International Partners Start Construction at the Las Campanas Observatory PASADENA, Calif. - Wednesday, November 11th 2015 [ME NewsWire] (BUSINESS WIRE)-- Leading scientists, senior officials, and supporters from an international consortium of universities and research institutions are gathering on a remote mountaintop high in the Chilean Andes today to celebrate groundbreaking for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). The ceremony marks the commencement of on-site construction of the telescope and its support base. The GMT is poised to become the world’s largest telescope when it begins early operations in 2021. It will produce images ten times sharper than those delivered by the Hubble Space Telescope and will address key questions in cosmology, astrophysics and the study of planets outside our solar system. “We are thrilled to be breaking ground on the Giant Magellan Telescope site at such an exciting time for astronomy,” says Board Chair, and Director of the McDonald Observatory ... Read more »

NEW YORK - Thursday, November 12th 2015 [ME NewsWire] (BUSINESS WIRE)-- Replicor Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company targeting a cure for patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and chronic HBV and hepatitis delta virus (HDV) co-infection, announces the publication of its preclinical data demonstrating the therapeutic effect of nucleic acid polymers (NAPs) in HBV infection in the journal PLOS ONE (http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0140909). This study, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Allison Jilbert at the University of Adelaide, Australia, assessed the antiviral effect of 28 days of daily treatment with Replicor’s first clinical candidate NAP (REP 2055) in Pekin ducks with previously established duck HBV (DHBV) infection. DHBV infection in Pekin ducks is a recognized surrogate model for HBV infection in humans. This study was the primary pre-clinical efficacy data that supported the use of NAPs (beginning with REP 2055) in Replicor’s proof of concept cli ... Read more »

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Wednesday, November 11th 2015 [ME NewsWire] On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates will officially assume the duties of chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) following the unanimous selection of the UAE Ministry of Interior as the next chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT), taking over from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE). Major General Dr. Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of HH Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, was unanimously selected as the new VGT chairperson and will assume the duties of chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT), an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private sector partners dedicated to combating online child sexual abuse for the next three years (2015-2018). The Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) is an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private sector partners dedicated to combating online child sexual abuse. The app ... Read more »

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Wednesday, November 11th 2015 [ME NewsWire] Certified for interoperability with MetaSphere IP-telephony software, Patton’s SmartNode VoIP CPE helps network operators reach more enterprise customers with Metaswitch-based services. SmartNode VoIP... more than just talk! (BUSINESS WIRE)-- Patton Electronics—US-manufacturer of award-winning SmartNode™ VoIP solutions, CopperLink™ Ethernet Extenders, and BODI rS™ High Availability Fixed & Mobile Internet Routers—announces certified interoperability for its SmartNode VoIP CPE with MetaSphere IP-telephony software as a member of the Metaswitch Mosaic technology partner program. >>View the Interop Partner Certificate Patton’s own technology partner program is extensive: the company’s SmartNode VoIP devices offer proven interoperability with every major vendor in the telecom industry. Such nearly-universal interoperability means Patton’s new partnership with Metaswitch will enable communications service providers to del ... Read more »

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Wednesday, November 11th 2015 [ME NewsWire] The 50th session of the Subcommission on Illicit Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East discussed the growing phenomenon of cybercrime; specifically highlighting the outbreak and spread of illicit drug trafficking via websites. The session of the Subcommission, which is hosted by UAE, was organized by the Ministry of Interior in cooperation with the Subregional Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCC) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Commission. Throughout the meeting, many participating countries in addition to the UAE highlighted their national experiences in establishing electronic anti-narcotic departments, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and India. Colonel Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Deputy Director General of Anti-Narcotic Federal Directorate General at the Ministry of Interior, showcased the measures taken by the Ministry of Interior in this area ... Read more »

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Sunday, November 8th 2015 [ME NewsWire] Major General Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, Inspector General of the Ministry of Interior (MoI), opened the 50th session of the Subcommission on Illicit Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East. The session was organized by the MoI in cooperation with the Subregional Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCC) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). A number of concerned international organizations participated alongside the representatives for 23 states in the session that was held at the Yas Viceroy Hotel on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The opening ceremony was attended by Colonel Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Deputy Director General of Anti-Narcotic Federal Directorate General at the Ministry of Interior; Judge Dr. Hatem Aly, UNODC's representative and head of the Subregional office for the GCC; and Flavius Roversi Secretary General of the Subcommission on Illicit Drug Traffic ... Read more »

INGELHEIM, Germany - Tuesday, November 10th 2015 [ME NewsWire] Phase III clinical trial for BI695501, a biosimilar candidate for AbbVie’s Humira®, fully enrolled Recently announced Phase I trial results show pharmacokinetic bioequivalence of BI695501 to U.S.-licensed and EU-approved adalimumab reference products1A First scientific data presentation for a Boehringer Ingelheim biosimilar compound at the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting (BUSINESS WIRE)-- Boehringer Ingelheim today announced it has completed enrollment for the pivotal Phase III trial (NCT02137226) of BI695501, a biosimilar candidate to adalimumab (AbbVie’s Humira®). This announcement was made following recent results from a Phase I trial that demonstrated pharmacokinetic bioequivalence with both the U.S.-licensed and EU-approved reference products.1A These Phase I data for BI695501 were discussed today at the American College of Rheumatology / Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ACR/ARHP) Annual Meeting in San Fr ... Read more »

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Sunday, November 8th 2015 [ME NewsWire] Biyaya Media has named Arabian Licensing Company (ALC) as its master licensing representative for Iftah Ya Simsim for the UAE, GCC and Middle East. ALC will be responsible for developing a full-scale licensing program featuring a wide range of products and retail promotions. ALC has also formed a Saudi-Emirati alliance with Headline Communications to handle the licensing for Saudi Arabia. “We are proud to represent Iftah Ya Simsim, which is part of the global Sesame Street family that provides engaging educational content to enrich the lives of children around the world,” said Fayez Weiss Al-Sabbagh, Chairman of ALC. He also noted that the Alliance will be taking part in Dubai International Content & Licensing Fair that will be held this month. For his part, Feras Adel Al Maddah, CEO of Headline Communication, said: “Acquiring this license represents a significant shift. While there is certainly a growing appetit ... Read more »

INGELHEIM, Germany - Tuesday, November 10th 2015 [ME NewsWire] New data show Pradaxa® reduced stroke risk and major bleeding compared to warfarin in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation1 Pradaxa® was associated with 28% and 26% reductions in stroke risk and major bleeding events compared to warfarin, respectively1 (BUSINESS WIRE)-- Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, U.S., and Boehringer Ingelheim announce the results of a new interim analysis from a long-term study evaluating the safety and effectiveness of Pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate) relative to warfarin in routine clinical practice.1 These data, from a pooled analysis of two large U.S. commercial health insurance databases, showed that patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with Pradaxa® had fewer strokes and fewer major bleeding events compared to AF patients treated with warfarin.1 The findings were presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2015 in Orlando. “B ... Read more »

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Saturday, November 7th 2015 [ME NewsWire] The International Conference on Traffic Safety, which was organized by the Emirates Traffic Safety Society under the slogan “Road safety management and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)” in collaboration with the Arab Organization for Traffic Safety; the International Road safety Organization (La Prévention Routière Internationale ‘PRI’); and the joint Safety and Traffic Solutions Committee (STSC), concluded its activities in Abu Dhabi. At the concluding session, participants recommended that a national plan should be developed in order to identify the priorities for integrating smart transport system applications and the need to unify standards and specifications adopted by the various competent authorities. They also called for enhancing communication and coordination with the traffic-related authorities in the country and research institutions, so as to develop and improve the efficiency of the existing i ... Read more »

INGELHEIM, Germany - Wednesday, November 11th 2015 [ME NewsWire] 11 billion euro R&D programme through 2020, with 5 billion euro dedicated to pre-clinical R&D and 1.5 billion euro planned for cooperation with external partners New partnerships with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Massachusetts General Hospital, the Scripps Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine to discover new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (BUSINESS WIRE)-- Boehringer Ingelheim is launching a new research and development (R&D) strategy and a five-year R&D investment programme. This new plan was announced today at its R&D press conference in Berlin. The company pledges to invest a total of 11 billion euros in its new R&D programme over the next five years. Of the total investment, 5 billion euros will go to preclinical R&D with 1.5 billion euro thereof planned for collaborations with external partners. The company is aiming to develop the next generation of medical breakthroughs and m ... Read more »

“A driver trying to squeeze his vehicle into the small space between cars; changing lanes and overtaking other vehicles that are moving lawfully in the same direction.” ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Friday, November 6th 2015 [ME NewsWire] The Security Media Department extends its warmest greetings and thanks for your unrelenting cooperation. We highly value your partnership aimed at boosting security and safety system in the UAE. In line with our ongoing effort to shed the light on the positive and negative behaviors that are captured by the Security Media patrols’ cameras, we will keep providing you with a reality photo and caption of the various behaviors and incidents taking place in society; in order to promote security awareness, and improve the sense of security and community responsibility. We hope that you would kindly dedicate the appropriate space to these photos and captions. Photo Caption: “A driver trying to squeeze his vehicle into the small space between cars; c ... Read more »

“A driver trying to squeeze his vehicle into the small space between cars; changing lanes and overtaking other vehicles that are moving lawfully in the same direction.” ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Friday, November 6th 2015 [ME NewsWire] The Security Media Department extends its warmest greetings and thanks for your unrelenting cooperation. We highly value your partnership aimed at boosting security and safety system in the UAE. In line with our ongoing effort to shed the light on the positive and negative behaviors that are captured by the Security Media patrols’ cameras, we will keep providing you with a reality photo and caption of the various behaviors and incidents taking place in society; in order to promote security awareness, and improve the sense of security and community responsibility. We hope that you would kindly dedicate the appropriate space to these photos and captions. Photo Caption: “A driver trying to squeeze his vehicle into the small space between cars; c ... Read more »

INGELHEIM, Germany - Tuesday, November 10th 2015 [ME NewsWire] Collaborations aim to speed research and development approaches in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis Icahn School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, The Scripps Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine partner with Boehringer Ingelheim Research partnerships support Boehringer Ingelheim’s vision to transform the treatment of immune diseases (BUSINESS WIRE)-- Boehringer Ingelheim today announced new collaborations with four major scientific partners to enrich research and development of novel therapeutic approaches for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Massachusetts General Hospital, Scripps Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine. These collaborations aim to identify and validate potential new therapeutic targets as well as identify biomarkers that offer the potential to address the significant unmet medical needs of patients ... Read more »

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Friday, November 6th 2015 [ME NewsWire] The MoI’s delegation taking part in the joint conference of representatives of the ministries of interior and national human rights committees in Arab countries, reviewed the ministry’s experience in enhancing and protecting human rights. His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Najem Gharsalli, Tunisian Interior Minister inaugurated the conference’s first session, which was held at the General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers in Tunisia, which tackled the role of human rights structures across the ministries of interior, towards protecting and boosting human rights. During the session, Brigadier Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Murr, Head of the Ministry of Interior’s delegation, gave an overview of the MoI’s efforts in the protection of human rights, as reflected in the ministry’s Strategy 2014-2016, and its relation to human rights protection. He also highlighted the ministry’s attention to the institutiona ... Read more »

Hilton HHonors Members Invited to Play on Dec. 5 at Washington Hilton MCLEAN, Va. - Tuesday, November 10th 2015 [ME NewsWire] (BUSINESS WIRE)-- In 2014, Americans left a total of 169 million paid vacation days on the table, according to a series of Skift studies. As 2015 comes to a close, Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) continues to remind travelers that there is no time like the present to take time off, explore the unfamiliar and connect with family and friends. To round out its first year of @PLAY concerts, Hilton will welcome Neon Trees to Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. for an exclusive performance on Saturday, Dec. 5. Hilton HHonors members can redeem Points to attend the private concert, or experience other exclusive events, by visiting HHonors.com/auctions. “After visiting New York, Dallas, Chicago and London, we’re excited to close out this year’s Hilton@PLAY concert series in the backyard of our McLean, Va., headquarters,” said Mark Weinstein, global head of customer ... Read more »

13 Drug Dealers Arrested ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Sunday, November 8th 2015 [ME NewsWire] Two months of monitoring the illicit activities of the UAE’s most notorious drug dealers has culminated in 13 arrests and the seizure of their drugs and narcotic pills in a major drug bust. According to Colonel Saeed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General at the Ministry of Interior, the details of the successful operation involved constant surveillance of the 13 most prominent drug dealers by the Anti-Narcotics officers for two months. The dealers, of various nationalities, were monitored as they prepared to conduct drug operations in some of the emirates. “Through the highly coordinated and cooperative efforts by the concerned Anti-Narcotics Departments at the police general headquarters throughout the UAE, a plan was established in order to capture these criminals one by one,” Colonel Al Suwaidi said. “They were arrested, and our forces seiz ... Read more »

DUBLIN - Wednesday, November 11th 2015 [ME NewsWire] (BUSINESS WIRE)-- edgescan™ have released their 2015 Vulnerability Statistics Report. As the only EU based Vulnerability Management Company listed by Gartner in both the Magic Quadrant for Managed Security Services and the Gartner Application Security Hypecycle the report reveals the true state of cyber security. This is based on vulnerability data gathered in 2015 via the SaaS, edgescan.com. “63% of all vulnerabilities discovered could have been mitigated via patch, configuration and component management combined.” People that maintain and manage systems on the internet are still not doing so in a secure manner. This is not difficult to do but can be time consuming. A major cause of this is awareness and a lack of adequate patch management process and policy. “61.4% or 2 of every 3 servers had a cryptographic vulnerability” This in effect may result in data privacy and eavesdropping attacks against users data. This is a cause ... Read more »