Attracting foreign investments: Tuscany focuses on...

Florence (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Non-residential properties are another sector Tuscany is focusing on to attract foreign investments.

This is a new type of offering that, among others, Invest in Tuscany (http://www.investintuscany.com), the contact point for foreign businesses interested in establishing and developing their business in Tuscany, is promoting using the image and strategic position of Tuscany. Luxury tourist resorts, prestigious company headquarters and industrial buildings are the main properties on offer in the Region.

Created by 'Toscana Promozione' and the Provincial Governments of Tuscany, 'Invest in Tuscany' is the network foreign companies can contact if they want to set up a new business or invest in the region. The network operates in six key sectors: life sciences (biotechnologies, pharmaceuticals), ICT, logistics, leisure boating, renewable energies and, from this year, non-residential properties.

This new sector will make its debut at MIPIM -- 'Marche International des Professionnels de l'Immobilier' which will be held in Cannes from 11 to 14 March.

'Invest in Tuscany' will be in Cannes with its own stand to showcase and promote high-quality non-residential properties which can be used for new tourist, industrial and commercial activities and by new small businesses.

Some of the main opportunities on offer are: stunning complexes and hamlets to redevelop and turn into tourist resorts; existing tourist businesses (luxury hotels, holiday farmhouses, resorts, etc.); redevelopment of estates and construction of new buildings for industrial purposes; multi-function centres (e.g., play areas and sports, commercial, tourist and leisure facilities).

Properties on show at the MIPIM can be viewed on the following website: http://www.investintuscany.com.

Technical staff will be available at the stand to answer initial questions by interested investors.

Invest in Tuscany provides support to foreign investors wishing to locate their business within the region of Tuscany, offering free, specialised and confidential services. Through our headquarters in Florence and our offices in China, Germany, Russia, United States, Argentina and Brazil, we aim to provide comprehensive and professional assistance to foreign companies and investors wishing to locate their businesses in Tuscany.

Contact: Monica Colom Inward Investment Manager Toscana
Promozione - Invest in Tuscany Ph: +39-055-462801 Fax:
+39-055-4628082 info@investintuscany.com http://www.investintuscany.com
SOURCE Invest in Tuscany
CONTACT: Monica Colom, Inward Investment Manager of Toscana
Promozione - Invest in Tuscany, +39-055-462801, Fax: +39-055-4628082, info@investintuscany.com
Web site: http://www.investintuscany.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

David Beckham signs with Sharpie

International Soccer Star David Beckham Inspires People to Write Out Loud!(TM) with Sharpie(R) Permanent Markers

Oak Brook, Illinois (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Long recognized as the celebrity autograph marker of choice, Sharpie(R) brand is partnering with one of the world's most recognizable celebrities, global sports star David Beckham. Beckham, whose autograph is among the most sought-after in the world, will become Sharpie's global ambassador in a fully integrated global marketing campaign that rolls out initially in the United States in early March.

Sharpie, a flagship brand of Atlanta-based Newell Rubbermaid, will leverage Beckham's status as an international sports star to increase awareness of Sharpie not only as the preferred autograph marker, but also its many creative uses.

"Like the Sharpie brand, David embodies individuality and creative expression," said Sharpie global business unit president Howard Heckes.

"He is the rare athlete who transcends nationality and sport to command worldwide attention, making him the perfect ambassador for Sharpie marker users who are as passionate about the bold mark of a Sharpie as they are about the colors, variety and almost limitless uses of the product."

Heckes says the deal will feature Beckham in a global marketing campaign in key regions around the world, including North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

"I have always enjoyed signing autographs for people, especially since I used to love getting my heroes' signatures when I was younger," said David Beckham. "I love to use Sharpie markers, so it's a natural choice for me to partner with them."

Complete details of the Sharpie-Beckham campaign, which will also include print and online advertising, promotional and in-store support, will be announced in May.

The Sharpie(R) brand has a long history of sports sponsorships in the United States.

Among the top-name athletes Sharpie has previously partnered with are NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr., Pro Football wide receiver Terrell Owens, Pro Football Hall of Famers Steve Young and Howie Long, and legendary golfers Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Many athletes use Sharpie markers to sign autographs because they leave a bold, permanent mark.

About Sharpie(R)

For more than 40 years, Sharpie has been the popular brand of permanent marker associated with the autograph experience. Newell Rubbermaid Office Products Group, maker of Sharpie(R) markers, is a worldwide leader in the manufacturing and marketing of writing instruments, art products and office organization and technology products, including such well known brands as Paper Mate(R), Sharpie(R), DYMO(R) Parker(R), Waterman(R), EXPO(R), uni-ball(R), and Rolodex(R), among others. Visit http://www.sharpie.com for more information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Mike Finn, Sharpie Ph: +1 630.481.2195 Mobile: +1 708.539.5301 mike.finn@sanford.com

SOURCE Sharpie
CONTACT: Agatha Thaller, Weber Shandwick Ph: +1 314.552.6785
Mobile: +1 314.607.0059 athaller@webershandwick.com
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080306AQTH002B
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com/
Web site: http://www.sharpie.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Heidrick & Struggles Japan reports 33.3 per cent increase in net revenue

Private Equity Helps Drive Search Firm's Expansion in Japan

Tokyo (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - The Tokyo office of the world's premier executive search firm, Heidrick & Struggles, has reported a 33.3 per cent increase in net revenue to US$11.9 million for 2007.

Partner-in-charge Daniel Edwards says: "We raised the profile of the firm in Japan by working with private equity firms on some of the largest corporate transactions that were considered in 2007. The recent hire of Toshifumi Mori, a senior executive from Mitsubishi Corporation, has also strengthened our ability to connect with the senior Japanese business community."

Heidrick & Struggles, which has offices in more than 60 cities around the world, increased its full year net revenue in the Asia Pacific region by 58.8 per cent to US$78.6 million, or approximately 51 per cent on a constant currency basis.
Operating income of US$15.9 million increased 20.1 per cent over 2006 and the operating margin was 20.3 per cent, compared with 26.8 per cent in 2006.

In the Asia Pacific region, the firm has offices in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand.

Globally, for the year ended December 31, 2007, Heidrick & Struggles reported consolidated net revenue of US$619.7 million, an increase of 29.5 percent from US$478.5 million in 2006.

In 2008, the company expects worldwide consolidated net revenue of between US$650 and US$670 million, representing growth of between 5 per cent and 8 percent over 2007 net
revenue. The company is targeting a 2008 full-year operating margin of 13 per cent.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. is the world's premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services, including talent management, board building, executive on-boarding and M&A effectiveness.
For more than 50 years, we have focused on quality service and built strong leadership teams through our relationships with clients and individuals worldwide. Today, Heidrick & Struggles leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
For more information about Heidrick & Struggles, please visit http://www.heidrick.com .

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions.
Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict.

Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, forecasted or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect the outcome of the forward-looking statements include, among other things: our ability to attract and retain qualified executive search consultants; the condition of the economies in the United States, Europe, or elsewhere; social or political instability in markets where we operate; the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; price competition; the ability to forecast, on a quarterly basis, variable compensation accruals that ultimately are determined based on the achievement of annual results; our ability to realize our tax loss carryforwards; the timing of a partial release or full reversal of deferred tax asset valuation allowance; the mix of profit and loss by country; an impairment of our goodwill and other intangible assets; and delays in the development and/or implementation of new technology and systems. Our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also include information on factors that may affect the outcome of forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts: Thomas Liddle Communications Consultant Tel:
+61-2-8205-2376 Email: tliddle@heidrick.com
Eric Sodorff Director, Corporate Communications Tel:
+1-312-496-1613 Email: esodorff@heidrick.com
SOURCE Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT © 2008

dioVision auctions off licenses for the Chinese market

- Groundbreaking display technology for the Chinese mass market

Oberraden (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Effective immediately, dioVision will auction off licenses for dioVision play for the domestic Chinese market. dioVision play is a completely new and flexible display technology that makes the presentation space come "alive". In combination with LCD, SED and OLED developments, as well as partially and inter-coupled LED panels or projection technology, dioVision play turns cell phones, navigation devices, monitors, television sets and advertising displays into actively controllable elements. The positions of the screen surfaces can be infinitely modified to create, for instance, room depth (similar to 3D, stereoscopy) or to make adjustments to a wide variety of lighting conditions possible. Now through March 28, 2008, dioVision is auctioning off licenses for dioVision play to be mass marketed in China. The minimum bid is EUR 3 million.

dioVison play allows the creation of stage, panoramic, window and room effects through realistic simulations. The screen is aligned with the perspective of the viewer. In addition to familiar flat views, dioVision play accommodates numerous other presentation forms on a single device. The display palette range includes: convex images, images slanted towards the back or front, to the right or left, flat
presentations aimed towards to the top or bottom, screened and concave presentations, and video with an interior bend. The presentation formats can also be blended. As a result, advertising messages can be dynamically pulled into the foreground or actively follow the viewer. An impressive 28 individual claims were accepted as absolutely new inventions within the patent award process. The commercial applicability of all 28 has been documented.

Bidders who want to acquire the licenses for the Chinese market are required to contact the following address no later than March 28, 2008:

dioVision (R)
Oliver Heine
Bismarckstrasse 39
D-56587 Oberraden, Germany
Telephone: + 49(0)2634-940-626
Telefax: + 49(0)2634-5268
Internet: http://www.diovision.de
E-mail: licensee@diovision.de
Address for patent research:
Patent application number (application number): PCT/DE 2006
001628,
http://www.wipo.int
Press Agency:
leanpress
Rolf E. Sprengel
D-56470 Bad Marienberg, Germany
Telephone: +49(0)2661-98-18-39
Telefax: +49(0)2661-91-65-27
Internet: http://www.leanpress.de
E-mail: rolf.sprengel@leanpress.de SOURCE dioVision
/CONTACT: Oliver Heine of dioVision, +49(0)2634-940-626,
Telefax: +49(0)2634-5268, licensee@diovision.de; Rolf E.
Sprengel of leanpress, +49(0)2661-98-18-39, Telefax:
+49(0)2661-91-65-27, rolf.sprengel@leanpress.de/
/Web site: http://www.diovision.de
http://www.wipo.int
http://www.leanpress.de

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Platts Survey: US reactors produce record power generation in 2007

Washington (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Global power generated by nuclear reactors fell about 3.6% in calendar 2007 from the 2.8 billion megawatt-hours (MWh) recorded in 2006, according to data released by Nucleonics Week, a publication of Platts, a leading global provider of energy and commodities information.

In the otherwise lackluster 2007, US reactors set a record for nuclear power generation, with output surging to 843 million gross MWh and utilizing an average 91% of reactor capacity.

"The 2007 nuclear plant performance means about 20% of US electricity was once again generated without the carbon emissions that would otherwise contribute to global warming," said Margaret Ryan, Platts global nuclear editorial director.

World performance was led by two US reactors. In terms of output, South Texas Project's South Texas-1 in Bay City, Texas, generated 12.36 million MWh, the largest output of any reactor in the world. Of the 15 reactors generating the most in 2007, three were from the US, eight from Germany and four from France. In terms of capacity factor, which measures how well a plant performed against the output level its manufacturer promised, the best worldwide was Constellation Energy's Calvert Cliffs-1, south of Annapolis, Maryland, which actually exceeded its rated capacity level all year. Of the top 15 best performing reactors in 2007 measured by capacity, 11 were from the US and four were from Japan.

The slowdown in world nuclear power generation was in large part attributable to developments ranging from an earthquake in Japan to persistent aging of facilities in the UK to unplanned outages in Germany. Elsewhere, nuclear generation sustained good performance or went up or down by smaller amounts.

In terms of world nuclear power plant generating capacity, the median utilization rate was 84.2% with the top quarter of units all performing above 91.5%. This suggests many reactors performed very well during 2007. But with a total nominal operating capacity of 395 gross gigawatts, the 439 nuclear units worldwide could, if they had operated at an average 85% capacity factor, have generated some 400 million more MWh to meet growing world electricity demand than they did in 2007.
That amount would supply the entire United States, which uses more electricity than any other country in the world, for 40 average days.

Outlook
The year 2007 began inauspiciously for nuclear power, with the closure of seven units on the last day of 2006. The shutdowns of Bulgaria's Kozloduy-3 and -4, Slovakia's Bohunice-1, and the UK's Dungeness A-1 and -2 and Sizewell A-1 and -2 removed 2,540 gross MW from the electricity grid.

Only four reactor units were added to world's operating nuclear fleets in 2007: India's Nuclear Power Corporation brought the 220-MW Kaiga-3 into service, the 1,000-MW Tianwan-2 VVER was started up in China, and Romania commissioned the 706-MW Cernavoda-2 Candu unit. In the US, the Tennessee Valley Authority brought the 1,155-MW Browns Ferry-1 back into service after 22 years of shutdown. That brought the total MW added to just less than 3,100 MW.

But 2007 brought the most construction starts of nuclear power reactors in recent years, with work on five units officially launched. Construction of the 650-MW Qinshan II-4 and the 1,000-MW Hongyanhe-1 in China, the 1,000-MW Shin Kori-2 and Shin Wolsong-1 in South Korea, and the 1,650-MW Flamanville-3 in France all got under way. In 2006 there were construction starts on four units, three in 2005 and just two in 2004, according to International Atomic Energy Agency records.

About Platts:

Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), is a leading global provider of energy and commodities information. With nearly a century of business experience, Platts serves customers across more than 150 countries. An independent provider, Platts serves the oil, natural gas, electricity, emissions, nuclear power, coal, petrochemical, shipping, and metals markets from 14 offices worldwide. Platts' real-time news, pricing, analytical services and conferences help markets operate with transparency and efficiency. Traders, risk managers, analysts, and industry leaders depend upon Platts to help them make better trading and investment decisions. Additional information is available at http://www.platts.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard &
Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.

SOURCE Platts

CONTACT: Kathleen Tanzy,
+1-212-904-2860, or
Europe: Shiona Ramage,
+44-207-1766153, or
Asia: Casey Yew,
+65-653-06552, all for Platts
Web site: http://www.platts.com
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Heidrick & Struggles Singapore reports 72.1 per cent revenue rise

'Regional Hub' Status Helps Drive Executive Search Business

Singapore (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - The Singapore office of the world's premier search firm, Heidrick & Struggles, today reported a 72.1 per cent increase in revenue to US$10.85 million for 2007, driven by escalating demand for senior executives.

Partner-in-charge Alicia Yi says that with its global network, Heidrick & Struggles works with multinationals and local companies to secure international talent.

"Singapore continues to lead in attracting corporations and executives with regional mandates," Yi says. "We are seeing significant growth in consumer, life sciences, education and hospitality sectors. The status of Singapore as a regional hub for global companies, and an attractive tax environment helps to attract international talent."

Yi says that a new principal, Steve Stine, is working in emerging industries such as "clean technology," health care, supply chain and gaming.

Heidrick & Struggles, which has offices in more than 60 cities around the world, increased its full year net revenue in the Asia Pacific region by 58.8 percent to US$78.6 million, or approximately 51 per cent on a constant currency basis.
Operating income of US$15.9 million increased 20.1 per cent over 2006 and the operating margin was 20.3 per cent, compared with 26.8 per cent in 2006.

Globally, for the year ended December 31, 2007, Heidrick & Struggles reported consolidated net revenue of US$619.7 million, an increase of 29.5 percent from US$478.5 million in 2006.

In 2008, the company expects worldwide consolidated net revenue of between US$650 and US$670 million, representing growth of between 5 per cent and 8 percent over 2007 net
revenue. The company is targeting a 2008 full-year operating margin of 13 per cent.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. is the world's premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services, including talent management, board building, executive on-boarding and M&A effectiveness.
For more than 50 years, we have focused on quality service and built strong leadership teams through our relationships with clients and individuals worldwide.

Today, Heidrick & Struggles leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles, please visit http://www.heidrick.com .

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions.
Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict.

Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, forecasted or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect the outcome of the forward-looking statements include, among other things: our ability to attract and retain qualified executive search consultants; the condition of the economies in the United States, Europe, or elsewhere; social or political instability in markets where we operate; the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; price competition; the ability to forecast, on a quarterly basis, variable compensation accruals that ultimately are determined based on the achievement of annual results; our ability to realize our tax loss carryforwards; the timing of a partial release or full reversal of deferred tax asset valuation allowance; the mix of profit and loss by country; an impairment of our goodwill and other intangible assets; and delays in the development and/or implementation of new technology and systems. Our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also include information on factors that may affect the outcome of forward-looking statements.

We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts: Thomas Liddle Communications Consultant Tel: +61-2-8205-2376 Email: tliddle@heidrick.com
Eric Sodorff Director, Corporate Communications Tel: +1-312-496-1613 Email: esodorff@heidrick.com

SOURCE Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Free cervical cancer screening for China`s underprivileged women

Free Cervical Cancer Screening for Underprivileged Women to be Provided by QIAGEN in Partnership with Cancer Foundation of China Free HPV Testing to be Offered on International Women's Day

Beijing (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Free human papillomavirus (HPV) testing will be offered to underprivileged women by QIAGEN at 31 hospitals throughout China on March 8, International Women's Day.

HPV is the primary cause of cervical cancer, and the program is part of a nationwide prevention campaign organized by the Cancer Foundation of China and partially sponsored by QIAGEN.

"Cervical cancer is the second-most-common cancer affecting women worldwide," said Prof. Qiao Youlin, general director of the event and Chief of the Department of Cancer Epidemiology at the Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

"By testing women over the age of 30 for the virus that causes the disease, we can significantly improve our ability to identify women at risk. When used along with the Pap, QIAGEN's digene(R) HPV Test can help drastically reduce the annual number of cervical cancer deaths in China and around the world."

In partnering with the Cancer Foundation of China, QIAGEN will provide HPV testing kits to the 31 hospitals taking part in the event. These kits will be used in the screening of more than 3,000 underprivileged women throughout China.

"We believe that with greater awareness and widespread testing, cervical cancer can, and should, become a tragedy of the past," said Dr. Victor Shi, President of QIAGEN Asia.

"That means that the best in preventive care -- including HPV testing -- must be available to all eligible women. We are proud to partner with the Cancer Foundation of China to help make this goal a reality on International Women's Day."

About HPV and Cervical Cancer: Cervical cancer affects nearly 500,000 women around the world every year and kills more than 250,000. In Asia, about 265,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year (46,000 in China), and there are 143,000 deaths (26,000 in China). The disease is caused by "high-risk" types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which are sexually transmitted. It's estimated that up to 80 percent of women will get an HPV infection at some point in their lives.

However, in most cases, the infection goes away or is suppressed by the body without causing problems. Only an infection that persists can cause abnormal cells that may develop into cervical cancer if not detected and treated early.

Routine HPV testing is recommended for older women, who are most likely to have infections that won't go away and thus most at risk of developing cervical cancer. In the United States, the FDA has approved HPV testing along with the Pap for all women over the age of 30.

About QIAGEN:
QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company, is the leading provider of innovative sample and assay technologies and products, including the only FDA- approved and CE-marked test for HPV (marketed as the digene(R) HPV Test).

QIAGEN's products are considered standards in areas such as pre-analytical sample preparation and assay solutions for life sciences, applied testing and molecular diagnostics. QIAGEN has developed a comprehensive portfolio of more than 500 proprietary, consumable products and automated solutions.

The company's products are sold to academic research markets, leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, applied testing customers (such as in forensics, veterinary, biodefense and industrial applications) and molecular diagnostics laboratories. QIAGEN products are sold through a dedicated sales force and a global network of distributors in more than 40 countries; the company employs more than 2,600 people worldwide.

Further information about QIAGEN can be found at www.qiagen.com. Further information about HPV DNA testing can be found at www.theHPVtest.com.

About the Cancer Foundation of China:

The Cancer Foundation of China was founded on Oct. 26, 1984. It is a national, non-profit foundation that aims to push forward the development of cancer research, prevention and treatment in China. The scope of the foundation covers various aspects of the cancer research, prevention and treatment, including communications, education and training, prevention and control, fundamental research, application, clinical research, and rehabilitation and analgesia.

SOURCE: QIAGEN
CONTACT: Asia/Pacific, Brendan Green, +86-21-38653824,
Brendan.Green@qiagen.com; or Global, Pam Rasmussen,
+1-240-686-7616, Pamela.Rasmussen@qiagen.com, both of QIAGEN
Web site: http://www.qiagen.com
http://www.theHPVtest.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008

ORBIS and Sponsors to bring sight-saving program to Vietnam

With Alcon and FedEx, ORBIS targets the training of local eye health workers, while providing free, sight-saving surgeries and ophthalmic care

New York (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - With an invitation from the Vietnamese government and the support of global sponsors Alcon (NYSE: ACL) and FedEx (NYSE: FDX), ORBIS International, a nonprofit global development organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide, will send its flagship Flying Eye Hospital, a state-of-the-art medical and teaching facility housed in a DC-10 aircraft, to Vietnam for an intensive surgical skills exchange and clinical training program for the nations eye care professionals.

The five-week program will begin with Alcons sponsorship in Da Nang (March 17 April 4) and will conclude with FedExs sponsorship in Ho Chi Minh City (April 9 April 20). Nearly 200 ophthalmologists, 40 nurses and 20 biomedical engineers will receive training and hands-on instruction aboard the Flying Eye Hospital and within the Da Nang Eye Hospital and Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital. In addition, more than 120 Vietnamese patients will undergo surgery to have their sight restored or preserved.

The support we receive from our global sponsors and donors enables the delivery of improved eye care services to numerous people, while bringing awareness of avoidable blindness to many more, said Paul Hamilton, ORBIS chief of programs. This is the first time the Flying Eye Hospital will conduct a program in one country for such an extended period of time -- working with Alcon and FedEx together in adding this important and complementary program to our existing capacity-building work in Vietnam makes this another milestone in our organizations history.

Eliminating Avoidable Blindness Requires Comprehensive Long-term Solutions Like many emerging nations, Vietnam has a high rate of avoidable blindness and is working hard to provide quality eye care service to its entire population. There are half a million blind people in Vietnam, with the majority living in rural areas. Practicing mostly in the major urban centers, there are an estimated 13.5 ophthalmologists per million Vietnamese, compared to 10 ophthalmologists per 100,000 in the United States. In the rural areas of Vietnam, health workers are usually nurses who have minimal orientation in eye care issues and scant resources.

In 2007, Vietnam emerged strongly and successfully into mainstream international life with a surge in economic growth and development that is reported to steadily reduce poverty levels. Recently, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organization (VUFO) called for more assistance from non-governmental organizations -- whereby ORBIS was cited as one such organization -- to help strengthen the nation as a whole. While the government is taking the reigns of its future into its own hands, it is still relying on aid from overseas. Last year, the VUFO reported that Vietnam received US$251 million in aid from NGOs, an increase of US$35 million over the previous year.

ORBIS is developing long-term national plans in Vietnam to promote blindness prevention, expand availability of pediatric eye care facilities and enhance the countrys eye banking capabilities. ORBIS has been especially successful in introducing treatment strategies and resources for retinopathy of prematurity, a leading cause of childhood blindness. Last year, as a result of 13 major ORBIS projects, 6,070 doctors, nurses and community eye health workers received training. More than 675,026 people were examined for eye disease, and medical treatment and/or surgery was provided to 133,095 patients.

ORBIS and Alcon -- Leading The Way To A World Without Blindness For more than 25 years, Alcon has supported ORBIS sight-saving programs and initiatives worldwide. In 2007, Alcon strengthened its commitment to ORBIS by renewing its global sponsor status for a further two-year period. This grant, exceeding US$2.7 million, provides cash and medical gifts-in-kind. It also increases Alcons support of training initiatives in developing countries through a combination of Flying Eye Hospital programs, hospital-based programs, fellowships and online Cyber-Sight consultations. Under this grant, Alcon will sponsor two Flying Eye Hospital programs -- the first being in Da Nang, Vietnam, and the second to be selected in 2009.

Over the years, Alcon has donated state-of-the-art ophthalmic equipment, pharmaceuticals and supplies for the Flying Eye Hospital, making it possible for ORBIS volunteer ophthalmologists to teach advanced surgical techniques to doctors in the developing world. Additionally, they have contributed equipment and supplies to selected ORBIS partner hospitals around the world and have established the Alcon Volunteer Biomedical Corps, a dedicated group of Alcon biomedical technicians who participate in ORBIS training programs, sharing their skills with those in developing countries.

ORBIS and FedEx -- Delivering Sight Worldwide As a global sponsor of ORBIS for more than 20 years, FedEx has committed its unparalleled networks, dedicated employees and vast aviation expertise to assist ORBIS in delivering the gift of sight to countless individuals throughout the
developing world. In 2006, FedEx renewed its support to ORBIS with a US$5.5 million commitment, which includes financial, logistical and operational support for ORBIS and its Flying Eye Hospital through 2011. During this time, FedEx has agreed to support 10 Flying Eye Hospital programs and has created a new fellowship program -- the FedEx Fellows -- in which ORBIS will award medical training fellowships to ophthalmologists around the world over the next five years. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Chi of Da Nang Eye Hospital, Vietnam, currently serves as a FedEx Fellow.

Delivering unwavering support, FedEx completes the annual safety check for the Flying Eye Hospital at no cost to ORBIS.
In addition, FedEx pilots volunteer their time to fly the Flying Eye Hospital to medical program locations worldwide.
FedEx also gives complimentary access to its powerful network providing transportation services in support of ORBIS initiatives around the world.

About ORBIS

Since 1982, ORBIS programs have enhanced the skills of over 154,000 eye care professionals in 85 countries and have provided eye care treatment to more than 4.4 million people. To learn more about ORBIS, visit www.orbis.org.

Brooke Johnson of ORBIS, +1-646-674-5532, brooke.johnson@orbis.org
SOURCE ORBIS International
CONTACT: Brooke Johnson of ORBIS,
+1-646-674-5532,
brooke.johnson@orbis.org/
Hue Nguyen, ORBIS Vietnam (Ha Noi),
+84-902-160575,
hue.nguyen@orbis.org
Web site: http://www.orbis.org/

COPYRIGHT © 2008

BioWa announces expansion of license agreement with Genentech

Princeton, New Jersey (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - BioWa, Inc. announced today that it has expanded the license agreement with Genentech, Inc. providing Genentech additional access to BioWa's POTELLIGENT(R) Technology for the research and development of select antibodies for potential therapeutic applications that require enhancement of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).

"BioWa is pleased to extend this license with Genentech, which is a market leader in the field of antibody therapeutics," commented Dr. Masamichi Koike, President and CEO of BioWa. "We feel this alliance will strongly aid in the development of more effective targeted treatments for cancer and other diseases."

Under the terms of the expanded license agreement, BioWa will grant to Genentech commercial rights to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize antibodies utilizing POTELLIGENT(R) Technology for an additional number of targets. In return, BioWa will receive milestone payments and royalties on products developed by Genentech. Additional terms were not disclosed.

About POTELLIGENT(R) Technology

POTELLIGENT(R) Technology improves potency and efficacy of antibody therapeutics, by enhancing ADCC, one of the major mechanisms of action for antibody therapeutics. POTELLIGENT(R) Technology involves the reduction of the amount of fucose in the carbohydrate structure of an antibody using a proprietary fucosyltransferase-knockout CHO cell line as a production cell.

Research shows that POTELLIGENT(R) Technology dramatically enhances ADCC activity of an antibody in vitro, and significantly increases potency and efficacy of the antibody in vivo.

About BioWa, Inc.

BioWa is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4151), Japan's leading pharmaceutical and largest biotech company, and is the exclusive worldwide licensor of AccretaMab(TM) platform.

AccretaMab(TM) platform consists of POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(TM) Technologies, creating a superior antibody molecule with enhanced ADCC and CDC activities. BioWa is offering POTELLIGENT(R) and COMPLEGENT(TM) Technologies to partners under a license to maximize the value of these technologies.

In addition, BioWa is focused on development of ADCC/CDC enhanced monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics to fight cancer and other life-threatening and debilitating diseases. Both BioWa and Kyowa have POTELLIGENT(R) antibody products at various clinical stages.

For more information about BioWa, visit its web site at www.biowa.com

POTELLIGENT(R), COMPLEGENT(TM), and AccretaMab(TM) are the trademarks of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd. All rights are reserved.

SOURCE: BioWa, Inc.
CONTACT: Masamichi Koike, Ph.D., President and CEO of BioWa,
Inc., +1-609-734-3420
Web site: http://www.biowa.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

ROBODOC announces patent cross licensing agreement with IBM

Sacramento, California (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - ROBODOC, a Curexo Technology Company, and IBM announced today that they have entered into a major patent Cross licensing agreement.

The terms of the agreement were not disclosed by either party.

In addition to its current surgical robotics patents, this agreement gives ROBODOC, access to more than 40,000 patents in IBM'S Global Portfolio and particularly, IBM's surgical robotics patents.

Dan Cerutti, IBM's general manager of intellectual property, said, "IBM enjoys a reputation of innovation and invention for technologies related to computer-assisted medicine and surgery.

"We are pleased to share our innovations in these areas through patent cross licenses, especially with forward-thinking companies such as ROBODOC."

"This agreement provides us with a significant improvement in our freedom of action in the Surgical Robotics and Information Management field. We intend to continue building our own intellectual property portfolio on an on-going basis," commented Dr. Ramesh Trivedi, President and CEO of ROBODOC.

IBM has earned the most U.S. patents for 15 consecutive years. For more information on IBM, please visit http://www.ibm.com.

ROBODOC, a Curexo Technology Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Korea-based Curexo Inc. (KOSDAQ: 060280.KQ). Its main research facility is in the U.S. and it reaches markets throughout the world.

About ROBODOC

ROBODOC, develops, manufactures, and markets a fully automated surgical robotic system for use in orthopaedic surgery. The system includes two components; ORTHODOC, a computer workstation equipped with proprietary software for preoperative surgical planning, and ROBODOC, a computer-controlled surgical robotic assistant for use in hip and knee replacement as well as other orthopaedic procedures.

ROBODOC made medical history in 1992 by assisting in a Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) procedure. Since that time, the ROBODOC system has been used in over 20,000 surgical procedures assisting surgeons around the world. The ROBODOC Surgical Assistance System is currently in its final stage of review and clearance by the FDA.

ROBODOC(R) and ORTHODOC(R) are registered trade marks of Curexo Technology Corporation.

1433 N. Market Blvd., Suite 1, Sacramento, CA 95834 http://www.robodoc.com

Contact:
Dr. R.C. Trivedi President & CEO ROBODOC(R) A Curexo Technology Company 916 285 9943 x 527 or Ms. Sheila Shah Marketing Communications ROBODOC(R) A Curexo Technology Company 916 285 9943 X 510 press@robodoc.com

SOURCE: ROBODOC
CONTACT: Dr. R.C. Trivedi, President & CEO, +1-916-285-9943,
ext. 527,
or Ms. Sheila Shah, Marketing Communications,
+1-916-285-9943, ext. 510, press@robodoc.com, both of ROBODOC
Web site: http://www.robodoc.com
http://www.ibm.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Heidrick & Struggles India reports 29.1 percent increase in net revenue

Strong Economy Drives Continued Demand for Senior Executives

New Delhi (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - The Indian offices of the world's premier executive search firm, Heidrick & Struggles, today reported a 29.1 percent increase in net revenue to US$6.5 million for 2007, reflecting the continued strength of the economy and demand for talent.

Partner-in-charge Arun Shankar Das Mahapatra says that the strong economy is driving a commensurate strong demand for senior executive talent.

"The hottest sectors are infrastructure, real estate and construction, building on our experience across industrial, information technology, retail and consumer sectors," Das Mahapatra says.

"After a high-growth year in 2006, last year was a year of consolidation for us," he says. "But we expect that 2008 will be another big year. We are taking on another three or four consultants to meet the increasing demand."

Across the Asia Pacific region, net revenue for 2007 increased by 58.8 percent to US$78.6 million, or approximately 51 percent on a constant currency basis. Operating income of US$15.9 million increased 20.1 percent over 2006 and the operating margin was 20.3 percent, compared with 26.8 percent in 2006.

Globally, for the year ended December 31, 2007, Heidrick & Struggles reported consolidated net revenue of US$619.7 million, an increase of 29.5 percent from US$478.5 million in 2006.

In 2008, the company expects worldwide consolidated net revenue of between US$650 and US$670 million, representing growth of between 5 percent and 8 percent over 2007 net
revenue. The company is targeting a 2008 full-year operating margin of 13 percent.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. is the world's premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services, including talent management, board building, executive on-boarding and M&A effectiveness. For more than 50 years, we have focused on quality service and built strong leadership teams through our relationships with clients and individuals worldwide. Today, Heidrick &
Struggles leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles, please visit http://www.heidrick.com .

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions.
Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, forecasted or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect the outcome of the forward-looking statements include, among other things: our ability to attract and retain qualified executive search consultants; the condition of the economies in the United States, Europe, or elsewhere; social or political instability in markets where we operate; the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; price competition; the ability to forecast, on a quarterly basis, variable compensation accruals that ultimately are determined based on the achievement of annual results; our ability to realize our tax loss carryforwards; the timing of a partial release or full reversal of deferred tax asset valuation allowance; the mix of profit and loss by country; an impairment of our goodwill and other intangible assets; and delays in the development and/or implementation of new technology and systems. Our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also include information on factors that may affect the outcome of forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:
Thomas Liddle
Communications Consultant
Tel: +61-2-8205-2376
Email: tliddle@heidrick.com
Eric Sodorff
Director, Corporate Communications
Tel: +1-312-496-1613
Email: esodorff@heidrick.com
SOURCE Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Chancellor Angela Merkel to address the International Transport Forum

The International Transport Forum, 28-30 May in Leipzig Transport and Energy: The
Challenge of Climate Change

Paris (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - "The International Transport Forum offers a unique opportunity for the transport sector to say how it will deal with global warming", said Jack Short, Secretary General of the International Transport Forum in Paris on Tuesday, while introducing the programme of the Forum 2008.

"The Forum will bring together Ministers, politicians, key industry actors, top researchers as well as high level representatives of NGOs and civil society from around the world to discuss, debate, and provide a set of messages on how the sector can best reduce its impacts on global warming."

"The Forum will chart the strategies and measures that must be put in place, nationally and internationally, if the sector is to contribute to reducing global emissions by around 50 per cent over the next 50 years. Ministers of Transport, Industry leaders and experts from more than 50 countries will make the Forum the "transport summit of the year."

German Federal Chancellor, Angela Merkel will deliver a keynote address at the Forum 2008.

"The participation of the Chancellor underlines the important role foreseen for the International Transport Forum as a high level strategic platform, and also the enormous challenge for the transport sector that global warming poses," said Short.

Among the speakers, along with many others, are eminent industry leaders, such as Thomas Enders, CEO, Airbus; Thierry Morin, CEO, Valeo; leading academics like Professor Julia King, author of the recent report "The King Review on low carbon cars"; and key figures of international agencies such as Angel Gurria, OECD Secretary General and Nobuo Tanaka, IEA Executive Director.

Day 1 of the Forum will feature discussions and debates including industry, senior research figures and key stakeholders, who will then distil key messages for policy makers and politicians. Day 2 will include keynotes and high ranking panels on energy security and the roles of technology and policy to reduce emissions in the transport sector.

Ministers will discuss institutional and political issues at a specific Ministerial session. Day 3 will disclose the final key messages and conclusions of the Forum.

In addition to the debates and discussions, there will be an exhibition open to companies, public authorities, researchers and associations. The exhibition will display policies and solutions for energy efficient technologies, as well as good practice in energy efficiency and CO2 mitigation.

The International Transport Forum will also award three prizes for innovative, comprehensive and result-oriented strategies designed to improve the sustainability of the transport sector. The three prize categories will be awarded to a local or regional public authority, a company with an innovative mobility management plan and a young researcher.

The Saxon city of Leipzig will be the host city of the International Transport Forum "Transport and Energy: the Challenge of Climate Change" from 28 to 30 May 2008.
See http://www.internationaltransportforum.org

forum2008.html to consult the programme of the forthcoming Forum, obtain registration information and regular updates.

The International Transport Forum, part of the OECD family, is a global platform and meeting place at the highest level for transport, logistics and mobility with more than 50 member countries worldwide. Key figures from government and politics, business and industry, research and civil society will meet at the annual conference in Leipzig, the "Transport Summit of theYear".

For more information, please contact Michael Zirpel, Communications Director, michael.zirpel@oecd.org.

SOURCE: International Transport Forum
CONTACT: Michael Zirpel, Communications Director of
International Transport Forum, michael.zirpel@oecd.org
Web site: http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/forum2008.html

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

In crisis, sites of Australia`s emergency services unavailable

Utrecht (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - With Bushfires in Western Australia's Goldfields region & floods in Mackay, Australia's emergency services are needed more than ever but many are unreachable.

WatchMouse, a leader in website performance monitoring, tested the sites belonging to Australian Emergency Services organisations for errors, availability & performance. Only one of the 26 monitored sites was found to have 'good' uptime while seven sites had 'serious user issues'. Another disturbing finding was that during the Mackay floods on the 15th of February, a time when residents needed information and support from their emergency services, Queensland's Ambulance, Fire (Rural & Metropolitan) and Police sites all encountered serious errors and were unavailable for considerable periods of time.

After a month's monitoring, WatchMouse combined the errors, speed (load time) and availability measurements of a site to calculate its Site Performance Index (SPI).

An SPI of less than or equal to 1000 represents a 'well performing' site, 1001 - 1999 is regarded as an 'acceptable' SPI while an SPI score of greater than or equal to 2000 represents a site with 'serious user issues'.

Of the 26 sites monitored, those with the worst SPI included that of the Australian Federal Police with an SPI 2,990, the Victorian Metropolitan Fire Brigade site with an SPI 2,756 and the Victorian Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority site which scored SPI 2,604. All of these poor SPI rankings were due to very slow load times.

In line with industry standards, WatchMouse ranks a site's uptime as 'good' if it is greater than or equal to 99.9 per cent, 'OK' between 99.89 per cent -- 99.01 per cent and 'poor' if it is less than or equal to 99 per cent.

Alarmingly, only the site of ACT Rural Fire Brigade had a 'good' uptime result. The majority of sites ranked as 'OK' while three Emergency Services' sites ranked as 'poor'. The site with the lowest uptime was that of WA's Ambulance Service with 92.44 per cent.

WatchMouse CTO, Mark Pors said, "99 per cent uptime sounds great but when you actually calculate it, this means 80+ hours of downtime a year. That's one working day per month! The Emergency Services phone lines could not be down for a day each month so why is it acceptable for the site? Mackay represents a small proportion (approx. 4 per cent) of Queensland's total population but given that the sites of Queensland Emergency Services struggled during the Mackay floods, we can only imagine what will happen to those sites in the case of a disaster on a greater scale, when 100s of thousands of people attempt to visit."

To view the results of the monitoring, including an SPI graph and information about the WatchMouse monitoring methodology visit: www.watchmouse.com/en/SPI/2008
performance_australian_emergency_sites.php

About WatchMouse

Companies can easily monitor the performance of their web sites using WatchMouse's monitoring service. WatchMouse has thousands of customers in over 70 countries and checks from 25+ locations and networks worldwide (see: http://www.watchmouse.com).

SOURCE WatchMouse
CONTACT: Mark Pors, +31-302522400, mark@watchmouse.com
Web site: http://www.watchmouse.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Pininfarina unveils sintesi concept car at Geneva Motor Show

Pininfarina Unveils Sintesi Concept Car Featuring Nuvera's Quadrivium Drive at Geneva Motor Show

Geneva (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Pininfarina unveiled its innovative concept car, the Sintesi, featuring Nuvera's Quadrivium(TM) drive, at the Geneva Motor Show today in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Sintesi is powered by Nuvera's Quadrivium drive, which incorporates world-leading hydrogen generation technology with state-of-the-art fuel cells in four distributed wheel power modules. This diversion from traditional drive trains gave Pininfarina the freedom to design the car with the passenger in mind rather than the engine, resulting in a highly stylized car of the future.

"It has been a great pleasure for Pininfarina to work with Nuvera on the Sintesi project," commented Andrea Pininfarina, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pininfarina. "We hope that this collaboration can be repeated in the future."

Quadrivium drive is based on Nuvera's Andromeda(TM) fuel cell and STAR(TM) hydrogen generator technologies, which together offer higher efficiency as compared to an internal combustion engine.

"Nuvera was honored to have been chosen by Pininfarina to work with them on this cutting edge project," commented Bill Mitchell, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "When faced with the ambitious challenge of making a high performance power train using ecologically benign technology, Nuvera engineers changed direction away from conventional technologies and embraced a radical new fuel cell concept."

For more information on the Sintesi, log on to: www.sintesi.pininfarina.com.

Nuvera Fuel Cells is a global leader in the development and advancement of multi-fuel processing and fuel cell technology committed to providing clean, safe and efficient power solutions. With offices located in the U.S. and Italy, Nuvera is committed to advancing the commercialization of: hydrogen fuel cell power modules for industrial vehicles, equipment and stationary applications; on-site hydrogen generation and on-board gasoline fuel processors; and fuel cell stacks and power systems for automotive and transportation applications.

SOURCE: Nuvera Fuel Cells
CONTACT: Danielle Andre, Marketing Communications Specialist
of Nuvera Fuel Cells, +1-617-245-7571, DAndre@nuvera.com
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080304NETU044
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com/
Web site: http://www.nuvera.com
http://www.sintesi.pininfarina.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Element Six signals ambitions for growth with senior appointment

London (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Brendon Grunewald has joined Element Six as head of E6 Ventures to set up and run the group's new venture business to identify and invest in new business opportunities.

As part of the group's ambitious growth programme, Element Six has made significant funds available to support strategic investment in innovative businesses using synthetic diamond as an important enabling technology. The aim is to provide investments that range from seed funds for research and start-ups, through to spin-outs, spins-offs and joint ventures with the aim of bringing a strong return on investment.

"We want to be recognised as an active investor in new applications, new markets, new technologies and new companies," says Brendon Grunewald. "As such, Element Six is open to a broad range of investment opportunities across industry, provided they meet our investment criteria. We are looking for entrepreneurs with potentially interesting ideas and partners who would be willing to invest alongside us in businesses of the future. We are actively encouraging people with ideas and entrepreneurial ambitions to contact us."

"Brendon's long experience in the ventures business is a considerable asset to Element Six," says Christian Hultner, CEO of Element Six. "This is of particular value to us as we are developing and building our expertise in novel solutions based on our marketing redefining and, often, disruptive technologies. Also our commitment to these venture activities gives a powerful message that Element Six intends to become an even stronger force in the world of materials."

Importantly for Element Six, Brendon Grunewald has had direct experience of building businesses from start up. He served as CEO and board member of Sinfilo, where he took the company from incorporation to one of the best known WLAN operators in Europe with a successful exit to Telenet in October 2003.

Brendon Grunewald has built his experience as founder and CEO of IceVista, an advisory firm based in Brussels, Belgium that assists companies and investors of all sizes with research, financial structuring or restructuring, refinancing, fund raising (debt and equity), investments and divestments as well as due diligence, mergers and acquisitions.

Also, he has held various executive positions at several companies including Siemens in Germany and continues to serve on company boards or act as an executive or board advisor in both North America and Europe.

Aside from his business activities, Brendon Grunewald is also the founder of 70South and the Polar Conservation Organisation, a recognized leader in Antarctic and Polar news and educational information, and is active in Antarctic and polar conservation and education.

Element Six is the world's leading supplier of high quality superabrasives and advanced engineering materials used throughout manufacturing industry for a wide range of applications. It is the frontrunner in the development of synthetic diamond and novel engineering materials that are being used in industrial applications that span, for example optical, mechanical, thermal, electronic, automotive, telecommunications and medical industries.

With a turnover of more than US$500m and almost 4,000 employees, Element Six has established production and processing plants in China, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, South Africa, Ukraine and the UK supported by a global distribution network.

For more information contact: John Caldwell, Corporate Communications Manager Element Six Ltd Tel: +353-61-460015 www.e6.com

SOURCE: Element Six Ltd
CONTACT: John Caldwell, Corporate Communications Manager of
Element Six Ltd, +353-61-460015
Web site: http://www.e6.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

President Bush selects CACH Founder as special envoy to the OIC

Sada Cumber to Serve as U.S. Representative to the Organization of the Islamic Conference

Austin, Texas (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - CACH Capital Management, LLC, announced today that the firm's founder, Sada Cumber, was appointed by President George W. Bush to be the Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Mr Cumber assumes his duties effective March 3, 2008.

Sada is appointed as the chief U.S. representative to the global Islamic community when sovereign wealth funds of many Muslim countries have been pouring into the United States. Cumber's background at CACH Capital gives him a keener insight into how such economic integration affects the political and cultural relationship between the U.S. and the Muslim world.

Former Texas Secretary of State Geoffrey S. Connor, CACH Chairman; Michael J. Hundley, President and CEO of CACH; and Al Amlani, CTO, founded the wealth management firm along with Mr Cumber. The remaining three founders along with the executive team will manage the company in Mr Cumber's absence.

"Sada and his wife Muntaz are dear friends, and I couldn't be happier for them," states Connor. "The nation is fortunate that Sada Cumber is willing to serve in this important position."

Prior to his appointment, Mr Cumber's litany of successes included founding 11 technology companies and, most recently, CACH Capital Management, a wealth management firm based in Austin, Texas. His business acumen, expertise in global strategy and political insights make him a powerful corporate leader and advisor to numerous economic development boards, including the Board of Directors of the Texas Economic Development Board (a $300 million fund), the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (a $200 million fund), the 15th World Congress on Information Technology and the Texas Business Council.

"I know Sada as an insightful, fair-minded and decisive leader who will make an excellent liaison to the OIC," comments Hundley. "Although he has been an American citizen since 1986, Sada was born in Pakistan. He understands the Islamic community as well as the common political, economic and social concerns that could join the American and Muslim cultures."

Sada Cumber is the first U.S. ambassador to the intergovernmental organization, which promotes Muslim solidarity in social and political affairs.

About CACH Capital Management, LLC For more information, visit http://www.cachcapital.com

SOURCE: CACH Capital Management, LLC
CONTACT: Cynthia A. Baker of Accolades Public Relations,
+1-512-795-2353, +1-512-586-8278, cell,
Cynthia@AccoladesPR.com, for CACH Capital Management, LLC
Web site: http://www.cachcapital.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Frost & Sullivan, eTelecare to share best practices

Frost & Sullivan Analyst and Leading Philippine Outsourcer, eTelecare to Share Best Practices for Maximizing Performance in Contact Centers at NICE Systems' 'Insight for High Performance 2008' Seminar

Hong Kong (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - NICE Systems organized the "Insight for High Performance 2008" seminar today at Sheraton Towers Hotel in Singapore, a half-day event to feature keynote presentations from Frost & Sullivan industry analyst, Shivaru Shukla and Rick Pusag, Vice President, eTelecare.

Mr Pusag shared best practices for improving overall business performance by deploying advanced contact center solutions.

In addition, seminar attendees also learned the NICE SmartCenter solution for high performance, and NICE's offering for advanced quality management, and other key contact center needs.

Targeting attendees including CEOs, business executives, contact center managers, sales and marketing executives, operations executives, CIOs, CTOs, and technology strategists, the seminar enabled attendees to gain insights into how leading companies tap the overall value of their contact centers, how they align people, processes and technologies around business strategies and goals, how they optimize operational efficiencies, and extract insights from customer interactions to achieve better results.

Using NICE SmartCenter, contact centers are able to gain a single view of their business, improve efficiency, effectiveness and quality of customer service, while better aligning their objectives with the enterprise. Leveraging the synergies of the NICE SmartCenter solutions, including liability recording, quality management, interaction analytics, customer feedback, and workforce and performance management, unified in open SOA-based (Service Oriented Architecture) framework enables contact centers to improve performance at three key levels -- agent, operational, and enterprise.

Furthermore, NICE SmartCenter provides offshore outsourcers a competitive edge in ensuring the highest quality of service to their clients' customers.

Since the NICE solution is web-based, outsourcers can enable their clients with cost and time efficient capabilities in monitoring agent skills sets, e.g. courtesy and communication skills, while improving the quality of service their customers are receiving, without actually having to come to the off-shore site.

"We are delighted that senior contact centre executives such as eTelecare's Mr Pusag took the time to speak at our seminar and shared with us how they are leveraging the latest contact center technologies and solutions to address their organization's most critical needs," commented Doron Ben-Sira, President NICE APAC.

"Our seminar was all about empowering organizations and their contact centers with the ability to drive performance, improve operational efficiencies, and drive strategic initiatives -- such improving customer retention and marketing effectiveness."

More information is available at: http://www.nice.com/eventsinsights2008/ .

Contact: Rachel Ho Marketing Director Tel: +852-9650-5830
Email: Rachel.ho@nice.com
SOURCE NICE APAC Ltd.

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Spb Mobile Shell 2.0 - the must have user interface for Windows Mobile

Spb Software House, the world's leading Windows Mobile software vendor, upgrades its outstanding Spb Mobile Shell software to version 2.0.,

St. Petersburg, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Spb Mobile Shell is an application that completely overhauls the innate Windows Mobile user interface, making it more direct, logical, and slick.

The software first hit the market in 2007 and quickly gained recognition among end-users and mobile device manufacturers.

By the end of 2007, Spb Mobile Shell became the best-selling Pocket PC application in the world, was named the best interface/menu improver by Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine, the Best Evolution Application by Handango, and the Best Program for PDA's by the Shareware Industry Awards.

Spb Mobile Shell turns the Windows Mobile device into a better phone: gives access to crucial information at a glance, enables one-hand navigation, minimizes the number of taps to launching programs, changing settings, making calls.

The new Spb Mobile Shell offers a great choice of haptic animation, it is more futuristic and practical in design, yet it is lower in memory consumption.

"The application is deeply integrated and fits well with the operating system," comments Yaroslav Goncharov, the Product Manager of Spb Mobile Shell.

"The software has become the accepted Windows Mobile interface for many: people buy devices with Spb Mobile Shell preinstalled, and use it, believing the software to be an inherent part of the Microsoft platform."

Top Spb Mobile Shell Features
-- NEW All functionality in one tabbed window
-- NEW Full screen dialogs for Weather and Time
-- NEW Animated transitions
-- NEW Navigation with gestures
-- NEW Quick panel selection with taskbar gestures
-- Now Screen: the most important information in one screen
-- Spb Menu: phone style menu
-- Weather forecasts
-- Photo speed dial
-- World time
-- Launcher
-- Color-based themes
-- Spb Contacts: smart contact search

Detailed Spb Mobile Shell information, fitted with product demonstration videos is available at http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/mobileshell.

About Spb Software House (www.spbsoftwarehouse.com)

Spb designs software to enhance the experience of using Windows Mobile phones.

It is an international company with presence in Germany, Hong Kong, Russia, and Thailand. Spb combines a unique line of consumer products, with servicing such leading enterprises as ASUSTeK, BenQ Siemens, E-TEN, Fly, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Gigabyte, HTC, O2, Optimus, Palm, SingTel, Swisscom Mobile, T-Mobile, and VimpelCom.

Contacts: Victoria Krasilshikova, pr@softspb.com,
+7-812-335-69-93
SOURCE Spb Software House
Contact: Victoria Krasilshikova,
+7-812-335-69-93, pr@softspb.com
Web site: http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/productsmobileshell
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Mitsubishi L200 (Strada Triton), Euro NCAP Version of Best Safety Pick Up

Jakarta, March 6, 2008 (ANTARA) - PT. Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian Motors (KTB), Sole Distributor of Mitsubishi vehicle in Indonesia from Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation (MFTBC) announced that in accordance with release from Euro NCAP dated February 26, 2008, about the result from Euro NCAP stringent crash test for 3 (three) pick up vehicles, revealed that Mitsubishi L200 is the best pick up that achieved four stars in adult occupant protection.

Based on the facts that have become trends in European countries, in recent years, demand for pick ups has been rising. The manufacturer start to target the customers who may use such cars as family transports, rather than as commercial vehicles.

This thing encourage Euro NCAP -- as the institution that provides motoring consumers and automotive industry with a realistic and independent assesment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe -- to conduct test to the vehicle that no longer simply being used for the carriage of goods, where Euro NCAP will test all cars that could have an impact on the safety of European customers.

The test result of the 3 (three) pick up vehicles as announced by Euro NCAP on February 26, 2008 through its press release said: "The best of all the pick-ups tested by Euro NCAP was the Mitsubishi L200, which received a respectable four star result in adult occupant protection"

In Indonesia, the same vehicle is Mitsubishi Strada Triton. From the crash test result has confirmed Triton's strong body structure. Strada Triton has been introduced to Indonesian consumers in May 2007 and has successfully brought KTB to lead the market in Pick Up 4x4 segment with market share 53.1% by end of May 2007.

In year 2008, KTB plans to introduce new model of Strada Triton to Indonesia consumers, which is not only reliable for off-road track and as operational car, but also stylish and prestigious for multifunction passenger cars and suitable for the whole family in Indonesia.

We are paying very much attention for the safety and comfortability of Mitsubishi customers in Indonesia by keep on maintaining the quality and performance of the vehicle that will be introduced to Indonesian society.

* Euro NCAP was established in year 1997 as the independent institution in Europe that provide the realistic and independent assessment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold In Europe for its consumers. Currently Euro NCAP is supported by European governments and consumers organizations and has become a catalyst for encouraging significant safety improvements to new car design.

Source: Euro NCAP Website

Overall Pick Up Test Result:
http://www.euroncap.com/Content-Web-Article/5aa93e79-d5bd-4938-b26a-8973579dd57c/euro-ncap-picks-up-carmakers-weaknesses-in-new-cat.aspx

Result from Mitsubishi L200:
http://www.euroncap.com/tests/mitsubishi_l200/314.aspx

For further information, please contact: Public Relations Office PT. Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian Motors, Jl. Jend. A. Yani Proyek Pulomas - Jakarta 13210, Tel: 021-4891608, Fax: 021-4757735, Email: ktb@ktb.co.id

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