Tuesday, May 31, 2016

TOSHIBA ANNOUNCES IMMEDIATE IP SUBSYSTEM AVAILABILITY OF PCI EXPRESS® AND DDR3 FOR CUSTOM LSI PLATFORMS

TOKYO, May 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Corporation's (TOKYO:6502) Storage & Device Solutions Company announced today the immediate availability of PCI Express *1 and DDR3 SDRAM *2 IP subsystems *3 developed in conjunction with Northwest Logic, a leading provider of high-performance, easy-to-use, silicon-proven PCI Express and Memory Interface IP cores. These subsystems are available on custom LSI platforms, including ASIC and FFSATM *4.

The PCI Express cores include standard-compliant, full-featured PCI Express 3.0/2.1/1.1 Cores and high-performance, scatter-gather DMA *5 Cores and Drivers (Linux® & Windows®). The DDR3 SDRAM Controller Core provides high-bandwidth support with a full set of optional add-on cores which include ARM® AMBA® AXI *6, multi-port, reordering *7, ECC *8 and memory test support.


EXPANSION OF SOLAR BUSINESS TO SOUTH-EAST ASIA: BAYWA R.E. AT THE ASEAN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WEEK FOR THE FIRST TIME


MUNICH, May 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- BayWa r.e. targets the South-East Asian market: from its offices in Singapore and Bangkok, the company will manage solar projects in Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and other South-East Asian countries. BayWa r.e. will also tap into the market potential of this region for the benefit of its photovoltaic trade business and look to strengthen existing contacts.
 
The holding company, BayWa r.e. Solar Pte Ltd., is based in Singapore and was founded in 2015. This was followed in spring 2016 by the regional subsidiary BayWa r.e. Thailand Co. Ltd. Our local team consists of eight expert employees who bring with them many years of experience and knowledge of regional markets. This year, to mark its entry into the market, BayWa r.e. will make its début at the ASEAN Sustainable Energy Week 2016 in Bangkok, and will be on hand from 1 to 4 June to inform trade visitors about its wide range of products and services. 

JERA SELECTS ALLEGRO TO MANAGE ITS GLOBAL TRADING OPERATIONS

SINGAPORE, May 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Allegro Development Corporation, a leading provider of commodity management software, today announced that Japan's JERA Co., Inc., one of the world's largest LNG importers, selected Allegro to manage its trading operation and risk management process.

JERA is a joint venture between TEPCO Fuel & Power, Incorporated (TEPCO Fuel & Power) and Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. ("Chubu Electric"), two of the largest EPCs (Electric Power Company) in Japan. JERA's goals are to secure the stable supply of energy on an internationally competitive basis and to pursue optimum operational efficiency in fuel procurement, fuel trading and in the running of its thermal power plants.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26906

Monday, May 30, 2016

A.M. BEST AFFIRMS RATINGS OF PRODUCT CARE (NZ) LIMITED

SINGAPORE, May 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of B (Good) and the issuer credit rating of "bbb" of Product Care (NZ) Limited (PCL) (New Zealand). The outlook for each rating is stable.

The ratings of PCL mainly reflect the company's consistently strong operating performance. Although PCL's risk-adjusted capitalization has declined in recent years as a result of the strain of taking on new business, it has remained adequate and supportive of the current rating level, underpinned by robust earnings derived from its strong technical earnings and consistent investment returns. PCL’s operating performance is strong as demonstrated by a return on equity of approximately 15%.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26902

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Euromonitor International Launched Ethical Labels Database


KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 (Bernama) -- Euromonitor International today launched the 'Ethical Labels' database in London, in response to the growing movement towards sustainability and transparency on labels.

In a statement today, the global market research company said halal and vegetarian labels were set to grow by compound annual growth rate of over five per cent between 2015 and 2020.

"This translates into additional sales of US$13 billion for halal labels and US$708 million for vegetarian labels," it said.

Euromonitor Head of Health and Wellness Ewa Hudson said the demand for halal meat was growing rapidly as it was an important feature of the Muslim community.

"The Muslim community is increasing steadily globally and is projected to reach about 26 per cent of the total world population by 2030.

"Halal products are set to reach US$58.3 billion in 2020 from the current US$45.3 billion, driven by ethnic and religious diversity," she said.

Meanwhile, the top three fastest growing vegetarian markets between 2015 and 2020 were China at 17.2 per cent, United Arab Emirates at 10.6 per cent, and Australia at 9.6 per cent.

"Vegetarian product labeling is a key category for the future as companies are expanding their consumer appeal by staying away from animal ingredients.

"The rising demand and trend for vegetarian and vegetarian proteins indicates where the market is moving right now," said Hudson.

In 2015, the global market for ethically labeled packaged foods, soft drinks and hot drinks, excluding private label, accounted for US$793.8 billion and was set to reach US$872.7 billion by 2020.

-- BERNAMA

SPACE-TIME INSIGHT LAUNCHES SINGAPORE SUBSIDIARY FOR ASIA PACIFIC INNOVATION

Collaboration Partners Include NEC Asia Pacific and a leading utility company
 
SAN MATEO, Calif., May 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Space-Time Insight, the leading provider of situational intelligence solutions, today announced the launch of its Singapore subsidiary focused on innovation with and for the Asia Pacific region’s utilities.

NEC Asia Pacific and the region’s leading utility company based in Singapore have joined forces with the new subsidiary. The partners will localize and extend the functionality of situational intelligence applications from Space-Time Insight for deployment across the region. Drawing on the utility’s ownership and operation of electricity and gas transmission and distribution businesses throughout the Pacific, this collaborative co-innovation effort will provide an advanced analytics platform designed to help utility companies across the region. The analytics platform will significantly enhance the operations, planning and performance of grid assets through data-driven insights. 

Saturday, May 28, 2016

SUNDANCE ENERGY AUSTRALIA'S BORROWING BASE REAFFIRMED AT $67 MILLION

DENVER, May 27 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sundance Energy Australia Limited (ASX:SEA) ("Sundance" or the "Company"), a U.S. onshore oil and gas exploration and production company focused in the Eagle Ford and Greater Anadarko Basin, is pleased to announce the completion of its second quarter 2016 borrowing base redetermination. The borrowing base under its Revolving Credit Facility with Morgan Stanley has been reaffirmed at $67 million. CEO and Managing Director Eric McCrady commented, "We are pleased with the outcome of the semi-annual redetermination of our borrowing base and appreciate Morgan Stanley's support."

The Company's Term Loan with Morgan Stanley remains unchanged at $125 million. The Revolving Credit Facility matures in May 2020 and the Term Loan matures in November 2020. 
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26891

A.M. BEST BRIEFING: MUTUAL INSURANCE IS A DEVELOPING ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE IN CHINA

HONG KONG, May 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The mutual insurance framework is in its infancy in China, which stands in sharp contrast to the prevalence of mutual insurance organizations in many of the world's largest insurance markets, according to a new A.M. Best briefing.

The Best's Briefing, titled, "Mutual-A New Insurance Organizational Structure in China," states that in early 2015, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) issued a trial regulatory scheme on the supervision of mutual insurance organizations. The minimum start-up capital requirement for a mutual insurance company license is based on the type of mutual (e.g., general, professional, or regional). For general mutual insurers, that requirement is CNY 100 million, with a minimum of 500 members. For professional and regional mutual insurance companies, required start-up capital is CNY 10 million, with a minimum of 100 members.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26889

MARDI Youth Agropreneurs To Showcases Products



KUALA LUMPUR, May 26(Bernama) -- MARDI Agropreneur Products Showcase 2016 will become the platform for 30 youth agropreneurs to showcase their products for the next two weeks.

Starting from today to May 28 and June 2 to 4, the showcase, held at Riverwalk Village, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, (formerly 3rd Mile Jalan Ipoh),here. would also be the evenue for young agropreneurs to expand their marketing networks.

The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) director-general, Datuk Dr Sharif Haron said, the showcase could provide opportunities for participating agropreneurs to obtain direct feedback from consumers on their products.

-- BERNAMA

Friday, May 27, 2016

NASDAQ DEBUTS GROUNDBREAKING NASDAQ FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK, ENHANCING OPERATIONS FOR OVER 100 MARKET OPERATORS GLOBALLY

NEW YORK, May 26 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ) announced today the launch of the Nasdaq Financial Framework, the company's harmonized approach to delivering robust end-to-end solutions to financial infrastructure providers globally in an open, agile environment. Nasdaq has also integrated the framework across all of its business units and will immediately make the Financial Framework available to its more than 100 market operator clients globally, including traditional exchanges, inter-broker dealers and alternative trading venues, clearing houses and central securities depositories (CSDs).

"This is a watershed moment for how market operators integrate and operate their market technology," said Adena Friedman, President and Chief Operating Officer, Nasdaq. "The Nasdaq Financial Framework is the result of significant R&D efforts and transforms our offering into a modular portfolio that enables a more flexible, tailored approach to each client's business and their ambitions. We are excited to bring this offering to our clients and prospects who run the infrastructure of the world’s capital markets."
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26884

UNIONPAY CARD BRINGS NEW VITALITY TO CANADA TOURISM

SHANGHAI, China, May 27, 2016 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
 
It is learnt on May 23 that Canada has just received a large tour group of over 4,000 Chinese business tourists. It is expected that this group of tourists will bring a purchasing power of at least 4 million Canadian dollars. According to Toronto Tourism, this is the largest single tour group Canada has ever received.
 
According to the data released by the Canadian Tourism Commission, the annual revenue of the Canadian tourism industry in 2015 reached 90 billion Canadian dollars, and tourism directly created over 630,000 job opportunities. In recent years, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Canada has been growing stably, and in 2015 the number is close to 500,000.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26896

PANASONIC RENEWS ITS SHOWROOM IN VIETNAM TO SHOWCASE LATEST PREMIUM LIFESTYLE SOLUTIONS

HANOI, Vietnam, May 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Panasonic Vietnam (Panasonic) opened its newly designed corporate showroom, Panasonic Risupia Vietnam, in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the company's establishment, today. The showroom has been renovated to showcase the latest Premium Lifestyle solutions and provide a more interactive experience for visitors.

Panasonic's latest cutting-edge technologies such as "Transparent Screen" - an intelligent glass display that has the ability to project images and information such as news programs and weather data - and latest audio visual solutions are exhibited at the newly renovated entrance. At the showroom area, the company's wide range of products and solutions, from audio-visual equipment to home appliances and beauty products, are showcased to highlight a premium living environment that centers around the concept of "safety, security, comfort, convenience and style" which Panasonic can offer its Vietnamese consumers.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26878

TCL ANNOUNCES PROGRESS OF CSOT'S WUHAN LTPS PROJECT

SHENZHEN, China, May 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- TCL Corporation, a global leader in consumer electronics and communications, announced recently disclosing the progress of the Wuhan LTPS Project co-invested by its subsidiary China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) and Hubei Science & Technology Investment Group Co. Ltd.

According to the announcement, CSOT and Hubei Science & Technology Investment Group Co. Ltd. initiated the Wuhan LTPS Project in 2014 with a total joint investment of RMB 16 billion or US$2.45 billion, and established the joint venture Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Technology to run the project. The Wuhan LTPS Project, also dubbed the T3 Project, will be a new production line of Gen 6 LTPS (OXIDE) LCD/AMOLED panels.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26877

WAVE OF "AI" REACH CONTENT INDUSTRY - FEATURED AREA "AI WORLD" TO BE HELD INSIDE CONTENT TOKYO 2016

TOKYO, May 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Special exhibit area “AI world” to be launched inside CONTENT TOKYO 2016
“AI world”, an area gathering the most latest & innovative AI technologies, is going to be held inside CONTENT TOKYO 2016 - Japan’s largest B2B trade show for content business with 1,530* exhibitors held from June 29 to July 1 in Tokyo.

“AI world” launched in response to the strong demands for AI x content business
These days, it is increasingly common to utilize AI technology to create content or to analyze data for content creation. “AI world” was decided to be held in response to these trends and demands from the industry.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26893

AXIS BANK CONCLUDES THE ISSUE OF US$500 MILLION, ASIA'S FIRST CERTIFIED GREEN BONDS BY A BANK

  • First Green Bond by an Indian Issuer to be listed on London Stock Exchange
  • First Labelled Climate Bond Initiative certified bond issued by a Bank from Asia
  • Largest Green Bond issued by a Scheduled Commercial Indian Bank
  • Lowest Spread for a USD Benchmark sized bond issued by an Indian Bank since the Global Financial Crisis
MUMBAI, India, May 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Axis Bank Limited (“Axis Bank”) today announced that it priced US$500 million 2.875% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021 (the "Notes"). The Notes are issued by Axis Bank’s DIFC branch, Dubai and are rated Baa3 by Moody's, BBB- by S&P and BBB- by Fitch. The deal was launched at initial price thoughts at T +175 bps but the final pricing was 15 bps tighter at T +160 bps.



Thursday, May 26, 2016

WORLD LEADING PUBLISHER MONETISATION PLATFORM KIOSKED COMMITS TO A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN ASIA PACIFIC

SINGAPORE, May 25 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- World leading publisher monetisation platform Kiosked will invest up to $10M USD in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region through to 2017. The company expands its global footprint to help media companies commercialise content across multiple devices.

Kiosked's investment in APAC comes at a time when the digital category is growing and the Asian market continues to embrace programmatic - inclusive of digital display, video, mobile, and with the burgeoning interest in 360° advertising units.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26876

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

WORLD LEADING PUBLISHER MONETISATION PLATFORM KIOSKED COMMITS TO A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN ASIA PACIFIC

SINGAPORE, May 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- World leading publisher monetisation platform Kiosked will invest up to $10M USD in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region through 2017. The company expands its global footprint to help media companies commercialise content across multiple devices.

Kiosked's investment in APAC comes at a time when many ad tech companies are cutting costs and trimming staff. Conversely, Kiosked is expanding as the Asian market continues to embrace programmatic - inclusive of digital display, video, mobile, and the burgeoning interest in 360° advertising units.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26862

Monday, May 23, 2016

UNLOCKING THE VALUES IN BIG DATA

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 (Bernama) -- BDO in Malaysia hosted its first Analytics and Big Data seminar at its office in Menara CenTARa on 27 April 2016, with the theme “Analytics and Big Data: Harnessing the Digital Footprint”. FUSIONEX was also invited to showcase its industry specific analytic solutions in this event.

More than 60 C-suite level participants attended the session with speakers from BDO and FUSIONEX. BDO Managing Partner, Dato’ Gan Ah Tee, in his opening remarks, commented that “Data is an unpolished diamond and the key challenge is how we unlock the value of this data. That is in essence the objective of the event”

Woon Tai Hai, Executive Director of BDO Consulting, Malaysia, in his presentation - Analytics and Big Data: Harnessing the digital footprint provided an insight into the overall landscape of Big Data, including the different maturity levels of Data Analytics adoption. He quoted from global research firms (IDC, Gartner and EIU) that “74% of organisations in the region acknowledge that data is a strategic asset. But 90% of the organisations cite internal issues as barriers to adoption”


VERMILION SOFTWARE AND NARRATIVE SCIENCE ANNOUNCE UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP

Asset management commentary creation cut from weeks to seconds
 

LONDON, May 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Vermilion Software, a global supplier of client reporting and communications software for the financial asset management industry, and Narrative Science, the leader in advanced natural language generation (Advanced NLG) for the enterprise, today announce a game-changing new partnership that for the first time enables asset management firms to fully automate the writing of portfolio commentary and embed this capability directly within a client reporting suite.

The commentary generation capability powered by Quill, the Advanced NLG platform offered by Narrative Science, will be integrated within the Vermilion Reporting Suite (VRS). Quill writes portfolio commentary in seconds, automatically customized to adhere to a firm’s brand guidelines. In this way Quill serves to dramatically decrease costs stemming from a process that traditionally takes firms a few weeks to complete. 

Sunday, May 22, 2016

NASDAQ WELCOMES MACQUARIE GROUP TO THE NASDAQ INTERNATIONAL DESIGNATION


NEW YORK, May 18 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nasdaq, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) today announced that Macquarie Group, a leading provider of financial, advisory, investment and funds management services based in Sydney, Australia, is the latest company to join the Nasdaq International Designation. Through its membership, Macquarie will have access to Nasdaq’s investor relations services and unparalleled visibility assets to increase awareness with investors for their U.S.-traded Level 1 ADRs.

Launched in December 2015, the Nasdaq International Designation is available to non-U.S. companies that have Level 1 ADRs or shares that trade on the over-the-counter market.  Member companies represent a diverse range of industry sectors and geographies, including five from Australia, notably Qantas Airways (OTC – Nasdaq Intl Select Designation: QABSY; ASX: QAN). 

LEO APOTHEKER JOINS SIGNAVIO AS NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN


BERLIN, May 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Signavio GmbH, a leading provider for process and decision management software, today announced the appointment of Léo Apotheker, former CEO of SAP and Hewlett-Packard, as Chairman of the company’s Advisory Board.
 

Mr. Apotheker spent more than 20 years at German software maker SAP and served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer from 2008 through 2010. From 2010 to 2011, he served as the CEO and President of Hewlett-Packard Inc. Currently, Mr. Apotheker is the independent Lead Director of the Board of Schneider Electric SE, a French corporation listed on the Euro Stoxx 50. 

DEBUT OF ACQUIRO WITH ITS LEADFUSION SUITE USHERS IN NEW ERA OF SOLUTIONS ENGINEERED TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE SALES DATA QUALITY

New Company Launches SaaS Offering Using Advanced Event-Driven Data-Matching Technology that Guarantees +90% Data Accuracy 
 
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., May 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- With the charter and focus to address the age-old problem of poor sales data quality, a new marketing technology solutions vendor, Acquiro, announced today the launch of its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) suite of products under the LeadFUSION brand. Because poor data quality can impede a company’s ability to effectively process sales leads and greatly inhibit revenue growth, IDC predicts that CMOs will drive as much as $32.3B in marketing technology spending by 2018, a 12.4% CAGR.

Fact is, leads with poor data quality are mostly neglected and eventually discarded – these lost leads represent a significant missed opportunity and potential revenue. Furthermore, even after the portion of leads with good data quality make their way into a company’s marketing automation and CRM systems, a significant number of these contact data records are soon no longer valid due to issues like people changing jobs or companies being acquired. According to SiriusDecisions this contact data degrades at a rate of 3% per month, while others like Biznology estimate B2B data decays at a rate of more than 5% per month or over 70% per year. Meanwhile, the evidence is clear: according to a data quality report published by the Data Warehousing Institute, poor data quality costs U.S. businesses $611 billion each year. 

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Exim Bank Tithe Distribution Rose To RM1.2 Million This Year

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Exim Bank Malaysia Berhad's tithe distribution to deserving recipients has increased from RM277,000 in 2014 to RM1.2 million this year, its president and chief executive officer, Norzilah Mohammad said.

She said the higher tithe distribution was due to the increased profits achieved last year.

"Today, a total of RM44,800 was distributed to 60 residents living in the vicinity of Al-Syakirin Mosque, Gombak, who are eligible to receive the tithe in view of the upcoming Ramadan," she told reporters after the presentation of tithe money to the recipients, here Friday.

Also present were Al-Syakirin Mosque supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Saupi Man and Exim Bank Syariah Management division chief, Zulkipli Md Yunus.

Apart from that, she said Exim Bank had also build four houses in Kedah, Penang, Kelantan and Perak at a cost of RM50,000 each under the same programme, which aimed at helping the less fortunate.

Norzilah said Exim Bank had also been providing funds of between RM2,000 and RM10,000 to assist the poor affected by chronic diseases and other afflictions.

Meanwhile, a first-time tithe recipient, Wainah Hasan, 48 was overly grateful with the contribution as it would help reduce the burden of having to care for her daughter Khairina Putri Salam, 15, who is suffering from celebral palsy.

"With the assistance, it would lessen the burden of having to bear with consultation, medication and supplement costs for my daughter," said Wainah who has to travel to Selayang Hospital at least three times a month to seek medical treatment for her daughter.

The single mother with two children, who has been receiving Baitulmal assistance of RM500 per month, had not been able to seek employment as she had to care for her daughter for the past ten years.

-- BERNAMA


YAMAHA MOTOR RELEASES "MOTOBOT MEETS THE DOCTOR" SEQUEL VIDEO

IWATA, Japan, May 19, 2016 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --
 

- Yamaha's Autonomous Motorcycle-riding Humanoid Robot Finally Meets MotoGP Star Valentino Rossi -

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) released on YouTube on May 19 a sequel to the video first introducing the "MOTOBOT" autonomous motorcycle-riding humanoid robot, a short film shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in the autumn of 2015 that generated massive worldwide response.

MOTOBOT Meets The Doctor (Valentino Rossi)
https://youtu.be/4dUb5T7DU-Q

MOTOBOT is designed and engineered with a focus on riding and operating a motorcycle from the same perspective as a human rider without any modifications being made to the motorcycle itself. MOTOBOT was first unveiled for public viewing at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2015, where it immediately drew widespread attention in Japan and abroad.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26833

Friday, May 20, 2016

6TH LICENSING JAPAN, JAPAN'S LARGEST TRADE SHOW FOR LICENSING BUSINESS, TO BE HELD FROM JUNE 29 TO JULY 1 IN TOKYO

TOKYO, May 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Reed Exhibitions Japan:
 

A record number of 220 exhibitors to gather
Japan is the No. 1 market in Asia and the second largest in the world for licensed products. LICENSING JAPAN is therefore recognised as the best platform for not only breaking into the attractive Japanese market but also seeking out a whole range of characters and brands. This year, the show is expected to welcome a record number of 220 exhibitors and 38,000* visitors from all over the world including manufacturers, retailers, media, licensing agents, etc. The exhibitors include companies from the U.K., France, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand and others.

Huge range of properties
In addition to major Japanese characters such as GODZILLA, DETECTIVE CONAN, Rilakkuma, HANAKAPPA, Kanahei's Small Animals, MONCHHICHI, and Peko, the show will also showcase popular characters with global appeal such as THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, the Smurfs, Where's Wally?, The Snowman, GHOSTBUSTERS, and RODY. Among the numerous brands that will also be presented are NISSAN, Japan Airlines, ROVER, HERSHEY's, Laura Ashley, AUTOMOBILI LAMBORGHINI, and JEEP. 

NTT COMMUNICATIONS WINS BEST CLOUD-BASED SERVICE FOR 4TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR AT TELECOM ASIA AWARDS 2016

TOKYO, May 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT (NYSE:NTT) Group, announced today that it has won Best Cloud-Based Service for its Enterprise Cloud in the 2016 Telecom Asia Awards, during a gala ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on May 18.
 

“NTT Com has dominated this award category for four years now as it continues to capitalize on its lead in the market in providing SDN/NFV-enabled cloud services on a global scale,” said Telecom Asia editor-in-chief John Tanner. “Their winning streak continues thanks to enhancements such as SDN-enabled IaaS integration, an Openstack-based architecture and hybrid cloud management offering.”

Thursday, May 19, 2016

BANGKOK BANK AND FISERV MAKE LIFE EASIER WITH MOBILE P2P PAYMENTS, ALERTS AND BANKING SERVICES FOR WEARABLE DEVICES

SINGAPORE & BROOKFIELD, Wis., May 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading global provider of financial services technology solutions, today announced that Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited, a leading Thai bank with approximately 17 million customer accounts, is making financial services faster and easier with new mobile banking functionality. With Bualuang mBanking, which is built on the Mobiliti Edge™ mobile banking and payments platform from Fiserv, Bangkok Bank customers now have the ability to access financial services via a mobile phone, tablet or the Apple Watch. Additionally, the bank has added mobile peer-to-peer (P2P) payments and advanced push notifications and alerts that can be received directly through the app.

There is high demand for mobile banking services in the Thailand. According to Nielsen, 90 percent of people in greater Bangkok have a mobile phone; the numbers in smaller urban and rural areas are 84% and 78%, respectively. Utilising Fiserv solutions, Bangkok Bank is taking a customer-centric approach to transform its digital banking products and services and drive innovation in Thailand's banking market, focusing on the mobile channel. The bank first began offering mobile banking in 2009, and the number of Bangkok Bank mobile users has grown to 1.3 million today. Extending availability via wearable devices is expected to drive additional growth and adoption.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26825

TCL SUBSIDIARY TO BUILD WORLD'S LARGEST GEN 11 LCD FAB

SHENZHEN, China, May 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (CSOT), a leading TV panel supplier and a subsidiary of TCL Group, will kick off its construction project of the world’s largest Gen 11 LCD panel fabrication plant in Shenzhen, China. The plant, estimated to cost RMB 50 billion (US$7.8 billion), will produce extra-large high-resolution flat panel displays targeting 45", 65" or even larger LCD TV markets. The new production line, when completed, will surpass BOE’s Gen 10.5 which started construction in December 2015 in Anhui Province in terms of generation and investment, marking a new milestone in the display area for CSOT.
 
CSOT currently owns two Gen 8.5 lines, namely its T1 and T2 lines, which can produce panels as large as 55", while the Gen 11 fab, when completed, will enable it to gain competitiveness and differentiation in large-size display market, because higher-generation production lines are more suitable for the economical cuts of large-size panels.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26838

Concur Empowers AirAsia To Soar New Heights With Cloud Computing

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- A unit of German multinational software corporation SAP SE, Concur Technologies Inc (Concur), has collaborated with AirAsia to implement an integrated travel and expense solution for the local carrier's subsidiary, AirAsia Global Shared Services.

In a statement today, SAP said the solution provides business process outsourcing services to AirAsia Group's 17,000 employees and is expected to be completed by early July this year.

It said the solution from Concur comes with the Policy Audit, Travel Allowance and value-added tax (VAT) Configuration modules on cloud for AirAsia Global Shared Services.

-- BERNAMA

BPMB RECEIVED BLUEPRINT AWARDS 2015 FROM RAM

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- RAM Rating Services Berhad (RAM) has named Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (BPMB or Bank) as the winner for Blueprint Awards 2015 - Lead Managers' Recognition for Project Finance Landmark Deal as Joint Lead Arranger/Manager for West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd's Guaranteed Sukuk Murabahah Programme of up to RM1,000 million.

West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd is the concessionaire for the West Coast Expressway which links the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia from Banting, Selangor to Changkat Jering in Taiping, Perak and runs a total length of 315.8 km with 20 toll plazas and 21 interchanges.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26834

Malaysia On Track For Switch To Accrual-based Accounting In Public Financial Management

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is seen to be on track to transforming its public financial management to accrual-based accounting to provide better expenditure and budgeting for the well-being of its citizens in the future.

"The government is committed to transforming the system from the current cash-based method, so that there will be better financial management in the public sector," said Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Chairman, Ian Ball.

He believed that Malaysia's financial management system would perform better if the reform is continued and fully implemented.

Apart from Malaysia, he said other developing countries such as China, India and Mongolia were currently moving towards accrual-based accounting in their public financial management system.

"The system is on par with that of other developed countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Canada.

"Most governments are encouraged to adopt the accrual method for greater accountability and transparency," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Public Sector Financial Management Conference 2016 here, today.

In 2010, the government introduced the Public Finance Reform Strategic Reform Initiative (SRI) under the National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC), an independent think-tank mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The SRI is aimed at strengthening the government's finances to ensure stability and sustainability of public funds.

To ensure the SRI's success, the NEAC has recommended four fiscal policy measures, one of which is to adopt accrual accounting for prudent fiscal management.

It is believed that the government will implement the accrual method in the near future.

The cash-based accounting is a method usually adopted by small businesses and some government entities, in which the transaction is recorded when money is received and expenses only occur when it is paid out.

For accrual-based accounting, transactions are counted when the orders or services are incurred, regardless of when the money is paid.

Meanwhile, CIPFA Chief Executive Officer Rob Whiteman said as many countries had moved to the accrual-based method, Malaysia can consider fiscal policy in the context of a full set of financial information, not just deficit or debt, but also look at the balance sheet and make it one of the fiscal indicators.

"So, the budget will effectively become a forecast, instead of just a financial statement of the government," he added.

Themed, "Driving Improvements in Service Delivery", the one-and-a-half day conference, from today, is jointly organised by MIA and CIPFA, a leading accountancy body for the public service and providing education, training in accountancy and financial management.

The event focuses on how the ongoing transformation of the Malaysian and global public financial management systems can further be enhanced to benefit the public and country as a whole.

-- BERNAMA

A.M. BEST AFFIRMS RATINGS OF CHINA TAIPING INSURANCE (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.

SINGAPORE, May 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a” ofChina Taiping Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (CTIS) (Singapore). The outlook for each rating remains stable. CTIS is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Taiping Insurance Holdings Company Limited.
 
The ratings reflect CTIS’ adequate risk-adjusted capitalization, good operating performance and the operational and reinsurance support from the group.




Wednesday, May 18, 2016

PRA HEALTH SCIENCES榮獲年度最佳國際臨床研究公司大獎

北卡羅來納州羅利, May 18 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRA Health Sciences, Inc.(以下簡稱「PRA」)(納斯達克:PRAH)欣然宣佈,公司連續第三年榮獲年度最佳臨床研究公司大獎認可。PRA在倫敦舉行的PharmaTimes年度最佳國際臨床研究員頒獎禮上榮膺有關獎項。在榮獲有關獎項之前,PRA最近已在PharmaTimes美洲大賽中榮獲年度最佳臨床研究公司大獎,並取得六項個人獎項,包括兩項金獎(資深臨床研究員和策略夥伴—PRACytRx


SMARTSTREAM NAMES HAYTHAM KADDOURA AS CEO, PHILIPPE CHAMBADAL TO ASSUME THE ROLE OF PRESIDENT

NEW YORK, May 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- SmartStream Technologies, the Transaction Lifecycle Management (TLM®) specialist, today announced that Haytham Kaddoura has been named CEO of SmartStream and will be working with Philippe Chambadal who will be assuming the role of President. With the recent formation of the SmartStream Reference Data Utility (RDU), the success of the Fees Management Utility and in anticipation of upcoming acquisitions, Mr. Chambadal will focus on these and other strategic initiatives.
 

Mr. Kaddoura served as an advisor to the Board of Directors of SmartStream, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the SmartStream Reference Data Utility. He stated “I am incredibly proud of all that has been accomplished at SmartStream over the last several years and look forward to working with Philippe, the executive team and our world-class partners to continue positioning SmartStream at the forefront of the industry.” 

TURNKEY LENDER LAUNCHES A NEW PLATFORM FOR ON-LINE LENDING IN SINGAPORE TO SERVE SEA MARKET

SINGAPORE, May 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Turnkey Lender announced the launch of a comprehensive end-to-end loan management solution for on-line lending, which enables advanced risk management and decision automation for non-bank lenders.
 
Turnkey Lender, a globally recognized company in the sphere of financial decision management and risk mitigation solutions and services, has launched its SaaS platform targeted at online (and offline) non-bank lenders who wish to automate their entire business processes and to increase the efficiency of their operations.
 
“We are entering the Asian market in response to the growing demand from the local non-bank lenders. Not only established companies are adding the online channel to their services, but also a growing number of new entrants starting out in this field.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26819

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

NASDAQ BWISE GRC PLATFORM SELECTED BY BANK ABC FOR RISK, COMPLIANCE AND AUDIT

MANAMA, Bahrain and NEW YORK, May 17 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --Nasdaq BWise (Nasdaq:NDAQ), a global leader in enterprise Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC), announced today that it has been selected by Bank ABC, an international bank headquartered in Bahrain, to support and further enhance their risk management, compliance and internal audit processes as well as reporting.
 
By implementing the BWise integrated GRC platform, Bank ABC will reduce the burden and costs of compliance, gain control over their key organizational risks and streamline their audit processes. The BWise integrated GRC platform will enable Bank ABC to create management reports and dashboards to capture and monitor risk issues and compliance obligations.



PRA HEALTH SCIENCES NAMED INTERNATIONAL CLINICAL RESEARCH COMPANY OF THE YEAR

RALEIGH, N.C., May 17 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRA Health Sciences, Inc., (PRA) (NASDAQ:PRAH) is pleased to announce that for the third consecutive year it was recognized as the Clinical Research Company of the Year. PRA received the award at the PharmaTimes International Clinical Researcher of the Year ceremony in London. This award follows PRA’s recent recognition as Clinical Research Company of the Year in the PharmaTimes Americas competition where PRA captured six individual awards, including two gold (Experienced CRA and Strategic Partnership—PRA and CytRx).


UNIONPAY INTERNATIONAL'S PROMOTION OF OVERSEAS CARD ISSUANCE WELCOMED BY INBOUND TOURISTS

SHANGHAI, China, May 17, 2016 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
 
With UnionPay's rapid expansion overseas, especially the implementation of its localization strategy, UnionPay cards are frequently used by an increasing number of overseas cardholders. It is learnt on May 9 that, by the end of the first quarter of 2016, the transaction volume of overseas-issued UnionPay cards accounted for about half of UnionPay's total international business; this figure by the end of 2013 was only 27%. The transaction number of overseas-issued UnionPay cards in the Chinese mainland increased by over 30% year on year.
 
To date, over 55 million UnionPay cards have been issued in 40 countries and regions overseas. Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and markets along the "One Belt and One Road" are major overseas regions in terms of UnionPay card-issuance. These markets are also the major sources of China's inbound tourists, according to National Tourism Administration.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26809

​CARDPOW GIVES YOU CASHBACK THIS WEEKEND, 21 & 22 MAY

Posing at the CardPow! launch, co-founders Charles Wong (left) and Sze Jun King (right) at Jombali, Citta Mall.
CardPow opens its door to more exciting rewards
 
ARA DAMANSARA, May 17 (Bernama) -- CardPow, a Malaysia-based startup providing discounts and rewards for shoppers, official announces launches its cashback program. The company kicks off to a great start with its new feature that offer its users a cashback whenever they spend on select outlet/brands.
 
“CardPow took over 2 years to build, modify and pivot to what it is today. We're excited to see it finally ready for public usage,” Sze Jun King, COO and co-founder of CardPow who commented on the company’s official launch.
 
The company’s main aim is to help consumers save money by giving them on demand discounts, promotion and available cashbacks from selected outlets/brands whenever they spend. Through its network of local and international merchants, CardPow is able to offer cashback rewards on a plethora of categories including fashion, beauty, healthcare, food & beverages, vacations, IT gadgets, lifestyle accessories and more.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26813

ENECO ATTAINS WATER/OIL FUSION FOR FIRST TIME VIA PLASMA FUSION FUEL REFINER

TOKYO, May 16 (Bernama-AsiaNet) -- Eneco Holdings, Inc. (https://www.eneco-hd.co.jp/en/), the developer of state-of-the-art emulsion technology, has now succeeded in mixing LSA heavy oil with tap water at a ratio of 50:50 with the use of the next-generation Eneco Plasma Fusion fuel refiner. The results of this breakthrough have been verified through a certified analysis by the Physical & Chemical Analysis Center in Yokohama. This represents a huge step forward for emulsion technology and enables LSA heavy oil to be mixed with tap water at a ratio of 30:70, depending on the state of the water used.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26803

​NTT COMMUNICATIONS' GLOBAL DATA VPN IS NO. 1 IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION FOR THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE TIME

TOKYO, May 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT (NYSE: NTT) Group, announced today that its Arcstar Universal One global VPN service received a No.1 Customer Satisfaction designation from the UK marketing services firm Ocean82, Ltd. for the fifth time. The selection, which is based on predicted organic growth and overall customer satisfaction, was published recently in “Voice of the Customer: Global Data VPN, Issue 20,” a benchmarking report.
 
According to Janet Watkin CEO of Ocean82, “Results from Ocean82’s independent global benchmarking study of customer satisfaction with data VPN & hybrid networks reveal NTT Com is rated as the best-in-class global operator. Monitoring global service providers, to determine who is considered to be the most successful overall is fused into the methodology which weights perceived performance according to what matters most to service users.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26812

YAMAHA MOTOR ADVANCES INTO AFRICAN MARKET

LAGOS, Nigeria and IWATA, Japan, May 16 (Bernama-AsiaNet) --

- First Motorcycle Assembly Plant in Nigeria Marks Second Foray into African Continent -

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) announced today that CFAO Yamaha Motor Nigeria Ltd., a joint venture between Yamaha Motor and CFAO S.A., opened its first motorcycle assembly plant in Africa within the Amuwo Odofin Industrial Scheme area of Lagos, Nigeria on May 13. The facility includes a showroom that showcases Yamaha Motor's wide-ranging lineup for land and water-transport products.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26802

HERBALIFE RALLIES ITS NETWORK TO INSPIRE HEALTHY ACTIVE LIVING IN BID TO COMBAT OBESITY IN ASIA PACIFIC

SINGAPORE, May 16 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Herbalife, a global nutrition company, has concluded its annual Asia Pacific training event - Extravaganza 2016 - held in Singapore from May 13-15. This year's event saw Herbalife rally 10,000 of its independent member network in Southeast Asia to build upon the company's wide-ranging efforts to inspire positive nutritional habits, healthy active lifestyles, and to help combat rising obesity rates.

To further widen training support to members within the region, Herbalife also expanded the scale of the Asia Pacific Extravaganza, with two additional events held in Bangalore, India from May 13-15 and in Seoul, Korea from June 17-19.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26801

Monday, May 16, 2016

THREE SAPIENTNITRO CREATIVES SELECTED AS JURY MEMBERS AT 63RD CANNES LIONS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF CREATIVITY

Design Lions: Keri Elmsly, Second Story
Print & Publishing Lions: Fernando Sosa, la comunidad Buenos Aires
Mobile Lions: Claire Waring, SapientNitro

BOSTON, May 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- SapientNitro, part of Publicis.Sapient, today announced that three of its creative leaders -- Fernando Sosa, Executive Creative Director, la comunidad Buenos Aires, Keri Elmsly, Executive Creative Director, Second Story and Claire Waring, Executive Creative Director Southeast Asia, SapientNitro -- have been selected as jury members at the 63rd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

"For more than six decades, Cannes Lions has served as the industry's highest honor, recognizing not only the creative skills and expertise that fuel traditional campaigns, but also the technological prowess and innovation required to challenge the status quo," said Donald Chesnut, Chief Creative Officer and Chief Experience Officer, SapientNitro. "We are honored that three of our chief creatives have been named as jury members at Cannes and look forward to helping recognize this year's best and brightest."
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26792

INDUSTRIAL MINERALS ASSOCIATION HONORS KAMIN

MACON, Ga., May 16 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KaMin received the 2015 Safety Achievement Award for the Large Company Category at the spring meeting of the Industrial Minerals Association – North America in Washington, DC.  The IMA-NA Safety Achievement Award recognizes the best reportable injury rate for an individual IMA-NA member company in this category, which is comprised of 14 peer companies.   In this case, KaMin employees worked more than 700,000 hours during 2015, with an incident rate of 0.76 per 200,000 employee work hours.   The industry average rate for the period was 2.49.
 
“We are proud of our employees and their dedication to working safely,” said Rankin Hobbs, CEO of KaMin.   “Safety is one of our core values, and integral to the strength of our business.  We work diligently to ensure that safety is the top priority of every employee when they come to work each day.”




Saturday, May 14, 2016

ANZ ENABLES COMPREHENSIVE ACCEPTANCE OF UNIONPAY CARDS ACROSS 9 SOUTH PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES--UNIONPAY CARD ACCEPTANCE COVERAGE IN FIJI WILL INCREASE TO OVER 90%

SHANGHAI, China, May 13, 2016 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

On May 11, UnionPay International and ANZ jointly announced in Fiji that UnionPay cards (card number starting with 62) will be accepted by all ANZ ATMs and POS terminals across 9 South Pacific island countries. UnionPay chip cards will be accepted for the first time in these countries. Cai Jianbo, CEO of UnionPay International, and Saud Minam, ANZ Country Manager in Fiji, attended the signing ceremony. Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, Fiji's Attorney General and Finance Minister, Faiyaz Siddiq Koya, Fiji's Industrial Trade and Tourism Minister, Yolinda Chan, China Trade Commissioner of Fiji's Ministry of Trade, and Truman Bradley, Chairman of Tourism Fiji were present with congratulations.




Friday, May 13, 2016

GLORY GLOBAL SOLUTIONS: MAJOR SINGAPORE RETAILER SHENG SIONG MAKES SHOPPING FASTER AND MORE CONVENIENT FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS

Supermarket supports government campaign to address labour shortages through the implementation of convenient new Hybrid Payment Kiosk.

BASINGSTOKE, England, May 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) --
 Sheng Siong Supermarket, Singapore’s third largest retailer, has introduced Glory’s CashInfinity™ secure closed cash management solution, making shopping faster and more convenient for their customers. The solution from Glory Global Solutions, a global leader in cash technology solutions, complements Sheng Siong’s latest move in addressing manpower challenges in the industry. First piloted in December 2014, the Glory CashInfinity solution is being rolled out in stores island-wide.



GLOBAL ALCOHOLIC DRINKS CONSUMPTION DECLINES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE

LONDON, May 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- According to new research released by Euromonitor International, global alcoholic drinks volumes registered a decline of 0.7 percent in 2015, entering negative territory for the first time in more than a decade. This translated into a loss of 1.7 billion litres of alcoholic drinks volume sales since 2014.

Historic growth narratives derailed due to the influence of macro headwinds hitting China, which recorded a 3.5 percent decline. Brazil and Eastern Europe showed further weaknesses, falling 2.5 and 4.9 percent, respectively. While Western Europe and Australasia flat lined, North America’s 2.3 percent growth provided a shot of optimism in an otherwise sobering global landscape where even the potential of AMEA (Asia, Middle East and Africa) was diluted by currency volatility and commodity price fluctuations.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=26783