News In Brief

Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you and write them in no more than five paragraphs. Below are snippets of all the media releases that we received from August 23 to 29. Please check back throughout the week for more updates.

Support grows for our biggest Paralympic team abroad

Sydney, Aug 23: Australia’s largest-ever team for an overseas Paralympic Games is being backed by record support at home, including investment and innovation from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).
On the eve of the Tokyo Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony, AIS CEO Peter Conde sent his best wishes to the Australian Team, which is made up of 179 athletes competing across 18 sports, including in the debut disciplines of Para-taekwondo and Para-badminton.
“The AIS takes enormous pride in supporting Australia’s Paralympic athletes, coaches and staff and we are excited they get the opportunity to compete in Tokyo after such testing preparation,” he said.
“The AIS has increased its investment in Paralympic sport by more than 40 per cent over the past decade and 86 per cent of this Australian Paralympic team have received direct athlete grants from the AIS – known as dAIS – during the extended five-year build-up to these Games.
“On behalf of the AIS, I wish all our athletes, coaches and support the very best for the Games. We, like the rest of the world, will be watching and we can’t wait to see what you can do.”

edotco Appointed as a Signatory Member of United Nations Global Compact

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 23: edotco Group (‘edotco’), the leading telecommunications infrastructure services company in the region, announced its appointment as a Signatory Member of United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) as the company’s first step towards fulfilling its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitment. 
As a signatory, edotco will be supporting the 10 Principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, which will be embedded as part of the company’s strategy, culture, and day-to-day operations.
“Our participation is in line with our commitment to internalize the concept of corporate responsibility across our footprint. We will be further extending our green agenda with a focus on carbon neutrality initiatives, we will drive social responsibility through more meaningful stakeholder management, and we will be ensuring sustainable governance through implementing best practices and standards that protect our interests internally and externally, ” Adlan Tajudin, Chief Executive Officer of edotco Group said.
UNGC is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 12,000 members from over 160 countries.
It is a call to companies to align their strategies and operations with the UNGC 10 principles and to take shared responsibility for advancing broader societal goals such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

NextPlay Technologies Acquires Fighter Base Publishing

Florida, Aug 23: NextPlay Technologies, Inc, a digital business ecosystem for digital advertisers, consumers, video gamers and travellers, has announced it has agreed to acquire from Fighter Base Publishing, Inc. (FBP), the assets and AI-powered video game development platform of FBP’s wholly-owned division, Make It Games(TM).
Make It Games (MIG) enables developers to create video games powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Its technology supports the training of virtual characters to be more lifelike in appearance and behaviour. 
Proprietary AI animation tools help program game or film characters to fully animate themselves, saving as much as 70 per cent of the typical time and cost of animation.
Fighter Base Publishing was founded by Mark Vange, NextPlay’s recently appointed chief technology officer.
Formerly a chief technology officer at Electronic Arts, Vange has authored over 41 granted patents in the US for innovative technologies that have defined the industry.
This acquisition by NextPlay will include pending patents that cover Make it Games’ proprietary AI game development technology.

Witness Twelve MedTech Startups showcasing latest HealthTech Innovations

Taipei, Aug 23: SC Hospital (SCMH) and IRCAD Taiwan are collaborating with BE Accelerator, the largest healthcare accelerator in Asia, to present Batch 5, ‘DemoDay 2021: Applied Technologies for Minimally Invasive Surgery’.
It’s the celebration of twelve brilliant startups over 24 intensive weeks, sharing their applied technologies and solutions for minimally invasive surgery, medical devices, and AI-based healthcare, shaping the future of the industry today.
Incubated for 24 weeks, the startups and accelerator teams collaborated with mentors and partners to make this acceleration program remarkable.
As the world marks a year and a half of intense disruption by the COVID pandemic, our teams demonstrated extraordinary resilience in coming up with significant innovative solutions through the digital transformation of our program.
This year’s Demo Day will take place live and online on August 28, celebrating the progress of our twelve startups as they graduate from our 24-week proof of concept (POC) program, to explore opportunities for new programs or offering Health-Tech and further MedTech collaboration.

Launch of the New Motul 300V

Singapore, Aug 24: From racing to high-performance cars, one name has been synonymous with success for the last 50 years – Motul 300V.
This product was born out of Motul’s never-ending pursuit of perpetual movement.
Today, Motul launches a new and improved version of its flagship product, with a new formulation pushing against the boundaries of performance.
The new Motul 300V is revealed for the 24h of Le Mans, the most iconic racing event in the world.
Over the following decades, Motul has continuously perfected its flagship product and today, Motul 300V continues to propel the world’s top teams to podium glory.

Funding Societies Malaysia, Foodpanda unveil pre-approved financing service for SMEs

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 24: In the spirit of Merdeka, Funding Societies and foodpanda has unveiled a new initiative for SMEs to get financing without repayment of principal for the first three months.
The exclusive pre-approved financing service available for SMEs allows a three-month extension with no principal repayment for a financing tenure of up to 18 months.
Amongst the benefits of the service are disbursement within two working days, competitive interest rates and minimal documentation to ensure a smooth and hassle-free financing experience for SMEs.
“We began our partnership with foodpanda in May 2021 and have successfully exceeded RM1 million in financing disbursed to SMEs,” Wong Kah Meng, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Funding Societies Malaysia said.
For more information on the financing service, log on to FS Micro Financing x foodpanda.

AFC and Kelme New Partnership Deal 

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 24: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced its partnership with sportswear brand Kelme for the 2021 to 2024 rights cycle.
Kelme joins the AFC family of sponsors as the Official Global Supporter of AFC national team competitions and will provide sports apparel and accessories for the AFC’s national team competitions from 2022 to 2024, and the official match ball for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023.
“The AFC is delighted to welcome Kelme to the ever-growing AFC family of global partners, which exemplifies the worldwide appeal of the AFC’s brand and its competitions,” AFC sec-gen Datuk Windsor John said.
The partnership encompasses major AFC competitions, including but not limited to the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar featuring the Continent’s top-12 football nations, and Asia’s flagship national team competitions – the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 – which will be played in ten state-of-the-art venues across China PR, and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 as well as the AFC U23 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2022.
As a world-renowned sports apparel company with professional football in its DNA, Kelme has accumulated more than 60 years of brand history and heritage.

Astro brings coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 24: Malaysians can cheer on our 22 national athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games on Astro.
All Astro customers including NJOI customers can watch the action on Astro Arena HD (CH801).
Astro Arena host Azlan Mubin along with special guests and athletes will cover events at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games throughout the day.
Some of the athletes who will be fighting for glory are archer Suresh Selvathamby in the men’s individual recurve, Abdul Latif Romly and Wong Kar Gee in athletics and shuttlers Cheah Liek Hou and Didin Taresoh.
Fans can watch daily highlights on Astro SuperSport, with Nadi Arena bringing the latest news and developments of all our national athletes throughout the Games.

10,000 Coway Run 2021 Tickets Sold Out Within 24 Hours!

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 24: Coway Run 2021: Run for Your Region has sold out its first batch of tickets within 24 hours of launch — a testament to Malaysians’ enthusiasm for fitness and marks a triumph in Coway Run’s history!
The virtual run opened for registrations on Aug 21, and all 10,000 tickets on offer were quickly snapped up by eager runners.
“For this year’s Coway Run, we ramped up our ticket production compared to the previous years as we want to encourage more people to lead a healthy lifestyle while still being able to connect safely, even during the lockdown,” Kyle Choi, Managing Director of Coway Malaysia said in a statement.
“We are grateful for this overwhelming support from the public all over Malaysia and are delighted to be a part of the nation’s journey towards better health.”
Those who have yet to buy their tickets need not fret as additional tickets to the event will be available soon at www.cowayrun.com.my

DESPE TopDownWay Brings Down Famous Carlsberg Beer Silo

New York, Aug 25: Despe, best known in the United States for their hydraulic Self Climbing  Kokoon that is currently providing state-of-the-art structure around the steel frame of the in-progress Two Manhattan West and before that 50 Hudson Yards, recently completed the floor-by-floor demolition of the world headquarters of Danish multinational brewer Carlsberg Group which moved to a new location a few hundred meters away.
A new skyscraper with housing will rise instead where the now-demolished Carlsberg silo once stood. 
Headquartered in Italy, Despe while making a name for itself in the United States for its Self Climbing Kokoon, is primarily known in the rest of the world for its TopDownWay, a demolition method that is an alternative to explosives, an innovative, safe, eco-friendly and swift solution for the controlled demolition of urban skyscrapers.
With TopDownWay all the material generated by the demolition works within the containment structure glass, rubble, debris, noise, vibrations, dust, and sprayed water.
As the work progresses, the platform descends in a controlled manner until it reaches zero levels and the building has been completely demolished. 

UK’S Best Selling Silent Pool Gin Arrives In Australia

Sydney, Aug 25: Super-premium gin brand Silent Pool Gin, has arrived in Australia this month, direct from the rolling hills of Surrey Hills, United Kingdom.
Founded on the banks of the magical Silent Pool and inspired by the area’s natural beauty and freshwater source, Silent Pool Gin is a truly sustainable distillery committed to producing handcrafted, artisan spirits using locally sourced ingredients and botanicals.
Legend has it that in the early 1200s, a Woodcutter’s daughter was discovered floating in the Silent Pool, alongside the crest of Prince John – the future King of England.
If you look closely at the pattern on your Silent Pool Gin bottle, one will spot the Woodcutter’s Daughter, Prince John and a crown representing his royal crest.
Silent Pool Gin is available to purchase in Australia now, from leading retailers including Dan Murphy’s and BWS.

Central Global signs MOU with Smart Sabah

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 25: Central Global Berhad’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Central Global Technology Sdn. Bhd. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Smart Sabah Corporation Sdn. Bhd. to discuss the set-up of a joint venture for the construction of a dashboard for Sabah’s Ministry of Finance.
The MoU, which is valid for six months from the signing, will be the framework from which CGTSB and Smart Sabah explore collaboration leading to a JV for the dashboard’s planning, design, development, implementation and maintenance.
“We welcome the discussions on the feasibility of working with Smart Sabah for the construction of the dashboard for the state’s Ministry of Finance. We look forward to having fruitful discussions on this project and will announce accordingly if there are any updates or progress,” Executive Chairman of Central Global, Datuk Faisal Zelman said in a statement.
“We continue to explore business opportunities for the Company’s construction arm while finalising the purchase of machinery that will increase our masking tapes production capacity by 250 per cent.
“These initiatives and discussions are ongoing and will ensure the sustainability of our business despite the challenges of the past year-and-a-half.”
Central Global is a producer of industrial masking tapes and label stocks as well as general building contractor while Smart Sabah is a state-owned company offering information, communication and technology services as well as other related management and security consultancy services.

AFC confirms media rights deal with PRO Company in Iraq

Kuala Lumpur, August 25: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has today announced PRO Company as their new media partner in Iraq to broadcast the AFC’s national team and club competitions from 2021 to 2024, commencing with the eagerly anticipated AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar, which will see Asia’s top 12 sides begin their quest to seal their places at the global showpiece from September 2, 2021.
The deal encompasses all major AFC national team and club competitions, which include Asia’s flagship national team competitions – the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 TM, the AFC U23 Asian Cup Finals 2022 and 2024 as well as the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup.
“The AFC is delighted to enter into this partnership with PRO Company to showcase our world-class competitions in Iraq, a nation that shares a true passion for the game,” Datuk Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary said in a statement.
“Football continues to unify Iraq, who won the AFC Asian Cup in 2007, and we are pleased to be able to provide the passionate fans of Iraq and Asian football with access to high quality AFC competitions, benefiting from PRO Company’s innovative services.
In addition to PRO Company’s impressive portfolio of sporting content and wide-ranging services, fans will be able to enjoy extensive coverage of the AFC’s national team and club competitions through their new partnership and sublicense over-the-top (OTT) platform partner in Iraq – Al Rabiaa TV.

Princeton Digital Sets-up New Data Centre In Indonesia

Jakarta Aug 25: Singapore-based Princeton Digital Group (PDG), Asia’s leading data center provider, today announced plans for a greenfield development in Jakarta, Indonesia, as part of PDG’s plan to expand its footprint to serve its customers’ needs in the booming Indonesian digital economy.
With 19 data centers across five countries PDG has built an unrivalled footprint in less than four years since its inception.
The company recently announced an investment of USD$1 billion to open a 100 MW flagship data center campus in Japan.
The new 22MW data center, to be named Jakarta Cibitung 2 (JC2), is being built within the same 19,550m2 campus that houses PDG’s existing data center JC1.
This expanded campus of 35MW is well-poised to serve global cloud companies, domestic internet companies and enterprises with unmatched scalability, connectivity and reliability.

BEST&LESS Reopens Stores To Support Aussie Parents

Sydney, August 26: With an extended lockdown recently announced, Australia’s favourite specialty value apparel retailer Best&Less is working to support families while following newly released public health orders.
The retailer has now reopened select stores across NSW solely for parents and carers seeking essential maternity wear, clothing for growing babies or health and beauty items. Contactless Click & Collect is also available for non-essential purchases.
With the seasons changing, Best&Less understands there may be some parents needing to shop for their growing babies and children or perhaps seeking new seasonal fashion and basics for themselves.
For purchases outside of essential baby and maternity wear, like women’s, men’s and children’s fashion or basics, customers are encouraged to use the Click & Collect contactless service.
Best Less’ contactless Click & Collect service is a safe, fast and convenient option for parents. The following stores across NSW are open for customers to shop in-store for essential baby and maternity wear in a clean and safe shopping environment.

foodpanda Joins Forces To Inculcate A Sense Of Unity and Patriotism During Trying Times

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 26 – In hopes of instilling positivity and inspiring togetherness, foodpanda Malaysia has collaborated with vendors, NGOs and brands to bring smiles to communities and donate meals as well as care packs to the needy throughout the month of August, in conjunction with the Merdeka celebration. 
A firm believer that the spirit of Merdeka lives in the hearts and minds of every Malaysian, foodpanda Malaysia initiated this collaboration for Malaysians to help one another and spread joy through the simplest forms. 
Besides delivering more than 10,000 meals and care packs to the less fortunate, foodpanda Malaysia had also put together a Merdeka video to showcase their continuous efforts in encouraging unity among Malaysians to overcome adversity and commemorate the momentous celebration. 
Some of the participating vendors of this initiative include McDonald’s, who are sponsoring 2,000 burgers and fries to the less fortunate, while Tealive will be providing cookies. Domino’s joins in the cause by sponsoring personal pizzas with drinks being provided by Gong Cha and chicken rice solo meals are being sponsored by Kenny Rogers Roasters. 
Additionally, other brands participating in this initiative include Red Bull, Quaker Oats, Munchy’s, Horlicks, Babas, SKIPPY, Nutriplus, Yeo’s and Maggi.