Male circumcision has been performed as far back as ancient Egypt, and the practice has continued through the ensuing centuries for religious, cultural and sociopolitical reasons.

Performing circumcision for potential health benefits gained momentum in the 19th century with the advent of anesthesia and the initial epidemiological studies demonstrating lower rates of venereal diseases in circumcised men. Recent studies have shown that circumcised men are at significantly lower risk of urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis and chancroid.

Additional studies point to lower risk of invasive penile carcinoma, gonorrhea and chlamydia (in female partners).

KYIV, Ukraine, August 1 /PRNewswire/ --

The Government of Ukraine (GoU) continues to pursue an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Vanco International and its affiliates (the "Vanco Companies"), including Vanco Prykerchenska Ltd. The Vanco Companies present a complex network of offshore entities, the owners of which have yet to be fully disclosed. Through this investigation and possible related legal steps in Ukraine and abroad, the GoU is determined to ensure transparency and the observance of Ukrainian law, and to encourage and protect legitimate foreign and domestic investment. The following points should be clarified in relation to the current dispute with the Vanco Companies:

LONDON, August 1 /PRNewswire/ --

Cascal N.V. (NYSE: HOO) ("the Company"), a leading provider of water and wastewater services in seven countries, has scheduled the release of its 2009 first quarter results after the close of the market on August 11, 2008.

Cascal will host a conference call at 9 a.m. Eastern Time/ 2 p.m. BST on August 12, 2008. On the call, Stephane Richer, CEO of Cascal, and Steve Hollinshead, CFO, will discuss the Company's results, and review operational highlights and other business developments.

The Company invites you to participate on the call at the following telephone numbers:

+1-877-375-4189 (local) +1-404-665-9923 (international) +0800-032-3836 (UK Freephone)

CALGARY, Canada, August 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- International Consortium Formed for Investment in Gas Development - Including the Potential Monetization of OML137 Gas

LONDON, August 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- BBC, Voice of America, Amnesty International Unblocked

- Comment / Analysis Available From New Media Expert

China has reportedly unblocked banned websites following a growing row about access for journalists covering the Olympic Games.

Blocked sites had included several news websites and those of human rights organisations, including Amnesty International. The BBC's Chinese-language website, Voice of America and Hong Kong's Apple Daily now appear accessible. Some sites still remain blocked, however.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, August 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design is Planning one of the Most Modern Medical Sports Spas of the World

In the futuristic landmark tower, "The Cube" the planning work with 3.000 sqm of Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design will be realized in the Sports City of Dubai. The opening will be in early 2010.

Holistic background

MANCHESTER, England, August 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- With Photo

With significant rises in energy costs in the UK, homeowners are increasingly concerned about household energy use and the rising cost of living. Whilst capped energy deals offer a short-term solution, Countryside Properties says that new homes could ease the long-term burden, as research shows new homes offer considerable cost-saving advantages.

MUMBAI, August 1 /PRNewswire/ -- - TIS' Learning Planet(TM) all set to Enable Success at one of the World's Leading Petrochemical Companies.

Learning Planet(TM), an Enterprise Learning Management System from global E-learning provider TIS, has recently been implemented at EQUATE Petrochemical Company, a Kuwait-based global downstream petrochemical company.

According to Anil Sonkar - Head, Software Solutions, TIS, "EQUATE was looking for a system that enables seamless connectivity to its current SAP portal and meets the company's objectives to facilitate training and workflow process development."

Sonkar added "EQUATE required a robust Learning Management System (LMS) that would address these two key issues."

The pinhole camera, a technique known since ancient times, has inspired a futuristic technology for lensless, three-dimensional imaging. Working at both the Advanced Light Source (ALS) at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and at FLASH, the free-electron laser in Hamburg, Germany, an international group of scientists has produced two of the brightest, sharpest x-ray holograms of microscopic objects ever made, thousands of times more efficiently than previous x-ray-holographic methods.

The x-ray hologram made at ALS beamline 9.0.1 was of Leonardo da Vinci's famous drawing "Vitruvian Man," a lithographic reproduction less than two micrometers (millionths of a meter, or microns) square, etched with an electron-beam nanowriter. The hologram required a five-second exposure and had a resolution of 50 nanometers (billionths of a meter).