Nigerians Report

New Mobile App Providing Free Calling and Texting to Other App Users Around the World

2012-02-10T06:23:00.000-08:00

Vonage Launches New Mobile App Providing Free Calling and Texting to Other App Users around the World

Savings of more than 70 percent on international calls to those without the app

HOLMDEL, N.J., February 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Vonage Holdings Corp. (NYSE: VG) announced the launch of Vonage Mobile®, the new iPhone® and Android™ app that lets users make free high-definition calls and send free texts to all users of the app, worldwide1. The app works over Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G wireless data networks.

When calling those who have not yet downloaded the app, Vonage Mobile provides ultra low-cost international calling with per-minute rates that are on average 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype™2. Users can instantly add calling credit directly from the app through iTunes® or Android Market™ in increments of $4.99 and $9.99.

Vonage Mobile uses the phone’s existing mobile number and contact list, eliminating the need for unique user names and duplicate identities for contacts. Users can instantly build a free global calling and texting network using the app’s multi-invite system from their existing contacts.

“Vonage Mobile consolidates the best features of our prior applications, while adding important functionality, better value and improved ease of use,” said Marc Lefar, CEO of Vonage. “It combines the best of free high-def voice and messaging along with incredible value for traditional international calls, all while using the existing mobile number and address book for unsurpassed ease of use.”

In addition, calls to any phone in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico from anywhere in the world will be free for a limited time3.

Users do NOT need to be a Vonage customer to use the app. However, as an added benefit to all app users, calls to Vonage home or business lines are also free. The Vonage Mobile app can be downloaded to any iPhone or Android device for free; and it also works on the iPad®, iPod Touch® and Android™ Tablets.

For more information on Vonage Mobile, please go to iTunes, Android Market or www.vonagemobile.com.

# # #

1 Data rates may apply.

2 Based on per-minute rates to the top 50 countries called. Comparison reflects published rates of leading mobile carriers in markets representing the majority of iPhone and Android users.

3 Limited time free calling offer to the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico is for personal, non-commercial calling and excludes calls to certain geographic locations, premium and special services numbers, satellite telephony services and other call forwarding services. Not to exceed 3000 minutes per month.

iPhone and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

# # #

About Vonage
Vonage (NYSE: VG) is a leading provider of communications services connecting individuals through mobile and broadband devices worldwide. Our technology serves approximately 2.4 million subscribers. We provide feature-rich, affordable communication solutions that offer flexibility, portability and ease-of-use. Our Vonage World plan offers unlimited calling to more than 60 countries with popular features like call waiting, call forwarding and visual voicemail — for one low monthly rate. Vonage’s service is sold on the web and through regional and national retailers including Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Kmart and Sears, and is available to customers in the U.S. (www.vonage.com), Canada (www.vonage.ca) and the United Kingdom (www.vonage.co.uk).

Vonage Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Holmdel, New Jersey. Vonage® is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing LLC., owned by Vonage America Inc.

To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage. To become a fan on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/vonage. To subscribe on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/vonage.
Related Links

iTunes
Android Market
www.vonagemobile.com
www.vonage.com
www.twitter.com/vonage
www.facebook.com/vonage
www.youtube.com/vonage

Related Documents

Vonage Mobile Fact Sheet
Vonage Mobile Survey Infographic
Vonage Intra Country Calling Infographic
Follow us on Twitter

Vonage's avatar12 hours ago: @xeis Thanks for the great feedback! We're glad you received the help you needed.
Vonage's avatar12 hours ago: Find out a little more about what makes Vonage Mobile so “magical!" http://t.co/6rKrpuzJ
Vonage's avatar18 hours ago: Glad u like it RT @KAYAK biz trip in Madrid? new @Vonage app makes it easy 2 call/text colleagues 4 free,we like that http://t.co/E9xfnIoK

Media Contacts:

Jennifer Holzapfel
732-444-2585
Jennifer.Holzapfel@vonage.com

Kari Brownsberger
312-329-3980
Kari@FinnPartners.com

Tonye Princewill's Philanthropy Extends To Port Harcourt Polo Club, Others

2012-02-10T04:10:00.000-08:00

Prince Tonye Princewill has donated N25 million to sponsor the construction of a world class Pavilion for the Port Harcourt Polo Club in honour of his father, HM King Prof T.J.T Princewill, the Amanyanabo of the Kalabari Kingdom and the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.

Tonye Princewill's Philanthropy Extends To Port Harcourt Polo Club, Others

In Prince Tonye Princewill’s bid to make honest inputs on issues of national significance, and to help Governor Amaechi to make his own contribution on the future of Rivers State has resolved to spend more time in the state. It was as a result of this resolution that he graced the closing ceremony of the Annual Niger Delta Polo Festival held at the Port Harcourt Polo Club recently in Rivers State alongside other dignitaries that included members of the Rivers State Executive Council, the Rivers State Police Commissioner, the Administrator of the Greater Port Harcourt Authority, heads of various security outfits, members of the Port Harcourt Polo Club amongst others where he made a donation of N25M to the club for the construction of a befitting world class Pavilion in honour of his father, HM King Prof T.J.T Princewill, the Amanyanabo of the Kalabari Kingdom and the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.

The present Port Harcourt Polo Club House

According to online press statement made available by Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, the spokesman of Princewill’s Political Associates said: “As the biggest polo festival in the oil rich Niger Delta and the whole of the South-South, South-East Geo-political regions, the prestigious event was held with never before seen fanfare with several major trophies competed for and won”.

Princewill stated that he is pleased to be identified with the success that is called the Port Harcourt Polo Club which has been a centre of recreation, relaxation and peace even when it was not safe to go out in Port Harcourt.

He reminded people that they should never forget how bad it was before, the role of Governor Chibuike Amaechi in restoring it and urged them not to take peace for granted.

“I hope to work with the present Executive of the Club into turning the Club into a world class Club every Rivers son and daughter will be happy to be associated with,” he explained.

He also urged the people of Rivers State to continue to support and pray for the Rivers State Government under the watch of his friend. “With the feats so far recorded by the Governor, I still maintain that I have no regrets withdrawing my case against him in 2007 to ensure that a conducive atmosphere was provided for my friend to perform. Before the end of his administration, I expect all doubters to be proved wrong and converts made out of the :Doubting Thomases.”

Mr. Bobmanuel the President of the Club who received the cheque on behalf of the club Management from the Prince assured the Prince that his investment on the club will be properly harnessed for the glory of us all. He enjoined others that are blessed to emulate the Prince and invest on projects that unite the entire Rivers State people and the future of our youths in order for us to create the Rivers State of our dream. “With this donation by the Prince, the Polo Club and the game of Polo will surely take a new level in the State.” He commended the Prince and urged him not to relent in all the good initiatives he is doing in the country.

Other parts of the press release read thus: “To the world of entertainment now and the five Rivers State Youths that the Prince sponsored to the 2011 Del-York Film Academy are back. Mr Valentine Ohu in Broadcast Journalism, Miss Crystabel Goddy in Acting, Mr Telema Senibo in 3D Graphics, Miss Mercy Akudo also in Acting and Mr Stanley Kotey in 3D Graphics are now brand owners of a multimillion Naira standard Studio that will enable them put into practice all that they were taught during the training by the Del-York Film Academy. The training of these Youths was at huge personal cost to the Prince. He also donated a personal cash award to the most outstanding student. The successful student is now a broadcaster at Channels Television in Lagos. According to the Prince, it is one thing offering scholarships to people and another thing providing them what to do after acquiring the training; that is why I have to go a step further by providing a Studio to make these youth’s employers of Labour and not liabilities to the society. “I wish the Nigerian government, major multinationals, other businesses and blessed individuals will take a cue from this by providing jobs for most of the students enjoying support to acquire knowledge which cannot be channeled. This country needs jobs. We have to remember the youths because the young shall grow.”

“Sticking to the world of entertainment and the Prince went another step to institute a fund that would be responsible for fishing out hidden talents and giving them a direct path to greatness. Consultations are still on-going with the technical partners as to the scope the beneficiaries will cover but it is expected to include music, comedy and contemporary dance in the first phase. The initial personal contribution to the fund will be N20 million with the figure expected to rise to match partner funding. “We are blessed to bless others,” the Prince said and I intend to pass the blessings around to encourage those who really want to make a difference. I of course can only do so much but I am determined to do my bit and leave others to do theirs.”

The Prince has been out of public glare since the conclusion of the recent elections that ushered in the new administration citing personal reasons and the need to reflect as his reasons for doing so. With his intention do even more, it is clear that many sons and daughters of Rivers state and its non-indigene population will be beneficiaries of the Princes Trust especially now that he has introduced free access with Tuesdays and Thursdays now his official visiting times. No appointment required”.

Top Topics

Platts Survey: OPEC Pumps 30.87 Million Barrels of Crude Oil Per Day in January

Deloitte Consumer Spending Index Falls on Sharp Declines in the Housing Market; Consumer Spending to Face Economic Headwinds in 2012

Mixed Feelings About How President Obama is Doing

New York Fashion Week

Chicago Auto Show

Valentine's Day

U.S. Airline Traffic in January

American International Toy Fair

Postal Service Losses Continue in First Quarter; Profitability Dependent on Comprehensive Legislation and Network Size Reductions

"And the PAWSCAR Goes To....."

Quarterly Earnings Reports

Investor Uprising IU25 Index Hits New High: Up 12% in 2012

Time Out New York Announces 2012 Food & Drink Awards Nominations: Alex Stupak, Damon Wise, Ignacio Mattos and Seamus Mullen Compete for Chef of the Year

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
9 Feb 2012
22:05	Net1 Reports Second Quarter 2012 Results
19:30	Platts Survey: OPEC Pumps 30.87 Million Barrels of Crude Oil Per Day in January
06:50	UN / Activities of Secretary-General in Ethiopia, 28-30 January
06:14	Nigeria's military obstructs journalists covering unrest
8 Feb 2012
15:11	Bristow Group Announces New Search and Rescue Contract Award in the United Kingdom
15:00	Implications of Arab Spring and political transitions raise concerns for businesses around the world: Aon Political Risk Map
14:08	MC Endeavors, Inc. Opening New Markets
12:00	"The Global Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Market to Reach $2.92bn in 2012" According to New visiongain Report
04:31	Nigerian airport officials lock out journalists, hold equipment
04:14	French Journalists Detained and Thrown Out of Nigeria City / IPI Calls on Authorities to Allow Journalists Free Access

Owelle Rochas and Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo: Our Votes for You Was Not In Vain

2012-02-10T03:39:00.000-08:00

Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha, Executive Governor, Imo State, Nigeria.

Owelle Rochas and Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo: Our Votes for You Was Not In Vain

~ By Nwaorgu Faustinus

The joy of democracy for me is when politicians who are voted into elective offices ensure that those that elected them reap the benefit for electing them into office. Such benefit is not individually centered but people-oriented which is aimed at reducing the suffering of people, be it in skill acquisition, job creation, protection of life and property, road construction, which falls under infrastructural development among others. The crux of this piece is on the last but one – road construction.

The purpose of this piece is to inform not only Eziama and Ntu communities but also the entire Ngor/Okpala people living at home, and especially those living outside the shores of Nigeria that Owelle Ndi Imo is putting his money where his mouth is. This is sequel to his observation and promise to make sure that if voted into office, his administration will look into the poor nature of roads in the council area. My article captioned “Ngor/Okpala: A council area in need of development” published in some online media sites and in few print media outfits wherein I stated: ‘I remembered vividly the comment made by the current governor of Imo state, Owelle Rochas Okoroha about the poor nature of Ngor/Okpala LGA roads when he was campaigning prior to the April 2011 gubernatorial election. The manner he spoke on the nature of roads in the area left no one in doubt that he will swing into action with a view to renovating and building new key roads which I had identified in my article titled “Barr. Enyinna Onuegbu and the challenge of Ngor/Okpala Council Area”. As at the time I wrote the former article, there was no concrete evidence to show that one or two roads are getting facelift from the governor.

Nkwoala Ntu, Elelem road under construction.

This made me to aver thus in that piece: “Those who use the votes of Ngor/Okpala electorates to ascend to elective pinnacle should not ignore the council area by bequeathing on it lasting and commendable development projects not just to be remembered but also to be reelected in subsequent elections based on what they were able to achieve developmentally during their first tenure or risk the melancholic fate that befell the Ex-Governor, Ikedi Ohakim who campaigned vigorously in Ngor/Okpala to seek for votes and spent so much money but was shown the way out just for a change. The people from the council area are wiser ever than before as shown by what they did to Owelle Rochas’ predecessor during the supplementary elections and would not accept anything short of enduring developmental projects. The time to act is now”.

It is therefore noteworthy that he has started delivering on his campaign promise in the construction of roads. In my last but one piece with the title “Ngor-Okpala: Owelle Rochas on Course to Make Good his Promise”, I wrote ‘True to his promise, governor owelle rochas administration has commenced the construction of the road that runs from Umukabia to the Local Government Council located at Umuneke Ngor. While the people from the area commend him for this among other good plans he has for the council area given his philanthropic disposition and the remarkable, prominent and praiseworthy role majority of electorates from Ngor-Okpala played to put him in the Douglas House (State Government House) where he is today, he should ensure that the construction company handling the construction of the road delivers on target. It is important to observe here that it is one thing to commence the construction of road and another to complete it while adhering strictly to time, standards and specification. This observation is based on previous attempt made to construct the road by past administration but was abandoned”.

Optimistically, last week, the people of Umuodagu Ntu were beside themselves with joy when the current administration moved in its construction machine to the community, and without much ado, kick started the construction of the popular “Theo Road” named after late Theodor Amadi who created the initial footpath of the road from Umucham Ntu, a village in Ntu community to Elelem, a nearby community. The people of Umuodagu Ntu, which is made up of six villages could not hide their happiness as cheerful expression enveloped their countenance for what the state government through the influence of Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo has started to do for them. “Ama Theo” as the road is fondly called has never been remembered by past administration, it was therefore a moment of great joy for the inhabitants of the community to witness the maiden construction of the road.

Now that the road construction is at its early stage, it would be prudent to remind the state government as I did in my recent article to ensure prompt monitoring of the road construction so as to make sure that the contractor or construction company handling the project adhere strictly to standards and specification which informed the award of the contract, for anything contrary to this may not go down well with the people of the community. In addition, Owelle Rochas and Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo should as a matter of necessity extend road construction to other communities that make up the LGA in order to give them a sense of belonging, because it is not only people from Ntu community and others living along the road that leads to the local government headquarters that voted for you during the supplementary election last year. This among other developmental needs should be the duty of a responsible administration that has the interest of the people at heart. God bless Ngor/Okpala

Nwaorgu Faustinus writes from Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Mobile: +2348035601312. Email ngorokpalaresearcher@gmail.com or ngorokpalaresearcher@yahoomail.com.

Nigeria: Religious Irrationality and the New Inspector-General of Police

2012-02-10T03:11:00.000-08:00

Muhammed Dahiru Abubakar, the current Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of Nigeria.

Nigeria: Religious Irrationality and the New Inspector-General of Police

~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D.

Mr. President, the Us vs. Them Religious Irrationality should not stop the Confirmation of the Inspector-General of Police.

This is a time when President Goodluck Jonathan is facing increased pressure from those at home and abroad to find immediate solutions to the rising religious violence which is dividing Nigeria apart.

Yet, some chapters of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) the main umbrella group that contains numerous Christian denominations in Nigeria will come out, publicly and in a petition form, objecting to the appointment of a veteran police officer who happens to have been born into to earth as a Northerner and as a Muslim.
His name is Muhammed Dahiru Abubakar, the current Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of the nation.

One does not need to be a psychological expert or examiner to classify this type of institutional objection, talk or writing as clear signs of religious activism, or religious extremism.

This is a time when many good faith Nigerians including many Northern Muslims and Christians Southerners are heartbroken over the continued persecution and killings emerging from the hands of the violent Islamic sect—the Boko Haram.
For persons who call themselves Christians to attack a Christian President for appointing a Muslim individual as an acting Inspector-General of Police is absurd, and it is a sign of adding more to the formation of religious suicide and internal terrorism.

How can Christians with many of them still living in the North and elsewhere, justify their ill-advised comments in the face of continued religious violence, terrorist war, and religious intolerance against their own selves, and people by persons who will engage in suicide attacks just to kill persons like those from the Christian Association of Nigeria? How?

One would have expected that words and comments of peace building will be flowing from the heads and mouths of men and women, who depict themselves as forces for peace and instruments of harmony within our society.

Just like the Boko Haram faithful whom some Christians abhor, singling out a fellow human being; a man of peace work as well as a family man, and tagging him with insults, viewing him as an extension of terrorism, and indicting him by calling for his fall and removal from an upward position is self-defeating, at least religiously.
In a more godly and psychological way, what if in recent times Abubakar turns out to the type of police leader that successfully combat police corruption, enhanced officers’ responsibility to act with truth, openness and fairness, set the stage for cleanliness and tidiness in officers, see that workplace ethos improves, allow honest conduct to flourish, make disciplinary decisions openly without fear or favor, believes in time promptness, and usher in a disciplinary system in which conducts unbecoming of a police officer are banned.

Let’s continue; what if he ends up working positively in partnership with Human Rights organizations and other stakeholders, maintains operational readiness and inspection in all officers’ work, create professional standards and discipline, reinforce psychological fitness-for-duty in officers, maintain adequate supervision and discipline, reduce violence and crime, see to the social welfare of police families, and see to all of our security safety, maintain grievance procedures in police work, practice disciplinary code that punishes officers’ offences including disgraceful conduct, failure to obey orders, as well as diminish religious/tribal discriminatory. Then what would you say tell us?

Oh Christians where is the God in you? Are you not supposed to be thinking about behaviors far away from anger, vengeance, possessiveness, misery, and wickedness? Are you not supposed to represent positive beliefs and actions of plea? Are you are not supposed to teach good ideas and actions? Are you not supposed to ask God to have mercy for the past sinful behaviors of men and women? And ask those in need for change to seek God's mercy, inner peace, forgiveness and love. Are you not supposed to? Tell the whole world.

From the point of religious psychology, God calls for the need to forgive others, and to overcome one’s past, so whatever it is that the acting Inspector-General had done in the past, don’t we want to believe that humans can go above their short coming as they move forward in life?

While no one can accuse these fuming members of individual folly but the fact that some persons will represent a faith and call for more conflicts between Christians and Muslims, at least indirectly, informs any reasonable mind that there is something wrong with matters of faith, at least institutionally.

Psychologists are aware that actions like these; as the ones from the anti- Muhammed Abubakar group, show signs of institutional militancy and this is bad, especially when live in a time when we are trying to improve the religious, ethnic and security situations in the country.

So let all of us collectively pray for tolerance and harmony, in order to reduce the conflict-based relationships currently standing between the Muslims and Christians of Nigeria. And for any group whether Muslim or Christian group who wants to run up the current religious tensions, and enhance or fire up the problems of religious violence amid sectarian violence between Muslims, Christians and security forces; there could be a need for psychological cleansing and healing. Since these sorts of religious postures, experiences and utterances against a fellow human being are certainly ungodly.

As a point of psycho-religious cleansing those Christian factions that are for the removal of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar; should for repentance sake, start lobbying the leadership of the National Assembly to confirm our fellow man and henceforth stop the condemnation of any citizen as no one of us is God, Jehovah or Allah.

John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D., is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association (NPA), Abuja. Jos5930458@aol.com 08126909839.

Hot News of the Day!

Onitsha Police Killing - Over 200 Northerners Flee to Asaba

AllAfrica.com

By Austin Ogwuda, 9 February 2012 Asaba - COMMOTION broke out,Thursday, as hundreds of Hausa indigenes resident in Onitsha fled to Asaba for refuge as a result of alleged attack on them by members of Movement for Actualization of Birafra (MASSOB ).

The Enemies of Israel Are Now Destroying Themselves?

2012-02-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

Clockwise from top left: Protesters gathering in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt; Demonstrators marching through Habib Bourguib Avenue in Tunis, Tunisia; Political dissidents in Sana'a, Yemen, demanding the resignation of the president; Protesters gathering in Pearl Roundabout in Manama, Bahrain; Hundreds of Thousands in Douma, Damascus, Syria; Demonstrators in Bayda, Libya.

Call it the Arab Spring or whatever name you like, but you cannot separate the political from the biblical if you want to fully understand what is going on in the Middle East. The enemies of Israel are now pitched against themselves as chronicled in the following chapter of 2 Chronicles 20 (New International Version).

22. As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

23. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

Then study the following verse from Joel 2 (New International Version).

20. “I will drive the northern horde far from you,
pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench will go up;
its smell will rise.”

Now let us return to the recent history of The Six-Day War as documented in the Wikipedia:

(Hebrew: מלחמת ששת הימים, Milhemet Sheshet Ha Yamim; Arabic: النكسة, an-Naksah, "The Setback," or حرب 1967, Ḥarb 1967, "War of 1967"), also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt (known at the time as the United Arab Republic), Jordan, and Syria. After a period of high tension between Israel and its neighbors, the war began on June 5 with Israel launching surprise air strikes against Arab forces. The outcome was a swift and decisive Israeli victory. Israel took effective control of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Opinions are divided on whether Israel's attack was an act of aggression or a preemptive strike of a defensive nature.

All these Arab nations that fought against Israel have fallen in the Arab Spring.

~ ~ By Orikinla Osinachi, author of Children of Heaven, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye Mugabe, In the House of Dogs, and other books.

Honda Delivers 2013 Fit EV to Google and Stanford University

2012-02-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

Honda Delivers 2013 Fit EV to Google and Stanford University
Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program participants to conduct real-world testing on new Honda battery-electric vehicle

Haga clic aquí para ver este comunicado de prensa en Español.

TORRANCE, Calif. Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Honda recently delivered 2013 Fit EV battery-electric vehicles to Google Inc. and Stanford University as a part of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program. Along with the city of Torrance, Calif., each participant is now conducting general testing as well as providing specific feedback related to the future introduction of electric vehicles. The Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program participants are the first recipients of the 2013 Fit EV in the United States.

“The goal of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program is to better understand the challenges and opportunities associated with the advancement in battery-electric technology,” said Steve Center, vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office at American Honda. “Honda has a long history with electric vehicles beginning with the introduction of our first battery-electric car, the EV Plus, nearly 15 years ago. Honda’s experience and the unique feedback that Google, Stanford University and the city of Torrance will provide will be valuable to the future introduction of battery-electric technology.”

Honda delivers a 2013 Fit EV to Stanford University as a part of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program.

Honda debuted the 2013 Fit EV at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and announced plans to begin leasing the 123 city-mile per charge (76 mile range combined adjusted city/highway)1 battery-electric commuter vehicle to customers in select California and Oregon markets during the summer of 2012 with a rollout to east coast markets planned for Spring 2013. Equipped with a 20-kWh lithium-ion battery and 92- kW coaxial electric motor, the Fit EV battery can be fully recharged in as little as 3 hours when connected to a 240-volt circuit.

Google Inc.
The delivery of the Fit EV to Google Inc. was marked by an employee ride and drive. Nearly 100 ‘Googlers’ took the Fit EV for a spin around the Google Mountain View, Calif., campus. Google will now use the Fit EV as a part of its G-Fleet, an employee car-sharing service that features numerous plug-in vehicles. Google’s participation in the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program will involve analysis of vehicle usage including CO2 reduction, energy consumption on a miles/kWh basis and overall energy cost.

Stanford University Automotive Research
Over the past year, Honda has collaborated Stanford University professors, researchers and students from several departments including Mechanical Engineering and Psychology through various seminars and classes. The year-long collaboration resulted in a research direction on how to study the psychological and physical reactions of using battery-electric vehicles and how these reactions differ when driving a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle.

With the Fit EV now at Stanford, the research team will use both the battery-electric vehicle and a gasoline-powered Fit to test their theories. Successful methodology implementation will yield a goal of not only decreasing anxiety associated with new technology, but also increasing joy in the driving experience. Ultimately, the research results will help Honda to better understand customer acceptance of battery-electric vehicles and how to overcome physiological obstacles associated with the adoption of new technologies.

Connect to Honda:
Honda News & Views: http://www.honda.com/news
Honda Multimedia Newsroom (for media only): http://www.hondanews.com
Fit EV for consumers: http://www.FitEV.honda.com
Honda on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/honda
Honda on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Honda
Honda on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/honda
Honda on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/hondanews
Honda website: http://www.honda.com

1 123 city/95 highway mile range (unadjusted); 76 combined mile range (adjusted). Preliminary estimates determined by Honda using EPA methods. Your range will vary. For additional information about EPA test methods, visit http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/label/learn-more-electric-label.shtml

For more information:
Alicia Jones
(310) 783-3170
Jessica Fini
(310) 783-3724

Angelina Jolie to Present at 84th Academy Awards® on Oscar® Sunday, February 26

2012-02-09T06:58:00.000-08:00

Angelina Jolie to Present at 84th Academy Awards® on Oscar® Sunday, February 26

Beverly Hills, CA – Academy Award®-winning actress Angelina Jolie will present at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced today.

In 1999 Jolie took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "Girl, Interrupted," and she received a nomination in 2008 for her lead performance in "Changeling." Jolie recently made her writing and directing debut with the film "In the Land of Blood and Honey." She will be seen next in "Maleficent." Jolie's other film credits include "Kung Fu Panda 2," "The Tourist," "Salt," "Wanted," "A Mighty Heart," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Taking Lives" and "The Bone Collector."

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

MEDIA CONTACT
Toni Thompson
tthompson@oscars.org

# # #

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy

AWARDS PUBLICTY
8949 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD | BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90211-1907
(310) 247-3090 TEL | (310) 271-3395 FAX | PUBLICITY@OSCARS.ORG | WWW.OSCARS.ORG/PRESS

Approach Boko Haram As A Crisis of Compromise Using the Power of Culture

2012-02-09T04:12:00.000-08:00

President Goodluck Jonathan looks bored and tired of the perpetual problems of Nigeria.

Approach Boko Haram as a Crisis of Compromise using the Power of Culture

~ John Egbeazien Oshodi,Ph.D

Don’t negotiate, negotiate which way to go —Mr. President?

With one side of the mouth of the Presidency we hear from the President’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika that the Federal Government must not engage in negotiation with the Boko Haram sect and that the use of pure militaristic approach is the ultimate way out.

On the other side of the presidential cavity is President Goodluck Jonathan telling the world that the Nigerian government would dialogue with the unyielding Islamist organization, Boko Haram, if they are open with their demands and their identifications.

With this clear lines of governmental mix-up, hundreds of lives are being lost constantly, continuously and painfully.

The current intelligence operations and noise making from some in authority, and the mostly reactive stance on the terror problem, do not seem to have had a marked dent on the rising level of violence from these extremists.

There is certainly a cultural dimension to terrorism, and terrorism in America, and in the Arab world have successfully used their peculiar cultural tools to ward off dangerous behaviors and acts from dreadful groups like the Boko Haram.

Given that terrorism is the organized use of terror, especially as a means of oppression, our counter-terrorism approach must adopt wider acknowledge of societal happenings and become equipped with commercial, egalitarian, scientific, social, and cultural elements that run deep in our multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and poly-religious society.

The country is almost and slowly being torn into pieces, just as represented in the multiple pieces that make us operate and function as a multi-cultural society.

We do not fundamentally know, speak or fully understand each other’s history or culture, which makes it more unusual to movingly copy and utilize an alien culture like that of Euro-America; using it as a model for offensive or defensive tactics to the Boko Haram fanatics.

The White man’s approach is always and very direct—employ the power of shock and awe, that is rapidly dominate the terrorists in a spectacular manner and use every force to paralyze them.

Even if we were to bring in the most ruthless form of military technology to attack the terrorist in Northern Nigeria mostly, the agents and participants of Boko Haram will face us readily as this is part of their vision and , yearnings. And certainly, this will be the speediest way to provoke disunity and other related divisions in the nation.

Even the major international and global powers like the United States of America, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany will most likely support such a divide and separation.

The Presidency and the entire national security management should know that Nigeria’s form of terrorism experience is categorically a religious terrorism.

Usually the aim of religious terrorists is to achieve various forms and levels of political, economic, educational and sacred conclusions.

The Boko Haram on behalf of many unknown and known committed stakeholders may actually be fighting for national independence. Those who are participating in these terrorist acts in Nigeria, in a much more leadership, silent and faceless manner are fantasying to regain or develop a type of Northern –based financial resources, human capital, wide political influence and widespread military power.

Directly and indirectly there are forms of spiritual, conscious, unconscious, and psychic as well as financial efforts and investment aimed at obliterating those perceived as ‘Not Part of Us’.

The longer the Boko Haram combativeness and disturbances go on the worse it will be for the nation in terms of peace and security.

So far, these terroristic acts and behaviors are continuously threatening the entire psychological and social make up of our communities.

For now, it appears that only a small minority of Muslims around the nation is openly supporting or is actively involved in terrorist attacks. As such there is hope in finding a way to control our form of terrorism.

Psychologically and from an African perspectives, it appears clear that culture which is a way of living, is the main counter measure that could specifically tap into the general and dutiful convictions of the terrorists.

The government should not attempt to even use religion as a way to change the terrorists ways as religion is very rigid in humans.

As such, all efforts should focus on refocusing these terrorists from the point of language (verbal and non-verbal), behaviors, habits, and conducts. We have to in a de-legitimized manner recondition the terrorists and their cultural environments in regards to such beliefs as being ready for martyrdom or profound suffering, being committed to the feeling that suicide is acceptable, and that they need an authorization from another human to in order to live or die.

From our point of cultural correction, they need to understand that they do not have to perish to defend the lands and the religion of the North, as there are other ways to do this; other than the use of kidnapping, burning, or killings.

We must use all available mediums (e.g. the substantial use of newspapers, electronic media, street graffiti, wallpapers, and other similar methods to de-culture influences and acts of terrorism within our northern areas and across the nation. A very important cultural element that is essential in an tense environment is a woman who usually plays an indispensable role that help prevent escalating situations. A woman, by psychological definition, presents as one who generally has a calming effect in hurt environ and in front of a potentially angry or violent man. However, since the status of woman in Islam constitutes images of lowliness or “less than’ to men their use should be done with caution.

The Boko Haram elements are quite aware that religion in a much more natural way helps them take cover as they justify their conducts morally, but the nation as a whole could use culture as an collective instrument to generate a set of new beliefs that will make terrorism strange and unwelcome to potential recruits, activist youths and vulnerable adults, This we will do in combination with the smart use of our armed forces and other security actions.

John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D., is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association (NPA), Abuja. Jos5930458@aol.com 08126909839.

Nigeria's Military Obstructs Journalists Covering Unrest

2012-02-09T03:12:00.002-08:00

Nigerian soldiers on duty

9 Feb 2012 06:14 Africa/Lagos

Nigeria's military obstructs journalists covering unrest

NEW YORK, February 9, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Nigeria's military has harassed and obstructed journalists trying to report on unrest in recent days, according to local journalists and news reports.

On Sunday in the city of Jos, in Nigeria's north central region, soldiers detained Jeremie Drieu, a videographer with French television station TF1, and local journalist Ahmad Salkida after they sought permission to film in the area, The Associated Press reported. The Nigerian federal government has been enforcing a state of emergency in Jos following bloody clashes between Muslims and Christians that have claimed the lives of at least two journalists, according to CPJ research.

Soldiers searched and interrogated the journalists and escorted them to their hotel, where they were forced to pack and leave Jos and Plateau state as night fell, the journalists told AP. "The official reason was security, which was absurd, because it is not safe to take the road at night," Drieu told the AP.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, soldiers in the northern city of Kaduna seized the video cameras of Umar Uthman of the private station African Independent Television and another cameraman with the government-run Kaduna State Television, local media reported. Both journalists were covering the scene of a suicide bomb blast which had earlier rocked the city.

Isa Sa'idu, reporter for Daily Trust, told CPJ the soldiers ordered over 20 journalists to leave the area, preventing them from reporting the day's events. "They drove all of us and asked us to move away from the vicinity and one of them threatened to shoot," Sa'idu said.

"The Nigerian military has acted arbitrarily in blocking these journalists," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "We call on the military command to take decisive action to halt obstruction of the news media."

In a phone interview with CPJ today, Ministry of Defense spokesman Col. Mohammed Yerima denied that the military is thwarting journalists from doing their job. "Is it not when a place is secured that you will allow them to go in and do their stories? I am sure it must have been when the tension was very high. But it would not have been deliberate to harm them or deprive them," Yerima said.

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Top Topics

Mixed Feelings About How President Obama is Doing

Investor Uprising IU25 Index Hits New High: Up 12% in 2012

Time Out New York Announces 2012 Food & Drink Awards Nominations: Alex Stupak, Damon Wise, Ignacio Mattos and Seamus Mullen Compete for Chef of the Year

American International Toy Fair

Valentine's Day

New York Fashion Week

U.S. Airline Traffic in January

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
9 Feb 2012
06:50	UN / Activities of Secretary-General in Ethiopia, 28-30 January
06:14	Nigeria's military obstructs journalists covering unrest
8 Feb 2012
15:11	Bristow Group Announces New Search and Rescue Contract Award in the United Kingdom
15:00	Implications of Arab Spring and political transitions raise concerns for businesses around the world: Aon Political Risk Map
14:08	MC Endeavors, Inc. Opening New Markets
12:00	"The Global Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Market to Reach $2.92bn in 2012" According to New visiongain Report
04:31	Nigerian airport officials lock out journalists, hold equipment
04:14	French Journalists Detained and Thrown Out of Nigeria City / IPI Calls on Authorities to Allow Journalists Free Access

Join First Lady Michelle Obama To Fuel Up

2012-02-09T02:22:00.000-08:00

The First Lady of the United States of America, Mrs. Michelle Obama is always in the vanguard of whatever is best for America and the rest of the world.

The Global Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Market to Reach $2.92bn in 2012

2012-02-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

8 Feb 2012 12:00 Africa/Lagos

"The Global Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Market to Reach $2.92bn in 2012" According to New visiongain Report

LONDON, February 8, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

http://www.visiongain.com/Report/759/The-Floating-Liquefied-Natural-Gas-%28FLNG%29-Market-2012-2022

The global market for floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG [http://www.visiongain.com/Report/759/The-Floating-Liquefied-Natural-Gas-%28FLNG%29-Market-2012-2022 ] ) can be divided into two distinct areas: the conceptual floating liquefaction plants and the operational floating regasification units. Visiongain's new report addresses both of these markets [http://www.visiongain.com/Sector/124/Energy ], quantifying the opportunity for growth expected over the next ten years. In 2012, visiongain calculates the global FLNG market to be worth $2.92bn.

The FLNG market is on the cusp of exceptional growth as floating liquefaction concepts reach commercialisation, while floating regasification projects continue to arise due to their low capital costs and successful operating history over the past seven years. This new report explains how the market will develop into a multi-billion dollar sector, revealing FLNG developments throughout the world and including regional and country specific forecasts and analysis.

The Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Market 2012-2022 report includes 119 tables and graphs quantifying and forecasting the market in detail, and includes three original interviews with leading companies involved in the FLNG market. In addition, the report provides a SWOT analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the market over the next ten years, and offers profiles of 37 of the leading companies involved in the FLNG industry. The various drivers and restraints of the market are also evaluated in order to provide readers with specific insights into the future direction of the FLNG market.

This visiongain energy report will be valuable to those already involved in the FLNG market or to those wishing to enter this important market in the future.

For more information about The Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Market 2012-2022 report, please contact sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com or click on

http://www.visiongain.com/Report/759/The-Floating-Liquefied-Natural-Gas-%28FLNG%29-Market-2012-2022

Companies listed in The Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Market 2012-2022 report include:

Achema Group
Air Products & Chemicals Inc.
AkerKvaerner
Alberta Oil
Apache Energy
Api Nova Energia
Bangladesh Oil, Gas & Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla)
BG Group
Black & Veatch
BowLeven
BP
BW Offshore
CB&I Lummus
China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)
China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC)
CH-IV
ConocoPhillips
Costain Energy & Process
Costain Group
Chevron Corporation
Chiyoda
D&H Solutions
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME)
Danba GTL
Delek Group
DEPA
Dolphin Energy
DORIS Engineering
ENARSA Energia Argentina
Eni Group
Equatorial Guinea LNG Holdings Ltd.
Esperanza Energy
Excelerate Energy
Exmar
ExxonMobil Corporation
Falkland Oil and Gas
FLEX LNG
Fluor Corporation
FMC Technologies
Forbes
GAIL
Galp Energia
GasAtacama
Gasol
GDF Suez
GE Oil & Gas
GMR Group
Golar LNG
Granherne
Hamworthy
Höegh LNG
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI)
IHI Corporation
INPEX Corporation
Interoil
Iren
Israel Land Development Company Energy Ltd.
Isramco
JGC Corporation
KANFA Aragon
Kværner Maritime
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
KBR
Keppel Corporation
Keppel Shipyard
Klaipedos Nafta
Korea Gas Corporation (Kogas)
Linde Engineering
Linde Group
Linde Process Plants Inc.
Liquid Niugini Gas Ltd.
Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)
Modec, Inc.
Moss Maritime
Niche LNG
Noble Corporation
OLT Offshore
Ophir Energy
Osaka Gas
Pacific LNG
Peak Petroleum Nigeria
Pertamina
Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN)
Petrobras
Petromin
Petronas
Petro Trans
PetroVietnam
Plinacro
PNG FLNG Limited
PNG Holdings
Port Dolphin Energy
PT EMP Energi Indonesia
PTTEP Australasia
PTT Exploration and Production
PT Tiara
Qatargas
Reliance Industries
Repsol
Royal Dutch Shell
RWE AG
RWE Trading
Saipem
Sakhalin Energy
Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI)
Santos
SBM Offshore
Sevan Marine Group
Sinopec
Skaugen
Sonangol
Statoil
STX Corporation
STX Europe
Swan Energy
Technip
Teekay Corporation
Teekay Shipping
Total
Woodside
WorleyParsons
Yantai Port Group Ltd.

Notes for Editors

If you are interested in a more detailed overview of this report, please send an e-mail to sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com or call her on +44 (0) 207 336 6100

About visiongain

Visiongain is one of the fastest growing and most innovative independent media companies in Europe. Based in London, UK, visiongain produces a host of business-2-business conferences, newsletters, management reports and e-zines focusing on the Energy, Telecoms, Pharmaceutical, Defence, Materials sectors.

Visiongain publishes reports produced by its in-house analysts, who are qualified experts in their field. Visiongain has firmly established itself as the first port-of-call for the business professional, who needs independent, high quality, original material to rely and depend on.

For an exec summary please contact Sara Peerun
Email: sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com
Tel: +44(0)207-336-6100

Source: Visiongain

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
8 Feb 2012
15:11	Bristow Group Announces New Search and Rescue Contract Award in the United Kingdom
15:00	Implications of Arab Spring and political transitions raise concerns for businesses around the world: Aon Political Risk Map
14:08	MC Endeavors, Inc. Opening New Markets
12:00	"The Global Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Market to Reach $2.92bn in 2012" According to New visiongain Report
04:31	Nigerian airport officials lock out journalists, hold equipment
04:14	French Journalists Detained and Thrown Out of Nigeria City / IPI Calls on Authorities to Allow Journalists Free Access
7 Feb 2012
22:05	Bristow Group to Present at the 2012 Credit Suisse Energy Summit
10:18	Les Églises appelées à être des artisans de la paix en Afrique

AT&T and Samsung Team Up With Fashion Brand Rag & Bone for the U.S. Launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note

2012-02-08T08:02:00.000-08:00

AT&T and Samsung sponsor fashion brand rag & bone for the U.S. launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note available in stores February 19. (PRNewsFoto/Samsung Telecommunications America, Danny Clinch)

8 Feb 2012 14:00 Africa/Lagos

AT&T and Samsung Team Up With Fashion Brand rag & bone for the U.S. Launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced their sponsorship of fashion brand rag & bone for the U.S. launch of their upcoming device, the Samsung Galaxy Note™ exclusively at AT&T, available in-store Feb. 19 and for pre-order now. As the ultimate device, the Galaxy Note consolidates the core benefits of a tablet while maintaining the portability of a smartphone. In celebration of the release of the Galaxy Note, rag & bone designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville have designed a custom case for the Galaxy Note, available soon.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120208/NY49341 )

In addition, AT&T and Samsung Mobile will serve as the title sponsor of the rag & bone Fall Winter 2012 Mens and Womens Collection shows on February 10th during New York Fashion Week. As a part of the sponsorship, David Neville and Marcus Wainwright will host the Galaxy Note U.S. launch party during New York Fashion Week on February 14th. The creative collaboration between the Galaxy Note and rag & bone is a perfect fit as both emphasize inspiration and ease of use whether through fashion or technology. "Working with Samsung on this project has been a very exciting process. We are looking forward to the release of the Galaxy Note and to be involved in the launch of such a cool device that merges technology and design," said Neville and Wainwright of rag & bone.

"The Galaxy Note is the perfect device for designers, such as Neville and Wainwright, as it allows everyone to sketch out thoughts and ideas, and easily share – no matter where you are," said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile.

AT&T, Samsung and rag & bone have created a co-branded advertising campaign, which will launch later this month, to promote the Galaxy Note™ and the rag & bone sponsorship. There will also be a Facebook page offering an interactive experience for consumers, which will feature daily giveaways including rag & bone gift cards and merchandise, Samsung Galaxy Note devices, VIP passes to rag & bone's Fashion Week show and postings by the designers. The Facebook page can be viewed by going to http://www.facebook.com/galaxynoteragandbone.

The Galaxy Note allows users to capture, create and share in new and unique ways. With a 5.3" HD Super AMOLED™ screen (1280x800), the Galaxy Note combines smartphone capabilities with an integrated S Pen™ and larger viewing screen in an easy-to-carry device. The pressure-sensitive S Pen can be used to take notes or personalize images which can be sent via email or text and its touch-screen. The Galaxy Note includes 16GB of built-in memory, an SD card slot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. It also features an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p video recording on the back and a 2-megapixel camera on the front. The Galaxy Note will be available in carbon blue and ceramic white in AT&T stores on February 19, with pre-orders beginning on February 5.

Founded in 2002, rag & bone designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville had one objective: to make clothing they and their friends would love to wear every day. Since its inception, rag & bone has grown into a global lifestyle brand offering men's, women's, footwear and accessories collections that are available at high end boutiques and exclusive department stores worldwide. rag & bone also operates six stores in NYC, one in Washington DC, one in Tokyo and an e-commerce site at rag-bone.com.

* AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

SOURCE Samsung Telecommunications America

CONTACT: Paul Freundlich, PFA Media, +1-212-334-6116, PaulF@pfamedia.net; Jamie Simone, PFA Media, +1-212-334-6116, JSimone@pfamedia.net; Farrell Crowley, rag & bone, +1-212-278-8214, Farrell@rag-bone.com; Amy McFarland, +1-917-797-9616, Amy@amcfarlandmedia.com

Top Topics

Time Out New York Announces 2012 Food & Drink Awards Nominations: Alex Stupak, Damon Wise, Ignacio Mattos and Seamus Mullen Compete for Chef of the Year

U.S. Teen Pregnancy Rate Declines, at Lowest Rate Since 1972

McDonald's Delivers A January Comparable Sales Increase Of 6.7%

PerkStreet Announces the First Monthly Personal Finance Pulse

Quarterly Earnings Reports

American International Toy Fair

Valentine's Day

New York Fashion Week

Mary J Blige Joins Forces With Belvedere Vodka and (RED)(TM) to Help Save Lives

2012-02-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

7 Feb 2012 09:00 Africa/Lagos

Mary J Blige Joins Forces With Belvedere Vodka and (RED)(TM) to Help Save Lives

LOS ANGELES, February 7, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

Award-winning, multi-platinum singer Mary J Blige will be performing at a private pre-Grammy event on February, 9th 2012 to celebrate the partnership of Belvedere [http://www.facebook.com/belvederevodka ], the world's first super premium vodka and (RED)(TM). [http://www.facebook.com/joinred ]

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20120207/510730 )

The exclusive performance will be followed by a private party at Bardot, Los Angeles to help raise awareness around HIV/AIDS and emphasize the need for consumers to unite in support of programs that help eliminate HIV and AIDS in Africa.

In winter 2011, BELVEDERE (PRODUCT)[RED(TM)] Special Edition bottle [http://www.facebook.com/belvederevodka ] launched to raise proceeds for the Global Fund(TM) to fight HIV/AIDS. The (RED) [http://www.joinred.com ] inspired packaging will contain the same unadulterated and naturally smooth(R) Belvedere vodka enthusiasts have always enjoyed. 50% of Belvedere's profits from the global sale of (BELVEDERE)[RED] [http://www.facebook.com/belvederevodka ] will contribute to the Global Fund.

Mary J Blige said: "I'm delighted to be supporting (Belvedere) RED in their fight against HIV & AIDS in Africa. It is one of the most devastating issues faced by millions in Africa and if we can raise awareness with this event and encourage people to buy (PRODUCT) RED, we'll be one step closer to an HIV / AIDS free generation in 2015."

Fans can watch the party build up and Mary J Blige's performance live via Facebook at approximately 10.45pm (PST). The event will be streamed to http://www.facebook.com/belvederevodka. Media can download images and B-Roll footage from the event at 6am Friday 10th February 2012, please visit http://www.epklink.com/BelvedereRedWithMaryJBlige

NOTES TO EDITOR

First introduced to North America in 1996, Belvedere Vodka was the first to create a new standard for excellence in the vodka category and is credited with creating the luxury vodka segment. Today, Belvedere's distinctive character and uncompromising integrity are recognized internationally by discriminating vodka enthusiasts, who appreciate its all-natural, additive-free character. Made entirely from Dankowskie Gold Rye and blended with water from its own pristine source, Belvedere Vodka's taste profile is distinctively soft with a subtle sweetness and naturally smooth, clean finish.

For further information on (BELVEDERE)[RED]at the Grammy Awards 2012, visit http://www.facebook.com/belvederevodka
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20120207/510730

Source: Belvedere Vodka

Sabrina Lynch / Jane Shapiro, Mission Public Relations +1-310-384-5462, +1-212-361-9483, Email: Sabrina@thisismission.com

Top Kenyan Athletes Support Half-Marathon to Celebrate UNEP's 40th Anniversary

The Amazing Spider-Man™: Untold Story of Peter Parker World Premiere!

2012-02-07T06:32:00.001-08:00

7th February, 2012. 22:00 Africa/Lagos

The Amazing Spider-Man

COLUMBIA PICTURES PRESENTS THE TRAILER WORLD DEBUT

CULVER CITY, Calif.

One of the world's most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in The Amazing Spider-Man™. Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

SATELLITE FEED INFORMATION

EUROPE

1st Feed:

Date: 7th February 2012

Time: 0800-0815 GMT

2nd Feed:

Date: 7th February 2012

Time: 1100-1115 GMT

3rd Feed:

Date: 7th February 2012

Time: 1400-1415 GMT

Satellite: ARQIVA W2A B1 Channel: CH-3 Upper

D/L Freq: 11,014.00 Horizontal

Modulation: QPSK

Symbol Rate: 5.632

FEC : 3/4

Color: PAL

Pactv Ref: 234067 234068 & 234069

Uplink: Arqiva London +44 (0) 1962 823030 Arqiva Ref 4-153454 4-153457 & 4-153458

Also available at BT Tower from Pacific Television Center's PTC 1

UK broadcasters can call Pactv London for complementary refeeds via Tower. +44.207.702.1427

ASIA / PACIFIC

1st Feed:

Date: 7th February 2012

Time: 0800-0815 GMT

2nd Feed:

Date: 7th February 2012

Time: 1100-1115 GMT

3rd Feed:

Date: 7th February 2012

Time: 1400-1415 GMT

Satellite: Asiasat 5 C3V Ch 2

Modulation: QPSK

Downlink: 3,735.50 Mhz Vertical

FEC: 3/4

Symbol Rate (Ms/s): 6.1113

Color: NTSC

Uplink: GCA Sydney Australia +612.8258.7966 ~ Ref 174682 174683 174684f

Pactv Ref: 234067 234068 & 234069

LATIN AMERICA

1st Feed:

Date: 7th February 2012

Time: 0800-0815 GMT

2nd Feed:

Date: 7th February 2012

Time: 1100-1115 GMT

3rd Feed:

Date: 7th February 2012

Time: 1400-1415 GMT

Satellite: IS-805 12/12 Slot E

Downlink: 3829.5Mhz Vertical;

Modulation: QPSK

Symbol: 6.1113

FEC: 3/4

Color: NTSC

Uplink: Crawford Atlanta - Intelsat Ref:1020020 1020021 1020022

Pactv Ref: 234067 234068 & 234069

DOWNLOAD INFORMATION
www.epk.tv

This film is not yet rated by the MPAA.

For more information regarding the feeds, please contact: Black Diamond Media, Inc. spidey@blackdiamondmedia.com / 310.451.5500

/PRNewswire -- Feb. 6, 2012/

SOURCE Columbia Pictures

Nigerian Millionaires, Other Foreigners Spend $250 Million at W South Beach

2012-02-07T04:55:00.000-08:00

Nigerian millionaires are among the majority of foreigners who have spent a total of $250 million dollars for luxury residences at W South Beach in Miami, Florida, U.S.A.
W South Beach is described as the playground of celebrities, a beachfront oasis on the boardwalk of the fashion jet set who can afford the upscale residences. But who are these Nigerian millionaires?

The following press release has more information on W South Beach.

Center of the style universe, heart of the action laced with edgy cool and an eclectic mix of personalities that push the boundaries. Welcome to South Beach, where you can walk out of the Atlantic Ocean and cross pristine white sands into a world of sizzling nightlife, world-class dining and hip shopping.

6 Feb 2012 17:00 Africa/Lagos

The Residences at W South Beach Hits $250 Million Dollars in Sales
Miami's landmark condo-hotel continues success through turbulent market

MIAMI BEACH, Fla., Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Residences at W South Beach reports a total of $250 million in sales to date. This noteworthy milestone for the project follows a series of 40 closings between May and September 2011 with prices averaging over $1600-per-square-foot.

The 408-unit oceanfront condo-hotel has consistently maintained its premium price point since the inception of sales in 2006, just prior to the market crash that caused the South Florida real estate bubble to burst and a high percentage of projects to halt efforts. Pricing at W South Beach continues to far exceed that of its neighbors, with many of surrounding properties selling at over $1000-per-square-foot.

"I am thrilled with the sales results we are seeing at W South Beach," said David Edelstein, the property's co-owner and developer. "We launched this project before the market crashed, worked our way through the worst economic downturn in our lifetime, and have come through it with sustained and well-above average pricing. At the end of the day, we are delivering a truly exceptional product in a remarkable location."

The high quality and unique residential experience at W South Beach has proven to be a driving force for sales, with experienced, existing owners purchasing additional units. Forty percent of sales in 2011 were from repeat buyers or a direct result of referrals from other unit owners at the property.

The trend of repeat buyers at W South Beach has been particularly prevalent among American families. Citing three specific transactions between May 2011 and March 2012, two owners upgraded to units more than double the size of the original purchase, and one upgraded from a two to three-bedroom residence. Traditionally, the owner will enter one or both in the hotel program.

The portfolio of buyers at W South Beach is a global mix, with 65% from international markets that include Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Turkey, and Nigeria. The property's domestic buyer profile includes residents with first homes primarily along the East Coast, including New York and South Florida, as well as those from other U.S. cities such as Nashville and St. Louis.

The diverse range of buyers has helped push sales for all unit types. Studios sell in the largest volumes with upper penthouses selling at the highest absolute dollar amounts and highest price per square foot. Resales have also become a focus for W South Beach with the recent addition of an in-house division dedicated to these specific types of transactions.

W South Beach has become the go-to destination on Miami Beach's bustling Collins Avenue for both locals and jetsetters. Its extensive list of services and amenities has distinguished it from other hotels and condominiums; offerings include a designated residential concierge and W's signature Whatever/Whenever service. Additionally, W South Beach is home to the internationally renowned Mr Chow, New York's famed eatery, The Dutch, Bliss Spa, Warren-Tricomi salon, retail outpost, Therapy, and Miami's hottest nightclub, Wall. The property has attracted a slew of high-profile events and happenings during Art Basel, South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Winter Music Conference, and Super Bowl in 2010. Famous faces spotted at W South Beach include Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Bono, Jamie Foxx, Jessica Alba, Kate Walsh, Hilary Swank, Rob Lowe, Cameron Diaz, Alex Rodriguez, Sean Penn, Leonardo DiCaprio, among many others.

About The Residences at W South Beach
The Residences at W South Beach is the ultimate oceanfront condominium ownership opportunity. Located in one of the world's most vibrant cultural and entertainment districts, W South Beach provides privileged owners with access to every conceivable resort living luxury, including a Private Owners' Beach Club, lush pools and gardens, renowned Bliss® Spa, glamorous international hotspot restaurant MR CHOW®, the famed New York eatery, The Dutch, the chic Warren-Tricomi® Salon, basketball, tennis, and a complete fitness facility. Residents at W South Beach benefit from an exclusive, multi-lingual, international team of service professionals who are dedicated to ensuring an effortless ownership experience, including the personalized attention of the Residential Insiders. The Residences at W South Beach is fully finished and exquisitely furnished. Units range in size from 556 to over 3,000-square-feet; all offer mesmerizing ocean panoramas and generous outdoor space. Rental management programs are available. ONE Sotheby's International Realty is the exclusive marketing and sales agent. wsouthbeachresidences.com

SOURCE The Residences at W South Beach

CONTACT: CONTACT: Jessica Milton, jmilton@hs-pr.com, or Vanessa Poskanzer, vanessap@hs-pr.com, both of Harrison & Shriftman, +1-305-534-0008

Web Site: http://www.wsouthbeachresidences.com

Nigeria Secret Police: The Problems in Domestic Intelligence

2012-02-07T04:20:00.000-08:00

Nigeria Secret Police: The problems in Domestic Intelligence

~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D.

The various entities that are concerned with domestic intelligence matters the State Security Service (SSS) especially are faced with unusual challenges in today’s Nigeria.

The State Secret Service and other national intelligence agencies in their collective capacity, remain as the main eyes protecting various essential blind spots in our society as they relate to the safety and wellbeing of our citizens, everyone and everything representing the government’s interest.

Currently, as a people, we have become a more security-conscious society and consequently very concerned about terrorist-related crimes, and this has contributed to the increasing demand for a better output from our intelligence, security and law enforcement agents.

In terms of technological weapons and equipment much progress has being made within these agencies with the arming of agents with powerful assault rifles. With the presence of and use of special security gadgets which include X-ray screeners for detecting bombs and other explosive devices; the use of armored cars as well as the use of other security protective devices for the protection of higher-up leaders in public areas.

Also available for these secret agencies are powerful means of communication to monitor criminal offences like terrorism and kidnapping. Yet the security and safety situations are at this time in despair and depressing to the extent that in the face of ‘hard-knock’ attack from the violent Islamic sect, members of the secret police, army and other security enforcers reportedly pick race in order to take cover, and protect their precious lives instead of containing the Boko Haram fighters. Unbelievable!

In the previous years, our nation’s hush-hush police, special detectives or intelligence agents made the peoples’ lives manageable, and gave them the feeling of being safe as evidenced in many of their good works.

These include the arrest of powerful terrorist like the Egyptian bomber Omar Mohammed Ali Rezaq in the 1990s, the occasional interception of large hidden arms and ammunition coming into the country. Also, they continue to attempt to combat kidnapping offenses.

But in recent times the continued feverish environment of the nation and the all-out breakdown of internal security in the nation require a bottom up treatment and approach in regards to matters of intelligence-gathering, public safety, and of the full enforcement of domestic security laws.

The Nigerian culture is a very diverse one, and the traditional means of solving security problems in America, Israel or in Europe do not bode well fully in this country as evidenced in the current forces of violent change occurring in the nation.
Our nation’s security detectives, operatives and agents helplessly find themselves facing these unusual forces of change which are constantly streaming from our multicultural, multilingual and multi-hardship environments.

To make the matter worse the increasingly poor confidence the government and the public appear to have about the work of many of our security and law enforcement agencies further make things appalling for these agencies and the nation. But here is the real dilemma for both the agencies and the entire society.

In the course of providing national security services and protection to the leadership, and the people of this country, our agents are faced with a society along with its communities and institutions known for their markedly conflicting customs, morals and taboos.

Thereby, making intelligence or police work unwarrantedly and extremely difficult, as well as complex anywhere and everywhere in the nation.

In a country of more than 150 million people there is no fully harmonized, integrated and manageable personal identity database in terms a national identification system. As such there is debate about who is who and no one really knows who is who.

This type of centralized identification system could make the work of the security, intelligence and law enforcement agents more effective in terms of personal identity and verification.

In spite of all the modern technologies, American or European technical support and advice being poured into our agencies, superimposing these goodies are the powerful but distracting influences coming from inside the web of cultural misunderstanding and ethnic antagonism among the people.

As such, hopelessness persists in terms of the epidemic proportions of violent extremism, domestic terrorism and dreadful killings and destruction of properties.
With every hardship, there is no ease for positive domestic intelligence work as the people remain grossly encased in abject poverty which is ravaging the body and mind of millions of Nigerians.

The security agencies become gloomily and grossly affected by these hopeless attitudes and helpless behaviors, and sometimes respond in the same manner.
As long as religion and ethnic divisions continue to prevail among our leaders and communities, it will be very difficult correcting the false image about intelligence work, and the agencies see this huge disunity as a source of heavy frustration to effectively policing the country.

In a society occupied with security needs but full of unsympathetic, critical, non-cooperating and uncomprehending groups these agencies find the demonstration and effectiveness of law enforcement very challenging.

In a society where different agencies share common interests and characteristics in terms of national security, intelligence, and safety; effective security work continue to undergo suffering due to naked rivalry and profound distrust. So what do we do? Actually nothing because these issues are awfully complex but we may try in the following ways.

Improvement on the work of security agencies could occur drastically if we can adequately begin to collects, analyzes, publish, and disseminates statistical information on criminal offenses, on law-violating behaviors, on criminal perpetrators, and on victims of crime. This type of current information will help provide a better statistical systems at all levels of criminal justice as well as provide technical avenues for agencies to develop their better trainings and capabilities.

In the government’s war on terrorism our agents are now perceived by the public as abusing their power as a result of a method of profiling which could be coined with a divisive term “Moving While Islamic” (MWI).

This method of ethnic and religious profiling, if truth be told is constitutionally wanting and Northerners the Muslims ones especially who bear the brunt of the profiling could see any intelligence or law enforcement worker as an enemy. So there is need for professional sensitivity in this area.

With the ongoing overwhelming security problems and the President’s concern that terrorists have infiltrated the Presidency, military, and the legislature, it is time that major psychological operation units be created and manned by doctorate level forensic/clinical psychologists.

This type of sensitive service is essential as it could help reveal psychological conditions or characteristics like terrorist/authoritarian /extremist personality traits which may compromise an agent’s ability to function effectively as security personnel.

In the face of all these challenges raised here, there is need to develop and plan communicational and cultural orientation services in the agencies for the people in order to begin to erect full-blown results-oriented organizational culture in intelligence and national security work.

~John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D., is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and is the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association (NPA). Jos5930458@aol.com 08126909839.

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
6 Feb 2012
17:00	The Residences at W South Beach Hits $250 Million Dollars in Sales
03:00	Islamic Finance Training Comes to India: Ethica Grants Country Exclusivity License to Indian Partner
00:59	Ex-Im Bank Chairman in Vietnam to Promote Closure of Nearly $1.5 Billion in Critical Infrastructure Projects
3 Feb 2012
15:37	Study Warns of Rising al-Qaeda Threat in North Africa -- Urges closing Polisario camps which have become recruiting ground for terrorists
11:11	Churches are called to be peacemakers in Africa
11:05	La paix et la sécurité au cœur d'un colloque d'Églises africaines
2 Feb 2012
23:02	Bristow Group Reports Financial Performance for Its 2012 Third Fiscal Quarter and Nine-Month Period Ended December 31, 2011
15:08	Bristow Group Announces Quarterly Dividend
14:17	US Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson to Lead Energy Trade Mission to Africa
11:01	France / Nigeria - Livraison d'une aide médicale (2 février 2012)
09:41	Royal Dutch Shell plc: 4th Quarter and Full Year 2011 Unaudited Results
08:20	Royal Dutch Shell Sets Out New Growth Agenda
1 Feb 2012
16:06	The CineCause Spotlight Tour Kicks off 2012 with Happiness
31 Jan 2012
17:35	UNITED ANNOUNCES NEW DOMESTIC ROUTES FROM HUB CITIES
05:26	US Deputy Secretary Burns Completes Week-long Trip to Africa

When We Found The Missing Clock That Won $100, 000

2012-02-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

Adeleke Adeyemi, aka Mai Nasara, the winner of the coveted $100, 000 Nigeria Prize for Literature.

When We Found The Missing Clock That Won $100, 000

Before 10 am on Monday February 6, 2012, both the young and old, lowly and mighty and from all spheres of life thronged the main hall of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Victoria Island led by the Lion of African literature Professor Wole Soyinka, the first African Nobel laureate in literature and other noble men and women of the Nigerian intelligentsia. The bright-eyed pupils from the invited schools were awed by the distinguished personalities who came to celebrate the young man who found The Missing Clock of these interesting times, Adeleke Olufemi Adeyemi, aka Mai Nasara, the proud winner of the 2011 Nigeria Prize for Literature with a cash prize of $100,000 (one hundred thousand dollars), solely sponsored by the Nigeria LNG limited. The hall was packed and there were not enough seats for the large audience at the award ceremony.

"This is the biggest cash prize for literature in Nigeria," an excited guest said.
"Not only in Nigeria, but in the whole of Africa!" Enthused another guest with glints in his starry eyes.

I know that the prestige and privilege of being honoured in the presence of our great literary icons and living legends meant more to Adeleke than the cash prize of $100, 000. This is the stuff dreams are made of. Here you are making your speech on the podium with Prof. Wole Soyinka and Dr. Gabriel Okara standing behind you and surrounded by the head of the Advisory Board for the Nigeria Prize for Literature, Emeritus Prof. Ayo Banjo, chairman of the panel of judges Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo and her team, including Prof. Lekan Oyegoke of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Prof. Yakubu Nasidi of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. David Ker, Vice Chancellor, The Catholic University of Nigeria, Obehi, Abia State and Prof. Ini-Obong Uko, Department of English, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State! Wow! God really knows how to reward those who truly believe and trust Him.

The judges described The Missing Clock as “a genial heartwarming account of how a young boy's simple acts inspire his family to fortune”.

The lionized literary scholars and other special guests were recognized by the Master of Ceremony, Jahman Anikulapo, who is the Editor of The Guardian on Sunday and one of the leaders of the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), a group of artistes, art enthusiasts, art promoters and art writers committed to the development of the Arts of Nigeria and their enabling environment. CORA has been a vehicle for the Nigerian renaissance for over a decade and winner of the Prince Claus Award in 2006, popularly known for its quarterly Art Stampede, the annual Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF), the quarterly Lagos The City Arts Guide, and the annual Lagos Open Air Cinema Carnival and other relevant cultural activities.
I sat among the Nigerian literati, including Prof. Bode Sowande, Prof. Umaru Shehu, Dr. Jerry Agada, National President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Mr. Toyin Akinosho, Secretary-General of CORA, Toni Kan, the amiable award winning poet, essayist and prose writer who is also a journalist and banker, Dagar Tolar, Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Author (ANA), Mrs. Koko Kalango of Rainbow Book Club, founder and organizer of the annual Garden City Literary Festival (GCLF) in Port Harcourt, Ropo Ewenla, the Secretary General, Pen Nigeria Centre and others. I also met with Benny Uche of the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy and Ms. Siene Allwell-Brown, General Manager, External Relations of the Nigeria LNG Limited who is one of the brains behind the Nigeria Prize for Literature who did not fail to commend her bosses, the new Managing Director, Mr. Babs Jolayemi Omotowa and his predecessor Mr. Chima Ibeneche.

The runners up, Ayodele Olofintuade, author of Eno’s Story and Chinyere Obi-Obasi, author of The Great Fall were also highly commended for their outstanding sparks of beautiful prose.

Prof. Soyinka answered the questions of some anxious and curious pupils who wanted to know the secret of his celebrated genius.

The beautiful wife and daughter of Adeleke and other members of his family, including his happy father and mother-in-law were there to celebrate with him in the midst of his bosom friends, Tolu Oladipo, David Toluhi and other well wishers.

Mr. Hope Obioma Opara, President of Eko International Film Festival and Publisher of Supple magazine (once edited by Adeleke), Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Founder of Eko International Film Festival and the new Cinema Naija Open Air Film Festival with the Festival Manager, Roseline Philip and several journalists were there with their cameras and lights to record the event for the news media and posterity.

~ By Orikinla Osinachi, author of Children of Heaven, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye Mugabe, In the House of Dogs, and other books.

ABOUT THE NIGERIA PRIZE FOR LITERATURE

The Nigerian Prize for Literature is an annual literary competition to honour the author of the best book of the current year or the previous three years. The prize will rotate amongst four literary genres—prose fiction, poetry, drama & children's literature.

The competition is open only to published works. The competition bestows public recognition and a monetary award of $50, 000 on the winner. Two other writers will also be cited for honourable mention.

GOALS OF THE COMPETITION
In addition to the immediate purpose of rewarding the authors of the best current writing, The Nigerian Prize for Literature has a number of other important goals. It is a means of making known to readers, publishers, booksellers and distributors, literary critics and reviewers, the latest achievements of the best writers in Nigeria. The competition contributes in a practical way to sustaining the tradition of excellence in Nigerian literature, discovering new authors and keeping older ones in focus.

The competition also serves to deepen awareness, among writers, of what literary excellence entails, by offering models and sources of inspiration. In this regard, the publicised comments of the judges' report are a means of clarifying what qualities are to be sought in good works of literature.

The publicity that comes with the awards is intended to have benefits beyond the immediate recognition for the winners. Specialists in the field of African literature are alerted to the presence of new works and writers whose achievements are worthy of scholarly attention. Through channels of information dissemination, such as the Internet, those in the international community interested in contemporary literature are also provided with an opportunity to learn about these achievements.

Finally, it is hoped that this prize will encourage publishers to be increasingly active on the literary scene, by bringing out, advertising and distributing more of the best current writing. Some of the judges' comments will concern the important role of publishers in fostering good writing, and in particular, the importance of careful editing, especially of children's books. Too often, authors feel that their main options are either to self-publish, which means bringing out unassessed and usually improvable books, or to publish abroad, relinquishing what should be their primary audience. This prize seeks to recognize those who are doing the most for Nigerian literature.

It is in everyone's long-term interest to make good writing known and more easily available, so that the local reading public grows and the market for books in turn expands.

You Have The Right To Be Happy

2012-02-06T04:50:00.001-08:00

Randy Taran's Project Happiness is a must see documentary film starring Richard Gere, Dr. Richard Davidson and the XIVth Dalai Lama and directed by John Sorensen.

Every young person who views this very special film will be moved by the honest intensity...This is an important film for everyone to see. --Rosemary Fillmore Rhea, Association of Unity Churches International.

This extraordinary uplifting documentary probes to the heart of what it takes to be happy. --New Consciousness Review.

Project Happiness explores what it means to be happy through a students' lens and challenges us all to question what makes us happy. --Cindy Johanson, Executive Director of The George Lucas Educational Foundation.

Project Happiness focuses on four teens from Santa Cruz, California. Each faces personal obstacles to happiness: loss, alienation and the everyday challenges of being a teenager passing into adulthood. Project Happiness introduces them to their peers in Nigeria and India and quickly leaves lectures and books behind. In addition to connecting with each other, the teens engage in conversations with cultural icons George Lucas, Richard Gere and groundbreaking neuroscientist Richard Davidson. At the end of the year together, the three groups converge in Dharamsala, India, for a rare private interview with the Dalai Lama--an event that rocks their expectations, brings more questions than answers and marks a new chapter in their lives. Shot in high definition, Project Happiness combines verite-style camera work with epic vistas. Mixing formats and shooting styles, the film conveys the ephemeral feeling of happiness found in both the profound and the mundane, juxtaposing the soaring Himalayan Mountains with unguarded moments of young people at school and home. The camera is not a passive observer, but actively engages with the kids and invites the viewer to join the class and bear witness to lives at a crossroads.

The Project Happiness Handbook by Randy Taran and Maria Lineger, with the foreword by the XIVth Dalai Lama His Holiness is also highly recommended for every literate child and adult, because it is a helpful companion in these interesting times in our turbulent world.

Happiness, joy, hope...whatever you want to call it you CAN have more. This book is not an insta-recipe for happiness, going to kill you, pointless, a competition. It's not anything but an invitation. You are not a product. We are not going to give you a one size fits all formula. The 7 chapters of the Handbook are designed to take you on an experiential journey to get to know who you really are, to learn to master emotions, to connect compassionately with yourself and the complex world around us and finally to positively share your individual gifts and passions. This happiness will be your own.

U.S. Policy Toward Post-Election Democratic Republic of the Congo

2012-02-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

Roger Allen Meece, American diplomat, heads the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

3 Feb 2012 10:54 Africa/Lagos

U.S. Policy Toward Post-Election Democratic Republic of the Congo

WASHINGTON, February 3, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Testimony

Daniel Baer

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

Testimony Before the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights

Washington, DC

February 2, 2012

Good afternoon, Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Payne, honorable Members of the Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the United States' policy toward the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the DRC, in light of what Secretary Clinton has described as “seriously flawed” presidential and parliamentary elections held last November 28. If I may, I'd like to commend the Committee for holding this timely hearing to draw attention to this large, troubled country and the recent elections. I also appreciate the Committee's focusing on important questions about the human rights climate.

The Administration is monitoring events closely and shares Congressional concerns. We are taking action as events unfold. For example, in recent days, the Department Spokeswoman publicly expressed our concern about reports of Radio France International (RFI) having been shut down. We urged relevant Congolese authorities to reinstate RFI's frequencies immediately (which the government did) and we continue to advocate to all Congolese political leaders and their supporters the need to act responsibly and to renounce violence.

I would also like, at the outset, to reiterate our serious concern about genderbased violence in the DRC. Every hour of the day dozens of women are raped in DRC. This is why the United States continues to champion improved protection of civilians, especially an end to the epidemic of rape and gender-based violence. The United States has worked successfully to secure new Security Council sanctions against individuals who lead armed groups operating in the DRC or are linked to crimes involving sexual and gender based violence and illegal child soldier recruiting. Additionally, the United States led the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution that supported, for the first time, due diligence guidelines for individuals and companies operating in the mineral trade in Eastern Congo.

In general, and in part as a result of the training provided by the U.S. to the Congolese National Police, the police in the DRC have l exercised restraint when dealing with provocations by demonstrators and protestors. However, in some notable instances during the run-up to the elections, and in their immediate aftermath, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (GDRC) resorted to excessive force to break up protests. Citizens were shot and beaten; detained without charge; and, sometimes, “disappeared.” The GDRC also placed restrictions on the freedoms of speech, press and assembly in breach of democratic norms.

We expect the GDRC will be tempted to resort to such behavior in the future. For this reason, the USG has repeatedly and will continue to forcefully advise the GDRC that such violations of civil and human rights are unacceptable and must cease immediately, and that the perpetrators of human rights violations must be brought to justice. We expect that the GDRC's ability to focus on substantive issues will unavoidably be attenuated until the election controversy is resolved. We are cognizant of the dangers this presents, and will work with the international community and press the GDRC to stay focused on electoral and human rights reforms.

The court system in the DRC is dysfunctional at best, and in many parts of the country nonfunctional. The electoral law calls for the establishment of a Constitutional Court, among whose functions would be the review of electoral challenges, but to date the new Court has not been established. The existing court system will be severely challenged to judge impartially and credibly the thousands of challenges expected to be filed by disappointed parliamentary candidates. If provincial elections go forward as scheduled, the number of challenges will increase substantially. This surely will exacerbate the already troubling situation. Moreover, the Congolese Supreme Court is widely considered to be biased towards President Kabila and its decision validating his electoral victory was extensively criticized as premature, unfair, and poorly considered. Its future decisions will undoubtedly similarly be criticized.

The U.S. and international community – foreign governments, international organizations, and NGOs – have contributed billions of dollars and thousands of advisors into the DRC over the years. To date, unfortunately, the GDRC has not shown the same commitment to reform, and we need to be clear: Without a strong and sustained commitment by the GDRC to democracy and human rights, little can be done that will be sustainable. However, the very fact that the elections have been so widely condemned may provide an opening to press for internationally accepted human rights standards and norms. Certainly, as Dr. Mendelson and Ambassador Yamamoto have testified, we will be pressing the GDRC to undertake effective reforms – not just with respect to elections, but with respect to the entire spectrum of human and civil rights. enacting laws and transferring tools and know-how -- is but a small part of the solution. Helping them foster and inculcate a respect for human rights and the rule of law—and embed it institutions as a way of doing things – is the central task, and the larger part of a sustainable solution. I have already addressed the issues surrounding the courts. In addition, a free and robust media sector must be established and allowed to function freely. A vibrant civil society must be supported and recognized as a vital partner in building a stronger DRC. Children must be educated, and all people need to know their rights, and be given a chance to understand through experience how those rights undergird democratic societies.. All of these are hard, long term tasks, and none can be accomplished until the GDRC is able to provide for the physical security of its people. Democracy and human rights are both contributors to and vitally dependent on peace and security. Security agencies must be better trained on civilian protection and human rights as part of overall security sector reform. This is why we are focused on improved protection of civilians. In this regard, Dr. Mendelson and Ambassador Yamamoto have described our work with the international community, particularly MONUSCO, as well as a number of important programs that they are implementing. DRL likewise has relevant programs in the DRC, totaling some $7.5 million:

• We have granted two programs totaling approximately $4.3 million to build the capacity of Congolese justice sector actors and local leaders to investigate cases of mass violence and sexual and gender-based violence, and to initiate a pilot program to reform prisons and detention centers in Eastern DRC.

• Two other programs, totaling approximately $2.5 million will strengthen protection of human rights defenders by helping them take on and fight impunity within security forces for attacks on defenders and other civilians. We're also supporting NGOs working to foster grass-roots action on security, human rights, and corruption. .

• And finally, we fund a program for $700,000 to support the Team of Experts of the UN SRSG for Sexual Violence in Conflict in training selected security forces in the East on how to address SGBV crimes that might be committed by colleagues, and teaching civilian protection techniques that security forces can and should employ to prevent SGBV crimes.

In conclusion, I want to assure this subcommittee that this Administration is unwavering in its commitment to move the Congo to internationally accepted human rights standards and norms. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I welcome your questions.

Source: US Department of State

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
3 Feb 2012

22:00	Ugandan President Lauds Equatorial Guinea's Progress
21:05	Equatorial Guinea and Uganda Agree to Increase Bilateral Cooperation
20:43	Equatorial Guinea and UN Discuss New Development Plan
18:20	Ziggy Marley to Host New Show on SiriusXM
17:54	Leahy Ties Egyptian NGO Raids To U.S. Aid
17:20	Noble Corporation Board Schedules Previously Approved Regular Capital Reduction Payment to Shareholders
16:01	The Dow Jones Credit Suisse Core Hedge Fund Index Closed Up 2.26% in January
15:37	Study Warns of Rising al-Qaeda Threat in North Africa -- Urges closing Polisario camps which have become recruiting ground for terrorists
15:30	NFL Stars Steven Jackson and Stevie Johnson Choose PlayUp to 'Hang Out' with Fans During Super Bowl XLVI
12:13	Harvest Natural Resources Updates Drilling Operations - Qarn Alam Block 64, Oman
11:15	MEDITERRANEAN: Morocco a crucial partner for Italy, says Massari
11:11	Churches are called to be peacemakers in Africa
10:54	U.S. Policy Toward Post-Election Democratic Republic of the Congo
09:00	New Study Shows Eating Fruit More Important Than Masculinity to Male Attractiveness
05:36	Somalia famine ends, but situation still dire / FAO's new Director-General prioritizes Horn of Africa
05:13	AUC Chairperson Receives Credentials of The New Permanent Observer of UNOCHA
05:08	AUC Chairperson Receives Credentials of The New Permanent Representative of Zambia

Black Sistas Wedding Blues in America

2012-02-04T03:30:00.000-08:00

Dear Single Black Sistas, You Have To Settle For Mr. Available

The collapse of marriage among blacks is well documented (see chart), but not the sexual, psychological, emotional and social toll this has taken on black women. Seven out of ten are single. Of the others, many are forced into “man-sharing”.
~ From Unmarried black women, Down or out: A black male professor kicks up a storm about black women and marriage.

According to his new book Is Marriage for White People? How the African-American Marriage Decline Affects Everyone, Ralph Richard Banks, the Stanford professor of family law says the crisis in the black “relationship market” starts with a “man shortage”.

About one in ten black men in their early thirties are in prison. As a group, black men have also fallen behind in education and income, just as black women have surged ahead. Two black women graduate from college for every black man. As these women rise into the middle class, the men stay in the lower class, becoming less compatible.

Many black women respond by “marrying down, but not out,” But that makes bad marriages. Two out of every three black marriages fail, about twice the rate of white marriages.

The real problem is the behaviour of those few black men who are considered good catches. They often stay unmarried for the opposite reason: they have too many options. As one man told Mr Banks: “If you have four quality women you’re dating and they’re in a rotation, who’s going to rush into a marriage?” Even black men who nominally commit to one woman are five times as likely as their white counterparts to have others on the side.

Majority of black men in America are sliding down the scale of preference in the social hierarchy as the facts have shown that they are lagging behind the men of other races in America and most of them are either jobless or in jail and that leaves majority of black women in the lurch, betrayed and disappointed by black brothers who have failed to catch up with the Joneses in the rat race.

“We know it’s a struggle,” said an African American single woman, “but we women got to stand by the black man. If we don’t, who will?”

What a great faith and sacrifice for the self preservation of the Black race. But the upwardly mobile black men have failed to reciprocate the sacrifices of black women, because they would rather bend backwards to impress the White chicks than their Black sistas in the hood. They often lie that they are in a catch-22 situation, like the cliche of I cannot marry, because I don’t have a job or I can’t get a job, because, I haven’t got anywhere to live, but I can’t afford a place to live until I get a job. But the real problem is the BIG MALE EGO of being superior to the female.

Majority of single black women are faced with the challenges of the snobbish Black Alpha Men who are single and successful, but very few compared to the hordes of impish Black Average Joes in majority.

So, what is the solution to the dilemma of the multitudes of still single and still searching black women who can’t find enough eligible black men to marry?
My dear black sistas, you have to settle for Mr. Available if you cannot hook Mr. Eligible.

Dear black sistas in the hood, instead of being single and miserable, you better settle for the available black brodas.
Just stoop to conquer and make the best out of Mr. Available.

~ By Orikinla Osinachi

The Greatest Investment

2012-02-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

The greatest investment is the one made for the improvement and empowerment of the poor and the needy among us.

~ Orikinla Osinachi, author of Children of Heaven, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye Mugabe, In the House of Dogs, and other books.

Emirates Adds Fifth U.S. Gateway with New Service to Dallas/Fort Worth

2012-02-03T05:03:00.000-08:00

Beautiful air hostesses of the United Arab Emirates airline.

2 Feb 2012 17:00 Africa/Lagos

Emirates Adds Fifth U.S. Gateway with New Service to Dallas/Fort Worth

DALLAS, Feb. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DFW AIRPORT -- Emirates, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, launched its new service from Dallas/Fort Worth to Dubai today. It is the fifth gateway for Emirates in the United States, and the fourth new route to join the airline's international network in 2012.

Emirates will serve Dallas/Fort Worth daily with a Boeing 777 aircraft offering the highest standards of passenger comfort, including private suites in First Class, lie-flat beds in Business Class and generously-sized Economy Class seats. EK221 leaves Dubai daily at 0245hrs, arriving at Dallas/Fort Worth at 0905hrs. The return sector, EK222, leaves Dallas/Fort Worth at 1150hrs, arriving at Dubai International Airport at 1220hrs the following day.

"Emirates' newest U.S. destination is a thriving and dynamic metroplex, which is home to one of the highest concentrations of Fortune 500 companies in the country," said Nigel Page, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Americas. "A direct link with Dubai will open new vistas for North Texas, with key trading and business centers in the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent now just one stop away."

"The new Emirates daily service to Dubai is a monumental development for DFW Airport, because it opens up a key region of the world for the citizens of Dallas/Fort Worth," said Jeffrey P. Fegan, CEO of DFW International Airport. "We are very pleased to have Emirates, one of the world's most highly regarded airlines, connecting DFW and Dubai, two of the world's top airport hubs."

"This daily flight is a big deal for both North Texas and our partners in the U.A.E.," said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. "Our world is getting smaller, and it's crucial that we take advantage of every opportunity to expand our global business and tourism presence. This connection certainly does that. Fort Worth is excited about the doors that will open thanks to this daily connection with our partners in Dubai."

"The direct flight creates a bridge between our two cultures and opens up endless economic opportunities for our region and the cities within it," said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. "And it comes at the perfect time, as our economy rebounds and exports climb upwards. Dallas continues to be a multinational city that the world is coming to and we welcome Emirates to DFW Airport."

"The United Arab Emirates is the single largest export market for American goods in the Middle East and trade continues to grow sharply, up more than 20 per cent in 2011 compared to the previous 12 months," said His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States.

"The U.S. is on target to surpass its pre-downturn 2008 record of $14.4 billion in total exports to the U.A.E. and this new Emirates route will spur hundreds of millions more in local economic activity. It will also attract more U.A.E. investment to Texas and more Texas investment in the U.A.E.," added His Excellency Mr. Al Otaiba.

On board today's inaugural flight from Dubai were Nigel Page, Emirates' Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Americas, and John Podgore, President, American Business Council. Upon landing, the Emirates delegation was met by over 100 business leaders from the Dallas/Fort Worth region.

Dallas/Fort Worth becomes Emirates' 121st global destination. Customers flying Emirates from Dallas/Fort Worth will be able to connect seamlessly to points across the Far and Middle East, Indian sub-continent and Africa via the airline's state-of-the-art hub in Dubai.

"Not only does our new Emirates service offer the fastest commercial journey times between North Texas and the Middle East, but also the most comfortable and entertaining experience in the sky," added Mr. Page.

Adding to the ease of travel, passengers can use emirates.com to book great rates for hotel and car rentals. Whether looking for a holiday at Disney properties, or an exclusive trip to Atlantis in either the Bahamas or Dubai, Emirates has access to over 23,000 hotels worldwide to meet every traveller's need. Hotel and cars can be simply added to an existing Emirates flight booking, through the airline's Manage a Booking section, or arranged without booking a flight at all.

Emirates Holidays, Emirates' tour operating arm, will feature Dallas/Fort Worth in its 2012 A World of Choice brochure. The annual brochure features over 100 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Indian Ocean, Asia, Australasia, Europe and the Americas. Three hotels and resorts in Dallas/Fort Worth will be included in the brochure, as well as additional properties available on request.

Emirates will continue to expand its network over the coming months. In addition to the new Dallas/Fort Worth service, flights to Lusaka and Harare started yesterday; Seattle will launch on March 1st, Ho Chi Minh Cityon June 4th and Barcelona on July 3rd.

About Emirates

Emirates currently serves 121 cities around the globe with a young and technologically advanced fleet of 162 wide-bodied aircraft that are equipped with industry-leading comforts in the air.

Additionally, Emirates has 241 wide-bodied aircraft on order, worth more than US$84 billion, and is the leading customer of the Airbus A380, with 19 in its fleet and 71 on order.

Renowned for its excellence in service and innovation, both on board and on the ground, Emirates holds an impressive array of prestigious awards, most recently including Air Transport World's 2011 "Airline of the Year" award and Frommer's selection of the Emirates Lounge at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport as one of the 2011 "Top Airport Lounges in North America."

Media Contact: Marvin Singleton
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Tel: (214) 363-3990
msingleton@pstrategies.com

SOURCE Emirates Airline

Web Site: http://www.emirates.com

France Gives Medical Aid To Victims of Kano Bombings

2012-02-03T03:53:00.000-08:00

Red Cross give first aid to an injured person in northern Nigeria.

PARIS, Feb. 2 2012/African Press Organization (APO) / - After the terrible terrorist attacks that hit the city of Kano, France is mobilized to help victims through the delivery of 600 kilograms of medical aid that will to treat people injured in the violence.

The terrorist attacks of 20 January in the city of Kano have two hundred dead and several hundred wounded who were evacuated to local health facilities, public and private. Since then, attacks, on a smaller scale, continue to plague the city daily. According to information from the Minister of Health, Government of Kano State, more than two hundred wounded are currently hospitalized in public hospitals of the state.

Medical aid, issued today in Kano, will benefit the public hospitals and will follow up with two hundred injured including gunshot wounds, open fractures and burns.

We recall the commitment of France in the fight against terrorism and our solidarity with Nigeria to face this terrible ordeal. That was the message that had brought the Minister of State during his visit to Kano in November.

Source: France - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
2 Feb 2012
23:02	Bristow Group Reports Financial Performance for Its 2012 Third Fiscal Quarter and Nine-Month Period Ended December 31, 2011
15:08	Bristow Group Announces Quarterly Dividend
14:17	US Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson to Lead Energy Trade Mission to Africa
11:01	France / Nigeria - Livraison d'une aide médicale (2 février 2012)
09:41	Royal Dutch Shell plc: 4th Quarter and Full Year 2011 Unaudited Results
08:20	Royal Dutch Shell Sets Out New Growth Agenda

Racine, Wis. Elementary School Makes Final Chapter: One Million Books Read

2012-02-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

Racine, Wis. Elementary School Students Reach the Final Chapter: One Million Books Read

Racine Reads: Dream Big! mascot Booker the Owl visits students during One Book, One Grade, One Community Event on January 23, 2012.

Racine Reads: Dream Big! Program Goal Achieved in Just 18 Weeks

Racine, Wis., February 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Just 18 weeks after Racine Reads: Dream Big! launched, Racine elementary school students have one million reasons to celebrate after reaching the program’s ambitious goal to read one million books during the 2011-2012 school year. More than 10,000 students in nearly 500 classrooms participated in the community-based initiative which aimed to get the community fired up and focused on one issue — literacy.

“I’m so inspired by the passion for reading that our community has shown in support of Racine Reads: Dream Big!,” said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. “What is so powerful and moving about this program is the personal investment and passion of the students and teachers. Congratulations to everyone who has helped make this a reality.”

Racine Reads: Dream Big! is sponsored by SC Johnson and is a partnership with the Racine Public Library, the City of Racine, Racine Elementary Schools, the Racine Civic Centre, Racine Literacy Council, Family Literacy of Racine, Cops ‘N Kids, and Girls Inc.

Reading Matters
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), fourth graders who reported having 25 books or more at home had higher scores on reading tests than children who said they didn’t have many books. The NCES state reading assessment shows that 68 percent of fourth graders in Wisconsin read at an average level and only 34 percent at a proficient level. The Center also reports that one child in four grows up not knowing how to read.

“The stats speak for themselves. This program supports building strong reading skills and inspires our teachers to engage their students in creative ways to develop reading habits that will positively impact their lives forever,” said Racine Mayor John Dickert. “Our accomplishments as a community around this program make it possible to set Racine apart and serve as a model for literacy programs in other communities.”

The holistic program was developed to surround students with reading everywhere they go and to engage them in different mediums. At school, teachers, students and principals are engaged through program tool kits which track reading totals and milestones. At home and in the community, the program has brought literacy to life through author visits, live performances and readings, and volunteer opportunities.

“This program is so much fun and it’s making a big impact,” said Ann Laing, Interim Superintendent, Racine Unified School District. “We’ve heard so many great stories about the creative ways teachers are motivating their students and the celebrations taking place at self-imposed milestones. Rewards have ranged from reading with flashlights on pajama day to wearing their best clothes to school for a Fancy Nancy tea party.”

Racine Reads: What’s Next

Even though the students have hit the program goal, Racine Reads: Dream Big! activities will continue throughout the school year.

Upcoming events include:
February 16, 2012 – Author Visit: Dr. Richard Allington
The community will have an opportunity to hear Dr. Richard Allington, an expert in educating teachers on the best methods to teach reading. Dr. Allington has written more than 100 research articles and a number of books on this topic including Classrooms that Work: They Can All Read and Write. During his visit, Dr. Allington will speak to both educators and parents.

March 2, 2012 – Read Across America Day
The National Education Association’s (NEA) Read Across America Day, now in its 13th year, is a program focused on motivating children and teens to read. To support Read Across America Day, which coincides with Dr. Seuss’ birthday, Racine Reads: Dream Big! will implement a volunteer program placing community and business leaders in every classroom throughout Racine.

March – Battle of the Books
Each year, the Racine Public Library coordinates a Battle of the Books literature contest for Racine’s fourth- and fifth-grade students. Teams are composed of up to four students representing area public and private schools. In preparing for the tournament, participants read and become knowledgeable about the content of approximately 40 books selected for the Battle by youth services librarians. Meets are held over a four-week period at the Library and highest scoring teams are declared the champions. To date, the Library has seen a 40 percent increase in the number of teams registered, which is a direct result of Racine Reads: Dream Big! participation.

April 26, 2012 – Author Visit: Rosemary Wells
The author of the popular Max and Ruby children’s book series, Ms. Wells will be in Racine to meet with families during a free community presentation the evening of Thursday, April 26.

Racine Reads: Dream Big! Celebration
The program will officially culminate with a community-wide celebration at the end of the school year.

For more information on events related to Racine Reads: Dream Big! visit www.racinereads.org or the program’s Facebook page.

www.RacineReads.org

Media Contact:

Jam Stewart
262-260-2440
jmstewar@scj.com

Cultural Influences Impact Retirement Planning and Decision-Making

2012-02-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

An ING study showed cultural influences impact retirement planning. Among the findings, African-Americans, Asians and Hispanics rely more on the Internet and media for financial guidance than Whites.

ING Study: Cultural Influences Impact Retirement Planning and Decision-Making
Research finds non-whites more likely to rely on the media and Internet for information; Hispanics feel least prepared for retirement

Haga clic aquí para ver este comunicado de prensa en Español.

Windsor, Conn. February 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — ING U.S. released key findings today from a comprehensive study1 commissioned by the ING Retirement Research Institute that examined the attitudes, behaviors and preparedness of different ethnic groups, including African-Americans, Asians and Hispanics, regarding their future retirement. The research showed that while Americans of all backgrounds encounter similar barriers to saving and planning, cultural differences account for disparate experiences among the groups. For additional information or to view the report, visit http://ing.us.

According to the study, Retirement Revealed, all populations found retirement planning to be a daunting task. However, ING’s research showed that Hispanics feel the least prepared, with 54 percent indicating they feel “not very” or “not at all” prepared. This compares with 50 percent of African-Americans, 48 percent of white and 44 percent of Asian respondents indicating that they don’t feel prepared. These feelings correspond with the amount saved in employer-sponsored retirement plans, where Hispanic respondents reported having the lowest average balances ($54,000) in their retirement plans. This amount was considerably less than the average balance across all groups ($69,000). In contrast, Asian respondents reported having the highest average plan balances ($81,000).

“All Americans face the growing responsibility of planning and saving for retirement. However, there are distinct cultural differences that may affect some groups more than others when it comes to getting or staying on the right path,” said Maliz Beams, CEO of ING U.S. Retirement. “As a leading retirement provider at the workplace and in the retail market, our mission is to help individuals retire with the dignity and financial security they deserve. Our goal is to take the important cultural reference points from this study and turn them into customized solutions that help all our customers become better prepared — regardless of their background.”

Other key findings from the Retirement Revealed study include the following:

Financial Information:

Non-whites were more likely than whites to get their investment information and guidance from the Internet and media. African-Americans (54 percent), Asians (53 percent) and Hispanics (50 percent) indicated that the media and Internet were the primary source of getting advice and guidance compared to 45 percent of white respondents.
Whites were more likely to use a financial professional.
While nearly one-in-three (28 percent) of overall respondents are currently working with a financial professional, only three-quarters (75 percent) of this group indicated their adviser looks at their complete financial picture.
Face-to-face communication with a financial professional is ranked the highest in terms of value provided in getting information about their retirement plan and other employee benefits.

Barriers to Saving:

Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of respondents admitted to having barriers to saving. Among the groups, African-Americans said debt was their biggest barrier. Needing to know more about their savings options is a greater barrier to savings for Hispanics than for any other group.

Planning Goals:

Hispanic respondents were less focused on their future retirement goals — well over half (57 percent) have never calculated how much money they will need to continue their current lifestyle upon retirement.
Seven-in-10 (70 percent) Hispanics did not have a formal investment plan to reach those goals.
Only three-in-10 (29 percent) of overall respondents have a formal investment plan; African-Americans are most likely to have one (32 percent); whites are least likely (28 percent).

Emergency Savings:

Just under half (41 percent) have virtually no emergency savings (one month or less). This increases to nearly half for Hispanics (47 percent) and 50 percent for African-Americans, while only one-in-four Asians have one month or less saved for emergencies.

Purchasing Priorities:

Asians appear to be most prepared for retirement, but had a tendency to place a higher priority on lifestyle choices, such as purchasing a nice house or car, than planning for retirement.

“There are certainly more similarities than differences among the ethnic groups when it comes to retirement planning, but distinctions do exist and understanding them can be critical to future retirement success,” added Fabian Gonzalez, vice president of Multicultural Sales at ING U.S. “For example, many times in the Hispanic community, parents will sacrifice their own financial future in order for their children to advance. By researching and learning about the rationale behind decisions like this, we can better understand our customers and help them achieve their financial goals.”

Additional findings from the study include:

Nearly one-in-four African-Americans (23 percent) have life insurance coverage equal to four to five times their salary, higher than the total population (18 percent). This corresponds with African-American respondents indicating that they were the most likely to leave life insurance proceeds to their heirs (70 percent vs. 53 percent of the total sample).
More than six-in-10 (63 percent) of African-Americans cite reducing debt as their most important short-term financial goal.
Hispanics are the most likely (57 percent) to want more education about investments and retirement options from their employer, compared to all respondent groups (47 percent).
Asians are the least likely to have a last will and testament (26 percent), compared with 31 percent for Hispanics and 37 percent for white respondents.

For additional information on the ING’s Retirement Revealed study and to read the report, visit http://ing.us.

1 Findings are from an online survey conducted by ORC International during the period of Oct. 5-13, 2011. Respondents were 4,050 adults (including 500 African-Americans, 500 Hispanics and 350 Asians) between the ages of 25 and 69 who are employed full-time with an annual household income of $40,000 or greater. Data were weighted to make the results representative of the U.S. population.
Press inquiries:

Phil Margolis
ING U.S.
Office: 860.580.2676
Cell: 860.805.7642
Phil.Margolis@us.ing.com

About ING
NG U.S. is a subsidiary of Dutch-based ING Groep N.V. In the U.S., the ING (NYSE: ING) family of companies offers a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients, which includes retirement plans, life insurance, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, institutional investment management, annuities, employee benefits and financial planning. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves approximately 15 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit http://ing.us.

Media Contact:

Phil Margolis
ING U.S.
Office: 860.580.2676
Cell: 860.805.7642
Phil.Margolis@us.ing.com

Small Businesses and Social Media: Is Facebook Right for Your Brand?

2012-02-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

1 Feb 2012 21:44 Africa/Lagos

Small Businesses and Social Media: Is Facebook Right for Your Brand?

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Social media has been a boon to many small business owners, however, anyone who has managed social media presences for businesses knows that the time commitment can be significant. Busy small business owners don't have time to waste, so determining whether or not a social network makes sense for the business – and taking a realistic look at what the maintenance of the social presence requires are important considerations for small business owners.

This week on Beyond PR, PR Newswire's vice president of social media, Sarah Skerik, tells the story of helping a friend with a niche business decide whether or not Facebook is a viable channel for her brand. The two part series discusses evaluating whether or not Facebook is right for a small business, outlines how Facebook works and sketches a basic plan for building a fan following and delivering business results.

Part 1: Is Facebook Right for Your Small Business?
http://blog.prnewswire.com/2012/01/31/is-facebook-right-for-your-small-business/

Part 2: Developing a Facebook Plan for a Busy Small Business Owner
(http://blog.prnewswire.com/2012/02/01/developing-a-facebook-plan-for-a-busy-small-business-owner/)

The Beyond PR blog highlights communications tactics and trends in public relations, investor relations, social media, SEO and content marketing.

PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content — from rich media to online video to multimedia — and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000306/PRNLOGO )

Media Contacts:
Rachel Meranus
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
PR Newswire
+1.201.360.6776
Rachel.Meranus@prnewswire.com

Meryl Serouya
Marketing and Communications Associate
PR Newswire
+1.201.360.6009
Meryl.Serouya@prnewswire.com

SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC

Web Site: http://www.prnewswire.com

Top Topics

Pennsylvania Governor Corbett Opens Groundhog Day Festivities, Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter Weather

January U.S. Retail Sales

Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Hit New Record Lows - Again

Quarterly Earnings Reports

Super Bowl

Valentine's Day

Banana Republic to Debut Mad Men Spring 2012 Collection

Fans Crash Servers for Early Preview Screenings of "TITANIC" in 3D

2012-02-02T06:29:00.000-08:00

1 Feb 2012 22:12 Africa/Lagos

Fans Crash Servers for Early Preview Screenings of "TITANIC" in 3D
SELL-OUT CROWDS IN THE U.S. AND ACROSS THE WORLD WILL BE AMONG THE FIRST AUDIENCES ANYWHERE TO SEE THE RE-MASTERED MOVIE ON VALENTINES DAY, FEBRUARY 14th, IN ADVANCE OF THE FILM'S WORLDWIDE RE-RELEASE ON APRIL 6th

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans the world over rushed the web in the last 24-hours - crashing multiple servers in the process - to secure advance tickets for the now sold-out February 14th preview screenings of TITANIC in 3D, Paramount Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox International jointly announced today. In a matter of hours, sell-out screenings were reported throughout the United States and in countries around the world, following the launch of the special screening program on January 31st. Moviegoers who were lucky enough to secure a seat will now be among the first people anywhere to see the newly re-mastered TITANIC in 3D, in advance of the film's worldwide release on April 6th.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/19991206/PARLOGO)

These special fan screening are being presented exclusively in RealD 3D and will be held in the following cities: Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Dallas, Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, San Diego, Denver, Sacramento, Orlando, Tampa, Minneapolis, Montreal, Vancouver, Cleveland, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Portland, Kansas City, West Palm Beach, Raleigh, San Antonio, Hartford, Charlotte, San Antonio, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Austin, Edmonton, Milwaukee, Norfolk, Grand Rapids, Calgary, Columbus, Fresno, Ottawa, Cincinnati, Nashville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Oklahoma City. Internationally, these special one-time only preview screenings will take place in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan and the UK.

Cameron, who also directed the breakthrough 3D epic AVATAR, will bring TITANIC to life as audiences have never seen it before, digitally re-mastered to an unparalleled 4K 3D, harnessing the innovative technology of StereoD. The re-release of TITANIC also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Titanic setting sail on April 10, 1912. Written, directed and produced by James Cameron, TITANIC is the second highest grossing movie of all time. It is one of only three films to have received a record 11 Academy Awards® including Best Picture and Best Director; and launched the careers of stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

Called "A spectacular demonstration of what modern technology can contribute to dramatic storytelling" by Variety upon it's release in 1997, the long in the works 3D conversion was overseen Cameron and his Lightstorm producing partner Jon Landau who produced the hit movie.

Learn more about TITANIC in 3D at http://www.titanicmovie.com/

About Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Twentieth Century Fox

One of the world's largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Fox Filmed Entertainment produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Fox International Productions.

About Lightstorm Entertainment

Lightstorm Entertainment is a film production company founded by Academy Award winning filmmakers James Cameron and film producer Jon Landau. The company has produced blockbuster hits including "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "True Lies," as well the Academy Award® winning "Titanic" and most recently "Avatar," which stands at the biggest grossing movie of all time.

SOURCE Paramount Pictures Corporation

CONTACT: Katie Martin Kelley, Paramount Pictures, Executive Vice President Publicity, +1-323-956-2821, kmk@paramount.com; or Hilary Clark, Fox, Executive Vice President, International Publicity, +1-310-369-5156, Hilary.Clark@fox.com

The CineCause Spotlight Tour Kicks off 2012 with Happiness

2012-02-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

1 Feb 2012 16:06 Africa/Lagos

The CineCause Spotlight Tour Kicks off 2012 with Happiness

Festival favorites screen for causes in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new venture connecting films, celebrities and news to related charities, CineCause will kick off their 2012 Spotlight Tour with the theme of Happiness, presenting 3 award-winning films to audiences in the Los Angeles area, February 10-12. The event will take place at the Edgemar Theatre (http://www.edgemarcenter.org) in Santa Monica, featuring: The Economics of Happiness, Happy and Project Happiness.

The Spotlight will provide local audiences with information and creative opportunities to donate and/or get involved with related causes. "With dedicated college courses, books being published and films being produced, the subject and science of happiness is finally getting the attention it deserves. We're excited to present local audiences with these terrific films that creatively explore this challenging theme," says CineCause CEO Jon Fitzgerald.

The event will kick off Friday February 10th with Project Happiness, directed by John Sorensen, created and produced by Randy Taran, featuring the Dalai Lama, George Lucas, Richard Gere and neuroscientist Richard Davidson. From the alleys of Nigeria and the beaches of California to the mountains of India, ordinary young people lead us on an extraordinary journey to explore the nature of lasting happiness.

"We are delighted to partner with CineCause and participating filmmakers to further our collective message that a happy world is possible, as well as support causes that empower children, families, and communities to create happier, more meaningful lives," says Project Happiness Creator and Producer Randy Taran. Taran and one of the student participants from the film, Emily Crubaugh, will be on hand for Q&A discussion and book signing following the film.

Happy, directed by Roko Belic, will play Saturday, February 11. The film sets out to answer many questions on the subject of happiness. Taking us from the bayous of Louisiana to the deserts of Namibia, from the beaches of Brazil to the villages of Okinawa, Happy explores the secrets behind our most valued emotion.

The Economics of Happiness reveals how globalization is accelerating climate change, destroying jobs, fraying the fabric of our communities and adding to the stress of modern life. Most importantly, the film shows that these trends can be reversed. With stunning footage and thought provoking commentary from thinkers and activists on every continent, the film demonstrates that a better world is not only possible, it's within our reach.

Event Sponsors include: Barefoot Wine and Bubbly, Knowitall, YES! Magazine and Edgemar Theater for the Arts.

Ten percent of all sponsorships, ticket, and merchandise sales will go to related charities. Links to purchase tickets and more detail on each of the films, including related causes and articles, can be found at www.cinecause.com. Tickets are also available through Eventbrite at (http://happinessshowcase.eventbrite.com).

CineCause is a filter to quality film programming and curates showcases of films based on theme, subject or topic, pairing socially relevant films with related causes. Audiences learn more about causes, have an opportunity to make a donation, and participate in a collective effort to affect positive change.

For more information, please visit: www.cinecause.com

Available Topic Expert: For information on the listed expert, click appropriate link.
Randy Taran
http://www.profnetconnect.com/randytaran

SOURCE CineCause
CONTACT: Jon Fitzgerald, +1-310-827-5900, jon@cinecause.com, or Lisa Braun Dubbels, +1-651-343-7315, lisa@catalystpublicity.com

Web Site: http://www.cinecause.com

1 Feb 2012

16:06

The CineCause Spotlight Tour Kicks off 2012 with Happiness

10:36

Research strategy to realize Africa's tremendous rice potential unveiled

31 Jan 2012

17:35

UNITED ANNOUNCES NEW DOMESTIC ROUTES FROM HUB CITIES

06:07	Somalia / ICRC remains fully committed to helping Somalis
04:57	African Union Hosts Fund-Raising Luncheon for the Pan-African University (PAU)

Nigerian Prisons, the Courts and Imprisoned Terrorists

2012-02-01T05:34:00.000-08:00

Inside a typical prison in Nigeria.

Nigerian Prisons, the Courts and Imprisoned Terrorists

~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi

The Nigerian courts and the prisons have in the last few months become intensively involved in terrorists being imported from our streets into the penal system.
Nigeria, unlike the Euro-American or Western world does not have the enormous technological, security and psychological experience to put a full handle on the ‘war of terror’.

Yet, hundreds of reported arrested members of Boko Haram sect are continuously being tossed into our already overcrowded prisons. Certainly, everyone including the prison personnel, convicts and the persons awaiting trial as well as their respective families are likely to be increasingly preoccupied with safety concerns
Considering that both the domestic and foreign terrorists come into the prisons with endured religious, political and social influences, these detained and convicted terrorists currently under lock up, could make our prisons, recruiting grounds for more secret fanatical and dangerous plans. Is Nigeria even slightly prepared for this type of terror in closed settings like prisons?

The United States of America known for many of its prison and detention facilities has locations like undisclosed prisons, floating prisons(e.g. Ships), and foreign based secret prisons called “black site”. But this not the case with Nigeria.
Even if Nigeria was to use the existing prisons to house terrorist convicts or suspects, what could be the danger of creating a swelling population of predominantly extremist Muslim units, and won’t that lead to the feelings that Islam is under attack?

To ensure that our prisons are safe, how is the government preparing the prisons and the society that we are not locking up persons of a special religious group?
Since this whole Boko Haram challenge is a new test and fresh experience to us, we will need to create tough different interrogation procedures, special solitary units, and high tech security environment as many of these suspects are ‘high-value’ terrorism villains.

We will need to begin interrogations of these prisoners using specially trained prison staff and officers in order to yield useful psychological and social information that could lead to the unraveling of their unique tactics, and to future terrorist plots.

As we know the Nigerian prisons are use to non-ordinary offenders unlike Boko Haram terrorists known for their strong dogmatic beliefs and religious motivations.
So with many of them fully radicalized as part of their personal ideals, aspirations and experience, we must begin to put in place intelligence-based , psychological and rehabilitative processes and programs to help DE-radicalize them from their violent prone mental, emotional, social behaviors. This will cost money but it is worth it.
Now is the time for the government to provide a penal environment that could fully ensure the safety, security and orderly operation of our prison facilities with the protection of prison personnel, their families and the protection of the public in mind.

In order to ensure tight surveillance and to keep a close watch on the terrorists’ movements in our present prisons, we need to also prepare our courtrooms for the trial of terror suspects and ensuring the safety of the presiding judges, prosecutors and witnesses as well as their families.

The current anti-terrorism legislation has called for the imprisonment of terrorist convicts as long as 20 years. But we have a problem; the 2011 Anti-Terrorism Act is mainly preventive and prohibitive in terms of its potency as it does not have a full-blown legislative aspect in regards to the full handling of terror suspects or convicts in the prison system.

Prisons by all measures plays a much bigger big role in the war on terrorism, therefore the nation must be protected by getting the penal system technologically and financially prepared in regards to the special training of officers. And assist with preparing existing prisons for terrorist attacks.

Let us believe that very soon we will see the set-up of high-security prisons with appropriate infrastructure and rehabilitative programs in the model of prisons in America or other security conscious nations.

~ John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D., is the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association (NPA), Abuja. Jos5930458@aol.com 08126909839.

The Nigerian Actor Who Looks Like Pastor T. B. Joshua

2012-02-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Lucky Ejim

Pastor T.B. Joshua

The Nigerian Actor Who Looks Like Pastor T. B. Joshua

Lucky Ejim is the only well known Nigerian actor who looks like the famous Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua, popularly known as T. B. Joshua, the Nigerian minister, televangelist and faith healer who is the founder and leader of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN). So, Lucky should fit the lead role of a biopic on the present life of the pastor.

Onyekachi 'Lucky' Ejim is a world class actor who is based overseas and popularly known for his lead role in The Tenant, the film he directed himself and he has also excelled in other roles on TV and the big screen.

A biopic on Pastor Joshua will definitely attract millions to the cinemas in Nigeria and other countries and can be a very effective vehicle for evangelism worldwide.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, author of Children of Heaven, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye Mugabe, In the House of Dogs, and other books.

Top Topics

The 10 Most Educated Countries in the World

academic rankings

economic rankings

environmental rankings

miscellaneous

social rankings

technological rankings

US Deputy Secretary Burns Completes Week-long Trip to Africa

2012-01-31T08:34:00.000-08:00

31 Jan 2012 05:26 Africa/Lagos

US Deputy Secretary Burns Completes Week-long Trip to Africa

WASHINGTON, January 31, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

January 30, 2012

Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns wrapped up his week-long visit to Africa today in Ethiopia. As head of the U.S. delegation to the African Union Summit, he met yesterday and today with a number of leaders in Addis Ababa, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, South Sudanese President Kiir, Sudanese Foreign Minister Karti, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles, Libyan Prime Minister al-Keeb, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang, and Kenyan Foreign Minister Wetangula. Over the weekend, the Deputy Secretary was in Uganda, where he met with Ugandan President Museveni and visited a public-private partnership at Wagagai, one of more than a hundred clinics that the United States supports in Uganda to provide preventive care and comprehensive maternal and child health services. He also traveled on January 28 to South Sudan, where he met with a number of senior officials including Vice President Machar.

Throughout his meetings at the African Union, as well as in Ghana, Uganda, and South Sudan, the Deputy Secretary highlighted our ongoing commitment to work with African partners to support gains in democratic governance, sustainable development, economic growth, and the peaceful resolution of conflict. His discussions also covered a range of security, political, and humanitarian challenges facing the continent. The Deputy Secretary expressed deep concern regarding the Government of Sudan's continued denial of humanitarian access to Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, and also underscored the need for Sudan and South Sudan to quickly reach agreement on oil and related financial issues. Various leaders he met with expressed concern about the growing threat posed to Nigeria and the region by Boko Haram. The Deputy Secretary stressed that the United States will continue to support the Government of Nigeria on this and other challenges facing the country. On Somalia, the Deputy Secretary noted U.S. support for the work of the African Union Mission in Somalia and the need for the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to make steady and sustained progress on the Roadmap in advance of the end of the TFG's mandate in August. The Deputy Secretary highlighted ongoing U.S. collaboration and partnership with the African Union on a broad range of issues, and assured leaders of the U.S. commitment to continue to assist the African Union in augmenting its capacity to address the many opportunities and challenges facing the continent.

In Ghana, Uganda, and Ethiopia, the Deputy Secretary took the time to engage with a cross section of young leaders, entrepreneurs, and civil society activists engaged in every sector of society. The Deputy Secretary's visit, coming on the heels of the Secretary's visit to West Africa last week, reaffirms the high priority that the Obama Administration attaches to Africa, and the special emphasis the United States has placed on engaging the continent's next generation of leaders.

Source: US Department of State

Top Topics

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® Decreases Slightly

Home Prices Continued to Decline in November 2011 According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices

U.S. News & World Report Announces 2012 Rankings of the Best U.S. Hotels

Consumer Survey Finds One in Five Women Would Abstain from Sex for Six Months to Avoid Paying Monthly Bills

Quarterly Earnings Reports

Super Bowl

Valentine's Day

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
31 Jan 2012
05:26	US Deputy Secretary Burns Completes Week-long Trip to Africa
30 Jan 2012
16:00	Ritchie Bros. and CIM set new record at World of Concrete charity auction
14:30	Blue Sphere Signs an Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement With Vattenfall, One of Europe's Largest Producers of Power and Heat
11:16	Africa / Opening Remarks to Regional Journalists on the Margins of African Union Summit
10:23	Election du Président Boni Yayi à la Présidence de l'Union africaine (30 janvier 2012)
05:10	Spinlet Debuts Digital Distribution Technology for African Markets at Midem 2012