Prepay Nation promotes Paolo Montessori to Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Paolo Montessori CEO of Prepay Nation

Paolo Montessori CEO of Prepay Nation

BERWYN, Pa., Jan. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Prepay Nation, a leading global B2B prepaid products marketplace, announces the appointment of Paolo Montessori as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Board of Directors has chosen Montessori to succeed A.J. Hanna as CEO by January 2023 after a thorough succession planning exercise.

After over 3 1/2 years at Prepay Nation, including the past 2 1/2 years as CEO, A.J. Hanna announced he will be leaving his role as CEO and Chairman of Prepay Nation by December 31st, 2022. A.J. will continue to support the transition as a special advisor to the Board of Directors and newly appointed CEO.

Paolo Montessori joined Prepay Nation in October 2021 as the Chief Revenue Officer. Throughout his more than 25-year career, Montessori has established a solid record of accomplishments leading telecom and financial services firms on a wide range of strategic and business-building possibilities during a time of constant evolution in the financial services and payments world. As CEO, Montessori’s primary goals will be to strengthen Prepay Nation’s financial position and solid foundation of assets, including a worldwide interconnected distribution network and prepaid marketplace, as well as to accelerate the company’s growth plans and expand its payment alternatives.

Prepay Nation Board Chairman and CEO A.J. Hanna said, “We are delighted to welcome Paolo Montessori as the next CEO of Prepay Nation. Paolo is a proven leader known for talent development and leadership of teams while spurring growth and innovation in the fintech and telco industries. With his extensive experience expanding Comviva into new geographic regions, as the CEO of eServGlobal where he formed HomeSend, the cross border joint venture with MasterCard, as Chief Executive of Novatti’s transaction processing business and CEO of innovative AI powered risk analytics fintech LenddoEFL, he is well-positioned to lead Prepay Nation in this new era. Paolo’s focus on accelerating the company’s growth and gaining wider adoption of our ecosystem offerings and prepaid marketplace capabilities with users and businesses will launch Prepay Nation 2.0.”

Anurag Jain, Co-Founder of Prepay Nation added: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, our global employees, clients, and business partners, I want to thank A.J. for his dedication and enthusiasm to Prepay Nation and congratulate him on the many achievements and milestones we celebrated while he has been at the helm of this dynamic company. Under A.J.’s leadership, Prepay Nation expanded its global reach and grew an industry-leading marketplace for prepaid products and turned our capabilities into a competitive advantage.”

Incoming CEO Paolo Montessori said, “Being selected to lead such a well-respected organization as Prepay Nation, a global technology and prepaid global marketplace, serving more than 150+ countries and over 5 billion users is a great honor and a tremendously exciting opportunity.

The passion for innovating with customer needs at heart is what has guided Prepay Nation since its start over a decade ago. I look forward to leading the team at Prepay Nation and working together to chart a future of growth, creating value for our shareholders while supplying essential prepaid services to our global audience.”

A.J. Hanna added, “It has been an honor and privilege to lead Prepay Nation and help serve our worldwide partners and their users. I have many cherished memories of the time I spent working with our colleagues, whose talent, loyalty, and commitment to our clients are unmatched. I am proud of the purpose-driven business we shaped together, and I look forward to seeing the company and team flourish under Paolo’s leadership.”

About Prepay Nation:

Prepay Nation is a leading global B2B prepaid products marketplace that facilitates the purchase of cross-border top ups of mobile airtime, data, gift cards and utility payments across international borders. It boasts an operational presence in 150+ countries, with over 600+ mobile operator’s partnerships across 300,000+ retail locations – backed by a globally distributed team in the U.S., Canada, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. We enable local and global brands to distribute their prepaid products through our omni-channel worldwide reseller network. Our partners benefit from increased sales, customer acquisition, engagement, retention and loyalty.

For more information, please visit www.prepaynation.com or contact Janis D’souza on hello@prepaynation.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e6e795e8-3952-4fac-be39-a9e19eaaf650

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8723970

Two Female Scientists Win this year’s King Faisal Prize

The Prize’s 45th session recognizes COVID 19 Vaccine Developers, Nanotechnology Scientists, and eminent figures in each of its Arabic Language & Literature, Islamic Studies, and Service to Islam categories

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Two women scientists were announced King Faisal Prize for Medicine and Science laureates for 2023: a Covid-19 vaccine developer and a nanotechnology scientist. Six others were announced King Faisal Prize laureates for having enriched humanity with key and invaluable achievements and discoveries in the fields of Medicine, Science, Arabic Language & Literature, Islamic Studies, and Serving Islam.

The woman behind Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Professor Sarah Gilbert, the Saïd Chair of Vaccinology in the Nuffield Department of Medicine at Oxford University, was selected to receive King Faisal Prize in medicine. She has co-created the vaccine which has been in use in more than 180 countries saving billions of lives due to its efficiency, low cost and accessibility.

The vaccine is called “ChAdOx1 nCoV-19” and was achieved in 10 months of work using a novel approach. Instead of the traditional vaccines’ method which uses a weakened or killed form of the original infection and requires a long time to develop in the human body, Gilbert genetically modified a weakened version of a common virus which caused a cold in chimpanzees to be injected in humans without causing an infection. This modified virus became the essence of the vaccine developed by Dr. Gilbert against coronavirus carrying the genetic instructions for the coronavirus spike protein. When entering the body cells, the virus uses a genetic code or instructions to produce the specific surface spike protein of the coronavirus inducing an immune response and preparing the immune system to attack coronavirus if it infects the body.

Dr. Gilbert’s innovative vaccine technologies used lately for COVID-19 were also applied by her to Malaria, Ebola, Influenza, and MERS, with clinical trials of the latter taking place in the UK and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She also worked on developing a medicine for it. In fact, the patented ChAdOx1 technology was developed by Dr. Gilbert and other researchers at the University of Oxford in 2012. In 2014, she led the first trial of an Ebola vaccine after a large outbreak of the disease in West Africa. It was because of the ChAdOx1 technology and her accumulated research that the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was produced so quickly.

The other woman scientist selected to receive King Faisal Prize in science is Professor Jackie Yi-Ru Ying; the A*STAR Senior Fellow and Director at NanoBio Lab, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research. She was chosen for her work on the synthesis of various advanced nanomaterials and systems, and their applications in catalysis, energy conversion, and biomedicine. Her inventions have been used to solve challenges in different fields of medicine, chemistry, and energy. Her development of stimuli-responsive polymeric nanoparticles led to a technology which can autoregulate the release of insulin, depending on the blood glucose levels in diabetic patients without the need for external blood glucose monitoring. Dr. Ying’s laboratory has pioneered the synthesis of mesoporous and microporous transition metal oxides; a class of nanomaterials used in energy storage and conversion, by supramolecular templating (organizing or assembling entities).

Dr. Ying has more than 180 primary patents and patent applications; 32 of which have been licensed to multinational and start-up companies for a range of applications in nanomedicine, drug delivery, cell and tissue engineering, medical implants, biosensors, medical devices, and others. Her work is at the intersection of nanotechnology and technical medicine and has culminated in the establishment of six successful start-ups and spinoff companies.

Two other Medicine and Science Prize laureates were selected for 2023:  Professor Dan Barouch, the Director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the William Bosworth Castle Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Professor Chad Mirkin, the Director of the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN) and the Rathmann Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Medicine, Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern University, respectively.

Professor Dan Barouch developed another COVID-19 viral vector vaccine; the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, using the same technology behind the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. It was administered to hundreds of millions of people worldwide saving their lives. The vaccine was achieved quickly, like Oxford vaccine, in 13 months and was based on engineering a harmless adenovirus (called Ad26) which was a common type of virus that caused mild cold symptoms when it infected a person. The genetically modified virus carries the genetic code for the coronavirus spike protein. After the injection of adenovirus, the cells use the genetic code and produce a spike protein to train the immune system, creating antibodies and memory cells to protect against COVID-19 infection.

The development of the Ad26 vaccine platform was the result of research work and clinical trials to develop vaccine candidates for multiple pathogens of global significance, including HIV and Zika virus, and tuberculosis, making Professor Barouch a pioneer in the creation of a series of vaccine platform technologies that can be used when developing vaccines for emerging infectious diseases, such as COVID-19. Moreover, he led the world’s first demonstration of Zika vaccine protection in preclinical studies and launched a series of phase 1 Zika vaccine clinical trials.

The work of Professor Chad Mirkin, which has been at the forefront of nano chemistry for over three decades, has helped define the modern age of nanotechnology. He is widely recognized for his invention of spherical nucleic acids (SNAs), which are nanostructures composed of nucleic acids in a spherical configuration which enter human cells and tissues and overcome biological barriers, making it possible to detect or treat a disease on the genetic level. More than 1,800 products for medical diagnostics, therapeutics, and life science research were based on this technology.

Professor Mirkin is a pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence-based materials discovery. He invented dip-pen nanolithography, which was described by National Geographic as one of the “top 100 scientific discoveries that changed the world”; and HARP (high-area rapid printing) technology, a 3D printing process that can manufacture different products like ceramics at record-breaking throughput.

In addition to Medicine and Science, King Faisal Prize recognized this year the achievements of outstanding thinkers and scholars in the fields of Arabic Language & Literature and Islamic Studies, and honored exemplary leaders who played a pivotal role in serving Islam, Muslims, and humanity at large.

Professor Abdelfattah Kilito was announced the laureate for the “Arabic Language and Literature” prize focusing on “Classical Arabic Narrative and Modern Theories”. He has been a visiting professor and lecturer at the New Sorbonne, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Chicago, the University of Oxford, and the College de France. Professor Robert Hillenbrand, Honorary Professorial Fellow in the department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies (IMES) at the University of Edinburgh, was selected to receive the “Islamic Studies” prize in “Islamic Architecture”. His work was distinguished by its geographic and temporal expansiveness, which covered North Africa, Egypt, Palestine, and Central Asia, and spanned from the early Islamic period till the 19th Century.

As for the Service to Islam Prize, Professor Choi Young Kil-Hamed and His Excellency Shaikh Nasser bin Abdullah Al Zaabi were this year’s laureates.

Since 1979, King Faisal Prize in its 5 different categories has awarded 290 laureates who have made distinguished contributions to different sciences and causes. Each prize laureate is endowed with USD 200 thousand; a 24-carat gold medal weighing 200 grams, and a Certificate inscribed with the Laureate’s name and a summary of their work which qualified them for the prize.

 

Attachments

Maysa Shawwa

King Faisal Prize
Maysa.Shawwa@kff.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8723948

PowerChina Supports Cultivation of Highly Skilled Talent in Zambia

LUSAKA, Zambia, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On the Kafue River about 90 km south of Zambian capital Lusaka, Zambia’s first large-scale hydropower station is humming smoothly.

Commissioned in July 2021, the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Station, constructed by PowerChina, plan to install five Francis turbines, with a total installed capacity of 750 mw.

Not only has the plant accelerated the industrialisation process of Zambia, it has also changed the fate of many young people in Zambia. The 35-year-old Gift Kapanda is one of them.PowerChina Supports Cultivation of Highly Skilled Talent in Zambia

In 2017, life took an incredible turn for the young Zambian when he visited the Sinohydro Training Institute, which was launched by PowerChina to offer free vocational training courses to train skilled workers for the hydropower project and generate talents for local projects in Zambia. Kapanda was enrolled in the institute and studied electrical engineering and started his “transformation.”

Like Kapanda, the fate of more than 300 young people in Zambia has completely changed by the Sinohydro Training Institute. The skills they gained at the institute have transformed their lives.

With an investment of $1.45 million, the institute was established by PowerChina in 2017, and recruits students from all over Zambia, provides free education and training, free accommodation, and living allowances, with the aim of cultivating urgently needed skilled talents in the field of infrastructure construction for Zambia.

So far, the institute has trained 332 students, including 10 women as technicians, who have become the backbone of this project as well as other engineering construction projects in Zambia. Most of them work for the power project after they complete training, Fang Zhi, dean of the institute, told ChinAfrica.

“I used to be an ordinary electrician who could only do some simple wiring or repairs, but it is different now. I have received professional and systematic training. With practice, I have become a good electrical engineer,” Kapanda told ChinAfrica.

China’s aid to Africa has been falsely accused as “neo-colonialism,” and the image of Chinese companies in Africa has also been viciously distorted and vilified. “The fact is that Chinese enterprises in Africa employ a large number of local workers through the localisation of human resources, which greatly promotes local employment, improves the living standards of local people, and enhances the sense of belonging, happiness and responsibility of local employees,” Zhou Qingguo, project manager of the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Station Bureau, told ChinAfrica.

Since the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Station came into operation, more than 10,000 local employees have been employed, accounting for 90 percent of the power project’s workforce.

Since entering the Zambian market in 2001, PowerChina has been deeply involved in the country’s development. “By cultivating and employing local people, it is possible to strengthen the exchanges between the Chinese and African people, so as to better bring their hearts closer,” said Song Mingming, country representative of PowerChina in Zambia.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1977060/PowerChina_Supports_Cultivation_Highly_Skilled_Talent_Zambia.jpg

Leading Asia Pacific Carrier Leverages Synchronoss Email Suite to Support Significant Growth to Over 50 Million Users

Company Expands Existing On-Premise Deployment of Mx9 Messaging Platform, Offering an Array of New Features to Ensure Security, Data Privacy, and an Improved User Experience

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Jan. 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (“Synchronoss” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SNCR), a global leader and innovator in cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, today announced a $3.6 million contract to support significant growth in the messaging subscriber base with one of the largest mobile and telecom operators in the Asia Pacific region. Building on a long-standing relationship spanning over 20 years, the Synchronoss Email Suite will now support over 50 million users.

The Synchronoss Email Suite includes the Mx9 core messaging platform that is highly scalable with a stateless architecture, designed to be fault tolerant. It integrates encryption to ensure the utmost in security and data privacy.

Mx9 offers an intuitive web user interface (UI) for email, contacts, and calendar. Through the Huge Mail feature, Mx9 supports large file exchanges, and integrates Razorgate, an unparalleled message filtering capability designed to remove spam and mitigate the threat of phishing and viruses.

“Supporting on-premise and cloud deployments, our Synchronoss Email Suite provides the capability to deliver a powerful and easy-to-use communications suite that is scalable and capable of supporting millions of users,” said Jeff Miller, President and CEO of Synchronoss. “The growth and expansion of our partnership with this leading Asia Pacific carrier underscores the commitment of our team to continuously innovate and deliver highly scalable solutions that meet the needs of today’s leading communications service providers worldwide.”

Today Synchronoss Email Suite supports 20 major email deployments through service providers in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, and hosts more than 180 million mailboxes. To find out more about the platform and other messaging solutions, visit https://synchronoss.com/products/engagex/email-suite.

About Synchronoss
Synchronoss Technologies (Nasdaq: SNCR) builds software that empowers companies around the world to connect with their subscribers in trusted and meaningful ways. The company’s collection of products helps streamline networks, simplify onboarding, and engage subscribers to unleash new revenue streams, reduce costs and increase speed to market. Hundreds of millions of subscribers trust Synchronoss products to stay in sync with the people, services, and content they love. Learn more at www.synchronoss.com.

Media Relations Contact:
Domenick Cilea
Springboard
dcilea@springboardpr.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Matt Glover / Tom Colton
Gateway Group, Inc.
SNCR@gatewayir.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8723275

‫يشهد توسع UnionPay International المستمر لشبكتها العالمية إصدار أكثر من 200 مليون بطاقة خارج البر الرئيسي الصيني

10 سنوات من تقديم خدمات الدفع العالمية المبتكرة

شنغهاي، 30 ديسمبر 2022 / PRNewswire / — مع إصدار بطاقات UnionPay التي تتجاوز 200 مليون خارج البر الصيني،   UnionPay International (UPI) تدخل عقدًا جديدًا من تقديم خدمات دفع عالية الجودة وفعالة من حيث التكلفة وآمنة عبر الحدود إلى أكبر قاعدة لحاملي البطاقات في العالم. وقد توسع شركاء UPI من 60 عضوا أوليًا منذ إنشائها في عام 2012 إلى 2500 مؤسسة على الصعيد الدولي مع شبكة قبول تغطي حاليا 181 بلدًا ومنطقة، يُصدر 78 منها حاليا بطاقات UnionPay ، مما يضمن تقديم خدمات محلية ملائمة لعدد متزايد باستمرار من حاملي بطاقات UnionPay العالمية والتجار.

تعمل شركة UnionPay International على تحسين تجربة الدفع عبر الحدود بشكل كبير لحاملي البطاقات المحليين

على مدى العقد الماضي، طورت UPI بلا توقف تقنية الدفع المتطورة لمشاركة تجربة دفع جديدة عبر الحدود مع حاملي بطاقات UnionPay في كل ركن من أركان العالم. في الوقت الحالي، خارج البر الرئيسي الصيني، يقبل 38 مليون تاجر عالمي بطاقات UnionPay ، بزيادة أربعة أضعاف منذ عام 2012، مع إضافة أربعة ملايين تاجر جديد في عام 2022 وحده. بلغت معدلات قبول بطاقة UnionPay في APAC وأوروبا وأمريكا الشمالية 95% و 80% و 80% على التوالي، في حين يستخدم 22 مليون تاجر عبر الإنترنت في 200 دولة ومنطقة الآن UnionPay للمدفوعات.

خلال هذه السنوات العشر، تطور التحول الرقمي لصناعة المدفوعات العالمية بسرعة، وعجلت UPI بتكرار المنتجات وترقيات الخدمة لتلبية عادات الدفع المتغيرة باستمرار للعملاء الدوليين. بالتعاون الوثيق مع البنوك المركزية وشبكات التحويل الوطنية وتحالفات الدفع، شاركت UPI بنيتها التحتية المالية المبتكرة ومعاييره الفنية في بلدان مثل تايلاند والفلبين وأصبح معيارًا موحدًا عبر الحدود لشبكة الدفع الآسيوية.

يعكس التوسع العالمي لشركة UPI ابتكارها التكنولوجي والرقمي المثير للإعجاب

في السنوات الأخيرة، تم إطلاق تطبيق UnionPay الموحد للصناعة المصرفية التي تدعم UnionPay بدون تلامس، ورمز الاستجابة السريعة والمدفوعات في آسيا والمحيط الهادئ، مما يعزز إلى حد كبير تجارب الدفع عبر الهاتف المحمول لحاملي البطاقات. بما في ذلك تطبيق UnionPay ، تم إطلاق أكثر من 170 محفظة إلكترونية قياسية من UnionPay خارج البر الرئيسي للصين، ويمكن لأكثر من 16 مليون تاجر دولي تجربة الراحة التي توفرها مدفوعات رمز الاستجابة السريعة أو “التمرير السريع”.

في عام 2018، تم إطلاق نسخة منطقة هونغ كونغ وماكاو الإدارية الخاصة من تطبيق UnionPay وفي غضون أربع سنوات، أصبحت واحدة من أشهر منتجات الدفع عبر الهاتف المحمول للمقيمين. يشمل الوصول إلى خدمات الدفع عبر الهاتف المحمول من UnionPay خدمة Singapore’s PayLah! ، و Malaysia’s Boost , و Thailand’s K Plus ، فضلًا عن العديد من المنتجات الرائدة الأخرى. تكمن وراء هذه الإنجازات منصات الخدمة الفنية التابعة لـ UPI ، بما في ذلك المطور، وإصدار البطاقة السحابية، ومنصات خدمة السيناريوهات، والتي تقلل من الصعوبات الفنية والتكاليف للشركاء للوصول إلى خدمات الجوال UnionPay ، ودعم المزيد من المؤسسات المالية. كما انضمت شركات الاتصالات والتجزئة وغيرها من الشركات إلى النظام البيئي للدفع عبر الهاتف المحمول في UnionPay لتعزيز تجربة الدفع عبر الهاتف المحمول لحاملي البطاقات الدوليين.

تواصل UnionPay انتشارها العالمي على قدم وساق وستتوسع أكثر في العقد المقبل

توسيع نطاقها العالمي، والابتكار المستمر، وسهولة الاستخدام لحاملي البطاقات في جميع أنحاء العالم، وهو الإصدار الأول الذي  بطاقات UnionPay في زامبيا  تم إطلاقه في وقت سابق من هذا العام حيث أصبحوا بسرعة تفضيلًا جديدًا للدفع. تم إصدار أكثر من 20 مليون بطاقة UnionPay دوليًا منذ بداية هذا العام، مع تجاوز معدلات المعاملات مستويات ما قبل الوباء. في APAC ، واحدة من كل أربع بطاقات مصرفية صادرة حديثًا من UnionPay التي تمثل الآن 95% من بطاقات الخصم في منطقة هونغ كونغ وماكاو الإدارية الخاصة. تم Nilson Report تصنيف حجم معاملات UnionPay في المرتبة الأولى بين كبار مصدري البطاقات الدوليين في منطقة آسيا والمحيط الهادئ لعام 2021.

Saint Lucia updates its Citizenship by Investment regulations to remain competitive in the investment migration industry

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.

  • Developers applying for approved real estate under the Citizenship by Investment Programme or enterprise projects will now have to pay due diligence and background check fee of US$7,500.
  • The replacement fee for a lost or damaged certificate will increase from US$100 to US$500.
  • Investors who have been a citizen of Saint Lucia for 12 months or less that are looking to include a newborn dependent through the country’s National Economic Fund will now have to pay a fee of US$5000, this has increased from US$500.
  • There is also an introduction of a new Bond Offer for investors purchasing non-interest-bearing Government Bonds with the following qualifying investment sums:
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
  • To qualify for second citizenship through the real estate option, investors will have to invest a minimum of US$200,000, a reduction from US$300,000.

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

New Down Syndrome Resource Available in Spanish and Japanese

Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Centro UC Síndrome de Down and Japan Down Syndrome Association Join Forces to Translate & Provide Online Access to the GLOBAL Adult Guideline

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/medical-care-guidelines-for-adults/

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

2022: The MILESTONE YEAR

Jetex Annual Review

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The business aviation industry is currently going through the biggest transition in history, accelerated by the digitalisation, accessibility, and the exceptional travel conveniences that it offers against the backdrop of a gradual recovery from the health crisis. In many ways, it reflects the fourth industrial revolution, which is more significant, and its ramifications more profound, than in any prior period of human history.

With the private jet traffic setting new records in 2022, experts predict up to 8,500 new business jet deliveries until 2031, which amounts to an estimated total value of US$ 274 billion. At the same time, sustainability is at the top of the agenda to ensure that the industry develops in line with the decarbonisation goals set by IATA.

The record results could not have been achieved without the efficiency and exceptional ability of the business aviation industry to adapt and to remain connected to its customers, continuing to inspire their desire to travel and discover.

For the first time, Jetex invites you to discover the latest trends in private aviation, and what will shape the global industry in the future in its interactive annual review.

Discover

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 Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

 

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

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8721507