Tuesday, January 30, 2018

A.M. BEST REVISES OUTLOOKS TO STABLE FOR ERGO INSURANCE PTE. LTD.

SINGAPORE, Jan 29 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” of ERGO Insurance Pte. Ltd. (ERGO Insurance) (Singapore).

The affirmation of these Credit Ratings (ratings) reflects ERGO Insurance’s balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as strong, as well as its marginal operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The revised outlooks recognize ERGO Insurance’s role in supporting its parent, ERGO Group AG, with its business development plans in Asia, as well as the explicit support ERGO Insurance receives from its ultimate parent company, Munich Reinsurance Company.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31047

Monday, January 29, 2018

BUDDHIST LEADER IKEDA URGES HUMAN RIGHTS FOCUS AS KEY TO RESOLUTION OF GLOBAL ISSUES AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS ABOLITION

TOKYO, Jan 26 (Bernama-AsiaNet) -- On January 26, 2018, Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda, President of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), issued his annual peace proposal, titled "Toward an Era of Human Rights: Building a People's Movement."

Ikeda welcomes the July 2017 adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as a turning point in the global history of efforts to achieve peace and disarmament, emphatic that while nuclear weapons exist, a world of peace and human rights will remain elusive. He outlines strategies for gaining support for the Treaty from the nuclear-weapon states and nuclear-dependent states.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31030

Sunday, January 28, 2018

DAVID BINKS, FEDEX EXPRESS EUROPE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF TNT, TO RETIRE

Bert Nappier to Succeed Binks June 1, 2018

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) today announced that David Binks, FedEx Express Europe president and CEO of TNT, will retire in June.

Bert Nappier, currently FedEx Express senior vice president of finance - international, will succeed Binks in the role effective June 1, 2018.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31036

TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION INTRODUCES SOI PROCESS WITH LOW NOISE FIGURE FOR LOW-NOISE RF AMPLIFIERS FOR SMARTPHONES

TOKYO, Jan 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation today announced the development of "TaRF10," a next generation TarfSOI™ (Toshiba advanced RF SOI[1]) process optimized for low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) in smartphone applications.

In recent years, the increasing speed of mobile data communication has expanded use of RF switches and filters in the analog front end of mobile devices. The resulting increase in signal loss between antenna and receiver circuit has degraded receiver sensitivity, and focused attention on LNAs with a low noise figure[2] (NF) as a means to compensate for signal loss and improve the integrity of the received signal.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31034

ALGECO SCOTSMAN ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION

BALTIMORE, Jan 26 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Algeco/Scotsman Holding S.à r.l. (together with its subsidiaries, "Algeco Scotsman") today announced that it has made available certain information relating to Algeco Scotsman on its website, which contains an update on the financial performance of the Group and certain other information and can be accessed at http://www.algecoscotsman.com/pdf/Algeco-Information-Release_Jan_25_2018.pdf
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31024

LIGHTBRIDGE AND FRAMATOME LAUNCH ENFISSION TO COMMERCIALIZE INNOVATIVE NUCLEAR FUEL

RESTON, Va., Jan 26 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lightbridge Corporation (NASDAQ:LTBR) (the "Company"), a nuclear fuel technology company, and Framatome, a leader in nuclear fuel, components and reactor services, finalized and launched Enfission, a 50-50 joint venture company to develop, license and sell nuclear fuel assemblies based on Lightbridge-designed metallic fuel technology and other advanced nuclear fuel intellectual property. Lightbridge is a U.S. nuclear fuel development company and Framatome is a leader in designing, building, servicing, and fueling today's reactor fleet and advancing nuclear energy.

The two companies already began joint fuel development and regulatory licensing work under previously signed agreements initiated in March 2016. The joint venture is a Delaware-based limited liability company.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31023

Friday, January 26, 2018

FRASER INSTITUTE NEWS RELEASE: SWITZERLAND OVERTAKES HONG KONG TO CLAIM TOP SPOT IN FREEDOM INDEX, UNITED STATES RISES TO 17TH




TORONTO, Jan 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Switzerland is the freest country in the world, having replaced Hong Kong atop the Human Freedom Index, released today by the Fraser Institute and a network of international public policy think-tanks.

The United States inched upwards six spots from 24th to 17th in the index, which uses 79 indicators of personal, civil and economic freedoms to rank 159 countries and jurisdictions worldwide.

“The Human Freedom Index measures the degree to which people are free to enjoy civil liberties—freedom of speech, religion, women’s rights, association and assembly and economic freedom,” said  Fred McMahon, Dr. Michael A. Walker Research Chair in Economic Freedom at the Fraser Institute and editor of the report.

Other notable countries include: Canada (11), Germany (16), Japan (27), France (33), Mexico (73), India (102), Russia (126) and China (130).

For the past two years, Hong Kong led the rankings as the freest jurisdiction in the world, largely as a result of the city’s score in economic freedom.

“Hong Kong’s fall from the top of the Human Freedom Index this year could indicate China is encroaching on its one-country, two-system relationship and the people of Hong Kong are materially less free because of it,” McMahon said.

Crucially, people in freer countries earn more money than those who live in less-free countries. For example, the average per capita income for the top-quartile countries on the index was US$38,871 compared to just US$10,346 for the least-free quartile in 2015, the most recent year of available comparable data in the freedom index.

“The evidence is clear—when people are free, they have much greater opportunity to prosper,” McMahon added.

The complete index, a joint project of the Fraser Institute, Germany’s Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and the Cato Institute in the U.S., is available as a free PDF download at www.fraserinstitute.org. It is prepared by Ian Vasquez of the Cato Institute and Tanja Porčnik of the Visio Institute in Slovenia.
 
The 10 freest and the least-free countries in the index
The 10 freest jurisdictions (from top)

1. Switzerland
2. Hong Kong
3. New Zealand
4. Ireland
5. Australia
6. Finland
7. Norway
8. Denmark
9. Netherlands
10. United Kingdom (tied)
The 10 least-free countries

150. Burundi
151. Central African Republic
152. Democratic Republic of Congo
153. Algeria
154. Iran
155. Egypt
156. Yemen
157. Libya
158. Venezuela
159. Syria
  
MEDIA CONTACT:
Fred McMahon, Dr. Michael A. Walker Research Chair in Economic Freedom
Fraser Institute
To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact:
Bryn Weese, Media Relations Specialist, Fraser Institute
(604) 688-0221 Ext. 589
bryn.weese@fraserinstitute.org

Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter and Facebook

The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institute’s independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org

SOURCE : Fraser Institute

--BERNAMA
 

Thursday, January 25, 2018

AMERITAS INCREASES BUSINESS AGILITY AND IT SECURITY WITH CISCO APPLICATION CENTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE

Single-pane-of-glass management makes network operations easier and more scalable

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ameritas, a large insurance company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, has selected Cisco® computing, networking and security technology as the foundation for upgrading its data centers. The goal of the infrastructure upgrade was to improve agility and operational efficiency while increasing IT security.

Supporting close to 1000 applications, the new technology infrastructure has reduced capex by 30 to 40 percent in switching devices alone and freed up 25 to 30 percent of the network operations team's time, allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31011

SPOTSEE PURSUES LEGAL ACTION AFTER COUNTERFEIT RAID IN TAIWAN

DALLAS, Jan 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- SpotSee, a global internet of things (IoT) connectivity platform and parent company to leading logistics monitoring brands ShockWatch®, SpotBot, ShockLog® OpsWatch, ShockTrak and WarmMark®, orchestrated a raid of suspected ShockWatch product counterfeiters in Taiwan on October 26, 2017.

The goods seized, primarily ShockWatch counterfeit products, infringe on trademarks and patents and are considered fraudulent. Counterfeit and knock-off materials, which do not perform to SpotSee specifications, have been found to cause false activations and increased damage claims for customers.

“We take the illegal use of our intellectual property very seriously, and we take swift action to stop the unauthorized use of our name, designs and trademarks,” said Tony Fonk, CEO, SpotSee. “It’s important we stop this fraud because it directly costs our customers money.”

Both manufacturers and distributors of counterfeit SpotSee products will be held accountable as SpotSee actively works to put an end to all activities involving the illegal use of its brand. The penalties for counterfeiting can be up to five years of imprisonment and/or a fine of NT $2,000,000 (approximately USD $66,666).

To further address the counterfeit issue, SpotSee has designed authentication methods such as serialization and QR codes into their newest line of indicators known as the ShockWatch ShockDot.

“The ShockDot allows customers to validate that they purchased a genuine product in addition to other benefits such as 50 percent more indication area and 360-degree activation,” said Angela Kerr, vice president of product management, SpotSee. “We are taking a legal and an innovative, product-based approach to solving this problem.”

ShockWatch indicators, manufactured by SpotSee, show when a product or asset has been mishandled in the supply chain. Incorrect activation can misrepresent that a package or shipment has been mishandled, when it may not have been. Alternatively, the counterfeit or knock-off indicators may not go off at all when mishandling actually occurs.

SpotSee customers who are concerned they may be victims of counterfeit products should contact SpotSee at +1 214-736-4578.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31002

RADWARE EXPANDS CLOUD SECURITY AND GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

MAHWAH, N.J., Jan 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Radware® (NASDAQ:RDWR), a leading provider of cyber security and application delivery solutions, is rapidly expanding the capacity of all its scrubbing centers, which increases the global mitigation capacity of Radware cloud security network to more than 3.5Tbps of traffic and over 6 Billion packets per second (PPS). All of Radware’s scrubbing centers leverage the company’s award-winning DefensePro® DDoS mitigation appliances. As part of the capacity growth, Radware is opening more Data Centers globally supporting localization of security services, GDPR requirements and in-country cloud security.

“By enhancing our global scrubbing capabilities, we are able to provide more comprehensive support to our customers, both globally and regionally,” said Haim Zelikovsky, Vice President of Cloud Business at Radware. “We are able to handle the most pernicious attacks from their region of origin and keep legitimate traffic within its destination region, which goes a long way toward reducing latency and keeping our clients up and running.”
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30999

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

CYBERINC PARTNERS WITH ECS TO DRIVE RAPID GROWTH OF ISLA ACROSS APAC

ECS Computers to distribute Isla Malware Isolation Platform across small, medium and enterprise segments

SINGAPORE, Jan 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cyberinc today announced that it has added ECS Computers Asia Pte. Ltd. - one of the largest providers of ICT products and services in APAC- as an Authorized Distributor for Isla Malware Isolation platform. The partnership will streamline ECS's access to Isla Malware Isolation system and help cater to Endpoint Security needs of the local IT businesses in the region.

ECS is recognized as a leading distribution partner of several leading product vendors in Singapore. As an authorized distributor, ECS will expand its portfolio of security solutions to include Cyberinc's Isla Malware Isolation Platform that helps customers isolate and thus, prevent all web-borne malware attacking their enterprise from entering the network.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31000

LEADING MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS UPDATE GUIDELINE FOR MOLECULAR TESTING AND TARGETED THERAPIES IN LUNG CANCER

DENVER, Jan 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rapid advancements in the molecular diagnostic testing of lung cancer have led to new treatments and greater hope for patients battling lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer death worldwide.

To ensure that clinicians stay apace and provide optimal patient care, three leading medical societies—the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), and the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP)—have updated their 2013 evidence-based guideline.

Published today in early online release, the “Updated Molecular Testing Guideline for the Selection of Lung Cancer Patients for Treatment with Targeted Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors,” continues to set standards for the molecular analysis of lung cancers for test results that effectively guide targeted therapy and treatment.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=31003

CRYPTOS FUND, A QUASI-ETF, IS NOW OPEN TO INVESTORS

The first fund to passively track the CCI30 Cryptocurrency Index

ZUG, Switzerland, Jan 23 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cryptos Fund allows investors to gain exposure to Cryptocurrencies with reduced risk in a regulated environment.

Cryptos Fund is the brainchild of a team of leading academics, quants and security experts based in Zug, Switzerland. It is designed to passively track the CCI30 index (www.cci30.com), an indicator of cryptocurrencies valuations and the benchmark for the sector.

Carlo Scevola, one of the fund’s principals, says: “Cryptos Fund was initially created as a private investment vehicle. I first bought Bitcoin in 2011, and when its value became substantial I wanted to diversify into other cryptocurrencies with a rigorous scientific approach. There was no suitable option available, so I created my own fund.” Cryptos Fund is also a response to heavy investor demand: “It bridges the gap between the traditional financial system and the cryptocurrencies sector. Investors need to participate in the cryptocurrency market via a regulated entity, which didn’t exist until now.”

Cryptos Fund is the only regulated fund offering a passive index tracking investment strategy on cryptocurrencies and charging no performance fees.

The CCI30 index allows for the creation of a balanced portfolio that maximizes returns while minimizing risk and volatility. The fund replicates the CCI30 index passively by investing in the components of the index (the 30 cryptocurrencies with the largest market capitalization).

Participation in the fund requires a minimum investment of USD 100,000. The fund’s annual management fee, just 0.99%, and zero performance fee make it by far the least expensive fund in the sector.

“No single investor can realistically own multiple cryptocurrencies directly. It requires time and experience to buy 30 different cryptocurrencies and keep the portfolio balanced. There are also technical and security requirements that only a dedicated professional structure can meet,” says Scevola. “Through Cryptos Fund, anyone can gain exposure to the main cryptocurrencies while reducing the volatility of the investment.”

Running an index fund requires a variety of financial and quantitative skills, along with a world-class security operation. Three partners began Cryptos Fund and are responsible for its management:
Igor Rivin, Professor of Mathematics at Temple University and Regius Professor at St. Andrews, one of the world’s most respected mathematicians. Recognized for his skills at the intersection of mathematics and finance; he is responsible for the research and theoretical underpinnings of Cryptos Fund.
Carlo Scevola, esteemed provider of legal and financial advisory services, economist and investor; Scevola is responsible for the fund organization.
Jeff Zorn, global security expert. Formerly the military aide to the U.S. president responsible for carrying the nuclear “football,” Zorn now advises governments and corporations on cybersecurity, threat identification and neutralization. He is responsible for all security aspects of the fund.
Baker Tilly, a full-service global accounting firm, is the fund’s appointed auditor; Trident Trust, one of the world’s top firms, is the independent administrator.

“Cryptocurrencies are not correlated with other asset classes,” professor Rivin says. “This makes Cryptos Fund the perfect vehicle for adding diversification to a portfolio. The fund can also be viewed as a safe vehicle for storing capital. Its low fees make it viable for those who want to keep their money outside the traditional banking system, while enjoying the benefits of a regulated entity and the high level of security provided by its structure.”

Operations started with a capital of $12m and institutional investors have already committed for further $100m.

Professional investors wishing to participate in Cryptos Fund can learn more at www.thecryptosfund.com.

Contacts
Cryptos Fund
Carlo Scevola, +41.445.853.445
info@thecryptosfund.com

Source: Cryptos Fund

BRANDSAFWAY ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF VENKO GROEP BV

Combined customers to benefit from broader range of services and greater depth of expertise

KENNESAW, GA, Jan 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brand Industrial Services, known as BrandSafway, has acquired Venko Groep BV, a portfolio company of Mentha Capital, effective January 1, 2018. Moving forward, the company will operate as Venko, A BrandSafway Company and become a part of Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services (Brand) in Europe.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30994

AGENCY FOR THE COOPERATION OF ENERGY REGULATORS (ACER) CONTINUES TO USE NASDAQ'S SMARTS FOR PAN-EUROPEAN MARKET MONITORING OF EU WHOLESALE ENERGY MARKETS




NEW YORK, Jan 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) has officially extended its contract with Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ) to continue to leverage Nasdaq’s SMARTS Market Surveillance technology to detect insider trading and market manipulation across the European Union’s wholesale energy markets by digesting and analyzing massive volumes of data from hundreds of power producers, exchanges, operators, and brokers across 28 member states. The new agreement contract extension will continue to allow national regulatory authorities to share data, technology, and expertise, with the aim of creating a cooperative regulatory infrastructure.

Under the contract, SMARTS technology will continue being leveraged to monitor the European wholesale gas and electricity markets, covering both spot trading and derivative markets across Europe in accordance with the obligations under the REMIT legislation. Further, the surveillance technology will support ACER’s efforts in ensuring prices set on wholesale energy markets reflect fair and competitive interplay between supply and demand, with the goal to stifle any profits gained from market abuse.

As a truly pan-European development, the partnership allows National Regulatory Authorities to directly leverage the data and technology. The platform is designed in a manner that allows easy sharing of data for investigations across the European Union and for the national regulators to pool their knowledge to fine tune detection algorithms. Several national regulators have already signed up to be part of the technology partnership with the objective of creating a cooperative technology framework for energy market monitoring.

“We are proud of our partnership with ACER and its key role in strengthening the integrity and transparency of the EU energy markets,” said Tony Sio, Head of Marketplace & Regulator Surveillance, Market Technology, Nasdaq. “The platform centrally monitors huge volumes of activity across Europe and is designed to foster collaboration across the different national regulators. A cooperative pan-European approach to surveillance ensures that nothing falls through the cracks.”

Proven at over 50 marketplaces and regulators, and more than 140 market participants worldwide, Nasdaq’s SMARTS Surveillance technology is the industry benchmark for real-time and T1 solutions for market surveillance, supervision and compliance.

About Nasdaq

Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ) is a leading provider of trading, clearing, exchange technology, listing, information and public company services across six continents. Through its diverse portfolio of solutions, Nasdaq enables customers to plan, optimize and execute their business vision with confidence, using proven technologies that provide transparency and insight for navigating today's global capital markets. As the creator of the world's first electronic stock market, its technology powers more than 70 marketplaces in 50 countries, and 1 in 10 of the world's securities transactions. Nasdaq is home to more than 3,500 listed companies with a market value of over $9.1 trillion and more than 10,000 corporate clients. To learn more, visit http://nasdaq.com/ambition or http://business.nasdaq.com.

NDAQG

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

TD AMERITRADE INTRODUCES 24-HOUR ACCESS TO THE US EQUITY MARKETS

TD Ameritrade is the first U.S. retail broker dealer to let investors trade select securities 24 hours a day, 5 days a week

OMAHA, Neb., Jan 23 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- TD Ameritrade1 is the first U.S. retail broker dealer to enable investors to access equity markets all night long – filling a gap between research and action, and enabling the Company’s growing Asia-based client segment to trade the U.S. markets during their daytime. With this initial launch, qualified TD Ameritrade clients can buy or sell select ETFs from 8 p.m. ET Sunday to 8 p.m. ET Friday.

“This is a monumental first for our industry and retail investors,” said Steve Quirk, executive vice president of Trading and Education for TD Ameritrade. “People have busy lives; they want access to their finances anywhere, anytime, and on any device. Online trading made the markets available to anyone, mobile trading made the markets available from anywhere, and now 24-hour trading will make the markets available anytime. We’re focused on innovation that creates more value for investors and ultimately makes their lives – and our industry – better.”

The current market schedule leaves a gap between decision making and action. Nearly 70 percent of clients who use TD Ameritrade’s research and education resources do so outside of regular trading hours. Clients performing their research after market hours currently have to wait until the next day to transact based on their research findings. Asia-based investors interested in the U.S. markets must invest during U.S. daytime hours, not their own.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30987


NASDAQ WELCOMES CIELO S.A. TO THE NASDAQ INTERNATIONAL DESIGNATION

NEW YORK, Jan 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nasdaq, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) today announced that Cielo S.A. (BVMF:CIEL3) (OTC:CIOXY) (Nasdaq:CIOXY), a tech retail services company, leading the electronic payments sector in Latin America as one of the top 10 Brazilian corporations in terms of market value, is the latest company to join the Nasdaq International Designation. Through its membership, Cielo will have access to Nasdaq's investor relations services and unparalleled visibility assets to increase awareness with investors for their U.S.-traded Level 1 ADRs.

The Nasdaq International Designation is available to non-U.S. companies that have Level 1 ADRs or shares that trade on the over-the-counter market. Cielo joins additional South American Member companies Minerva Foods S.A. (BVMF: BEEF3/OTC - Nasdaq Intl: MRVSY) and Marfrig Global Foods S.A. (BVMF: MRFG3/OTC - Nasdaq Intl: MRRTY).
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30992

Monday, January 22, 2018

MEDROBOTICS® CORPORATION RECEIVES FDA CLEARANCE FOR WORLD'S FIRST AND ONLY FLEXIBLE TRANSABDOMINAL AND TRANSTHORACIC ROBOTIC SCOPE

Company Now Cleared to Market Flex® Robotic System for Robot-Assisted Visualization in General Surgical, Gynecological and Thoracic Procedures
 
RAYNHAM, Mass., Jan 22 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Medrobotics Corp., a medical robotics company, announced today it has received FDA regulatory clearance to market the Flex® Robotic System for robot-assisted visualization in general surgical, gynecological and thoracic procedures in the United States. This clearance reaffirms the Company’s progress to develop transformative products for single-port general, gynecological, thoracic and urological surgeries.

“With this new FDA indication, the use of Medrobotics’ flexible robotic technology extends beyond natural orifices,” said CEO Samuel Straface, Ph.D. “This clearance is a vital step in our commitment to minimize the impact of surgery by offering less invasive procedures through a single incision in the abdomen or thoracic cavity versus the multiple incisions that are currently required.”

Medrobotics markets the Flex® Robotic System, the world’s first and only robotic surgical platform which provides Scarfree™ access to hard-to-reach anatomy in otolaryngology and colorectal procedures. The Company is also pursuing expansion of applications to other areas including transvaginal gynecologic procedures.

The award-winning Flex® Robotic System has been widely recognized for advances in surgical robotic technology, including Best-in-Show at the 2016 Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA) and a Best New Product at the 2017 Edison Awards. The mobility and short learning curve of the Flex® Robotic System offer the promise of scheduling flexibility and efficiency not seen with other surgical systems. Patients who seek care from hospitals with comprehensive robotics programs that include the Flex® Robotic System may enjoy the best chance for the least invasive treatment of their condition.

About Medrobotics
Medrobotics Corporation (www.Medrobotics.com) is a privately funded medical device company headquartered in Raynham, Massachusetts. It manufactures and markets the Flex® Robotic System, the world’s first robotic surgical platform with a steerable and shapeable robotic scope. The Flex® Robotic System offers surgeons the unique ability to navigate complex anatomy through a single, small entry point while operating in hard-to-reach anatomical locations that might otherwise be inaccessible with straight, rigid surgical tools. The Company’s vision is to provide more patients with access to Scarfree™ surgical options. Medrobotics received FDA clearances for the Flex® Robotic System for ENT applications in July 2015 and for colorectal surgery in May 2017. The CE mark was issued in March 2014.
 
Contacts
Media:
For Medrobotics Corporation
Kevin Knight, 214-732-9392
kknightpr@gmail.com
 

Source: Medrobotics Corporation
 

PULSE ELECTRONICS COMPLETES THE ACQUISITION OF EGSTON HOLDING GMBH AND ANNOUNCES 2017 FINANCIAL RESULTS

SAN DIEGO, Jan 22 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Pulse Electronics Corporation announced today the acquisition of Austrian-based Egston Holdings, a leading European Magnetics and Cable Assembly provider to the electric vehicles (EV), automotive, industrial, and power magnetics markets.

Egston, with 2017 revenues of approximately USD 87 million, six facilities in Austria, Czech, China and India, and 1,400 employees globally, complements several growing segments of Pulse, including Electrification of Mobility, Autonomous Driving, Industry 4.0, IoT and Smart Grid applications. Egston’s strong global presence and leadership in inductive components and cable systems will enable Pulse to provide key customer solutions in the communications, power magnetics and wireless antenna markets, as well as in the smart grid, industry and specialty vehicle markets.

“The acquisition of Egston, a leader in inductive components and cable systems for the electronics, power distribution, automotive and construction vehicle markets, expands Pulse’s high technology product offering in the growth markets we already serve,” said Mark Twaalfhoven, CEO of Pulse Electronics. “We welcome Egston’s talented organization to Pulse and look forward to working together with them to expand Pulse’s impressive growth and operating performance.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30984

SD-WAN MARKET LEADER ARYAKA NAMES CLAUDIO PERUGINI SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL CHANNELS

SD-WAN MARKET LEADER ARYAKA NAMES CLAUDIO PERUGINI SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL CHANNELS

WEDGE HOLDINGS: CONCLUDING LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR GAME SYSTEM OF "HAIKYU!! VOLLEYBALL CARD GAME!!" IN REGARD TO ITS SALE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA

TOKYO, Jan 22 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Wedge Holdings CO., LTD. (JASDAQ: 2388) (HQ: Chuo-ku, Tokyo Japan, CEO: Tatsuya Konoshita) are pleased to announce that today we secured a license agreement with TOMY Company, Ltd. , a leading toymaker in Japan to acquire the right to use game system of "HAIKYU!! VOLLEYBALL CARD GAME!!" (*1) in regard to its manufacture and sale in Asian countries (*2).
By the middle of year 2018, Showa Brain Navi Vietnam Co., Ltd., one of our related company will start the distribution of the product in Vietnam and after that will expand into other Asian countries.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30980

NEW US PATENT FOR SOLIDIA TECHNOLOGIES' CO2-CURED CONCRETE ADVANCES PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF BUILDING MATERIALS

PISCATAWAY, N.J., Jan 22 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent for the structure of CO2-cured Solidia Concrete™, advancing the performance and sustainability of materials available to the global construction and materials industries. Solidia Technologies® holds the exclusive licensing rights to the patent, which is held by Rutgers University, where the original generation of the material was invented.

U.S. Patent No. 9,868,667, "Bonding Element, Bonding Matrix and Composite Material Having the Bonding Element and Method of Manufacturing Thereof," covers the composition of matter of the non-hydraulic concrete.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30974

EQUIS AND GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS ANNOUNCE CLOSING OF US$5.0 BILLION RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION ACQUISITION OF EQUIS ENERGY

Singapore, Jan 22 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Equis Pte. Ltd (Equis) and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) announced today the closing of the previously announced sale by Equis of 100% of the equity interest in Equis Energy to GIP and its co-investors, for an enterprise value of USD5.0 billion (including assumed liabilities of USD1.3bn). The net transaction consideration has been settled in cash.

Headquartered in Singapore, Equis Energy is the largest renewable energy independent power producer(IPP) in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), with more than 180 assets comprising 11,135MW in operation,construction and development across APAC including Australia, Japan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30977

Sunday, January 21, 2018

GLOBAL MUSLIM POPULATION GROWS 18 PERCENT, DRIVING RECORD DEMAND OF HALAL PRODUCTS

SINGAPORE, Jan 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Global market research company Euromonitor International unveiled via webinar the latest trends shaping the halal market as companies race to benefit from a pool of untapped consumers.
 

“Population changes, increasing disposable income and growing internet penetration are some of the key factors driving growth of halal products demands. Disposable income of countries with the top five biggest Muslim-populations such as Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Iran, have grown by 257 percent and internet penetration has risen by 31 percent for these same markets,” says Euromonitor International’s senior analyst, Emil Fazira.

According to the webinar, ‘New Consumerism and the Global Halal Market’, the Muslim population grew by 18 percent over the last 10 years compared to the global population growth of 11 percent, strengthening demand for halal food, drinks, beauty and fashion products among others. “Young adults are the main users of social media and internet. They become more interested in the latest trends, global events, and use multiple social media platforms. This makes new food and service experiences, fashion and cosmetic products more accessible to them,” Fazira added.

Within Asia, non-Muslim majority countries like Singapore and Philippines are major markets for halal packaged food and drinks, at US$1.4 billion and US$7.5 billion respectively. This is partly due to the integration and acceptance of halal products in the general community, as well as strengthening halal infrastructure. Indonesia on the other hand, is expected to show the largest sales gains in US dollars over the next 5 years, due to its significant market size and positive forecast growth.

“When identifying markets and industries, studying the market’s halal infrastructure to balance halal-certification with consumer values is crucial. Choosing the right audience and catering to them is another issue that companies must keep in mind,” concludes Joanna Chan, research analyst at Euromonitor.
To download the free webinar, visit: https://goo.gl/d9gy1K

About Euromonitor International

Euromonitor International is the world’s leading provider for global business intelligence and strategic market analysis. We have more than 40 years of experience publishing international market reports, business reference books and online databases on consumer markets.
 
Contacts
Euromonitor International
Benedicte Dia
Communications Manager
Tel: +65 6429 0590 ext. 6598
benedicte.dia@euromonitor.com
 
Source: Euromonitor International
 
View this news release online at:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180118005428/en

--BERNAMA

Friday, January 19, 2018

NOOR BANK AND UB QFPAY RELEASE INNOVATIVE MOBILE WALLET ACCEPTANCE SOLUTION IN UAE

NOOR BANK AND UB QFPAY RELEASE INNOVATIVE MOBILE WALLET ACCEPTANCE SOLUTION IN UAE

A YEAR OF INCREDIBLE GROWTH FOR THE GLOBAL BUSINESS AVIATION UNICORN


VistaJet ideally positioned to seize even larger market share in 2018
  • Flew over 50,000 passengers in one year for the first time
  • Investment from Rhône Capital values company’s equity at over $2.5bn – making VistaJet one of the only companies in the business aviation market to be valued in excess of $1bn and one of Europe’s most valuable “Unicorns”
  • Double digit growth in flight hours in the US and Asia
  • Market outperformance in the Middle East – number of new Program customers grew by 50% year-on-year in the region
  • 45% of US Program customers who joined in 2017 have booked additional hours
  • Increased market share in all markets, including the US and the Middle East
  • Now have 72 long range aircraft, making its fleet one of the largest in the private aviation sector
  • Average flight times increasing, and expected to rise still further in 2018
  • Focused on taking advantage of sector leading position in Middle East and building market share in North America and Asia
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan 18 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, today announced that it had its strongest ever year in 2017, with flight hours up markedly year-on-year. It also made significant progress on its core strategic priorities, increasing market share across the globe, and recording double digit growth in flight hours in both the US and Asia. Also, following investment from funds affiliated with Rhône Capital, the company’s equity is valued well in excess of $2.5bn, cementing VistaJet’s position as one of the top five European unicorns by funding.1

If current trends continue, 2018 is expected to be another momentous year for the company. The upper-end of the sector historically tracks the global economy, and with Europe, the US and the Middle East seeing growth once more, demand is only set to build in 2018. While the more budget end of the sector is struggling, trading for premium brands such as VistaJet is strong, as business leaders, corporations and UHNWIs are becoming ever more selective in their booking choices.

Where previously customers were most interested in speed and efficiency, in 2018 the key will be attention to detail, additional services, and a personalized experience. Generations that have grown up with having the world at their fingertips are increasingly searching for travel options that match their lifestyles, preferences, and attitudes. On top of that, the options created by exciting new long-range aircraft models such as the Global 7000 will only add to the positive momentum in the sector. Customers are also choosing to fly ever more globally, meaning that average flight times are rising. As a result, demand for larger aircraft is building; in the private aviation market, only VistaJet is able to meet this need all over the world.

With the growth of the tech sector on the West Coast of the US and a growing body of entrepreneurs in key global financial hubs such as Dubai, the audience for private aviation will get even younger in 2018. After many years of stability, the private aviation industry is finally beginning to innovate to meet this burgeoning demand. VistaJet is at the forefront of these steps; it’s On Demand solutions and Direct app give entrepreneurs transparency over pricing, and its business model is based on access over ownership, an approach users of Uber and Airbnb are familiar with.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30959

COLLIERS LAUNCHES REAL ESTATE TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR WITH TECHSTARS

Partnership with Global Technology Investor and Accelerator Leader Highlights Commitment to Real Estate Industry Innovation

TORONTO, Jan 18 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Colliers International Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CIGI) and (TSX:CIGI), a global leader in commercial real estate services, today announced the launch of the Colliers Proptech Accelerator powered by Techstars.

“Disruptive changes in technology, evolving demographics, fierce global competition and increased connectivity are factors impacting all industries,” said Dylan Taylor, Colliers President & COO. “And the commercial real estate industry is no exception. Colliers sees this as an opportunity and is committed to being the most enterprising company in our industry by developing innovative and value enhancing services for our clients and professionals. Partnering with Techstars allows us to harness the best and brightest in operating technology accelerators and selectively evaluate and invest in new technologies. The new Colliers Proptech Accelerator powered by Techstars enhances our unique culture of innovation while developing differentiated solutions for our clients.”

“The Colliers Proptech Accelerator powered by Techstars will provide us with early insight into companies and technologies that have the potential to deliver value enhancing strategies to our clients and better arming our professionals to execute,” said Jay Hennick, Colliers Chairman & CEO. “Combining Techstars' record of success with new technologies and Colliers' leading market knowledge and global platform in real estate ensures we remain at the forefront of innovation. Colliers Proptech Accelerator will enable us to source, shape and invest in new solutions and opportunities across the real estate value chain, providing a competitive advantage for our clients, employees and shareholders.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30958


Thursday, January 18, 2018

FORWARD INDUSTRIES ACQUIRES INTELLIGENT PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. and HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Jan 19 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forward Industries (NASDAQ:FORD) today announced the acquisition of Intelligent Product Solutions (IPS), an industry leading product design and development company based in Long Island, New York for a material consideration comprising of cash, equity, and contingent earn outs.

IPS clients include leading brands in consumer electronics, medical devices, enterprise and security solution providers and Internet of Things connected solutions, including Google, Physio Control, PepsiCo, Motorola, ABInBev, Zebra and Charity Water.  

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30969

OLYMPUS LABS PARTNERS WITH LEADING KOREAN FINTECH COMPANY METAPS PLUS

Gibraltar, Jan 19 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Olympus Labs is quickly becoming an emerging global leader in the cryptocurrency-based financial product space, and on the heels of a successful token sale, Olympus is partnering with Seoul-based corporation Metaps Plus, a leading Korean fintech company and mobile marketing platform developer. This news comes shortly after the company announced OKEx, as its official exchange for the company’s token MOT.http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30967

​BNKTOTHEFUTURE RAISES INITIAL $30 MILLION FOR TOKENIZED SECURITIES MARKET AND DUE DILIGENCE PLATFORM

Largest Online Investment Platform for Fintech, Bitcoin, and Blockchain Ventures to Distribute BnkToTheFuture Token (BFT) for Equity-Backed Token Deals to Accredited Investors

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, Jan 18 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Financial technology investment platform BnkToTheFuture (www.bnktothefuture.com) has raised an initial $30 million for its tokenized equity market and due diligence platform within the first 24 hours of of its token pre-sale open solely to institutional investors and members of its platform. BnkToTheFuture offers the largest online investment platform for investing in the equity of FinTech, Bitcoin, and Blockchain companies as well as Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) that have passed a stringent due-diligence and compliance process.

Already popular as an online investment platform with almost 50,000 professional and accredited investors with over $260 million invested in the funding rounds of FinTech, Bitcoin, and blockchain deals listed on its platform including Kraken, BitFinex, BitStamp, and Shape Shift, BnkToTheFuture will now incorporate blockchain technology with the aim of allowing for the trading of security tokens in 2018 and will issue its BnkToTheFuture token to support deal flow analysis, due diligence, and investor relations on the platform.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30957

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

NTT COM GRANTED MICROSOFT'S GOLD CLOUD PLATFORM STATUS GLOBALLY

Underscoring NTT Com’s unique capabilities in delivering on managed cloud

TOKYO, Jan 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT Group (TOKYO:9432), is pleased to announce that it has been granted Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform status, the highest accreditation currently available, for its competency in delivering on quality, expertise and differentiated managed services in the cloud.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30955

​VIETNAM AS NEXT GLOBAL BLOCKCHAIN HUB - VIETNAM BLOCKCHAIN WEEK

HO CHI MINH, Vietnam, Jan 17 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vietnam will host Vietnam Blockchain Week - its first global conference dedicated to blockchain technology and development.

Blockchain’s Explosive Growth in Southeast Asia

Malaysian banks piloting blockchain payment systems, Singaporean incubators investing heavily in 4.0 technology startups, India putting land rights on blockchain and Indonesian regulators developing technology sandboxes - Southeast Asia is quickly establishing itself as a region eager to adopt, explore and innovate blockchain technologies. Vietnam is the latest country to gain attention for its potential as a major hub.

Why Vietnam?

Vietnam’s potential as a blockchain leader will be highlighted at the nation’s first major blockchain conference. The nation is one of the world’s fastest growing economies (6-7% growth per annum) with a young population (over 40% of the 95 million population are under the age of 24) that is hungry for blockchain and other 4.0 technologies. In 2017, universities across the country began offering exclusive blockchain courses and the motivated graduates along with Vietnam’s forward-looking and robust tech talents are exploring blockchain-driven innovations for the nation’s rapidly expanding technology and service sectors. Vietnam Blockchain Week will discuss impacts to these fields inside and outside the region.

Why Vietnam Blockchain Week?

Vietnam Blockchain Week will showcase the significant growth of blockchain in the country as well as the many involved companies, institutions and organizations. Two uniquely curated panel and presentation tracks will be available - one for business/regulators and one for developers. Key topics will include incubation efforts, how blockchain can impact the unbanked, global supply chains, digital payment systems and IoT. Blockchain’s role in Regtech will be highlighted, including discussions about blockchain regulations, government partnerships and compliance services. Special attention will also be paid to examining Vietnam’s blockchain landscape.

Technology, regulation and development experts from blockchain startups and major corporations from Vietnam and around the world will share their experiences, insights, and knowledge with more than 1,500+ attending professionals. Speakers include executives at Hong Kong Fintech Association, NEO, Hyperledger and National Payment Corporation of Vietnam.
 

Vietnam is in a rare position to leapfrog to the front of the global blockchain community and this conference will provide a revealing survey of its future impacts.

ASCOM WINS AGREEMENT WITH IDN MUNSON HEALTHCARE IN THE USA

Ascom secures an agreement with the Integrated Delivery Network (IDN) Munson Healthcare to upgrade its flagship medical center. The agreement amounts to CHF 1.1 million and includes the full Ascom Healthcare Platform.

BAAR, Switzerland, Jan 17 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Munson Healthcare, a nine hospital non-profit Integrated Delivery Network (IDN) serving the state of Michigan, selected Ascom (SWX:ASCN.SW), the leading global healthcare Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provider, for a comprehensive technology retrofit of its flagship Munson Medical Center. The CHF 1.1 million agreement signed in the second half of 2017 is notable for encompassing the full Ascom Healthcare Platform, including Telligence nurse call, Unite software, EMR and RTLS integrations, Ascom mobility handsets and clinical consulting and training.

Challenged with inefficient legacy systems unable to upgrade to current technology, Munson valued partnering with Ascom versus using multiple vendors for an end-to-end replacement solution. Centralized management also proved key to the middleware sale, as Munson’s flagship will serve as the central hub to manage all messaging and reporting for the rest of the network. Telligence nurse call deployments were completed in October, and the Unite and Mobility installations are underway this December into early 2018.

“This is a significant IDN win for us because it continues to demonstrate the value of the holistic Ascom platform as a solution across an entire health system,” says Francis Schmeer, Head of Marketing and Business Development. “Our engagement with the clinical and executive leadership of Munson, coupled with the longstanding relationship of our local partner Ascomnorth, proved invaluable during system design and selection. The clinical consulting and training included in this agreement will deliver customized, consistent workflows that are streamlined, efficient and patient-centric.”

About Ascom
Ascom is a global solutions provider focused on healthcare Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and mobile workflow solutions. The vision of Ascom is to close digital information gaps allowing for the best possible decisions – anytime and anywhere. Ascom’s mission is to provide mission-critical, real-time solutions for highly mobile, ad hoc, and time-sensitive environments. Ascom uses its unique product and solutions portfolio and software architecture capabilities to devise integration and mobilization solutions that provide truly smooth, complete and efficient workflows for healthcare as well as for industry, security and retail sectors.

Headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, Ascom has subsidiaries in 15 countries and employs approximately 1,300 people worldwide. Ascom registered shares (ASCN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich.

For more information, visit www.ascom.com/north-america and follow @AscomNA and LinkedIn.


Ascom Group Media Office, Daniel Lack, Company Secretary & Legal & Communications/IR

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

RADWARE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS RISE IN RANSOM HACKS

Untraceable Ransom Payments Can Be a Lucrative Opportunity for Hackers as Cryptocurrencies Increase in Value

MAHWAH, N.J., Jan 17 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Radware® (NASDAQ:RDWR), a leading provider of cyber security and application delivery solutions, has released its 2017-2018 Global Application and Network Security Report, which found that the percentage of companies reporting financially motivated cyber-attacks has doubled over the past two years, with 50% of surveyed companies experiencing a cyber-attack motivated by ransom in the past year. As the value of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies - often the preferred form of payment among hackers - has appreciated, ransom attacks provide an opportunity for hackers to cash out for lucrative gains months later.

"The rapid adoption of cryptocurrencies and their subsequent rise in price has presented hackers with a clear upside that goes beyond cryptocurrencies' anonymity," said Carl Herberger, Vice President of Security Solutions at Radware. "Paying a hacker in these situations not only incentivizes further attacks, but it provides criminals with the vital funds they need to continue their operations."
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30950

BY 2025, ALL OF MCDONALD'S PACKAGING TO COME FROM RENEWABLE, RECYCLED OR CERTIFIED SOURCES; GOAL TO HAVE RECYCLING AVAILABLE IN ALL RESTAURANTS

OAK BROOK, Ill., Jan 16 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) announces goals to improve its packaging and help significantly reduce waste to positively impact the communities the company serves around the world. 

By 2025, 100 percent of McDonald’s guest packaging will come from renewable, recycled, or certified sources with a preference for Forest Stewardship Council certification. Also by 2025, the company has set a goal to recycle guest packaging in 100 percent of McDonald’s restaurants. McDonald’s understands that recycling infrastructure, regulations and consumer behaviors vary city to city and country to country around the world, but it plans to be part of the solution and help influence powerful change.

This expands upon McDonald’s existing goal that by 2020, 100% of fiber-based packaging will come from recycled or certified sources where no deforestation occurs.

“As the world’s largest restaurant company, we have a responsibility to use our scale for good to make changes that will have a meaningful impact across the globe,” said Francesca DeBiase, McDonald’s Chief Supply Chain and Sustainability Officer. “Our customers have told us that packaging waste is the top environmental issue they would like us to address. Our ambition is to make changes our customers want and to use less packaging, sourced responsibly and designed to be taken care of after use, working at and beyond our restaurants to increase recycling and help create cleaner communities.”

To reach these goals, McDonald’s will work with leading industry experts, local governments and environmental associations, to improve packaging and recycling practices. Together they will work to drive smarter packaging designs, implement new recycling programs, establish new measurement programs and educate restaurant crew and customers.

As Tom Murray, Vice President of EDF+Business at Environmental Defense Fund noted, “Nearly three decades ago, McDonald’s and EDF teamed up to tackle solid waste and accelerate innovation in packaging.  Along the way, we pioneered a new partnership model for companies and nonprofit organizations. Today, McDonald’s continues to raise the sustainability bar by setting ambitious goals and collaborating with partners across the value chain for maximum impact."

“McDonald’s global preference for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified materials demonstrates their far-reaching commitment to source packaging that benefits people and forests around the world,” said Kim Carstensen, director general of the Forest Stewardship Council. “The partnership between McDonald’s and FSC – the world’s most trusted certification of forests and forest products – also creates a uniquely powerful opportunity for McDonald’s to engage customers about simple ways to protect forests,” he added.

Adds Sheila Bonini, Senior Vice President, Private Sector Engagement, World Wildlife Fund, “Smarter waste management begins with improved sourcing, increased value chain collaboration and better communication with customers. Today’s announcement demonstrates McDonald’s strong leadership in developing packaging and recycling solutions at a scale that can extend the life of our natural resources and push its industry toward more sustainable practices.”

McDonald’s first began its focus on sustainable packaging nearly 25 years ago with the establishment of the groundbreaking partnership with EDF. The initiative eliminated more than 300 million pounds of packaging, recycled 1 million tons of corrugated boxes and reduced waste by 30 percent in the decade following the partnership. In 2014, the company joined WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network program and set its fiber sourcing targets, including FSC preference for packaging made from wood fiber.

Currently, 50 percent of McDonald’s customer packaging comes from renewable, recycled or certified sources and 64 percent of fiber-based packaging comes from certified or recycled sources. Also, an estimated 10 percent of McDonald’s restaurants globally are recycling customer packaging.

“We look forward to doing more and continuing to raise the bar on what it means to be a responsible company committed to people and the planet,” DeBiase said.

About McDonald’s
McDonald’s is the world’s leading global foodservice retailer with over 37,000 locations in over 100 countries. Over 90 percent of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business men and women.

GENETIC MAKE-UP AND EXTENDED AUGMENTED REALITY AMONG THE 2018 TOP 10 GLOBAL CONSUMER TRENDS

LONDON, Jan 16 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Market research company Euromonitor International revealed today the top 10 global consumer trends for 2018.

According to the report, ‘Top 10 Global Consumer Trends for 2018’, people’s growing curiosity about their genetic make-up and a rising interest in personalised health and beauty are fuelling a global market expected to soar by 2022. A new wave of companies aims to provide consumers with genetic findings related to their general health, fitness and nutrition, with the market growth being global and competition in the largely unregulated Chinese market particularly intense.

“The consumer market still faces hurdles, such as country-specific regulations. Companies will need to be clear and upfront with consumers about the limitations of findings, or risk losing their trust” states report author Alison Angus, Euromonitor International’s Head of Lifestyles. “However, things are improving on the regulatory front and with the market continuing to evolve, it is likely that further innovative start-ups will invest in new technologies.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30947

​HYLAND GROWS HEALTHCARE BUSINESS IN SINGAPORE WITH RECENT CUSTOMER WINS

​HYLAND GROWS HEALTHCARE BUSINESS IN SINGAPORE WITH RECENT CUSTOMER WINS

Monday, January 15, 2018

NTT SECURITY ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF ADVANCED SECURITY SERVICES INTO THAILAND

SINGAPORE, Jan 15 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NTT Security, the specialized security company of NTT Group, has announced expansion into Thailand as part of its strategic growth plan. It will provide Managed Security Services (MSS) and specialized Professional Security Services based on its strength in Global Threat Intelligence and Cyber Threat Advanced Analytics accumulated through global operations. This will enable more effective and sophisticated cybersecurity solutions for Thailand enterprises and governments as well as global companies which have business operations in the region.

The services will be taken to market through the NTT Group companies of Dimension Data, NTT Communications and NTT DATA, forming part of its suite of integrated services to enable successful digital transformation initiatives for its clients.

“Our Managed Security Services with expert security analysts and proprietary analytics platform powered by Global Threat Intelligence have been providing strong Threat Detection and Hunting capabilities to NTT customers worldwide. We are delighted to be expanding the availability of our advanced security services. NTT Security together with NTT Group companies will provide cyber resilience to secure digital transformation of organizations in Thailand,“ said Jun Sawada, CEO of NTT Security.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30932

AOI TYO HOLDINGS INVESTS IN SPIRAL VENTURES ASIA FUND I

TOKYO, Jan 15 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AOI TYO Holdings Inc. (TOKYO:3975), which provides a wide variety of creative services for advertising and video, including the largest television commercial production business in Japan, has invested five million US dollars in Spiral Ventures Asia Fund I for the purpose of expanding its business in the Asian market.
 
Since being established in February 2013, Spiral Ventures Pte. Ltd. has utilized its global and diverse human resources to conduct investment in Southeast Asia, while maintaining strict risk management and compliance, including the acquisition of a Registered Fund Management Company license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The company mainly invests in start-up companies in the early to growth stage in Southeast Asia and India, areas which both have high target rates for economic growth, and aims to improve the corporate value of its investment outlets by providing management advice, opportunities for business matching with Japanese companies, and assistance for starting or expanding their business in the Japanese market.
 
AOI TYO Holdings positions this investment as one of its growth strategies for its solution business(*) and overseas business, and aims for further expansion of its overseas market by establishing early relationships with Asian venture companies with a high potential for growth and building a framework for cooperating with the investment outlets. This is expected to also involve business expansion that leverages the knowledge that the AOI TYO Holdings group has in the fields of advertising and video production.
 
(*) Solution business: This business provides methods to solve the issues clients face. It utilizes technology, knowledge, and resources gained from producing advertising videos in Japan to produce all types of content including VR, AR, and MR, as well as collecting and analyzing data, and designing stories that reflect data analysis.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30933

Friday, January 12, 2018

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AWARDS FORESCOUT ENTERPRISE-WIDE IOT SECURITY AGREEMENT

ForeScout joins Pentagon's ESI program to accelerate military's use of commercial software, helping defense agencies centralize and expand ForeScout deployments

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan 12 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ForeScout Technologies, Inc., a leading Internet of Things (IoT) security company, today announced that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awarded the company and its federal partners an enterprise-wide blanket purchase (BPA) agreement through the U.S. military's Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) program. ForeScout's partners facilitating ESI purchases are Alamo City Engineering Services, Inc., Carahsoft Technology Inc., DLT Solutions, immixTechnology, Inc. and Patriot Technologies, Inc. Eligible agencies can view full award details here: http://www.esi.mil/contentview.aspx?id=926.

This agreement provides the most current commercially available ForeScout products, maintenance and support for DoD, intelligence community and Coast Guard activities worldwide. The products offered through the BPA include ForeScout CounterAct® agentless security solutions, Enterprise Manager and Extended Modules for third-party orchestration, as well as ControlFabric® Architecture, ForeScout training and ActiveCare® support services.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30920

TONGLIANG DRAGON DANCE DEBUTS ON NEW YEAR'S EVE IN TIMES SQUARE

NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2018/Xinhua Finance Agency-AsiaNet/ --

Tongliang Dragon Dance from Southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, which represents one of China’s national intangible cultural heritages, made its debut in Times Square during the New Year’s Eve celebration on Sunday.

A colorful 15-meter long Tongliang Dragon jumped, rolled and hovered under control of eight performers. Accompanied by Chongqing traditional folk songs, the dragon rods were like paddles that quickly swiped with the increasingly strong rhythm.

With an average age of 30, eight performers of the Tongliang Dragon Dance spent one month and a half in making preparations for the New Year's celebration. “It is a great honor to participate in such an activity. We can further enhance the world's understanding of the excellent Chinese traditional culture through our efforts,” said Zhang Shunsheng, the team leader, who is also an inheritor of the Tongliang Dragon Dance.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30914

Thursday, January 11, 2018

VIPER NETWORKS ANNOUNCES COMING LAUNCH OF BLOCKCHAIN AND CRYPTO MINING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP DIVISION

Complements Existing Business Model in the LED, Energy & Smart Cities Sector

TROY, Mich., Jan 12 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Viper Networks, Inc. (OTC Pink:VPER), (Company), an international leader in the LED lighting products & integrated systems markets, with a focus on Smart Cities, reported today that the Company is expanding into a strategic industry sector by creating a new division for their emerging Blockchain and Crypto Mining Technologies Group.

By adopting fast-emerging powerful technologies that can strengthen the Company's core technologies, products and services within the LED industry, Viper Networks is pursuing future success far beyond a single sector leadership position.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30918

HOSHINO RESORTS ANNOUNCES NEW OMO BRAND

Leading Japanese hotel management company launches a new hotel brand, OMO, in spring 2018

TOKYO, Jan 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The leading Japanese hotel management company, Hoshino Resorts Inc. (Yoshiharu Hoshino, CEO) is launching a new hotel brand, OMO, with its first hotel scheduled to open doors in spring 2018. This is the company’s fourth hotel brand, following HOSHINOYA, RISONARE, and KAI. OMO will cater to tourists who normally stay at medium-range economy hotels that are frequented by business travelers, but who are seeking accommodation that is more personal and tourism-oriented. Hotels will be built in city centers rather than in traditional resort areas. The first two will be launched in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, and Otsuka, Tokyo.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30911

KKR-BACKED EMERALD MEDIA ACQUIRES CONTROLLING STAKE IN COSMOS-MAYA

Cosmos-Maya, the market leader in original Indian animation content creation, now eyes global market

MUMBAI, India, Jan 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Emerald Media, the Pan-Asia company backed by leading global investment firm KKR, today announced that it has acquired a controlling stake in Cosmos-Maya through a combination of primary and secondary stake acquisition. Based in India, Cosmos-Maya is the market leader in IP-led Indian kid's animation content. The capital from this investment will help the company with strategic growth initiatives and creating global IPs to further increase its footprint across the world.

Promoted by internationally acclaimed Indian filmmakers Ketan Mehta & Deepa Sahi, Cosmos-Maya pioneered the art and technology of animation and visual effects in India. Over the last 5 years, the company has produced a record 1000 half-hour segments of animated content. Today, it has multiple ongoing productions with major television and digital platforms, including Viacom18, Disney Networks, Turner International, Sony Pictures Network, Discovery Networks, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and ALT Balaji.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30913

WHAT'S THE SPECTRE YOUR VOIP WILL MELTDOWN?

Telephony systems, SBCs and VoIP hardware that rely on Intel, AMD and ARM processors harbor some serious security vulnerabilities

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan 11 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Patton Electronics—US manufacturer of UC, cloud, and IoT enabling solutions for carrier, enterprise and industrial networks—declares Patton operating systems are NOT vulnerable to the Spectre and Meltdown security threats.*

Recent reports have alerted the world that devices built on the commonly-used Intel, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Acorn RISC Machine or later Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) processors come with significant security vulnerabilities.

The Spectre and Meltdown threats allow hackers to gain access to (and wreak havoc with) all kinds of network elements, including telephony systems, session border controllers (SBCs) and other types of VoIP hardware, which largely rely on these processors.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30910

OLYMPUS LABS DESIGNATES OKEX AS FIRST OFFICIAL EXCHANGE LISTING PARTNER

Gibraltar, Jan 11 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Olympus Labs is becoming an emerging leader in the cryptocurrency-based financial product space, and the team has been having a successful token sale supported by both institutions and the community. The team has designated OKEx to be the first official partner exchange to list Mount Olympus Tokens (MOT).

OKEx is a world-leading digital asset exchange, providing advanced financial services to global traders by using blockchain technology. Backed by renowned investors including Giant Network Group and Qianhe Capital Management, it is currently one of the top digital asset exchanges in trading volume, serving more than 20 million customers in over 100 countries.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30908

MEDIBIO ANNOUNCES ISO 13485 CERTIFICATION

SYDNEY, Australia and MINNEAPOLIS, Jan 11 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medibio Limited (MEB or the Company) (ASX:MEB) (OTCQB:MDBIF) has received a Certificate of Compliance certifying that the Company's Quality Management System complies with the requirements of ISO 13485. This also includes conformance with the Canadian Medical Device Conformity Assessment System (CMDCAS).

The certification was issued by DQS Med, the Notified Body appointed to assess Medibio's submission for CE Mark. It signifies that Medibio has established a comprehensive quality system for the design and manufacturing of medical devices. ISO 13485 is recognized internationally as a universal measure of quality and is a critical prerequisite to securing CE Mark and other regulatory certifications.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30907

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION LAUNCHES TWO NEW ICS COMPLIANT WITH BLUETOOTH® VER.5.0

-Realize high-performance, long-range communication with low current consumption-

TOKYO, Jan 9 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation today announced "TC35680FSG" with built-in Flash ROM and "TC35681FSG," additions to its line-up of ICs compliant with the Bluetooth® low energy standard [1]. Sample shipments start at the end of this month.

The new ICs support all data rates required for the high-speed features, 2M PHY and Coded PHY (500kbps and 125kbps) added to the Bluetooth® low energy Ver.5.0 standard. Receiver sensitivity at 125kbps is -105dBm, an industry-leading [2] level, and a built-in high efficiency power amplifier in the transmission block realizes up to 8 dBm transmission power. All these features contribute to long-range communication with low current consumption.
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ATLAS AIR APPOINTS DR. JOERG ANDRIOF AS SVP TITAN SINGAPORE AVIATION

PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan 9 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (Nasdaq:AAWW) subsidiary, Titan Aviation Leasing Pte Inc. has appointed Dr. Joerg Andriof as Senior Vice President Titan Singapore Aviation Leasing.

Dr. Andriof will manage all day to day responsibilities for Titan.  He will be based in Singapore and will report to Michael Steen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc.

“Titan has grown significantly over the past years and is recognized as one of the leading freighter-focused aircraft leasing companies. Dr. Andriof’s extensive experience and knowledge, particularly in the express airfreight industry, will help us further develop this segment of our business,” said Michael Steen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc. Prior to joining the company, Dr. Andriof held senior management positions at DHL Express, Lufthansa and KPMG. Dr. Andriof received his Ph.D. in Industrial and Business Studies from the University of Warwick.

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Tuesday, January 9, 2018

THE GATEWAY INTO THE MIDDLE EAST - CREALOGIX ACQUIRES INNOFIS

ZURICH, Jan 9 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- CREALOGIX, the Leader in Digital Banking Solutions will acquire 100% of the Barcelona-based Innofis - a well-established digital banking supplier for the Middle East, serving leading banks of the region.

With the acquisition, CREALOGIX will gain an established customer base and initiate its presence in an additional territory with high demand and growth potential for digital banking solutions. The acquisition will complement the current solution portfolio in digital banking and accelerates CREALOGIX's position as a leading global player for digital banking.
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MIPS RETURNS TO SILICON VALLEY TO DRIVE NEXT GENERATION OF INTELLIGENT APPLICATIONS

MIPS RETURNS TO SILICON VALLEY TO DRIVE NEXT GENERATION OF INTELLIGENT APPLICATIONS

DOCUMENT SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC. NAMES IT EXECUTIVE VINCENT LUM PRESIDENT OF DSS ASIA

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Jan 9 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Document Security Systems, Inc. (NYSE American:DSS), a leader in anti-counterfeit, authentication, and diversion protection technologies whose products and solutions are used by governments, corporations and financial institutions to defeat fraud and to help ensure the authenticity of both digital and physical financial instruments, identification documents, sensitive publications, brand packaging and websites, announced today that Mr. Vincent Lum has been named President of DSS Asia. 

Mr. Lum will be responsible for strategic DSS business expansion in the Asia Pacific market.  Mr. Lum will lead the Asia Pacific operation including management of customer support, implementation, product marketing, and product development in the region.  As part of the DSS expansion to Asia, Mr. Lum will also oversee regional growth in the DSS infrastructure to service product opportunities in the market.

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ATLAS AIR APPOINTS ALVIN TAY AS VICE PRESIDENT SALES AND MARKETING ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan 9 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Air, Inc. has appointed Alvin Tay as Vice President Sales and Marketing for the Asia-Pacific region.

Starting in March 2018, Alvin will lead the sales and marketing team in Asia-Pacific and manage all commercial activities in the region. He will be based in Hong Kong and will report to Michael Steen, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.
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SIGMA DESIGNS UNLOCKS THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE SMART HOME WITH NEXT GENERATION Z-WAVE 700-SERIES CHIPSET




LAS VEGAS, Jan 9 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CES 2018 Venetian Ballroom – Sigma Designs® (NASDAQ:SIGM), a leading provider of intelligent system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for smart home IoT, today unveils its new 700-Series Z-Wave platform, which include numerous performance and technological enhancements in energy-efficiency and RF performance, while being cost-effective, built to power the context-aware smart home.

Z-Wave 700-Series is a long range, low power and future-proof hardware platform with integrated software tools and building blocks enabling a whole new generation of Z-Wave sensor devices. 700-Series will drive the battery-powered device trend, empowering Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning systems to utilize sensor data and make smart homes smarter, safer, and more connected.

"Sigma’s Z-Wave 700-Series chip will completely reshape the meaning of smart home. It solves for many of today’s technological barriers, while being the most flexible, interoperable platform, bringing smart home functionality to a new level,” said Raoul Wijgergangs, VP of Sigma Designs' Z-Wave Business Unit. “700-Series opens opportunities for new classes of sensors that weren’t possible before, while making remarkable improvements to existing device categories. 700-Series is creating a path to full home installations, moving from tens of Z-Wave devices to hundreds of Z-Wave devices per home. Our new platform assures the environment that will take homes from smart to truly intelligent.”

Key features of the 700-Series platform include:
  • Low power: 700-Series will have best-in-class low power radio performance enabling multiyear battery lifetime and more than 10-year sensor lifetime on a coin-cell.  
  • Long range: 700-Series platform will enable range of more than 300 feet, covering multi-stories in a house and the far end of the yard.
  • Low cost and fast time to market: 700-Series gets developers started fast with low cost developer kits, tools and readymade certified reference code ensuring minimum time from prototype to certified product.
  • High performance: Powerful ARM®-based platform with large memory on the chip and many peripherals, enabling intelligence at the edge with fast energy efficient computation and secure inclusion in less than one second.
  • Certified interoperable and backwards compatible: Every 700-Series device will have the highest level of security in the smart home with Z-Wave Security 2 (S2) framework and consistent easy install with Z-Wave SmartStart.  
The energy-efficient and long range wireless communication with the 700-Series Z-Wave platform, allows smart home sensors to go beyond the current limits. This means that smart homes can extend to the yard, the end of the driveway and seamlessly cover multiple stories in a home. The extremely low power consumption enables new small form factor Z-Wave sensors which can be embedded into new places such as into furniture, windows and even behind dry walls.

The 700-Series platform will continue to utilize and build on top of core Z-Wave features such as S2 and SmartStart. Sigma’s Security 2 (S2) architecture, which combines existing and new security features, allows Z-Wave to continue to be the safest, most secure ecosystem of smart devices on the global market. SmartStart is an easy way to automatically create and configure Z-Wave networks for instant device installation success. Comprising the new Z-Wave protocol and gateway software layers, SmartStart pre-configures devices to the network before they reach the home, dramatically reducing installation time, and thereby costs, to maximize return on investment (ROI) for installers and remove difficulty of DIY installations for homeowners.

ATLAS AIR APPOINTS ALVIN TAY AS VICE PRESIDENT SALES AND MARKETING ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan 9 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Air, Inc. has appointed Alvin Tay as Vice President Sales and Marketing for the Asia-Pacific region.

Starting in March 2018, Alvin will lead the sales and marketing team in Asia-Pacific and manage all commercial activities in the region. He will be based in Hong Kong and will report to Michael Steen, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30891