MCP and Kinti Mining Sign Deal

ANN ARBOR, MI, Apr 05 (MARKET WIRE) —
Michigan Collegiate Partners Holdings (“MCP”) President Brad Hayosh
states the following: “We are pleased to announce that we have signed a
definitive Memorandum of Understanding with Kinti Mining (PINKSHEETS:
KMLD). MCP and Kinti will merge with MCP contributing $50,000,000 worth
of real estate holdings to KMLD. At the closing of the transaction, Brad
Hayosh will assume the role of President and CEO of Kinti and current
Kinti President Richard Byrd will resign. The transaction will initiate
with the contribution of MCP’s interest in a 350 unit apartment complex
in Lansing, Michigan valued at approximately $10,000,000 with additional
assets to be brought into the company over the next 6 months. A good
portion of our portfolio is managed by Arch Realty with details of the
properties available at www.archrealtyco.com. We anticipate a closing
date within a month.”

Kinti Mining’s President Richard Byrd states the following, “Majority
shareholder Frank Love and I are pleased to announce this deal that will
add immediate revenues and profits for Kinti shareholders. We believe
that this transaction will greatly benefit current and future
shareholders as Kinti transitions itself into a substantial real estate
holding and investment company with interests in several different
business lines.”

Contact: Michigan Collegiate Partners Holdings
Bradley J. Hayosh, President
Email Contact

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

SunTec, Seachange partnership offers integrated IPTV billing solution

Amsterdam (Netherlands)/ Trivandrum (Kerala), Sep 14 (ANI/Business Wire India): SunTec, the leading provider of convergent transaction pricing and billing solutions for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industry, has partnered with video-on-demand, IPTV and advertising software and systems leader SeaChange International to offer television service providers globally automated provisioning of IPTV consumers and accounts in ‘near real time’, while supporting complex revenue sharing business rules.

The SunTec and SeaChange partnership has already resulted in the integration of SunTec’s convergent billing solution, TBMS-T, with SeaChange’s TV Navigator IPTV middleware for the Smart Digivision’s MyWay (http://www.myway.in) IPTV service. Available in 54 cities across India on Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (http://www.bsnl.co.in) (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (http://www.mtnl.net.in) (MTNL) broadband networks, MyWay is expected to reach three million subscribers in the first five years.

“Integrating SunTec’s convergent billing system with SeaChange’s middleware opens a compelling opportunity to the IPTV Service Provider to roll out innovative services and programs for its consumers. SunTec is happy to have a strategic association with SeaChange and I see this partnership complement both the companies’ growth in the emerging IPTV markets,” said Rajesh BL Narashimha, Vice-President and Sales Head APAC and MEA, SunTec.

SunTec’s convergent billing solution, TBMS-T interfaces in near real time with SeaChange’s, TV Navigator middleware, electronic program guide, video-on-demand systems and set top box applications. The flexibility of TBMS-T, coupled with SeaChange’s open middleware, allows the service provider to design innovative services and pack programs/content to attract more usage and consumers. In addition to this, SunTec’s TBMS-T supports the service provider with complex revenue sharing business rules and settlement with IPTV service carriers and content providers/aggregators.

“IPTV operators require open solutions that allow flexibility to choose best of breed vendors and components,” said, Lincoln Owens, Director Broadband Sales, APAC, SeaChange International. Our TV Navigator middleware is rooted in this open approach, which has given way to beneficial alliances across markets. Our tie-up with SunTec has helped create one of the most promising IPTV efforts in Asia and we anticipate further success.” (ANI)

Sensex breaches 16,000 mark

Mumbai, Sep 7 (ANI): The Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) gained 325 points to reach 16,014 on Monday.

Markets have surged higher in the second half with the NSE Nifty has surging past the 4750 mark to reach a 52 weeks high and the BSE Sensex has also surged past the 16000 levels.

Accept ITC and Mahindra and Mahindra all the other companies gained from today’s transaction.

Among the major gainers were ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, L and T, Bharti and HDFC. (ANI)

Govt. initiative to establish Power Exchanges benefited country: Shinde

New Delhi, July 8 (ANI): Union Minister for Power Sushilkumar Shinde on Wednesday said that the Government’s initiative to establish Power Exchanges in India has benefitted the country.

The minister said it happened by ensuring payment security, promoting competition among stakeholders, reduction in transaction costs by providing a common platform for trading, empowering demand side response to price signals and bringing about efficiency.

“Power is a high priority sector for the Government and policy initiatives will continue to promote competition, efficiency, restructuring and investment,” said Shinde while delivering the inaugural address at a seminar on “Journey to Competitive Markets” in the national capital.

Shinde said that a number of other initiatives have also been taken for empowerment of the State Load Despatch Centers, thereby, facilitating further growth of the Power Market.

These include setting up of committees by the Ministry of Power to look into various aspects to improve the infrastructure and other facilities in the State Load Despatch Centers and their ring fencing.

Organised by Indian Energy Exchange (IEX), the seminar was meant to mark its first anniversary and attended by several luminaries of power sector.

Shinde, on this occasion, said that during the year the total number of members and clients of IEX has crossed 130 and over 3,600 million units of power worth Rs. 3,000 crore has been traded through the Power Exchange.

The Electricity Act, 2003 has been brought about to facilitate private sector participation and to help cash strapped SEBs to meet electricity demand. It envisages competition in electricity market, protection of consumer’s interests and provision of power for all.

The Act provides for National Electricity Policy, rural electrification, open access in transmission, phased open access in distribution, mandatory SERCs, license free generation and distribution, power trading, mandatory metering, and stringent penalties for theft of electricity.

The minister said considering the present inter-State power trading scenario and the need to promote power trading in a free power market, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) approved the setting up of IEX as the first power exchange in India. (ANI)

India Inc. disappointed with Mukherjee’s budget for 2009-10

New Delhi/Mumbai, July 6 (ANI): India Incorporated on Monday reacted with disappointment to the proposals for Budget 2009-10 introduced by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

It said that Mukherjee had remained silent on key points like the revamp of fuel policy, corporate tax, and the disinvestment roadmap.

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark Sensex suffered the biggest fall on any Budget day and in the year too by plunging over 869 points on the BSE on concerns at the high fiscal deficit (6.8 percent) set by the Union Budget.

The Sensex, which started coming down soon after the announcement of budgetary proposals, dipped below the 14,000-point level before closing 869.65 points down at 14,043.40, surpassing the hefty fall of 749 points on January 7.

The key index had touched the day’s low of 13,959.44 as all the heavyweight stocks led by Reliance Industries suffered a heavy loss 6.53 per cent. Besides the fiscal deficit, trading sentiment also affected as European stocks dipped to a seven-week low on worries that economic recovery might still be far way off. The 50-share National Stock Exchange index Nifty also tumbled by 258.55 points to 4,135.70, after hitting the day’s low of 4,133.70.

Banking sector stocks suffered the most, losing 8.17 per cent to 7,768.63, as ICICI Bank tumbled by 10 per cent and HDFC Bank by 5.88 per cent among lenders as the Budget did not have measures to open up the industry and on concerns that the borrowing plan will reduce the value of bond holdings, brokers said.

Apart from the fiscal deficit, the other worry for captains of industry was the hike in Minimum Alternate Tax from ten to fifteen percent.

The Nifty also gave a thumbs down to the budget announcements.

Mukherjee left the corporate tax, customs and excise duty structure unchanged. He abolished the Fringe Benefit Tax which was the bugbear of the industry. Also, the deadline for Corporate India’s demand for a rollout of Goods and Services Tax has been set as April 2010.

He left the Securities Tax unchanged but scrapped the Commodities Transaction Tax. (ANI)

Income of NPS Trust to be exempt from income tax

New Delhi, July 6 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in his Budget Speech informed the Lok Sabha on Monday that he proposes to exempt the income of New Pension System (NPS) Trust from the income tax and any dividend paid to this Trust from Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT).

The Finance Minister also added that all purchases sales of equity shares and derivatives by the NPS Trust will also be exempt from this Securities Transaction Tax (STT).

Mukherjee further proposed to enable self-employed persons to participate in the NPS and avail of the tax benefits available thereto.

Underlining that NPS will continue to be subjected to the Exempt-Exempt-Taxed (EET) method of tax treatment of savings, he said that it is proposed to provide necessary fiscal support to the NPS for the establishment of much needed social security system.

“The New Pension System is an important milestone in the development of a sustainable, efficient, voluntary and defined pension system in India,” said Mukherjee. (ANI)

Scientists build largest ever quantum key distribution network

Washington, July 2 (ANI): Researchers from across Europe have united to build the largest quantum key distribution (QKD) network ever built.

The efforts of 41 research and industrial organisations were realised as secure, quantum encrypted information was sent over an eight node, mesh network.

With an average link length of 20 to 30 kilometres, and the longest link being 83 kilometres, the researchers from organisations such as the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Toshiba Research in the UK, Siemens, and many more have broken all previous records and taken another huge stride towards practical implementation of secure, quantum-encrypted communication networks.

Undertaken in late 2008, using the company internal glass fibre ring of Siemens and 4 of its dependencies across Vienna plus a repeater station, near St. Polten in Lower Austria, the QKD demonstration involved secure telephone communication and video-conference as well as a rerouting experiment which demonstrated the functionality of the SEcure COmmunication network based on Quantum Cryptography (SECOQC).

One of the first practical applications to emerge from advances in the sometimes baffling study of quantum mechanics, quantum cryptography has become a soon-to-be reached benchmark in secure communications.

Quantum mechanics describes the fundamental nature of matter at the atomic level and offers very intriguing, often counter-intuitive, explanations to help us understand the building blocks that construct the world around us.

Quantum cryptography uses the quantum mechanical behaviour of photons, the fundamental particles of light, to enable highly secure transmission of data beyond that achievable by classical methods.

The photons themselves are used to distribute cryptographic key to access encrypted information, such as a highly sensitive transaction file that, say, a bank wishes to keep completely confidential, which can be sent along practical communication lines, made of fibre optics.

Quantum indeterminacy, the quantum mechanics dictum which states that measuring an unknown quantum state will change it, means that the information cannot be accessed by a third party without corrupting it beyond recovery and therefore making the act of hacking futile.

According to the researchers, “In our paper we have put forward, for the first time, a systematic design that allows unrestricted scalability and interoperability of QKD technologies.” (ANI)

Fears over Pak minister’s company financing terror outfits grow stronger

Islamabad, June 27 (ANI): With the dismissal of the bail pleas of three employees of a forex company owned by the Minister of State for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, Abdul Raziq, it seems that there could be something more sinister than what really meets the eye regarding the multi-billion rupees forex scam involving the minister’s company.

A Lahore court dismissed the bail applications of three employees who worked for the Malik Exchange Company, after they failed to appear before it despite repeated appeals.

The court has also directed the FIA to launch a special operation to nab the absconding employees, The News reports.

Meanwhile, the company, which has been charged of transferring huge amount of money to Pakistan’s restive regions supposedly to help the extremists, has filed a petition in the Peshawar High Court against the ongoing investigations regarding its nefarious links with banned terror outfits.

Intelligence agencies in Pakistan were shocked to find out that billions of rupees were disbursed to the country’s terror hit volatile regions through Raziq’s forex company.

According to the FIA, about 15 billion rupees were transferred from 21 secret bank accounts of Lahore to different regions of the country, and a major share of the money was sent to the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) over the last seven months, where the Pakistan Army has been engaged in a fearsome battle with the Taliban.

It may be noted that Raziq was elected a Senator as an independent candidate. He was apparently rewarded with the minister of state’s post, as he sided with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government at the Centre. Raziq himself belongs to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

About 80 percent of the amount transferred by the three employees of the company was sent to Parachanar, Hangu and other troubled areas of the country, and 15 percent was sent to different areas of Kashmir. Only five percent was disbursed in areas within Lahore, sources said.

This trend of a large amount of money being sent to the restive regions had set alarm bells ringing for the concerned authorities.

“This not only a national issue as there are international dimension of this forex scam too. The outward diversion of these billions from the accounts of three employees of Malik Exchange is worrisome for me. It’s a matter of further inquiry at this stage if this money was also being sent to Afghanistan,” the DG FIA , Tariq Khosa, had said,

Raziq, however, has denied his company’s involvement in any illegal transaction.

A close aide of the minister also denied the charges, saying the allegations made against Raziq were totally without foundation.

“Those leveling the allegations have vested interests against the minister,” he said. (ANI)

Online Merchants now easily accept the world’s popular non-credit-card

Mumbai, May 30 (ANI/Business Wire India): PayByCash(r), a subsidiary of PlaySpanT, today announced the availability of the PayByCash CodeT, the most accessible pre-paid product for consumers in 180 countries. PayByCash’s revolutionary new product provides consumers with a streamlined way to make Internet purchases.

Using a PayByCash Code is similar to using a credit-card but without the activation hassles that make store-purchased prepaid cards challenging for many consumer demographics.

“The great benefit for online retailers is that they can now effortlessly tap into a huge new pool of consumers who previously were unable to complete online purchases,” said Kevin Higgins, President of PayByCash. “We’ve removed the need for merchants to modify their ecommerce systems in order to accept various countries’ popular payment methods, especially those used by credit-constrained or unbanked consumers.” “Furthermore, with the ongoing credit crunch, PayByCash Codes enable merchants to remain accessible to consumers who are losing access to their credit cards.”

Higgins continued, “This program is revolutionary in that it bundles PayByCash’s unrivaled international payment processing capability, its online experience, and the convenience of a credit-card checkout, with acceptance that’s so easy that many merchants could literally begin accepting PayByCash Codes in less than a day. That means a potential immediate revenue lift of 5 to15% or more with almost zero effort.”

An enormous number of consumers who don’t use credit cards because they are unbanked or live in the many countries where cash payment methods remain highly popular can now enjoy the value and convenience of international Internet shopping. In addition, this means online merchants have just been given easy access to the hugely lucrative but tough-to-reach global teen and college demographics.

It also means merchants can safely accept PayByCash Codes from parts of the world where they would normally decline a conventional credit card transaction due to the risk of payment fraud. With this product’s unveiling, PayByCash becomes the first processor to provide access to the world’s most popular non-bank-based payment methods to merchants whose systems only accept major credit cards.

According to a recent New York Times article, “Every major credit card issuer has been approving fewer new applicants, reining in credit lines and canceling unused accounts. And Meredith A. Whitney, a prominent banking analyst, expects credit card lenders to cut the lines of credit they extend to borrowers by a total of $2.7 trillion through 2010.

That is equivalent to a 57 percent reduction in the credit they made available two years ago at the height of the boom.” PayByCash Codes make these and the estimated more than a billion people globally who lack bank accounts or who don’t have access to credit cards more accessible to online merchants. (ANI)

Serverside Group granted second patent on core card customization architecture

London, May 21 (ANI/Business Wire India): Global technology provider, Serverside Group, announced that the Indian Patent Office has granted a patent directed to its core card customization architecture, thus establishing an international trend.

Since the Indian filing was part of an international strategy, the grant of the Indian patent, which follows the grant of a European Patent, not only enhances Serverside’s competitive position in India but indicates the likely outcome in other territories yet to come to grant.

As a result, Serverside is continuing to pursue its growing portfolio of international patent rights, with other major global territories soon expected to grant in its favor.

The patent grant was officially published on 26 February 2009 under Indian Patent No. 230390. The application leading to this patent defined the first of three inventions derived from the original world-wide patent family, which itself is one of a number of world-wide patent families applied for in recent years to cover the design, marketing and production of customized financial transaction cards.

Adam Elgar, President, Serverside Group, said: “Being granted the Indian patent is great news for Serverside. Clearly, we’re thrilled to be able to protect our position in India, but more broadly we’re also very encouraged because this gives an indication of the likely decision in other jurisdictions. Due to our level of innovation, we always felt it essential to invest in our IP and the decision of the Indian Patent Office to grant in our favour clearly justifies our strategy. We are now focusing our attention on the remainder of our patent applications and expect other territories to follow suit.” (ANI)

COPC launches seven new certifications

New Delhi, May 8 (ANI/Business Wire India): COPC, the world’s leading Business Excellence certification in the contact center industry worldwide, has recently launched secen new certifications in association with QAI, their exclusive implementation partner in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Starting April 2009 companies have the flexibility of going for certification for specific processes like hiring, training and skills verification, transaction monitoring, forecasting, staffing, scheduling and metrics Management.

COPC, the de-facto standard for BPOs and Customer Contact Centers worldwide has gained immense popularity in India.

Nine out of top 10 Indian BPO companies (as per Data Quest’s rankings) have implemented COPC in India. Over 35 organizations, with over 45 entities have been certified and many more are in the process of the same.

COPC has now introduced certifications that will address the huge request of the industry.

CSPs need not go for a comprehensive COPC certification. And yet, this allows them to get certified by specific process level certifications. This also helps channel efforts to a few, high impact processes and has a faster ROI.

Navyug Mohnot, CEO, QAI said, “Indian outsourcing Industry is growing despite the recession, specially the domestic market. The smaller companies are growing stronger. Since the deployment of the new certifications is likely to be quicker, its great for expanding from a single entity to widespread use of the standard.

It suits the CSPs who want to try out COPC standard or CSPs who want to find a specific problem or who want to split certification into multiple projects or large multi-location CSP who want to drive consistent processes throughout their organizations.” (ANI)

Obama’s bailout plan for banks will probably fail’

The Obama administration’s bank-rescue efforts will probably fail because the programmes have been designed to help Wall Street rather than create a viable financial system, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said.

“All the ingredients they have so far are weak, and there are several missing ingredients,” Stiglitz said in an interview on Thursday. The people who designed the plans are “either in the pocket of the banks or they’re incompetent.”

The Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, isn’t large enough to recapitalise the banking system, and the administration hasn’t been direct in addressing that shortfall, he said. Stiglitz said there are conflicts of interest at the White House because some of Obama’s advisers have close ties to Wall Street. “We don’t have enough money, they don’t want to go back to Congress, and they don’t want to do it in an open way and they don’t want to get control of the banks, a set of constraints that will guarantee failure,” Stiglitz said.

The return to taxpayers from the TARP is as low as 25 cents on the dollar, he said. “The bank restructuring has been an absolute mess.” “Rather than continually buying small stakes in banks, weaker banks should be put through a receivership where the shareholders of the banks are wiped out and the bondholders become the shareholders, using taxpayer money to keep the institutions functioning,” he said.

Stiglitz won the Nobel in 2001 for showing that markets are inefficient when all parties in a transaction don’t have equal access to critical information, which is most of the time. His work is cited in more economic papers than that of any of his peers, according to a February ranking by Research Papers in Economics, an international database.

The Public-Private Investment Program, PPIP, designed to buy bad assets from banks, “is a really bad program,” Stiglitz said. It won’t accomplish the administration’s goal of establishing a price for illiquid assets clogging banks’ balance sheets, and instead will enrich investors while sticking taxpayers with huge losses.

“You’re really bailing out the shareholders and the bondholders,” he said. “Some of the people likely to be involved in this, like Pimco, are big bondholders,” he said, referring to Pacific Investment Management Co, California.

Luna Gold amends Sandstorm letter of intent

VANCOUVER, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ – Luna Gold Corp. (TSXV-LGC)
(“Luna” or the “Company”) announces that it has entered into an amended and
restated letter of intent with Sandstorm Resources Ltd. (“Sandstorm”)
concerning the proposed gold stream transaction relating to the Company’s
Aurizona Project, as announced on March 12, 2009.

The material terms of the original letter of intent have been amended as
follows:

– Sandstorm will not provide a loan of US$7.2 million to Luna.

– Sandstorm has agreed to issue 5,500,000 common shares to Luna in
addition to the upfront consideration of US$17.8 million.

– Upon the execution and delivery of a binding definitive gold purchase
agreement between Sandstorm and Luna, the upfront cash payment and
the shares will be placed into escrow and will be released to Luna
upon the satisfaction of certain conditions that were previously
announced, including the closing by Sandstorm of a financing to raise
net proceeds of at least C$44 million on or before April 30, 2009.

About Luna Gold Corp.

Luna is a mining exploration company focused on the acquisition,
exploration, and development of gold resources and advanced stage gold
exploration projects in northeastern Brazil.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

LUNA GOLD CORP.

Jim Bahan – CEO

Website: www.lunagold.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as
that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this release that are forward-looking statements are subject to
various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors identified in
Luna Gold Corp.’s periodic filings with Canadian Securities Regulators. These
factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development
of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drill
results and other exploration data, the potential for delays in exploration or
development activities, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits,
the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will
not be consistent with the Company’s expectations, accidents, equipment
breakdowns, title matters, labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties
with or interruptions in production and operations, fluctuating metal prices,
the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses,
uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in
the future, the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the
potential for unexpected costs and expenses, commodity price fluctuations,
currency fluctuations, regulatory restrictions, including environmental
regulatory restrictions and liability, competition, loss of key employees, and
other related risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to
update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such
forward-looking information represents management’s best judgment based on
information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be
guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers
are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or
information.

SOURCE Luna Gold Corp.

Investor Relations at (604) 689-7317 or toll free at 1-866-689-7317

Pak responds to India’s replies on 26/11

Pakistan, on Monday, responded to India replies on the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.

Addressing mediapersons in Islamabad, Pakistan Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said that they have requested India for more information.

The minister said that India has not yet provided the details of the SIM cards used by terrorists for the attack.

Malik said that Pakistan has asked India for few documents related to Amir Ajmal Qasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the attack, who is facing trial in India at present.

“We have requested India for a copy of Qasab’s statement to magistrate. We have also asked India for a copy of Qasab’s chargesheet,” said Malik.

He further said that the DNA reports of Qasab and another terrorist killed are the same.

The Pakistan minister said that their investigations are on and that they have arrested one more facilitator.

The arrested man is named Shahid Jameel Riyaz, who facilitated money transaction for the attack.

iXiGO.com to support international airlines’ move to zero commissions in India

New Delhi, Apr 16 (ANI/Business Wire India): iXiGO.com, India’s fastest growing travel site, today announced that it supported the move by international airlines to zero commissions for travel agents and that it will continue working strategically alongside airlines in growing their direct sales and reducing their distribution cost.

14 international carriers in India have recently moved to zero commissions with a transaction fee system.

These include Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air France, KLM, Delta Airlines, British Airways, Continental Airlines and Finnair.

Though they acknowledge travel agents as an integral part of their business, they remain committed to reducing travel agency commissions to zero, pushing travel agencies to a transaction fee (or service fee) model.

This is in line with their global policies and an increased focus on direct-selling through their own website with web-only fares, lowest fare guarantees and exclusive on-site promotions.

Announcing the company’s stand on the issue, Aloke Bajpai, Founder-CEO, iXiGO.com said, “iXiGO remains committed to growing direct web-sales for international airlines just like we have already successfully done for domestic carriers. We are in the process of signing partnerships with all major international airlines and we believe that the move to zero commissions will be beneficial for the entire travel ecosystem in the long-run. Instead of focusing on commissions, as an industry we need to focus on the value delivered to the consumer. Selling and distribution costs are a major burden on airline P and Ls and it is our responsibility to enable more efficiency in their cost of sales.”

iXiGO.com’s unique business-model has introduced a paradigm-shift in travel bookings and has made it India’s biggest airline-direct search engine enabling efficient customer acquisition for all airlines in India.

Since bookings through iXiGO.com’s engine happen by transferring customers onto airline websites, the airline owns the customer and benefits from ancillary revenue and brand loyalty due to more effective marketing and direct distribution on the Internet. It is estimated that if efficient direct selling platforms such as travel search engines can transition just 10 per cent of sales directly to the airline sites from intermediaries, airlines in India would cumulatively save at least Rs. 100 crores every year in distribution costs.

Nitin Gurha, VP, Travel Partnerships, iXiGO.com said, “Travel agents will need to adapt to the transaction fee model prevalent in all large markets globally. They can make much better margins on hotels, tours and package bookings and also by offering value-added services like visas, insurance etc, so the impact on travel agency bottom-lines should only be marginal. Globally, travel agents have evolved into travel consultants and we don’t see a reason for that not happening in India”.

iXiGO.com, launched in June 2007, has grown exponentially in the last 12 months and is one of the biggest affiliates of airlines in India, driving transactions worth Rs.18 crores every month on airline sites.

In addition to airlines, iXiGO.com searches more than 220,000 hotels across the world and bus operators within India. (ANI)

Bancolombia S.A. Announces Unconsolidated Results for the Month of March 2009

MEDELLIN, Colombia, April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Bancolombia S.A.
(“Bancolombia”) (CIB) reported unconsolidated net income of Ps. 129.0 billion
for the month ended March 31, 2009. Net income for Bancolombia on an
unconsolidated basis totaled Ps. 362.2 billion for the first three months of
2009, increasing 9.1% as compared to the same period last year.
– Net interest income, including investment securities, totaled
Ps. 238.1 billion in March 2009. For the three month period ended March 31,
2009, net interest income totaled Ps. 696.6 billion, increasing 19.7% as
compared to the same period last year.
– Net fees and income from services totaled Ps. 71.8 billion in March
2009. For the three month period ended March 31, 2009, net fees and income
from services totaled Ps. 200.3 billion, which represents an increase of 9.5%
as compared to the same period of 2008.
– Other operating income totaled Ps. 107.5 billion in March 2009. For the
three month period ended March 31, 2009, other operating income totaled
Ps. 220.4 billion, decreasing 15.0% as compared to the same period last year.
Bancolombia notes that a considerable part of this revenue comes from dividend
income received from subsidiaries, which is eliminated in the consolidated
results as it is an intercompany transaction. As a result, this dividend
income is only recorded in Bancolombia’s unconsolidated results
(Ps. 64.4 billion corresponding to dividend income from subsidiaries for the
month of March will be eliminated in the consolidated results). The Bank also
notes that the line item of income from derivative financial instruments was
negatively impacted by a Ps 20.1 billion charge in March, related to rule
changes concerning valuation methodologies for derivative instruments
established by the Colombian regulator.
– Net provisions charges totaled Ps. 89.5 billion in March 2009,
increasing 131.6% as compared to the figure presented in February 2009. Net
provisions totaled Ps. 210.5 billion for the three month period ended March
31, 2009, which represents an increase of 103.7% as compared to the same
period of 2008.
– Operating expenses totaled Ps. 174.7 billion in March 2009. For the
three month period ended March 31, 2009, operating expenses totaled
Ps. 496.4 billion, increasing 21.4% as compared to the same period of 2008.
Total assets (unconsolidated) amounted to Ps. 40.1 trillion, gross loans
amounted to Ps. 27.8 trillion, deposits totaled Ps. 26.1 trillion and
Bancolombia’s total shareholders’ equity amounted to Ps. 5.9 trillion.
Bancolombia’s unconsolidated level of past due loans (overdue more than 30
days) as a percentage of total loans was 3.90% as of March 31, 2009, and the
coverage for past due loans was 140.4% as of the same date.
Market Share
According to ASOBANCARIA (Colombia’s national banking association),
BANCOLOMBIA’s market share of the Colombian financial system as of March 2009
was as follows: 21.6% of total net loans, 21.4% of total checking accounts,
19.7% of total savings accounts, 17.0% of time deposits and 19.0% of total
deposits.
* This report corresponds to the unconsolidated financial statements of
Bancolombia. The numbers contained herein are subject to review by the
relevant Colombian authorities. This information has been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in Colombia and is
stated in nominal terms.
SOURCE Bancolombia S.A.

Sergio Restrepo, Executive VP, +011-574-4041424, or Jaime A. Velasquez,
Financial VP, +011-574-4042199, or Juan Esteban Toro, IR Manager,
+011-574-4041837, all of Bancolombia

Instinet Named “Best Electronic Brokerage House” by The Asset Magazine

HONG KONG–(Business Wire)–
Instinet Incorporated, a global leader in electronic trading and agency-only
brokerage services, today announced that its three Asian brokerage units have
collectively been named “Best Electronic Brokerage House” by The Asset magazine
in its Triple A Transaction Banking Awards for 2009
(www.theasset.com/storage/File/2009/Award/TB09.pdf).

“We are extremely pleased that Instinet`s unwavering commitment to helping
clients achieve best execution through our agency-only model and advanced
technologies has been recognised,” said Fumiki Kondo, Co-CEO of Instinet
Incorporated.

The annual awards recognize institutions and individuals that have made a
significant contribution to the development of the financial services sector in
Asia, and are considered to be among the most prestigious in the industry due to
their rigorous assessment process.

In addition to today`s award, Instinet was recognized in March 2009 for
providing the “Best Execution Management System for 2009″ by World Finance
magazine and “Best Broker-Supplied Product/Service” for its SmartRouter™ in the
2008 Buy-side Technology Awards.

One of the largest agency-only brokers operating in Asia, Instinet employs over
50 sales and trading personnel in the region. Instinet offers a comprehensive
suite of high-touch to high-frequency electronic trading services in Asia,
including agency-only sales trading, global portfolio trading, global
algorithmic trading/DMA, the Newport® 3 EMS, a comprehensive trade analytics
platform and commission management services. In addition, the firm operates
three ATS (alternative trading system) platforms in Asia – CBX™ ASIA,
JapanCrossing™ and KoreaCross™.

NOTE: CBX ASIA is the brand name for Instinet`s CBX platform in Asia and is not
licensed or regulated in any market as a pan-Asian platform. Instinet`s CBX
offerings in each market are regulated under the relevant rules and regulations
governing each jurisdiction.

About Instinet

Instinet is an electronic trading pioneer, having established the world`s first
significant electronic trading venue in 1969, one of the first recognized U.S.
ECNs in 1997 and the first pan-European MTF in 2007. Through its subsidiaries
and affiliates, Instinet operates two distinct business lines: a global network
of agency-only brokers that seek to help institutions lower overall trading
costs and improve investment performance through the use of innovative
electronic trading products, including smart-routing, algorithms, DMA, dark
pools and EMS platforms, and also provide sales trading, commission management
services and independent research; and the Chi-X® trading systems, which aim to
improve the efficiency of capital markets globally by providing
high-performance, low-cost alternative execution venues. Instinet is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Nomura Holdings, Inc. For more information, please
visit www.instinet.com.

©2009 Instinet Incorporated and its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. INSTINET
is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries throughout
the world.

Instinet
Mark Dowd, +1-212-310-5331
First Vice President, Global Corporate Communications and Public Relations
mark.dowd@instinet.com
or
Elina Lim, +65-6854-3420
Head of Asia Marketing and Public Relations
elina.lim@instinet.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

Keystone Enterprise Services Unveiled as New Name of GlobeCast Enterprise Services

Name Reflects New Company Focus on Corporate Video Services
SALT LAKE CITY–(Business Wire)–
Keystone Enterprise Services – previously doing business as GlobeCast Enterprise
Services – today announced its new name. The new name, Keystone Enterprise
Services, better reflects the company`s new structure and exclusive focus on
large-scale secure video and media delivery services for enterprises.

The name change comes two years after the company completed a transaction to
purchase the U.S.-based enterprise services business unit of France Telecom
subsidiary GlobeCast, the leading global provider of content management and
worldwide transmission services for professional broadcast delivery. The
business unit served as GlobeCast America`s arm in providing satellite platforms
for business networks worldwide.

To better position the business for new opportunities, it was joined in March
2007 by two new entities: Simmons Media Group, a multi-media company; and Epic
Venture Fund/Zions, a $40 billion investment and banking organization – and it
has now been spun out of France Telecom. The company has demonstrated
significant successes and increased customer value under its new structure.
These include:

* Growing revenues 50% in the past year through enhanced product offerings
* Increasing its customer base, adding multiple new Business Television,
Interactive Distance Training, Digital Signage, 2-Way Mobile, and Keystone
Events clients
* Increasing its fiber and satellite network assets, including the addition of a
nationwide fiber IP/MPLS access network
* Expanding the depth and breadth of its customer support systems and staff.

“Keystone Enterprise Services` new name pays homage to the company`s pioneering
heritage and leadership role in the satellite transmission industry, while
signaling our future focus,” said Keven Cahoon, Keystone Enterprise Services`
President.

Keystone Enterprise Services first began operations as Bonneville Satellite and
was responsible for the design and build-out of one of the first satellite-based
corporate television networks in the U.S. It became Keystone Communications in
1989, and as the leading U.S.-based provider of satellite transmission services
it was acquired by France Telecom in 1996. Coming full circle and taking the
name Keystone Enterprise Services, the new company continues its 28-year legacy
of providing large-scale secure video delivery systems for business.

“The word `Keystone` is a great analogy for our philosophy of `one-stop shop`
service and support going forward,” said Cahoon. “The idea of a Keystone
suggests the key role we play supporting our customers and integrating the
supporting elements they need under one solid structure,” he added.

About Keystone Enterprise Services (www.Keystonebtv.com): The leader in
satellite enterprise video services for 28 years, Keystone Enterprise Services
helps organizations deliver private and interactive video for corporate
communications, training, broadcast, and special events. Top companies rely on
Keystone Enterprise Services to design, implement, and manage large-scale
private video delivery systems and services. Offerings include: Business
Television – networks for training and internal communications; Keystone Events
- providing corporate special events video production, logistics, and
transmission; Digital Signage – for enterprise and retail networks; and VSAT and
mobile video and data services. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, the company
provides service globally. Phone: 801-908-1100.

AdWavez Marketing
Dan Freyer
1-310-849-0721
dan@AdWavez.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009