Hampton Hotels and Plateno Hotels Group to develop more than 400 hotels in China

MCLEAN, Va - Saturday, November 1st 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hilton Worldwide today announced an exclusive license agreement with Plateno Hotels Group, one of China’s leading hospitality groups, to rapidly launch and develop the Hampton by Hilton brand in China. With this agreement, Hampton plans to have over 400 deals signed, with the first hotel expected to open by the end of 2015. Hampton by Hilton is a leader in the mid-priced hotel segment with nearly 2,000 properties in 17 countries. Plateno Hotels Group operates five brands with a portfolio of over 3,000 hotels in 300 cities across China and operates China’s largest hotel loyalty program, reaching 80 million members.

“We expect that this partnership will allow us to accelerate our efforts to gain broad geographic and chain scale distribution in China, enabling us to access a large, growing cus ... Read more »

Hilton will also donate $300,000 to charities selected by voters

MCLEAN, Va. - Saturday, November 1st 2014 [ME NewsWire]

 (BUSINESS WIRE) Hilton HHonors, the loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s 12 distinct hotel brands, today revealed its latest global promotion, Double Up. For the first time in the program’s history, Hilton HHonors members were asked to vote for HHonors’ year-end promotion. The votes have been tallied and, from November 1, 2014 through January 31, 2015, HHonors members will earn Double HHonors Points beginning on their second stay at participating Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Curio – A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations properties.

In addition to allowing HHonors members to vote for their favorite bonus ... Read more »

Current President and CEO of JM to Assume Chairman Responsibilities

DENVER. - Friday, October 31st 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE) Johns Manville (JM), a Berkshire Hathaway company and global building products manufacturer, today announced that Mary Rhinehart has been named Chairman of the company. Rhinehart was appointed as JM President and Chief Executive Officer in November 2012.

Warren Buffett, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Hathaway, selected Rhinehart for this additional role due to her diligent leadership of JM. “With more than three decades of comprehensive experience at JM, Mary Rhinehart has proven not only her ability to succeed at every level, but also her commitment to the business and passion for JM’s employees and customers. Mary is the right choice for Chairman of JM,” said Buffett.

Rhinehart has held a variety of roles during her 35-year career, including as general manager of several Johns Manv ... Read more »

GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK 2014

COLOMBES, France. - Wednesday, October 29th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE) Oberthur Technologies (OT), a world leader in digital security solutions for the mobility space, participated in GITEX 2014 from October 12 to 16 and demonstrated its Mobile Financial Services and NFC solutions together with Etisalat, the leading mobile operator in Middle-East and Africa.

GITEX Technology Week is the largest ICT event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia with more than 3700 exhibiting companies from 61 countries and 100.000 visitors from 150 countries. The main focus was on four themes: Smart, Cloud, Big Data and Mobility.

OT and Etisalat with their respective expertise showcased prominent demonstrations related to Mobile Financial Services and NFC in the banking, transportation and retail areas amongst others. GITEX VIPs, for instance, were instantly issued a prepaid card from OT’s Smart Kiosks and were showed how to a ... Read more »

Dubai, United Arabic Emirates - Monday, October 27th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

The Middle East Healthcare Informatics Summit commenced on Monday at Shangri-La, Dubai featuring government, policy makers, healthcare providers and solution providers with the objective of transforming the region’s healthcare sector.

The summit highlighted the latest developments in health information management and how these developments fuel growth in the region’s healthcare sector. The event started off with a pre-event workshop on “Standards and Information Governance for Healthcare” by Deborah Green, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and Dr. Anna Orlova, Senior Director, AHIMA. The half day workshop focussed on information governance that helps manage and control information by supporting the organization’s activities and ensuring compliance with its duties

MEHIS was proud to be the platform for the official launch of the “Emira ... Read more »

- Operating Profit Increased and Full Year Forecast Revised Upward -

OSAKA, Japan. - Friday, October 31st 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE) Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic [TOKYO:6752]) today reported its consolidated financial results for the second quarter and six months ended September 30, 2014, of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2015 (fiscal 2015).

Consolidated Second-quarter Results

Consolidated group sales for the second quarter decreased by 1% to 1,870.6 billion yen compared with 1,881.8 billion yen for the second quarter of the year ended March 31, 2014 (fiscal 2014). Despite sales increase in solar and automotive businesses, this was mainly due to sales decrease of challenging businesses such as TVs, and sluggish demand in Japan after the consumption tax hike in April. Of the consolidated group total, domestic sales amounted to 892.5 billion yen, down by 3% from 922.4 billion yen a year ago, and overseas sales increased by 2% to 97 ... Read more »

Kalebr takes on leadership in representing and supporting smart learning transformation

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Monday, October 27th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

Kalebr Technologies, a leading Canadian education solutions provider, will be launching ‘Transforming International Learning with Technology’ (TILT), an educationally focused CSR program in Dubai this November. As an introduction of this program, a one day conclave with support partnership from Intel Education will be hosted on 3rd of November 2014, at Al Baraha III Ballroom, Event Centre, Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City, Dubai - UAE.

As the first of its kind, this event will gather school leadership, curriculum heads and IT heads of leading K-12 schools on a single educational platform, where they will present successful case studies, share best practices and ultimately take the lead in driving one-to-one learning in the region.  By providing a safe academic environment, thi ... Read more »

List of nominees includes 13 films from across 17 countries

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Tuesday, October 28th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

Jury members of the 8th Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF) convened to begin screening the nominated films for the Child Protection Award (CPA), hosted by the festival for the second time and helmed in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Interior. Egyptian director Marwan Hamed heads the competition jury, alongside Lieutenant Colonel Faisal Al Shimmari, Deputy Chairman of the Ministry of Interior’s Cinema Awards Committee; Italian lecturer and film connoisseur Alessandra Priante; UAE media expert Heyam Al Juma and popular actress Nelly Kareem from Egypt.

Commenting on the films that are in the line-up for the festival and their valuable impact on calling the Arab viewer’s attention to the various issues related to children; director Marwan Hamed indicated that child protection has not been sufficiently addressed in th ... Read more »

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif - Friday, October 31st 2014 [ME NewsWire]

Becomes World’s #3 Smartphone Maker

Prepares for Even More Growth

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Lenovo (HKSE: 0992) (PINK SHEETS: LNVGY) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) announced today that Lenovo’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility from Google is complete.

The acquisition of the Motorola brand and Motorola's portfolio of innovative smartphones like Moto X, Moto G, Moto E and the DROIDTM series, as well as the future Motorola product roadmap, positions Lenovo as the world’s third largest maker of smartphones.

Lenovo will operate Motorola as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Motorola’s headquarters will remain in Chicago. With the completion of the acquisition, Lenovo welcomes the addition of a new portfolio company with nearly 3,500 employees around the world - including about 2,800 in the U.S. - who design, engineer, sell and support Motorola&r ... Read more »

Cloud-based solution delivers complete DSCSA adherence

ME NewsWire/Business Wire

CRANBURY, N.J. - Friday, October 31st 2014

Systech International, a global leader in brand protection technologies, today announced that Citadel – Systech’s cloud-based enterprise serialization platform – seamlessly fulfills global regulatory requirements, including the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) lot traceability requirements that will take effect in January 2015. The law requires manufacturers to send Transaction Information, Transaction History, and Transaction Statement (TI/TH/TS) in the form of an advance shipping notices (ASNs) to their wholesalers. Manufacturers using Systech Citadel will be automatically compliant with upcoming FDA requirements and safeguarded against additional adherence deadlines through 2023.

Systech enhanced Citadel’s ASN 856 capabilities to ensure alignment with the Healthcare Distribution Management Associa ... Read more »

GSMA Expands Reach and Scope of “We Care” Programme in Latin America

LONDON. - Friday, October 31st 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE) The GSMA today announced that it has launched a series of initiatives designed to protect mobile users in Costa Rica and El Salvador, working in collaboration with national governments and mobile operators in each country. The GSMA is expanding the reach and scope of its “We Care” campaign in Latin America, with the goal of providing users with safer, more secure and convenient mobile experiences through programmes focusing on handset theft, child protection and disaster response. The GSMA “We Care” campaign, which was officially launched today in Costa Rica and on 28th October in El Salvador, builds on initiatives currently being implemented by operators and governments in Brazil and Nicaragua.

“Throughout Latin America, mobile provides citizens access to a wide range of communication ... Read more »

BETZDORF, Luxembourg & LOS ANGELES - Thursday, October 30th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. (“GEE”, Nasdaq: ENT), a worldwide leading provider of content, connectivity and digital media solutions to airlines, and satellite operator SES (NYSE Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) today announced a ground-breaking agreement, whereby SES will provide global, Ku-band satellite bandwidth to GEE for use in GEE’s in-flight connectivity system. As part of the long-term agreement, GEE and SES will work together to enable in-flight connectivity solutions to be provided to airlines around the world.

GEE will offer airlines global connectivity coverage using SES’s worldwide satellite network, greatly expanding GEE’s capabilities and services. The agreement includes access to the existing SES network, as well as to upcoming high throughput satellite (HTS) spot beam-based systems, providing significant increases in bandwidth ... Read more »

1,464 satellite terminals deployed in Brazil’s rural areas

LONDON - Wednesday, October 29th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Smartmatic, the world's leading voting technology provider, used its satellite technology to expedite the results during the two rounds of presidential elections held in Brazil this October.

The London-headquartered company configured and deployed 1,464 Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) satellite terminals to support voice and data communications across some of the most remote areas in the fifth largest country in the world. In addition, Smartmatic provided maintenance of the equipment, training for operators and technical support to guarantee the deployment was a complete success.

“In this age of immediate communications, speed in transmitting election results is a challenge every electoral commission faces,” said Antonio Mugica, Smartmatic’s CEO. “Over the past two decades, Brazil has b ... Read more »