"A Dark Reflection": Why Major Airlines Don't Want You To See This Movie

HORSHAM, England, Oct. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Drama conveying truth is what feature films such as "Fast Food Nation", "Erin Brockovich" and "The Insider" have in common. The first uses drama to expose unknown perils in the fast food industry, and the others retell of personal sacrifice and heroics that brought truth to light.

Photo - http://photos.webwire.com/prmedia/49604/191650/191650-1.jpg
 
Fact Not Fiction Films' most recent feature, "A Dark Reflection", similarly conveys a truth regarding passenger air travel amongst the major airlines. Based on actual events, this film tells a compelling story that raises awareness regarding the air quality made available to captive airline passengers.
As a former British Airways captain, Director and Producer Tristan Loraine delivers an investigative thriller about two British journalists, who whilst investigating a hushed up in-flight safety incident, discover aviation's biggest cover-up. Spurned by catastrophic events and cover-ups, this independent feature ultimately pits corporate profit against the public's safety.

"My first documentary triggered a public inquiry in the UK, and this fact filled drama is something major airlines will not want you to see," explains Loraine.
Filmed in England and Jordan in 2013 and 2014 on Fuji 35mm film, "A Dark Reflection" completed final post-production in early September 2014 and facilitated by Artist View Entertainment is due for worldwide release in 2015.

For further information contact:
Tristan Loraine at Fact Not Fiction Films
adr@factnotfictionfilms.com
+44 (0) 7968 213862
To view the trailer and read recent reviews, visit adarkreflection.com
This release was issued through WebWire®. For more information, visit http://www.webwire.com.
Press Release URL:
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=191650
SOURCE Fact Not Fiction Films

Fact Not Fiction Films' most recent feature, "A Dark Reflection" To Reveal Aviation's Darkest Secret At The American Film Market (AFM) in Santa Monica  

HORSHAM, England, Nov. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The recent Virgin Galactic tragedy, like the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, have again raised the questions 'Were these accidents preventable? Who knew the risks?'

Fact Not Fiction Films' most recent feature, "A Dark Reflection" screenings today, November 7th and tomorrow November 8th at AFM, conveys a truth regarding passenger air travel amongst the major airlines. Based on actual events, this film tells a compelling story that raises awareness regarding the air quality made available to captive airline passengers. A truth that was endorsed in the High Court of Australia in 2010 when Joanne Turner won her 18-year fight for justice, resulting in compensation for injuries due to her exposure to toxic chemicals onboard a commercial jetliner.

The filmmaker contends that airlines, and their bosses, have withheld the truth for decades that passengers have been exposed to toxic chemicals onboard aircraft. This issue is one that the filmmaker, and others, have repeatedly communicated to the airlines, "So the airlines can never claim that they didn't know", begins former British Airways captain, Director and Producer Tristan Loraine of "A Dark Reflection".
As a former British Airways captain, Tristan delivers an investigative thriller about two British journalists, who whilst investigating a hushed up in-flight safety incident, discover aviation's biggest cover-up. Spurned by real events, this independent feature ultimately pits corporate profit against the public's safety, and as a surprise to those who have researched the topic, the film was partially financed by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.

"Aircraft are flying with no form of contaminated air detection systems. Passengers are being exposed and never told. It's a breach of their human rights," concludes Loraine.
Filmed in England and Jordan in 2013 and 2014 on Fuji 35mm film, "A Dark Reflection" completed final post-production in early September 2014 and facilitated by Artist View Entertainment is due for worldwide release in 2015.

For further information contact:
Scott Jones at Artist View Entertainment
scott@artistviewent.com
+1-818-752-2480
Tristan Loraine at Fact Not Fiction Films
adr@factnotfictionfilms.com
+44 (0) 7968 213862

To view the trailer and read recent reviews, visit adarkreflection.com
This release was issued through WebWire(R). For more information, visit http://www.webwire.com.
Press Release URL:
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=192604
SOURCE Fact Not Fiction Films



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Irish Woman Wins Global Writing Contest

 Amanda Cinelli of Newbridge, Ireland. Photo Credit: Irish Independent.

"I entered the competition two years ago with the same manuscript and didn't make the final cut but an editor did express an interest," said Amanda.

"She asked me to send her the completed manuscript but I panicked and had doubts about my writing so I never did."

But Amanda was inspired to re-enter the competition this year, after having her daughter Zara in January.

"I thought having my first baby would make writing difficult but it made me all the more dedicated.

Offered Two-Book Publishing Contract with Harlequin/Mills & Boon

NEW YORK, LONDON, TORONTO, SYDNEY, AUCKLAND, and JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Harlequin (Harlequin.com), a leading publisher of books for women, added a compelling final chapter to its tremendously popular So You Think You Can Write (SYTYCW) 2014 event by announcing Amanda Cinelli of Newbridge, Ireland, as the winner of its writing contest and the recipient of a two-book contract with Harlequin/Mills & Boon.

Out of approximately 500 entries, ten manuscripts were selected by Harlequin's editors and presented for public vote. Ms. Cinelli's manuscript, entitled Resisting the Sicilian Playboy, received 39 percent of all ballots cast—the highest proportion for any entry in the history of So You Think You Can Write. The County Kildare resident was elated when she was notified by telephone of her win by Mills & Boon editor Carly Byrne and USA TODAY bestselling author Sharon Kendrick, the writing mentor assigned to Ms. Cinelli during the final stages of the contest. Ms. Kendrick is a Harlequin Presents and Mills & Boon Modern Romance author who has had over 80 titles published by Harlequin. Please click here to view "The Call."
Resisting the Sicilian Playboy describes the story of a thirtysomething wedding planner who must rely on the owner of an Italian castle to pull off the celebrity wedding of the year.

"Amanda's entry initially stood out because of a memorable opening scene, and the rest of the manuscript lives up to the promise of those first pages," said Ms. Byrne. "The characters have interesting emotional issues to overcome—such as infertility—and the historic castello, where much of the story takes place, is very atmospheric. We are delighted to offer Amanda her first publishing contract—she possesses a fresh and exciting voice that is well suited to the Harlequin Presents series."

In addition to an offer of a two-book series contract with Harlequin/Mills & Boon, the SYTYCW 2014 prize includes a series-specific editor, marketing and PR support, social media training, and a summit meeting with the creative team. Resisting the Sicilian Playboy is scheduled to be published digitally on or close to Valentine's Day 2015 with a print edition to follow. To help her celebrate the fantastic news, Ms. Cinelli is also being presented with a gift card to be used on a champagne dinner for two.
Ms. Cinelli is the first Irish entrant to win the So You Think You Can Write contest. Previous winners hail from the United States and Canada.

Harlequin will also be reaching out to more than twenty additional authors whose contest entries showed promise. Harlequin's editors hope to work with them to revise their manuscripts for resubmission with the publisher.  Harlequin is proud of its reputation as a leading traditional publisher that continues to read slush submissions and work with unpublished writers. Many romance stars like Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber started their careers by working closely with a Harlequin editor.

The So You Think You Can Write contest follows Harlequin's annual online writer's conference where hopeful romance novelists get to spend time with more than 50 Harlequin editors from New York, London and Toronto through social media tools, including podcasts, videos, blogs, live chats, community discussions and Twitter events. Aspiring authors are led through a virtual week-long "boot camp" designed to teach them how to write a romance novel that will attract the attention of publishers.

So You Think You Can Write will return for its sixth conference and contest in September 2015.
For more information, please visit soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com.

Website:	soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com or sytycw.com
Twitter Account:	@sytycwglobal
Hashtag:	#sytycw14
Facebook:	facebook.com/soyouthinkyoucanwrite

About Harlequin Harlequin (www.Harlequin.com) is one of the world's leading publishers of books for women, with titles issued worldwide in 34 languages and sold in 102 international markets. The company publishes more than 110 titles monthly and more than 1,300 authors from around the world. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world. Harlequin has offices in 18 countries, including offices in Toronto, New York and London. For more information, please visit Harlequin.com and Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks. Follow Harlequin on Twitter: @HarlequinBooks.

About HarperCollinsHarperCollins Publishers is the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, with operations in 19 countries. With nearly two hundred years of history and more than 65 unique imprints around the world, HarperCollins publishes approximately 10,000 new books every year, in over 30 languages, and has a print and digital catalog of more than 200,000 titles. Writing across dozens of genres, HarperCollins authors include winners of the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals and the Man Booker Prize. HarperCollins, headquartered in New York, is a subsidiary of News Corp and can be visited online at corporate.HC.com.

Media Contacts
North AmericaPenny Tantakis
Harlequin
416.391.7008
penny_tantakis@harlequin.ca
United Kingdom/Ireland/South AfricaClaire Adams
Cherish PR
+44 208 735 4240
claire.adams@cherishpr.com
Australia/New ZealandAdam Van Rooijen
Head of Digital & Marketing, Harlequin
+612 94159245
avanrooijen@eHarlequin.com.au
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111102/NY98979LOGO
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SOURCE Harlequin
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Video and Data Optimization Can Deliver $28 Billion Net Gain to Mobile Operators

 Video and data optimization can deliver $28 billion net gain to mobile operators over five years, independent analysis for Opera reveals 

OSLO, Norway, and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile operators globally can benefit from a net gain of at least $28.7 billion over five years by deploying mobile video and data optimization technology in their networks, according to new findings from ABI Research, revealed by Opera Software's Skyfire unit today.

The independent research, carried out on behalf of Skyfire, details how video and data optimization can positively impact quality of experience for users, which directly translates into reduced churn and subscriber tariff upgrades. It can also dramatically reduce operators' capital and operational expenditures through the expansion of virtual capacity, resulting in significant total-cost-of ownership (TCO) savings.
Key findings, based on a conservative assumption that if just one in three operators deploys video and data optimization technology, the savings and revenue boost will therefore be as follows:

•	Churn-reduction savings:	$12,947 million
•	Tariff-upgrade revenue boost:	$6,481 million
•	Total-cost-of-ownership reduction savings:	$9,347.6 million
•	Total over 5 years:	$28,776 million

Mobile video and data optimization technology play a significant role in all three areas. Churn reduction savings are brought about by boosting the quality of experience for users, which leads to additional revenues from retained customers. Operators can generate additional income from a proportion of end users through upgrades to higher tariffs, driven by improved quality of experience and, therefore, a greater desire for more data. TCO savings are based in part on boosts in software-based virtual capacity for mobile video, which result in more video being played successfully per unit of CapEx.

"The continued rise in data consumption continues to put substantial pressure on mobile operator networks, and user experience is now seriously suffering as a result. End users are hurting, and many operators are using 'band aid' equipment patches and fixes to keep existing networks and infrastructure up and running – hardly a long-term solution," says Nitin Bhandari, Skyfire CEO and Opera SVP of Operator Products. "This new analysis from ABI Research demonstrates that mobile video and data optimization can make a significant and positive impact both to the subscriber experience and an operator's own user-experience KPIs. These elements all combine to bring enormous financial benefit to operators' business performance."

Regional variations
ABI Research developed an interactive "Mobile Video & Data Traffic Solutions Analyzer" that allows seven developed and emerging-market operator scenarios to be evaluated to assess the impact of mobile video and data optimization.

The model uses actual country market data, from economic and demographic data to mobile operator subscription and radio access network (RAN) deployment data.
The analyzer produced the following outputs for each region, combining to form the "Total worldwide revenue boost, churn and TCO savings":

• Asia-Pacific: $9,320 million
• North America: $6,375 million
• Western Europe: $4,954 million
• Eastern Europe: $2,610 million
• South America: $2,600 million
• Africa: $1,784 million
• Middle East: $1,133 million

"During the course of our interviews with the mobile operator community, it became clear that many networks have been historically designed to only support the sporadic needs of a voice and messaging client base. End-user expectations are rapidly evolving; operators must now deploy mobile data and video optimization solutions that can effectively enhance the amount of traffic the operator can handle in a given location," says Jake Saunders, Vice President and Practice Director, ABI Research. "Our research, and analyzer, shows that the potential benefits of mobile video and data optimization translate not only to expanded virtual capacity and reduced capital infrastructure spend, but also to reduced churn by delivery of a more satisfactory and richer mobile internet experience. Even in a monthly data quota environment, there is an opportunity for operators to up-sell the mobile internet experience to their customers."

Sample use casesPhilippines, churn reduction: Using the Philippines market, where there is some 4G subscriber adoption (2.5 million) but a much larger proportion on 3G (22 million), the average data throughput in the base station cell edge zones is estimated to be 365 Kbps without optimization. Boosting the quality of experience by enabling 30% to 60% greater data throughput can boost overall subscribers by around 2% per year and increase the subscriber retention rate equating to additional retained service revenues of US$204 million over a 5-year period.

Brazil, tariff upgrade: Using a conservative scenario of 2%, ABI Research calculates that an operator in the Brazilian market can generate an additional US$474 million in service revenue over a 5-year period from its 3G and 4G subscribers, attributed to faster user data rates and improved QoE.

Rocket Optimizer Rocket Optimizer, from Opera Software's Skyfire unit, is a robust and surgical mobile video optimization solution that provides operators with Experience Assurance and cloud-based mobile video Quality of Experience (QoE) management. In August, Skyfire announced that it had added streaming audio optimization to the platform, and, in April, announced Rocket Insights, a video analytics dashboard that helps operators better manage their network loads by providing real-time analytics.

Further information and detailNetwork operators wishing to explore the Mobile Video & Data Traffic Solutions Analyzer should contact Opera's Skyfire unit at http://www.skyfire.com/about/contact.

About Opera Software ASAOpera products enable more than 350 million internet consumers worldwide to discover and connect with the content and services that matter most to them, no matter what device, network or location. In turn, we help advertisers reach the audiences that build value for their businesses. Opera also delivers products and services to more than 120 mobile operators around the world, enabling them to provide a faster, more economical and better network experience to their subscribers.

Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. 'Opera', 'Opera Software', 'Opera Mini' and the 'O' logo are trademarks of Opera Software ASA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

SOURCE Opera Software ASA
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What Motivates Online Behaviors? - A.T. Kearney Global Research Reveals Outstanding Facts

A.T. Kearney Global Research on Connected Consumers Looks at What Motivates Online Behaviors 
Continuous connectivity is a universal phenomenon - over 50 percent of the study participants are connected every waking hour Link between connectivity and consumption is complex; behaviors vary widely across geographies  

CHICAGO, Nov. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, A.T. Kearney released the results of the study "Connected Consumers Are Not Created Equal: A Global Perspective," that is focused on better understanding today's connected consumers – Who are they? What motivates them? How do they move from connectivity to consumption and what are the implications for global brands and retailers? Based on the findings the study provides recommendations for retailers and brands.
The research found that there are four important motivations for connected consumers across the globe:

• Interpersonal connection – 73 percent of participants said that connecting with other people is a key motivation for going online. Strong in India (94 percent), Nigeria (89 percent) and China (88 percent)
• Exploration – Globally, 95 percent of respondents agree that the need to find and learn new things is a primary motivator for going online.
• Self-expression – Sharing opinions with others through the Internet is particularly strong in emerging markets and places where offline self-expression is limited. In China, Nigeria, and India, more than 85 percent of respondents say that the ability to express their opinions is a key reason for being online
• Convenience – Means different things—for some it is sports and movies, for others it is home delivery

Forty-six percent of respondents say social networks are the biggest draw for their time online, but there are big differences. In Brazil, Nigeria, India, and Russia people spend more time on social networks than any other activity; in the United States, Germany, and Japan social networks are not a main focus of online activity.

Hana Ben-Shabat, A.T. Kearney partner and co-author of the study, noted, "The need for connection, self-expression, exploration, and convenience has changed the roles that brands and retailers play. To be successful, brands and retailers must address these needs by building communities, entertaining, and educating consumers and maintaining an ongoing dialogue."

How does connectivity and online activity have an impact on consumption? In mature markets, only a few consumers say that they respond to banner ads or pop-ups (in the U.S. only 7 percent say they click on banners or advertisements). However, a high percentage of consumers in South Africa, Brazil, India, China and Nigeria are open to online ads and are willing to check out the offers behind them. In Nigeria, 93 percent of respondents say they click on banners and ads at least sometimes; in India (84 percent) and China (83 percent).

The influence of social media on consumption varies dramatically by country and by age. Between two-thirds and three-quarters of connected consumers in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan say they rarely or never consider social media chatter when thinking about products, services, or brands to buy. However, the majority of consumers in China, India, South Africa, Brazil, and Nigeria will use social network feedback in shopping. Chinese consumers value social media commentary: almost 95 percent say they occasionally or frequently use social networks to evaluate products, services, or brands.

Mike Moriarty, A.T. Kearney partner and study co-author, noted, "Physical stores remain the foundation of retailing. Ninety percent of retail sales occur in stores, and of people who buy 'online,' 50 percent of the sales go through online sites run by retailers with physical stores.  For those consumers that buy something exclusively online, chances are (67 percent) these consumers will go to a physical store to discover, test, taste or get their friends to weigh in on the decision. The key point is that the debate should not be a question of digital vs. physical. Successful retailers understand how each customer touch point adds value in the eyes of customers, and they develop omnichannel strategies that maximize customer satisfaction and profitability."

To read the full report, "Connected Consumers Are Not Created Equal: A Global Perspective" please go to www.atkearney.com/connectedconsumers. 

About the Study
The Connected Consumer Study was conducted in July 2014, and covered 10 countries with 10,000 evenly distributed respondents. The survey comprised 29 questions; four were customized for market-specific household incomes, education systems, popular social networks, and shopping websites. The responses were census-representative in every country. We achieved an almost even split between men and women and census appropriate representation of income groups in each market.

About A.T. Kearney
A.T. Kearney is a leading global management consulting firm with offices in more than 40 countries. Since 1926, we have been trusted advisors to the world's foremost organizations. A.T. Kearney is a partner-owned firm, committed to helping clients achieve immediate impact and growing advantage on their most mission critical issues. For more information, visit www.atkearney.com.

About the A.T. Kearney Global Consumer Institute
The A.T. Kearney Global Consumer Institute is a worldwide network of professionals and executives. The Institute combines proprietary and public data resources with local knowledge to deliver strategic and operational insights to executives in consumer-facing industries seeking long-term growth and competitive advantage. For more information, please contact gci@atkearney.com.
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SOURCE A.T. Kearney
CONTACT: Meir Kahtan, Meir Kahtan Public Relations, LLC, +1 212.575.8188, mkahtan@rcn.com
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Nigerian Ambassador's Stupid Anger Against the US Refusal to Sell arms to Nigeria

 President Barack Obama and Mr. Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, Nigeria's ambassador to the United States of America.

It is really interesting to read the report on Mr. Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, Nigeria's ambassador to the United States criticizing Washington for refusing to sell lethal weapons to Abuja to fight the Boko Haram Islamic terrorists according to the Associated Press on Yahoo News. And he was also quoted saying the extremists otherwise would have been defeated long ago if the US had sold the required arms to the Nigerian government to fight the rampaging Boko Haram insurgents in the Middle Belt and northern states of Nigeria. What an irrational statement and clearly shows the ignorance and stupidity of the Nigerian ambassador.  So, without arms from the US, Nigeria cannot protect the lives and properties of the largest population in Africa?

 Abubakar Shekua, ruthless leader of the Boko Haram.

Boko Haram soldiers in action. Boko Haram is the common nickname for Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'Awati Wal-Jihad (People Committed to the Prophet's Teachings for Propagation and Jihad)
Boko Haram terrorists have attacked and killed more than 5,000 people, targeting mostly Christians in the northern states and Middle Belt of Nigeria.
Only ignorant fools are criticizing the US and they are the idiots in the southern states and outside Nigeria who don't have any clue on the facts that the CIA found out on the brains behind the Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria. The US knows that the Nigerian government is implicated in the insecurity in the north with Boko Haram having access to the military depots of the Nigerian army and President Goodluck Jonathan cannot be trusted with Shekau making his videos in open savannahs and the Nigerian air force claiming not to know his whereabouts?
You wonder what has happened to the signals unit of the Nigerian army, because simple military intelligence is enough to end the insurgency destroying thousands of innocent lives and properties worth billions of naira in northern Nigeria.

President Goodluck Jonathan admitted that the Boko Haram terrorists have infiltrated his government.

The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan watches as AK 47 guns are freely carried and used by nomadic Hausa Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt and other parts of Nigeria and his Minister of Defence cannot stop the illegal use of these deadly arms against harmless civilians who are mostly farmers who feed the nation and the government watches as these defenceless and powerless farmers are attacked and murdered in their villages and farms without arrests and no prosecution of the marauders on rampage in the Middle Belt and northern states. Then sophisticated arms are exchanging hands in the Niger Delta as the so called militants are still attacking and kidnapping foreign workers and you wonder what happened to the Amnesty truce for which billions of dollars have been spent on the pacification of the Niger Delta militants whose leaders have become instant multimillionaires from questionable government contracts awarded by President Jonathan.

The US also saw how President Jonathan deployed a battalion of soldiers to frighten and bully voters during the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun states of All Progressives Congress (APC), the opposition party and saw how trucks of bags of rice from the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) supplied political bribes to the hungry poverty stricken voters to rig the election in Ekiti and the denouncement of that election by the highly esteemed Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka is enough for the US to dismiss the fake results. And who is Ayo Fayose of the PDP compared to the APC's Kayode Fayemi, whom the US and international community have known for years as Director of the Centre for Democracy & Development, a research and training institution dedicated to the study and promotion of democratic development, peace-building and human security in Africa. He was a prominent leader of the Nigerian opposition to military rule in exile and was responsible for the founding and management of the opposition radios – Radio Freedom, Radio Democracy International & Radio Kudirat and played a central role in the opposition’s diplomatic engagements in exile. And this is the person that President Jonathan manipulated the electoral process in Ekiti to defeat in favour of Ayo Fayose. Who is Fayose in the democratic struggle of Nigeria? Even where was President Goodluck Jonathan when Fayemi, Tinubu and other comrades were marching against the draconian tyrants of military misrule in Nigeria before 1999? And this is the kind of government that the US should sell arms to?



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MICHELE Watches Celebrates Girl Rising Co-Founder Holly Gordon With "My MICHELE Moment"

 Holly selected the Serein Diamond Watch with whisper white quilted strap (PRNewsFoto/MICHELE) source: MICHELE media contact info: Quin Acciani, 646-443-2067.

RICHARDSON, Texas, Nov. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of her work as co-founder of Girl Rising, a global movement for girls' education, MICHELE watches is celebrating Holly Gordon as the next "My MICHELE Moment" recipient. Girl Rising raises awareness and funding for girls' education in communities around the world, and motivates global leaders to take action. As Executive Director, Holly sets strategy and leads the campaign, which was named the #1 Most Dynamic Social Initiative of 2012 by Forbes magazine.

Reflecting our desire to celebrate extraordinary women, MICHELE is gifting a watch to women who have accomplished exceptional milestones, in honor of their achievements. With the "My MICHELE Moment" campaign, recipients will be able to choose from several different watches and straps in order to make the timepiece distinctly their own. Look for photos of the winners by using the hashtag #MyMICHELEMoment.

ABOUT THE BRAND:
Showcasing hand-set diamond cases, Swiss movements and mother-of-pearl dials, the MICHELE design philosophy blends timeless elegance with contemporary fashion. Renowned for interchangeable straps, MICHELE features materials sourced from around the world. Inspired by extraordinary women, MICHELE watches bring a touch of luxury to every day.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141110/157772
SOURCE MICHELE
CONTACT: Quin Acciani, 646-443-2067



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Is President Goodluck Jonathan At War With Nigerian Youths?

 President Goodluck Jonathan may provoke mass demonstration against his administration by millions of angry Nigerian youths before the presidential election in 2015.

The office of President Goodluck Jonathan is angry with the incessant verbal attacks on His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan by majority of Nigerian youths in the social media who are the largest voting bloc in Africa's most populous country preparing for another presidential election in 2015. An election that will decide the future of the nation for the best of for the worst.

The engagement of Levick, an American public relations and lobbying firm in Washington, D.C has not done much for the international image of the President since Levick does nothing more than distributing the press releases of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that any dummy can do and for this unnecessary contract, Levick received over US$1 million.
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/210635-nigeria-hires-pr-for-boko-haram-fallout
Imagine how many jobs can be created for jobless Nigerian youths with US$1 million. That huge sum of money is enough to start a cottage industry that will employ over 1, 000 people. And recently exposed is another questionable engagement by the Nigerian embassy in America, spending over $300, 000 and $400, 000 to engage Mercury Public Affairs LLC to do the work the incompetent Nigerian staff of the embassy cannot do. But these useless PR contracts have only provoked more angst among Nigerian youths with millions of them graduating from tertiary institutions without jobs and without any social security and then the government announced that prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members will pay N4,000 to process their call-up letters online when majority of them are from poverty stricken families and processing such so called call-up letter should not even cost up to N500 per person and in fact should be done online without physical trips to their respective schools.

Now the office of the President according to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, is angry with critics using the social media to call the President names and has said that such critics will no be spared. And majority of these critics are Nigerian youths online.

Nigerians youths are angry, because majority of those who have been attacked, maimed and even murdered by the Boko Haram terrorists are youths.And the government has failed to account for the thousands of Nigerian youths killed in several horrifying terrorist attacks like the following cases among several others.

6 July 2013 Yobe State school shooting: 42 people, mostly students, were killed in a school attack in northeast Nigeria
14 April 2014 2014 Chibok kidnapping: Government properties, including the only girls' secondary school, attacked. At least 16 killed or missing, and 234 female students kidnapped. The Boko Haram militants said it would treat them as slaves as part of the "war booty
14 April 2014 April 2014 Abuja bombing: Two bombs explode at a crowded bus station in Abuja, Nigeria, killing at least 90 people and injuring more than 200.
20 May 2014 Jos: Twin bomb explosions kill 118 people.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Boko_Haram_attacks_in_Nigeria

A government that cannot account for the lives of the youths is an incompetent government. And now threatening to deal with them for criticizing President Goodluck Jonathan is only worsening their angst against his maladministration.



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Harry Belafonte and other Stars Shine at the 2014 Academy Governors Awards

SNTV - Stars Shine at the 2014 Academy Governors Awards

Legendary Harry Belafonte, screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, actress Maureen O'Hara and Japanese film director and animator Hayao Miyazaki gathered on stage after receiving their Governors Awards. Photo Credit: Reuters.

 The Academy's Governors Awards took place in LA and the annual event saw the film industry's A-List line the red carpet. The evening celebrates those who have been honoured with an award from ...



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Top 50 Billionaires in the World

 William Henry "Bill" Gates III, currently the richest person in the world.

Rank	Name	Worth	Country of Citizenship
1	Bill Gates	$82.1 bn	US
2	Carlos Slim Helu & family	$80.2 bn	Mexico
3	Warren Buffett	$70.2 bn	US
4	Amancio Ortega	$58.1 bn	Spain
5	Larry Ellison	$50.2 bn	US
6	Charles Koch	$42.6 bn	US
6	David Koch	$42.6 bn	US
8	Christy Walton & family	$38.5 bn	US
9	Jim Walton	$37.2 bn	US
10	Michael Bloomberg	$35.8 bn	US
11	Alice Walton	$35.7 bn	US
12	Robson Walton	$35.7 bn	US
13	Liliane Bettencourt & family	$35.4 bn	France
14	Mark Zuckerberg	$33.2 bn	US
15	Bernard Arnault & family	$31.2 bn	France
16	Stefan Persson	$31 bn	Sweden
17	Li Ka-shing	$30.9 bn	Hong Kong
18	Sheldon Adelson	$30.3 bn	US
19	Larry Page	$30.1 bn	US
20	Sergey Brin	$29.6 bn	US
21	Jeff Bezos	$27.7 bn	US
22	Carl Icahn	$25.7 bn	US
23	Michele Ferrero & family	$24.9 bn	Italy
24	David Thomson & family	$24.2 bn	Canada
25	George Soros	$24 bn	US
26	Forrest Mars Jr	$23.8 bn	US
26	Jacqueline Mars	$23.8 bn	US
26	John Mars	$23.8 bn	US
29	Jack Ma	$23.5 bn	China
30	Steve Ballmer	$23.1 bn	US
31	Mukesh Ambani	$22.6 bn	India
32	Jorge Paulo Lemann	$22.2 bn	Brazil
33	Lee Shau Kee	$22.1 bn	Hong Kong
34	Phil Knight	$22 bn	US
35	Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud	$21.5 bn	Saudi Arabi
36	Michael Dell	$21.4 bn	US
37	Aliko Dangote	$21.3 bn	Nigeria
38	Dilip Shanghvi	$19.6 bn	India
39	Len Blavatnik	$19.2 bn	US
40	Tadashi Yanai & family	$18.4 bn	Japan
41	Leonardo Del Vecchio	$18.1 bn	Italy
42	Alisher Usmanov	$17.8 bn	Russia
43	Laurene Powell Jobs & family	$17.2 bn	US
44	Robin Li	$17.1 bn	China
45	Paul Allen	$17.1 bn	US
46	Theo Albrecht Jr & family	$16.9 bn	Germany
47	Michael Otto & family	$16.6 bn	Germany
48	Charles Ergen	$16.6 bn	US
49	Masayoshi Son	$16.5 bn	Japan
50	Anne Cox Chambers	$16.1 bn	US

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Program to Create Educational Opportunities for Out-of-School, Displaced Nigerians

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 54,000 out-of-school and internally displaced children and youth in three fragile northern Nigerian states will be the target of a new initiative that provides basic education and support services through formal and non-formal learning, Creative Associates International announced. (www.CreativeAssociatesInternational.com)

Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the new project seeks to expand access to quality education opportunities for displaced and out-of-school children and youth ages 6-17 in Bauchi, Gombe and Adamawa states—where violence and insecurity have led to their absence from classrooms.
The Nigeria Education Crisis Response program plans to increase the availability of safe and protective learning spaces, and integrate core academic subjects, life skills and wraparound services like socio-emotional support.

"This program targets some of the most vulnerable children in the world: girls and boys living in a tumultuous environment where schools themselves have become targets of violence," says Charito Kruvant, Creative's CEO. "By creating safe learning opportunities within and outside of schools, we can preserve the prospects of kids who might otherwise be left out."

Creative is implementing the three-year, $15 million Nigeria Education Crisis Response program in partnership with the International Rescue Committee and more than 30 Nigerian civil society organizations.
Nigeria has more out-of-school children today than any country in the world, according to the United Nations—10.5 million—of whom 60 percent are girls living in the North. Violent attacks and kidnappings have forced schools to close and thousands of families to flee with their school-age children.
Violence and insecurity have created uneven and worrisome levels of dropout in some schools and overcrowding in others, limiting the access of internally displaced children and youth, and burdening host communities and teachers.

Previous success augurs impact for youth and adolescent girls  The program builds on Creative's previous work in northern Nigeria. Its USAID-funded Nigeria Northern Education Initiative strengthened basic education systems in Bauchi and Sokoto states by working with the government to address learning, teaching, school management, parental participation and responsiveness to children's needs—including orphans and vulnerable children. (http://www.creativeassociatesinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Nigeria_NEI.pdf)

In addition to training more than 3,500 teachers on literacy, math, life skills and psychosocial counseling, that project realized a 33 percent boost in student enrollment, with girls registering an impressive 38 percent jump.

Increasing access through non-formal educationThe Nigeria Education Crisis Response program will expand access to quality, protective and relevant alternative educational opportunities for internally displaced and out-of-school children and youth through 1,176 non-formal learning centers—some set up for adolescent girls in particular. Along with supporting these centers, which accept children of all ethnicities and religions, the project will undergird opportunities offered by churches, formal schools, community centers and other places that address the needs of girls, orphans and vulnerable children, displaced persons and other deprived youth.

It will establish non-formal learning centers in Qur'anic and church schools in order to incorporate life skills classes, student support services that are traditionally absent and a core academic curriculum that includes literacy, numeracy, Social Studies, and Basic Sciences.

In each of the educational environments it supports or establishes, the Nigeria Education Crisis Response program will improve the quality of teaching and learning materials for literacy, math and life skills.
It will also work to increase community engagement and support for schooling. In this way, parents and community members will be aware of the new educational opportunities, understand and value the services they provide and support enrollment.

And by increasing state and local government and civil society support for non-formal education and alternative education options, the Nigeria Education Crisis Response project seeks to not only ensure collaboration but generate sustained funding and policy support from the state.
Jerrold Keilson, Vice President and Senior Director of Creative's Education for Development Division, emphasizes the project's focus on access and quality.

"Working with teachers, engaging communities so they can support their schools and revitalizing classroom materials so real learning takes place in classrooms all contribute to the project's long-term success," he says.

About Creative Associates InternationalCreative Associates International works with underserved communities by sharing expertise and experience in education, economic growth, governance and transitions from conflict to peace. Creative is the second-largest company owned by women that works with the U.S. government.

Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a staff of almost 1,100 professionals working around the world. Since 1977, it has worked in 85 countries and on nearly every continent. Recognized for its ability to work rapidly, flexibly and effectively in conflictive environments, Creative is committed to generating long-term sustainable solutions to complex development problems.
For additional information, please visit: www.CreativeAssociatesInternational.com.
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SOURCE Creative Associates International
CONTACT: Michael J. Zamba, Senior Director of Communications, Creative Associates International, Tel. (202) 966-5804
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