ITA Airways Launches Direct Flight From Milan Malpensa To New York JFK

New Route Enriches the Company’s Intercontinental Offer

ITA AIRWAYS LAUNCHES DIRECT FLIGHT FROM MILAN MALPENSA TO NEW YORK JFK

ITA Airways continues to increase the routes of its 2022 summer season. From Saturday 2 April, the company’s offer will be enriched with the launch of the new connection from Milan Malpensa to New York JFK.

ROME, April 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ITA Airways continues to increase the routes of its 2022 summer season.

From Saturday 2 April, the company’s offer will be enriched with the launch of the new connection from Milan Malpensa to New York JFK. The flight will operate 5 times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday and it will depart Milan Malpensa at 1.40 p.m., landing in New York at 5.00 p.m. local time. The return New York – Milan Malpensa flight will depart at 8.55 p.m. local time, landing at 11.05 a.m.

The flight will be operated with Airbus A330-200 aircraft with three travel classes: Business, Premium Economy and Economy, offering high standards of service according to traditional Italian hospitality.

ITA Airways is adding this new route to the currently operating New York JFK – Rome Fiumicino flight, and to the connections from Rome to Miami and Boston which were launched in March. With this additional route to New York, the company continues its expansion process in the US market, the most strategic market after Italy, the home market, aiming to reach a total of 42 flights per week between US and Italy by August 2022.

ITA Airways’ Summer 2022 schedule includes 64 new destinations, of which 23 are domestic, 34 international and 7 intercontinental. It is the intercontinental destinations that are the big new feature for this new season of ITA Airways, which, thanks to its latest-generation Airbus A330s and A350s, will reach the most important destinations in world tourism. In fact, in the coming months new destinations from Rome Fiumicino to Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo and Tokyo will be launched.

All the new ITA Airways flights can be purchased on the ita-airways.com website, and through the company’s call center, travel agencies and airport ticket offices.

For more information:
LaPresse SpA Communication and Press Office Director
Barbara Sanicola – barbara.sanicola@lapresse.it
+39 02 26305578 M +39 333 3905243

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eed3603a-4e07-40a5-a719-54ea31194d97

The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.

Virtusa named “Star Performer” in Everest Group’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2022 – Global

Everest Group’s PEAK Matrix® Assessment Focuses on Growing Demand for AI Services

SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass., April 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virtusa Corporation, a global provider of digital strategy, digital engineering and IT services and solutions that help clients change and disrupt markets through innovation engineering, today announced it has been named a “Star Performer” in Everest Group’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2022 – Global.

For this year’s AI assessment, Everest Group reviewed [21] global service providers. These evaluations examined each company’s market impact including a comprehensive view of the service provider’s service focus, key Intellectual Property (IP) / solutions, and domain investments, as well as case studies. The assessment is based on Everest Group’s annual RFI process for the calendar year 2021, interactions with leading AI service providers, client reference checks, and an ongoing analysis of the AI services market.

The assessment also considered each service providers’ vision and strategy, scope of services offered, innovation and investments, and its delivery footprint. In this 2022 Global assessment, Virtusa was named as a “Star Performer,” which recognizes businesses that have demonstrated the strongest forward movement across market success and capabilities, year on year.

“We are honored that the Everest Group has named us a ‘Star Performer’ for AI services given this is a huge focus for our company,” said Krishna Thiagarajan, SVP Global Capabilities and Tech Solutions, Virtusa. “Businesses are hungry for AI but many struggle to truly reap the benefits, and adoption is hampered. Virtusa not only helps clients adopt AI technologies, but also quickly helps them use it as a competitive advantage.”

This distinction acknowledges Virtusa’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) leadership and vision – and showcases the company’s portfolio of industry solutions that make it easier for organizations to benefit from AI including:

vLife™ – Using a self-service portal, payers, providers, biopharmas, and medical device companies can access industry-based solutions using pre-trained machine learning (ML) models, jump-start snippets of code, tools, and accelerators specific to the healthcare and life sciences industries.

Contact Center – Virtusa’s Call Center solution uses Conversional AI to enable call center facilities to deliver personalized information across channels and gather insightful data – reducing call times while improving employee efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Fraud Detection – Applies AI and ML to better detect fraudulent transactions while building customer trust and ensuring compliance.

The title of Star Performers is awarded to providers with the maximum number of top-quartile performance improvements across these evaluation parameters and at least one area of top-quartile improvement performance in both market success and capability advancement.

PEAK Matrix® assessments provide the analysis and insights enterprises need to make critical selection decisions about global services providers, locations, products, and solutions. Likewise, providers of these offerings look to the PEAK Matrix® to gauge and calibrate their contributions against their peers.

About Virtusa

Virtusa Corporation is a global provider of digital business strategy, digital engineering, and information technology (IT) services and solutions that help clients change, disrupt, and unlock new value through innovative engineering. Virtusa serves Global 2000 companies in Banking, Financial Services, Insurance, Healthcare, Communications, Media, Entertainment, Travel, Manufacturing, and Technology industries.

Virtusa helps clients grow their business with innovative products and services that create operational efficiency using digital labor, future-proof operational and IT platforms, and rationalization and modernization of IT applications infrastructure. This is achieved through a unique approach blending deep contextual expertise, empowered agile teams, and measurably better engineering to create holistic solutions that drive the business forward at unparalleled velocity enabled by a culture of cooperative disruption.

Virtusa is a registered trademark of Virtusa Corporation.  All other company and brand names may be trademarks or service marks of their respective holders.

Media Contact:

Matt Berry
Conversion Marketing
matt@conversionam.com

Patrick Franco Named Vice Chairman at Global Heritage Fund

Former Investment Banker and Public Company Chief Operating Officer To Accelerate Strategic Growth in Leadership Role

Patrick Franco

Patrick Franco

SAN FRANCISCO, April 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Heritage Fund announces that Patrick Franco will assume full-time leadership as Vice Chairman to accelerate strategic expansion activities. Global Heritage Fund, an international non-profit organization, invests in cultural heritage to advance sustainable economic development and provides emergency response to cultural heritage during crises.

Mr. Franco has extensive experience as a strategic advisor and COO, leading teams in blue chips and start-ups. He served as Chief Operating Officer and Director of Foxtons Plc, London’s leading estate agent. He led digital transformation programs, including scaling up marketing, technology, and data analytics to improve customer experience. He was instrumental in Foxtons ESG programs and an ardent advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion within the property sector.

Prior to Foxtons, Mr. Franco served as Chief Operating Officer Credit Suisse Asset Management UK. There, he held strategy and business development roles across investment banking and wealth management in London, New York, and emerging markets. He joined Credit Suisse with a BA in Modern History & Politics from Oxford University (Pembroke College) and an MBA from University of Chicago (highest honors). Patrick is a dual U.S. and UK citizen and lives in London.

“Patrick has served on the Board of Global Heritage Fund for a decade, meeting with donors and key stakeholders in heritage conservation. I’m excited to work with him to execute our strategy to double the organization’s revenues and dramatically increase our impact,” said Global Heritage Fund Board Chair, Ro King. “Not only is Patrick an avid explorer, having visited 80+ countries, he also deeply cares about developing sustainable models for high-value tourism and local communities in need. There is no better ambassador for Global Heritage Fund.”

“Patrick’s record of accomplishment executing transformational growth initiatives and driving operational excellence can be applied at Global Heritage Fund,” said Executive Director, Nada Hosking. “His commitment to our mission is evident as he engages with our projects and communicates our work to key stakeholders. I look forward to working with Patrick on strategies and partnerships to deliver our mission at scale.”

“The Global Heritage Fund team is immensely talented, and I am delighted to work with them to build on the organization’s recent momentum,” noted Mr. Franco. “The world’s cultural heritage is tested severely by destructive forces from climate change to armed conflict and demands increasingly urgent, innovative, and adaptive approaches to preserve our past. Global Heritage Fund is the perfect platform from which to take on this challenge.”

ABOUT GLOBAL HERITAGE FUND

Founded in 2002 with the premise that cultural heritage protection can catalyze responsible social and economic development, Global Heritage Fund has worked in 20 countries supporting over 30 projects through creative collaborations and grassroots partnerships. Global Heritage Fund achieves its mission by developing programs that connect communities to expertise and funding, build resilience among stakeholders, create opportunity for local populations, foster innovation and creativity, and support sustainable travel. These efforts enhance local communities while preserving invaluable links to our shared human history.

Learn more at globalheritagefund.org.

For more information, please contact:

US enquiries

Matthew Strebe

Global Heritage Fund

mstrebe@globalheritagefund.org

+1 (510) 499-3819

UK enquiries

Olivia Jarrell

Global Heritage Fund

ojarrell@globalheritagefund.org

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Vice Chairman at Global Heritage Fund

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Philips showcases new innovations in the treatment of heart rhythm disorders at EHRA 2022

April 1, 2022

  • Integrated portfolio for atrial fibrillation offers solutions across electrophysiology, cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) lead extraction and ECG monitoring
  • New release of KODEX-EPD cardiac imaging and mapping system from Philips incorporates new innovations for RF and cryoballoon therapy for cardiac arrhythmias
  • Philips reinforces its commitment to facilitating adherence to international best-practice guidelines for lead management and lead extraction
  • Wearable ePatch Holter monitor aids diagnosis and follow-up of atrial fibrillation patients to reduce stroke risk

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, is showcasing its integrated portfolio of diagnosis, guidance, and treatment solutions for atrial fibrillation at the 2022 European Heart Rhythm Association Annual Meeting (EHRA 2022, April 3-5, Copenhagen, Denmark). A key highlight in the company’s booth that will support the treatment of the growing number of patients with atrial fibrillation will be the launch of the latest release of the KODEX-EPD system from Philips. It offers enhanced imaging and mapping capabilities for RF ablation, including the new Tissue Engagement Viewer and support for the Medtronic DiamondTempTM ablation system. For cryoballoon ablation, KODEX-EPD supports a new saline-based occlusion assessment workflow [1].

Other highlights include enhancements to the company’s Electrophysiology Suite; the company’s newest lead management tools for the safe removal of infected cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) leads; and Philips’ unobtrusive wearable ePatch extended wear Holter monitoring service, which is part of the Philips Ambulatory Monitoring and Diagnostics portfolio. Providing support for confident diagnosis, enhanced electrophysiology (EP) procedure efficacy and efficiency, reduced X-ray exposure, and post-procedure therapy monitoring, these new innovations significantly elevate the physician’s experience towards optimal treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

Atrial fibrillation is the world’s most common cardiac arrhythmia, with a particularly high prevalence in developed countries, partly due to lifestyle and an aging population. The condition, which also significantly increases the risk of stroke, dementia, and heart failure, already affects around 37 million people worldwide (approximately 0.5% of the world’s population)[2] – a number that is predicted to double in the next 40 years.

Philips’ electrophysiology and cardiac lead extraction solutions uniquely leverage imaging systems and software with specialized diagnostic and therapeutic devices designed to support the treatment of the growing number of patients with heart rhythm disorders. Running on the company’s Azurion platform, Philips Electrophysiology Suite seamlessly integrates imaging, devices, software, informatics, and services. It assists at every stage of an atrial fibrillation patient’s journey, providing cardiologists with greater insight and confidence in electrophysiology procedures while allowing them to meet increasing clinical demand at affordable cost.

New KODEX-EPD release with expanded compatibility
The latest release of KODEX-EPD, launched at EHRA, features a range of innovations for both RF and cryoballoon ablation therapy. Enhanced imaging and mapping capabilities support physicians with precise RF ablation procedures, including the new Tissue Engagement Viewer that provides information about catheter-tissue contact without the need for special catheters.

Philips has expanded the compatibility of the KODEX-EPD system to support the Medtronic DiamondTempTM ablation system for real-time, temperature-controlled ablation. For cryoballoon ablation, the KODEX-EPD system features a new saline-based occlusion assessment workflow [1], which further reduces the need for X-ray imaging with iodinated contrast media, which is particularly valuable for patients with allergies to iodine or chronic kidney disease.

Philips continues to engage with Medtronic to support physicians in ablation procedures to optimize patient outcomes and minimize exposure to X-ray and iodinated contrast media. The results of these activities will be presented during the EHRA congress at various scientific sessions and a Philips-sponsored symposium.

CIED lead extraction and lead management
Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) such as pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices are life-saving devices that improve quality of life for many patients. However, 1 in 20 of these patients develop a CIED infection [3] within three years. Patients diagnosed with CIED infections are often treated with antibiotics, which is not an effective treatment option on its own. 50%-100% of patients treated solely with antibiotics will experience an infection relapse [4,5].

A large EHRA survey conducted in 2020 demonstrated that medical professionals lack awareness and experience in CIED infection management [6]. According to the latest European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) International Consensus Document [7], definite CIED infections are a Class I indication for full device extraction. Nevertheless, it is estimated that more than 75% of indicated patients do not receive Class I guideline care, which is a full system extraction, leading to negative health outcomes and higher costs. Philips is committed to supporting evidence-based medical approaches and innovating solutions to help physicians improve outcomes and decrease mortality for CIED infection.

Although adverse events during a procedure can potentially be life threatening, lead extraction is a highly successful, potentially life-saving procedure with a clinical success rate of 97.7% and a procedural safety rate of 99.72% [8]. Philips supports physicians with Lead Management solutions through a broad portfolio of tools designed for safety and predictability, including both laser and mechanical lead extraction devices.

Philips ePatch
When diagnosing AF – a heart irregularity that can lead to blood clots and increase the risk of stroke – it is important to record its frequency, duration, and severity. It is equally important to check that irregularities do not recur in the days and weeks after therapy. While conventional Holter monitors that perform these evaluations have been around for a long time, they typically involve the attachment of up to seven ECG electrodes to the patient’s chest, linked to a belt-worn control unit. These can be cumbersome for patients to wear – which can impact the diagnostic yield – while the application process, data analysis and reporting can be labour-intensive and inefficient for clinical staff. Philips ePatch replaces this cumbersome set-up with a small unobtrusive sensor and patch(es) adhered to the patient’s sternum for up to 14 days of continuous, high-quality ECG recording for reliable diagnosis. Philips ePatch is splash proof, it can be worn in the shower and enables the patient to keep an active lifestyle. Philips also provides an end-to-end service for ePatch deployment, supporting efficient workflows, enhancing the patient experience and enabling robust data analysis using our cloud-based AI-enabled Cardiologs software.

For more information and to register for the Philips Lead Management scientific session with an expert infectiologist and cardiologist or our session on the evolution of dielectric imaging and next-generation ECG monitoring, please visit Philips’ EHRA 2022 webpages.

[1] For use exclusively with Medtronic Arctic Front Advance™ cryoablation catheters.
[2] GBD 2017 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators, Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 354 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet. 2018; 392: 1789-1858.
[3] Cantillon D, et al. Complications and Health Care Costs Associated With Transvenous Cardiac Pacemakers in a Nationwide Assessment. J Am Coll Cardiol EP. 2017 Nov, 3 (11) 1296–1305.
[4] del Rio A, Anguera I, Miro JM, et al. Surgical treatment of pacemaker and defibrillator lead endocarditis: the impact of electrode lead extraction on outcome. Chest 2003;124:1451–9.
[5] Chua, J.D., et al. (2000). Diagnosis and management of infections involving implantable electrophysiologic.
[6] Archana Rao et al 2020 Knowledge gaps, lack of confidence, and system barriers to guideline implementation among European physicians managing patients with CIED lead or infection complications: a European Heart Rhythm Association/European Society of Cardiology educational needs assessment survey. Europace (2020) 0, 1.
[7] Blomström-Lundqvist C, Traykov V, Erba PA, et al. EP Europace, Volume 22, Issue 4, April 2020, Pages 515–549, https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euz246.
[8] Wazni, O. et. al. Lead Extraction in the Contemporary Setting: The LExICon Study: A Multicenter Observational RetrospectiveStudy of Consecutive Laser Lead Extractions, J Am Coll Cardiol, 55:579-586.

DiamondTemp and Arctic Front Advance are trademarks of Medtronic companies.

For further information, please contact:

Joost Maltha
Philips Global Press Office
Tel: +31 6 10 55 8116
E-mail: joost.maltha@philips.com

Fabienne van der Feer
Philips Image Guided Therapy
Tel: + 31 622 698 001
E-mail: fabienne.van.der.feer@philips.com

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being, and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum – from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2021 sales of EUR 17.2 billion and employs approximately 78,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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Health-ISAC Releases Two New Reports

Reports outline the healthcare cyber threat landscape and accomplishments in 2021

Health-ISAC Logo

Health-ISAC Logo

ORMOND BEACH, Fla., April 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Health-ISAC (Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center), the global non-profit, trusted forum for helping healthcare organizations remain resilient in the face of cyber and physical security threats, announces two recent inaugural publications: an Executive Summary to its 2021 Annual Threat Landscape Report and its 2021 Annual Report.

In its first annual cyber threat report, Health-ISAC collaborated with analysts from Booz Allen Hamilton to look back at the top cyber events in 2021 and forecast likely cybersecurity threats to the healthcare sector in 2022.

The Executive Summary to the annual threat report covers cyber threats across areas like Operational Technology, Supply Chain, Cybercrime, and Nation-State threats. It also ranks member organizations’ “greatest cybersecurity concerns” with Ransomware, Phishing, Third-Party Breaches, Data Breaches and Insider Threats noted as top issues.

“The Current and Emerging Healthcare Cyber Threat Landscape Report can be used by leaders to understand where they need to invest in security and use that information to help justify security budget needs,” says Health-ISAC Chief Security Officer, Errol Weiss. He emphasized that “healthcare organizations should strive to create cyber resilience through an intelligence-led information security program.”

Health-ISAC’s 2021 Annual Report features a highly successful year for the ISAC and illustrates the numerous ways Health-ISAC helps Members as well as the global health community.

During 2021, Health-ISAC connected nearly 6,000 healthcare security professionals worldwide through its collaborative forums, shared over 65,000 indicators of compromise, published over 400 targeted alerts to Members and non-members, conducted over 30 surveys assessing member impacts to various threats, held three successful Summits with participants from 19 countries and shared 242 Finished Intelligence Reports.

“Each of these reports reflects the value of Health-ISAC Membership,” says Denise Anderson, President and CEO at Health-ISAC. “The Threat Landscape Report shows top threats in 2021 and predictive trends for 2022, and the Annual Report spotlights the connected culture of peer-to-peer information sharing for timely best practices to implement in the face of these security trends.”

Access the Health-ISAC 2021 Executive Summary of the Annual Threat Landscape Report here:

https://h-isac.org/health-isacs-first-annual-current-and-emerging-healthcare-cyber-threat-landscape-executive-summary/

NOTE: Health-ISAC members can download the full version of the report from Health-ISAC’s Threat Intelligence Portal (HTIP).

Read Health-ISAC’s 2021 Annual Report herehttps://h-isac.org/2021-annual-report/

ABOUT Health-ISAC 
Health-ISAC is a trusted community of critical infrastructure owners and operators within the global Healthcare and Public Health sector (HPH). The community is primarily focused on sharing timely, actionable and relevant information with each other including intelligence on threats, incidents and vulnerabilities and best practices, mitigation strategies and more. Sharing occurs both machine-to-machine and person-to-person. Health-ISAC also fosters the building of relationships and networking through worldwide educational events and white papers. Working groups and committees focus on topics of importance to the sector and member-vetted Community Services offer enhanced services to leverage the Health-ISAC community for the benefit of all. https://h-isac.org/

Contact: contact@h-isac.org Office: 321-593-1470 Carol Andrews

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GCP ประกาศเพิ่มราคาผลิตภัณฑ์ก่อสร้างทั้งหมดในภูมิภาคเอเชียแปซิฟิค

สิงคโปร์, April 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GCP Applied Technologies Inc. (NYSE: GCP) (GCP หรือบริษัท) ซึ่งเป็นผู้ให้บริการผลิตภัณฑ์ก่อสร้างชั้นนำระดับโลก วันนี้ได้ประกาศว่า ทางบริษัทจะเพิ่มราคาของน้ำยาผสมคอนกรีต สารผสมเพิ่มในปูนซีเมนต์ และวัสดุก่อสร้างเฉพาะทางในภูมิภาคเอเชียแปซิฟิค

ทางบริษัทจำเป็นที่จะต้องเพิ่มราคาของผลิตภัณฑ์ก่อสร้างทั้งหมดตั้งแต่วันที่ 1 เมษายน 2022 เพื่อให้สามารถมอบโซลูชันอันยอดเยี่ยมให้กับลูกค้าของ GCP พร้อมคุณภาพในระดับที่คาดหวัง

“ผลกระทบด้านซัพพลายเชนทั่วโลกที่มีต่อวัตถุดิบและค่าขนส่งได้เพิ่มขึ้นเป็นอย่างมากในช่วง 9 เดือนที่ผ่านมา และเราคาดว่าต้นทุนนี้จะไม่ลดลงในอนาคตอันใกล้ เราได้พยายามเพิ่มระดับสินค้าคงคลังของเราเพื่อรองรับความต้องการของลูกค้าอย่างต่อเนื่อง รวมถึงเพิ่มความสามารถในการขนส่งเพื่อช่วยให้มีการจัดส่งที่ตรงเวลา เรามุ่งมั่นที่จะมอบผลิตภัณฑ์ประสิทธิภาพสูงและบริการทางเทคนิคระดับแนวหน้าของอุตสาหกรรมให้กับลูกค้า ดังนั้นทีมฝ่ายขายประจำภูมิภาคของ GCP จะติดต่อลูกค้าของเราเป็นรายบุคคลเพื่อหารือเรื่องรายละเอียดของการขึ้นราคา” Jimmy Ho ที่เป็นประธานประจำภูมิภาคเอเชียแปซิฟิคของ GCP กล่าว

เกี่ยวกับ GCP Applied Technologies

GCP Applied Technologies (NYSE: GCP) เป็นผู้ให้บริการผลิตภัณฑ์ก่อสร้างชั้นนำระดับโลกที่ประกอบด้วยเคมีภัณฑ์ก่อสร้างและวัสดุก่อสร้างเฉพาะทางที่มีประสิทธิภาพสูง GCP ร่วมมือกับผู้ผลิต ผู้รับจ้าง นักออกแบบ และวิศวกรในการบรรลุเป้าหมายด้านประสิทธิภาพและสิ่งแวดล้อม ทางบริษัทมีเป็นที่รู้จักในการมอบโซลูชันเป็นรายแรกในตลาดและโซลูชันที่ได้รับรางวัลซึ่งถูกใช้ในงานก่อสร้างสิ่งปลูกสร้างที่มีชื่อเสียงที่สุดในโลก GCP มุ่งมั่นจะพัฒนาเพื่อลูกค้า ผู้ใช้ และสิ่งแวดล้อมอย่างต่อเนื่อง

โปรดดูข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมในเว็บไซต์ของ GCP ที่ www.gcpat.com

ฝ่ายสื่อสัมพันธ์
Catherine Meihofer
+1 678-575-1927
mediainfo@gcpat.com

ฝ่ายนักลงทุนสัมพันธ์
William I. Kent, IRC
+1 617-498-4344
investors@gcpat.com

Statement on the Cancellation of Project Air 7003

Featured Image for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

Featured Image for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

SAN DIEGO, March 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — From David R. Alexander, President of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI):

The Australian Department of Defence has advised of its decision to cancel Project Air 7003, after nearly a decade of efforts toward that acquisition program. Project Air 7003 was expected to provide the Australian Defence Force with a reliable and desperately needed capability: An armed, medium-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft system providing persistent airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, Electronic Warfare and precision strike capability for both land and maritime environments.

The cancellation is disappointing for a number of reasons. Project Air 7003 offered a cost-effective, multi-domain capability that is deeply relevant to Australia’s future strategic environment. Equally disappointing, our many Team SkyGuardian Australia partner companies have invested in the start-up and future support for this capability in Australia and will lose considerable sovereign capability opportunities following this decision.

Our MQ-9 aircraft maintain the highest mission-capable rates in the U.S. Air Force at nearly 90 percent and have logged more than 2 million total flight hours. The MQ-9B takes that experience further, providing greater flexibility, increased reliability, and the ability to operate safely and effectively within busy civilian airspace. It offers advantages no aircraft in its class can match.

We remain committed to maintaining a focus on Australian defense and security opportunities and others across the INDOPAC region through our many RPA systems, including our recently announced range of short take-off and next-generation Mojave and Evolution series aircraft. If recent world events have shown us anything, it’s that such capabilities are crucial to the future of global defense and security. We look forward to continued work with the ADF to advance these capabilities for Australia.

ABOUT GA-ASI:        

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator® RPA series and the Lynx® Multi-mode Radar. With more than seven million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent flight that enables situational awareness and rapid strike. The company also produces a variety of ground control stations and sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas. For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com

GA-ASI Media Relations
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
+1 (858) 524-8108
ASI-MediaRelations@ga-asi.com

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‘Dying With Dignity’: Dutch Mark 20 Years of Euthanasia

Golden butterflies adorn the walls of the Netherland’s only euthanasia expertise center, put up in remembrance of thousands of patients who have chosen to die with dignity over the past two decades.

Situated in a leafy upmarket suburb of The Hague, the Euthanasia Expertise Center is the only one of its kind, giving information, assisting medical doctors and providing euthanasia as end-of-life care, which was legalized in a world first in the Netherlands on April 1, 2002.

Belgium soon followed later that year and Spain last year became the sixth country to adopt euthanasia — the act of intentionally ending a life to relieve a person’s suffering, for instance through a lethal injection given by a doctor.

The number of people seeking euthanasia is growing in the Netherlands, with some 7,666 last year, up by more than 10 percent from the year before, according to official figures.

The vast majority are aged 60 or over, suffering from cancer or other terminal illnesses.

“Twenty years ago, when the law was passed, it was known, but certainly not used as often as today,” said Sonja Kersten, director of the Euthanasia Expertise Center.

The reasons are many: an ageing Dutch population; the fact that euthanasia is no longer a taboo subject and society has opened up to the issue.

“Dying with dignity is a debate that’s growing within Dutch society, which is quite open to the subject,” Kersten said.

‘Existential question’

Euthanasia is only authorized in a few countries around the world.

In Belgium, which will mark two decades of euthanasia in May, some 40 French citizens also benefitted from the practice last year.

The decision to ask for euthanasia as end-of-life care remains a “difficult and existential question,” Kersten said.

“It’s neither a patient’s right, nor a doctor’s duty,” to have euthanasia, she added.

In the Netherlands, euthanasia can only be carried out under strict conditions set down in Dutch law.

Children aged up to 16 need the permission of their parents and guardians, while parents must be involved in the process for children aged 16 and 17. From 18, any Dutch citizen may ask for assisted death.

In all cases, the patient must have “unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement” and must have requested to die in a way that is “voluntary, well considered and with full conviction”.

Other criteria apply as well, like the absence of a reasonable alternative to the patient’s situation.

Doctors, too, cannot be forced to perform euthanasia.

‘Die at home’

The Euthanasia Expertise Centre helps doctors through the process by sharing knowledge and providing guidance. At the same time, the center helps patients whose doctors refuse to help them.

The center, established in 2012, is a foundation but patient care is reimbursed by health insurers.

It first positioned itself as the “Levenseindekliniek,” Dutch for “End-of-life clinic,” offering on-site euthanasia.

But even before the start, it became apparent that most patients preferred to die at home, Kersten said.

Today, the center can call upon a network of about 140 doctors and nurses around the country, employed by the Euthanasia Expertise Center.

Most euthanasia requests, however, are handled by the patient’s own physician, with whom they already have a relationship of trust. Last year, this was true for 80 percent of euthanasia procedures performed in the country.

“There are however still doctors in the Netherlands who are opposed to euthanasia,” said Kersten, adding “they have every right.”

The center’s medical team itself provided euthanasia to nearly 900 people in 2020, out of nearly 3,000 requests, with figures on the rise.

About 20 percent had dementia or psychiatric disorders.

The Netherlands’ highest court ruled in 2020 that doctors can euthanize patients with severe dementia without the fear of prosecution.

It concerns patients with advanced dementia who are no longer mentally competent but who previously had a clear request for euthanasia.

The decision followed a landmark case, not related to the Expertise center, in which a doctor was acquitted of providing euthanasia on a woman in 2016 with severe Alzheimer’s disease, who earlier requested the procedure.

Source: Voice of America