No other company better understands how to bring the crowdsourcing model to life for premium brands. To learn more about 'No Boundaries, Better Results' and how Arise Virtual Solutions can help you, please visit www.arise.com.

— WebWireID175106 —

IBERDROLA has entered into the Pact on Biodiversity promoted by the Fundación Biodiversidad, which is seconded to the Ministry of Agriculture, Foodstuffs and Environment, to show the company's commitment to environmental conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity.

By entering into this declaration, organised under the auspices of the Spanish Enterprise and Biodiversity Initiative (IEEB), IBERDROLA, the Fundación Biodiversidad and the other signatories intend to promote an economic development that is compatible with biodiversity conservation, thereby creating a strong framework for cooperation between major companies and the Administration so that they can work together to enhance and preserve Spain's natural capital.

The company therefore undertakes to continue to incorporate biodiversity into its corporate policy, identify new business strategies linked to conservation and continue to develop practices that are more efficient, sustainable and responsible in terms of conservation.

IBERDROLA will also work on disseminating its progress in this field in order to showcase previous experiences and encourage new initiatives, while also advising other groups that wish to invest in biodiversity conservation projects.

By entering into this Pact on Biodiversity, the company has ratified its firm commitment to sustainable development in general and to improving its environmental management with a view to promoting environmental conservation in particular.

In this regard, IBERDROLA already has a Biodiversity Policy in place, geared towards ensuring that the various levels in the Group's organisation gradually integrate analysis of effects and measures designed to safeguard biodiversity conservation when planning and implementing their initiatives.

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Your gestures also count to care biodiversity. Participate! (http://www.iberdrola.es/webibd/corporativa/iberdrola?IDPAG=ENWEBRESINDINIMEDCOP15B)

— WebWireID175098 —

How Does it Work?
To register, members of the military community must register for the Rewards Program with Working Persons Store. They will then verify their military credentials within the troop ID widget.  Once verified, the military identity will be attached to the shoppers' Working Person's Store Rewards Program account, giving them a 10 percent discount every time they shop.

Working Person's Store is proud to announce that they now support the Troop ID program. The military shopper will receive 150 rewards points on their Working Person's Store account when they sign up. Eric Deniger, CEO of Working Person's store and military veteran said, 'We are excited to take part in such a positive program and to give back to our troops and their families who do so much for our great country.'
 
About Troop ID:
Troop ID is the first digital authentication engine for verifying military affiliation, helping brands offer military discounts to online shoppers. With Troop ID's secure authentication process, retailers can be sure that they are offering online benefits to those that have earned them and members of the military and their families can be confident that they are getting the best deals, without compromising their online identity. For more information, please visit www.TroopID.com.

About the Rewards Program:
The Rewards Program for Working Person's Store is an easy way to earn rewards by doing things people already do. It rewards points to customers for reviewing products, as well as sharing Working Person's Store and their products through social media sites such as Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. Rewards are also given for purchasing products through the website.

About Working Person's Store:
Since 1995, Working Person's Store has been on a singular mission: deliver the very best in name-brand work apparel at the lowest prices, with a commitment to honesty and customer service. Today, specializing in brands that work, and backed by a 120% Price Protection Guarantee, Working Person's Store is a leading online retailer of quality name-brand workwear, work footwear and safety gear. Working Person's Store was recognized as one of the country's fastest growing privately-held businesses with an award-winning website, www.workingperson.com.

Featuring top brands such as Carhartt, Wolverine, Dickies, Under Armour, Timberland PRO, Dr. Martens, Dingo, Carolina Shoes, Wrangler and more. Working Person's Store is based out of Lakeville, Indiana.

— WebWireID175058 —

'RSuite CMS has been a supporting member of SSP and an exhibitor at the annual conference since 2008,' stated Jeff Wood, vice president, business development at RSuite CMS. 'Scholarly publishing is complex and RSuite CMS was created to address the needs of this community---metadata management, XML early workflows, searchable repository, etc."

Since 2007, RSuite CMS has helped the world's leading scholarly publishers manage, produce, transform, and distribute content for books, journals, and digital media. Company representatives will be available at booth 213 to discuss specific publishing needs and demonstrate the latest version of the software.

For more information about RSuite CMS or to schedule a demo at the Society for Scholarly Publishing conference, please email info@rsicms.com.

About RSI Content Solutions
RSI Content Solutions accelerates publishers' revenue and profit growth through better content management. Since 2000, RSI Content Solutions has provided publishers, media companies, and technical publishers with award-winning software solutions that transform their businesses to provide clients with the ability to deliver content in any format, to any channel, at any time. RSI Content Solutions products include RSuite CMS—a content management system for publishers and DocZone DITA—a SaaS XML component content management system for technical publishers. For more information, please visit www.rsicms.com.

— WebWireID175053 —

Heavy clashes have been reported in Qusayr, a city near the Lebanese border, with a population of some 30,000. Between 12,000 and 20,000 people, many of them children, are thought to still be inside the city.

In recent days, hundreds of families have fled into Lebanon and various areas in Syria. UNICEF, other UN agencies and partners are providing much needed humanitarian assistance including food, clothes and hygiene kits to many of those who have been displaced.

In Hasiaa close to Homs, UNICEF and partners are supporting some 500 families made up of women, children and elderly from Qusayr and nearby villages.

They are joining an additional 1,144 families who had previously fled Qusayr where fighting has flared over the past month.

Many of the families left at night with little or no possessions. Aside from providing clothing and hygiene kits, UNICEF and partners will also start trucking in critically needed water and improve the sanitation in the coming days.

The situation is desperate. Hasiaa gets cold at night and sporadic rains have made life for children and the weakest particularly precarious as families struggle to find shelter in the area. Many have cramped into two schools, unfinished buildings and tents.

UNICEF has repeatedly called on all parties to comply with their international legal obligations and respect the sanctity of children's lives. The continued brutal violence in Syria is causing extreme human suffering and loss of life.

Since March 2011, some 4.25 million people, nearly half of them children, have been displaced inside Syria and an additional 1.5 million people have fled to neighbouring countries and are in need of humanitarian assistance.

###
About UNICEF

UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

— WebWireID175040 —

Meeting in Brussels, the day before the European Council focused on energy and tax fraud on 22 May 2013, the CEOs of eight European energy companies have drawn to the attention of EU leaders the urgent need to tackle the perilous situation facing the European energy sector.

CEOs of eight European energy companies (Fulvio CONTI, Gertjan LANKHORST, Gérard MESTRALLET, Ignacio GALAN, Paolo SCARONI, Peter TERIUM, Johannes TEYSSEN, Rafael VILLASECA MARCO¹) have drawn to the attention of EU leaders the urgent need to tackle the perilous situation facing the European energy sector.

Meeting in Brussels, the day before the European Council focused on energy and tax fraud on 22 May 2013, these eight energy companies agreed on a joint statement to underline the seriousness of the current challenges facing the sector and to propose appropriate policy actions. Indeed the current lack of visibility on energy policies and regulatory uncertainty will inevitably lead to an absence of energy investments with negative effects on security of supply, employment and reactivation of the European economy. The status quo is simply not an option.

The signatories remain committed to the EU's ambition for an energy policy based on the principles of competitiveness, security of supply and sustainable development, and they also fully adhere to the need for liberalization of energy markets. We see each of these elements as preconditions for competitive energy for industrial customers and citizens. However, the reality that each of the respective energy companies has experienced, over recent years, is that EU and some national energy policies have not delivered the full expected benefits. In concrete terms, European energy companies are the subject of a perfect storm which is endangering security of supply and the transformation towards a low-carbon economy, as well as undermining their capacity to attract capital.

It is, however, not too late for a revitalized EU approach to ensure competitive energy prices and a secure supply of energy for European citizens. Concurrently, this action would serve to restore the confidence of energy companies in the attractiveness of a European energy market. It is absolutely crucial that this revamped EU approach continues to support the fight against climate change, in addition to encompassing the following fresh elements:

-An improved market design, including a European coordinated approach to capacity mechanisms in which all assets contributing to the security of supply of European customers are fairly remunerated.
-A European carbon market able to support climate-friendly technologies and in which a reliable perspective is provided, notably, by establishing ambitious but realistic and stable post-2020 greenhouse gas emissions targets.
-A more sustainable approach to the promotion of renewables so as to reduce costs for citizens and favour greater convergence between Member States.
-A strengthening of the policy framework to triggerinvestments in promising technologies, such as energy storage, new renewables, carbon capture and storage, smart grids and meters and shale gas.

The CEOs of the eight energy companies very much look forward to EU political leaders taking stock of the critical situation the energy sector is facing. They must also define a new policy direction based on the elements included in the joint statement which are centred on the contribution that investments in the energy sector make, not only in providing a secure and efficient product, but also through creating jobs and reactivating the economy in an efficient way.

¹Representing the following energy companies: ENEL, GASTERRA, GDF SUEZ, IBERDROLA, ENI, RWE, E.ON, GASNATURAL FENOSA.

— WebWireID175039 —

In an attempt to build a sense of national pride, and to soften the blow of the harsh British winters, BankHolidays2013.co.uk has proposed a new date where people can take the day off work to relax and celebrate Great Britain, before the cold weather sets in. BBQs and Garden Parties are a popular pass-time in the UK, although residents are restricted to two days a week that have a high likelihood of being rainy and or cold. Adding an extra mid-week opportunity to enjoy seasonal activities, before the weather truly deteriorates, is proving to be a popular notion.

The Autumn Bank Holiday Petition proposes that the new bank holiday occurs on the first Monday of October. September and the beginning of October are typically the last days of sunshine before Winter starts to take hold of the country.

With 286 signatures so far, the petition has a long way to go before achieving its 100,000 goal. Despite this, those that encounter the petition all agree that it would be great to have an extra day-off at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

For more information, please visit: http://www.bankholidays2013.co.uk

— WebWireID174995 —

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee today signed into law House Bill (HB) 1200, which begins to tackle seafood fraud in the state. Oceana commends Governor Inslee as our recent seafood fraud testing found not only that 18 percent of fish sampled and sold in Seattle was mislabeled, but that seafood fraud is rampant across the nation.

"Washington state continues to lead the way on seafood consumer protection issues," said Whit Sheard, Pacific Counsel and Senior Advisor with Oceana. "This bill is a win for seafood processors, fishermen, consumers, and, ultimately, healthy and productive oceans."

Seafood fraud occurs when consumers get something different than what they intended to purchase, and is unjust to consumers, the environment, and fishermen who utilize responsible fishing practices. Today, more than 90 percent of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, but less than 1 percent of it is inspected by the government specifically for fraud.

HB 1200 begins to tackle seafood mislabeling in several ways. First, the bill requires that any fresh, frozen, or processed fish and shellfish be labeled by the common name so buyers can make an informed purchasing decision. The common names of fish are defined by the Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. If a species' common name is not already defined by the Director, then the market name becomes the acceptable common name as provided in the Food and Drug Administration's guidelines.

Second, the bill specifically addresses halibut mislabeling by requiring that only the species Hippoglossus hippoglossus (Atlantic halibut) or Hippoglossus stenolepsis (Pacific halibut) can be labeled as halibut. Many lower value species of flatfish are often labeled as 'halibut,' so while consumers may order 'halibut' at a local restaurant, there is a chance they are being served species such as blueline tilefish.

Finally, the legislation requires that salmon species be labeled by their scientific or accepted common name, which is especially important in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, where consumers face the possibility of farmed Atlantic salmon being substituted for species of wild caught Pacific salmon.

Sheard added that "Americans deserve to know more about the seafood they purchase and HB 1200 will begin to fill the gap in public awareness on this critical economic, environmental, and health issue."

HB 1200 passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously. Seafood fraud testing results conducted by Oceana in Washington State in addition to 20 other states nationwide can be accessed at http://oceana.org/en/news-media/publications/reports/oceana-study-reveals-seafood-fraudnationwide.

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Denver -- Colorado just raised the bar for helping our four-legged friends. That's because, on May 13, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law a bill that establishes dogs and cats adopted from animal shelters as the official "state pet"—or pets, in this case. The idea was proposed by students from the Peakview School in Walsenburg and Rooney Ranch Elementary School in Lakewood. Colorado is the first state to designate animals adopted from shelters as the official state pets. For conceiving of the measure and seeing it through to a successful conclusion, the young "lobbyists" at both schools will receive PETA's Compassionate Kids Award from PETA Kids, PETA's children's division. The bill's primary sponsors, state Sen. Andy Kerr and Rep. Brittany Pettersen, and Hickenlooper—whose rescued dog Sky accompanied him to the signing ceremony—will each receive a box of delicious vegan chocolates.

"The way that schoolchildren, legislators, and Colorado's chief executive teamed up to focus attention on the crisis of animal homelessness should be emulated by states across the country," says PETA Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. "Many animal shelters perform heroic work, and everyone who adopts an animal in need of a loving home is a hero, too."

Every year, 6 to 8 million animals end up in U.S. shelters, and approximately half of them have to be euthanized because there simply aren't enough good homes for them. Countless more are abandoned on the streets, where they are often subjected to injuries, starvation, exposure, disease, and cruelty. That's why PETA encourages families always to spay and neuter their dogs and cats and to adopt from animal shelters rather than buying from breeders or pet stores, which contribute to the homeless-animal crisis.

Gov. Hickenlooper also signed into law another bill that requires police officers to undergo training in dog behavior. The bill was introduced following several incidents in which police officers shot dogs under questionable circumstances.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

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The president announced Monday afternoon Ride will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony at the White House later this year. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

"We remember Sally Ride not just as a national hero, but as a role model to generations of young women," said President Obama. "Sally inspired us to reach for the stars, and she advocated for a greater focus on the science, technology, engineering and math that would help us get there. Sally showed us that there are no limits to what we can achieve, and I look forward to welcoming her family to the White House as we celebrate her life and legacy."

Monday night, NASA further paid tribute to Ride by creating a new agency internship program in her name and renaming a science instrument aboard the International Space Station. The announcement was made by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden during a national tribute called, "Sally Ride: A Lifetime of Accomplishment, A Champion of Science Literacy," at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

The Sally Ride Internship is intended to help students from underserved backgrounds pursue a research interest at one of NASA's centers nationwide. As many as 10 internships total will be available in the spring and fall semesters of each school year, giving students the opportunity to develop a meaningful professional experience and work side by side with practicing scientists and engineers who are helping the United States lead the world in exploration and discovery. The internships also will encourage students to go into careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), of which Ride was a strong and longtime proponent.

NASA also is recognizing Ride by renaming a camera aboard the space station the Sally Ride EarthKAM. Through Sally Ride Science, hundreds of thousands of middle school students have participated in space research by using EarthKAM. Students use the Internet to request images based on their classroom investigations, and the image collection and accompanying learning guides and activities are extraordinary resources to support lessons in Earth and space science, geography, social studies, mathematics, communications, and even art.

"Sally's impact on our nation and future generations of explorers is immeasurable," said Bolden, who served with Ride in NASA's astronaut corps in the 1980s. "God speed, Sally Ride, and thank you for reminding us to reach higher, break barriers and dream big."

Monday's tribute highlighted Ride's contributions and her legacies. The celebration included longtime friends and colleagues who worked side-by-side with her to motivate and inspire girls and boys to study the STEM fields.

"Sally Ride Science is thrilled to be presenting a National Tribute to Sally to honor her lifelong commitment to space exploration, but also to improving science education and to supporting science literacy for all students," said Tam O'Shaughnessy, Ride's life partner, co-founder and chair of the board of Sally Ride Science.

In addition to space exploration and science, the tribute was built around others things that had special meaning to Ride, including sports, music, dance and poetry. Those were represented by the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras playing Claude Debussy's "Clair de Lune"; Twyla Tharp's "Jordan" dance; Patti Austin singing Tena Clark's "Way Up There"; and Maria Shriver reading Mary Oliver's poem "The Summer Day."

Speakers at the tribute included Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, who talked about how Ride changed STEM education and policy, and NASA's Associate Administrator for Education and former astronaut Leland Melvin and former astronaut and space shuttle commander Pam Melroy, who spoke about Ride's impact on the astronaut corps, the space program and beyond.

"I'm thrilled to pay tribute to Sally because her dedication and superb talent cemented the value of women's contributions in space and in science, smoothing the path for all women to achieve success," said Pam Melroy, former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander. "Sally showed the world what was possible, opening the eyes of millions of women and men to what could be. Her achievements in space inspired a generation of young women, and her achievements in STEM education will pass that legacy of inspiration on to future generations."

Ride died on July 23, 2012, after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Ride's first space flight was 30 years ago next month, on June 18, 1983.

For more information about Sally Ride Science, visit:

http://www.sallyridescience.com

For more information about Ride and the national tribute, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/15sRyyM

— WebWireID174936 —

"Canada has a world-class food safety system and our Government is committed to taking real steps to make it even stronger," said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. "This Action Plan is one of the steps our Government is taking to ensure that our system continues to provide safe food for Canadian families today and in the future."

Through the Action Plan, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will launch a number of significant food safety enhancements over the next two years. Most notably, the CFIA will work with consumer groups and industry to develop new regulations that will bring into force the Safe Food for Canadians Act, passed in November 2012.

As a first step, the CFIA is strengthening some of its beef safety rules and has implemented new mandatory requirements that will strengthen the control of E. coli in federally-registered beef plants.

Also, by July 2, 2013, federally-registered plants that produce mechanically tenderized beef cuts, such as steaks or roasts, will be required to label those products as tenderized and with cooking instructions.

While these actions are specific to federally-registered plants, Health Canada also intends to propose broader mandatory labels to identify beef that has been mechanically tenderized at retail outlets like supermarkets. This voluntary practice has been in place since 2012.

This spring, the CFIA will launch a review of the food regulations in Canada that will need to be revised in order to bring the Safe Food for Canadians Act into force. It is expected this work will take up to two years. Active consumer and stakeholder engagement in the process will be important to the success of efforts to bring the new legislation into force.

Consumer groups and stakeholders will have that opportunity at an upcoming food safety regulatory forum in June.

For more information on the Action Plan, visit the CFIA's website at www.inspection.gc.ca/safefood.

— WebWireID174909 —

Transport for London (TfL) has today announced a new school rate for pupils from school years 1 to 11 travelling on the Emirates Air Line in a school group.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has approved TfL plans which mean schools in all of the London Boroughs can book a return journey on the Emirates Air Line for just £1 per student.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London said: 'What better way to learn about our city's fascinating history than by travelling at 90 metres above the Thames on the Emirates Air Line, marvelling at its sleek design, whilst our fine Capital unfolds underneath?

'I am delighted that with the introduction of this special rate even more children can now enjoy one of London's transporting triumphs!'

Danny Price, TfL's Head of the Emirates Air Line said: 'We have introduced the Emirates Air Line school rate with the Mayor of London because we want to inspire young people and encourage learning about the scheme as a new urban transport experience in London.

'The Emirates Air Line is supporting regeneration and playing a vital role in attracting investment to the area so it is important that young people, as the future users and designers of transport, can benefit and be a part of that.'

TfL's London Transport Museum has been working closely with schools to support exciting lesson plans for all ages.

The Emirates Air Line offers teachers a vast array of subject areas to choose from if they want to have a lesson in a cabin or include a visit to the Emirates Air Line as part of a school trip to the area.

Pupils can learn about the history of south and east London and the Olympic Legacy, the areas continuous regeneration and sustainability and the art, design and technology behind the Emirates Air Line.

Last week pupils from Sherington Primary School in Greenwich and Royal Docks Community School in Newham visited the Emirates Air Line.

Diane Atkinson, Head Teacher of Sherington Primary School in Greenwich said: 'The journey on the Emirates Air Line was an amazing opportunity for our children as part of their study of the local area.

'There are spectacular, unique aerial views of the river and surrounding landscape.

'The trip provided a perfect opportunity to study and discuss land use and the children had an exciting adventure on this unusual form of transport.'

Schools may also want to visit The O2 which is close to the Emirates Greenwich Peninsula Terminal and has the British Music Experience, an interactive exhibition about British music history.

The Crystal - a sustainable cities initiative by Siemens is next to the Emirates Royal Docks Terminal and is a great place for pupils to learn about innovative technologies that are driving future trends for a more sustainable world.

Notes to editors:

• The Emirates Air Line has already reached two million passenger journeys exceeding its first year target of 1.3 million journeys within just four months and customer satisfaction is high with passengers giving it a score of 93 out of 100 in a recent survey
• Find learning information for teachers: http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/schools/projects/452-emirates-air-line-schools-scheme
• School group bookings can be made by calling: 020 3282 1030 9:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday, or by emailing: EALGroups@macemacro.com
• The rate entitles pupils as part of a school group to make a single, return or roundtrip journey for £1. A return with Oyster for a child aged five to 15 is £3.20. The return cash fare is £4.40
• Read the full terms and conditions: http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/schools/projects/452-emirates-air-line-schools-scheme

— WebWireID174883 —

DEARBORN, Mich. – The 2013 Ford Fusion Energi has earned the highest possible 'five-star' Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The five-star rating is the U.S. Government's highest-possible safety rating and is determined only after severe testing procedures as part of NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and resistance to rollover.

The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid joins the Ford Fusion and the Ford Fusion Hybrid which already received five-star safety ratings. NHTSA has elected to test plug-in vehicles separately from vehicles powered by gasoline internal combustion engines as the market share of electrified vehicles is increasing. April marked Ford's best hybrid sales month ever with Ford's EV market share hitting an all-time high of 18 percent, up from 3 percent last April.

'The Fusion Energi combines the highest possible safety ratings from NHTSA and great fuel economy, two things we know customers are looking for in their vehicles,' said Steve Kenner, Global Director of the Ford Automotive Safety Office. 'Our strategy is to provide our customers with a range of powertrain options in our vehicles, while still leading in fuel economy in every segment that we compete.'

The Fusion Energi gets an EPA fuel economy rating of 108 MPGe, which is five MPGe better than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid.

The NHTSA five-star rating for the Fusion Energi comes in addition to the 2013 Fusion being named a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in December. The Top Safety Pick + designation is the highest rating the organization has for vehicle safety.

The Fusion Energi also features the Personal Safety System™ with safety belt technologies and front impact airbags. The Personal Safety System™ is a network of components that work together to tailor the deployment of the front airbags during frontal collisions. Other driver assist technologies available on the Fusion Energi include:

• Lane Keeping Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Rearview Camera
• Hill Start Assist
• Electronic Parking Break

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 175,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

— WebWireID174865 —

• Preferential Tax Treatment: If newly established Japanese corporations locate their Asian headquarters or R&D centers in Tokyo, and satisfy certain requirements, they will be eligible to receive either a reduced effective corporate tax rate, competitive with other Asian cities, or special depreciation rates (e.g. 50 percent of machinery acquisition costs, 25 percent of building acquisition costs) or an investment tax credit (e.g.15 percent of machinery acquisition costs, 8 percent of building acquisition costs).

• Subsidy programs: Subsidies, through the TMG, will be provided for up to 50 percent of recruiting costs, the cost of establishing offices in Tokyo and various notification costs, etc., when locating an office in the Special Zone.

• Consulting services: Accenture will provide management consulting services to foreign companies in the process of examining entry or expansion into the Japanese market until their final decision to locate their Asian regional headquarters or R&D centers in Tokyo. Accenture's services will include the formulation of growth strategies, market research and analysis and the identification of business partners.

• Use of business development center: Companies are able to make full use of the Business Development Center Tokyo, which provides one-stop services by full-time bilingual staff, mainly supporting sales channel development, including responding to overall business inquiries, such as incorporation of enterprise and helping expatriates adjust to life in Tokyo. The services are provided through Mitsubishi Estate, commissioned by the TMG.

Learn more about the Special Zone for Asian Headquarters and Accenture's work in Operations & Management and its global program Delivering Public Service for the Future.

About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with 261,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US $27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

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IFC will assess the bank's existing corporate governance practices and help align them with international best practices. IFC will also advise and train directors, managers, and major shareholders in the key areas of board functions, internal control and disclosure.

'Good governance will increase Capital Bank's operational efficacy and transparency,' said Ariunbold Agvaanjamba, the bank's executive director. 'As a member of Bishrelt Holding Co., one of Mongolia's largest trading and services companies, we are committed to bringing our corporate governance practices to the next level to support Bishrelt's and our future growth.'

Driven by its natural resources sector, Mongolia grew 12.5 percent last year and is one of the world's fastest-growing economies. Mongolian businesses are eager to strengthen their institutional capacity in order to cope with the rapidly changing market.

Capital Bank, the first commercial bank in Mongolia with 61 branches, is the third bank to join IFC's Mongolia Corporate Governance Program, following XacBank and Khan Bank.

'Improving corporate governance is one of IFC's global priorities in emerging markets like Mongolia,' said Ian Crosby, IFC's manager for sustainable business advisory in East Asia and the Pacific. 'Mongolia's banking industry plays an important role in the economy and has set sustainable business models for more local businesses to follow.'

In partnership with Japan and the Netherlands, IFC has organized training and consultations for more than 300 Mongolian companies and banks since 2009.

About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, mobilizing capital in international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments. In FY12, our investments reached an all-time high of more than $20 billion, leveraging the power of the private sector to create jobs, spark innovation, and tackle the world's most pressing development challenges. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

Stay Connected
www.ifc.org/eastasia
www.twitter.com/IFC_EAP
www.facebook.com/IFCindonesia
www.facebook.com/IFCwbg
www.youtube.com/IFCvideocasts

www.ifc.org/SocialMediaIndex

— WebWireID174838 —

The approval submission was taken into consideration as part of the MEPC 65's agenda covering 'harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water'. Final Approval is required for systems using an active substance, and is based upon examination of full scale prototype test data and all required supporting documentation on aspects such as risk and safety to the ship, crew, general public, and the environment.

The documented information was reviewed and approved by a joint panel of experts from the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environment Protection ballast water working group. The application was submitted to the IMO by the Dutch Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate. A key element of the Final Approval submission was an investigation covering the impact of treated ballast water on coated and uncoated materials. A full Type Approval certificate for the Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® EC system is expected by end of July this year.

'Gaining IMO Final Approval status has involved an extremely stringent review and investigation process, and we are naturally very delighted that the Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® EC Ballast Water Management System has successfully met all the requirements of the process. This represents an essential and extremely significant milestone in offering the marine industry a safe, flexible, and extremely efficient means of treating ballast water,' says Joe Thomas, Director, Wärtsilä Ballast Water Management Systems.

The Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® EC System

Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® EC is a modular ballast water management system, providing a safe, flexible and economical process for the treatment of ballast water.

Ballast water treatment with an Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® EC system is achieved through a simple and efficient two stage process. Upon uptake the sea water is first passed through a back washing filter (1st Stage) and then the filtered sea water passes through a static mixer, where the disinfectant generated from the side stream electrolysis unit (2nd stage) is injected to ensure a maximum level of 10 parts per million (ppm) in the treated ballast water.

During discharge the filter is bypassed and any residual oxidant in treated ballast water is monitored before being discharged overboard. If required, treated ballast water is neutralised by injecting sodium bisulfite into the main ballast line during discharge. Neutralisation effectiveness is continuously monitored to ensure compliance with MARPOL discharge limits.

Wärtsilä offers the Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® EC and Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® UV Ballast Water Management Systems, which both became part of the portfolio following the acquisition of Hamworthy plc in January 2012.

Wärtsilä AQUARIUS®UV Ballast Water Management System received type approval in December 2012.
Link to press release.

Image of Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® EC

Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising technological innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2012, Wärtsilä's net sales totalled EUR 4.7 billion with approximately 18,900 employees. The company has operations in nearly 170 locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland.
www.wartsila.com

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The JV will provide local national, third-country national, and/or U.S. citizen subject matter experts to perform on-site construction phase support services for projects throughout the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) AOR. The CENTCOM AOR encompasses the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf states as well as portions of Southwest and Central Asia and Africa. Parsons' role includes construction management, quality assurance, office engineering, scheduling, data management, project engineering, and related on-site construction phase support services.

'Parsons has combined forces with the USACE for 65 years, and we are pleased to have been selected to provide construction support services to the USACE Middle East District,' stated Mary Ann Hopkins, Parsons Group President. 'This award further strengthens our position as a world leader in program and construction management services as well as our presence in the Middle East.'

Parsons has been working in the MENA+ region (Middle East, North Africa, and the northern Mediterranean Sea border countries) for more than 60 years and has offices in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Rome, Istanbul, and Athens. Parsons' portfolio of ongoing projects in the MENA+ region includes major highways, bridges, rail and transit, airports, ports, water infrastructure, plus hospitals, public schools, universities, mosques, and other public buildings. The firm has been responsible for design and construction management for many of the region's flagship infrastructure projects, including the $30 billion development of Yanbu Industrial City in Saudi Arabia.

Parsons, celebrating nearly 70 years of growth in the engineering, construction, technical, and professional services industries, is a leader in many diversified markets with a focus on transportation, environmental/infrastructure, defense/security, and resources. Parsons delivers design/design-build, program/construction management, and other professional services packaged in innovative alternative delivery methods to federal, regional, and local government agencies, as well as to private industrial customers worldwide. For more about Parsons, please visit www.parsons.com.

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WASHINGTON – Verizon's new head of public policy outlined the framework policymakers in Washington should consider in modernizing the nation's outdated telecom rules and regulations. Verizon believes that obsolete and unnecessary rules – some of which date back to the late 1800s, and were written for the railroads and to create the Interstate Commerce Commission – work against innovation and investment in the Internet ecosystem.

Speaking at the Media Institute on Thursday (May 16), Craig Silliman, Verizon's senior vice president of public policy and government relations, said in prepared remarks: 'A highly innovative 21st century communications marketplace requires a 21st century policy framework to match the Internet ecosystem that broadband and mobile innovations have helped create. We need a framework to address today's issues: not local wireline voice competition, but privacy, cybersecurity, network management, spectrum policy and more, many of which have a global component.'

In his speech, Silliman outlined four principles that he believes policymakers should focus on: protecting consumers, encouraging innovation, incenting investment, and, with rapid changes in the industry, technology-agnostic rules that focus on the needs of consumers and ensure flexibility as new innovations and business models emerge.

'Technology changes too quickly to build legislative or regulatory frameworks on specific technologies,' said Silliman. 'The best approach is to protect consumers and to ensure that the rules aren't obsolete as soon as the ink is dry.'

It has been almost 20 years since Congress overhauled telecom rules – the 1996 Telecommunications Act – when many of today's technologies were closer to science fiction than fact.

'The act could not have anticipated the policy challenges that we would face 20 years later, particularly given the extraordinary rate of innovation,' Silliman said. 'It has been only six years since the first smartphone was released, so 20 years is an eternity. What guidance does the 1996 act provide in a world where everyone is carrying a broadband cloud-access device with them? Where video content can be accessed anytime, from anywhere? Where these technologies are beginning to be applied to broader societal challenges like healthcare, energy management, education and more? Not much. Nor should we expect it to.'

Silliman called for a proactive, flexible policy approach – one that would remain current and effective now and into the future. 'The 1996 Telecom Act succeeded in what it was designed to achieve, but almost two decades later it is leaving the FCC to struggle to shoehorn Internet-era technologies into phone-era regulations,' Silliman said. 'I am not suggesting that the answer is to abolish all regulation. But I am suggesting that we need a 21st century policy framework that is designed for 21st century technologies and marketplaces, not 19th century ones.'

Silliman added that broadband platforms provide extraordinary opportunities to transform healthcare, energy management, education and more. 'By eliminating antiquated rules, focusing on meeting consumer needs, and encouraging investment and innovation, we will create the right environment for delivering the amazing promise of broadband and wireless technologies,' he said. 'And in place of optimistic uncertainty, such policies will create a spirit of innovation and a sense of limitless opportunities.'

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with nearly 99 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with nearly $116 billion in 2012 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 181,900. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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Addressing journalists at the UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Cameron said that members of the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which includes President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, 'nailed our colours to the mast with one clear overarching aim – end extreme poverty in our world.'

Building a framework to succeed the eight anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the panel, appointed last year by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, aims to create a development agenda that will also focus on protection of the rule of law, good governance and holding Governments to account, which comprise what Mr. Cameron called 'the golden thread of development.'

'It is a real breakthrough that agreement is emerging to include goals that go to the heart of this golden thread that links open economies and open societies, fair and accountable institutions, equal economic and political opportunities for women, open and fair rules to boost enterprises and growth,' Mr. Cameron told reporters.

A statement released after the conclusion of the three-day meeting, said the panel reiterated 'the imperative need for a renewed global partnership that enables a transformative, people-centred and planet-sensitive development agenda, realized through the equal partnership of all stakeholders.'

The panel is due to present its report on 30 May to the Secretary-General, who participated in today's discussions.

Also today, Mr. Ban and Mr. Cameron met privately to discuss a host of issues, including the best means of getting the warring parties in Syria to come to the proposed international conference to be held in Geneva next month 'with serious delegations and a real willingness to make compromises,' especially on the issue of a transition.

The two leaders also underlined the importance of UN investigations on allegations of the use of chemical weapons, according to a readout from the office of Mr. Ban's Spokesperson.

Also during the meeting, Mr. Ban thanked Mr. Cameron for his leadership and his support to the United Nations on several issues, including Somalia, Mali, Syrian refugees, the impressive level of UK development assistance, and the UN-backed Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The importance of using the coming period as an opportunity to make progress on the Cyprus issue was also discussed.

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