Latest news with #SDG
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
State-level workshop on SDGs held in Ranchi
1 2 Ranchi: The department of planning and development organised a state-level workshop on sustainable development goals (SDGs) on Monday to discuss policy formulation and adaptation measures to achieve the goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. Jharkhand ranked 27th in the country, scoring 62 in the SDG index, 2023-24. It positioned itself as a 'performer' state along with Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Bihar, while the rest 25 states positioned themselves as 'front runner' states. Minister Radhakrishna Kishore said, "We also have to focus on attaining 'sustainable corruption-free development'. SDGs can be attained when we solve maternal and neonatal deaths, pupil-teacher ratio, illegal transportation of coal, among other issues. For that, the district administration and the departments must work in tandem." A district indicator framework was launched to enable evidence-based decision-making at the grassroots and track real-time performance. Chief secretary Alka Tiwari said, "Maybe it is time to rethink our strategies as we have only five years left to achieve the goals. We must shift our focus to our strengths, which might help us in attaining the goals." Ganesh Reddy, joint secretary of UN Global Compact Network India said, "Lack of schemes and programmes developed aligning with the SDGs is a major concern. Govt must boost financing to achieve the goals."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SDG Deepens Cyber Resilience Offerings Through Strategic Acquisition of PAM Solutions Provider, Synergetika
NORWALK, Conn., June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SDG, a global provider of AI-driven identity, threat, and risk management solutions, today announced its acquisition of Synergetika, a solutions provider specializing in Privileged Access Management (PAM). This strategic move strengthens SDG's delivery capabilities and deepens its expertise in helping organizations secure critical systems through expert PAM strategy and implementation. Privileged access abuse is a top cause of cyberattacks, especially insider threats and lateral movement within compromised systems. Organizations of all sizes understand that an effective PAM program is crucial to prevent breaches and protect critical infrastructure, particularly in industries like finance, healthcare, and energy, where the stakes are higher. "With this acquisition, SDG reinforces its mission to deliver the industry's foremost identity security and access management expertise to every client," said Ajay Gupta, CEO of SDG. "In today's hybrid and dynamic IT environments, controlling and monitoring privileged access has never been more critical. Synergetika brings highly specialized talent and experience in PAM advisory and implementation, which can immediately expand the value we bring to our clients." Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Toronto, Synergetika has earned a reputation for guiding mid-sized and enterprise clients through the complexities of PAM program design, technology selection, and scaled implementation. Its deep partnerships with leading PAM technology providers – CyberArk, BeyondTrust, and Microsoft – align seamlessly with SDG's existing ecosystem, further enhancing the firm's ability to serve complex identity and access needs. "Since inception, Synergetika has focused on helping clients navigate the demanding process of selecting and deploying the right PAM solution for their unique environments," said Leon Lukiyanets, Co-founder and Managing Director of Synergetika. "Joining SDG gives us the scale, platform, and shared purpose to elevate that mission and continue helping enterprises build secure, resilient infrastructures." "The acquisition of Synergetika strengthens SDG's comprehensive identity and access management offering," said Charles Phillips, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Recognize, SDG's majority shareholder. "We understand the business value PAM expertise can bring to enterprise clients." The Synergetika team will join SDG as part of its growing identity and access management practice. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About Synergetika Synergetika is the leading pure-play Privileged Access Management (PAM) consultancy and systems integrator with presence in Canada, USA, and India. The company delivers enterprise-scale PAM strategies and solutions from leading vendors including CyberArk, BeyondTrust, Delinea, HashiCorp, and Microsoft. About SDG With more than 30 years of experience partnering with global enterprises on complex business and IT initiatives, SDG is a trusted provider of advisory, transformation, and managed services. The firm empowers organizations to strengthen cyber resilience by integrating AI into identity, threat, and risk management solutions that protect digital assets and deliver measurable business value. Learn more at About Recognize Recognize Partners LP is an investment platform exclusively focused on the digital services industry. The firm provides operational expertise, industry insights and strategic capital to innovative companies in this sector. To learn more, visit Media Contact:Charisma BurghoutsSDG +1-203-866-8886 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE SDG Corporation
Refinery29
2 days ago
- Business
- Refinery29
A Week In San Diego, CA On A $143,524 Salary
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. Today: a customer experience senior manager who makes $143,524 per year and who spends some of her money this week on a theatre donation. If you'd like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Occupation: Customer experience, senior manager Industry: SAAS technology Age: 38 Location: San Diego, CA Salary: $143,524 Household Income/Finances Setup: $143,524 — my husband V. and I share a single income. He used to own a business and supported me while I built my career, then he sold his business so we could pursue my career opportunities. He is now retired. We put almost all our monthly expenses on a points credit card, which we pay off in full each month. He does errands, laundry, and maintains the home and sticks to the budget we set together. Assets: About $8,000 in liquid/emergency savings in a HYSA; $224,000 in retirement investment accounts; $18,000 in brokerage accounts (split into a dividend-focused portfolio and a long-term growth portfolio). We also have 10-year-old Honda, Blue Book is approximately $14,000 on it. Debt: $0 Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $4,382.81 Pronouns: She/her Monthly Expenses Housing Costs: We rent a loft in the downtown area for $2,900 and pay an additional $175 for a dedicated parking space in a garage. Loan Payments: $0 Internet: $65 SDG&E Electric & Gas: $125-350 (this varies. It's low in the winter, then up to $350 in the summer — and that's not just a/c, the prices go way up in summer). ClassPass: $99 Entertainment Subscriptions: $165 (streaming services, AI, games, LinkedIn Pro). Coffee Bean Subscription: $45 Money To Family: $350 Life Insurance: $86 ($38 for me and $48 for V.). Savings 'Expenses': $307.81 auto-deposit from paycheck (after net) to retirement; $500 transferred to brokerage. Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Oh, yes. It was absolutely understood that everyone in our family must go to college or university and absolutely must pay for it themselves, just like my parents did, because (to my parents) that's the only path to upward mobility. They were enormously disappointed when I chose to go to trade school instead of university, but I chose one that still offered a bachelor's to mitigate the impact. Even so, I'm the youngest of five kids and was still the first to get a college degree (some of my siblings later got undergrad and graduate degrees). To pay for school I took out student loans (going into tens of thousands of dollars into debt as a teenager) and worked full time. When I graduated with my degree, my parents paid off one year's worth of tuition of my loans as a graduation gift. I'm lucky to have paid off the last of my student loans last year. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances? My parents tried very hard to teach us about money and finances. They encouraged savings and budgeting and would fill in an accounting ledger of household expenses with us, and were transparent about resource constraints. If we wanted something we had to present a 'business case' for the purchase explaining our reasoning, the budget for it, and where we expected the money to come from. At any time we could do work around the house or property for an hourly wage to 'earn' enough to 'pay' for our item and they would show us how it was budgeted. My dad would also talk around the dinner table and with his friends about investments/stocks/the economy which we sometimes paid attention to and often didn't. What was your first job and why did you get it? Aside from working around the house, I would babysit, do odd jobs, and sell things around the neighborhood. Around Christmastime my sisters and I would gather mistletoe from the trees and tie it up with ribbon and sell them outside the grocery store for extra spending money. My sisters were in FFA and raised and sold livestock, but I never really involved myself with that. I would deliver eggs across the neighborhood for money. We were very entrepreneurial. I got a job at a local ice cream and smoothie shop in town as soon as I turned 16 to start earning 'real money' at minimum wage. Did you worry about money growing up? I thought about money constantly growing up. I hated being stuck out in the country and really wanted to live in a city, and I thought money was the only way to gain independence and accomplish that. I started saving money as early as I could and was always looking for opportunities to grow my little nest egg so I could move out on my own. I dreamed every night about a house with no siblings in it! Do you worry about money now? I try not to, but honestly, I do. I make a good salary that feels like it should be 'enough', but I worry about having enough money for retirement. I have some savings but not much and I know my parents will leave me an inheritance, but I still worry about the future and our long-term finances. Day to day and month to month, I'm not too concerned, although there are some luxuries I go without because I feel guilty buying them and some luxuries I'm totally capricious about (usually food). Our biggest expenses are entertainment (concerts, shows), travel (when we can), gifts (big families), and food (high grocery expense and dining out), so it is easy to pull back if we start to feel overextended. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net? I moved out of my parents' house when I graduated high school at 18 and was completely financially independent from that time on. During college they would give cash gifts for my birthday and Christmas to help me out, but no regular support. I understand the enormous privilege of knowing that if I were ever hard-pressed or insolvent my parents would be able to, and likely willing to, bail me out. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. Yes — my parents paid off about $12,000 worth of student loans when I graduated college with my degree. When my grandmother passed she left each of us $10,000 and my dad's brother left all the nieces and nephews $20,000 when he passed away (he had no children). My sister gave me her car when she moved away and my husband's family gave us a car when a grandparent passed away. I currently receive about $900 a year in dividends from my investment accounts and those are all reinvested back into the portfolio. My parents intend to leave money and property to us kids, evenly divided, when they eventually pass. Day One: Wednesday 4:15 a.m. — UGH, a neighbor's poor dog has been barking for hours and disturbing our sleep. It's just been a generally noisy night so sleep has been interrupted a lot. Such is urban living! It's one of the trade-offs at times. We try to go back to sleep and drift in and out. Around 5:20 a.m. we just commit to being awake. I do my usual morning routine: check the news, play my word games, send Wordle to Dad, and check in on the schedule and work before my team starts at 6 a.m. 6:45 a.m. — Realize we forgot to buy milk (again), so I have a double espresso instead of my usual cappuccino. An avid tea drinker, I brew a pot of Thunder Dragon green tea — smells amazing, but a little too delicate, I note on the bag to try mixing it. 9:30 a.m. — V. (my husband, retired) does a grocery run (eggs, milk, and cereal) and makes me a cappuccino when he gets back. Morning meetings done. One of my team is out on parental leave, so I give the other departments a sweet update about the new baby. I check in with HR about a gift. $31.46 12 p.m. — Pulled into a call and work through lunch. I snack on wasabi peas and a peanut mix while trying to figure out when I'll squeeze in yoga today… 2:45 p.m. — Sign off early. It's gray and rainy and I'm ready to be done. I confirm plans with my friend S. for tonight (we're watching Succession together) and decide we'll start at 5 p.m. I was thinking about a bath but V. is using the tub for hand-wash laundry. I realize I'm so hungry, so I eat half the Caprese salad we made yesterday and finish the wasabi peas. V. puts on music (The Smiths, Kraftwerk, Blondie) while I prep dinner, then he cleans the tub and draws me a bath. He takes over dishes and cleanup. I open a bottle of Rioja from my dad's cellar (his favorite gift to give) — perfect rainy-day pairing. 6 p.m. — Our friends S. and P. come over for our weekly viewing night. I bake chicken and veggies on a sheet pan, make a big salad, and bake madeleines as a treat. 9 p.m. — We do our nighttime routine: wash face and follow with glycolic acid, The Ordinary serums, moisturizer, and lip balm. Brush and floss teeth. Body and foot lotion and a sleep mask on my eyes! Daily Total: $31.46 Day Two: Thursday 5:30 a.m. — Awake but groggy from a restless night. I check work to make sure nothing needs immediate attention before my team starts at 6 a.m., then lounge reading the news and playing my morning games. V. is still snoozing, and I didn't get out of bed for yoga today. I drag myself up, wash my face, put on my beloved Coola Sun Silk Drops (I'm obsessed!), and make a cappuccino. I sip and scroll Reddit for a bit while the sun rises and the fog burns off outside our windows. 7 a.m. — Sit down to work and dig into the new analytics framework we're building to support the revenue team. I brew a big pot of genmaicha and go heads-down until lunch. 10:15 a.m. — Skipped yoga again this morning, so V. and I tackle 40 minutes of Rodney Yee Power Yoga. Quick shower and hair wash afterward, then back to my desk with a snack: cottage cheese topped with black pepper, plus a fresh pot of Thunder green tea. 11:30 a.m. — V. reminds me that his dad's birthday party is this weekend and he needs to grab a gift. He orders high-end socks his dad mentioned over the holidays. Shift gears for a team training session. We're adding a new discipline to the team, and it leaves me feeling really excited for the future. $70 2 p.m. — Virtual happy hour with a former colleague. She's recently married and in a new role she loves! I share that I'm preparing for a pivot to a larger company and reflect on how much I've developed over the past year. 3 p.m. — Done with work and head over to my dad's house to help him hang some pictures, so he thanks me with lemons from my mom's garden and a box of wine bottles from his cellar (score!). I rush home to hand off the car so V. can go to a friend's game night. 5 p.m. — Solo night in! I steam a couple of eggs, reheat some leftovers V.'s sister sent us home with on Friday, and heat up a pot of ramen broth. Open one of the gifted white wines to chill. Quick sweep while dinner heats. Sparkling water in a giant glass and ready to watch a movie remotely with my brother (Edge of Tomorrow). We text live reactions throughout. He lives far away so this is our monthly routine to stay in touch, I do a remote-view movie night with each of my siblings on occasion (two brothers and two sisters, all live far from me). It's a nice way to keep in touch without the pressure of a full conversation — we all live very different lives and my brothers especially are of few words. 8 p.m. — I take a quick shower, wash my face and do a hydration mask (Paula's Choice Repair+) and start watching things I like that V. doesn't (specifically, a Jane Austen mini series called Lost in Austen. I love it but five hours of Jane Austen is too much for him). I end up falling asleep on the couch. 11 p.m. — V. wakes me up when he gets home. We chat, brush teeth, and head to bed by 11:30 p.m. So glad I have tomorrow off! Daily Total: $70 Day Three: Friday 5 a.m. — V. and I are wide awake! On a Friday! We snuggle and lounge and read in bed until 7 a.m., then he makes us cappuccinos and puts on a jazz mix this morning — Domi and JD Beck, Khruangbin, Miles Davis. We read and play games for a bit; I have today off from work (I sprinkle in PTO days on weekdays to run errands and spend some time together — we haven't been traveling lately so I don't need to save up vacation days). 9 a.m. — V. hops in the shower and I do some mobility training and a dumbbell circuit. While he's shaving, I clean up and we both get ready for our hair appointment at 11 a.m. I realize I'm hungry, so I make a peanut butter and banana sandwich and weigh out the peanut butter — which comes with the realization I have forgotten to track ANY of my meals for the entire week! I'm tracking to drop a few pounds and ensure I keep my protein intake up (I know protein is a contentious topic in Money Diaries, but I do struggle to eat enough of it). I try not to beat myself up about it and log *this* snack. It's almost exactly half of my daily calories — so I guess that's a meal, not a snack! I log it in my nutrition tracker for the first time this week. 11 a.m. — We drive to our hair appointment with my friend, who runs her own salon studio. V. grabs coffees for all of us from the cart outside ($32.45). Haircuts for both of us are $150. She's the only one who touches my hair — we also do keratin treatments two or three times a year. Today it's just a trim each for me and V. $182.45 12:45 p.m. — Back home and chill out for a bit, playing games and reading. I start a new book, Automated Alice. V. suggests going down the block for a snack so we grab Palomas, guac, and sopes at our usual happy hour spot. $80.82 2 p.m. — Back home again, we lounge and watch an episode of Reacher and do our nails — cut, file, buff, and cuticle cream. 5 p.m. — I make a salad and we open one of the wines from Dad's cellar. We settle in for a lazy night and talk about the day. 9 p.m. — Nighttime routine: wash face, hyaluronic, peptides, moisturizer. Brush and floss and into bed. Daily Total: $263.27 Day Four: Saturday 7:22 a.m. — It's Saturday! Sleep in a bit, then I putz around on my phone while V. makes coffee and puts on a great mix — Black Pumas, The Kills, Anderson .Paak. I do yoga while we listen to music. After, we chat about meals for the week and make a grocery list. I text with my dad about watching a movie together tonight — he's headed to the farmers' market and can grab veggies. We wash up and head to the store around 10 a.m. 11:30 a.m. — We drive to the good grocery store since we need heavier pantry items, which makes it a pricier trip. We restock on some spendy items: giant bottle of olive oil, a few spices, hot sauce, canned beans and peppers, two bottles of wine. We also pick up groceries for the week (salmon, chicken, pie dough, frozen and fresh veggies, eggs, whole and non-fat milk, and a pack of beer) plus some treats: freeze-dried strawberries for a new recipe to try, chocolate covered almonds. $235.46 12 p.m. — Back home, we unpack groceries. V. cracks a beer and puts on more music — Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Phoenix, Hot Chip — while I prep dinner. I cold-brew green tea with rose, then chop veggies and chicken for a pot pie. I try the new cookie recipe using ground freeze-dried strawberries. The dough smells amazing, but they come out underbaked despite following the instructions and leaving them in an extra couple of minutes. I always try a recipe as-written first before making any updates — I will definitely want to tweak this one. 3 p.m. — I spend the next couple of hours working on my passion project — I'm building a small app in my free time. After that, V. and I chill with some TV before heading out to see our friend in a play tonight. I've been avoiding it, but I finally check my investment account to see how it's doing after the tariff announcements. Most of my holdings are long-term or dividend-focused, but I'm down 12%. Woof. Trying not to stress. 6 p.m. — Despite having older sisters, I never learned to do hair or makeup — they always did it for me. I went to culinary school and worked in kitchens, so there was never much need. Now, anytime I try to 'glam up' for an event or date night, I feel totally lost. This year I'm trying to teach myself using YouTube. I practice curling my hair with a curling iron my mom gave me. It turns out bouncy and cute! The makeup doesn't work, so I wash it off and stick with my usual tinted sunscreen and mascara. Still, I feel good and head out to the play with V. It's a long drive up to North County to the playhouse. We jam out to some music, find easy street parking, and pick up our tickets at the box office before the show. $37.50 8 p.m. — At intermission, V. grabs us each a drink and drops a donation to the theater. $39 10:20 p.m. — We finally get home. We eat some Triscuits and watch a little Schitt's Creek to wind down before bed. Daily Total: $311.96 Day Five: Sunday 7 a.m. — We're up and lounging with cappuccinos. There's a lot of noise outside as a block party is being set up downtown. We hang on the couch reading and chatting with the windows open, listening to the city wake up. 9:30 a.m. — We roll out our mats and do an hour of yoga. Both of us had plans to do workouts later, but neither of us is feeling it, so we call this our movement for the day. After yoga, we make a big pot of tea and sit down to read with music on. 11 a.m. — V. finishes off the leftover chicken pot pie and I eat some cottage cheese with a big glass of milk. Then we head out for a long walk in the sunshine along the waterfront, people-watching and boat-gazing until the heat drives us back home. V. and I are watching the Spartacus show he got me into and we make it to the finale! So surprising! I'm so excited to continue but sad to see that season 2 goes back in time as a prequel so I will have to wait until season 3 for the events to continue!! 1:45 p.m. — I'm feeling snackish so I quickly mix together one of our favorite snacks — yogurt cake. Unfortunately after mixing the cake batter I realize I loaned our cake pans to a friend! I make do with two mini casserole dishes but the cake will bake weird in glass — it will still be a tasty snack but not the intended texture. I top one with almonds and one with the leftover fresh strawberries from yesterday. They indeed turn out weird but fine. 3:30 p.m. — V. opens a bottle of white wine while we settle in to watch the Spartacus prequel and munch on yogurt cake. We purchase the season, which is $9.99, using credit card points. It's a pretty good story and I like how it fits into the season 1 we just finished, but I'm still really eager to move on to the events following the dramatic season 1 finale. Lucy Lawless is flawless in this show! 5 p.m. — I prep dinner: roasted salmon covered in gochujang and blood orange slices, plus a giant Caesar salad with roasted red peppers, tiny mozzarellas, parmesan and Caesar dressing with lots of lemon juice added to thin the dressing. V. checks if The White Lotus finale is out yet — almost! 6:30 p.m. — After The White Lotus, we clean up and discuss the episode — and the whole season. We, like anybody, do plenty of multi-episode watches, but I really like the current series that we watch along the way because the forced week of reflection gives us lots of chances to talk through the story and discuss our impressions. These conversations are the most fun part of experiencing the content for me, like discussing a good book one is reading. 8 p.m. — The block party is still going strong, so instead of getting ready for bed, we hang out in the living room with a sitcom on in the background and play some games. The party cranks the volume for the final songs — lots of Journey singalongs — and we wait it out — they have a pretty strict curfew of 10 p.m. for these block parties so it shouldn't be loud too much longer. 9:30 p.m. — Nighttime routine and into bed. Music cuts off at 10 p.m. sharp and it's quiet again. We fall asleep immediately. Daily Total: $0 Day Six: Monday 6:45 a.m. — At my desk with a cappuccino and ready to start the day. Today's tea is roasty-toasty hojicha, which feels cozy. I dive into email and prep work for a report due today. I also fill in my planner every Monday morning and, it's silly, but I give myself a little gold sticker for any days in the previous week that were '$0 Days' or a day where we didn't spend any money. It's a little pat on the back for myself. 10 a.m. — I use my lunch break for a full-body workout and snack on some cottage cheese. Back to the grind after. 1 p.m. — My afternoon analytics meeting ends up being a no-show, which is a bit of karmic balance — I totally ghosted someone earlier last week by missing a meeting. I rescheduled it, of course, but still feel bad. I get the time back and keep working on refining our analytics. 3 p.m. — Done with work for the day! I spend some time brainstorming and journaling ahead of dinner with my dad tonight. We like to meet a few times a year to talk through family stuff, end-of-life planning, and creative projects we're working on. He's mentoring me on a short story idea, and I want to bring some thoughts to share. 5 p.m. — Try curling my hair again — I'm getting better at it! V. walks me to dinner and I check in for our reservation. 9 p.m. — Dinner was great! Dad gave me updates on his and mom's end-of-life plans and we talked about the rest of the family. Most of the time we just brainstormed ideas for a short story we want to co-write. I've never been much of a writer, but he wrote a few novels (unpublished), and I love the idea of collaborating. Last time we tried, I totally froze up. This time I have a solid idea, and he's excited to help me get it started. V. meets us at the restaurant for a nightcap and then walks me home to hear all about it. Dad treats dinner. V. picked up Thai takeout while I was out. $45.06 10 p.m. — Nighttime routine. I forget to wash my face (oops). Bed. Daily Total: $45.06 Day Seven: Tuesday 5 a.m. — I'm awake but just laying with my eyes closed and letting my mind wander. V. and I will often wake up but stay in a half rest and snuggle in the morning for a little bit. I grab my phone for my usual news and games and then get up at 6 to wash my face. 6:30 a.m. — Make my cap and send Wordle off to my dad. I have a call in the personal development realm at 7 a.m. so instead of a video I just stretch and do yoga while reading the instructions for that call. Still feeling Monday's workout in my hamstrings so they get a lot of attention. At 6:45 a.m. I log into work and get prepped. I'm solid with meetings straight through until lunch so I brew a big pot of tea and get out my notepad! 11:17 a.m. — Back to back meetings all morning — barely even time to pee! I'm hungry and seem to have a crick in my neck that I need to stretch out. I'm a little late getting to lunch and have to hurry back for another meeting so I'll have an abbreviated lunch. I grab a quick snack of a peanut butter and banana sandwich and a big glass of milk. I munch on this while I scroll LinkedIn and make some updates to my personal webpage for the job hunt, then brainstorm some ideas for personal development to feed the process. Then it is back to the grind. 3 p.m. — Done! V. stepped out for a massage (booked using ClassPass, so he only pays the gratuity) so I have the house to myself so I ditch the headphones and put on some music for my usual post-work dance break with light tidying — today it's Tame Impala, Thudercat, and Toro y Moi (we are seeing him in concert in May, can't wait!). $30 3:30 p.m. — V. is back and we will be heading over to his sister's house for dinner and TV tonight. She makes dinner but it usually isn't quite enough food and protein for V.'s macros so we cook up a ground turkey taco bowl to give him a boost and I pick at it a little and eat some cottage cheese. We head to his sister's. 9 p.m. — We stop for gas on the way home from V.'s sister's. She, as usual, sent us home with a bunch of leftovers and oranges from her tree. I want to clean up the kitchen before heading to bed (I like to wake up to a blank slate and not have yesterday's mess around). I do some cleanup — this kind of irks V... He doesn't work so he considers maintaining the home 'his' responsibility and sometimes when I clean he takes it as a comment on something he missed, so he apologizes or tells me that he was going to do that — but I think that we both live here and contribute to the making of the mess, so cleaning is everyone's responsibility. It can be tricky to manage the emotional aspect but luckily we are both kind and generous people so we just talk it out. I try to tell him that I don't *mind* cleaning, I like to tidy! My skin feels a little grimy after kitchen work so I grab a quick shower and a good scrub before my nighttime routine and into bed. $68.42 Daily Total: $98.42 The Breakdown Conclusion 'This week felt like it included a lot of 'extras', like getting our hair cut (every few months), dining out a little more, and a big grocery restock of things we don't buy often. I'm constantly trying to rein in our grocery budget, which always seems so high for just two people, so I try to keep trips to the store to about $100 and make sure nothing goes bad or gets wasted. With the political uncertainty around recent policy changes (announcing tariffs, then pausing them, etc) the volatility makes me a bit nervous. I'll try to buy the dip in my brokerage, but I'm very risk averse, so it makes me extra anxious. Actually writing everything down, including what V. was spending, was really eye-opening for me about how things add up over the week and afterwards we sat down and redid our budget. I think the little kitschy elements like my gold sticker for $0 days help me have a positive approach to managing my money without delving into stress and worry while introducing and maintaining good habits.'
The Star
3 days ago
- Science
- The Star
Real-world solutions earn nods at national-level hackathon
Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) continues to solidify its reputation as a leader in technological excellence and innovation. At the recent Varsity Hackathon (VHack) 2025, held on April 26 and hosted by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang, two outstanding APU teams won top accolades, further cementing the varsity's position as a powerhouse in technology-driven education. The spotlight was on five-member 'Team The Try People' from APU's School of Engineering (SoE) and School of Computing (SoC), which secured the coveted first runner-up title. They received a cash prize of RM5,000 for their achievement in the national-level competition. The award-winning team comprised Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science (Cyber Security) students Chong Jinn Xiang, Chia Jing Liang, Bryan Low Zhern Yang and Evin Kor Kar Hei, as well as Kok Jia Yin, a student from the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Software Engineering programme. The team was guided by SoC lecturer Tan Li June and Assistant Prof Dr Lau Chee Yong from the SoE. Their innovative project envisions a holistic smart city management system designed to tackle key urban challenges, including waste management, traffic congestion, and flood and weather predictions. By integrating real-time data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), the system enables efficient and proactive city operations – ranging from optimised waste collection routes and traffic flow adjustments to advanced alerts for inclement weather conditions. Team CheeseB: Amad (far left) with the winning trio of APU software engineering students behind DeNate. Importantly, the project is closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. It aims to contribute meaningfully to building inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable urban environments. The solution not only enhances public safety and infrastructure but also empowers urban planners with data-driven insights for long-term development strategies. In another standout performance, 'Team CheeseB' from APU made waves in the blockchain category, winning the Excellence Award for their cutting-edge solution, DeNate – short for 'Decentralised Donate'. Comprising three software engineering students – Thien Wei Jian, Ivan Wong Hong Zheng and John Paulose – the team impressed judges with their novel approach to reimagining charitable giving through blockchain technology. Mentored by SoC senior lecturer Amad Arshad, the team designed DeNate as a transparent, secure and user-engaging donation platform. The project features several pioneering components, including real-time donation tracking, milestone-based fund disbursements, T-based recognition for top donors, an AI-powered chatbot offering donation forecasts and interactive dashboards to encourage community engagement. By leveraging the power of decentralised systems, DeNate aims to restore trust and increase accountability in the donation ecosystem, ultimately bridging the gap between donors and charitable organisations. Interdisciplinary collaboration The students' double achievement reflects APU's deep commitment to cross-disciplinary collaboration and industry relevance. SoC head Assoc Prof Dr Tan Chin Ike praised the synergy between departments: 'These outstanding achievements exemplify what we can accomplish when different disciplines come together. 'The collaboration between our SoC and SoE has created a powerful ecosystem where technological innovation meets practical implementation.' He added, 'Our students have demonstrated not only technical prowess but also the ability to address real-world challenges through multidisciplinary approaches. 'This success reinforces our commitment to fostering an environment where cross-disciplinary collaboration thrives, preparing our graduates to become versatile problem-solvers ready to make meaningful contributions to society.' The recognition earned at VHack 2025 reflects APU's enduring mission to equip students with the skills, mindset and opportunities needed to thrive in an increasingly complex digital world. These accolades highlight not only the quality of education and mentorship provided by APU's academic staff, but also the forward-thinking spirit of its student innovators. As the university continues to nurture creativity, foster collaboration and champion sustainability, its students are proving to be well-equipped to take on the technological challenges of tomorrow – and to shape a better, smarter and more inclusive world.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Malaysia to lead UN-Habitat 2026–2029
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has been appointed president of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Assembly for the 2026–2029 term, representing the Asia-Pacific region. Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said this marked the first time Malaysia would assume a leadership role in UN-Habitat — a responsibility the country is fully prepared to undertake as it showcases its achievements and offers practical solutions to global urban challenges. The four-year presidency follows UN-Habitat's system of regional rotation. Malaysia will succeed Mexico, which has represented Latin America and the Caribbean from 2019 to 2025. Nga said that Malaysia's strong track record in sustainable urban development, housing provision, and waste management positions the country well to lead global dialogue under the theme of building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities. "This appointment is a significant milestone in Malaysia's growing global leadership, particularly as we also assume the Asean chairmanship this year," he said. "Our track record speaks for itself. Malaysia has achieved 43 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators — far surpassing the global average of 17 per cent. Our contributions encompass affordable housing, urban regeneration, and sustainable waste management. "As of March 2025, we have completed 179,769 affordable housing units, with more than 235,000 currently under construction and over 76,000 in the planning stage — totalling 98.4 per cent of our national target." Nga said that urban regeneration and legal reform would be key focus areas during Malaysia's presidency. These include plans to table the Urban Renewal Act and the proposed Building Managers Act, aimed at addressing dilapidated buildings and poor property management. "We are also pioneering innovative waste management through the National Circular Economy Council and our Circular Economy Blueprint (2025–2035), in addition to converting former landfill sites into public spaces," he said. He added that Malaysia would use its presidency to amplify the voices of the Global South and foster multilateral cooperation through people-public-private partnerships. "This is more than a diplomatic achievement — it reflects Malaysia's evolution into a responsible and forward-thinking global partner. "It also provides a platform for us to raise the voices of the Asia-Pacific region and empower communities worldwide in their pursuit of liveable and sustainable urban environments. This strengthens Malaysia's standing in the Global South." Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the UN-Habitat was established in 1977 and became a full programme under the UN General Assembly in 2001. With the support of 193 member states, UN-Habitat leads global efforts on human settlements and plays a central role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 — to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
