Africa opens another chapter in fight against human trafficking

15 Apr 2011 17:24 Africa/Lagos

Africa opens another chapter in fight against human trafficking

ADDIS ABABA, March 25, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Africa has launched a new two-pronged campaign to operationalise its four-year old continental instrument to address the challenges of trafficking in persons, particularly women and children through regional workshops and the launching of the African Union's Initiative against Trafficking (AU.COMMIT) in the Regional Economic Communities (REC”s). The latest initiative, a joint programme of the African Union, ECOWAS, the International Organisation on Migration (IOM) and the UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), would develop a road map for implementing the Ouagadougou Action Plan agreed by the African Union in 2006.

“The workshop is of critical importance to countries of Africa and to the Regional Economic Communities (REC's) considering that it is the second in a series of planned launches of the COMMIT campaign that has the critical goal of aligning the Ouagadougou Action Plan with those of the various REC's,” ECOWAS President Ambassador Victor Gbeho said in a message to the workshop and launching for West Africa on Wednesday, 24th March 2010 at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, Nigeria.

The Ouagadougou Action Plan prioritizes a host of activities for implementation, reflecting the dimensions of the scourge in the areas of prevention, creating awareness, victim protection and assistance, instituting an appropriate legal regime, policy development, law enforcement, cooperation and coordination.

“Exploitation lies at the centre of the concept of trafficking in persons,” Ambassador Gheho said in a message read by Commissioner Adrienne Diop to the 60 participants at the three-day workshop, blaming “certain social and economic realities” for this burgeoning criminal enterprise, particularly the “widespread poverty, unemployment, conflicts, political oppression and insecurity.”

The AU's Commissioner for Social Affairs, Bience Gawanas said the enactment of instruments such as the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and the Ouagadougou Action Plan have served to galvanise member states, resulting in a virtual doubling of the number of states that have enacted anti-trafficking legislation between 2003 and 2008.

These instruments, she further said, have contributed to securing more convictions of traffickers and the rescue of an increasing number of victims and blamed the uncoordinated and slow criminal justice response system as well as the vulnerable economic environment and volatile political situations for the increasing number of trafficked persons. (the complete speech of Commissioner Gawanas is available on the AU website: www.africa-union.org)

In her speech, the UN Special Reporter on Trafficking in Persons, Joy Ezeilo warned that the current global economic crunch could ‘exacerbate the desperation and the quest for human security, survival and development that fuels the trafficking in persons.'

“Trafficking for exploitation is more likely to escalate particularly during this global economic crisis and increasing poverty caused by massive unemployment and the employer's tendency to use cheap labour in order to cut costs and maximize profits,” she told the participants.

In order to address this aspect, the UN official called for training for labour inspectors to enable them to appreciate the interface between migration and trafficking and to enhance the mechanism for the identification of trafficked persons in exploitative and mixed migration situations.

While taking measures to address the root causes, she said “innovative approaches” were needed to combat the huge problem of human trafficking through the synergy of international, regional and national strategies that will address all the dimensions of the scourge.

Furthermore, she urged AU Member States to urgently adopt national work plans, establish an agency or institution specifically with responsibility of coordinating action on human trafficking, and appoint a national reporter to oversee the progress and fast track data collection and ensure proper coordination of anti trafficking efforts. In order to address the cross border dimensions of the challenge and secure the welfare of the victims, she stressed the need to partner with other regions and regional institutions such as the League of Arab States and countries in the Middle East to protect and promote the well-being of trafficking victims.

In opening the workshop, Nigeria's solicitor general said the country had demonstrated its commitment to domesticate relevant international instruments against trafficking in persons by enacting a local legislation that was signed into law in 2003, making the country one of the few in the world with specific national legislations against the activities of human traffickers.

Specifically, he said the establishment of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters in August 2003 represents a “strong demonstration of the government's resolve to protect vulnerable citizens, especially women and children to secure the future of our youths.”

In January 2007, the African Union through its Executive Council Decision endorsed the Ouagadougou Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, Especially Women and Children. The decision called upon the Chairperson of the AU Commission in collaboration with IOM and other partners to advocate for the implementation of the Action Plan.

Moreover, it urged the Commission and the IOM to assist Member States with the development and implementation of sound migration policies aimed at addressing this scourge. Under the Ouagadougou plan, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission is required to file periodic reports on the status of implementation of the plan. In addition, it called on the international community to continue providing assistance towards the attainment of the objectives contained in the Ouagadougou Action Plan.

Source: African Union Commission (AUC)




A Girl from Nigeria



Whatever Peter Abel, a celebrated undercover reporter, has been through before, nothing prepares him for the murder of his friend and colleague by suspected women traffickers. Abel gets deeper into trouble with the heinous syndicate of international criminals when he tries to save an underage girl, Alice, who is about to be raped in Lagos. But soon Alice disappears leaving behind a devastated mother, and a violent father.Abel s search for Alice takes him through various human trafficking routes, to destinations including the United States and the United Kingdom. Abel is threatened, shot at and even framed for murder in the US, but he knows he will never find peace until he avenges his colleague s murder and saves Alice, even if it is from the laps of a US Congressman in Washington D.C.

About the Author
Bisi Daniels is the pen name of the prolific writer, Bisi Ojediran. A graduate of the University of Ghana, Legon, he is now the Chairman of the Editorial Board of THIS DAY newspaper. Prior to that, he was Business Editor of two of Nigeria's most influential newspapers, including The Guardian, before he started work in the oil industry. He joined Elf Petroleum as Media Relations Manager in 1995, moving on to Shell Petroleum, and has recently returned to journalism.Bisi has now written over twenty books, including eight novels.

Mark Zuckerberg Tops Steve Jobs, Oprah, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet

Apr 15, 2011 08:10 ET



Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Tops Steve Jobs, Oprah, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet as SUCCESS Magazine's Achiever of the Year

LAKE DALLAS, Texas, April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Facebook has changed the way people connect worldwide, morphing from college fad to global communication force. And co-founder Mark Zuckerberg has guided the addictive social networking site to incredible heights, more than 600 million subscribers.

With those credentials, Zuckerberg was voted 2010 Achiever of the Year by readers of SUCCESS Magazine. He beat out other titans of business, media, technology and philanthropy, including Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates.

A cover feature on Zuckerberg appears in the May 2011 issue of SUCCESS, dedicated to connecting with effect - reaching the people who matter. The issue delves into how to effectively integrate new media methods with old-school relationship-building skills.

May's issue also includes a feature on love language with marriage communication tips from relationship expert Gary Chapman, profiles of entrepreneur and philanthropist Sheila Johnson and superstar NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, plus columns on health by Drs. Oz and Roizen, leadership by John C. Maxwell, making it happen by Mel Robbins and much more!

Also, read about how journalist Bob Woodruff gained new insights and a renewed sense of purpose after surviving a bomb attack in Iraq.

The SUCCESS CD inserted in each magazine features publisher Darren Hardy's interviews with entertainment business mogul Peter Gruber, who gives you the four most crucial pieces to the tell-to-win puzzle, arming you with the storytelling skills you need to move others to action, and with Networking with New Media author Mari Smith, who reveals the rest of the rules of the road for driving down the social media highway. Also, in an ongoing chat, leadership expert John C. Maxwell discusses the five levels of influence integral to being the leader you were meant to be. The issue hit newsstands Tuesday, April 5, 2011.

About SUCCESS Magazine

SUCCESS Magazine is designed specifically to serve the growing entrepreneurial and small-business markets. Each month, it features personal-development thought leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs and other achievers who offer practical advice, ideas, tips and training on leadership, goal attainment, time management, selling, motivation and more. Bound into every issue is also a free CD featuring exclusive audio compilations of success training from leading personal-achievement experts. SUCCESS is distributed on newsstands nationally. Visit http://www.SUCCESS.com for more information.

Contact

Ashley Glenn
SUCCESS Magazine
Marketing Manager
940-497-9901
aglenn@success.com
This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE SUCCESS Magazine


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

Mavs AR Mobile Application Now Available Via Android Market

Mavs AR Mobile Application Now Available Via Android Market

— Qualcomm and Big PlayAR Team with the Dallas Mavericks to Launch Augmented Reality Application Unveiled at American Airlines Center during First Round of NBA Playoffs —

DALLAS — April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) and Big PlayAR are working with the Dallas Mavericks to add a unique twist to the NBA Playoffs by bringing game tickets to life through augmented reality (AR). Mavs AR, a game developed by Big PlayAR using augmented reality technology pioneered by Qualcomm, is now available for download in the Android Market. This marks the first commercial AR application released based on Qualcomm’s vision-based technology. Mavs AR is designed for Android-based smartphones and tablets, and creates a virtual basketball court in the palm of your hand. Fans attending the Mavs playoff games at American Airlines Center can point their smartphone or tablet running the Mavs AR application at their ticket to play the game.

“Augmented reality is an exciting new feature for mobile devices and Qualcomm has developed technology that takes ordinary 2D surfaces, such as game tickets, and brings them to life with rich 3D graphics,” said Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of Qualcomm. “We are pleased to work with Big PlayAR and the Dallas Mavericks to bring the first Qualcomm vision-based AR application to market and enrich the NBA Playoff experience for Mavs fans.”

As part of the launch, “AR Phone Zones” will be positioned throughout American Airlines Center during the Mavs’ first-round playoff series, beginning April 16th. At the AR Phone Zones, Mavs fans can learn more about and play the Mavs AR game. The Zones will also feature experts to demonstrate the Mavs AR application on the latest Android devices and a large-scale game ticket replica.

“Some of us still keep our tickets in scrap books, so imagine the fun of bringing your scrap book to life as well,” said John Robison, founder and president of Big PlayAR. “Big PlayAR is thrilled to be launching this Qualcomm-enabled technology with great names in entertainment like the Mavericks and Mark Cuban. This is only the beginning of a fun way to interact with fans, and I think they’re going to love it.”

“We are excited to bring this new, fun technology to our fans and add to the Playoff experience,” said Mavs owner Mark Cuban. “Augmented reality will allow our fans to become one of our players through the ticket. Using AR technology from Qualcomm, the app was designed by Big PlayAR specifically for the Mavs and is now available for download through the Android Market. We anticipate using this AR technology in future projects and expect to have all platforms supported.”

Leading device manufacturers are providing handsets and tablets based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon™ processor for fans to use at the AR Phone Zones, including the Dell Streak 5, HTC Inspire™ 4G, HTC ThunderBolt™, and Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY.

For more information about Qualcomm and Augmented Reality, please visit:

www.qualcomm.com/ar
www.mavs.com/ar
www.bigplayar.com

About Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are part of the 30 team National Basketball Association (NBA). The club, which plays at American Airlines Center, began as an expansion franchise in 1980 and competes in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The team’s 2010-2011 record of 57-25 was the tenth consecutive season with more than 50 wins, which is the third longest streak in NBA history. In addition to on-court success, the Mavs are also committed to making a difference in North Texas through community outreach programs and the Dallas Mavericks Foundation. More information on the Dallas Mavericks and their community involvement can be found at mavs.com.

About Big PlayAR
Big PlayAR, Inc. was formed to bring the best Augmented Reality (“AR”) functionality available to the market by providing compelling interactive games allowing users and brands to Awaken the Mobile Device. The Big PlayAR business eco-system strives to integrate next generation CRM with AR for lead generation that grabs, retains and closes the marketing loop. It seeks to unite teams and fans, buyers and sellers, members and organizations and many others using the Big PlayAR games like Mavs AR. Look for more campaigns like the Mavs “BRING THE TICKET TO LIFE” from Big PlayAR as a part of its AWAKEN YOUR PHONE ™ program. For more information, visit us at the following websites:

www.facebook.com/bigplayar
www.twitter.com/bigplayar

About Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of wireless communications, connecting people more closely to information, entertainment and each other. Today, Qualcomm technologies are powering the convergence of mobile communications and consumer electronics, making wireless devices and services more personal, affordable and accessible to people everywhere. For more information, visit Qualcomm around the Web:

www.qualcomm.com
Corporate Blog: www.qualcomm.com/blog
Twitter: www.twitter.com/qualcomm
Facebook: www.facebook.com/qualcomm


Qualcomm is a registered trademark and Snapdragon is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners



Big PlayAR Contact:
John Robison
1-310-300-4033
jrobison@bigplayar.com
Dallas Mavericks Contact:
Gina Calvert
1-214-658-7177
gina.calvert@dallasmavs.com


Qualcomm Contacts:
Emily Kilpatrick
Corporate Communications
1-858-845-5959
corpcomm@qualcomm.com
Warren Kneeshaw
Investor Relations
1-858-658-4813
ir@qualcomm.com

Environment Health and Safety Regulations on the Rise in Africa

Children carrying water near gas flares at Shell`s Obigbo oilfield, near Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
PHOTO: Peter Roderick, www.climatelaw.org


Environment Health and Safety Regulations on the Rise in Africa

BRUSSELS and WASHINGTON, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Enhesa presented a webinar in March on the explosion of EHS regulations throughout Africa. As a result of increasing opportunities for investment, many companies have decided to open facilities in African countries. Over 250 EHS professionals from a broad spectrum of industries attended the webinar. Participants were asked to complete an on-line questionnaire. Overwhelmingly the main concerns of attendees were understanding regulations and creating a culture that cared about EHS issues.

Enhesa unveiled its EHS Regulatory and Enforcement Matrix. In order to comprehensively understand the developments and trends of EHS requirements in Africa, consultants analyzed the number of EHS issues regulated, whether there are effective EHS enforcement measures in place, powers of enforcement authorities, and powers of internal EHS positions. It revealed that countries such as Botswana and Kenya lack regulations and enforcement, while Ghana and Morocco have regulations but little enforcement. While South Africa has the strongest regulation and enforcement capabilities amongst African countries; Algeria and Nigeria are not far behind.

Enhesa also highlighted the major trends in the environmental, health and safety and products areas.

Environmental: Experiencing the fastest rate growth, the strengthening environmental framework often results in direct requirements for a facility and fines, shut-downs, and clean-up costs for a non-compliant company.

Health and Safety: Due to a rising awareness of poor labor conditions, health and safety requirements are increasing. Non compliance can result in court cases, punitive damages, and compensation payouts. Countries in Africa will continue to take the first steps to implement requirements of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).

Products: Product related requirements are being established, albeit at a slower pace. Non-compliance can result in fines, failure to pass customs, and product recalls.

Economic growth will continue throughout Africa providing opportunities for companies to expand and move operations into Africa. A company can expect African countries to strengthen EHS regulatory frameworks, which will differ from the typical U.S. and European approach.

About Enhesa - Enhesa is the leading provider of global environmental, health and safety regulatory compliance assurance support to business. Enhesa covers EHS regulatory and policy issues in 150 countries and jurisdictions.

More Information

Contact Enhesa for a copy of the presentation or to view the webinar recording, or read the cover story in the next issue of the Enhesa Flash: http://www.enhesa.com/en/service/flash.aspx

Contacts

Virginia Schaffer, info@enhesa.com, +1 202.552.1090

SOURCE Enhesa


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

Professor Amos Sawyer arrives Abuja to lead ECOWAS observers to Nigeria's presidential election

Professor Amos Claudius Sawyer


April 14, 2011 11:22 ET

Professor Amos Sawyer arrives Abuja to lead ECOWAS observers to Nigeria's presidential election


ABUJA, April 14, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The former President of the Interim Government of Liberia and Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to Nigeria's 16th April 2011 presidential polls, Professor Amos Sawyer, has arrived Abuja, the Nigerian capital, to lead 300 regional observers who are being deployed to the six geo-political zones of the country to observe the election.

Members of the Mission include ECOWAS Ambassadors, representatives of the ECOWAS Council of the Wise, representatives of civil society organizations, the ECOWAS Parliament and Court of Justice, electoral experts as well as representatives of electoral commissions from the 15 Member States.

Professor Sawyer who will be joined on Election Day by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, was part of the ECOWAS Observer Mission to the 2008 general elections in Ghana. He led the organization's pre-election fact-finding mission to Ghana in October 2008.

Under its Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, ECOWAS is required to dispatch fact-finding and observer missions to Member States conducting presidential elections as part of its determination to ensure democratic convergence across West Africa.

These missions also enable ECOWAS to determine appropriate assistance to be rendered to such States in order to ensure the conduct of free, transparent and credible elections in the region.


Source: Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS)

President Goodluck Jonathan's Campaign Group Bribing Nigerian Voters

President Goodluck Jonathan and his running mate Vice President Namadi Sambo

A campaign group canvassing for voters to support President Goodluck Jonathan offered bribe via text message to the Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report to vote for their presidential candidate and ask others to vote for him. But he rejected their bribe.

Many people are being offered different forms of bribe in cash and kind to vote for Mr. Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential election on Saturday April 16, 2011.

Some were offered recharge cards of N500 to N1, 500 to vote for him.

The corrupt and desperate ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) is using political bribery to compel Nigerian voters to vote for their presidential candidate.

The corrupt PDP has billions of dollars to use to bribe millions of voters to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and political bribery is a criminal offense and an electoral malpractice that is another form of rigging an election.

The Sahara Reporters exposed the political bribes given to Nigerian journalists by the office of President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.

We am against all forms of corrupt practices and since President Goodluck Jonathan and his ruling party are corrupt, we will never support him and will do our best to fight against corruption at all levels and save our beloved nation Nigeria from corrupt leaders who have been destroying our nation.

DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY CORRUPT POLITICIAN OR ANY CORRUPT PARTY!

Hiring Managers love Thank-You Note after Job Interviews

More Than One-in-Five Hiring Managers Say They Are Less Likely to Hire a Candidate Who Didn't Send a Thank-You Note, Finds New CareerBuilder Survey

-- Hiring managers share what catches their eye on a resume--

CHICAGO, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Job seekers who are not following proper etiquette are hurting their chances of landing a job, even if they may be a good fit for the position. More than one-in-five (22 percent) hiring managers say they are less likely to hire a candidate if they don't send a thank-you note after an interview, according to new data released by CareerBuilder. Of those who would dismiss a candidate for the faux pas, 86 percent say it shows a lack of follow-through and an additional 56 percent say it sends the message that they aren't really serious about the opportunity. This national survey was conducted among more than 2,800 U.S. employers between February 21 and March 10, 2011.

View the infographic here: http://bit.ly/g9I4U2

What's best, regular mail or email? The majority (89 percent) of hiring managers say it is okay to send a thank-you note in the form of an email, with half saying it is actually the way they prefer to receive them. When it comes to industries, the bulk of IT hiring managers say they prefer to receive email thank-you notes more than any other industry surveyed, while the majority of those in the financial services say it's not preferred, but still okay.

"While the job market has begun to move in the right direction, competition continues to remain high for open positions and job seekers need to stay on their toes," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "Employers not only expect thank-you notes, but cover letters as well. Approximately one-third of hiring managers say a lack of cover letter will likely result in them not considering a candidate for their open position."

Once they have read a candidate's cover letter, seven-in-ten hiring managers say they prefer to see a career summary at the top of a resume instead of an objective and, more than half (57 percent) think a resume should be two pages long. When asked what catches their eye the most on a resume, hiring managers said:

Bulleted list of accomplishments (51 percent)
Career summary at the top (40 percent)
Relevant key words (39 percent)
Resume that is customized to the open position (36 percent)

"One-in-five hiring managers say they spend 30 seconds or less looking at a resume, so all your communications need to be professional and to the point," added Haefner. Other job search correspondence tips include:

Cover Letter

Your cover letter is your golden opportunity to make a strong first impression that will entice employers to want to know you better. Make sure it paints a more thorough picture of your educational and work-related background; the cover letter is where you can bring your specific experiences to life.

Resume

Always assume your resume will be scanned by a computer. Companies both large and small are using keyword-search software in their hiring processes these days, so it's important to make sure you always send out a search-ready resume.

Prove it! Don't just explain what you did at your last job, but how you did it and what impact it had on the company's bottom line. The more quantifiable results you can highlight, the better.

Thank-you note

Repeat, repeat, repeat. While a lot of what you include in your thank-you note may seem repetitive, restate your enthusiasm about the job and your qualifications for the position. Include any interesting topic that may have come up during the interview.

Cover all your bases. If you interviewed with more than one hiring manager, send a thank-you note to each person.

Survey Methodology

These surveys were conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 2,878 U.S. hiring managers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between February 21 and March 10, 2011 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions) and among 2,482 U.S. employers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between November 15 and December 2, 2010 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With pure probability samples of 2,878 and 2,482 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.83 and +/-1.97 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset – their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 32 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company, and The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI). CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact:
CareerBuilder
Michael Erwin
773-527-3637
michael.erwin@careerbuilder.com
http://www.twitter.com/CareerBuilderPR

SOURCE CareerBuilder


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

Applying Social Media From All Angles - Part One: Advertising and PR

Applying Social Media From All Angles - Part One: Advertising and PR

Being 'social' is considered by many as a key attribute of modern operations for a broad spectrum of businesses. Even more believe it's the single most important driver of change in the marketing communications industry, but tangible examples of these are considerably rarer than social media theorists.

The IPA in association with PR Newswire are proud to present the first in a series of events that will explore how social media and related techniques are actually being applied today. The clear boundaries between advertising, marketing communications and PR are dissolving in a world of mainstream social media usage.

In Part One of 'Applying Social Media From All Angles' on May 5th, it will be the turn of companies operating in this space to showcase and discuss their work.

The IPA will shortly be launching a Public Relationships Group. More on this at the event.
Speakers include

Nicola Mendelsohn – IPA, Karmarama
Chris Reed – Brew Digital
Paul Graham – Anomaly
Nick Jones – I Spy Marketing
Nigel Gwilliam – IPA
Where and when
IPA
44 Belgrave Square
London
SW1X 8QS

5th May, 15:30pm – 17:30pm. Please arrive for 15:00pm to register.

The event is exclusive to IPA members and PR Newswire clients.
Limited Spaces Available - Register Now

Top Topics

Tax Season

U.S. Jail Population Continues to Decline

30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Moves Up to 4.91 Percent

Victims of Libyan Terrorism Praise Anti-Gaddafi Leaders for Pledging to Cooperate and Expose Dictator's Culpability in Terrorism and Crimes Against Humanity

More Than One-in-Five Hiring Managers Say They Are Less Likely to Hire a Candidate Who Didn't Send a Thank-You Note, Finds New CareerBuilder Survey

NJPAC Announces New President and CEO

Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Inch Lower

Earthquake in Japan

Art, People and Freedom: Artocracy in Tunisia

Art, People and Freedom: Artocracy in Tunisia

The First Community Action from JR’s InsideOut Project is Unveiled

Paris, France (April 14, 2011) /PRNewswire/ — In early March, the artist and TED Prize winner JR announced his wish to turn the world “Inside Out.” Through his InsideOut Project, JR invited people around the globe to share a photo portrait – along with a statement about what they stand for – and paste thepictures in their communities. A group of photographers and organizers in Tunisia were the first to participate in an InsideOut community project, which they named Artocracy.




Through Artocracy, six Tunisian photographers – joined by JR and his team – traveled the country in late March to take pictures and display images of more than 100 Tunisians who represent the nation’s incredible diversity: men and women of every age, profession, cultural background, and geographic location.

“For the first large street exhibition in a new Arab democracy, the pasting promised to be surprising and the confrontation with art not always simple,” said JR. “There is nothing better to understand the weight of traditions, and the willingness to change them, than to post big portraits in the symbolic places of the revolution.”



Artocracy in Tunisia is an art project initiated by Slim Zeghal and Marco Berrebi, created with a group of Tunisian photographers that include Sophia Baraket, Rania Dourai, Wissal Dargueche, Aziz Tnani, Hichem Drissand Héla Ammar.

The team of photographers and pasters spent the first day in La Goulette and the second in Tunis, where the pictures were taken down. The group then moved on to Sidi Bouzid, an isolated region where the revolution began, to work with those who helped start the revolution.

From there the team traveled to Sfax, Sidi Bouzid, and Le Kram where they met with men and women to discuss the InsideOut Project, raise objections, and eventually paste photos and share the concept with neighbors.

“This project gave hope that Tunisia will become a country as open to art as Spain after Franco or Berlin after the wall was taken down,” said JR.
About the InsideOut Project

JR’s TED Prize wish was the InsideOut Project. Using black and white photographic portraits, people can reveal personal – and perhaps untold – stories, beliefs, and convictions. By visiting www.insideoutproject.net, individuals can take a photo portrait of someone whose story they want to tell, including themselves.

After uploading the picture, along with a supporting personal statement (which can be submitted in any language), users will be mailed a poster of their portrait and asked to paste it in their local community – whether as a solitary image in an office window, among other portraits on the wall of an abandoned building, or in a full stadium. The team behind the InsideOutProject also helps connect participants who want to organize community pastings, which will be documented, archived and viewable virtually. Artocracy was the first community organized InsideOut project.

Learn more about JR and the TED Prize here: www.tedprize.org and www.jr-art.net
###

Media Contact:
MARGARET SULLIVAN
GROUP SJR
646.833.0205
msullivan@groupsjr.com

Rihanna tops nominations for 2011 Billboard Music Awards

14 Apr 2011 03:59 Africa/Lagos

Ultra sexy hip-hop and R&B singer Rihanna leads the nominees for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards with nominations in 18 award categories. The following is the complete news report.


Billboard Announces Finalists for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards

Rihanna Takes the Lead As a Contender in 18 Award Categories

PR Newswire

LAS VEGAS, April 13, 2011




LAS VEGAS, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Billboard released the finalists for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards today at a press conference in Las Vegas. The winners will be announced at the Billboard Music Awards show airing on ABC on Sunday, May 22nd at 8-11 PM ET/PT. The awards show will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in partnership with Chevrolet, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). This is the first year that ABC will broadcast the event.



Rihanna takes the lead as a finalist in 18 award categories including Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top 100 Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top Dance/Electronic Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Digital Media Artist, Top Social Artist and Top Streaming Artist. Her collaboration with Eminem places "Love the Way You Lie" as a contender in six song categories. Eminem is a finalist in 16 award categories including Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Social Artist, Top Streaming Artist Top Digital Media Artist and Top Rap Artist.



Lady Gaga follows with 12 categories including three albums all competing for the award of Top Dance/Electronic Album: "The Fame," "The Fame Monster" and "The Remix." "The Fame" is also a finalist for Top Pop Album.

Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber are fan favorites, each earning 11 categories and competing for Top New Artist and Top Male Artist. Other Top New Artist contenders are Ke$ha, Nicki Minaj and Taio Cruz, whose song "Dynamite" is up for five awards including Top Hot 100 Song, Top Digital Song, Top Radio Song, Top Streaming Song (Audio) and Top Pop Song.

The Billboard Music Awards take a holistic look at artist performance based on key fan interactions with music—finalists and winners are determined by chart performance and social and streaming activity as chronicled in Billboard magazine and on Billboard.com during the eligibility period of February 28, 2010 through March 1, 2011. The forty-six award categories are based on measures provided by our data partners including sales data shared by Nielsen SoundScan, radio airplay monitored by Nielsen BDS, streaming data measured by Tubemogul and Nielsen BDS, social media consumption gauged by Next Big Sound and tour grosses tracked by Billboard Boxscore.

Today, Billboard launches a microsite for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards at www.Billboard.com/BBMA. Music fans can also follow news about the show and related events on Twitter at www.twitter.com/billboarddotcom or Facebook at www.facebook.com/billboard. To request media credentials please fill out the form available at www.Billboard.com/BBMA and email to billboard@brandlinkcommunications.com. To download images and video from today's press conference visit www.abcmedianet.com.

The 2011 Billboard Music Awards is co-executed produced by Richard Beckman, CEO of Prometheus Global Media, which owns Billboard, and Don Mischer of Don Mischer Productions.

The finalists for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards are:

ARTIST AWARDS:

Top Artist:
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top New Artist:
Justin Bieber
Taio Cruz
Ke$ha
Bruno Mars
Nicki Minaj

Top Male Artist:
Justin Bieber
Drake
Eminem
Bruno Mars
Usher

Top Female Artist:
Ke$ha
Lady Gaga
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group:
The Black Eyed Peas
Bon Jovi
Lady Antebellum
Linkin Park
U2

Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Justin Bieber
Susan Boyle
Eminem
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Artist:
Ke$ha
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Usher

Top Digital Songs Artist:
Eminem
Ke$ha
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top Radio Songs Artist:
Drake
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Usher

Top Touring Artist:
Bon Jovi
Michael Buble
Lady Gaga
U2
Roger Waters

Top Social Artist:
Akon
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna

Top Streaming Artist:
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Shakira

Top Digital Media Artist:
Akon
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna

Top Pop Artist:
Justin Bieber
The Black Eyed Peas
Ke$ha
Lady Gaga
Katy Perry

Top R&B Artist:
Alicia Keys
Monica
Rihanna
Trey Songz
Usher

Top Rap Artist:
Drake
Eminem
Lil Wayne
Ludacris
Nicki Minaj

Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band

Top Rock Artist:
Kings of Leon
Linkin Park
Mumford & Sons
Muse
Train

Top Alternative Artist:
The Black Keys
Kings of Leon
Linkin Park
Mumford & Sons
Muse

Top Latin Artist:
Enrique Iglesias
Pitbull
Prince Royce
Shakira
Wisin & Yandel

Top Dance Artist:
The Black Eyed Peas
David Guetta
Lady Gaga
LaRoux
Rihanna

Top Christian Artist:
Casting Crowns
MercyMe
Skillet
tobyMac
Chris Tomlin

ALBUMS AWARDS

Top Billboard 200 Album:
Justin Bieber -- "My World 2.0"
Susan Boyle -- "The Gift"
Eminem -- "Recovery"
Lady Antebellum -- "Need You Now"
Taylor Swift -- "Speak Now"

Top Pop Album:
Justin Bieber -- "My World 2.0"
Black Eyed Peas -- "The E.N.D."
Ke$ha -- "Animal"
Lady Gaga -- "The Fame"
Katy Perry -- "Teenage Dream"

Top R&B Album:
Monica -- "Still Standing"
Rihanna -- "Loud"
Sade -- "Stronger Than Love"
Trey Songz -- "Passion, Pain & Pleasure"
Usher -- "Raymond v. Raymond"

Top Rap Album:
Drake -- "Thank Me Later"
Eminem -- "Recovery"
Nicki Minaj -- "Pink Friday"
Lil Wayne -- "I Am Not A Human Being"
Kanye West -- "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"

Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean -- "My Kinda Party"
Lady Antebellum -- "Need You Now"
Sugarland -- "The Incredible Machine"
Taylor Swift -- "Speak Now"
Zac Brown Band -- "The Foundation"

Top Rock Album:
The Black Keys -- "Brothers"
Jack Johnson -- "To The Sea"
Kid Rock -- "Born Free"
Linkin Park -- "A Thousand Suns"
Mumford & Sons -- "Sigh No More"

Top Alternative Album:
The Black Keys -- "Brothers"
Jack Johnson -- "To The Sea"
Kings of Leon -- "Come Around Midnight"
Linkin Park -- "A Thousand Suns"
Mumford & Sons -- "Sigh No More"

Top Latin Album:
Marc Anthony -- "Iconos"
Camila -- "Dejarte De Amar"
Enrique Iglesias -- "Euphoria"
Prince Royce -- "Prince Royce"
Shakira -- "Sale El Sol"

Top Dance/Electronic Album:
Daft Punk -- "Tron Legacy (Soundtrack)"
Lady Gaga -- "The Fame"
Lady Gaga -- "The Fame Monster"
Lady Gaga -- "The Remix"
Owl City -- "Ocean Eyes"

Top Christian Album:
MercyMe -- "The Generous Mr. Lovewell"
Skillet -- "Awake"
tobyMac -- "Tonight"
Chris Tomlin -- "And If Our God is For Us"
Various Artists -- "WOW Hits 2011"

SONG AWARDS

Top Hot 100 Song:
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dogg -- "California Gurls"
Usher Feat. will.i.am -- "OMG"

Top Digital Song:
B.o.B Feat. Hayley Williams -- "Airplanes"
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dogg -- "California Gurls"

Top Radio Song:
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Usher Featuring Pitbull -- "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love"
Usher Feat. will.i.am -- "OMG"

Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Lady Antebellum -- "Need You Now"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Nelly -- "Just A Dream"

Top Streaming Song (Video):
Justin Bieber Feat. Ludacris -- "Baby"
Eminem -- "Not Afraid"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Lady Gaga -- "Bad Romance"
Shakira Feat. Freshleyground -- "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)"

Top Pop Song:
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dogg -- "California Gurls"
Katy Perry -- "Firework"
Katy Perry -- "Teenage Dream"

Top R&B Song:
Alicia Keys -- "Unthinkable (I'm Ready)"
Rihanna Featuring Drake -- "What's My Name"
Trey Songz Feat. Nicki Minaj -- "Bottoms Up"
Usher Feat. will.i.am -- "OMG"
Usher -- "There Goes My Baby"

Top Rap Song:
B.o.B Feat. Hayley Williams -- "Airplanes"
B.o.B Feat. Bruno Mars -- "Nothin' On You"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Far*East Movement Feat. Dev & The Cataracs -- "Like A G6"
Nelly -- "Just A Dream"

Top Country Song:
The Band Perry -- "If I Die Young"
Lady Antebellum -- "Need You Now"
Miranda Lambert -- "The House That Built Me"
Sugarland -- "Stuck Like Glue"
Taylor Swift -- "Mine"

Top Rock Song:
The Dirty Heads Featuring Rome -- "Lay Me Down"
Florence + The Machine -- "Dog Days Are Over"
Mumford & Sons -- "Little Lion Man"
Neon Trees -- "Animal"
Train -- "Hey, Soul Sister"

Top Alternative Song:
Florence + The Machine -- "Dog Days Are Over"
Linkin Park -- "Waiting On The End"
Mumford & Sons -- "The Cave"
Mumford & Sons -- "Little Lion Man"
Neon Trees -- "Animal"

Top Latin Song:
Enrique Iglesias Featuring Juan Luis Guerra "Cuando Me Enamoro"
Pitbull -- "Bon Bon"
Shakira -- "Gypsy"
Shakira Feat. El Cata -- "Loca"
Shakira Feat. Freshleyground -- "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)"

Top Dance Song:
Lady Gaga -- "Bad Romance"
Lady Gaga Feat. Beyonce -- "Telephone"
La Roux -- "Bulletproof"
Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina -- "Stereo Love"
Yolanda Be Cool & Dcup -- "We Speak No Americano"

Top Christian Song:
Kris Allen -- "Live Like We're Dying"
MercyMe -- "All Of Creation"
Sanctus Real -- "Lead Me"
tobyMac -- "Get Back Up"
Chris Tomlin -- "Our God"

Additionally, Billboard editors identified three bands from six regions of the U.S. based on a variety of factors, including Heat Score, a formula that measures online fan engagement and drives Billboard's Uncharted chart of emerging artists. Through a contest called "Cruze-ing To Vegas" sponsored by Chevrolet, consumers cast over 217,000 votes, narrowing the competition down to one band from each region. These final six group favorites will each receive the keys to a Chevrolet Cruze for a road trip that will take them from their home base to Las Vegas.

A camera crew will follow each of the bands and will document their journey as they play gigs along the way, rock out to the Cruze's standard XM radio, and engage with fans online and in person. The six bands will communicate with their fans while on the road through blogging, tweeting and by creating and sharing playlists, building a viral audience and improving their social Heat Score, one of the many goals as they set their sights on Las Vegas. All six of the bands will arrive at Fremont Street in Las Vegas on May 18th to compete in the ultimate battle of the bands. The winning band will then be honored as the "Dreamseeker Artist of the Year" at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards.

The six finalists for Dreamseeker Artist of the Year are:

From the Northwest, Hotels (Seattle, WA)
From the West, AJ Rafael (Moreno Valley, CA)
From the Southwest, Otenki (Houston, TX)
From the Midwest, Lightning Love (Detroit, MI)
From the Southeast, Side by Side (Charlotte, NC)
From the Northeast, Gentlemen Hall (Boston, MA)

About Billboard

Now in its 117th year, Billboard is the world's premier music brand consisting of Billboard magazine, Billboard Events, Billboard Bulletin, Billboard.biz and Billboard.com—the online destination of choice for millions of music fans. The Billboard brand is built on its exclusive charts and unrivaled reporting on the latest news, issues and trends across all genres of music. Most recently, Billboard launched the new Uncharted ranking of undiscovered artists, tracking their rising popularity across the Internet. Billboard reaches tens of millions of consumers daily through many strategic relationships with major companies including Reuters, SanDisk, Telemundo, Microsoft Zune, Napster, GTech, Motorola, AT&T, Sony Music Entertainment and Amazon. These relationships leverage Billboard's brand recognition, proprietary chart data and information resources to develop products, live events and print, television, radio, digital and mobile platforms. Billboard produces conferences year-round with programming to address music's role in media and entertainment, including music showcases and awards shows to spotlight talent. In addition to North America, Billboard operates businesses in Brazil, Greece, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Billboard is owned by Prometheus Global Media, a diversified company with leading assets in the media and entertainment arenas, including: Music (Billboard and its related conferences and events, including The Billboard Latin Music Awards), Entertainment (The Hollywood Reporter, Backstage, ShowEast, Cineasia, and CineEurope); and Advertising & Marketing (Adweek, Adweek Conferences and The CLIO Awards).

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

About The LVCVA

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With approximately 149,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 10.5 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.VisitLasVegas.com.

About the MGM Grand Garden Arena

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Billy Joel, U2, 'N Sync, Sting, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to the annual Academy of Country Music Awards and the Frozen Fury NHL pre-season game which features the Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche.

About Don Mischer Productions

Don Mischer is an internationally acclaimed producer and director of television and live events. He has been honored with fifteen Emmy Awards, a record ten Directors Guild of America Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement, two NAACP Image Awards, a Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting and more. Don Mischer Productions credits range from We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial and the 100th Anniversary of Carnegie Hall; to the Super Bowl Halftime Shows (Prince, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen), and the Opening Ceremonies of both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games to name a few.

SOURCE Billboard

CONTACT: ABC Media Relations: Edwin Escobar +1-818-460-7758, Edwin.Escobar@abc.com; or Nicole Marostica, +1-818-460-6783, Nicole.Marostica@abc.com; or Prometheus Global Media for Billboard: Elissa Lumley, +1-212-493-4048, Elissa.Lumley@prometheusgm.com

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