All set for World's Biggest Communication Forum in Davos Switzerland

All set for World's Biggest Communication Forum in Davos Switzerland 

All is  set for the World's biggest Communication Forum in Davos Switzerland,  from 8-9 March, 2016. Communication professionals, CEOs, representatives of ministries, global media practitioners and some of the world's most influential PR and marketing communications personalities will get together to discuss the key trends in the field of global communications at the WCF Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

4th Toronto Black Film Festival #TBFF16 announces line-up - Feb 10 to 14, 2016

 

4th Toronto Black Film Festival #TBFF16 announces line-up - Feb 10 to 14, 2016 

Toronto's biggest celebration of Diversity on screen during Black History Month through Cinema and so much more! www.torontoblackfilm.com

TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2016 /CNW/ - The Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF) announced today the programming line-up for the 4^th edition of the festival, presented by Global News in collaboration with TD Bank, running February 10-14. Coinciding with Black History Month, the TBFF is proud to host another year celebrating diversity within the black communities through powerful films, exciting panels and special events.
"TBFF showcases the most outstanding and amazing black films while creating a space to debate major cultural, social and socio-economic issues," said Fabienne Colas, President and Founder of the Festival. "Festival-goers will have the chance to see actors and directors from here and abroad sharing their passions. There's something for everyone!"

Could Political Uncertainty be Helping to Drive America's Stock Markets Down?

Could Political Uncertainty be Helping to Drive America's Stock Markets Down?

CHICAGO, Jan. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Since January 1, the political fortunes of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have soared, while U.S. investor sentiment has taken a sharp bearish turn, with the Dow and S&P each down more than 10 percent.

Iran Remains World's Chief Sponsor of Terrorism - Saudi Foreign Minister

Saudi Foreign Minister: Iran Remains World's Chief Sponsor of Terrorism

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir denounced Iran's support for terrorism and said the U.S. is well aware of Iran's mischief. Minister Al-Jubeir made the remarks today during a joint news conference with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry following the meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers, which was held in Riyadh.
"Iran remains the world's chief sponsor of terrorism," said Minister Al-Jubeir. "Iranian government institutions are still designated as terrorist organizations. And Iranian officials, including in the security services, are wanted for terrorism."

"I think the United States is very aware of the danger that Iran's mischief and behavior...I don't believe the United States is under any illusion as to what type of government Iran is," he added.

During his visit, Secretary Kerry also met with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

SOURCE Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office
CONTACT: Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office, Washington, D.C., press@saudiembassy.net  

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Ghana: The Bumpy Road To Economic Recovery

Inside Ghana. Photo Credit: The Today Post.

Ghana: The Bumpy Road To Economic Recovery 

WASHINGTON, 21 January 2016 / PRN Africa / -- The IMF has approved a third disbursement of $114.6 million to help tackle Ghana's economic recovery.

The financing arrangement in place since April 2015, could provide the country with more than $900 million over 3 years to help the country rebound after years of increasing debt, high inflation, and currency depreciation.

UN Women's HeForShe IMPACT CEOs from Fortune 500 Companies Reveal Gender Data

UN Women's HeForShe IMPACT CEOs from Fortune 500 Companies Reveal Gender Data

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten of the world's leading companies have released new workforce gender diversity figures, including details on leadership roles and board membership, in UN Women's inaugural HeForShe Parity Report. The unprecedented disclosure was announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where many of the firms' heads gathered alongside Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson.

The 62 Richest People Are As Wealthy As Half The World

The 62 Richest People Are As Wealthy As Half The World The shocking extent of financial inequality around the world has been laid bare by a new report from Oxfam. It found that in 2015, 62 individuals owned as much wealth as the poorest half of the world's population. It also criticised the amount of money being kept in offshore tax havens. That comes to an estimated $7.6 trillion - more than the GDP of the UK and Germany combined. 

~  By  Niall McCarthy, Data Journalist

niall.mccarthy@statista.com +49 (40) 4134 989 17 

Source: Statista.

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Gameloft Opens New Office in Nigeria To Reinforce its Business Presence in Africa

Gameloft Reinforces its Business Presence in Africa with the Opening of a New Office in Nigeria 

 PARIS, January 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Gameloft, a leading digital and social game publisher, continues its strategic expansion into Africa with the announcement of a new trade office in Nigeria. This new addition will allow Gameloft to reinforce its presence in the fast-growing mobile telecommunications market that is Africa.

Emirates and Boeing Launch ‘View from Above’

Emirates and Boeing launch ‘View from Above’
One of the largest branded aerial filming projects to date spanning 18 global destinations

Thursday, January 21, 2016 — DUBAI, U.A.E., 21 January 2015: Emirates and Boeing have partnered together to sponsor ‘View from Above’, one of the largest aerial filming projects ever conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones. Filming was conducted in 18 destinations on five continents including Emirates’ hub in Dubai and Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ home, Seattle. Footage for Dubai was provided by Dubai Film.

All of the films can be viewed here on the ‘View from Above’ site, enabling visitors to spin the globe to one of the 18 destinations, and be taken straight to their desired video.

Akon Joins Governments From South Africa, Mozambique, Egypt and Nigeria for Energy Access' at Powering Africa: Summit in Washington D.C

Akon Joins Governments From South Africa, Mozambique, Egypt and Nigeria to Discuss 'Energy Access' at Powering Africa: Summit in Washington D.C. Next Week 

LONDON, January 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Understanding the level of energy access required across such a diverse continent as Africa remains an on-going challenge for potential investors to determine project bankability. Senegalese musician Akon and his partners Samba Bathily and Thione Niang have launched Akon Lighting Africa, an innovative initiative focusing on beyond the grid investment in Africa.

Nigerian Children Have Become the Worst Victims of Terror

 Boko Haram girl child suicide bomber. Photo Credit: Lagos Today.

Nigerian children have become the worst victims of terror in every region in the country.
Boko Haram terrorists have attacked, kidnapped and murdered hundreds of them in the north; kidnappers have kidnapped many of them in the south and scores have been raped.

Girls as young as 10 years have been used as suicide bombers by Boko Haram.
A 9 year old  girl was kidnapped and raped to death last week in the south east.
An 8 year old girl was raped to death in a toilet in her school during school hours!
More than 6 million girls from poor families are  out of school.
Defenseless, helpless and powerless girls have become preys of predators on the prowl in Nigeria and we are going on with our respective lives without raising any alarm over this state of emergency.

Children hawking in Nigeria. Photo Credit:Nairaland. 

Primary school pupils in Kaduna, 2016.Thousands of Nigerian children from poor families go to schools where they have to desks and no seats. Photo Credit: Nairaland.
 
The President of Nigeria, the Ministers, Law makers, State Governors, Commissioners, Heads of Local Government Areas, Bishops, Pastors, Imams and other authorities have not responded to this emergency of the daily attacks on our innocent helpless children God has given us!
No child asked to be born poor to suffer in horrible living conditions, become unfortunate victims of domestic violence and political conflicts. 
We asked for them for procreation, but we have failed to guaranty their safety and welfare.

The rich don't care about the children of the poor. The best they can do is to use them as housemaids and house boys and in most cases deprive them of going to school and prevent them from the realization of their dreams to fulfill their destinies. And we say we are true Christians and Muslims and Patriots?
How can we develop our nation when we fail to secure the future of our children who will succeed and survive us?  
This is a state of emergency and we must all join hands to rescue and save the most threatened children in Nigeria from poverty and political crisis.

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Terrorism Remains Major Threat in West Africa Despite Electoral Progress – Senior UN Official

Terrorism Remains Major Threat in West Africa Despite Electoral Progress – Senior UN Official 

NEW YORK, 14 January 2016 / PRN Africa / -- While peaceful and credible elections were held in several countries in West Africa in the past six months, violent extremism continues to pose a serious threat throughout the area, the top United Nations official for the region warned today.

Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the Best Civlian President and Head of State of Nigeria

Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, GCFR, Turakin Sakkwato, was duly elected as President of Nigeria in 1979 to usher in the Second Republic and his administration remains the most incorruptible and most democratic Nigerian government since independence of Nigeria. But the unfortunate military coup led by General Muhammadu Buhari on December 31, 1983 ended the Nigerian Dream of the Second Republic.
The flimsy excuses for the coup have shown us over the years that there was no realistic justification for the coup, except selfish ambition of young military officers who were impatient with the democratic development for the nation building of a New Nigeria.
When we look back now to that era, we become nostalgic, because since then Nigerians have been going through a sociopolitical nightmare and far from the Nigerian Dream of Shagari defined in his book My Vision of Nigeria edited by Aminu Tijjani and David Williams in 1981.

Shagari is greeted by BGEN Archer Durham upon his arrival for a visit. Location: Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, United States of America.
 
Shagari was almost as incorruptible as the first Prime Minister of independent Nigeria, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa whom Shagari worked for as Parliamentary Secretary and later as Minister of Economic Development in 1960, Minister of Internal Affairs in 1962 and Minister of Works and Survey in 1965; from when he was only a young man of 35 to when he was 40. From when young Shagari started his historic political career with his election to the Federal House of Representatives in 1954 when he was only 29 to when he became the second President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he remained an astute and resolute statesman.

I so much admired him that I made a life portrait of him in 1980 at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos and before his overthrow in December 1983, I was invited to represent Nigeria at two international children's books fairs in Japan for my children's book illustrations promoting the agricultural programme of Shagari's administration. And I was also the youngest participant.
The death of my great father, Sunday Eke on November 19 and the overthrow of Shagari's government the following month December 1983 changed the course of my life and the course of the Nigerian Dream of majority of Nigerians.

Read more about one of the greatest democratic leaders of modern Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shehu_Shagari


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Author of The Prophet Lied, In the House of Dogs, Diary of the Memory Keeper and other books.  
https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

 TOP REPORTS

Jan 15, 2016

• Posted at 13:18 WAT Terrorism remains major threat in West Africa despite electoral progress – senior UN official
• Posted at 10:00 WAT Teherán se convierte en el centro mundial de la sostenibilidad
• Posted at 03:00 WAT Iran: Anugerah Dunia Energy Globe - Tehran Sebagai Pusat Kelestarian Antarabangsa

Jan 14, 2016

• Posted at 22:42 WAT Secretary-General, in Briefing to General Assembly, States New Strategies for Preventing Violent Extremism, Address Large-Scale Refugee Movements
• Posted at 20:56 WAT Fin de l'épidémie d'Ebola en Afrique de l'Ouest : le monde doit tirer les leçons pour la prochaine épidémie
• Posted at 17:00 WAT Irán: Premios Energy Globe World - Teherán se convierte en el centro mundial para la sustentabilidad
• Posted at 16:15 WAT Pensions & Investments Acquires WorldPensionSummit and WorldPensionSummit Africa Special
• Posted at 13:48 WAT New UN emergency funds seek to aid 1.7 million Africans uprooted by Boko Haram violence
• Posted at 03:00 WAT Iran: Energy Globe World Award - Tehran Becomes the Worldwide Center for Sustainability

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Political Neurosis and Political Amnesia of Nigerians

The Nigerian political crisis of corruption and mediocrity is caused by the political neurosis of Nigerian political leaders and the political amnesia of the Nigerian masses.   

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Nigerian Tech Executive in America Launches Innovative "LiveMD" Platform

LiveMD Overview from LiveMD on Vimeo.

Innovative "LiveMD" Platform Revolutionizes Health Care Delivery in Countries Where Access To Expert Doctors is Severely Limited & Overpriced  

Now patients across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America can consult licensed physicians by phone, video or text affordably and immediately – from the comfort of their own home or office.

 
ATLANTA, Jan. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, patients in developing countries can search for and receive expert, highly-specialized care from licensed doctors around the world, by phone, video or text using the innovative Web-based LiveMD platform. Patients can use the site (www.mylivemd.com) to search for doctors by specialty, qualification, language, patient ratings, and location. Then they can communicate directly with those doctors for a nominal fee.

Patients in developing countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and India routinely have to travel hours to a hospital or clinic, even for a non-life threatening emergency. Once they arrive they still have to wait for hours, just to talk to a doctor for a few brief minutes, and they pay a very high cost for that consultation. But with LiveMD, they can conveniently speak to a licensed, qualified doctor who gives them their full attention. Plus patients can do it at any time, from the comfort of their home or office, using a phone or computer. As Emeka Okwara, Founder and CEO of LiveMD, explains, "A patient in Lagos, Nigeria can talk to a cardiologist in the United States for the same amount they will spend on a plate of rice."

Communication between doctors and patients can be done by phone, video chat, or text, or the patient can schedule a face-to-face appointment if that is preferable. LiveMD connects patients with doctors from the USA, UK, and other parts of the world without incurring any prohibitive long distance charges, and the entire LiveMD platform is localized to support all countries, time zones, and currencies. Payments to doctors can be processed safely and instantly via PayPal with all major credit cards, in more than 200 countries, including developing nations. All patient information is also carefully guarded with robust security protocols to ensure full compliance with HIPAA regulations.

Okwara, an accomplished technology executive, has spent almost two decades in the United States leading the delivery of world-class, multi-million dollar tech initiatives for companies including IBM, AT&T, and Delta Airlines. But to him the launch of LiveMD is also based on a personal passion to give back to communities in need. "I was raised in Nigeria," he says, "and while living in the USA I have made significant contributions in industries including telecommunications, health care, and computer technology. Now my mission is to ensure that people living in Africa and other developing countries also have access to the best, state-of-the-art health care."

LiveMD is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA but serves patients in developing countries. Licensed doctors wishing to join the LiveMD Global Medical Provider Network and offer medical consultation services to patients may submit applications at the LiveMD Website (www.mylivemd.com).

Contact:
Emeka Okwara
press@mylivemd.com
SOURCE LiveMD
CONTACT: Emeka Okwara, press@mylivemd.com

TOP REPORTS  
Nigeria: UN experts to assess rehabilitation and reintegration of women and children freed from Boko Haram.  

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Sitting Pretty Lawmakers at the National Assembly

Sitting Pretty Lawmakers At the National Assembly: The More You Look the Less You See

There are many lawmakers at the The National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who are what we can call sitting pretty senators and representatives, because the more we look at them, the less we see of what they have achieved for their respective constituencies. 

President Muhammadu Buhari presenting 2016 national budget at the National Assembly on December 22, 2015.

How many of them can show us what they have done for their constituencies so far?

There is nothing like constituency allowance. There is no such thing. It exists only in the imagination of the public. 
~ Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba. 

Whether there are constituency allowances or none, lawmakers elected by their people to represent them at the National Assembly must contribute to the sustainable development of their constituencies without apologies and regrets for their failures. 

Constituencies have the constitutional rights to recall lawmakers who failed to represent them. But many have failed to do so, because they have benefited from political bribes of these corrupt politicians whose selfishness and greed for power have made them to disregard their constituencies.

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UN Provides US$7Million for Nigerian Refugees in Chad

Internally displaced Chadian women, who fled Boko Haram threats, living with host families in Baga-Sola. Photo: OCHA/Mayanne Munan  

Chad: UN provides emergency funds for tens of thousands displaced by Boko Haram violence  

NEW YORK, 08 January 2015 / PRN Africa / -- With nearly 200,000 people in Chad in need of urgent aid – 50,000 of them uprooted by Boko Haram terrorists from Nigeria – the United Nations emergency fund today announced a $7 million grant, the second in five months, and called on international donors to provide much more.

AfDB and Nigeria To Spend $300m on Youth Employment in Agriculture Scheme

AfDB and Nigeria's Federal Government to spend US $300m on youth agriculture scheme

ABIDJAN, Côte d'Ivoire, 07 January 2016 / PRN Africa / -- The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Federal Government of Nigeria are planning for long-term solutions to youth employment in the agricultural sector. They will spend about US $300 million on the Enable Youth Empowerment Agribusiness Programme.

IFC, IFHA II, Swiss Re and CIEL Healthcare Invest in Hygeia Nigeria

IFC, IFHA II, Swiss Re and CIEL Healthcare Invest in Hygeia Nigeria to Expand Access to Quality Healthcare

WASHINGTON, 07 January 2016 / PRN Africa / -- IFC, a member of the World Bank Group; together with IFHA-II Cooperatief, a private equity fund focused on investing in the healthcare sector in Sub-Saharan Africa; Swiss Re, the reinsurance company; and CIEL Healthcare Africa Limited, a pan-African healthcare company, today announced an investment of $66.8 million in Hygeia Nigeria Limited, Nigeria's leading private healthcare company.

The new investment aims to improve healthcare infrastructure and increase access to quality healthcare services in Nigeria. In addition to providing capital, the partnership will increase and broaden the technical expertise at Hygeia and ensure global best practices through the involvement of Ciel Healthcare Africa. Ciel is working in association with Fortis, a leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. Through this project, Hygeia will have the capacity to reach more than two million patients over the seven-year investment period.

Fola Laoye, Chairperson of the Board of Hygeia Nigeria Limited, said, “As Nigeria's foremost and leading private integrated healthcare services provider, Hygeia is consistently seeking ways to improve and expand our offerings so that we can offer more Nigerians world class services at affordable rates and help to reverse the growing trend to travel abroad for care. IFC and IFHA, our long term partners, are working with us to achieve our aim of closing the gap of quality healthcare service delivery in Nigeria. We are excited to bring on board reputable new partners like Swiss Re and Ciel Healthcare Africa. We thank the Satya team for their support and commitment during a very important time of development for Hygeia.”

Hygeia, operates a network of two hospitals and three clinics under the Lagoon Hospitals brand and a health maintenance organization, Hygeia HMO.
It is expanding its operations by upgrading and increasing capacity at existing hospitals, including its management information system, and creating a new tertiary care hospital. The investment will allow Hygeia to expand its service offering in healthcare services and the HMO to allow greater access to quality healthcare in Nigeria.

Eme Essien, IFC Country Manager for Nigeria said, “IFC is committed to financing integrated healthcare networks to help increase access to quality healthcare. More people will get better access to quality and cost effective healthcare in Nigeria.”

“IFHA-II believes that we have a strong consortium of partners in place to help realize growth at Hygeia. Nigeria is a key market for IFHA-II and through our investment in Hygeia we will be able to expand access to quality healthcare across the country.” said Max Coppoolse, the Managing Partner of IFHA-II.
Hygeia HMO aims to consolidate its leadership position with its investment in world class information technology infrastructure that automates processes, ensures operational efficiencies and improves customer interface.

“Satya is proud of the role it has played in Hygeia's growth and the value it has helped create. We would like to thank our partners the Elebute Family and the entire Hygeia team for their dedication and hard work over the last six years. It has been a privilege to support their efforts to offer world class healthcare in Nigeria.” said Moez Daya, Managing Partner of Satya Capital.

“We wish the management and employees of Hygeia all the best as they continue on their journey to redefine Healthcare in Nigeria. This transaction is the culmination of many years of hard work, of which they should be justly proud” added Jide Olanrewaju, who led Satya's investment in Hygeia.

SOURCE International Finance Corporation (IFC)  

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Complete Speech of Christine Lagarde To the Nigerian National Assembly

Nigeria—Act with Resolve, Build Resilience, and Exercise Restraint By Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Speech to the Nigerian National Assembly Abuja, January 6, 2016 .

Nigeria—Act with Resolve, Build Resilience, and Exercise Restraint

WASHINGTON, 06 January 2016 / PRN Africa / -- Honorable Speaker of the House, Honorable Members of Parliament, Honorable Members of the Government, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning—and—Happy New Year!

Airtel and The Economic Times 'Global Business Summit' 2016: 'Rules of The New Global Economic Order'

Airtel and The Economic Times 'Global Business Summit' Announces its Second Edition to Define 'Rules of The New Global Economic Order' 

NEW DELHI, January 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
It was at The Economic Times Global Business Summit 2015 that the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, outlined his grand economic and development vision for the country for the first time. It was also at this event that Nobel Prize-winning economist, Paul Krugman, referred to India as "a country of the future".

Customer Service: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Seven in 10 Workers Polled Say They Would Contact a Company Following a Good Customer Service Experience  

MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- It's not unusual for customers to report bad service experiences, but it might surprise many to learn good deeds also get noticed. In a survey of office workers by staffing firm OfficeTeam, 71 percent of respondents said they are likely to contact a company with feedback after a good customer experience.

Perhaps not surprisingly, an even higher percentage (79 percent) stated they would reach out after receiving bad service. And those complaints may be coming in regularly: 42 percent of people polled said they encounter poor customer service at least monthly.

Most people are willing to give second chances to companies who flub first impressions: Only 15 percent said one bad customer experience would prompt them to never again work with that organization. Respondents are more likely to cut ties after two (44 percent) or three (23 percent) unfortunate incidents.
View an infographic of the survey findings or take a quiz to find out your customer service style here: officeteam.com/research/customer-service.

"It's not enough for companies to simply avoid giving poor service -- they should strive to provide exceptional customer experiences," said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. "People have more ways than ever to share their stories, good and bad. You want your organization to stand out for all the right reasons."

Hosking added, "Strong customer service skills are valuable regardless of your job title or industry. How you treat external and internal contacts shapes your reputation and affects your career advancement opportunities."