GE News Release:

GE Capital et Services financiers Élément scellent une alliance stratégique transfrontalière en matière de services de gestion de parcs de véhicules

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May 31, 2013

Canada - French

Norwalk, Connecticut et Toronto, Ontario, le 31 mai 2013 – Services financiers Élément (TSX : EFN) (« Élément » ) et GE Capital (« GE Capital ») ont annoncé aujourd’hui qu’elles ont conclu une entente définitive (« l’Entente ») d’achat de biens, par laquelle Élément fait l’acquisition du portefeuille canadien de services de gestion de parcs de véhicules de GE Capital, et que les deux entreprises forment une alliance stratégique afin d’offrir un large éventail de services de financement et de gestion de véhicules à leurs clients transfrontaliers au Canada et aux États-Unis.

Selon les modalités de l’Entente, Élément fera l’acquisition du portefeuille canadien existant de services de gestion de parcs de véhicules de GE Capital pour une contrepartie de 570 millions $ CAD (la « Transaction d’acquisition »), sujette à modifications, de même que les ressources opérationnelles de GE Capital Canada en gestion de parcs de véhicules qui sont nécessaires à l’administration de ce portefeuille. Ces opérations canadiennes seront combinées à TLS Fleet Management, l’entreprise de gestion de parcs de véhicules qu’Élément détient actuellement.

En plus de desservir l’industrie nationale de gestion de parcs de véhicules au Canada, l’entité unifiée verra à desservir les clients canadiens dans le cadre d’une Entente d’alliance stratégique (« l’Alliance stratégique ») entre Élément et GE Capital, Gestion de parcs de véhicules. Par le biais de cette Alliance stratégique à long terme, les deux entreprises verront à poursuivre conjointement des occasions transfrontalières en gestion de parcs de véhicules entre le Canada et les États-Unis.

« Cette alliance avec GE Capital, Gestion de parcs de véhicules permettra à Élément Flottes et parcs d’offrir à nos clients existants un éventail plus complet de solutions et de technologies de gestion de parcs de véhicules, tout en approfondissant notre banque de clients potentiels, nous donnant ainsi la capacité d’offrir des services en la matière aux clients ayant des besoins de chaque côté de la frontière Canada/États-Unis, » dit Steven K. Hudson, Président du conseil et chef de la direction d’Élément.

« Cette alliance stratégique favorisera la création d’avantages significatifs pour les clients de GE Capital, Gestion de parcs de véhicules qui opèrent des parcs au Canada, » déclare Kristi Webb, présidente et chef de la direction de GE Capital, Gestion de parcs de véhicules. « Nos clients bénéficieront d’un éventail de services plus étendu, d’une couverture géographique plus étendue, d’un nombre d’employés plus élevé au sein de marchés canadiens en croissance rapide, de même que des sources diversifiées en financement de capital afin d’appuyer leurs besoins en parcs de véhicules. »

Kathy Lee, présidente et chef de la direction de GE Capital Canada, ajoute : « Il nous fait plaisir d’annoncer cette alliance avec Élément Flottes et parcs et nous aimerions en profiter pour reconnaître l’excellent travail que les employés ont accompli dans la prestation de service aux clients de la division canadienne de Gestion de parcs de véhicules pendant tant d’années. Cette alliance permettra à nos clients d’accéder aux services et au réseau de l’une des entreprises en gestion de parcs de véhicules les plus respectées au Canada. »

L’Entente prévoit les conditions habituelles de clôture, notamment l’approbation en vertu de la Loi sur la concurrence (Canada). Sous réserve de la satisfaction de telles autorisations, la clôture de la Transaction d’acquisition devrait survenir le ou vers le 28 juin 2013.

Banque Scotia a agi à titre de conseiller financier auprès de GE Capital dans le cadre de cette transaction. McCarthy Tétrault S.E.N.C.R.L. a agi à titre de conseiller juridique pour GE Capital. GMP Securities L.P., BMO Marchés des capitaux et Barclays Capital Inc. ont agi à titre de conseillers financiers auprès d’Élément dans le cadre de cette transaction. Blake, Cassels & Graydon S.E.N.C.R.L. a agi à titre de conseiller juridique pour Élément.

À propos de Services financiers Élément

Avec un actif total de quelque 1,77 milliards de dollars CAD, Services financiers Élément est l’une des sociétés de financement d’équipement indépendantes les plus en vue en Amérique du Nord. Élément exerce ses activités à l’échelle de l’Amérique du Nord dans trois segments verticaux du marché du financement d’équipement – Élément Capital finance des opérations de crédit-bail d’équipement de grande valeur, Élément Finance est axée sur le marché du financement d’équipement intermédiaire et Élément Flottes et parcs fournit des solutions de gestion et de crédit-bail pour les parcs de véhicules par l’intermédiaire de TLS Fleet Management, une division de la société.

À propos de GE Capital, Gestion de parcs de véhicules

GE Capital, Gestion de parcs de véhicules, dont le siège social est à Eden Prairie, au Minnesota, est une société internationale de financement et de gestion de parcs de véhicules possédant de solides ressources en capital, des solutions inégalées en gestion de données et analyses, ainsi que des capacités de pointe en termes d’expertise stratégique afin d’aider les entreprises à trouver de nouvelles façons d’optimiser leurs investissements tout au long du cycle de vie de leur parc de véhicules. Consultez notre site Internet auwww.gefleet.com ou suivez les nouvelles écologiques et les mises à jour de l’entreprise via Twitter (@GEFleetSvcs)

À propos de GE Capital

Depuis près de 30 ans, GE Capital œuvre en sol canadien, offrant des solutions de prêt et de crédit-bail aux PME. GE Capital est l’un des plus importants fournisseurs de crédit et d’expertise au monde. Pour plus d’un milliard d’entreprises, GE Capital fournit du financement afin de permettre l’achat, la location et la distribution d’équipements, ainsi que du capital destiné aux acquisitions immobilières et d’entreprises, aux refinancements et aux restructurations. GE Capital est un chef de file au sein de bon nombre d’industries, des compagnies aériennes aux soins de santé, du secteur de l’énergie aux parcs de véhicules, du financement de franchises à celui des PME. À environ 80 millions de consommateurs, GE Capital offre des cartes de crédit et des programmes de financement de ventes au détail. GE Capital est un prolongement du riche héritage de GE en matière de stimulation et de soutien à la croissance, fournissant aux clients non seulement du financement, mais également des conseils, des connaissances et de l’expertise.

Tesoro to pay $1.1 million to resolve Clean Air Act violations

U.S. EPA Press Release:

Tesoro to pay $1.1 million to resolve Clean Air Act violations

Contact: Dale Kemery (News media only) kemery.dale@epa.gov 202-564-7839 202-564-4355

(Washington – May 30, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that Tesoro Corporation, Tesoro Refining & Marketing Company LLC, and Tesoro Alaska Company have agreed to pay a $1.1 million penalty to resolve claims that Tesoro failed to comply with requirements under the Clean Air Act at four of its refining facilities that produce conventional gasoline.

In its complaint, EPA alleged that Tesoro failed to comply with recordkeeping, reporting, sampling, and testing requirements at its facilities in Anacortes, Washington; Kenai, Alaska; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Mandan, North Dakota.  

"EPA’s fuel regulations are vital safeguards that protect our nation’s air quality,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "By taking action against violations of these regulations, EPA is not only protecting people’s health, but is also ensuring a level playing field for refiners that play by the rules.

The settlement requires that Tesoro implement an environmental compliance and auditing plan designed to prevent future violations and ensure compliance with EPA’s fuels regulations.  The consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.

EPA fuel regulations require that all fuel produced, imported and sold in the U.S. meet certain standards. Fuel that does not meet the standards can lead to increased emissions of harmful pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds and cancer-causing air toxics.

The fuel sampling, testing, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements provide the foundation for EPA’s compliance program. Refiners that violate these requirements undermine the integrity of the fuel regulations and hinder EPA’s ability to ensure gasoline complies with fuel quality and performance standards, potentially increasing harmful air pollution.

Secretary Napolitano Visits Boston Marathon Bombing Memorial (ID: 65983)

Boston, Mass., May 24, 2013 -- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and FEMA Deputy Administrator Rich Serino pay their respects at the Boston marathon bombing memorial in Copley Square.

Local Residents Get Weather Alert Radio (ID: 65973)

Norman, Okla., May 29, 2013 -- Midland representative Bruce Thomas, left, programs a weather alert radio for local resident Jack Taylor, right at Homeland Grocery store. The local grocery store partnered with Fox 25 and Midland to promote the radio to residents in the area. Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

Lost Dogs Being Held at Cleveland County Fairgrounds (ID: 65975)

Norman, Okla., May 29, 2013 -- American Humane Association volunteer Ken Mountcastle helps with a dog at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds which has set up a holding facility for lost animals from the recent EF5 tornado. Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

Lost Cats Being Held at Cleveland County Fairgrounds ID: (65976)

Norman, Okla., May 29, 2013 -- Cats displaced by the recent EF5 tornado are being held at a temporary facility at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds. Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

Interviews at Mobile Registration Intake Center (ID: 65980)

Moore, Okla., May 22, 2013 -- At the First Baptist Church recovery center, FEMA Corps Disaster Survivor Assistance Team (DSAT) members Allison Gray, Ana Canizales, and Samantha Miller are providing information and registration for FEMA assistance at the FEMA Mobile Registration Intake Center Vehicle (MRICV) for survivors of the May 20 deadly tornado. George Armstrong/FEMA 

Utility Service Being Restored (ID: 65961)

Moore, Okla., May 22, 2013 -- Electrical service is being restored after extensive destruction by the deadly May 20 tornado. President Obama signed an expedited Presidential Disaster Declaration on May 21 and FEMA is here to provide recovery services for eligible storm survivors and Public Assistance under Category F for communities. George Armstrong/FEMA

In-ground, Driveway Storm Shelter Saved Lives (ID: 65968)

Moore, Okla., May 22, 2013 -- The in-ground driveway storm shelter under this vehicle saved the lives of a woman and child who climbed out safely after the deadly May 20 tornado demolished the house and moved the jeep into the yard. FEMA Mitigation Services can help home owners determine an effective storm shelter system for protection from disastrous storms. George Armstrong/FEMA 

GE Press Release:

Les chefs de file du secteur de la restauration au Canada partagent des pratiques de croissance au Sommet canadien de l’investissement en restauration tenu aujourd’hui

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May 30, 2013

Canada - French

Franchise Finance

Les chaînes de restaurants de l’Ouest continuent à se déplacer vers l’Est, l’immobilier et la marque demeurent des facteurs cruciaux

TORONTO (Ontario) — Voyez grand ou rentrez chez vous. C’est le message que font passer les cadres supérieurs des services de restauration canadiens lorsqu’on les interroge au sujet des pratiques exemplaires pour les restaurants comptant s’installer dans de nouvelles régions.

« Le cycle de développement tout entier d’un nouveau marché est crucial, » déclare Paul Hollands, chef de la direction des Services alimentaires A&W du Canada Inc. « Il s’agit de bien plus que de se trouver au bon coin de rue. Il s’agit d’examiner l’intégralité de votre processus d’expansion de manière stratégique. Vous devez respecter votre engagement envers vos plans et vous devez envoyer vos meilleurs gens sur le terrain pour que tout cela se réalise. »

Le déplacement des enseignes de restaurants telles Earls Kitchen + Bar, Joey Restaurant, Moxie’s Grill & Bar, State & Main Kitchen & Bar et Cactus Club Café l’Ouest du Canada vers l’Ontario et vers des endroits davantage à l’est est devenu, de nos jours, un sujet de discussion d’actualité au sein du secteur des services alimentaires. Hollands et d’autres dirigeants ont présenté un aperçu des commentaires qu’ils ont préparés pour une table-ronde sur ce sujet, laquelle aura lieu aujourd’hui dans le cadre du Sommet canadien de l’investissement en restauration, à Toronto.

En plus de l’immobilier, il existe trois autres facteurs auxquels les restaurateurs doivent porter attention lors de leur expansion, a affirmé Robert Carter, directeur exécutif, services alimentaires, au NPD Group et animateur de la discussion. Ces facteurs sont la force de la marque, la notoriété de la marque et l’expansion opérationnelle.

« Il est intéressant d’examiner les concepts qui ont réussi leur déplacement de l’Ouest vers l’Est, » a déclaré Mark Pacinda, président et chef des opérations de Boston Pizza International Inc. « L’Ontario compte 12,9 millions de personnes et l’Alberta en compte 3,7 millions : il s’agit de marchés totalement différents. Toutefois, il existe des éléments uniques de la culture et de la dynamique de la côte Ouest qui ont mené à la réussite des chaînes poursuivant leur expansion à travers le pays. »

Pour Derek Doke, président de FranWorks Group of Companies, laquelle détient les restaurants Original Joe’s et State & Main, la différenciation de la marque et la croissance opérationnelle vont de pair. « Nous voulons toujours maximiser notre productivité. Nous sommes sensibles à la taille de nos magasins, car nous faisons attention à notre empreinte. C’est la raison pour laquelle nous préférons les emplacements au bout des bâtiments, plutôt que les bâtiments indépendants », a-t-il expliqué.

Le Sommet canadien de l’investissement en restauration réunit des restaurateurs, des cadres supérieurs de chaînes de restaurant, des opérateurs de franchises, des investisseurs, des prêteurs et des fournisseurs clés de partout au pays. Ces derniers contribuent des opinions et informations axées sur des enjeux bien spécifiques, à saveur typiquement canadienne. Pour obtenir plus de renseignements, veuillez visiter le site Web (http://www.restaurantinvest.ca/) ou suivre les nouvelles sur Twitter (https://twitter.com/CRIS_Toronto).

À propos du financement de franchises de GE Capital GE Capital est un prêteur-chef de file du marché du financement de franchises au Canada, qui offre ses services au secteur de la restauration et de l’hôtellerie. Nous nous spécialisons dans le financement régional et national des entreprises de restauration de toutes tailles partout au pays. Au cours des 11 dernières années, nous avons offert du financement à plus de 725 clients du secteur de la restauration, soit plus de 1 525 emplacements de propriétés. Dans le marché canadien de l’hôtellerie, nous offrons du financement à des marques connues à l’échelle nationale, au sein des segments restreints et des services sélectionnés du secteur.

Avec 19 succursales à travers le Canada, GE Capital (gecapital.ca) propose une vaste gamme de produits et de services financiers qui répondent aux besoins de financement commercial et de gestion de parcs de véhicules des entreprises tout au long de leur cycle de vie. Qu'il s'agisse de financement lié à l'équipement, aux fonds de roulement et à la croissance ou de prêts visant la restructuration ou fondés sur des actifs importants, nous utilisons notre vaste expertise dans les différents secteurs pour mettre au point des solutions personnalisées pour votre entreprise. Parmi les secteurs d'industrie dans lesquels nous nous spécialisons, on retrouve le transport, la construction, les soins de santé, l'exploitation forestière, les industries manufacturières, le pétrole et le gaz, la vente en gros et au détail et les franchises d'hôtels et de restaurants.

GE (NYSE: GE) travaille sur ce qui a de l'importance. Les gens les plus compétents, les technologies les plus performantes, relevant les plus grands défis du monde. Trouver des solutions dans les domaines de l'énergie, de la santé, des besoins résidentiels, du transport et de la finance. Bâtir, alimenter, propulser et guérir le monde. Ne pas se limiter à l'imagination. Agir. GE obtient des résultats. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site Internet de l'entreprise à ge.com.

Atom by Atom, Bond by Bond, a Chemical Reaction Caught in the Act

News Release:

Berkeley Lab scientists make the first-ever high-resolution images of a molecule as it breaks and reforms chemical bonds

MAY 30, 2013

Paul Preuss 510-486-6249  paul_preuss@lbl.gov

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News Release

Almost as clearly as a textbook diagram, this image made by a noncontact atomic force microscope reveals the positions of individual atoms and bonds, in a molecule having 26 carbon atoms and 14 hydrogen atoms structured as three connected benzene rings.

When Felix Fischer of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) set out to develop nanostructures made of graphene using a new, controlled approach to chemical reactions, the first result was a surprise: spectacular images of individual carbon atoms and the bonds between them.
“We weren’t thinking about making beautiful images; the reactions themselves were the goal,” says Fischer, a staff scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division (MSD) and a professor of chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. “But to really see what was happening at the single-atom level we had to use a uniquely sensitive atomic force microscope in Michael Crommie’s laboratory.” Crommie is an MSD scientist and a professor of physics at UC Berkeley.
What the microscope showed the researchers, says Fischer, “was amazing.” The specific outcomes of the reaction were themselves unexpected, but the visual evidence was even more so. “Nobody has ever taken direct, single-bond-resolved images of individual molecules, right before and immediately after a complex organic reaction,” Fischer says.
The researchers report their results online in the May 30, 2013 edition of Science Express.
Graphene nanostructures from the bottom up
Graphene nanostructures can form the transistors, logic gates, and other elements of exquisitely tiny electronic devices, but to become practical they will have to be mass produced with atomic precision. Hit-or-miss, top-down techniques, such as exfoliating graphite or unzipping carbon nanotubes, can’t do the job.
Fischer and his colleagues set out to engineer graphene nanostructures from the bottom up, by converting linear chains of carbon atoms into extended hexagonal sheets (polyaromatic hydrocarbons), using a reaction originally discovered by UC Berkeley professor Robert Bergman. The first requirement was to perform the reactions under controlled conditions.
“In solution, more than a dozen compounds could be the products of the reaction we were using, and characterizing the results would be difficult,” Fischer says. “Instead of a 3D solution we created a 2D system. We put our starting molecule” – a structure called oligo-enediyne, composed of three benzene rings linked by carbon atoms – “on a silver surface, and then induced reactions by heating it.”

The single-atom tip of the noncontact atomic force microscope “feels” changes in the strength of electronic forces as it moves across the surface at a constant height. Resulting movements of the stylus are detected by a laser beam to compute images.

Fischer’s group collaborated with microscopy expert Crommie to devise the best possible view. The first attempt to track the reactions used a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), which senses electronic states when brought within a few billionths of a meter (nanometers) of the surface of the sample. But the image resolution of the tiny molecule and its products – each only about one nanometer across – wasn’t good enough to reliably identify the molecular structures.
The collaborators then turned to a technique called noncontact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM), which probes the surface with a sharp tip. The tip is mechanically deflected by electronic forces very close to the sample, moving like a phonograph needle in a groove.
“A carbon monoxide molecule adsorbed onto the tip of the AFM ‘needle’ leaves a single oxygen atom as the probe,” Fischer explains. “Moving this ‘atomic finger’ back and forth over the silver surface is like reading Braille, as if we were feeling the small atomic-scale bumps made by the atoms.” Fischer notes that high-resolution AFM imaging was first performed by Gerhard Meyer’s group at IBM Zurich, “but here we are using it to understand the results of a fundamental chemical reaction.”
The single-atom moving finger of the nc-AFM could feel not only the individual atoms but the forces representing the bonds formed by the electrons shared between them. The resulting images bore a startling resemblance to diagrams from a textbook or on the blackboard, used to teach chemistry, except here no imagination is required.

The original reactant molecule, resting on a flat silver surface, is imaged both before and after the reaction, which occurs when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees Celsius. The two most common final products of the reaction are shown. The three-angstrom scale bars (an angstrom is a ten-billionth of a meter) indicate that both reactant and products are about a billionth of a meter across.

Says Fischer, “What you see is what you have – the effects of the electron forces among the atoms, and even the bond order. You can distinguish single, double, and triple bonds.”
A chemical bond is not as simple a concept as it may appear, however. From the dozens of possibilities, the starting molecule’s reaction did not yield what had intuitively seemed to Fischer and his colleagues the most likely products. Instead, the reaction produced two different molecules. The flat silver surface had rendered the reaction visible but also shaped it in unexpected ways.
The nc-AFM microscopy provided striking visual confirmation of the mechanisms that underlie these synthetic organic chemical reactions, and the unexpected results reinforced the promise of this powerful new method for building advanced nanoscale electronic devices from the bottom up.
Before much more complex graphitic nanostructures can result from this unique approach, says Fischer, “Large discoveries lie ahead.”
This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, the National Science Foundation, and the European Research Council.

###

“Direct Imaging of Covalent Bond Structure in Single-Molecule Chemical Reactions,” by Dimas G. de Oteyza, Patrick Gorman, Yen-Chia Chen, Sebastian Wickenburg, Alexander Riss, Duncan J. Mowbray, Grisha Etkin, Zahra Pedramrazi, Hsin-Zon Tsai, Angel Rubio, Michael F. Crommie, and Felix R. Fischer, will appear in Science and is now available on Science Express,http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2013/05/29/science.1238187.abstract.
For more information see the UC Berkeley release athttp://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2013/05/30/scientists-capture-first-images-of-molecules-before-and-after-reaction.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world’s most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab’s scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov.
DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit the Office of Science website atscience.energy.gov.

TAGS: chemistry, Materials Sciences Division, microscopy

Cigna News Release:

Cigna Foundation Sponsors Philadelphia Orchestra’s 40th Anniversary Tour to China

Contact(s):

Cigna Corporation (U.S.) Gloria Barone, 215-761-4758 Gloria.barone@cigna.com or CMC Life Insurance Co., Ltd. (China) Richard Zhou, +86 755 8319 6209 ext. 6810 richard.zhou@cmc-xinnuo.com

29 May 2013

• Performances scheduled in Hangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing, Macau
• Reflects Cigna’s long tradition of support for China’s business, culture

PHILADELPHIA, May 29, 2013 - Underscoring its commitment to the health and well-being of the people of China, the Cigna Foundation is the sponsor of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 40^th Anniversary Tour of the People’s Republic of China kicking off May 31 and running through June 9. This tour celebrates the Orchestra’s anniversary of its first China tour in 1973 while signaling the future, as the tour runs concurrently with the Orchestra’s innovative new residency program that will bring classical music to China’s major cities and further into its provinces.

“We’re proud to bring the Orchestra back to China as the 40^th anniversary sponsor,” said Jason Sadler, president of Cigna’s Global Individual segment. “Our support pays tribute to The Philadelphia Orchestra’s trailblazing role in fostering harmony in music and culture between China and the United States, and it reflects Cigna's longstanding service to China.”

The tour, coupled with the first-of-its kind residency, is a full circle moment for The Philadelphia Orchestra. Paying homage to the relationships created by Maestro Eugene Ormandy and the Orchestra when visiting four decades ago, the events and programs planned during the 40^th Anniversary Tour will highlight the ongoing commitment of The Philadelphia Orchestra to creating cultural bonds that drive further artistic innovation.

Cigna's history in China dates back to 1897, when INA, a Cigna predecessor company, became the first American company to write insurance in China. In 1994, Cigna opened an office in Beijing. In 2003, Cigna formed its joint venture in China with China Merchants Bank to sell individual health, life and accident products. In the years that followed, this successful operation – Cigna & CMC Life Insurance Co. – grew into a business that includes individual private medical plans and serves customers with one million policies across nine provinces.

Tour dates, cities and details for The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 40^th Anniversary Tour:

• Friday, May 31: Hangzhou, Hangzhou Grand Theatre
• Saturday, June 1: Shanghai, Shanghai Oriental Arts Center National Children’s Day concert benefitting Soong Ching Ling - Pearl S. Buck Fund
• Wednesday, June 5: Tianjin, Tianjin Grand Theater Live LED simulcast for 10,000 citizens of Tianjin (Philadelphia’s Sister City)
• Thursday, June 6: Beijing, National Center for the Performing Arts/”The Egg”-40^th Anniversary performance with The China National Symphony Orchestra
• Saturday, June 8: Macau, The Venetian Theatre

As part of its corporate responsibility commitment, Cigna will host a special program June 2 for middle-school students in Shanghai who have a passion for music. Students will be invited to a dress rehearsal where they can experience first-hand a world-class musical performance and interact with Philadelphia Orchestra members. For more information on planned events in China, contact Richard Zhou, Telephone: +86 755 8319 6209 ext. 6810 or email: richard.zhou@cmc-xinnuo.com

About the Cigna Foundation

The Cigna Foundation is a private foundation funded by contributions from Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) and its subsidiaries. The Cigna Foundation supports organizations sharing its commitment to enhancing the health of individuals and families, and the well-being of their communities, with a special focus on those communities where Cigna employees live and work.

About Cigna

Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. All products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 80 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.

About Cigna & CMC

Cigna & CMC Life Insurance Co., Ltd. (“Cigna & CMC”) was established by Cigna and a China Merchants Group affiliate in 2003. Founded in 1792, Cigna Corporation is one of the largest insurance companies in the US. As early as 1897, a Cigna predecessor company was the 1st American insurance company operating insurance business in China granted by the Qing Dynasty Government. China Merchants Group ("CMG"), founded in 1872, is one of the earliest enterprises in Chinese enterprise modernization process in recent China history. Cigna & CMC was awarded Best Foreign Life Insurance Company Award in China for two consecutive years in 2008 and 2009 by China Financial Times and The Institute of Finance and Banking of Chinese Academy of Social Science. Cigna & CMC topped in the overall competency ranking among all joint venture life insurers in China in the 2010 Asia Insurance Competency Ranking Research Report conducted by California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) and 21st Century Business Herald. For more information about Cigna & CMC, Pls. visit www.cigna-cmc.com.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and China

In 1973 The Philadelphia Orchestra, under Eugene Ormandy’s direction, became the first American orchestra to perform in the People’s Republic of China, at the special request of President Richard Nixon. The Orchestra returned to mainland China 20 years later, in 1993, again in 1996, and also in 2001, led by Wolfgang Sawallisch on each occasion. In 2008 Maestro Chistoph Eschenbach led the Philadelphians in a 35^th Anniversary Concert commemorating its historic to China. Two years later, in 2010, Maestro Charles Dutoit and The Philadelphia Orchestra helped to open the World Expo in Shanghai.

Eight musicians who were on the 1973 trip remain in the Orchestra today: Violinists Herold Klein, Herbert Light, Booker Rowe, and Jerome Wigler; violist Renard Edwards; double bassist Michael Shahan (associate principal bass); harpist Margarita Montanaro (co-principal harp); and percussionist Anthony Orlando (associate principal percussion). The Philadelphia Orchestra has a long and distinguished touring history throughout the world and is one of the most-traveled American symphonic ensembles.

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Renowned for its distinctive sound, beloved for its keen ability to capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences, and admired for an unrivaled legacy of “firsts” in music-making, The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the preeminent orchestras in the world.

The Philadelphia Orchestra has cultivated an extraordinary history of artistic leaders in its 112 seasons, including music directors Fritz Scheel, Carl Pohlig, Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy, Riccardo Muti, Wolfgang Sawallisch, and Christoph Eschenbach, and Charles Dutoit, who served as chief conductor from 2008 to 2012. With the 2012-13 season, Yannick Nézet-Séguin becomes the eighth music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Named music director designate in 2010, Nézet-Séguin brings a vision that extends beyond symphonic music into the vivid world of opera and choral music.

Philadelphia is home and the Orchestra nurtures an important relationship not only with patrons who support the main season at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts but also those who enjoy the Orchestra’s other area performances at the Mann Center, Penn’s Landing, and other venues. The Philadelphia Orchestra Association also continues to own the Academy of Music—a National Historic Landmark—as it has since 1957.

Through concerts, tours, residencies, presentations, and recordings, the Orchestra is a global ambassador for Philadelphia and for the United States. Having been the first American orchestra to perform in China, in 1973 at the request of President Nixon, today The Philadelphia Orchestra boasts a new partnership with the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. The Orchestra annually performs at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center while also enjoying a three-week residency in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and a strong partnership with the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival.

The ensemble maintains an important Philadelphia tradition of presenting educational programs for students of all ages. Today the Orchestra executes myriad of education and community partnership programs serving over 45,000 annually, including its Neighborhood Concert Series, Sound All Around and Family Concerts, and eZseatU.

World MS Day: Novartis launches a new campaign to raise awareness of MS and the unique experiences of people living with the disease

Novartis Media Release:

May 29, 2013 07:25 CET

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World MS Day: Novartis launches a new campaign to raise awareness of MS and the unique experiences of people living with the disease

• New campaign 'MS and:Our Story' announced today, providing MS community with platform to share experiences of life with MS

• Launch of new Novartis social media platforms to help generate dialogue, information and experience exchange amongst MS community

• Novartis offices around the world undertake initiatives to support the MS community

Basel, May 29, 2013 - Today Novartis is joining the global multiple sclerosis (MS) community in celebration of World MS Day by launching a new campaign and participating in initiatives that encourage information and experience exchange around MS. Novartis is committed to supporting the MS community through these initiatives, in addition to delivering and researching innovative treatments to help address the high unmet medical needs of people with MS at every stage of the disease.

World MS Day was created by the Multiple Sclerosis International Foundation (MSIF) in 2009 to raise global awareness of MS and its impact on approximately 2.5 million people with MS around the world[1],[2]. This year's World MS Day campaign focuses on young people; MS is normally diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40[3], but can also occur earlier in life. This diagnosis can be devastating at a time when young people may be starting careers and making plans for the future.

"Novartis proudly supports World MS Day, and we recognize and support the importance of creating dialogue amongst people with MS and the wider community to help create an environment of understanding," said David Epstein, Head of the Pharmaceuticals Division of Novartis Pharma AG. "As a leader in the field of MS, we are not only committed to hosting initiatives that foster this dialogue exchange, but also to ensuring that people with MS have the appropriate care and support to manage their disease."

MS and:Our Story
Novartis is proud to introduce MS and:Our Story, an interactive online campaign launched today which aims to capture the inspiring real-life stories of the MS community to increase awareness of MS and the unique experiences of those living with the disease. The campaign consists of a series of four animated films that chronicle the lives of people with MS and those who help care for them. The films are hosted on a dedicated website, www.msandourstory.com, and can also be accessed through links on Twitter and Facebook.

From now until the end of August, the global MS community will also have the opportunity to submit their personal story on www.msandourstory.com for the chance to have it produced into an animated video featured on the website. More information about the campaign, including how to submit MS stories and key timings, can be accessed at www.msandourstory.com.

Novartis initiatives to support World MS Day
Social Media Engagement: The Novartis Pinterest page is also launched today. Images and videos of interest to the MS community will be posted regularly and can be accessed via http://pinterest.com/novartis/. This Pinterest page adds to the ongoing dialogue on Twitter and Facebook pages: http://twitter.com/Novartis andhttp://www.facebook.com/novartis.

2nd International MS Patient Summit: On May 17, 2013, Novartis hosted the 2nd International MS Patient Summit in Dublin on 'Young People with MS: Staying Active and Interactive' in partnership with MS Ireland. Leading MS patient organizations and advocates and bloggers met in advance of World MS Day to discuss topics of particular relevance to young people with MS.

Novartis Group company offices around the globe are also conducting activities in support of World MS Day, including Brazil, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the UK and USA. Initiatives range from raising MS awareness through surveys and public events, to developing patient support materials and partnering with patient associations, physicians and parliamentarians to highlight the challenges people with MS face when trying to access specialists and treatments.

Novartis' Research Commitment to MS
Novartis is leading the way in delivering and researching ground-breaking therapies to help address the high unmet medical need in MS. 
Marketed products 
Extavia® (interferon beta 1b for subcutaneous injections) is approved to treat people with relapsing forms of MS, secondary progressive MS with active disease and people who have had a single clinical event suggestive of MS[4].

Gilenya® (fingolimod), the first oral therapy approved to treat relapsing forms of MS is the first in a new class of compounds called sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulators[5],[6]. Gilenya is also being investigated for the treatment of primary progressive MS.

Investigational Medicines
In addition to these marketed products, the Novartis portfolio includes investigational compounds BAF312 (siponimod), a second generation S1P modulator for patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis currently being studied in a Phase III trial; and AIN457 (secukinumab), a fully human monoclonal antibody inhibiting interleukin-17A (IL-17A) with a Phase IIb trial for patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis due to start in June 2013.

About Multiple Sclerosis
While its exact cause is unknown, multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that causes the body to turn against itself by mistaking normal cells for foreign cells[7]. In MS, the immune system attacks the fatty layer that surrounds and protects nerve fibers, called myelin[8]. This activity damages the myelin and strips it off the nerve fibers[8], causing a range of physical and mental problems including loss of muscle control and strength, vision, balance, sensation and mental function[9]. Up to 2.5 million people worldwide are affected by MS[2], most often in younger people between the ages of 20 and 40[3].

Disclaimer
This press release contains expressed or implied forward-looking statements, including statements that can be identified by terminology such as "undertake," "committed," "supports," "will," "investigational," "due to start," or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Group regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such statements. These expectations could be affected by, among other things, risks and factors referred to in the Risk Factors section of Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update it in the future.

About Novartis
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools, over-the-counter and animal health products. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2012, the Group achieved net sales of USD 56.7 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.3 billion (USD 9.1 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). Novartis Group companies employ approximately 129,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visithttp://www.novartis.com.

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis.

References:

[1]	http://www.worldmsday.org/wordpress/about-world-ms-day/. Accessed April 2013
[2]	Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. Atlas of MS [online]. Available at:www.atlasofms.org. Accessed April 2013
[3]	http://emsp.org/multiple-sclerosis/ms-fact-sheet. Accessed April 2013
[4]	Extavia SmPChttp://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Product_Information/human/000933/WC500034701.pdf. Accessed May 2013
[5]	Brinkmann V. FTY720 (fingolimod) in multiple sclerosis: therapeutic effects in the immune and the central nervous system. Br J Pharmacol 2009;158(5):1173-1182.
[6]	Chun J, Hartung HP. Mechanism of Action of Oral Fingolimod (FTY720) in Multiple Sclerosis. Clin Neuropharmacol. 2010 March-April;33(2):91-101.
[7]	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001747/. Accessed April 2013
[8]	http://www.mssociety.org.uk/what-is-ms/information-about-ms/about-ms. Accessed April 2013
[9]	http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/symptoms/index.aspx. Accessed April 2013

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