2007'02.11.Sun
WHO Global Task Force Outlines Measures to Combat XDR-TB Worldwide
October 18, 2006
Countries, WHO and Partners to Mobilize Response Teams to Confront Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
GENEVA, Oct. 18 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Health experts
have confirmed that the emergence of extensively
drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) poses a serious threat
to public health, particularly when associated with HIV. At
its first meeting, the World Health Organization (WHO)
Global Task Force on XDR-TB also outlined a series of
measures that countries must put in place to effectively
combat XDR-TB. In addition, the Task Force will help
mobilize teams that can respond to requests for technical
assistance from countries, and be deployed at short notice
to XDR-TB risk areas.
(Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040610/CNTH001LOGO )
These were among a series of outcomes issued by the
Global Task Force meeting held on 9 and 10 October in
Geneva. The meeting was urgently convened to review the
latest available evidence on the impact of highly resistant
tuberculosis, including when associated with HIV.
Addressing the Task Force, Acting Director-General of
WHO, Dr Anders Nordstrom, said the Organization was
"absolutely committed" to supporting country
efforts to fight TB in all forms.
"It is critical that urgent steps are taken to
address XDR-TB, especially in areas of high HIV
prevalence," said Dr Nordstrom. "At the same
time we should not lose sight of the need to make
long-standing improvements to strengthen TB control, and
build the necessary capacity in health services to respond
to drug-resistant tuberculosis."
Along with a call for countries to strengthen TB
control -- the key to preventing TB drug resistance -
consensus was reached on an XDR-TB case definition (see
below). In high HIV prevalence settings, there was also
agreement that control of XDR-TB will not be possible
without close coordination of TB and HIV programmes and
interventions.
The Task Force also made specific recommendations on
drug-resistant TB surveillance methods and laboratory
capacity measures; implementing infection control measures
to protect patients, health care workers and visitors
(particularly those who are HIV infected); access to
second-line anti-TB and antiretroviral drugs for countries;
communication and information-sharing strategies related to
XDR-TB prevention, control, and treatment including
co-management with antiretroviral therapy; and research and
development of new TB drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests.
WHO and Task Force members will now coordinate with
national and international partners involved in TB as well
as HIV prevention, care and treatment to take the
recommendations forward. They will also develop a plan
that identifies the resources required to implement these
outcomes and the overall emergency response.
Drug-resistant TB has emerged as an increasing threat
to TB control but a WHO / US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention study, published earlier this year,
documented for the first time cases of tuberculosis that
were extensively resistant to current drug treatments.
XDR-TB was identified in all regions of the world, though
it is still thought to be relatively uncommon.
Last month, concerns about the emergence of XDR-TB were
heightened by reports and studies from KwaZulu-Natal
province in South Africa of high mortality rates in
HIV-positive people with XDR-TB. This led to warnings that
XDR-TB could seriously threaten the considerable progress
being made in countries on TB control and the scaling up of
universal access to HIV treatment and prevention.
Among the first countries to request assistance to
strengthen its national emergency XDR-TB response, and the
extra challenges posed by HIV, is South Africa. The South
African Department of Health is to host an XDR-TB meeting on
17 and 18 October, with participation from WHO and
representatives from other affected southern African
countries.
WHO Global Task Force on XDR-TB, October 2006
Outcomes and Recommendations
Preventing XDR-TB through strengthening TB and HIV
control
To prevent the appearance and spread of drug-resistant
TB, the Task Force underlined as a priority the need for
the immediate strengthening of TB control in countries, as
detailed in the new Stop TB Strategy and Global Plan to
Stop TB 2006-2015. This should be done in coordination
with scaling up universal access to HIV treatment and care.
WHO and Task Force members will help mobilize teams of
experts that can be deployed in the field, at the request
of countries, to assist in strengthening TB control, and
where relevant HIV control.
There were also specific recommendations on:
Management of XDR-TB suspects in high and low HIV
prevalence settings: Accelerate access to rapid tests for
rifampicin resistance, to improve case detection of all
patients suspected of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) so
that they can be given treatment that is as effective as
possible. Rapid diagnosis is potentially life saving to
those who are HIV positive.
Programme management of XDR-TB and treatment design in
HIV negative and positive people: Adhere to WHO Guidelines
for the Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant TB;
Improve MDR-TB management conditions; Enable access to all
MDR-TB second-line drugs, under proper conditions; Ensure
all patients with HIV are adequately treated for TB and
started on appropriate antiretroviral therapy.
Laboratory XDR-TB definition:
XDR-TB is defined as resistance to at least rifampicin
and isoniazid from among the first line anti-TB drugs
(which is the definition of MDR-TB) in addition to
resistance to any fluoroquinolone, and to at least one of
three injectable second-line anti-TB drugs used in TB
treatment (capreomycin,kanamicin, and amikacin).
Infection control and protection of health care workers
with emphasis on high HIV prevalence settings: Accelerate
wide implementation of recommended infection control
measures in health care settings and other risk areas in
order to reduce the ongoing transmission of drug-resistant
TB, especially among those who are HIV positive.
Immediate XDR-TB surveillance activities and needs:
Strengthen laboratory capacity to diagnose, manage and
survey drug resistance; Commence rapid surveys of
drug-resistant TB so that the extent and size of the XDR-TB
epidemic, and its association with HIV, can be determined.
Advocacy, communication and social mobilization:
Initiate information-sharing strategies that promote
effective prevention, treatment, control of XDR-TB at
global and national levels and also in high HIV prevalence
settings; Strengthen communication with affected
communities and individuals; Develop a fully-budgeted plan
with the resources and funding required to address XDR-TB,
including through necessary improvements in overall TB
control and HIV care in the immediate and medium term;
Initiate resource mobilization.
Planning is also underway for a focused meeting in the
near future on research and development issues relating to
TB, including promoting the development of the new
diagnostics, drugs and vaccines that are urgently needed.
A meeting on antiretroviral therapy and XDR-TB is also
planned.
All WHO Press Releases, Fact Sheets and Features, as
well as other information on this subject, can be obtained
on Internet on the WHO home page: http://www.who.int .
For more information, please contact:
Glenn Thomas
Stop TB Department
WHO Geneva
Tel: +41-79-509-0677
Email: thomasg@who.int
Iqbal Nandra
HIV/AIDS Department
WHO Geneva
Tel: +41-79-509-0622
Email: nandrai@who.int.
SOURCE World Health Organization
PR
2007'02.11.Sun
GFI Colliers Launches Property Derivatives in Hong Kong
October 18, 2006
Potential to `revolutionise' HK$320bn annual turnover residential property market.
NEW YORK, Oct. 18 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- "GFI
Group Inc. (GFIG on Nasdaq), a leading inter-dealer broker
and Colliers International, a leading real estate
consultancy, have partnered in a Hong Kong property
derivatives joint venture. The venture, referred to as GFI
Colliers, provides broking services in property derivatives
to banks, funds and property companies."
A Hong Kong residential property index based on repeat
sales will support the market. This index was created and
will be maintained by the University of Hong Kong's
Department of Real Estate and Construction.
The broking desk at GFI Colliers will be staffed by
Stephen Moore and Christiaan van Beek. Mr. Moore has worked
for GFI in both London and Hong Kong, most recently in Asian
dollar bond markets. Mr. van Beek moves from Colliers
International's commercial leasing division in Hong Kong.
Piers Brunner, managing director of Colliers
International Hong Kong said, "The Hong Kong real
estate market is huge - the average annual turnover across
all residential areas is around HK$320bn. Colliers
International, working closely with GFI, can positively
contribute in the development of a derivatives market on
property prices, bringing the full depth of our local
expertise as much as our access to a global network."
"GFI has been a prime mover in UK property
derivatives and we intend to replicate this success in Hong
Kong", said, Jurgen Breuer, GFI's senior managing
director, Asia. "Derivatives will add a new dimension
to this already thriving market. GFI believes they will
enable faster, cheaper and more effective execution of
asset allocation strategies, short-term hedges, risk
transfer and geographical diversification, thus
revolutionizing property investment in Hong Kong."
Neither Colliers International nor GFI Group will take
a principal position in derivatives trades arranged by GFI
Colliers.
About GFI Group Inc. ( http://www.GFIgroup.com )
GFI Group Inc. ( http://www.GFIgroup.com ) is a leading
inter-dealer broker specializing in over-the-counter
derivatives products and related securities. GFI Group Inc.
provides brokerage services, market data and analytics
software products to institutional clients in markets for a
range of credit, financial, equity and commodity
instruments.
Headquartered in New York, GFI was founded in 1987 and
employs more than 1,300 people with additional offices in
London, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney and
Englewood (NJ) and Sugar Land (TX). GFI provides services
and products to over 1,700 institutional clients, including
leading investment and commercial banks, corporations,
insurance companies and large hedge funds. Its brands
include GFI(TM), Starsupply (R), GFInet (R), CreditMatch(R)
and FENICS (R).
About Colliers International. ( http://www.colliers.com
)
Colliers International is one of the leaders in
providing property knowledge solutions and services to its
clients in over 240 offices in 51 countries across six
continents. Colliers offers a full range of property
services: sales, leasing, property and project management,
valuation, research and consultancy. The firm's expertise
stretches from general agency services in the commercial,
industrial, retail and residential sectors to specialized
support, such as hotels and leisure property brokerage and
consultancy to facilities management.
Colliers International global network ensures both an
international perspective and an in-depth local knowledge
of the changes sweeping regional property markets. Through
its alliance, Colliers is supported by over 9,300 property
experts and extensive property and client databases,
enabling our professionals to access property opportunities
worldwide and to pursue client interests in a cost-effective
manner.
Forward-looking statement
Certain matters discussed in this press release contain
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this
press release, the words "anticipate,"
"believe," "estimate," "may,"
"might," "intend," "expect"
and similar expressions identify such forward-looking
statements. Actual results, performance or achievements
could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed
or implied by the forward-looking statements contained
herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely
on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are
not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with:
economic, political and market factors affecting trading
volumes, securities prices or demand for the Company's
brokerage services; competition from current and new
competitors; the Company's ability to attract and retain
key personnel, including highly-qualified brokerage
personnel; the Company's ability to identify and develop
new products and markets; changes in laws and regulations
governing the Company's business and operations or
permissible activities; the Company's ability to manage its
international operations; financial difficulties experienced
by the Company's customers or key participants in the
markets in which the Company focuses its brokerage
services; the Company's ability to keep up with
technological changes; and uncertainties relating to
litigation. Further information about factors that could
affect the Company's financial and other results is
included in the Company's filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
For more information, please contact:
Alan Bright
PR Manager, GFI Group
Tel: +44-(0)-20-7877-8049
Email: alan.bright@gfigroup.co.uk
SOURCE GFI Group Limited
2007'02.11.Sun
Boston Scientific Becomes Only Company With Two Drug-Eluting Stent Platforms With European Approval of Everolimus-Eluting PROMUS(TM) Stent System
October 18, 2006
PROMUS stent to complement Company's market-leading TAXUS(TM) stent systems
NATICK, Mass., Oct. 18 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Boston
Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) announced today that the
PROMUS(TM) everolimus-eluting coronary stent system has
received CE Mark approval, making Boston Scientific the
only company to offer two distinct approved drug-eluting
stent (DES) platforms in the CE geographies. This approval
allows Boston Scientific to begin marketing the new DES in
the 25 countries of the European Union and will support
market registrations in other regulated countries in Asia,
Latin America and Eastern Europe.
The PROMUS stent is a private-labeled Xience(TM) V
Everolimus-Eluting Coronary stent system manufactured by
Abbott and distributed by Boston Scientific. It will
complement Boston Scientific's market-leading TAXUS(TM)
paclitaxel-eluting stent systems. The Company expects to
launch the PROMUS stent in Europe in 2007.
"We are very pleased that CE Mark approval has
been granted for this important expansion of our
drug-eluting stent portfolio," said Paul LaViolette,
Boston Scientific Chief Operating Officer. "Boston
Scientific is proud to be able to offer clinicians the
choice of a paclitaxel-eluting stent and an
everolimus-eluting stent from the same company, for the
first time. We look forward to complementing the proven
safety and efficacy of TAXUS with the tremendous potential
of PROMUS, further demonstrating the breadth and depth of
our DES pipeline as well as our overall leadership in
supplying innovative products to interventional
cardiologists."
Boston Scientific's TAXUS stent system has a record of
proven outcomes, including over three million TAXUS stents
implanted in patients worldwide and clinical follow-up on
nearly 3,500 patients out to four years in TAXUS
randomized, controlled clinical trials. Positive results
for the Xience V stent were reported from the SPIRIT II
clinical trial at the recent World Congress of Cardiology
in Barcelona, Spain, showing that the Xience V stent met
its primary endpoint of non-inferiority to TAXUS as
measured by late loss at six months.
PROMUS and TAXUS are trademarks of Boston Scientific
Corporation or its affiliates. Xience V is a trademark of
Abbott. The SPIRIT Clinical Program is sponsored by Abbott
Vascular. PROMUS is not approved for sale in the U.S.
Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer,
manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products
are used in a broad range of interventional medical
specialties. For more information, please visit:
http://www.bostonscientific.com .
This press release contains forward-looking statements.
Boston Scientific wishes to caution the reader of this
press release that actual results may differ from those
discussed in the forward-looking statements and may be
adversely affected by, among other things, risks associated
with new product development and commercialization, clinical
trials, intellectual property, regulatory approvals,
competitive offerings, Boston Scientific's overall business
strategy, and other factors described in Boston Scientific's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For more information, please contact:
Geraldine Varoqui
Boston Scientific PR Manager International
Tel: +49-2102-489-461
Email: varoquig@bsci.com
Tracy Paul
BSC press office
Tel: +44-20-7413-3101
Email: tpaul@medicalknowledgegroup.com
SOURCE Boston Scientific Corporation
2007'02.11.Sun
American Family Signs New Exclusive Deal with Solera
October 18, 2006
Partnership Represents the Largest Agreement in Industry History
SAN RAMON, Calif., Oct. 18 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Solera announced today that American Family Mutual
Insurance Company has selected Audatex, a Solera Company,
as its vehicle direct repair claims management and
technology partner. American Family, the third-largest
mutual property and casualty insurer in the nation, has
decided to switch to Audatex solutions for its vehicle
repair claims technology, covering more than 2,700 users.
The deal represents an expansion of the current American
Family relationship with Solera. It marks the beginning of
a new era of partnership in the industry, with carriers
looking to combine technology, consulting and shared
services in one integrated offering. It is the fourth
agreement Audatex has signed with a top 10 insurance
carrier in the U.S. alone since Solera's acquisition of
Audatex.
"At American Family, our commitment is to provide
the best claim service we can to our customers," said
Dan Cunningham, Auto Operations Director for American
Family. "Proper technology solutions, combined with
customer-focused employees, help us meet that commitment by
streamlining service-delivery methods and providing us
meaningful data we can use to take our performance to an
even higher level."
"Our focus on American Family demonstrates the
value of Solera's vision," said Tony Aquila, Founder,
Chairman, and CEO of Solera, Inc. "By delivering
consulting, shared services, and claims technology, we have
a unique, intimate understanding of American Family and
their trading partners. Through this understanding, we
deliver tailored products and services that provide
unequalled quality and value at a competitive price."
About Audatex
Audatex, a Solera Company, delivers the industry's most
comprehensive, integrated suite of applications for claims
processing, estimating, shop and yard management, and
business analytics for performance management. Our
solutions help insurance carriers, collision repair shops
and automotive recyclers automate core business processes,
streamline workflow with industry partners, and manage
performance. Solera's operating companies employ over 2,000
associates in over 40 countries, and have a global network
of over 50,000 customers. The Solera companies include
Audatex in the United States, Canada, and in more than 35
additional international markets, Informex in Belgium,
Sidexa in France, ABZ in The Netherlands, and Hollander
serving the North American recycling market.
For more information, please contact:
Eric Chang
Audatex
Tel: +1-925-790-7350
Email: eric.chang@audatex.com
SOURCE Audatex
2007'02.11.Sun
OSS CEO Announces 15th International Conference on Information Operations (IO), Open Source Intelligence
October 17, 2006
(OSINT), and Peacekeeping Intelligence (PKI)
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Roberto
David de Steele y Vivas, former spy, founder of the USMC
Intelligence Command, #1 Amazon reviewer for non-fiction,
and CEO of OSS.Net, Inc., is pleased to announce the 15th
international conference on Information Operations (IO),
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), and Peacekeeping
Intelligence (PKI). Known as IOP `07, this event will take
place 14-20 January 2007 in Virginia, just west of
Washington, D.C.
Complete information about the conference, including
the final schedule, speaker photographs and biographies,
and a registration form offering substantial discounts for
those who register early, can be viewed at
http://www.oss.net/IOP . Four portions of the conference
are free but require pre-registration. Exhibits are open
to all.
This year the conference addresses the ten threats
identified by the High Level Threat Panel of the United
Nations. Speakers will discuss what can be known about
these threats using only open sources of information, and
how information can be applied to reduce or eliminate these
threats. Other speakers will address the sins of U.S.
foreign policy, the semantics of belief systems in war
& peace, global collaboration across all boundaries,
the future of information operations, performance economics
& reality-based budgeting, the Lucifer Principle and the
global brain, the Information Economy Meta Language (IEML),
the role of librarians as alternatives to spies, free open
source software for governments at all levels and also
non-governmental organizations, and finally why lies tend
to bury the truth, and what organizations and individuals
everywhere can do to achieve peace and prosperity through
the wise exploitation of information in all languages, all
the time.
Among the featured iconoclastic speakers are Greg
Palast on democracy in danger from lies; Webster Tangley on
9/11 as synthetic terror made in the USA; Michael Hiam on
"Who the Hell Are We Fighting," and Thomas Naylor
with Rob Williams making the case for the non-violent
secession of Vermont in the face of federal failure to
provide for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in
today's world.
The conference concludes with briefings on Serious
Games as educational and decision-support tools, on the
State of the Future, and on the future of intelligence.
Additional useful information is at the following:
http://www.oss.net
http://www.oss.net/BASIC
http://www.oss.net/LIBRARY
http://www.oss.net/FAILURE
http://www.oss.net/HOPE
http://www.oss.net/MIOC
http://www.oss.net/IO
For more information, please contact:
Robert Steele
OSS.Net, Inc.
Tel: +1-703-242-1701
SOURCE OSS.Net, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
The Secretary-General Sends Message to the China Poverty Eradication Awards Ceremony
October 17, 2006
17 October 2006
Delivered by Mr. Khalid Malik, United Nations Resident Coordinator
Delivered by Mr. Khalid Malik, United Nations Resident Coordinator
BEIJING, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The
Secretary-General of the United Nations sent a message to
those attending the China Poverty Eradication Awards
Ceremony. The message, delivered by Mr. Khalid Malik, the
United Nations Resident Coordinator at the ceremony, is as
follows:
"It gives me great pleasure to send my greetings
to all participants of this second China Poverty
Eradication Awards ceremony."
"Six years ago, world leaders made a commitment to
an ambitious but achievable set of human uplift measures
known as the Millennium Development Goals. Since then we
have made real but insufficient progress towards achieving
them."
"China, however, has stood out. You are already
well on your way to meeting most of the Millennium
Development Goals. Your remarkable economic growth has
helped to reduce poverty on a scale that is unprecedented
in human history. You have raised living standards and made
strides in the fight against hunger, disease and illiteracy.
That is good news not only for your country, but for all of
us. Because of China's size, the way it performs on
achieving the Millennium Development Goals is crucial to
how the world as a whole does in reaching them."
"While China's progress is undeniable, even it
faces significant challenges. The benefits of economic
growth have been unevenly distributed. Prosperity has
bypassed many rural poor, and the gap between different
segments of society has grown wider. Correcting this
imbalance requires a strong commitment by each and every
Chinese to the "putting people first" philosophy
underlying both the MDGs and China's own Xiaokang
principles for balanced development."
"That is why today's awards ceremony, with its
emphasis on joining hands against deprivation, has such
strong relevance for China and for the world. Eradication
of poverty is within our reach, but it requires the
engagement of all of society - globally as well as
nationally -- in a broad and sustained partnership for
development."
"These Awards testify to the power of that
message, and its recipients are inspirations to us all. I
congratulate them, and send my best wishes to all of you
for a successful conference."
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Zhang Wei
Communications Officer,
UNDP China
Tel: +86-10-8532-0715
Email: wei.zhang@undp.org
SOURCE United Nations Development Programme
2007'02.11.Sun
"All Together Working Out of Poverty" -- UNDP Wins China Poverty Eradication Awards
October 17, 2006
BEIJING, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) in China was honoured today
with the International Award in the China Poverty
Eradication Awards established by the China Foundation for
Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) and supported by the State
Council Leading Group on Poverty Alleviation (LGOP).
To commemorate and highlight the International Day for
the Eradication of Poverty, the Poverty Eradication Award
Presentation Conference was held today in Beijing. The
event was presided over by Vice Premier Hui Liangyu and
aimed to honour individuals and organizations that make
significant contributions to China's ongoing struggle
against poverty.
"This is a great acknowledgement of UNDP's work in
China and should be cause for pride as well as encouragement
for all of us in surmounting the challenges of the day and
remembering what it is we are working for," said
Khalid Malik, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident
Representative in China.
2006 marks the second instalment of the Awards, with
the first one held in October 2004. This year goes under
the theme "All together", which highlights the
need to mobilize broader participation from all parts of
society, particularly to encourage those who have already
benefited from economic growth.
The Awards covered 10 categories including special
personal achievement, innovation, volunteers, donation,
international award, self-struggle and dedication. Other
winners included the Amity Foundation, China Construction
Bank, China Children and Teenagers' Fund, China Lifeline
Express Foundation, among others.
In his congratulatory message to this particular event,
the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke highly of the
significant role China played in the global combat against
poverty. "China's remarkable economic growth has
helped to reduce poverty on a scale that is unprecedented
in human history, "he said: "Because of China's
size, the way it performs on achieving the Millennium
Development Goals is crucial to how the world as a whole
does in reaching them."
He went on underscoring the challenges facing China as
"prosperity has bypassed many rural poor, and the gap
between different segments of society has grown wider.
"
"Correcting this imbalance requires a strong
commitment by each and every Chinese to the `putting people
first' philosophy underlying both the MDGs and China's own
Xiaokang principles for balanced development," he
said.
Active in China since 1979, UNDP has supported over 600
projects with a total US$ 873 million and pilot sites on the
ground in almost every province of China. Over 90,000 rural
households have benefited directly from the 41 projects and
US$107 million dedicated to poverty reduction initiatives.
These projects include activities in such areas as
pro-poor fiscal reform, microfinance, participatory
development planning, poverty monitoring, developing green
technologies for the rural poor and setting up the China
International Poverty Reduction Center.
As UNDP takes a broader view on poverty reduction than
income poverty alone, its projects in China span across
HIV/AIDS prevention, gender equity, environmental
sustainability, governance and the rule of law. These
initiatives together form a comprehensive effort toward
poverty alleviation and equitable development.
The current country programme covers the period from
2006 to 2010 with a total budget of US$280 million
dedicated to supporting China in promoting balanced
development and reducing human poverty.
UNDP fosters human development to empower women and men
to build better lives in China. As the UN's development
network, UNDP draws on a world of experience to assist
China in developing its own solutions to the country's
development challenges. Through partnerships and
innovation, UNDP works to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals and an equitable Xiao Kang society by
reducing poverty, strengthening the rule of law, promoting
environmental sustainability, and fighting HIV/AIDS.
http://www.undp.org.cn
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Zhang Wei
Communications Officer,
UNDP China
Tel: +86-10-8532-0715
Email: wei.zhang@undp.org
SOURCE United Nations Development Programme
2007'02.11.Sun
Kenfair International Announces Debut of Its First Ever Trade Show in Macao -- "Mega Macao"
October 17, 2006
HONG KONG, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Kenfair
International (Holdings) Limited ("Kenfair
International" or with its subsidiaries the
"Group"; SEHK Code: 223) today announced its
first-ever trade fair in Macao -- "Mega Macao" --
will be launched in October 2007 at the Venetian Macao
Convention & Exhibition Center, the city's largest
exhibition venue to be opened in 2007. Subsequent editions
of the show will also be scheduled at the peak sourcing
seasons in April and October at the venue.
Mr. Herbert Ip, Chairman of Kenfair International,
said, "Due to the booming entertainment industry,
world-class hotels, comprehensive transportation networks
and other infrastructures has sequentially completed in
Macao and since The Macao SAR Government has determined to
transform Macao into an important exhibition and convention
city in the Pearl River Delta, we discovered the immense
potential of this city's exhibition industry, therefore we
extend our reach to Macao."
Mr. Javed Khan, General Manager of Kenfair
International, said, "Taking place in the Venetian
Macao Convention & Exhibition Center, 'Mega Macao' will
accommodate over 2,000 booths, making it the largest
international trade fair in the city."
Mr. Wolfram Diener, Vice President of Convention &
Exhibition, Venetian Macau Limited congratulated Kenfair on
the strategic move during the press conference and wishing
the "Mega Macao" to be a great success.
At the press conference, Kenfair International
appointed 9 companies from 7 countries and regions
including China, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines,
Vietnam, India and Indonesia as agents to promote the show
in their respective country or region.
"Like other trade fairs of the Group, 'Mega Macao'
will serve as a direct platform for both exhibitors and
buyers to establish sales contacts and grasp lucrative
business opportunities in the region and we expect the show
to be a great success," Mr. Ip concluded.
About Kenfair International (Holdings) Limited
Established in 1991, Kenfair International (Holdings)
Limited is a leading trade fair organizer in Hong Kong.
Its flagship trade exhibitions include "Mega
Show" Series, Table Object Asia, Hong Kong Spring
Fair, Hong Kong International Furniture Fair in Hong Kong,
Asia Expo in London, Las Vegas and Poland.
For more information, please contact:
Liz Liu / Ezena Tang
Tel: +852-2311-8216
Fax: +852-2311-6629
Email: liz.liu@kenfair.com / ezena.tang@kenfair.com
Web: http://www.kenfair.com
SOURCE Kenfair International (Holdings) Limited
2007'02.11.Sun
Hawaii Inconvenienced But Emerges Virtually Unscathed From October 15 Earthquake
October 17, 2006
HONOLULU, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- One day after
being rocked by an earthquake Hawaii is letting the world
know that it is open and ready for business.
"We continue to welcome visitors to our
state," said Marsha Wienert, tourism liaison for the
Governor's office. "The quake caused quite a bit of
apprehension yesterday but this morning Hawaii is largely
back to business as usual. There is no widespread damage
and no loss of life or serious injury. We have made a
speedy return to normalcy."
The 7:07 a.m. Sunday morning quake measured
6.7-magnitude. It was centered under the ocean off the
northwest coast of Hawaii's Big Island and was felt on all
the major islands. A 5.8 magnitude quake followed seven
minutes later and numerous smaller aftershocks were
registered over the next few hours.
The first quake immediately triggered power failures
that lasted most of the day on the Big Island, Maui, and
Oahu.
The loss of electrical power caused disruptions at
airports that resulted in flight delays and cancellations
of some transpacific flights into and out of the Islands.
Electrical power was restored to most airports by early
afternoon. Honolulu International Airport, which saw the
most delays in service, was online again by 5:45 p.m. All
affected communities throughout the islands had electrical
service restored by midnight Sunday.
"All visitor accommodations are open for business
statewide and airlines are telling us that transpacific
flights and flights around the islands are generally back
to normal," said John Monahan, president and CEO of
the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. "There may
be some minor delays as airlines adjust for yesterday's
interruptions and we advise passengers to reconfirm their
departure times prior to going to the airport," he
said.
Damage assessments were still being made Monday
morning, but the effects of the quake continue to appear
minimal. All major highways statewide are open. Hotels
and other accommodations that were closest to the quake on
the Big Island remain open for business, although some have
reported light damage.
For more information, visit the Hawaii Visitors and
Convention Bureau's website at http://GoHawaii.com or call
1-800-GOHAWAII.
For more information, please contact:
Nathan Kam
Account Supervisor
McNeil Wilson Communications
Tel: +1-808-539-3471
cell: +1-808-741-2763
Email: nkam@mcneilwilson.com
SOURCE Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau
2007'02.11.Sun
World Health Organization Says Violence Against Children Can And Must Be Prevented
October 17, 2006
GENEVA, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The World Health
Organization (WHO) is today issuing a practical new guide to
help countries prevent violence against children. Children
are the victims of startling levels of violence, often at
the hands of those who should be protecting them. This new
guide, published by WHO and the International Society for
Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN),
demonstrates that violence against children can and must be
prevented.
(Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040610/CNTH001LOGO )
According to the recently released UN
Secretary-General's Study on Violence Against Children,
much of the violence endured by children aged 0-14 years
occurs in the home at the hands of parents, caregivers, and
family members. The consequences of this violence hinder
children's health and development and can last well into
adulthood, negatively affecting health and increasing the
risks of further victimization and becoming a perpetrator
of violence.
Preventing child maltreatment: a guide to taking action
and generating evidence is intended to assist countries to
design and deliver programmes for the prevention of child
maltreatment by parents and caregivers. The guide is a
practical tool that will help governments implement the
recommendations of the UN Study on Violence Against
Children.
Country reports in the UN Study show that children
under 10 years of age are at significantly greater risk
than older children of severe violence perpetrated by
family members and people closely associated with the
family. The Study also reports WHO estimates that in
children under 18 years of age the worldwide prevalence of
sexual violence involving forced intercourse and touch is
73 million for boys and 150 million for girls.
Research shows that child maltreatment can be
prevented. The need to increase investment in prevention
is urgent and global. Promising strategies include
reducing unintended pregnancies; improving access to
high-quality pre- and post-natal care; reducing harmful
levels of alcohol and illicit drug use during pregnancy and
by new parents; providing home visitation services by nurses
and social workers to families at risk of maltreatment, and
training parents on child development, non-violent
discipline and problem-solving skills. The UN Study and
the guide make it clear that responsibility for
implementing such strategies lies with governments, and
should involve other stakeholders, including
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), research councils
and the international community.
"For too long now the response to child
maltreatment has been dominated by systems for reacting to
cases once maltreatment has already started. The
scientific evidence for preventing physical, sexual and
psychological abuse from occurring in the first place is
already quite strong, and the time is ripe for a paradigm
shift from reaction to prevention," said Dr Anders
Nordstrom, WHO Acting Director General.
The new WHO-ISPCAN guide provides technical advice for
professionals working in governments, research institutes
and NGOs on how to measure the extent of child maltreatment
and its consequences and how to design, implement and
evaluate prevention programmes. The guide also notes that
the strong relationships between child maltreatment,
economic inequality and poverty mean that reducing
inequality and poverty are likely to make a significant
contribution to preventing child maltreatment.
"We welcome the WHO-ISPCAN guide on Preventing
Child Maltreatment," said Ann M. Veneman, Executive
Director of UNICEF. "This is an important new tool
for addressing violence against children."
A unique aspect of Preventing child maltreatment is its
recognition that child maltreatment and other childhood
adversities are associated with a broad range of
risk-taking behaviours in later life, including smoking,
high-risk sexual behaviours, unintended pregnancy and
harmful alcohol and drug use.
According to a recent WHO study, the lifetime impacts
of child sexual abuse account for approximately six percent
of cases of depression; six percent of alcohol and or drug
abuse/dependence; eight percent of suicide attempts; 10
percent of panic disorders, and 27 percent of post
traumatic stress disorders. Such risk factors and
behaviours can lead to some of the principal causes of
death, disease and disability.
"What happens to people in childhood still has a
major effect thirty, forty and even fifty years later. One
person might be driven to chronic depression, or to
alcoholism, another to suicide, another to drug use leading
to chronic hepatitis. But these linkages are concealed by
time, shame, secrecy, and by social taboos against
discussing these things," said Dr Vincent Felitti,
Chief of Preventive Medicine at the Kaiser Permanent
Medical Care Program in the USA, and a contributor to the
guide. "These concealed life-long consequences mean
that governments everywhere are already spending a
substantial portion of their health budgets treating the
consequences of maltreatment, resources that would be far
more effectively spent on prevention".
"We have enough information to take preventive
action. We cannot delay. Children cannot wait. By
following the recommendations contained in this guide
countries can immediately start to implement child
maltreatment prevention programmes while building the
evidence base further," said Professor Barbara Bonner,
President of ISPCAN.
For more information, please contact:
Laura Sminkey,
Advocacy and Communications,
Department of Injuries and Violence Prevention, WHO:
Geneva
Tel: +41-79-249-3520
Email: sminkeyl@who.int
Relevant links
WHO, Department of Injuries and Violence Prevention,
Prevention of Violence:
http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/en/
International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and
Neglect:
http://www.ispcan.org/
The Guide can be found at:
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2006/9241594365_eng.pdf
SOURCE World Health Organization
2007'02.11.Sun
WuXi PharmaTech Appoints Mr. Ee Hoon See as VP of Human Resources
October 17, 2006
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- WuXi
PharmaTech, China's leading supplier of pharmaceutical
R&D outsourcing services is pleased to announce the
appointment of Ee Hoon See as the company's VP of Human
Resources.
(Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040705/CNM002LOGO )
Mr. See brings close to 30 years of human resource
management and organization development experience to WuXi
PharmaTech. Prior to joining the PharmaTech team, Mr. See
held positions with many major multinational corporations,
including acting General Manager for Esquel Group's China
joint venture. As well, he held the position of China HR
Director for Seagate International Technology Co., Ltd.,
and North Asia HR Director for Solectron Technology Co.,
Ltd..
"I'm exited to welcome Mr. See and his years of
experience to WuXi PharmaTech as our new VP of HR. Our
employees are the most valuable assets of the company and
our strength stems from their creativity and productivity.
In this people intensive business, Ee Hoon's HR experience
with major multinational corporations will be an invaluable
knowledge resource as we grow in pursuit of becoming a fully
integrated R&D service company," said Dr. Ge Li,
Chairman and CEO of WuXi.
Mr. See graduated from Nanyang University of Singapore
with a BA in Government & Public Administration. He
later completed the Executive Human Resource Management
Program with University of Michigan Business School.
For more information, please contact:
Sherry Shao
Tel: +86-21-5046-4002
Email: pr@pharmatechs.com
SOURCE WuXi PharmaTech Co., Ltd.
2007'02.11.Sun
CBL Data Recovery Technologies Comes to Rescue of HP Customers
October 17, 2006
HP Customers in India, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, and China Referred to CBL When Data Loss Disaster Strikes
Free Evaluation and "No Data, No Charge" Service Guarantee
Free Evaluation and "No Data, No Charge" Service Guarantee
SINGAPORE, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- CBL Data
Recovery Technologies Inc. today announced that CBL has
been selected as the data recovery services partner for HP
in Australia, China, India, Singapore and Taiwan. Under
the terms of a marketing alliance, HP Service Centre and HP
Contract Centre Agents will refer existing HP customers to
CBL for data recovery services when hard drives, tapes and
other storage media fail and data residing on these devices
is inaccessible.
"Customers are traumatized when data loss disaster
strikes," states Bill Margeson, President and CEO of
CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc. "HP's decision to
partner with CBL is not only a vote of confidence for CBL
and our technical expertise, but also demonstrates how
committed HP is to the total care of its customers. CBL is
ready to come to the rescue of HP customers when data loss
disaster strikes and data on their HP server, notebook, PC
or even HP digital camera is inaccessible."
From October 17 to November 17, 2006, CBL will extend
to existing HP customers a 20 percent discount off the
quoted price for data recovery services performed on HP
storage media.
"Data protection is a major concern of businesses
today, especially for small and mid-sized businesses. When
data is inaccessible, business continuity is affected,"
notes Dennis Mark, Vice President of Marketing, Personal
Systems Group, Asia Pacific and Japan, HP. "HP's
collaboration with CBL is very timely as we have just
launched HP Total Care, one of the industry's most
comprehensive lifecycle support and service program for
customers. Offered under the pillar of Total Care
"Protect", CBL services will help us to ensure
that customers are connected to tools that keep their
business data safe."
Data Recovery Services from CBL
CBL utilizes proprietary techniques to perform data
recovery on all media such as, but not limited to, HP and
Compaq notebook and desktop personal computers, HP SAN and
HP NAS storage products, HP RAID arrays, HP tape devices,
and HP Photosmart digital cameras.
Data recovery processes vary depending on the type of
media, the physical condition of the media and the degree
of difficulty associated with the restoration of data.
CBL's technicians perform data recoveries in Class 100
clean rooms 365 days of the year.
Normal data recovery service returns data back to
customers within 72 business hours following the technical
evaluation of the media which takes approximately six
hours. CBL provides customers with a free evaluation of
their affected media and a firm quote as well as a "No
Data, No Charge" service guarantee. This means HP
customers only pay for results.
For a premium, HP customers can request CBL's priority
rush service. CBL's emergency recovery teams can recover
data and have it back to customers in as little as 24
hours.
Recovered data is returned to HP customers on CD or
DVD.
Adds Mark, "HP is also collaborating with CBL to
design and deliver a data recovery service plan which is
like an "insurance" plan that protects HP
customers from the unforeseen expense of recovering data
when the data on their new HP notebook or desktop PC's hard
drive becomes inaccessible. This optional service offering
will be available to HP customers in the second quarter of
2007."
About CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc.
Founded in 1993 and headquartered near Toronto,
Ontario, CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc. is a leading
international provider of data recovery services. CBL
employs proprietary techniques to recover data quickly and
effectively from a wide array of affected media including
hard drives, tapes, and other magnetic, optical and
removable media. CBL offers services worldwide through its
network of data recovery laboratories, customer service
centres, and authorized partners in Argentina, Australia,
Barbados, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India,
Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and
the United States. Third parties interested in becoming a
CBL Data Recovery Advantage Partner can email
partners@cbltech.com or apply online at
http://www.cblpartners.com . CBL can be found on the Web
at http://www.cbltech.ca .
For more information, please contact:
Susan Stuart
CBL Data Recovery Technologies
Tel: +1-905-479-9938
+1-800-551-3917
Email: sstuart@cbltech.com
Doris Yang
The Right Spin Public Relations
Tel: +65-6325-5928
+65-9367-5336
Email: doris@therightspin.com.sg
Gary Hilson
Sacke & Associates
Tel: +1-416-493-5723, ext 203
Email: garyh@sackepr.com
Alissa Crawford / Polly Johnson
Taurus Marketing
Tel: +61-2-9415-4528
Email: alissa.crawford@taurusmarketing.com.au
polly@taurusmarketing.com.au
SOURCE CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
AU Optronics to Signify New Direction of Technology and Products, with Full Range of Panel Sizes at FPD International 2006
October 17, 2006
HSINCHU, Taiwan, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- AU
Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the
"Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO) is scheduled
to participate in the FPD International 2006 exhibition in
Yokohama, Japan from October 18th to October 20th,
introducing its latest products and technologies. AUO will
be showcasing its latest TFT-LCD innovations, including
Advanced MVA (AMVA) technology with low color washout and
super high contrast ratio of 2500:1; HiColor technology
with the achievement of high color saturation; AUO
Simulated Pulsed Driving (ASPD) technology with the
solution of blurred motion problem; and AUO Picture
Enhancer (APE) technology featuring natural color images
and clear depth of view.
On the agenda for large-sized panel applications, LCD
TVs and Desktop PC monitors in wide format with completely
new "MoniTV" concept as well as power-saving and
environmentally-friendly LED backlight module will be on
display. For small to medium- sized products and
technologies, the main limelight will be placed on
audio-video display as well as mobile phone applications,
with the features of high resolution, wide viewing angle,
light weight and lower power consumption.
AUO's technologies displayed at FPD International 2006
During the exhibition, AUO's showcase area will include
"TV Technology" and "Mobile Technology"
sections. In the "TV Technology" section, in
addition to the advanced version of four key technologies
for High Definition TV (HDTV), AUO will be demonstrating
some pioneering innovations, including: Full HD LCD at
120Hz frame rate to reduce motion blur images and reach a
CRT-like quality image in motion picture response time at
4ms equivalent gray to gray; AMVA Alternate Frame
technology to achieve super wide viewing angle and improve
color washout problem; APE technology showcased by means of
37" TV panels to enhance the contrast ratio to above
10,000:1 and save up to 50% in power consumption by
utilizing LED backlight to control luminance depth and
range.
In the "Mobile Technology" section, the
products and technologies that will be displayed include:
ATR-MVA (Advanced Transflective MVA) technology showcased
to the public for the first time by means of 4" LTPS
panels emphasize sunlight readability and super wide
viewing angle, which provides an optimum solution for
mobile device applications; APE technology displayed in
2.2" mobile phone panels to achieve a high contrast
ratio of 14,000:1 and save up to 45% in power consumption;
a new self-developed 1.9" mobile phone panel with a
super slim 1.3mm module thickness; and the 180-gram
easily-carried 12.1" notebook PC panel, equipped with
the advanced 0.2mm thin glass substrate technology and
white-LED backlight.
AUO's exhibits demonstrate the mainstream products in
2007:
Large-sized products will place emphasis on AMVA
technology with super wide viewing angle, HiColor
technology with the achievement of color saturation, and
ASPD technology with great motion picture quality; while
medium-small sized- products will focus on high resolution
and wide viewing angle.
-- LCD TV panel products have been largely equipped
with AMVA technology,
featuring wide viewing angle and high contrast ratio
above 1200:1. With
AMVA technology, Full HDTV can achieve the contrast
ratio of 1500:1.
-- AUO unveils the completely new "MoniTV"
concept for its Desktop PC
Monitor products. Following the market demand of
wide screen and
larger-sized panel, AUO's Desktop PC TFT-LCD
specified with Full HD
high resolution and AMVA technology can be applied
to home TV! At
present, AUO's 26" and 24" wide screen
panels equipped with AMVA
technology with wide viewing angle, HiColor
technology with the
achievement of color saturation, and ASPD technology
with the solution
of blurred motion problem, are appropriate choices
for MoniTV
applications. Additionally, the 19" panel with
CCFL can reach 92% NTSC
while the 20.1" panel with LED can raise the
color gamut to 105% NTSC
standard.
-- As for Notebook PC products, future demand will
continue to focus on
wide screens. Meanwhile, high-level products will
begin to pursue the
same-level equipment as LCD TVs', aiming to
demonstrate the equivalent
high-qualified characteristics. Also, Notebook PC
products will be
equipped with HiColor technology to reach 92% NTSC,
or environmentally-
friendly white-LED backlight module.
-- High resolution and wide viewing angle will be basic
equipment for
high-level mobile phone panels.
AUO's products showcased at FPD International 2006
AUO will display its LCD TV panels from
the size
of 26" to 42", whereas the
32" to 42" panels are
all equipped with AMVA technology and
the 37" to
LCD TVs 42" panels are applied to both
WXGA (1366x768)
and Full HDTV (1920x1080)
specifications.
Significantly, the Full HDTV has
advantages of
high contrast ratio of 1500:1 and low
color
washout.
AUO will display its 20.1",
22", 24" and 26"
wide screen panels, whereas the
26" Full HD panel
has been installed with AMVA and
HiColor
technologies, featuring high contrast
ratio of
Desktop PC above 2000:1, low color washout and 92%
NTSC. The
Monitors 24" Full HD panel has been
equipped with AMVA and
ASPD technologies with the achievement
of high
contrast ratio of 1000:1, and
same-level motion
picture response time as LCD TVs'. Both
24" and
26" Full HD panels are AUO's
latest launched
MoniTV applications.
AUO will display its notebook PC panels
of 7",
12.1", 15.4" and 17" in
wide screen formats. The
17" WXGA+ (1440 x 900) panel is
specified with
characteristics at 350 nits high
brightness,
Notebook PCs 700:1 high contrast ratio, 8ms response
time and
92% NTSC. The 12.1" WXGA panel
with the weight
of merely 200g adopts mercury-free
white -LED
backlight module. In addition, the
7"WXGA panel
equipped with white-backlight module is
the next
choice for Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC).
AUO will display mobile phone panels
ranged from
1.8"to 2.8", including
transmissive,
transflective and LTPS panels, all with
QVGA high
resolution (240 R.G.B. x 320). The
high-
Mobile Phones resolution 2.4" LTPS QVGA display
is specified
with wide viewing angle and supports up
to 16.7
million colors, while the 1.8"
transflective
LTPS QVGA panel has the superior high
pixel
density of 230ppi.
About AU Optronics
AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO") is one of the top
three largest manufacturers* of large-size thin film
transistor liquid crystal display panels
("TFT-LCD"), with approximately 20.9%* of global
market share with revenues of NT$217.4billion (US$6.75 bn)*
in 2005. TFT-LCD technology is currently the most widely
used flat panel display technology. Targeted for 40"+
sized LCD TV panels, AUO's next generation (7.5-generation)
fabrication facility production is scheduled for mass
production in the fourth quarter of 2006. The Company
currently operates two 6th-generation, four 5th-generation,
one 4th-generation, and four 3.5-generation TFT- LCD fabs,
in addition to eight module assembly facilities and the AUO
Technology Center specializes in new technology platform and
new product development. AUO is one of few top-tier TFT-LCD
manufacturers capable of offering a wide range of small- to
large- size (1.5"-46") TFT-LCD panels, which
enables it to offer a broad and diversified product
portfolio.
* As shown on DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area
TFT-LCD Shipment Report
dated August 25, 2006. This data is used as
reference only and AUO does
not make any endorsement or representation in
connection therewith. 2005
year end revenue converted by an exchange rate of
NTD32.2039:USD1.
Safe Harbour Notice
AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the
"Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), the world's
third largest manufacturer of large-size TFT-LCD panels,
today announced the above news. Except for statements in
respect of historical matters, the statements contained in
this Release are "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities
Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements were based on
our management's expectations, projections and beliefs at
the time regarding matters including, among other things,
future revenues and costs, financial performance,
technology changes, capacity, utilization rates, yields,
process and geographical diversification, future expansion
plans and business strategy. Such forward looking
statements are subject to a number of known and unknown
risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
statements, including risks related to the flat panel
display industry, the TFT-LCD market, acceptance and demand
for our products, technological and development risks,
competitive factors, and other risks described in the
section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Form 20-F
filed with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission on June 1st, 2006.
For more information, please contact:
Yawen Hsiao
Corporate Communications Dept.
AU Optronics Corp.
Tel: +886-3-500-8899 x3211
Fax: +886-3-577-2730
Email: yawen.hsiao@auo.com
SOURCE AU Optronics Corp.
2007'02.11.Sun
Sughrue Mion to Participate in Mock Trial in China
October 17, 2006
Sponsored by China-Based SIPO, Event Will Help Chinese Companies Understand U.S. Court System
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- As more
Chinese companies look to expand their market into the
United States, knowing how to protect intellectual property
rights and succeed in U.S. courts are increasingly
important. Sughrue Mion PLLC, a leading global intellectual
property law firm, announced today that they will
participate, together with China-based law firm Kangxin
Partners PC, in a three-day mock trial seminar in China
sponsored by the State Intellectual Property Office of the
People's Republic of China (SIPO). The program, taking
place November 6-8, 2006, will introduce Chinese companies
to the U.S. federal courts and the International Trade
Commission (ITC) to help them understand rules of discovery
and the responsibilities of juries and judges in a U.S.
trial.
"As the Chinese economy advances and Chinese
companies enter the U.S. market, we feel it is important to
prepare these companies to navigate the complex U.S. legal
system, especially in matters relating to intellectual
property," said Joseph Bach, partner at Sughrue Mion's
Mountain View, CA office. "SIPO's sponsorship of this
event underscores the importance of our mutual goals and
helps illustrate the need for this type of event."
The mock trial will be presented to an
English-speaking, American-style jury, and presided over by
a U.S. magistrate judge from California. The 200 Chinese
in-house counsel and corporate managers expected to attend
the event will see the U.S. trial process from discovery
and pre-trial activities through jury deliberation and the
verdict. There will also be a session on the differences
between U.S. district courts and the International Trade
Commission (ITC) and patent defense strategies for both
venues.
The trial itself will center on a mock case where a
U.S. plaintiff has alleged that a Chinese defendant has
infringed on patented technology for golf club grips. The
courtroom will be modeled after a U.S. courtroom, and all
aspects of the litigation and deliberation will be filmed
so that participants can see what happens during the trial
and in the jury room.
The event in China will be the fourth educational
session that Sughrue has done in Asia. The firm has
previously held two mock trial seminars in Japan and one in
Korea. Sughrue will also present a workshop on e-discovery
and U.S. trial processes at the Pan European Intellectual
Property Summit, Brussels IP 2006, in December.
Companies can register for the event or receive more
information by contacting Joseph Bach at
jbach@sughrue.com.
About Sughrue Mion, PLLC
Sughrue Mion, PLLC, is one of the largest law firms
practicing exclusively in the field of intellectual
property law. Based in Washington, D.C. with offices in
Silicon Valley, San Diego, Tokyo, and Beijing, Sughrue
specializes in litigating intellectual property matters in
federal district court and before the International Trade
Commission. Sughrue has obtained more patents for its
clients than any other firm in the U.S. For more
information please visit http://www.sughrue.com .
For more information, please contact:
Alejandra Owens
Tel: +1-202-973-1312
Email: aowens@levick.com
SOURCE Sughrue Mion, PLLC
2007'02.11.Sun
HD Radio(TM) Achieves Historic Milestone as 1,000th U.S. Station Begins Digital Broadcasting
October 17, 2006
Explosion of Multicasting and Flood of New Receivers Add to Rollout's Surging Momentum
COLUMBIA, Md., Oct. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- WIYY-FM
97.9 (98 Rock) in Baltimore, Maryland, made history when it
became the 1,000th station in the United States to broadcast
with digital HD Radio technology.
"In just over a year, the number of HD Radio
stations on the air has nearly doubled," said Robert
Struble, president and CEO of iBiquity Digital, developers
and licensors of HD Radio technology. "Equally
exciting is the growth in HD2 multicasting and the rapid
influx of new HD Radio receivers that expands the range of
product categories and price points. From a consumer
standpoint, there has never been a better time to
experience HD Radio broadcasting."
HD Radio technology transmits digital audio and data
alongside existing AM and FM analog signals, allowing
listeners with HD Radio receivers to enjoy dramatically
improved sound quality, with virtually none of the static
or hiss often associated with analog radio. More than 400
FM broadcasters across the U.S. are using HD Radio
multicasting capabilities to increase the range of content
on the radio.
Recent weeks have seen an increase in HD Radio product
introductions, including announcements from the following
tabletop and home component manufacturers: Cambridge
SoundWorks, Directed Electronics, Niles Audio, Sangean and
RadioShack (under the Accurian brand); and auto connection
adaptors from DICE and Directed Electronics. These
products join current offerings from companies such as:
Audio Design Associates, Boston Acoustics, JVC, Kenwood and
Polk Audio.
HD Radio retailers in the U.S. include: Amazon.com,
select Circuit City stores, Crutchfield, RadioShack,
Tweeter, ABC Warehouse, Harvey's, HiFi Buys, Ken Cranes,
Mickey Schorr, Showcase Home Entertainment and Sound
Advice.
About iBiquity
iBiquity Digital Corporation is the developer of the HD
Radio(TM) system, which is powering the AM/FM digital radio
revolution. This transformational technology allows AM and
FM stations to broadcast digital signals in tandem with
their analog signals, providing broadcasters with a
platform to offer multiple channels of programming on the
same frequency crystal-clear sound; text services like
real-time weather and traffic; and scrolling text. HD
Radio technology is now being tested in many countries:
Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Indonesia, Mexico, New
Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Switzerland, Thailand and the
Ukraine. iBiquity's investors are global leaders in the
technology, broadcasting, manufacturing, media and
financial industries.
For more information, please contact:
Vicki Stearn of iBiquity
Tel: +1-410-872-1565
Email: stearn@ibiquity.com
Gil Chorbajian
Tel: +1-518-355-0966
Email: gil.chorbajian@ogilvypr.com
SOURCE iBiquity Digital Corporation
2007'02.11.Sun
Pingo(R) Prepaid Calling Service Goes Global with Low Rates, Multiple Languages, Currencies, and Support for International Credit Cards
October 16, 2006
Growing Service from iBasis Brings Competitive Pricing on International Calling to International Markets; Reduces Calling Rates By Up to 30 Percent
BURLINGTON, Mass., Oct. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- iBasis (Nasdaq: IBAS), the global VoIP company(TM), today announced major enhancements to Pingo(R) ( http://www.pingo.com ), its online prepaid calling card service. Now customers around the world can purchase the Pingo service with international credit cards, make payments in four currencies, view Pingo rates in more than 38 other currencies, and interact with the Pingo website and hear automated voice prompts in five languages. With the new features, Pingo becomes a global prepaid calling product, bringing to international markets the same competitive rates and convenience features that have fueled its growth in the U.S. Also, Pingo announced that it has reduced calling rates to 125 countries by as much as 30 percent. The enhancements and rate reductions make Pingo the most competitively priced, easy-to-use service of its kind, providing consumers in the more than 35 countries where Pingo is available a convenient way to save money on international calling. "With Pingo, iBasis offers consumers around the globe the highest quality and most convenient pre-paid international calling service in the world," said Ofer Gneezy, president and CEO of iBasis. "The world's largest telephone providers already save money by putting much of their international voice traffic on the iBasis Network. With Pingo, consumers all over the world can also directly benefit from our low-cost, high-quality VoIP service." iBasis, one of the world's leading carriers of international telephone calls, operates the most extensive international Voice over IP (VoIP) network with direct service to more than 100 countries and offering voice quality equal to, and often exceeding, the traditional phone network. In addition to taking advantage of iBasis' superior purchasing power to offer low calling rates, Pingo provides easy-to-use features such as PINpass PIN-less dialing, on-line call history reporting, automatic recharging, which can be set by the customer, and Refer-a-Friend program that offers Pingo customers $5 bonuses when they refer a friend who joins the service. New features recently added to Pingo include: -- Multi-lingual Website and Phone Prompts: Customers can now select one of five languages, English, Spanish, French, Chinese and Portuguese, as their default language when viewing the Pingo website and for the automated phone prompts when they use the Pingo calling platform; -- Global Credit Card Processing: Residents anywhere in the world can now purchase the Pingo service with valid credit cards or other payment services such as PayPal(R). -- Billing in Multiple Currencies: Consumers can now choose to be billed for Pingo usage in U.S. Dollars, Canadian Dollars, British Pounds or Euros; -- Rate Listings In Multiple Currencies: Calling rates may be viewed in more than 40 different currencies, allowing consumers to easily compare Pingo's low rates to other services; -- Reduced rates to more than 125 destinations worldwide. Examples of rate decreases include calls from the U.S. to India, reduced 30% to 8 cents per minute; United Kingdom to Pakistan, reduced 49% to 5.2 pence per minute; Israel to the U.S., reduced 24% to .436 ILS; and Canada to France Mobile, reduced 28% to .163 CAD. For a full listing of Pingo's low rates, go to http://www.pingo.com . About Pingo Taking advantage of The iBasis Network, Pingo enables consumers to realize the cost-savings of VoIP or Internet telephony from regular fixed or mobile phones without any need for additional hardware or software. Pingo offers consumers high-quality long distance service on a prepaid basis, along with a host of convenient usability features. Pingo customers save on calls to both landline and mobile phones in almost every country. Mobile phone users in particular can save as much as 90 percent on international calls by using Pingo's toll-free access and lower rates. Pingo minutes can be purchased with credit and debit cards, as well as PayPal, at http://www.pingo.com . Customers can access Pingo from toll-free and local access numbers in 35 countries, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, China, the U.K., France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Russia, and Thailand. About iBasis Founded in 1996, iBasis (Nasdaq: IBAS) is one of the world's leading wholesale carriers of international long distance telephone calls, and a provider of retail prepaid calling services including the Pingo(R) web-based offering ( http://www.pingo.com ) and disposable calling cards sold by major distributors and stores across the U.S. iBasis customers include large carriers and innovative new service providers including AT&T, Verizon, China Mobile, China Unicom, IDT, Qwest, Skype, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, and Yahoo!. In 2005, the Company carried 7.8 billion minutes of international traffic. The iBasis Network is the most extensive international Voice over IP network in the world, with over 1,000 points of presence providing direct service to more than 100 countries utilizing technology that assures high call completion and voice quality equal to -- and often exceeding -- the PSTN. iBasis' worldwide headquarters are in Burlington, Mass., USA. Additional information is available at http://www.ibasis.com or by calling (781) 505-7500. iBasis and Pingo are registered marks, The iBasis Network and the global VoIP company are trademarks of iBasis, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Except for historical information, all of the expectations, plans and assumptions contained in the foregoing press release, including those relating to the Company's anticipated revenue, earnings per share and capital expenditures, constitute forward-looking statements under Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, (i) the Company's ability to execute its business plan; (ii) the extent of adoption of the Company's services and the timing and amount of revenue and gross profit generated by these services; (iii) fluctuations in the market for and pricing of these services; (iv) the other factors described in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for its most recently completed fiscal quarter and Annual Report on Form 10-K for its most recently completed fiscal year all of which are available at http://www.sec.gov . Such forward-looking statements are only as of the date they are made, and we have no current intention to update any forward-looking statements. For more information, please cotact: Chris Ward iBasis, Inc. Tel: +1-781-505-7557 Email: cward@ibasis.net Web: http://www.ibasis.net Marty Querzoli Davies Murphy Group, Inc. Tel: +1-781-418-2433 Email: ibasis@daviesmurphy.com Web: http://www.daviesmurphy.com SOURCE iBasis, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. Engages The Ruth Group as Investor Relations And Public Relations Counsel
October 16, 2006
BEIJING, Oct. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Sinovac Biotech
Ltd. (Amex: SVA), a leading provider of biopharmaceutical
products in China, announced today that it has engaged The
Ruth Group (TRG), based in New York City, to serve as the
Company's investor relations and public relations counsel.
Mr. Weidong Yin, President and CEO of Sinovac, stated,
"We expect that The Ruth Group will play a major role
in facilitating communications with Sinovac's U.S. investor
base. Given their strong and broad experience in the
biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, their familiarity
with the information needs of the investment and media
communities, and their time zone availability, we
anticipate that they will add value by Sinovac's
communications program."
Carol Ruth, President and CEO of The Ruth Group, Inc.,
said, "We are pleased to add Sinovac to our quality
base of healthcare clients for which we provide investor
and public relations counsel and best-in-class program
implementation."
About The Ruth Group
Consistently ranked as one of the top U.S. financial
IR/PR agencies, The Ruth Group, based in New York, focuses
on serving the communications needs of biotechnology,
pharmaceutical, medical device, technology and
semiconductor companies. Services include investor
relations, public relations, management counsel, corporate
positioning, pre-IPO public relations programs, media
relations and venture capital relations. For more
information visit http://www.theruthgroup.com .
About Sinovac
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. is a China-based biopharmaceutical
company that focuses on the research, development,
manufacture and commercialization of vaccines that protect
against human infectious diseases. Sinovac's vaccines
include Healive(TM) (hepatitis A), Bilive(TM) (combined
hepatitis A and B) and Anflu(TM) (influenza). Sinovac is
currently developing human vaccines against the H5N1 strain
of pandemic influenza, Japanese encephalitis and SARS.
Additional information about Sinovac is available on its
website, http://www.sinovac.com . To be added to our
distribution list, please email: info@sinovac.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements.
These statements are made under the "safe harbor"
provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be
identified by words or phrases such as "will,"
"expects," "anticipates,"
"future," "intends," "plans,"
"believes," "estimates" and similar
statements. Among other things, the business outlook and
quotations from management in this press release contain
forward-looking statements. Statements that are not
historical facts, including statements about Sinovac's
beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and
uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause
actual results to differ materially from those contained in
any forward-looking statement. Sinovac does not undertake
any obligation to update any forward-looking statement,
except as required under applicable law.
For more information, please contact:
Helen G. Yang
Sinovac Biotech Ltd.
Tel: +86-10-8289-0088 x871
Fax: +86-10-6296-6910
Email: info@sinovac.com
Investors/Media:
Stephanie Carrington / Janine McCargo
The Ruth Group
Tel: +1-646-536-7017/7033
Email: scarrington@theruthgroup.com /
jmccargo@theruthgroup.com
SOURCE Sinovac Biotech Ltd.
2007'02.11.Sun
Kenfair International's World Renowned "Mega Show Part 1" Recorded Ever Highest Pre-registration Number of Visitors
October 16, 2006
HONG KONG, Oct. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Presented by
Kenfair International (Holdings) Limited ("Kenfair
International" or with its subsidiaries the
"Group") (SEHK code: 223), the "15th Hong
Kong International Toys & Gifts Show" and
"14th Asian Gifts Premium & Household Products
Show" (collectively known as the "Mega Show Part
1") will once again be held this year at the Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition Centre ("HKCEC") from
20-23 October.
In the past few years, over 3,000 exhibitors and 60,000
worldwide buyers have gathered in the HKCEC for this
four-day trade exhibition every late October and a large
congregation of exhibitors and buyers returns every year
because they know the value of exploring business
opportunities at the event.
Mr. Duncan Cheung, Managing Director of Kenfair
International, said, "I am very pleased with the
tremendous results of the Mega Show Part 1, before the show
is officially launched, we already have a record of over
24,000 visitors pre-registered through our official
web-site, which is actually the ever highest
pre-registration number of visitors we ever have."
With the overwhelming industry-wide support and
unparalleled scale and exhibition services, this highly
effective trade event has developed into one of the
world-renowned business platforms in the world and was
accredited as a "UFI-approved event" by the
Global Association of the Exhibition Industry in 2002.
Acclaimed as the most effective trade platform of Asian
products, "Mega Show Part 1" continues to break
its record of the number of exhibitors and visitors.
"With all these encouraging record, we are confident
that the total number of visitors of this four-day trade
fair must create another new record" Mr. Cheung
concluded.
About Kenfair International (Holdings) Limited
Established in 1991, Kenfair International is a leading
trade fair organizer in Hong Kong. Its flagship trade
exhibitions include the "Mega Show" Series, Hong
Kong Spring Fair, Hong Kong International Furniture Fair in
Hong Kong, Asia Expo in London, Kenfair Asian expo in Las
Vegas and Asia Expo -- Poland in Warsaw. Kenfair
international also runs a trade portal website:
http://www.kenfair.com and publishes a tri-annual trade
magazine, MegAsia.
For more information, please contact:
Liz Liu / Ezena Tang
Kenfair International (Holdings) Limited
Tel: +852-2311-8216
Fax: +852-2311-6629
Email: liz.liu@kenfair.com / ezena.tang@kenfair.com
Web: http://www.kenfair.com
SOURCE Kenfair International (Holdings) Limited
2007'02.11.Sun
AU Optronics Advances Its Commercialized LCD TV Technologies
October 16, 2006
The Ultimate Viewing Experience for the High Definition TV Era
HSINCHU, Taiwan, Oct. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- AU
Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the
"Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO) today
introduced its advanced commercialized LCD TV technologies,
strengthening its pioneering role as the industry technology
innovator. In response to the rapid growth market of High
Definition TV (HDTV) applications, the crucial LCD TV
technologies AUO has developed include: Advanced MVA (AMVA)
technology with low color washout and high contrast ratio;
AUO Simulated Pulsed Driving (ASPD) technology to solve
blurred motion problem; HiColor technology with LED
backlight to achieve over 100% color saturation; and AUO
Picture Enhancer (APE) technology featuring natural color
images and clear depth of view.
These advanced technologies will be demonstrated at FPD
International 2006, from October 18 to October 20, in
Yokohama Japan.
Since the launching of four commercialized LCD TV
technologies, AUO has been striving for enhanced
specifications and diverse solutions to meet customers'
needs and requirements. With untiring effort, AUO is able
to provide customers with more flexible and diverse
choices. Particularly, many of AUO's new developed
technologies contain more than two newly added features.
Taking AUO Picture Enhancer technology as an example, one
new of APE technology can dynamically adjust the contrast,
sharpness, hue, color temperature, and color saturation to
accommodate the image contents, while the other new APE
technology, High Dynamic Contrast with LED, can also
enhance the contrast ratio to above 10,000:1 and save up to
50% in power consumption by utilizing LED backlight to
control luminance depth and range.
AMVA Technology, Featuring Extra-High Contrast Ratio of
2500:1 and High Color Gamut NTSC > 92%
Earlier in October 2005, AUO successfully launched AMVA
technology with a high contrast ratio of 1200:1 by optimized
color-resist implementation along with a new pixel design.
With this improved technology, AUO today introduces
extra-high contrast ration of 2500:1 in its 42" Full
HD (1920 x 1080) LCD, significantly reducing color washout
and achieving wide viewing angles of up to 178 degrees. In
addition, this technology installed backlight module with
high color gamut can reach above 92% NTSC.
New ASPD Technology at 120Hz Frame Rate, Reducing
Motion Blur Images and Enabling Response Time Less than 4ms
(Gray to Gray)
Aiming to solve the blurred images on conventional
LCDs, AUO has successfully developed a new ASPD technology
at 120Hz frame rate (doubling the current frame rate) for
its 42" Full HD (1920x1080) LCD. This technology can
greatly reduce motion blur, and enable the image
performance to reach optimal levels at 4ms equivalent gray
to gray (8ms MPRT). This new ASPD 120Hz driving technology
has been applied to WXGA (1366 x 768) resolution for mass
production, including 32", 37" and 42" LCD
TV panels.
New ASPD Technology Applied with HiColor Technology,
Achieving 105% NTSC
AUO Simulated Pulsed Driving (ASPD) technology
simulates impulse-type displays with the adjustment of
pixel driving and scanning backlight to reach a CRT-like
quality image in motion picture response time. By adopting
HiColor and LED backlight technologies, advantages of new
ASPD technology include high colour gamut of 105% NTSC,
high contrast ratio of 1500:1, and lower power consumption.
The environmentally-friendly design is both mercury and
lead free. This technology also productively improves the
motion blur problem and provides better image quality than
conventional VA LCDs.
AMVA Alternate Frame Technology, Greatly Improving
Color Washout
By using new driving methods, AMVA Alternate Frame
technology provides optimized image quality without
changing any pixel design. This high contrast technology
can also achieve wide viewing angles up to 178 degrees,
resulting in a more comfortable viewing experience for the
consumer with the same gamma curve and luminance.
AUO's Executive Vice President, Dr. Hui Hsiung, noted
AUO has achieved significant breakthrough in LCD TV
technologies recently. These four AUO commercialized TV
technologies have received much positive feedback from
customers. After the G7.5 line began volume production, AUO
has gradually implemented these leading technologies into
its products, especially the overall implementation upgrade
to 42" from 37". On top of that, AUO's 37"
and 42" LCD TV panels provide both WXGA (1366x768) and
Full HDTV (1920x1080) specifications to fulfill the diverse
needs of the widest range of customers.
About Au Optronics
AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO") is one of the top
three largest manufacturers* of large-size thin film
transistor liquid crystal display panels
("TFT-LCD"), with approximately 20.9%* of global
market share with revenues of NT$217.4billion (US$6.75 bn)*
in 2005. TFT-LCD technology is currently the most widely
used flat panel display technology. Targeted for 40"+
sized LCD TV panels, AUO's next generation (7.5-generation)
fabrication facility production is scheduled for mass
production in the fourth quarter of 2006. The Company
currently operates two 6th-generation, four 5th-generation,
one 4th-generation, and four 3.5-generation TFT- LCD fabs,
in addition to eight module assembly facilities and the AUO
Technology Center specializes in new technology platform and
new product development. AUO is one of few top-tier TFT-LCD
manufacturers capable of offering a wide range of small- to
large- size (1.5"-46") TFT-LCD panels, which
enables it to offer a broad and diversified product
portfolio.
*As shown on DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area TFT-LCD
Shipment Report dated August 25, 2006. This data is used as
reference only and AUO does not make any endorsement or
representation in connection therewith. 2005 year end
revenue converted by an exchange rate of NTD32.2039:USD1.
Safe Harbour Notice
AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the
"Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), the world's
third largest manufacturer of large-size TFT-LCD panels,
today announced the above news. Except for statements in
respect of historical matters, the statements contained in
this Release are "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities
Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements were based on
our management's expectations, projections and beliefs at
the time regarding matters including, among other things,
future revenues and costs, financial performance,
technology changes, capacity, utilization rates, yields,
process and geographical diversification, future expansion
plans and business strategy. Such forward looking
statements are subject to a number of known and unknown
risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
statements, including risks related to the flat panel
display industry, the TFT-LCD market, acceptance and demand
for our products, technological and development risks,
competitive factors, and other risks described in the
section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Form 20-F
filed with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission on June 1st, 2006.
For more information, please contact:
Yawen Hsiao
Corporate Communications Dept.
AU Optronics Corp.
Tel: +886-3-500-8899 x3211
Fax: +886-3-577-2730
Email: yawen.hsiao@auo.com
SOURCE AU Optronics Corp.
2007'02.11.Sun
Melco PBL Entertainment Welcomes Hard Rock International, Dragone and Leighton-China State-John Holland on Board for City of Dreams
October 16, 2006
City of Dreams Set to Offer World-Class Resort Experience
HONG KONG, Oct. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Melco PBL
Entertainment, the joint venture of leading leisure and
entertainment conglomerate Melco International Development
Limited ("Melco International" or the
"Group", HKSE Code: 200) and its exclusive
pan-Asia joint venture partner Publishing and Broadcasting
Ltd ("PBL"), today announced that it has entered
into a Memorandum of Understanding and will shortly be
entering into a formal contract to engage The
Leighton-China State-John Holland Joint Venture
("Leighton-China State-John Holland") as the main
contractor for its flagship resort and entertainment project
-- City of Dreams, currently being constructed in Cotai,
Macau. In addition, Melco PBL Entertainment also signed a
non-binding Heads of Agreement with Hard Rock International
("Hard Rock") for a Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Macau in the City of Dreams while Dragone Entertainment
GmbH ("Dragone") has been entrusted with
delivering a spectacular world-class permanent show at the
City of Dreams.
City of Dreams is a premium integrated urban
entertainment resort featuring a variety of luxurious
resort accommodations and top-notch facilities. In
addition to four hotels, an underwater-themed casino,
top-notch restaurants and casual eateries, performance hall
and serviced apartments, the project will incorporate
extensive water screening and landscaping work including
public access to the "Bubble" -- a unique
architectural showpiece and the main "wow factor"
of the project. The landmark project will be developed by a
joint venture comprising Leighton Asia (Northern), China
State Construction International Holdings Limited, and John
Holland. Leighton Asia (Northern) and John Holland are part
of Australia's largest development and contracting group,
the Leighton Group, whose key shareholder is HOCHTIEF AG --
the world's largest international contractor. To ensure
that the highest standards of quality are met, Melco PBL
Entertainment will retain the rights to vet all
subcontractors and suppliers. City of Dreams is expected
to take around two years to complete and the first phase
including the casino is scheduled to open in the second
half of 2008.
Mr. Lawrence Ho, Co-Chairman and CEO of Melco PBL
Entertainment said, "Being a fully fledged gaming
license holder in Macau, Melco PBL Entertainment always
strives to be the best player in each market segment
through its unique, premium and innovative entertainment
products. For example, Crown Macau (due to be completed in
April 2007), will cater specifically for high rollers and
VIPs who require a high degree of exclusivity. The City of
Dreams will be a comprehensive integrated resort catering
for all age groups, including children and families. With
solid support from world-class partners such as Hard Rock
International, Dragone, and Leighton-China State-John
Holland as well as Hyatt International, I am confident that
City of Dreams will attract visitors who seek the best in
entertainment and leisure. "
Mr. Bill Wild, COO of Leighton Holdings said,
"City of Dreams will be a significant landmark in
Macau, and we are delighted that Melco PBL Entertainment
has chosen us to play a key role in its development. All
three joint venture partners have a track record for
delivering quality projects, and I have no doubt that this
will be further demonstrated in this project."
In order to give the best experience to visitors, Melco
PBL Entertainment has aligned with Hard Rock International
to create a unique 4-star boutique hotel and casino -- to
be branded the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Macau. This
boutique hotel and casino will have 350 guestrooms and will
feature a 25,000-square-foot "Hard Rock" casino.
The casino will be operated by Melco PBL Entertainment
under its gaming license. In addition, there will be a
Hard Rock Caf¨¦, offering live musical performances and a
Hard Rock -- Rock Shop, which retails authentic rock 'n'
roll gear and Hard Rock merchandise. The property also
includes signature restaurant and bar offerings, a Hard
Rock Pool entertainment deck as well as meeting spaces.
In addition to Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Macau, City
of Dreams will also feature two deluxe hotels managed by
Hyatt International, carrying the brands of Grand Hyatt and
Hyatt Regency respectively. Crown Tower Hotel will complete
the hotel offerings with a luxurious six star product.
Mr. Hamish Dodds, CEO of Hard Rock said, "We are
thrilled to announce plans for the Hard Rock Hotel and
Casino in the City of Dreams Resort in Macau, and we are
equally enthusiastic about the opportunity to join in
partnership with Melco PBL Entertainment." Mr. Dodds
added, "Macau is the perfect location for Hard Rock to
continue building on its base of world-class hotel and
casino properties, and as a gateway to China, this
development will facilitate further expansion of the Hard
Rock brand in Asia."
Melco PBL Entertainment has teamed up with Dragone to
form an exclusive partnership to stage permanent show at
the City of Dreams. Being a renowned live entertainment
company, Dragone conceives, produces and directs shows on
an international scale. A stand-alone performance hall
with a seating capacity of around 2000, designed by the
renowned Pei Partnerships in New York, will be specially
built for staging the Dragone show. This will be the first
Asian permanent show to feature Dragone, the product of
dreams and imagination. Carrying audiences into a world of
wonderment, the production underscores the bright prospects
that non-gaming entertainment has in Macau. It is expected
that guests will be able to watch a world-class show
comparable to those in Las Vegas and other gaming
destinations. Dragone has promised that guests will come
away awe-struck after watching the show which will commence
in early 2009.
"We are deeply honored to be selected to perform
at the City of Dreams. Performing in a city that possesses
a World Heritage Site, we will certainly be motivated to
add to Macau's rich cultural traditions. As well, this
important opportunity marks our first step towards entering
the Asian market," said Mr. Louis Parenteau, President
of Dragone.
In addition to these top-notch partners for our
flagship entertainment resort, Melco PBL Entertainment has
also gained support and confidence from the financial
community and has received conditional commitment from a
syndicate of four banks for a project financing facility
amounting to approximately US$1.1 billion to finance the
City of Dreams project. The facility is lead-arranged by
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Bank of
America Securities Asia Limited, Barclays Capital and
Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch. A loan of US$500
million has already been provided by the same syndicate in
early September 2006 to partially finance the acquisition
cost of the subconcession.
Mr. Ho concluded: "Leveraging the financial
resources of Melco and PBL together with great support from
major banks, Melco PBL Entertainment has established a solid
foundation for future development. The backing from
first-rate hotel operators and an exceptional entertainment
provider will reinforce our reputation as a world-class
gaming and entertainment provider. Looking ahead, the
scheduled opening of City of Dreams in the second half of
2008 will follow in the footsteps of Crown Macau which is
due to open in April 2007. Moreover, having signed a
contract to acquire land for our third casino project,
Melco PBL Entertainment is well poised to tap into the
fast-growing Macau gaming market -- serving tourists from
around the world and visitors of all ages."
About Melco PBL Entertainment
Melco PBL Entertainment is an exclusive joint venture
between Melco International Development Limited
("Melco") and Australia's largest conglomerate
and gaming group -- Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd
("PBL"). With successful transfer of the gaming
subconcession to the joint venture, it can tap the growing
gaming and resort opportunities in Macau. Currently, the
joint venture's main gaming assets are Crown Macau, City of
Dreams and Mocha. "Crown Macau" will be the first
6-star casino-hotel in Macau and is targeted at high
rollers. The "City of Dreams" is a premium
integrated urban entertainment resort featuring an
underwater-themed casino. It will comprise 4 deluxe hotels
and serviced apartments, offering approximately 2,000 rooms,
in addition to a performance hall, retailers and restaurant
outlets. The Mocha Slot Clubs, on the other hand, present
slot machine clubs in a uniquely designed caf¨¦ setting.
They have been successful in the grind market in Macau.
Furthermore, Melco PBL Entertainment is in the process of
completing the acquisition of a development site on Macau
Peninsula with plans to establish its third hotel and
casino complex in Macau.
About the Founding Companies
Melco International Development Limited
("Melco") is one of the companies with the
longest history in Hong Kong. Founded in 1910, Melco was
among the first one hundred companies established in the
city and was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in
1927. Today, under the leadership of its Chairman &
CEO Lawrence Ho, Melco is a dynamic conglomerate with a
major business focus in Leisure, Gaming &
Entertainment. Its promising performance and distinctive
leadership in the industry are also well recognized
worldwide. Melco International Development Limited is a
constituent of the MSCI Hong Kong Index, part of the MSCI
Standard Index Series. For more information, please visit
http://www.melco-group.com .
Publishing & Broadcasting Limited ("PBL")
is the largest media and gaming conglomerate in Australia
with a market capitalization of more than US$9 billion,
placing it among the top 20 companies listed on the
Australian Stock Exchange. The Group's core businesses are
gaming and entertainment; television production and
broadcasting, magazine publishing and strategic investment
in key digital media and entertainment businesses. Led by
Executive Chairman James Packer, PBL owns and operates the
highly acclaimed Crown Casino in Melbourne and Burswood
Casino in Perth. It also owns the country's highest rating
free-to-air television Nine Network, and Australia's largest
magazine publisher Australian Consolidated Press. For more
information, please visit http://www.pbl.com.au/ .
About Dragone Entertainment GmbH
Founded in 2000 by Franco Dragone and Louis Parenteau,
the Dragone Group conceives, produces and directs shows on
an international scale. The company has the capacity both
to launch and commercialise artistic projects from A to Z.
From its beginnings, DRAGONE has experienced
considerable growth. In particular the Disney Cinema
Parade at Euro Disney, C¨¦line Dion's show, A New Day, are
part of its credits. In addition to the creation of
permanent shows, DRAGONE imagines and creates specific
events as well as smaller scale productions.
DRAGONE, an international company, has its registered
office in La Louvi¨¨re (Belgium). Present in the United
States thanks to DRAGONE Productions USA, established in
Las Vegas, the company can also be found in Montreal,
Canada, where DRAGONE also has an office. For further
information, please visit http://www.dragone.be .
About Hard Rock International
With 124 high-energy Hard Rock Cafes, seven Hotel &
Casinos and one stand-alone Casino in 43 countries, Hard
Rock International is one of the world's most
globally-recognized brands. Beginning with an Eric Clapton
guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's greatest collection of
music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations
around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its
collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard
Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website.
Hard Rock International, Inc. is owned by The Rank Group Plc
(RNK.LSE).
There are currently Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
properties in Las Vegas, Hollywood (Fla.) and Tampa, and
under construction in Biloxi, as well as Hard Rock Hotels
in Chicago, Orlando, Bali and Pattaya. Additionally, there
are projects under development in San Diego and Colorado
among other exciting global destinations.
For more information on Hard Rock International, please
visit http://www.hardrock.com .
About Leighton-China State-John Holland Joint Venture
partners
Leighton Asia (Northern) is one of Asia's leading
project developers and contractors. Established in Hong
Kong in 1975, the company has completed over US$8 billion
in contracts throughout the region over the past 30 years.
The company's strength lies in its ability to develop
innovative, practical solutions for its clients.
The company focuses on a number of specific market
segments including: civil engineering & infrastructure;
building; rail; mining; marine; oil & gas; water;
environmental services; process; and telecommunications.
Its unique combination of local knowledge and extensive
international experience has made Leighton the region's
international contractor of choice.
China State Construction International Holdings Limited
started its construction business in Hong Kong in 1979. It
is a vertically integrated construction powerhouse,
engaging in building construction and civil engineering
operations as well as foundation work, site investigation,
mechanical and electrical engineering, highway and bridge
construction, concrete and pre-cast production. In July
2005, China State Construction was listed on the Main Board
of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
China State is amongst the largest construction
contractors in Hong Kong. Leveraged on its competitive
strengths, innovations and technology know-how, the Company
is driving towards business expansion to overseas market,
and remarkable progress has been attained in UAE and India
etc.
John Holland is Australia's largest and most diverse
specialist contracting business with work in hand in excess
of US$2.5 billion. The business focuses on its People,
Performance, Partnerships and Profit.
John Holland is unique in featuring regional
construction divisions partnering with national specialist
business units, creating a depth of capabilities and
opportunities without equal in Australia. The company's
geographic coverage and capability combined with its depth
of resources provides us with the ability and the desire to
work in collaboration with its clients to successfully
deliver total project solutions on time and within budget.
The company provides the expertise and experience to
deliver projects in the fields of:
--Building and engineering construction
-- Tunnelling and underground mining
-- Water, including wastewater treatment
-- Telecommunications and rail communication systems
-- Structural mechanical and process engineering,
and;
-- Power, including high voltage transmission
projects.
The company aspires to a vision of No Harm in the
workplace, the community and the environment.
Leighton Asia (Northern) and John Holland are both part
of the Leighton Group, Australia's largest project
development and contracting group with annual revenue of
US$7.5 billion. The Group employs around 25,000 people
around the Asia-Pacific region.
For more information, please contact:
Melco International Development Limited
Maggie Ma
Tel: +852-3151-3767
Fax: +852-3162-3579
Email: maggiema@melco-group.com
Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Esther Chan
Tel: +852-2864-4825
Email: esther@strategic.com.hk
Mandy Go
Tel: +852-2864-4825
Email: mandy@strategic.com.hk
Cindy Lung
Tel: +852-2864-4867
Fax: +852-2804-2789
Email: cindy@strategic.com.hk
SOURCE Melco PBL Entertainment
2007'02.11.Sun
Arrow Electronics Ranks in Top 100 on InformationWeek 500
October 16, 2006
HONG KONG, Oct. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Arrow
Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: ARW) today announced that it
ranked 37th on the 2006 InformationWeek 500, a prestigious
listing of the most innovative users of information
technology in the United States.
"The InformationWeek 500 honors today's leading
companies who set the benchmark for business technology
strategies and projects," said InformationWeek
publishing director, Fritz Nelson. "The companies on
our list are some of the most innovative users of
technology."
Vincent Melvin, vice president and chief information
officer, Arrow Electronics, Inc., stated, "Arrow's
history of utilizing technology to accelerate improvements
in business processes ensures our continued leadership in
creating value for customers and suppliers. We are pleased
to have been recognized among the country's top 100 most
innovative users of information technology on this year's
InformationWeek 500 listing."
The magazine selected Arrow for this honor based on the
complex transformation of Arrow's global communications
network.
For the past 18 years InformationWeek has identified
and honored the nation's most innovative users of
information technology with its annual listing. The list
is unique among corporate rankings because it spotlights
the power of innovation in information technology, rather
than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders.
Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be
found at http://www.informationweek.com/iw500/ .
About Arrow
Arrow Electronics is a major global provider of
products, services and solutions to industrial and
commercial users of electronic components and computer
products. Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Arrow serves as
a supply channel partner for nearly 600 suppliers and more
than 135,000 original equipment manufacturers, contract
manufacturers and commercial customers through a global
network of more than 270 locations in 53 countries and
territories.
About InformationWeek
InformationWeek sets the agenda for business technology
executives, covering the full range of information access
points IT decision-makers use today. A trusted,
authoritative source and information filter,
InformationWeek helps community members understand and
focus on what's important up-to-the-minute -- in print,
online, through independent research and at live,
peer-to-peer events. Through its cross-media platform,
InformationWeek delivers content to complement the print
publication to its community of business technology leaders
when and how they want it, 24/7. The InformationWeek
community includes an audience of 2.5 million CIOs, IT
executives and business managers who cut across industries,
job titles, company sizes and global borders.
InformationWeek is consistently recognized for its
commitment to excellence and thought leadership by the IT
community, receiving many of the industry's top media
accolades, including several awards from the American
Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), top spots
in BtoB Magazine's Media Power 50 and Circulation
Excellence Awards from Circulation Management Magazine.
For more information, please contact:
Ray Leung
Marketing Communications Director
Arrow Asia Pac Ltd.
Tel: +852-2484-2683
Email: ray.leung@arrowasia.com
Grace Kung
Marketing Communications Manager
Tel: +852-2484-2682
Email: grace.kung@arrowasia.com
SOURCE Arrow Electronics, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
Howard Stern Two-Day, Free Worldwide Event to Launch SIRIUS Internet Radio
October 16, 2006
* The Best Radio on Radio(TM) is now The Best Radio on
the Internet
* No radio necessary to receive SIRIUS Internet Radio
anywhere
* Over 75 channels of CD-quality audio on SIRIUS
Internet Radio
* Howard Stern Show free on the Internet for two days
Oct. 25th and 26th
Worldwide
NEW YORK, Oct. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- SIRIUS
Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) today announced the launch
of SIRIUS Internet Radio (SIR), a CD-quality, Internet-only
version of its rapidly growing satellite radio service. SIR
delivers more than 75 channels of SIRIUS programming,
without the use of a radio, for the monthly subscription
fee of $12.95. To mark the availability of SIR, listeners
on SIRIUS.com will be able to hear The Howard Stern Show
and Stern's two 24/7 channels for free on Oct. 25 and 26th,
as well as enjoy SIRIUS' channels of 100% commercial-free
music, talk, entertainment, and sports.
(Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991118/NYTH125 )
For those two days, Stern will deliver his daily
uncensored four hour-plus show, the show he was meant to do
after 20 years on terrestrial radio. Listeners can go to
http://www.sirius.com/howard now to register for a free
trial of SIRIUS, then tune in beginning October 25 to
listen to Stern. Information about the free trial is also
available at http://www.howardstern.com .
Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS President, Entertainment and
Sports, said, "Howard being available live for the
first time ever to a worldwide audience is an unprecedented
event in the history of radio. Listeners can now get what
they have been missing: Howard at the top of his game and
more than 75 channels of The Best Radio on Radio. It's now
The Best Radio on the Internet."
SIR is perfect for those who want the variety of
programming SIRIUS is known for but without the radio.
Whether at home or the office, SIR is accessible anywhere
you have an Internet connection. Subscribers to the
Internet-only service will be able to hear all of SIRIUS'
100% commercial-free music channels in CD-quality audio and
select sports, entertainment, and talk channels, including
The Howard Stern Show, Howard 100 and Howard 101.
"Listening to SIRIUS is now more convenient than
ever, and there is no other Internet radio service that
provides its listeners with our exclusive mix of
commercial-free music and dynamic talk, entertainment, and
sports programming," said SIRIUS' Greenstein.
SIRIUS Internet Radio consists of over 75 channels,
including 64 100% commercial free music channels. SIRIUS is
the exclusive home of Elvis Radio, Jimmy Buffett's Radio
Margaritaville, Little Steven's Underground Garage channel,
Eminem's Shade 45, BBC Radio 1, and the Metropolitan Opera
Radio channel, as well as Rolling Stones Radio and The Who
channel, and unique shows such as Nordic Rox, spotlighting
Scandinavian music, and David Johansen's Mansion of Fun,
playing eclectic free-form music.
SIRIUS' online offerings include SIRIUS Football Radio,
channel 124, the only 24/7 year-round radio channel devoted
to pro football, providing the most comprehensive, in-depth
radio coverage with daily live shows hosted by an
exceptional lineup that includes Jerry Rice, Cris Carter,
Randy Cross, Daryl Johnston, Tiki and Ronde Barber,
Keyshawn Johnson and others.
In talk programming, SIR features, besides The Howard
Stern Show and Howard 100 and Howard 101, Martha Stewart
Living Radio, Maxim Radio, COSMO Radio, Playboy Radio and
the nation's first and only gay and lesbian radio channel,
SIRIUS OutQ. Political talk radio enthusiasts can choose
from SIRIUS Left and SIRIUS Patriot. Listeners can call in
to speak with exclusive SIRIUS talk hosts such as Deepak
Chopra, Judith Regan, Candace Bushnell, Richard Simmons and
Sen. Bill Bradley on SIRIUS Stars, along with upcoming shows
from Barbara Walters and Jane Pratt.
About SIRIUS
SIRIUS, "The Best Radio on Radio," delivers
more than 130 channels of the best programming in all of
radio. SIRIUS is the original and only home of 100%
commercial free music channels in satellite radio, offering
69 music channels. SIRIUS also delivers 65 channels of
sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, weather and
data. SIRIUS is the Official Satellite Radio Partner of
the NFL, NBA and NHL and broadcasts live play-by-play games
of the NFL, NBA and NHL. All SIRIUS programming is
available for a monthly subscription fee of only $12.95.
SIRIUS Internet Radio (SIR), is a CD-quality,
Internet-only version of the SIRIUS radio service, without
the use of a radio, for the monthly subscription fee of
$12.95. SIR delivers more than 75 channels of 100%
commercial free music, talk, entertainment, and sports.
SIRIUS products for the car, truck, home, RV and boat
are available in more than 25,000 retail locations,
including Best Buy, Circuit City, Crutchfield, Costco,
Target, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, RadioShack and at
shop.sirius.com.
SIRIUS radios are offered in vehicles from Audi, BMW,
Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep(R), Land
Rover, Lexus, Lincoln-Mercury, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI,
Nissan, Rolls Royce, Scion, Toyota, Porsche, Volkswagen and
Volvo. Hertz also offers SIRIUS in its rental cars at major
locations around the country.
Click on http://www.sirius.com to listen to SIRIUS
live, or to purchase a SIRIUS radio and subscription.
Any statements that express, or involve discussions as
to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions,
future events or performance with respect to SIRIUS
Satellite Radio Inc. are not historical facts and may be
forward-looking and, accordingly, such statements involve
estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause
actual results to differ materially from those expressed in
any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, any such
statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to
the factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2005 and Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among the key
factors that have a direct bearing on our operational
results are: our dependence upon third parties, including
manufacturers of SIRIUS radios, retailers, automakers and
programming partners, our competitive position and any
events which affect the useful life of our satellites.
For more information, please contact:
Patrick Reilly
SIRIUS
Tel: +1-212-901-6646
Email: preilly@siriusradio.com
SOURCE SIRIUS Satellite Radio
2007'02.11.Sun
TI Announces Five New DSL Solutions Based on Next-Generation UR8 Residential Gateway Architecture
October 13, 2006
Flexible RG Platform Enables Connectivity Over All ADSL and VDSL2 Standards and Distribution Over Multiple Home Networking Technologies
PARIS, Oct. 13 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments
Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced the
availability of five new xDSL solutions from its
next-generation UR8 residential gateway (RG) family. Based
on an advanced multimedia gateway processor, these
platforms give manufacturers the flexibility to design RGs
with multiple home networking options and variations of
feature functionality, including enhanced voice
capabilities and advanced video services, over all ADSL and
VDSL2 standards.
"Manufacturers require a powerful platform to
enable next-generation services, as well as the flexibility
to differentiate their products with new, advanced
features," said Michael Wolf, Practice Director for
Digital Home at ABI Research. "TI is focused on
delivering a highly flexible architecture that can be
adapted quickly and cost-effectively to deliver multiple
offerings."
The UR8 architecture comprises an advanced multimedia
gateway processor, a programmable DSL PHY, a
high-performance DSP-based voice sub-system and a rich set
of local area network (LAN) interfaces. Multiple processors
enable the intelligent management of broadband distribution
for enhanced throughput and performance. A well-defined
application program interface (API) reduces time to market
by allowing hardware and software reuse across all DSL
platforms.
The UR8 architecture leverages a dedicated DSP to
enable exceptional voice capabilities and delivers on TI's
vision of Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) throughout the
home with support for up to four channels of wireline or
wireless voice. Its high-performance programmable voice
subsystem allows manufacturers to leverage TI's extensive
voice codec library and Telogy SoftwareTM for VoIP,
including wideband codecs, wireline and wireless codecs,
and advanced features such as fax and modem relay,
packet-loss minimization and noise-reducing algorithms.
The UR8 architecture also has a rich set of interfaces
to support distribution of broadband services throughout
the home over multiple home networking technologies,
including Ethernet, WiFi and standards offered by the
HomePlug Powerline Alliance, Multimedia over Coax Alliance
(MoCA (R)) and Home Phoneline Networking Alliance
(HomePNATM). In addition, the UR8 platforms leverage the
extensive interoperability footprint of TI's field-proven
AR7 product family to enable manufacturers to take
advantage of existing product investments to develop
high-performance, interoperable next-generation RG
solutions.
"Service providers have counted on TI's DSL
interoperability through seven generations of products, and
our customers look to us for CPE products that maintain
interoperability with all of the leading Digital Subscriber
Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) deployments around the
world," said Kurt Eckles, director or marketing and
customer support for TI's Residential Gateway and Embedded
Systems business unit. "We will continue to help our
customers leverage the investments they have made in
previous product offerings to enable their next-generation
gateway products with improved performance, enhanced voice
capabilities and advanced video services over all ADSL and
VDSL2 standards."
The five new xDSL solutions based on TI's
next-generation UR8 RG family are sampling today.
About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP
and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world
signal processing requirements. In addition to
Semiconductor, the company's businesses include Educational
& Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas,
Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in
more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located
on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com .
Trademarks
Telogy Software is a trademark of Texas Instruments.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Martin
Texas Instruments
Tel: +1-214-480-5035
Email: smartin@ti.com
Ramona Layne
Golin/Harris
Tel: +1-972-341-2532
Email: rlayne@golinharris.com
SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated
2007'02.11.Sun
Roche Files Herceptin Plus Hormonal Therapy for Advanced HER2-Positive Breast Cancer With European Authorities
October 13, 2006
BASEL, Switzerland, Oct. 13 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Roche today announced the submission of a Marketing
Authorisation to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for
Herceptin (trastuzumab) as treatment for advanced
HER2-positive and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.
The application is based on data from the international
TAnDEM study which showed that the addition of Herceptin to
hormonal therapy doubles the median progression-free
survival (amount of time a patient's cancer is kept under
control), from 2.4 months to 4.8 months(1).
HER2-positive breast cancer, which affects 20 to 30
percent of women with breast cancer, is an aggressive form
of the disease that requires special and immediate
attention because the tumours are fast-growing and there is
a higher likelihood of relapse(2). Up to a half of
HER2-positive breast cancers are also hormone
receptor-positive, a form of the disease that has typically
been considered `lower-risk,' due to successful treatment
with hormonal therapies (3). However, TAnDEM is the first
randomised study to show that this specific subset of
`co-positive' patients (both HER2- and hormone
receptor-positive) is actually `higher-risk', making the
positive results with Herceptin even more meaningful.
"The results from the TAnDEM study show once again
that Herceptin should be the backbone for all HER2-positive
breast cancer patients -- it consistently benefits patients
regardless of whether it is given in the early- or
advanced-stage settings, or whether it is in combination
with chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or as a single
agent," said Eduard Holdener, Global Head of Roche
Pharma Development. "This combination offers a new
treatment regimen for patients who suffer from a
particularly aggressive form of breast cancer, and we are
pleased to have been able to progress this application so
quickly."
About the study
TAnDEM, conducted by Roche, is a randomised, phase III
trial, which evaluated Herceptin in combination with the
hormonal therapy anastrozole versus anastrozole alone as
first-line therapy (or second-line hormonal therapy) in
postmenopausal women with advanced (metastatic),
HER2-positive and hormone receptor-positive (ER-positive
and/or PR-positive) breast cancer. Enrolment to the trial
began in 2001, and 208 HER2 and hormone receptor
co-positive patients were randomized at 77 centres in 22
countries across the world.
Median progression-free survival, the primary endpoint
of the trial, was 4.8 months for patients who received the
combination compared to 2.4 months for patients who
received hormonal therapy alone (p = 0.0016). Patients in
the combination arm also responded significantly better to
treatment (overall response rate was 20.3% versus 6.8%; p =
0.018). There was also a positive trend in median overall
survival (28.5 months versus 23.9 months; p = 0.325); this
is despite the fact that in the hormonal therapy alone arm,
more than half of patients (58/104) crossed over to receive
Herceptin during the trial when their disease had
progressed, and an additional 15 (out of 104) patients
received Herceptin at a later time point.
Overall safety data in both arms of the trial were
acceptable given the known safety profile of each of the
drugs in the advanced breast cancer setting. Patients in
this study will continue to be followed for any
side-effects.
About breast cancer and Herceptin
Eight to nine percent of women will develop breast
cancer during their lifetime, making it one of the most
common types of cancer in women(4). Each year more than one
million new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed worldwide,
with a death rate of nearly 400,000 people per year.
In HER2-positive breast cancer, increased quantities of
the HER2 protein are present on the surface of the tumour
cells. This is known as `HER2-positivity.' High levels of
HER2 are present in a particularly aggressive form of the
disease which responds poorly to chemotherapy. Research
shows that HER2-positivity affects approximately 20-30
percent of women with breast cancer.
Herceptin is a humanised antibody, designed to target
and block the function of HER2, a protein produced by a
specific gene with cancer-causing potential. It has
demonstrated efficacy in treating both early and advanced
(metastatic) breast cancer. Given on its own as monotherapy
as well as in combination with or following standard
chemotherapy, Herceptin has been shown to improve response
rates, disease-free survival and overall survival while
maintaining quality of life in women with HER2-positive
breast cancer.
Herceptin received approval for use in the European
Union for advanced (metastatic) HER2-positive breast cancer
in 2000 and for early HER2-positive breast cancer in 2006.
In the advanced setting, Herceptin is now approved for use
as a first-line therapy in combination with paclitaxel
where anthracyclines are unsuitable, as first-line therapy
in combination with docetaxel, and as a single agent in
third-line therapy. In the early setting, Herceptin is
approved for use following standard (adjuvant)
chemotherapy. Herceptin is marketed in the United States by
Genentech, in Japan by Chugai and internationally by Roche.
To date, over 310,000 patients with HER2-positive
breast cancer have been treated with Herceptin worldwide.
About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of
the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in
the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As a
supplier of innovative products and services for the early
detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease,
the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to
improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is a
world leader in diagnostics, the leading supplier of
medicines for cancer and transplantation and a market
leader in virology. In 2005 sales by the Pharmaceuticals
Division totalled 27.3 billion Swiss francs, and the
Diagnostics Division posted sales of 8.2 billion Swiss
francs. Roche employs roughly 70,000 people in 150
countries and has R&D agreements and strategic
alliances with numerous partners, including majority
ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Additional
information about the Roche Group is available on the
Internet ( http://www.roche.com ).
All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are
protected by law.
Additional information
All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are
legally protected.
-- About Genentech: http://www.gene.com
-- Roche in Oncology:
http://www.roche.com/mboncology-e.pdf
-- Roche Health Kiosk on cancer:
http://www.health-kiosk.ch/start_krebs
To access video clips, in broadcast standard, free of
charge, please go to: http://www.thenewsmarket.com .
References
(1) Kaufman, B. Trastuzumab plus anastrozole prolongs
progression-free
survival in postmenopausal women with HER2
positive, hormone-dependent
metastatic breast cancer (MBC). European Society
for Medical Oncology
(ESMO) Congress, Abstract no. LBA2, 2006.
(2) Harries M, Smith I. The development and clinical
use of trastuzumab
(Herceptin). Endocr Relat Cancer 9: 75-85, 2002.
(3) Marty M, Cognetti F, Maraninchi D, et al. Efficacy
and Safety of
Trastuzumab Combined with Docetaxel in Patients
with Human Epidermal
Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Metastatic Breast
Cancer
Administered as First-Line Treatment: Results of a
Randomised Phase II
Trial by the M77001 Study Group. J Clin Oncol.
2005;23:4265-4274.
(4) World Health Organization, 2000.
For more information, please contact:
Roche Group Media Office
Baschi Durr, Alexander Klauser or Martina Rupp, or
Daniel Piller, Head of Roche Group Media Office, or
Katja Prowald, Head of R&D Communications
Tel: +41-61-688-8888
Email: basel.mediaoffice@roche.com
SOURCE Roche
2007'02.11.Sun
Global Polio Eradication now Hinges on Four Countries
October 13, 2006
Polio-Free Countries Seek to Protect Themselves
GENEVA, Switzerland, Oct. 13 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The
world's success in eradicating polio now depends on four
countries -- Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan --
according to the Advisory Committee on Polio Eradication
(ACPE), the independent oversight body of the eradication
effort.
(Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040610/CNTH001LOGO )
With a targeted vaccine and faster ways of tracking the
virus, most countries that recently suffered outbreaks are
again polio-free. In parts of the four endemic countries,
however, there is a persistent failure to vaccinate all
children, and polio-free countries are considering new
measures to help protect themselves from future outbreaks.
"With a more effective monovalent vaccine and
accelerated lab processes for identifying poliovirus, these
countries have the best tools we've ever had," noted Dr
Stephen Cochi, Chair of the ACPE and Senior Adviser to the
Director of the Global Immunization Division at the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Eradicating polio is no longer a technical issue
alone. Success is now more a question of the political will
to ensure effective administration at all levels so that all
children get vaccine." As an illustration, the office
of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has already taken direct
oversight of polio vaccinations, following the sharp
increase in cases in the Southern Region of Afghanistan.
Given that all children paralysed by polio in the world
this year were infected by virus originating in one of the
four endemic countries, polio-free countries are now taking
new measures to protect themselves. The Ministry of Health
of Saudi Arabia, for example, will be enforcing stringent
polio immunization requirements for the upcoming pilgrimage
to Mecca.
"Polio eradication hinges on vaccine supply,
community acceptance, funding and political will. The first
three are in place. The last will make the difference,"
said Dr Robert Scott, Chair of Rotary International's
PolioPlus Committee, speaking on behalf of the spearheading
partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Rotary
is the top private-sector contributor and volunteer arm of
the Initiative, having contributed US$600 million and
countless volunteer hours in the field since 1985.
The ACPE advised the four polio-endemic countries to
set realistic target dates for stopping transmission,
noting that improvements in reaching all children in these
areas have been only incremental, and that these countries
will take more than 12 months to end polio.
Notes to Editors
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded
by national governments, the World Health Organization
(WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) and UNICEF.
The polio eradication coalition includes governments of
countries affected by polio; private sector foundations
(including United Nations Foundation, Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation); development banks (including the World
Bank, the African Development Bank); donor governments
(including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech
Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia,
Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman,
Portugal, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia,
Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab
Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States of
America); the European Commission; humanitarian and
nongovernmental organizations (including the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies) and
corporate partners (including Sanofi Pasteur, De Beers,
Wyeth). Volunteers in developing countries also play a key
role; 20 million have participated in mass immunization
campaigns.
Circulation of wild poliovirus: Since 1988, global
polio eradication efforts reduced the number of polio cases
from 350,000 annually to 1403 in 2006 (as at 10 October
2006), of which 1300 are in the four endemic countries
(where poliovirus transmission has never been stopped):
Nigeria, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is the
lowest number of endemic countries in history.
Funding: In addition to strengthened political
ownership in the remaining endemic countries, key to
success is the ongoing commitment of the international
donor community. For 2006, a further US$50 million is
urgently needed, to ensure planned immunization activities
through to the rest of the year can proceed. Additional
funding of US$390 million is needed for 2007-2008, of which
US$100 million is needed for activities in the first half of
2007.
For more information, please contact:
Sona Bari
WHO/Geneva
Tel: +41-79-475-5511
Email: baris@who.int
Oliver Rosenbauer
WHO/Geneva
Tel: +41-22-791-3832
Email: rosenbauero@who.int
Vivian Fiore
Rotary Int'l/Chicago
Tel: +1-847-866-3234
Email: vivian.fiore@rotary.org
Steve Stewart
CDC/Atlanta
Tel: +1-404-639-8327
Email: znc4@cdc.gov
Jessica Malter
UNICEF/New York
Tel: +1-212-326-7412
Email: jmalter@unicef.org
For further information on the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative, please see:
http://www.polioeradication.org
http://www.rotary.org/foundation/polioplus/
http://www.cdc.gov
http://www.unicef.org/polio
SOURCE World Health Organization
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