In its 2nd edition, the TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024 drew participation from 204 students from 30 Universities and Colleges, who proposed unique solutions to increase the representation of women in STEM

MUMBAI, INDIA / KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 April 2024 – Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) announced the winners of TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024, a problem-solving competition that empowers students to find creative solutions to real-world challenges using technology.

Ten finalists proposed their ideas for making the best use of technology to bridge the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields and provide women with equal opportunities for growth in these fields. Based on the theme ‘Empowering Women in STEM’, the finalists tackled three challenge statements in their proposals: using technology to enhance the STEM curriculum, promote successful women in STEM as role models and helping women in STEM advance in their careers.

The finale was attended by Senator Saraswathy Kandasami, the Deputy Minister of National Unity, who said, “TCS Malaysia’s contributions to our nation’s growth embody the power of public-private partnerships in driving sustainable development and nation-building. Their dedication to fostering innovation and supporting STEM education aligns perfectly with our national priorities, highlighting the essential role such collaborations play in propelling Malaysia towards a more inclusive and prosperous future. By bringing together diverse talents and fostering an environment where women can thrive in STEM, we are not just empowering individuals, we are strengthening the very fabric of our nation. Such initiatives contribute to building a more inclusive, progressive and united Malaysia – a vision that the government, and specifically the Ministry of National Unity, strives to achieve.”

Students Claudine Ivancka Netto, Chow Xin Ying and Fatima Safiya Fauzy from Brickfields Asia College took home the grand prize for their solution, Team VirtuLearn. Their proposal aimed to transform education through interactive e-textbooks focusing on STEM subjects, to make STEM education more immersive and engaging. This is expected to encourage more female students to develop their interest in the field and join the industry. Team SrikandInTech from Universiti Tenaga Nasional with Aisya Batrisyia Azley, Nur Adilah Zainal Abidin and Mohammed Zaid Ahmed Alshami secured second place. At the third place was Team Grow Your Own STEM from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan with Muslihah Mohd Norhisam, Siti Nor Syafiqah Muhammad Hanafiah and Siti Nur Syafiqah Abd Latif. The winning team was awarded the prize money of RM 10,000, the second and third positions were awarded RM 7,000 and RM 5,000 respectively. In its 2^nd edition, the competition attracted 76 proposal submissions from a total of 204 students from 30 universities and colleges across Malaysia.

This year’s theme was an attempt to create awareness among the youth about the gender gap in STEM and encourage them to find solutions to close the gap by leveraging technology. In Malaysia, more than half of the local STEM graduates are women (53.2% in 2021) but men outnumber women in employment, according to research by the Khazanah Research Institute. Only 69% of the women graduates were hired compared to 72% of men. At the leadership level, the challenge is even more acute globally, with women constituting only 19% of board members and 3% of CEOs in STEM companies.

Jeevan Rajoo, Country Head, TCS Malaysia, said, “TCS is committed to supporting youth empowerment by engaging them in nation-building initiatives. The TCS Sustainathon is one such avenue that encourages the youth to ideate solutions that address socioeconomic challenges. Being our future leaders, our youth are well-placed to push the needle on societal progress and achieve the paradigm shift needed to make the STEM field more gender balanced. We are already walking the talk at TCS by having more women in our workforce to elevate innovation, creativity and competitiveness. Research has found that closing the gender gap in the workforce is associated with increased gross domestic product (GDP), labour productivity and socioeconomic development, aside from meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals targets such as equitable education and economic opportunities.”

The TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024 is supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Astro, CelcomDigi, Khazanah Research Institute, Malaysia Aviation Group, Maybank, SEEd.Lab and United Nations Global Compact Network Malaysia and Brunei.

Chow Xin Ying, Team Lead of champions VirtuLearn, said, “We’re delighted to win the TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024. This victory is a wonderful confidence booster. Learning from the mentors really opened our eyes to how we could create more effective results with our idea, and we’re excited to contribute towards closing the STEM gender gap in the future, in our own small way. Women have so much potential to contribute to STEM fields, so we should make full efforts to tap into their talents to improve society. We would also like to thank TCS Malaysia for the cash prize and Malaysia Airlines for the return tickets. We will certainly put these resources to good use.”

The TCS Sustainathon initiative was first launched in Singapore in 2020. Since then, it has gone global, with 12 editions across 10 countries, including Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa and Ireland. The competition provides the youth with opportunities to collaborate with private companies, non-profit organisations and government agencies to co-create solutions. For more information on the TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024, please visit https://www.sustainathon.tcsapps.com/events/ongoing/MY2024.

Hashtag: #TCS

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About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 55 years. Its consulting-led, cognitive powered, portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India’s largest multinational business group, TCS has over 603,305 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $27.9 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, and is listed on the BSE and the NSE in India. TCS’ proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit www.tcs.com

Global cloud leader supports long-term AI growth with price reductions of up to 59% on core public cloud products

New services and product features are now available to boost generative AI development

HANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 April 2024 – Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, today announced its new pricing strategy for the international customers with prices reductions of up to 59% on core public cloud products using the company’s international data centers out of Chinese mainland. This is aligned with the global cloud leader’s latest AI first strategy aiming to make core computing resources more accessible for customers of all size, and empowering their long-term growth in the AI era.

Effective immediately, the new pricing strategy covers five core public cloud product categories, including compute, storage, network, database, as well as big data products, with an average of 23% price reduction.

“Cloud infrastructure is poised to be the key cornerstone for the future of AI, and our commitment lies in making sure that the foundation for AI development remains affordable. As a cloud service provider committed to facilitating customers’ long-term growth, Alibaba Cloud is dedicated to making AI more accessible in terms of cost efficiency, availability of proven technologies, and more. Our latest pricing strategy is designed not only to reward long-term subscribers with more substantial discounts, but also to ensure that businesses can have a stable foundation to develop their long-term strategies when planning and developing their own AI applications,” said Selina Yuan, President of the International Business of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.

The new pricing is applicable to both existing and new customers who place orders through the official Alibaba Cloud website. Here are some of the highlights announced at the Alibaba Cloud Spring Launch today:

• Reductions will apply to a variety of payment models of Elastic Compute Service (ECS), including pay-as-you-go, subscriptions and savings plans, encompassing the majority of ECS instance types and generations. For instance, international businesses who prefer pay-as-you-go billing model, they can reduce cost by up to 30% and 59% of ECS and Elastic Block Storage(EBS) respectively.
• To maintain a stable cost-efficiency throughout the next 12 months, the new Object Storage Service (OSS)-Resource plan enables customers to reserve storage capacity in a specific region for one year to obtain deeper discount. The price of one-year package of 500 GB storage plan, which is popular among SMEs, has been cut to USD16.99 from USD 63.
• Users of database products, including ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL, ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL, ApsaraDB RDS for MariaDB, ApsaraDB for Redis and ApsaraDB for MongoDB, will also enjoy price reductions in long-term packages, spanning from one-to-five years, by up to 50%. Similarly, big data products, including MaxCompute, Hologres, DataWorks, Realtime Compute for Apache Flink and Open Search, will offer cuts on one-to-three-year subscription plans by as much as 50%.
• Lastly, Alibaba Cloud also increases the FREE monthly usage of Cloud Data Transfer Service from 20GB to 200GB for its international customers. Cloud Data Transfer Service is a network product providing complete control over the volume and cost of data transfers incurred across services as well as generating bills.

New services and product features to boost generative AI development

To reduce AI process complexity for customers worldwide, Alibaba Cloud also announced the availability of a series of innovative product features and services for the international customers during the event.

• To lower the threshold of leveraging AI, Alibaba Cloud introduced a managed large language models (LLMs) service to offer access to specialized experts dedicated to streamlining the integration and operation of LLMs across both the model architecture and cloud infrastructure. This enables businesses to concentrate on leveraging the business value of LLMs without the complexities of technical implementation.
• PAI-Lingjun Intelligent Computing Service, a comprehensive AI computing platform for high-performance computing tasks, such as foundation model training and inference, is now available in Singapore. The service provides full-process AI engineering capabilities, including AI development, AI training, and computing resource management.
• Energy Expert, Alibaba Cloud’s AI-driven sustainability solution, has enhanced its functionalities with the introduction of an open API service. This solution now offers carbon micro-services and energy micro-services, fully developed using LLM capabilities and domain-specific knowledge. These services provide functionalities such as carbon footprint calculation, carbon emission optimization, energy consumption monitoring, forecasting, and optimization. The microservices enable developers to create customized sustainability applications and, at the same time, improve the underlying generative AI models with their knowledge bases for better outcomes.

New initiatives to strengthen global partnership ecosystem

In a move to bolster its international partnership network, Alibaba Cloud also unveiled a suite of financial incentives during the event. These include an increase in the standard discount and commission rates for resellers, the removal of initial tier requirements and yearly commitments for resellers, and an enhancement of support for channel partners’ efforts to grow their market presence.

Additionally, Alibaba Cloud further standardized its training empowerment program to boost partners’ service delivery competencies and introduced a specialized partner service manager role to provide dedicated support.

Currently, Alibaba Cloud operates 89 availability zones in 30 regions globally, supporting over 4 million customers worldwide. In the latest “Gartner® report Market Share: IT Services, Worldwide, 2022” released in 2023, Alibaba is the world’s third leading and Asia Pacific’s leading IaaS provider.

Hashtag: #AlibabaCloud

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Alibaba Cloud

Established in 2009, Alibaba Cloud (www.alibabacloud.com) is the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. It offers a complete suite of cloud services to customers worldwide, including elastic computing, database, storage, network virtualization services, large-scale computing, security, management and application services, big data analytics, a machine learning platform and IoT services. Alibaba maintained its position as the third leading public cloud IaaS service provider globally since 2018, according to IDC. Alibaba is the world’s third leading and Asia Pacific’s leading IaaS provider by revenue in U.S. dollars since 2018, according to Gartner.

Green power purchase agreements cover properties in Shanghai, Wuxi, Kunming and Jinan

HONG KONG SAR and SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 April 2024 – Hang Lung Properties (SEHK stock code: 00101) (“the “Company” or “Hang Lung”) announced that half of its operating properties in Mainland have been powered by renewable energy through power purchase agreements since April 1, 2024, solidifying its market leadership in sustainable real estate practices.*

The move represents a remarkable milestone in Hang Lung’s sustainability journey, and means that by the end of 2024 Hang Lung will go well beyond its 2025 sustainability target of 25% renewable energy for its mainland China portfolio. The achievement includes five properties in four cities: Plaza 66 and Grand Gateway 66 in Shanghai, Center 66 in Wuxi, Spring City 66 in Kunming, and Parc 66 in Jinan.

These innovative transactions – which draw on wind and solar power – support China’s goals of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, and demonstrate Hang Lung’s commitment to sustainability leadership. They also align with the Company’s commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 2050, in accordance with climate science and its Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) target.

“Hang Lung aims to push the boundaries of what is possible for sustainability in the real estate industry and to inspire others to follow suit. We are leading the way, showing that it is possible to accelerate emissions reductions and sustainability progress in an economically viable way,” said Mr. Adriel Chan, Hang Lung Properties Vice Chair and Chair of Sustainability Steering Committee.

Hashtag: #HangLung #renewableenergy

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Hang Lung Properties

Hang Lung Properties Limited (SEHK stock code: 00101) creates compelling spaces that enrich lives. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Hang Lung Properties develops and manages a diversified portfolio of world-class properties in Hong Kong and the nine Mainland cities of Shanghai, Shenyang, Jinan, Wuxi, Tianjin, Dalian, Kunming, Wuhan and Hangzhou. With its luxury positioning under the “66” brand, the company’s Mainland portfolio has established its leading position as the “Pulse of the City”. Hang Lung Properties is recognized for leading the way in enhanced sustainability initiatives in real estate as it pursues sustainable growth by connecting customers and communities.

At Hang Lung Properties – We Do It Well.

For more information, please visit www.hanglung.com.

Get ready to sip the latest beverage innovation from Coca-Cola™ & unlock exclusive experiences with J.Y. Park, Stray Kids, ITZY & NMIXX!

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 April 2024 – Jump in! Coca-Cola® has introduced the newest addition to the Coca-Cola® Creations line-up, Coca-Cola® K-Wave Zero Sugar. Offering a limited-edition flavour and experiences, Coca-Cola® K-Wave Zero Sugar celebrates fans and their infinite devotion for K-Pop. First launched in South Korea in February and now launching across the region, the fans can look forward to a suite of music-focused digital and IRL experiences featuring some of the genre’s biggest stars.

In addition to the new limited-edition flavour, three of the hottest K-Pop groups, Stray Kids, ITZY, NMIXX, and the founder of JYP Entertainment, J.Y. Park, have created unexpected experiences for devoted fans. As part of this exciting collaboration, the groups have teamed up to drop the ultimate K-Pop anthem song and music video called “Like Magic,” produced by J.Y. Park. The full song and video will be available on JYP Entertainment’s YouTube channel.

As part of the song and video drop, fans have the chance to embark on the “Like Magic” Fan Music Video AI Experience, an AI-powered experience like no other, allowing fans to immerse and participate directly in the vibrant world of a K-Pop music video, sharing the screen with their idols. Fans who will participate in the AI experience will have the chance to make a cameo appearance in the Fan Music Video of “Like Magic” by embedding their voice, name, and face into various segments of the K-Wave anthem song and MV. Once finished, users can easily download and share their personalized music video cameo with friends on social media.

“Immersing fans in the vibrant world of K-Pop, Coca-Cola® K-Wave Zero Sugar is a celebration of shared passions from all over the world,” said Jung Hyun Kwon, Category Lead for Japan and Korea at The Coca-Cola Company. “By collaborating with some of the biggest names in K-Pop culture, Coca-Cola® K-Wave Zero Sugar is bringing fans together through innovative experiences that bring to life their special and unique devotion for their favourite artists, and the powerful impact that K-Pop has on culture.”

Bringing these unexpected moments to life, Coca-Cola® Creations will host an epic K-Wave concert <Inkigayo> on June 2^nd. The live event will showcase an impressive lineup of talented artists from JYP Entertainment and other K-Pop sensations including performances from Stray Kids, ITZY, and NMIXX. Check back on Coca-Cola® channels for more details to come.

“We are very excited to celebrate the incredible passion of K-Pop fandoms, especially here in ASEAN & South Pacific,” says Teejae Sonza, Senior Marketing Director for Coca-Cola Trademark, Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific. “This isn’t just a limited-edition drink; it’s a one-of-a-kind immersive experience – a true taste of Coca-Cola magic infused with the energy of K-Pop. Just like Coke Creations is known for, it all starts with an amazing Coca-Cola Zero Sugar flavour, but with a little dash of fruity K-Pop twist. And there’s more! Fans can also embark on an AI-powered journey to customize their music video, all thanks to our exciting collaboration with JYP Entertainment and three of the hottest K-Pop groups today.”

“The world of K-Pop exists because of the fans, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate fans’ devotion to the artists and music that they love, through this unique Creation” said J.Y. Park, founder of JYP Entertainment. “We hope fans feel the love and appreciation we have for their support through the launch of a new Coca-Cola® flavor dedicated to their fandom and digital and physical experiences that connect them even more to their favorite artists.”

Unlocking the shared experience of Real Magic, Coca-Cola® K-Wave Zero Sugar creates an electrifying universe that brings K-fans and idols together to celebrate the unique expression of every unrivalled devotion. When fans open a can of Coca-Cola® K-Wave Zero Sugar, they will experience the excitement they felt when they first became a K-Pop fan. With every sip of Coca-Cola® K-Wave Zero Sugar, fans will recognize the refreshing, Coca-Cola® taste infused with a burst of fruity-flavored K-Pop magic.

Coca-Cola® K-Wave Zero Sugar will be available in select markets across the region including Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Australia and around the world. A frozen variation will be available in select markets, including Australia.

Since its launch, the Coca-Cola® Creations platform has created new flavours, designs, and unexpected experiences that blend music, fashion, and technology for fans to enjoy around the world. By tapping into emerging technologies, collaborating with artists and designers, and creating experiences across digital and physical worlds, Coca-Cola® Creations continues to infuse the iconic Coca-Cola® brand with new expressions of creativity and cultural connections allowing fans to experience the Real Magic of Coca-Cola®.

For more information about Coca-Cola® Creations, visit http://www.coca-cola.com/creations.Hashtag: #Coca-Cola

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific 

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. The Coca-Cola ASEAN and South Pacific (ASP) operating unit serves 25 diverse countries across Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. We offer a diverse portfolio of great-tasting beverage innovations including sparkling beverages, water, juices, dairy, nutrition, sports, and tea. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain.

Together with our bottling partners, we help bring economic opportunity to local communities across the region. Learn more at https://www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA –Media OutReach Newswire – 8 April 2024 – t024, the pioneering Korean Alt-Pop duo celebrated for their groundbreaking creativity, unveils their latest single “Cedarwood & Tangerine,” an intoxicating blend of ephemeral, vivid, and elusive nostalgia. This mesmerizing release signifies a noteworthy milestone for t024 as they continue to push the frontiers of musical innovation.

With “Cedarwood & Tangerine,” t024 ventures into uncharted territory by not only stimulating auditory senses but also invoking olfactory sensations. This groundbreaking approach aims to immerse listeners in a multisensory experience, blending the power of music with the evocative nature of scent.

The track expresses the trembling of the moment found in the fragments of memories chaotically placed in the ambiguity of the past moment, along with the confusing attraction, as an afterglow and lingering image. It deeply immerses one into the whirlwind of unforgettable emotions of that day.

“The key thing here is definitely the scent. You know how sometimes you randomly smell something and it just takes you back? Like, it brings up a picture in your head or a certain vibe, even if you can’t pinpoint all the details. I thought that was super interesting and it’s actually what got me to write this song. It’s all about those good vibes and memories that come flooding back because of a scent.” says Senji, singer-songwriter of t024 about the inspiration behind “Cedarwood & Tangerine”.

Nap!er, producer of t024 added: “I am satisfied with whatever emotions listeners feel upon hearing our music. A perfume with a lingering scent doesn’t necessarily have a very strong top note. Similarly, moments without such longevity can be even more precious. In music, too, the depth and duration of emotions each listening experience brings can vary. I believe that if there are emotions felt, every moment has its own significance and value.”

The innovative duo is preparing to unveil their inaugural EP, introducing audiences to their intriguing musical concept that ingeniously intertwines olfactory nostalgia with auditory delight. Get ready to embark on a sensory journey like never before.

Hashtag: #koreanmusic #kpop #korea #korean #music #koreanpop #krnb #koreanstyle #kpopidol #kmusic #koreansong #koreanboy #kpopedit #song #asianmusic #southkorea #newmusic #art #musician #koreasong

https://twitter.com/t024_official
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https://www.youtube.com/@t024.official
https://www.tiktok.com/@t024.official

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About t024

t024, also known as ‘To Twenty Four’, comprises singer-songwriter Senji and producer Nap!er. The moniker t024 stems from their shared vision of crafting music tailored for the intimate hours between 2AM and 4AM, a time period synonymous with heightened emotional experiences.