Day: November 8, 2022

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ELECTIONS 2022/COVID patients breaking quarantine to vote can be fined up to NT$2m: CECC

Coronavirus patients who break their mandatory quarantine to vote in the Nov. 26 local government elections will be fined up to NT$2 million (US$62,500) as with other quarantine breakers, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Tuesday.

Individuals will be fined between NT$200,000-NT$2 million — with the amount depending on how long they leave quarantine — for violating the Special Act for Prevention, Relief and Revitalization Measures for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens, said CECC spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) at a press briefing.

Chuang also denied media speculation that the CECC will allow local governments to provide poll workers with a list of COVID-19 voters in their electoral district to better identify quarantine breakers.

Chinese-language newspaper United Daily News reported earlier in the day that local governments including Taoyuan and Changhua County plan to introduce such measures, which Chuang said neither the CECC nor Central Election Commission (CEC) supports.

Local governments should not act unilaterally, according to Chuang, despite not offering an alternative solution.

However, the CECC has decided to reduce the self-isolation period from seven to five days for people who test positive for COVID-19 starting Nov. 14, which will reduce the number of people unable to vote.

 

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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COST OF LIVING/Taiwan’s CPI up 2.72% in October

Taiwan’s consumer price index grew 2.72 percent from a year earlier in October on the back of an increase in food prices, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said Tuesday.

However, data compiled by the DGBAS showed that although October CPI growth moderated from a year-on-year increase of 2.76 percent in September, it remained well above the 2 percent alert set by the central bank.

On a month-on-month basis, the October CPI rose 0.26 percent, and after seasonal adjustments increased 0.12 percent, the data indicated.

Core CPI, which excludes fruit, vegetables and energy, rose 2.96 percent in October, compared with an increase of 2.80 percent in September, the DGBAS said.

In the first 10 months of this year, the local CPI rose 3.04 percent from a year earlier with core CPI up 2.57 percent, the DGBAS added.

In October, food prices rose 5.17 percent from a year earlier with the price of eggs and meat up 34.53 percent and 5.84 percent, respectively, on the back of more expensive animal feed.

In addition, the price of fishery products, frozen food, vegetables and dairy products also rose 6.51 percent, 6.32 percent, 3.74 percent and 3.74 percent, respectively, from a year earlier in the month, when dining out expenses also rose 6.40 percent, the DGBAS said.

Bucking the upturn, the price of fruit fell 3.77 percent to offset food price growth, the DGBAS said.

Housing expenses rose 2.42 percent from a year earlier in October with maintenance fees and rent rising 5.13 percent and 2.02 percent in the month, according to the DGBAS.

Last month, the cost of a basket of 17 government-monitored household necessities, including rice, pork, bread, eggs, sugar, cooking oil, instant noodles, shampoo and toilet paper, rose by 6.90 percent from a year earlier, after a 5.84 percent increase in September, the DGBAS said.

Meanwhile, the wholesale price index (WPI) surged by 11.09 percent from a year earlier in October, largely reflecting an increase in the price of electricity, fuel, electronic components and animal feed, the DGBAS said.

The import price index rose by 14.74 percent from a year earlier in October in Taiwan dollar terms and increased by 0.23 percent in U.S. dollar terms, while the export price index grew by 12.32 percent in U.S. dollar terms but fell 1.88 percent in Taiwan dollar terms, the data showed.

In the first 10 months of this year, Taiwan’s WPI rose 13.34 percent from a year earlier, the DGBAS said.

In October, Taiwan’s producer price index rose 8.68 percent from a year earlier and grew 11.31 percent in the 10-month period, the DGBAS added.

 

 

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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Police arrest leading member of torture ring in Pingtung

Law enforcement authorities arrested on Tuesday a leading member of a criminal organization allegedly responsible for holding and torturing at least 61 people, of whom three died, in Taoyuan and New Taipei in an alleged money laundering operation.

The suspect, surnamed Tu (涂), 30, and his girlfriend, surnamed Liao (廖), who is also suspected of being a member of the ring, were found at a bed-and-breakfast in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township and taken in for questioning by the New Taipei City Police Department.

The torture ring allegedly lured victims to their hideouts in apartment buildings on the pretense of holding interviews for high-paying jobs and then held them for between less than a week to more than a month and tortured them to get their bank passbooks, account passwords, and IDs, police said.

According to police, the accounts seized by the suspects were likely used as vehicles for laundering money and to set up other fraud schemes.

Police rescued 26 captives in Tamsui in New Taipei and 32 captives from the Zhongli location in Taoyuan.

In addition, they tracked down two bodies hidden in Taoyuan’s Guishan District and another one in Nantou County that had been taken there after the person died in Taoyuan, they said.

Tu was at the same level in the ring as Chen Hua-wei (陳樺韋), another key suspect who was arrested Saturday and turned over to prosecutors on charges of homicide, involvement in organized crime, money laundering, fraud, assault and unlawful imprisonment, police said.

Meanwhile, police said on Tuesday they subpoenaed several more suspects, who are to be handed over to prosecutors after their statements are taken.

So far, the police have arrested 28 people from the Tamsui and Zhongli operations, of whom 19 were detained after being denied bail, two are to stand trial in a juvenile court, one had posted bail, one was released without bail, and five were still being questioned as of Tuesday afternoon.

Police were still trying to track down the mastermind behind the torture rings, they said.

 

 

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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Hitachi Energy and Equinor sign a strategic collaboration agreement to accelerate the energy transition

The agreement extends across Hitachi Energy’s complete portfolio of power grid solutions for a sustainable low-carbon energy system

Zurich, Switzerland, Nov. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all, today announced it has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Equinor, one of the world’s largest energy companies, to collaborate within electrification, renewable power generation and low-carbon initiatives worldwide.

The agreement underlines both companies’ commitment to accelerate the energy transition and advance a more sustainable, flexible and secure energy system. It builds on the two companies’ long and successful collaboration over many decades. During that time, Hitachi Energy has provided Equinor with power grid solutions and pioneering technologies on several projects, such as Dogger Bank A, B and C, the world’s largest offshore wind farm on completion, and Troll A, the world’s first HVDC power-from-shore connection.

Initial areas of focus for the collaboration include developing standardized base designs to be applied for high-voltage direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) transmission systems to connect offshore wind farms and Equinor production facilities to mainland power grids.

“We are delighted to deepen our longstanding relationship with one of the world’s leading energy companies and to help Equinor achieve its ambition of becoming net zero by mid-century,” said Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business. “Together we make a strong team that will support the society to reach the goal of the Paris Agreement and create a sustainable energy future for all.”

“Hitachi Energy has been a reliable supplier to Equinor for many years. This strategic collaboration agreement is a signal of joint ambitions to increase our competitiveness in the ongoing energy transition. Standardization of technical solutions will be a key to succeed, and we look forward to improving together with Hitachi Energy,” said Geir Tungesvik, Executive Vice President for Projects, Drilling and Procurement at Equinor.

The scope of the agreement covers the complete spectrum of Hitachi Energy’s portfolio of power grid technologies and solutions. It includes IdentiQTM, Hitachi Energy’s digital twin for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and power quality solutions, which provides significant benefits throughout the assets’ plan, build, operate and maintain life cycle; Grid-eXpandTM modular and prefabricated offshore and onshore grid connections that make it faster, simpler and more efficient to connect facilities to the grid; OceaniQTM solutions such as transformers and high-voltage products that can operate flawlessly on land, offshore and below the sea surface; and grid automation solutions that keep onshore and offshore electrical assets operating reliably, safely and securely.

About Hitachi Energy Ltd.

Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world’s energy system to become more sustainable, flexible and secure whilst balancing social, environmental and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ around 40,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of approximately $10 billion USD.

https://www.hitachienergy.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachienergy

https://twitter.com/HitachiEnergy

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society with data and technology. We will solve customers’ and society’s challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products, under the business structure of Digital Systems & Services, Green Energy & Mobility, Connective Industries and Automotive Systems. Driven by green, digital, and innovation, we aim for growth through collaboration with our customers. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2021 (ended March 31, 2022) totaled 10,264.6 billion yen ($84,136 million USD), with 853 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 370,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at https://www.hitachi.com.

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Jocelyn Chang
Hitachi Energy Ltd.
+41793847775
jocelyn.chang@hitachienergy.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8691594

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OPES Insurance partners with IMS for Mobile Telematics Insurance in Vietnam

Policyholders to benefit from cheaper auto insurance through SDK-based behavior scoring system created by IMS for Vietnamese market

London, UK and Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Nov. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OPES, the first digital-only insurer in Vietnam, has teamed up with IMS, the global connected insurance solutions business, to supply smartphone app-based telematics insurance to car drivers in Vietnam. The new product, “O∙Car”, using the IMS One App SDK to deliver its core capabilities, launched to market earlier this month>.

OPES is owned by Vietnam Prosperity Joint-Stock Commercial Bank (VPBank), and according to Paul Stacy, Chief Executive Officer at IMS, the product will be the first wholly digital, telematics-based insurance offering in Vietnam, and it is aimed at the country’s ~3 million car drivers.

Paul said: “O∙Car leverages the IMS One App SDK along with our patented IMS Wedge (IMS’s patented BLE IOT sensor add-on) which helps identify the insured’s vehicle. Together, this connected insurance technology evaluates driving style and the resulting data is used to personalize the insurance product offered to OPES customers.” Paul said that OPES will also run competitions and other campaigns outside the app to reward good driving behavior.

He continued: “We’ve been working with OPES and their parent VPBank to trial the app among their own employees and customers. Because the traffic in Vietnam is highly congested and slow moving, the IMS analytics team had to develop a whole new driver behavior scoring system that is unique to the Vietnamese market. OPES and IMS tested with thousands of drivers and more than 60,000 trips to develop the scoring criteria.”

Mr. Dang Hoang Tung, Chief Executive Officer of OPES said: “This is a ground breaking opportunity for telematics-motor insurance in Vietnam and we are very excited to be pioneering the new OPES insurance app in partnership with IMS after a successful trial. Not only are we excited to join the motor insurance market with this innovative, new product but we also want to help promote and build a safe driving culture among Vietnamese drivers to help reduce the accident rate in the long run.”

Paul Stacy continued: “Having developed the process for Vietnam, we think something very similar will apply to other Southeast Asian markets where traffic flow is very different from the West.” He also noted that there are around 76 million registered car drivers in ASEAN nations, representing a huge untapped market for telematics and connected insurance.

Turning to the OPES deal, Paul said “OPES will be working with IMS to offer a number of different services using our core technologies, including our ‘try-before-you-buy’ functionality and behaviorally based rewards program.  We are also expecting to help OPES in introducing mileage-based insurance to their policyholders in the future.”

Paul Stacy said the OPES deal underscored IMS’ growing international presence beyond the UK, Europe and North America. “Our approach to deal making is consultative and leverages our own deep insurance expertise. We prefer to work collaboratively with clients, such as OPES, and implement solutions that achieve the insurer’s desired outcomes – for the present day, but also with an eye to the future.”

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Ben Welsh
Certus Communications
07568 382040
benwelsh@certuscc.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8666376

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Australian business leaders are confident that Australian governments are making progress on climate policies but want more on climate action; finds the inaugural ‘Sustainable Future Poll’ from Confident Strategy Group and YouGov.

– 6 out of 10 Australian leaders were confident that Australia was making meaningful progress on each of the nine levers of climate change/resilience surveyed.- 7 in 10 senior business leaders of medium to large companies believe that the federal and state governments should do more in sustainability and climate action.- In a deep dive, we found agreement across the political divide that solar should be increased as an energy source. While 7 in 10 believe coal as a source should be reduced or kept at the current level.

Canberra, Australia, Nov. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — This week, government and climate experts are meeting at the United Nations Conference of Parties, COP27, in Egypt. At COP27, governments will report their progress and make agreements to take further action to achieve the Paris Agreement’s outcomes (2015). Confident Strategy Group and YouGov polled over 500 Australian business leaders to determine their confidence level in the Australian Federal and State Government’s sustainability policies. The poll assessed business leaders’ confidence across nine levers of climate change while also considering Australia’s unique environment and biodiversity impacts. This year the poll also did a deep dive into business leaders’ attitudes towards energy sources suitable for Australia.

In this inaugural poll, we also found the following:

  • Confidence was at its highest amongst younger business leaders (only 16% of leaders 50+ years are very confident). However, only half were confident that Australia was progressing on ‘Building sustainable future food systems that prevent food insecurity.’
  • Confidence was at its highest amongst those who voted Labor and Green at the most recent election (76%, 69% versus 51% for the Coalition).
  • Business leaders 50+ years were less confident across all sustainability policy areas, with only 4 to 5 out of 10 leaders confident in each area. Reflecting older business leaders’ lower overall confidence in sustainability policies, fewer than two in ten said they were very confident in addressing each area.
  • Business leaders identifying as female tended to be less confident overall regarding policy progress across all areas (women 49% v men 69%).
  • Those in the asset-based industries (i.e. manufacturing, construction, utilities) are much more likely to be confident (79%) compared to those in service (i.e. retail, transport, health, education) 46% or knowledge-based industries (professional, financial, ITC services) 63%. Those in manufacturing are particularly confident (88%).
  • 2 in 10 Australian business leaders were not confident deforestation was being addressed.
  • While 8 in 10 business leaders believe solar as a source of energy should be increased, 7 in 10 also believe hydroelectricity and wind should be increased, and 4 in 10 believe natural gas and nuclear should be increased.
  • Business leaders are split in their opinion on whether the responsibility for setting climate policies should reside with the Federal Government (45%) or be shared equally with the States (46%).

This year’s poll results may reveal a “green bucket” effect as there was little differentiation in confidence levels across all of the policy lever areas. Albeit there are some clear differences by age, headcount, industry and political affiliation, there is still uniformity that reinforces this finding. This may mean more specific education is required regarding what actions are needed to achieve sustainability and mitigate climate impacts in Australia. It may also indicate that transparency on current and future policy performance and measures is required.

Confident Strategy Group will continue to track this critical policy area annually. Dr Jeanette Fielding, Group CEO of Confident Strategy Group, said, “Australia’s ability to transform at pace to meet the sustainability and climate challenges is vital to Australia’s future success and the economic welfare of all Australians. While many stakeholders have a role in addressing climate impacts, governments set the roadmap for the country through policies they deliver and the ones they don’t.” She further highlighted, “This year’s Sustainable Future Confidence Poll indicates optimism exists after the most recent Federal election, and we look forward to continuing to track business leaders’ confidence in the years ahead”.

The full report is available here: Sustainable Future Confidence Poll

About the poll

The poll was conducted online between 8-16 September 2022. The sample comprised 510 senior business leaders in Australia from organisations with 50+ employees. Confident Strategy Group set the policy levers to be explored, and YouGov designed the questionnaire. After the interviews, the data was weighted by age to reflect the latest ABS population estimates for managers and professionals.

About the Policy Levers

The policy levers were chosen based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that identify levers of climate change and consider Australia’s unique environment and biodiversity. The poll confidence is highest in Waste Reduction (69%), Building green/renewable energy systems for the future, and Taking the initiative to address sustainability/climate resilience through innovation/research and development (68%). Others include Protecting Australia’s unique wildlife and ocean life, Building sustainable future food systems that prevent food insecurity (both 66%), Building green infrastructure for transportation (65%), Building a regenerative and sustainable agriculture system (64%), Mitigating climate impacts (64%), and Addressing the cause of deforestation in Australia (62%).

Confident Strategy Group

Confident Strategy Group is the confident confidants of change-making leaders. We help you resolve the world’s biggest challenges to transform the planet, society, and humanity for the better. This is our passion. Let us put it into practice for you. CSG clients are passionate about health, food, consumer goods, sustainability and women’s peace and security. We are experts in the following practice areas: strategic policy, ESG/sustainability, strategic communications and advocacy. Confident Strategy Group is based in Canberra, Australia and New York, USA and serves national and global clients worldwide. Contact us at www.confidentstrategygroup.com.

Media Relations Contacts:

Dr Jeanette Fielding, Founder and Group CEO at Confident Strategy Group.

contactconfident@confidentstrategygroup.com

Jeanette Fielding
Confident Strategy Group
contactconfident@confidentstrategygroup.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8691105

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Synchronoss Adopts Verizon’s Next Generation Private Cloud Infrastructure     

The Combination of Advanced Storage and 5G Network Gives Verizon Cloud Subscribers Fast Access and Powerful Features to Manage, Organize, and Share All Types of Digital Content

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Nov. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (SNCR), a global leader and innovator in cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, today announced that it is expanding its adoption of Verizon’s (NYSE: VZ) private cloud infrastructure to efficiently manage all digital content on the Synchronoss Personal Cloud platform. Utilizing Verizon’s next-generation technology, Verizon Cloud subscribers can store photos, videos, and other digital files managed by Synchronoss Personal Cloud.

Aside from content storage, Synchronoss will maintain key aspects of the Verizon Cloud offering, including hosting of critical solution components supporting access control, authentication, and customer lifecycle management. Additionally, it will expand its technology investments toward innovation and delivery of key functionality using artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve photo and video curation as well as the customer’s ability to share, tag and search their content.

“We’re pleased to further expand our long-standing relationship with Synchronoss via Verizon’s private cloud infrastructure,” said Brian Higgins, Senior Vice President, Device Marketing and Consumer Product at Verizon. “Verizon Cloud provides a robust, feature-rich experience to store and manage all types of files from an array of devices, more critical than ever before as more and more customers take advantage of the best 5G Unlimited plans – packed with tons of content and entertainment perks – all on America’s most reliable network.”

“The growth of 5G and the various offerings introduced by Verizon, such as Verizon 5G Home, offers a unique opportunity for Synchronoss,” said Jeff Miller, President and CEO of Synchronoss. “Migrating the storage will enable our team to focus on developing new features and functionality that will utilize the increased speed and scalability of Verizon’s 5G network and next-generation private cloud infrastructure.”

Earlier this year, Verizon introduced its Ultra Wideband service that bundles Synchronoss Personal Cloud as part of the new Verizon 5G Home Plus internet plan. The offering includes unlimited Verizon Cloud storage, with more than 40 million households covered by fixed wireless in third-quarter 2022, including over 30 million households covered by 5G Ultra Wideband.

For more information on Synchronoss Personal Cloud, visit: https://synchronoss.com/products/engagex/cloud/. For more information on Verizon’s 5G Home service, visit https://www.verizon.com/5g/home/.

About Synchronoss

Synchronoss Technologies (NASDAQ: SNCR) builds software that empowers companies around the world to connect with their subscribers in trusted and meaningful ways. The company’s collection of products helps streamline networks, simplify onboarding, and engage subscribers to unleash new revenue streams, reduce costs and increase speed to market. Hundreds of millions of subscribers trust Synchronoss products to stay in sync with the people, services, and content they love. Learn more at www.synchronoss.com

Media Relations Contact:
Domenick Cilea
Springboard
dcilea@springboardpr.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Matt Glover / Tom Colton
Gateway Group, Inc.
SNCR@gatewayir.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8690974

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