Rotary announces US$35 Million to support a Polio-Free World

$8.15 million will go toward stemming the recent outbreak in Nigeria and countries in the Lake Chad Basin region

EVANSTON, Illinois, September 20, 2016/ -- Rotary (www.Rotary.org) today committed an additional $35 million in grants to support the global effort to end polio, bringing the humanitarian service organization’s contribution to $105 million in 2016. The announcement follows recent reports of three new cases of wild poliovirus in Nigeria: two cases in July, and one in August. The three cases are the first to be detected in Nigeria since July 2014. With these cases, funding for polio eradication is particularly vital as rapid response plans are now in action in Nigeria and surrounding countries to stop the outbreak quickly and prevent its spread. Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) (http://www.PolioEradication.org) are acting to immunize children in Nigeria and countries in the Lake Chad Basin (Chad, northern Cameroon, southern Niger and the Central African Republic).  Nearly one-fourth of the funds Rotary announced today ($8.15 million) will support the emergency response campaigns in this at-risk region, and last month Rotary provided $500,000 to immediately assist with the outbreak response. While significant strides have been made against the paralyzing disease, with just 26 cases reported in 2016, polio remains a threat in hard-to-reach and underserved areas and conflict zones. "While we are disappointed with the recent news coming out of Nigeria, this situation underscores the extreme importance of widespread immunization campaigns and strong disease surveillance in all countries of the world until polio is fully eradicated," said Michael K. McGovern, chair of Rotary's International PolioPlus Committee. "This funding will help ensure that Rotary and our GPEI partners are doing all that we can to redouble our efforts and protect the progress in polio-free parts of the world, as well as stop transmission in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and now Nigeria." To sustain this progress, and protect all children from polio, experts say $1.5 billion is urgently needed. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk. Rotary has contributed more than $1.6 billion and countless volunteer hours to fight polio. Through 2018, every dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication will be matched two-to-one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation up to $35 million a year. Rotary launched its polio immunization program PolioPlus in 1985, and in 1988 became a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and was later joined by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since the initiative launched, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year to 26 confirmed to date in 2016. In addition to supporting the response in the Lake Chad Basin region, funding has been allocated to support polio eradication efforts in Afghanistan ($5.55 million), Pakistan ($12.36 million), India ($875,000), Somalia ($1.77 million), South Sudan ($2.04 million), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ($2 million). A final grant in the amount of $2.25 million will support key WHO staff.

Small & Medium Businesses in East Africa must create time to innovate

Technology, government support and mentoring programmes all offer potential ways to address this challenge

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 21, 2016/ -- Small & Medium Businesses in East Africa are resourceful and creative, yet many entrepreneurs lack the time and support they need to innovate in their businesses. Technology, government support and mentoring programmes all offer potential ways to address this challenge. That’s according to Billy Owino (https://twitter.com/OwinoBill), Regional Director East Africa (http://www.Sage.com/Africa), who says that many Kenyan entrepreneurs have great ideas but struggle to develop them into new business offerings and ventures. This parallels the challenge entrepreneurs face worldwide – Sage research shows that businesses worldwide rank development of new ideas as the most common area of neglect in their organisations. The problem stems from a lack of time, despite small business owners working over 40 hours a week, according to the Sage research(http://APO.af/45Ph1s). “We see the same challenge throughout East Africa,” Owino says, commenting on issues raised by the Innovation Africa Summit 2016 (http://Innovation-Africa.com/2016) in Kenya. Owino says that there are many promising shoots of innovative growth in East Africa – the challenge for government and the business community is to nurture them and ensure that innovative thinking spreads across the region. One focus should be on simplifying red-tape so that smaller businesses can focus their energies on customer service and new ideas rather than on admin and compliance. “It is pleasing to see that most East African governments are committed to simplifying the day to day basics of business red tape – like paying taxes, securing licences, processing imports and exports, or registering a business,” he adds. “But we should be looking at ways to make it even simpler to do business.” For their part, large companies can help by making their paperwork easy for smaller suppliers and paying promptly. Since broadband is an important enabler of innovation, governments and the telecoms industry should work together to build the necessary infrastructure. Rwanda offers a great example in this regard, with a government-led project to lay down a 4,500km fibre optic backbone. Likewise, the cooperation between Kenyan government (which is luring tech investors to Nairobi), the private sector and development-focused NGOs has helped to create Nairobi’s Silicon Savannah as hub of innovation and entrepreneurial energy. “Efficient and affordable internet access allows small businesses to innovate by creating new products, services and channels,” says Owino. “It also enables them to become more efficient.” Training and mentoring small business owners in leadership should be another priority, says Owino. “Many entrepreneurs have innovative ideas, but need help bringing them to life,” he adds. “They need strategic and operational support – help in the practicalities of commercialising a product, marketing it and supporting it.” Technology hubs and accelerators like iHub (http://iHub.co.ke) are doing a commendable job in supporting entrepreneurs in this regard, Owino says. NGOs like Educate! (http://www.ExperienceEducate.org) in Uganda are also helping by providing secondary school students with practical and entrepreneurial education. But much more could be done – for example, larger businesses and multinationals could mentor start-ups. Innovation should also be nurtured from a young age by encouraging school children to think in creative and entrepreneurial ways and by exposing them to the latest technologies. Governments should work closely with educational experts and other stakeholders to put innovation in the curriculum. In Kenya, for example, the Digital Literacy Programme (http://APO.af/sYzAA1) will distribute more than 12,000 digital devices to 150 primary schools in the pilot phase. Owino notes that entrepreneurs in East Africa can also clear time in their schedules for innovation by putting the right systems and processes in place. Mobile technology, cloud business applications and other tools can help small business owners to boost their productivity so that they have more time to focus on developing ideas, he adds. For example, payroll and accounting software streamline much of the financial administration business owners need to do. “As we have seen from successes like Ushahidi (www.Ushahidi.com), M-Farm (www.MFarm.co.ke) and M-Pesa (http://APO.af/FyxxTs), East Africa is taking its place on the world stage as place of innovation and opportunity. For our region, it comes naturally to leapfrog legacy technologies, find ways to work around infrastructure limitations, and reuse and combine old ideas into something new,” Owino says. “This is the work that East African entrepreneurs do every day as they power the economy. It is their entrepreneurial spirit that makes the difference and they deserve our support.”

Daimler Trucks presents Fuso eCanter and Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck at 2016 IAA

• Daimler Trucks at the IAA 2016: Urban all-electric Trucks for the future
• World premiere: the all-electric and networked Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck
• World premiere: the new all-electric Fuso eCanter

At this year's IAA International Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover
(22 to 29 September 2016) the focus is on the megatrends of the future: digitalisation and e-mobility.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks is linking the two megatrends digitalisation and
e-mobility in the Urban eTruck. The vehicle is a spectacular vision of the networked and all-electric distribution truck of tomorrow. Fuso's eCanter
is the third generation of the world's first fully electric-powered light commercial vehicle and is the first small-scale production run of electric Fuso trucks.

World premiere: the all-electric and networked Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck

• Electric truck with the performance of a diesel engine
• Innovative design with flowing lines

The Urban eTruck illustrates the fascinating possibilities of connectivity, electric drive systems, future display and control technologies, telematics, and a largely self-sufficient power supply. The Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck defines the latest developments in all-electric vehicles in the heavy short-radius distribution sector. The triple-axle vehicle with a permissible gross weight of 26.0 t produces zero local emissions and runs silently, yet it is equal to a truck with an internal combustion engine in terms of load and performance, and, thanks to its innovative power supply, it is also economical.

Electric truck with the performance of a diesel engine

The Urban eTruck holds its own against similar internal combustion engine-powered trucks in every respect, even its weight. The additional weight stands at only 1700 kg. As the EU Commission is in favour of increasing the permissible gross vehicle weight of trucks with alternative drives by a maximum of 1.0 t, this will more or less cancel out the weight disadvantage of the electric drive.

The outstanding features of the Urban eTruck include its drive with electrically powered rear axle and electric motors directly adjacent to the wheel hubs. Their maximum output is 2 x 125 kW, while torque is 2 x 500 Nm. The standard version of the axle has already proven itself in buses.

The battery capacity of the Urban eTruck has a modular design. The basic arrangement is a battery pack consisting of lithium-ion batteries with a total capacity of 212 kWh. This results in a range of up to 200 km – normally enough for a typical day's delivery round.

Innovative design with flowing lines

The styling of the Urban eTruck is as innovative as its electric drive. It embodies the design philosophy of the Mercedes-Benz brand, which focuses on sensual purity – an expression that applies perfectly to the Urban eTruck. The contours of the driver's cab are sleek and fluid with minimal detailing and no visible joints.

Across the roof, a three-dimensional spoiler connects the cab with the body of the truck. It has a wide vent at the front, which acts as the air inlet for the cooling unit concealed behind the spoiler, as used in the food industry, for example. Just like the roof spoiler, the aerodynamic skirting panels on the side of the cab fit almost flush with the body. The windscreen has been extended downwards. The mirror cams, that replace the conventional outside mirrors, are a distinctive feature on the truck.

The conventional air inlet has been omitted from the Urban eTruck because of the electric drive. Instead, a Black Panel grille is the branding element that connects the truck with its environment. It is transparent and back-lit by high-resolution LEDs. A number of different visual scenarios are conceivable: the LEDs can be used to recreate the signature Mercedes-Benz diamond radiator grille, to indicate the operating status of the truck or to show the charge level of the batteries.

Overall, the Urban eTruck represents the polarity between 'hot & cool' that is characteristic of Mercedes-Benz design. The sensual contouring of the lines is 'hot' and provides an exciting contrast to the highly technical 'cool' design features such as the embedded lighting, mirror cams and Black Panel grille.

World premiere: the new all-electric Fuso eCanter

The Fuso Canter E-Cell is now the Fuso eCanter. The new name represents the third generation of the world's first fully electric-powered light truck, and the small-scale production run is an important step on the way to full production. Technically, the eCanter is radically different from its predecessor and benefits from the extensive findings of customer trials with the second generation and the reduced costs of battery and component technology. It will be presented at the IAA International Motor Show for Commercial Vehicles 2016.

The Fuso eCanter's locally zero-emission drive will not only reduce the impact of exhaust and noise emissions on city centres, but will also be an economically attractive alternative to diesel engines. Thanks to lower technology costs the eCanter will be launched to market at a competitive price. Lower running costs compared to an equivalent diesel model mean that any additional expense can be repaid in less than three years.

The new eCanter uses a permanent synchronous electric motor with an impressive output of 185 kW and torque of 380 Nm. Power is transferred to the rear axle by a standard single-speed transmission.

The vehicle premiered at the IAA has a battery capacity of 70 kWh. Depending on the body, load and usage, a range of more than 100 km without stationary recharging is possible. The batteries are spread over five units, one centrally in the frame right behind the cab and two more on each side of the frame. They are water-cooled lithium-ion batteries that provide a long service life, high efficiency, especially at high ambient temperatures, and compact construction of the battery units. The eCanter's exceptional weight balance is worth highlighting. The chassis load capacity of the 7.49 t vehicle is 4.63 t including the body and load.

Individual battery packs with three to six sets of batteries of 14 kWh each are planned for the upcoming small-scale production run. This allows the eCanter to be adapted to customer requirements with regards to range, price and weight. The concept is based on the results of customer tests that show that for some operators, payload is more important than range, while others are happy to sacrifice payload for longer range, i.e. more batteries.

Equally adaptable are the charging options: up to 80 percent capacity within an hour with direct current at a quick charging station, or 100 percent in seven hours with alternating current. In the future, rapid charging with 170 kW will be possible, meaning 80 percent battery capacity in only half an hour. A standard Combo 2 plug (known as Combined Charging System) is used for charging.

The results of a year-long fleet test with the second generation electric Canter have shown that around 1000 euros per 10 000 km can be saved with this vehicle compared to a diesel version. Coupled with a reduction in maintenance costs of around 30 percent, this makes the Fuso an economical solution for customers. The projected sales price means that any additional expense will be repaid in less than three years. These vehicles have proven their suitability for daily use in short-radius distribution and urban transport.

The Fuso eCanter will have its world premiere at the IAA as a preview of the small-scale production run that will be delivered to customers in Europe, the USA and Japan as of 2017. The exhibition vehicle features a unique and attractive design, with LED headlamps and a distinct grille and bumper, and a redesigned interior including a central, removable tablet with connectivity functions. The wide comfort cab is painted in metallic blue, as are the fully-clad sides. A walk-on glass floor in the exhibition vehicle's box body offers a view of the drive unit and the batteries.

While these design elements provide a vision of the eCanter's future, the technology is the same as in the small-scale production model.

Symsoft Extends Capabilities with a Full Service Network Operations Center (NOC)

Symsoft has continued the strategic expansion of the business with a further investment in the establishment of a full service Network Operating Center (NOC). The NOC, based within the EU but serving customers worldwide, will further strengthen Symsoft´s commitment to Cloud based Services and Managed Services for traditional operators and mobile virtual network operators (MVNO).

In a market environment constantly pushing for lower operating expenditures and a faster time to market, managed services have become an important option for operators to build a smarter and more competitive business. Outsourcing the management of infrastructure to a trusted partner or to simply access it as a service has the potential to increase efficiency, improve scalability and help communications service providers to focus on their core business.

All products in the Symsoft portfolio are available as a multi-tenanted ‘Software as Service’ solution, where the NOC will be responsible for the end to end maintenance and support of the service. In addition, for those customers that choose a dedicated or customised deployment instance, Symsoft have a Managed Services add-on that enables the NOC to maintain the infrastructure on the customer's behalf, whether running on-premise, in the Symsoft private cloud or in a public cloud of their choosing.

Petter Näslund, VP Product Management at Symsoft, commented, ‘An integral part of the Symsoft strategy for growth is to position our product portfolio for a broader customer base. By offering our products as-a-service or to add a managed services commitment, we are able to entice a changing operator behavior and to address new customer segments.  The complementing services provided by our NOC will further strengthen the offering, differentiate us from the competition and allow us to exceed the expectation of demanding customers worldwide.’   

The Symsoft NOC provides monitoring of the customer systems 24/7 to ensure efficient operation. The NOC is staffed around the clock with specialists and engineers that monitor alarms, manage events, undertake sophisticated traffic analysis and optimize application performance to ensure outstanding service availability.

مطعم كارلوتشيوز الإيطالي يحتفل بالبيتزا ويقدم تشكيلة أموري الجديدة لمدة محدودة

الإمارات العربية المتحدة، دبي 27 سبتمبر 2016: قام فريق الطهاة في مطعم "كارلوتشيوز" والذي يترأسه الشيف التنفيذي كريستو نورتييه، بابتكار تشيكلة بيتزا "أموري" الجديدة والمؤلفة من 5 أنواع مقدمة لمدة محدودة احتفالًا بالمطبخ الإيطالي.  

يقدم المطعم الإيطالي لضيوفه تشكيلة بيتزا "أموري" الجديدة المحضرة من أشهى العناصر والنكهات المميزة. وتتوفر التشكيلة في جميع فروع مطعم "كارلوتشيوز" المتوزعة في مختلف أنحاء منطقة الشرق الأوسط.

وتتألف التشكيلة الجديدة من خمسة أنواع من البيتزا التي تحتوي على العديد من المكونات الإيطالية الفريدة وتتضمن: بيتزا "جاردينيرا" بجبنة الجورجوزنزولا الكريمية والصنوبر والعسل، وبيتزا "أل بولو" بالدجاج المشوي مع الفلفل الحلو والحار وشرائح الأفوكادو، وبيتزا "فروتي دي ماري" بالكالاماري والمحار والجمبري، وبيتزا "سيسيليانا" بالموتزاريلا والزيتون الإيطالي، بالإضافة إلى بيتزا "أنيليو" بلحم الضأن مع البصل المكرمل وكريم فريش وجبنة الفيتا وإكليل الجبل والنعناع الطازج.

كما يستطيع الضيوف تحضير البيتزا الخاصة بهم واختيار ما يحلو لهم من بين 27 مكونًا.

الأسعار: يبدأ سعر بيتزا أموري من 46 درهم.

عرض "حضّر البيتزا الخاصة بك" يبدأ من 49 درهم ويشمل اختيار مكونين من القائمة (المكونات الإضافية الأخرى بـ 5 درهم)

للحجز: http://www.carluccios.com/restaurants/united-arab-emirates 

تتوفر مجموعة بيتزا "أموري" من 1 أكتوبر حتى 3 ديسبمر في جميع فروع مطعم كارلوتشيوز 

فروع كارلوتشيوز في أبوظبي:

الغاليريا مول، القرم الشمالي

فروع كارلوتشيوز في دبي:

المرابع العربية – مطار دبي – مردف سيتي سنتر – ديرة سيتي سنتر- دبي مول – مارنيا مول – ابن بطوطة مول

كارلوتشيوز في قطر: لؤلؤة قطر