Day: March 5, 2024

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Press Releases

HKSTP Rides LEAP 2024 Platform to Power Middle East Innovation Drive and Calls on Ecosystem Leaders to Keep Up with Global I&T Opportunities

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 March 2024 – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has kicked off the first leg of a landmark delegation with the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB) and Hong Kong Cyberport (Cyberport) to the Middle East. Together with eight Park companies and first stopping at LEAP 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, HKSTP is on a mission to rally innovators across the respective ecosystems to keep up with the global speed of disruptive innovation and technology (I&T).

The HKSTP Pavilion mimics Hong Kong’s iconic I&T landmark – the “Golden Egg”, showcasing cutting-edge innovation ranging from biotech, healthtech, logistics, AI, robotics, to new energy from eight forward-looking Park companies.

The opening of the first-ever Hong Kong Pavilion at LEAP was officiated by Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology, and Industry (SITI) of the HKSAR Government, Mr Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP and Mr Peter Yan, CEO of Cyberport. At the same occasion, HKSTP has landed a strategic MoU with Saudi Arabia’s leading technology R&D government institution, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). The MoU provides reciprocal soft-landing opportunities for companies in both regions, as well as commitment to collaborate on technology, industry best practices and support for startups across the two ecosystem networks.

Under the witness of Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government (second from left) and H.E. Dr. Munir M. Eldesouki, President, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (second from right), Mr Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP (first from right), and Mr Peter Yan, CEO of Cyberport (first from left), signed a MoU with Dr. Khalid A. Aldakkan, Senior Vice President for Innovation Parks, KACST (middle), to form a strategic partnership between the Hong Kong and Saudi I&T ecosystems, accelerating the growth and development of start-ups and talent.

Professor Sun Dong, SITI of the HKSAR Government, said, “I am deeply impressed by the energetic I&T culture and supportive programmes available at KACST. The strategic partnership between KACST and our I&T flagships will further deepen the I&T exchange between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, accelerate the growth and development of our start-ups and nurture more global I&T talent.”


Mr Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said, “LEAP 2024 is a crossroads of culture and innovation that captures the boundless energy and ambition of the Middle East. It is also an electrifying opportunity for HKSTP and eight of our Park companies to showcase cutting-edge advancements and explore the mega potential of Saudi Arabia. We are proud to be part of the Hong Kong delegation. Hong Kong is ready to collaborate, nurture breakthroughs and partner, as we all leap into a new era of innovation.”

Leveraging the Saudi Vision 2030, HKSTP also orchestrated the “Hong Kong Healthtech Innovations Driving Global Transformation for Generations to Come” panel session at LEAP to ignite discussions on R&D, investment, and collaboration. Three Hong Kong biotech and healthtech innovation leaders: Prof Samuel Au, President of Cornerstone Robotics; Dr Zhu Tian, Co-Founder and CEO of GenEditBio and Mr Chi Man Lam, Founder and CEO of Applied Technology Group illuminated the prospects of healthtech and highlighted Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia’s shared visions and limitless opportunities in the industry. Hong Kong-based biotech startup, GenEditBio, has also made its mark in the region with the confirmed MoU with Anwa Biosciences, a leading Saudi genomic firm. Both companies are collaborating to use cutting-edge CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) technology to combat genetic diseases, starting with sickle cell disease.

Titled “Hong Kong Healthtech Innovations Driving Global Transformation for Generations to Come”, the HKSTP-hosted panel discussion offered unique insights from robotics expert Professor Samuel Au, President of Cornerstone Robotics (first from left); Information and Communications Technology veteran Mr Chi Man Lam, Founder and CEO of Applied Technology Group (second from right); and passionate drug hunter Dr Zhu Tian, Co-Founder and CEO of GenEditBio (second from left).

HKSTP Park companies participating in LEAP 2024 and their innovative technologies:
https://www.hkstp.org/news-room/calling-all-global-innovators-keep-up-with-the-golden-era-of-it/

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) was established in 2001 with a mission to position Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub. HKSTP has created a thriving I&T ecosystem supporting over 10 unicorns with more than 13,000 research professionals and around 1,700 technology companies from 26 countries and regions focused on healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies.

We offer comprehensive support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate and commercialise innovation for technology ventures on their I&T journey. Our growing innovation ecosystem is built around our key locations of Hong Kong Science Park in Shatin, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long. The three InnoParks are realising a vision of new industrialisation for Hong Kong, where sectors including advanced manufacturing, micro-electronics and biotechnology are being reimagined.

Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen, opened in September 2023 to support Hong Kong’s future development and its growing demands of the I&T industry and to strengthen cross-border exchange, attract technology companies as well as talent from around the world, helping them go global. It has both dry and wet laboratories, co-working space, conference and exhibition spaces, and more. We will focus on attracting enterprises in seven key areas: Medtech, big data and AI, robotics, new materials, microelectronics, fintech and sustainability.

Through our infrastructure, services, expertise, and network of partnerships, HKSTP will help establish I&T as a pillar of growth for Hong Kong.

More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.

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Press Releases

CallTower Breaks New Ground: Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams Telephony Solution Now Unleashed Across EMEA

CallTower Sets the Stage for Revolutionary Growth in European Markets as an Elite Operator Connect Provider

SALT LAKE CITY, UT, ROCHESTER, NY, BOSTON, MA, March 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CallTower, a global pioneer in providing advanced cloud-based solutions for unified communications, contact centers, and collaboration, proudly announces the expansion of its Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams service to the EMEA region. Since becoming one of the select providers for Operator Connect in September 2021, CallTower has continued to extend its reach. Today marks a significant milestone as they broaden their services to include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. This expansion builds on their established presence in the US, Canada, and the UK, further solidifying CallTower’s commitment to enhancing global communications.

CallTower is at the forefront of revolutionizing communication solutions for businesses across the EMEA region in local currencies (including the euro, the UK pound sterling and others) through the enablement of Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams. This innovative service transforms the way organizations connect by delivering PSTN voice access directly within Teams, significantly enhancing the customer experience. Operator Connect not only simplifies the integration between networks but also streamlines the provisioning and management of users. This leads to improved support models that elevate the overall quality of service. Since 2018, CallTower has been providing Microsoft Teams Voice to users in EMEA and over 70 countries globally.

CallTower’s Operator Connect for MS Teams allows for the extension of PSTN voice services to regions that are not covered by Microsoft Calling Plans. This capability is crucial for businesses aiming to maintain a global presence, providing them with a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced market. By leveraging CallTower’s expertise and support, companies can ensure a robust and reliable communication framework, essential for thriving in the digital era. This functionality enables them to effortlessly connect calling services, acquire phone numbers, and assign these components to users, ensuring a smooth operational flow. CallTower stands out by offering technical support and managing the voice network and infrastructure, relieving businesses from the complexities of these tasks.

CallTower enhances Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, effectively addressing essential communication needs through a comprehensive suite of business integrations. This includes advanced SMS/MMS texting features, stringent compliance recording, crucial emergency services where available, and reliable one-click failover capabilities. Moreover, CallTower provides a range of innovative contact center solutions among other services, enabling businesses to significantly improve their communication frameworks.

“CallTower is thrilled to deliver on our promise of catering to customers in EMEA,” announced CallTower’s Chief Revenue Officer, William Rubio. “The launch of Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams marks the pinnacle of this commitment. It revolutionizes how our customers connect, offering a seamless transition and effortless implementation, all while broadening our coverage. By voice-enabling Teams through CallTower’s Global Network, we’re not just supporting our European clients; we’re empowering them. We provide a variety of options tailored to meet the diverse needs of their workforce, ensuring every user has exactly what they need to excel.” 

CallTower has strategically positioned itself as a leader in communication solutions by developing CallTower Connect, an innovative provisioning tool designed to streamline and simplify the management of its services. This proprietary portal is a testament to CallTower’s commitment to empowering businesses with the ability to effortlessly customize and control their communication platforms.

Through CallTower Connect, users gain access to a user-friendly interface that enables quick and efficient provisioning of a wide array of CallTower services. This includes seamless provisioning of CallTower’s Microsoft solutions, including Operator Connect, Direct Routing, GCC High Direct Routing, and Microsoft 365, among other vital communication tools. The simplicity and efficiency of CallTower Connect means that businesses can rapidly adapt their communication strategies to meet evolving needs without the need for extensive technical knowledge or support.

About CallTower

Since its inception in 2002, CallTower has evolved into a global cloud-based, enterprise-class cloud communications (unified communications, contact center and collaboration) solutions provider for growing organizations worldwide. CallTower provides, integrates and supports industry-leading solutions, including Operator Connect for Microsoft® Teams, MS Teams Direct Routing, GCC High Teams Direct Routing, Microsoft® 365, Cisco® Webex Calling / UCM, Cisco® CCP, Zoom Phone, Zoom (BYOB) and four contact center options, including Five9 for business customers.

For more information contact marketing@calltower.com

Kade Herbert
CallTower, Inc.
8003475444
marketing@calltower.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9056536

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General

Ministry of Social Affairs, Russian Orthodox Women’s Union sign cooperation agreement in field of social protection


Damascus, Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor signed Monday a cooperation agreement with the International public organization ‘Russian Orthodox Women’s Union’ in Russia to enhance cooperation in the field of social, humanitarian and cultural programs related to childhood and women and develop the level of awareness among families.

The agreement was signed by Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Louay al-Munjid, with the organization’s coordinator in Syria, Hassan Nasrallah.

The agreement stipulates for cooperation in social protection system projects that care about children and women’s affairs, and developing the level of awareness among families and mothers in the field of care and education.

Minister al-Munajjid stressed that the agreement comes within its natural context that enhances cooperation and convergence between Syria and Russia, especially in the face of modern liberalism and its tendencies to dismantle and distort the family and prevent the spread of this ideology.

He underlined the neces
sity of implementing programs aimed at building a healthy family in accordance with the values and rules enjoyed by the Syrian people.

For his part, Nasrallah said that this is not the first experience of the union in Syria, and that the agreement came after the reprecussions of the terrorist war, which negatively affected the family, especially childern, who are considered the foundation of society.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

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General

Syria, Russia discuss cooperation in educational field


Damascus, Syria and Russia discussed means to bolster educational cooperation between the two countries.

That came during a meeting that brought together Minister of Education. Dr. Mohammad Amer Mardini and Chairman of Christian World Union, Alexey Cherkasov, and the accompanying delegation.

Cooperation in the field of exchanging experiences, training teachers, and developing students’ skills in Russian language were also on the table.

Minister al-Mardini underscored the importance of exchanging expertise, especially in the educational field, in a way that would serve common interests, based on the solid Syrian-Russian relations in all fields.

In turn, Cherkasov touched on the work plan with the ministry to train and develop the skills of Russian language teachers in cooperation with Moscow State Pedagogical University, especially after opening virtual classes to teach Russian language, and coordination to support two schools in Lattakia in securing alternative energy.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

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General

Naumkin: Russia support Syria’s right to liberate its occupied lands, including Golan


Moscow, Scientific Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow, Professor Vitaly Naumkin, stressed that the foreign occupation of parts of the Syrian territory is the cause of everything that is taking place in the region.

‘The United States occupies areas in northeastern Syria, while ‘Israel’ occupies the Golan, and we must never forget the need to liberate all occupied Arab territories, including the Syrian Golan.’ Naumkin said in an interview with SANA’s correspondent in Moscow Monday.

Naumkin added: ‘The Russian stance is absolutely clear regarding the need to liberate the occupied Golan in a way or another, and it is better to be done diplomatically,’ pointing out that the United States supports ‘Israel’ with all its power despite some American criticism that we hear from time to time.’

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

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General

Nebenzia: blocking aid to millions of needy Palestinians immoral act


New York, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, has stressed that blocking sending aid to millions of needy Palestinians, by stopping the funding work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), is an immoral act and a politicization of humanitarian issue.

‘A number of UNRWA staff members were dismissed on the basis of Israeli accusations and before conducting any investigation’, Nebenzia was quoted by TASS as saying in a speech at the UN General Assembly on Monday, adding ‘We call for a reconsideration of this step until all the circumstances of what happened are clarified.’

Nebenzia went on saying that the collective punishment of millions of needy Palestinians can only be viewed as blackmail by the donors of this aid and it is a politicization of this humanitarian issue.

‘UNRWA funding must be fully restored, otherwise the agency’s blackmailers will fully share the blame with Israel for all the consequences of this inhumane step for the people of
Gaza,’ the Russian diplomat said.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

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General

Qatana meets with his Tunisian counterpart and the Director of the FAO on the sidelines of FAO Regional Conference, Amman


Amman, Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Mohamed Hassan Qatana met with his Tunisian counterpart, Abdel Moneim Belati, and the Director-General of the FAO, Qu Dongyu, on the sidelines of the 37th session of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Food and Agriculture Conference for the Near East and North Africa, held in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

Minister Qatana presented a detailed explanation of the needs of the Syrian agricultural sector to achieve food security and confront the impact of climate change on it, and the necessity of increasing the necessary funding to rehabilitate agricultural infrastructure and resources damaged by terrorism.

Qatana pointed out that the visit of President Bashar al-Assad to the development village in China is considered an intellectual nucleus through which support from the FAO can be requested to transfer the Chinese experience to the targeted villages in Syria.

The administrative, organizational and legislative support is required for the management and develo
pment of villages and development in partnership with the local community, Qatana noted.

Qatana stated the need for FAO to assist Syria in addressing the challenges of marketing some good agricultural products with an international reputation and in strengthening agricultural and food manufacturing and sorting and packaging centers for export products.

In turn, the Director of the FAO welcomed the ideas presented and directed the regional office to provide all technical support projects to Syria due to the many crises it has experienced.

The Director expressed his hope that Syria will regain its role on the Arab and international arenas soon and his support for it within the initiatives of the FAO.

During Qatna’s meeting with the Tunisian Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Abdel Moneim Belati, the two ministers stressed the necessity of implementing scientific and technical cooperation agreements between the two countries and forming a joint technical group to review and develop them
to keep pace with developments in agricultural policies.

Belati praised the historical agricultural relations between the two countries.

Belati stressed the availability of the political will to strengthen and renew cooperation in all fields, especially in the field of agricultural scientific research.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

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General

Syria: need for cooperation among countries to restore food security and invest resources


Amman, Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Mohamed Hassan Qatana, stressed that international cooperation and unity have become an urgent necessity today to face grave challenges in order to restore food security, invest resources, develop agricultural, food and trade systems, and adapt to climate change.

Minister Qatana pointed out in a speech before the Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization for the Near East and North Africa (FAO), held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, that international and regional economic blocs and gatherings have become a feature of any economic activity that is intended to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Qatana added that the meeting between Arab countries during the conference is only a response to the challenges and a recognition of the importance of appropriate economic bloc and cooperation in the agricultural field.

Qatana breifed participants on events in Syria over 12 years of terrorist war and its repercussions, and its damage to all agri
cultural, economic, and service sectors, and the subsequent Corona pandemic, international crises, climate change, global economic turmoil, the sanctions and the unjust siege imposed on the Syrian people.

The continued emergence of crises pushes us to follow individual, defensive economic policies to build self-sufficiency, through unsustainable use of the natural resources available in every country, in an alarming manner, reaching a point of no return in the loss of biodiversity and collapse of ecosystems, and the subsequent decline in agricultural systems and food production, which threatens levels of food security, Qatana said.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

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General

Mikdad discusses with Secretary-General of the Arab League the situation and developments on the Arab and regional arenas


Mikdad discusses with Secretary-General of the Arab League the situation and developments on the Arab and regional arenas

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

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General

Discussions to set up joint free zone between Iran, Syria, and Iraq


Tehran, The Secretary of the Iranian Free Zones High Council Hojatollah Abdolmaleki said that his country is negotiating with 21 different countries to establish joint free zones, with five of which agreement documents have also been signed.

Abdolmaleki said that Iran is negotiating with Syria and Iraq for the establishment of a trilateral joint free zone, IRNA reported.

The Iranian official noted that the establishment of this free zone is going to result in investment jump, and the Iranian Free Zones High Council is seriously pursuing the subject within the issue of the development of the international economy.

‘We have held talks with officials of Iraq and Syria to establish the joint free zone, and the negotiating parties have expressed their agreement in this regard, and we are waiting for a tripartite meeting,’ he said.

Abdolmaleki indicated that the establishment of the joint free zone will benefit the three countries and make Iran’s access to the Mediterranean region very easy.

Source: Syrian Ar
ab News Agency