AM BEST REVISES OUTLOOKS TO NEGATIVE FOR PT ASURANSI TUGU PRATAMA INDONESIA TBK

SINGAPORE, Dec 23 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” (Excellent) of PT Asuransi Tugu Pratama Indonesia Tbk (TUGU) (Indonesia).

The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect TUGU’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The ratings also factor in a neutral impact from TUGU’s ultimate majority parent, PT Pertamina (Persero) (Pertamina), a state-owned energy company in Indonesia.

The revision of the outlooks to negative from stable reflect the trend of deterioration in TUGU's underwriting performance over recent periods, and AM Best’s expectation for overall operating performance to remain constrained over the near to medium term.

TUGU’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which remains at the strongest level. Capital adequacy is supported by its low net underwriting leverage and ongoing internal capital generation. TUGU’s investment portfolio is viewed to be of moderate risk and generally diversified. Cash, deposits and bonds made up more than half of its total investments in 2021, with the remainder in investment properties and equity investments. An offsetting factor is TUGU’s dependence on reinsurance to support the underwriting of large commercial risks, including aviation and energy business. The majority of reinsurance assets are of good credit quality although TUGU maintains some exposure to reinsurance counterparties that are not rated on an international financial strength rating scale.

AM Best views TUGU’s operating performance as strong. Profitable business from its parent group, PT Pertamina (Persero) (Pertamina), remains the key contributor to TUGU’s strong operating performance. However, underwriting performance has deteriorated in the two most recent financial years, accompanied by an increasing trend of operating expense ratio, and underwriting losses at its reinsurance subsidiary, PT Tugu Reasuransi Indonesia (Tugu Re). Pre-tax profits increased 15% in the first nine months of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021 supported by higher investment income although underwriting performance remains below historical achievements. Despite ongoing portfolio remediation measures, recovery in consolidated performance to the robust level of profitability seen prior to 2020 may remain challenged by claims normalisation, tighter reinsurance market conditions, and volatility arising from Tugu Re’s exposure to legacy credit, life and health reinsurance over the near to medium term.

AM Best considers TUGU’s business profile to be neutral. TUGU is a large insurance group in Indonesia, ranking number five by market share in 2021 in the domestic general insurance market, and additionally writes reinsurance through Tugu Re. TUGU has a strong market position in commercial and industrial risks, including the energy, aviation and engineering business segments, and benefits from favourable business access to affiliated business from the Pertamina group. Business diversification is expected to be supported by strategic expansion to the non-captive corporate sector and retail business over time, although this may also lead to greater underwriting volatility over the near to medium term.

Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website.

For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

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SHARP AT CES 2023

 

(Graphic: Business Wire)

LAS VEGAS & OSAKA, Japan, Dec 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sharp Corporation (TOKYO:6753) is set to return to CES 2023 with an advanced technologies and products that embody the company’s ESG-focused management under the four themes of New Energy, Automotive, AR/VR, and TV.
 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221219005001/en/ 

Location of Sharp Booth:
Petrus Ballroom, Wynn Las Vegas Hotel
3131 Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109, U.S.A.

Exhibit Dates and Time:
January 5 to January 8, 2023
(Thursday to Sunday); 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sharp will unveil for the first time outside of Japan the LC-LH (Liquid and Crystal Light Harvesting), an indoor photovoltaic device developed by integrating dye-sensitized solar cells and LCD technology. Sharp will also exhibit perovskite solar cells, which are attracting attention as the next generation of solar cells.

Passenger Information Display utilizing viewing angle control will be introduced as advanced automotive devices. Compound photovoltaic module with the world’s highest*¹ conversion efficiency is expected to be installed on vehicles such as EVs, as well as used in aerospace and aviation applications.

Ultra-lightweight head-mounted displays prototype for VR equipped with its latest devices, such as an ultra-high-resolution display, ultra-high-speed autofocus camera, and ultra-compact proximity sensor would be displayed at AR/VR corner.

Visitors can experience a new generation of images with outstanding brightness and color expression created by mini LED backlighting and quantum-dot technology for the flagship AQUOS XLED TV model for the global market. In addition, Sharp will unveil a prototype of one of the world’s largest*² 120-inch model*³ for the first time.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=45076

CLOUDFLARE PUBLISHES SECOND ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

Report covers a year of expanding free access to security tools, new privacy innovations, and commitments to help build a more sustainable Internet

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 21 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, today published its second annual Impact Report showcasing its commitment to helping build an Internet that is principled, accessible for everyone, and sustainable. Cloudflare began publicly reporting information about its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts in 2021. This year, the company focused on expanding the value and scope of Cloudflare’s Impact programs; supporting humanitarian and human rights causes, most notably helping protect Ukrainians’ access to the Internet by protecting against DDoS and other cyber attacks; and examining how the company calculates and validates emissions data.

“Cloudflare has built a team of employees dedicated to providing real, positive impact for the millions of users of our services and the billions of Internet users our decisions affect,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. “In 2022, the company has jumped into action to help protect people in Ukraine, secure a fair and trusted midterm election so that cyber security was not a headline, and contribute to the development of privacy-enhancing protocols that will ripple far beyond our customers. Whatever next year brings, we’ll be ready to continue ensuring the Internet is accessible, safe, and reliable for all.”

Highlights of the 2022 Cloudflare Impact Report include:

·  Assistance to Ukraine: Cloudflare moved quickly to offer free services and support to Ukrainian government and infrastructure providers. In addition to protecting the .ua top-level domain, Cloudflare currently protects approximately 130 Ukrainian government and infrastructure domains, as well as providing free assistance to 79 Ukrainian nonprofit groups that are helping refugees, documenting war crimes, sharing information, and providing local services.
·  Giving back to the Internet: Rate Limiting, a tool that helps defend against bots and a variety of attacks, is available to all customers, including on the Free plan. The open beta of Turnstile provides a more seamless and accessible method for any website owner to confirm visitors are real people without relying on CAPTCHA. In October 2022, we announced that, as a beta service, all websites and APIs served through Cloudflare would support post-quantum hybrid key agreement.
·  Democratizing access to Zero Trust: The shift to remote work has further complicated all organizations’ abilities to defend against attacks, protect data, and maintain visibility and security controls over how users move and store data across cloud environments. To further support vulnerable nonprofits, independent journalists, and election administrators, Athenian Project participants now receive free access to Cloudflare’s suite of Zero Trust protections. A new Impact Initiative, Project Safekeeping, provides free Zero Trust security to small and medium critical infrastructure around the world.
·  Engineering privacy into the Internet: This year, Cloudflare pioneered implementation of numerous technologies designed to ensure Internet service providers (ISPs) and other network observers cannot track websites their subscribers visit. Privacy Gateway builds on those efforts by relaying encrypted data packets through our servers to obscure user IP addresses. In 2022, we partnered with a period tracker app to enable Privacy Gateway to prevent the ISP and app from being able to associate individual IP addresses with the tracker.
· Securing small businesses: Small businesses don’t always have the budget for security services; as of December 2022, we identified millions of free accounts responsible for roughly 70 trillion requests over the Cloudflare network in 2022. This is a value of $7 million of content delivery network services that they received at no cost.
·  Cloudflare services yield significant emissions savings: Preliminary findings from an upcoming study by Analysys Mason estimate that Cloudflare’s Web Application Firewall (WAF) “generates up to around 90% less carbon than on-premises appliances at low-medium traffic demand.” 

To learn more, please visit the full report and read more from Cloudflare’s Impact Week: 

· Impact Report 2022
· Blog: Closing out 2022 with our latest Impact Report
· Cloudflare Impact
  

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actyv.ai appoints Abhijit Rao as global head of people

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- Singapore-headquartered actyv.ai has appointed Abhijit Rao as its global head of people to bolster employer brand and people growth.

“Abhijit’s passion for people development, domain expertise and leadership will drive synergies and help build a world-class organisation focused on a ‘people-first’ and winning culture. 

“As organisations are recalibrating people practices post pandemic and the current global scenario, these are exciting and challenging times to be a human resource leader,” said its founder and global chief executive officer, Raghunath Subramanian in a statement.

Meanwhile, Rao said with a purpose-driven vision of enabling the B2B supply chain ecosystem through technology, actyv.ai is helping spark imagination and build excitement for a more connected future.

“I am elated to be a part of this growth journey and look forward to building on the strong foundation laid down by the team,” added Rao.

As a people operations leader with over 18 years of experience, Rao has worked with some of the leading companies in the services (Infosys, Wipro) and products (Onmobile, UiPath) space in the information technology industry.

In his last corporate role as Head of People - APAC at UiPath, Rao was instrumental in the setting up and expansion of the people operations function.

actyv.ai is an artificial intelligence-powered enterprise SaaS platform with embedded B2B Buy Now Pay Later and insurance, transforming the global B2B supply chain by making business transactions faster and easier.

-- BERNAMA

Nikkiso CEIG Group gets DNV Certificate, ISO 9001:2015 certification

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases (Nikkiso CEIG) Group, a part of the Nikkiso Co Ltd (Japan) group of companies, has been awarded the DNV Management System Certificate and ISO 9001:2015 certification.

The award was presented to Nikkiso CEIG Group’s process systems unit president George Pappagelis, while the certificate was issued to its subsidiary Cosmodyne LLC.

Pappagelis said the company believes that quality is a continuous process that requires it to never stop trying to improve.

“Our internal corrective action system helps assure that all of our internal systems, future processes and designs are as trouble-free as possible,” he said in a statement.

ISO 9001 is defined as the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system, helps businesses and organisations be more efficient and improves customer satisfaction.

-- BERNAMA

UPDATE -- ICEOTOPE STUDY WITH META REVEALS EFFICIENCY OF PRECISION IMMERSION LIQUID COOLING FOR HIGH-DENSITY STORAGE DRIVES

 · First known study to test precision immersion cooling for high-density data storage successfully demonstrates efficiency

· Virtually silent operation helps mitigate acoustic vibrational issues associated with air-cooled solutions
· The introduction of sealed helium-filled HDDs opens the door for more effective precision immersion liquid cooling in storage racks 

SHEFFIELD, United Kingdom, Dec 14 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iceotope, the global leader in precision immersion cooling, announces a new study with Meta confirming the practicality, efficiency and effectiveness of chassis-level liquid cooling technology to meet the cooling requirements of high-density storage disks increasingly being deployed and utilised by hyperscale data centre service providers.

The recently published study with Meta suggests the advantages of improved thermal management, reduced vibration and equalised temperature across the JBOD, which leads directly to lower failure rates and costs for data centre operators. The hard drive systems supplied in a rack form factor in chassis drawers are an ideal fit for precision immersion cooling technology.

Neil Edmunds, Director of Innovation, Iceotope, said: “As demand for data storage continues to escalate, so will the solutions needed by hyperscale data centre providers to efficiently cool the equipment. The study demonstrated that liquid cooling for high-density storage successfully cools the drives at a lower, more consistent temperature for fewer drive failures, lower TCO and improved ESG compliance.”

High-density storage proliferating
With constant streams of data emerging from the Internet of Things, video, artificial intelligence and more, up to 463 exabytes of data is expected to be generated by each person, each day by 2025. How data is accessed and interacted with is constantly changing, causing a real impact on the processing and storage of that data. In just a few years, it's predicted that global data storage will exceed 200 zettabytes of which half will be stored in the cloud according to Cybersecurity Ventures.

This presents a unique challenge for hyperscale data centre storage infrastructure. According to Seagate, cloud data centres choose mass-capacity hard disk drives (HDDs) to store 90% of their exabytes. Typically found in a 3.5-inch form factor, HDDs are a tried and tested technology which continues to offer data centre operators cost-effective storage at scale. Current top-of-the-range units provide 20 TB capacity, but this is expected to reach >120TB by the end of the decade.

More data storage means more spinning disks, higher-speed motors, and more actuators – all of which translates into more power being used. As disks go up in power, so does the amount of heat they produce. The introduction of helium into hard drive enclosures over the last decade has not only improved disk performance with less drag but with the units now sealed, the practicality of using liquid cooling solutions at HDD level has been opened. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=45009

Mary Kay completes reforestation partnership project

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- Mary Kay Inc (Mary Kay), a global advocate for corporate sustainability and environmental stewardship, has completed a reforestation project in Madagascar in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, and the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership.

Chief Operating Officer of the Arbor Day Foundation, Katie Loos, said: “The impact of this partnership has allowed us to make significant strides in one of the most critical forestlands for biodiversity, with many species depending on these trees for survival.

“Mary Kay has continued to demonstrate their dedicated support towards strengthening our planet’s forests of greatest need. Protecting and preserving our most vulnerable species is essential to solving the current biodiversity crisis, and we are proud to work with partners who share this value,” she said in a statement.

The 42,000-tree project in Southeast Madagascar focused on reversing decades of forest destruction as the forest is also home to critically endangered lemurs and other wildlife species found nowhere else on earth.

Tree planting efforts were also intended to improve the resiliency of the forest and neighboring communities.

Last month, Mary Kay announced the completion of a 69-acre reforestation project to revitalise Florida’s Econfina Creek Wildlife Management Area in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation.

Meanwhile earlier this year, Mary Kay also released a report detailing its long-standing partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation where together they have planted over 1.2 million trees across the globe, making a measurable impact on vital forest ecosystems.

-- BERNAMA  

Toshiba develops SiC MOSFET with embedded Schottky barrier diode

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation and Toshiba Corporation (Toshiba) have developed a SiC metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) that arranges embedded Schottky barrier diodes (SBD) in a check pattern (check-pattern embedded SBD) to realise both low on-resistance and high reliability.

In a statement, it said the company has confirmed that the design secures an approximately 20 per cent reduction in on-resistance against its current SiC MOSFET, with no loss of reliability.

SiC is widely seen as the next generation material for the devices, as it delivers higher voltages and lower losses than silicon.

While the use of SiC now largely limited to inverters for trains, wider application is on the horizon, in areas including vehicle electrification and the miniaturisation of industrial equipment.

Toshiba has improved both conduction loss in its SBD-embedded SiC MOSFET, and achieved good diode conductivity, by deploying a check-pattern SBD distribution.

This confirmed improvement in the trade-off is essential if SiC MOSFETs are to be used in inverters for motor drive applications.

Details of the achievement were reported at the 68th Annual IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, an international power semiconductor conference held in San Francisco, USA, on Dec 3 to 7.

Toshiba is continuing to carry out evaluations toward improving dynamic characteristics and reliability, and to develop attractive, high-performance power semiconductors that contribute to carbon neutrality.

-- BERNAMA  

TransferJet Consortium member carries out field trial of content distribution service in India

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- A field trial of high-speed content distribution service was carried out at several subway stations around New Delhi, India, in November 2022 by HRCP Research and Development Partnership (HRCP R&D).

HRCP R&D is a member of the Tokyo-based TransferJet Consortium (the TJC). 

According to a statement, the service enables users to download movies and games at an extremely high speed by just touching the devices used.

Given a TransferJet X-installed dongle, attached to an Android smartphone, participants can select their favourite content types on an app developed by HRCP R&D.

“By touching a Touch Point (transfer device) at a station, the selected content, for example, a two-hour-long HD movie, is transferred in two seconds. The content is protected by Digital Rights Management,” it said.

TransferJet Consortium was established in 2008 to develop the technology, products and services of TransferJet wireless technology. It was transformed into an incorporated association in 2011.

The consortium focuses on development of the specifications, compliance testing processes and tools, and promotional marketing activities.

-- BERNAMA

COSMOS HOTEL MANAGEMENT OPENS 5 NEW UNIQUE MIMARU APARTMENT HOTELS IN TOKYO AND OSAKA TO DISCOVER JAPAN

TOKYO, Dec. 9, 2022 /Kyodo JBN-Asianet/ --
 

With the rapid return of international travelers to Japan, Cosmos Hotel Management Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce five Apartment Hotel MIMARU openings in Tokyo and Osaka. MIMARU offers spacious rooms furnished with stocked kitchens, enabling guests to stay together and discover Japan. With these latest openings, MIMARU now has 25 hotels in the popular urban areas of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto as of 2022.   MIMARU Website: https://mimaruhotels.com/en/   Photo1: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107482/202212020735/_prw_PI2fl_Gt00WFoL.png     In Tokyo, the new locations are: - Asakusa, Japan's iconic destination; - Nihombashi, where the atmosphere from the feudal Edo period is still alive; - Ikebukuro, the emerging capital of Cool Japan with manga, anime, arts, and games in abundance.   In Osaka, buzzing with the anticipation of Expo 2025, exciting Shinsaibashi with excellent access from airports now has two new MIMARU hotels.   - MIMARU SUITES Tokyo Nihombashi (Opened September 29th, 2022) All rooms are spacious, with two separate bedrooms and a kitchen stocked with popular Japanese tableware. Please eat like a local in a guestroom.   - MIMARU Tokyo Ikebukuro (Opened November 1st, 2022) Every room has a PC with access to the room's Metaverse Room. An eSports Room for up to five guests can play is also available.   - MIMARU SUITES Tokyo Asakusa (To open December 22nd, 2022) All rooms have two separate bedrooms for a high-quality vacation house experience.   - MIMARU Osaka Shinsaibashi East (Opened October 6th, 2022) Enjoy drinks and a Japanese local restaurant atmosphere with short curtains, paper lanterns, and a food stall.   - MIMARU Osaka Shinsaibashi North (Opened November 24th, 2022) The decor is based on the Osaka Castle, the iconic symbol of Osaka; the lobby has a "golden tea room" and a display of Japanese samurai armor.   While many visitors to Japan travel with their families or in groups, hotels that offer the luxury of relaxation to such large groups are limited in most urban areas. Apartment Hotel MIMARU hotels are located in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, offering excellent access. MIMARU accommodates large groups on extended stays, with spacious rooms (40 sq. meters and larger) furnished with stocked kitchens, a living/dining area, and laundromats in each hotel. The name MIMARU is a neologism from the Japanese phrase "MInna de toMARU" meaning "stay together." Many guests appreciate MIMARU's apartment-style hotels because they offer a comfortable home-away-from-home space to experience Japan, enabling guests to feel at home.   Photo2: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107482/202212020735/_prw_PI3fl_N71kf02K.png     MIMARU also has diverse themed rooms that make the Japan experience even more memorable. The Pokemon Room, where a huge stuffed Snorlax and original Pokemon-themed tableware await guests, is immensely popular among Pokemon fans from around the world. Visitors can also play "Find the Hidden Ninja!" in the Ninja Room, created under the supervision of the Japan Ninja Council, with displays of "shuriken" (ninja stars) and scrolls and ninja motifs hiding in surprising places. Other themed rooms include a Premium Party Room furnished with a sushi counter and an Ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock print) Room adorned with works by Hokusai and original MIMARU works created by modern ukiyo-e artists. Guests can experience Japan in an entertaining way.   Photo3: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107482/202212020735/_prw_PI4fl_U8kxXh01.png     (C) Pokemon. (C) Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. TM, (R), and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.   MIMARU staff members are fans of Japan from around the world. Many are multilingual and able to communicate smoothly in Japanese and English; some MIMARU hotels have staff fluent in Chinese, Spanish, and Korean as well. These staff members are MIMARU guests' reliable partners to make extraordinary trips together.   Photo4: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107482/202212020735/_prw_PI1fl_Af9D39z6.png     Three Apartment Hotel MIMARU locations have been selected in the Top 20 of "Best Hotels in Japan 2020 by International Travelers," announced in the Inbound Report 2020 by Tripadvisor (R), the world's largest travel guidance platform. - 6th Place: MIMARU Tokyo Hatchobori - 10th Place: MIMARU Tokyo Ueno Inaricho - 12th Place: MIMARU Tokyo Akasaka   Logo of Tripadvisor's Best Hotels in Japan 2020: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107482/202212020735/_prw_PI5fl_BJko8n3z.png     For more information about the unique experiences in MIMARU, please visit the website: MIMARU Website: https://mimaruhotels.com/en/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mimaruhotels/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mimaruhotels/   For each picture, please visit the link below: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/202212020735?p=images   Cosmos Hotel Management - Head office: Tokyo, Minato - President: Hideki Fujioka - Contact Us https://mimaruhotels.com/en/contact-us/   Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M107482/202212020735/_prw_PI6fl_31fAS2Hp.png       Source: Cosmos Hotel Management Co., Ltd.   http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44973

SMART Modular Technologies unveils new family of data centre solid state drives

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 (Bernama) -- SMART Modular Technologies Inc (SMART), a division of SGH, is now offering a new class of high performance, power efficient, data centre solid state disk drives (SSDs) beginning with the DC4800 PCIe Gen 4 family.

The global leader in memory solutions, solid-state drives and hybrid storage products said that SMART’s DC4800 devices are designed with a specialised hardware-accelerated SSD controller that draws less power without compromising storage input/output (I/O) performance.

“Zero-induced throttling allows these SSDs to perform better under continued duress, even when they are pushed to their performance limit,” it said in a statement.

“Today’s leading-edge servers are not only expected to manage a significant mass of transactions to enable processes like machine learning, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, but they are also expected to be more power efficient.

“Data centres are increasingly challenged by performance and energy demands as they expand to address these new workloads that process data from an ever growing array of intelligent devices at the edge,” said data centre architect for SMART, Andy Mills.

“Initial sampling is already in process with several original equipment manufacturers and system builders,” it added.

SMART has been helping customers around the world to enable high-performance computing through the design, development and advanced packaging of specialty memory solutions.

-- BERNAMA

ZOLTEK CELEBRATES FOUNDER'S 80TH BIRTHDAY, LEADING CARBON FIBER INDUSTRY ON GLOBAL SCALE

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- Zoltek Corporation, the largest global manufacturer of industrial grade carbon fiber, has recently celebrated the 80th birthday of its founder, Zsolt Rumy.

“Zsolt is a true pioneer who lived the American dream. He built a company and changed the carbon fiber industry forever. We are all honoured to be part of his journey and grateful for his leadership and friendship.

“Now it’s our job to carry his vision forward and bring our low-cost carbon fiber to new applications around the world,” said Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Dave Purcell, in a statement.

Born in December 1942 in Budapest, Hungary, Rumy was a carbon fiber industry pioneer that ultimately changed the carbon fiber world.

He created the first industrial-grade carbon fiber made to compete against other common building materials, and created Zoltek Corporation to drive the commercialisation of carbon fibers. 

His vision of a low-cost carbon fiber began on a pilot line in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, and later became realised after acquiring an acrylic fiber factory, Magyar Viscosa, back in his native Hungary.  

He led a team of engineers that were able to convert this acrylic fiber factory to the world’s first low-cost carbon fiber factory.

Zoltek Corporation is the most trusted manufacturer of cost-efficient and customer-centric industrial grade carbon fiber used for automotive parts, wind turbine blades, thermoplastic compounding, and marine infrastructure, among others.

-- BERNAMA

Tusk unveils new products

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- Tusk Inc Ltd (Tusk Inc), the leading manufacturer of solar modules and complete solutions, has launched a range of new products recently.

The new products include the T.640 Solar Unit, T.150 Solar Panel with Crypto miner, and T.640 Solar panel with Crypto Miner.

According to the company’s statement, these products have piqued the interest of industry professionals as power consumption for crypto mining can be burdensome.

“This new technology platform is the result of feedback from miners and has been met with development and testing.

“Charging speed, battery life, security guarantees and user experience have all improved in comparison with previous innovations,” it said.

The T.640 Solar Panel Kit is compatible with a wide range of devices, tools, equipment, home and electronic industries, including cryptocurrency miners and provides security, and long backup in terms of power supply.

Tusk Inc has tested the efficiency of combining their solar products with cryptocurrency miners over time, with their recent transition from polycrystalline to photovoltaic materials, and this has proven to be the most effective.

Hence, miners do not have to worry about electricity, which has been a major issue for them, in addition to the five-10 years guarantee on the panels, ensuring that they can be used for a longer period of time.

-- BERNAMA

GTJAI WAS AWARDED AS THE BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR IN ASIA 2022 BY HR ASIA

HONG KONG, Dec 1 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Guotai Junan International Holdings Limited ("Guotai Junan International", the "Company" or "GTJAI", Stock Code: 1788.HK) announced that the Company was delighted to be awarded by HR Asia, a professional human resources publication, as the Best Companies to Work For In Asia 2022 - HONG KONG Region. GTJAI was also invited to attend the announcement ceremony held on Wednesday, November 30. The award is recognized as prestigious in the field of human resources management in Asia, praising companies for their excellent human resources management practices, high level of employee engagement, and outstanding corporate culture. To GTJAI, the award has demonstrated the recognition of the Company's high level of corporate governance and human resource management achievements from the market and industry.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221130006208/en/

 

Ms. Qi Haiying, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of GTJAI, said that the Company was honored to be awarded as The Best Companies to Work for in Asia. Under the severe epidemic and challenging market environment over years, our colleagues still maintained a positive and strenuous work attitude to ensure the Company's business has been carried out smoothly. Human capital is the most valuable asset of GTJAI, and we will continue to make GTJAI a great and better place to work with as well as to provide a platform for employees to give full play to their strengths.

Being pragmatic and steady has always been the philosophy and operating style of GTJAI, which also integrates into establishing its high-quality personnel and a diverse and congenial working environment. In the future, GTJAI will continue strengthening the building of talent teams, improving corporate culture, fulfilling the business philosophy of "Talent as the First Resource", pursuing the talent concept of “People-oriented, Collaborative Cooperation”, and sparing no effort to build a talent highland in the securities industry with higher standard. For more information on the company's human capital disclosure, please refer to the company's 2021 ESG report.

About GTJAI

Guotai Junan International (“GTJAI”, Stock Code: 1788.HK) is the market leader and first mover for internationalization of Chinese Securities Company as well as the first Chinese securities broker listed on the Main Board of The Hong Kong Stock Exchange through initial public offering. It has also been included in FTSE4Good Index by London Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom. Based in Hong Kong, GTJAI provides diversified integrated financial services. Core business includes seven categories of brokerage, corporate finance, asset management, loans and financing, financial products, market making and investments, which cover three dimensions including individual finance (wealth management), institutional finance (institutional investor services and corporate finance service) and investment management. GTJAI has been assigned “Baa2” and “BBB+” long term issuer rating from Moody and Standard & Poor respectively. The controlling shareholder, Guotai Junan Securities Company Limited (Stock Code: 601211.SH; 2611.HK), is the comprehensive financial provider with a long-term, sustainable and overall leading position in the Chinese securities industry. For more information about GTJAI, please visit https://www.gtjai.com 

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MARY KAY SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT FEATURED IN ECONOMIST IMPACT'S WORLD OCEAN SUMMIT IN SINGAPORE

DALLAS, Nov 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Mary Kay Inc., a global advocate for corporate sustainability and stewardship and signatory to the UN Global Compact Sustainable Ocean Principles, continues to support global efforts to increase ocean awareness and highlight the important role the ocean plays in efforts to combat climate change.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221129005781/en/

 

This week at the Economist Impact’s World Ocean Summit Asia Pacific in Singapore, a Mary Kay-supported project focused on women and conservation was featured in the panel “Innovation and adaptation—coastal solutions to climate change.” The panel covered the effect climate change is having on Asia-Pacific’s coastal ecosystems as well as on the global ocean and featured case studies on how the region is preparing for and adapting to climate change.

Mangroves are vital to coastal ecosystems yet are one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. To create long-term solutions for mangroves in Papua New Guinea, Mangoro Market Meri—an initiative supported by The Nature Conservancy and Mary Kay—is linking local efforts, ecotourism, and blue carbon (the carbon that is captured by the world's oceans and coastal ecosystems) to create incentives for mangrove protection and restoration.

The women of Mangoro Market Meri market sustainable mangrove products, such as shellfish and mud crabs to generate much-needed income and employment opportunities while also protecting mangroves from being harvested for their wood. With Mary Kay’s support, the women of Mangoro Market Meri receive training in gender equity, leadership, financial literacy, and business management.

Ruth Konia, Mangoro Market Meri programme manager for The Nature Conservancy’s Melanesia Program, joined panelists from UNEP, WWF China, and the Greener India Council, to share the impact The Nature Conservancy is having in the region with private sector support from Mary Kay.

“Women must be empowered in decision making related to their health, education, governance, and finances. Mangoro Market Meri is changing mind-sets and giving our women equal opportunities by empowering women through mangrove conservation,” said Ruth Konia. “When women are empowered, their actions bring positive impacts to their families and produce ripples that benefit the whole community.”

Mary Kay is committed to being a good steward of natural resources while fostering gender equality and women’s empowerment in conservation across the globe. To read more about Mary Kay’s commitment to sustainability, visit marykayglobal.com/sustainability and download Mary Kay’s global sustainability strategy: Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.

About The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters, and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably, and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 79 countries and territories, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty company in 1963 with one goal: enriching women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. As an entrepreneurship development company, Mary Kay is committed to empowering women on their journey through education, mentorship, advocacy, networking, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in enriching lives today for a sustainable tomorrow, partnering with organizations from around the world focusing on promoting business excellence, supporting cancer research, advancing gender equality, protecting survivors of domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on Twitter. 

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ECO EXPO ASIA 2022 IN HONG KONG TO FOCUS ON DECARBONISING TECH

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- The Eco Expo Asia 2022 will be held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from Dec 14 to 17, 2022.

The expo is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and co-organised by the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Themed “Green Innovations for Carbon Neutrality”, the expo will focus on the technological innovations that help decarbonise the world.

HKTDC said in a statement that the expo would be held under the brand-new EXHIBITION+ hybrid model, helping exhibitors and buyers extend interactions from a physical fair to the online platform “Click2Match” until Dec 24, and also assisting enterprises in exploring “green opportunities” proactively online and offline.

It will host over 200 exhibitors from nine countries and regions in nine thematic zones ranging from green transportation to green finance and more, facilitating exchange and cooperation between different industries under the eco umbrella.

Three country and regional pavilions will be returning this year, including the Canada, Hong Kong and Japan pavilions.

“The Japan pavilion will grow significantly in size featuring around 30 exhibitors with their latest products, solutions and technologies,” HKTDC said.

The expo will open its doors to the public on the last day to promote green living, with visitors able to participate in environmental workshops, green mart and seminars.

For more details, visit www.ecoexpoasia.com.

-- BERNAMA

NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS PARTICIPATES IN 5TH CHINA INTERNATIONAL IMPORT EXPO (CIIE)

TOKYO, Nov. 29, 2022 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. participated in the 5th China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai, China, over the six-day period from Saturday, November 5, to Thursday, November 10, taking part in CIIE for the fifth time in as many years.   Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202211250367-O1-XS8cAIrI   Photo1: Exhibition booth https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202211250367/_prw_PI2fl_3n7BoSy7.jpg     Photo2: Shuichi Akamatsu, Ambassador and Consul General of Japan in Shanghai (third from left), visiting the booth https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202211250367/_prw_PI3fl_CEu13Q58.jpg     The inaugural CIIE was held in 2018 as a general trade show focusing exclusively on imports to China. Joining in this year's fifth expo were approximately 2,800 companies from 127 countries/regions, and the venue welcomed a cumulative total of 460,000 visitors during the event.   The Nippon Express Group's exhibition booth introduced its long-established strengths -- including its global network, air and ocean cargo forwarding services, and BCP-compatible intermodal transport services utilizing the China Railway Express -- as well as initiatives for automation through the use of Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) in the logistics business and displayed the actual cold storage containers and cooling agents used in its temperature-controlled transportation services for pharmaceutical products.   Through its participation in this expo, the Nippon Express Group seeks to support the business expansion of its customers in the East Asia region by deepening relationships with these customers, strengthening ties with other relevant organizations, and forming new partnerships.   Nippon Express website: https://www.nipponexpress.com/   Nippon Express Group's official LinkedIn account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/     Source: NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC.   http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44860

China Eastern Airlines records tremendous progress in high-quality development

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- China Eastern Airlines, which currently has more than 100,000 employees and is the seventh-largest airline in the world, has made tremendous progress in high-quality development with its airlines as the core business, in the past ten years.

In a statement, it said ordinary people in China Eastern from different countries and different types of work, sharing the same blue sky dream, witness and contribute to the growth of the company, and find greatness in everyday work.

These ordinary people shape new momentum for the development of China Eastern with their experience, participation and witness.

Among others, Captain Wang Xiaoyong recalled the chartered intercontinental flight he flew in 2021 for China's first all-cargo aircraft to transport COVID-19 vaccines. 

When the flight carrying 1.05 million COVID-19 vaccines and syringes was about to arrive in Dominica, the Dominica air traffic controller said: "Thank you China, thank the cabin crew, and thank the Chinese vaccine" via the Air-Ground Channel. 

At that moment, he truly felt the lofty mission and responsibility of his career which narrows the distance between mountains and seas around the world.

Meanwhile, Ludwig Strobel from Germany has been the executive chef for many years and in the western food industry for 40 years.

Together with his Chinese colleagues, he created a Chinese-Western in-flight meal, so that both Chinese and Western passengers could enjoy a feast of taste buds on China Eastern flights.

China Eastern has extended its route network to 1062 destinations in 170 countries and regions around the world, which can provide air travel services for 150 million people annually.

-- BERNAMA

TDCX reports strong revenue growth for Q3 2022

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- TDCX Inc, an award-winning digital customer experience solutions provider for technology and blue-chip companies, reported strong revenue of US$120.5 million (US$1-RM4.573) for the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2022 (Q3 2022), up 16.1 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y).

Profit for the period was US$21.6 million, up 2.3 per cent y-o-y.

Chief executive officer and founder, Laurent Junique said in a statement that the company rounded off this quarter with a strong set of results, fuelled by its solid execution capabilities.

“Our global expansion plans continue unabated with the addition of two new campuses, one in Iloilo, the Philippines and another in Istanbul, Türkiye.

“This brings us to a total of 27 campuses globally as we continue building our network. We also see a greater contribution from our four newer geographies, namely Colombia, India, Romania and South Korea, making up close to 10 per cent of the y-o-y growth in revenue for Q3 2022 against Q3 2021,” Junique added.

TDCX also recorded strong client additions by signing up 31 new logos since the start of the year, 55 per cent higher than the 20 logos for the same period in 2021.

For environmental, social and governance efforts, among others, the company has launched the TDCX Foundation as part of its commitment to support disadvantaged communities.

It also supported the launch of Google Cloud’s Point Carbon Zero Programme to catalyse the incubation and adoption of climate fintech solutions in Asia over the next three years. 

Singapore-headquartered TDCX provides transformative digital CX solutions, enabling world-leading and disruptive brands to acquire new customers, build customer loyalty and protect their online communities.

-- BERNAMA

GOVERNMENT OF ST KITTS AND NEVIS DOES NOT ACCEPT CRYPTOCURRENCY AS A FORM OF PAYMENT FOR ITS CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT PROGRAMME

Basseterre, Nov 15 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The government of St Kitts and Nevis, along with the Citizenship by Investment Unit of the country, have refuted claims that investors interested in gaining citizenship to the country can pay using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

The St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment programme is the oldest in the world, having been established in 1984 – it has been providing investors from across the globe with one of the quickest, easiest, and most affordable routes to second citizenship.

Underpinned by a robust multi-layered due diligence process undertaken by international security firms from the USA and the UK, investors need to go through a formal application process consisting of eight main steps, which include: 

· Step 1: Pre-approval by a verified St Kitts and Nevis government agent and preparation of the application
· Step 2: Submission of the citizenship application
· Step 3: Application processing by the Citizenship by Investment Unit and internal and external due diligence checks
· Step 4: Approval in principle letter issued
· Step 5: Contribution to either the Sustainable Growth Fund or pre-approved real estate
· Step 6: Bank clearance of source of funds
· Step 7: Certificate of Registration issued
· Step 8: Citizen can apply for a St Kitts and Nevis passport

Throughout the whole process, an investor will engage with an approved government agent who will facilitate the application and any payments will be made via registered banks using fiat money - a government-issued currency that is not backed by a commodity such as gold. An example would be the United States Dollar, Euro or Chinese Yuan.

Investors cannot make payments to a government-approved agent or the Citizenship by Investment Unit by using cryptocurrencies directly. These would need to be liquidated into fiat currency first and an applicant would need to provide a supporting affidavit regarding their source of funds as part of the application process.

St Kitts and Nevis has not yet passed any legislation regarding cryptocurrency. The country is participating in the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) pilot program, which aims to study the utilisation of cryptocurrency as a fiat currency.

The program’s purpose is to provide a safe and secure digital financial system by utilising the advantages of blockchain and is designed to exemplify the viability and functionality of the ECCB’s ability to issue Digital Eastern Caribbean Dollars.

The ECCB is the fiscal authority for the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU).

Speaking at the Electronic Cash Conference 2022, which was held on November 12 2022, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, expressed that while Bitcoin Cash – another form of cryptocurrency – is used as a method of tender by some businesses in the country, due diligence checks are presently being prioritised by his government ahead of any major decision concerning that cryptocurrency’s official use.

Prime Minister Drew stated that the financial safety and security of citizens is a matter of high priority, and the government, with the guidance of the ECCB, is prepared to explore the possibility of Bitcoin Cash being introduced as legal tender in the local financial space.

The Prime Minister explained that once all the crucial financial safeguards were in place, Bitcoin Cash could become accepted legal tender in St Kitts and Nevis by March 2023.

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Wipro appoints Ankush Saigal as head of telecommunication industry sector for Southeast Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Wipro Ltd, a leading technology services and consulting company based in Bangalore, India, has appointed Ankush Saigal as its new head of telecommunication industry sector for Southeast Asia.

In a statement today, Wipro said Ankush would lead Wipro’s business growth in the telecommunication sector in the region at a time when the overall telecommunication and communications service provider industry is looking to adopt an ecosystem play to reach greater heights and drive sustainable growth.

It said telecommunication companies and communications service providers are growing and expanding as they continue strengthening their underlying information technology infrastructure to drive innovation.

Wipro said Ankush would help clients accelerate their transformation journey and realise their growth ambitions by reimagining operating models and enhancing customer experience.

It said as an industry veteran, Ankush has, in the past, worked with some of the largest brands in the industry including Accenture and Infosys.

“Ankush brings extensive experience in establishing and nurturing long-term strategic client engagements.

“I am looking forward to consolidating Wipro’s leadership positioning in the telecommunication sector further and significantly expanding our existing engagements with telecommunication brands across Southeast Asian countries with Ankush onboard,” managing director, Southeast Asia, Badri Srinivasan said.

-- BERNAMA