Day: June 30, 2022

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Les appareils de forage XCMG soutiennent les infrastructures de transport public et de génie hydraulique au Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya, 30 juin 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Les appareils de forage XCMG (SHE:000425), y compris les XR400, XR400E et XR360, sont déployés sur de multiples projets de construction pour soutenir le développement des infrastructures locales de transport public et de génie hydraulique.

In Nairobi, Kenya, XCMG’s rotary drilling rigs XR360 and XR400E are participating in the construction of the airport express way.

« XCMG s’engage à fournir des technologies de construction avancées et des équipements de construction haut de gamme qui permettraient d’atteindre une croissance mutuellement complémentaire avec nos partenaires internationaux, nous persistons également à offrir des services après-vente complets », a déclaré Wang Min, président de XCMG.

XCMG a été parmi les premières entreprises de construction chinoises à pénétrer le marché africain. À Nairobi, au Kenya, les foreuses rotatives XR360 et XR400E de XCMG participent à la construction de la voie express de l’aéroport, la route entièrement fermée et à échange complet adopte la norme routière nationale de niveau A du Kenya et la norme de charge de pont de niveau I de la Chine, avec quatre/six voies à double sens et une vitesse de conception de 80 kilomètres/heure.

Une fois achevée, la voie rapide améliorera efficacement les conditions de circulation de la section de l’aéroport de Nairobi et améliorera grandement la capacité du trafic routier des principaux pôles d’échange, favorisant ainsi les échanges économiques entre les différentes zones urbaines de Nairobi.

Dans le comté de Garissa au Kenya, le Projet d’irrigation de dérivation de Bura du Conseil national d’irrigation du pays est actuellement en cours de construction. Le projet de 100 kilomètres de long introduira l’eau de la rivière Tana dans les terres agricoles afin de stimuler le rendement agricole dans la région de Bura, et la foreuse rotative XR400E de XCMG améliore considérablement la vitesse de construction.

Le modèle a une hauteur de travail de 26 à 27 mètres, et un poids de 120 tonnes, il peut atteindre 103 mètres de profondeur et 2,8 mètres de diamètre maximum du forage de fondation des pieux. La XR400E est la plus grande foreuse rotative introduite sur le marché est-africain. Garantissant des performances fiables, une large gamme d’opérations et une grande efficacité de construction, elle est utilisée dans de nombreux projets majeurs au Kenya.

Entre-temps, la machine de perçage de tuyaux XDN1500-R de la Fondation XCMG développée conjointement avec la quatrième branche d’ingénierie de CPP a été mise en service avec succès dans le projet d’adduction et de distribution d’eau de la province du Yunnan (détournement de Dianzhong vers le sud-est de la ville de Kunming).

L’équipe R&D de la Fondation XCMG a optimisé et mis à niveau l’équipement en fonction des besoins géologiques et d’ingénierie du projet, pour non seulement résoudre le risque de construction, mais aussi améliorer l’efficacité de la construction et la durée de vie des composants.

Pour plus d’informations, rendez-vous sur XCMG.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1850247/image.jpg

 

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Norway makes fishing vessel data accessible to the world

Norway to become first European nation to share its vessel tracking information on Global Fishing Watch map

Lisbon, Portugal, June 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Norway has become the first country in Europe to partner with Global Fishing Watch—an international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency—and will share its vessel tracking data for the Norwegian fishing fleet on the organization’s public map.

The announcement was made at the second United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal where countries from around the world are gathering to mobilize action and innovative solutions to some of the ocean’s most pressing threats.

Under the memorandum of understanding, which was signed between Global Fishing Watch and Norway’s Directorate of Fisheries, Norway has agreed to share the vessel monitoring system data for vessels 15 meters or more in length on the Global Fishing Watch map.

“Wild living marine resources are a common good and belong to everyone,” said Frank Bakke-Jensen, director general of the Directorate of Fisheries in Norway. “When a commercial fishing fleet is licensed to utilize this common good, we are obliged and committed to share fisheries data documenting the environmental footprint of commercial fishing activity. We hope that others will follow this approach and share more fisheries data.”

“We believe that improved transparency of fishing data is necessary to reduce the risk of illegal fisheries and set the groundwork for improved compliance,” said Thord Monsen, head of monitoring, control and surveillance at the Directorate of Fisheries.

The incorporated data will span a total of approximately 600 vessels—all vessels 15 meters in length or more predominantly operating in Norwegian waters and the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Norway is currently expanding its VMS requirement to include all commercial fishing vessels, as well as increasing the frequency that vessels need to report their position—a requirement which will be implemented over the coming years in a phased approach.

“We’re seeing more and more countries embrace fisheries transparency, demonstrating their understanding of just how essential public data is to the effective management of fishing activity,” said Tony Long, chief executive officer of Global Fishing Watch. “Norway has taken a leading global role in the sustainable ocean economy and is using its experience and expertise to promote better ocean governance. By bringing its fishing fleet into our map, Norway is paving the way for other countries, including developed nations, to follow suit.”

Since October 2019 Norway has shared its VMS tracking information on the Fisheries Directorate website in support of transparency and as part of an effort to make government data public whenever possible. The partnership with Global Fishing Watch will help make its vessel tracking data more accessible to a wider range of stakeholders—a substantial benefit in the sphere of international fisheries management.

With a coastline of more than 83,000 kilometers, including islands and fjords, the fishing sector is a key element to Norway’s economic, social and cultural identity. Norway is the second largest exporter of fish and fish products by value in the world and is home to some of the most productive marine areas in the world. An influential voice when it comes to fisheries issues and a leader on blue economy issues, Norway’s decision to partner with Global Fishing Watch and amplify its vessel tracking data demonstrates how fisheries transparency can be adopted in countries where fishing represents such a significant part of the economy.

“Data can be a powerful tool in protecting the environment, as we have seen in our work on climate change. The more data we have about the ocean, the better we can protect it and the people that rely on it. Norway’s commitment to making fishing vessel data accessible to the world – via Global Fishing Watch – is a great step forward for ocean transparency,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and ​UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions. “Their commitment to data-sharing is a model other countries can follow, and it will help demonstrate the effectiveness – environmentally and economically – of sustainable fishing.”

Norway joins a growing number of progressive countries from around the world that are dedicated to advancing, and benefiting from, fisheries transparency, which include: Benin, Brazil, Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Global Fishing Watch is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea. By creating and publicly sharing map visualizations, data and analysis tools, we aim to enable scientific research and transform the way our ocean is managed. We believe human activity at sea should be public knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean for the common good of all. globalfishingwatch.org

Attachment


Sarah Bladen
Global Fishing Watch
+44 79 20333832
sarah@globalfishingwatch.org
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Cellebrite Launch of Physical Analyzer Ultra Series Transforms Industry Standard for Digital Data Examination

With recent launches of Physical Analyzer Ultra Series and SaaS-based Cellebrite Premium, Cellebrite delivers powerful, end-to-end Collect & Review offering for digital investigations

PETAH TIKVA, Israel and TYSONS CORNER, Va., June 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cellebrite DI Ltd. (Nasdaq: CLBT), a global leader in Digital Intelligence (DI) solutions for the public and private sectors, today announced the general availability of the Cellebrite Physical Analyzer Ultra Series (PA Ultra Series), the next generation of PA and the de-facto industry standard for digital data examination.

PA Ultra Series is a revolutionary solution that further empowers investigators to uncover key pieces of case-relevant digital evidence and examine digital data more efficiently, to help secure more convictions, accelerate justice, and close cases faster. PA Ultra Series will significantly boost Cellebrite’s Collection & Review offerings as part of the Digital Intelligence suite of solutions.

PA Ultra Series will enable investigation teams to leverage an upgraded solution that can process a higher volume of computer, cloud, and mobile data, allow cases to be opened without the need to reparse data and support multiple cases and evidence per device with enhanced location data from a new customizable dashboard. PA Ultra will also enable data enrichment for cryptocurrency, ranging from leading blockchain data platforms to tracking transactions.

Ronnen Armon, Chief Products & Technologies Officer, said: “PA Ultra Series transforms PA’s data processing, decoding, and reporting capabilities. We are confident that our continued innovation will empower examiners and law enforcement agencies to make more efficient and insightful investigative decisions that will lead to uncovering the truth and securing more convictions.”

Additionally, after successful beta testing and showcasing the pre-release, the SaaS version of Cellebrite Premium, an industry-leading advanced access solution, is now available for customers. With the general release of PA Ultra Series and the general availability of a SaaS-based version of Cellebrite Premium, Cellebrite has built upon its position as the global leader in the Digital Intelligence market. The Company provides a complete Collection & Review technology stack to its public and private sector customers, dramatically boosting our customer’s ability to analyze data in investigations and manage this process in the cloud.

For more information on Cellebrite PA Ultra Series, please visit https://cellebrite.com/en/pa-ultra.

For more information on Cellebrite Premium-as-a-Service, please visit: https://cellebrite.com/en/premium-as-a-service/.

About Cellebrite

Cellebrite’s (Nasdaq: CLBT) mission is to enable its customers to protect and save lives, accelerate justice, and preserve privacy in communities around the world. We are a global leader in Digital Intelligence solutions for the public and private sectors, empowering organizations in mastering the complexities of legally sanctioned digital investigations by streamlining intelligence processes. Trusted by thousands of leading agencies and companies worldwide, Cellebrite’s Digital Intelligence platform and solutions transform how customers collect, review, analyze and manage data in legally sanctioned investigations. To learn more visit us at www.cellebrite.com, https://investors.cellebrite.com, or follow us on Twitter at @Cellebrite.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This document includes “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “forecast,” “intend,” “seek,” “target,” “anticipate,” “will,” “appear,” “approximate,” “foresee,” “might,” “possible,” “potential,” “believe,” “could,” “predict,” “should,” “could,” “continue,” “expect,” “estimate,” “may,” “plan,” “outlook,” “future” and “project” and other similar expressions that predict, project or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include estimated financial information. Such forward-looking statements with respect to revenues, earnings, performance, strategies, prospects, and other aspects of Cellebrite’s business are based on current expectations that are subject to risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: Cellebrite’s ability to keep pace with technological advances and evolving industry standards; Cellebrite’s material dependence on the acceptance of its solutions by law enforcement and government agencies; real or perceived errors, failures, defects or bugs in Cellebrite’s DI solutions; Cellebrite’s failure to maintain the productivity of sales and marketing personnel, including relating to hiring, integrating and retaining personnel; uncertainties regarding the impact of macroeconomic and/or global conditions, including COVID-19 and military actions involving Russia and Ukraine; intense competition in all of Cellebrite’s markets; the inadvertent or deliberate misuse of Cellebrite’s solutions; political and reputational factors related to Cellebrite’s business or operations; risks relating to estimates of market opportunity and forecasts of market growth; Cellebrite’s ability to properly manage its growth; risks associated with Cellebrite’s credit facilities and liquidity; Cellebrite’s reliance on third-party suppliers for certain components, products, or services; challenges associated with large transactions and long sales cycle; risks that Cellebrite’s customers may fail to honor contractual or payment obligations; risks associated with a significant amount of Cellebrite’s business coming from government customers around the world; risks related to Cellebrite’s intellectual property; security vulnerabilities or defects, including cyber-attacks, information technology system breaches, failures or disruptions; the mishandling or perceived mishandling of sensitive or confidential information; the complex and changing regulatory environments relating to Cellebrite’s operations and solutions; the regulatory constraints to which we are subject; risks associated with different corporate governance requirements applicable to Israeli companies and risks associated with being a foreign private issuer and an emerging growth company; market volatility in the price of Cellebrite’s shares; changing tax laws and regulations; risks associated with joint, ventures, partnerships and strategic initiatives; risks associated with Cellebrite’s significant international operations; risks associated with Cellebrite’s failure to comply with anti-corruption, trade compliance, anti-money-laundering and economic sanctions laws and regulations; risks relating to the adequacy of Cellebrite’s existing systems, processes, policies, procedures, internal controls and personnel for Cellebrite’s current and future operations and reporting needs; and other factors, risks and uncertainties set forth in the section titled “Risk Factors” in Cellebrite’s annual report on form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 29, 2022 and in other documents filed by Cellebrite with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which are available free of charge at www.sec.gov. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, in this communication or elsewhere. Cellebrite undertakes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.

Cellebrite Contacts

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Victor Cooper
Public Relations and Corporate Communications Director
Victor.cooper@cellebrite.com
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The European Union supports Dominica’s efforts to become climate-resilient

Roseau, June 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Financial Secretary of the Commonwealth of Dominica had a discussion with the European Union (EU) dignitaries in Brussels, Belgium, on 23 June 23, to discuss Dominica’s journey to becoming the world’s first climate-resilient nation.

Denise Edwards represented the country during the discussions with the European Member of Parliament (MEP) – Stéphane Bijoux, and the new MEP from Martinique Max Orville.

MEP Stéphane Bijoux lauded Dominica’s efforts to become a climate-resilient nation and to promote eco-tourism. He also assured support for the country as it forges ahead with a number of initiatives that will enable it to realise this goal and establish resilient infrastructure to withstand natural catastrophes.

Furthermore, Bijoux asserted, “Climate change is a severe threat that impacts everyone regardless of creed or stature – sadly, Small Island Developing States such as Dominica are bearing the brunt of catastrophic weather patterns. It is our responsibility to partner with developing countries as solidarity is needed in the fight against climate change.”

Dominica has garnered appreciation for promoting as well as encouraging sustainable tourism and preserving its natural assets. The country has been at the frontline of the war against natural disasters, including hurricanes, tropical storms, and cyclones. Additionally, Bijoux mentioned that the country is recovering very well from the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dominica has been shattered by various hurricanes and tropical storms, and the country has been building back better after 90 percent of its infrastructure was devastated by Tropical Storm Erika (2015) and Hurricane Maria (2017).

The EU provided €8.9 million in financial assistance under the European Development Fund (EDF) to Dominica at the time Tropical Storm Erika hit the country in 2015. In addition to that, the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department also provided €250,000 in emergency humanitarian aid to Dominica following the severe destruction caused by Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island in 2017.

Further, Dominica has also signed the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which emphasises development cooperation.

The island nation of Dominica is making the right strides in its quest to become a climate-resilient nation. The construction of its geothermal plant is almost complete.

The plant will enable the country to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

In 1992 the United Nations made an urgent call to all countries to tackle climate change amongst other issues and, in 2015 the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were developed.

Dominica is already on its way to achieving six of the 17 SDGs for its nation, these include No Poverty; Good Health and Wellbeing; Affordable and Clean Energy; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Climate Action.

As hurricanes become more frequent and more intense, Dominica and other small islands are seeking new opportunities which lie in decarbonisation and renewable energy technologies to aid more sustainable forms of tourism and digitisation of the economy.

The country, which can be counted among the few nations that can be termed “carbon neutral” is enhancing its resilience agenda by utilising resources on the island to generate energy.

The geothermal plant will ensure that the country is powered by renewable energy, reducing energy costs and carbon emissions while simultaneously creating jobs.

Along with the geothermal plant, the island is ensuring that all infrastructure on the island is developed with sustainability and resilience in mind – all buildings from homes to hospitals, are built to withstand weather disasters.

Dominica’s tourism sector is also witnessing a green revitalisation, thanks to the introduction and construction of boutique environmentally sensitive villas and resorts.

As the country moves towards complete climate resilience, visitors can be confident that their trip helps preserve and boost the environment. Those who fall in love with the country can be pleased to know that they can make it their ideal second home.

PR Dominica
Commonwealth of Dominica
001 (767) 266 3919
cbiusecretary@dominica.gov.dm
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Lesotho Remote Monitoring Update, June 2022

Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes likely to emerge in late 2022 due to low household purchasing power

KEY MESSAGES

Despite expected below-average production for the current harvest that began in May, rural households are expected to continue consuming own produced food through August. Overall income is lower than normal due to below average crop sales and reduced remittances from South Africa; at least 60 percent of households receive monthly remittances. As a result,

Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes are most likely through September. Crisis (IPC phase 3) outcomes are likely to emerge in late 2022 as households will be market reliant, yet with reduced household purchasing power because of above average food price increases and below average income.

Following flooding in January and February, some households, especially in the lowlands and Senqu River Valley, were not able to plant due to heavy rainfall. The fields lying along the rivers had been washed away by the overflowing rivers, damaging the crops according to the 2022 National Emergency Flood Rapid Assessment Report. The government is to provide subsidies on agricultural inputs for winter production. While official production estimates are currently not available, 2022 crop production is expected to be below average and similar to 2021.

Most grain prices remained generally stable owing to decreased demand as most households are consuming ownproduced foods. However, the price of wheat in April increased sharply mostly due to high and increasing global food prices. Similarly, prices of non-staple grains including cooking oil, have also increased in recent months, adding to inflationary pressures. Maize meal prices in April were 14.5 percent above the five-year average, while bread prices were 17.4 percent above average.

Source: Famine Early Warning System Network

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US Visa Called Too Expensive for Afghan Students

For Breshna Salaam, the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan last year meant a return to the same extreme poverty she and her mother had experienced under the Taliban’s first time in control of the country.

In 1996, the Taliban fired Salaam’s mother from a public service job, denying the widow and her daughter their only source of income. In August 2021, with her mother retired, the Taliban fired Salaam from a job at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Deprived of work and education in her own country, she applied for graduate programs abroad and was offered a scholarship at New York University.

“I cried out of happiness when I received news of the scholarship,” Salaam told VOA.

But her happiness did not last long.

First, she had to pay more than $2,000 in bribes to get a new passport and a short-term visa to Pakistan, where she needs to submit a student visa application at the U.S. embassy. The embassy in Afghanistan remains closed since the Taliban entered Kabul last year.

“I had to literally beg relatives and friends for money to pay for the passport and the Pakistani visa,” she said.

And, there are more expenses she has to cover.

“I have to buy a flight ticket to Islamabad, pay for my accommodation in Islamabad, have to pay $510 for U.S. visa fees, and finally, if I’m given a visa, I will have to buy my ticket to New York,” said Salaam, adding that she had no means to pay all the required expenses on her own.

Staff at her U.S. university contributed $350 for her SEVIS fee, a payment to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security required from all international students before they submit an F-1 student visa application. Students also have to pay a $160 F-1 visa fee to the U.S. embassy. Both fees are non-refundable, even if the visa is denied.

Calls for help unanswered

Over the past four months, more than 500 U.S. academics and human rights activists have signed at least two appeal letters to the White House and the Department of State calling for assistance for Afghan scholars, particularly women, who strive to come to the United States to continue their education.

“We are deeply concerned about the lives and well-being of these Afghan academics, especially women,” reads a June 21 letter signed by academics from more than 20 U.S. colleges and universities. It is addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The letter criticizes the delays and rejections of student visas for Afghan scholars – even while a fully funded stipend and scholarship is provided by the inviting university – and calls on Blinken to personally intervene “to rectify this shameful situation.”

“We have received no response to the letter,” Chloe Breyer, executive director of the Interfaith Center of New York and a signee of the letter, told VOA.

In a separate letter sent to U.S. President Joe Biden in February, more than 450 academic organizations and individuals made a similar call for support for at-risk Afghan scholars.

“Please help facilitate access to our colleges and universities for the many Afghan scholars and students, who deserve our continued support and investment,” the letter asked Biden.

“We have received no updates from the U.S. government,” Edward Liebow, executive director of the American Anthropological Association, told VOA.

More than 80,000 Afghans have come to the U.S. over the past 10 months, mostly through Operation Allies Welcome, a U.S. government program designed to resettle former U.S. Afghan allies and at-risk individuals.

U.S. officials have repeatedly voiced support for Afghan women and minorities whose fundamental rights are reportedly violated under Taliban leadership.

Visa fees

Already one of the poorest countries in the world, Afghanistan has plunged deeper into poverty over the past 10 months largely due to a cessation of foreign development aid, rampant unemployment, and international banking and economic sanctions imposed on the Taliban leadership. Afghan women, deprived of work and education, are particularly suffering the brunt of the harsh poverty, aid agencies say.

To help Afghan scholars, U.S. academics have called on the Department of State to waive the student visa fees.

“The cost of J-1 visas for academics and F-1 for students is a non-refundable fee of $160, a considerable challenge to most applicants, with further expense for those with family, each of whom pays the same fee,” said Breyer.

A spokesperson for the Department of State said there is no exception in visa fees for Afghan students.

“The department does not have the authority to waive visa fees on an ad hoc basis and the department’s regulations contain no exemption from the payment of visa fees that would apply to Afghan students, in general,” the spokesperson told VOA.

For Breshna Salaam, the SEVIS and visa fees are as much an impediment to her education as are the Taliban’s outright denials of her right to work and learn.

“I hear a lot from U.S. officials in the media that they support the right of Afghan women and girls to education and work, but it would be good to see some actions like waiving student visa fees for Afghan women or making the visa process a little easier so we don’t have to travel to a third country only to submit a visa application,” Salaam said.

More than 914,000 international students were enrolled at U.S. academic centers in 2021, of which 354 were from Afghanistan, according to the Institute of International Education.

Source: Voice of America