NARITA AIRPORT BOASTS CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWING - CHIBA PREFECTURAL GOVERNMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (Bernama) -- Chiba Prefecture offers various ways to enjoy "hanami" or cherry blossom viewing for tourists visiting Japan during the cherry blossoms season.

Narita International Airport, which is conveniently located in Chiba for overseas visitors to explore the surrounding areas, is one of the unique cherry blossom viewing spots, according to Chiba Prefectural Government in a statement.

Cherry blossoms, known as "sakura" in Japanese, bloom for about one to two weeks from late March to early April in Chiba.

There are three unique sakura spots enabling foreign tourists to embark on cherry blossom adventures namely, Sakura-no-Yama Park, Mobara Park and Kominato Railway.

At Sakura-no-Yama Park, visitors can enjoy close-up views of aeroplanes taking off from and landing at Narita International Airport, best enjoyed lounging under the trees with favourite snacks and drinks.

To explore beyond urban Tokyo on a cherry blossom hunt, Mobara Park is a place to go. The park is dotted with 2,850 cherry trees, which is on Japan's TOP-100 CHERRY BLOSSOM SPOTS list published by the Japan Cherry Blossom Association.

The red-coloured "Benten Bridge" over the pond in the middle of the park, surrounded by pink and white cherry blossoms, offers a great photo opportunity, and visitors can enjoy picnicking and strolling in the park.

Additionally, taking a ride on the Kominato Railway is like a trip through a countryside dream, whereby this local, diesel-powered line connects Ichihara City and Otaki Town and features commanding views along the way.

In spring, "nanohana" (canola) flowers and cherry blossoms are in full view along the railway line. Itabu Station is a popular sightseeing spot for heavily photographed cherry trees and visitors are recommended to start at JR Goi Station for the Kominato Line's first stop for a leisurely journey through Chiba's picturesque spring.

-- BERNAMA

AirSeed Technologies germinates Series A fund up to AU$200 mln

 

Caption: AirSeed Drone 2 

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 (Bernama) -- Environmental restoration disruptor, AirSeed Technologies has announced its partnership with leading impact investment manager Conscious Investment Management (CIM) establishing a carbon sequestration fund of up to AU$200 million. (AU$1=RM2.94)

According to a statement, AirSeed and CIM expect the restoration and carbon sequestration projects to generate meaningful upfront revenue to AirSeed over the next five years in service provider revenue to conduct planting.

This is AirSeed's first large-scale contract with a leading impact investment manager and will be key to creating one of the largest carbon sequestration funds of its kind. It validates the company’s value proposition for large-scale application of its hyper productive planting solution.

To support this, AirSeed is launching its Series A capital raise to provide additional funds to execute this milestone contract and scale the business to maximise on this transformative opportunity.

“Securing an agreement to work with CIM as it establishes one of the largest carbon sequestration funds of this type is important validation of our value proposition for large-scale application of our solution and brings us significantly closer to our 100 million planting goal by 2024.

“Launching our Series A funding round will drive AirSeed's delivery of this massive opportunity and continue the transformation of our business to meet the rapidly growing appetite for reforestation and replanting opportunities at the scale necessary to help shift the dial on climate change,” said its Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder Andrew Walker.

Meanwhile, CIM's Partner Alex Debney said: “We are delighted to welcome AirSeed as a new impact partner in the environmental sector. We look forward to delivering carbon sequestration and native Australian reforestation at institutional scale by working closely with AirSeed.”

AirSeed has also confirmed highly respected climate transition and business specialist Mara Bún as the latest addition to the Board.

With a long track record in climate, nature and impact campaigns and solutions, Bún is Chair of Australian Impact Investments and a non-executive Director of Australian Ethical Investments and GreenCollar, Australia's largest environmental markets investor.

AirSeed is on track to achieve 100 million pods planted by 2024. Pilot projects already underway in Australia across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland covering more than 650 hectares and include one of the largest environmental planting to date in Australia.

-- BERNAMA

AM BEST REVISES UNDER REVIEW STATUS TO NEGATIVE FOR CREDIT RATINGS OF HOTAI INSURANCE CO., LTD.

HONG KONG, March 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best has revised the implications of the under review status to negative from developing for the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb” (Good) of Hotai Insurance Co., Ltd. (Hotai Insurance) (Taiwan).

The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect Hotai Insurance’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as weak, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and marginal enterprise risk management. The ratings also reflect the support that the company receives from its ultimate parent, Ho Tai Motor Co., Ltd. (Ho Tai Motor).

The ratings were placed under review with developing implications on 2 December 2022 pending increased visibility of the pandemic insurance ultimate loss level and the magnitude of capital impact, as well as the level and timeliness of financial support from the parent. The revision of the implications of the under review in this rating action reflects the larger-than-expected shortfall between the latest development of ultimate claims amount and potential further capital support from the parent, Ho Tai Motor, based on information provided by Hotai Insurance. With a significantly downsized capital and surplus to support the growing underwriting portfolio, AM Best expects the company’s risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), to remain at the very weak level over the short to intermediate term. 

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Chiba Prefecture: 6 products take bite at specialty food prizes

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) -- The Chiba Prefectural Government and the Chiba Food Industry Liaison Council have awarded specialty food prizes to six local food products.

The six products won the "Discover the Excellent Foods in CHIBA 2023" contest organised by the prefecture and the council to discover and promote attractive products from among processed foods made mainly from local agricultural and fisheries materials.

According to a statement, the prefectural government will help expand the sales channels for the prize-winning products through various opportunities including its promotional events.

The Gold Prize was awarded to “Chiba-no Kodawari Pudding" (Chiba's Quality Pudding), with peanut flavours. Rich-tasting pudding with plain and peanut flavours which has a beautiful two-tone colouring is available for JPY365 for 80g. (JPY100 = RM3.41)

"Fukkura Kuromame Genmai Gohan" (Fluffy Brown Rice Boiled with Black Beans) won the Silver Prize. Boiled in a special broth, the fluffy brown rice is accented with black beans, a specialty of the prefecture and is highly recommended for gifts and is priced at JPY594 for 160g.

The winning product for the Bronze Prize is Chiba Peanut Gelato which is known for its smooth texture, as well as its well-balanced tastes with flavours of peanuts and milk costs JPY500 for 100g.

Meanwhile, the winning products for Jury's Special Prizes are Confitures "Nashikko" (Japanese pear preserves) which is made of pears produced in Funabashi City; olive oil-confit Japanese Spanish mackerel by on-board "ikejime"; and Sudo Farm Milk which is produced with an approach to curb methane gas emissions by cows.

-- BERNAMA

INTRODUCING SERVI PLUS, THE ULTIMATE HOSPITALITY ROBOT

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 8 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Bear Robotics, a Silicon Valley-based innovator of hospitality robots, announces the launch of its new robot, Servi Plus, a service industry game-changer featuring increased capacity, enhanced user experience features, and the smoothest suspension engineering in the industry for transporting liquids and traversing ramps.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230306005038/en/

 

With an expanded 88 lb (40kg) payload and a 16+ dish capacity, Servi Plus is the heavy-duty answer to hospitality workflow automation. The latest addition to Bear Robotics’ renowned Servi lineup, Servi Plus is a bigger solution for alleviating repetitive work like running orders and bussing dishes so that team members may stay on the floor and focus on creating exceptional guest experiences.

In addition to its strong carrying capacity, Servi Plus features industry-leading suspension for liquid delivery, allowing it to traverse a variety of flooring, thresholds, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramps. This new product has the ability to carry four oversized serving trays or bus tubs and is adjustable for custom tray configurations.

Servi Plus also includes an array of visual and user experience enhancements, such as a full perimeter of responsive LED lighting for visibility and communication and a dot display matrix for custom messaging.

“This addition to our product line is something our entire company is very proud to launch,” says Juan Higueros, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Bear Robotics. “It is a testament to our team’s ability to collaborate with our partners and support them by bringing products to market that immediately fit their operational needs.”

With the release of Servi Plus, Bear Robotics is setting a new standard in the hospitality space. This new product allows for seamless service across many verticals. Whether it’s a restaurant, hotel, senior living community, sports arena, ghost kitchen, or family entertainment concept, Servi Plus is equipped to provide a superior collaborative robot service for operators, employees, and customers.

About Bear Robotics

Founded in 2017, Bear Robotics creates self-driving indoor robots engineered to elevate guest experiences by empowering service employees to focus on what really matters – great service. 

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AM BEST WITHDRAWS CREDIT RATINGS OF MANDAL DAATGAL JSC

HONG KONG, March 6 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B (Fair) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bb+” (Fair) of Mandal Daatgal JSC (Mandal) (Mongolia). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. Concurrently, AM Best has withdrawn these ratings as the company has requested to no longer participate in AM Best’s interactive rating process.

The ratings reflect Mandal’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Mandal’s balance sheet strength is supported by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, which AM Best estimated to be at the very strong level as of year-end 2022, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR); however, the absolute size of its capital base remains small at MNT 29.1 billion (USD 8.3 million).

Mandal’s operating performance has been strong and consistent, with key operating metrics generally outperforming those of its regional peers. This is attributed to the company’s history of profitable underwriting and investment, as demonstrated by a five-year average combined ratio of approximately 95% and an average operating ratio of 72% (2018-2022). During fiscal year 2022, the company’s combined ratio exceeded 100%, mainly due to higher personnel expenses amid high inflation, as well as a higher-than-expected number of large losses in both the motor physical damage line and the commercial property line. In response, Mandal has implemented various initiatives to stabilise and improve its prospective underwriting performance, which AM Best expects will help strengthen Mandal’s underwriting and operating results. 

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NUS AND EMERITUS LAUNCH CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER PROGRAMME TO PREPARE CTOS FOR FACING TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES

SINGAPORE, March 7 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Computing has launched their Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Programme in collaboration with Emeritus, a global leader in making high-quality education accessible and affordable to individuals and organisations worldwide. NUS School of Computing is ranked No. 1 in Asia for Computer Science and Information Systems, according to the World University Ranking 2023. NUS School of Computing’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Programme is a cutting-edge 9-month programme that is designed for commercially driven technology/digital leaders with 10+ years of work experience and 5 years of management and technology experience, who want to emerge as a transformative technology leader by becoming a trusted advisor to the CEO.

According to recent research by Gartner, 72% of data & analytics leaders are leading or heavily involved in digital transformation initiatives. Gartner also forecasts 5.1% increase in worldwide IT spending in 2023. CTOs need to provide the vision and technical leadership for their organisation’s digital transformation, they require a deep understanding of the changing future technology trends and potential organisational threats, as well as new technology-related skills. The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Programme is intended for professionals who want to advance their skills in digital innovation, strategy, organisation, cutting-edge technologies, and leadership development. Curated with a strong emphasis on real-world relevance to meet the challenging times and rapidly evolving business needs and trends, the Chief Technology Officer Programme offered by NUS School of Computing will provide you with a matrix of knowledge from which you can manage your organisation’s digitalisation journey in the role of a CTO.

The curriculum consists of 26 modules grouped into four pillars delivered through recorded video lectures from distinguished NUS SOC faculty. It also offers senior IT leaders a chance to Connect and network with high-achieving global professionals/leaders from across industries during the 2-day graduation and networking opportunity at NUS campus. It further also provides access to a success coach to drive engagement and clarity and a certificate of completion from NUS School of Computing. This is the first Chief Technology Officer (CTO) programme in Singapore offered by a premier global University.

Speaking about the programme, Mohan Kannegal, CEO, India and APAC, Emeritus, said, “With the growing demand for skilled CTOs across all industries, we have curated the NUS School of Computing’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Programme. From managing and implementing the information and technology of your organisation to advising the CEO in taking high level decisions for the overall growth of your organisation, all technology/digital leaders can benefit from this informative learning experience. We aim to produce industry-ready CTOs with skills required to build and lead organisations with agility for transformation and change in the digital economy.”

So for technology leaders who are looking to develop an agile and effective technology strategy, create organisational frameworks and implement technological solutions in line with future technology trends and master the leadership skills and boost business outcomes, this is the ultimate programme.

About NUS School of Computing

The NUS School of Computing traces its roots back to the Nanyang University Department of Computer Science that was established in 1975 – the first of its kind in Singapore. Since then, the School has developed into one of the top 10 computing schools in the world, with faculty members who are both internationally recognised researchers and inspiring teachers. The School offers outstanding undergraduate and graduate degree programmes across the full spectrum of the field of computing, including Computer Science, Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Business Analytics and Information Security, as well as specialisations in emerging areas of importance such as artificial intelligence, fintech, blockchain, financial analytics and cybersecurity. Correspondingly, the School attracts excellent students and produce talented graduates who are making their mark in the world. The exceptional education that students experience here, coupled with the demand for computing talent in all fields and industries, make NUS Computing graduates highly sought-after. The School instil its students with leadership qualities and a spirit of entrepreneurship through mentorship, community service initiatives and special programmes, including The Furnace, a start-up incubator which offers funding, infrastructure and management support to bring original ideas to commercial fruition. For more information, please visit https://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/

About Emeritus:

Emeritus is committed to teaching the skills of the future by making high-quality education accessible and affordable to individuals, companies, and governments around the world. It does this by collaborating with more than 75 top-tier universities across the United States, Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, India, and China. Emeritus’ short courses, degree programs, professional certificates, and senior executive programs help individuals learn new skills and transform their lives, companies, and organizations. Founded in 2015, Emeritus, part of Eruditus Group, has more than 1,750 employees globally and offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, Singapore, Palo Alto, Mexico City, New York, Boston, London, and Dubai. For more information, please visit https://emeritus.org/. 

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U.S. BANCORP INVESTS IN DIGITAL ASSETS FINTECH, OWNERA

Funding will be used to accelerate Ownera’s deployment of a global interoperability network to unlock the institutional market for Tokenized Assets.

LONDON, March 2 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Ownera, the company delivering an extensive interoperability network for tokenized assets, announced today that U.S. Bancorp has joined Ownera’s Series A investment round.

Ownera is working to digitize paper-heavy and illiquid private markets, allowing banks, asset managers and exchanges to route assets more efficiently. Ownera aims to help institutional clients of regulated financial institutions discover, invest in and trade assets with instant transaction settlement and transfer of ownership. These clients will be able to receive real-time visibility into the characteristics and history – including ownership details – of a wide-range of assets such as bonds and syndicated corporate loans.

Ownera’s objective is to unlock distribution and liquidity by connecting asset tokenization venues to wealth platforms and exchanges across the world. Based on the open-source FinP2P protocol, Ownera’s offering for regulated financial institutions aims to seamlessly connect any type of asset tokenization platform on any blockchain, private distributed ledger, or even traditional ledgers. 

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SYNCHRONOSS ANNOUNCES STRONG MESSAGING PLATFORM GROWTH IN ASIA PACIFIC FUELED BY ADVANCED MESSAGING

Global Service Providers Utilizing Synchronoss Platforms to Deliver Value-Added Services to Tens of Millions of Subscribers

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Feb 28 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (“Synchronoss” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SNCR), a global leader and innovator in cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, today announced strong growth in Asia Pacific, primarily fueled by growth in its Advanced Messaging business. Through partnerships with global service providers, specifically in Japan, the company continues to expand its global footprint, supporting tens of millions of subscribers in the region.

In Japan, Rich Communications Service (RCS) technology enables consumers to engage with brands and businesses safely and securely, and provide the best user-experience for the Japanese customers. Through a long-standing partnership with WIT Software, Synchronoss Advanced Messaging is enabling mobile operators NTT DOCOMO, KDDI, and SoftBank to deploy a cross-operator RCS experience supporting 32.5 million subscribers. 

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