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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
UN Security Council Tackles Piracy and Maritime Robbery in Gulf of Guinea
Gulf of Guinea / Piracy / Statement read by the President of the UN Security Council on piracy and maritime armed robbery in Gulf of Guinea
NEW YORK, August 30, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The members of the Security Council were briefed by Mr. B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on the issue of piracy and maritime armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of West Africa on 23 August 2011.
The members of the Security Council expressed concern over the increase in piracy, maritime armed robbery and reports of hostage-taking in the Gulf of Guinea and its damaging impact on security, trade and economic activities in the sub-region.
The members of the Security Council noted the efforts being made by countries in the Gulf of Guinea to tackle the problem including the launching of joint efforts to patrol these waters including efforts by Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, off the coast of Benin as well as plans to convene a summit of Gulf of Guinea Heads of State to discuss a regional response. In this context, members of the Council underlined the need for regional coordination and leadership in developing a comprehensive strategy to address this threat.
Recognizing the leadership role of the regional bodies and states on this issue, the members of the Security Council called on the international community to support the concerned countries, ECOWAS, ECCAS and other relevant organizations, as appropriate, in securing international navigation along the Gulf of Guinea including through information exchange, improved coordination and capacity building.
The members of the Security Council noted the intention of the Secretary General to deploy a United Nations assessment mission to examine the situation and explore possible options for UN support. The members of the Security Council also stressed the need for UNOWA and UNOCA to work, within their current mandates, with UNODC and IMO, as well as with all concerned countries and regional organizations.
Source: Presidency of the UN Security Council
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Angelina Jolie's writes and directs first film
Famous American actress Angelina Jolie's thrilling new film In the Land of Blood and Honey, which she admits has changed her view on acting is her baptism of fire as a director and screenwriter.
She said her beau Brad Pitt thought she was going to have nightmares on location. But “I had such a good experience he thinks I'm going to be impatient with directors, which I already am. I get impatient with people working on a film that have their head in their hands like it's the most complicated thing in the world."
I had the flu," Jolie says. "I had to be quarantined from the children for two days. I was in the attic of a house in France. I was isolated, pacing. I don't watch TV and I wasn't reading anything. So I started writing. I went from the beginning to the end. I didn't know any other way."
Angelina Jolie having her baptême du feu directing In the Land of Blood and Honey.
"I've never felt more exposed. My whole career, I've hidden behind other people's words," said Angelina and also dismissed the pregnancy and secret wedding rumours.
"I'm not pregnant. I'm not adopting at the moment. And no secret wedding," she said boldly.
Jolie is twice married and divorced from actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton before settling down with Brad Pitt with whom she has three adopted children, Maddox, Pax, and Zahara, and three biological children, Shiloh, Knox and and Vivienne.
In the Land of Blood and Honey is a thrilling love story during the traumatic Bosnian Civil War in the early 1990s and produced in both in English and the Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian language known as BCS. The film is expected to be released on December 23, 2011.
You will read the complete exclusive interview in the October issue of Vanity Fair.
~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
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The Sunday Times Launches New Android Tablet App
30 Aug 2011 12:01 Africa/Lagos
The Sunday Times Launches New Android Tablet App
LONDON, August 30, 2011/PRNewswire/ --
This week The Sunday Times' award-winning app edition becomes available for the first time on Android tablet devices. The new Android tablet app is the latest addition to The Sunday Times' digital portfolio, following the hugely successful Sunday Times iPad app, which has been voted Newspaper App of the Year* and the World's No.1 Newspaper and Magazine app**.
The new Android tablet app includes all 12 sections of Britain's biggest and best-selling quality newspaper, with exclusive video and stunning photography, interactive graphics, high definition slideshows plus live and updated news and sport results.
Tristan Davies, Executive Editor of The Sunday Times says, 'We are delighted to launch our full app edition in the Android Marketplace. The Sunday Times Android tablet edition has all the qualities of design and interactivity that have made our iPad edition the world's leading newspaper and magazine app. Now owners of Galaxies, Xooms and other Android Honeycomb devices can enjoy a fully immersive, page-turning reading experience designed specifically for touch-screen tablets.'
The Android tablet app is available via The Times and Sunday Times newspaper and digital subscription packages. The digital subscription is only GBP1 for the first 30 days, then GBP2 per week thereafter. You can download a sample edition of the Android tablet app free via the Android Marketplace.
To find out more about The Sunday Times Android app, please visit http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/android [http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/android/article702816.ece?CMP=KNGvccp1-AndroidApp ]
To find out more about The Sunday Times iPad app, please visit http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/ipad [http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/iPad/?CMP=KNGvccp1-AndroidAppiPad ]
* 2011 Newspaper Awards ** iMonitor annual survey
Source: News International
For further information please contact Laura Belcher at VCCP: laurabe@vccp.com, +44(0)7889-604684
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
How Smartphones Are Changing How People Respond To Emergencies
25 Aug 2011 15:37 Africa/Lagos
How Smartphones Are Changing How People and Disaster Experts Respond To Emergencies
allRisk says Smartphones Becoming a Necessity for Disasters
PR Newswire
SOMERDALE, N.J., Aug. 25, 2011
SOMERDALE, N.J., Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- August has been a busy month for regional disaster experts, allRisk Inc. (www.teamallrisk.com). So far, a recent record-breaking rain led a New Jersey state university to hire the company to perform emergency water mitigation in areas where total repair estimates have reached $1.4 million.
Cleanup from the massive flood needed to be completed within days, before students returned for fall classes. With Hurricane Irene upgraded in intensity, and on track to hit the area this weekend the company expects to be even busier.
allRisk is in a "war room" mode, as they prepare to respond to what they anticipate to be a large volume of calls and texts for emergency help -- some from people with smartphones.
The increasing use of smartphone technology not only helps people to cope in emergency situations through calls, texts, emails and social network communication, but in other less obvious ways, thanks to thousands of unique apps.
"After food and water, smartphones during an emergency are a must for the variety of ways in which you can communicate," says allRisk Inc. President Dean Ragone. "However, with apps that have a flashlight light, a strobe and S.O.S abilities, apps to tune in radio with 40,000 stations, fire and police scanner apps, and a weather app to NOAA, smartphones are changing the way we respond to these emergencies."
In addition to having extra cell batteries, Ragone also recommends that people should use their phones to take pictures and video of their homes and businesses before and after a storm for insurance purpose. He also believes it is important to have a 9-1-1 app and one for Twitter so that you can be informed about what is going on outside your environment, and to inform others about what is happening where you are.
Ragone believes smartphones over the course of the next few years will be a necessity, along with food and water.
"A smartphone will also be a replacement for cash, and you can use it like a debit card," he says. "There are also book apps for reading and if you have an urge to pray, there is a Rosary app," says Ragone.
While Ragone has faith in the effectiveness of smartphones, he also notes that during 9/11 and the recent earthquake some phone lines didn't work or became overloaded, yet most text messages and social media connections seemed unaffected, he said.
"Office or family emergency kits should always contain a radio with batteries to ensure communications from the outside world," Ragone said.
Ragone urges his business and professional trade association clients to consider investing in low-cost ham radio training in the event of a communications blackout.
The Salvation Army, for example, operates an emergency radio network, SATERN, that volunteers monitor and share messages and information related to health and welfare during emergencies.
With a firm grasp on smartphone technology and emergency disaster restoration, Ragone says his disaster staff of 70-plus are waiting for that next phone call or text that propels them into action.
allRisk is a 24/7 emergency response company, and one of the largest and best-equipped property damage firms on the East Coast. The company specializes in commercial property damage restoration, general construction (restoration and tenant fit-out) and environmental remediation. Their expertise includes repairs of damage caused by fire, flood, structural failures and mold.
For more information about how to plan for a disaster or about how allRisk plans for one, contact Christine Messina at 877-247-5252, christine@allriskinc.com or www.teamallrisk.com.
SOURCE allRisk Inc.
CONTACT: Tom Peric, +1-856-874-0049, tom@thegalileo.com
Web Site: http://www.teamallrisk.com
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Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Top 500 America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies
The Inc. 500 Global Map
America’s fastest-growing companies are also increasingly global. From Canada to New Zealand, see the extent to which Inc. 500 companies are active in specific regions.Top 10 Female Entrepreneurs
From healthcare to baby food to technology consulting, these female entrepreneurs have forged their way to the top of their fields.
More Slideshows: Diversity
Top 10 Companies by Growth Rate
From selling designer apparel to designing the hottest nightclubs, the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 500 share their secrets to rapid growth.
More Slideshows: Growth
More Slideshows: Jobs
23 Aug 2011 21:43 Africa/Lagos
Inc. Magazine Unveils Its Annual Exclusive List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies—the Inc. 500|5000
ConnectWise Ranks No. 2470 on the 2011 Inc. 500|5000 with Three-Year Sales Growth of 95%
PR Newswire
NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2011
NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine today ranked ConnectWise number 2470 on its fifth annual Inc. 500|5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America's independent entrepreneurs. Online retailer ideeli tops this year's list. ConnectWise joins Spirit Airlines, television maker Vizio, Honest Tea, Dunkin Donuts and Metrokane, makers of the Rabbit corkscrew, among other prominent brands featured on this year's list. ConnectWise ranked number 173 among software companies, and made the list for the 4th consecutive year.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100105/FL32155LOGO)
In a stagnant economic environment, median growth rate of 2011 Inc. 500|5000 companies remains an impressive 94 percent. The companies on this year's list report having created 350,000 jobs in the past three years, and aggregate revenue among the honorees reached $366 billion, up 14 percent from last year.
"Unlike other recognition that honors the products and people of ConnectWise, companies on the Inc. 5000 represent success in achieving growth in profits and jobs," said Arnie Bellini, ConnectWise CEO. "Our growth is a direct result of providing the IT Nation with superior tools, knowledge, services and support so our partners can themselves realize greater efficiency, profitability, customer satisfaction and retention."
Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/5000.
Methodology
The 2011 Inc. 500 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2007 to 2010. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2007. Additionally, they had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2010. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2007 is $100,000; the minimum for 2010 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at www.inc.com/500.
About Inc. Magazine
Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures LLC, Inc. ( www.inc.com ) is the only major business magazine dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies that delivers real solutions for today's innovative company builders. With a total paid circulation of 710,106, Inc. provides hands-on tools and market-tested strategies for managing people, finances, sales, marketing, and technology. Visit us online at www.inc.com.
About the Inc. 500|5000 Conference
Each year, Inc. and Inc.com celebrate the remarkable achievements of today's entrepreneurial superstars—the privately held small businesses that drive our economy. The Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony brings together members of the Inc. community, both a new class of Inc. 500|5000 honorees and the list's alumni, for three days of powerful networking, inspired learning, and momentous celebration. Please join us September 22–24, 2011, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, located minutes from downtown Washington, D.C. For more information about the 2011 Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony and to register, visit www.inc500conference.com or call 866-901-3205.
About ConnectWise
Designed exclusively for the IT Channel, ConnectWise is the leading business management solution for service providers, MSPs, technology consultants, integrators, and developers. Today more than 56,000 IT professionals rely on ConnectWise to achieve greater accountability, operational efficiency and profitability. ConnectWise fully integrates CRM, sales, help desk ticket and tracking, project tracking, IT service management, SLAs, dispatch scheduling, mobile IT services, time and expenses into a singular IT management software to dramatically streamline IT companies. Over the last 29 years, ConnectWise has become the premier business operating system for IT solution providers. ConnectWise APIs are accessed by over 300 organizations, including ConnectWise partners and industry leaders of the IT Nation. For more information visit www.ConnectWise.com or call 800-671-6898.
All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE ConnectWise
CONTACT: Mark Smith of JPR Communications, +1-818-884-8282, marks@jprcom.com, Skype: jprmark
Web Site: http://www.ConnectWise.com
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