2007'10.03.Wed
Wachovia Opens Remote Check Image Capture Site in Korea
October 02, 2007
Bank Continues to Expand Comprehensive Suite of Image
Services
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 2 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Wachovia
today announced the opening of a remote check image capture
site in Korea.
Clients can now deliver their U.S. dollar check
deposits to the local site, where Wachovia scans the checks
and transmits the images to the U.S. for clearing.
"The launch of our Korea processing site
demonstrates Wachovia's commitment to expand our suite of
image services and build our global capabilities,"
said Jim Ho, managing director and head of Greater China
and OECD Asia. "Placement of this capability in our
Korean branch allows us to reduce the transportation costs
associated with this important product line, while
enhancing our position as a major player in the global
market."
A leader in U.S. dollar check processing, Wachovia has
been at the forefront of the U.S. banking industry's move
toward image exchange, building its own image-exchange
platform and applying image technology to gain processing
efficiencies throughout its check operations.
The Korean image capture site complements Wachovia's
Remote Deposit Capture (RDC) and Remote Image Cash Letter
(RICL) solutions. These services use image-based technology
to enable clients to electronically capture and transmit
their U.S. dollar check deposits, allowing the client to
truncate the original checks at the point of capture. With
RDC, clients use a desktop scanner and Wachovia software to
scan and transmit their check deposits to the United States
for clearing. Clients with in-house image capture
technology can opt to create x9.37 image clearing files for
direct transmission to Wachovia through the RICL service.
Clients across 33 countries now use Wachovia's RDC and RICL
solutions.
As part of its comprehensive image strategy, Wachovia
is interested in the judicious deployment of image sites
where they can best serve clients. "This site is an
important step forward in our efforts to extend the cost
savings and efficiencies associated with Check 21 to
clients everywhere in the world," said Jennifer
O'Keefe, vice president, Wachovia Treasury Services.
"The thrust behind Check 21, and the image solutions
it generated, was to eliminate transportation cost and
streamline processing for efficiency and accelerated funds
availability to the client."
Following The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act
of 2004, popularly known as Check 21, Wachovia rapidly
introduced a series of image-based services-including RDC
and RICL-to extend associated benefits to its clients.
Wachovia also was among the first to receive an RICL file
via SWIFTNet FileAct, successfully piloting the service
with a bank client in Spain in 2005. In August 2007,
Wachovia's Treasury Services division announced it had
reached the $1 billion mark in Remote Deposit Capture (RDC)
volumes processed in one day.
"We can't ask for anything better than RDC,"
said Anne Doobarry-Clement, senior manager of Operations,
Treasury/International Trade Centre for First Citizens Bank
Limited, based in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies.
Doobarry-Clement has used Wachovia's RDC solution since
2006.
According to Doobarry-Clement, the bank's U.S. dollar
check processing costs have decreased by at least 60% in
the first year of implementation, and Doobarry-Clement
expects savings to reach 80% by next year.
Additional benefits to First Citizens Bank include the
elimination of courier expense, time savings on deposit
preparation, and accelerated funds availability. An
unexpected benefit has been a reduction in deposit errors
related to multicurrency checks. Before RDC, these items
might inadvertently have been included in a paper U.S.
dollar check deposit sent to the United States for
clearing. This would result in a loss of funds of three to
four days until the errant items were returned to Trinidad
by courier for reprocessing. With RDC, a multicurrency
check is rejected immediately from the deposit batch in
Trinidad.
"Wachovia has an unwavering commitment to staying
close to our clients, which is reflected in the continued
expansion of our global capabilities," explains
Christine Jenkins, director of Global Payment Services in
Wachovia's Global Financial Institutions and Trade
division. "Our clients continue to seek cost-effective
and efficient solutions for their US dollar payment needs
and we want to ensure we are where they need us to be, when
they need us to be there. As our clients' needs evolve, our
goal is to continually look for new ways to leverage our
services to facilitate their success."
About Wachovia Treasury Services Division
Wachovia's Treasury Services, the third-largest U.S.
cash management provider, tailors solutions for businesses
of all sizes, geographies and industries. The company
offers liquidity management solutions and a comprehensive
suite of global integrated payables and receivables
solutions, including electronic check conversion, accounts
receivable conversion, ACH services, image solutions, a
national wholesale and retail lockbox network, as well as
commercial card services. Greenwich Associates' 2006 Middle
Market Survey ranks the bank No. 1 in Customer Service and
Operations Accuracy among cash management banks.
Phoenix-Hecht's bi-annual surveys consistently give
Wachovia's Treasury Services products top grades across
mid-market and large corporate markets for quality and
customer satisfaction. Ernst and Young's 2006 U.S. Cash
Management Survey ranks the bank No. 3 in market share, and
ranks the bank's information and access product, Wachovia
Connection(r), No. 1 for the highest number of Information
Reporting Internet Accounts.
About Wachovia Global Financial Institutions and Trade
division
Wachovia's Global Financial Institutions and Trade
division has a 200-year legacy in International
correspondent banking. FImetrix Research has ranked
Wachovia the No. 1 correspondent bank provider in Asia and
Latin America in market share, No. 4 in Western Europe, and
No. 1 worldwide in overall customer satisfaction. Wachovia
is a global leader in correspondent banking and trade
services and maintains more than 3,000 correspondent
relationships in more than 130 countries through a network
of 44 offices, including eight overseas branches.
About Wachovia
Wachovia Corporation (NYSE: WB) is one of the nation's
largest diversified financial services companies, with
assets of $719.9 billion and market capitalization of $97.5
billion at June 30, 2007. Wachovia provides a broad range of
retail banking and brokerage, asset and wealth management,
and corporate and investment banking products and services
to 13 million household and business customers. Wachovia
has 3,400 retail financial centers in 21 states from
Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas and California,
and nationwide retail brokerage, mortgage lending and auto
finance businesses. Globally, clients are served in
selected corporate and institutional sectors and through
more than 40 international offices. Our retail brokerage
operations under the Wachovia Securities brand name manage
more than $795 billion in client assets through
approximately 10,800 registered representatives in 774
offices in 48 states and through service affiliate offices
in Latin America. Online banking is available at
wachovia.com; online brokerage products and services at
wachoviasec.com; and investment products and services at
evergreeninvestments.com.
In May 2007, Wachovia announced an agreement to acquire
A.G. Edwards, Inc., a financial services holding company
whose primary subsidiary is the national investment firm of
A.G. Edward & Sons, Inc. A.G. Edwards and its affiliates
employ 6,623 financial consultants in 741 offices nationwide
and two European locations in London and Geneva. This
proposed acquisition is expected to be completed in the
fourth quarter of 2007, pending the approval of A.G.
Edwards shareholders and applicable regulatory approvals.
For more information, please contact:
Victoria Wolfram
Wachovia
Tel: +1-704-715-3915
PR
2007'10.03.Wed
York International Reaches Settlement with DOJ and SEC
October 02, 2007
YORK, Pa., Oct. 2 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- York
International today entered into a deferred prosecution
agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and a
consent agreement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) resolving issues related primarily to
activities involving certain overseas contracts.
The settlements include $22 million in fines, interest
and the disgorgement of past profits on the contracts. The
financial settlements are not expected to materially impact
the company as they have been fully provided for in prior
periods. The investigation did not reveal any personal
misconduct by York senior officers. The agreements with
the DOJ and SEC also provide for an independent consultant
to monitor York's compliance with all relevant laws.
For more information, please contact:
Tom Branigan
Branigan Communication
Tel: +1-414-224-0767
2007'10.03.Wed
European Commission's Continuing Investigation of Qualcomm is Welcomed
October 02, 2007
LONDON, Oct. 2 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Broadcom,
Ericsson, NEC, Nokia, Panasonic Mobile Communications and
Texas Instruments welcome the continuation of the
investigation by the European Commission into complaints
regarding anti-competitive practices by Qualcomm. While
each company has made an individual complaint, they share
concerns about Qualcomm's practices. The companies believe
that these practices are harmful to the mobile
telecommunications industry globally and, in particular
undermine confidence in standards-setting processes,
threaten the supply of WCDMA chipsets, impede innovation,
and raise the costs of third-generation (3G) technology and
handsets. As a result, carriers and consumers face higher
prices and fewer choices.
The complaints refer to Qualcomm's breach of European
Union (EU) competition law and failure to meet the
commitments it made to international standard-setting
organisations that it would license its declared essential
patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.
Without these commitments, WCDMA technology would not have
been commercially implemented as part of the UMTS 3G
standard in Europe and elsewhere. The companies alleged
that Qualcomm has violated EU competition rules by charging
disproportionate and discriminatory royalties for its
declared WCDMA essential patents. They also stated that
Qualcomm violates those rules by trying to exclude
competing manufacturers of chipsets for mobile phones from
the market and to prevent others from entering. These
actions, in addition to breaching the European Union's
competition law, are in breach of Qualcomm's commitments to
standard-setting bodies.
The Commission has decided to allocate priority to the
continuing investigation following the lodging of the
complaints in October 2005. The companies welcome this
decision and confirm their continued cooperation with the
European Commission.
Note to editors: The following quotes about the EC's
decision are from each of the companies that filed formal
complaints.
Broadcom: "Broadcom welcomes the Commission's
decision to continue its investigation of Qualcomm's
practices. The decision underscores the significant policy
issues at stake and the importance of ensuring the future
viability both of industry standards-setting processes and
of a level playing field for competing providers of
chipsets and intellectual property in the 3G space, which
Qualcomm's conduct otherwise threatens to undermine. We
believe that the EC plays an important role, in our case
and others, in ensuring conditions where fair competition
helps promote product innovation and technology
advancements that ultimately benefit consumers in Europe
and throughout the world. The decision demonstrates
Europe's continuing desire to foster a competitive
environment that will stimulate continued growth in the
global information economy." -- David A. Dull, Senior
Vice President, Business Affairs, and General Counsel,
Broadcom Corporation.
Ericsson: "The success of a standard depends on
the essential patent holders honouring their FRAND
commitments. In this case, a single patent holder --
Qualcomm -- is charging royalty rates much higher than
other essential patent owners. If the other patent holders
were to do as Qualcomm is doing, royalties could raise the
cost of WCDMA handsets considerably -- thus raising the
prices to consumers. Ericsson is pleased the Commission has
decided to continue its investigation of this case." --
Kasim Alfalahi, Vice President, Patent Licensing, Ericsson.
NEC: "NEC welcomes the European Commission's
continuation of its investigation as a step forward in
solving the issues raised by Qualcomm's anti-competitive
business practices. NEC will continue to cooperate fully
with the investigation by the European Commission." --
Hideyuki Ogata, Vice President, Intellectual Asset
Management Unit, NEC Corporation.
Nokia: "The proper functioning of standardization
requires that companies whose patented technology is
adopted into a standard commit to licence these patents on
fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. Breaking
these commitments compromises the whole standardization
process, stifles innovation and harms consumers. We welcome
the European Commission's continuation of the investigation
into Qualcomm's business conduct." -- Tero Ojanpera,
Chief Technology Officer, Nokia.
Panasonic: "Panasonic Mobile Communications fully
supports the European Commission's investigation into
Qualcomm's anti-competitive behaviour and disproportionate
royalty rates in the mobile telecommunications sector. It
is essential for both current and future standards that
companies which commit to license their technologies on
fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms adhere to
those commitments." -- Yoshiaki Tokuda, Director,
Intellectual Property Center, Panasonic Mobile
Communications Co., Ltd.
Texas Instruments: "We commend the Commission for
deciding to continue its investigation. TI attaches great
importance both to IP protection and to the creation of
open standards. Where leading technology companies have
agreed to contribute intellectual property and inventive
genius to a standard, there is no room for exclusionary and
discriminatory practices." - Joseph F. Hubach, Senior
Vice President and General Counsel, Texas Instruments
Incorporated.
For more information, please contact:
Brunswick
Joanna McDwyer: +44-20-7404-5959
Broadcom
Bill Blanning: +1-949-926-5555
Ericsson
Rob Elston: +46-8-719-6992
NEC
Chris Shimizu: +44-20-8752-2794
Nokia
Anne Eckert: +852-6971-6918
Panasonic Mobile Communications
Mike Takeda: +49-611-235305
Texas Instruments
Gail Chandler : +1-214-480-6808
2007'10.03.Wed
SORL Purchases Land and Manufacturing Plant to Resolve Production Capacity Bottleneck
October 02, 2007
RUIAN CITY, Zhejiang Province, China, Oct. 1
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- SORL Auto Parts, Inc. (Nasdaq: SORL)
("SORL" or the "Company"), a leading
manufacturer and distributor of automotive air brake valves
and related components in China, today announced that,
through its subsidiary, Ruili Group Ruian Auto Parts Co.
Ltd., it has purchased land rights, a manufacturing plant
and office building with a total floor area of 66,177.91
square meters, or 712,333 square feet, from Ruili Group Co.
Ltd. ("Ruili"), for 152 million yuan (US$20
million). The Company currently leases from Ruili and
occupies approximately 50 percent of this production
facility. Ruili will vacate the rest of the facility by the
end of October. The appraisal of the assets was conducted by
the leading independent appraiser, DTZ Debenham Tie Leung
Ltd., and total asset value was appraised at 154 million
yuan (US$20.3 million). As a result of this transaction,
the acquired capacity expansion is expected to meet the
Company's growth demands for the next 2 to 3 years.
The purchase price will be paid by the Company by
transferring to Ruili its $9 million investment in an
existing project that includes a new-facility- in-progress
and prepayment of land use rights, with the balance of $11
million to be paid by the end of October 2007 from the
Company's existing bank credit line.
"In order to solve the current production capacity
bottleneck and meet the fast growing demand for our products
in the domestic OEM, aftermarket and international markets,
we have decided to purchase Ruili Group's existing facility
and scale up our capacity quickly to capture the market
opportunity," said Xiaoping Zhang, CEO of SORL.
"Completing the new facility under construction would
have delayed our capacity expansion until late 2008 and
hindered our near-term growth. The Chinese commercial
vehicle market has experienced significant growth this year
and especially for heavy trucks. We are benefiting from the
growth of commercial activity in China as well as robust
government spending on infrastructure buildout and the
maturing of the domestic logistics industry. We see very
favorable market conditions for commercial vehicle auto
parts. The land use rights and facilities purchased will
add to our production starting in the late fourth quarter
of 2007, expanding our capacity for continued growth and to
enhance shareholder value."
About SORL Auto Parts, Inc.
As China's leading manufacturer and distributor of
automotive air brake valves, SORL Auto Parts, Inc. ranks
first in market share in the segment for commercial
vehicles weighing more than three tons, such as trucks and
buses. The Company distributes products both within China
and internationally under the SORL trademark. SORL ranks
among the top 100 auto component suppliers in China, with a
product range that includes 40 types of air brake valves and
over 800 different specifications. The Company has three
authorized international sales centers in Australia, United
Arab Emirates, and the United States, with additional
offices slated to open in other locations in the near
future. For more information, please visit
http://www.sorl.cn .
About DTZ
DTZ is one of the 'big four' global real estate
advisers operating across Europe, Middle East and Africa
(EMEA), Asia Pacific and the Americas. With a team of over
11,000 property professionals within its system operating
across 140 cities in 45 countries, DTZ works with clients
to provide innovative real estate, capital markets and
business solutions worldwide. DTZ Holdings plc, which is
the largest shareholder in the DTZ operations, is a
publicly quoted company, listed on the London Stock
Exchange since 1987. For more information, please visit
http://www.dtz.com .
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, among others,
those concerning our estimated sales and expected expansion
of our production capacity as well as all assumptions,
expectations, predictions, intentions or beliefs about
future events. You are cautioned that any such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance and that a number of risks and uncertainties
could cause actual results of the Company to differ
materially from those anticipated, expressed or implied in
the forward-looking statements. The words
"believe," "expect,"
"anticipate," "project,"
"targets," "optimistic,"
"intend," "aim," "will" or
similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. All statements other than
statements of historical fact are statements that could be
deemed forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those anticipated include risks related to new and existing
products, product defects and any related product recall;
any projections of sales, earnings, revenue, margins or
other financial items; any statements of the plans,
strategies and objectives of management for future
operations; any statements regarding future economic
conditions or performance; uncertainties related to
conducting business in China; any statements of belief or
intention; any of the factors and risks mentioned in the
"Risk Factors" section of our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and any
subsequent SEC filings. The Company assumes no obligation
and does not intend to update any forward-looking
statements, except as required by law.
For further information, please contact:
Richard (Weihai) Cai
Investor Relations Manager
Tel: +86-577-6581-7721
Email: richardcai@sorl.com.cn
Kevin Theiss
Investor Relations
The Global Consulting Group
Tel: +1-646-284-9409
Email: ktheiss@hfgcg.com
2007'10.03.Wed
JAJAH Buttons Simplify Internet Calling
October 02, 2007
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 2 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
JAJAH, the world's most innovative phone company launched
their new service JAJAH Buttons. Users create a stylish
JAJAH Button to place on their websites, email signatures,
blogs and social network profiles. Callers enter their OWN
phone number and click 'Call' for an easy phone-to-phone
call. There are no costs to the caller.
Click-to-call at its best!
"Today we are adding a new voice dimension to
wherever you share your thoughts, pictures, videos... Web
2.0 on a global scale" explains Roman Scharf, JAJAH
co-founder. Simple in their creation, extensive in their
functionality, and with complete privacy control, JAJAH
Buttons fit perfectly into popular platforms like MySpace,
LinkedIn and YouTube.
JAJAH Button owners keep their phone number hidden, can
set the time and day they are available, can block certain
numbers and limiting calling costs ensure maximum control.
The advantages?
Distant friends and family can now call JAJAH users
without any restrictions, obstacles or cost considerations.
They simply click your JAJAH Button.
This is how it works
JAJAH users register or log on to their JAJAH account
and follow the
Button creation guide to create the JAJAH Button. No costs
to the caller.
Callers enter their own phone number and press 'Call'.
Their phone will ring
a short moment later and they are connected to the button
owner.
From a business perspective a JAJAH Button is the
quickest, cheapest way
to own a toll-free number. Every small business can now
afford to let
customers call them from all over the world for free.
Compared to commercial
toll-free numbers JAJAH saves up to 95% of cost.
Trevor Healy, JAJAH's CEO. "What I like about this
product is that I can
send it to mom. As long as she can open an email -- she can
call me using
JAJAH -- now that's cool!"
About JAJAH
JAJAH has 4 million users and operates in 122 countries
with offices in
Mountain View, California, Israel and Luxembourg. For more
information,
visit: http://www.jajah.com
For more information, please contact:
JAJAH Inc.
2513 Charleston Road
Mountain View, CA 94043
Tel: +1-650-967-4357
Email: press@jajah.com
2007'10.03.Wed
Home Inns Reaches 200 Hotels in Operation
October 02, 2007
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 2 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Home
Inns & Hotels Management Inc. ("Home Inns")
yesterday welcomed the addition of its 200th hotel in
operation, the Urumqi Beiyuanchun Home Inn, just ahead of
China's National Day and the Golden Week celebration. Home
Inns further solidified its leadership position in the
rapidly growing economy hotel industry in China, with the
largest number of rooms available and the broadest
geographic coverage.
"We're extremely excited to have reached this
significant milestone in our company's history, the opening
of our 200th Home Inn hotel in operation," said Mr.
David Sun, Home Inns' CEO. "We would like to thank all
of our customers, employees, business partners and investors
who have supported us through our growth over the past five
years. We are committed to continue to provide a satisfying
and consistent 'Home Away from Home' experience to our
guests, to strengthen our brand and to expand our hotel
chain and our member network."
About Home Inns
Home Inns is a leading economy hotel chain in China
based on the number of hotels and hotel rooms, as well as
the geographic coverage of the hotel chain. Since Home Inns
commenced operations in 2002, it has become one of the
best-known economy hotel brands in China. Home Inns offers
a consistent product and high-quality services to primarily
serve the fast growing population of value-conscious
individual business and leisure travelers who demand clean,
comfortable and convenient lodging. Home Inns' ADSs, each of
which represents two ordinary shares, are currently trading
on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol
"HMIN." For more information about Home Inns,
please visit http://english.homeinns.com .
Safe Harbor
This announcement contains forward-looking statements.
These statements are made under the "safe harbor"
provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be
identified by terminology such as "will,"
"expects," "anticipates,"
"future," "intends," "plans,"
"believes," "estimates" and similar
statements. Among other things, the outlook for the
remainder of 2007 and quotations from management in this
announcement, as well as Home Inns' strategic and
operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Home
Inns may also make written or oral forward-looking
statements in its periodic reports to the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in its annual
report to shareholders, in press releases and other written
materials and in oral statements made by its officers,
directors or employees to first parties. Statements that
are not historical facts, including statements about Home
Inns' beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent
risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause
actual results to differ materially from those contained in
any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to
the following: our anticipated growth strategies; our
future business development, results of operations and
financial condition; expected changes in our revenues and
certain cost or expense items; our ability to attract
customers and leverage our brand; trends and competition in
the lodging industry; our ability to hire, train and retain
qualified managerial and other employees; our ability to
develop new hotels at desirable locations in a timely and
cost-effective manner; the expected growth of the Chinese
economy hotel market; and Chinese governmental policies
relating to private managers and operators of hotels and
applicable tax rates.
Further information regarding these and other risks is
included in our registration statements on Form F-1 and
other documents filed with the SEC. Home Inns does not
undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking
statement, except as required under applicable law. All
information provided in this press release and in the
attachments is as of October 1, 2007, and Home Inns
undertakes no duty to update such information, except as
required under applicable law.
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
Angela Li
Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc.
Tel: +86-21-3218-9988 x2004
Email: xlli@homeinns.com
2007'10.03.Wed
PrintSoft Launches DeskDirect Global Service at Post Expo 2007 for Worldwide e-Posting and Local Print and Delivery of Mail
October 02, 2007
DeskDirect Global points the way for postal administrations
worldwide to develop 'green' services via reduced transport
and fuel costs for lower carbon emissions
MELBOURNE, Australia and BARCELONA, Spain, Oct. 2
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- PrintSoft ( http://www.printsoft.com
) a business of Australia Post and established leader in
hybrid mail technology and personalized mail solutions,
today launches a new service, DeskDirect Global, to provide
e-delivery of mail worldwide. The service operates using a
central backbone of high-speed servers that collect and
aggregate mail from mail originators anywhere in the world
and route it to certified mail fulfillment centers as close
as possible to the mail's delivery destination. The result
is printed mail that gets to recipients faster, is easier
and cheaper to send, and is truly "green," with
an enormously reduced carbon footprint for printed and
delivered mail.
PrintSoft is unveiling DeskDirect Global to the postal
market and is showcasing its other innovative postal
solutions at the International Postal Technology Exhibition
- Post Expo 2007 stand 1400 running 2-4th October 2007 in
Barcelona, Spain. Demonstrations on PrintSoft's stand at
Post Expo also feature innovative and cost-effective
solutions from eLetter Solutions, Australia Post's mail
house, and other software products from PrintSoft's line-up
of award winning, scalable solutions for creating, managing,
and printing personalized direct mail and transpromotional
communications.
In addition, PrintSoft CEO Mark Worsley and CTO Deb
Spring will deliver a presentation about the future of
electronic postal strategies for electronic desktop mail
and international-global hybrid mail during a Post Expo
Technology Workgroup conference session entitled
"Mail: Online and Hybrid Solutions" on Wednesday,
3 October from 14:00 - 16:00. The presentation outlines
opportunities for postal administrations to increase mail
volume, improve service quality and develop new revenue
streams. It highlights how global hybrid mail can become a
"green" path for postal administrations to become
more environmentally friendly by reducing carbon emissions
resulting from lower transport and fuel consumption.
DeskDirect Global offers easy access and new business
opportunities to mail originators, mail fulfillment centers
and postal administrations in a truly revolutionary business
model. The service is backed by the experience of Australia
Post and established PrintSoft technology for hybrid mail
management. PrintSoft will continue to offer hybrid mail
technology solutions, including award-winning PrintSoft
DeskDirect, for direct sale and implementation, expanding
its leading position in this market. Mail originators, mail
fulfillment and delivery providers, and postal
administrations now can choose the PrintSoft hybrid mail
software solution or service that best meets their needs.
"We are conscious of the environmental impact of
printed and delivered mail," comments Mark Worsley,
PrintSoft CEO. "Beyond the improved efficiency and
reduced cost benefits of hybrid mail solutions, the
"green" benefits make pursuing a hybrid mail
strategy important for corporations and postal
administrations alike. Our un-matched capability and
expertise in this endeavor underscores our commitment to
continuing innovation in business services and solutions to
make green mail a reality worldwide."
DeskDirect, PrintSoft's award-winning hybrid mail
solution originally introduced in October 2005, has been
implemented by postal administrations in multiple
countries, and has proven its worth with a return on
investment of over 50% for ad hoc document production at
the majority of installations. Australia Post and its
eLetter Solutions mail house, for example, experience
millions of dollars in new revenue while providing
additional savings to customers in the production and
delivery of desktop mail.
PrintSoft provides a full range of scalable
personalization and transpromotional printing software
solutions to corporate and commercial customers for use at
the single-site or enterprise-wide level. Its relationship
with parent Australia Post and its global software customer
base means PrintSoft has postal and mailing industry
experience plus the software knowledge and expertise to
provide postal administrations, print service providers and
letter shops with sophisticated turnkey or tailored
solutions designed to grow revenue. For more information,
visit http://www.printsoft.com .
For more information, please contact:
Americas and Europe
Alice Fackre
PrintSoft
Tel: +1-978-421-5836
Email: alice.fackre@printsoft.com
Asia-Pacific
Emma Jourdian
PrintSoft
Tel: +61-3-8585-2925
Email: Emma.Jourdian@printsoft.com
Agency
Arlene Karsh
Tel: +1-617-489-1235
Email: arlene.karsh@gmail.com
2007'10.03.Wed
Focus Media Appoints David Zhang as Independent Director; Receives Nasdaq Letter Regarding Listing Requirements
October 01, 2007
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Focus
Media Holding Limited (Nasdaq: FMCN), China's largest
digital media group, announced that on September 28, 2007,
Mr. David Ying Zhang was appointed to its board of
directors as an independent director. Mr. Zhang is the
managing director and head of the Beijing office of WI
Harper, a private equity fund.
Mr. Zhang, 34, has been actively involved in the
building, managing, fundraising and institutionalizing of
WI Harper's Fund VI and has been responsible for
investments in companies including Pollex, Cardiva,
Celestry Designs, Focus Media and iKang Healthcare
Services. Mr. Zhang joined WI Harper in its San Francisco
office in late 2001 and moved back to China in early 2003.
Prior to joining WI Harper, Mr. Zhang was a senior venture
associate with ABN AMRO Capital and was responsible for
developing and executing various acquisition strategies for
life sciences, information technology and Internet
companies. Before joining ABN AMRO Capital, Mr. Zhang
worked at Salomon Smith Barney, where he was responsible
for analyzing, structuring and marketing companies in the
Internet, software and semiconductor sectors. Mr. Zhang
was born in Shanghai, grew up in the United States and
holds a M.S. degree in biotechnology and business from
Northwestern University and a B.S. degree in biology and
chemistry from California State University, San Francisco.
Jason Jiang, Chairman and CEO of Focus Media noted,
"David brings significant knowledge and expertise
about the media and finance industries in China. He is a
valuable addition to our board as an independent
director."
With the appointment of Mr. Zhang, Focus Media's board
regains a majority of independent directors.
Focus Media also announced today that it received a
letter from Nasdaq Listing Qualifications on September 28,
2007 stating that as a result of the appointment of David
Zhang to its board of directors, Focus Media had regained
compliance with the independent director requirements for
continued listing on The Nasdaq Global Market set forth in
Marketplace Rule 4350. The letter from Nasdaq noted that
the Company's 2006 annual report indicated that the Company
had four independent and four non-independent directors,
which does not comply with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 4350.
The letter stated that, with the appointment of David Zhang
to its board, Focus Media has regained compliance with Rule
4350.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release includes statements that may
constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the
safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. This information may involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the forward-looking statements. Although
Focus Media believes that the expectations reflected in
such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable
assumptions, such statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected. Potential risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks
outlined in Focus Media's filings with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission. Focus Media does not undertake any
obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except
as required under applicable law.
This release is not an offer of securities for sale in
the United States. Securities may not be offered or sold
in the United States absent registration or an exemption
from registration. Any public offering of securities to be
made in the United States will be made by means of a
prospectus that may be obtained from the issuer or selling
security holder and that will contain detailed information
about the company and management, as well as financial
statements.
About Focus Media Holding Limited
Focus Media Holding Limited (Nasdaq: FMCN) is the
largest digital media group in China, leading China's
digital out-of-home, mobile advertising and internet
advertising markets. Based on the audience-centric
approach, Focus Media provides targeted advertising
channels, powered by a broad portfolio of LCD, digital
frame, wireless, internet and other new media technologies,
which cover specific demographic groups and their daily
activities, from office buildings to retail chain stores,
residential buildings, shopping malls, golf country clubs,
airports, and airport transit buses in China. As of June
30, 2007, Focus Media digital out-of-home had approximately
131,000 LCD display units and 161,400 advertising poster
frames, installed in over 90 cities throughout China and
200 outdoor LED displays in Shanghai. Over 4,000
international and domestic advertisers have placed
advertisements through our digital out-of-home advertising
networks as of June 30, 2007. For more information about
Focus Media, please visit our website at
http://ir.focusmedia.cn .
For more information, please contact:
Investor and Media contact
Jie Chen
Focus Media Holding Limited
Tel: +86-21-3212-4661 x6607
Email: ir@focusmedia.cn
2007'10.03.Wed
Boston Scientific Receives CE Mark Approval for New Apex(TM) PTCA Dilatation Catheters
October 01, 2007
- New Design Offers Greater Flexibility in the Management
of Patients With Complex Atherosclerosis
PARIS, Oct. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific
Corporation (NYSE: BSX) announced today that the Apex(TM)
Monorail and Over-The-Wire (OTW) PTCA dilatation catheters
have received CE Mark approval. Both Monorail and OTW
catheters are available in two designs to provide European
physicians with further options for managing patients with
complex atherosclerosis (blockage of the arteries).
Apex is a high-performance balloon catheter that allows
physicians to reach and cross the most challenging
atherosclerotic lesions. Designed for use with drug-eluting
stents, Apex has been developed specifically to address
physicians' need for a catheter that can reach not only the
furthest blockages but also cross particularly tight or
complex lesions. Dr. Marie-Claude Morice, head of the
Institut Cardiovasculaire Paris Sud, France, was the first
clinician to use catheters from the new Apex product line.
"Apex PTCA dilatation catheters performed well during
intervention procedures," she said. "The
catheters are easy to guide through vessels and can cross
lesions efficiently. I welcome innovative designs like
Apex, which should benefit patients by minimising trauma
and helping to reduce procedure time."
Apex represents a totally new strategy in balloon
catheters, giving today's physicians the technology they
need to treat complex lesions. Both Apex Monorail and OTW
catheters are available in two different 1.5 mm designs,
"Apex 1.5 mm Push" and "Apex 1.5 mm
Flex". Apex Push offers optimal pushability for tight
lesions, while Apex Flex provides excellent performance for
the most tortuous arteries. The dual Apex 1.5 mm balloon
catheter designs enable physicians to select the
appropriate catheter based on the clinical situation.
"Achieving CE Mark approval is an important step
for Apex," said Jeff Goodman, President of Boston
Scientific International. "As a leader in the field of
cardiovascular device technology, Boston Scientific listened
and responded to physicians' requests for improvements to
existing catheters. We are delighted to offer this highly
innovative device that addresses physicians' needs for
treating the most difficult and tortuous coronary
lesions."
PTCA dilatation catheters are used to open up arteries
blocked by atherosclerosis, which if left untreated can
cause heart attacks and strokes by stopping blood from
reaching the heart muscle and brain. Coronary heart disease
by itself is the single most common cause of death in
Europe, accounting for 1.95 million deaths in Europe each
year.(1)
Apex is the latest technological development by Boston
Scientific to improve the management of patients with
coronary atherosclerosis undergoing percutaneous coronary
intervention (PCI). Boston Scientific enables PCI
optimisation through a broad range of devices, including
ultrasound imaging to assess lesions and balloon catheters
and drug-eluting stents to reopen blocked arteries. This
broad portfolio of devices enables physicians to achieve
safe and effective outcomes for their patients.
Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer,
manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products
are used in a broad range of interventional medical
specialties. For more information, please visit:
http://www.bostonscientific.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking
Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements
within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be
identified by words like "anticipate,"
"expect," "project,"
"believe," "plan,"
"estimate," "intend" and similar words.
These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs,
assumptions and estimates using information available to us
at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future
events or performance. These forward-looking statements
include, among other things, product performance,
competitive offerings, and our market position. If our
underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if
certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results
could vary materially from the expectations and projections
expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements.
These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the
future (together with other factors) could affect our
ability to implement our business strategy and may cause
actual results to differ materially from those contemplated
by the statements expressed in this press release. As a
result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on any of our forward-looking statements.
Factors that may cause such differences include, among
other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement
and regulatory conditions; new product introductions;
demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation;
financial market conditions; and, future business decisions
made by us and our competitors. All of these factors are
difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of
them are beyond our control. For a further list and
description of these and other important risks and
uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see
Part I, Item IA- Risk Factors in our most recent Annual
Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A - Risk
Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or
will file thereafter. We disclaim any intention or
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in
events, conditions, or circumstances on which those
expectations may be based, or that may affect the
likelihood that actual results will differ from those
contained in the forward-looking statements. This
cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking
statements contained in this document.
Notes for Editors
Arteries become blocked as a result of a process called
atherosclerosis (`hardening of the arteries'), in which the
arteries become blocked by a build-up of fatty deposits
(termed `plaque'). Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol,
calcium and other substances found in the blood. As it
grows, the build-up of plaque narrows the inside of the
artery and, in time, may restrict blood flow to the heart
or the brain leading to heart attack or stroke.
Blocked arteries can be opened by insertion of a
catheter (which is a thin flexible tube) into the artery
(the catheter is actually inserted into the patient's
femoral artery in the groin and guided along the arterial
system to the site of the blockage) and inflation of a tiny
balloon at the tip of the catheter to stretch the artery.
When the catheter is removed a tiny rigid tube, or stent,
is left in the artery to keep it open. Rates of stent
placement vary widely but approximately 500 stents are
inserted per million population in Europe.(2)
The CE Mark (Conformite Europeenne, or European
conformity) is a visible declaration by a manufacturer that
the equipment complies with all applicable European Union
directives on health and safety. This mandatory mark allows
manufacturers and exporters to circulate products freely
within European Union member countries.
REFERENCE
(1) British Heart Foundation Heartstats.
http://www.heartstats.org/datapage.asp?id=754 (last
accessed 19 April 2007).
(2) British Heart Foundation Heartstats.
http://www.heartstats.org/temp/ESspTabsp3.2spweb05hs1hs.xls
(last accessed 19 April 2007).
For more information, please contact:
Geraldine Varoqui,
Boston Scientific PR Manager International
Tel: +49-2102-489-461
Email: varoquig@bsci.com
Tracy Paul
BSC press office
Tel: +44-20-7413-3101
Email: tpaul@medicalknowledgegroup.com
2007'10.03.Wed
The International VELUX Award 2008 is Open
October 01, 2007
-- The International VELUX Award Challenges Students of
Architecture Worldwide to Work With Daylight in Architecture
Under the Theme `Light of Tomorrow'
HORSHOLM, Denmark, Oct. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
The International VELUX Award 2008 opens for
registration on 1 October and encourages students of
architecture worldwide to work with daylight in
architecture.
"Our vision is to promote daylight, fresh air and
quality of life. The Award wants to encourage and challenge
students of architecture to explore the theme of sunlight
and daylight in its widest sense to create a deeper
understanding of this specific and ever-relevant source of
light and energy. All student projects will be evaluated by
a jury consisting of recognized architects who represent
different perspectives on architecture and daylight as well
as different geographies," says Project Manager Lone
Feifer.
The Award contains no specific categories, no
requirements to the use of any specific materials or VELUX
products. Projects may include everything from building
design to the rethinking of daylight in urban living
contexts or more abstract concepts. Projects may focus on
e.g. aesthetics, functionality, sustainability or the
interaction between buildings and the environment.
Close cooperation between students and teachers
The Award recognizes students of architecture as well
as their teachers. Student projects must be backed by a
teacher from a school of architecture, and winning students
as well as their teachers are awarded as a winning team. The
total prize money of the Award is 30,000 Euros. The winners
will be announced and celebrated at an Award event
scheduled to take place in November 2008 in Europe.
Building relationships
The Award is an essential element in the VELUX strategy
to focus on the qualitative aspects of natural light in
buildings and to strengthen the relevance of the company's
products. The International VELUX Award takes place every
second year and is part of the continuous VELUX effort to
establish close relations with building professionals - not
least architects and educational institutions.
"We seek an open-minded dialogue on the light of
tomorrow with experimental approaches and free thinking. In
2006, the Award received 557 projects from 53 countries -
which was a doubling of entries compared to 2004. The fact
that so many students chose to participate and that the
jury awarded 20 winners from 12 different countries
underlines the worldwide relevance of the discussion of
daylight and architecture," says Project Manager Lone
Feifer.
The award is organized in cooperation with the
International Union of Architects (UIA) and the European
Association for Architectural Education (EAAE).
Students must register their intention to participate
before 8 March 2008 and submit their projects before 8 May
2008. More information and current updates can be found at
velux.com/iva.
About The VELUX Group
VELUX creates better living environments with daylight
and fresh air through the roof. Our product programme
contains a wide range of roof windows and skylights, along
with solutions for flat roofs. In addition, VELUX offers
many types of decoration and sun screening, roller
shutters,installation products, products for remote control
and thermal solar panels for installation in roofs. VELUX,
which has manufacturing companies in 10 countries and sales
companies in more than 40 countries, is one of the strongest
brands in the global building materials sector and its
products are sold in most parts of the world. The VELUX
Group has around 9,500 employees and is owned by VKR
Holding A/S. VKR Holding A/S is a limited company wholly
owned by foundations and family. For more details, visit
http://www.velux.com
For further information, please contact:
Lone Ellersgaard
Corporate Communication Manager
VELUX A/S
Horsholm
Tel: +45-45-16-48-18
Email: lone.ellersgaard@velux.com
2007'10.03.Wed
More Than Just the Luck of the Irish!
October 01, 2007
-- James Wins Wii, Sports Car and US$52,000 Bad Beat
Jackpot in Just two Months at PartyPoker.Com!
GIBRALTAR, Oct. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- 22-year-old
James McManus from Dublin, Ireland was the big winner of
PartyPoker.com's 'The Grind' promotion, winning a Mini
Cooper S Convertible in the prize draw, a Nintendo Wii when
he came sixth at the final table of a Grindroll, and, if
this wasn't enough, less than two months before he won
US$52,000 on the famous PartyPoker.com Bad Beat Jackpot!!
James recently finished studying Maths at college and
intends to work in the finance industry or as a Maths
teacher but got a massive boost after winning the
equivalent of nearly US$100,000 in two months!
"It has been a good couple of months," said
James with great understatement. "I didn't have many
debts but I've paid off all that I did have! I intend to
use some of the money to build a bankroll for online cash
games. I've thought about the tournament circuit a bit but
I would need a bigger bankroll and I'm happy where I am
now!"
"I opted to take US$40,000 rather than the car. A
Mini Cooper S Convertible would be great but I don't really
have the need for it at the moment. I'm looking forward to
getting my Wii though. I also won the Bad Beat jackpot two
months ago. I had pocket queens and flopped quads, my
opponent had quad nines! They got US$104,000 and I got
US$52,000 and I won the hand! That was brilliant but to win
all of this in such a short period of time is
fantastic!"
James acknowledged that his maths skills can come in
handy in his play but that he had just been on a very, very
good run. "It has been going great recently. I normally
play 2/4 or 3/6 no limit cash games and the odd tournament.
I intend to stick to the same stakes for the time being and
build on what I have."
A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: "To bag a Wii,
win a sports car in a draw and pocket US$52,000 for
flopping quad queens in just two months almost beggars
belief, it is unprecedented. James is a great guy but it
almost seems that someone is out there looking out for
him!"
'The Grind' promotion featured US$100,000 worth of
Grindrolls and ran until the 9th September 2007. To qualify
for Grindrolls, users had to earn at least 25 PartyPoints
per day over a three day period by playing on the site.
Once this was achieved they then qualified for the US$2,000
Grindroll. The more PartyPoints a player earned in a day,
the bigger Grindroll they were entered for. James managed
to 'Grind' for five days in each of the two weeks of the
promotion and was automatically entered into the prize draw
to win the Mini Cooper S Convertible. Other prizes won in
Grindrolls included 80 Nintendo Wii's and 120 80GB video
iPods.
www.PartyPoker.com is a popular member of PartyGaming
Plc's (LSE: PRTY) growing suite of online games that
includes PartyCasino.com, PartyBingo.com, PartyBets.com,
PartyGammon.com, Gamebookers.com and EmpirePoker.com.
For more information, please contact:
Warren Lush
PartyGaming Plc
Tel: +35078700
Email: warrenl@partygaming.com
2007'10.03.Wed
Tom Ridge Announces New Venture
October 01, 2007
First Secretary of Homeland Security to Advise Clients on
Key International and Domestic Issues
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Tom Ridge, the First U.S. Secretary of Homeland
Security and a two-term governor of Pennsylvania, today
announced the launch of Ridge Global LLC, a global advisory
firm that provides strategic and operational guidance to
clients worldwide.
(Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071001/CLM013LOGO )
"I've enjoyed a wonderfully fulfilling public
service career that crossed a range of international and
domestic disciplines," said Ridge. "Ridge Global
gives me an opportunity to continue that service in a new
context. I look forward to working with my associates and
clients as we forge innovative solutions to address today's
most pressing 21st century challenges."
Ridge Global assists clients with a range of needs,
including strategic business generation, global trade
security, risk assessment and contingency planning, crisis
management and communications, leadership guidance and
change management, special event security and technology
innovation and integration.
Based in Washington, D.C., the firm comprises a vast
bench of talent drawn from former high-level posts in both
the government and private sector arenas. Members of the
Ridge Global Advisory Committee include such notables as
international security and terrorism analyst Gen. Barry
McCaffrey (Ret.), former U.S. Homeland Security Advisor
Gen. John Gordon (Ret.), former U.S. Coast Guard Commandant
Adm. Thomas Collins (Ret.) and former White House Cyber
Security Advisor Howard Schmidt.
Though publicly launched today, Ridge Global already
has attracted a diverse array of clients, including the
government of Albania, which has enlisted Ridge Global to
help the Adriatic democracy meet its goal to join NATO in
2008. Additionally, the Ridge team assists Albania in
attracting private enterprise and creating a roadmap for
political and justice reforms. "Given an
extraordinary depth of expertise, Tom Ridge is a leading
statesman and participant on the world stage," said
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha. "We value his
forward-leaning wisdom and input."
Ridge Global also provides counsel to Deloitte &
Touche USA LLP on issues, challenges and trends facing
today's states and governors. "With Tom Ridge's
experience at the state and federal levels, we're delighted
that our organization and our state government clients have
access to his creative insights and results-driven
perspectives," said James H. Quigley, Global CEO of
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
About Tom Ridge
For more than 25 years, Tom Ridge led an exemplary
career in public service. Following the tragic events of
September 11th, 2001, Tom Ridge became the first Assistant
to the President for Homeland Security and, on January 24,
2003, became the first Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security. The creation of the country's 15th
Cabinet Department marked the largest reorganization of
government since the Truman administration and another call
to service for the former soldier, congressman and governor
of Pennsylvania.
During his tenure, Secretary Ridge's leadership and
vision were instrumental in creating a border-centric
agency that developed and coordinated a comprehensive
national strategy to strengthen protections against
terrorist threats and attacks in the United States.
Before the tragic events of September 11th, Ridge was
twice elected governor of Pennsylvania. Known for his
commitment to high standards and results, Governor Ridge
delivered on his promise to make Pennsylvania "a
leader among states and a competitor among nations."
His aggressive technology strategy helped fuel the state's
advances in economic development, job growth, education,
health care and environment protection.
Born in Pittsburgh's Steel Valley, Governor Ridge was
raised in a working-class family. He graduated from
Harvard with honors in 1967, before being drafted into the
U.S. Army to serve as an infantry staff sergeant in
Vietnam. His service earned him the Bronze Star for Valor,
the Combat Infantry Badge and the Vietnamese Cross of
Gallantry. In 1982, he became one of the first Vietnam
combat veterans elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives and was overwhelmingly re-elected five
times.
Additionally, Tom Ridge serves on public and private
boards and is currently the chairman of the National
Organization on Disability. His nonprofit work also
includes service with the Council for Competitiveness, the
Center for U.S. Global Engagement, the Center for
Excellence in Government and the Center for the Study of
the Presidency. He continues to contribute to matters
concerning our nation's veterans and, along with Gen. Tommy
Franks (Ret.), serves as national co-chairman of the Flight
93 Memorial Fundraising Campaign.
About Ridge Global LLC
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Ridge Global LLC
provides strategic and operational advisory services that
advance the security and economic needs of business and
governments worldwide. For more information, please visit
http://www.ridgeglobal.com.
For more information, please contact:
S. Michele Nix
Ridge Global LLC
Tel: +1-202-833-2008
2007'10.03.Wed
Special Olympics Announces Launch of New Global Football Initiative
October 01, 2007
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Special
Olympics today announced the launch of a new global
initiative to expand football opportunities for players
with intellectual disabilities. This was presented at a
press conference prior to the final of the FIFA Women's
World Cup China 2007 in Shanghai.
(Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/200611161203-min.jpg )
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports
programme for people with intellectual disabilities,
providing year-round training and competition for more than
2.5 million athletes in 165 countries. Football is one of
the major sports in Special Olympics, with more than
300,000 players participating world wide.
Special Olympics Global Football (SOGF) aims to use the
visibility and reach of the world's most popular sport to
generate greater public awareness, acceptance and respect
for people with intellectual disabilities, and to raise the
necessary funds to significantly expand Special Olympics
football participation on every continent.
Several well-known football stars have already pledged
their commitment to supporting Special Olympics Global
Football, including Kaka, David James, Carlos Parreira,
Kristine Lilly, Doris Fitschen and Teofilo Cubillas. The
initiative is being co-chaired by Angelo Moratti, Special
Olympics International Board member and nephew of
Inter-Milan owner, Massimo Moratti, along with Argentinian
football legend Osvaldo (Ossie) Ardiles.
"Through my involvement with local Special
Olympics football in London, I have seen first hand the
ability and love of the game shown by football players with
intellectual disabilities. Through football, we can
certainly help these individuals achieve greater things, on
and off the field; in turn, they can inspire all of us with
their unstoppable spirit," said Ossie Ardiles,
Co-Chair, Special Olympics Global Football Advisory
Committee.
FIFA, through the Football For Hope Movement, which is
the key element of the strategic alliance with
streetfootballworld, is actively supporting Special
Olympics in 10 countries in Africa. Through this
partnership, more than 3,000 young players with
intellectual disabilities are involved in football training
and competition, and are given free health screenings.
"Football is a common and universal language which
unites people from all walks of life without discrimination
of any kind. The aim of FIFA's Football for Hope movement
is to create a better future through the game of football.
Within this programme, FIFA is determined to give its
support to Special Olympics, whose goal is truly
remarkable. I would like to encourage all football fans and
others to attend the Special Olympics Summer Games Shanghai
2007. For the Game. For the World.," stated FIFA
President Joseph S. Blatter.
"We believe the global football community can
unite our athletes and families with fans and youth
creating new and exciting opportunities for acceptance and
inclusion," said Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO of
Special Olympics. "We also believe the spirit,
determination and fair play of our athletes can inspire
footballers and their fans throughout the world."
UEFA and CONMEBOL are also active partners in their
respective regions. Special Olympics is currently seeking
corporate sponsorship for this global initiative.
The official launch of Special Olympics Global Football
will be at the Sheraton Denang Ballroom, Shanghai, from
12.00h to 14.00h on Thursday, 4 October.
Note: Special Olympics and Paralympics are two separate
world sport organisations for people with disabilities, both
recognised by the IOC. The Paralympics promote elite sports
opportunities for people with disabilities, while Special
Olympics promotes opportunities at all levels for people
with intellectual disabilities.
Additional information about the 2007 Special Olympics
World Summer Games and competition results are available on
the Special Olympics website at
http://www.specialolympics.org .
Special Olympics is an international non-profit
organisation dedicated to empowering individuals with
intellectual disabilities to become physically fit,
productive and respected members of society through sports
training and competition. Founded in 1968 by Eunice
Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides year-round
sports training and competition to 2.5 million adults and
children with intellectual disabilities across 165
countries. The Special Olympics Movement offers one of the
world's greatest platforms for acceptance and inclusion for
all people--regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or
cultural differences. Corporate sponsors of Special
Olympics include: adidas, Bank of America, The Coca-Cola
Company, DHL, Mattel, Inc. and Mattel Children's
Foundation, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Find
out how you can become involved at
www.specialolympics.org.
For more information, please contact:
FIFA Media Department
Tel: +41-43-222-7272
Fax: +41-43-222-7373
Email: media@fifa.org
Special Olympics International
Tel: +86-1582-199-3119
Email: kferb@specialolympics.org
2007'10.03.Wed
Special Olympics Announces Launch of New Global Football Initiative
October 01, 2007
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Special
Olympics today announced the launch of a new global
initiative to expand football opportunities for players
with intellectual disabilities. This was presented at a
press conference prior to the final of the FIFA Women's
World Cup China 2007 in Shanghai.
(Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/200611161203-min.jpg )
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports
programme for people with intellectual disabilities,
providing year-round training and competition for more than
2.5 million athletes in 165 countries. Football is one of
the major sports in Special Olympics, with more than
300,000 players participating world wide.
Special Olympics Global Football (SOGF) aims to use the
visibility and reach of the world's most popular sport to
generate greater public awareness, acceptance and respect
for people with intellectual disabilities, and to raise the
necessary funds to significantly expand Special Olympics
football participation on every continent.
Several well-known football stars have already pledged
their commitment to supporting Special Olympics Global
Football, including Kaka, David James, Carlos Parreira,
Kristine Lilly, Doris Fitschen and Teofilo Cubillas. The
initiative is being co-chaired by Angelo Moratti, Special
Olympics International Board member and nephew of
Inter-Milan owner, Massimo Moratti, along with Argentinian
football legend Osvaldo (Ossie) Ardiles.
"Through my involvement with local Special
Olympics football in London, I have seen first hand the
ability and love of the game shown by football players with
intellectual disabilities. Through football, we can
certainly help these individuals achieve greater things, on
and off the field; in turn, they can inspire all of us with
their unstoppable spirit," said Ossie Ardiles,
Co-Chair, Special Olympics Global Football Advisory
Committee.
FIFA, through the Football For Hope Movement, which is
the key element of the strategic alliance with
streetfootballworld, is actively supporting Special
Olympics in 10 countries in Africa. Through this
partnership, more than 3,000 young players with
intellectual disabilities are involved in football training
and competition, and are given free health screenings.
"Football is a common and universal language which
unites people from all walks of life without discrimination
of any kind. The aim of FIFA's Football for Hope movement
is to create a better future through the game of football.
Within this programme, FIFA is determined to give its
support to Special Olympics, whose goal is truly
remarkable. I would like to encourage all football fans and
others to attend the Special Olympics Summer Games Shanghai
2007. For the Game. For the World.," stated FIFA
President Joseph S. Blatter.
"We believe the global football community can
unite our athletes and families with fans and youth
creating new and exciting opportunities for acceptance and
inclusion," said Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO of
Special Olympics. "We also believe the spirit,
determination and fair play of our athletes can inspire
footballers and their fans throughout the world."
UEFA and CONMEBOL are also active partners in their
respective regions. Special Olympics is currently seeking
corporate sponsorship for this global initiative.
The official launch of Special Olympics Global Football
will be at the Sheraton Denang Ballroom, Shanghai, from
12.00h to 14.00h on Thursday, 4 October.
Note: Special Olympics and Paralympics are two separate
world sport organisations for people with disabilities, both
recognised by the IOC. The Paralympics promote elite sports
opportunities for people with disabilities, while Special
Olympics promotes opportunities at all levels for people
with intellectual disabilities.
Additional information about the 2007 Special Olympics
World Summer Games and competition results are available on
the Special Olympics website at
http://www.specialolympics.org .
Special Olympics is an international non-profit
organisation dedicated to empowering individuals with
intellectual disabilities to become physically fit,
productive and respected members of society through sports
training and competition. Founded in 1968 by Eunice
Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides year-round
sports training and competition to 2.5 million adults and
children with intellectual disabilities across 165
countries. The Special Olympics Movement offers one of the
world's greatest platforms for acceptance and inclusion for
all people--regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or
cultural differences. Corporate sponsors of Special
Olympics include: adidas, Bank of America, The Coca-Cola
Company, DHL, Mattel, Inc. and Mattel Children's
Foundation, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Find
out how you can become involved at
http://www.specialolympics.org .
For more information, please contact:
FIFA Media Department
Tel: +41-43-222-7272
Fax: +41-43-222-7373
Email: media@fifa.org
Special Olympics International
Tel: +1-582-199-3119
kferb@specialolympics.org
2007'10.03.Wed
Chivas Regal Launches New Luxury Whisky
September 30, 2007
First bottle of Chivas Regal 25 Year Old unveiled to the
world in New York
NEW YORK, Sept. 30 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Tonight saw the sumptuous new Chivas Regal 25 Year Old
Scotch whisky launched at a glittering international event
at the New York Public Library. Celebrities, VIP guests and
media gathered to witness the return of the original Chivas
Regal 25 to New York City almost one hundred years after
its first introduction.
( Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070929/LNSA001 )
Hollywood star Julianne Moore wowed onlookers wearing a
beautiful Lanvin dress complimented with Fred Leighton
bracelets whilst Grammy Award-winning jazz artist Diana
Krall provided the entertainment, creating the perfect
blend of New York glamour and Scottish soul.
Oscar-nominated Julianne Moore, who received the first
bottle on behalf of the city of New York, said:
"Scotland has always been a part of my life but I am
thrilled to be a New Yorker - it is the one place in the
world I feel most at home. In New York, there is a
tremendous sense of tolerance and community, in both a
personal and global sense."
Amongst the 400 international VIP guests were the
stunning Lucy Liu, film star and director Daniel Wu wearing
a tailored Gucci suit, and Wu's partner supermodel Lisa
Selesner. Movie star Lucy Liu said, "It's my honour
to come here tonight, it's a beautiful event."
Bollywood superstar Karan Johar and top Indian model
Deepika Padukone were two more of the famous faces that had
the honour of witnessing the first bottle being piped into
the dinner by 25 pipers from the Fire Department of New
York. Chivas Regal Master Blender Colin Scott led the
guests through the world's first tasting of this sumptuous
Scotch in the perfect venue of the New York Public Library.
Scott described the new Scotch, launched to meet the
growing global demand for luxury Scotch whisky, as his
"life's greatest achievement."
-- Images and press releases are available from the
Chivas Regal Virtual
Media Centre http//www.chivas.com/media and further
images on Getty
-- Video News Release will be played out on Reuters
Global satellite feed
at 05:15 New York / 09:15 GMT (Saturday 29
September)
For further information, VNR / B-roll requests or
images, please contact:
Alexander Coulson
Karen Earl Sponsorship
Tel: +44-20-7202-2826 / +44-7808-738-937
Email: alexc@karen-earl.co.uk
Stephanie Mingam
Chivas Brothers
Tel: +44-20-8250-1642 / +44-7766-725-046
Email: stephanie.mingam@chivas.com
2007'10.03.Wed
MacKinnon Granted Shanghai Honorary Citizenship Award
September 29, 2007
SHANGHAI, China, Sept. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng today presented "Shanghai
Honorary Citizenship" certificates to Simon MacKinnon,
President of Corning Greater China at an award ceremony held
in Shanghai.
(Logo: http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/200708141205.jpg
)
MacKinnon's award cited his contributions since 1985 to
the development of the city of Shanghai in the areas of
business, environmental protection and international
exchange. He was also honored for his charity work and
community service.
MacKinnon joined Corning in March 2000 and was
appointed to his current position in September of the same
year. Since then, Corning China has grown from 80
employees to over 3000 and Corning's investment in Greater
China has increased from US$ 10 million to over US$ 3
billion. For more than 25 years, Corning has been actively
participating in China's development, working with local
talent and expertise to develop and apply breakthrough
technologies that have significantly improved people's
lives, in China and throughout the world.
MacKinnon is chairman of the China Oxford Scholarship
Fund in Shanghai, honorary director of the
Liverpool-Shanghai Partnership and co-founder and vice
chairman of the Shanghai Urban Regeneration Foundation, a
non-profit organization. He also served as chairman of the
British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.
"Honorary Citizenship" is the top award given
to foreign nationals in Shanghai. To date, 29 foreigners
have been given Shanghai Honorary Citizenship since the
award was initiated, with no awards made in 2006 and only
one, to MacKinnon, in 2007.
About Corning Incorporated
Corning Incorporated ( http://www.corning.com ) is the
world leader in specialty glass and ceramics. Drawing on
more than 150 years of materials science and process
engineering knowledge, Corning creates and makes keystone
components that enable high-technology systems for consumer
electronics, mobile emissions control, telecommunications
and life sciences. Our products include glass substrates
for LCD televisions, computer monitors and laptops; ceramic
substrates and filters for mobile emission control systems;
optical fiber, cable, hardware & equipment for
telecommunications networks; optical biosensors for drug
discovery; and other advanced optics and specialty glass
solutions for a number of industries including
semiconductor, aerospace, defense, astronomy and
metrology.
For more information, please contact:
Lydia Lu
Tel: +86-21-5467-4666 x1900
Email: lulr@corning.com
2007'10.03.Wed
TEDA and IMIE Pursue Breakthroughs in Japan by Connecting China's Mobile Communications Industry with Overseas Markets
September 29, 2007
IMIE 2008 Triggers Partnership Programs at CEATEC JAPAN
2007
TIANJIN, China, Sept. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The
organizers of the International Mobile Phone Industry
Exhibition & Forum (IMIE) announced today that IMIE
will launch its new global partnership program at CEATEC
JAPAN 2007. IMIE is the largest mobile communication
industry event in China that is annually held in Tianjin,
the biggest mobile phone manufacturing base of China. At
this CEATEC, IMIE will work with a leading market research
agency from China to organize a seminar in its booth (booth
number: 5G09). TEDA and IMIE will disclose their
partnership programs at "the Seminar on the
Opportunities and Access to the ICT market of China".
(Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061103123230-28.jpg )
China's information and communications technology (ICT)
industry has experienced a continuous fast growth since the
first public mobile communications service was introduced
20 years ago, so the ICT industry here is expecting a
series of new growth opportunities and changes. These
coming opportunities drive IMIE expand its coverage to
global market and new technology sources. IMIE 2008, which
will be held during June 12-14 next year in Tianjin will
depict these opportunities.
In the 1st half of 2007, the electronics and
information industry of China kept a high-speed growth.
The statistics from the Ministry of Information Industry of
China shows that the whole industry recorded a revenue of
RMB2175.16 billion in this period, a growth of 18.2%
compared with the same time last year. The manufacturing
industry caught a revenue of RMB1915.01 billion, a growth
of 17.6% over the same period of last year. The software
industry implemented a revenue of RMB260.15 billion, up 23%
compared to the same period last year.
The yield of main products of China's ICT industry
(January - July 2007)
Product Unit Year to July
Production Year over
production in
same Year
period
last Growth (%)
year
Mobile handsets (GSM Million
and CDMA) Sets 302.75
235£®69 28.5
Mobile communication Million
base stations Channels 9.31
5£®47 70.4
LCD TVs Million
Sets 7£®45
4£®22 76.4
Laptop computers Million
Sets 44£®81
32£®14 39.4
Servers Million
Sets 2£®32
1£®21 91.7
Semiconductor IC Billion
Pieces 22£®94
19.840 15.6
Source: the Ministry of Information Industry of
China
Under the situation of high speed growth, some great
changes are happening within the ICT industry of China.
For example, a lot of global leading ICT enterprises
started to relocate their R&D in China after their
manufacturing facilities, the driving forces resulting from
the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the deployment of the
homegrown 3G mobile communications international standards
(TD-SCDMA) of China, as well as the fast improving design
& manufacturing capabilities of mobile handsets.
In China, the central government has launched a new
state policy to hasten the development of the Binhai New
Area (BNA). BNA is located Tianjin, the center of China's
Bohai Bay Industry Circle in Northern China. The
development of BNA has the hinterland of Beijing, Tianjin
and Hebei, and serves the full Bohai area. The Bohai Bay
Indsutry Circle has very close connections to Northeastern
region of Asia.
The ICT industry is one of the pillar industries in
Tianjin and the whole Bohai Bay economic circle. The core
of BNA is the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development
Area (TEDA), and this area plays a very important role in
the mobile phone industry of China. Motorola (China)
Electronics Co., Ltd., Tianjin Samsung Communications
Technology Co, Ltd., and Tianjin Sanyo Communications
Equipment Co., Ltd. are based here in Tianjin, sharing more
than 25% of the whole yield of China. If counted, the
manufacturers like Nokia China, Daxian Group, Haier Group,
Lenovo Mobile, Sony Ericsson, Panasonic Putian and CECT,
all based here, the yield of mobile phones in the Bohai Bay
Area exceeded 200 million sets in 2006. There are other
advantages in the Beijing-Tianjin area. The area collects
operators, headquarters, value-added service providers,
content providers, software vendors, and chip and
components makers. Hence, the mobile phone industry in this
area plays a significant role in China and even throughout
the world.
"The mobile phone industry of China in 2007 will
achieve two 500 million breakthroughs, the first one is
that the subscriber base of mobile phones in China broke
500 million users not long ago. China has already become a
single market that owns the largest number of mobile service
subscribers. Another 500-million breakthrough is the
production of mobile phones manufactured in China. The
statistics from the Ministry of Information Industry of
China showed that the total yield this year in China was
560 million sets so far this year, and we are very
confident of this figure from year to date shipments of
leading manufacturers in TEDA," said Wang Ying, the
deputy director of the TEDA Office in Japan.
Wang added, "TEDA is paying much attention to the
construction of the mobile communications industry chain at
the center of BNA. Each year, we jointly hold the IMIE with
some other leading local partners, and the IMIE has been
supported by China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII)
and Ministry of Commerce (MOC). Both TEDA and IMIE have
become shortcuts for overseas companies to access China's
fast growing mobile communications industry and markets.
Now, we have a plan to connect this event to more overseas
partners. That's the reason why we participate actively in
CEATEC JAPAN. Besides meeting with our potential partners,
we hold two high-class seminars everyday to help the related
enterprises and partners in Japan to understand the market
of China. The seminar will help them to find a direct
approach to the China market."
In 2008, the annually held IMIE will have its 6th
session in TEDA. The co-organizers of IMIE are the China
Institute of Communication, the TD-SCDMA Industry Alliance,
the Tianjin Commission of Commerce, the Tianjin Municipal
Economic Commission, the Information Industry Office of the
Tianjin Municipal People's Government, the Tianjin
Communication Administration and the Administrative
Commission of TEDA. This exhibition will be held in the
Tianjin Binhai International Convention and Exhibition
Center from June 12 to 14, 2008.
As the biggest mobile phone industry exhibition and
conference in China, IMIE provides a shortcut to access
China's fast developing ICT industry. This exhibition will
set five main pavilions, including: the fashion technology
pavilion, where the exhibitors will be global mobile
service carriers, mobile phone producers, handheld device
makers (PHS, PDA and handheld computers), phone design
houses, ODMs, OEMs and EMS providers; the core technology
pavilion, where exhibitors will be global mobile phone
module makers, hardware platform suppliers, chip venders,
key parts producers, and material and equipment suppliers;
the value-added applications pavilion, with exhibitors
being the global value-added application solutions
providers, software venders in the area of operation
systems, JAVA applications, BREW business, mobile phone
navigation, mobile TV and mobile commerce; the parts
suppliers pavilion, with exhibitors from the global mobile
phone parts business and structure material manufacturers;
and the manufacturing and industry service pavilion, with
exhibitors being the mobile phone testing and packaging
service providers, and material and equipment suppliers.
The goal of IMIE is to become a tier-1 international
mobile phone industry event. Based on the successes of the
previous five exhibitions, IMIE plans to spread its
international influence through broader overseas
partnerships. Currently, IMIE has partnered with JEITA,
CIAJ and CEATEC in Japan. The organizers of IMIE are
talking with many industry organizations, publishers, and
chambers of commerce for further cooperation.
During the CEATEC JAPAN 2007, IMIE invited speakers
from TEDA and Beijing New Synergy Consulting Co, Ltd., a
professional market research and promotion company in
China. IMIE will hold "the Seminar on Opportunity and
Access to China ICT Market" everyday at 10:30 in the
morning and 14:30 in the afternoon in its booth (No. 5G09),
from Oct 2 to 4, 2007. The topics of the seminar include
the introduction of the trends of the China mobile
communications market, BNA, TEDA and industrial cooperation
among Northeast Asia, as well as how to use industry events
like IMIE to enter the fast growing China markets. This
forum is free, but the participants need to send an email
to chengcheng@bicec.com.cn to register their
participation.
"Japan is very successful in mobile communications
industry. We want to establish communication channels
between Japanese enterprises along the mobile
communications industry chain and our Chinese partners.
One of the goals that brings us to Japan is to provide
clear information and early services to our potential
clients and partners," said Jason Tian, the project
manager of IMIE, "Through the exhibition, we hope to
find Japanese partners for shows and forums, recruit local
sales and service representatives and increase awareness
for potential exhibitors and press in Japan. We are sure
that these aims can be achieved."
About Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area
(TEDA)
Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA)
was established in 1984 with the approval of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China. It is one of
the first state-class economic-technological development
areas in the country.
TEDA is located in the center of a larger area
bordering Bohai Sea and the east of the Asia-Europe Land
Bridge, thus serving as the gate to the two super cities of
Beijing and Tianjin, and the throat connecting the northeast
of China. By the end of 2006, 4,299 foreign companies have
landed in TEDA. Of the Fortune 500 companies, 57
multinational companies, from 10 countries and regions,
including such well-established multinational giants as
Motorola, Samsung and Toyota, invested in 123 enterprises
in TEDA. In 2000, "Fortune" listed TEDA as one
of the most highly recommended economic areas in China. In
2002 UNIDO listed TEDA as one of the most dynamic areas of
China together with Shenzhen, Suzhou, Wenzhou, Shanghai
Pudong and Xi'an High-tech Park.
For more information, please contact:
Ding Lei
Phone: +86-22-2520-1616
Yang Chonghao
Phone: +86-22-2520-2069
Web: http://www.investteda.org
2007'10.03.Wed
Stora Enso Divests Real Estate in Germany
September 29, 2007
Stora Enso Oyj Stock Exchange Release 28 September 2007 at
07.00 GMT
HELSINKI, Finland, Sept. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- As
announced on 4 October 2006, Stora Enso will close down
Reisholz Mill by the end of 2007. The mill's two paper
machines will cease production by year end and will then be
scrapped. Stora Enso has now signed an agreement to divest
its Reisholz Mill site real estate to Slough Estates
Commercial Properties, a fully owned subsidiary of SEGRO
plc, a Real Estate Investent Trust (REIT) based in the
United Kingdom. The asset disposal will improve Stora
Enso's third quarter 2007 operating profit by about EUR 10
million. This will be recorded as a positive non-recurring
item in the third quarter 2007 results.
According to SEGRO's current plans, the land will be
developed for big boxes-logistic users as well as light
industrial users. This will change the type of land use
away from paper production.
Reisholz Mill produces improved super-calendered (SC)
papers and has a total annual capacity of 215 000 tonnes.
About Stora Enso
Stora Enso is an integrated paper, packaging and forest
products company producing publication and fine paper,
packaging board and wood products - all areas in which the
Group is a global market leader. Stora Enso's sales
totalled EUR 14.6 billion in 2006. The Group has some 44
000 employees in more than 40 countries on five continents.
Stora Enso has an annual production capacity of 16.5 million
tonnes of paper and board and 7.4 million cubic metres of
sawn wood products, including 3.2 million cubic metres of
value-added products. Stora Enso's shares are listed in
Helsinki, Stockholm and New York.
For further information, please contact:
Bernd Rettig
EVP Country Manager Germany
Tel: +49-211-581-2310
Kari Vainio
EVP Corporate Communications
Tel: +44-7799-348-197
Keith B Russell
SVP Investor Relations
Tel: +44-20-7016-3146
Ulla Paajanen-Sainio
VP Investor Relations and Financial Communications
Tel: +358-40-763-8767
Website: http://www.storaenso.com
http://www.storaenso.com/investors
2007'10.03.Wed
Wachovia Launches Advanced Internet-Based Financial Supply Chain Management Platform
September 29, 2007
TradeXchange Streamlines, Automates and Provides Visibility
to Import and Export Trade Operations Across Trading
Partners
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/
--
Wachovia Bank, N.A., today announced the launch of
TradeXchange, a secure, Web-based messaging platform
designed to provide greater visibility throughout the
financial supply chain from purchase order delivery through
invoice settlement.
"As one of the first banks in the world to
initiate letters of credit over the Internet, we continue
to focus on innovation and technology -- particularly
relating to the evolution of the financial supply
chain," said Steven Nichols, managing director and
head of Global Trade Services in Wachovia's Global
Financial Institutions and Trade Services division.
"Buyers, sellers and their banks must navigate an
increasingly complex international trade environment,
including new challenges created by the movement to open
account transactions. TradeXchange will facilitate this
process by providing critical supply chain tools in a fully
collaborative and real-time environment."
Wachovia designed TradeXchange to be intuitive and easy
to use, while adding enhanced functionality, including
facilitating pre- and post-export financing, indemnities
for buyer default, purchase order delivery/acknowledgement,
document preparation, electronic document management and
document compliance.
Wachovia's philosophy is to be a partner supporting its
global financial institution clients, as opposed to
competing with them in their geographies. In keeping with
this philosophy, Wachovia will leverage its leadership in
trade outsourcing to provide TradeXchange to its
international correspondent banking clients on a private
label basis.
"TradeXchange does not just Web-enable old
processes," said John McFadden, managing director and
head of Wachovia's Global Trade Services' product
management. "TradeXchange allows a seller's local bank
to collaborate online and to provide pre- and post-export
finance to its customers. Similarly, a buyer's bank can
benefit by providing value-added purchase order delivery,
credit indemnities and document compliance management. Our
goal in providing TradeXchange on a private label basis is
to re-intermediate our partner banks into the financial
supply chain."
William Fitzgerald, managing director and head of
Wachovia's Global Financial Institutions and Trade
Technology group, states that, "Building TradeXchange
is one more example of leveraging our Corporate and
Investment Banking technology platform to provide
innovative trade solutions to our correspondents.
TradeXchange represents a key component of a major
strategic development initiative that eventually replaces
the core platform with a GRID-based Service Oriented
Architecture framework called TradeWorks. The combination
of TradeXchange and TradeWorks will enable Wachovia and our
trade insourcing partner banks to offer a highly extendible
array of trade finance products to their respective
customers."
About Wachovia Global Financial Institutions and Trade
division
Wachovia's Global Financial Institutions and Trade
division has a 200-year legacy in International
correspondent banking. FImetrix Research has ranked
Wachovia the No. 1 correspondent bank provider in Asia and
Latin America in market share, No. 4 in Western Europe, and
No. 1 worldwide in overall customer satisfaction. Wachovia
is a global leader in correspondent banking and trade
services and maintains more than 3,000 correspondent
relationships in more than 130 countries through a network
of 44 offices, including eight overseas branches.
About Wachovia
Wachovia Corporation (NYSE: WB) is one of the nation's
largest diversified financial services companies, with
assets of $719.9 billion and market capitalization of $97.5
billion at June 30, 2007. Wachovia provides a broad range of
retail banking and brokerage, asset and wealth management,
and corporate and investment banking products and services
to 13 million household and business customers. Wachovia
has 3,400 retail financial centers in 21 states from
Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas and California,
and nationwide retail brokerage, mortgage lending and auto
finance businesses. Globally, clients are served in
selected corporate and institutional sectors and through
more than 40 international offices. Our retail brokerage
operations under the Wachovia Securities brand name manage
more than $795 billion in client assets through
approximately 10,800 registered representatives in 774
offices in 48 states and through service affiliate offices
in Latin America. Online banking is available at
wachovia.com; online brokerage products and services at
wachoviasec.com; and investment products and services at
evergreeninvestments.com.
In May 2007, Wachovia announced an agreement to acquire
A.G. Edwards, Inc., a financial services holding company
whose primary subsidiary is the national investment firm of
A.G. Edward & Sons, Inc. A.G. Edwards and its affiliates
employ 6,623 financial consultants in 741 offices nationwide
and two European locations in London and Geneva. This
proposed acquisition is expected to be completed in the
fourth quarter of 2007, pending the approval of A.G.
Edwards shareholders and applicable regulatory approvals.
For more information, please contact:
Victoria Wolfram
Wachovia Corporation
Phone: +1-704-715-3915
2007'10.03.Wed
Verizon Business Customers Access Next-Generation Convergence Solutions Through Partnership With China Telecom
September 29, 2007
Agreement Extends Benefits for Multinational Customers in
China
BEIJING, Sept. 28 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Verizon
Business' multinational customers now have seamless
connectivity to China Telecom's Next Convergence Network
(CN2), a next-generation IP platform that covers more than
200 cities and 600 routers within China. Access to CN2
effectively extends the benefits of Verizon Business' own
expansive IP backbone network and portfolio of global IP
and mobile devices, services and solutions across the
fast-growing Chinese market.
Verizon Business has been working with China Telecom on
MPLS VPN since 2004, enabling full interconnectivity between
the Verizon Private IP global network and China Telecom's
national MPLS network. Hundreds of multinational customers
in China already use more than 600 connections to leverage
the power and global reach of the combined China
Telecom/Verizon Private IP networks.
Verizon Business customers were among the first
nondomestic customers to be granted access to the new China
Telecom Next Convergence Network. CN2 has backbone core
nodes located in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Nanjing,
Shanghai, Wuhan and Xian.
John Killian, president, Verizon Business, commented:
"China is widely acknowledged as a high-growth
economy, and therefore is a strategic focus area for many
of Verizon Business' global customers. Connectivity to CN2
allows us to seamlessly extend the high quality of features
and services we already offer over the Verizon Business
global IP network directly into the Chinese market. For our
multinational customers based in or expanding into China,
this clearly demonstrates our continued commitment to
supporting their expanding voice and data communications
requirements.
"We focus on helping our global customers realize
their own business objectives. Our partnership with China
Telecom enables us to deliver on our commitment to
companies doing business in China and the rest of the
world."
Verizon Business through its predecessor companies has
been operational in China since 1993, and today has offices
in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Working in cooperation
with leading Chinese service providers, the company
delivers a full-service portfolio, from leased-line to
MPLS/VPN services, to Chinese-based operations of its
multinational customers.
Verizon Business is also the only U.S.-based member of
a consortium that is building the first next-generation
undersea optical cable system directly linking the U.S.
mainland and China. The new system, to be named
Trans-Pacific Express (TPE), will use the latest optical
technology to provide greater capacity and higher speeds to
meet the dramatic increase in demand for IP. Initial parties
of the consortium include - in addition to China Telecom and
China Netcom - China Unicom, Korea Telecom and Chunghwa
Telecom (Taiwan). The TPE cable will provide more diversity
from other undersea routes and more efficient connections to
a number of countries in Asia where Verizon Business has
large-business customers.
About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications
(NYSE: VZ), is a leading provider of advanced
communications and information technology (IT) solutions to
large business and government customers worldwide.
Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced
communications, security and other professional service
capabilities, Verizon Business delivers innovative and
seamless business solutions to customers around the world.
For more information, visit http://www.verizonbusiness.com.
VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases,
executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high
quality video and images, and other information are
available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at
http://www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by
e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized
automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.
For more information, please contact:
Clare Ward
Verizon Business
Tel: +44-118-905-3501
Email: clare.ward@verizonbusiness.com
2007'10.03.Wed
Lloyds TSB Bank to Outsource Trade Back-Office Processing to Wachovia Bank
September 29, 2007
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Wachovia Bank, N.A. and Lloyds TSB Bank, PLC today
announced the expansion of their longstanding relationship,
incorporating an agreement for Lloyds TSB to outsource its
trade back-office processing to Wachovia Bank in Hong Kong.
"Our customers will be the ultimate beneficiaries
of this agreement," said Paul Baker, Lloyds TSB Bank
PLC, managing director, Group Operations. "This
agreement with Wachovia will enable us to provide a
stronger, more comprehensive customer proposition, while
increasing flexibility and reducing costs."
"We're extremely pleased to deepen our
longstanding relationship with Lloyds TSB," said
Michael Heavener, head of Wachovia's Global Financial
Institutions and Trade division. "We look forward to
developing our strategic trade partnership with Lloyds TSB,
leveraging our strong focus on customer service, innovative
trade platform and ability to customize our services for
their specific requirements."
Wachovia will assume a full processing role beginning
in early 2008.
About Wachovia Global Financial Institutions and Trade
division
Wachovia's Global Financial Institutions and Trade
division has a 200-year legacy in International
correspondent banking. FImetrix Research has ranked
Wachovia the No. 1 correspondent bank provider in Asia and
Latin America in market share, No. 4 in Western Europe, and
No. 1 worldwide in overall customer satisfaction. Wachovia
is a global leader in correspondent banking and trade
services and maintains more than 3,000 correspondent
relationships in more than 130 countries through a network
of 44 offices, including eight overseas branches.
About Wachovia
Wachovia Corporation (NYSE: WB) is one of the nation's
largest diversified financial services companies, with
assets of $719.9 billion and market capitalization of $97.5
billion at June 30, 2007. Wachovia provides a broad range of
retail banking and brokerage, asset and wealth management,
and corporate and investment banking products and services
to 13 million household and business customers. Wachovia
has 3,400 retail financial centers in 21 states from
Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas and California,
and nationwide retail brokerage, mortgage lending and auto
finance businesses. Globally, clients are served in
selected corporate and institutional sectors and through
more than 40 international offices. Our retail brokerage
operations under the Wachovia Securities brand name manage
more than $795 billion in client assets through
approximately 10,800 registered representatives in 774
offices in 48 states and through service affiliate offices
in Latin America. Online banking is available at
wachovia.com; online brokerage products and services at
http://wachoviasec.com; and investment products and
services at http://evergreeninvestments.com.
In May 2007, Wachovia announced an agreement to acquire
A.G. Edwards, Inc., a financial services holding company
whose primary subsidiary is the national investment firm of
A.G. Edward & Sons, Inc. A.G. Edwards and its affiliates
employ 6,623 financial consultants in 741 offices nationwide
and two European locations in London and Geneva. This
proposed acquisition is expected to be completed in the
fourth quarter of 2007, pending the approval of A.G.
Edwards shareholders and applicable regulatory approvals.
For more information, please contact:
Victoria Wolfram
Phone: +1-704-715-3915
2007'10.03.Wed
AerCap Holdings N.V. Announces Acquisition of New Boeing 737 NG
September 29, 2007
Total of Seven Boeing 737 NG Acquired Over Last Twelve
Months
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 28
/Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AerCap Holdings N.V.
("AerCap," NYSE: AER) announced today that it has
recently closed the acquisition of a Boeing 737 New
Generation ("NG"), which was delivered new from
the production line this month. This aircraft is the
seventh Boeing 737 NG that AerCap has purchased in the last
twelve months, expanding the share of modern Boeing aircraft
in AerCap's already diverse portfolio.
Klaus Heinemann, Chief Executive Officer of AerCap,
commented: "We were very pleased to be able to
identify and execute attractive purchase opportunities for
Boeing New Generation aircraft in a market environment
characterized by great demand for this type of aircraft.
With these transactions, we have expanded the Boeing
portion of our portfolio through purchases from third
parties at a time when delivery slots directly from the
manufacturer are sold out for the remainder of the current
decade."
The seven aircraft were purchased from four sellers and
are subject to operating lease agreements with three
airlines in Europe and the Americas.
About AerCap
AerCap is an integrated global aviation company with a
leading market position in aircraft and engine leasing,
trading and parts sales. AerCap also provides aircraft
management services and performs aircraft and engine
maintenance, repair and overhaul services and aircraft
disassemblies through its certified repair stations. AerCap
has a fleet of over 340 aircraft owned, managed or under
contracted orders and a diversified commercial engine
portfolio. AerCap is headquartered in The Netherlands and
has offices in Ireland, the United States, China and the
United Kingdom.
This press release may contain forward-looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties. In most
cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by
terminology such as "may", "should",
"expects", "plans",
"anticipates", "believes",
"estimates", "predicts",
"potential" or "continue" or the
negative of such terms or similar terminology. Such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance and involve significant assumptions, risks and
uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially
from those in the forward-looking statements.
For more information, please contact:
For Media: For Investors:
Frauke Oberdieck Peter Wortel
Tel: +31-20-655-9616 Tel: +31-20-655-9658
Email: foberdieck@aercap.com Email:
pwortel@aercap.com
2007'10.03.Wed
World Leaders, United States Presidential Delegation, Sports Greats and Celebrity Guests to Participate in 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China
September 28, 2007
World's Largest Sporting Event of the Year Now Days Away
WASHINGTON DC, Sept. 28 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Today
Special Olympics announced expected guests of the 2007
Special Olympics World Summer Games, including President
George W. Bush's designated U.S. Presidential Delegation,
who will attend the Opening Ceremonies on 2 October and
will participate in this historic global event. The
delegation will join heads of state HE President Olafur R.
Grimsson of the Republic of Iceland and HE President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines.
(Logo: http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/200611161203.jpg
)
The U.S. Presidential Delegation will be lead by The
Honorable Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education.
Additional delegation members include:
-- The Honorable Clark T. Randt, Jr., United States
Ambassador to the
People's Republic of China;
-- The Honorable John H. Hager, Former Assistant
Secretary of Education
(Special Education and Rehabilitative Services);
-- Mr. Ernie Banks, Member of the National Baseball
Hall of Fame;
-- Dr. Lynn Fuchs, Professor of Special Education and
Human Development,
Vanderbilt University;
-- Ms. Michelle Kwan, Figure Skating Champion and
American Public
Diplomacy Envoy;
-- Mrs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Founder, Special
Olympics;
-- Dr. Timothy P. Shriver, Chairman of the Board,
Special Olympics
-- Ms. Anne Sweeney, Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks
and President,
Disney-ABC Television Group
-- Mrs. Jennifer Polk Wardlow, International Global
Messenger and Special
Olympics North Carolina athlete.
Additional expected guests of the Special Olympics
World Summer Games include: California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver, Actress and
Singer Vanessa Williams, Coca-Cola President & COO
Muhtar Kent; Actor and World Games spokesperson Colin
Farrell, NBA great Yao Ming, composer and performer Yo Yo
Ma; Actress and Special Olympics Global Ambassador Zhang
Ziyi, Olympic Gold Medalists Edwin Moses, Bart Conner and
Scott Hamilton, social activist Bianca Jagger and Anne
Finucane, Bank of America Chief Marketing Officer and
President for the Northeast. Also expected are First Ladies
from Europe and South America and Ministers from every
continent.
Special Olympics World Summer Games
From 2-11 October, Shanghai will welcome nearly 7,500
Special Olympics athletes representing 165 countries to its
city when it hosts the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer
Games. The world's most inspiring athletes will compete in
25 different Olympic-type sports at many of Shanghai's
world-renowned venues. The 12th Special Olympics World
Summer Games will be the first major multi-sport
competition to take place in China with the 2008 Olympics
and Paralympics Games following the next summer in Beijing.
"The upcoming Special Olympics World Summer Games
to be held in Shanghai will not only be a spectacular
event, but a historic one offering the Movement a world
stage to showcase the abilities and accomplishments of
people with intellectual disabilities, and fostering a new
global vision of acceptance," said Special Olympics
Chairman and CEO Timothy Shriver.
In addition to competitions, the World Games will
feature a series of events aimed at transforming
communities and the lives of the 190 million people
worldwide with intellectual disabilities by promoting
understanding, acceptance and inclusion. Among the
highlights are: a one-day Global Policy Summit on the
Health and Well-being of People with Intellectual
Disabilities, a Global Youth Summit, a forum for
representative young people to interact with their peers
across the globe and share ideas for involving youth in the
Special Olympics movement; the Special Olympics Healthy
Athletes(R) initiative, in which athletes receive free
health assessments and services; and a symposium to bring
awareness and discussion of issues relevant to people with
intellectual disabilities.
Additional information about the 2007 Special Olympics
World Summer Games and competition results are available on
the Special Olympics website at
http://www.specialolympics.org .
Special Olympics is an international non-profit
organization dedicated to empowering individuals with
intellectual disabilities to become physically fit,
productive and respected members of society through sports
training and competition. Founded in 1968 by Eunice
Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides year-round
sports training and competition to 2.5 million adults and
children with intellectual disabilities across 165
countries. The Special Olympics Movement offers one of the
world's greatest platforms for acceptance and inclusion for
all people--regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or
cultural differences. Corporate sponsors of Special
Olympics include: adidas, Bank of America, The Coca-Cola
Company, DHL, Mattel, Inc. and Mattel Children's
Foundation, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Find
out how you can become involved at
http://www.specialolympics.org .
2007'10.03.Wed
China Leads Asian Pacific Challenge in Talent War, First Ever Global Talent Index Reveals
September 28, 2007
LONDON, Sept. 28 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Asian Pacific
countries are increasingly challenging the US and Europe
when it comes to attracting and nurturing talent, the first
ever Global Talent Index (GTI) reveals.
China will lead the way, building on its natural
advantage as the world's most populous country to
significantly improve its education system and labor market
over the next five years, the index produced by executive
search firm Heidrick and Struggles and the Economist
Intelligence Unit reveals. It will rise from eighth place
on the 30-strong GTI in 2007 to sixth place in 2012, taking
over as Asia Pacific's leading country from Australia, which
falls from seventh to eighth position.
The GTI shows that the much fabled 'BRIC' (Brazil,
Russia, India and China) phenomenon should more accurately
be expressed as 'IC' when it comes to talent. While China
and India rank among the top 10 talent hotspots worldwide,
Russia will fall from sixth to 11th place by 2012, while
Brazil will slip from 18th to 19th.
Asia Pacific performs very strongly overall, with
Malaysia, South Korea and Japan accompanying China, India
and Australia in the top 15 in 2012. India will retain 10th
position on the Index, followed by Malaysia, which will
remain in 12th place, South Korea, which will rise from
15th to 13th, and Japan (16th to 14th). Thailand will
remain in 22nd place and Indonesia will stay at 29th.
South Korea has the best universities and business
schools in the Asia Pacific, the Index reveals, while Japan
is the highest ranked country in the region for the quality
of compulsory education and the quality of environment for
nurturing talent. Despite remaining in the same position
overall, Thailand's ranking on the mobility and relative
openness of the labor market index will fall dramatically,
from 13th to 26th place -the biggest single fall by any
country on any of the measures.
The GTI is the first survey of its kind to be
undertaken. It is aimed at providing businesses with
comprehensive evidence of where talent is located across
the world currently and will be in five years' time. Thirty
countries were chosen for the survey based on a
representative geographical spread and the quality of
available comparative data.
Gerry Davies, regional managing partner for Asia
Pacific at Heidrick and Struggles, said: "China's rise
up the rankings shows that the Asia Pacific is beginning to
flex its muscles when it comes to developing talent. The
strong performances of Australia, India, Malaysia, South
Korea and Japan prove that this is happening across the
entire region."
The US will maintain its position as the world's
leading country for nurturing and developing talent over
the next five years, the survey shows. The UK will rise
from fourth to second place in 2012, and will be followed
by Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Despite the strong performance of the US overall, its
labor market is set to become less open and flexible over
the next five years amid fears of terrorism. It will rank
9th worldwide on this measure in 2012 -only one place above
China.
Kevin Kelly, CEO of Heidrick and Struggles, said:
"Until now, companies may have sensed which countries
attracted and developed talent most effectively, but
objective data to support their impressions was simply
unavailable.
"If talent is the oil of our future, we need to
pinpoint the hotspots, identify the reserves and know how
fast the pipelines can get up and running. The Global
Talent Index will enable us to do this."
The Index is the result of collaboration between
Heidrick and Struggles and the Economist Intelligence Unit.
It measures each country's potential for producing talent
and the conditions necessary to realise this potential.
Seven separate measures were used in assessing each
country: demographics, quality of compulsory education
systems, quality of universities and business schools,
quality of the environment to nurture talent, mobility and
relative openness of the labour market, trends in foreign
direct investment and proclivity to attract talent.
About Heidrick & Struggles
Founded in 1953, Heidrick & Struggles
(NASDAQ:HSII), is recognised as one of the world's leading
executive search firms. With 61 offices in the principal
cities of 32 countries, it helps its clients to address
strategic issues that have human capital solutions in times
of growth, turnaround, acquisition, integration, expansion
into new markets, and when responding to economic flux.
With its executive search, leadership services and
interim management capabilities, Heidrick & Struggles
can seamlessly integrate a bespoke programme to meet the
diverse leadership challenges facing its client
organisations. The organisation prides itself on its
relationships with, and immediate access to, some of the
world's most talented people.
http://www.heidrick.com
/NOTE TO EDITORS: Media images are available at
http://www.heidrickone.com/mediakits/gti /
For more information, please contact gong
communications:
Tel: +44-207-935-4800
Email: narda@gongcommunications.com
2007'10.03.Wed
TEDA Welcomes the Inauguration of New Vocational Skills Training and Appraisal Center in Tianjin Binhai New Area
September 28, 2007
TIANJIN, China, Sept. 28 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Tianjin
Economic-Technological Development Area announces that the
new Vocational Skills Training and Appraisal Center of the
Tianjin Binhai New Area was inaugurated today. The Center,
located in TEDA, is the first training base for outsourced
services named by the Ministry of Commerce and is also the
largest vocational skills training and appraisal center in
the Binhai New Area. Its establishment is of great
significance for the Binhai New Area to realize transition
from capital to quality, satisfying enterprises' needs for
high-quality technicians while also improving the local
investment environment.
(Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061103123230-28-min.jpg )
With a registered capital of RMB137 million the Center
occupies a space of 62,000 square meters, and is home to a
complete array of modern facilities including a training
building, teacher and student dormitories, and a dining
hall. It also has advanced phonetic, computerized,
electronic, mechanical and other experimental training
equipment.
Now fully operational it conducts training in ten big
disciplines such as electronic communications, automobiles,
mechanical manufacturing (moulds), biomedical, food
inspection, flow of goods, foreign languages, computers,
management and modern service disciplines, and can appraise
over 70 general types of work and provide enterprises in the
Binhai New Area with regular training and appraisal
services.
The Vocational Skills Training and Appraisal Center of
the Tianjin Binhai New Area is not only experienced in
conventional technical training but also pays attention to
the development of new training courses. It has recently
developed a training course for "software engineers
for Japan" quite successfully and has also become a
pioneer in the training practice for outsourced services in
TEDA.
About Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area
(TEDA)
Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA)
was established in 1984 with the approval of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China. It is one of
the first state-class economic-technological development
areas in the country.
TEDA is located in the center of a larger area
bordering Bohai Sea and the east of the Asia-Europe Land
Bridge, thus serving as the gate to the two super cities of
Beijing and Tianjin, and the throat connecting the northeast
of China. By the end of 2006, 4,299 foreign companies have
landed in TEDA. Of the Fortune 500 companies, 57
multinational companies, from 10 countries and regions,
including such well-established multinational giants as
Motorola, Samsung and Toyota, invested in 123 enterprises
in TEDA. In 2000, "Fortune" listed TEDA as one
of the most highly recommended economic areas in China. In
2002 UNIDO listed TEDA as one of the most dynamic areas of
China together with Shenzhen, Suzhou, Wenzhou, Shanghai
Pudong and Xi'an High-tech Park.
For more information, please contact:
Ding Lei
Phone: +86-22-2520-1616
Yang Chonghao
Phone: +86-22-2520-2069
Website: http://www.investteda.org
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