Straight. Bold. Relentless.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
The Secretary-General is concerned with recent developments in Bolivia. He calls for calm and appeals to all political and social actors to exercise maximum restraint. He reiterates the importance of adhering to the rule of law and assuring due process and transparency in legal proceedings.
Source: United Nations
Benin has approximately 7 000 new cancer cases each year, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC) Global Cancer Observatory, and close to 5 000 cancer deaths annually. To help address these relatively low survival rates, sufficiently equipped facilities, trained staff and modern technology, as well as a comprehensive National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP), are needed.
Since the beginning of this year, a technical team organized by Benin’s National Programme for the Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (PNLMNT) have been planning for the development and implementation of a National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) to address the country’s growing cancer burden. These efforts have been supported by IAEA and World Health Organization (WHO) experts who, under the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative, have helped validate the priorities and objectives of the draft NCCP, and are providing training support as the Benin government invests in the construction of a new national hospital – Abomey-Calavi Reference Hospital – which will offer, for the first time in the country, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services. The delivery of critical equipment to the hospital will also be supported through Rays of Hope.
“The Ministry of Health in Benin is committed to ongoing investments in cancer control, and the NCCP is a key strategic document to support these efforts,” said Lamidhi Salami, President of the National Committee for Primary Health Care (CNSSP). “This plan highlights the importance of a strong primary care system to provide accessible and comprehensive cancer care, starting at the first contact of the patient with the health system.”
Benin officially launched its NCCP development process at a virtual workshop on 3 August 2022. During the launch, the PNLMNT technical team discussed the methodologies it intended to use to elaborate the NCCP with IAEA, WHO and IARC experts. The international experts provided a draft situational analysis report identifying the current state of cancer care in Benin, to be used as a supporting reference for the plan.
By the end of October, the Beninois technical team had reviewed the situational analysis, extracted priorities and objectives for inclusion in the draft NCCP document, and completed a first full draft of the plan.
Then earlier this month – from 6 to 9 December – a workshop was organized by Benin’s Ministry of Health, with the support of IAEA and international experts, to review the progress achieved in the development of the National Cancer Care Programme and to validate the priorities and objectives established by the experts of the Benin National Programme for the Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. The attending national, IAEA and WHO experts established specific activities for each ongoing cancer-related IAEA technical cooperation project in Benin, and assigned time-bound targets for their implementation.
“WHO is pleased to participate in the elaboration of Benin’s new National Cancer Control Plan. This tool will help align the technical cooperation among the different UN agencies providing cancer control support in the country, resulting in more efficient and equitable outcomes,” said Souleymane Zan, WHO Representative to Benin.
At the workshop, it was agreed that during the period of the NCCP (2023 – 2027), Beninois and IAEA experts would pursue the inauguration of the new reference hospital; the development of a human resources plan, including recruitment, training and deployment; and the establishment of prevention and early detection programmes for cervical cancer at the national level – responsible for the second largest number of deaths among women, after breast cancer – with specific attention to community health services.
Alongside six other countries in Africa, Benin is an inaugural partner country working with the IAEA under Rays of Hope. In the 10 months since Rays of Hope was launched, the initiative has facilitated the mobilization of resources to build, equip and sustain cancer care infrastructure, as well as to train specialists, health workers and technicians, with the ultimate aim of expanding access to cancer diagnosis and treatment services in low- and middle-incoming countries.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency
BEIJING, Dec. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (HKG: 0386, “Sinopec”) announced that its Yuanshen-1 risk exploration well in the Sichuan Basin had successfully completed the drilling at a depth of 8,866 meters, beating the previous deepest record in the Sichuan Basin set by its Rentan-1 well.
A major breakthrough of Sinopec’s “Project Deep Earth,” the Yuanshen-1 well has reached the deepest oil and gas formation in burial depth in the Sichuan Basin and further shows the great potential of deep ancient carbonate rocks in the region.
On the same day, Sinopec officially unveiled the “Project Deep Earth – Natural Gas Base in Sichuan and Chongqing”, in collaboration with Sinopec Exploration Company, Sinopec Southwest Oil & Gas Company, Sinopec Zhongyuan Oilfield Company, Sinopec Jianghan Oilfield Company and Sinopec East China Oil & Gas Company. This is Sinopec’s third “Project Deep Earth” base after the Shunbei Oilfield and Jiyang Shale Oil bases.
To date, Sinopec’s deep natural gas resources in the Sichuan Basin in areas with mineral rights have reached 15 trillion cubic meters, which holds a heavy weight for China’s natural gas reserves and production growth.
The Yuanshen-1 well has reached the deepest hydrocarbon reservoir in the Sichuan basin – the mound-shoal complex of the platform marginal facies in Dengying Formation. During the exploration, the ultra-deep carbonate rock, buried at a depth of over 8,700 meters, still showed positive hydrocarbon evidence in the porous reservoir.
Drilling to a depth of over 8,000 meters can bring many challenges for global industrial players. The large-size upper casing weighs 517 tonnes at ground level, which is a challenge to the rig’s lifting and casing capabilities. The ultra-high temperature in the deep earth also has high requirements for the drilling fluid’s stability and anti-pollution capability, and coring at such depths is difficult and time-consuming. To combat these challenges, Sinopec has developed five key technologies for ultra-deep drilling to support the oil and gas exploration in deep and ultra-deep carbonate reservoirs.
Sinopec has continually advanced deep hydrocarbon exploration in the Sichuan Basin, mainly including conventional gas in deep marine carbonate rocks and deep shale gas. It has discovered the Puguang, Yuanba and Chuanxi gas fields, and to date, Sinopec’s annual conventional gas production capacity from deep marine carbonate reservoirs has exceeded 12 billion cubic meters.
For more information, please visit Sinopec.
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10 Years of Providing Innovative Global Payment Services
SHANGHAI, Dec. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — With the issuance of UnionPay cards exceeding 200 million outside the Chinese Mainland, UnionPay International (UPI) is stepping into a new decade of providing high quality, cost effective and secure cross-border payment services to the world’s largest cardholder base. UPI’s partners have expanded from 60 initial members since establishment in 2012 to 2,500 institutions internationally with an acceptance network that currently spans 181 countries and regions, 78 of which now issue UnionPay cards, ensuring convenient local services to an ever-growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants.
UnionPay International vastly improves the cross-border payment experience for local cardholders
Over the past decade, UPI has ceaselessly developed cutting-edge payment technology to share a brand-new cross-border payment experience with UnionPay cardholders in every corner of the globe. Presently, outside the Chinese Mainland, 38 million global merchants accept UnionPay cards, a four-fold increase since 2012, with four million new merchants added in 2022 alone. UnionPay card acceptance rates in APAC, Europe and North America have reached 95%, 80% and 80% respectively, while 22 million online merchants in 200 countries and regions now use UnionPay for payments.
During these ten years, the digital transformation of the global payments industry has developed rapidly, and UPI has accelerated product iterations and service upgrades to meet the ever-changing payment habits of international customers. Collaborating closely with central banks, national switch networks, and payment alliances, UPI has shared its innovative financial infrastructure and technical standards in countries such as Thailand, Philippines and has become the unified cross-border chip card standard of Asian Payment Network.
UPI’s global expansion reflects its impressive technological and digital innovation
In recent years, the unified UnionPay App was launched for the banking industry that supports UnionPay contactless, QR code and In-APP payments, largely enhancing mobile payment experiences for cardholders. Including the UnionPay App, more than 170 UnionPay standard e-wallets have been launched outside the Chinese mainland, and over 16 million international merchants can experience the convenience brought by QR code payments or the “swipe” QuickPass.
In 2018, the Hong Kong and Macau SAR version of UnionPay App was launched and in four years, has become one of the most popular mobile payment products for residents. Access to UnionPay mobile payment services includes Singapore’s PayLah!, Malaysia’s Boost, Thailand’s K Plus, as well as multiple other leading products. Behind these achievements lie of UPI’s technical service platforms, including developer, cloud card issuance, and scenario service platforms, which reduce technical difficulties and costs for partners to access UnionPay mobile services, supporting more financial institutions. Telecommunications, retail, and other enterprises have also joined the UnionPay mobile payment ecosystem to enhance the mobile payment experience of international cardholders.
UnionPay’s global reach continues apace and will expand further in the coming decade
Expanding its global reach, ongoing innovation, and ease-of-use for cardholders the world over, the first issuance of UnionPay cards in Zambia launched earlier this year where they are fast becoming a new payment preference. More than 20 million UnionPay cards have been issued internationally since the beginning of this year, with transaction rates exceeding pre-pandemic levels. In APAC, one-in-four newly issued bank cards is from UnionPay which now accounts for 95% of debit cards in Hong Kong and Macau SAR. The Nilson Report ranked UnionPay’s transaction volume first among major international card issuers in APAC for 2021.
Castries, Dec. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Saint Lucia has amended the regulations of its Citizenship by Investment Programme to remain increasingly competitive and ensure that the Caribbean country fulfils its mandate of growing demand for its investment products for the ultimate benefit of the people of Saint Lucia.
As one of the youngest Citizenship by Investment products in the market, Saint Lucia has made bold strides in offering an alternative investment option in the Caribbean’s most developed and diverse economies.
The country’s Citizenship by Investment Unit has taken a comprehensive review of its Citizenship by Investment offerings following approvals from the Citizenship by Investment Board and Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information, Ernest Hilaire. The below amendments to the existing regulations will take effect from 1 January 2023.
| Category of applicant | Bond purchase sum | Bond holding period |
| Applicant and all qualifying dependents of any number | US$300,000 | 5-year holding bond |
| Administrative fee (regardless of the number of dependants) | US$50,000 |
Saint Lucia is emerging as one of the fastest-growing economies in the Caribbean region and the nation is well-known for offering various investment and business opportunities for people looking for options to plan their wealth and diversify their portfolios.
The country’s Citizenship by Investment Programme is a perfect choice as it offers ideal business opportunities to investors who do not want to be bound by border limitations.
The Caribbean country is recognized for providing a second home not just to investors but to their families too. The nation has been lauded for its advanced and modernized infrastructure. Saint Lucia has one of the most resilient, modernized education and healthcare systems in the region, which makes it ideal for investors and their families.
The Citizenship by Investment Programme of this Caribbean country attracts Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for the nation which is used for advancing various projects such as the development of infrastructure, advancement of real estate, business expansion and job innovation.
The CBI Index 2022, published by PWM Magazine of Financial Times, reported that CBI is assuring the small island nation of Saint Lucia has become independent, developed and prosperous in the true sense. The report also recognized the programme for its “Ease of Processing” and “Due Diligence” Pillars. This year, Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Programme climbed a spot and gained the third position.
Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Unit makes sure that citizenship is given to credible applicants of good standing while their dependants over the age of sixteen are also subject to multi-layered due diligence checks, in order to qualify for alternative citizenship. Saint Lucia asks for detailed information from the applicants to understand the funding source of the investors who want citizenship.
On this due diligence aspect, Minister Ernest Hilaire recently addressed concerns and fears related to Saint Lucia’s CBI Programme. He gave assurance that the government of Saint Lucia and its CBI Unit perform a strict and rigid due diligence process. Hilaire explained that the due diligence process is a multi-layered procedure noting, “Due diligence is performed by our Unit on all applicants, this is then followed by another due diligence check by the banks. This is then followed by due diligence checks by international intelligence units who also do on-the-ground assessments.”
He also noted that the Government and Unit have been planning to review the country’s CBI programme, making it more attractive as well as competitive. Minister Hilaire announced that these updates would maintain the country’s rigorous but seamless vetting process.
While the programme is the newest in the region, launched in 2016, the Government has made sure to set the bar very high – the programme has been regarded as one of the most advanced, secure as well as transparent programmes.
Through the National Economic Fund, this prestigious programme has helped the nation to develop important public infrastructure. The funds from the programme have been directly contributing to advancing the standard of living of Saint Lucians.
Alternative citizenship in the Caribbean nation is emerging as a platform to alleviate and tackle the risk of uncertainty and unpredictability in future. There is no other better plan than investing in building a new home at a place which offers ample opportunities and, most importantly, peace out of the hustle and bustle of big cities.
PR Saint Lucia Saint Lucia +1 758 458 6050 mildred.thabane@csglobalpartners.com
GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8721602
DENVER, Dec. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL), published a Spanish and Japanese version of the GLOBAL Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome (“GLOBAL Adult Guideline”) in collaboration with the El Centro de la Universidad Católica de Síndrome de Down in Chile (Centro UC Síndrome de Down or CUSD) and the Japan Down Syndrome Association (JDSA).
The GLOBAL Adult Guideline is the first evidence-based guideline for adults with Down syndrome and was published in English in JAMA, the Journal of American Medical Association, in 2020. The guideline authors include the directors of the largest adult Down syndrome clinics in the US, and the current nine medical topics are: behavior, dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis, atlantoaxial instability, thyroid disease, and celiac disease. GLOBAL is working to expand the topics to include sleep apnea, solid tumors, leukemia, vision/eye care, and physical therapy and fitness.
In addition to the 80-page guideline for medical professionals, GLOBAL has also published a much shorter family-friendly version, and toolkits that include easy to follow assessments for Celiac disease, Diabetes, Behavior, and annual check-ups.
All of these resources for adults are now available in Spanish and Japanese at no cost on the GLOBAL website, DS-Connect®: The Down Syndrome Registry, CUSD website, and JDSA website.
“GLOBAL is pleased to be able to reach Spanish and Japanese speakers who have Down syndrome and their families in the U.S. in collaboration from the National Institutes of Health/DS-Connect®,” says Michelle Sie Whitten, President & CEO of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. “The NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has been supportive from the beginning. We are also deeply grateful for Dr. Macarena Lizama at CUSD and Dr. Hiroshi Tamai, President of JDSA, Dr. Chisen Takeuchi of the JDSA for helping to ensure this reaches hundreds of thousands of Spanish and Japanese speakers around the world.”
GLOBAL has worked with Congress since 2006 advocating for a trans-NIH Down syndrome research funding program and for increased funding. In December of 2010, GLOBAL and the NIH co-organized the first Down syndrome research conference with a focus on registries and biobanks. One important result was the establishment of DS-Connect®: The Down Syndrome Registry.
“It is so important for me and other people with Down syndrome to have this in Spanish,” says Yadiro Carrillo, a 32-year-old self-advocate and entrepreneur who happens to have Down syndrome. “I need to know how to take care of myself as an adult!”
“Seeing the guideline in Spanish feels like GLOBAL values Spanish -speaking families like mine,” said Yadira Carrillo, mother of a 32-year-old daughter who has Down syndrome. “Language is a barrier some families face to receiving medical care and I know this will help so many people in the U.S. and internationally.” In Chile, GLOBAL has been working closely with Dr. Lizama on many projects including creating the Spanish version of the GLOBAL Guideline and the COVID-19 and Down Syndrome Resource.
“What Michelle, Bryn Gelaro and their team have accomplished in research and medical care is so important,” says Dr. Macarena Lizama, Medical Director of the El Centro de la Universidad Católica de Síndrome de Down in Chile. “We are honored to collaborate with GLOBAL on this transformative resource and to improve medical equity, especially for Spanish-speaking countries where medical care access and basic resources for people with Down syndrome can be very scarce. I will be very proud to use this resource in my clinic and share it with my colleagues and families.”
Dr. Hiroshi Tamai echoes this sentiment, “We are grateful for the collaboration we have had with GLOBAL and to have this important resource in Japanese is a dream come true. My daughter and thousands of Japanese adults with Down syndrome will surely benefit. We look forward to working with GLOBAL and adding new medical areas in the next few years.”
GLOBAL is currently working with the Ministries of Health in both Chile and Japan to ensure the guidelines are available free of charge and easily findable on their disability home pages.
To learn more about the GLOBAL Adult Guideline and download your copy today, visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org/
To learn more about Global Down Syndrome Foundation, visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org
About Global Down Syndrome Foundation
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,200 patients with Down syndrome from 33 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.
GLOBAL’s widely circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal & Newborn Down Syndrome Information and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome World TM . GLOBAL also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (Facebook & Twitter: @GDSFoundation, Instagram: @globaldownsyndrome).
IMPORTANT NOTICE
While content of this press release and the GLOBAL Guideline was developed by GLOBAL and the GLOBAL Guideline Authors, we are unable and do not intend to provide medical advice or legal advice to individuals. Please contact your health care provider(s) or legal advisor(s) for questions specific to your individual health history or care.
Press Contacts
Anca Call
acall@globaldownsyndrome.org
720-320-3832
GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8721542
