Thursday, March 27, 2008

Novelis Korea announces alloying element surcharge

Seoul, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Novelis Korea today announced it will implement a new alloying element surcharge for its aluminum products in response to the rising costs of alloying ingredients.


The surcharge will apply to aluminum products for all industrial applications such as electronics, construction, transportation, surface critical, as well as general purpose.

The Novelis conversion premium will increase to include surcharges of $20 per tonne for alloys 3003, 3004, 3005 and 5005; $50 per tonne for alloys 5052 and 5754; and $100 per tonne for alloys 5083, 5086 and 5182. The surcharges will be in effect for all shipments as of May 1, 2008.

Novelis Korea Limited is a joint venture of Novelis Inc. (68%), Taihan Electric Wire Co. Ltd. (31%), and the Hyundai Group (1%). Novelis Korea employs more than 1,200 employees in the production of a broad range of high-end aluminum flat rolled products. For more information on Novelis Korea Limited, visit www.novelis.co.kr

Novelis Inc. is the global leader in aluminum rolled products and aluminum can recycling. The company operates in 11 countries, employs approximately 12,900 people and reports annual revenues of more than $11 billion. Novelis supplies premium aluminum sheet and foil products to automotive, transportation, packaging, construction, industrial and printing markets throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, Asia's largest integrated producer of aluminum and a leading copper producer. Hindalco is the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai, India. For more information on Novelis, visit www.novelis.com

SOURCE: Novelis Korea Limited
CONTACT: SooHyun Oh,
Novelis Korea Limited,
+82 2 2259 1626,
Mobile: +82-10-9731-0417,
soohyun.oh@novelis.com
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070809/NOVELISLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk: photodesk@prnewswire.com
Web site: http://www.novelis.com
http://www.novelis.co.kr

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Quintiles to provide central lab services in Japan

Agreement with Medca Japan extends network of CAP-certified laboratories


Research Triangle Park, N.C., (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Quintiles Transnational Corp. today announced an agreement with Medca Japan to provide central laboratory services, further extending the Quintiles global network of laboratories certified by the College of American Pathologists (CAP).

Quintiles will have its own staff at the CAP-certified Medca Japan laboratory in Saitama, a city in the Greater Tokyo area. The lab will support clinical trials in Japan.

"Recent changes in legislation are allowing Japanese pharmaceutical companies to extend clinical trials normally conducted in Japan to other countries in Asia, but these companies have had difficulty finding central lab services that are harmonized throughout the region," said Tom Wollman, Senior Vice President, Quintiles Global Central Laboratories.

"With CAP-certified labs in Beijing, Singapore, Mumbai and now Japan, we can provide well-controlled processes and harmonized testing services throughout the Asia-Pacific region to customers in Japan as well as our multinational customers. This lab, along with all labs in our network, will follow the same standard operating procedures, and data will be available on our QNET database."

"We have established excellent systems for providing high-quality central laboratory services based on Quintiles' global standard," said Yoh Narimatsu, President, Quintiles Transnational Japan K.K., a subsidiary of Quintiles Transnational.

"We are determined to continue to increase clinical trials in Japan and provide superior services for our customers through this strategic business alliance."

Yutaka Kannari, the president of Medca Japan Laboratory Co., Ltd., said he was pleased that Medca had the capability and the high quality standards necessary to play an important role in the expansion of Quintiles' business in Asia, and he also saw the alliance helping Medca.

"This collaboration with Quintiles will be very helpful for the future success of Medca Japan," he said.

"We receive more than 30,000 specimens for examination per day and this relationship will allow us to strengthen out clinical trial services, while supporting continued growth of our existing laboratory operations."

Medca provides a broad range of laboratory services, including biochemical tests as well as endocrine testing, tumor marker testing, drug-level testing, immunology testing and microbiological testing. The laboratory has undertaken specimens for examination from about 4,000 medical institutions throughout Japan.

The relationship with Medca will be managed within Quintiles by Alan Ong, Vice President and General Manager, Quintiles Labs Asia, who will give technical guidance, and Narimatsu, who will provide his expertise on the Japan market.

CAP certification follows a site inspection.

The accreditation is intended to improve patient safety by advancing the quality of pathology and laboratory services through education, setting standards and ensuring laboratories meet or exceed regulatory requirements.

About Quintiles Laboratories

Quintiles Laboratories owns a CAP-certified network of clinically harmonized facilities in the U.S., Europe, South Africa, India, China and Singapore, and has a tightly controlled network of sub-contractor laboratories in Argentina, Brazil and Japan managed by Quintiles employees located in each of the sub-contractor facilities.

About Quintiles Transnational Japan K.K.

Quintiles Transnational Japan K.K. is the Japanese subsidiary of Quintiles Transnational Corp. It is the largest contract pharmaceutical organization (CPO) in Japan to provide total solutions such as strategic marketing services and consultation. Quintiles Japan offers services from the Clinical Development Division, the commercialization division Innovex and NovaQuest, Quintiles' strategic investment and partnering group.

For further information, please visit the company's website at http://www.quintiles.co.jp

About Quintiles

Quintiles Transnational Corp. is powering the next generation of healthcare by providing a broad range of professional services in drug development, financial partnering and commercialization for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare industries.

With more than 19,000 employees and offices in more than 50 countries, it is focused on providing customer-centric solutions that are the gold standard of the industry.

For more information, please visit the company's Web site at www.quintiles.com

SOURCE: Quintiles Transnational Corp.
CONTACT: Dick Jones,
Media Relations,
media.info@quintiles.com,
+1-919-998-2091, or
Greg Connors,
Investor Relations,
invest@quintiles.com,
+1-919-998-2000
Web site: http://www.quintiles.com
http://www.quintiles.co.jp

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Connectiva awarded African contract by Celtel International

Celtel International selects ONEREViEW(TM) Connectiva establishes clear leadership in Africa


Amsterdam & New York - Connectiva Systems, a leading provider of revenue management solutions to the telecom industry worldwide, today announced that it had been awarded a multi-million dollar contract by Celtel International, the leading pan-African mobile telecommunications company.

Celtel International, a subsidiary of Zain (formerly called the MTC Group) serves over 30 million active customers across 14 countries in Africa.

Connectiva's award-winning revenue management product suite - ONEREViEWTM will be deployed across all 14 Celtel operations in Africa starting immediately.

This is a significant customer win for Connectiva, which was chosen by Celtel over other suppliers. This contract expands the company's footprint across Africa dramatically, and consolidates Connectiva's leadership in the Middle East and Africa region, where it is already under contract with operators in Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan, Tunisia, and Egypt.

Commenting on the occasion, Sam Deeb, Chief Financial Officer of Zain said: "Our decision to award this critical contract to Connectiva was driven by the compelling business case associated with their solution.

"We also felt very comfortable with the capability of ONEREViEWTM, which has been implemented successfully in other developing economies around the world.

"Connectiva's track record of success and their ability to craft a solution around our specific needs played a big part in our decision to partner with them."

"We are looking forward to stepping up our engagement with Celtel to help them meet their aggressive corporate objectives," said Avi Basu, CEO of Connectiva Systems.

"Progressive operators like Celtel understand the correlation between world-class revenue management processes and outstanding financial performance. We look forward to helping Celtel International unlock profits and enhance shareholder value over the coming months."

About Celtel

Zain subsidiary Celtel International operates in 14 countries in Africa and is the most successful pan-African mobile network, offering telecommunications services to more people in Africa than any other network, 24.77 million active customers as at 30 September 2007.

The company is one of the best-known branded businesses in Africa with mobile licenses covering more than 430 million people, half of Africa's population.

Under the brand promise of 'Making Life Better', the company is committed to achieving sustainable development of telecommunications in Africa.

The company currently operates in Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

Recently the compant acquired a mobile license in Ghana and expects operations to commence in the first half of 2008.

For more, please visit:www.celtel.com& www.zain.com

About Connectiva Systems Connectiva Systems makes software that allows telecom operators get more performance and productivity from their existing infrastructure (IT systems & BSS/OSS assets).

Connectiva is a global leader in implementing revenue management solutions for the telecom industry and has been recognized as one of the fastest growing software companies in the world today.

Connectiva's award-winning flagship product is ONEREViEW? - whose unique process-driven approach helps service providers improve their business and financial performance dramatically.

Operators who have partnered with Connectiva to identify and recover over $200 million in revenue leakage include Bharti Airtel, BSNL, Zain, Wataniya Telecom, Idea Cellular, Tunisiana, Etisalat and Cable & Wireless.

www.connectivasystems.com
Connectiva Systems
Mr Ola Akibola, +44 8707351470

A.M. Best assigns ratings to Asian reinsurance corporation

Oldwick, N.J. (BUSINESS WIRE) - A.M. Best Co. has assigned a financial strength rating of B++ (Good) and an issuer credit rating of "bbb" to Asian Reinsurance Corporation (Asian Re) (Thailand). The outlook for both ratings is stable.


The ratings reflect Asian Re's strong capitalization, positive underwriting performance and unique organizational structure.

Asian Re is an intergovernmental organization that was established in May 1979 under the auspices of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP). Effective 9 July 2005, it opened its associate membership to non-ESCAP member countries of UN and private organizations. Asian Re successfully admitted seven associate members up to the end of December 2007 and raised additional capital of USD 32.7 million over the past two years. The company's capital and surplus stood at USD 51.58 million as at year end of 2007.

A.M. Best believes that Asian Re's current risk-adjusted capitalization level is adequate to support its business growth for the next three years.

Benefiting from its unique organization status, Asian Re obtained favorable treatments from its member countries. For instance, the intergovernmental agreement allows all insurance and reinsurance institutions operating in member countries to cede not less than 5% of their outward reinsurance treaties to Asian Re. A.M. Best believes that these favorable treatments would assist the company in maintaining its good performance.

Asian Re has a stable underwriting performance and has consistently achieved a combined ratio below 100% from 2002 to 2007. Asian Re invests over 90% of its invested assets in cash and fixed income securities, which also have provided a stable income stream.

Offsetting factors include relatively small underwriting capacity and the intense competition in the Asian reinsurance market.

Although Asian Re's capital level has strengthened in recent years, its underwriting capacity remains relatively small as compared to other reinsurers in Asia.

A.M. Best believes it will be a challenge for Asian Re to compete in the competitive Asian reinsurance market. In recent years, other reinsurance companies have also strengthened their capitalization. The additional capacity brought to the market with no recent major reinsurance losses in Asia could dampen expected returns. Notwithstanding Asian Re's future business plan, its ability to secure profitable new business outside its core markets remains to be seen.

For Best's Ratings, an overview of the rating process and rating methodologies, please visit www.ambest.com/ratings.

Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Company is a global full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial and health care service industries, including insurance companies, banks, hospitals and health care system providers.
For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

A.M. Best Co. Analysts: Billy Kwan, +852-2827-3405 billy.kwan@ambest.com or Moungmo Lee, +852-2827-3402 moungmo.lee@ambest.com or Public Relations:Jim Peavy, +1-908-439-2200, ext. 5644 james.peavy@ambest.com or Rachelle Morrow, +1-908-439-2200, ext. 5378 rachelle.morrow@ambest.com

IAS Energy launches video to E-commerce platform in China

IAS Energy, Inc. announces Video1314.com launches revolutionary platform using Video to enable E-Commerce in China

Hong Kong & Vancouver, British Columbia - IAS Energy, Inc. (OTCBB: IASCA) is pleased to announce that in addition to Video1314.com's Chinese Web 2.0 platform similar to YouTube, the Company has successfully launched its "Marketplace."

Marketplace is Video1314's platform that enables its members and users to buy and sell goods and services using its video technologies. The platform creates a unique customer experience through the display of featured items on the site, which is designed to drive a greater level of e-commerce activity.

"Users will be able to see a seller's product in a video format rather than just a static picture. With today's advancement in mobile phone technology with video recording capabilities, it's very easy for our members to make a short video of their products that they want to sell. We believe this added feature will increase our current web site hit rate substantially before year's end," says Samuel Kam, Vice President of Internet Development of IAS Energy, Inc.

"We are also on track to completing and introducing another Chinese Web 2.0 social network, which will have similar functionalities to Facebook, before July this summer."

John Robertson, President of IAS Energy, Inc. states: "The recent successful $1.6 billion financing of Alibaba.com's marketplace site in Hong Kong makes Video1314's new Chinese marketplace site a high potential success, which will add millions of additional hits to our site."

IAS Energy, Inc. has an option to earn up to a 100% interest in Video1314.com, through Power Telecom Limited, by issuing a total of 50 million shares of IAS and paying US$650,000 in five equal payments over a one-year period.

IAS has made the first two payments totaling US$200,000 and issued 20 million shares in IAS Energy, Inc. to earn 40% interest in www.Video1314.com.

Video1314.com is a Chinese Web 2.0 platform similar to YouTube.

Video1314 has plans to expand its Chinese platform and launch across Asia in Japanese, Korean and English. Besides video, photo and audio sharing capabilities, Video1314 plans to grow its business to offer a C2C, B2C and B2B marketplace to buy and sell goods for its members.

Additionally, IAS Energy, Inc. has an interest in three producing oil and gas wells in Texas with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation as the operator, and three producing gas wells in Kentucky with Young Operating Co., of Kentucky, as operator.
For further information please visit www.iasenergy.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "John Robertson"

John Robertson President Forward-Looking StatementsStatements in this press release regarding IAS Energy, Inc.'s business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, such as estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, and capital expenditures and the timing thereof certain of which are beyond the Company's control, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur.

Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties.

There can be no assurance that such statements will prove accurate, and actual results and developments are likely to differ, in some case materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Readers of this press release are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements.The Company's actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements, including those described in the Company's financial statements on forms 10-KSB and 10-QSB, and Form 8-K filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits, including the amount of proceeds, that the Company will derive therefrom.

All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.

Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

IAS Energy, Inc.John Robertson, 800-665-4616

China Housing & Land Development, Inc. to announce year 2007 results

China Housing & Land Development, Inc. to announce year 2007 financial results on March 28, 2008

Xi'an, China (BUSINESS WIRE) - China Housing & Land Development, Inc. ("China Housing" or the "Company") (OTC BB:CHLN), a leading private developer of residential and commercial properties in northwest China, today announced that it will release its financial results for the year 2007, before the U.S. market opens on March 28, 2008.

The company will host a corresponding conference call and live webcast to discuss the results at 8:00 am U.S. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Monday, March 31, 2008 (2000 hours in China).

The dial-in details for the live conference call are as follows:
- U.S. toll-free number: +1 877.847.0047
- China toll-free: 800.876.5011
- Hong Kong dial-in number: +852 3006.8101
- Passcode: CHLN

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investors section of China Housing & Land Development, Inc., website at http://www.chldinc.com. A replay will be available shortly after the call on the China Housing & Land Development website for 90 days.

A replay of the conference call will be available until June 30, 2008 by dialing:
- U.S. Toll Free Number: +1 877.847.0047
- China toll-free: 800.876.5011
- Hong Kong dial-in number: +852.3006.8101
- Passcode: 029828

About China Housing & Land Development, Inc.

Based in Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi province in China, China Housing & Land Development, Inc., is a leading private developer of residential and commercial properties in northwest China. China Housing has been engaged in land acquisition, development, and management, including the sales of commercial and residential real estate properties through its wholly-owned subsidiary in China since 1992.

In 2006, China Housing became a U.S. publicly traded company registered in state of Nevada in the U.S.A. By leveraging its strong relationships with China's local state authorities, China Housing & Land Development, Inc., has been able to capitalize on the supply of available land and develop commercial and residential properties, further enhancing China Housing's brand recognition and outperforming its competitors in medium size residential and commercial real estate developments in the region of Xi'an.

China Housing & Land Development, Inc.
Ms. Jing Lu, +8629.8258.2632 in Xian,
ChinaVice President & Board Secretary, jinglu@chldinc.com
or Mr William Xin, +1 917.371.9827 in San Francisco
Chief Financial Officer william.xin@chldinc.com
or Christensen IR Mr Tom Myers, +86 139.1141.3520 in Beijing,
Chinatmyers@christensenir.com
or Ms.Kathy Li, +1 212.618.1978
kli@christensenir.com

ExxonMobil, Petronas sign production-sharing agreement

ExxonMobil and Petronas sign agreement for new production sharing contract


Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), and the Malaysian national oil company, PETRONAS, will continue to work together to help ensure sustainable energy supplies for Malaysia under a planned new 25-year production-sharing contract.

At the signing ceremony today for the main principles agreement for the new contract, Mark Albers, senior vice president, Exxon Mobil Corporation, said: "We are proud of our partnership and collaboration with PETRONAS, that have allowed us to develop and deliver energy supplies to help meet growing Malaysian and international energy needs.

"This agreement will let our partnership continue to grow and enable the use of ExxonMobil world-class technologies and project execution capabilities to efficiently develop the substantial petroleum resources offshore Peninsular Malaysia."

The contract includes commitments to implement significant enhanced oil recovery activities and for major investments to continue conventional oil development.

The ExxonMobil subsidiary has invested more than US$15 billion in Malaysia over the past 40 years. The company operates 43 platforms in 17 fields as one of Malaysia's major suppliers of crude oil and natural gas.

Daily operated production is about 150,000 barrels (gross) of oil and approximately 1.2 billion cubic feet (gross) of natural gas. About 96 percent of the affiliate's 1,150 employees are Malaysian nationals.

About ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Subsidiaries and predecessors of Exxon Mobil Corporation have operated in Malaysia for 115 years. ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc. currently operates under six production-sharing contracts with the Malaysian national oil company, PETRONAS.

Esso Malaysia Berhad (EMB) is a significant refiner and marketer of high-quality petroleum products to retail and industrial customers.

Additionally, EMB is one of the largest suppliers of liquefied petroleum gas to Malaysian residential, business and industrial sectors. Another affiliate supplies a portfolio of specialty chemical products to the growing marketplace in Malaysia.

About PETRONAS

PETRONAS, the acronym for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is wholly-owned by the Malaysian government and is vested with the ownership and management of the country's hydrocarbon resources. A Fortune 500 company, PETRONAS is actively engaged in the various spectra of the oil and gas and related activities in more than 30 countries worldwide.

In Malaysia, its upstream activities are undertaken and managed through production sharing contracts with a number of international oil and gas companies as well as with subsidiary PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: Estimates, expectations, and business plans in this release are forward-looking statements. Actual future results, including resource recoveries, capital expenditures, and project plans and schedules, could differ materially due to changes in market conditions affecting the oil and gas industry or long-term oil and gas price levels; political or regulatory developments; reservoir performance; timely completion of development projects; technical or operating factors; and other factors discussed under the heading "Factors Affecting Future Results" in the Investor Information section of our website (www.exxonmobil.com) and in Item 1A of our most recent Form 10-K. References to "resources" include quantities of oil and gas that are not yet classified as proved reserves but that we believe will ultimately be produced.

ExxonMobilMargaret Ross, 713-656-4376

Noor Investment Group sets up outsourcing JV with Adventity

Noor Investment Group Establishes Joint Venture with Adventity new venture to leverage full service knowledge and business process outsourcing opportunities in the region


Dubai, UAE - Adventity, a leading global research, analytics and business processes firm, has entered into a joint venture with Noor Investment Group LLC, a premier investments firm focusing on Sharia-compliant, banking, financial and related services.

The joint venture will provide a full range of scalable end-to-end outsourcing services including transaction processing, knowledge and business process outsourcing ("KPO" and "BPO") and call centre management services. The joint venture will offer its services primarily in the Gulf Cooperation Counsel (GCC), Middle East and North Africa regions (MENA) and Pakistan.

Through the joint venture, Noor Investment Group will be able to leverage Adventity's expertise in process management in the financial services sector including assets and liabilities, card products, insurance, fund administration, customer relationship management, settlement and reconciliation, advisory services, detailed qualitative and quantitative business and financial research and a broad range of analytics offerings.

"The MENA region has always been of prime importance to Adventity, and our partnership with Noor Investment Group further strengthens our already solid position in the region," said Kumar Subramanian, CEO of Adventity.

"It not only provides us with an ideal opportunity to deepen our investments in a region which we feel will be our primary growth market, but will also bring significant value and solutions to our customers globally. We are delighted to have been chosen by Noor Investment Group as a partner for the Middle East."

This joint venture marks the first major investment by Adventity in Dubai. Drawing on its specialized recruiting and training pool in India, the company plans to establish a dedicated delivery centre in the region to address the growing need for state-of-the-art outsourcing solutions for the financial services industry.

"Over the last few months, the Noor Investment Group has been working with Adventity in a consulting and BPO capacity," said Hussain Al Qemzi, Group CEO, Noor Investment Group.

"We were impressed by the company's resources, talent and commitment to the MENA region. Together, we saw a growing opportunity to build a world-class BPO firm to service blue-chip companies across the region. The partnership with Adventity enables us to capitalize on that opportunity."

About Adventity

Adventity is the fastest-growing provider of strategic end-to-end knowledge and business process outsourcing solutions to the banking, mortgage, financial services and travel industries. With offices in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia, Adventity's clients include a broad range of Global 1000 companies as well as top investment banks, private equity firms, management consulting firms, multi-billion dollar asset managers and regional and global airlines.

Ranked a Top 25 Best Managed Global Outsourcing Company by the 2007 Black Book of Outsourcing, Adventity provides comprehensive and cost-effective outsourcing solutions, including tailored research and analytical services, middle and back office services, credit, debit and cash cards processing, loan origination and processing, underwriting, airline revenue accounting & recovery, fares distribution and customer contact support.

Adventity is funded and supported by Norwest Venture Partners, CIBC Capital Partners, DA Capital and private investors.

Additional information can be found on the company's website: http://www.adventity.com

About Noor Investment Group

Noor Investment Group LLC (NIG) is a company focusing on investments in Sharia-compliant, banking, financial and related services. Headquartered in Dubai, NIG is currently executing aggressive growth plans to expand its portfolio of investments across global markets.

Noor Islamic Bank

PJSC ("NIB"), a full service commercial bank head quartered in Dubai is the flagship entity of, and the primary growth engine within, NIG. NIG is also currently in the process of establishing its Takaful business, which is to offer both Family and General Takaful.

Makovsky + CompanyMaggie Duquin, +1 212.508.9629 mduquin@makovsky.com or Noor
Islamic BankRamy El Zein, +9714 4268787 ramy.elzein@noorbank.com

Ruby Tuesday announces expansion in United Arab Emirates

Maryville, Tenn. - Ruby Tuesday, Inc., a leading causal dining restaurant company, announced that Bin Hendi Hospitality, LLC, its franchisee in Dubai, will expand restaurant growth to six of the seven United Arab Emirates.


Bin Hendi plans to develop seven Ruby Tuesday restaurants in Dubai and five in the UAE.

Mohi Din Binhendi, founder and president of Bin Hendi Enterprises, LLC, said: "This expansion of Ruby Tuesday in the UAE is a significant step toward our goal to provide high-quality hospitality and restaurant experiences. We will introduce Ruby Tuesday to the UAE when our first two restaurants open in Dubai City this spring."

Mark Ingram, President of Franchise Development for Ruby Tuesday, said: "We are very pleased with Bin Hendi's commitment to expand our Ruby Tuesday brand in the UAE. Bin Hendi is a prominent and respected company that represents many high-quality brands. We are confident that they and our development and operating partner in the Middle East, National Arabic Company for Restaurant Management (NAC), will be successful."

NAC currently operates three Ruby Tuesdays in Kuwait and will open its fourth restaurant in Cairo. Construction of its fifth restaurant, to be located on Gulf Road in Kuwait City, is scheduled to begin soon. NAC is also developing a restaurant training center in Kuwait, named The Center for Leadership Excellence, to support the anticipated growth of Ruby Tuesday in the Middle East."

Ruby Tuesday restaurants currently operate in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

In addition to the UAE development, new restaurants are expected to open in Cairo, Kuwait, and Bahrain in 2008. Ruby Tuesday has been expanding its franchise presence around the world during the past several years and continues to aggressively seek international franchising opportunities.

About Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday was founded in 1972, when current Chairman and CEO Sandy Beall opened the first restaurant near the University of Tennessee. The company has grown to over 900 company-owned and franchise Ruby Tuesday brand restaurants in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and 11 foreign countries. Ruby Tuesday, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RT).

For more information regarding franchise opportunities, visit www.rubytuesday.com or call (865) 379-5739.
Ruby TuesdayMedia Contact:Sandi Stablein, 865-379-7024

Piracy costs India`s entertainment industry millions: study

Mumbai, India, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) has released a new study showing huge job and revenue losses to the Indian economy as a result of piracy in India's burgeoning entertainment industry.


The study, `The Effects of Counterfeiting and Piracy on Indias Entertainment Industry', prepared for USIBC by Ernst & Young India, shows that as much as Rs. 16,000 crores are lost each year due to piracy. As many as 800,000 direct jobs are also lost as a result of theft and piracy, afflicting Indias entertainment industry.

Speaking at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) FRAMES Business of Entertainment Conference, USIBC President, Ron Somers, said: "This study estimates that the Indian entertainment industry loses some 820,000 jobs and about $4 billion each year to piracy. This is an enormous and unacceptable magnitude of loss by any measure."

The piracy study was commissioned as part of the USIBC-FICCI Bollywood-Hollywood Initiative.

This study covers film, music, television and video games and has been funded by the Global Intellectual Property Center of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which aims to highlight the value of intellectual property, as well as illuminate the adverse impact theft and piracy have on creativity and innovation.

The Bollywood-Hollywood Initiative promotes the sustainable growth and convergence underway between the entertainment industries in both our countries.

Presented with a copy of the study, FICCI Secretary General, Dr. Amit Mitra, said: "This study shows that the best way to make the boom in the Indian entertainment bigger is to stop the affliction of piracy. For the average Indian who wants to increase his or her chances for being employed in Bollywood and associated industries, fighting piracy is a place where all our collective efforts must start."

Dr. Mitra went on to point out that the Media and Entertainment industry in India was an industry of the future.

India's entertainment industry already generates more than $11 billion annually for the country, growing at a combined annual rate of over 18%. "If we can stop piracy, these industries will grow even faster and employ more Indian workers."

Also present at the media briefing was Ramesh Sippy, famed producer and director of the all-time number-one blockbuster Sholay. Sippy said: "I know firsthand the importance of fighting piracy to support the growth of Bollywood. I commend the USIBC-FICCI Initiative for enlisting all elements of the entertainment industry against piracy."

Farokh T. Balsara, National Sector Leader, Media and Entertainment for Ernst & Young India, said: "Our Mumbai office collected data for this study from on the ground via direct interviews with stakeholders from the Bollywood entertainment industry.

"We looked at the industry from every angle films, music, TV, radio, and electronic games. The story was the same across the board: if we can slow or stop piracy, a direct correlation in the generation of wealth and employment will be the result."

Commenting on the USIBC-FICCI Bollywood-Hollywood Initiative, USIBC President Ron Somers said: "This study is only the beginning. Now that we have documented the job and revenue losses to the Indian entertainment industry from piracy, we intend to continue fighting piracy across the board.

"We will strive to bring these findings to the attention of the average person in India. We will attempt to enlist more effectively the U.S. and Indian governments to cooperate in fighting the scourge of piracy in India, as well as in the U.S. and worldwide.

"We strongly support passage by India of optical disc legislation that will thwart piracy in this important industry. We are pleased to stand shoulder to shoulder with counterparts in India to help protect jobs and revenues that are now being needlessly lost to piracy."

Also previewed at FICCI FRAMES as a part of the Bollywood-Hollywood Initiative was Illicit The Dark Trade a special documentary that airs world-wide, produced by National Geographic for the U.S. Chamber of Commerces Global Intellectual Property Center.

This made-for-television documentary shows that the problem of piracy is an epidemic affecting many sectors of world-wide dimensions.

The U.S.-India Business Council, formed in 1975 at the request of the Government of India and the U.S. Government to advance U.S.-India commercial ties, is hosted under the aegis of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region. The U.S.-India Business Council celebrates its 33rd Anniversary at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on June 12, 2008 in Washington, D.C. http://www.usibc.com

SOURCE: U.S.-India Business Council
CONTACT: Aditi Mody, +91-98105-82052, amody@uschamber.com,
or Nivy Mehra,
+91-99583-54455, nmehra@uschamber.com, both of the U.S.-India
Business Council
WEB SITE: http://www.usibc.com

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