U.N. Member States Remove Islamic Republic of Iran from Commission on the Status of Women

Today, the United Nations Member States acknowledged the courage of the Iranian women and girls leading this revolution and acted in favor of women’s rights by voting to revoke the regime’s membership on its preeminent body on gender issues.

NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

This fall, a coalition of Iranian women, along with Vital Voices Global Partnership and For Freedoms launched a campaign calling for the immediate removal of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) after the tragic death of Mahsa Jina Amini and ensuing protests. The following is a statement issued by the group in response to today’s vote by the Commission in favor of the IRI’s removal: 

Today the United Nations and its Member States heeded the call of Iranian women to remove the Islamic Republic of Iran from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. Earlier this year, to the dismay of women’s rights advocates around the world, the Islamic Republic began a second four‑year term on the 45‑member entity that serves as the preeminent global body dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. The final decision included 29 Member States voting in favor of removing the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commision.

Today’s vote marks a pivotal step forward with the U.N. Member States removing a country from the Commission with an appalling record on women’s rights from its membership. Every day that the Islamic Republic of Iran was a member of the Commission on the Status of Women, the body lost credibility.

As we previously stated in an open letter published in The New York Times, the IRI’s long‑standing, systematic oppression of women and the absence of tangible improvements after decades of engagement, should have disqualified them from election to the Commission on the Status of Women.

Yesterday, Iranian women currently imprisoned inside the notorious Evin prison came out with tremendous courage in listing their names in support of this effort.

For decades, gender inequality and discrimination against women have been legally enshrined in the IRI. Under the regime’s penal code and other laws and regulations, Iranian women’s rights are severely restricted in marriage, divorce, inheritance and custody. In addition, they must comply with the IRI’s mandatory hijab laws from the onset of puberty.

Yet, the IRI was elected to the Commission on the Status of Women.

Today, we commend the Member States for upholding their duty to mandate and defend values that support gender equality and for standing on the right side of history by showing their outrage in the face of blatant state violence.

This is a critical moment for leaders in the international community to continue to vocally and unequivocally demonstrate their support for women’s rights by standing in solidarity with Iranian women and girls.

In solidarity with Iranian women and girls who are courageously demonstrating for their fundamental human rights, we condemn the brutal violence against peaceful protesters and the violence at the forceful hands of the Islamic Republic’s regime that includes executions, targeted attacks on women’s bodies, sham trials, mass imprisonment, sexual assault, beatings and torture.

To world leaders who are watching, we urge you to continue to meet the courage of the women leading this revolution and act within your realm of power and influence in favor of women’s rights, fairness and equality.

To the Iranian women who are on the ground continuing to fight tirelessly for basic human rights, we will continue to listen to you, support you, and boldly move in ways that provoke justice, fairness and equality for you and all women, all life and all freedom.

In Solidarity,

– Coalition of Iranian women leaders alongside Vital Voices and For Freedoms
www.womenlifefreedom.today

Visual Assets Available for Use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqiBdtq2nnI

Attachments

Woman Life Freedon
Vital Voices, For Freedoms, and a Coalition of Iranian Women
media@vitalvoices.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8714699

Michael Martin appointed as new CEO of St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit

Basseterre, Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Michael Martin has been appointed to take the helm at St Kitts and Nevis’ Citizenship by Investment Unit and lead the evolution of the country’s investment migration programme.

The twin-island nation is on a drive to enhance its Citizenship by Investment Programme, so it continues to be the benchmark of the global investor immigration industry.

The Prime Minister welcomed Martin at an event at the Citizenship by Investment Unit and expressed his excitement as Martin’s appointment, which comes at a time when the country is evolving its Citizenship by Investment Programme so that it not only attracts intelligent investors but benefits local citizens as well.

The Prime Minister also expressed his confidence in Martin who has been described as the perfect candidate to help the nation realise its goal of providing a programme that will uplift the Kittitian and Nevisian society through beneficial investment options that bring tangible value, while also offering an enriching base to international investors.

At the briefing, the new Head of the Citizenship by Investment Unit thanked the Prime Minister for trusting him with “this very important assignment” and expressed his excitement about taking on the new task.

Martin also stated that a situational analysis would be conducted to assess the status of the Unit and determine the best way forward to “maximize efficiency and effectiveness”.

“This is an operation that is very important to the development of the country, and to the people of the country. We will have to rebrand and refocus the programme, define our strategic goals, and create some new investment options that would be aligned to those strategic goals. ”

The Citizenship by Investment Programme is expected to undergo a complete evolution. Martin spoke of the strategic plans he has in store for the Unit and reiterated that the focus is on advancing the country. “We will be looking at emerging markets and redefining our target client. There must be some exclusivity to it,” he added.

St Kitts and Nevis welcomed a new administration in August that is working tirelessly to revamp the country’s citizenship by investment programme. Now, in the third iteration of its evolution, after four decades of erudition and development, St Kitts and Nevis administration is using creativity and boldness to ensure that the programme transcends to the modern age; and that the security infrastructure is enhanced and strengthened.

A local Kittian, Martin has strong financial acumen and brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning and compliance. He is touted as being the man to bring greater stability to the CBI Unit which will now have more legislative and administrative oversight.

Martin’s past experience as a service provider in the investment migration industry and his local roots make him the right candidate to understand what our external stakeholders require from us as well as knowing how we can use this programme to uplift our people.

Martin will lead a team of efficient and focused experts who will ensure that the programme increases processing efficiency and accuracy while also maintaining strong due diligence processes so that only investors of the highest calibre are accepted.

St Kitts and Nevis’ Citizenship by Investment Programme will be underpinned by three fundamental principles including sustainability, good governance and pragmatism.

The enhanced Citizenship by Investment Programme has been crafted under a sustainable model that will ensure that St Kitts and Nevis continues to be the envy of the international community by injecting high levels of integrity and administrative improvements.

The Programme is to be structured to allow for greater transparency and accountability, which make the hallmarks of a good governance framework that solidifies the foundation of any successful Citizenship by Investment Programme.

Investment options are to be tailored to align with market realities while preserving the platinum brand St Kitts and Nevis has developed and nurtured for four decades, operating the oldest Citizenship by Investment programme in the world.

Martin has served in top management positions in several companies, including the National Caribbean Insurance Company, National Bank Trust Company, and Sagicor Life Inc. He was previously a director of the Insurance Association of the Caribbean, Honorary Secretary of the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park Society Council of Management, and director for First Federal Cooperative Credit Union.

He holds a graduate diploma from the International Compliance Association and Manchester Business School, a certificate in International Trust Management from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and a certificate in Managing Financial Services from the University of the West Indies.

St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment programme was founded in 1984 and remains one of the most sought-after programmes of its kind in the world. The programme continues to be one of the most awarded, having taken the top spot in the CBI Index, a comprehensive ranking system that evaluates operational citizenship by investment programmes around the world.

St Kitts and Nevis programme continues to be underpinned by a strong multi-layered due diligence process in partnership with top due diligence firms from the United Kingdom and the United States.

PR St Kitts and Nevis
Government of St. Kitts and Nevis
mildred.thabane@csglobalpartners.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8714576

Mars Rover Captures 1st Sound of Dust Devil on Red Planet

What’s a dust devil sound like on Mars? A NASA rover by chance had its microphone on when a whirling tower of red dust passed directly overhead, recording the racket.
It’s about 10 seconds of not only rumbling gusts of up to 25 mph (40 kph), but the pinging of hundreds of dust particles against the rover Perseverance. Scientists released the first-of-its-kind audio Tuesday.
It sounds strikingly similar to dust devils on Earth, although quieter since Mars’ thin atmosphere makes for more muted sounds and less forceful wind, according to the researchers.
The dust devil came and went over Perseverance quickly last year, thus the short length of the audio, said the University of Toulouse’s Naomi Murdoch, lead author of the study appearing in Nature Communications. At the same time, the navigation camera on the parked rover captured images, while its weather-monitoring instrument collected data.
“It was fully caught red-handed by Persy,” said co-author German Martinez of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston.
A 1-in-200 chance
Photographed for decades at Mars but never heard until now, dust devils are common at the red planet. This one was in the average range: at least 400 feet (118 meters) tall and 80 feet (25 meters) across, traveling at 16 feet (5 meters) per second.
The microphone picked up 308 dust pings as the dust devil whipped by, said Murdoch, who helped build it.
Given that the rover’s SuperCam microphone is turned on for less than three minutes every few days, Murdoch said it was “definitely luck” that the dust devil appeared when it did on Sept. 27, 2021. She estimates there was just a 1-in-200 chance of capturing dust-devil audio.
Of the 84 minutes collected in its first year, there’s “only one dust devil recording,” she wrote in an email from France.
A helicopter named ‘Ingenuity’
This same microphone on Perseverance’s mast provided the first sounds from Mars — namely the Martian wind — soon after the rover landed in February 2021. It followed up with audio of the rover driving around and its companion helicopter, little Ingenuity, flying nearby, as well as the crackle of the rover’s rock-zapping lasers, the main reason for the microphone.
These recordings allow scientists to study the Martian wind, atmospheric turbulence and now dust movement as never before, Murdoch said. The results “demonstrate just how valuable acoustic data can be in space exploration.”
On the prowl for rocks that might contain signs of ancient microbial life, Perseverance has collected 18 samples so far at Jezero Crater, once the scene of a river delta. NASA plans to return these samples to Earth a decade from now. Ingenuity has logged 36 flights, the longest lasting almost three minutes.

Source: Voice Of America

British Nurses Set to Begin First-Ever Strike as Pay Dispute Deepens

National Health Service nurses in Britain will strike on Thursday in their first-ever national walkout as a bitter dispute with the government over pay ramps up pressure on already-stretched hospitals at one of the busiest times of year.
An estimated 100,000 nurses will strike at 76 hospitals and health centers on Thursday, canceling thousands of non-urgent operations, such as hip replacements, and tens of thousands of outpatient appointments in Britain’s state-funded NHS.
Britain is facing a wave of industrial action this winter, with strikes crippling the rail network and postal service, and airports bracing for disruption over Christmas.
Inflation running at more than 10%, trailed by pay offers of around 4%, is stoking tensions between unions and employers.
Of all the strikes though, it will be the sight of nurses on picket lines that will be the standout image for many Britains this winter.
“It is deeply regrettable some union members are going ahead with strike action,” health minister Steve Barclay said.
“I’ve been working across government and with medics outside the public sector to ensure safe staffing levels — but I do remain concerned about the risk that strikes pose to patients.”
Considered a national treasure
The widely admired nursing profession will shut down parts of the NHS, which since its founding in 1948 has developed national treasure status for being free at the point of use, hitting health care provision when it is already stretched in winter and with backlogs at record levels due to COVID delays
Barclay said patients should continue to seek urgent medical care and attend appointments unless they have been told not to.
The industrial action by nurses on Thursday and December 20 is unprecedented in the British nursing union’s 106-year history, but the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said it has no choice as workers struggle to make ends meet.
Nurses want a 19% pay rise, arguing they have suffered a decade of real-terms cuts and that low pay means staff shortages and unsafe care for patients. The government has refused to discuss pay.
The government in Scotland avoided a nursing strike by holding talks on pay, an outcome that the RCN had hoped for in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but Barclay is not budging.
The government has said it cannot afford to pay more than the 4-5% offered to nurses, which was recommended by an independent body, and that further pay increases would mean taking money away from frontline services.
The RCN has accused the government of “belligerence.” It said as late as Tuesday that the strikes could still be stopped if the government was prepared to negotiate.
Some treatments exempt from strike
Some treatment areas will be exempt from strike action the RCN has said, including chemotherapy, dialysis and intensive care.
Polling ahead of the nursing strike showed that a majority of Britains support the action, but once the walkouts are underway, politicians will be closely monitoring public opinion.

Source: Voice Of America

JETEX WELCOMES THE WORLD’S FIRST LOUIS VUITTON POP-UP AT A PRIVATE JET TERMINAL

Private jet flyers enjoy exclusive access to the most dazzling travel selection.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jetex, an award-winning global leader in executive aviation, is proud to host the world’s first Louis Vuitton pop-up store at its flagship Jetex VIP Terminal in Dubai.

Passengers traveling with Jetex can look forward to getting inspired by Louis Vuitton iconic travel pieces, designed to make private jet flying even more glamorous. From timeless monogram trunks and exotic leather creations to a wide range of city guides and unique Objets Nomades, everyone will find something special from the wide collection of exquisite travel accessories available at the Louis Vuitton pop-up store.

“As Jetex breaks records in terms of passenger numbers, we seek new opportunities to surprise and delight both regular and new clients alike. I am exceptionally pleased that Louis Vuitton chose our FBO in Dubai to unveil its worlds’ first pop-up store at a private aviation terminal,” said Adel Mardini, Founder and CEO of Jetex.

With over 100 international private jet flights and more than 1,000 passengers daily, Jetex VIP Terminal in Dubai is currently one of the busiest globally. In addition to tranquil private lounges, elegant hospitality and curated art exhibitions, Jetex works closely with the leading luxury brands to develop solid, long-term partnerships.

About Jetex:

An award-winning global leader in executive aviation, Jetex is recognized for delivering flexible, best-in-class trip support solutions to customers worldwide. Jetex provides exceptional private terminals (FBOs), aircraft fueling, ground handling and global trip planning. The company caters to both owners and operators of business jets for corporate, commercial and personal air travel. To find out more about Jetex, visit www.jetex.com and follow us on InstagramTwitterFacebook, and LinkedIn.

Press Enquiries:
Oleg Kafarov
Director of Portfolio Development & Corporate Communications
T: +971 4 212 4900   Email: teamorange@jetex.com

Attachment

Oleg Kafarov - Director of Portfolio Development & Corporate Communications
Jetex
+971 4 212 4900
teamorange@jetex.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8714491

FOTON signed a joint development agreement, accelerating European new energy business

BEIJING, Dec. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — On 29 November 2022, FOTON signed an agreement with European partner for the development of a new electric light commercial vehicle. The agreement consolidates the partnership set up by the two groups in September 2017 for joint development of innovative solutions for the light commercial vehicles market. Over the coming months, the two parties will finalize the technical documentation for the project and the contracts by Spring 2023.

FOTON EV truck launched at the Green Logistics Expo 2022 in Padua, Italy.

This new agreement will consolidate the partnership established by the two groups in May 2018 to develop and produce new light commercial vehicle products for the European market, based on FOTON’s mini-truck product platform. After more than two years of joint development, the first city truck of the two parties NP6 launched in Europe on January 26, 2021, which fully in compliance with European standards.

Just this November at the Green Logistics Expo 2022 in Padua, Italy, FOTON brought the all-electric trucks developed for the European market, showing its signs of entering the European new energy market.

Back in June of this year, FOTON has already started to emerge in Europe. On June 3, FOTON debuted two pure electric trucks specifically developed for the European market at the IFAT exhibition in Munich, Germany. Since then, FOTON has kicked off its entry into the European new energy market.

It’s known that the European Union reached a deal to effectively ban new combustion-engine cars from 2035, which means that the European new energy vehicle market is shifting into the fast lane. FOTON has already met its standards for new energy technology, product quality and supply chain. As an access card to the European market, WVTA is internationally recognized as one of the most valuable certification systems in the world and accepted throughout the EU without the need for further testing. A range of FOTON’s new energy products, including pure electric trucks, VANs and buses, have received WVTA certification and have been put into operation in countries like Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

It’s understood that FOTON is also gradually improving its operation, sales and service network in Europe. In the coming years, FOTON will strive to achieve breakthroughs in European markets such as Italy, Poland and Germany, and gradually seize the European new energy market by building up an industrial chain in the high-end market.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1968447/FOTON_electric_truck.jpg

LeddarTech Apresenta Novos Produtos de Fusão e Percepção de Sensores e o Software LeddarVision premiado da CES de 5 a 8 de janeiro em Las Vegas na CES 2023

QUEBEC, Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A LeddarTech ®, líder global no fornecimento da tecnologia de software ADAS e AD mais flexível, robusta e precisa, tem o prazer de anunciar sua participação na CES 2023 de 5 a 8 de janeiro em Las Vegas, onde exibirá seu software de nível automotivo que viabiliza ADAS e AD no estande # 5475, LVCC West Hall.

O tema do estande da LeddarTech na CES: “Accelerating Safer ADAS Deployment With High-Performance Low-Level Fusion and Perception Software.” (Aceleração da Implantação Segura do ADAS com Software de Fusão e Percepção de Baixo Nível de Alto Desempenho.)

Visite o estande da LeddarTech:

SEJA TESTEMUNHA DA INTRODUÇÃO DE UM NOVO PRODUTO: Família de Soluções de Visão Frontal LeddarTech LVF para Aplicações de Nível 2-2+ ADAS

A família de produtos LVF é uma pilha de fusão e percepção de visão frontal flexível e escalável, abrangente, para aplicações de nível de entrada para assistência rodoviária premium ADAS L2/L2+ e NCAP/GSR. A família de produtos LVF fornece recursos e desempenho de alta qualidade com o menor custo de hardware.

LVF-E – uma pilha de fusão e percepção de visão frontal para assistência rodoviária ADAS L2/L2+ de nível básico e NCAP 2025/GSR 2022 de 5 estrelas.

LVF-H – uma pilha de fusão e percepção complementar premium da família de produtos de visão frontal com configuração ampliada de sensor.

VEJA: Demonstrações do Painel Interativo de Fusão e Percepção de Dados de Baixo Nível da LeddarVision, Prêmio de Inovação da CES 2023

A LeddarVision™ é uma solução de fusão e percepção de sensores de baixo nível para ADAS industriais automotivos e off-road e aplicações de condução L2-L5 autônoma. Várias demonstrações mostrarão como a solução LeddarVision supera outras soluções que viabilizam aplicações ADAS e AD. A tecnologia LeddarVision recebeu o cobiçado prêmio Sensor Perception da Tech.AD USA no mês passado, em Detroit. No início de 2022, a nossa tecnologia LeddarVision também foi reconhecida pela Volkswagen Group Innovation Tel Aviv 2022 Konnect e CARIAD Startup Challenge, bem como pela Shenzhen Automotive Electronics Industry Association.

ASSISTA AO LeddarCar Live: Representantes de fornecedores e OEMs automotivos de Nível 1-2 estão convidados a fazer uma reserva para uma demonstração no mundo real da tecnologia de software de fusão e percepção de baixo nível LeddarVision da LeddarTech. O espaço é limitado, faça sua reserva para a demonstração prática do LeddarCar agora.

Representantes da CES estão convidados a marcar uma reunião em uma das suas duas salas de reunião “no local” para demonstrações de produtos, entrevistas com analistas de mídia e indústria, ou discussões com investidores.

“A CES 2023 é o fórum ideal para a LeddarTech compartilhar nossas incrivelmente únicas e múltiplas soluções e produtos de software de percepção e detecção de baixo nível para aplicações ADAS e AD”, disse Charles Boulanger, CEO da LeddarTech. “Tenho certeza de que os OEMs e os Tier 1-2 automotivos ficarão impressionados com a nossa tecnologia revolucionária”, ele acrescentou.

Sobre a LeddarTech

A LeddarTech, uma empresa global de software fundada em 2007, desenvolve e fornece soluções abrangentes de percepção que permitem a implantação de ADAS e aplicações de condução autônoma. O software de nível automotivo da LeddarTech aplica algoritmos de IA e visão computacional para gerar modelos 3D altamente precisos do ambiente, permitindo uma melhor tomada de decisão e navegação mais segura. Esta tecnologia de alto desempenho, escalonável e econômica é aproveitada pelos OEMs e Nível 1-2 para a implementação eficiente de soluções de veículos automotivos e off-road.

A LeddarTech é responsável por várias inovações de sensor remoto, com mais de 140 patentes concedidas ou solicitadas que aprimoram os recursos de ADAS e AD. A percepção confiável é fundamental para tornar a mobilidade global mais segura, eficiente, sustentável e acessível: é isso que leva a LeddarTech a se tornar a solução de software de fusão e percepção de sensores mais amplamente adotada.

Para mais informação sobre a LeddarTech visite www.leddartech.com, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook e YouTube.

Contato:
Daniel Aitken, Vice-Presidente, Marketing Global, Comunicações e Relacionamento com o Investidor, LeddarTech Inc.
Tel.: + 1-418-653-9000 ramal 232 daniel.aitken@leddartech.com

Contato e site de relações com investidores: InvestorRelations@leddartech.com
https://investors.leddartech.com/

Os logotipos Leddar, LeddarTech, LeddarSteer, LeddarEngine, LeddarVision, LeddarSP, LeddarCore, LeddarEcho, VAYADrive, VayaVision, XLRator e afins são marcas comerciais ou marcas comerciais registradas da LeddarTech Inc. e suas subsidiárias. Todas as outras marcas e nomes de produtos são ou podem ser marcas comerciais ou marcas comerciais registradas usadas para identificar produtos ou serviços de seus respectivos proprietários.

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GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8714312