Join to Play Yahoo! World Cup Shootout and Raise $100, 000 for Africa

On June 11th Play Yahoo! Penalty Shootout for (RED) and for every goal scored Yahoo! will contribute $1 (USD), up to $100,000 (USD), to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Your goal counts as many times as you can score!

Play. Score. It's for one day only - today.

The beautiful game just got better.

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
10 Jun 2010
17:47
Dad's the Word as Former England Footballer Martin Keown Tips Brazil to Lift Trophy
17:41
Charter and ESPN Offer FIFA World Cup Fans 64 Matches Plus Top ABC, Disney Channel, ABC Family & SOAPnet Shows On Demand
16:57
GameDuell, Snail Games USA, OMGPOP and The9 Choose Offerpal Media for Virtual Currency Monetization
15:03
MartinWilliams Launches Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign at World Cup
12:22
Interflora Launches World Cup Package to Ensure Couples Don't End Up In a Pitch Battle!
13:00
The Major Challenge for Those Who Know All About Soccer Is Here With www.revistarecord.com World Cup 2010 Pool
12:10
paddypowerpoker.com Announces its World Cup Fixtures
11:12
888 Surges With 10 New Games
11:00
LEDs From Lemnis Lighting Offset Carbon Emissions at the FIFA 2010 World Cup
08:00
# 1 Sports App, ScoreMobile, Strikes Again With ScoreMobile FC
9 Jun 2010
20:41
2010 World Cup Used as Bait to Spread MySecurityEngine Rogueware
21:02
SBRForum.com Unveils 2010 World Cup of Football Coverage
22:12
Hyundai Ties Passion of Soccer Fans With Owner Loyalty in FIFA World Cup(TM) Advertising Blitz
10 Jun 2010
08:00
McDonald's Connects Customers Around the World With FIFA World Cup(TM) Excitement
08:00
VASCO Data Security Urges Soccer Fans to be Cautious When Placing Their Bets Online During the World Cup
08:00
The Digital World Cup
08:00
No. 1 Sports App, ScoreMobile, Strikes Again With ScoreMobile FC
9 Jun 2010

Is Tiger Woods a Sex Addict?

Now that Tiger Woods is out of sex rehab and the term sex addiction is being talked about at the kitchen table, it begs the question, is he really a sex addict and is sex addiction on the rise?

Female Students Attacked, Robbed and Raped in Female Hostels at UNN

Female Students Attacked, Robbed and Raped in Female Hostels at UNN

We have been getting regular reports of the terrifying cases of crimes of robbery and rape by unidentified criminals who have been attacking female hostels at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), robbing and raping the defenceless and helpless female students overnight and the security on campus failed to stop more of these gruesome crimes.

Imagine how Marie-Elena John would react to read this shocking news from UNN today?


Marie-Elena John with friends outside our dorms at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka when it was a safe place to be. To the right: godmother to her son, Huguette Njemanze Fafunwa, Chinyere is to the left with her classic Look and Stella.
Photo credit:Marie-Elena John

It is a state of emergency if criminals can attack and rob and rape female students in their hostels in such a prominent university in Nigeria.

The school authorities should be blamed for the insecurity.

Riccoh Completes Times Square's First 100 Percent Solar Billboard

RICOH COMPLETES TIMES SQUARE'S FIRST 100 PERCENT SOLAR POWERED BILLBOARD

Ricoh Proud To Depend Solely on Sunlight; Billboard Reduces Carbon Emissions


West Caldwell, N.J., June 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Ricoh Americas Corporation, a leading provider of digital office equipment and advanced document management solutions and services, yesterday announced the completion of its 100 percent solar powered electronic billboard, the Ricoh Eco Board, located at 3 Times Square at the corner of 7th Avenue and 42nd Street. The Ricoh Eco Board, which is 47 feet high by 126 feet long, is the first billboard in Times Square to be totally lit by solar energy. It is powered solely by 62 solar panels and 24 thin-film PV solar modules, and illuminated by 16 LED floodlights. Ricoh made a promise not to use conventional electricity from the grid to light the Eco Board and will allow it to go dark due to lack of sunlight. By using only solar power to light the sign, Ricoh is playing a part in reducing the amount of carbon emissions released by conventional electrical power sources. A special ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Eco Board took place on June 8 in New York's Times Square.

"When Ricoh decided to advertise in Times Square, we wanted to do so in an environmentally-responsible way that would have minimal negative impact on the environment. Our hope was that the Eco Board would become a powerful symbol of Ricoh's commitment to green practices and would challenge others to become more active," said Jason Dizzine, Director, Corporate Communications, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "Most billboards deliver a message, but this billboard is itself the message. For Ricoh, if the sign goes dark, that is ok. What is more important is that Ricoh is sharing in the bettering of our planet for everyone."

Ricoh chose Rec Solar, one of the pioneers of the solar industry, to equip the top of the Eco Board with a high-quality series of solar modules optimized for low-light conditions. In addition, Ricoh worked closely with Cooley Group, which has been at the forefront of polymer technology and coatings on flexible reinforced substrates for nearly a century, on the thin-film PV solar modules, manufactured by Xunlight Corporation.

"Ricoh's commitment to sustainable management is reflected not just in this solar billboard but in the products and services we offer our customers," said Ike Kakegawa, Vice President, Environmental Sustainability, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "We are making significant environmental contributions on a global scale through Ricoh's Total Green Office Solution, which takes a holistic approach to document management, combining green consultative services, energy-saving imaging equipment and software solutions to help customers meet their sustainability goals such as saving energy and paper, and reducing waste."

Ricoh Group has been steadfastly committed to the environment for over 30 years. In 1976, Ricoh established an Environmental Protection Group responsible for keeping Ricoh's environmental goals and strategies as a key consideration when planning, developing, designing and promoting new products and services. In 2009, Ricoh set medium and long-term targets for reducing the total CO2 emission (including the converted value of 5 gasses) by 87.5% by FY2050, and 30% by FY2020, compared to FY2000.

Ricoh has been named as one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World for the past six consecutive years at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Ricoh has also won the World Environment Center (WEC) Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development in 2003.

For more information about the Ricoh Eco Board, or any other Ricoh products or solutions, please visit www.ricoh-usa.com.

Information about Ricoh's complete range of offerings can be found at www.ricoh-usa.com.

All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.


Contacts

Linda Montefusco
Ricoh Americas Corporation
(973) 882-2172
Linda.Montefusco@ricoh-usa.com

Rebecca Maas
Peppercom
(212) 931-6126
rmaas@peppercom.com

Brazil Emerges as Clear World Cup Favourite in New Mindshare Survey

Brazil Emerges as Clear World Cup Favourite in New Mindshare Survey

World Cup 2010 Mindreader
Who will be watching?
Who will people be supporting?
Who will be in the Final?


LONDON, 9th June/PRNewswire/ — When it comes to the World Cup 2010, Brazil is by far the favourite team of digitally-savvy soccer fans around the world, according to a new study.

More than 40 percent of all fans analysed said they plan to root for Brazil in the upcoming tournament, scheduled to begin June 11 in host country South Africa. The next highest team was Argentina with 30 percent of respondents offering their support. So, while Spain are the bookies’ favourite to lift the trophy on July 11th, Brazil are the popular favourite around the world.

In contrast, seven nations were tied for dead last with only 1 percent of respondents claiming support. They were Slovakia, Algeria, Slovenia, Honduras, Serbia, South Korea, and North Korea.

The results were revealed in a new online survey conducted by media and marketing services agency Mindshare as part of its "Mindreader" series. The new study covers 29 markets with a representative sample of 29,000 internet users.

"Mindreader is a really powerful way of looking at what is important to people across the globe." said Mindshare’s Marco Rimini. "The World Cup is the most popular event in the sporting calendar. Mindreader helps us understand what it means to consumers."

Only four nations included in the analysis did not have teams set to play in the tournament, and each said they will support the Brazilians more than any other team. These included India, with 69 percent of the respondents indicating their support for Brazil; Singapore (65%); Poland (53%); and Canada (47%).

Additionally, Brazil easily came in second behind the home team among a wide majority of nations with tournament representation. These included France (37%), Germany (22%), Italy (36%), South Africa (53%), Spain (41%), the U.K. (29%), and the U.S.A. (33%).

Not only was the Brazil the overwhelming fan favourite of the 32 national teams scheduled to play in the quadrennial event, but it was also favoured more than any other team to play in the final. Fifty-seven percent of the respondents picked Brazil for the final contest while 28 percent chose Spain and 27 percent picked Argentina.

The survey also revealed the following:
Overall levels of interest in following the World Cup ranged widely from 92 percent of respondents in Argentina indicating they planned to follow at least some of the tournament to 23 percent in the U.S.A.
Twelve percent of all respondents said they would root for the host country, South Africa, in the tournament. Other levels of support ranged from Spain (29 percent; England (26 percent); and Germany (25 percent) on the high end, to Denmark, Paraguay and Japan with 2 percent each on the lower end.
Fans in a handful of nations had the confidence to predict that their home team will make it all the way to the final match. They included Argentina, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.S.A. The team each group predicted as their opponent? Who else—Brazil.
The full Mindreader World Cup 2010 Report, complete with all relevant market data, can be downloaded here.

About Mindshare


Mindshare is a global marketing and media services network with billings in excess of $23 billion (source: RECMA). The network consists of 115 offices in 82 countries throughout the USA, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific; each dedicated to forging competitive marketing advantage for businesses and their brands. Mindshare is a member of WPP, the world’s leading communications service group with $63.5bn in billings (source: RECMA). For more information, please visit www.mindshareworld.com

For additional information contact:
Ailsa Lochrie
Mindshare
+44-(0)-207-969-4211
ailsa.lochrie@mindshareworld.com

Translations:

Spanish
French
Chinese Simple
Japanese
German

OPEC Pumps 29.28 Million Barrels of Oil Per Day in May

9 Jun 2010 19:12 Africa/Lagos


Platts Survey: OPEC Pumps 29.28 Million Barrels of Oil Per Day in May

Crude Oil Production Rose 70,000 Barrels Per Day From April

LONDON, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Platts -- The 12-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC) crude oil production output averaged 29.28 million barrels per day (b/d) in May, up 70,000 b/d from an estimated 29.21 million b/d in April, according to a just-released Platts survey of OPEC and oil industry officials and analysts.


However, excluding Iraq, which does not participate in OPEC output agreements, output from the 11 members bound by quotas (OPEC-11) fell by 60,000 b/d to 26.83 million b/d from 26.89 million b/d in April, the survey showed.


"While OPEC-11 production fell in May, it resulted in only a marginal increase in compliance with the 4.2 million b/d in output cuts agreed in late 2008," said Kevin Saville, managing editor of Platts' Americas energy news desk. "This suggests that OPEC remains mostly unconcerned with overproducing its notional output target by almost 2 million b/d, particularly when prices are holding well into the $70s/barrel."


Overall, 180,000 b/d of increases from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) more than offset 110,000 b/d in declines from Angola, Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela.


Iraqi supply, which had fallen by 130,000 b/d in April as bad weather hit exports, recovered by the same volume in May to average 2.45 million b/d.


The latest estimates show that the OPEC-11 overproduced their now largely notional 24.845-million-b/d target by 1.985 million b/d.


This target, based on output cuts totalling 4.2 million b/d agreed in late 2008, has been in place since January 2009. Compliance, which peaked at close to 82% in March 2009, was relatively high initially, but diminished as oil prices rose. The latest estimates suggest an overall compliance rate of 52.7% in May, up from 51.3% in April.


Earlier on June 9, OPEC's Vienna secretariat lowered its forecast of the call on OPEC crude this year by 70,000 b/d to 28.77 million b/d, saying supply growth had "more than overwhelmed" growth in demand and that the market had "no room for additional supplies."


OPEC ministers last met in March, when they rubber-stamped the existing agreement, and are next scheduled to meet on October 14 in Vienna.


For production numbers by country, view this table (you may be prompted for a cost-free one-time-only log in registration).


Platts OPEC and oil experts are available for media interviews; please consult Platts Media Center to schedule an interview. For other oil, energy and related information, visit Platts online at www.platts.com.


About Platts: Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) , is a leading global provider of energy and commodities information. With a century of business experience, Platts serves customers across more than 150 countries. An independent provider, Platts serves the oil, natural gas, electricity, emissions, nuclear power, coal, petrochemical, shipping, and metals markets from 17 offices worldwide. Platts' real-time news, pricing, analytical services and conferences help markets operate with transparency and efficiency. Traders, risk managers, analysts, and industry leaders depend upon Platts to help them make better trading and investment decisions. Additional information is available at http://www.platts.com/.


About The McGraw-Hill Companies:


Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) is a global information and education company providing knowledge, insights and analysis in the financial, education and business information sectors through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2009 were $5.95 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.


CONTACT:
Kathleen Tanzy
212-904-2860
Kathleen_tanzy@platts.com


Source: Platts

CONTACT: Kathleen Tanzy, +1-212-904-2860, Kathleen_tanzy@platts.com; or
non-U.S. media in Europe: Shiona Ramage, +44207-1766153,
Shiona_Ramage@platts.com; or in Asia, Casey Yew, +65-653-06552,
Casey_Yew@platts.com


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

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63 Year Old Nigerian Saved after Heart & Liver Surgery Without a Break at Fortis Hospitals

8 Jun 2010 09:00 Africa/Lagos


Heart & Liver Surgery Without a Break Gives a New Lease of Life to 63 Year Old Nigerian at Fortis Hospitals

MUMBAI, India, June 8, 2010/PRNewswire/ -- Adding another feat to the history of cardiothoracic surgery at Fortis Hospitals Bangalore, the team of experts led by noted Dr. Vivek Jawali, Chief Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Dr. Ramcharan Thiagarajan, Consultant Surgical GI & Hepato-Pancreatic Biliary Surgoen has performed a combined cardiac bypass and liver tumor surgery on a 63 year old Nigerian.


This is one the most rare and complicated case where a patient underwent a cardiac bypass and a liver surgery at the same time. Mr. Saidu Abubarkar, retired Executive Director of Nigerian Television Authority had visited Fortis Hospitals Bangalore couple of months ago for a cardiac consultation. He was diagnosed to have coronary artery disease with severe left ventricular dysfunction and had 6 blockages and was recommended for a bypass surgery. During his preoperative evaluation he was diagnosed to have compensated liver disease with a malignant tumor in the right lobe of the liver. He was known to be positive for Hepatitis B virus for which he was advised to take antiviral medication. The elevated liver marker was suggestive of Liver cancer and was advised for a liver resection.


"This is a very risky and complicated situation where the patient's heart was weakened with 6 blockages, he was hypertensive, diabetic, cirrhotic liver and had liver tumor. We had to carefully understand and evaluate Mr. Saidu's case to ensure that he receives the appropriate treatment and both his liver and cardiac problem was taken care of" said Dr. Vivek Jawali.


"We have done many combined cardiac surgeries in the past, but a cardiac bypass and a liver surgery of his nature is to my knowledge is one of its kind in our country. Both the surgeries were high risk surgery and to perform both in the same sitting was a challenge which our team took and successfully accomplished" added Dr. Vivek Jawali.


"The tumor was resting deep inside and back of the liver and due to its location he was not a candidate for other palliative options and surgery was the best option. The liver had cirrhosis on visual examination. About 20 - 25% of his liver was resected along with the tumour completely with adequate surgical margin. However since his liver is already affected by Hepatitis B and has cirrhosis, he has to ultimately get a liver transplant at a later stage" said Dr. Ramcharan Thiagarajan.


"The advantages of the combined surgery are that the patient need not have to wait to recover from his heart surgery and then go through rigmarole of major liver surgery and recover again, faster recovery, financial benefit of one surgery rather two and he need not have to worry about the spread of Liver cancer during the waiting time. With the clinical expertise and facilities available at our institution, we were successful in handling the criticality of the situation and perform both the surgeries without much blood loss and help the patient recover at the earliest" added Dr. Ramcharan.


"I visited Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Africa and London apart from doctors in Nigeria. Some doctors told me my condition was too critical and surgery would be risky for me. Learning about the expertise available at Fortis Hospitals India we knew it was the perfect choice for my treatment. I am thankful to the doctors at Fortis Hospitals and wish to come here for any further medical treatment if required" said Mr. Saidu.



Media Contact:
Priyam Bortamuli
Fortis Hospitals Ltd.
Mobile - +91-984555-8559, landline - +91-080-66139900, extn - 910
Email - priyam.bortamuli@fortishopitals.in
enquiries@fortishospitals.in

Source: Fortis Hospitals Ltd.

Media Contact: Priyam Bortamuli, Fortis Hospitals Ltd. Mobile - +91-984555-8559, landline - +91-080-66139900, extn - 910, Email - priyam.bortamuli@fortishopitals.in, enquiries@fortishospitals.in


Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
9 Jun 2010
05:32
Bill Gates dédicace un ballon de football au Nigeria en soutien à l'éradication de la polio en Afrique / Les Rotary clubs du Nigeria et d'Afrique unissent leurs efforts alors que le ballon achève son périple de quatre mois à travers le continent africain.
8 Jun 2010
21:05
Bristow Group Announces Departure of Elizabeth Brumley, Chief Financial Officer
17:33
Pan para el Mundo Destaca los Progresos y Fracasos de los Países Africanos, A pocos días del mundial
17:13
Bread for the World 'Report Card' Highlights African Countries' Progress and Failures
14:00
20 Operators Team With Alcatel-Lucent to Bring Fast, Lower-Cost Broadband Connectivity in Africa With a New 17,000 km Submarine System
09:00
Heart & Liver Surgery Without a Break Gives a New Lease of Life to 63 Year Old Nigerian at Fortis Hospitals
08:00
England on the Drift but Betfred Offer England Fans Insurance
05:54
Bill Gates signs football in Nigeria to support final push to kick polio out of Africa / Rotary clubs in Nigeria and across the continent unite as ball's 4-month journey comes to a close in Egypt
05:55
Bill Gates firma un balón en Nigeria para apoyar el último esfuerzo para erradicar la polio de África / Al aproximarse el final del trayecto del balón en Egipto, los clubes rotarios de Nigeria y del resto del continente unen sus esfuerzos

Young Nigerian Director gets Hubert Bals Fund to make his Film

Kenneth Gyang

Young Nigerian Director gets Hubert Bals Fund to make his Film

Kenneth Gyang who was once recognized as the youngest filmmaker in Nigeria years ago is one of the few filmmakers selected from all over the world to share the Hubert Bals Fund in Netherlands. Gyang was selected for his film Confusion Na Wa and has already secured a lucrative distribution deal for Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Confusion Na Wa has also been selected for the competitive Durban FilmMart of the Durban Film Festival next month July.

Gyang has patnered with the BBC as director on Wetin Dey. He produced and directed the Finding Aisha series for which he won the Young Producer of the Year award at the last Future Awards in Lagos.

The Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) selected twenty-nine projects to be given grants for script development, digital production, postproduction, distribution or workshops. In its Spring 2010 selection, the Fund gives 450,000 Euro to projects from twenty-two countries. (see full list below).

The line up of the IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund Spring 2010 Selection Round in full:

Postproduction & final financing

A alegria (The Joy) – Felipe Bragança & Marina Meliande, Brazil
Agonistes, The Myth of Nation – Lav Diaz, Philippines
Cornelia At Her Mirror – Daniel Rosenfeld, Argentina
Harud – Aamir Bashir, India
Hawi – Ibrahim El Batout, Egypt
Ocaso – Théo Court, Chile
Tilva Roš – Nikola Lezaic, Serbia
Winter Vacation – Li Hongqi, China

Digital Production

Confusion Na Wa – Kenneth Gyang, Nigeria
Lukas nino – John Torres, Philippines
Marimbas del infierno – Julio Hernandez Cordon, Guatemala
Through the Windshield – Vimukthi Jayasundara, Sri Lanka


Script & Project development

Aral – Ella Vakkasova, Uzbekistan
Betok – Sherman Ong, Malaysia
Bull Down! – Gabriel Mascaro, Brazil
Germania – Maximiliano Schonfeld, Argentina
Ibn Battuta – Tariq Teguia, Algeria
Karma Police – Visra Vichit-Vadakan, Thailand
Melaza – Carlos Lechuga, Cuba
Past Love – Lee Chatametikool, Thailand
Straw Man – Peng Tao, China
La tercera orilla – Celina Murga, Argentina
Tormentero – Ruben Imaz Castro, Mexico
La última tierra – Pablo Lamar, Paraguay

Distribution

Chaque jour est une fête – Dima El-Horr, Lebanon, distribution in Lebanon by MC Distribution
Manuel De Ribera – Christopher Murray & Pablo Carrera, distribution in Chile by Jirafa



Special Projects

Directors Across Borders Script and Project Development Workshop – Yerevan Golden Apricot Film Festival, Armenia
Hubert Bals Fund Award – Durban FilmMart, Durban International Film Festival, South Africa
East Timor Film Production Workshop – East Timor



More About Kenneth Gyang


Kenneth Gyang is a director, writer and producer from Barkin Ladi, Plateau State. His work in film and television has gained recognition at home and abroad.

Inspired by listening to BBC World Service, Kenneth’s early ambition was a career in radio. However, shortly after completing school he came across a poster advertsing Nigeria's National Film Institute, located in
the nearby state capital, Jos. He applied and was accepted.

Kenneth's interest was initially in screen-writing only but, frustrated with seeing unimaginative interpretations of his work, decided to try directing one of his scripts. The result was the award winning short Mummy Lagos, a two-minute meditation on the African food that has been screened at festivals worldwide. Most notably, Kenneth presented the film at the 2006 Berllinale.

Following this early success, Kenneth has been working constantly as a director.


Highlights include being one of three directors of the groundbreaking BBC series Wetin Dey and writing and directing SoundCity's drama series Finding Aisha. The former is widely acknowledged to have set new standards in West African television and was screened at the 2007 EMMY awards in Los Angeles. In recognition of the latter he won Screen Producer of the Year at the 2010 Future Awards.



Kenneth is currently preparing to direct his debut feature, Confusion Na Wa ●

Bill Gates Signs Football in Nigeria to Support final push to Kick Polio out of Africa / Rotary clubs in Nigeria

Bill Gates

8 Jun 2010 05:54 Africa/Lagos

Bill Gates signs football in Nigeria to support final push to kick polio out of Africa / Rotary clubs in Nigeria and across the continent unite as ball's 4-month journey comes to a close in Egypt


ABUJA, June 7, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, gave the Kick Polio Out of Africa (KPOA) campaign a boost today by signing the football which is traveling from Cape Town to Egypt ahead of the 2010 World Cup. During the ball's epic journey through 22 polio-affected and high-risk countries, Rotary clubs throughout Africa are mobilizing the public for massive immunizations and raising awareness for polio eradication. Gates lauded Rotary's efforts to help kick polio out the continent -- and eventually out of the world.

Gates also commended Nigeria for making significant gains in the fight against polio and urged them to finish the job. He joins Nigerian officials in bringing attention to the current immunization rounds throughout Africa targeting more than 100 million children under the age of five.

Since Rotary and its partners began their fight against polio in 1988, the incidence of the disease has been reduced by 99 percent. In Africa, only Nigeria remains polio-endemic, but the disease still affects children in many other high-risk countries, emphasizing the importance of protecting all African children from polio. According to the World Health Organization, only three cases of polio were reported in Nigeria through 25 May this year, compared with 276 cases reported during the same time period in 2009.

“Nigeria's recent progress against polio is an achievement that all Nigerians should be proud of,” said Gates. “Thanks to political and traditional leaders, dedicated health workers, and loving parents who want to protect their children, Nigeria is on a path toward eliminating polio.”

symbolically kicking polio out the continent and into the Mediterranean Sea. Also attending the event will be film star and polio goodwill ambassador Hany Salama, polio-infected children, government officials, and dignitaries.

Says Bibliotheca Alexandrina Director Dr. Ismael Serageldin, “Polio still exists, but polio can be eradicated. We cannot let forgetfulness or disinterest keep so many unfortunate victims in misery. We are so close. Let us all together give the final push.”

On 23 February, Rotary launched its “Kick Polio out of Africa” awareness campaign in Cape Town, one of the host cities to the 2010 World Cup, with the symbolic kicking of a ball signed by Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Afflicted with polio as a child, Tutu joined the campaign as goodwill ambassador. From Egypt, the ball will travel to Montréal, Canada, to be presented at the Rotary International Convention later this month. The ball's journey is being underwritten by DHL Express.

In support of the campaign, Rotary launched a virtual ball inviting football fans and supporters around the world to sign the ball. With a few simple clicks of a mouse, one can sign the online ball at www.kickpoliooutofafrica.org and join the global movement of solidarity to save all children from this crippling and sometimes fatal disease. The signatures will be formally presented to the spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative after the 2010 World Cup.

“We are calling on the continent's football players to bring their enormous influence to this campaign. Only unified efforts which galvanise whole societies towards these goals will succeed in kicking this virus, that looks so much like a football, out of Africa and eventually, out of the world,” declared former South African President Nelson Mandela, in his 1996 address at the Organization for African Unity Summit as he formally kicked off the “Kick Polio out of Africa” campaign.

“As the volunteer arm and private-sector partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary has contributed $388 million for polio eradication efforts in Africa,” says June Webber, Rotary's South African campaign organizer. “As we celebrate the first World Cup on African soil and the 20th anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, Rotarians and our global partners are determined to provide Madiba (Mandela's Xhosa title) with a lasting legacy.”

Nigerian national team captain Nwankwo Kanu joined the campaign announcing that he has two goals for 2010: Kanu wants Nigeria to shine at the upcoming World Cup and also wants to eradicate polio from Africa.

Polio eradication has been Rotary's top priority for more than two decades. The international humanitarian service organization has contributed more than US$900 million toward a polio-free world, and is a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, along with the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UNICEF.

Rotary recently pledged to raise US$200 million to match $355 million in challenge grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All of the resulting $555 million will be spent in support of eradication activities.

Great progress has been made, and the incidence of polio infection has plunged from about 350,000 cases in 1988 to fewer than 2,000 in 2009. More than two billion children have been immunized in 122 countries, preventing five million cases of paralysis and 250,000 paediatric deaths.

The football's journey can be followed on http://kickpoliooutofafrica.wordpress.com.

To sign and kick the virtual ball, go to www.kickpoliooutofafrica.org.

For video and still photos, go to: www.thenewsmarket.com/rotaryinternational


# # #

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. It is comprised of 1.2 million members working in over 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary members initiate community projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as poverty, disease and illiteracy.

Contact: Sandra Prufer, + 1 847 866-3208 sandra.prufer@rotary.org


Kiki Melonides, +1 847 866-3134 kiki.melonides@rotary.org


Media Contact: +1 847 866-3237


e-mail: pr@rotary.org


www.rotary.org



Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Rotary International


Source: Rotary International


Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
8 Jun 2010
09:00
Heart & Liver Surgery Without a Break Gives a New Lease of Life to 63 Year Old Nigerian at Fortis Hospitals
08:00
England on the Drift but Betfred Offer England Fans Insurance
05:54
Bill Gates signs football in Nigeria to support final push to kick polio out of Africa / Rotary clubs in Nigeria and across the continent unite as ball's 4-month journey comes to a close in Egypt
05:55
Bill Gates firma un balón en Nigeria para apoyar el último esfuerzo para erradicar la polio de África / Al aproximarse el final del trayecto del balón en Egipto, los clubes rotarios de Nigeria y del resto del continente unen sus esfuerzos
7 Jun 2010
16:38
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Apple Presents iPhone 4

7 Jun 2010 19:53 Africa/Lagos


Apple Presents iPhone 4

All-New Design with FaceTime Video Calling, Retina Display, 5 Megapixel Camera & HD Video Recording Thinnest Smartphone Ever

SAN FRANCISCO, June 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple® today presented the new iPhone® 4 featuring FaceTime, which makes the dream of video calling a reality, and Apple's stunning new Retina display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone, resulting in super crisp text, images and video. In addition, iPhone 4 features a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, HD video recording, Apple's A4 processor, a 3-axis gyro and up to 40 percent longer talk time--in a beautiful all-new design of glass and stainless steel that is the thinnest smartphone in the world. iPhone 4 comes with iOS 4, the newest version of the world's most advanced mobile operating system, which includes over 100 new features and 1500 new APIs for developers. iOS 4 features Multitasking, Folders, enhanced Mail, deeper Enterprise support and Apple's new iAd mobile advertising platform. iPhone 4 will be available in the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan on June 24, starting in the US at just $199 for qualified buyers with a two year contract.*


(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100607/SF16578)
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100607/SF16578)


"iPhone 4 is the biggest leap since the original iPhone," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "FaceTime video calling sets a new standard for mobile communication, and our new Retina display is the highest resolution display ever in a phone, with text looking like it does on a fine printed page. We have been dreaming about both of these breakthroughs for decades."


FaceTime is as mobile as your phone, so you can see your loved ones and friends anywhere there is Wi-Fi. Using FaceTime is as easy as making a regular voice call, with no set-up required, and you can instantly switch to the rear camera to show others what you are seeing with just a tap.


Apple's stunning 3.5 inch Retina display has 960 x 640 pixels--four times as many pixels as the iPhone 3GS and 78 percent of the pixels on an iPad(TM). The resulting 326 pixels per inch is so dense that the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels when the phone is held at a normal distance, making text, images and video look sharper, smoother and more realistic than ever before on an electronic display.


iPhone 4 is the thinnest smartphone ever--9.3 millimeters--with an all-new design and build quality like no other mobile device. The front and back are made of aluminosilcate glass, chemically strengthened to be 30 times harder than plastic, more scratch resistant and more durable than ever. The front and back glass have an oil-resistant coating that helps keep it clean, and encircling iPhone 4 is a highly finished stainless steel band made of a custom alloy that is forged to be five times stronger than standard steel.


iPhone 4 features a new 5 megapixel autofocus camera with a 5x digital zoom, a backside illuminated sensor and built-in LED flash that allows you to take amazing pictures even in low light and dark environments. iPhone 4 lets you record and edit incredible HD video and the popular tap to focus feature now works while recording video. You can use the iPhone 4's LED flash for both still photography and video recording. The new iMovie® app for iPhone lets you combine movie clips, add dynamic transitions and themes and include photos and music, and users can buy it for just $4.99 through the App Store right on their phone.


iPhone 4 is the best mobile device ever for games and entertainment, with access to tens of thousands of games and entertainment apps on the revolutionary App Store. Every iPhone 4 has a built-in 3-axis gyro that when combined with the accelerometer provides 6-axis motion sensing such as up and down, side to side, forward and backward and pitch and roll, making it perfect for gaming. Developers can access the gyro using the new CoreMotion API to make games and other apps that go well beyond what other mobile devices offer.


iPhone 4 comes with iOS 4, the newest version of the world's most advanced mobile operating system. With over 100 new features, it includes Multitasking, Folders, enhanced Mail, deeper Enterprise support and Apple's new iAd mobile advertising platform. With Multitasking, users can now instantly switch between any of their apps while preserving battery life. With Folders, users can easily organize their apps into collections by simply dragging one app on top of another. A folder is automatically created and named based on the category of apps selected. Users can change the name of any folder at any time. In addition, users can now customize their lock and home screens with an array of supplied wallpapers or with any of the photos on their phone.


The new iBooks® app will be available for iPhone 4 as a free download from the App Store and includes Apple's new iBookstore, the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile product. The iBooks app will sync your current place in a book, along with any bookmarks, highlights and notes you have created, between copies of the same book on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch®. iBooks users can also now read and store PDFs right in iBooks. There are now over 60,000 books available in the iBookstore, and users have downloaded over five million books in the first two months.


More than five billion apps have been downloaded from the revolutionary App Store and more than 225,000 apps are available to consumers in 90 countries. Almost 100 million iPhone and iPod touch users around the world can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.


iPhone 4 delivers an amazing seven hours of talk time on 3G networks, up to 10 hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi and up to six hours on 3G, and up to 10 hours of video playback and up to 40 hours of audio playback.** iPhone 4 is powered by Apple's new A4 processor that provides exceptional processor and graphic performance along with long battery life. iPhone 4 features a second microphone and advanced software to suppress unwanted background noise for improved call quality when in loud places. iPhone 4 also offers 802.11n Wi-Fi networking and adds quad-band HSUPA to provide 7.2Mbps downlink and 5.8Mbps uplink capability.***


Pricing & Availability


iPhone 4 comes in either black or white and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model in both Apple and AT&T's retail and online stores, Best Buy and Wal-Mart stores. iPhone 4 will be available in the US, France, Germany, Japan and the UK on June 24 and customers can pre-order their iPhone 4 beginning Tuesday, June 15 from the Apple Online Store or reserve an iPhone 4 to pick up at an Apple Retail Store. iMovie for iPhone will be available on the App Store for just $4.99 (US).


Also on June 24, a new iPhone 3GS 8GB model will be available for just $99 (US). iOS 4 software will be available on June 21 as a free software update via iTunes® 9.2 or later for iPhone and iPod touch customers.****


iPhone 4 will roll out worldwide to 88 countries by the end of September. iPhone 4 will be available by the end of July in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.


*Qualified customers only. Requires a new two year AT&T rate plan, sold separately.


**Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.


***Speed is dependent on cellular network capability.


****iOS 4 is compatible with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, second and third generation iPod touch (late 2009 models with 32GB or 64GB). Some features may not be available on all products. For example, Multitasking requires iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 or third generation iPod touch (late 2009 models with 32GB or 64GB).


Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II, then reinvented the personal computer with the Macintosh. Apple continues to lead the industry with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system, and iLife, iWork and professional applications. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store, has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.


© 2010 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, iPhone, iPad, iMovie, iBooks, iPod touch and iTunes are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100607/SF16578
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN10
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100607/SF16578
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Apple

CONTACT: Natalie Harrison, +1-408-862-0565, harri@apple.com, or Teresa
Brewer, +1-408-974-6851, tbrewer@apple.com, both of Apple


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


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