Companies news

Global Airline Capacity Shows Positive Growth For The Second Consecutive Month, Reports OAG, As September Figures Are Released

CHICAGO, September 24 /PRNewswire/ --

- Growth of 1.4% compared to September 2008

Global airline capacity for September 2009 is showing positive growth for the second consecutive month, reports OAG, (www.oagaviation.com), the world's leading aviation data business, as it releases its monthly report on trends in the supply of airline flights and seats. The world's airlines have scheduled 296.9 million seats, a rise of 1.4% (4,130,744 more seats) over September 2008 levels.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/NY81644 )

David Beckerman, vice president OAG Market Intelligence, said, "As the summer season winds down, the steady upward trend we have seen since May is continuing. After 11 straight months of capacity cutbacks, these figures indicate a growing confidence within the industry that demand for air travel is starting to pick up."

Frequencies are marginally down compared to September 2008. The world's airlines have scheduled a total of 2.4 million flights for September 2009, down by 0.6% (14,321 fewer flights) compared with the same month last year. Last month, the year on year global frequency figure was down by 2% and capacity was up by 0.2%.

The month by month trend since the start of the economic downturn can be seen in chart format above, or at http://www.oagaviation.com/trends-chart-sep.jpg.

The figures are revealed in the September 2009 edition of OAG FACTS (Frequency & Capacity Trend Statistics), the dynamic monthly market intelligence tool providing the latest data on current passenger airline activity around the world.

OAG FACTS uses interactive graphs to display a visual trend of the performance of a specific airport, route, country or region from 2001 onwards, sourced from OAG's consolidated database of global airline schedules. A more detailed review of this month's OAG FACTS statistics - including information about specific regions, routes and airports with illustrative charts and graphs - is available to download at http://www.oagaviation.com/aviation-reports/reports-facts-0909.htm.

OAG provides the industry's most accurate single source of airline information, with essential aviation workflow data and analytics sourced from its comprehensive proprietary airline schedules, fleet and MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) databases. OAG is a leading brand of UBM Aviation, a global data and information business for the air transport industry. For more information visit www.ubmaviation.com

UBM Aviation

For media enquiries, a copy of the full Executive Summary with charts (Word or PDF format), or any individual charts, please contact, Dan Dulik, Director, Global Marketing, OAG, +1-630 515-5167, dan.dulik@oag.com; or Pamela Johnston, President, PJ Inc. Public Relations, +1-212-629-8445, Pamela@pjinc.net / NOTE TO EDITORS: A chart showing the month-by-month trend since the start of the economic downturn is available at http://www.oagaviation.com/trends-chart-sep.jpg. / Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/NY81644

Results from Abbott's PROSPECT Study Provide New Insight into Role of Vulnerable Plaque in Coronary Artery Disease

SAN FRANCISCO, September 24 /PRNewswire/ --

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced primary results from its groundbreaking PROSPECT (Providing Regional Observations to Study Predictors of Events in the Coronary Tree) clinical trial. PROSPECT is the first prospective natural history study to evaluate the role of vulnerable plaque in unexpected heart attacks and the natural progression of coronary artery disease. Results were presented today during the late-breaking clinical trials session by Gregg W. Stone, M.D., professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, during the 2009 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) annual meeting.

"We know that certain vulnerable plaques lead to sudden cardiac death, but until now, our understanding of how these plaques progress has been extremely limited," said Dr. Stone, who is also immediate past chairman of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, and principal investigator of the PROSPECT study. "PROSPECT has provided fundamental insights into our understanding of atherosclerosis. Conventional wisdom has been that if we could identify vulnerable plaques, we would be able to determine who might be at risk for a serious cardiac event and treat them prophylactically."

Vulnerable plaques are inflamed, lipid-rich lesions that form in the walls of the arteries and usually have thin, fibrous caps. The relationship between vulnerable plaque ruptures and sudden cardiac death is well known, but until the PROSPECT study, no systematic effort had been made to prospectively understand the event rate associated with progression of vulnerable plaque. Unlike hardened plaque, vulnerable plaques are often not visible with angiography and do not actually block blood flow in coronary arteries unless their rupture results in a clot.

Among the findings of the 700-patient study, researchers were able to identify the common characteristics of lesions that put patients at highest risk for future cardiac events by using advanced imaging called virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH(R) IVUS) and standard angiography. Going forward, investigators will now have access to more than 40,000 datapoints derived from 150 variables within each of the patients, far beyond the level of assessment of previous interventional studies.

"While the prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing successful stenting and treated with contemporary medical therapy is favorable, we are now able to identify those lesion types with a significantly increased likelihood of causing future cardiovascular events," Stone said.

The PROSPECT study recruited patients who were in need of a PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) to treat a heart attack or threatened heart attack. Patients consented to collection of additional data as follow-up to their procedure, including VH IVUS imaging and standard angiography. PROSPECT collected data about characteristics of vulnerable plaque lesions that were present but not causing symptoms at the time of the procedure. The goal was to correlate lesion characteristics, patient risk factors and biomarker measurements with subsequent heart attacks and other cardiac events, potentially paving the way for physicians to identify and treat at-risk patients before a heart attack occurs.

Study Findings

In the study, approximately 20 percent of the patient population experienced a major adverse cardiac event (cardiac death, cardiac arrest or heart attack) within three years of enrollment. Half of these events can be attributed to the original "culprit" lesions (those treated with PCI) and half to previously untreated, "non-culprit" lesions of the three-vessel coronary tree. Half of the patients treated for non-culprit events exemplified the classic notion of vulnerable plaque.

The event rate, particularly that attributed to vulnerable plaques specifically, was lower than expected. Further, patients who experienced "non-culprit" events in the years following PCI were more likely to present with progressive or unstable angina, and rarely with cardiac death, arrest or MI. Imaging of the lesions that did progress to events suggests that vulnerable plaque lesions with a large plaque burden and large necrotic core without a visible cap were at especially high risk for future adverse cardiovascular events.

"Abbott's PROSPECT trial is the most comprehensive study ever done on vulnerable plaque and the results shed new light on understanding its role in the progression of coronary artery disease," said John M. Capek, executive vice president, medical devices, Abbott. "As a leader in cardiovascular devices, diagnostics and medicines, Abbott looks forward to sharing these results with the vascular community and adding to our understanding of the disease."

About the PROSPECT Trial

Abbott's PROSPECT trial is the first prospective natural history study to examine the role of vulnerable plaque and how it might progress to a cardiac event. PROSPECT used novel intravascular imaging technology to correlate plaque characteristics, patient risk factors and biomarker measurements with subsequent heart attacks and other cardiac events, potentially paving the way for physicians to identify and treat at-risk patients before a heart attack occurs.

PROSPECT enrolled 700 patients from 40 clinical centers across the United States and Europe. All patients received PCI for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), which included unstable angina, NSTEMI or STEMI. Patient follow up continued for three years. Abbott sponsored the study and VH IVUS imaging technology was provided by Volcano Corporation.

About Abbott Vascular

Abbott Vascular, a division of Abbott, is one of the world's leading vascular care businesses. Abbott Vascular is uniquely focused on advancing the treatment of vascular disease and improving patient care by combining the latest medical device innovations with world-class pharmaceuticals, investing in research and development, and advancing medicine through training and education. Headquartered in Northern California, Abbott Vascular offers a comprehensive portfolio of vessel closure, endovascular and coronary products.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 72,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at www.abbott.com.

Abbott

Media, Tracy Sorrentino, +1-847-937-8712, or Jennie Kim, +1-408-845-1755, or Financial, Tina Ventura, +1-847-935-9390, all of Abbott

Authentidate Holding Corp. Reports Fiscal 2009 Fourth Quarter and Year End Results

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Authentidate Holding Corp. , a worldwide provider of secure Health Information Exchange and workflow management services, today announced financial results for the fiscal 2009 fourth quarter and year ended June 30, 2009.

Selected operating highlights for fiscal year 2009 include: -- Added a number of new Inscrybe Healthcare projects, including Willcare, Community Home Care Services, Virtuox, Total e-Medical, UroMed, SuperCare, and Medical Services of America -- Expanded addressable market by adding new hospital discharge products and services -- Entered a new market segment through our joint venture, ExpressMD Solutions, which provides in-home patient vital signs monitoring systems -- Received 510(k) market clearance from the U.S. FDA for ExpressMD's Electronic House Call(TM) remote patient monitoring telehealth device -- Increased revenues year-over-year and significantly reduced net loss and cash used -- Repurchased 547,000 shares of common stock and members of the management and the board of directors purchased approximately 1,000,000 shares of common stock

Ben Benjamin, President of Authentidate, stated, "We accomplished several milestones in fiscal 2009, including cutting costs, expanding our existing business, and developing new solutions to enter the telehealth and hospital discharge markets. Our joint venture, ExpressMD Solutions, completed the development of 'Electronic House Call(TM),' which permits physicians of chronically ill patients to remotely monitor their vital signs. Electronic House Call(TM) combines a vital signs monitoring appliance with a specially designed web-based management and monitoring software module based on our Inscrybe(TM) Healthcare platform. The service enables unattended in-home measurements of patients' vital signs and related health information. We believe these new solutions offer significant opportunities for future growth. All of our solutions offer the necessary tools to help reduce the cost of healthcare administration and patient care and, as we move into fiscal 2010 and expand the marketing and sale of Electronic House Call(TM), we believe we will benefit from market trends to reduce healthcare costs and increase preventative care."

Mr. Benjamin continued, "We increased revenues for fiscal 2009 and significantly reduced our net loss and cash use for the year compared to the same period last year, even as our results were impacted by poor economic conditions that slowed customer decisions and implementations for most of the year. Our results were also impacted in the second half of fiscal 2009 by the Medco acquisition of Liberty Medical and the related expiration of our contract with Liberty at the end of March 2009. Given these conditions, we are pleased with our progress and believe we are well positioned for growth moving forward."

Total revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2009 was approximately $1,567,000 compared to $1,675,000 for the same period last year. These results reflect a decrease in revenue from our U.S. business due to the expiration of the Liberty contract and a decrease in revenue from our German operations due to certain project delays. Compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2009, total revenues decreased approximately 22% reflecting the same trends as the fourth quarter results.

Net loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 decreased to $2,272,000, or $0.07 per share, compared to $2,633,000, or $0.08 per share, for the same period last year. The decrease in net loss for the quarter reflects our cost management activities and lower share based compensation expense.

Total revenue for the year ended June 30, 2009 increased 13% to approximately $6,876,000 compared to $6,067,000 for the same period last year. These results reflect increases of approximately 21% in U.S. revenues and 8% in German revenues from increases in transaction volumes and new customers.

Net loss for the year ended June 30, 2009 decreased to $9,367,000, or $0.27 per share, compared to $15,811,000, or $0.46 per share, for the same period last year. The decrease in net loss for the year is due primarily to cost management activities, revenue growth and lower share based compensation expense, which was partially offset by joint venture investments of approximately $392,000, and the write off of deferred deal expenses of approximately $907,000, or $0.03 per share, related to the termination of the Parascript merger. The prior year period includes approximately $3,808,000, or $0.11 per share, for incremental legal fees, accrued severance and professional service expenses.

As of June 30, 2009, the company's cash and cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaled $6,564,000 and deferred revenue totaled $963,000.

"Looking forward, we continue to believe there are significant opportunities for us in several different healthcare markets. The positive trends we are experiencing in the market speak directly to the validity of our technology and solutions. Additionally, we believe that the timing for our products and services could not be more timely given the current focus in Washington D.C. on healthcare reform," concluded Mr. Benjamin.

Conference Call

Management will host a conference call on Thursday, September 24, 2009, at 4:30 p.m. ET, to discuss the latest corporate developments and results. The dial-in number for callers in the U.S. is (888) 562-3356 and the dial in number for international callers is (973) 582-2700. The access code for all callers is 29003625. To access the live webcast, visit http://www.authentidate.com/, click the "About Us" link, followed by "Investor Relations" on the drop-down menu and then the "IR Events & Presentations" link. Following the conclusion of the call, the webcast will remain on the company's website for review within the fiscal year.

A dial-in replay of the call will be available through October 1, 2009. To access the replay, please dial (800) 642-1687 in the U.S. and (706) 645-9291 internationally, and then enter the access code 29003625.

About Authentidate Holding Corp.

Authentidate Holding Corp. is a worldwide provider of secure Health Information Exchange and workflow management services. The company's software and web-based services enable healthcare organizations and other enterprises to increase revenues, improve productivity and reduce costs by eliminating paper and manual work steps from clinical, administrative and other processes and enhancing compliance with regulatory requirements. The web-based services are delivered as Software as a Service (SaaS) to customers. These solutions incorporate rules-based electronic forms, intelligent routing, transaction management, electronic signatures, identity credentialing, content authentication, and automated audit trails. Both web and fax based communications are integrated into automated and trusted workflow solutions. The company has offices in the United States and Germany. In the United States, Authentidate offers its patent pending content authentication technology in the form of the United States Postal Service Electronic Postmark (EPM).

For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.authentidate.com/.

About ExpressMD Solutions

ExpressMD Solutions is a joint venture formed by Authentidate Holding Corp. and Encountercare Solutions (ECSL) to provide web-based telehealth services and home healthcare equipment dedicated to the advancement of in-home patient health care and improved chronic condition outcomes.

The complete ExpressMD telehealth solution combines Electronic House Call, an FDA 510(k) market clearance approved, in-home patient vital signs monitoring system with a web application that streamlines the practitioner's job anywhere they have Internet or a Windows mobile communication device.

For more information about ExpressMD Solutions, visit http://www.expressmdsolutions.com/

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. When used in this release, the words "believe," "anticipate," "think," "intend," "plan," "will be," "expect," and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Such statements regarding future events and/or the future financial performance of the company are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or the actual future results of the company to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. Such risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the availability of any needed financing, the company's ability to implement its business plan for various applications of its technologies, related decisions by the USPS, the impact of competition, the management of growth, and the other risks and uncertainties that may be detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In light of the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation by the company or any other person that the objectives and plans of the company will be achieved.

Authentidate is a registered trademark of Authentidate Holding Corp. and Inscrybe is a trademark of Authentidate Holding Corp. All other trade names are the property of their respective owners.

This press release is available on the KCSA Strategic Communications Web site at http://www.kcsa.com/.

(Tables follow) Authentidate Holding Corp. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Data June 30, 2009 2008 (in thousands, except per share data) ------------------------------------- Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $461 $4,493 Restricted cash 512 512 Marketable securities 6,103 6,375 Accounts receivable, net 1,024 1,287 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 877 671 --- --- Total current assets 8,977 13,338 Marketable securities - 3,950 Property and equipment, net 549 1,014 Note receivable, net of deferred gain of $2,000 - - Other assets Software development costs, net 2,182 2,533 Goodwill 7,341 7,341 Other assets 1,221 1,375 Assets held for sale 2,000 2,000 ----- ----- Total assets $22,270 $31,551 ======= ======= Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued expenses $1,585 $1,850 Deferred revenue 823 1,273 Other current liabilities 182 97 --- -- Total current liabilities 2,590 3,220 Long-term deferred revenue 140 140 --- --- Total liabilities 2,730 3,360 ----- ----- Commitments and contingencies Shareholders' equity Preferred stock $.10 par value; 5,000 shares authorized Series B, 28 shares issued and outstanding 3 3 Common stock, $.001 par value; 75,000 shares authorized, 34,286 and 34,537 issued and outstanding on June 30, 2009 and 2008, respectively 34 35 Additional paid-in capital 166,052 165,681 Accumulated deficit (146,443) (137,006) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (106) (522) ---- ---- Total shareholders' equity 19,540 28,191 ------ ------ Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $22,270 $31,551 ======= ======= Authentidate Holding Corp. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations Data (Quarterly Information is Unaudited) Three Months Ended Year Ended June 30, June 30, -------- -------- (in thousands, except per share data) 2009 2008 2009 2008 ------------------------------------- ---- ---- ---- ---- Revenues Software licenses and support $971 $1,029 $4,086 $3,769 Hosted software services 596 646 2,790 2,298 --- --- ----- ----- Total revenues 1,567 1,675 6,876 6,067 ----- ----- ----- ----- Operating expenses Cost of revenues 713 630 2,974 2,244 Selling, general and administrative 2,353 2,856 10,637 16,577 Product development 464 506 1,653 2,823 Depreciation and amortization 409 410 1,530 1,638 --- --- ----- ----- Total operating expenses 3,939 4,402 16,794 23,282 ----- ----- ------ ------ Operating loss (2,372) (2,727) (9,918) (17,215) Other income (expenses) 100 94 551 1,404 ------- ------- ------- -------- Net loss $(2,272) $(2,633) $(9,367) $(15,811) ======= ======= ======= ======== Basic and diluted loss per share $(0.07) $(0.08) $(0.27) $(0.46) ====== ====== ====== ====== For: Authentidate Holding Corp. Investor Contacts: Todd Fromer / Garth Russell KCSA Strategic Communications 212-896-1215 / 212-896-1250 tfromer@kcsa.com / grussell@kcsa.com

Authentidate Holding Corp.

CONTACT: Todd Fromer, +1-212-896-1215, tfromer@kcsa.com, or Garth
Russell, +1-212-896-1250, grussell@kcsa.com, both of KCSA Strategic
Communications

Web Site: http://www.authentidate.com/

Vail Resorts Announces Change in Breckenridge Management Team

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vail Resorts, Inc. today announced that Lucy Kay is leaving her position as vice president and chief operating officer of Breckenridge Resort, effective Oct. 7, 2009.

Kay was appointed vice president and chief operating officer of Breckenridge Ski Resort in June 2007. Prior to that position, she had served in various marketing leadership roles at both Breckenridge and Keystone over the prior 20 years. "I want to thank Lucy for her many contributions to the success of both Breckenridge and Keystone over the past two decades, and in particular, to helping establish both resorts as two of the most popular in the U.S., driving both visitation and profitability," said Blaise Carrig, co-president of Vail Resorts' Mountain Division.

The Company simultaneously announced that Patricia Campbell, senior vice president and chief operating office of Keystone, will move into the position of senior vice president and chief operating officer of Breckenridge Resort, effective immediately. Campbell will continue to report to Carrig.

"In the past two years, Pat has been instrumental in significantly improving the overall experience at Keystone Resort. Under her leadership, Keystone has seen the successful completion of major capital projects such as the new River Run Gondola and a renewed focus on guest service, which has resulted in the highest guest satisfaction scores in the resort's history," said Carrig. "Given her past tenure as director of skier services at Breckenridge, Pat has extensive knowledge of the team, culture and operations of the resort. I'm confident that her transition from Keystone to Breckenridge will be a smooth one and that she will successfully lead the talented, dedicated Breckenridge team in continuing to deliver high levels of guest service and drive financial growth in the future."

Campbell was appointed senior vice president and chief operating officer in October 2008. Prior to that, she was chief operating officer of Keystone Resort since November 2006. Campbell brings 21 years of expertise in the ski industry and extensive senior management experience. From 1999-2006, Campbell had been director of skier services for Breckenridge Ski Resort, responsible for overseeing the departments of ski and ride school, ticket and product sales, and guest service, among others. Prior to that position, Campbell had served as director of the resort's ski and snowboard school. She was director of the ski and snowboard school for Grand Targhee Ski Resort in Alta, Wyo. from 1995-1999, and served in various roles from ski school instructor to assistant ski school director for Jackson Hole Mountain Resort from 1985-1995. Campbell serves as a member of the board of the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center.

The Company will begin an immediate search among internal candidates for the position of chief operating officer of Keystone Resort.

About Vail Resorts

Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, the Heavenly Ski Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada, and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States and in the Caribbean. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange . The Vail Resorts company website is http://www.vailresorts.com/ and consumer website is http://www.snow.com/

Vail Resorts, Inc.

CONTACT: Investor Relations, Michelle Lang, +1-303-404-1819,
mlang@vailresorts.com, or Media Relations, Kelly Ladyga, +1-303-404-1862,
kladyga@vailresorts.com, both of Vail Resorts, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.snow.com/
http://www.vailresorts.com/

The Hanover Insurance Group Announces $100 Million Increase In Its Share Repurchase Program

WORCESTER, Mass., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. announced today that its board of directors has authorized a $100 million increase to the company's existing share repurchase program.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/NEM023LOGO )

The program initially was authorized by the board in October 2007, allowing for the repurchase of up to $100 million of its outstanding shares. Since that time, The Hanover has made common stock purchases of approximately $94 million. The increase will provide for aggregate repurchases under the program of up to $200 million of company shares.

Under the stock buy back program, the company may repurchase its common stock from time to time, in amounts, at prices, and at such times as the company deems appropriate, subject to market conditions and other considerations. The program does not stipulate that the company purchase any specific number of shares or make purchases by a certain time and date.

The Hanover also expects to establish from time to time 10b5-1 trading plans that will provide flexibility as it buys back its shares.

"This increase in our stock repurchase program is consistent with our commitment to deliver significant value for our shareholders," said Frederick H. Eppinger, chief executive officer of The Hanover. "This authorization is a demonstration of the confidence we have in our company's overall financial condition and in our ability to generate strong profitable growth going forward."

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains or may include statements about the company that are not statements of historical fact, including the following: statements regarding the sufficiency of future earnings and cash flows to satisfy the company's future plans for capital investments and maintaining its balance sheet and ratings; statements regarding the company's commitment to enhance shareholder value and potential for future profitable growth; and the repurchase by the company of shares of its common stock from shareholders, including the timing and the duration of prospective share purchases and the amount of capital that may be expended for such share repurchases, which may be subject to change in the future. Such statements are forward-looking statements as defined by the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The company cautions investors that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results could differ materially. Investors are directed to consider the risks and uncertainties in its business that may affect future performance and that are discussed in readily available documents, including the company's annual report and other documents filed by The Hanover with the Securities and Exchange Commission and which are also available at http://www.hanover.com/ under "Investors".

About The Hanover

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. , based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding company for a group of insurers that includes The Hanover Insurance Company, also based in Worcester; Citizens Insurance Company of America, headquartered in Howell, Mich., and their affiliates. The Hanover offers a wide range of property and casualty products and services to individuals, families and businesses through an extensive network of independent agents, and has been meeting its obligations to its agent partners and their customers for more than 150 years. Taken as a group, The Hanover ranks among the top 30 property and casualty insurers in the United States. For more information, please visit http://www.hanover.com/.

CONTACTS: Investors: Media: Oksana Lukasheva Michael F. Buckley (508) 855-2063 (508) 855-3099 olukasheva@hanover.com mibuckley@hanover.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/NEM023LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

CONTACT: Investors, Oksana Lukasheva, +1-508-855-2063,
olukasheva@hanover.com, or Media, Michael F. Buckley, +1-508-855-3099,
mibuckley@hanover.com

Web Site: http://www.hanover.com/

Spectrum Control Reports Third Quarter ProfitStrong Operating Cash Flow; Year-to-date EPS Up 6% from a Year Ago

FAIRVIEW, Pa., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Spectrum Control, Inc. , a leading designer and manufacturer of custom electronic products and systems, today reported results for the third quarter and nine month period ended August 31, 2009.

For the third quarter of fiscal 2009, the Company reported net income of $2.0 million or 16 cents per diluted share on sales of $31.5 million, compared to net income of $2.4 million or 18 cents per diluted share on sales of $33.1 million for the same period last year. For the first nine months of fiscal 2009, the Company had net income of $6.4 million or 50 cents per diluted share on sales of $98.2 million. For the comparable period of 2008, the Company had net income of $6.3 million or 47 cents per diluted share on sales of $96.9 million.

Dick Southworth, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Despite the global recession's ongoing impact on virtually all of our commercial markets, we continue to generate positive operating results and year-to-date growth in sales and earnings. Our fundamental strategy of serving both the commercial and military markets is serving us well, with our strong military and defense business offsetting the persistent softness for substantially all commercial product applications. Current quarter sales and profitability were slightly below our previous expectations, reflecting changes in the timing of certain customer orders and related shipments. This quarterly impact, however, does not have any affect on our longer term business outlook. We continue to believe that we are strategically positioned for dynamic growth and enhanced shareholder value, as applications for our products in military and defense remain strong and the commercial markets finally begin to rebound."

Financial Highlights Cash Flow

Our cash flow continues to be strong, with record levels of net cash being generated by operating activities. During the current quarter, net cash provided by operating activities was $5.7 million. With this current quarter cash flow, net operating cash generated for the first nine months of fiscal 2009 grew to a record $13.8 million. Our cash flow continues to benefit from our focused reductions in working capital requirements. With changing business levels and improved turnover rates, accounts receivable and inventories decreased by approximately $3.9 million during the nine month period ended August 31, 2009. During fiscal 2009, this positive cash flow has enabled us to repay $10.0 million of short-term bank debt ( reducing our outstanding line of credit borrowings to zero ), as well as fully funding all of our year-to-date capital expenditures of $2.9 million. Approximately $1.6 million of these capital expenditures were made in our microwave components and systems business to support manufacturing expansion and improvements needed for growing production requirements.

Customer Orders

Total customer orders received in the third quarter of fiscal 2009 amounted to $32.4 million, an increase of $1.3 million or 4% from the same period of last year. With our third quarter performance, aggregate year-to-date customer orders increased to $100.0 million. These customer order levels generated positive book-to-bill ratios of 1.03 to 1.00 for the third quarter of fiscal 2009 and 1.02 to 1.00 for the nine months ended August 31, 2009.

Shipments

Demand for our products in military/defense applications remains strong. Shipments to military/defense customers were $19.2 million or 61% of our total consolidated sales in the current quarter, compared to $15.8 million or 48% for the same period a year ago. For the first nine months of this fiscal year, our consolidated net sales increased by $1.4 million, with sales of our microwave products increasing significantly. In the first nine months of fiscal 2009, excluding the impact of the SatCon Electronics acquisition, sales of our microwave products increased by $3.4 million or 11% from a year ago. This increase was driven by numerous military/defense programs including applications in secure communications, radar systems, and countermeasures for improvised explosive devices.

Financial Position

At August 31, 2009, our ratio of current assets to current liabilities was over 6.00 to 1.00, our stockholders' equity was $110.9 million for a book value of $8.76 per share, and our total borrowed funds were less than $1.0 million. We believe our current financial position provides a solid foundation upon which to build our future growth.

Insurance Recoveries

Earlier in fiscal 2009, one of our manufacturing facilities sustained wind damage to its roof which, in turn, resulted in water damage to certain machinery, equipment, and leasehold improvements. In a separate incident, another of our manufacturing facilities sustained a small fire, destroying certain assets. During the third quarter ended August 31, 2009, all related insurance claims were settled and we received aggregate insurance proceeds of $1.3 million. As a result, we recorded a net gain of $528,000 ($346,000 net of tax) in the current quarter representing the excess of insurance recoveries over the carrying value of the assets destroyed and related costs incurred.

Current Business Outlook

Mr. Southworth added, "As announced earlier this month, we have received a $9.1 million contract for integrated microwave assemblies used in upgrades of fielded RCIED (Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Devices) Jammer Systems. This contract, which we originally expected to receive earlier in fiscal 2009, was temporarily delayed as a result of a protest filed by a competitor of our customer. With this protest having been denied, product shipments under this contract are now expected to commence in December 2009 and continue through the second quarter of 2011. Based on the timing of these shipments, along with our current assessment of business conditions and overall customer demand, we expect our fiscal 2009 fourth quarter sales to be in the range of $32.5 to $33.5 million with earnings of $0.16 to $0.18 per share. Beyond the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, we remain very optimistic about the future of our Company, as we continue to develop innovative new products and seek to consummate strategic business acquisitions."

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors and risks discussed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports. In addition, such statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates, and general domestic and international economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

Simultaneous Webcast and Teleconference Replay

Spectrum Control, Inc. will host a teleconference to discuss its third quarter fiscal 2009 results on Thursday, September 24, 2009, at 4:45 p.m., Eastern Time. Internet users will be able to access a simultaneous webcast of the teleconference at http://www.spectrumcontrol.com/ or http://www.vcall.com/. A taped replay of the call will be available through September 25, 2009, at 877-660-6853, access account 286, conference 331377, or for 30 days over the Internet at the Company's website.

About Spectrum Control

Spectrum Control, Inc. is a leader in the design, development and manufacture of custom electronic products and systems for the defense, aerospace, communications, and medical industries worldwide. For more information about Spectrum Control and its products, please visit the Company's website at http://www.spectrumcontrol.com/.

Tables follow Spectrum Control, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Dollar Amounts in Thousands) August 31, November 30, 2009 2008 ---- ---- Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $8,019 $5,397 Accounts receivable, net 20,988 24,043 Inventories, net 29,995 30,638 Deferred income taxes 1,684 1,684 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 2,178 2,307 ----- ----- Total current assets 62,864 64,069 Property, plant and equipment, net 25,559 27,250 Other assets Goodwill 36,811 36,811 Other 5,861 6,654 ----- ----- Total assets $131,095 $134,784 ======== ======== Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities Short-term debt $ - $10,000 Accounts payable 5,040 6,541 Income taxes payable 14 36 Accrued liabilities 4,468 4,415 Current portion of long-term debt 487 487 --- --- Total current liabilities 10,009 21,479 Long-term debt 455 545 Other liabilities 856 978 Deferred income taxes 8,881 8,491 Stockholders' equity 110,894 103,291 ------- ------- Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $131,095 $134,784 ======== ======== Spectrum Control, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) (Amounts in Thousands, Except Per Share Data) For the For the Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended August 31, August 31, ------------------ ----------------- 2009 2008 2009 2008 ------ ------ ------ ------ Net sales $31,477 $33,124 $98,217 $96,852 Cost of products sold 23,728 24,532 73,262 73,329 ------ ------ ------ ------ Gross margin 7,749 8,592 24,955 23,523 Selling, general and administrative expense 4,589 4,933 14,920 13,815 ------ ------ ------ ------ Income from operations 3,160 3,659 10,035 9,708 Other income (expense): Interest expense (43) (105) (206) (244) Other income and expense, net 2 16 40 272 ------ ------ ------ ------ (41) (89) (166) 28 ------ ------ ------ ------ Income before provision for income taxes 3,119 3,570 9,869 9,736 Provision for income taxes 1,078 1,216 3,454 3,417 ------ ------ ------ ------ Net income $2,041 $2,354 $6,415 $6,319 ====== ====== ====== ====== Earnings per common share: Basic $0.16 $0.18 $0.51 $0.48 ====== ====== ====== ====== Diluted $0.16 $0.18 $0.50 $0.47 ====== ====== ====== ====== Average number of common shares outstanding: Basic 12,613 12,980 12,585 13,192 ====== ====== ====== ====== Diluted 12,844 13,058 12,705 13,352 ====== ====== ====== ====== Spectrum Control, Inc. and Subsidiaries Selected Financial Data (Unaudited) For the For the Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended August 31, August 31, ------------------ ----------------- 2009 2008 2009 2008 ------ ----- ----- ----- Selected Financial Data, as a Percentage of Net Sales: Net sales 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Cost of products sold 75.4 74.1 74.6 75.7 ------ ------ ------ ------ Gross margin 24.6 25.9 25.4 24.3 Selling, general and administrative expense 14.6 14.9 15.2 14.3 ------ ------ ------ ------ Income from operations 10.0 11.0 10.2 10.0 Other income (expense): Interest expense (0.1) (0.3) (0.2) (0.3) Other income and expense, net - - - 0.3 ------ ------ ------ ------ Income before provision for income taxes 9.9 10.7 10.0 10.0 Provision for income taxes 3.4 3.6 3.5 3.5 ------ ------ ------ ------ Net income 6.5% 7.1% 6.5% 6.5% ====== ====== ====== ====== Selected Operating Segment Data: ( Dollar Amounts in Thousands ) Advanced specialty products: Customer orders received $11,141 $11,962 $37,854 $44,301 Net sales 10,305 13,225 31,124 40,040 Microwave components and systems: Customer orders received 15,229 11,891 43,530 33,482 Net sales 14,495 11,483 44,737 32,230 Power management systems: Customer orders received 2,742 1,641 6,231 7,812 Net sales 2,173 2,341 7,014 7,731 Sensors and controls: Customer orders received 3,308 5,577 12,342 19,543 Net sales 4,504 6,075 15,342 16,851

Spectrum Control, Inc.

CONTACT: Investor Relations, John P. Freeman, Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer, Spectrum Control, Inc., +1-814-474-4310

Web Site: http://www.spectrumcontrol.com/

Results From Landmark PROSPECT Trial Demonstrate the Ability of Volcano's VH(R) IVUS Imaging to Identify Plaques Most Likely to Cause Heart Attacks

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Volcano Corporation , a leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, announced today imaging results from PROSPECT, the landmark 700 patient natural history study sponsored by Abbott and co-funded by Volcano. These data demonstrate the progression of cardiovascular disease via precise, intravascular imaging, and the ability of Volcano's proprietary VH IVUS technology to be used to classify lesions by plaque "type" per the PROSPECT protocol and to assess the risk of each plaque type to cause an event, or to remain stable out to three years. PROSPECT results presented today include the landmark finding that angiographically mild lesions with certain morphologic features on grayscale and VH IVUS present with a 3 year cardiac event rate of 17%, versus other morphologies (indistinguishable by conventional angiograms) with three year event risks of less than 1%.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-a) (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-b) (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-c) (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-d) (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-e)

"For years, interventional cardiologists have been focused on using angiography to identify blockages and to restore flow. PROSPECT teaches us that looking at the angiographic severity of the blockage is not enough, and we must understand the type of disease present in the vessel wall," said Gregg Stone, MD, of Columbia University Medical Center and Principal Investigator of PROSPECT. "With VH IVUS we can clearly see two things: one, that "mild" lesions on angiography are capable of progressing quickly into events for the patient: and two, events also take place in locations of severe disease that are often missed by angiography. Understanding the risk of each lesion type is paramount to minimizing the occurrence of these future events. Current practice using angiography guidance alone is insufficient in that regard."

PROSPECT (Providing Regional Observations to Study Predictors of Events in the Coronary Tree) is a first-of-its-kind multi-center, natural history study of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. These patients underwent PCI to restore blood flow at baseline. Following the PCI procedure, an angiogram and a detailed IVUS image was captured in the three primary coronary arteries before the patient was sent home. If the patient had a subsequent event, they were readmitted, and again, an angiogram and IVUS imaging was performed. The core laboratory (Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, NY) then matched the location of the secondary event to the initial IVUS images to determine which locations progressed, and which lesions remained stable. Patient follow-up continued for three years.

"Angiography alone is not enough and more and more clinical data continues to support that conclusion," said Scott Huennekens, President and CEO of Volcano. "PROSPECT has shown that not all coronary disease is the same. We cannot predict a patient's risk of having future cardiac events by looking at a 2-D, black-and-white image of the arterial lumen. Available tools like IVUS and VH IVUS that look at the quantity, location and type of disease and not just the narrowing of the vessel improve our ability to determine the likelihood of a particular lesion type to cause an event. PROSPECT has shown the ability to use VH and grayscale IVUS to classify different lesion types per the PROSPECT definitions. This trial highlights not only the potential of Volcano's VH IVUS, but just as important, the limitations of using angiography alone."

VH IVUS uses advanced spectral analysis of the ultrasound signal to classify atherosclerotic disease into different plaque components. By using these four plaque components, the PROSPECT investigators grouped the baseline lesions into five distinct lesion types; Fibrotic, Fibro-Calcific, Pathological Intimal Thickening, Thick-Cap Fibroatheroma and Thin-Cap Fibroatheroma, in order of hypothesized risk.

PROSPECT Results

The PROSPECT event data presented today demonstrates that the measurements made using grayscale and VH IVUS did have a statistically significant impact in determining the likelihood of a particular lesion type to cause an event. The highest risk PROSPECT plaque type being VH Thin Cap Fibroatheromas with a minimum lumen area of less than or equal to 4mm(2) and a plaque burden greater than or equal to 70%. All three of these important parameters (each an independent predictor) when combined showed that the particular lesion imaged at baseline had a 17.2% chance of causing an event within three years. It is important to note that current practice of using angiography alone cannot measure plaque burden or the presence of VH-TCFAs, which were the two most significant predictors of lesion risk in the study. These measures can only be collected using Volcano's proprietary Eagle Eye Gold IVUS catheter not only visualizes and measures plaque burden but also collects signals for VH imaging allowing display of four plaque components.

Importantly, the absence of a fibroatheroma by PROSPECT definitions in imaged lesions was a strong predictor of lesion stability over three years as shown in the graph below. In lesions defined by PROSPECT having less than 10% Necrotic Core (red on VH IVUS), the likelihood of that lesion progressing to an event over three year was negligible, independent of other grayscale and angiographic factors.

It is widely believed that a hazard ratio of greater than 2.0 is a clinically meaningful predictor of an event. You can see from the chart below that the hazard ratio for a PROSPECT defined VH-TCFA is 3.8 with a p-value of < 0.0001 indicating a positive predictive value of causing an event that is statistically significant. The converse is true for PIT lesions which have a hazard ratio of only 0.2, indicating low likelihood of causing an event, which is also statistically significant.

"Healthcare reform has reached a boiling point," continued Huennekens. "The power of this study is quite simple: Angiography alone is not enough and we need more precise, targeted procedures. PROSPECT is not only important for identifying high-risk plaques so they can be treated to prevent future events. The findings are arguably just as important because they identify low-risk plaques, which do not need intervention which can decrease costs and future events. VH IVUS is very different from non-invasive imaging technologies like CT and MRI, which have been accused of funneling too many procedures to the cath lab. In the case of IVUS, these patients are already in the cath lab, and are already getting an intervention. This tool simply allows physicians to further triage which lesions need to be stented, and which lesions can be treated with medical therapy. The negative predictive accuracy of VH IVUS is very similar to Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) in its potential to reduce procedure costs by stenting only the patients and lesions that will benefit from that therapy."

Evening Symposium

To explore the imaging data in greater detail, Volcano will host an evening symposium entitled, "Imaging Matters! Identifying high risk patients and optimizing PCI." The symposium will include late breaking results from PROSPECT, FAME and other clinical studies. The first session of the symposium, entitled, "Can imaging help identify at-risk vulnerable plaques and patients before catastrophe (or those not at risk)," will feature presentations from Patrick W. Serruys, M.D., Gary S. Mintz, M.D., Gregg W. Stone, M.D. and Alexandra Lansky, M.D. The second session, entitled, "Ischemia, FFR and Optimal Revascularization," will include presentations by Gregg W. Stone, M.D., Bernard de Bruyne, M.D., PhD, Bill Fearon, M.D. and Mort Kern, M.D. The event will be held at the Hilton San Francisco in the Imperial Room on Thursday, September 24. A reception will be held from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM, followed by the symposium from 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM.

About the PROSPECT Trial

About Volcano Corporation

Volcano Corporation offers a broad suite of devices designed to facilitate endovascular procedures, enhance the diagnosis of vascular and structural heart disease and guide optimal therapies. The company's intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) product line includes ultrasound consoles that can be integrated directly into virtually any modern cath lab. Volcano IVUS offers unique features, including both single-use phased array and rotational IVUS imaging catheters, and advanced functionality options, such as VH ) IVUS tissue characterization and ChromaFlo . Volcano also provides functional measurement (FM) consoles and single-use pressure and flow guide wires and is developing a line of ultra-high resolution Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Forward-Looking IVUS systems and catheters. Currently, more than 4,400 Volcano IVUS and FM systems are installed worldwide, and more than half of Volcano's revenues are derived from outside the United States. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Axsun Technologies, Volcano also develops and manufactures optical monitors, lasers and optical engines used in telecommunications, spectroscopy and other industrial applications. These products are sold to a variety of customers, including Nokia Siemens, Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent and HuaWei Technologies. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.volcanocorp.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this release regarding Volcano's business that are not historical facts may be considered "forward-looking statements," including statements regarding the potential benefits of the procedures described above and of the Company's products, results and implications of the data from the PROSPECT trial and market adoption of the company's technology, the impact of clinical and other technical data. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current preliminary expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause Volcano's results to differ materially and adversely from the statements contained herein. Some of the potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted are detailed in the company's annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Volcano undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date they are made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-c
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-d
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/SF81669-e
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Volcano Corporation

CONTACT: Joe Burnett, Vice President of Volcano Corporation,
+1-916-337-8352

Web Site: http://www.volcanocorp.com/

Diageo's DRINKiQ.com Now Available in SpanishComprehensive Responsible Drinking Website Provides Resources to Spanish Speakers

NORWALK, Conn., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DRINKiQ.com, Diageo's award-winning responsible drinking website designed to promote responsible drinking worldwide, has expanded its offering to include Spanish language content for the Hispanic community in the United States. DRINKiQ.com is a global resource for anyone interested in alcohol policy issues to share programs and tools designed to fight alcohol misuse and help individuals make responsible choices about drinking - or not drinking.

"Diageo has a long history of promoting responsibility, and DRINKiQ.com is taking one more step in that global effort by engaging with Hispanics whose preferred online language is Spanish," said Virginia Sanchez, Vice President, Public Policy for Diageo North America. "This website is an extension of our commitment to promote responsible drinking in the Hispanic community."

DRINKiQ.com incorporates responsible drinking information available from government, industry and non-profit organizations. The website is easy to navigate and provides visitors with a one-stop shop of essential resources. Diageo is the only alcohol beverage company promoting responsible drinking through a website in Spanish that offers extensive content, and allows users to post information on the site.

DRINKiQ.com also features unique tools such as videos of experts answering commonly asked questions about alcohol issues, information on how to responsibly host events and parties, and other downloadable resources that address responsible drinking.

"DRINKiQ.com compiles content and gathers resources from a variety of Spanish-language sources and provides visitors with a forum in which they can engage with others who share their interest in combating alcohol misuse," said Sanchez. "We are very interested in expanding our content and receiving submissions from different sources in order to enhance the Spanish site."

The USA-English website was recently presented with The Communicator Award as the Most Outstanding Health and Wellness web site by the International Academy of the Visual Arts. It was also named Best in Class and recognized with a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) award by PR News, a leading publication covering the public relations trade.

A key feature of DRINKiQ.com is The Responsibility Channel, an online community where consumers, parents, teachers, government officials, retailers and others can post and share videos and programs they have found effective in addressing alcohol-related issues.

The content of DRINKiQ.com focuses on five key areas: 1. Facts About Alcohol - Information about alcohol and how it affects the body. In addition to web content, the site also features video interviews with experts from around the world. 2. Resource Center - An extensive library of resources from Diageo, non-governmental organizations, government bodies, educational institutions and others, to provide visitors with the opportunity to share and learn from a range of programs they can adapt and repurpose. 3. Diageo and Responsible Drinking - An overview of Diageo's history of promoting responsibility, examples of its efforts to combat alcohol misuse, and information detailing its points of view on specific topics such as drunk driving and underage drinking. 4. Around the World - A collection of case studies showcasing Diageo's responsible drinking initiatives from around the world. 5. Links - A comprehensive list of links to organizations and government agencies from which visitors can learn more about responsible drinking.

DRINKiQ.com will soon offer content specific to more than twenty-five countries around the world and will be available in more than fourteen languages. Country-specific sites, which will be coming soon will include Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, China, India, Kenya, Taiwan and Singapore. To view the USA-Spanish site and learn more about responsible drinking visit http://www.drinkiq.com/es-US/pages/home.aspx

About Diageo

Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at http://www.diageo.com/ .

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere, responsibly.

Diageo

CONTACT: Virginia Sanchez, Diageo, +1-305-269-4515; Patricia Taylor, The
Jeffrey Group, +1-212-620-4100 X112

Web Site: http://www.diageo.com/

Results from Abbott's PROSPECT Study Provide New Insight into Role of Vulnerable Plaque in Coronary Artery Disease

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Abbott today announced primary results from its groundbreaking PROSPECT (Providing Regional Observations to Study Predictors of Events in the Coronary Tree) clinical trial. PROSPECT is the first prospective natural history study to evaluate the role of vulnerable plaque in unexpected heart attacks and the natural progression of coronary artery disease. Results were presented today during the late-breaking clinical trials session by Gregg W. Stone, M.D., professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, during the 2009 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) annual meeting.

Among the findings of the 700-patient study, researchers were able to identify the common characteristics of lesions that put patients at highest risk for future cardiac events by using advanced imaging called virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH IVUS) and standard angiography. Going forward, investigators will now have access to more than 40,000 datapoints derived from 150 variables within each of the patients, far beyond the level of assessment of previous interventional studies.

Study Findings

About the PROSPECT Trial

About Abbott Vascular

About Abbott

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at http://www.abbott.com/.

Abbott

CONTACT: Media, Tracy Sorrentino, +1-847-937-8712, or Jennie Kim,
+1-408-845-1755, or Financial, Tina Ventura, +1-847-935-9390, all of Abbott

Web Site: http://www.abbott.com/

AT&T Positioned in the Leaders Quadrant of Magic Quadrant for U.S. Telecommunications Service Providers

DALLAS, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T* today announced its position in the Leaders Quadrant in Gartner's ''Magic Quadrant for U.S. Telecommunications Service Providers"(1) 2009 Report.

Gartner assessed the capabilities of U.S. Telecommunications Service Providers that offer wired, wireless or both services to the business market based on completeness of vision and ability to execute. Gartner recognized the providers' products and services, overall viability, sales execution, pricing, marketing execution, customer experience and operations; as well as market understanding, marketing strategy, sales strategy, product strategy and innovation.

According to the report, "Leaders have a full portfolio of voice and data products across both wires and wireless technologies, with frequent offerings of combined services, coupled with above-average service and support, focused-enterprise investment, strong sales support, competitive pricing and a driver in the market in terms of technology adoption, partnerships and on-time launches. They have a strong vision that includes internal innovation, an eye on joint ventures and partnerships and the ability to deliver a consistent product and message."

To view the Gartner Magic Quadrant for U.S. Telecommunications Service Providers 2009 Report, please visit http://www.corp.att.com/awards/analysts/gartner.html

For more information on AT&T products and services, please visit http://www.att.com/.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About the Magic Quadrant

The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted September 2009 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(SM) and AT&T | DIRECTV(SM) brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T's Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing and advertising sales. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services.

2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 3G service not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom.

(1) Gartner's "Magic Quadrant for U.S. Telecommunications Service Providers" by Phillip Redman, Ted Chamberlin, Michael King, Robert Mason, September 23, 2009

AT&T Inc.

CONTACT: Juanita Mo, Office, +1-212-453-2499, Mobile, +1-415-867-8833,
jmo@attnews.us, for AT&T; or Janet Wyles of AT&T Inc., Office,
+1-908-234-6067, Mobile, +1-732-331-6754, wyles@att.com

Web Site: http://www.att.com/

There's No Hiding In The Spotlight; SHOWTIME(R) to Premiere Bon Jovi: WHEN WE WERE BEAUTIFULFirst-Ever Bon Jovi Documentary Explores a Band's Journey through 25 Years of Brotherhood Premieres Saturday, October 24th at 9 PM ET/PT on SHOWTIME

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Bon Jovi has built one of the biggest success stories in rock music history - now that story will be told by the band themselves. The documentary, WHEN WE WERE BEAUTIFUL, premiering Saturday, October 24th at 9 PM ET/PT on SHOWTIME, offers an intimate glimpse at these globally celebrated icons who remain, at their core, a band of brothers from New Jersey.

Directed by filmmaker and photographer Phil Griffin and produced by Academy Award -and Emmy -winning producers @radical.media, the documentary was filmed on the road and behind the scenes with the band during their 2008 Lost Highway World Tour, which famously came to a close with a historic concert in New York City's Central Park. At the height of their success-with another number one album and the number one grossing tour of 2008 in Billboard magazine -- Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful reveals the secrets behind this legendary band's determined and charismatic leader Jon Bon Jovi, and band members Richie Sambora, David Bryan, and Tico Torres.

Threading intimate band-member interviews with scenes of life on the road, WHEN WE WERE BEAUTIFUL vividly portrays how the band made it through the rough patches, how they reach consensus on their priorities, and how Jon leads them with strength and compassion. Avid Bon Jovi fans will find plenty of new reasons to be so devoted, but anyone can revel in this exploration of the work that goes into the success and longevity of this band's magnitude.

"Throughout the process of working with Bon Jovi, I was amazed at the candor and humility Jon and his band showed me," said director Phil Griffin. "The result is not a neatly wrapped up bundle of staged interviews and musical interludes, but rather a series of open and sometimes difficult conversations, explored against a backdrop of music spanning 25 years. It is a film about the peace of Tico, the complexity of Richie, the drive of Jon and the brutal honesty of Dave. It is their willingness to share their stories that gives us what I hope is a very human story-that humanity is what I believe has seen this band stand the test of time."

Bon Jovi has set the bar for more than two decades as one of the most successful rock bands in the world, and was 2008's top touring act in the world, coming in at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Tour chart. Globally, they have sold more than 120 million albums and performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans. A new studio album, The Circle will be released on November 10th and the new single "We Weren't Born to Follow" is climbing the radio charts at record speed. In addition to the documentary, Harper Collins will release a 192-page companion book on Oct 27th also titled When We Were Beautiful.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME , THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) and FLIX , as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2(TM), SHOWTIME SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME , SHOWTIME BEYOND , SHOWTIME NEXT , SHOWTIME WOMEN , SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(TM), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks(TM), a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV .

Showtime

CONTACT: Nicole Caprio of Showtime Networks Inc., +1-310-234-5218,
nicole.caprio@showtime.net; or Chloe Comins of Showtime Networks Inc.,
+1-617-505-5304, chloe.comins@showtime.net

Web Site: http://www.sho.com/

Ticagrelor Reduced Cardiovascular Deaths and Heart Attacks in ACS Patients Undergoing Heart Procedures: New Data from PLATO TrialSignificant effects shown with no increase in major bleeding compared to clopidogrel in head-to-head trial

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- New data from the phase III PLATO study showed that ticagrelor (BRILINTA(TM)) provided greater reduction of cardiovascular (CV) events (composite of CV death, heart attack and stroke) than clopidogrel (9.02% vs. 10.65%, p=0.0025 a 16% Relative Risk Reduction ) in acute coronary syndromes patients undergoing planned invasive treatment (either PCI or CABG).* Although patients undergoing invasive procedures are at greater risk of bleeding, these results were achieved without a significant increase in major bleeding compared to clopidogrel (11.5% vs 11.6%, p=0.88). Patients with planned invasive procedures at randomization accounted for more than 70% of the greater than 18,000 patients in PLATO. These sub-analysis data were presented today at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference in San Francisco.

Additional findings from this PLATO invasive sub-analysis showed that treatment with ticagrelor, compared to clopidogrel, demonstrated an effect consistent with the results for the entire invasive subgroup across the multiple secondary efficacy endpoints. The effect was seen regardless of whether a standard 300 mg loading dose of clopidogrel was given, or an additional loading dose of clopidogrel (e.g. 600 mg) was given. Specifically, results in this subgroup analysis indicated treatment with ticagrelor:

-- Reduced CV death 3.4% vs. 4.3% (p=0.025) Relative Risk Reduction of 18% -- Reduced myocardial infarction (heart attack, MI) 5.3% vs. 6.6% (p=0.002) Relative Risk Reduction of 20% -- Reduced definite stent thrombosis 1.0% vs. 1.6% (p=0.003) Relative Risk Reduction of 38% -- Reduced total mortality 3.9% vs. 5.1% (p=0.01) Relative Risk Reduction of 19%

"The majority of patients rushed to the hospital with severe chest pain or heart attacks will have an invasive procedure," said Christopher Cannon, M.D., PLATO Executive Committee member, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "Doctors need to make quick decisions about antiplatelet therapy for patients who are sent for cardiac catheterization and may need angioplasty or surgery. In this study population, ticagrelor led to fewer heart attacks and deaths without a significant increase in major bleeding versus clopidogrel."

Similar to the overall PLATO findings, Dyspnoea (shortness of breath) was more common among patients on ticagrelor but less than 1% discontinued ticagrelor treatment in the sub-analysis because of dyspnoea.

The PLATO study was designed to reflect how patients with ACS are currently managed in clinical practice, by including patients who underwent invasive procedures and those who were managed with medication only.

Last month, the primary results from PLATO were presented at the European Society of Cardiology and simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine in August 2009.

AstraZeneca remains on track to submit BRILINTA to regulatory authorities in the fourth quarter of this year.

About PLATO:

PLATO (A Study of PLATelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes) was a head-to-head 18,624 patient outcomes study of ticagrelor plus aspirin versus the active comparator, clopidogrel plus aspirin, and was designed to establish whether ticagrelor could achieve meaningful cardiovascular and safety endpoints in ACS patients, above and beyond those afforded by clopidogrel, an irreversible therapy in the thienopyridine class of medicines. The study design of PLATO was published in the April 2009 edition of the American Heart Journal.

The bleeding definitions used within the PLATO trial were an evolution from the CURE bleeding definitions and were developed by the PLATO Executive Committee as constituting the most appropriate and clinically meaningful assessment of bleeding complications associated with acute and chronic therapy. The PLATO bleeding definitions provide a framework to allow investigators to record all bleeding events reported by patients in the PLATO trial. The bleeding definitions were developed to characterize bleeding in both the acute and long-term setting.

Given the size of the PLATO database, AstraZeneca will continue to analyze and publish additional PLATO findings.

NOTES TO EDITORS: About BRILINTA(TM)

Ticagrelor (BRILINTA(TM)) is an investigational oral antiplatelet treatment for ACS. BRILINTA (ticagrelor) is a reversibly binding oral adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor antagonist. It selectively inhibits P2Y(12), a key target receptor for ADP. ADP receptor blockade inhibits the action of platelets in the blood, reducing recurrent thrombotic events.

BRILINTA is the first in a new chemical class, the CPTPs (cyclo-pentyl-triazolo-pyrimidines) and is chemically distinct from the thienopyridines, such as clopidogrel and prasugrel.

AstraZeneca has proposed the name BRILINTA(TM) in the US. If approved by the FDA it will serve as the trade name for ticagrelor. BRILINTA is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.

*About Invasive Strategies for Acute Coronary Syndromes

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a procedure to open existing blocked arteries, also known as angioplasty. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is a procedure where surgeons bypass the affected artery in the heart.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of meaningful prescription medicines and supplier for healthcare services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $29.55 billion and is a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infectious disease medicines. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $13.35 billion dollar healthcare business with 12,200 employees committed to improving people's lives. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. For more information visit http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/

AstraZeneca

CONTACT: U.S. Media Enquiries: Emily Denney, +1-302-885-3451, mob:
+1-302-897-4953; or Media Inquiries: Chris Sampson, +44 20 7304 5130 (24
hours), Sarah Lindgreen, +44 20 7304 5033 (24 hours), Neil McCrae, +44 207
304 5045 (24 hours); or Global Media Enquiries: Michele Pelkowski,
+1-302-885-4054, mob: +1-610-812-3716; Investor Enquiries US: Ed Seage,
+1-302-886-4065, mob: +1-302-373-1361, Jorgen Winroth, +1-212-579-0506, mob:
+1-917-612-4043; Investor Enquiries UK: Jonathan Hunt, +44 207 304 5087, mob:
+44 7775 704032, Karl Hard, +44 207 304 5322, mob: +44 7789 654364, all for
AstraZeneca

Web Site: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/

New U.K. NICE Guidance Supports Use of Hologic's Adiana(R) Permanent Contraception System

BEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company) , a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), in its updated guidance for hysteroscopic sterilization, supports the use of Hologic's Adiana permanent contraception system. NICE, a part of the National Health Service (NHS), is an independent organization responsible for providing national guidance on treatments and care for those using the NHS in the United Kingdom. The Adiana system received CE marking approval in January 2009 and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in July 2009. The Adiana system is designed to provide women a minimally-invasive, non-incision alternative to traditional, surgical means of permanent contraception.

The updated guidance(1) concludes that the data on the safety and efficacy of hysteroscopic sterilization by tubal cannulation and placement of intrafallopian implants supports the use of the Adiana procedure in the U.K.

"This is an important milestone for Hologic and our GYN surgical products business in the U.K.," said Tony Kingsley, senior vice president, GYN surgical products at Hologic. "With more than 50 NHS surgeons now trained to perform the Adiana procedure, the updated NICE guidance should further support our efforts to establish Hologic's minimally-invasive, safe and effective Adiana system in the U.K."

About the Adiana Permanent Contraception System

The Adiana permanent contraception system is minimally-invasive, requires no incisions and can be performed in the comfort of the doctor's office using local anesthesia. Patients are normally able to return to work or resume their daily activities within one day. In contrast, traditional methods of permanent contraception, such as tubal ligation, require more invasive surgical procedures, usually are conducted in a hospital under general anesthesia and typically require four to five days of recovery. As a result, these more invasive surgical procedures can pose serious risk of complications, including anesthesia-related problems and damage to organs or blood vessels.

During the Adiana procedure, a slender, flexible instrument is passed through the body's natural openings to deliver a low level of radiofrequency (RF) energy to a small section of each fallopian tube. A tiny, soft insert, about the size of a grain of rice, is then placed in each fallopian tube in the location where the energy was applied. During the three months following the procedure, the patient continues to use temporary birth control while new tissue grows in and around the Adiana inserts, eventually blocking the fallopian tubes. At three months, a special x-ray test (called a hysterosalpingogram or HSG) is performed to confirm the fallopian tubes are completely blocked and the patient may begin relying on Adiana for permanent contraception.

About Hologic, Inc.

Hologic, Inc. is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics products, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women. Hologic's core business units are focused on breast health, diagnostics, GYN surgical, and skeletal health. Hologic provides a comprehensive suite of technologies with products for mammography and breast biopsy, radiation treatment for early-stage breast cancer, cervical cancer screening, treatment for menorrhagia, permanent contraception, osteoporosis assessment, preterm birth risk assessment, mini C-arm for extremity imaging and molecular diagnostic products including HPV and reagents for a variety of DNA and RNA analysis applications. For more information, visit http://www.hologic.com/.

Forward Looking Statement Disclaimer

This News Release may contain forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties, including statements about the effect and adoption of the use of the Adiana system. There can be no assurance that the system will achieve the benefits described herein and that such benefits will be replicated in any particular manner with respect to an individual patient as the actual effect of the use of the Adiana system can only be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the particular circumstances of the procedure and patient in question. Thus there can be no assurance of general adoption of this technology by the medical community. Hologic expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to the data or statements presented herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such data or statements are based. Certain factors that could adversely affect the Company's business and prospects are described in Hologic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Hologic and Adiana are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Hologic, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.

(1) Source - Interventional Procedure Guidance (IPG) 315. Contact: For Investors: For Media: Deborah R. Gordon Jeff Keene Vice President, Investor Relations Product Marketing Hologic, Inc. Hologic, Inc. (781) 999-7716 (508) 263-8957

Hologic, Inc.

CONTACT: Investors: Deborah R. Gordon, Vice President, Investor
Relations, +1-781-999-7716, or Media, Jeff Keene, Product Marketing,
+1-508-263-8957, both of Hologic, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.hologic.com/

Oncolytics Biotech(R) Inc. Announces Reovirus and Cisplatin Research Supports U.S. Phase 2 Metastatic Melanoma Trial

CALGARY, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX: ONC, NASDAQ: ONCY) ('Oncolytics') reported today that research led by Prof. Hardev Pandha of the Royal Surrey County Hospital, U.K., was published September 22, 2009 in the online version of Clinical Cancer Research. The paper is entitled "Synergistic Effects of Oncolytic Reovirus and Cisplatin Chemotherapy in Murine Malignant Melanoma."

The research demonstrated that the innate cancer killing activity of reovirus can be enhanced with a variety of commonly available therapeutic agents in models of malignant melanoma. Further, this work demonstrated that the combination of reovirus with cisplatin had the ability to nearly abrogate the production of inflammatory cytokines by the tumor cells, which is believed to augment virus replication in the tumor and improve its anti-cancer activity.

"These results provide further rationale for the Phase 2 drug combination study in patients with metastatic melanoma that was initiated today," said Dr. Matt Coffey, Chief Operating Officer of Oncolytics. "The results further support the strategic direction of enhancing oncolytic virus killing by combining REOLYSIN(R) with standard chemotherapeutic agents, notably paclitaxel and carboplatin. It is clear that these drug combinations provide multiple mechanisms of enhancing the innate cancer killing characteristics of our agent."

About Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

Oncolytics is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on the development of oncolytic viruses as potential cancer therapeutics. Oncolytics' clinical program includes a variety of Phase I and Phase II human trials using REOLYSIN, its proprietary formulation of the human reovirus, alone and in combination with radiation or chemotherapy. For further information about Oncolytics, please visit http://www.oncolyticsbiotech.com/

This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements, including the implication of the materials presented in "Clinical Cancer Research" with respect to REOLYSIN, the Company's expectations related to the results of trials investigating delivery of REOLYSIN, and the Company's belief as to the potential of REOLYSIN as a cancer therapeutic, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue research and development projects, the efficacy of REOLYSIN as a cancer treatment, the success and timely completion of clinical studies and trials, the Company's ability to successfully commercialize REOLYSIN, uncertainties related to the research and development of pharmaceuticals and uncertainties related to the regulatory process. Investors should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.

Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

CONTACT: Oncolytics Biotech Inc.: Cathy Ward, 210, 1167 Kensington Cr
NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1X7, Tel: (403) 670-7377, Fax: (403) 283-0858,
cathy.ward@oncolytics.ca; The Equicom Group: Nick Hurst, 325, 300 5th Ave. SW,
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3C4, Tel: (403) 538-4845, Fax: (403) 237-6916,
nhurst@equicomgroup.com; The Investor Relations Group: Erika Moran, 11 Stone
St, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10004, Tel: (212) 825-3210, Fax: (212) 825-3229,
emoran@investorrelationsgroup.com

Verizon Expands Fast, Affordable, DSL-Enabled High Speed Internet Service to More Than 200 Residents in the Elkview, W. Va., AreaCompany Has Equipped More Than 30 New Locations With Broadband in 2009, for Total of 461 Sites Across West Virginia Verizon Customers Can Enjoy Big Broadband Savings This Fall, Including High-Speed Internet Service Free for Three Months, More Savings on Value-Added Features

CHARLESTON, W.Va., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- More Kanawha County consumers and businesses now have access to Verizon High Speed Internet (HSI), allowing them to quickly download movies, share photos or video with friends and family, and create their own Internet content.

In addition, consumers who have been waiting to disconnect their cable connections or enter the world of broadband are going to like what Verizon is offering them for the rest of this year. The company is introducing new deals for HSI, allowing consumers to take advantage of big savings and get great broadband and entertainment services.

Verizon recently installed equipment in the 4700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue to provide High Speed Internet service, based on digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, to more than 200 lines in the Elkview area.

In addition to the Elkview site, the company has expanded HSI service to 31 new locations so far in 2009, including Mount Nebo in Nicholas County; Mount Storm in Grant County; Albright in Preston County; Eleanor in Putnam County; the Elm Grove area of Wheeling; the Mannington area; Hodgesville, near Buckhannon; the Salem area of Harrison County; the Hedgesville area of Berkeley County; and parts of Morgan County. Customers in more than 460 locations throughout Verizon's West Virginia service area now can choose High Speed Internet service.

"Verizon is enabling more residents and businesses across West Virginia to make the high-speed connections that are important to them," said B. Keith Fulton, president of Verizon West Virginia. "Verizon's investment in the Elkview area means that more customers have access to affordable High Speed Internet service, backed by the reliability and security of Verizon's network."

New customers can order a triple-play bundle with up to 3 Mbps (megabits per second)* High-Speed Internet, DIRECTV PLUS DVR package and Freedom Essentials (unlimited local and long-distance calling) for just $75 per month for the first three months. HSI is free for three months, providing a value-packed bundle at a rate unmatched in the market. Included in that price are 200 all-digital channels, a free DVR upgrade, SHOWTIME for one year, and thousands of free Verizon Wi-Fi hot spots. Pricing in months four through 12 is only $99.99 per month for those selecting the 3 Mbps HSI service. Double-play bundles with new 3 Mbps High Speed Internet download speeds are also eligible for the special three-months-free HSI offer with a one-year commitment.

Verizon also has an exciting offer on broadband service for customers who do not want a service bundle with unlimited voice calling plans. Existing or new voice customers adding HSI will enjoy three months of free service whenever they sign up during the fall season. Following the end of the three months, customers will pay only $19.99 per month for up to 1 Mbps service. Monthly pricing for up to 3 Mbps service will be $29.99. Both the bundle and non-bundled offers require a one-year agreement.

All up to 3 Mbps packages also provide customers free access to more than 14,000 Verizon Wi-Fi hot spots around the country, including various retail and high-traffic locations, to help keep customers connected away from home. Visit http://www.verizon.com/wifi for a full listing of Wi-Fi hot spots and for more details.

Verizon has also beefed up other aspects of its value added services, providing a range of products to help customers protect their digital treasures, entertainment equipment and their families when online. For example, five times more storage space has been added to the Verizon Online Backup and Sharing service at the same low prices. For just $8.99 per month, customers can now get 25 gigabytes of storage and Verizon's Internet Security Suite, which offers extensive online protection from spyware and viruses while also providing firewall protection, parental controls, pop-up blocker and privacy manager software. In addition to more storage, both services now support Mac computers. To help ensure customers are protected from unexpected repairs or replacement costs, Verizon offers its Protection Pak Enhanced package covering repair and replacement on all eligible in-home TVs, PCs and phones - regardless of brand, age or place of purchase - for just $19.99 per month.

Consumers interested in learning more about all of Verizon's value-added services can go to http://www.verizon.net/shop. Consumers interested in learning more about the fall offers can go to http://www.verizon.com/bundles.

Verizon High Speed Internet service, which is delivered on a dedicated line from Verizon's central switching office to the customer's home or business, is the company's most widely available broadband data service, with more than 25 million households qualifying for HSI in parts of 24 states and the District of Columbia. Verizon customers can get Verizon's High Speed Internet service as long as their homes or businesses are located within approximately three miles of the nearest DSL-enabled Verizon switching office. The service is backed by live, 24 x 7 customer service and technical support.

* Download speeds may vary.

Verizon Communications Inc. , headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 87 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations provide converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. Wireline also includes Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 235,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com/.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at http://www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

Verizon Communications

CONTACT: Christy Reap for Verizon Communications, +1-202-515-2478,
creap@verizon.com

Web Site: http://www.verizon.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

Domestic Violence Prevention Advocates Say Men Must Take a More Active Role to Break the Cycle of ViolenceVerizon Wireless Launches HopeLine(R) Drive to Collect Wireless Phones and Accessories to Support Victims of Domestic Violence

IRVING, Texas, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- To help break the cycle of domestic violence, men must get more involved in speaking out against the problem and become advocates for change.

That was one of the primary messages of the 4th Annual Verizon Foundation Domestic Violence Prevention Summit held Thursday (Sept. 24) at the Omni Mandalay Hotel.

"Domestic violence is not just a women's issue," said actor and Verizon Foundation Community Champion Victor Rivers. "As a child, I was a victim of abuse and saw my father belittle and attack my mother. To break the cycle of violence, I'm calling on men to become more involved in the issue and make it a point to teach their children that domestic violence is never acceptable."

According to a U.S. Department of Justice study on intimate partner violence, 1 out of every 4 women will experience domestic violence.

Rivers and other advocates -- including Fred Jealous, founder/director of Breakthrough Men's Community; Ted Bunch, founder, A Call to Men; and Curt Rogers, Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project -- took part in a panel discussing how to engage men in the issue.

The summit, titled "Engaging Communities to Help End Domestic Violence," brought together national leaders and local advocates to share success stories and challenges in hopes of finding new solutions that encourage community teamwork and promote healthy relationships.

Dr. Ron Anderson, president and CEO of Parkland Health & Hospital System, served as the keynote speaker. Anderson said community organizations, law enforcement and advocates must work together to decrease incidents of domestic violence and improve services to those in need.

Anderson highlighted Parkland's Victim Intervention Center as one example of how a community organization can take steps to better serve victims of domestic violence. The center, located in the hospital, provides domestic violence survivors an alternative to waiting in an emergency room when seeking treatment.

In addition to providing privacy, the center also offers additional services such as counseling for the victim and his or her family.

Others who spoke at the summit included: Craig Watkins, district attorney, Dallas County; Roberto Canas Jr., presiding judge, Dallas County Criminal Court No. 10; State Sen. Jane Nelson; and Paige Flink, executive director of The Family Place.

"Domestic violence is an issue that impacts every segment of society," said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston. "The Verizon Foundation is proud to work with many wonderful organizations throughout the country to aid in the prevention of domestic violence and provide support to those in need."

Verizon Wireless HopeLine Drive Launched

This year's summit also served as the kickoff of Verizon Wireless' North Texas HopeLine drive to collect no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories to benefit victims of domestic violence. The HopeLine program accepts wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any carrier.

North Texas residents are encouraged to drop off phone donations at their local Verizon Wireless store. Donating an old phone to HopeLine will assist local advocacy agencies working to end the cycle of abuse in the Dallas/Fort Worth community. People can also contribute to the HopeLine program by mailing the wireless phone and accessories using a postage-paid label from the Verizon Wireless Web site at http://www.verizonwireless.com/hopelinemailinglabel.

Phones given to HopeLine that can be refurbished are sold for reuse, and those that are not salvageable are recycled in an environmentally sound way under a zero landfill policy. Proceeds generated from the sale of the refurbished phones are put toward wireless phones and service for survivors of domestic violence as well as financial grants to nonprofit domestic violence prevention organizations.

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence. In 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $68 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $26 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 3 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit http://www.verizonfoundation.org/.

Verizon

CONTACT: Brian C. Malina, +1-908-559-6434, brian.c.malina@verizon.com,
or Audrey Lundy, +1-972-444-5516, audrey.lundy@verizonwireless.com

Web Site: http://www.verizon.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Carmelo Anthony and Rob Dyrdek Battle It Out on the Shelves With the Launch of the TAG(TM) Signature Series Charity ChallengeCelebrities to Campaign Against Each Other For Supremacy with Proceeds Going to Charity

CINCINNATI, Sept. 24, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- Procter & Gamble's TAG(TM) brand is proud to announce the "Signature Series," a collaboration with hip-hop legend Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, basketball superstar Carmelo Anthony and professional skateboarder and MTV personality Rob Dyrdek. The Signature Series includes three cologne quality scents featuring images of each celebrity on the packaging. The scents are Get Yours from Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Stay Up from Carmelo Anthony, and Make Moves from Rob Dyrdek. To kick off this new partnership, each celebrity will participate in the "TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge", a national election-style battle between Ludacris, Carmelo and Rob to raise money for their individual charitable foundations by encouraging consumers to purchase their TAG Signature Series scents. Each celebrity's charitable foundation will receive ten percent of the net realized sales of their product during the Charity Challenge promotion period. The celebrity with the highest net realized sales during the Charity Challenge period will receive an additional $25,000 donation for their foundation.

"The TAG Signature Series is all about helping the consumer to smell the good life and we have partnered with three unique celebrities that truly embody urban style and attitude to make that happen," said Athena Kasvikis, assistant brand manager at P&G. "The TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge provides a unique fundraising opportunity to increase awareness for each celebrity foundation and to make a difference in the community."

Ludacris will campaign on behalf of The Ludacris Foundation, an Atlanta-based organization that empowers children to take control of their own destiny; Carmelo will represent The Carmelo Anthony Foundation, a national organization dedicated to providing opportunities for underprivileged kids; and Rob will compete on behalf of The Skate Plaza Foundation, an organization that builds skate parks in developing communities.

The TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge kicks-off September 21, 2009 and will conclude on November 2, 2009. Consumers can participate in the Charity Challenge by purchasing their favorite TAG Signature Series scent at retailers nationwide. The celebrity winner of the Signature Series Charity Challenge will be announced during a live press conference in mid November. Consumers can learn more about the TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge by visiting http://www.facebook.com/TAG. Consumers visiting the TAG Facebook page will also be provided with details on how to be entered for a chance to win a one-on-one moment with one of the TAG celebrities.

Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Award Winning Rapper and Actor

"As someone who often wears multiple hats -- hip-hop entertainer, entrepreneur, actor and philanthropist -- I am excited about working with TAG on my new scent Get Yours. It's the smell of confidence which is what everybody needs to get yours in this world," says Chris "Ludacris" Bridges. "The TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge is a great opportunity to help The Ludacris Foundation, so I'm excited to unite everyone in the ludaverse to take down Melo and Rob."

Carmelo Anthony, NBA All-Star, Olympic Gold Medalist and Philanthropist

"My new TAG scent Stay Up is all about me being fresh whether I'm on the court or hanging out with my friends," says Carmelo Anthony. "Winning the TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge would help The Carmelo Anthony Foundation expand the resources we have to invest in programs that empower kids and help build a positive community."

Rob Dyrdek, Reality-TV Star, Filmmaker, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

"I'm always on-the-go, so my new TAG scent Make Moves is all about how I live my life, free and unstoppable," says Rob Dyrdek. "There's no question that I'm going to win the TAG Signature Series Charity Challenge. Luda and Melo might be stars, but they don't have a TV show like I have to mobilize my fans to pick up Make Moves and help The Skate Plaza Foundation."

About Procter & Gamble

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers , Tide , Ariel , Always , Whisper , Pantene , Mach3 , Bounty , Dawn , Gain , Pringles , Charmin , Downy , Lenor , Iams , Crest , Oral-B , Actonel , Duracell , Olay , Head & Shoulders , Wella , Gillette , Braun and Fusion . The P&G community includes approximately 138,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

Procter & Gamble

CONTACT: Corrie Tin, MS&L, +1-212-468-3642, Corrie.Tin@mslworldwide.com;
Michael Norton, P&G, +1-617-421-8201, Norton.MR@pg.com

Web Site: http://www.pg.com/

Alter NRG Corp. Expands Geographic Focus, Commissions the World's Largest Plasma Hazardous Waste Facility and Provides Overall Strategic Update

CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alter NRG Corp. (TSX: NRG; Pink Sheets: ANRGF) ("Alter NRG" or the "Company") has expanded its activity base in North America, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Southeast Asia with further strategic partnerships and facilities being planned or engineered using the Westinghouse Plasma Corp. Plasma Technology ("Westinghouse Technology") in each region. The Westinghouse Technology which is 100% owned by Alter NRG and has been independently ranked as a leading plasma technology, is being applied for renewable and sustainable energy projects worldwide. Alter NRG is pleased to provide a strategic update in each geographic region.

Currently, the Company has 16 projects in the engineering stage and over 43 proposed projects being advanced worldwide. Proposed projects are those projects that are actively being developed by customers or strategic partners and are sourcing feedstock, site selection, key contracts and other early stage development activities. Projects in the engineering phase are those projects that are further along and are actively doing engineering work using Alter NRG under a signed engineering services agreement or a broader memorandum of understanding that is being negotiated. Upon successful development, the total revenues to Alter NRG to support the 16 projects in the engineering stage would result in over $400 million in engineering, equipment and licensing revenues.

These large scale energy projects face regulatory, financing and other execution challenges consistent with any large scale project development. For this reason, Alter NRG is focusing its efforts on experienced and capitalized strategic partners and customers. Nancy Laird, a director of Alter NRG comments that "Strategic alliances have given us the capacity to provide the international execution capability, which gives management the confidence to execute on a breadth of opportunities."

Some of our current strategic partners and customers include Fortune 500 companies such as NRG Energy, one of the largest independent power producers in the United States; Air Products, which is a leading industrial gas company that is developing renewable energy projects; as well as leading engineering companies like UHDE Shanghai, SMS Infrastructures in India and others.

Mark Montemurro, President and CEO of Alter NRG stated, "This is a very exciting time for Alter NRG as we advance activities all over the world. The Westinghouse Technology continues to be the technology of choice by experienced and large scale project developers, waste and energy companies. Alter NRG continues to be a long-term value creation opportunity as large scale energy facilities have a long development cycle. However, the sales pipeline continues to mature with near-term licensing opportunities and various projects with regulatory approval that are expecting to advance into construction as early as 2010. Alter NRG remains execution focused and will continue to work with companies that provide strategic value and also are able to execute on large scale sustainable energy projects."

For a complete global breakdown of current company activities, please see the full press release at: http://www.cnxmarketlink.com/en/releases/archive/September2009/23/c8182.html, or view the Corporate Presentation at http://www.alternrg.com/.

About Alter NRG

Alter NRG is pursuing alternative energy solutions to meet the growing demand for environmentally responsible energy in world markets. The Company's vision is to commercialize growth technologies through developing environmentally sustainable and economically viable alternative energy projects. The Company's objective is to further commercialize the Westinghouse Plasma technology, a wholly owned subsidiary, to provide renewable and clean energy solutions from a wide variety of feedstocks, and providing a wide variety of energy outputs - including liquid fuels like diesel, and ethanol, power, and syngas.

Contact: Mark Montemurro, President and Chief Executive Officer (403) 806-3877 Daniel Hay, Chief Financial Officer (403) 806-3881 Advisory Respecting Forward-Looking Statements:

The forward-looking information and statements included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance and should not be unduly relied upon. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve a number of risks and uncertainties including but not limited to: unexpected events during construction, and start-up; variations in feedstock grade; delay or failure to receive board or government approvals; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of commodities; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; delays in the completion of development or construction activities, as well as those factors discussed in or referred to under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated July 8, 2008 available at http://www.sedar.com/ which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated and described in the forward-looking statements. Such information and statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information or statements.

Alter Energy Corporation

CONTACT: Mark Montemurro, President and Chief Executive Officer,
+1-403-806-3877, or Daniel Hay, Chief Financial Officer, +1-403-806-3881, both
of Alter Energy Corporation

Web Site: http://www.alternrg.com/

New Technology to Reduce DuPont Agricultural Seed Production Costs, Increase Product QualityWill Help Pioneer Hi-Bred Deliver Financial Growth and Increase Customer Satisfaction

JOHNSTON, Iowa, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DuPont told Wall Street analysts visiting its plant genetics business and research campus that its new patented Seed Production Technology will reduce the cost of the mechanical and labor-intensive process for creating its high-yielding hybrid seed corn by more than 20 percent in the field, while increasing product quality at the same time.

The proprietary system, which eliminates the need for hand and mechanical means of controlling pollen flow between the two parent lines, is in wide-scale testing this year. DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred will pilot Seed Production Technology in production seed fields in North America in 2010 and intends to have the first seed produced with the system available to farmers in 2011.

"This new technology will be great for our customers and for us," said DuPont Vice President & General Manager and Pioneer Hi-Bred President Paul E. Schickler, noting he expects the technology to be effective across genetics. "For Pioneer, we won't have the associated cost of the labor, machinery or fuel. Our fields will produce more because they will not be damaged as much as the traditional seed production process. With Seed Production Technology's capability to strengthen pollen management, we are increasing the quality of the industry-leading products we deliver to customers.

"At peak sales in several years, Seed Production Technology is expected to provide us with more than $100 million annual cost savings opportunity in productivity improvement," Schickler said. "In seed fields where Seed Production Technology is used, most of the value will come from a 15 to 30 percent increase in field management productivity. Pollen management -- known as "detasseling" -- makes up 10 percent of the total cost of producing seed corn. This cost will be eliminated when the new technology is applied.

"Seed Production Technology is just one of many initiatives that will keep the momentum building for Pioneer into the future," Schickler added. "Agriculture economic fundamentals are strong. Customers are responding positively to the products and services we are delivering today. And we have a great pipeline of products and technologies for the future."

Schickler said last week that he expects Pioneer will grow both its top- and bottom-line by more than 15 percent in 2009. DuPont has committed to grow compounded annual earnings in its Agriculture & Nutrition segment by greater than 15 percent through 2013. Pioneer gained more than two points of the seed corn market share -- the industry's largest gain -- in North America this year. It also increased its leading position in the North America soybean market by three points and gained five points of share in the Canadian canola seed market.

In addition to Seed Production Technology, DuPont also discussed: -- Pioneer's North America business and plans to continue to increase seed corn and soybean market share. -- Strong growth opportunities for the Pioneer business internationally. -- Plant genetics regulatory approval timelines. -- The differentiating, sustainable "Right Product. Right Acre(SM)" strategy that focuses on delivering products and services to meet specific needs of individual customers.

Today's presentations reinforced DuPont's recently announced commitment to focus on meeting four emerging global trends, one of which is increasing food production.

All of the presentations are available in the DuPont Investor Center at http://www.dupont.com/.

DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements as a result of future developments or new information. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the company's strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures and financial results are forward-looking statements. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "intends," "projects," "indicates," and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors, including those discussed more fully elsewhere in this release and in DuPont's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly its latest annual report on Form 10-K, as well as others, could cause results to differ materially from those stated. These factors include, but are not limited to changes in the laws, regulations, policies and economic conditions of countries in which the company does business; competitive pressures; successful integration of structural changes, including acquisitions, divestitures and alliances; research and development of new products, including regulatory approval and market acceptance, and seasonality of sales of agricultural products.

9/24/09

Link to Seed Production Technology Spec Sheet: http://www.pioneer.com/CMRoot/Pioneer/research/pipeline/spec_sheets/SPT.pdf

Photo:

http://www2.dupont.com/Media_Center/en_US/assets/images/releases/nr_Pionee r081109_Utica_IL_0009.jpg

Caption:

Seed Production Technology is a non-invasive approach to hybrid seed production. Fields where the technology is implemented do not sustain the damage incurred in traditional methods of seed production, resulting in greater productivity.

DuPont

CONTACT: Doyle Karr of DuPont, +1-515-270-3428,
doyle.karr@bio1.dupont.com

Web Site: http://www.dupont.com/

Global Airline Capacity Shows Positive Growth For The Second Consecutive Month, Reports OAG, As September Figures Are ReleasedGrowth of 1.4% compared to September 2008

CHICAGO, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Global airline capacity for September 2009 is showing positive growth for the second consecutive month, reports OAG, (http://www.oagaviation.com/), the world's leading aviation data business, as it releases its monthly report on trends in the supply of airline flights and seats. The world's airlines have scheduled 296.9 million seats, a rise of 1.4% (4,130,744 more seats) over September 2008 levels.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/NY81644 )

The month by month trend since the start of the economic downturn can be seen in chart format above, or at http://www.oagaviation.com/trends-chart-sep.jpg.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090924/NY81644
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com UBM Aviation

CONTACT: For media enquiries, a copy of the full Executive Summary with
charts (Word or PDF format), or any individual charts, please contact, Dan
Dulik, Director, Global Marketing, OAG, +1-630 515-5167, dan.dulik@oag.com; or
Pamela Johnston, President, PJ Inc. Public Relations, +1-212-629 8445,
Pamela@pjinc.net

Web Site: http://www.ubmaviation.com/

Embraer Plans to Offer a Series of Notes

SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS, Brazil, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Embraer - Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. ("Embraer") hereby announces that it plans to offer in the global capital markets a series of notes due 2020 (the "Notes") through its wholly-owned subsidiary Embraer Overseas.

The net proceeds of this offering will be used for general corporate purposes, which may include the repayment of short-term debt. The notes will be senior unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of Embraer Overseas and Embraer will unconditionally guarantee Embraer Overseas' payment obligations under the notes and the indenture. The guarantees will constitute direct, senior unsecured obligations of Embraer.

Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley are acting as book-running underwriters.

The offering will be made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement. A preliminary prospectus supplement with further information about the proposed offering has been filed with the SEC. Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement and other documents that Embraer and Embraer Overseas have filed with the SEC for more complete information about Embraer, Embraer Overseas and the offering. When available, you may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at http://www.sec.gov/. Alternatively, you may obtain a prospectus upon request by contacting Deutsche Bank at Deutsche Bank Securities, Attention: Prospectus Department, Harborside Financial Center, 100 Plaza One, Floor 2, Jersey City, NJ, 07311-3988 phone: 1-800-503-4611 or Morgan Stanley at Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014 (toll free 1-866-718-1649 or email prospectus@morganstanley.com).

For further information, please contact: +55-12-3927-4404 or investor.relations@embraer.com.br

This press release may include declarations about Embraer's expectations regarding future events or results. All declarations based upon future expectations, rather than historical facts, are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Embraer cannot guarantee that such declarations will prove to be correct. These risks and uncertainties include factors related to the following: (a) the markets in which Embraer operates; (b) the global economy; (c) capital markets; (d) the aircraft production business and its dependence upon the global economy, which is cyclical by nature; and (e) the high degree of global competition in the markets in which Embraer operates. To obtain further information on factors that may give rise to results different from those forecast by Embraer, please consult the reports filed with the Brazilian Comissao de Valores Mobiliarios (CVM) and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Embraer's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and its reports on Form 6-K.

Luiz Carlos Siqueira Aguiar

Executive Vice-President Finance & CFO

Embraer

CONTACT: Investor Relations, Carlos Eduardo Camargo, Caio Pinez, Juliana
Villarinho, or Paulo Ferreira, +011-55-12-3927-4404, all for Embraer

Web site: http://www.embraer.com.br/