2007'02.11.Sun
Arrow Therapeutics HCV Compound Enters Phase I

November 27, 2006

LONDON, Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Arrow Therapeutics, the London based antiviral drug discovery and development company, has announced that it has initiated a Phase I study of A-831, a small molecule antiviral inhibitor of Hepatitis C infection. The study will evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of single escalating doses of A-831 in healthy volunteers in the UK. A-831 targets the NS5a protein, a novel mechanism of action, and is the first NS5a inhibitor to enter the clinic. Originating from Arrow's focused chemical library and optimised in-house, A-831 showed good safety and pharmacokinetics in preclinical studies and excellent potency in the replicon assay. A-831 is the first compound from Arrow's broad approach to the NS5a target. A further Arrow compound, also targeting the NS5a protein but of a completely different chemical structure, is expected to enter preclinical development shortly. The urgent need for novel Hepatitis C inhibitors has been well documented, with an estimated 170 million sufferers worldwide. The current Standard of Care treatment (Pegylated Interferon + ribavirin) has a poor side effect profile and is only effective in around 50% of patients. As with HIV/AIDS, multiple drugs in combination therapy are likely to be needed to overcome drug resistance. The value of the Hepatitis C market was approximately $2.2 billion in 2005 and is forecast to grow substantially to $4.4 billion in 2010 and $8.8 billion in 2015. "The start of the first clinical trial for a compound from our Hepatitis C programme is a significant milestone for the company," said Ken Powell, CEO of Arrow. "From the inception of Arrow we have been committed to producing potent, innovative inhibitors of Hepatitis C and believe that compounds such as A-831 will bring us a step closer to successfully treating the huge number of patients suffering from the virus worldwide. Preclinical results for A-831 have been extremely encouraging and we look forward to this next stage of development for the compound, as well as the advancement of other compounds within our Hepatitis C programmes." Notes to Editors Arrow Therapeutics Arrow Therapeutics was founded in 1998, and is focused exclusively on novel antiviral drug discovery and development. Based in central London with around 55 employees, the product pipeline includes novel antiviral lead and clinical compounds. Arrow's lead programme to treat Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is in Phase lla clinical studies and is partnered with Novartis. The Hepatitis C programme consists of multiple series from different chemical classes. The most advanced compounds inhibit NS5a, a novel viral target. The lead compound, A-831, has now entered Phase I trials (see above). A second series, of completely different chemical structure but also targeting NS5a, is at candidate selection stage. Arrow also has a Hepatitis C polymerase programme in lead optimisation. Compounds will be licensed at stages between preclinical and Phase IIb depending on the therapeutic area. Seed funding of GBP1.5 million was provided by Unibio of London who also invested in the first major funding round completed in July 2000 along with GIMV Belgium (lead), Alta Partners USA, 3i Group London, TVM Munich, and NVM Edinburgh which brought in GBP11.1 million. The same group provided a further GBP7 million in January 2002. The latest funding round was completed in early 2004 raising over GBP23 million from the USA, Japan and Europe. Atlas Venture is now the lead investor. http://www.arrowt.co.uk For more information, please contact: Ken Powell, CEO, Arrow Therapeutics Ltd Tel: +44-20-7015-1002 Annie Clayton, Investor Relations & Marketing, Arrow Therapeutics Ltd Tel: +44-20-7015-1004 SOURCE Arrow Therapeutics Ltd
PR
2007'02.11.Sun
Xinhua Finance/MNI China Business Survey: Conditions Improve

November 24, 2006

SHANGHAI, China, Nov. 24 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Xinhua Finance (TSE Mothers: 9399) and Market News International (MNI), a part of the news service line of Xinhua Finance, today announced the November Xinhua Finance/MNI China business sentiment survey. The results of the survey suggest Chinese companies have weathered government-imposed investment and credit controls and are now benefiting from slowing input price rises and an improved bottom line. (Logo: http://www.xprn.com.cn:9080/xprn/sa/200611140926.gif ) The survey was carried out November 6-21 with 150 listed companies responding. A result greater than 50 implies growth or improving conditions (See accompanying story for more on the survey methodology). The full survey results can be found at http://www.xinhuafinance.com/en/main/chinabizsurvey.html . While the indexes for current conditions have mostly improved and are well off their lows from the middle of the year, some of the key indexes showing the outlook for conditions in three months fell, most likely due to a combination of seasonal factors and expectations of slower growth next year. "While the survey indicates conditions are generally quite positive, it's clear from the results that there are expectations of a general slowdown going into next year," said Logan Wright, Beijing-based analyst with Stone & McCarthy Research Associates, a sister company of Market News International. The index for current overall conditions hit 75.67 in November, up from 68.44 in October and the second highest result for the index after the first quarter of 2005, which was the first survey in the series. "Business sentiment regarding current economic conditions has recovered considerably since the summer, when the government's macroeconomic controls began to take effect," noted Wright. With raw materials prices either falling or moderating because of government measures amid a general global price decline for things like oil and steel, the index for input prices fell to 57.19 from 64.23 in October, the lowest ever result. At the same time, the index for prices received suggests more companies were able to increase their prices. That index rose to 57.43 from 55.80 in November. According to the survey result, the index for companies' current financial position hit the highest mark ever, at 71.72 in November from 67.63 in October. "With coal prices remaining stable, we were able to increase profits, said one power producer. A maker of metal products had a similar story, saying that the prices of his products were increasing while prices of his main raw material was falling "which contributed to an increase in the company's gross profit."Companies also continued drawing down inventories, with that index falling to the lowest-ever level at 40.88, down from 42.80 in October. The index for productive capacity increased to 71.38 in November, the first increase since the first quarter of the year and up from 62.59 in October. The index for production also rose, to 70.63 from 68.75 last month.On one of the few negative notes for current conditions, the survey suggested that companies were seeing the growth of order backlogs slowing, with the index falling to 51.88 in November from 55.08 in October. There were more negatives seen in the indexes for expectations of conditions in three months. Some of the decreases in index levels matched results seen in the expectation indexes for the fourth quarter last year, suggesting that the results may be partially explained by a seasonal slowdown in the first part of the year. But at least some of the decline in sentiment must be due to expectations that Chinese growth and business activity will slow next year. The index for new orders in three months fell to 69.72, its lowest ever. The index for productive capacity growth fell to 65.52, close to the lowest-ever mark for that index. "The results suggest that companies are preparing for a slowdown next year from the very fast growth seen this year," said Wright. Xinhua Finance/MNI China Business Survey Methodology The Xinhua Finance/MNI China Business Sentiment Survey was conducted November 6-21 with 150 listed companies taking part. Survey questions were modeled on Japan's Tankan survey and the U.S. Institute for Supply Management's Report on Business. Results were compiled for both current conditions compared with a month ago and for expectations of conditions one month ahead. Indexes were compiled using the Institute for Supply Management's example: adding half of the percentage saying conditions were unchanged to the percentage of those saying conditions had improved generated the index. Therefore, a result higher than 50 indicates a net positive response. Companies agreed to participate in the survey, and to provide comments about business conditions, under the assurance that individual survey responses would not be divulged except as part of the overall results. Companies surveyed were all listed on domestic stock markets or in Hong Kong, although some also have foreign listings. The companies chosen were a mix of manufacturers and non-manufacturers with about 75% of the companies responding to the survey in manufacturing. About Xinhua Finance Limited Xinhua Finance Limited is China's unchallenged leader in financial information and media, and is listed on the Mothers board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (symbol: 9399) (OTC ADRs: XHFNY). Bridging China's financial markets and the world, Xinhua Finance serves financial institutions, corporations and re-distributors through four focused and complementary service lines: Indices, Ratings, Financial News and Investor Relations. Founded in November 1999, the Company is headquartered in Shanghai with 20 news bureaus and offices in 19 locations across Asia, Australia, North America and Europe. For more information, please visit http://www.xinhuafinance.com . About Market News International Market News International (MNI), a Xinhua Finance company ( http://www.xinhuafinance.com ), is a financial news and information company dedicated to the global fixed income and foreign exchange markets. MNI joined the Xinhua Finance family in March 2004, bringing its niche expertise and extensive distribution network. Headquartered in New York, MNI has news bureaus and offices throughout the US, Europe and Asia. With more than twenty years of history, MNI is a fully accredited news agency providing focused, timely, relevant and critical intelligence for market professionals. Its press credentials are accepted by all operations of the U.S. Government, including the White House, the Federal Reserve, both houses of Congress, all major agencies and cabinet departments, all similar government operations in the G-7 countries, as well as by supranational organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. For more Information, please contact: Xinhua Finance Hong Kong/Shanghai Ms. Joy Tsang Tel: +852-3196-3983 +852-9486-4364 +86-21-6113-5999 Email: joy.tsang@xinhuafinance.com Japan Mr. Sun Jiong Tel: +81-3-3221-9500 Email: jsun@xinhuafinance.com Taylor Rafferty (Media/IR Contact) Japan Mr. James Hawrylak Tel: +81-3-5733-2621 Email: James.hawrylak@taylor-rafferty.com United States Ms. Ishviene Arora Tel: +1-212-889-4350 Email: ishviene.arora@taylor-rafferty.com Europe Mr. John Dudzinsky Tel: +44-20-7614-2900 Email: John.Dudzinsky@taylor-rafferty.co.uk SOURCE Xinhua Finance Limited
2007'02.11.Sun
Saifun And SMIC To Collaborate On 8gb Data Flash Using SMIC's Advanced Process Technology

November 23, 2006

SMIC, a Leading Foundry to Manufacture 8Gb Flash on Advanced Process Based on Saifun Quad NROM Technology and Designs
NETANYA, Israel, Nov. 23 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, ("SMIC", NYSE: SMI, HKSE: 0981.HK), one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world, and Saifun Semiconductors Ltd. ("Saifun", NYSE: SFUN), a leading provider of Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) technology, jointly announced today that they will collaborate on delivering 8Gb Data flash using SMIC's advanced process technology. This unique product, expected to reach the market in 2008, will be based on the Saifun Quad NROM technology and designs. (Logo: http://211.154.41.99:9080/xprn/sa/200611101605.jpg ) Saifun Quad NROM four-bit-per-cell technology represents a breakthrough in existing NVM technology by doubling the storage capacity of conventional memory cells and providing a simpler architecture that requires fewer manufacturing steps and reduces manufacturing costs. The development of 8Gb Data flash on SMIC's advanced process demonstrates the advantages of Quad NROM in enabling the most cost-effective Flash manufacturing processes on the market today. It will enable SMIC to enter the challenging Flash market with reliable and high performance products. SMIC aims to provide a comprehensive flash product offering to tap into the emerging consumer electronics market in China and throughout the world. SMIC has delivered its first engineering samples of its advanced 2Gb NAND flash product based on the Saifun NROM two-bit-per-cell technology, and it continues to target mass production of this product by the end of 2006. "We are delighted to further our relationship with SMIC in bringing the advanced Flash products to the market," commented Dr. Boaz Eitan, Chairman and CEO of Saifun, "We believe that the combination of the innovation and dedication of SMIC with Saifun's unique NROM technology positions both companies very well to become significant players in the very lucrative Data market." "We are excited to further expand our partnership with Saifun into more advanced flash technology. This again demonstrates our mutual commitment in the advancement of Flash products," said Dr. Richard Chang, President and CEO of SMIC, "We believe Saifun's leading edge technology development, combined with SMIC's reliable and advanced manufacturing capabilities, will allow us to further strengthen our position in flash market." About SMIC SMIC (NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) is one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world and the largest and most advanced foundry in Mainland China, providing integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing service at 0.35mm to 90nm and finer line technologies. Headquartered in Shanghai, China, SMIC operates three 200mm fabs in Shanghai and one in Tianjin, and one 300mm fab in Beijing, the first of its kind in Mainland China. SMIC has customer service and marketing offices in the U.S., Italy, and Japan as well as a representative office in Hong Kong. For additional information, please visit http://www.smics.com . About Saifun Semiconductors Ltd. Saifun is a provider of intellectual property (IP) solutions for the non-volatile memory (NVM) market. The company's innovative Saifun NROM(R) technology allows semiconductor manufacturers to deliver high performance, reliable products at a lower cost per megabit, with greater storage capacity, using a single process for all NVM applications. Saifun licenses its IP to semiconductor manufacturers who use this technology to develop and manufacture a variety of stand-alone and embedded NVM products. These include Flash memory for the telecommunications, consumer electronic, networking and automotive markets. Among the companies currently licensing Saifun NROM technology are Qimonda AG, Macronix International, NEC Electronics, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, Sony Corporation, Spansion, and Tower Semiconductor. Safe Harbor Statements(Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) This press release contains, in addition to historical information, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including statements concerning the timing specified products will be available to customers, the benefits of the collaboration to customers and the continuing collaboration between SMIC and Saifun, are based on SMIC's current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events. SMIC uses words like "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks, both known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors that may cause SMIC's actual performance, financial condition or results of operations to be materially different from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. For more information, please contact: SMIC Shanghai Reiko Chang SMIC Public Relations Department Tel: +86-21-5080-2000 x10544 Email: PR@smics.com SMIC Hong Kong Mei Fung Hoo Tel: +852-2537-8480 Email: MeiFung_Hoo@smics.com Marsha Shalvi Saifun Semiconductors Ltd. Tel: +972-989-28450 Mobile: +972-544-942180 Email: marshas@saifun.com SOURCE Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation
2007'02.11.Sun
TI Delivers Precision 36-V Amplifiers with Low Power and Small Sizefor High-Voltage Industrial Market

November 22, 2006

Op Amps Developed Using TI's New 36-V Bipolar SiGe Process
DALLAS, Nov. 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today introduced two new precision operational amplifiers that combine ultra-low noise with lower power, smaller package size and higher bandwidth than competitive 36-V amplifiers. The OPA211 and OPA827 enable breakthrough performance for test and measurement, instrumentation, imaging, medical, audio and process control applications. These are the first devices developed using TI's groundbreaking BiCom3HV complementary bipolar 36-V silicon germanium (SiGe) process. (See http://www.ti.com/sc06209 ) (Logo: http://211.154.41.99:9080/xprn/sa/20061107170439-20.jpg ) (Photo: http://211.154.41.99:9080/xprn/sa/200611221536.jpg ) (Photo: http://211.154.41.99:9080/xprn/sa/200611221537.jpg ) "The OPA211 and OPA827 represent a new class of precision amplifiers and demonstrate TI's commitment to the high-voltage industrial market," said Art George, senior vice president of TI's high-performance analog business. "These new amplifiers deliver extremely high accuracy with significant improvements in power consumption, bandwidth and package size characteristics, which will enable next-generation performance in industrial applications." The OPA211 is a bipolar-input operational amplifier that achieves 1.1 nV/rtHz voltage noise and 80 MHz gain bandwidth product (GBW) with a supply current of only 3.6 mA. The device provides 100 ¦ÌV offset voltage, 0.2 ¦ÌV/degC offset voltage drift and <1 ¦Ìs settling time for driving precision analog-to-digital converters in data acquisition systems. It also offers rail-to-rail output swing, which enhances dynamic range. The OPA211 operates over a ¡À2.25 V to ¡À18 V supply range and is available in MSOP-8 or DFN-8 packages. The 3mm x 3mm DFN package requires about 1/3 the area of a standard SO-8 package. Bipolar op amps excel in limiting errors related to offset voltage and are used in applications where the source impedance is low. The OPA827 is a JFET-input operational amplifier that combines outstanding DC precision with excellent AC performance. DC characteristics include 4.5 nV/rtHz voltage noise, 250 ¦ÌV offset voltage, 1 ¦ÌV/degC offset voltage drift and 400 nVpp frequency noise. AC specifications include 18 MHz GBW, 22 V/¦Ìs slew rate and 0.0004 percent total harmonic distortion (THD) at 1 kHz. The OPA827 operates over a ¡À4 V to ¡À18 V supply range with a supply current of only 4.5 mA. The MSOP-8 package represents a 50 percent reduction compared to SO-8 packages. JFET op amps offer very low bias current and are suited for applications where source impedance is high. TI provides customers with a state-of-the-art signal chain solution for precision applications: analog-to-digital converters such as the ADS8505 and digital-to-analog converters such as the DAC8811. The OPA211 and OPA827 are optimized to work with TI's TMS320(TM) high-performance DSP platforms and MSP430 ultra-low-power microcontroller family. Industry's First Complementary Bipolar 36-V SiGe Process TI's BiCom3HV process focuses TI's state-of-the-art manufacturing technology on the future needs of high-voltage industrial applications. The process offers high speeds with low noise, low power consumption and much smaller packaging than previously available. The BiCom3HV process is the first 36-V industrial process to utilize SiGe, which leads to significantly faster transistors than previously available. Excellent transistor matching along with precision SiCr resistors delivers increased accuracy, dynamic range and stability over the working temperature range. The reduction in transistor size is made possible by using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. The minimum NPN transistor is up to 11 times smaller than those available in the most advanced processes from the competition. SOI also brings other advantages such as low leakage currents and reduced interaction between transistors. The BiCom3HV process is ideal for the next generation of industrial voltage operational amplifiers (bipolar-input and FET-input), instrumentation amplifiers, programmable gain amplifiers and precision references. Availability and Packaging The OPA211 is sampling now, with volume production scheduled for 2Q 2007. The device is available in DFN-8, MSOP-8 and SO-8 packages and is priced at $3.45 in 1,000-piece quantities (suggested resale pricing). The OPA827 is sampling now, with volume production scheduled for 2Q 2007. The device is available in MSOP-8 and SO-8 packages and is priced at $5.75 in 1,000-piece quantities (suggested resale pricing). All devices are specified for operation from -40C to +125C. For more information on TI's complete analog design support, and to download the latest Amplifier & Data Converter Selection Guide, visit http://www.ti.com/analog . About Texas Instruments Incorporated Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company includes the Educational & Productivity Solutions business. 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 . Please refer all reader inquiries to: Texas Instruments Incorporated Semiconductor Group, SC-06209 Literature Response Center 14950 FAA Blvd. Fort Worth, TX 76155 1-800-477-8924 Safe Harbor Statement Statements contained in this news release regarding TI product availability and other statements of management's beliefs, goals and expectations may be considered forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. The following factors and the factors discussed in TI's most recent Form 10-K could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements contained in this news release: actual market demand for amplifier products and TI products specifically, and actual test results relating to TI products. TI disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this news release. Trademarks All registered trademarks and other trademarks belong to their respective owners. For more information, please contact: Brett Schroer Tel: +1-520-746-7984 Email: schroer_brett@ti.com Jacqi Moore Tel: +1-972-341-2514 Email: jmoore@golinharris.com SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated
2007'02.11.Sun
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Clarifies Use of the Word `Mormon' in News Reports

November 22, 2006

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recognizes that the prosecution of polygamist Warren Jeffs is generating substantial media coverage and that Jeffs' group refers to its members as fundamentalist Mormons. That is causing problems for reporters trying to help their readers, viewers and listeners distinguish between Jeffs' followers and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the public mind, the word "Mormon" has come to mean something very specific. It conjures up images of Mormon missionaries on bikes, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Mormon temples. It has become a synonym for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Consequently, when "Mormon" is used to describe polygamist groups, it causes great confusion about our beliefs among the general public and frustration to our members, which number over 12 million worldwide. The Associated Press Stylebook has recognized this difficulty and specified that the term "Mormon" is a nickname that should be applied exclusively to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that it is not accurately applied to any other person or organization (see entries on "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The" and "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"). Polygamists and polygamist organizations that occasionally make the news are not dissident wings of the Church or fundamentalists. They have no affiliation whatsoever with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most of their members have never had any association with the Church either. It follows that because Warren Jeffs is not affiliated with the Mormon church, and since he is not Mormon, reporters should look for more accurate and less misleading descriptions of him in the media. For example, Court TV's Web page never once used the word "Mormon" to describe Warren Jeffs in its story entitled "Prosecutors to present evidence against polygamist leader Warren Jeffs in teen-bride case." We sometimes hear the argument that because Jeffs and his followers use the Book of Mormon they should be considered Mormons. However, Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, evangelicals and a host of other faiths believe in Jesus and claim the Bible as their own, yet all consider themselves separate and distinct faiths. The same is true for all religious groups who believe in Joseph Smith's prophetic calling and use the Book of Mormon. For example, the Community of Christ church claims Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon but changed its name from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to be recognized as a different faith. Perhaps the following points will be helpful in your media coverage: -- Warren Jeffs has never been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are often referred to as "Mormons." -- Polygamy was officially discontinued in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1890. Any Church member adopting the practice today is excommunicated. Those groups which continue the practice in Utah and elsewhere have no association whatever with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and most of their practitioners have never been among our members. -- The Church has long been concerned about the continued illegal practice of polygamy, and in particular about reports of child and wife abuse emanating from polygamous communities today. -- Even in countries where civil or religious law allows polygamy, the Church teaches that marriage must be monogamous and does not accept into its membership those practicing plural marriage. Thank you for your time and attention in what we consider a very serious matter for our faith. We hope that both reporters and headline writers will be sensitive to this information. For more information, please contact: Kim Farah The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Tel: +1-801-240-1977 SOURCE The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2007'02.11.Sun
Russia's nicka81 and Petr, China's PE Triumph at TopCoder Collegiate Challenge in San Diego

November 22, 2006

New York, Moscow and Zhejiang University Students Are TopCoder's World Champion Programmers
GLASTONBURY, Conn., Nov. 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- TopCoder, Inc., the leader in online programming competition, skills assessment and competitive software development today announced Nikolay Archak of New York University, Petr Mitrichev of Moscow State University and Huang Ninghai of ZheJiang University as champions in their respective tournaments for design, algorithms and development at the 2006 TopCoder(R) Collegiate Challenge in San Diego Friday night. Archak, known by his TopCoder handle "nicka81" took $25,000 in prize money for his victory with Mitrichev (aka "Petr") and Ninghai ("PE") earning $25,000 and $15,000 for their first place finishes. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061121/NYTU095 ) An onsite finalist in both the algorithm and component tracks, nicka81 produced first place submissions for each of three design components from a field of seven designers who competed over the course of three days. Petr is a back-to-back algorithm champion having won the 2006 TopCoder Open first prize in that category. This was the first onsite appearance for PE who submitted two out of three winning development challenges. In an interesting side note, programmers from China -- "maone" (Mao Yiqiang), "ACRush" (TianCheng Lou) and "magicpig" (Ronghui Zhu), took second place in each of the three competition tracks. Third places went to sql_lall (Patrick Coleman of Australia), mathijs (Mathijs Vogelzang of the Netherlands) and kiveol (Nathan Kuchta of the U.S.). "We congratulate all our onsite finalists and hope they had a great time here in San Diego," said Rob Hughes, President and COO of TopCoder, Inc. "The growth of our community this year has been truly amazing and we will continue to look for better ways to challenge and empower programmers around the world." This year marked the first time a TopCoder global event was presented on the internet, Webcast live via AOL's http://dev.aol.com site, bringing the excitement and drama of competitive coding at the highest level to a global audience. Thousands of the brightest students from computer science, mathematics, physics and other fields representing 92 countries from around the world spent months locked in qualifying heats. The final 63 were flown in all expenses paid to San Diego to compete for a share of the $200,000 prize purse. About TopCoder, Inc. TopCoder is the recognized leader in identifying, evaluating and mobilizing effective software development resources. Through its proprietary programming competitions and rating system, TopCoder recognizes and promotes the abilities of the best programmers around the world. TopCoder Software harnesses the talent of these developers to design, develop and deploy software through its revolutionary competitive development methodology. TopCoder's methodology emphasizes thorough specification and design, distributed development using reusable components, and a rigorous quality assurance review process and results in higher quality, lower cost software solutions than traditional software development methodologies. For more information about sponsoring TopCoder Events, recruiting TopCoder members and utilizing TopCoder Software, visit http://www.topcoder.com/ . TopCoder is a registered trademark of TopCoder, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. For more information, please contact: Jim McKeown TopCoder, Inc. Tel: +1-860-633-5540 Email: jmckeown@topcoder.com SOURCE TopCoder, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
CompuCyte Corporation, National University of Singapore Establish Regional Quantitative Imaging Cytometry Center

November 22, 2006

SINGAPORE and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- CompuCyte Corporation and the National University of Singapore today announced the establishment of the Southeast Asia Regional Quantitative Imaging Cytometry Center, to be located at the National University of Singapore. The Center will expand a research collaboration program already in place between the two organizations. Under the expanded agreement, the National University of Singapore will provide symposia and educational programs for researchers involved in cell-based and tissue-based research using quantitative imaging cytometry systems. CompuCyte will provide up-to-date technology and software, as well as technical and scientific applications support. As part of the agreement, the National University of Singapore has obtained an iCys(R) Research Imaging Cytometer from CompuCyte. The first symposium under the agreement will take place on March 1, 2007 at the University. "We expect that the Center will help educate cell and molecular biology researchers on the important role that Quantitative Imaging Cytometry can play in biomedical research," explained Shazib Pervaiz, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and the National University of Singapore Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering. "The ability to obtain detailed quantitative data from biologic specimens, and at the same time visually examine specimen morphology, provides researchers with a major tool for advancing our understanding of the molecular basis of disease and identifying novel disease signatures which could be potential diagnostic markers or targets for drug design. We look forward to working with CompuCyte to jointly host this workshop on the use of automated laser scanning cytometry for both basic and clinical research in Singapore and the ASEAN countries." "The establishment of the Regional Quantitative Imaging Cytometry Center in Singapore is a significant milestone in our collaboration with the University," added Dr. Elena Holden, CompuCyte's president and chief executive officer. "Our proprietary technology is in use by academic centers and pharmaceutical companies worldwide for automated quantitative analysis of adherent cellular and tissue specimens. The exceptional performance characteristics of the new generation of LSC technology warrant extension of its use into tumor biology and drug discovery. Our current focus is to explore the ability to cytometrically identify the signaling profiles of tumor cells, measure the biomarker profile of patients prior to treatment to determine their response to particular drugs and monitor the pharmacodynamic effects of a wide range of novel drugs targeting specific signaling pathways." The Southeast Asia Regional Center in Singapore represents an international extension of CompuCyte's Technology Workshops in the United States and Europe. CompuCyte Corporation, a private company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a leader in the development of cellular analysis instrumentation for life science research, drug safety, toxicology studies and clinical trials. The company's iCyte(R), iCys(R), and iColor(TM) cytometers enable quantitative cytometric image analysis of cellular and tissue specimens. For more information, please contact: Kate Hilburn Director of Communications CompuCyte Corporation Tel: +1-617-577-4535 Email: khilburn@compucyte.com Shazib Pervaiz Professor, National University of Singapore Tel: +65-6516-6602 Email: phssp@nus.edu.sg SOURCE CompuCyte Corporation
2007'02.11.Sun
Thomson Financial and the Associated Press Announce News Partnership

November 22, 2006

NEW YORK, Nov. 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Thomson Financial, an operating unit of The Thomson Corporation (TSX: TOC, NYSE: TOC) and leading provider of information and technology solutions to the worldwide financial community, today announced an agreement to enhance its news offerings with content from The Associated Press. The agreement with AP Digital, a commercial division of The Associated Press, gives Thomson the rights to expand its current news offerings by including leading content from AP. "As we continue to expand our news capabilities, we see the AP as an ideal partner, with the depth of resources and understanding of the value of news, that will allow us to continue to differentiate Thomson Financial from the competition," said Sharon Rowlands, CEO, Thomson Financial. "We are delighted to be able to incorporate AP content into our services to enhance our offering to Thomson Financial clients." "This agreement with Thomson underscores the value of the AP's quality and the importance of news to the financial markets," said Tom Curley, AP's CEO and President. "Through working with Thomson, an industry leader, we will be delivering our essential news into the workflow of the markets." Through this arrangement with the AP, and a similar partnership with Agence France Presse (AFP) in Europe, Thomson has access to an unrivaled network of news coverage across the globe. About Thomson Financial Thomson Financial is a US$1.9 billion provider of information and technology solutions to the worldwide financial community. Through the widest range of products and services in the industry, Thomson Financial helps clients in more than 70 countries make better decisions, be more productive and achieve superior results. Thomson Financial is part of The Thomson Corporation ( http://www.thomson.com ), a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, higher education, reference information, corporate e-learning and assessment, scientific research and healthcare. With revenues of US$8.4 billion, The Thomson Corporation lists its common shares on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC). About Thomson The Thomson Corporation ( http://www.thomson.com ) is a global leader in providing essential electronic workflow solutions to business and professional customers. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, scientific research and healthcare. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC). For more information, please contact: Joe Christinat Thomson Financial Tel: +1-646-822-2392 (office) Mobile: +1-646-256-4353 SOURCE Thomson Financial
2007'02.11.Sun
Aozora Bank Reports Financial Results for the Six Months Ended September 30, 2006 -- Record First Half Net Revenue and Net Income Exceed Forecasts with Growing Contributions from Specialty Finance and Corporate Lending Businesses

November 22, 2006

TOKYO, Nov. 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Aozora Bank, Ltd. ("Aozora" or the "Bank"), a leading Japanese commercial bank, today reported strong financial results for the six months ended September 30, 2006. Aozora posted record first half net income for the second consecutive year, helped by growing contributions from the Bank's specialty finance and corporate lending businesses, combined with prudent cost controls. CONSOLIDATED 2006 FIRST HALF FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS -- Net income climbed 18.8% to 53.4 billion yen for the half from a year earlier. This improvement exceeded our forecast of 50.9 billion yen. -- Net revenue grew 8.3% to 58.1 billion yen for the half from a year earlier. -- The loan book continued to expand, reaching 3,489.3 billion yen, representing an increase of 11.3% since March 31, 2006. -- Core net interest income (excluding the impact of the macro hedge, funding of additional non-interest bearing assets and increased liquidity reserves) increased 11% for the half from a year earlier. -- Non-interest income continued to grow, up 36.5% for the half from a year earlier. -- The overhead ratio was 45.3% for the half. -- Operating profits increased 29.5% to 33.4 billion yen for the half from a year earlier, demonstrating the earnings efficiency of our relatively low overhead ratio. -- ROA for the half was 1.6% on an annualized basis. ROE for the half was 14.0% on an annualized basis. -- Basic EPS for the half was 37.64 yen and fully diluted EPS for the half was 25.22 yen. -- We are maintaining our full year March 31, 2007 forecasts of 81.0 billion yen for net income and 65.2 billion yen for operating profits. Aozora Bank Chairman and CEO Michael E. Rossi said: "This business performance is the result of strong execution of our strategy of being a wholesale bank that delivers superior growth and returns through a client-focused organization dedicated to excellence in risk management, innovation and agility. As a newly-listed company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange we reaffirm our commitment to deliver shareholder and customer value by aggressively pursuing opportunities in the Japanese corporate and commercial banking and finance markets." EARNINGS REVIEW Net revenue rose 8.3% to 58.1 billion yen compared with the same period a year earlier. This increase reflects Aozora's strategy of diversifying earnings into areas such as specialty finance, derivative sales and fund investments where the Bank can more effectively leverage its core structuring and risk management expertise. Our average yield on consolidated loans improved to 2.05% in the half from a 1.92% average in the second half of last year. The average margin on our consolidated loans above our average interest cost of debentures and deposits rose to 1.59% in the half from 1.54% in the second half of last year. This 5 basis point margin increase, together with an overall 353 billion yen increase in consolidated loan volume since March 31, 2006, drove our underlying net interest income improvement. Core net interest income increased 2.4 billion yen, or 11%, to 24.7 billion yen compared with the same period a year earlier, after adjusting for the absence of our macro-hedge income (4.7 billion yen), a net increase in funding costs on non-interest bearing assets (2.6 billion yen) and increases in our liquidity reserves for the half. Reported net interest income declined by 5.3 billion yen to 21.7 billion yen compared with the same period a year earlier. Non-interest income advanced 36.5% to 36.4 billion yen compared with the same period a year earlier. The main contributors were net fees and commissions (7.8 billion yen), net trading revenues (3.1 billion yen) and net other operating income (25.4 billion yen). The principal components of net other operating income in the first half were generated at the Bank on a non-consolidated basis from returns on investments in real estate investment partnerships (6.2 billion yen), gains on sales of REIT investments (4.4 billion yen), gains on hedge fund investments (4.0 billion yen), returns from NPL-related investment partnerships (2.6 billion yen) and gains on sales of foreign debt investments (2.5 billion yen). Net non-interest income accounted for 62.6% of net revenue for the half, versus 49.7% a year earlier. General and administrative expenses increased 6.9% to 26.3 billion yen for the half compared to a year earlier. Personnel costs and information technology spending rose as we continued to invest in our technology platform and people. At the same time, management continued to push forward with efficiency initiatives and cost control measures as our costs increased, producing an overhead ratio of 45.3% for the half. Business profit grew 9.6% to 31.8 billion yen and operating profits rose 29.5% to 33.4 billion yen for the half compared to a year earlier. Income before income taxes rose 23.1% to 53.3 billion yen for the half compared to a year earlier. Net income rose 18.8% to 53.4 billion yen for the half compared to a year earlier. ROA, ROE and EARNINGS PER SHARE Our annualized Return on Assets ratio for the first half was 1.6%, based on a 0.8% ROA for the interim period calculated by dividing first half net income by total assets as of September 30, 2006. Our annualized Return on Equity ratio for the first half was 14.0%, based on a 7.0% ROE for the interim period calculated by dividing first half net income by total stockholders' equity as of September 30, 2006. Basic earnings per share for the half was 37.64 yen, based on net income of 53.4 billion yen and the number of shares of common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2006. Fully diluted earnings per share for the half was 25.22 yen, based on net income of 53.4 billion yen and the number of shares of common stock that would have been outstanding as of September 30, 2006 assuming full conversion of our outstanding preferred stock. BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY Total assets were 6,438.8 billion yen as of September 30, 2006, a gain of 442.8 billion yen, or 7.4%, over total assets as of March 31, 2006. Increases in loans and bills discounted and securities contributed to asset growth for the half. Loans and bills discounted increased 353.0 billion yen, or 11.3%, to 3,489.3 billion yen as of September 30, 2006. The main drivers were non-recourse loans, funding to the information technology and telecommunications sectors, and additional international lending. Securities holdings increased 190.3 billion yen, or 11.7%, to 1,818.5 billion as of September 30, 2006, due principally to increased holdings of treasury bills and financing bills as we increased our liquidity reserves. On the funding side, deposits (excluding negotiable CDs) rose 13.9 billion yen, or 0.6%, to 2,339.3 billion yen as of September 30, 2006, as net inflows from retail customers offset a reduction in the level of corporate deposits. Our primary sources of funding for asset growth in the half were negotiable CDs, debentures and retained earnings. Our consolidated regulatory capital was 774.1 billion yen as of September 30, 2006, up 42.8 billion yen, or 5.8%, from six months earlier. Risk-weighted assets stood at 4,129.3 billion yen as of September 30, 2006, up 374.4 billion yen, or 10.0%, from March 31, 2006. As growth in risk assets exceeded growth in regulatory capital, our capital adequacy ratio declined to 18.74%, versus 19.47% six months earlier. In addition, our Tier-1 capital ratio declined to 18.52% from 19.12%. While these ratios decreased slightly during the half they remain among the highest within Aozora's peer group in Japan. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS -- Aozora shares were successfully listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange on November 14, 2006. -- On October 23, 2006, Fitch Ratings Ltd. raised its long-term rating on Aozora from "BBB+", to "A-" and its short-term rating from "F2" to "F1". Fitch cited its favorable view of Aozora's balance sheet, the solid recovery in our financial performance and our robust capitalization. Fitch maintains a "stable outlook" on Aozora. -- On September 26, 2006, Standard & Poor's upgraded its outlook on Aozora from "stable", to "positive". S&P cited earnings improvement, strong capitalization levels and asset quality. -- On November 20, 2006, Aozora opened its first new retail branch in 15 years, in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. The branch is targeted at delivering wealth management services through consultants trained to offer diverse financial products and services to meet the asset management needs of individual customers. OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS -- In May 2006, we announced the establishment of our Aozora Securities Ltd. brokerage subsidiary. The new subsidiary is part of our ongoing effort to expand the range and quality of the services we offer to clients and will play a key role in the Bank's plans to grow non- interest income and further diversify our earnings base. Headquartered in Tokyo, Aozora Securities launched operations in August 2006. Headed by President and Representative Director Masaya Mizobuchi, Aozora Securities will initially offer a range of structured debt products to financial institutions and public service corporations. -- In April 2006, Aozora raised 100 billion yen through the Bank's first corporate bond offering. The 5-year bond offered investors a 1.65% interest rate and was rated "A-" by Rating and Investment Information, Inc. ("R&I") and Japan Credit Rating, Ltd. ("JCR"). The offering reflects Aozora's ongoing strategy of diversifying our fund-raising activities and highlights a key benefit of our change of status to a full-service commercial bank. -- On April 1, 2006, Aozora completed the transition from long-term credit bank status to become an "ordinary bank'' -- a major step forward in enhancing our capabilities for existing and new clients. Aozora is now able to be more flexible in meeting the needs of our clients based on the removal of restrictions applicable only to long-term credit banks. -- Our Global Finance Unit has expanded its operations through Aozora Investment Management Limited, a new London-based subsidiary company established to pursue growth in participations in the European and North American syndicated loan markets. OUTLOOK We are maintaining our current forecasts for the full fiscal year ending March 31, 2007 of net income of 81.0 billion yen and operating profits of 65.2 billion yen on a consolidated basis. INTERIM RESULTS GLOBAL CONFERENCE CALL Aozora will hold a global conference call to discuss the interim financial results and answer questions on Tuesday, November 21, 2006. The call will begin at 10:00 PM in Tokyo, 8:00 AM in New York and 1:00 PM in London. For conference call dial-in information, please visit our website ( http://www.aozorabank.co.jp/english ) or call our IR agent Taylor Rafferty in Tokyo at 81-3-5444-2730 (attn: Mr. Yuhau Lin), in New York at 212-889-4350 (attn: Mr. Tom Meyers), or in London at 44-20-7614-2900 (attn: Ms. Laura Martin). Aozora Bank, Ltd. is a leading provider of lending, securitization, business and asset revitalization, asset management, loan syndication and investment advisory services to financial institutions, corporate and retail customers. Originally established in 1957 as the Nippon Fudosan Bank, Ltd., the Bank changed its name to Aozora Bank, Ltd. in 2001. In 2003, it become majority owned by Cerberus NCB Acquisition, L.P. Aozora is proud of its heritage and the long-term relationships it has developed with corporate, financial and individual customers over the years. Building on this heritage, Aozora has created a strong customer-oriented and performance-based culture that will contribute to both innovative business solutions for customers and sustainable earnings growth for investors and shareholders. On November 14, 2006, Aozora successfully listed its shares on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. News and other information about Aozora Bank, Ltd. is available at http://www.aozorabank.co.jp/en/company/ . For more information, please contact: Mr. Yuhau Lin, Tokyo Taylor Rafferty Tel: +81-3-5444-2730 Mr. Tom Meyers, New York Taylor Rafferty Tel: +1-212-889-4350 Ms. Laura Martin, London Taylor Rafferty Tel: +44-20-7614-2900 SOURCE Aozora Bank, Ltd.
2007'02.11.Sun
MEDIA ADVISORY: UN Inception Workshop on Disaster Risk Management

November 22, 2006

An inception workshop will be held on 29 November 2006, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Central Plaza to introduce a new Disaster Risk Management (DRM) programme between the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MOCA), China International Centre for Economic & Technical Exchanges (CICETE), and the United Naitons Development Programme (UNDP). The US$1.2 million programme will assist communities to become better aware of and prepared for disasters to reduce the risk of damage and deaths. It will also help strengthen the coordination function at the government decision making level, to help prepare for and ensure rapid response and rehabilitation when a disaster strikes of any kind -- natural, industrial or biological. (Logo: http://211.154.41.99:9080/xprn/sa/20061107113358-34.jpg ) The initiative is in partnership with the United Nations Disaster Management Team (UNDMT), a working group composed of all the UN agencies in China, to coordinate UN assistance and response to disaster preparedness, response and rehabilitation. Mr. Shao Xuemin, Representative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in China, will provide, on behalf of UNDMT, the vision and objectives of the UN System in its support to the Government of China on disaster related matters. With a population of 1.3 billion, China has a high prevalence of natural disasters that affect the lives of countless citizens. Floods, earthquakes, landslides, typhoons and droughts are the main disasters in China. The objectives and activities of the DRM programme is based on the commitments signed at the 2005 Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction (ACDR), a ministerial level meeting co-hosted by MOCA and the United Nations in Beijing. The DRM will support improvements in the ways risk is identified, assessed, managed, monitored and communicated. WHAT: Inception Workshop on Disaster Risk Management Programme WHERE: Holiday Inn Central Plaza, The Strawberry Room No.1, Caiyuanjie, Xuanwu District WHEN: 9:00 AM -- 12:00 PM, 29 November 2006 (Wednesday) WHO: Mr. Zou Ming, Deputy Director General, Department of Disaster and Social Relief, Ministry of Civil Affairs Ms. Alessandra Tisot, UNDP Senior Deputy Resident Representative in China Mr. Shao Xuemin, UNEP Representative in China Mr. Wang Yue, Director General, Ministry of Commerce, CICETE For access purpose, media are kindly requested to confirm your participation with Ms. Wu Tao, Programme Assistant, UNDP China, at (86-10) 8532 0714, or tao.wu@undp.org by Monday, 27 November. SOURCE United Nations Development Programme
2007'02.11.Sun
Global AIDS Epidemic Continues To Grow

November 22, 2006

New Data Also Show Hiv Prevention Programmes Getting Better Results If Focused On Reaching People Most At Risk And Adapted To Changing National Epidemics
GENEVA, Nov, 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The global AIDS epidemic continues to grow and there is concerning evidence that some countries are seeing a resurgence in new HIV infection rates which were previously stable or declining. However, declines in infection rates are also being observed in some countries, as well as positive trends in young people's sexual behaviours. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040610/CNTH001LOGO ) According to the latest figures published today in the UNAIDS/WHO 2006 AIDS Epidemic Update, an estimated 39.5 million people are living with HIV. There were 4.3 million new infections in 2006 with 2.8 million (65%) of these occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and important increases in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where there are some indications that infection rates have risen by more than 50% since 2004. In 2006, 2.9 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses. New data suggest that where HIV prevention programmes have not been sustained and/or adapted as epidemics have changed-infection rates in some countries are staying the same or going back up. In North America and Western Europe, HIV prevention programmes have often not been sustained and the number of new infections has remained the same. Similarly in low- and middle-income countries, there are only a few examples of countries that have actually reduced new infections. And some countries that had showed earlier successes in reducing new infections, such as Uganda, have either slowed or are now experiencing increasing infection rates. "This is worrying-as we know increased HIV prevention programmes in these countries have shown progress in the past-Uganda being a prime example. This means that countries are not moving at the same speed as their epidemics," said UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot. "We need to greatly intensify life-saving prevention efforts while we expand HIV treatment programmes." HIV prevention works but needs to be focused and sustained New data from the report show that increased HIV prevention programmes that are focused and adapted to reach those most at risk of HIV infection are making inroads. Positive trends in young people's sexual behaviours-increased use of condoms, delay of sexual debut, and fewer sexual partners-have taken place over the past decade in many countries with generalized epidemics. Declines in HIV prevalence among young people between 2000 and 2005 are evident in Botswana, Burundi, C-te d'Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. In other countries, even limited resources are showing high returns when investments are focused on the needs of people most likely to be exposed to HIV. In China, there are some examples of focused programmes for sex workers that have seen marked increases in condom use and decreases in rates of sexually transmitted infections, and programmes with injecting drug users are also showing progress in some regions. And in Portugal, HIV diagnoses among drug injectors were almost one third (31%) lower in 2005, compared with 2001, following the implementation of special prevention programmes focused on HIV and drug use. Addressing the challenges: Know your epidemic In many countries, HIV prevention programmes are not reaching the people most at risk of infection, such as young people, women and girls, men who have sex with men, sex workers and their clients, injecting drug users, and ethnic and cultural minorities. The report outlines how the issue of women and girls within the AIDS epidemic needs continued and increased attention. In sub-Saharan Africa for example, women continue to be more likely than men to be infected with HIV and in most countries in the region they are also more likely to be the ones caring for people infected with HIV. According to the report, there is increasing evidence of HIV outbreaks among men who have sex with men in Cambodia, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and Viet Nam as well as across Latin America but most national AIDS programmes fail to address the specific needs of these people. New data also show that HIV prevention programmes are failing to address the overlap between injecting drug use and sex work within the epidemics of Latin America, Eastern Europe and particularly Asia. "It is imperative that we continue to increase investment in both HIV prevention and treatment services to reduce unnecessary deaths and illness from this disease," said WHO Acting Director-General, Dr Anders Nordstrom "In sub-Saharan Africa, the worst affected region, life expectancy at birth is now just 47 years, which is 30 years less than most high-income countries." The AIDS Epidemic Update underlines how weak HIV surveillance in several regions including Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and North Africa often means that people at highest risk-men who have sex with men, sex workers, and injecting drug users-are not adequately reached through HIV prevention and treatment strategies because not enough is known about their particular situations and realities. The report also highlights that levels of knowledge of safe sex and HIV remain low in many countries, as well as perception of personal risk. Even in countries where the epidemic has a very high impact, such as Swaziland and South Africa, a large proportion of the population do not believe they are at risk of becoming infected. "Knowing your epidemic and understanding the drivers of the epidemic such as inequality between men and women and homophobia is absolutely fundamental to the long-term response to AIDS. Action must not only be increased dramatically, but must also be strategic, focused and sustainable to ensure that the money reaches those who need it most," said Dr Piot. The annual AIDS Epidemic Update reports on the latest developments in the global AIDS epidemic. With maps and regional estimates, the 2006 edition provides the most recent estimates on the epidemic's scope and human toll and explores new trends in the epidemic's evolution. The report is available at http://www.unaids.org . UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, brings together the efforts and resources of ten UN system organizations to the global AIDS response. Cosponsors include UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. Based in Geneva, the UNAIDS Secretariat works on the ground in more than 75 countries worldwide. As the directing and coordinating authority on international health work, the World Health Organization (WHO) takes the lead within the UN system in the global health sector response to HIV/AIDS. WHO provides technical, evidence-based support to Member States to help strengthen health systems to provide a comprehensive and sustainable response to HIV/AIDS including treatment, care, support and prevention services through the health sector. For more information, please contact: Yasmine Topor UNAIDS Geneva Tel: +41-22-791-3501 Email: topory@unaids.org Beth Magne-Watts UNAIDS Geneva Tel: +41-22-791-5074 Email: magnewattsb@unaids.org Sophie Barton-Knott UNAIDS Geneva Tel: +41-22-791-1967 Email: bartonknotts@unaids.org Iqbal Nandra WHO Geneva Tel: +41-22-791-5589 Email: nandrai@who.int SOURCE World Health Organization
2007'02.11.Sun
Music Platform SellaBand and Heineken Host Unique Live-Event

November 22, 2006

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Nov. 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- SellaBand, the online music platform for unsigned artists, and beer company Heineken will organise their first ever live-concert, together: "Heineken Presents...SellaBand in Concert." At this event, to be held on January 7 at legendary live venue Paradiso in Amsterdam, NL, four upcoming bands will get the opportunity to perform their music live in concert. Among these acts will be special guests Nemesea, the first ever group to raise $50,000 through crowdsourcing on SellaBand. http://www.sellaband.com . Within three months after the launch of SellaBand, Nemesea is the first ever band to record a full length album, funded by their fans, the so called 'Believers'. That's the unique thought behind the SellaBand concept. The recorded songs will be available as free downloads on http://www.sellaband.com and the artist and their Believers will share in the revenues. Support artists "Since day one it has been our goal to be more than just a platform where artists and their fans can meet and be in business together", said Johan Vosmeijer, Managing Director of SellaBand. "We really want to do things to further the careers of artists, offer them useful tools. Organising live-shows is a strong way to support upcoming bands. That's why we have been looking for an established partner who can offer the right kind of support. We are thrilled that Heineken has embraced SellaBand and will work with us on hosting live-concerts." Heineken and music Heineken feels that working with SellaBand is a nice way to support new and upcoming artists. Says Heineken Brand Manager Robert Bernink: "Music is one of our prime sponsor platforms and we are always looking for new, exciting concepts to work with. SellaBand felt like the perfect match for the Heineken-brand." On top of major events in the Dance-scene and HipHop-initiatives such as The Hop and State Magazine, this concert with SellaBand ties in with our own activities. We will open our network of live-stages, so SellaBand can host shows there." Line up Next to Nemesea, three more acts will get the opportunity to fly to Amsterdam and present themselves in front of a live-audience on January 7,2007. 900 bands from 50 countries have already joined SellaBand since its launch on August 15, 2006. The goal for these acts is to raise a recording budget of $50,000. The top 3 in budget ranking on December 5 on SellaBand, will be invited to perform at the event. Tickets will not be for sale but are exclusively reserved for the artists and their Believers. About SellaBand In the first three months, over 5,000 people from 100 countries, have registered as 'Believers' on SellaBand, raising already $200,000 in budget for upcoming artists. The international appeal of this Dutch initiative, shines through in the fact that fans from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, Portugal, Latvia, Canada and the United States have applied for tickets for the Paradiso-show. Heineken Presents...SellaBand in Concert, will also be aired live on http://www.sellaband.com . For more information, please contact: Johan Vosmeijer SellaBand Tel: +316-2-2801-294 Email: johan@sellaband.com SOURCE SellaBand
2007'02.11.Sun
Caterpillar Moves Asia Pacific Operations Headquarters to Beijing

November 21, 2006

Decision Aligns With Caterpillar's Enterprise Strategy
BEIJING, Nov. 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) announced today it is moving its Asia Pacific Operations headquarters to Beijing, China. Caterpillar Vice President Rich Lavin, who has administrative responsibility for operations in Caterpillar's Asia Pacific Division, will relocate from Tokyo, Japan, to Caterpillar's Beijing offices as part of this decision. "Caterpillar is growing in China, and moving our Asia Pacific Operations headquarters to Beijing will provide a sharper focus for operational excellence for Team Caterpillar," said Lavin. "Operational and sales success in China is a critical success factor for the company's long-term growth and profitability. This move will help us achieve those goals while contributing to the growth, development and ever-improving quality of life in China." The Caterpillar Board of Directors elected Lavin vice president of operations for the Asia Pacific Division effective July 1, 2004. In this role Lavin serves as chairman of Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. and has administrative responsibility for operations in the region, including manufacturing facilities in China, India, Indonesia and Japan. Lavin's move to Beijing is effective immediately. Caterpillar's Asia Pacific Marketing Division headquarters will remain based in Singapore. In October of 2005, Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Jim Owens outlined Caterpillar's new enterprise strategy and goals for delivering Caterpillar's Vision 2020. As part of that strategy, China was listed as one of seven critical success factors needed for Caterpillar to achieve its new strategy. "China is clearly a key element of our future strategy, and we are rapidly expanding our business in support of the growing number of customers who are helping to build, develop and modernize China's infrastructure and economy," said Stu Levenick, Caterpillar group president with responsibility for Asia. "The movement of our Asia Pacific Operations headquarters to China is a clear indication of China's strategic importance to Caterpillar and our desire to expand our manufacturing base and enhance support for customers in this critical market and elsewhere." Today, Caterpillar operates 13 China-based facilities -- both joint venture and wholly owned businesses -- which, together with its network of independent Caterpillar dealers, offer customers in China the best-in-class products, services and support that have made Caterpillar a global leader. The world's most populous nation has undergone an economic growth and expansion that is unprecedented in modern times, and expected future growth in China makes it the single largest opportunity for potential future sales for many Caterpillar products. Caterpillar has a long history in China. The company sold its first products there in 1975 and opened an office in Beijing in 1978. Beijing is home to Caterpillar's marketing headquarters for China, and it is also the headquarters for Cat China Financial Leasing. In the 1980s, Caterpillar launched technology transfer agreements with Chinese manufacturers who began building Caterpillar licensed products. Caterpillar's expansion in China accelerated in the early 1990s with the establishment of a more significant local production strategy. For more than 80 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2005 sales and revenues of $36.339 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. More information is available at http://www.CAT.com/ . SAFE HARBOR Certain statements in this release relate to future events and expectations and as such constitute forward-looking statements involving known and unknown factors that may cause actual results of Caterpillar Inc. to be different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. In this context, words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "will," or other similar words and phrases often identify forward-looking statements made on behalf of Caterpillar. It is important to note that actual results of the company may differ materially from those described or implied in such forward looking statements based on a number of factors and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, changes in economic conditions, currency exchange rates or political stability; market acceptance of the company's products and services; significant changes in the competitive environment; changes in law, regulations and tax rates; and other general economic, business and financing conditions and factors described in more detail in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the quarterly report filed on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2006. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements. For more information, please contact: Jim Dugan Government Relations & Corporate Affairs Caterpillar (China) Investment Co., Ltd. Tel: +86-10-5921-0166 Mobile: +86-139-1093-4649 Email: dugan_jim@cat.com SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
China Kangtai Cactus Bio-tech Inc Announces Quarterly Results

November 21, 2006

NEW JERSEY and HARBIN, China, Nov. 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- China Kangtai Cactus Bio-tech Inc (OTC Bulletin Board: CKGT) according to its filed quarterly report on Nov. 14, today announced earnings of $1,084,959 or 6 cents per share for the three months ended September 30, 2006 compared to the earnings of $436,499 or 3 cents per share for the same period in 2005. For the nine months ended September 30, 2006 the Company reported earnings of $2.7 million or $0.16 per share compared to the earnings of $1,037,194 or 6 cents per share for the same period in 2005. Key items for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 compared to the same period in 2005 were: -- For the nine months ended September 30, 2006, revenues increased by $6,548,835 or 118% to $12,099,294 from $5,550,459 in the corresponding period of the prior year. The increase in revenues was attributable to the fact that the Company's products are being more effectively marketed and as a result better accepted by the domestic market customers. These products include Cactus Protein Nutrient, Cactus Calcium Peptide Soft Capsule and Cactus Shuxin Capsule, among others too. -- For the nine months ended September 30, 2006, cost of sales increased by $4,059,226or 111% to $7,716,097 from $3,656,871 as compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. The primary factor responsible for the increase was an increase of marketing related expenditure and costs. -- For the nine months ended September 30, 2006, general and administrative expenses decreased by $297,870 or 50.8% to $288,485 from $586,355 as compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. The primary factor for the decrease was Company's streamlining of its operating team and Company's reducing expenses on general and administrative items. -- For the nine months ended September 30, 2006, net income increased by $1,699,926 or 163.9%, to $2,737,120 from $1,037,194 for the corresponding period of the prior year. The increase was primarily due to 1) the Company more effectively marketing its products and an increased acceptance by the Company's domestic market customers; and 2) the decrease in the Company's cost of sales, distribution, management and operations. About China Kangtai Cactus Bio-tech Inc China Kangtai Cactus Bio-tech Inc is a U.S. listed company and specializes in producing cactus-based series of health products. Currently, the company's cactus planting area accounts for more than 60% of the total cactus plantation area in China, and the market share of its products accounts for more than 70% in China. For more information, please contact: Ren Hu Tel: +1-201-887-0415 Email: rh@xrz.cn SOURCE China Kangtai Cactus Bio-tech Inc
2007'02.11.Sun
`Technology and Nature in Harmony' -- The 12th International Automobile & Manufacturing Technology Exhibition Reaches its Peak Next Spring

November 21, 2006

SHANGHAI, China, Nov. 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd. announced today that the 12th International Automobile & Manufacturing Technology Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2007), will be held at the Shanghai New International Exhibition Center from April 22 to 28, 2007. Themed around `Technology and Nature in Harmony', Auto Shanghai 2007 will be the focus of world leading automobile companies, and will see the super scale of a 140,000 square meter exhibition area. (Logo: http://211.154.41.99:9080/xprn/sa/20061108114544-37.jpg ) Brief Overview of Auto Shanghai Since its first outing in 1985, Auto Shanghai is the earliest international auto show in China. In June 2004, Auto Shanghai became the first UFI approved Chinese auto show. With the development of automotive industries, both in China and internationally, and accumulating experience of 20 years, Auto Shanghai has grown into the most authoritative exhibition in China, and one of the most influential international exhibitions. Starting from 2003, the China Association of Automobile Manufactures and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Sub-Council have been involved in the exhibition as organizers, teaming up with the original organizer, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Shanghai Sub-Council. The close collaboration among these three organizers has laid a solid foundation for the show's growth, transforming from a regional auto show to a country level show, and on to an international exhibition, strongly positioning Auto Shanghai and building up its authoritative status. Auto Shanghai 2005, with a total exhibition area of 120,000 square meters, attracted 1,036 exhibitors from 26 countries and regions, 5,380 reporters from 1,020 media outlets from 35 countries and regions, as well as 391,593 visitors from 113 countries and regions. Introduction of Auto Shanghai 2007 Auto Shanghai 2007 is organized by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Shanghai Sub-Council and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Sub-Council, and is co-organized by the World Expo Group-Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd., and MMG-Messe Muenchen International/IMAG- Internationaler Messe- und Ausstellungsdienst GmbH. The event is also specially supported by the China Machinery Industry Federation, and the Society of Automotive Engineers of China (SAE China). Auto Shanghai 2007 will utilize all nine indoor exhibition halls (seven halls for automobile manufactures, and two for auto components), two temporary outdoor halls and the outside venue of the Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, with a combined total exhibition area of over 140,000 square meters. Regarding the schedule, organizers plan to make April 20 and 21 as the media days, available only to domestic and overseas media, which aims at facilitating the reports and journalists at Auto Shanghai in a comprehensive way and to conduct interviews in a detailed and unfeigned way. April 22 and 23 are trade visitor days, while April 24 to 28 will be days open to the public. `Technology and Nature in Harmony' The theme of Auto Shanghai 2007 is `Technology and Nature in Harmony.' The exhibition will showcase passenger cars, commercial vehicles, buses, trucks, special-purpose vehicles, auto design and new concept products, automotive parts & components, car audio, tires, measuring devices, maintenance equipment, and car accessories, etc. This will highlight the latest achievements of the international automotive industry and leading technologies and products from domestic companies, reflecting the current development level of the automotive industry. Highlights and Features on Services Auto Shanghai has grown 14 times in terms of exhibition scale from the 10,000 square meters of its initiation to the current 140,000. As far as scale is concerned, Auto Shanghai can be ranked among the world's most influential auto shows. Besides the scale, the benchmark of an exhibition depends on whether it can retain the first-class and leading position. Therefore, in order to make Auto Shanghai one of the famous world auto shows, the concept of organizers is to enhance the quality via its increased exhibition area, and by improving service standards and management skills. In view of the above, CEOs from the biggest automobile companies will be invited by the organizers. Industry giants will be requested to participate in line with the criteria of top auto shows, and the number of global unveilings will be increased. The organizers will also share communication and promotion channels with the Paris Auto Show to further expand the scale and quality of overseas visitors. Country pavilions from places like the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, and South Korea will be displayed in the Auto Components sections. For the media, a large press center, with advanced sound facilities, will be made available, providing reporters with high standard services, as organizers look to pay more attention to details and enhance management skills. The official website of Auto Shanghai 2007 ( http://www.autoshanghai.com.cn ) has been launched and will serve as an ongoing platform for updating information. Eclectic devices such as the e-Show Guide will be placed at eye-catching locations like the entrance hall, to draw visitors' attention. The overall promotion plan, artwork, design and official website will be go through a bidding procedure to increase quality. The organizers will also add more rest areas for exhibitors and visitors, enhancing the catering and traffic services. The estimated overall rest area for exhibitors and visitors will reach 20,000 square meters. If you distribute the press release, please kindly send the voucher copies to: Mr. Rice Song, World Expo Group Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd. Address: 8/F, OOCL Plaza, 841 Yan An Zhong Road, Shanghai, China 200040 Or forward the link to ricesong@siec-ccpit.com For more information, please contact: Mr. Rice Song Tel: +86-21-6279-2828 x257 or +86-21-6289-2210 Fax: +86-21-6545-5124 SOURCE Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd.
2007'02.11.Sun
Askey Selects Texas Instruments Voice Over IP Solutions for IP Phone and Customer Premises Gateway Products

November 21, 2006

High-Quality Voice and Robust Performance Make TI Software and Silicon Ideal for Asian Broadband Design Manufacturer
DALLAS, Nov. 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) [NYSE:TXN], today announced that Askey Computer Corp., a leading design manufacturer of high-quality broadband products and services, selected TI's Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions for its IP phones and residential and enterprise gateways. TI's complete, integrated VoIP silicon and software solutions incorporate its field-proven Telogy Software(TM) for VoIP and PIQUA(TM) software for enhanced voice quality and IP performance. The first IP phone from Askey incorporating TI technology, the VPD1120, and gateway products, the VGE1020 residential gateway and VG603 enterprise gateway, are all currently in production. (Logo: http://211.154.41.99:9080/xprn/sa/20061107170439-20.jpg ) "TI's high-performance VoIP technology with embedded quality features offer us the most integrated hardware and software solutions to deliver the best and most flexible VoIP products to our customers," said Wangson Wang, senior director, broadband communication division I, R&D group, Askey. "We are very impressed with the company's solid roadmap for developing and enhancing its VoIP product portfolio." "We have worked closely with TI for many years now," added Nathan Chou, product line manager, sales group, Askey. "We know that our collaboration enables us to better serve our customers while truly providing a value-added service to OEMs looking to deploy the most advanced VoIP products." Askey's VoIP products provide cost-effective, toll-quality voice and fax calls over packet-switched networks. For Askey's IP phone products, TI's TNETV1055 offers powerful processing technology and increased expandability options that enable product designers and manufacturers to rapidly create innovative IP phone offerings. With TI's flexible silicon and software architecture, Askey can also incorporate additional functionality and features into its IP phones as the demand for particular services and applications emerge. Utilizing TI's TNETV2021 and TNETV2840 in its enterprise gateway products enables Askey to provide a scalable and cost-competitive solution with added quality features, including echo-cancellation, adaptive jitter buffering and tone detection, to deliver enhanced voice performance. This combined TNETV2021/2840 solution is optimal for small to medium enterprise applications and for multi-dwelling units, such as apartment buildings and college dormitories. TI's TNETV1060 CPE gateway solution was designed to address the requirements of residential and small office/home office (SOHO) gateways. Selected by Askey for its VGE1020 gateway products, the TNETV1060 provides all the processing power needed for current and evolving VoIP standards, as well as the ability to implement advanced functionality as market requirements dictate. With TI's TNETV1060 at the core of Askey's residential gateway devices, customers can also scale their current gateway solutions to larger business applications requiring additional channels of voice, as needed. "We understand that Askey is committed to delivering a complete and robust suite of CPE devices to its customers, and with TI's VoIP software and chipsets at the heart of its products, we believe that Askey can truly differentiate itself by offering high quality VoIP solutions with advanced flexibility to support future needs," said Debasish "Ron" Nag, director of business development, Asia, Texas Instruments. "With its dedicated VoIP team and experience working with OEMs targeting all VoIP segments - from gateways to IP phones - Askey's expertise and diversity correlates well with TI's broad range and reach in the VoIP industry." About Askey Computer Corporation Askey Computer Corporation was established in Taipei, Taiwan in 1989. The company is engaged in the design, marketing, manufacturing, distribution and after sales services of broadband and wireless products for ODM/OEM customers worldwide. With fast business growth and continuous progress in new product development, Askey has become the world's leading manufacturer of cable modems, ADSL modems, wireless LAN products, analog modems and combo cards for computers, telecommunications, networking and other communication industries. Additional information can be found at: http://www.askey.com.tw/eportal/globalweb/index.jsp . 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 includes the Educational & Productivity Solutions business. 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 and PIQUA are trademarks of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information, please contact: Deborah Shemony Texas Instruments Tel: +1-301-515-6643 Email: dshemony@ti.com Erin Arnold GolinHarris Tel: +1-972-341-2506 Email: earnold@golinharris.com SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated
2007'02.11.Sun
Green Technology to Fight Poverty in Western China

November 21, 2006

An Innovative Initiative Between UNDP and the Chinese Government to Reduce Poverty and Improve Ecosystems for Chinese Ethnic Minorities
BEIJING, Nov. 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Communities living on the arid mountains bordering Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan may soon be able to use the seeds of a locally grown tree for bio-fuel production to increase their energy supply, through a 4-year United Nations project aiming to alleviate poverty in western China. (Logo: http://211.154.41.99:9080/xprn/sa/20061107113358-34.jpg ) Jointly established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China and the Chinese government, the US$ 8.585 million project was launched today in Beijing, aiming to use green technologies to reduce poverty and improve fragile ecosystems in western China, where the number of the total poor is growing. Entitled "Green Poverty Reduction in China", the project prioritizes communities of ethnic minorities living in ecologically fragile and remote regions of China. The aim is to create new sources of sustenance and to develop green energy for those areas involved in the project. "Fostering the potential of green industries and energy sources in remote mountain areas and deserts is an important vehicle which can generate income and employment opportunities, while protecting the environment," said Alessandra Tisot, UNDP Senior Deputy Resident Representative in China. Through bio-diesel production in Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan, the project aims to create a market for the oil-rich seed of the Jatropha Curcas L tree. The tree grows wild in the mountainous regions of western China and is currently used on farms as hedging and to prevent desertification. Its wide-spread cultivation would hopefully lead to more fertile land in an area where soil erosion and aridity create difficulties for agriculture and the ecosystem. Along with the production of bio-diesel, the project will develop Jarrah Dayun production in Xinjiang which is used as raw material for traditional medicine, and provide small-scale wind turbines to poor herdsmen in Inner Mongolia. Best practice and lessons gained through these pilot sites will be disseminated as the initiative aims to be extended across the country. This initiative is jointly established between UNDP, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), and the China International Center For Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE) under the Ministry of Commerce. 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. For more information, please contact: Ms. Zhang Wei Media Officer, UNDP China Tel: +86-10-8532-0715 Email: wei.zhang@undp.org Web: http://www.undp.org.cn SOURCE United Nations Development Programme
2007'02.11.Sun
New Analyses Demonstrate Positive Effect on Bone With FOSRENOL(R) Treatment Compared With Standard Therapy

November 20, 2006

Further Data Support the Contribution of FOSRENOL(R) (lanthanum carbonate) to the Overall Renal Health of the ESRD Patient While Reducing Mean Phosphate Levels to Within Guideline Targets
BASINGSTOKE, England and SAN DIEGO, Nov. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- New data presented on Friday 17th November at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Annual Meeting, show FOSRENOL is an effective phosphate binder with a similar efficacy profile to standard therapy(1). The 2 year data demonstrate that patients treated with FOSRENOL showed similar phosphate control and lower serum calcium levels than standard therapy. Treatment with FOSRENOL for 2 years had no adverse effects on bone histology and was not associated with an increased incidence of osteomalacia (bone softening). More patients treated with FOSRENOL also demonstrated increases in bone formation rate than patients receiving standard therapy(1). Professor Hartmut Malluche, lead investigator of the study, said "Patients with end-stage renal disease are seriously ill and the burden of their illness is often compounded by co-existing conditions. They can experience significant bone problems as a result of hyperphosphataemia, which can sometimes be exacerbated by their treatment for the condition. These data show that FOSRENOL not only effectively controls hyperphosphataemia, but also demonstrates some positive effects on bone status compared with standard therapy over the 2 year study period." During year two, a greater proportion of patients in the standard therapy group showed movement of bone volume away from the normal range compared with the FOSRENOL group (50 percent versus 31 percent). Similarly, improvements toward normal bone formations rates were seen in 38 percent of patients receiving FOSRENOL at both one and two years. Patients in the standard therapy group showed improvements of only 24 and 12 percent at one and two years, and bone formation worsened in 63 percent of the patients in the two-year group(1). The results were not measured for statistical significance. FOSRENOL's therapeutic profile is further reinforced by the publication of new cognitive function data in Kidney International this month(2). This data assessed the comparative cognitive decline in dialysis patients taking FOSRENOL and standard therapy to control phosphate levels. Cognitive decline is a significant problem in this population and it is important that any treatment does not affect this further. These long term two year data show that FOSRENOL does not adversely affect the decline of cognitive function compared to standard therapy(2). There is a paucity of evidence looking at cognitive function in this patient population and this study provides important additional insight into the overall decline in cognitive function in these patients. Dr Raymond Pratt, Vice President Shire Pharmaceutical Development, said: "These results further add to the robust body of evidence on FOSRENOL, with studies successfully conducted in more than 5,500 patients, and with a small number followed for up to 6 years now. Shire is proud of this comprehensive data which support the benefits FOSRENOL can bring to patients with CKD on dialysis." These studies are promising news for the estimated 1.4 million people on dialysis worldwide(3) who are at risk from the serious consequences of hyperphosphataemia, shown to be associated with long-term morbidity and mortality(4). The majority of CKD patients will eventually develop hyperphosphataemia(5) which, if not managed successfully, may cause serious long-term health risks including renal osteodystrophy (resulting in bone pain, brittle bones and skeletal deformities)(6), and potentially contribute to cardiovascular disease, which accounts for almost half of all deaths among dialysis patients(7,8). As a result, patients on dialysis are often already taking as many as eight or nine different medications(9). As FOSRENOL is associated with a lower tablet burden than existing phosphate binders (as few as one pill per meal), it may offer simplified dosing for these patients(10). FOSRENOL has been available in the US for 22 months with over 53,000 patients receiving Fosrenol since launch. The first European launches took place at the end of 2005 and Shire continues to bring Fosrenol to market around the world across this year and into 2007, subject to national licensing, pricing and reimbursement negotiations. References (1) Malluche HH, Pratt RD. Renal osteodystrophy: Comparison of evolution over 1 and 2 years during treatment with lanthanum carbonate or standard phosphate binders. Presented at ASN Renal Week, San Diego, November 14-19 2006. (2) Altman P, Barnett ME, Finn WF. Cognitive function in stage 5 CKD patients on hemodialysis: no adverse effects of lanthanum carbonate compared with standard phosphate-binder therapy. Kidney Int advance online publication, October 11, 2006 (3) Grassman A, Gioberge S, Moeller S, Brown G. ESRD patients in 2004: global overview of patient numbers, treatment modalities and associated trends. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2005; 20: 2587-2593. (4) Block G, Klassen PS, Lazarus MJ, Ofsthun N, Lowrie EG, Chertow GM. Mineral metabolism, mortality, and morbidity in maintenance hemodialysis. J Am Soc Nephrol 2004; 15:2208-18. (5) Lederer E, Ouseph R, Erbeck K. Hyperphosphataemia. http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1097.html . Accessed 23-Mar-06. (6) Martin K, Gonzalez A. Strategies to minimize bone disease in renal failure. Am J Kidney Dis 2001; 38: 1430-36 (7) Salusky IB, Goodman WG. Cardiovascular calcification in end-stage renal disease. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2002; 17: 336-339. (8) Block G, Port FK. Re-evaluation of risks associated with hyperphosphataemia and hyperparathyroidism in dialysis patients: recommendations for a change in management. Am J Kidney Dis 2000; 35 (6): 1226-1237. (9) United States Renal Data System. Medication use among dialysis patients in DMMS. Am J Kidney Dis 1998; 32 (2) Suppl 1 (August): S60-68. (10) Mehrotra R. Efficacy and safety of reformulated higher dosage lanthanum carbonate. Presented at ASN Renal Week, San Diego, November 14-19 2006. Notes to editors: Managing Hyperphosphataemia Phosphorus, an element found in nearly all foods, is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood stream. When the kidneys fail, they no longer effectively filter out phosphates, even with the help of blood-cleansing dialysis machines. While the normal adult range for phosphorus is 2.5 (0.8mmol/L) to 4.5 mg/dL (1.4mmol/L), the blood phosphorus levels of many patients on dialysis exceed 6.5 mg/dL (2.1mmol/L). Such levels have been linked to a significantly higher illness and death risk for patients who have undergone at least one year of dialysis(i). Most dialysis patients develop hyperphosphataemia. Hyperphosphataemia disrupts the delicate interplay between the body's levels of calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D. Over time, hyperphosphataemia can ultimately lead to calcification of the heart, lung and some arteries(ii). Accumulating evidence shows that hyperphosphataemia contributes to cardiovascular disease, which accounts for almost half of all deaths among dialysis patients(iii). In fact, studies have shown that cardiovascular mortality in dialysis patients aged 25-34 years is more than 5 times greater than that in people aged 65-74 in the general population(iv). Since dialysis and diet restrictions alone generally cannot control phosphate levels, patients traditionally manage hyperphosphataemia by taking phosphate binding agents with every meal and snack. Such binders "soak up" phosphate in the gastrointestinal tract, before it can be absorbed into the blood. FOSRENOL(R) (lanthanum carbonate) FOSRENOL(R) works by binding to dietary phosphate in the GI tract; once bound, the lanthanum/phosphate complex cannot pass through the intestinal lining into the blood stream and is eliminated from the body. As a consequence, overall phosphate absorption from the diet is decreased significantly. Shire has conducted an extensive clinical research programme for FOSRENOL involving over 5500 patients, with a small number followed for up to 6 years now. This programme has demonstrated that FOSRENOL is an effective phosphate binder with a good tolerability profile for long-term use. FOSRENOL was approved by the FDA in October 2004 and is now available for prescription in the US. In March 2005 regulatory authorities in the EU granted marketing authorization for FOSRENOL in sixteen member states, thus completing the first step in securing marketing approval throughout Europe. FOSRENOL has since been launched in Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Austria. The final step in the European process was recently completed resulting in recommendation for approval in the remaining 11 member states. Further roll-outs are underway across the rest of Europe and other countries around the world. The company has out-licensed the rights to develop, market and sell FOSRENOL in Japan to Bayer Yakuhin Ltd. Patients with renal insufficiency may develop hypocalcaemia. Serum calcium levels should therefore be monitored at regular time intervals for this patient population and appropriate supplements given. No data are available in patients with severe hepatic impairment. Caution should, therefore, be exercised in these patients, as elimination of absorbed lanthanum may be reduced. FOSRENOL should not be used during pregnancy. Patients with acute peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or bowel obstruction were not included in clinical studies with Fosrenol. The most commonly reported Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) (>1/100, 1/10) are gastrointestinal reactions such as abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, flatulence, nausea and vomiting. These are minimized by taking FOSRENOL with food and generally abated with time with continued dosing. Hypocalcaemia was the only other commonly reported adverse reaction. Shire Shire is a global specialty pharmaceutical company with a strategic focus on meeting the needs of the specialist physician and currently focuses on developing and marketing products in the areas of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), gastrointestinal (GI), renal diseases and human genetic therapies. Shire has operations in the world's key pharmaceutical markets (US, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Spain and Germany) as well as a specialist drug delivery unit in the US. For further information on Shire, please visit the Company's website: http://www.shire.com . (i) Block GA et al. Association of serum phosphorus and calcium x phosphate product with mortality risk in chronic hemodialysis patients: A national study. American Journal of Kidney Diseases 1998; 31: 607-617 (ii) Norris KC. Toward a new treatment paradigm for hyperphosphataemia in chronic renal disease. Dialysis & Transplantation 1998; 27 (12): 767-773 (iii) Block G, Port FK. Re-evaluation of risks associated with hyperphosphataemia and hyperparathyroidism in dialysis patients: recommendations for a change in management. Am J Kidney Dis 2000; 35 (6): 1226-1237 (iv) Foley R et al. Clinical epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in chronic renal disease. American Journal of Kidney Disease 1998; 32 (5) Suppl 3:112-119 For more information, please contact: Media: Jessica Mann, Shire Tel: +44-1256-894-280 Investor Relations: Clea Rosenfeld, Shire Tel: +44-1256-894-160 Glen Halliwell Resolute Communications Tel: +44-207-397-7479 Julia Kirby Resolute Communications Tel: +44-79-6617-2179 (on site) SOURCE Shire PLC
2007'02.11.Sun
The China TEDA BioForum (2006) Held on November 18

November 20, 2006

TIANJIN, China, Nov. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) announced today that the China TEDA BioForum (2006) & the fifth annual meeting of the TEDA-WATSON International Forum on Biotech and Biomedicine was held at the Renaissance Tianjin TEDA Hotel from November 18 to 19, 2006. Relevant leaders from China's National Ministries and Commissions, domestic and foreign experts and scholars, entrepreneurs, and renowned experts from science and law communities all came together to discuss and exchange ideas on the cutting edge issues of the bio-tech field. The number of total participants was around 800 to 1000 people. Meanwhile, the Forum also presented an exhibition entitled "Bio-tech -- the Key Industry of the 21st Century." The annual meeting of the TEDA-WATSON International Forum on Biotech and Biomedicine has been held on four previous occasions, all of which have achieved substantial results and generated significant influence in the international biotech and the industry's community, so it has evolved into one of the high-level gala events for the domestic biotech field. The annual meeting plays a positive role in promoting the introduction of biotech industrial policies in China, reinforcing international exchange on biotech and boosting the integration of S&T within the industry as well as cooperation on current and upcoming projects. About Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) was established in 1984 with the approval of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the first state-class economic-technological development areas in the country. TEDA is located in the center of a larger area bordering Bohai Sea and the east of the Asia-Europe Land Bridge, thus serving as the gate to the two super cities of Beijing and Tianjin, and the throat connecting the northeast of China. By the end of 2005, 4,067 foreign companies have landed in TEDA. Of the Fortune 500 companies, 57 multinational companies, from 10 countries and regions, including such well-established multinational giants as Motorola, Samsung and Toyota, invested in 123 enterprises in TEDA. In 2000, "Fortune" listed TEDA as one of the most highly recommended economic areas in China. In 2002 UNIDO listed TEDA as one of the most dynamic areas of China together with Shenzhen, Suzhou, Wenzhou, Shanghai Pudong and Xi'an High-tech Park. For more information, please visit: http://www.investteda.org . For more information, please contact: Ding Lei of TEDA Tel: +86-22-2520-1616 SOURCE Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area
2007'02.11.Sun
Arrow Asia Ranks in Top 5 on InformationWeek China 100

November 20, 2006

HONG KONG, Nov. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Arrow Asia Pac Ltd. today announced that it was ranked 5th in the 2006 InformationWeek China 100, a prestigious survey that ranks the most innovative users of information technology in mainland China. "Being recognized as the fifth most innovative user of technology in China is a testimony to the dedication and commitment of Arrow employees. Arrow's history of utilizing technology to accelerate improvements in business processes ensures our continued leadership in creating value for customers and suppliers," said Peter Kong, President of Arrow Asia Pac Ltd. "This top ranking further demonstrates Arrow's ability to leverage technological innovations. We are committed to becoming even more efficient through continuously streamlining business processes, and working collaboratively with customers and suppliers to ensure their business success." The research adopted the global methodology used by InformationWeek 500 in the United States and optimizes this approach to suit local circumstances in the China market. The InformationWeek China 100 study covered a research base of over 6,000 companies from 35 industries in mainland China. It included a quantitative analysis of technology initiatives and priorities, and a qualitative assessment featuring essay responses. The responses to all parts of the survey were evaluated and weighted, then combined into a total score which formed the basis for the ranking. Additional details about InformationWeek China 100 can be found at: http://www.informationweek.com.cn/2006iwk100/editor.htm 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. About Arrow Asia Pac A subsidiary of Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: ARW), Arrow Asia Pac is one of Asia Pacific's leading electronic component distributors. In addition to its regional headquarters in Hong Kong, Arrow Asia Pac operates 42 sales offices, four primary distribution centers and eleven local warehousing facilities in eleven countries/territories across Asia. Providing a full range of semiconductors, passive, electromechanical and connectors products from over 60 leading international suppliers, Arrow Asia Pac serves more than 10,000 original equipment and contract manufacturers and commercial customers in Asia Pacific. Visit us at http://www.arrowasia.com . 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 Asia Pac Ltd.
2007'02.11.Sun
AMG LASSO Music Media Recognition Service Adopted for PLAYSTATION(R)3

November 20, 2006

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- All Media Guide (AMG), the premier technology and content database provider for exploring music, movies, and games, announced that AMG LASSO was adopted as the global music media recognition service for the new PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI), debuting November 11 in Japan and today in North America. "With AMG LASSO services on the PS3, users will be able to promptly and conveniently manage and play their favorite music on the system," said Greg Smith, AMG vice president of technology. AMG LASSO automatically recognizes CDs inserted into PS3, as well as important "tag" information such as the artist name, album name, song names, credits, release dates, genres, moods, similar artists, and other information critical for advanced media management. AMG LASSO media recognition service is powered by AMG's professional standard global metadata. Created by respected music experts, the AMG databases comprise rich content, including millions of albums, track releases, performers, composers, genres, styles, tones, similar artists, roots and influences, copyright information, and other information important to building intuitive media management interfaces. AMG worked closely with Rainbow Partners Inc., its exclusive Asian licensor for consumer electronics companies, to provide and customize the technology to PS3. Rainbow is based in Tokyo and Seoul. "The depth and accuracy of LASSO's content lets users do more with their music in managing collections, making playlists, and finding specific tracks and titles," said Andrew Stess, AMG vice president of consumer electronics. "The choice of AMG LASSO acknowledges that our data is the most comprehensive and our music management software the most reliable." About AMG All Media Guide, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is the leading authority on music, movies and games. Since 1991, the company has provided comprehensive content and technologies to support the physical and digital distribution of entertainment media. With thousands of musicologists, film historians, and game specialists contributing over the years, AMG has created the industry's cleanest, most in-depth database of information and original editorial content. AMG content and technologies are licensed by leading consumer electronics manufacturers, retailers, and Internet sites. Visit AMG at http://www.allmusic.com , http://www.allmovie.com and http://www.allgame.com . "PLAYSTATION" is a registered trademark and "PS3" is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. For more information, please contact: Richard Roher Roher Public Relations Tel: +1-914-238-2200 x303 Email: rsroher@roherpr.com SOURCE All Media Guide
2007'02.11.Sun
Study Favours TAXUS(TM) Stent Over Cypher(TM) Stent and Bare-Metal Stents in Diabetic Patients

November 20, 2006

Lower Re-Intervention Rates for the TAXUS Stent in Diabetic Patients
NATICK, Mass. and CHICAGO, Nov. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today welcomed a presentation by Joost Daemen, M.D., and Patrick Serruys, M.D., entitled "The Long Term Efficacy of Sirolimus-eluting (SES) and Paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) as Compared to Bare-Metal Stents (BMS) in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus." Data were presented from the T-SEARCH/RESEARCH registry, a 708-patient, real-world registry managed from the Thoraxcenter, Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The presentation reports that the TAXUS(TM) stent (PES) exhibited a lower re-intervention rate and equal or lower instances of death or heart attack than the Cypher(TM) stent (SES) and bare-metal stents (BMS). The data were presented at the annual American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions in Chicago. The presentation reported two-year results, which trended in favor of the TAXUS stent compared to the Cypher stent and BMS in both target vessel revascularization (TVR) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) rates. The TVR rate for the TAXUS stent was 9.7 percent compared to 15.3 percent for the Cypher stent (p=0.06) and 19.5 percent for BMS (p=0.0034). Rates of TVR for the Cypher stent and BMS were comparable (p=0.97). The study also reported rates of MACE with the TAXUS stent of 21.2 percent compared to 28.9 percent for the Cypher stent (p=0.058 PES vs. SES) and 29.7 percent for BMS (p=0.04 PES vs. BMS). The presenter concluded that the MACE data showed no benefit to SES as compared to BMS in the study's patient population, and that there was a trend toward better TVR outcomes with PES. Two-year cumulative incidence of mortality was comparable among the three stent groups, with rates of 11.5 percent for the TAXUS stent, 13.3 percent for the Cypher stent and 9.8 percent for BMS. The two-year stent thrombosis rate for the TAXUS stent was lower than that of the Cypher stent (2.4 percent versus 4.4 percent), however, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.29). Stent thrombosis for BMS was 0.8 percent, which was not significantly different from TAXUS (p=0.18). Stent thrombosis for Cypher at two years was significantly higher compared to BMS (p=0.015). "This study provides further insight into the strong performance of the TAXUS stent in diabetic patients and adds to the growing body of TAXUS stent data in this difficult-to-treat patient population," said Paul LaViolette, Chief Operating Officer of Boston Scientific. "These results are particularly compelling because they represent patients with multiple complexities, the kind physicians treat every day in real-world settings. We are also pleased that the data demonstrated that the safety profile of the TAXUS stent was comparable to -- or better than -- that of bare-metal stents." Diabetic patients generally have more long-term complications than interventional cardiology patients as a whole, making results in diabetic patients with heart disease worthy of note when evaluating overall stent performance. The important and growing diabetic patient subset accounts for approximately one-quarter of all coronary interventional procedures worldwide(1). Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devises 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 over all business strategy, and other factors described in Boston Scientific's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. (1) Kereiakes DJ and Young JJ. Percutaneous coronary revascularization of diabetic patients in the era of drug-eluting stents. Rev Cariovasc Med 2005: 6 (suppl 1): S48-S58 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
Goodrich Breaks Ground for New Facility in Dubai

November 20, 2006

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR) is celebrating the ground breaking of a new 110,000-square-foot, purpose-built facility in Dubai. The site will provide Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services to customers in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. Goodrich has one of the largest global MRO presences in the industry and provides critical MRO services to the worldwide fleet of commercial and military aircraft. According to N.S. (Pandri) Pandarinath, Vice President MRO, Europe, Middle East and Africa for Goodrich's Customer Services team, "This new site allows our Customer Services team to provide localized support and enables us to bring multiple Goodrich MRO capabilities under one roof. It's all about speed and ease of doing business and having the right assets in the right place at the right time for our customers." Operations began last month at Goodrich's start-up facility in Jebel Ali, UAE, following successful completion of all necessary, statutory approvals. Goodrich's repair services encompass components and systems from aircraft nacelles, cargo, de-icing and sensor systems, to aircraft evacuation systems. Completion of the new facility is anticipated in the third quarter of 2007. On the defense side of the industry, the new facility will be positioned to support military fleets throughout the region with spares and repair capabilities for programs such as the F-16, F-18 and Tornado. Mrs. Salma Hareb, CEO Jafza and Economic Zone World, stated, "We welcome Goodrich Corporation to Jafza and commend them on their well-timed move. Dubai is the aviation hub of the Middle East and Goodrich's high-tech, high profile services will add strength to the aviation industry in the UAE. Goodrich will find Jafza an ideal operations hub, especially with the massive Jebel Ali International Airport coming up within the next few years." Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities. For more information visit http://www.goodrich.com . For more information, please contact: Media: Gail Warner Goodrich Corporation Tel: +1-704-423-7048 Lisa Bottle Goodrich Corporation Tel: +1-704-423-7060 For on-site information and images: Martin Butler Goodrich Corporation Cell: +44-7774-125-885 Email: martin.butler@goodrich.com SOURCE Goodrich Corporation; GR - Engine Systems
2007'02.11.Sun
Sidley Austin LLP's International Trade and Dispute Resolution Group Honored by Chambers and Partners

November 20, 2006

LONDON, Nov. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- At an awards ceremony in London, Sidley Austin LLP was named Global WTO Law Firm of the Year by Chambers and Partners. This is the first year a Chambers award has been given for this practice area. Sidley's 50-person International Trade and Dispute Resolution group, based in Geneva, Brussels and Washington, was recognized for its excellence in WTO dispute settlement and negotiations, and its innovative use of WTO rules to assist clients. Chambers and Partners determines its award winners based on interviews with clients and peers. "We are very honored to receive this award," said Practice Group leader Daniel M. Price. "Sophisticated clients are increasingly relying on international trade and investment rules to structure transactions, gain market access, and resolve regulatory problems. We are pleased to be able to advise our corporate and sovereign clients on these matters." "We are delighted to be selected for this prestigious award and are very proud of our team," said Tom Cole, the Chairman of Sidley's Executive Committee. "Our clients expect a truly global approach to their problems and we are pleased to be able to provide them with comprehensive solutions." Earlier this year Sidley was also named Global Trade and Customs Law Firm of 2006 by Who's Who Legal. Sidley Austin LLP is one of the world's largest full-service law firms, with more than 1,700 lawyers practicing in 15 U.S. and international cities including Beijing, Brussels, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. In 2006, Sidley was named to Legal Business' Global Elite, their designation for "the 15 finest law firms in the world." In 2005, BTI, a Boston-based consulting and research firm, named Sidley to their Client Service Hall of Fame as one of only two law firms to rank in the Client Service Top 10 for five years in a row. For more information, please contact: Janet Zagorin Tel: +1-212-839-8797 Email: jzagorin@sidley.com Kerri Vermeylen Tel: +32-2-504-6448 Email: kvermeylen@sidley.com Jennifer Grant Rubenstein Associates Tel: +1-212-843-8060 Email: jgrant@rubenstein.com SOURCE Sidley Austin LLP
2007'02.11.Sun
Checkpoint Systems Acquires ADS Worldwide

November 17, 2006

HONG KONG, Nov. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CKP), announced on November 14 that it has acquired ADS Worldwide (ADS). Total consideration for the business will be in the form of cash and will be approximately USD8.5 million, plus closing costs. Based in Hull, England, ADS is an established supplier of tags, labels, and trim to apparel manufacturers, retailers and brands around the world. With operations in the UK, Hong Kong, China, India and Turkey, ADS employs more than 235 people worldwide. ADS provides Checkpoint with new technological and production capabilities in the United Kingdom, China and Turkey, and extends its network of global print-shops. The acquisition is expected to add more than USD20 million of revenue in 2007 and be neutral to slightly accretive to earnings per share, due to integration costs in the first year and purchase accounting. George Off, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Checkpoint, commented, "The acquisition of ADS is in line with our strategy to grow our CheckNet service bureau business to create increased value for our customers and shareholders. This transaction underlines Checkpoint's continued commitment to premium source tagging solutions for the global retail apparel industry. ADS has an outstanding customer base and a longstanding commitment to excellence in its product offerings and services. Our combined operations will provide customers with advanced data management and logistics capabilities across our expanded service bureau network and further enhances our Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) source tagging program." ADS President Simon Winstanley stated, "The sale to Checkpoint will enable ADS customers to continue receiving the quality service that they have been used to, while benefiting from an expanded global network of locations and technologies including integrated RF-EAS labels and laser printing. ADS will also benefit from Checkpoint's significant investments in technologies such as RFID." About Checkpoint Systems Checkpoint Systems, Inc. is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of integrated systems solutions for retail security, labeling, and merchandising. Checkpoint is a leading provider of EAS and RFID systems, source tagging, hand-held labeling systems and retail merchandising systems. Applications include automatic identification, retail security and pricing, and promotional labels. Operating directly in 30 countries, Checkpoint has a global network of subsidiaries and provides professional customer service and technical support around the world. Checkpoint Systems, Inc.'s website is located at www.checkpointsystems.com . About ADS Worldwide ADS is an established supplier of apparel packaging to clothing manufacturers, retailers and brands around the world. Founded in 1988 to exploit the growing demand for the barcode, ADS has grown rapidly over recent years to become one of the largest independent suppliers in the UK. With wholly owned subsidiaries in the UK, Hong Kong, China, India and Turkey -- as well as long-standing partners in Mauritius and Cyprus -- ADS provides retailers and brands with a global service for all of their packaging requirements. Products supplied include swing tickets, waist riders, self-adhesive labels, printed care labels, woven labels and plastic seals, as well as other specialist packaging and trims. Perhaps best known for the ability to process and print variable barcode information using powerful software-based systems, ADS has a specialist division (ADS Solutions) handling the development of all production/data processing software as well as the company's sophisticated on-line ordering and tracking facilities. The company's website is located at www.ads-worldwide.com . Safe Harbor Statement This press release may include information that could constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such forward-looking statements may involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results encompassed within the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include those matters disclosed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Checkpoint Systems Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this report. Contact: Natalie Chan Tel: +852-2995-8350 Email: natalie.chan@checkpt.com www.checkpointasiapac.com SOURCE Checkpoint Systems, Inc.
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