November 24, 2021

Thunes Partners with Ethiopia’s Ethio telecom to Power Cross-Border Transfers for its Mobile Money users

SINGAPORE and ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Nov. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Thunes, a leading global payments platform, today announced a partnership with Ethio telecom, Ethiopia’s largest telecom operator with more than 59 million subscribers. With access to Thunes network, telebirr will become the first telecom operator-led money transfer service in Ethiopia to deliver a fast, transparent and cost-effective money transfer experience to its customer base of over 11 million mobile money users.

This partnership enables users of Ethio telecom’s mobile money platform, telebirr, to receive real-time cross-border payments from anywhere in the world via Thunes’ global partner network, which enables payments to 116 countries in over 70 currencies. This move will significantly expand and enhance international payments in Ethiopia.

“In Africa, mobile operators play a crucial role in driving innovation and adoption of financial services. So we are extremely delighted to collaborate with Ethio telecom on this initiative and enable real-time payments into the telebirr mobile money accounts. Ethiopian people rightfully expect payments to be fast, inclusive, and affordable, and through the power of our technology we hope to address the needs of consumers and businesses in this dynamic market,” said Sandra Yao, Senior Vice President, Africa, Thunes.

To date, over 11 million people in Ethiopia are using telebirr since its inauguration launch on 11 May 2021. The mobile money platform allows users to send and receive money, deposit or take out cash at appointed agents, receive cash from abroad, transfer from bank to wallet and wallet to bank, pay for goods, airtime top up, buy package and pay bills to merchants. Over the last two decades, remittances to Ethiopia have increased substantially, jumping to $5.6 billion at the end of 2018/2019 from $233 million.

”Today, our customers’ mobile phones are not just used to make phone calls and access the Internet. With telebirr, they’re also used to send, receive, and store money, alongside payments for goods, utilities, airtime and other empowering services. telebirr has been in the mobile money business to serve as an engine for financial inclusion and ensure availability, accessibility, affordability, and convenience of financial services to all Ethiopians. To date, we have transacted over 2.2 billion birr using our telebirr since its launch back in May 2021.

Moreover, our engagement with Thunes will enable our customers to easily receive any amount of International Remittance through telebirr. We believe this service will save time and cost for our customers. Ethio telecom, as one of the largest telecom operators in Africa with more than 59 million subscribers, will continue leveraging mobile money and other digital solutions to unlock opportunities to realize our country’s vision for a digital economy,” said Frehiwot Tamru, CEO of Ethio telecom.

Media Contact
Irina Chuchkina
press@thunes.com

November 24, 2021November 25, 2021

Canada ‘Extremely Disappointed’ That US to Raise Softwood Lumber Duty

The United States has decided to almost double the duties on Canadian softwood lumber from most producers to 17.9%, Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng said on Wednesday, adding that Canada is “extremely disappointed.”

The current rate for most companies is about 9%.

Ng said that the U.S. Department of Commerce on Wednesday issued the final results of the second administrative reviews of its anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders regarding certain softwood lumber products from Canada.

“Canada is extremely disappointed that the United States has decided to increase the unfair duties it is imposing on Canadian softwood lumber from most producers to 17.9%,” Ng said in a statement. “Canada calls on the United States to cease imposing these unwarranted duties on Canadian softwood lumber products.”

The U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. Trade Representative’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday night. Earlier this year, Washington announced plans to double the duties on imports of Canadian lumber and requested a dispute panel on Canada’s dairy import quotas.

Canada’s softwood lumber industry is a key component of the country’s forestry sector, which contributed more than $25 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product in 2020 and employed nearly 185,000 workers. The British Columbia Lumber Trade Council also expressed disappointment.

Ng said that “following completion of any legal challenges under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement’s (CUSMA) Chapter 10 or in U.S. courts, these new anti-dumping and countervailing duty rates will apply retroactively to softwood lumber exports to the United States from companies that were subject to the second administrative reviews.”

“These unjustified duties harm Canadian communities, businesses, and workers,” she said, adding: “They are also a tax on U.S. consumers.”

Source: Voice of America

November 24, 2021November 25, 2021

NASA Launches Craft to Hit Asteroid

The U.S. space agency NASA has launched a spacecraft on a mission to test the ability to knock an asteroid off a potentially harmful collision course with Earth.

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, will take 10 months to reach the asteroid Dimorphos before slamming into it at 24,000 kilometers per hour.

Dimorphos does not pose any danger to Earth, but gives scientists a way to examine the concept of moving a potentially harmful object far enough and early enough off its course so that it flies past Earth.

The DART spacecraft is about the size of a small car and carries a briefcase-sized craft that will be deployed shortly before the impact to record video of the event.

NASA says the mission costs about $330 million.

Source: Voice of America

November 24, 2021

Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries Becomes North American Authorized Aftermarket Partner for Tatsuno

TEMECULA, Calif., Nov. 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nikkiso’s Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (“Nikkiso”) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tatsuno North America, Inc. (“Tatsuno”) to initiate cooperation as the Authorized Aftermarket Partner for their Hydrogen Dispensers in North America to establish a framework for cooperation.

Under the terms of the MOU, Nikkiso will provide spare parts, maintenance and repair services of Tatsuno’s Hydrogen Dispensers from Nikkiso’s network of North America facilities that are near the end user’s hydrogen refilling stations. In addition, Nikkiso will install and commission new dispensers, including the provision of engineering and pre-setup support for Tatsuno’s charging and fleet management systems.

Hydrogen dispensing is a new and developing market and an important component of the Hydrogen fueling station solution. These dispensers provide safe and fast fueling for both light duty and heavy-duty vehicles at 350 barg and 700 barg.

“The newly formed partnership with Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries and Tatsuno strengthens our Hydrogen presence and allows us to better serve the North American markets,” according to Teru Murakami, General Manager, Cryogenic Business Department, Nikkiso Co., Ltd. “We are looking forward to providing Tatsuno’s customers top quality service and support.”

Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries was chosen for this new, long-term partnership because of their relationships and hydrogen experience. They are also able to provide expanded services including complete Hydrogen fueling system solutions. This partnership will also provide new jobs for the local service facility economies.

ABOUT CRYOGENIC INDUSTRIES
Cryogenic Industries, Inc. (now a member of Nikkiso Co., Ltd.) member companies manufacture engineered cryogenic gas processing equipment and small-scale process plants for the liquefied natural gas (LNG), well services and industrial gas industries. Founded over 50 years ago, Cryogenic Industries is the parent company of ACD, Cosmodyne and Cryoquip and a commonly controlled group of approximately 20 operating entities.

For more information please visit www.nikkisoCEIG.com and www.nikkiso.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Anna Quigley +1.951.383.3314
aquigley@cryoind.com

November 24, 2021

Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group Announces Formation of Expanded Marine Facility in Korea

TEMECULA, Calif., Nov. 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (Group), a subsidiary of Nikkiso Co., Ltd (Japan), is proud to announce the expansion of our Busan Korea facility to accommodate their new Marine Center. This expansion represents their commitment to and support of the growth of the Korean shipbuilding industry.

The new, larger facility provides full-system Marine solutions, and will serve as the Group’s home base for all marine activities in Korea. As a unified Nikkiso facility, they will provide marine solutions including pump skids, vaporizers, controls, high-pressure fuel gas skids, service and more. The facility includes complete cryogenic testing capabilities and expanded staff including design engineers, production and project managers.

Marine has been a major focus of the Group, and this expansion provides a strong support structure for future growth. The new facility is ideally located within the region to support their key customers and provide anticipated growth of the Marine industry’s focus on clean energy. Approximately 4,000 square meters, the facility is outfitted to manufacture and fabricate cryogenic pumps, FGSS Vaporizer skid, LH2 station skids, process skids, and will feature the latest LN2 pump skid test facility. It also includes a 342 square meter service center.

According to Daryl Lamy, President of Nikkiso Cryogenic Pumps, “Nikkiso ACD has been the preferred supplier for Fuel Gas skids to the Korean shipbuilding industry for over 20 years! With our new skid packaging and testing facility located near the shipyards in Korea, we now have even greater capacity and local support to meet the significant global increase and demand for new build LNG fueled cargo and transport vessels.”

According to Peter Wagner, CEO of Cryogenic Industries and President of the Group, “This is an exciting next step and important milestone for our Group and the LNG powered Marine market and a significant benefit for our Marine customers. Nikkiso CE&IG will now be able to provide complete systems and support our customers with a complete factory supported solution.”

Contact Information:

Nikkiso Clean Energy and Industrial Gases – Korea
Head office & Factory : 83, Nosan sanup jung-ro, Gangseo-gu, Busan, 46752, Korea
Branch office : #1912, 170 Ganggyo jungang-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon,
Gyuenggi 16614 Korea
info@NikkisoCEIG-Korea.com

For more information, please visit www.nikkisoCEIG.com and www.nikkiso.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Anna Quigley
+1.951.383.3314
aquigley@cryoind.com