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 Sept 9 till the end of the week.
This article updates throughout the week.

Sleep, Mental Health in Focus

Sydney, Sept 9: A Flinders University study has revealed the widespread prevalence of sleep and mental health disorders among athletes, both during and after their careers.
Surveying almost 1,000 athletes worldwide, the research showed that sleep disturbances and mental health issues remain consistent between current and retired athletes.
Lead investigator Ashley Montero said the need for better support systems, especially as retired athletes continue to face mental health challenges.
The study also found that women athletes reported higher rates of mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression.
Professor Murray Drummond added, “This study highlights the pressing need for tailored mental health initiatives in sports.”

Elastic Joins Misinformation Fight

Sydney, Sept 9: Elastic has joined the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) to combat digital misinformation and promote transparency in AI-generated content.
“In today’s digital wild west, content authenticity is essential,” said Carolyn Herzog, chief legal officer at Elastic.
Founded by Adobe in 2019, the CAI includes over 2,000 media and tech companies.
Elastic will contribute its expertise in search and large-scale data analysis to address the rising challenge of misinformation and help build a more trustworthy online ecosystem.

Beetlejuice Tops Box Office

Sydney, Sept 9: Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice debuted at number one, earning $3.81M at the Australian Box Office.
In second place, Deadpool & Wolverine added $1.18M to its total of $63.42M, becoming the ninth highest-grossing movie in Australia.
Indian sci-fi film GOAT opened at number three with $958K, while Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us claimed fourth place, adding $761K to its $21.05M total.
Rounding out the top five, Alien: Romulus earned $596K, bringing its total to $8.99M.

Capella Expands Developer Access

Singapore, Sept 9: Couchbase launched Capella Columnar, enabling real-time analytics and operational processing on a single platform.
This allows organizations to build adaptive applications more efficiently.
The company also introduced Couchbase Mobile with vector search, enhancing AI-powered apps from cloud to edge.
Additionally, Couchbase unveiled Capella Free Tier, providing developers with unlimited access to explore and build applications at their own pace, with AI-driven tools like Capella iQ for faster development.
These advancements aim to simplify operations and reduce costs for businesses.

Paralympic Gold Honoured

Sydney, Sept 10: Australia Post is commemorating Australia’s Paralympic gold medallists with the first-ever official Australian Paralympic Team Stamp.
Over 11 days at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Aussie athletes secured 18 gold medals across various sports, including Para-swimming, Para-cycling, and Para-table tennis.
Each athlete’s medal-winning moment is featured on a unique stamp, available for pre-order online and in participating Australia Post outlets.
The initiative celebrates both individual and team achievements, offering fans a piece of history.

IPAA NSW Appoints CEO

Sydney, Sept 10: The Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) NSW has appointed Jo Rose as its new Chief Executive Officer after an external recruitment process.
With over 11 years of experience at IPAA NSW and leadership across multiple sectors, Jo brings a strategic vision to the role.
Her tenure as Acting CEO saw the introduction of key professional development initiatives.
Nicola Hardy has also been named as the permanent Director of Capability Design and Member Engagement, further strengthening the leadership team alongside Jayne Watt, Director of Delivery and Operations.

Korean Air Launches Direct Flights to Lisbon

Seoul, Sept 11: After getting your Korean fix, you can now fly directly to Lisbon for your European adventure. Korean Air has launched its inaugural flight to Lisbon, Portugal, expanding its European destinations.
Flight KE921 departed from Incheon at 11:50 am on September 11, kicking off a new era of travel between South Korea and Portugal.
Korean Air will now operate three direct flights per week between Incheon and Lisbon, offering greater convenience for travelers eager to explore the vibrant Portuguese capital and beyond.

Vertiv Unveils AI Data Center

Kuala Lumpur, Sept 11: Vertiv has launched the MegaMod™ CoolChip, a prefabricated modular data center designed to meet the growing demand for AI computing infrastructure.
Equipped with liquid cooling and high-efficiency power systems, it reduces deployment time by up to 50 per cent compared to traditional builds.
The solution supports AI platforms from leading compute providers and integrates Vertiv’s advanced cooling, power, and distribution technologies.
It also helps operators achieve sustainability goals by improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprints.

Tex Cycle Gets EIA Approval

Kuala Lumpur, Sept 13: Tex Cycle Technology’s subsidiary, Tex Evolusi Waste Management, has received Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval for its new scheduled waste storage and recovery facility at the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP) in Sabah.
Construction is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2024. This RM100 million facility, developed in partnership with Evolusi Bersatu, will provide local waste management solutions, reduce transportation to Semenanjung, and create over 150 jobs.
The facility aligns with Sabah’s sustainability goals and meets stringent environmental standards.