. For more information, please visit: www.opus-capital.ch.

SunMirror is a natural resources holding company with a strategic focus on critical commodities – those metals and minerals that drive demand for sustainable next-generation technology. The company’s shares (ISIN CH0396131929) are listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange (ticker: ROR1) and the Düsseldorf Stock Exchange. For further information, please visit: www.sunmirror.com.

Publication of insider information pursuant to Article 17 of the EU Market Abuse Regulation (MAR)

Special Report Analysis and Conclusions on Djibouti President’s Fifth Term

LONDON, UK – Media OutReach – 12 April 2021 – PANGEA-RISK https://www.pangea-risk.com/ published a special report on DJIBOUTI: ELECTIONS TAMPERING AND ARMS SMUGGLING ALLEGATIONS MAR PRESIDENT’S FIFTH TERM, which alleges vote manipulation and government implication in arms smuggling.

The results of Djibouti’s 9 April presidential elections seem unrealistic given evidence of ballot burning by the country’s aggrieved population. Despite prospects of a swift economic recovery this year, there remain serious concerns over debt affordability, especially to China. Meanwhile, the country’s entrenched elite and the security forces are increasingly implicated in regional arms trafficking allegations.

The run-up to the vote was marred by frequent protests in Djibouti City, as well as outbreaks of political violence in the coastal town of Tadjourah. The tense political and security climate in Djibouti ahead of the vote would indicate that the government panicked and exaggerated President Guelleh’s electoral victory.

A dubious terrorist threat two weeks before the election fed into nationalist and populist rhetoric in the country that was intensified by pledges made just days before the election by President Guelleh to capture the Awash River, which flows through neighbouring Ethiopia.

The trade of illegal weapons in the Horn of Africa remains highly lucrative and is comprehensively entwined with transnational terrorist groups, drug smuggling, and the conflict in nearby Yemen. Djibouti’s enhanced role in regional arms trafficking is occurring at the same time as the country’s government is seeking foreign investment in its strategic port sector in light of its less than friendly reputation in abiding to international laws.

Media Contact:

Sumaiya Patel

Intelligence Manager

Sumaiya.Patel@pangea-risk.com

https://www.pangea-risk.com/

About

PANGEA-RISK is a specialist intelligence firm providing analysis and forecasts on political, security, and economic risk in Africa and the Middle East. The company was founded in 2015 as EXX Africa, rebranded as PANGEA-RISK in 2020, and has since become a leading risk advisory and consultancy with a broad network of clients ranging from DFIs, banks, traders, corporates, and insurers, to governments, counterterrorism, and military forces worldwide.

VinFast Selects NVIDIA DRIVE to Power Next-generation Intelligent Autonomous Electric Vehicles

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach – 12 April 2021 – VinFast Trading and Production LLC announced today that it has selected NVIDIA DRIVE Orin for its new generation of autonomous electric vehicles designed to deliver a superior driving experience to customers.

VinFast recently announced it is developing and preparing to start mass production of smart electric cars in all segments, including: the VF e34 mid-size SUV (Segment C), the VF e35 mid-size SUV (Segment D), and the VF e36 full-size SUV (Segment E). All three models have Level 2 – 3 autonomous capabilities, with 30 smart features.

VinFast EVs will first ship with the NVIDIA DRIVE Xavier system-on-a-chip (SoC) starting in 2022. The automaker will upgrade to NVIDIA DRIVE Orin across its entire range of upcoming premium EV models.

NVIDIA DRIVE Orin is the industry’s highest performing AV processor. Built with more than 21 billion transistors, it features the latest NVIDIA Ampere GPU architecture, 12 Cortex-A78 ARM64 CPUs​, along with programmable vision and deep learning accelerators. The SoC is capable of processing more than 254 trillion operations per second to handle the large number of applications and deep neural networks running simultaneously to support special vehicle features. This includes capabilities such as cruise planning, locating charging stations and dealerships, theft-risk warning, user habit preferences, self-driving on highways, parking and more.

As a result, VinFast’s electric cars will offer increased safety and enhanced autonomy to outperform existing models on the market; and deliver these safe, intelligent EVs at large scale. In addition, the NVIDIA DRIVE Orin system is designed to ISO 26262 ASIL-D safety standards to ensure the highest level of automotive electronics safety.


“VinFast’s strategy is focused on cooperating with global technology companies to pair their latest advancements with our products,” said Ms. Thai Thi Thanh Hai, Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup and CEO of VinFast. “Enabled by NVIDIA, our new fleet of EVs will have the latest AI capabilities and features essential for safe self-driving and over-the-air software updates.”


“VinFast’s selection of NVIDIA DRIVE will accelerate development of the automaker’s intelligent EVs—delivering new levels of safety and convenience that will help shape the future of transportation in Vietnam, throughout Southeast Asia and the world,” said Rishi Dhall, Vice President of Autonomous Vehicles at NVIDIA.


VinFast is the leading Vietnamese car manufacturer across every segment in terms of sales in Vietnam. In early 2021, VinFast announced three electric SUVs with autonomous features up to Level 3, in which, VF e34 is the first model to be launched in Vietnam first by the end of 2021. All three models are using artificial intelligence technology with many outstanding smart features and are expected to export to the US, Canada and Europe in the year 2022.

Cushman & Wakefield : Office Availability Rate to Rise and Rent to Drop Further throughout 2021

Retail Market Rebounded with 30% Sales Increment in February

 

Highlights of Office Market:

  • Citywide rents down 24.4% from the last peak in 1Q 2019
  • Negative net absorption of 900,000 sq. ft.
  • Availability at record high of 14% since 2Q 2004
  • Forecast rents to decline further till the end of 2022

Highlights of Retail Market:

  • Local demand drove retail sales up by 30% Y-o-Y in February
  • Short-term leases improved high street occupancy
  • Rent adjustment will continue throughout 1H 2021
  • Forecast gradual recovery mainly driven by F&B sectors

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 April 2021 – While office and retail rental performance went in the same downward direction, retail sales picked up gradually from the already-bottomed baseline since 4Q 2020. Retail sales rose by 30% in February 2021, whereas office rental was driven down further by 17.6% in 1Q 2021 Y-o-Y as a result of the downsizing trend since 2020. Yet, the market has been active with large occupiers shopping around for more cost-effective office space as alternatives.

Table 1 – Hong Kong Office Rents Comparison

Table 2 – Rental Forecast till End of 2022

Table 3 – Retail Sales Comparison

Table 4 – Retail Rental Value Comparison

Source: Cushman & Wakefield Research

Office Market – Post-Pandemic Downsizing Trend Will Persist throughout 2021

With larger occupiers, mainly MNCs, surrendering office space throughout the pandemic period, overall office space availability rate reached 14% in 1Q 2021, a record-breaking high since 2Q 2004. Citywide rents down 24.4% from the last peak in Q1 2019, and Greater Central rental dropped by 29.1% from the last peak values recorded in 1Q 2019 (Table 1).

Negative net absorption in 1Q was up to a record high of 900,000 sq. ft. With volume of available space on the rise but demand currently mild and slow in picking up the pace, decline in overall office rental was the inevitable result. Rental decrease was the most severe in the Greater Central submarket with -21.4% Y-o-Y. Hong Kong South rental value dropped by 10.3% Y-o-Y in 1Q 2021, the lowest percentage drop among all submarkets.

Mr. Keith Hemshall, Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Director & Head of Office Services, Hong Kong, commented, “Although we see positive sentiment in Hong Kong building up gradually with vaccination in place, occupiers remained cautious and are still in the process of shopping for more cost-effective office options with favourable lease terms. We expect this downsizing process will continue for a few more quarters, thus driving availability rate further upward till end of 2022. Yet, we are glad that we rarely come across occupiers who are forfeiting the Hong Kong market for good. They are mainly driven by more stringent cost-cut measures as a result of the pandemic turmoil.”

Office space being surrendered amounted to 724,000 sq. ft. in Q1 2021 was mainly come from MNCs across the sectors of Consumer Products, Manufacturing & Sourcing (34%), Banking and Finance (23%) and Professional Services & Real Estate (21%). Three notable cases include VF Regional, DBS and IPG Mediabrands.

Mr. John Siu, Cushman & Wakefield’s Managing Director, Hong Kong, commented, “With record high negative net absorption, any new supply coming up in the market is likely to drive further rental decline. The nine projects in three non-core submarkets totalling 4.2 million sq. ft. due for completion in 2022 will probably attract pre-commitments later this year from large occupiers who are looking for cost effective alternatives for consolidation. Looking forward, we expect office rents will continue to adjust downward until the end of 2022 (Table 2).”

Retail Market – Gradual Recovery in 2021 Driven by Local Demand

With minimal leisure and business travellers’ influx in 1Q 2021, local retail consumption has facilitated mild sales recovery. 30% Y-o-Y retail sales increment was recorded in February 2021 mainly driven by Jewellery & Watches (114.1%) and Fashion & Accessories (89.4%) sectors. The encouraging growth was mainly driven by low-baseline effect, the festive season in February and the increase in purchasing services for overseas’ buyers (Table 3).

Retail space occupancy level also gradually improved in 1Q with landlords taking up more short-term leases after an extended vacant period. Yet, these short-term leases did not help halt rental decline. Rent declined by 35% Y-o-Y in Causeway Bay and 30.5% Y-o-Y in Central in 1Q 2021. All key retail districts experienced double digit rental drop as compared to the same period last year (Table 4).

Mr. Kevin Lam, Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Director, Head of Retail Services, Hong Kong, said, “Despite the prolonged pandemic challenges, the new F&B food hall trend took off nicely and attracted quite some attention over the past six months. Local sentiment has become more positive with vaccination in place and strategic promotions by shopping mall landlords and retailers. Looking ahead, we expect retail rental will stabilize for the rest of the year and have a mild increment thereafter.”

Online purchase has become an acute trend during the pandemic with 91.3% and 56.5% yearly growth in January and February respectively. Online retail sales of HKD4.17 billion was recorded in the first two months of 1Q 2021.

Please click HERE to download the event photo and PowerPoint.

Photo Caption

From Left to Right: Mr Kevin Lam, Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Director, Head of Retail Services, Hong Kong, Mr John Siu, Cushman & Wakefield’s Managing Director, Hong Kong and Mr Keith Hemshall, Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Director, Head of Office Services, Hong Kong

About Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global real estate services firm that delivers exceptional value for real estate occupiers and owners. Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest real estate services firms with approximately 50,000 employees in over 400 offices and 60 countries. Across Greater China, 22 offices are servicing the local market. The company won four of the top awards in the Euromoney Survey 2017, 2018 and 2020 in the categories of Overall, Agency Letting/Sales, Valuation and Research in China. In 2020, the firm had revenue of $7.8 billion across core services of property, facilities and project management, leasing, capital markets, valuation and other services. To learn more, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com.hk or follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/cushman-&-wakefield-greater-china).

Binance Launches Stock Tokens with German-Swiss CM-Equity AG and Digital Asset AG

MUNICH, GERMANY – EQS Newswire – 12 April 2021 – Binance, the global blockchain company behind the world’s largest digital asset exchange, today announces the launch of zero commission tradable stock tokens to broaden access across traditional capital and cryptocurrency in cooperation with CM-Equity AG, a licensed investment firm in Germany, and Swiss-based Digital Assets AG, an asset tokenization platform. Each digital token represents one share of equity stock and is fully backed by a depository portfolio of underlying securities that represents the outstanding tokens. Users will be able to trade fractional tokens.

The first stock tokens announced will be of Tesla, the largest automaker by market capitalization, and their minimum trade size is one-hundredth of a stock token, representing the same fraction of a Tesla share. Stock tokens are priced and settled in Binance USD (“BUSD”), a regulated stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar and issued by Paxos Trust Company.

Stock tokens enable greater financial participation by fractionalizing a highly sought-after asset class of publicly-tradable equities into more affordable units. Holders of stock tokens qualify for capital returns on the underlying equity, including potential dividends and stock splits, as they would from holding traditional shares.

Binance users who are knowledgeable about crypto’s fractional properties can now diversify into equity assets using a digital currency and platform they are familiar with. Conventional investors can access equities in smaller quantities as well as gain exposure to the fast-growing crypto market through the largest and most liquid digital asset exchange. In Q1 2021 Binance recorded growth of 260% and 346% in traded volume and users respectively, while the total market value of cryptocurrencies recently surpassed $2 trillion, indicating accelerated adoption.

“Binance serves many users around the world and we are very pleased to be able to help them participate in the equity market. Stock tokens demonstrate how we can democratize value transfer more seamlessly, reduce friction and costs to accessibility, without compromising on compliance or security. Through connecting traditional and crypto markets, we are building another technological bridge for a more inclusive financial future,” said Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, CEO of Binance.

“We are a team of people-focused entrepreneurs, capital market specialists, software engineers and financial regulatory experts. Our combined expertise is behind the launch of our stock tokens. CM-Equity AG and Digital Assets AG, as the engineers of the product, are pleased to pioneer an innovative experience on the Binance platform. This new kind of token combines different asset classes that are offered in one single marketplace for instant settlement in a compliant, scalable and sound format.” said Michael Kott, CEO of CM-Equity AG.

Binance will continue to respond to market demand in listing more stock tokens and features. Trading of stock tokens will follow traditional exchange hours, and is not available for residents in the U.S., mainland China, Turkey, and other restricted jurisdictions. Interested traders will be required to pass Know-Your-Customer and other relevant compliance measures.

File: Binance press release picture

About Binance Exchange

Binance is the world’s leading blockchain and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider with a financial product suite that includes the largest digital asset exchange by volume. Trusted by millions worldwide, the Binance platform is dedicated to increasing the freedom of money for users, and features an unmatched portfolio of crypto products and offerings, including: trading and finance, education, data and research, social good, investment and incubation, decentralization and infrastructure solutions, and more. For more information, visit: https://www.binance.com.

About CM-Equity

CM-Equity AG is a Germany based investment firm with multiple financial service licenses. The company offers Fintechs and Digital Asset Exchanges a regulatory compliant licence roof with an API-driven scalable infrastructure framework. The firm itself is a pioneer in digital asset management & brokerage and is trusted partner of the leading companies in Digital Asset World. For more information, visit: https://cm-equity.de/en/

About Digital Assets AG

Swiss based Digital Assets AG (www.digitalassets.ag) is the leading boutique firm focused on the design, structuring and the issuance of tokenized financial products. Digital Assets AG drives innovation in capital markets and builds bridges in between TradFi and DeFi with its partners such as FTX, Alameda, Bittrex and many others.

One New Case of Covid-19 Confirmed in Laos

Laotian Times Covid-19 Update

The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control announced today that Laos has confirmed one new case of Covid-19.

AXA launches “Free Double Post-Vaccination Protection” Programme

  • Eligible customers can enjoy additional hospital cash benefit against AEFI
  • No prior registration required and free protection up to HKD20,000

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 April 2021 – AXA Hong Kong and Macau (“AXA”) launches the “Free Double Post-Vaccination Protection” Programme (“Programme”) to provide free protection to customers against adverse event following immunisation (“AEFI”). From 1 April to 30 June 2021, eligible customers[1] will be offered additional hospital cash benefit with no prior registration required. This Programme applies to all COVID-19 vaccines approved by local health authorities in Hong Kong or Macau.

The hospital cash benefit of the Programme:

  • A one-off hospital cash benefit of HKD2,000 per day (confined in intensive care unit) and/ or HKD1,000 per day (confined in non-intensive care unit) for up to 10 days[2] will be payable to eligible customer who is confined in a hospital as a result of an AEFI within 14 days after receiving COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong or Macau.

At AXA, our Purpose is to “Act for human progress by protecting what matters”. Since early last year, we have been taking the lead in launching a series of intiaitves to support our customers and the community amid the pandemic, such as the first-in-market “Post-Vaccination Protection” Programme, being the first insurer to make “Benefits for Hospital Income (COVID-19)” a standard policy provision for Employee Benefits customers, the launch of the “Protect the Frontline” Programme and the “Support the SME” Programme.

We also understand the importance of maintaining a positive attitude during the unpredictable pandemic situation. Thus we launched “AXA BetterMe”, a holistic wellness platform for body and mind, last year to elevate the physical and mental health of our community and help everyone become a BetterMe. With this newly added “Free Double Post-Vaccination Protection” Programme, we hope to reassure our customers that AXA will always be their strong partner to protect them for a better future.

To learn more about the Programme, please contact AXA Customer Service Hotline (852) 2894 4679 (Hong Kong) / (853) 8799 3778 (Macau) during office hours (9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday), or visit www.axa.com.hk/en/axa-novel-coronavirus-outbreak.

Terms and Conditions apply. The above information is for reference only, please refer to the relevant Terms and Conditions for details.


[1] Eligible customers refer to all persons aged 65 or below who are either (a) insured under life and/or health insurance policies issued by AXA; and/or (b) members and their dependents who are insured under AXA employee benefits health insurance policies issued by AXA; who have received eligilble vaccines in Hong Kong or Macau between 1 April to 30 June 2021, both dates inclusive. For more details, please refer to the terms and conditions of the programme.

[2] If the confinement is more than 10 days and both ICU and non-ICU confinements are involved, the calculation of the amount of Hospital Cash Benefit payable will follow the sequence of confinement.

About AXA Hong Kong and Macau

AXA Hong Kong and Macau is a member of the AXA Group, a leading global insurer with presence in 54 markets and serving 105 million customers worldwide. Our purpose is to act for human progress by protecting what matters.

As one of the most diversified insurers offering integrated solutions across Life, Health and General Insurance, our goal is to be the insurance and holistic wellness partner to the individuals, businesses and community we serve.

At the core of our service commitment is continuous product innovation and customer experience enrichment, which is achieved through actively listening to our customers and leveraging technology and digital transformation.

We embrace our responsibility to be a force for good to create shared value for our community. We are proud to be the first insurer in Hong Kong and Macau to address the important need of mental health through different products and services. For example, the Mind Charger function on our holistic wellness platform “AXA BetterMe”, which is available via our mobile app Emma by AXA, is open to not just our customers, but the community at large. We will continue to foster social progress through our product offerings and community investment to support the sustainable development of Hong Kong and Macau.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS AVAILABLE ON AXA’S WEBSITE: AXA.COM.HK

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained herein may be forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements that are predictions of or indicate future events, trends, plans or objectives. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and can be affected by other factors that could cause AXA’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to Part 4 – “Risk factors and risk management” of AXA’s Universal Registration Document for the year ended December 31, 2019, for a description of certain important factors, risks and uncertainties that may affect AXA’s business, and/or results of operations. AXA undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise, except as part of applicable regulatory or legal obligations.