Mr. Alex Eyengho, President of the Association of Nollywood Core Producers (ANCOP).

When Mr. Frank Dallas, notable Nollywood producer and front-line member of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and the PRO of the Actors Guild of Nigeria ( AGN ) dismissed the Association of Nollywood Core Producers ( ANCOP ) over their disagreement on the plans for the much awaited centenary celebration of Nigeria in 2014, many people did not know why. In February, Frank Dallas said ANCOP is an unrecognized group, because it is actually a faction of dissatisfied members of AMP.

Mr. Zik Zulu, President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP).

"ANCOP is not relevant, neither is it recognized. They are just a group of charlatans who failed an election and went ahead to form a group to fool themselves’ Dallas was quoted by Olamide Jasanya on Trends Nigeria on Feb 5, 2013, 7:32am. But four months later, the President of the Association of Nollywood Core Producers (ANCOP), Mr. Alex Eyengho has become the first African to be made Vice-President of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) after an election held at the last General Assembly of FIAPF in Cannes, France on Saturday, May 18, 2013.

"My election is not about me or ANCOP. It is about deepening the Nollywood brand. It is about attracting maximum respect to Nigerian film producers at the international level. It is about Nigeria. It is about Africa. This is a confirmation and testimony to the fact that we are on the right track in Nollywood," Eyengho told journalists after his election in France.

The FIAPF (Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films) created in 1933 is an organization composed with only 30 member associations from 27 of the leading audiovisual production countries. FIAPF is also in charge of regulating international film festivals, including some of the world's most important ones. But FIAPF has only been more relevant to the European film industry and has not contributed anything to Nollywood. In fact, majority of the members of FIAPF have not participated in the Leap International Film Festival (LIFF) of Mr. Madu C Chikwendu of ANCOP and LIFF is not even on the list of the international film festivals in the directory of FIAPF.

It is even wrong for FIAPF to recognize a disputed faction of Nigerian producers without due verification from the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC). It shows the professional ignorance of the General Assembly of FIAPF and enough for me to dismiss it as being uninformed and misled by ANCOP that does not represent the leadership of Nigerian film and television producers.

The most accomplished film and television producers in Nigeria belong to the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and Independent Television Producers' Association of Nigeria (ITPAN) and they are yet to recognize the faction called Association of Nollywood Core Producers ( ANCOP ). Therefore ANCOP does not represent the body of producers in Nigeria.

Some Nigerian producers who have lost relevance in the mainstream leadership of the Nigerian film industry or Nollywood have a habit of rushing to form and join both local and international organizations that have contributed little or nothing to the development of the Nigerian film industry.
What has made Nollywood the largest and most popular film industry in Africa is our movies and numerous film projects and not joining international bodies without the consensus of the accomplished stakeholders in Nigeria.
Therefore, I will advise all serious Nigerian film and television producers and other practitioners in the motion picture industry to focus more on making quality movies and projects that will boost the Nigerian film industry and contribute to the socioeconomic development of Nigeria and not seeking relevance by forming or joining local and international organizations that only want to leverage on the success of Nollywood for their own partisan and selfish interests.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor of Nollywood Mirror, Founder/CEO, Screen Outdoor Open Air Cinema and Executive Director of the Screen Naija One Village, One Cinema Project.

10 Jun 2013 09:00 Africa/Lagos TEDGlobal 2013 Kicks Off, Asks People to "Think Again"

900 participants arrive in Edinburgh, Scotland for four-day program featuring 79 talks, performances, and innovative demonstrations

EDINBURGH, Scotland, June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TED, the nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, begins its annual TEDGlobal conference today in Edinburgh, Scotland. The conference, themed "Think Again," is one of the organization's two annual events (the other takes place in North America). It features innovators, global leaders, artists and scientists from around the globe who take the stage for talks, performances, and demonstrations.

"Every year TEDGlobal ignites an exciting conversation about the issues that matter most in the world," saysTED's European Director Bruno Giussani. "This year's theme reflects the fact that some radical rethinking is needed right now. We really want people to reexamine critical policy, social and economic issues, and to be aware of scientific advances and technologies that are changing the way we work and interact."

The TEDGlobal 2013 conference will host 900 attendees from 62 countries at the Edinburgh International Conference Center. Scientists, inventors, policy leaders, entrepreneurs and artists will deliver more than 70 main-stage talks and performances – as well as more than a dozen TED University talks given by attendees themselves.

Speakers will cover a wide, eclectic spectrum of topics, including the aftermath of the financial crisis, spinal cord treatment breakthroughs, cities of the future, drones, poetry, the neuroscience of sleep, and the rise of Africa. At the conference, a number of innovative technologies will also be unveiled for the first time.

TEDGlobal 2013 Speakers and Performers Include:
Session 1: Moments of Truth

John Kenny, Carnyx player
George Papandreou, Former Prime Minister of Greece
Steve Howard , Corporate innovator
George Monbiot, Author and campaigner
Manal Al-Sharif, Women's rights activist
Tariq Harb, Classic guitar virtuoso
Anne-Marie Slaughter, Public policy thinker

Session 2: Those Flying Things

Raffaello D'Andrea, Autonomous systems visionary
Lian Pin Koh, Drones ecologist
Andreas Raptopoulos, Airborne logistics activist
Daniel Suarez, Sci-fi author
Elizaveta, Musical alchemist
Greg Asner, Airborne ecologist

Session 3: Exquisite Enigmatic Us

Hetain Patel, Visual artist
Russell Foster, Circadian neuroscientist
Elizabeth Loftus, False memories scholar
Sandra Aamodt, Neuroscientist and science writer
Kelly McGonigal, Science-help psychologist
Natasha Bedingfield, Singer, songwriter

Session 4: Money Talks

Chrystia Freeland, Plutocracy chronicler
Annette Heuser, Rating agency reformer
Toby Eccles, Social investment visionary
Didier Sornette, Risk economist
Apollo Robbins, Gentleman thief
Mariana Mazzucato, Innovation economist

Session 5: Listening to Nature

Bernie Krause, Natural sounds legend
Marla Spivak, Bees scholar
Sonia Shah, Science writer
Greg Gage, Neuroscientist
Yaron Herman, Jazz pianist
Suzana Herculano-Houzel, Neuroscientist
Carin Bondar, Wild sex biologist

Session 6: World on Its Head

Nassim Assefi, Doctor, novelist, Guest Host
Gabriella Gomez-Mont, Creativity Officer, Guest Host
Teddy Cruz, Architect and urbanist
Holly Morris, Explorer and filmmaker
Juan Pardinas,Economic policy innovator
Trita Parsi, Historian
Dina El Wedidi, Singer
Tania Bruguera, Performance artist
Lesley Hazleton, Accidental theologist
May El-Khalil, Founder of the Beirut Marathon

Session 7: Regeneration

Molly Stevens, Biomaterials researcher
Siddharthan Chandran, Regenerative neurologist
Gregoire Courtine, Spinal cord researcher
Mark Kendall, Biomedical engineer
Fabian Oefner, Photographer
Le Trio Joubran, Oud trio

Session 8: State of the Nations

Renata Salecl, Democracy thinker
Eric X. Li, Investor and political scientist
Shereen El Feki, Arab sexuality expert
Johan Rockstrom, Sustainability expert
Lissie, Singer and songwriter
Benjamin Barber, Political theorist

Session 9: Forces of Change

Adrian Hong, Advisor, strategist, Guest Host
Erik Hersman, Blogger, technologist, Guest Host
Dambisa Moyo, Global economist
Charles Robertson, Emerging-markets economist
Toby Shapshak, Technology writer
Just a Band, Funk band
Mustafa Abushagur, Former Prime Minister-Elect of Libya
Joseph Kim, North Korean refugee

Session 10: Imagined Beauty

Gavin Pretor-Pinney, Cloudspotter
Uri Alon, Systems biologist
Arthur Benjamin, Mathemagician
Alexa Meade, Visual artist
Stephen Burt, Poetry critic
Andras Forgacs, Bioprinting entrepreneur
Pico Iyer, Global author
Jamie Cullum, Jazz-pop singer

Session 11: Tech Impact

An Xiao Mina, Creative technologist
Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi inventor
Anant Agarwal, Education innovator
Abha Dawesar, Novelist
Tim Exile, Electromusician
Alessandro Acquisti, Privacy economist

Session 12: All Together Now

Michael Sandel, Political philosopher
Charmian Gooch, Anti-corruption activist
Michael Porter, Business strategist
RuthAnne, Singer and songwriter
Salvatore Iaconesi, Open-source engineer and artist
Br. David Steindl-Rast, Monk

Throughout the conference, TED's award-winning video team will begin editing talks to share with the world for free on TED.com, where videos have already well surpassed a billion views. Talks from the TEDGlobal 2013 conference will begin to appear on TED.com during the conference and throughout the coming year. The TED blog [http://blog.ted.com/] will also include speaker highlights and critical links.
A number of innovative brands and companies have partnered with TED to share ideas and foster an atmosphere of collaboration and conversation at TEDGlobal 2013. This year's partners include ABB, ARUP, Autodesk, The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Deutsche Telekom, Fondation Lombard Odier, frog, Getty Images, Intel, InterContinental Hotels Group, Knight Foundation, Novartis, O2, PR Newswire, Renault Nissan, Shell, Skype, State Street, Steelcase, and Walmart.

Under the TEDLive membership, the conference will be streamed live to paid members around the globe. TEDGlobal will also be webcast to more than 135 independently organized TEDx events worldwide.
The detailed TEDGlobal program and more information can be found online here:
http://conferences.ted.com/TEDGlobal2013/

Details about the TEDLive membership can be found here:
http://www.ted.com/pages/tedlive

About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California almost 30 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes on a diverse mix of topics. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The TED2014 Conference will take place next spring in Vancouver, British Columbia, along with the TEDActive simulcast in neighboring Whistler.

TED's media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed; and TEDBooks, short e-books on powerful ideas. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.
Follow TED on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TEDNews, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TED.
Contact: Erin Allweiss, TED@groupsjr.com +1 (917) 512-2118

SOURCE TED

Web Site: http://www.ted.com

Jackie Appiah.

The black and beautiful popular Ghanaian actress Jackie Appiah and Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, CEO of the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) are among the six distinguished Honorees of the 2013 F.A.C.E List Awards coming up on Saturday June 15, 2013, in New York, U.S.A.

Peace Anyiam-Osigwe.

The other honorees are the following notable achievers.

Aziz Gueye Adetimirin is founder, president and publisher of The Network Journal Communication Inc. Adetimirin emigrated to the United States in 1974 from West Africa. A fervent believer in education, he attended the Academy of Aeronautics in Queens, New York. More details.

Korto Momolu.
Born In Liberia, Momolu immigrated to Canada due to a civil war and became devoted to using the opportunity she has to empower young Africans who dare to dream. She was the first African designer to be featured on Project Runway, where she stood out as an extraordinary talent and was awarded the fan favorite prize, and ended the season as first runner up. Today, Momolu has formed a partnership with Dillard’s Incorporated to design an eye-catching collection of handbags and jewelry that is currently in more than 70 stores nationwide. Additionally, she teamed up with Madera Exotic Woods to design “The Saba Collection”, an exclusive line of fashionable eco-friendly wood jewelry. Devoted to serving the community at large, Mormolu was appointed as a “Goodwill Ambassador” for the Tigerlily Foundation, a breast cancer organization providing full lifecycle, service-oriented assistance to young women. Highlighted as the designer to watch by New York Magazine, Momolu’s collections have been featured nationally and internationally, including at the famed New York Fashion Week.

Dr. Carlos Lopes is a visionary and exemplary leader who has played an integral role in Africa’s development and progress over the last decade. He was appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the eighth Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), at the level of UN More ....

Mr. George Ntim is a big believer in the ability of sports to uplift africa’s image. Serving our community is what he does best. The only African to climb up the difficult ladder to become the Director of VIP Guest Relations and Community Services at the Marriot Marquis Hotel in NYC, Mr. Ntim has used his position as a tool for change. He founded the African Development Foundation (ADF) to promote goodwill and strengthen relationships between America and Africa through youth-oriented initiatives, with an outreach that includes providing African youths with computer training, health-related resources, and recreational outlets. One of the many initiatives of the foundation is to promote baseball in Africa. The foundation has taken many major league baseball players to Africa to teach kids how to play and to encourage them to always use positive outlets. The foundation is currently building the first ever baseball field in Africa.

About the F.A.C.E List AwardsThe Fascinating Africans Committed to Excellence, also the ( F.A.C.E.) list Awards was established by Face2face Africa in 2011 to acknowledge, celebrate, and honor the outstanding achievements of Africans and friends of Africa who are contributing towards a more dynamic and advanced global community. The future of Africa is directly linked to the endless efforts of individuals who commit themselves to being key players in the realization of Africa’s potential. These trendsetters, trailblazers, and role models will stop at nothing to be the flag bearers of Africa. Serving as our icons, they are the educators, freedom fighters, leaders, executives, athletes, philanthropists, artists and entertainers who are at the forefront of the New African Image. The F.A.C.E. List Awards seeks to magnify the success stories and acknowledge the contribution and impact of such individuals. With the F.A.C.E. Award, we honor and salute their immense contribution and say THANK YOU!

BRONX, N.Y., June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/) of Yeshiva University have shown that soccer players who frequently head the ball have brain abnormalities resembling those found in patients with concussion (mild traumatic brain injury). The study, which used advanced imaging techniques and cognitive tests that assessed memory, was published online today in the journal Radiology.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120531/DC16559LOGO )
"We studied soccer players because soccer is the world's most popular sport," said Michael L. Lipton, (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/faculty/148/michael-lipton/) M.D., Ph.D., associate director of Einstein's Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/centers/gruss-magnetic-resonance-research/) and medical director of MRI services at Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein. "Soccer is widely played by people of all ages and there is concern that heading the ball—a key component of the sport—might damage the brain." Dr. Lipton is also associate professor of radiology, of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience at Einstein.

On average, soccer players head the ball six to 12 times during games, where balls can travel at speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. During practice drills, players commonly head the ball 30 or more times. The impact from a single heading is unlikely to cause traumatic brain damage such as laceration of nerve fibers. But scientists have worried that cumulative damage from heading's repeated subconcussive impacts might be clinically significant. "Repetitive heading could set off a cascade of responses that leads to degeneration of brain cells over time," noted Dr. Lipton.

To study possible brain injury from heading, the researchers used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), an advanced MRI-based imaging technique, on 37 amateur adult soccer players (median age 31 years) who had all played the sport since childhood. Participants reported playing soccer for an average of 22 years and had played an average of 10 months over the previous year. Researchers ranked the players based on heading frequency and then compared the DTI brain images of the most frequent headers with those of the remaining players. All participants also underwent cognitive testing.

DTI "sees" the movement of water molecules within and along axons, the nerve fibers that constitute the brain's white matter. This imaging technique allows researchers to measure the uniformity of water movement (called fractional anisotropy, or FA) throughout the brain. Abnormally low FA within white matter indicates axon damage and has previously been associated with cognitive impairment in patients with traumatic brain injury.

"The DTI findings pertaining to the most frequent headers in our study showed white-matter abnormalities similar to what we've seen in patients with concussion," said Dr. Lipton. "Soccer players who headed the ball above a threshold between 885 to 1,550 times a year had significantly lower FA in three areas of the temporal-occipital white matter." Dr. Lipton noted that players with more than 1,800 headings per year were also more likely to demonstrate poorer memory scores compared to participants with fewer yearly headings.
"Our study provides compelling preliminary evidence that brain changes resembling mild traumatic brain injury are associated with frequently heading a soccer ball over many years," said Dr. Lipton. "While further research is clearly needed, our findings suggest that controlling the amount of heading that people do may help prevent brain injury that frequent heading appears to cause."

The study is titled "Soccer heading is associated with white matter microstructural and cognitive abnormalities." Other Einstein scientists involved in the research were Namhee Kim, Ph.D., Molly E. Zimmerman, Ph.D., Mimi Kim, Sc.D., Craig A. Branch, Ph.D., and Richard B. Lipton, M.D. The authors declare no relevant conflicts of interest.

The research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/) and the Dana Foundation.

About Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Albert Einstein College of Medicine (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/) of Yeshiva University is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2012-2013 academic year, Einstein is home to 742 M.D. (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/education/md-program/md-program.aspx?id=11144) students, 245 Ph.D. (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/education/phd/) students, 116 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program (http://mstp.einstein.yu.edu/), and 360 postdoctoral research fellows (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/research/belfer-institute/default.aspx?id=28561&ekmensel=15074e5e_4074_4116_btnlink). The College of Medicine has more than 2,000 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/health/affiliates.asp). In 2012, Einstein received over $160 million in awards from the NIH. This includes the funding of major research centers (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/centers/) at Einstein in diabetes, cancer, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore Medical Center (http://www.montefiore.org/), the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. Through its extensive affiliation network involving Montefiore, Jacobi Medical Center (http://www.nyc.gov/html/hhc/jacobi/html/home/home.shtml) –Einstein's founding hospital, and five other hospital systems in the Bronx, Manhattan, Long Island and Brooklyn, Einstein runs one of the largest residency and fellowship training programs in the medical and dental professions in the United States. For more information, please visit www.einstein.yu.edu (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/) and follow us on Twitter @EinsteinMed (https://twitter.com/EinsteinMed).

SOURCE Albert Einstein College of Medicine

CONTACT: Kim Newman, 718-430-3101 Web Site: http://www.aecom.yu.edu

2012 Guest Speaker,Bar. James Ocholi (SAN) with Mr Cliff Onyeje, Lagos branch President.

AKOKWA CHRISTIAN ELITES HOLDS 2013 EMINENT PERSONS’ DINNER

~ By Ingram Osigwe

An independent and politically neutral group of highly accomplished indigenes of the Akokwa Community in Imo State of Nigeria, known as Akokwa Christian Elites, will host its annual dinner on Saturday June 15^th 2013 at the main banquet hall of the Lagos Sheraton and Towers Hotel.

Bishop Charles Ubatu.

Akokwa Christian Elites is made up of businessmen and women, professionals, intellectuals and other categories of peace loving and socially constructive men and women who believe in the supremacy of God and who live a life guided by Him through the Christian faith. The group in its entirety believes that God is the source of all providence and is committed to efforts towards the provision of good living conditions for everyone, as right of all Akokwa indigenes. Astute in their nation building efforts, their primary focus is Akokwa community where they foster positive changes in the lives of the indigenes but their activities inspire community efforts in the surrounding environs where they are viewed as excellent examples. The group desires to see truth, honesty, love, integrity and fear of God prevail above all other things in Akokwa.

They aim to increase positive aspirations among all, especially the young and developing generations by inviting distinguished citizens of Nigeria with Godly charisma as Guest Speakers and role models at the annual dinner party.

ENGR Greg Obioha of Mantrac Nigeria Ltd, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and Mr. Cliff Onyeje.

Previous editions have hosted distinguished Nigerians like Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa of Neimeth International Pharmaceutical Plc., and former Chairman Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr. Tony Ewelike, CEO, A. G Homes, Arc. Azike Diribe, a First class Architect of the Integrated Consortium, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Administration, Professor Pat Utomi of the Lagos Business School, His Excellency Rt Honourable Senator Anyim Pius Anyim (GCON) Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Bar. James Ocholi (SAN), the Pro-Chancellor of Salem University, Kogi State. The 2013 dinner will host as guest speaker, Arc Ifeanyi Odedo, Managing Director, Sharon Ultimate and Sharon Regency Hotels, Abuja.

The Guest Speaker, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

It will be recalled that Akokwa Christian Elites, in its quest to add values to the lives of Akokwa citizens have evolved several welfare programmes ranging from financial grants and empowerments for Widows every Christmas season to Banquets for the Royal fathers encouraging them to keep their thrones Godly. The group also organizes mass Christian Evangelical programmes (crusades), University Scholarship Schemes for indigent students. The essence of the University Scholarship Scheme is to fund the education of high performing students from indigent backgrounds as the group believes that the best form of empowerment and the highest legacy any generation can receive is sound education. Their scholarship scheme has stirred up academic competition in Akokwa clan leading to some of the recipients graduating with first class degrees from higher institutions. They have also sponsored for two consecutive years willing traditional rulers to the “ANNUAL SOUTH EASTERN CONFERENCE OF TRADITIONAL RULERS” which holds at the House of Assembly Enugu. This is a forum where the traditional rulers were taught how to administer from their thrones with a sense of equity, fairness and justice, tempered with the fear of God, in the belief that their changed lives will cascade down to their subjects and bring peace to their various communities.

Mr. Cliff Onyeje reading his welcoming address. Left is SGF Senator Anyim Pius Anyim with Mr. Jackson Ebasa.

Akokwa Christian Elites shuns all divisive tendencies and recognizes only the leadership of God in its decisions. The group is not inclined towards any factionary camps political or otherwise. Their vision is reconciliation, truth, fairness, progress, sacrifice and unity. The group is preoccupied with putting smiles on the faces of the people with no conditions attached. Members are not levied to fund projects rather all budgets are voluntarily sponsored by members.

Mr. Iyke Simeon Ebelebe and Mr. Charles Anusionwu.

The general public are hereby invited to unwind, socialize, reintegrate and refocus for a life of purpose in an evening of Godly fellowship that will engender positive transformations in the lives of all guests.

Queen Ahneva and some guests.

QUINTESSENTIALLY AND ANGEL CHAMPAGNE WOWS ABUJA WITH EYE POPPING EXHIBITIONS

Wednesday 29th May and Thursday 30th May, 2013, were two days that witnessed the highest display of luxury and class ever to be seen in Nigeria. These were the two days that Angel Champagne and Quintessentially (an internationally renowned concierge company) held the crowds spell bound with a super high profile display of their top international brands at an event that incorporated the style of a super-high class cocktail party and the presentation format of an exhibition. It was a night that wowed a vast collection of guests, made of individuals in the top echelon of the Nigerian success ladder. It was an event designed for the celebration of pomp, pageantry, luxury, Quality and class distinction in the utmost superlative.

Former Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Chief Tom Omoghegbe Ikimi and a guest.

Annie Inyang and Aderemi.

Deliberately put together by Zakaa Luxury concepts, with the co-hosting auspices of Quintessentially, it was a debut night for some of the world’s top brands, who purposed to make a grand entrance into Nigeria’s luxury market by creating a stir in the system; and they indeed succeeded through the event, in achieving just that objective. Never has so much opulence been in display in a single event under one roof in Nigeria before; indeed, the ante and definition of glitterati were raised and redefined on the occasion.

Masade and a guest admiring the classy Angel Champagne.

Venue was the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Situated in the heart of the FCT and easily the only six star hotel on the West African Coast, and a perfect venue for an event that sought to beat the highest standards and records in Luxury. Wednesday 29th May saw the start of the event with a cocktail party which commenced by 6pm. So vast was the list of guests that people were still stringing in by as late as 9pm at night. The apparels on display on the guests were enough in value, and the individuals themselves were a roll call of who is who among those with nine figure incomes in the country. It was not an event for individuals who take orders from others; it was rather an event for those who give orders, in whose hands lay the economic destinies of themselves as that of others. Apart from providing them with a forum in which to mingle and network, it was also an excellent opportunity for them to relax, unwind and enjoy themselves. Food and classy drink was available in quantities and varieties that gave the event the ambiance of a royal banquet.

Abayomi, Queen Ahneva and Adams Yakubu.

Abayomi and Thelma.

Adams and Fatima.

Andy James.

Belen and Laura.

Debbie Oghene.

Dennis Ifidon Ojeonu, Stanley O.

Dr. and Dr. (Mrs) Ndukwe.

Farrah Onoja.

Francisca Sambo and Bertine.

Lilian Okafor and Stephanie.

Hon. Wale Ogunbanjo.

30th May was the second part of the event which was the Luxury and lifestyles Salon presentation. It started by 3pm. The auditorium was furnished with a tasteful design of exhibition platforms with some of the worlds highest luxury brands in display. Chief among the brands on show was Angel Champagne, by far one the most beautifully and exquisitely made champagnes in the world today and with price tags befitting royal treasure. Angel Champagne was inspired by British entrepreneur Stefano Zagni. Angel has limited annual production so its exclusivity is assured. Thus it is only available for purchase at very select venues around the world. In the entire West coast of Africa, Angel Champagne is solely distributed by Palatially Wines and Spirits, another new enterprise riding the top of the crests of the luxury market in Nigeria.

Kunle Odeyemi.

Mr. and Mrs. Jolly Cole.

Morrilyn Ogor, Aderemi, Adijohn.

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew.

Mr. and Mrs. Somze.

Another exhibitor at the event that held attention of the elitist crowd was “Quintessentially”. This company was established in 2000 as a private member’s club and concierge Service Company. Quintessentially stand today as the world’s leading concierge and lifestyle management group.

Other exhibitors were Zakaa, a Nigerian brand with over 20 years experience in distribution and retailing of luxury brands, presently having franchise of more than thirty luxury brands including, Ulysses Nardin Watch, which was manufactured by Swiss Watchmakers, and founded in 1846. They have been dedicated to excellence for over 165 years in manufacturing mechanical watches. Also at the exhibition is Serapian, which was established in early 1940, the Serapian brand has always been synonymous with quality, dedication, creativity and refinement. Montagrappa , which was the first Italian Pen and was founded in 1912, they has carved a niche for themselves with their unique masterpieces and beautiful work of art, Pesavento was also at the exhibition and they specializes in precious material, gold, silver and gemstones, crafting them into original shapes and extraordinary volume.

Queen Ahneva, Abayomi and Lilian.

Prince Jeff, Eloka Anene, Hon. Phil A.

Remarkably, a great number of the guests came out to pick up these products for themselves, confirming the fact that they are those for whom money works, and not those who work for money. The most attention was curiously focussed on the super-packaged Angel Champagne. Indications showed that from the appreciation of the guests, exquisite wines, such as Angel Champagne, may soon become the next line of alternative investment in Nigeria as new collectors and connoisseurs will soon emerge. With the champagne’s great quality, being made out of the best vines, from the best vineyards in the world and brewed by the best wine makers, using the highest standards, its long cellar life and is perfectly assured and prices are bound to rise with age of the wine, thus making it an item of elitist value storage and financial speculation, apart from a great item of luxury. Quintessentially also proved to be a novel entrepreneurial adventure with a lot of attraction for the guests at the event.

Quintessentially is the world’s leading concierge/lifestyle management group. It was founded in the UK in 2000 as a private members’ club and concierge service. Their services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Quintessentially group encompasses 39 sister companies with physical offices in 72 cities world wide. It is the only truly localized concierge service in the world. Services include informational services, hotel/restaurant reservations, arranging of spa services, recommending nightlife hot spots, booking transportations (Limousines, airplanes, boats) procurement of tickets to special events and assisting with various travel arrangements and tons of local attractions. Quintessentially is crafted to enhance the output of long hour working super executives and high achievers who need special assistance in providing a work-life balance. The exhibition ended by 11 pm on Thursday night and left a feel that will forever remain a source of deep nostalgia in the mind of guests as such event will be very difficult to replicate; except if Quintessentially and its associate companies chooses to titillate Nigeria’s rich folk with a repetition, any moment soon.

Media Contact
Mr. Ingram Adichie Osigwe
MD/CEO Fullpage International Communications Limited.

Special Interview with Pastor Gods Elect, General Overseer, Angelhearts Christian Mission (Storehouse of Blessings), Owerri, Imo State.

SIR, YOU ARE FROM IMO STATE AND A PROVEN LEADERSHIP COUNSELOR. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF OWELLE ROCHAS OKOROCHA TWO YEARS AFTER AND OUR MARCH TOWARDS 2015?

Yes, I am from Imo State. Ihitte, Otulu in Ahiara, Ahiazu-Mbaise L.G.A. to be precise. The bible says in Romans 13 v 1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” so if you expect I am going to run my anointed mouth in the press about my Governor, sorry, I will do no such thing. Rather, I will continue to pray for him and his team even when he does badly hoping they will not be bereft of divine wisdom and human compassion as they reel out, execute and enforce their state policies.

I would say anyway, that His Excellency, Owelle Rochas has raised the stake of governance in Imo-State since after late Dee Sam Mbakwe’s tenure and has provided in Imo State a yardstick for future governments to rely upon to do better and for us the good citizens of Imo-State, probably (time will tell!) a bench-mark for judging good governance.

Our Lord’s prayer says “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”- so you see God’s intention for leaders! It is a common biblical saying in proverbs that when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; shouldn’t this be the ambition of this government?

I have witnessed great improvement in infrastructural development and in human capacity building but unfortunately a seeming decline in human resource enhancement and legitimate government structural organs.

So obviously, you are sure to see those who may think he is not doing well or those who readily celebrate him, depending on which divide they belong. This however is the joy of democratic government and provides the leadership a focus on subsequent plans. All I can say, is that he still has the people’s mandate and more time ahead before the next elections so he should concentrate and consolidate on his plans and vision for Imo State and national politics rather than give in to the temptation of running after national political office, for now! Our God is a God of process and he should respect God’s choice in him and allow himself complete his assignment in this State. Owelle is a man in a hurry to fulfill his dream of success but where there is good counseling; God’s time is the best and at the appointed time, there will be fullness of purpose. Amen! There is nothing wrong with his personal interactive governance style as long as it does not displace the rule of law. Charm and public office as complimentary as it may seem can actually be in conflict with each other and this is what he needs to constantly discern.

Let me finally say that during the elections of 2011, it was the people’s cry in prayers and their resolute decision to protect their votes that God heard, granted and answered in the choice of Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha. It was not his personality, wealth, influence, network, party affiliation nor was it any caucus agreement of any such that gave him the mandate. All power belongs to God! Therefore in 2015 again, it is our prayers and trusting our commitment of the whole process to God, that will count and He will choose for us in His answer who will be in Douglas House. My advice is that everyone seeking to be used for this opportunity must continue in sincere prayers to seek for divine wisdom and be compassionate to the good people of this state. In the meanwhile, we will watch, pray and give our counsel wherever and whenever it is sought. To God be the Glory!

PASTOR, RECENTLY THE CHURCH IN NIGERIA SEEM TO HAVE JOINED FORCES WITH GOVERNMENT TO DECLARE WAR ON THE RISING PROFILE OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND LESBIANISM WITHIN OUR SOCIETY. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS?

Sincerely speaking, the Church has remained the custodian of moral values and will certainly not close its eyes or fold its arms to such endemic evil set to corrupt human creation. Yes, I do know that the national legislative arm of government passed a bill on this matter that provided a 14 years jail term for offenders and maybe their accomplices and this is waiting assent by Mr. President.

Having said this, I would rather see it the other way and that is that Government has risen to complement the Church in her continued efforts to regain our societal moral values.

This is a very unfortunate development and let me say quite strongly that as a Christian, it is absolutely against God’s will for Humanity. At birth, we had our sex designations and more recently, a genetic study has shown that no one is born with such disoriented gene constitution as to warrant such. This is surely a result of persuasions and exposures to unhealthy tendencies and immoral inclinations emanating from our negative environmental interactions. We have been struggling to deal with the issues of fornication and adultery and as if that were not enough, these too are becoming so prevalent. This is the devil’s bold plan in these last days to steal God’s joy and mock us as God’s creation and it is really so unfortunate that it cuts across all social strata and in some instances have become a defining factor for worldly accomplishments or achievements. What a shame!

It is a very sensitive issue and we should not accept it but only be careful not to throw away the baby’s bath water together with the baby. We need to pity those we identify as such and give them the compassion we would give to sick persons because they have had their minds and bodies abused. For some, they would need our tolerance in view of their confessed remorse fulness and repentance so as to undergo spiritual and body rehabilitation needed to fully recover themselves of this satanic captivity. The word of God in Philippians 3 v 21 encourages and strengthens our belief in looking up to Christ “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself”. If we believe that the voice of the people is the voice of God, then let us rise up and together condemn this evil and wicked act, protect and save the yet unadulterated young ones and adults amongst us. God help us. Amen!

SIR,WITH THE STATE OF AFFAIRS NOW,WHERE EXACTLY DO YOU THINK NIGERIA IS HEADING?

It is not an issue of who is the president or his or her personality but an outcome of divine time. We are certainly heading for a better future under the pragmatic leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan. Most times people have associated his name “Goodluck” with what they hope to see but let me tell me prophetically, that his name carries what challenge he will have to deal with “ill luck|”?.

But then again, look at it this way, what lies ahead of us? Oh sure, challenges, trails, temptations. If you watch very carefully, it is as if all the problems of Nigeria over the years are now being deposited on the present leadership. You can describe his administration as a major sewage channel - it smells awfully and has a lot of debris in it but yet is the only reason why the environment is clean, safe and healthy. This is his predicament but I would say, a good one at fulfilling God’s purpose. It is enormous but grace is available to triumph over these challenges and just this will Jonathan do. In Psalm 34 v 19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all”. It shall be good. Amen!

If we are determined as a nation and walk in fear of God, we will make it to the glorious point and then have every reason to celebrate our success. A word of note here: let us enjoy what we are now, for we are what we are by His grace and look ahead with excitement into the future for the promises that await us. I pray we will “Trust in the LORD with all our heart; and lean not unto our own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct our paths” (proverbs 3 vs 5 & 6)

REV, WHY DO MOST MEN OF GOD MAKE THEMSELVES TOO DIFFICULT TO REACH? IS THIS RIGHT?

I believe we are passionate to touch the lives of our various congregations and others who may need our attention at any time. However, you must understand that the office of the Priest or Pastor is such that demands a very high level of discipline requiring adherence to ministerial protocol, here meaning norms and ethics but unfortunately these may not be convenient to some. Much as I have said this, I do rather believe that most of us if not all, gracefully receive and reach out to as many people as possible with a strong keenness of the Spirit on a daily basis yet in the eyes of many, this is not satisfactory.

Remember, of course Jesus said in Matthew 9 v 37 (paraphrased) ; "...the

harvest is truly plenty but the labourers are few". I am convinced, we will keep trying our best, trusting that by the absolute grace of God, we will not fail or become irresponsible to our divine obligation. Regarding myself, I am easily reached directly on +234(0) 703 9610 123 / (0)818 1093 999 or by e-mail throughelectsofgod@yahoo.com

It is well.

What's Your Formula For Excitement?

Shell believe that all great drives start with a great fuel, but as to the rest of the ingredients, well every driver has a different story. Maybe it's the weather, the road surface, the season, the location - or perhaps something even more personal like a favourite song - each person's formula for excitement is bound to be unique.

Shell wants you to create a film that explains just what it is that goes into the formula for an exciting drive. What is your formula for excitement? Taking Shell V-Power as your starting point, this is your chance to let your imagination run wild.

For more details, please download the full brief!

Don’t forget that you can apply for production grants to help towards the cost of making your entry, and that the winning filmmakers will win up to $8,000 plus a trip of a lifetime to Africa on Safari in the world famous Kruger National Park.

If you need help, have any questions or would like feedback on your ideas then please email us at support@mofilm.com or ask on Facebook or via Twitter.

(In memory of my father Sunday Eke)

Daddy, you were a warrior from Umuahia in Eastern Nigeria and proved yourself as one in Burma during the World War 2 and returned home as one of the heroes of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF).
But you never told me about your exploits in Burma, because I was too young to understand until when you passed on and my uncles gave me the graphic illustrations and even how you always used your World War II bugle to call a fellow Word War II hero in the village.
The only thing you showed me was your violin which you never taught me how to play, because you did not want me to do music. And to prove it, you threw away my first recording contract from the U.S when I was only 18.
But at 18 from my earnings as a TV script writer and TV puppeteer I could afford to pay thousands of naira for your medical bills for months until you passed away that fateful day on November 19, 1983.
So, unforgettable and so regrettable, because you left behind a heavy burden. Yet I thank God for the grace that has seen me through the challenges of your absence.

Daddy, I am still proud of you and guess what?
I am launching outdoor cinemas in Lagos on Saturday June 22, at the Old Broad Street Prison grounds opposite the General Hospital on Lagos Island. In fact, you would be wowed to see how they turned the prison into the Freedom Park, and transformed where Prof. Wole Soyinka was jailed during the Nigerian civil war into a tourist attraction.
Just a walk from where Sheila Cinema and Royal Cinema used to be and not so far away from our most frequented Kings Cinema in Lafiaji.
I remember the many evenings you often took us to the open air Kings Cinema, Sheila, Royal and Plaza to watch the movies of cowboys and Indians fighting, starring Marion Mitchell Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), better known by his stage name John Wayne and war films like my all time favourite "A Bridge Too Far" in 1977 and also Bollywood stars Dharmendra and Jeetendra with Bollywood beauties like Hema, Malini and Helen.
It would have been great if you could just appear at the launch of Screen Naija One Village, One Cinema on Saturday and I would be proud to introduce you to the audience.

Daddy, my memories of you are unforgettable and if I continue, I will never stop recalling them all.
All I can say now is, I miss you every time I see a movie or hear the violin and of course the bugle.

Happy Father's Day my great daddy!

Carlsberg stunt in Belgium with 148 bikers in a movie theater. Some innocent couples want to take their seat, but the room is filled with not-so- friendly looking bikers. How will they react, see for yourself. Credits: Ad agency: Duval Guillaume Modem, Brussels Creatives: Koenraad Lefever , Dries De Wilde Production: Monodot, Brussels Director: Cecilia Verheyden Producer: Tatiana Pierre Creative Director: Geoffrey Hantson , Katrien Bottez.

Cinema boosts effectiveness of ad campaigns by delivering three-fold revenue return on media investment

London, 11 September 2012: BrandScience, the business and marketing effectiveness arm of Omnicom Media Group, has shared its findings on the Revenue Return on Investment for cinema media spend across Europe today at an event hosted by the Cinema Advertising Association.

The Europe-wide study, commissioned by Screen Advertising World Association (SAWA) and Cinema Advertising Association (CAA) shows that Cinema advertising outperforms print and outdoor across Europe with a Revenue Return on Investment (RROI) of €3.07 and an overall carryover rate of 48%. This means that if an ad spend of €1000 delivered 100 sales in the first week, it would drive 48 in the second, 23 in the third and 11 in the fourth week following exposure. In the UK, Cinema delivered a £2.84 RROI for every £1 invested and the best carryover rate of all media nationwide at 72% per week.

Case studies from the BrandScience Econometrics Results Vault were used to review how cinema performed across different product categories including FMCG, services, leisure and entertainment.

In the FMCG category, cinema delivered a RROI of €2.88 from just 6% of the total media spend. When used as a secondary medium in this sector, Cinema provides the highest RROI amongst other media, enjoying a 51% carryover, just behind TV. The FMCG research was further broken down into three subcategories covering Food and Drink, Health and Beauty, as well as impulse purchases.

Cinema was the standout media in the Food and Drink subcategory returning €4.80 and 68% carryover when 7% of the overall media budget was invested in the medium. This was the best performance of all media.

For Health and Beauty, cinema also delivered the highest RROI of all media within its subcategory, delivering €2.97 from a 5% spend, while the 40% carryover rate in this subcategory outperformed both Outdoor and Print.

Cinema spend for Impulse purchases returned €2.12 from a 6% media spend, again higher than both Outdoor and Print, with a 51% carry over, indicating that in this subcategory Cinema works harder than all other secondary media.

In the Service category, Cinema returned €3.43 for every €1 spent from just 3% of the media budget invested in the medium. This is €1.14 higher than Outdoor’s achieved RROI with 12% of the media budget. Cinema’s carryover rate was 43%, also highest behind TV.

The Leisure and Entertainment category delivered €3.08 from a 3% Cinema spend, generating €1.22 more than Outdoor, which represented 7% of media spend. With a 43% carryover rate, Cinema was again the highest performing medium behind TV for this category.

Econometrics also identified optimum percentage investment in Cinema as part of the media mix. It found that on average, spending up to 10% of a media budget on Cinema advertising can significantly increase the total communications RROI for an overall campaign, in addition to the specific medium. In the Leisure and Entertainment category, for example, investing 4-10% of media spend in Cinema drove total communications RROI of €4.24. Adding Cinema to the schedule boosts return on investment from other media too as the RROI for TV increased to €2.09 from €1.24 when part of the media mix. The RROI for TV’s Leisure and Entertainment spend increased to €5.87 from €5.10 when cinema was added.

Sally Dickerson, Global CEO of BrandScience says: “Working with the Cinema Advertising Association (CAA) and other Screen Advertising World Association (SAWA) members across Europe, BrandScience has collated evidence from its Results Vault of over 1100 econometric studies in Europe, of which 111 evaluated Cinema Spend and other media. The meta analysis proves that Cinema delivers a healthy return on media investment, particularly when used as part of an integrated campaign. Cinema performs in its own right as measured by direct RROI (Revenue ROI) and enhances all other main media in assuring higher campaign RROI”.

Sarah Dack, Board Member of the CAA adds: “Whilst many studies continue to prove that Cinema delivers more engagement, reaches light TV and youth audiences, the BrandScience study confirms that cinema doesn’t just deliver soft KPIs, it also drives strong return on investment for the brands that advertise on the Big Screen.”

The European study was commissioned by the Screen Advertising World Association (SAWA) and was based on 111 case studies measuring the impact of cinema when used with other media. The European RROI number refers to 56 case studies where in depth analysis has been carried out. The UK study was based on 27 case studies and commissioned by the Cinema Advertising Association (CAA) in the UK. Both pieces of insight were drawn from the BrandScience Econometrics Results Vault containing over 1000 cases.

Helen Nassey

PR Manager

Propeller

+44 (0)20 3301 5341/+44 (0)750 612 1999

Email:helen.nassey@propellergroup.com

For further information please contact:

Liza Patoux

Marketing Manager

+44 (0) 20 7534 6228

Email: liza.patoux@dcm.co.uk

Notes to Editors

About the Cinema Advertising Association (CAA)

The trade association CAA promotes, monitors and maintains standards of cinema advertising in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The primary functions include pre-vetting and clearing all UK cinema commercials to ensure conformity with the British Codes of Advertising, sales promotion and direct marketing. It also provides UK cinema market information in terms of impacts, admissions and screen numbers. In addition it produces the annual Film Audience Measurement and Evaluation (FAME) and Film Monitor research providing insight into cinema goingand the film viewing experience within the UK.

VOTE FOR OUR SWEETHEART MEG MASHA ONhttp://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=251362704989038&id=209511312507511

Just Like her photo on https://www.facebook.com/DbatsTvRealityShow

"Take me away from performance and in a week I'll be sick -- and I've never been sick because I've been performing all the time.

I feel I am doing what God has asked me in life -- am I doing it well, I want to do it better still, I'm trying. I feel fulfilled when it comes to performing in front of audiences."

~ Jimi Solanke.

Uncle Jimi Solanke is 71 today and Nigerians Report Online is thanking our Almighty God JEHIVAH for his beautiful and wonderful life as celebrated on stage, press, TV, film and radio over the decades and his interview on CNN's African Voices is worth seeing again and again.

It was a great honour that he came with my mentor Dame Taiwo Ajai-Lycett to celebrate with us at the maiden launching of our Screen Naija One Village, One Cinema Project, that will be the biggest and largest cinema venture in Africa before 2016.

We wish uncle Jimi Solanke many more happier returns of the day and may God grant him more grace to continue to shine wherever he goes as a blessing to us.

Faithfully,
Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
Publisher/Editor, Nigerians Report Online
Founder, Eko International Film Festival
Founder/CEO, Screen Outdoor Open Air Cinema
A member of the Projection Foundation

This is an official Call for Entries for the 10th Abuja International Film Festival scheduled for the 24th-27th September 2013 at the Silverbird Cinemas Abuja, Nigeria.

The festival will screen over 60 indigenous and foreign movies in the following genres: Short, Feature, Animation, Documentary and Experimental. All entries must have been produced within the past 24 months and you can download the entry form from our website: www.abujafilmfestng.org.

The festival shall give awards in the following categories:

1. Best Feature Film

2. Best Short Film

3. Most Outstanding Male Act

4. Most Outstanding Female Act

5. Best Experimental Film

6. Best Animation Film

7. Best Documentary Film

8. Golden Jury Award

All entries should be submitted in DVD FORMAT. Deadline for submission of entries is July 31st, 2013.

For further enquiries you can call 08023217673, 07055773560 or 08023260448

President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria.

Abuja, Nigeria. July 2nd, 2013

Governance poll results released by NOI Polls Limited for the month of June have revealed that slightly more than 4 in 10 Nigerians (44%) approve the performance of President Goodluck Jonathan for the month of June 2013. This rating has remained constant when compared to last month’s ratings. The results also indicate that 47% of Nigerians rate the performance of the current administration as average. These were the two key findings from the poll conducted in the week of June 24th 2013.

The results presented are the sixth in the monthly series of governance polls conducted by NOI Polls to gauge the opinions and perceptions of Nigerians regarding three crucial elements – the approval rating of the president, the performance of the current administration, and the situation of power supply in the country.

Averages over a six month period show the following statistics; an average of 47% of Nigerians approve of the president’s job performance over the six month period, however GEJ’s approval ratings have declined by 6 points over this period (Jan: 50%, Jun:44%). His approval ratings have been most affected in the months where power supply have been perceived as bad, showing a correlation between how Nigerians perceive his performance and their power supply. His ratings peaked in February at 54% when Nigeria won the African Cup of Nations and dipped at an all-time low to 42% in April, a month where 51% of Nigerians reported their power situation as bad.

Full details only on http://noi-polls.com/index.php?s_id=3&p_id=240&p_pt=5&pd=1&poll=38#.UdKbrju-pMc

1 Jul 2013 12:00 Africa/Lagos

Tribune To Acquire Local TV, Creating Content and Distribution Powerhouse

Company Adds 19 Stations in 16 Markets, Making Tribune the #1 Local TV Affiliate Group in America

CHICAGO and NEWPORT, Ky., July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tribune Company and Local TV Holdings, LLC, today jointly announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Tribune to acquire all of Local TV's 19 television stations in 16 key markets for $2.725 billion in cash. Coupled with Tribune's current 23 television stations, superstation WGN America, Tribune Studios, Tribune Digital Ventures and its eight major market newspapers, the transaction makes Tribune a multi-platform content and distribution powerhouse. Local TV is principally owned by Oak Hill Capital Partners.

Upon closing, the acquisition will immediately transform Tribune into the country's largest commercial TV station owner, with a total of 42 stations from New York to Los Angeles and Miami to Seattle. Importantly, because most of Local TV's stations are ranked #1 or #2 in revenue share in their respective markets, the transaction will generate significant free cash flow and be immediately accretive to Tribune's earnings.
Tribune's acquisition of Local TV is a key strategic step, providing Tribune with significant scale to drive its principal business objectives and create substantial shareholder value. The scale provided by the Local TV acquisition will enable Tribune to maximize national and local advertising opportunities and take advantage of a larger footprint, across which it will distribute its video and digital content, especially that created by the recently launched Tribune Studios and Tribune Digital Ventures, as well as its best-in-class journalism. The acquisition will also lead to more meaningful conversations with affiliates about distribution, which is especially important to the future of WGN America. The benefits of the Local TV acquisition will translate into increased cash flow and, ultimately, greater shareholder value.

For Tribune, the transaction will deliver significant advantages, including:

Providing unparalleled opportunities for delivering compelling news and entertainment to millions of consumers nationwide
Strengthening local news coverage and programming by adding heritage stations with local news broadcasts consistently ranked #1 or #2 in the morning and evening
Creating new advertising opportunities in key political battleground states
Extending the distribution platform for original content generated by Tribune Studios and the digital offerings to be created by Tribune Digital Ventures into new large, growing markets
Diversifying geographies and network affiliations, including the addition of 7 Fox, 5 CBS, 2 ABC and 2 NBC stations, while strengthening its relationships with cable operators and satellite providers
Delivering better economies of scale and strategic operating efficiencies

"Since joining Tribune in early 2013, we have been setting the strategic foundation to transform Tribune and help chart the path forward—building our multimedia capabilities and asset portfolio to become the country's leading independent content creator and distributor," said Peter Liguori, Tribune's President and Chief Executive Officer. "This is a transformational acquisition for Tribune—it makes us the #1 local TV affiliate group in America, expands the distribution platform for our high-quality video content, and extends the reach of our digital products to new audiences across the country. We couldn't be more excited about Tribune's future as America's leader in creating and distributing original content and local news programming."
Bobby Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer of Local TV, said, "Local TV and Tribune have had a long, successful relationship over the last five years. Our cultures and operating philosophies are very similar, and we share a strong commitment to news and local programming excellence. My management team will dearly miss working with some of the most talented and dedicated people in broadcasting, but we know we leave our employees in good hands. I am grateful to our partners at Oak Hill Capital, who acquired the finest stations in the industry and helped us build this great company."

Jonathan Friesel and Benjamin Diesbach, Partners at Oak Hill Capital, jointly said, "We thank Bobby, President and COO Pam Taylor, and the entire Local TV family for their outstanding dedication and performance. During our partnership together, Local TV has delivered extraordinary growth and become a world-class broadcaster known for its quality programming, technological innovation and strong community service. We wish Tribune well as they build on the history of success these stations have."

Tribune's broadcast portfolio will increase from 23 to 42 stations, and include 14 CW affiliates, 14 Fox affiliates, 5 CBS affiliates, 3 ABC affiliates, 2 NBC affiliates and 4 independents. Tribune will own 14 stations in the country's top 20 markets. It will become the #1 Fox affiliate group, expand its position as the #1 CW affiliate group, and add market-leading stations in prime cities such as Denver, Cleveland, St. Louis, Kansas City, Salt Lake City and Milwaukee.

Tribune anticipates the combination with Local TV will generate more than $100 million in annual run-rate synergies within five years after closing. The transaction will be structured to deliver to Tribune a step-up in the tax basis of the acquired assets. Taking into account Tribune's estimate of run-rate synergies and the present value of this tax asset, the effective purchase price multiple on a pro forma basis is approximately 7x 2011 and 2012 average EBITDA.

Tribune has received committed financing of up to $4.1 billion from JPMorgan Chase, BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse, including a new $300 million revolving credit facility and the capacity to allow Tribune to refinance its existing debt. Tribune will finance the transaction through a combination of debt financing and a portion of its cash on hand.

Additional Transaction Details
The transaction has been approved by the boards of both Tribune and Local TV and is expected to close by the end of 2013, subject to antitrust and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Guggenheim Securities acted as financial advisor to Tribune, and Debevoise & Plimpton and Covington & Burling acted as legal advisors to Tribune on the transaction. Moelis & Company LLC; Wells Fargo Securities, LLC; and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. acted as financial advisor to Local TV, and Dow Lohnes PLLC acted as legal advisors to Local TV, on the transaction.

Investor Call:
Tribune will hold a conference call with investors and analysts to discuss this announcement today at 9 a.m. (Eastern Time). To access the call, please use one of the following dial-in numbers: 1-866-674-6591 (U.S. and Canada) and 1-937-502-2254 (International), and enter the Conference ID number: 13911824.
A live webcast will be accessible through the Tribune website, www.tribune.com, or at http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=653759&s=1&k=DEA64C31A72800E0DDD283359717346B. To listen to the live webcast, click on the link to the webcast provided on the site's homepage. Allow at least 10 minutes to access the home page and complete the link before the webcast begins.

A telephone replay of the call will be available until July 31, 2013. The replay dial-in numbers are 1-800-585-8367 (U.S. and Canada) and 1-404-537-3406 (International), and the Conference ID number is 13911824. In addition, the webcast will be archived on Tribune's web site in the "Financial Info" section.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward looking statements that are based largely on Tribune's current expectations and reflect various estimates and assumptions by Tribune. These statements may be identified by words such as "expect," "anticipate," "will," "implied," "assume" and similar expressions. Forward looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in such forward looking statements. Such risks, trends and uncertainties, which in some instances are beyond Tribune's control, include Tribune's ability to maintain relationship with cable operators, satellite providers and other key commercial partners of the acquired business, the ability to retain employees of the acquired business, the ability to successfully integrate the acquired business into its operations; and the ability to realize the expected benefits and synergies from the acquisition, including the expected accretion in earnings. Tribune is subject to additional risks and uncertainties described in Tribune's quarterly and annual financial statements, related management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations and the information contained therein, which are made publicly available via its website, www.tribune.com. Any forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important risk factors. This press release reflects management's views as of July 1, 2013. Except to the extent required by applicable law, Tribune undertakes no obligation to update or revise any information contained in this press release beyond the published date, or for changes made to this press release by wire services, Internet service providers or other media, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Tribune Company
TRIBUNE is one of the country's leading multimedia companies, operating businesses in publishing, digital and broadcasting. In publishing, Tribune's leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, Sun Sentinel (South Florida), Orlando Sentinel, Hartford Courant, The Morning Call and Daily Press. The company's broadcasting group operates 23 television stations, WGN America on national cable, the national multicast network Antenna TV and Chicago's WGN-AM. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's print and broadcast properties and extend the company's nationwide audience.

About Oak Hill Capital Partners
Oak Hill Capital Partners is a private equity firm with more than $8 billion of initial capital commitments from leading entrepreneurs, endowments, foundations, corporations, pension funds and global financial institutions. Over a period of more than 25 years, the professionals at Oak Hill Capital and its predecessors have invested in more than 70 significant private equity transactions across broad segments of the U.S. and global economies. Oak Hill Capital applies an industry-focused, theme-based approach and engages experienced operating consultants to work directly with management teams to implement strategic and operational initiatives. For more information about Oak Hill Capital, visit www.oakhillcapital.com.

SOURCE Tribune Company

CONTACT: Tribune Media contact, Gary Weitman, SVP/Corporate Relations, +1-312-222-3394, gweitman@tribune.com, or Oak Hill Capital Partners and Local TV Media contacts, Jeremy Fielding or James David, Kekst and Company, +1-212-521-4800
Web Site: http://www.oakhillcapital.com

Kendrick Lamar,Best Male Hip Hop Artist

1 Jul 2013 13:00 Africa/Lagos

Everything Big Happened At The BET Awards '13

CHRIS TUCKER HOSTS BLOCKBUSTER SHOW WITH ALL-STAR LINE-UP OF PERFORMERS, PRESENTERS AND SPECIAL APPEARANCES

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, JAMIE FOXX, SNOOP DOGG, STEVIE WONDER, PHARRELL AND INDIA.ARIE SALUTE CHARLIE WILSON IN THE CADILLAC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT TRIBUTE

ACADEMY AWARD-WINNERS FOREST WHITAKER, JAMIE FOXX AND STEVIE WONDER ATTEND BET AWARDS '13

MARIAH CAREY PERFORMS HIT NEW SINGLE #BEAUTIFUL FEATURING MIGUEL AND YOUNG JEEZY

KENDRICK LAMAR, DRAKE AND OLYMPIC MEDALIST GABRIELLE DOUGLAS EACH WIN TWO BET AWARDS

MIAMI HEAT STAR DWYANE WADE RECEIVES HUMANITARIAN AWARD PRESENTED BY STATE FARM

LOS ANGELES, July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Live from Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 30^th, the BET AWARDS '13 kicked off with an electrifying performance by Chris Brown. Brown performed a medley of hits including his current single "Fine China" and a special performance of "Don't They Know" with vocals from Aaliyah. Nicki Minaj made a surprise performance by flying onto the stage and joining Brown for an energizing performance of "Love More." BET AWARDS '13 nominees Kendrick Lamar,Drake and Olympic medalist Gabrielle Douglas all took home two awards. This year marked Chris Brown's fourth year in a row winning the Fandemonium Award.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO )

"House of Lies" and "Iron Man" actor Don Cheadle presented the evening's first award for Best Male R&B/Pop Artist to Miguel. Miguel played double duty as he performed his solo number "How Many Drinks" with Kendrick Lamar and joined Mariah Carey during her performance of #Beautiful featuring Young Jeezy.

Notable performances of the evening were Robin Thicke, who performed his new hit single "Blurred Lines" with Pharrell and T.I. Ciara and Nicki Minaj debuted their new single "I'm Out" on the BET Awards '13 stage. BET Networks surprised the audience with a Caribbean music tribute featuring reggae artists Beenie Man who performed his hit "Who Am I," Dawn Penn's club anthem "No, No, No" and reggae classic "Murder She Wrote" by Chaka Demus and Pliers. As if that wasn't enough, Elephant Man jumped on stage for the finale singing "Pon Di River," which had Nicki Minaj jumping out her seat to dance.
Best New Artist and Best Hip Hop Artist winner Kendrick Lamar hit the stage three times performing his songs "M.A.A.D City" and "B*tch Don't Kill My Vibe" featuring Erykah Badu and "Problems" with A$AP Rocky and 2 Chainz.

One of the most unforgettable performances of the night began with Justin Timberlake presenting R&B legend Charlie Wilson with the Cadillac Lifetime Achievement Award. India. Arie opened the moving tribute to Wilson with "There Goes My Baby" while Jamie Foxx blessed the crowd with the favorite "Yearning For Your Love." The legendary Stevie Wonder then took the stage and energized the audience with the funky "Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)." Wilson joined Timberlake, Snoop Lion and Pharrell for 2003's "Beautiful," a hit that reintroduced Wilson to a new generation of fans along with knock-out renditions of "Signs," "You Dropped A Bomb On Me" and "Girl You Knock Me Out," bringing the crowd to its feet.

This year's show brought out nine Oscar-nominated actors, including winners, Jamie Foxx,Forest Whitaker and Stevie Wonder. Hollywood showed up for the BET Awards '13, including the cast members of the upcoming "The Best Man Holiday," Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, Sanaa Lathan, Terrence Howard, Regina Hall, Melissa De Sousa and Harold Perrineau. Forest Whitaker and Michael B. Jordan presented the award for Best Collaboration and spoke about their Sundance Film Festival winning, "Fruitvale Station." Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Meagan GoodandGabrielle Union, stars of the highly anticipated "Think Like A Man 2" also hit the BET Awards '13 stage.
The moving In Memoriam tributes during the live BET Awards '13 broadcast included Kris Kross' member Chris Kelly and blues singer Bobby "Blue" Bland.

The King of R&B, R. Kelly, surprised fans with a choir singing his hits acapella along the aisles of the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live. He sang a medley of his songs including "I Wish," "When a Woman's Fed Up," "Ignition (remix)" and more.

Q.U.E.E.N. of the night, Janelle Monae closed the show with a hot performance of her hit single with sultry singer Erykah Badu for a black and white fantasy, accompanied by a snow-white poodle.

In addition to all of these spectacular moments, the full list of BET AWARDS '13 winners are:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Rihanna

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Miguel

Best Group
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Collaboration
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar– Problems

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
Kendrick Lamar

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Nicki Minaj

Video of the Year
Drake – Started From The Bottom

Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom

Best New Artist
Kendrick Lamar

Best Gospel Artist
Mary Mary

Best Actress
Kerry Washington

Best Actor
Jamie Foxx

YoungStars Award
Gabrielle Douglas

Best Movie
Think Like A Man

Subway Sportswoman of the Year
Gabrielle Douglas

Subway Sportsman of the Year
LeBron James

Coca-Cola Viewers Choice Award
Drake – Started From The Bottom

Centric Award
Tamar Braxton– Love and War

Best International Act: Africa
Ice Prince (Nigeria)

Best International Act: UK
Emeli Sande

BET.com/BETAwards (http://www.bet.com/shows/bet-awards.html) is the official site for the BET Awards '13 and features content on nominees and award recipients. The microsite site will feature exciting interactive consumer elements and include information for ticket purchase, events, schedules and registration.
BET Mobile's official BET AWARDS app is now available on iPhone and Android devices with exclusive photo, video and interactive content. To download the app, visit:

http://www.bet.com/shows/bet-awards/2013/bet-awards-app.html.
Join the conversation on social media by following BET's multiple social media platforms, dedicated to the BET Awards:
On Twitter & Instagram: @BETAwards, Use hashtag: #BETAwards
On Facebook: facebook.com/TheBETAwards
On Tumblr: betawards.tumblr.com
The BET Awards '13 will premiere Tuesday, July 2^nd at 8 pm BST on BET's international network in the UK and Africa, reaching more than 13 million households in 50+ countries.
Encore times for the BET Awards '13
BET Encore #1:
Tuesday, July 2, 6:30 pm– 10 pm
BET Awards Encore #2:
Saturday, July 6, 8 pm– 11:30 pm
BET Awards Encore #3:
Thursday, July 11, 7:30 pm– 11 pm
Stephen G. Hill, BET's President of Music Programming and Specials, and Lynne Harris Taylor, BET's Vice President of Specials, will serve as Executive Producers for the BETAWARDS '13, in conjunction with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

*All times are ET/PT.

About BET Awards:
Established in 2001, the BET AWARDS continues to be one of the most watched awards shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company reaching an average of 7.5 million viewers annually. The franchise remains the #1 program in cable television history, among African-Americans. Each year, the BET AWARDS recognizes the distinguished achievements of artists, entertainers and athletes in a number of diverse categories, including film, music and sports.

About Jesse Collins Entertainment:
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service film and television production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. Over the past decade, Collins, the company's CEO, has played an integral role in producing some of television's most memorable moments in the music entertainment arena. Formerly Executive Producer/Executive Vice President of Cossette Productions, Collins has produced award winning television programming including the Grammy Awards, the BET Awards, BET Honors and BET's Rip the Runway and has worked with superstar talent such as Will Smith, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Kid Rock, Lil Wayne and many more.

About BET Networks:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET operates in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

SOURCE BET Networks

CONTACT: Marcy Polanco, BET Networks, marcy.polanco@bet.net, 212.975.4048; Zabrina Horton, BET Networks, zabrina.horton@bet.net, 310.481.3737; Simone Smalls / Danny Astoria, Simone Smalls PR, Inc., simone@simonesmallspr.com / danny@simonesmallspr.com, 917.388.3890; Michelle Huff / Kelley Jackson, HUFF Events & PR, michelle@huffent.com / kelley@huffent.com, 212.239.1732
Web Site: http://www.bet.com

Because of improvements in health care, sub-Saharan Africa has brought down the number of children who die before the age of five by 22 per cent since 1990. Photograph: UNDP - See more at: http://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/august-2010/africa%E2%80%99s-hard-road-millennium-development-goals#sthash.fEgQeV54.dpuf

1 Jul 2013 15:39 Africa/Lagos

Sub-Saharan Africa Continues Steady Progress on Millennium Development Goals

NEW YORKN, 1 July 2013 / PRNewswire Africa / - Building on impressive strides made, sub-Saharan Africa must continue to ramp up efforts towards achieving many of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by their 2015 target date, a new UN report says. The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013 launched today by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva, finds that sub-Saharan Africa has made steady progress for its 1 billion people, with fewer mothers and children dying, growing numbers of women in power and broadened access to health and education services, alongside sharp drops in malaria and tuberculosis deaths.

The eight Millennium Development Goals, with a number of sub-targets covering a range of poverty, hunger, health, gender equality, education and environmental indicators, were agreed by all countries as an outgrowth of the UN Millennium Summit in 2000, most with a due date of 2015.

The MDG Report 2013 emphasizes that progress for all children in sub-Saharan Africa is “within our grasp.” The region doubled its average rate of reduction of child deaths from 1.5 per cent a year in 1990-2000 to 3.1 per cent a year in 2000-2011, although it still has the highest child mortality rate in the world. From 1990 to 2011 for children under age five, the mortality rate dropped by 39 per cent (from 178 deaths per 1,000 live births to 109) and the proportion of those who are underweight dropped from 29 to 21 per cent. Some countries with high under-five death rates, including Ethiopia, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger and Rwanda, reported reductions of at least 60 per cent.

The report says steady progress has been made in expanding access to primary education in the region, with primary school enrolment rates increasing from 60 per cent to 77 per cent between 2000 and 2011.
Efforts to combat diseases are paying off in lives saved, as the region is on its way to halting the spread and reversing the incidence of tuberculosis and is making substantial progress battling malaria. One-third of children were sleeping under insecticide-treated nets in 2011, up from less than 5 per cent in 2000. Among developing regions, sub-Saharan Africa has the second highest access to HIV treatment – 56 per cent of people living with HIV received antiretroviral therapy in 2011.

However, sub-Saharan Africa remains the most severely affected area by HIV. Indicators for women are also improving. Despite having the highest maternal mortality ratio among all regions, sub-Saharan Africa saw mortality ratios fall by 41 per cent over the past two decades, from 850 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 500 in 2010.The report says the proportion of parliamentary seats held by women increased from 13 per cent in 2000 to 21 per cent in 2013, the second highest among all developing regions. Globally, one of the highest electoral gains for women in 2012 was seen in Senegal, where women took 43 per cent of parliamentary seats.

The proportion of the region's population using an improved water source increased from 49 per cent to 63 per cent between 1990 and 2011, according to the report. New sanitation policies adopted in recent years throughout the developing world have shown remarkable success in ending open defecation, a practice that poses serious health and environmental risks to individuals and entire communities. In almost 100 countries, many in sub-Saharan Africa, new approaches to sanitation have taken root and the number of declared ‘open-defecation-free villages' is rising .The proportion of the world's population resorting to open defecation declined from 24 per cent in 1990 to 15 per cent in 2011.

Building MDG momentum
Work to boost MDG achievement must continue to tackle some of the greatest challenges for the region, the report says. That includes bolstering development efforts to further reduce the poverty rate, which fell only 8 percentage points over the last two decades, and addressing the needs of 414 million people still living on less than $1.25 a day. Accelerated efforts are also needed to continue gains in combating HIV and to build on the momentum in fighting malaria through the use of insecticide-treated nets. The region had the world's highest child mortality rate and the second highest prevalence of underweight children among all regions in 2011. That year, one in nine children died before age five, more than 16 times the average for developed regions, accounting for 3.4 million of the 6.9 million under-five deaths worldwide.

The pace of change must accelerate even further if the MDG target is to be met, the report says, and efforts must concentrate on countries with the highest number of under-five deaths, such as Nigeria, and countries with the highest under-five death rates, such as Sierra Leone and Somalia, with rates of 180 or more per 1,000 live births.

With the region continuing to face rising demands for education from a growing population, the report says 32 million more children were of primary school age in 2011 than in 2000. Sub-Saharan Africa is also home to more than half the world's outof- school children of primary school age (32 million out of 57 million) and it has the highest rate worldwide of children leaving school early. Slightly more than two out of five students who started primary school in 2010 will not make it to the last grade. The report also calls for action to improve access to sanitation and the lives of slum dwellers. Between 1990 and 2011, the proportion of the population using an improved sanitation facility increased marginally from 26 per cent to 30 per cent, and the high proportion of slum dwellers dropped slightly—from 65 per cent in 2000 to 62 per cent in 2012.

At a time when renewed sets of commitments to the MDGs are being made, the report says aid is unfortunately lagging. The report states that bilateral net official development assistance to sub-Saharan Africa amounted to $26.2 billion in 2012, an 8 per cent drop from 2011. The current shift in aid away from the poorest countries and Africa, and towards middle-income countries, will continue, the recent survey suggests, with a greater share of aid being offered in the form of soft loans rather than grants.

The Millennium Development Goals Report, an annual assessment of global and regional progress towards the Goals, reflects the most comprehensive, up-to-date data compiled by over 27 UN and international agencies and is produced by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. A complete set of the data used to prepare the report is available at mdgs.un.org

SOURCE : United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund（UNTCEF）

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
2 Jul 2013
13:00	Regulatory Approvals, New Facilities and Contracts Boost Outlook for Oil & Gas Equipment and Services Companies - Research Report on Schlumberger, Halliburton, Oil States, FMC, and Oceaneering
1 Jul 2013
15:39	Sub-Saharan Africa Continues Steady Progress on Millennium Development Goals
15:20	IFC Launches Enterprise Governance Training for SMEs in the Africa Region

Story and directed by Jamie King WORLD PREMIERE EXCLUSIVELY AT MANDALAY BAY IN LAS VEGAS, JUNE 29

Writer/Director of "Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil" Jamie King arrives at the world premiere of the show at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay on June 29, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Cirque du Soleil)

Cirque du Soleil & the Estate of Michael Jackson present
MICHAELJACKSONONE

Story and directed by Jamie King

WORLDPREMIEREEXCLUSIVELY AT MANDALAYBAY IN LASVEGAS, JUNE 29

Las Vegas, June 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Cirque du Soleil and the Estate of Michael Jackson present tonight the world premiere of Michael Jackson ONE in Las Vegas, a new creation taking residency exclusively at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Directed by Jamie King, this entirely new show is the second creative project to be developed between Cirque du Soleil and The Estate of Michael Jackson after the top grossing Michael Jackson THEIMMORTALWorld Tour, currently playing arenas in Asia as it travels the world.

Model Claudia Barila and Cirque du Soleil founder and CEO Guy Laliberte arrive at the world premiere of "Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil" at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay on June 29, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Ci .

Celebrities joining the night’s red carpet event and after-party at Mandalay Beach included Guy Laliberté, Katherine Jackson, Prince Jackson, Blanket Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Tito Jackson, Justin Bieber, Neil Patrick Harris, Spike Lee, David Arquette, Allison Janney (The West Wing),Dulé Hill (The West Wing), Berry Gordy (founder of Motown Records), Ryan Kwanten (True Blood), Alfre Woodard, Roberto Cavalli (fashion designer), Pharrell Williams (GRAMMY Award winning musician/entrepreneur), Dot Jones (Glee), Rex Lee (Entourage), Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210), Jon Secada (singer), Dj Ashba (Guns N’ Roses, SIXX AM), Tom Higgenson (Plain White), Richard MacDonald (sculptor), Robert Griffin (NFL Washington Redskins), Jennette McCurdy, Jamie King (ONE Story Creator and Director), Welby Altidor (Director of Creation), Kevin Antunes (Musical Director), Jonathan Deans (Sound Designer), Zaldy Goco (Costume Designer), Nathalie Gagné(Makeup Designer), Ivan “Flipz” Velez (Choreographer), Rich and Tone Talauega (Choreographers) and local entertainers including Carrot Top, Jeff Beacher, Jabbawockeez, Clint Holmes, Human Nature and Justin Mortelliti, Mark Shunock and Carrie St. Louis ofRock of Ages.
Creative Team: Jamie King (ONE Story Creator and Director), Welby Altidor (Director of Creation), Kevin Antunes (Musical Director), Jonathan Deans (Sound Designer), Zaldy Goco (Costume Designer), Nathalie Gagné(Makeup Designer), Ivan “Flipz” Velez (Choreographer), Rich and Tone Talauega (Choreographers).

Prince Jackson and Katherine Jackson at Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil. (PRNewsFoto/Cirque du Soleil)

The show
Michael Jackson ONE is a sonic, tonic fusion of acrobatics, dance and visuals that takes the audience on an immersive journey through the music and spirit of Michael Jackson.
Driven by Michael’s powerful, multi-layered music – heard like never before in a riveting, state-of-the-art surround-sound environment – ONE takes the audience through a series of seamless visual and musical tableaux, at the heart of a world that is in turn majestic, playful, magical and heart-warming.
In Michael Jackson ONE, Michael’s artistry and spirit are expressed through the vibrant energy of the cast of 63 dancers and performers, underscored by aerial performance, driving acrobatics, and vivid choreographies that use the urban/hip hop idiom as a springboard for exploration.
ONE is a heartfelt tribute to the work, innovative spirit, and legacy of Michael Jackson – the King of Pop, the genius, the visionary, the One.

The name
Michael Jackson believed that all people are unique and equal, regardless of race or culture. His message was one of unity, harmony and hope for a better world. At once evocative and enigmatic, the name Michael Jackson ONE also presents a paradox: Michael was a multifaceted artist who strove to fuse together various musical styles and art forms. It is a fitting title for a unifying journey into the world of the King of Pop, the genius, the visionary, the One.

Along with Jamie King—who started his career as a dancer on Michael’s Dangerous World Tour and also directed the arena touring show Michael Jackson THEIMMORTALWorld Tourby Cirque du Soleil—Michael Jackson ONEwill bring together the creative minds behind the Michael Jackson Estate, John Branca and John McClain, and the diverse talents of the following creators:

Guy Laliberté – Creative Guide
Jean-François Bouchard – Chief Creative Content Officer
Jamie King – Writer and Director
Welby Altidor – Director of Creation
Carla Kama – Associate Director
Kevin Antunes – Musical Director
François Séguin – Set and Props Designer
Zaldy Goco – Costume Designer
Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon – Creators for the scene Man in the Mirror
Travis Payne – Choreographer
Rich and Tone Talauega – Choreographers
Parris Goebel – Choreographer
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui – Choreographer
Ivan « Flipz » Velez – Choreographer
Olivier Simola – Choreographer
Rob Bollinger – Acrobatic Performance Designer
Germain Guillemot – Acrobatic Performance Designer
Ben Potvin – Acrobatic Choreographer
Andrea Ziegler – Acrobatic Choreographer
Raymond St-Jean – Projections Designer
Jimmy Lakatos – Projections Designer
David Finn – Lighting Designer
Jonathan Deans – Sound Designer
Pierre Masse – Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer
Nathalie Gagné – Makeup Designer
Brian Drader – Dramaturge
Manon Beaudoin – Characters’ Guide
Henry Fong – Illustrator
Dago Gonzalez – Image Content Designer

CREATORS’ BIOSANDSHOWIMAGES:Creators’ bios and show images are available in our press room:http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/press/kits/shows/michael-jackson-one.aspx

Preview performances for Michael Jackson ONE will begin on May 23 at Mandalay Bay.

PERFORMANCESSCHEDULE:

Starting July 1, performances are Saturday to Wednesday at 7:00pm and 10:00pm.
Starting September 3, performances are Saturday to Wednesday at 7:00pm and 9:30pm.
There are no performances on Thursdays and Fridays.

TO RESERVETICKETS:

Call 877.632.7400 or 800-745-3000
Go to www.cirquedusoleil.com/mjone or www.mandalaybay.com
Visit the Michael Jackson ONE box office, the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office, or any of the MGM Resorts International box offices.

TICKETPRICES:

$69, $99, $130, $140, $155, plus LIMITED Golden Circle seating. Prices do not include tax or fees.
Starting September 7, Saturday performance prices $69, $99, $130, $160, plus LIMITED Golden Circle seating. Prices do not include tax or fees.
Tickets are available 120 days in advance of the performance date.

Like Michael Jackson ONE on Facebook or Tweet us: @Cirque #MJOne.

Cirque du Soleil
Michael Jackson ONEis Cirque du Soleil’s 8th production in Las Vegas since Mystère in 1993. The company has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in more than 300 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,000 performing artists from close to 50 different countries.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
To find out more about the ONEDROP Foundation, visit www.onedrop.org.

Media contact:
Jeff Lovari
Cirque du Soleil
(702) 632-4712
jeff.lovari@cirquedusoleil.com

Photo Credit: Nigeria Intel>

2 Jul 2013 13:51 Africa/Lagos

2025: UNITED BEHIND THE AFRICAN AGENDA TO ERADICATE HUNGER

High-level Meeting adopts Declaration for unified and focused action by all to end hunger and malnutrition by 2025

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 1 July 2013 / - Heads of State and Government of African Union Member States, together with representatives of international organizations, civil society organizations, private sector, cooperatives, farmers, youths, academia and other partners have unanimously adopted a Declaration to end hunger in Africa by 2025.

The declaration calls for a combination of policies to promote sustainable agricultural development with social protection, for a budgetary allocation focused on the poor and recognizes the importance of non-state actors to ensure food security.

The document also reaffirms their determination to accelerate the implementation of the Maputo Declaration (July 2003) on Agriculture and Food Security in Africa as outlined within the CAADP (Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme) framework.

African Heads of State and Government met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 1st July 2013 to decide on innovative and actionable measures to put an end to hunger in Africa. The High Level Meeting of African and International Leaders on a Renewed Partnership for a Unified Approach to end Hunger in Africa by 2025 within the CAADP Framework took place at the initiative of the African Union, FAO, and the Lula Institute along with broad non-state actors.

The decisions made at the High-Level Meeting will be discussed by the African Union Assembly said the African Union Commission Chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Steady progress and success stories

 “To date, ten of the 54 AU Member States have reached the target of allocating at least 10% of public investment in agriculture. Among them are Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Niger and Senegal who have already exceeded the target,” said AU Commission Chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

“According to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) Planning Agency, to date ten countries have exceeded the CAADP target of 6% growth in agricultural production (Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, The Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania) and another four have achieved growth of between 5 and 6 per cent,” said Dr Dlamini-Zuma.
In June, the FAO's 38th Conference recognized 38 countries in the world, 11 from Africa, for achieving the Millennium Development Goal target of reducing hunger between 1990 and 2015 three years before the deadline. They are Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Djibouti, Ghana, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe and Togo

Three countries - Djibouti, Ghana, and Sao Tome and Principe - have also met the even more ambitious 1996 World Food Summit goal to reduce by half the total number of hungry.
\
According to the CEO of the NEPAD Agency, Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, to date nine countries had exceeded the target of 6% agricultural production growth (Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania) while and another four have achieved average growth of between 5 and 6 per cent.

The former President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, reinforced the importance of political commitment to end hunger: “Those people who are hungry are often not organized; they do not belong to unions, do not have the strength to protest and do not even have the strength to say they are hungry”.

“If the State does not take care of these people, the national budgets will be fully directed to the organized sectors of the society. Therefore, the government needs to earmark a part of the budget for the poor. If this is not done, the problem of hunger will not be solved today, or by 2025, or never.”

Harnessing Africa's great potential
The High Level Meeting of African and international leaders acknowledged that the African region is witnessing economic growth of unprecedented proportions, with a young population and vast natural resources, committed to a roadmap to be implemented primarily with our own resources and with technical assistance and called upon development partners to strengthen their partnerships.

Aligning with the Zero Hunger Challenge launched by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in 2012, the Heads of State and Government and non-state actors recognized the great potential for African agricultural development, the growing youth population and the availability of large land and water resources with agricultural production, crops, including livestock, fisheries and forestry.

Addressing the Addis Ababa meeting, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva highlighted the need for an integral approach to promote food security.

“To achieve food security in a sustainable way, we must work with small-scale producers, helping them increase production and productivity, but we also need to look at access to food, and ensure that poor families have the means to produce the food they need or earn the income needed to buy their food.”
“FAO is ready to rally behind African leadership to meet the goal of ending hunger in Africa,” affirmed Graziano da Silva

Roadmap
In line with this goal, the African Union has declared 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security. Every three years, countries that make significant progress and efforts toward eradicating hunger by 2025 will receive an Award during the African Union Summit.

In recognition of the role that agriculture, as a whole and family production in particular, plays in food security, 2014 has also been declared by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Year of Family Farming.

Dlamini-Zuma also welcomed the partnership between the African Union Commission, FAO and Lula Institute to promote food security in Africa.

"African Union Commission cherishes its collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Lula Institute in forging a renewed partnership to end hunger in Africa by 2025. This is not the first time the African Union is collaborating with the FAO," Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, told the Assembly today.  

"Africa also has long historical and cultural ties with Brazil, and in recent years these ties have been expanded to the scientific field, since we share some similar agro-ecological environments," she added.
SOURCE : African Union

What happened in Egypt was not a military coup and is wrong to call it a coup, because what happened is the second Egyptian revolution of the supremacy of democracy, the freedom of expression of the people who in majority trooped to the streets and to Tahrir Square in Cairo to demand a change of government and the only way they could achieve that so quickly as they wished was for the Egyptian army to intervene to restore peace and order. When two years ago the same Egyptian army watched as thousands thronged the same Tahrir Square to topple dictator Hosni Mubarak, was it a coup? The same majority of Egyptians have done it again to topple President Mohamed Morsi of the Islamic Muslim Brotherhood government. So, it is stupid and wrong to call it a military coup d'etat.

~ Nigerians Report

The Tower Magazine's July Issue Takes On The Future Of Lebanon, Turkey's Brutal Attacks On Democratic Demonstrators, Israel's Revolutionary Oil Technology, And A Plan For Saving Syria By Redrawing Its Borders

The Tower Magazine (TheTower.org/MAGAZINE), The Only Digital Long-Form Dedicated to the Middle East, Launches its JULY issue, Featuring:

Michael J. Totten interviews leaders of Lebanon's Sunni, Christian and Druze movements, who say they believe in peace with Israel and ALL their neighbors

Claire Berlinski, Oxford-trained author of books on Europe and Margaret Thatcher, gives a stunning first-hand account of the brutality in Istanbul and shows how Turkey is descending into dictatorship

Middle-East Historian Gabriel Scheinmann argues that the key to stopping the bloodshed in the Middle East is to break it up according to ethnic lines—like Yugoslavia and the Former Soviet Union

Plus: Uncovering the Secret of Israel's 100 Billion Barrels of Untapped Oil; Photo Tour and exploration of the ancient-modern city of Acre, as a model of co-existence between Arabs and Jews; and an Exclusive Interview with Tel Aviv's Rising Literary Star, Ido Angel

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Tower Magazine—the ONLY long-form monthly focused exclusively on the Middle East—announced its July Issue featuring Michael Totten on "Dreaming of a Lebanon Without War," Oxford-trained scholar-journalist Claire Berlinksi on "The Gezi Diaries: Can We Still Call Turkey Civilized?" and the untold story of Israel's 100 billion barrels-worth of oil shale that stands to transform global energy. The July Issue is available for free at TheTower.org/MAGAZINE.

"The Tower Magazine pulls the curtain back on the Middle East, with top journalists and scholars delving into the region in long form," says The Tower magazine editor, David Hazony. "The result is fascinating, compelling and sometimes shocking reportage on the unseen sides of this region."
In the July Issue, award-winning journalist Michael Totten heads to Beirut for exclusive on-the-record sit downs with the country's most influential voices, including Samy Gemayel—son of former Lebanese president Amine Gemayel—who makes shocking revelations about Lebanon's prospects of peace with Israel.

"There is no excuse," Gemayel reveals to Totten, "why Egypt is allowed to have a peace treaty with Israel while we [in Lebanon] cannot negotiate for an armistice. Why can Jordan have a peace treaty while we also cannot negotiate for an armistice? Even Syria, without a peace treaty, has had peaceful relations with Israel since 1974. Why can't we?"

The Tower Magazine July Issue also features Oxford-trained scholar, journalist and Turkey expert Claire Berlinski with the full story on Turkey's Taksim Square protests, along with her own run-ins with the brutal Turkish security forces. Berlinski looks far beyond Gezi Park and all the way to Turkey's conflicting roots to explain where Turkey is today, and how it may be headed down the dark path of dictatorship.
Energy expert Daniel Fink reports on Israel's discovery of more than 100 billion barrels of oil shale beneath the Holy Land to explore what that means for global energy. Fink takes a glimpse into Israel Energy Initiatives, the cutting-edge company headed by former IDF generals and a former US Vice President, developing the world's most advanced oil shale technology.

The Tower July Issue also introduces US readers to Tel Aviv's rising literary star, Ido Angel, in an exclusive interview about the new generation of Israeli novelists, the death of the cultural old guard, and why only Israel could produce the show that led to the hit series "Homeland."

The Tower's photographer, leading Israeli fine art photographer Aviram Valdman, explores former Templar stronghold and modern-day city of Acre in a stunning photo, while Neri Zilber showcases the city's buzzed-about new boutique hotel, the Efendi—and shows how Acre can be a model of Jewish-Arab coexistence.

The Tower magazine has made waves with long-form pieces like National Magazine Award Winner Dahlia Lithwick's emotional exploration of raising children amid gun violence in America vs. terrorism in Israel, and Zvika Krieger's look at gay parenting in the Jewish State. Monocle's Tel Aviv correspondent Adi Schwartz blew open the report on Palestinian and Israeli school texts, and Liam Hoare has exposed Scandinavia's new anti-Semitism.

According to The Daily Beast/Newsweek, The Tower "is emerging as an indispensable new English-language source on Israel and the Middle East."
Each monthly issue of The Tower magazineincludes a photo essay by leading Israeli fine art photographer, Aviram Valdman, whose work is exhibited at the Israel Museum and Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

About The Tower Magazine
The Tower magazine is a digital, long-form monthly published by the Washington-based Israel Project and devoted exclusively to Israel and the Middle East. With essays and exposés ranging from 2,500 to 6,000 words, The Tower's leading writers from around the globe explore the issues that are changing the world's most challenging and exciting region. The Tower magazine is led by Editor David Hazony.

TheTower.org/MAGAZINE.
SOURCE The Tower Magazine

CONTACT: Nicolla Hewitt, 1-917-770-3166, nh@nicollahewitt.com

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The Tower Magazine (TheTower.org/MAGAZINE), The Only Digital Long-Form Dedicated to the Middle East, Launches its JULY issue, Featuring:

Michael J. Totten interviews leaders of Lebanon's Sunni, Christian and Druze movements, who say they believe in peace with Israel and ALL their neighbors

Claire Berlinski, Oxford-trained author of books on Europe and Margaret Thatcher, gives a stunning first-hand account of the brutality in Istanbul and shows how Turkey is descending into dictatorship

Middle-East Historian Gabriel Scheinmann argues that the key to stopping the bloodshed in the Middle East is to break it up according to ethnic lines—like Yugoslavia and the Former Soviet Union

Plus: Uncovering the Secret of Israel's 100 Billion Barrels of Untapped Oil; Photo Tour and exploration of the ancient-modern city of Acre, as a model of co-existence between Arabs and Jews; and an Exclusive Interview with Tel Aviv's Rising Literary Star, Ido Angel

900 participants arrive in Edinburgh, Scotland for four-day program featuring 79 talks, performances, and innovative demonstrations

Company Adds 19 Stations in 16 Markets, Making Tribune the #1 Local TV Affiliate Group in America

CHRIS TUCKER HOSTS BLOCKBUSTER SHOW WITH ALL-STAR LINE-UP OF PERFORMERS, PRESENTERS AND SPECIAL APPEARANCES

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, JAMIE FOXX, SNOOP DOGG, STEVIE WONDER, PHARRELL AND INDIA.ARIE SALUTE CHARLIE WILSON IN THE CADILLAC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT TRIBUTE

ACADEMY AWARD-WINNERS FOREST WHITAKER, JAMIE FOXX AND STEVIE WONDER ATTEND BET AWARDS '13

MARIAH CAREY PERFORMS HIT NEW SINGLE #BEAUTIFUL FEATURING MIGUEL AND YOUNG JEEZY

KENDRICK LAMAR, DRAKE AND OLYMPIC MEDALIST GABRIELLE DOUGLAS EACH WIN TWO BET AWARDS

MIAMI HEAT STAR DWYANE WADE RECEIVES HUMANITARIAN AWARD PRESENTED BY STATE FARM

Cirque du Soleil & the Estate of Michael Jackson present MICHAELJACKSONONE

Story and directed by Jamie King

WORLDPREMIEREEXCLUSIVELY AT MANDALAYBAY IN LASVEGAS, JUNE 29

The Tower Magazine (TheTower.org/MAGAZINE), The Only Digital Long-Form Dedicated to the Middle East, Launches its JULY issue, Featuring:

Michael J. Totten interviews leaders of Lebanon's Sunni, Christian and Druze movements, who say they believe in peace with Israel and ALL their neighbors

Claire Berlinski, Oxford-trained author of books on Europe and Margaret Thatcher, gives a stunning first-hand account of the brutality in Istanbul and shows how Turkey is descending into dictatorship

Middle-East Historian Gabriel Scheinmann argues that the key to stopping the bloodshed in the Middle East is to break it up according to ethnic lines—like Yugoslavia and the Former Soviet Union

Plus: Uncovering the Secret of Israel's 100 Billion Barrels of Untapped Oil; Photo Tour and exploration of the ancient-modern city of Acre, as a model of co-existence between Arabs and Jews; and an Exclusive Interview with Tel Aviv's Rising Literary Star, Ido Angel

Cirque du Soleil & the Estate of Michael Jackson present
MICHAELJACKSONONE