Police seize two million tapes in Egypt's biggest ever piracy raid

Egyptian authorities commended over largest ever raid in the Middle East

July 6, 2003

Police from the Giza Security Department in Egypt have seized nearly two million counterfeit music cassettes in the largest ever music piracy seizure in the Middle East.
IFPI, representing the global recording industry, today commended the Egyptian authorities for their commitment to tackling the country's very high level of music piracy. Next to the Lebanon, where the piracy rate is almost 70%, Egypt has one of the highest piracy rates in the Middle East region at about 50%.

Gen. Ahmed Fouly, Senior Consultant, IFPI, Egypt said at a press conference in Cairo: "This is excellent work by the Egyptian police, which has resulted in the dismantling of a major network of pirates. Egypt has one of the biggest consumer markets in the Middle East, but this potential is presently being stunted by rampant music piracy. The Egyptian authorities are now showing they take protection of Intellectual Property Rights seriously and are committed to the fight against music piracy."

IFPI, in cooperation with members of the Egyptian Central Association of Audio Producers (ECAAP) assisted the Egyptian authorities in coordinating the seizure, which followed a month-long surveillance of the illegal music copying operation. The cassettes were all Arabic titles owned by various Egyptian record production companies.

Police who raided the apartment in Giza found culprits actively engaged in the duplication and printing process. Along with the almost two million counterfeit cassettes, one million inlays, one million plastic tape covers, six duplication machines and two printing machines were also confiscated. Police arrested one of the accused at the scene and impounded a van used to distribute the counterfeit cassettes. There is an ongoing investigation into other suspected pirates believed to be involved in the illegal manufacturing operation. The case has been presented to the Prosecutor's office, which has ordered a committee from the Censorship Department to examine the seized music selection and report to the court.

Egypt's high piracy rate has been highlighted by the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) in its recent report to the US Government as part of the Special 301 review process. The report says: "Retail piracy of entertainment software, business software, music, and motion pictures (including, more recently, on digital carriers like VCD, DVD, and CD-ROM) continues to cause great harm to US and Egyptian copyright owners."

Although Egypt remains on the US Government's 'Priority Watch List', some progress has been made. The government passed Law 82/2002, better known as the IPR Law, in June 2002 for the protection of intellectual property rights.

"The new IPR Code provides a firm basis for the protection of works and producers of sound recordings, and allows for immediate enforcement against pirates," the IIPA report said.

Egypt is the traditional heartland of Arab pop music, boasting the majority of the region's songwriters and musicians and its largest population. Most artists prefer to come to Egypt to produce their records because most of the composers are there, and it is easy to find musicians.

With a market share of about 93%, music cassettes remain the most popular music format in Egypt. IFPI estimates that the level of piracy of Arabic music is about 50% and the percentage for international music repertoire is slightly lower. About 80% of the total legitimate market is Arabic repertoire with the international repertoire taking 20% of the market share.

The international recording industry would like to boost local talent by developing Arab singers and musicians and marketing them internationally. However piracy stunts the growth of this potentially lucrative cultural product, both domestically and internationally.

The recording industry invests hundreds of millions of dollars, up to 15% of its turnover in some countries, in new talent. This investment has risen steadily over the last decade, and local repertoire accounts for nearly 70% of the global music market.

IFPI estimates the illegal copying of sound recordings represents a US$4.3 billion a year, organised criminal trade across the world. IFPI, which represents the companies that produce and distribute more than 90% of all sound recordings by Arab artists, leads the fight against music piracy globally. IFPI has a membership of more than 1,500 record producers and distributors in over 70 countries. It also has national groups in 46 countries.

IFPI represents its members at three levels - international, regional and national. IFPI Secretariat in London is responsible for coordinating international strategies in the key areas of the organisation's work - anti-piracy enforcement, technology, lobbying of governments and representation in international organisations, legal strategies, litigation and public relations.

It is also the recording industry's most authoritative source of market research and information, providing a comprehensive range of global industry statistics. The organisation devotes a substantial amount of time and resources to fighting music piracy in all its forms. But crucially, they depend on the support of governments and public authorities such as police, customs, prosecutors and the judiciary.

UBM Partners with Health Tech Experts to Strengthen Jordan’s Regional Medical Capabilities

First complete HMIS solution delivered by UBM and Balsam Healthcare to streamline Levant and Jordanian health care sector

Amman, 6 July 2003 UBM (United Business Machines), an authorised IBM Business Partner, today announced its partnership with Saudi-based Balsam Healthcare Corporation, to
provide e-Oasis, a complete Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) to
the Jordanian health care sector. The integrated solution will be the first-of-its-kind to be available in Jordan and will provide hospital management with fast access to information leading to greater efficiencies. The application can scale to suit all hospital sizes and will be implemented and supported by UBM in Jordan.

“UBM has historically supported the health care sector by deploying a variety of solutions to Jordanian hospitals. We are excited to be the first to support a complete end-to-end solution that will lead to greater access to information and better management in the sector. Today IT plays a key role in the growth of health care as hospitals are depending on advanced solutions to better serve patients with more professional services,” said
Mustafa Rugibani, chairman of UBM. “Our partnership with Balsam, a well-known healthcare corporation, will enable us to further facilitate the tasks of hospitals in Jordan, which has become a regional center for health care services. We are particularly happy with the solution as it was tailored and built according to the recommendations and the requirements of professional doctors.”

The integrated Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) has functional modules which range from: personal & administrative, patient, financial and departmental functions. It is available in Arabic and English and is suitable for hospitals from 50 to over 10,000 beds occupancy. Over 57 well-known hospitals in the Arab region, Europe and Africa are already using this full-package solution which facilitates the responsibilities of all
departments throughout the hospital.

“Our goal at Balsam is to facilitate the IT requirements of hospitals, therefore we work very closely with the recommendations of experienced doctors, engineers and financial consultants to develop solutions and systems to contribute to the growth of this sector,” said Dr. Saleem Bin Mahfoz, general manager of Balsam healthcare Corporation. “ Our solutions are used throughout leading hospitals in the Arab region, Africa and Europe
and see a lot of potential for growth in the Jordanian health care market.
We believe that our partnership with a company of UBM’s calibre will enable
us to provide our high-quality services successfully in Jordan and across
the Levant.”

A seminar held recently in Jordan to launch the HMIS solution saw
participation from high-level representatives from the Jordanian health care
sector. At the event Balsam Healthcare and UBM shared the benefits of the
system and the President of Red Crescent, Dr. Mohammad Al-Hadid, endorsed
the use of IT in furthering medical care in the region. Participants
expressed interest in the new system which is proven to raise efficiency and
enhance hospital services.

United Business Machines (UBM) is an authorized IBM Business Partner for the
entire range of IBM products and services in Jordan, Palestine, and Iraq.
Since its establishment in October 1995, the company has become a leading
Jordanian IT solutions provider. UBM is dedicated to providing its
customers with leading-edge technologies from IBM, combined with world-class
business solutions from: JD Edwards, CISCO, and Diebold.

INMARSAT SATELLITE CONTROL DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO OFFER UNRIVALED SUPPORT TO SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY

Tracking, Telemetry and Command network successfully supports back-to-back transfer orbit operations of two different satellites


Dubai – UAE, July 6, 2003 - Inmarsat Limited, the Total Communications Network, today announced that its Satellite Control Department has provided launch support activity for Astrium, Europe’s number one space company, less than two days after completing launch activity for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This latest mission brings the number of external support launches to 10, building on Inmarsat’s 23 year heritage in designing, implementing and operating satellite networks.

As part of the Satellite Control Department, Inmarsat’s Transfer Orbit and
Payload testing support (TOPS) service offers flexible contracting and proven capability to provide post-launch transfer-orbit operations via Inmarsat’s Satellite Control Centre in London and three tracking, telemetry and control (TT&C) stations in Italy, China and Canada. Inmarsat TT&C support is a multi-faceted operation supporting customer-specific requirements including telecommand and telemetry, tracking and ranging of satellites, flight dynamics and voice and data links via Inmarsat’s communications network.

The launch of the Astrium Hellas-Sat satellite took place on May 13th on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It is the first telecommunications satellite for Greece and Cyprus and will be used to broadcast Direct To Home TV and broadband services as well as the next year’s summer Olympic Games from Athens. This launch was the tenth contract for the Inmarsat team and includes eight days of mission support, in which the spacecraft is manoeuvred into position, plus a further 26 days on-station support in its final position. Five days earlier, the Inmarsat TOPS team started supporting the launch of the ISRO GSAT-2 satellite, the fourth under a multi-satellite support contract between Inmarsat and ISRO.

Richard Denny, Inmarsat's vice-president, Satellite and Network Operations division said, “The Hellas-Sat satellite is the tenth external launch project for our TOPS programme and second in the space of a few days for our team. Being selected by world-class companies such as Astrium, and international space organisations such as ISRO, to provide support services is testament to our ability to provide world-class support services for leading satellite operators. Our teams have shown the expertise, experience and capability to lead the field and we are excited about working with many more companies moving forward.”

The Inmarsat Satellite Control Centre in London that manages the TOPS programme, was recently reopened by UK Science and Technology Minister, Lord Sainsbury. This state-of-the-art facility had a major redesign and refurbishment in advance of the launch of the first of Inmarsat’s latest generation of satellites, Inmarsat-4 in 2004.

Subject: can u help me?
Date: 5 Jul 2003 15:37:07 -0000

Dear Sir,
Let me introduce myself as Akhila an eight years old girl from a village of
Kerala in India. I lost my right hand completely in a bus accident on 11th
September 2000.Now I am a one handed girl.

My father took me to Pune Artificial Limb Centre for an artificial hand.
But they send us back insisting that Indian technology can not help me, and
also advised to try in Germany. Living without the right hand for two and
half years itself affected my back bone. If the balance of body can not be
maintained by implanting an artificial hand my life would be miserable by
damaging my Spinal Cord.
At this time a German institution -OTTO BOCK HEALTH CARE CENTRE offered me
a functionable electrical hand. My father took me to their Mumbai Branch
.But it would cost us 4 Lakhs Rupees at first and 2 Lakhs Rupees each
every two and half years for replacement. This replacement should be
continued till I become 20 years old. The overall expense may come to 15
Lakhs Indian Rupees. My father as a Primary
School teacher can not afford this amount. We are so poor. As a result of
my tragedy my father became a Heart patient and implanted a Pace Maker for
living at the age of 37.
I won the Second Rank in National Level for PCM Scholarship recently by
writing only one my left hand. I was a right handed girl till I met with my
tragedy. I wish to continue my studies and to get involved in all
Co-Curricular activities like any other child of my age. An artificial hand
is quiet necessary for all my dreams to come true. So I request you help me
as you can to fulfill my ambitions.
Expecting a positive replay and help.

Thanking you,

AKHILA. B.S,
B.S NIVAS
VANDIPURA
KOONAMVENGA P.O
PANAVOOR [VIA]
NEDUMANGADU
THIRUVANAMTHAPURAM
KERALA
INDIA. 695568,

 Announcement of new services shortly'

TOP APPOINTMENT BY TNT/SAB EXPRESS IN SAUDI ARABIA

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Leading executive Ian Robertson has been appointed Provincial General Manger Central Province by TNT/SAB Express.

The 42-year-old Briton will be based here in the Saudi Arabian capital and report directly to the company's General Manager in the Kingdom and other GCC states, Mark Pell. "It's certainly an interesting time to be working in Riyadh as the nation's capital is growing at such a rapid rate," says Robertson. " We're seeing the setting-up of numerous head offices and new foreign business ventures, particularly in IT, telecommunications and construction. "With its extremely modern infrastructure and rapidly expanding business base, Riyadh provides very good opportunities for TNT/SAB Express to further build on its international market presence," says Robertson, who has held senior positions with TNT -the world's leading business-to-business carrier - in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, The Philippines, Indonesia and Australia.

"TNT/SAB Express is an ISO 9002 certified company in Saudi Arabia. I
will continue to build brand awareness, focus on providing customers
with service excellence and ensure that the company offers the right field, operational and quality customer service that TNT is known for all over the world.

"I'm also keen to build on the TNT/SAB Express relationship we have with
a number of leading local and international companies such as ABB,
Hoshanco, Olayan Group, IKEA and Saudi Snack Foods, which is part of the Pepsico Group."

TNT/SAB Express recently secured the business of a number of water
purification firms and Robertson wants to involve the giant integrator
"in as many in as many environmentally-friendly and socially-beneficial
areas as possible." Pell heaps praise on the company's new chief in Riyadh.

"Robertson's appointment is part of an overall build-up of TNT/SAB
Express' activities in the Kingdom, which will include the announcement
of new services shortly. "It's all an extension of our relationship with, and commitment to, the Saudi Arabian market," according to Pell.

New entry level Bubble Jets feature tiny ink droplets and digital camera direct printing

i450 and i470 are very affordable for any user, but provides the same great features and quality as high end models

Dubai, UAE -6 July 2003 - Canon Middle East today announced the regional launch of two new Bubble Jet direct photo printers for the home or small office user, which offer print quality and performance previously only found in mid to high-end printers. The i450 and i470D Bubble Jets are extremely affordable and offer fast text printing, borderless photo printing, microscopic two picolitre ink droplets and digital camera direct printing. The i470D also incorporates the convenience of multi-format digital camera memory card printing.

"Canon has taken several printing technologies such as direct photo printing, two picolitre ink drops, 4800dpi and 18ppm print performance, traditionally only available on higher-end models and applied it to the entry-level i450 and i470D Bubble Jets. This is a great product for the Middle East market, where Internet and PC usage is only just taking hold for the regular consumer. Canon has created an affordable, high-quality direct photo printers that produce professional results, even for first time entry-level buyers," said Michel Sabbagh, Marketing Manager of Canon Middle East.

CAMERA DIRECT PHOTO PRINTING
Both printers offer direct photo printing straight from a Canon digital camera or digital video camera, via the standard camera USB download cable. In addition, the i470D Bubble Jet features a four-in-one multi-card slot that supports four kinds of digital camera media: CompactFlash, Smart Media, Memory Stick and SD/Multi Media cards.

Direct photo printing makes digital photography a 'plug and play' operation and with these new printers, getting great looking photo prints is easier and more affordable than ever for consumers. As with almost all Canon Bubble Jet printers, the i450 and i470D offer borderless photo printing, with both printers capable of photo-lab style borderless prints from 6" x 4" or 5" x 7" photo cards, through to borderless A4 sheets. Additionally, when stored properly and printed on Canon Photo Paper Pro, images will last up to 25 years with no visible loss of print quality.

SPEED
The i450 and i470D Bubble Jets boast impressive print output speeds, with monochrome text print speeds of 18ppm, and colour text and graphics speeds of 12ppm. A multitude of Canon technologies enable the printers to operate as efficiently as they do, including a fast motor that drives the high-density multi-nozzle print head across the page, to cover a wider area of the page in a single pass. In addition, the permanent print head also saves time by printing bi-directionally. An accompanying high-speed paper feeding system ensures that paper is fed efficiently into the printer, minimising output waiting times.

QUALITY
The i450 and i470D Bubble Jets both achieve a maximum resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi delivered via consistently formed two and five picolitre ink droplets. When combined with Canon's advanced MicroFine Droplet Technology, this ensures that ink is delivered to the paper with consistent volume and accurate placement every time, even on plain paper. The result is precise images with vivid colour and sharpness, and virtually no visible graininess.

To make it even easier for users to achieve high quality photo output, both the i450 and i470D Bubble Jets support Exif Print1, the industry standard which improves the way digital cameras work with printers.

SOFTWARE
Each of the new printers comes with a range of easy-to-use Canon-developed software designed to make photo printing easy:

i450 Bubble Jet

. Easy-PhotoPrint - designed to take advantage of Exif Print compatible digital camera images, making it easy to get great looking photo prints; and
. Easy-WebPrint* - simplifies the printing of Internet pages by scaling output so that information is not lost from the right hand margin of the page.

i470D Bubble Jet

. Canon PhotoRecord* - a simple to use, yet extremely powerful, customisable, electronic and printable photo-album application; . Canon ZoomBrowser EX* - a powerful, friendly, image library and thumbnail viewing application; . Canon PhotoStitch - automatically and intelligently joins images to create seamless panoramas;
. Easy-PhotoPrint - designed to take advantage of Exif Print compatible digital camera images, making it easy to get great looking photo prints;
. Easy-WebPrint* - simplifies the printing of Internet pages by scaling output so that information is not lost from the right hand margin of the page; and
. 3D-PhotoPrint - makes it easy to create fun 3D photo effects when used with Canon's PF-101P photo frame kit*