Marino PhonePal service will take advantage of a single satellite network and low per minute low tariff to connect mariners on thousands of vessels to friends and familyino Seafarers in Touch

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Monday, September 9th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

Thuraya Telecommunications Company, a leading Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) operator, has been selected by SMART Communications of the Philippines for the launch of its new crew calling service, Marino PhonePal.

The multi-year deal will see SMART partner with Thuraya on network services and hardware for its maritime voice service, which connects thousands of Filipino seafarers to their loved ones.

Marino PhonePal is an expansion of SMART’s current crew calling service, from an existing Asia Pacific footprint now to include major sea lanes in Australia, New Zealand, Indian Ocean, Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Bilal El Hamoui, Vice President of Distribution at Thuraya, says Marino PhonePal c ... Read more »

CLARENCE, N.Y - Monday, September 9th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 22nd Century Group, Inc. (OTCQB: XXII) announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for tobacco plants with altered nicotine content developed by using nucleic acids derived from a transcription factor gene identified as NbTF7 – also known as NbARF1. NbTF7 simultaneously regulates the expression of multiple nicotine biosynthesis genes.

The allowed claims of Patent Application No. 13/464,212, entitled, NUCLEIC ACID SEQUENCES ENCODING TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS REGULATING ALKALOID BIOSYNTHESIS AND THEIR USE IN MODIFYING PLANT METABOLISM, cover producing tobacco plants with altered nicotine levels by mutagenesis of the transcription factor gene NbTF7 that negatively regulates nicotine biosynthesis. NbTF7 is one of six tobacco transcription factor genes identified and demonstrated to regulate nicotine biosynthesis and nicotine content in tobacco ... Read more »

ME NewsWire / BusinessWire

COLUMBUS, Ga - Monday, September 9th 2013

TSYS (NYSE: TSS), one of the world’s largest payment-services companies, announced today it will sponsor the annual AITEC Banking and Mobile Money COMESA exhibition and conference taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, during 11-12 September 2013.

The 2013 conference theme is ‘The Customer is King (and Queen).’ Both industry and banking experts will converge to discuss services in the areas of cards, mobile and microfinance, in addition to exploring how new technologies and service delivery channels can better serve the customer.

Malek Mroueh, director of regional business development in Asia, the Middle East and Africa for TSYS, will present a session titled: "From teens to benefit claimants: How prepaid can benefit in a range of scenarios.” He will outline strategies of prepaid usage as a payment tool that can deliver further benefits to the African marketplace and consumers.

TSYS was nam ... Read more »

INGELHEIM AM RHEIN, Germany - Monday, September 9th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- For media outside the UK, US and Canada

One of largest COPD trials ever conducted confirms comparable safety and efficacy profile of SPIRIVA® Respimat® 2.5 µg (once a day, 2 puffs)* and SPIRIVA® HandiHaler® 18 µg1

    Time to first COPD exacerbation was comparable for both SPIRIVA® (tiotropium) formulations: Respimat® 2.5 µg (once a day, 2 puffs) and HandiHaler® 18 µg1
    Building on the on-treatment mortality benefit of SPIRIVA® 18 µg via HandiHaler® vs. control in the milestone trial UPLIFT**,2, the TIOSPIR™ trial showed a similar impact on survival between SPIRIVA® Respimat® and SPIRIVA® HandiHaler®1
    With broad inclusion criteria, the TIOSPIR™ trial population was representative of typical, real-world COPD patients, including patients with all COPD disease assessment c ... Read more »