Deluxe(R) Commences Digital Cinema Expansion Plan in Europe

27 Jan 2012 11:00 Africa/Lagos

Deluxe(R) Commences Digital Cinema Expansion Plan in Europe

LONDON, January 27, 2012/PRNewswire/ --


-- GBP4M investment sees Deluxe's Digital Cinema operation increase capacity by 80%

Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. today announced the expansion of its UK Digital Cinema operation into a new purpose built facility. The GBP4M planned investment will increase capacity by nearly 80% to meet the demand of its theatrical distribution client base.

Over the past five years, Deluxe businesses worldwide have invested over GBP15M into their Digital Cinema offering and are considered leaders in Europe, working with the majority of major studios and film distribution companies. The expansion into Meard Street, Soho, will create a custom built Digital Cinema solution which will sit along side the film restoration centre also housed on site. The aggressive timeline will see the new facility completed within 6 months and will include the creation of six new preview theatres which can accommodate both film and digital formats. In addition, an advanced CXFS SAN Infrastructure will be at the heart of the facility together with dedicated storage for 'Babel', Deluxe's proprietary toolset for advanced 3D subtitling.

"We have been at the forefront of digital cinema for several years," says Peter Wright, Managing Director of Deluxe's digital operations in Europe. "Our Digital Cinema volume has increased ten-fold since we began offering the services in Europe, and this additional investment will see a substantial increase in capacity once again. This enhanced capacity also allows us to continue to deliver within the ever decreasing timeframe between delivery and release."

"The growth in our digital cinema business has been extraordinary over the past three years and this investment ensures Deluxe remains the natural partner for filmmakers and distributors not only in the UK but across the globe as they transition from traditional film acquisition and distribution workflows into the digital domain," says Ken Biggins, Managing Director of Deluxe Europe. "It is an exciting time for our business as we continue to partner with the filmmaking community and provide industry leadership and innovation to this exciting sector," adds Biggins.

The transition of film screens to digital has now reached over 20,000 across 6300 sites in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

About Deluxe

Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc., is a leading provider of a broad range of entertainment industry services and technologies to the worldwide entertainment industry including the Hollywood studios, broadcast/cable/satellite providers, digital distribution, gaming as well as content owners and creators. Services for content creation in features, television and commercials are offered in production, post production, digital distribution, marketing services and asset management. They include EFILM(R) and Company 3(R) digital intermediates; post production and subtitling services; titles design and digital VFX; DVD compression, encoding and authoring; advertising distribution and syndication services; digital cinema services, motion picture film processing and printing; and 2D to 3D conversioning. Post production facilities are located in North America, Europe, and Australia. Deluxe Digital Studios offer home entertainment services in North America, Europe and India. For more information, please visit http://www.bydeluxe.com/ByDeluxeWeb/loginAction.do.

Source: Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc.

Sally Reid, +44-7801-752224, +44-20-7878-0000, sally.reid@bydeluxe.com

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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Commits $750 Million to Global Fund

François Iyamuremye and his wife Jacqueline Niyifasha live with their children in Kayenzi, Rwanda. The couple are two of nearly 100,000 HIV positive people in Rwanda.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Commits $750 Million to Global Fund
10th anniversary of innovative aid program celebrates millions of lives saved

Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today renewed its commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Gates Foundation is giving $750 million through a promissory note—a new and innovative funding mechanism.

“These are tough economic times, but that is no excuse for cutting aid to the world’s poorest,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. “The Global Fund is one of the most effective ways we invest our money every year.”

Providing funding through a promissory note gives the Global Fund the flexibility and authority to distribute funds efficiently based on immediate needs, leading to greater impact.

“By supporting the Global Fund, we can help to change the fortunes of the poorest countries in the world,” said Gates. “I can’t think of more important work.”

Global Fund financing helps developing countries fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. This public-private partnership creates economic opportunity and makes those living in poverty less dependent on aid.

Since 2002, investments in the Global Fund have financed innovative prevention and treatment programs in 150 countries with high burdens of disease. The Global Fund continues to save 100,000 lives a month. The Fund has provided antiretroviral treatment to 3.3 million people, detected and treated 8.2 million people with tuberculosis, and provided 230 million bed nets to families to prevent malaria.

The new commitment is in addition to the $650 million the Gates Foundation has already contributed since the Global Fund was launched 10 years ago at the World Economic Forum, which convenes the world’s top business and political leaders.

The foundation commends the recent political and financial commitments to the Global Fund by donor governments. All donors – rich, middle-income and poor countries as well as the private sector – must continue to invest in the lifesaving work of the Global Fund.

On the heels of releasing his fourth annual letter yesterday in London, Gates continued to challenge global leaders to invest in innovations that are accelerating progress against poverty or risk a future where millions needlessly die. While there has been tremendous progress against AIDS, TB and malaria, more must be done. Through unique partnerships and new financing mechanisms, the global community has the opportunity to have an even greater impact and save more lives.

View the letter at www.gatesfoundation.org/annualletter

For a multimedia news package go to Gates Foundation on the Newsmarket

###

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. Learn more at www.gatesfoundation.org or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Contact:
Email: media@gatesfoundation.org
Phone: +1.206.709.3400

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Spinlet Showcases DJ Jazzy Jeff, Naeto C, Paul G, and Sesu in Cannes

28 Jan 2012 12:11 Africa/Lagos

Spinlet Debuts Digital Distribution Technology for African Markets at Midem 2012

SAN FRANCISCO, January 28, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

- Africa's Most Diverse Digital Music Platform Will Debut Technology and
Showcase with Top Acts including DJ Jazzy Jeff, Naeto C, Paul G, and Sesu in Cannes, France


The much-anticipated launch of Spinlet, Africa's premier digital distribution service will be celebrated this week on an international level at the Midem 2012 in Cannes, France. The Spinlet service will debut within Africa this February with over 200 thousand tracks making it the largest platform for music discovery throughout Africa.



To celebrate, Spinlet is hosting a showcase of African music on Monday, January 30th at the DaDaDa Club as part of the official Midem Off festival. Spinlet Night will feature two of Africa's hottest hip-hop stars Naeto C and Paul G as well as the rising soul and R&B star Sesu. Headlining the event is the world-renowned DJ Jazzy Jeff, who will be DJ'ing from the Spinlet catalog, including top songs from Ice Prince, D Grin, 2face Idibia, Tiwa Savage and more.


DJ Jazzy Jeff

Spinlet's launch means a paradigm shift in music distribution and the fight against piracy in one of the world's hottest emerging markets. "We are dedicated to working against piracy with structured deals in the artists favor and bringing in marketing support to create revenue and promotion of artists' music internationally," says Spinlet CEO Eric Idiahi. "Being on the ground in Nigeria, I see that our biggest competitors are pirated CD's on the street corner, we want to create value in the users eye and revenue for the artists."

Spinlet is supported on the most popular smart phones including Android, BlackBerry and Symbian^3 and is available for free download via the Android Market, Blackberry Store, and Symbian Platform. "We have partnered with an amazing catalog of artists, mobile carriers, payment providers and a variety of brands to support our network to ensure our users get a unique and quality experience," Says Spinlet founder and COO Sami Leino, "we are confident that the service speaks for itself, and users and artists alike will agree that is what sets us apart as Africa's top mobile music application."

Within Spinlet, users can remotely store, manage and listen to music from anywhere using their mobile device. Spinlet promotes social sharing with an interface that allows users to create accounts, make playlists and share their favorite titles using social-networking sites, such as Facebook with their friends. "We want to support African music in every way possible and that means promotion on every level, whether it be internally on the Spinlet application or at international events like Midem, the largest and most influential music industry conference in the world," says Idiahi.

This has made Spinlet the first stop in signing digital distribution agreements in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African Countries. Spinlet offers an array of multi-national, award winning music and has signed hundreds of artists and labels to the service. Additionally, any music rights holders can upload their music for sale on the Spinlet platform.

For press inquiries please contact: Melissa Adair // +1-415-503-7526 //E-mail: press@spinlet.com.


About Spinlet:
Spinlet is a lifestyle entertainment company focused on meeting the needs of music lovers allowing them to buy, listen, share, and manage music all within a user friendly mobile platform. http://spinlet.com

Source: Spinlet

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Nigeria: Between Dogs and Idiots

Nigerians protesting against corruption. Photo Credit: MSNBC Photo Blog


Between Dogs and Idiots


Nigerians are known as very religious people who are almost equally divided between Christianity and Islam, the two most popular religions in the world. Millions of the Christians love flocking to their different churches every Sunday and millions of the Muslims flock to their mosques every Friday and even cause traffic jams along their routes. But God knows that majority of them are UNFAITHFUL to their FAITH, because they don't even practice what their faith requires and which is a shame no matter how you twist it.

To me the most popular religion in Nigeria is Hypocrisy, because majority of Nigerians are the devotees of this religion of conceit and deceit. And these hypocrites are proud of their religion from the street to the pulpit and from the bedroom to the boardroom.

Those who are not like them are the endangered species among them.
They don't read and when they even read, they read for their philistinism.
Garbage In, Garbage Out (GIGO).
They have refused to learn the hard lessons of life from the past mistakes of humans in history.
In most cases, they are like father like son or like mother like daughter.
Alas! The chickens have come home to roost.

I have to come down to their domain and let them amuse me with their dog eat dog life.
You can really overcome them if you understand how to apply the Neoplatonic and Aristotelian logic.

During the nationwide strike over the removal of the scandalous fuel subsidy on petrol, hordes of them were on the street, protesting. But the same hordes pretending to be innocent and holier than the corrupt rulers and their cabal of the oil cartel are guilty of different scandals from within the dirty closets of their homes to their workplaces, cheating, lying and stealing in their conceit and deceit.
Among the legions of protesters were the employees and applicants writing numerous applications and sponsorship proposals to the various companies owned by the corrupt political contractors and the cabal of the oil cartel and would later be at their beck and call playing to their gallery to curry their favour. Nigeria is a black comedy of some sorts.

Even the transporters using diesel hiked the transport fares!
Those selling kerosene and using kerosene for cooking also inflated their prices.
A medium-size bottle of water that sold for N50 before the removal of the subsidy is now being hawked for N70 by many of them. And even girlfriends have increased their demands for welfare allowances. Brazilian hair weave is now costlier she claimed! And the taxi cab fare from Okokomaiko is now N4, 000 to Yaba.

You will never know the true character of a poor person until you test him or her with money and power. Then you shall see the true colours.

The so called poor masses are not holier than the so called rich rulers they were cursing during the street protests.

Let me share the following with you to conclude my article. It is a humorous piece from Rev. Emmanuel Oladipo, the International Secretary of the Scripture Union, who is the father of my best male friend who is from Esie in Kwara State, Nigeria.

True Tales...They Walk Among Us!

True tales......

Some guy bought a new fridge for his house. To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying: "Free to go home. You want it, you take it." For three days the fridge sat there without even one person looking twice at it. He eventually decided that people were too un-trusting of this deal. It looked too good to be true, so he changed the sign to read: "Fridge for sale 50." The next day someone stole it.

Whilst looking at a house, my brother asked the real estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning. She asked, "Does the sun rise in the north?"

When my brother explained that the sun rises in the east, and has for sometime, she shook her head and said, "Oh, I don't keep up with that stuff."
They Walk Among Us!!

I used to work in technical support for a 24/7 call center. One day I got a call from an individual who asked what hours the call center was open.

I told him, "The number you dialed is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."
He responded, "Is that Eastern or Pacific time?" Wanting to end the call quickly, I said, "Uh, Pacific”.
They Walk Among Us!!!


My colleague and I were eating our lunch in our cafeteria, when we overheard one of the staff talking about the sunburn she got on her weekend drive to the shore. She drove down in a convertible, but "didn't think she'd get sunburned because the car was moving".

My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car it's designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped. She keeps it in the trunk...They Walk among Us!!!!!

My friends and I were on a beer run and noticed that the cases were discounted 10%. Since it was a big party, we bought 2 cases. The cashier multiplied 2 times 10% and gave us a 20% discount....
They Walk Among Us!!!!!!

I was hanging out with a friend when we saw a woman with a nose ring attached to an earring by a chain. My friend said, "Wouldn't the chain rip out every time she turned her head?" I explained that a person's nose and ear remain the same distance apart no matter which way the head is turned...
They Walk Among Us!!!!!!!

I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area. So I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up.
She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. "Now," she asked me, "has your plane arrived yet?"...
They Walk Among Us!!!

While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding.
"Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces.
Yep, they walk among us, too!

They walk among us, AND they reproduce!
----------------------

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







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Nneka Announces March Tour Dates

Nneka Announces March Tour Dates



Releases Exclusive MP3 Premiere of “My Home (Coki of Digital Mystikz Remix” on The Fader.

It's been over two years since Nigerian-German songstress, Nneka, has toured the United States, and with the upcoming release of her third album Soul Is Heavy she's more than ready to return.

Nneka has also just released the Coki (Digital Mystikz) remix of “My Home” (premiered on Fader) which offers listeners a lively rendition of the heartfelt lyrics and powerful vocals derived from the original track. Nneka explains the song as the realization that “there is no peace on Earth until you accept that both bad and good are part of life.”

Encompassing a combination of hip hop beats, reggae grooves, brass riffs and African-pop, Nneka's album Soul Is Heavy is a raw and honest window into her beliefs of love, pain, politics and God. The album will be released on February 28th on Yo Mama's Recordings/Decon.

Nneka Tour Dates

3/6: Vancouver @ The Biltmore Cabaret

3/7: Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile

3/8: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge

3/10: San Francisco, CA @ Red Devil Lounge

3/11: West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour

3/13 – 3/17: Austin, TX @ SXSW

3/18: Houston, TX @ House Of Blues Bronze Peacock

3/21: Chicago, IL @ Double Door

3/23: Toronto @ Virgin Mobile Mod Club "Canadian Music Week"

3/24: Montreal @ Cabaret du Mile End

3/26: Cambridge, MA @ T.T. The Bear's

3/27: New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre

3/28: Philadelpha, PA @ Johnny Brenda's

3/29: Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java Music Club & Cafe

3/31: Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl

www.nnekaworld.com/

www.twitter.com/NNEKAWORLD

www.facebook.com/NnekaWorld


For more information please contact:

Pam Nashel Leto @ Girlie Action (212) 989-2222 x 111 Pam@Girlie.com

Jess Torraca @ Girlie Action (212) 989-2222 x 123 Jess@Girlie.com

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Calabar Carnival and the Governor’s Booth Tourism

PHOTOGRAPH IS FROM THE CALABAR CARNIVAL'S WEBSITE.

Calabar Carnival and the Governor’s Booth Tourism

For instance at the stadium yesterday (during the carnival), a seat at the governor’s booth sold for N25, 000 and I think that we made more than N5 million ($35, 000). So there are products that we think we can generate revenue from and we are hoping to get to a stage where we can concession it whereby somebody comes in and says I want the governor’s booth and pay for it then market it. The same on the carnival routes, vendors on the routes are registered and pay for space.

~ Senator Liyel Imoke, Governor of Cross River State in Nigeria, in DESTINATION , page 42, TRAVEL & TOURISM SECTION of The Guardian of Nigeria on Saturday January 28, 2012.


PHOTOGRAPH IS FROM THE CALABAR CARNIVAL'S WEBSITE.

Only God knows how much in billions of naira the administration of Senator Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has spent so far on the so called Calabar Carvival, dubbed as Africa’s Biggest Party . And as the governor himself confirmed, the carnival is presently in debt, because the state government is not generating much revenue from the billion naira investment in the annual December carnival of music, dance and drama with the glitz and razzmatazz of over 50,000 costumed revelers and "2 million spectators?" in the coastal city of Calabar staged to boost tourism. But the panorama is yet to attract even a thousand "Oyibo" tourists who as we know are scared of traveling to Nigeria, because of the spate of deadly terrorist attacks by the Boko Haram "Jihadists" on rampage in the north and Niger Delta militants kidnapping both foreigners and natives in the south. So the deplorable state of insecurity is enough to strangulate and puncture the colourful balloons of the optimism for tourism in Nigeria. But insecurity is not the only reason why the Calabar Carnival is not a bankable event for now?

The Calabar Carnival is a good concept of the immediate past Governor of the state, Mr. Donald Duke, who started it in 2004, but it has been mismanaged by opportunistic jobbers and political contractors like his other equally mismanaged Tinapa with an ultra modern film studio that has attracted more lizards and spiders than filmmakers.

Personally I like carnivals, but only when they are not bacchanalian feasts of debauchery for orgies of sex by hordes of “dogs” in heat. Because, carnival celebrations are believed to have roots in the pagan festival of Saturnalia.

The model of the Calabar Carnival is the famous Brazilian Carnival which originated in Rio de Janeiro in 1641 when the city's bourgeoisie imported the practice of holding balls and masquerade parties from Paris. It originally mimicked the European form of the festival, later absorbing and "creolizing" elements derived from Native American and African cultures.

Calabar Carnival begins on every 1st of December and lasts till 31st , with almost copycats and replicas of the Brazilian Carnival on parade.
Last December, the different bands like Masta Blasta, Seagull, Freedom, Bayside and Passion 4 competed to interpret the theme of the Carnival, which was "Endless Possibilities", but might as well also mean the endless financial liabilities of the jamboree with many useless events like the football competition and wasting money on foreign entertainers like Wyclef Jean, Nelly, Kirk Franklin, Sean Kingston, Rick Ross, Akon and even the defunct American bands like Midnight Star, Sky, Cool and the Gang and others specially resurrected for the Calabar Carnival and get paid what they would never have earned playing in New York today.



PHOTOGRAPHS ARE FROM THE CALABAR CARNIVAL'S WEBSITE.

There are some niche events in the Calabar Carnival that will be enough to attract thousands of foreign tourists than the indigenes and make millions even in a week and I don't think the Governor's Booth is one of them. Again, stop stretching the events unnecessarily for one month of monotonous activities repeated by the same bands every year.

You don’t need one month to do a great street carnival, except it is a conduit for sleaze and public graft and run an annual government racket.

The famous Rio de Janeiro's carnival does not last more than a week and this year’s edition starts on Saturday, February 18th and ends on Tuesday, February 21. In 2011, it attracted over 4.9 million people, of which 400,000 were foreigners.

The Calabar Carnival should focus on the panoramic fanfare of the pageantry of street floats, the Boat regatta, Christmas Village (with live music concerts and fashion shows to showcase the rich haute couture of Nigerian culture), and Governor’s Masked Ball should be strictly for paying audiences. And the carnival should be used to take tourists on excursions to the exotic tourist attractions in Cross River State.

~ By Orikinla Osinachi, prize winning Nigerian writer and author of Children of Heaven, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye Mugabe, In the House of Dogs and other book.

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'The Third Jihad' Producers Respond to Anti-Islam Claims

27 Jan 2012 16:30 Africa/Lagos

'The Third Jihad' Producers Respond to Anti-Islam Claims

NEW YORK, January 27, 2012/PRNewswire/ --


Film narrated by devout American Muslim;
Features top national security experts;
Received praise from leading policy makers


The producers of The Third Jihad: Radical Islam's Vision for America have a direct response to media outlets that have referred to the critically-acclaimed documentary as an "anti-Islam" or "hateful" film.

"Claims that The Third Jihad is an anti-Islam film are ignorant and misinformed," says Raphael Shore, Producer of The Third Jihad. "These claims are meant simply to defame the filmmakers and prevent the public from judging the film for themselves."

The film opens with the following frame in bold letters for all viewers to read: "This is not a film about Islam. It is about the threat of radical Islam. Only a small percentage of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims are radical."

The film's message urges the Muslim community to look within itself to root out the indoctrination that affects a minority of Muslims.

Narrator Dr. Zuhdi Jasser

"The New York Times and other media outlets are conveniently choosing to overlook the fact that the film isolates a small sector of the Muslim community, and more importantly that the film is narrated by Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, the founder and president of the American-Islamic Forum for Democracy [http://www.aifdemocracy.org ]," Shore added.

Dr. Jasser is a devout Muslim and a full-time physician and has served the United States of America admirably as medical officer in the US Navy and as an attending physician to the US Congress.

The documentary is founded on credible evidence presented by the FBI of a 'Manifesto' published by radicals calling for the implementation of extremist ideology-both violent and politicized-within the United States.

Yet the media are blasting the film's usage by the New York Police Department in their counterterrorism training.

"There is a very good reason the NYPD selected to show The Third Jihad to nearly 1,500 police officers, and other law enforcement agencies have done the same," Shore said. "The film deals with the very real process of radicalization and indoctrination of anti-American ideology taking place in some sectors of the Muslim community today."

While many media outlets are presently taking a noticeably negative stance - before even watching the film - the film has been spotlighted in over 100 interviews since its release in 2009.

The film's narrator, Zuhdi Jasser, has consistently appeared in mainstream media outlets including MSNBC, CNN and Fox News, and has published Op-Eds in numerous mainstream publications including the Wall Street Journal to point out concerning trends within the Muslim community.

Experts

Jasser is not the only credible expert to appear in The Third Jihad, nor is NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly.

The film's producers conducted exclusive interviews with:


- Former Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge,
- Former Director of Central Intelligence R. James Woolsey
- Former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani
- Former Associate Director of the FBI
- Former FBI Asst. Dir. of Public Affairs John Miller
- Senator Joseph Lieberman
- Professor Bernard Lewis
- New York Times Best-selling Author Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- Former CIA Officer Clare Lopez
- Former CIA Officer Wayne Simmons
- New York Times Best-selling Author Mark Steyn
- And more (http://tinyurl.com/about3J)


Screenings

Since its release in 2009, The Third Jihad has screened and continues to be screened at several hundred locations across the United States including at the Library of Congress, Museum of Tolerance, Directors' Screen Guild, and the National Press Club.

The film previously aired on cable television's AmericanLife TV Network, and is currently available on Netflix and Amazon OnDemand.

Praise

The film has also received notable praise from some of the nation's leading policy makers.

"It is imperative that The Third Jihad reaches a mass audience in the U.S. so that the urgency of this threat becomes clear to the American public," declared US Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Chairwoman of the House Foreign Relations Committee.

Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (AZ) said, "The Third Jihad alerts Americans to the dangers of Islamic radicalization in our own communities. Zuhdi Jasser is sounding the alarm before it is too late."

Rudy Giuliani called the film, "a wake up call for America."

"Those that have blasted the film are attempting to stifle an important debate about the internal state of the Muslim community in America, and whether politicized Islam and indoctrination pose tangible security threats," Shore added.

"We hope that the general public will consider the sensitive content in the film, and will not simply accept the baseless innuendos being made in the media. We invite the general public to watch and judge the documentary for themselves."

The Third Jihad is now available for free viewing online at http://www.thethirdjihad.com.


CONTACT:
Bat Sheva Gross
press@clarionfund.org
+1-646-308-1230 x213


Source: Clarion Fund

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IFC Partners with Advans S.A. to Set Up Microfinance Bank in Oyo State

27 Jan 2012 14:43 Africa/Lagos

IFC Partners with Advans S.A. to Set Up Microfinance Bank in Oyo State, Nigeria

LAGOS, January 27, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is investing $1.1 million (174.5 million Nigerian naira) alongside Advans S.A., German development bank KfW, and Dutch development bank FMO to establish La Fayette Microfinance Bank in Oyo State, Nigeria.


La Fayette, which is expected to start operations during the fourth quarter of 2012, will serve small and medium enterprises that have limited or no access to formal banking services. Financial surveys indicate that only one in five Nigerian adults owns a bank account, and over half of the country's adult population is excluded from access to financial services.


“With the objective of becoming the leading microfinance bank in Oyo State, La Fayette will address a critical gap by providing quality financial services to help small businesses grow and create jobs,” said Claude Falgon, Director of Advans S.A.


Advans S.A. will be La Fayette's lead shareholder with an equity investment of $3.1 million (501.0 million naira). IFC and KfW are each investing $1.1 million (174.5 million naira), while FMO is investing $940,000 (150.0 million naira).


Within five years, La Fayette expects to establish 11 branches, broadening access to finance and stimulating economic growth across Oyo State.


“Microfinance is a vital tool in the fight against poverty and forms a core part of IFC's efforts to support small-scale entrepreneurs in Africa,” said Solomon Adegbie-Quaynor, IFC's Country Manager for Nigeria. “In Nigeria, IFC aims to increase the number of commercially viable microfinance institutions, especially in under-served areas like Oyo State, so that a vibrant private sector can give rise to economic growth.”


IFC has a long-standing partnership with Advans S.A., which is building a network of microfinance institutions in developing countries across Africa and Asia. IFC is also a shareholder of Advans network banks in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, and Ghana. The Nigeria investment reaffirms IFC's partnership with Advans SA. to support entrepreneurs in Africa.


About IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in the international financial markets. In fiscal 2011, amid economic uncertainty across the globe, we helped our clients create jobs, strengthen environmental performance, and contribute to their local communities—all while driving our investments to an all-time high of nearly $19 billion.

For more information, visit www.ifc.org.


Source: International Finance Corporation (IFC) – The World Bank

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
27 Jan 2012
14:43	IFC Partners with Advans S.A. to Set Up Microfinance Bank in Oyo State, Nigeria
12:37	The American Graduate School in Paris Announces New Publication on the Resource Curse in Africa
10:28	26th Summit of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) opens on 28 January
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04:29	UN Security Council press statement on terrorist attacks in Nigeria

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EFA Celebrates Diamond Jubilee in Grand Style

PRESS RELEASE

Brussels, 27 January 2012

EFA 60 Years On

European Festivals Association (EFA) kicks off its Diamond Jubilee at the occasion of the annual round table with Commissioner Vassiliou

In 2012, the European Festivals Association (EFA) celebrates the 60th anniversary of its foundation. Under the motto “60 Years On: Festivals and the World”, the festival network is setting up a broad range of activities. Throughout the year, EFA will join forces with hundreds of festivals and its partners around the world to celebrate, commemorate and in particular reflect on the present and future of arts festivals. On 26 January in Brussels, 20 renowned festival leaders met Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, to confirm festivals’ contribution to the European integration process also in the future.

“Direct cooperation and dialogue with festivals and the Association, the real players in the field, is vital. I greatly appreciate EFA’s contribution. I am delighted about our exchanges on a future EU festival policy and congratulate EFA to 60 years of successful engagement for Europe,” underlines Androulla Vassiliou.

EFA was founded in Geneva/Switzerland in 1952 by philosopher Denis de Rougemontand composer Igor Markevitch. “Together with our 111 members – individual festivals, national festival associations and cultural networks – from 40 countries, sister organisations, and partners networks from all over the world, we will raise our voice for the arts, for culture and for festivals in Europe and the world,” states EFA President Darko Brlek.

A key highlight will be the Jubilee Gala from 23-26 May in Bergen/Norway, co-organised by the Bergen International Festival which also celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2012. The high-level event will welcome around 170 participants, including EFA's founding members, national and international politicians, sister festival networks from Africa, Asia and the Arab world, as well as the press.

The Jubilee Gala will be opened on 23 May in the presence of honorary public authorities from all over Europe and the world and Oleg Caetani, conductor and son of Igor Markevitch. It coincides with the opening of the Bergen International Festival which, in 2012, will offer an outstanding artistic programmation to its audiences: Stefan Herheim, one of the most significant and innovative opera directors of our time, with Xerxes by Händel (guest performance from Komische Oper Berlin).

“We are proud to host this historical event. In 2012, we aim to emphasise how the local, the national and the international are connected through artistic collaboration. The Jubilee Gala will demonstrate these dynamics,” stresses Per Boye Hansen, Director Bergen International Festival.

On 24 May, the Jubilee Conference takes place in co-production with the European House for Culture, the Access to Culture Platform and “A Soul for Europe”. Following the motto “Celebrate the Arts – Transform People – Imagine the World” issues to be discussed include: festivals as platforms for artistic expressions; as stages for audience participation (with new media as one tool); and as partners for the business world.Together with the co-organisers, EFA will set the “Bergen Agenda” engaging festivals in the years to come.

All details and initiatives set up by the Association and festivals around the world can be found on the newly launched Jubilee website (www.efa-aef.eu/efa60). It raises issues at heart of the festival business today and informs about publications to be released. Together with a new blog, “Festival Bytes”, the website is the place for everybody interested to become part of the activities. For more information please contact efa60@efa-aef.eu.


Contact:
Juliane Reissig
Communication Manager
European Festivals Association
Kleine Gentstraat 46
9051 Ghent/Belgium
T +32 9 241 8080 / F +32 9 241 8089
Juliane@efa-aef.eu / www.efa-aef.eu


The European Festivals Association (EFA) is the umbrella organisation for festivals across Europe and beyond representing more than 100 festivals, national festival associations and cultural networks from 40 countries. Information on EFA and its activities can be found on the EFA website at www.efa-aef.eu.

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Nigeria Needs Commandos and Mercenaries to Tackle the Storm Troopers of Boko Haram

Boko Haram terrorists

Nigeria Needs Commandos and Mercenaries to Tackle the Storm Troopers of Boko Haram

The latest intelligence reports across the borders have confirmed that the dreaded Boko Haram Islamic terrorist sect on rampage in the middle belt and northern region of Nigeria is linked to the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The AQIM provided them training in guerrilla warfare and Islamic psychological warfare which the Boko Haram put to good use in their insurgency in Nigeria. Therefore, the Nigerian government must face the Boko Haram with drastic counter insurgency operations on all fronts as the United States of America is doing in counter terrorism operations in the Middle East where Academi and other private forces were engaged in the military commando operations to tackle the Al Qaeda, Taliban and other Islamic terrorist forces.

The confirmation of the Al Qaeda link means that the mission of the Boko Haram is well organized and programmed to last for as long they are opposed by the government and others. Therefore, we cannot predict when the war against Boko Haram insurgents will end. The government should reorganize the Nigeria Armed Forces and have all the national law enforcement and security agencies reprogrammed on counter intelligence, counter revolution, counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations.
Nigeria needs these extra measures in modern anti-terrorism warfare and the engagement of commandos and mercenaries will tackle these insurgents squarely, because only commandos and mercenaries can go the extra mile in the battle of wits and the battle of wills against the suicidal mission of the Boko Haram.


A commando in action.

Only this way can help in the overall control and prevention of further terrorist onslaughts of the Boko Haram and other terrorist elements of the lunatic fringe on rampage in Nigeria and across the borders.


~ By Orikinla Osinachi, a prize winning Nigerian writer and TV/Film producer, the author of Children of Heaven (1988), Sleepless Night (2002), Scarlet Tears of London (2006), Bye, Bye Mugabe (2008) and In the House of Dogs (2011). He is also the editor of The Language of True Love (2006) and publisher of The Mandate of MKO Abiola (2007).

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