Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/236916
36 Events maltatoday, Sunday, 5 January 2014 FCM Bank donation to L-Istrina Vincent Ma and Luke Calleja, two officials from FCM Bank, recently met President George Abela to present him with a donation for the L-Istrina charity campaign. FCM Bank, which was launched in 2012, has developed strong connections with Malta going beyond its core business. In fact, since its inception the Bank has continuously supported the local community in various aspects. During the presentation, the President thanked FCM for the donation which was added to proceeds from the 26 December marathon campaign in aid of good causes. Vincent Ma, FCM Bank Chief Operating Officer, is seen presenting a cheque to President George Abela BSA | The Software Alliance applauds court judgement BSA | The Software Alliance (BSA) has applauded a recent court judgement handed down by the Magistrates' Court (acting as a Court of Criminal Judicature) following criminal proceedings brought by BSA Member Microsoft against the owner of a retail outlet who in December 2012 was caught selling computer systems which were loaded with unlicensed computer software products. The accused had initially pleaded 'not guilty' but, after changing to a 'guilty' plea, the Court convicted the accused to a conditional discharge with an operative period of three years and fined him €7,000. The Court also ordered the confiscation and destruction of all of the media and apparatus which contained the infringing computer software. "We are very pleased with this court sentence because it sends out a strong and clear message to those who think they can operate above the law and sell counterfeit or pirated products," said Antoine Camilleri, Legal Counsel to BSA in Malta, in a statement to praise the outcome of this case. "This court judgement is also an important milestone because there have been other similar cases in the past, in which the accused were treated rather lightly. The law needs to be firm with these individuals because in so doing, it would also be protecting the end consumer," said Camilleri. Every year, software piracy costs billions in time and money for both consumers and businesses. Although some computer users may actively seek pirated software in hopes of saving money, the chances of infection by unexpected malware in pirated software are one in three for consumers and three in 10 for businesses, according to a study commissioned earlier this year by Microsoft and conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC). As a result of these infections, the research shows that consumers will spend 1.5 billion hours and $22 billion identifying, repairing and recovering from the impact of malware, while global enterprises will spend $114 billion to deal with the impact of a malware-induced cyber-attack. As such, the best way to secure yourself and your property from these malware threats when you buy a computer is to demand licensed software. This means procuring computers and software from trusted sources, avoiding software with too-good-to-be-true prices, and following activation and registration protocols. ]SUBHEAD[ About BSA BSA | The Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the leading global advocate for the software industry. It is an association of world-class companies that invest billions of dollars annually to create software solutions that spark the economy and improve modern life. Through international government relations, intellectual property enforcement and educational activities, BSA expands the horizons of the digital world and builds trust and confidence in the new technologies driving it forward. New Generation i10 Named AUTOBEST 2014 At the 13th annual competition for the best new car in emerging markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the New Generation i10 has just been awarded the prestigious 'AUTOBEST 2014' accolade by the AUTOBEST jury. It is the second time Hyundai Motor has claimed the title in the last three years, following Elantra's win in 2012. Dan Vardie, Chairman of AUTOBEST, commented: "The New Generation i10 is a worthy winner, offering consumers a spacious and high-quality car. At the NAVAK proving ground near Belgrade, Serbia, the i10 impressed the judges with its outstanding road handling abilities for such a small car." Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO at Hyundai Motor Europe, commented: "New Generation i10 is the perfect example of our product regionalisation strategy – building the right cars for the right regions. We're proud that the Hyundai New Generation i10 has claimed first place at the AUTOBEST awards – it demonstrates that our cars deliver value beyond customer's expectations, which will help Hyundai maintain its 3,5% share of the European new car market in 2014." In September 2013, the first New Generation i10 rolled off the production line at Hyundai's Turkish manufacturing plant, following more than €500 million investment in the plant, raising annual production capacity to 200.000 units. Including Hyundai's Czech plant, Hyundai has an annual European production capacity of 500.000 units. From 2014, 90% of all Hyundai models sold in Europe will be built in the region. AUTOBEST is one of the most prestigious motoring awards and takes into account 13 criteria, including design, price, specification and the serviceability of a car. The jury, composed of respected motoring journalists, comes from 15 emerging markets, including Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Turkey and Russia. SmartCity Malta donates €100,000 to L-iStrina mill-Qalb 2013 SmartCity Malta has donated €100,000 to L-iStrina mill-Qalb 2013 - Malta's largest philanthropic initiative. In the spirit of doing more for charity, for the second consecutive year, SmartCity Malta hosted part of this year's L-iStrina at its premises on the 26 December as a satellite venue. The event was held at Laguna Walk within SmartCity Malta which was open for the very first time to the public for everyone to enjoy and experience during the merry festive season. A fantastic destination for families to spend quality time, the Laguna Walk at SmartCity Malta is a great venue for the hosting of L-iStrina 2013 which aims to give back to the Maltese community and organize fun-filled activities. The Laguna Walk will be officially inaugurated next spring. His Excellency, the President thanked SmartCity Malta's CEO, Anthony Tabone for SmartCity Malta's significant contribution and support towards L-iStrina mill-Qalb 2013. While thanking the President of Malta and the Malta Community Chest Fund for giving SmartCity Malta the opportunity to participate in L-iStrina mill-Qalb 2013 for the second consecutive year, SmartCity Malta CEO, Tabone said that the SmartCity team is honoured to have hosted the event once again at its premises for the people of Malta. SCM CEO Anthony Tabone and Operations Manager at SCM Sandra Chetcuti presenting the donation