News In Brief

Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you in no more than five paragraphs. Below are snippets of all the media releases we received from Feb 5 till the end of the week. This article updates throughout the week.

Virtual Cards Boost!

New York, Feb 6: Fyle, the expense management platform, has teamed up with American Express to deliver a groundbreaking integration for U.S. Business and Corporate Card Members.
By participating in the American Express Sync™ Commercial Partner Program, Fyle now offers cardholders the ability to issue on-demand virtual cards via its platform, featuring enhanced security and built-in controls.
This collaboration, as highlighted by Yashwanth Madhusudhan, Co-Founder & CEO of Fyle, empowers customers with greater control, improved security, and enhanced cash flow management, all while simplifying receipt tracking, credit card reconciliation, and expense accounting processes.
Cardholders can take advantage of this integration to set spending limits and expiration dates for each virtual card, optimize cash flow using American Express billing cycles, receive real-time transaction data and notifications, streamline expense management through automated receipt collection, and ensure enhanced security by allowing trusted personnel to make payments without sharing physical card details.
This partnership is set to revolutionize the expense management experience for American Express Business and Corporate Card Members, offering a seamless and secure solution for all their financial needs.

Prudential Malaysia Launches Affordable Protection Plans

Kuala Lumpur, Feb 6: Prudential Malaysia has introduced four cost-effective protection plans exclusively for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members.
These plans, offered under the EPF i-Lindung initiative, aim to improve financial security for Malaysians and their families. EPF members can enroll in these plans through their KWSP i-Akaun mobile app, providing accessible coverage for themselves, spouses, and children.
The plans include PRUGuard Family, PruBSN Lindung Famili (Term Life Protection), PRUCare Family, and PruBSN Cegah Famili (Critical Illness Protection).
This initiative seeks to address the low insurance coverage among Malaysians and encourage financial protection.

New Jakarta-Doha Flight by Garuda Indonesia

Doha, Feb 6: Garuda Indonesia, a codeshare partner of Qatar Airways, will launch a daily direct flight between Jakarta (CGK) and Doha (DOH) from April 4, 2024, with ticket sales beginning today.
The route will be served by a Boeing B777-300 aircraft, offering Business Class and Economy Class seating with a total of 26 and 367 seats, respectively.
This new route signifies the strengthening bilateral ties between Indonesia and Qatar, promoting economic cooperation, trade, and tourism.
The daily flight will meet the growing demand for direct travel between Jakarta and Doha, providing travelers with more options.
Additionally, Garuda Indonesia passengers will have access to Qatar Airways’ extensive network of over 170 destinations, enhancing connectivity to various international cities.
Qatar Airways Group CEO, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, and Garuda Indonesia’s President and CEO, Irfan Setiaputra, both expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, anticipating increased travel and tourism between the two countries. Currently, Qatar Airways offers multiple flights to Indonesian destinations, and the new Garuda flight and codeshare collaboration will facilitate seamless connections for passengers. Flight schedules are subject to government approval.

British Airways Apprentices Launch Flight

London, Feb 6: Skilled British Airways apprentices played a vital role in dispatching a flight to Cape Town, South Africa, as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2024.
Around 40 apprentices took on various roles, including check-in, boarding, cabin crew, baggage handling, and engineering, for the Boeing 777 BA43 flight from London Heathrow.
British Airways’ apprentice scheme has seen a 75 per cent increase in applicants compared to 2022, with 4,500 applications in 2023.
The airline offers more apprenticeship positions than ever before, reflecting its commitment to developing the next generation of aviation talent. Applications for the next cohort of apprenticeships will open in October 2024.

Indonesia Wins Inaugural AFC eAsian Cup

Jakarta, Feb 6: Indonesia emerged as the champions of the first-ever AFC eAsian Cup, a virtual football competition held at Doha’s Virtuocity eSports Arena.
The Indonesian team secured victory against Japan, with Rizky Faidan, Mohamad Akbar Paudie, and Elga Cahya Putra leading the charge.
The tournament featured teams from AFC Member Associations and attracted over 200,000 viewers.
AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa praised Indonesia’s performance and acknowledged the event’s success, highlighting its role in connecting with a new generation of football fans.
He also commended the Qatar Football Association and the Local Organising Committee for their hosting capabilities and hospitality.

Datuk Dr. Rohaizat Joins DC Healthcare

Kuala Lumpur, Feb 6: DC Healthcare Holdings Berhad has appointed Datuk Dr. Rohaizat Bin Yon as the Group’s Medical Advisor. Datuk Dr. Rohaizat, renowned for his role as the “MOH COVID-19 War General,” brings a wealth of experience and expertise in public health to the position.
His responsibilities include advising on healthcare and clinical policies, guiding leadership, and sharing insights on healthcare industry best practices.
Dr. Chong Tze Sheng, Managing Director of DC Healthcare, expressed excitement about the appointment and the potential for higher standards of excellence in the field.
Datuk Dr. Rohaizat looks forward to leveraging his expertise to enhance healthcare protocols and drive innovation within the organization, aiming to redefine excellence in aesthetic healthcare.

K-META Partners with Pixotope

Seoul, Feb 7: The Korea Metaverse Industry Association (K-META) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Pixotope Technologies, a leading global innovator in the metaverse and media entertainment industries. This collaboration aims to introduce advanced technologies and foster expertise in the metaverse and virtual production sectors.
Recognizing the need to nurture experts and enhance global content competitiveness, K-META and Pixotope have joined forces to strengthen the metaverse industry’s ecosystem. The MOU will facilitate joint development of expert training courses, education programs, and the exchange of XR advanced technology.
Choi Yongki, Vice Chairman of K-META, emphasized their commitment to building a cooperative model with Pixotope while nurturing experts capable of meeting the demands of the metaverse and virtual production industries.
ndrew Tan, Vice President of Pixotope APAC, expressed optimism about the partnership, foreseeing their joint efforts in cultivating global talent to lead the next-generation virtual production industry, particularly in Korea.

Bitdeer Reports January 2024 Operations Updates

Singapore, Feb 7: Bitdeer Technologies Group (NASDAQ: BTDR) announced its unaudited mining and operations updates for January 2024.
The company mined 330 Bitcoins during the month, marking a 123.0 per cent increase from the same period last year.
However, production declined month-over-month due to lower transaction fees and curtailments at its Gedu datacenter in Bhutan, prompted by seasonal electricity cost increases.
Bitdeer aims to minimize future curtailments by securing fixed-price, carbon-free electricity for the Gedu datacenter starting April. Additionally, the company plans to begin land preparation for a 221MW datacenter in Ohio, United States, in February. This site is expected to be completed by 2025.
The company is also progressing in the construction of a 175MW immersion cooling datacenter in Tydal, Norway, slated for completion by mid-2025.
Recent achievements include being named one of Singapore’s Fastest Growing Companies 2024 and appointing Mr. Jihan Wu as Chief Executive Officer, effective March 1, 2024.

Maeve Thomas joins ABEA

Sydney, Feb 8: Maeve Thomas has been appointed as the new Membership and Sponsorship Manager at the Australian Business Events Association (ABEA). With over 35 years of experience in the industry, including roles with prestigious organizations like Oberoi Hotels and ICMS Australasia, Maeve brings a wealth of expertise to her new role.
ABEA CEO Melissa Brown emphasized Maeve’s responsibility in enhancing member engagement and forming partnerships.
Maeve’s appointment signals ABEA’s focus on establishing sponsorship opportunities, with a presence at the upcoming AIME event for interested parties to connect.