Company Establishes Guiding Principles for Its People

LAUSANNE, Switzerland-Thursday 9 April 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM) today announced the establishment of a set of important guiding principles that outline the company’s strong commitment to its employees’ job security and peace of mind, throughout the global pandemic period. These principles encompass three key areas: employment stability, financial stability and special recognition awards.

“PMI will continue to contribute to the global response to this pandemic in every way we can. First and foremost, we will continue to support our employees and their families, and protect their safety and health. Nothing matters more,” said André Calantzopoulos, Chief Executive Officer, PMI. “Thanks to our employees across the world, working in factories, in the field, offices, laboratories or remotely at home, our business continu ... Read more »

Next-Generation Voice and Messaging Delivered

RICHARDSON, Texas-Thursday 9 April 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mavenir, the industry's only end-to-end cloud-native network software provider for Communications Service Providers, announced that it has successfully deployed its next-generation voice and messaging solution as part of Rakuten Mobile’s communication app, Rakuten Link.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200407005050/en/

Rakuten Link is a communication platform based on the GSMA RCS (Rich Communication Services) standards. Unlike other OTT (Over the Top) messaging apps where communication is limited to between app users, Rakuten Link allows users to make domestic and international calls to other mobile phones and fixed lines, sending and receiving SMS messages in Japan and overseas, in addition to supporting basic communication features such as group c ... Read more »

MUNICH, ACCRA, Ghana & NAIROBI, Kenya -Thursday 9 April 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- REDAVIA, a global market leader of cost-effective, reliable, and clean solar power for businesses, has created a new concessionary solar power program, the COVID-19 Resilience Lease, in order to stand by Ghanaian and Kenyan businesses in this difficult time of economic uncertainty.

COVID-19 has disrupted African businesses significantly. In this challenging time, REDAVIA enables sound businesses to reduce their operating costs with a free solar plant leasing service. REDAVIA has introduced the COVID-19 Resilience Lease, which provides solar power plants to business customers for six months, completely for free.

After these six months, customers can choose to roll-over this Lease into a regular REDAVIA solar plant lease or request REDAVIA to re-deploy the plant. This offer is available to selected long-term sustainable Ghanaian and Kenyan companies on a first-come ... Read more »

SAN FRANCISCO-Wednesday 8 April 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Visa Foundation today announced a commitment of two programs totaling $210 million to support small and micro businesses, aligning with the Foundation’s long-term focus on women’s economic advancement and inclusive economic development, and to address an urgent need from local communities following the spread of COVID-19.

The first program of $10 million is designated for immediate emergency relief to support charitable organizations on the frontlines responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as public health and food relief, in each of the five geographic regions in which Visa operates: North America; Latin America and the Caribbean; Europe; Asia Pacific; and Central Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“As COVID-19 continues to unfold, communities are feeling the effects and need our immediate support,” said Al Kelly, CEO and chairman of Visa. “As a global com ... Read more »

 Providing customers globally with direct access to millions of mobile wallets across the world’s second largest continent

HONG KONG & DUBAI-Wednesday 8 April 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- EMQ, a global financial settlement network, today announced its footprint expansion into Africa, offering customers from around the world secure, affordable and real-time cross-border settlements across multiple markets in the continent. Connecting EMQ’s global network to Africa provides greater access to the rapidly growing digital financial services across the region.

“Africa is one of the most important strategic growth markets for EMQ with a thriving mobile economy estimated to reach US$185 billion in 2023 in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is driven by a new generation of technophiles across the continent1. And yet the cost of sending money to Africa remains the highest in the world at 9.3 percent2,” said Max Liu, co-fo ... Read more »

 • Partnership brings together world-leading plasma companies to focus on developing and delivering a hyperimmune immunoglobulin in the global fight against COVID-19

OSAKA, Japan & KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa-Wednesday 8 April 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Biotest, BPL, LFB, and Octapharma have joined an alliance formed by CSL Behring (ASX:CSL/USOTC:CSLLY) and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TOKYO:4502/NYSE:TAK) to develop a potential plasma-derived therapy for treating COVID-19. The alliance will begin immediately with the investigational development of one, unbranded anti-SARS-CoV-2 polyclonal hyperimmune immunoglobulin medicine with the potential to treat individuals with serious complications from COVID-19.

“Unprecedented times call for bold moves,” said Julie Kim, President of Plasma-Derived Therapies Business Unit, Takeda. “We collectively agree that by collaborating and bringing industry resources together, we cou ... Read more »

MILAN-Wednesday 8 April 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Italy is facing a difficult time under the grasp of the pandemic virus COVID-19.

To answer the increasing need of recovery spaces, multiple camp-hospitals have been set up in the proximity of city hospitals, providing increased capacity for medical assistance.

As a consequence reinforcing the connectivity of the telecommunication network at those locations is a priority. These facilities need continuous access to voice and data services to remain operational at all times.

At this pro one of the tier-1 mobile operators in Italy is deploying a fleet of disaster-recovery-vehicles. These vehicles are being equipped with an extendable mobile tower and wireless transport technology. Parked at critical locations they immediately boost the mobile coverage providing network congestion relief.

Once powered, the microwave radio link can be set up and be made ready-to-service in few hours, whet ... Read more »

James SA Corey, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Tade Thompson, JY Yang, Charles Yu, Johanna Sinisalo are among the writers contributing to the new online anthology presented as a collection of avatar ‘memories’ spanning the 21st century

The public is asked to find and submit the ‘missing’ avatar memory via a short story contest

LOS ANGELES -Wednesday 8 April 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- XPRIZE, the global leader in incentivized prize competitions, in partnership with ANA, Japan’s 5-star airline, announce Avatars Inc, a unique online anthology that blends original science fiction stories with a writing competition to imagine novel use-cases of telepresence technology in the future.

The anthology, edited by Ann VanderMeer, includes 24 original pieces by high-profile authors including James SA Corey, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Tade Thompson, Pat Cadigan, JY Yang, Ken Liu, Charles Yu, Paul McAuley, K Chess, Johanna Sinisalo, and Aliett ... Read more »