Day: September 15, 2022

European Investment Bank, in cooperation with the Commission, starts disbursing EUR 1.59 billion package to aid Ukraine

 

Yesterday the European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU bank, disbursed the first tranches of the EUR 1.59 billion package of the Ukraine Solidarity Urgent Response, supported by an EU guarantee and developed in close cooperation with the European Commission. The package was approved on 25 July.This first disbursement of EUR 500 million will help the Ukrainian government cover priority short-term financing needs, ensure urgent repairs of damaged road, bridges and railway infrastructure. It will also support strategic state-owned companies — Ukravtodor, Ukraine’s roads agency, and Ukraine rail company Ukrzaliznytsya. Repairs of the train network, roads and bridges will help Ukraine keep people, goods and grain moving. With Ukraine being one of the biggest exporters of grain in the world, these vital interventions will help its economy recover and improve connectivity with the EU. Further payments are scheduled for the coming days. A press release has been published online.

 

Circular economy: new EU rules to allow use of recycled plastics in food packaging

 

Today, the Commission has adopted new rules on the safety of recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. This Regulation will set clear rules to ensure that recycled plastic can be safely used in food packaging in the EU. It will contribute to increasing the overall sustainability of the food system and achieving the objectives of the Circular Economy Action Plan. Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, said: “To lower our dependency on primary raw materials and build a fully circular economy, we need to boost the market for recycled plastics and significantly reduce plastic waste in the food sector and beyond. Plastics are useful to preserve food, but their use has to be sustainable. Today’s new rules enable food manufacturers to use more recycled plastics in food packaging. This is an important step towards safe and sustainable use of recycled plastics in the food sector.” Commissioner in charge of Health and Food safety, Stella Kyriakides, said: “The EU needs new rules to produce safe recycled plastics that can be trusted by food businesses and consumers. With around 50% of all plastic packaging in the EU used for food products, we need to ensure that this sector can transition towards a more sustainable food production safely and efficiently – using more recycled plastic is key to achieve this. Protecting our environment and the health of our citizens are two sides of the same coin, and our new rules will deliver on these objectives!” The Regulation makes it possible to authorise recycling processes for manufacturing safe recycled plastic materials for use in food packaging. It will also help the recycling industry establish suitable ways for recycling plastics that presently cannot be recycled into food packaging. In addition, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will have a clearer basis to evaluate the suitability of recycling technologies and the safety of the recycled plastic in food packaging manufactured with processes using these technologies. The Regulation will allow granting individual authorisations for more than 200 mechanical PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling processes, which will help the industry to meet the binding 2025 target of 25% recycled plastic in PET beverage bottles. In addition, the new Regulation will establish a public register of recycling processes, recyclers, and recycling installations under its scope, providing an increased level of transparency.

 

International Day of Democracy: Joint Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell and Vice-President Šuica

 

On the occasion of the International Day of Democracy, High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell, and Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, Dubravka Šuica, have issued a joint statement: “The events we have been witnessing over the past year are a stark reminder of the threats that democracy faces across the globe, including on our European continent. They have however also unequivocally proven our citizens’ strong conviction to the values and ideals that underpin democratic societies. By launching a brutal war against Ukraine, President Putin unleashed an unjustified aggression against a free and sovereign democratic European country, and a violent attack on the international rules-based order. The EU has reacted firmly against Russia´s aggression, demonstrating our unambiguous commitment to defend democracy, in the European Union and beyond. Globally, we are working with our partners around the world to defend more assertively democratic values and human rights. We stand with all the courageous people around the world who fight for their civil liberties on a daily basis, for human rights, for the rule of law, for free and independent media, often at great personal risk. Within the EU, we need to shield ourselves from malign interference. The Conference on the Future of Europe concluded its deliberations in May 2022. It was a unique exercise in deliberative democracy, held on a scale never seen before, which provided the opportunity to European citizens to make their voice heard and make a lasting impact on policy-making in the European Union. In response to the Conference on the Future of Europe, President von der Leyen stated in her State of the Union address, that European Citizen Panels will now become a regular feature of our democratic life. Citizens are not an object of democracy. They are primarily participants, across all generations. 2022 is also the European Year of Youth. The present and future of democracy is in the hands of young people. The EU is committed to empower them and to enable them to have this important space to make a difference, to inspire positive change and to shape and steer the future of democracy, everywhere. Democracy itself evolves constantly. We too must evolve with it. Each year on the International Day of Democracy it is useful to take stock of how far we have come in building an ecosystem of democratic innovation and where we want to go. Together, we can build a democracy fit for the future.” The full statement is available online.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Caravan Biologix, Inc., a developer of novel cell-derived vesicle (CDV) therapeutics targeting specific cancers and gene therapy-related diseases, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Seoul-based MDimune Inc. to apply their nanovesicle technology to enhance the effects of chimeric antigen receptor-expressing natural killer (CAR-NK) cells on various solid tumor cancers. Research findings should provide important insights as Caravan continues to advance the development of its proprietary Mini-CAR™ platform for stand-alone therapeutics and whole-cell CAR co-therapies.

 

“We are pleased to establish this collaboration with MDimune, a developer of bio-extrusion and delivery,” stated Tom Malcolm, Ph.D., CSO and Founder of Caravan Biologix. “Findings from this collaboration will support our mini-CAR-NK CDV program, which focuses on treating primary liver carcinomas and other human diseases.”

 

Seung Wook Oh, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of MDimune added, “We are thrilled to launch this collaboration with Caravan Biologix. By joining the advanced mini-CAR-NK technology of Caravan and the enormous therapeutic potential of our vesicle technology, we hope to be able to demonstrate that our BioDrone® platform can significantly escalate the therapeutic promise of current CAR-T/NK-based therapies.”

 

“The signing of this agreement with Caravan Biologix is another important corporate milestone for MDimune. I am very pleased that our highly innovative and detail-oriented analytical approach to produce the highest quality of cell-derived vesicles at low cost has convinced Caravan Biologix to work with us on such an important endeavor to effectively treat patients with solid tumor cancers. It is clear that new solutions are needed to properly address the complexities associated with traditional whole cell CAR therapeutics,” stated Dr. Oh.

 

About MDimune Inc.

 

Founded in 2015, MDimune is dedicated to the development of a next-generation drug delivery platform known as BioDrone®. The company aims to provide a new and flexible modality to generate innovative therapeutics that can address the current challenges of cell & gene therapies. Based on cell-derived vesicles (CDVs) obtained from its proprietary extrusion technology, this novel class of drug carriers will enable highly effective drug delivery to various lesions and allow for treatment with minimum side effects and maximum efficacy. The BioDrone® platform technology is patented in the US, Europe, China, Japan, and Korea. BioDrone® Therapeutics Inc. was founded in 2019 in Seattle, WA to facilitate the global business development of BioDrone® platform technology.

 

About Caravan Biologix, Inc.

 

Caravan Biologix is a biotechnology company focused on creating novel therapeutic benefits to broad patient populations by addressing the limitations of whole cell chimeric receptor therapeutics. Caravan’s intellectual property protected technology enables it to develop a wide range of delivery and treatment options from gene editors to small molecules. Our allogeneic iPSC-derived mini-CAR™ and mini-VAN™ platforms, that are based on Cell-Derived Vesicles (CDVs), can be rapidly designed, engineered, and manufactured to build our internal pipeline as well as therapeutics for indications of interest to strategic partners. Caravan’s medicines are expected to show superior safety profiles including lower risk for cytokine release syndrome and other adverse immune reactions. Caravan’s approach will significantly reduce the complexity of manufacturing cell-based therapies, enhance blood-brain barrier penetration properties, and improve the targeted delivery of small molecules and other biologics.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Open University of Cyprus (OUC), public university specialised in open and distance education,

 

announces a new applications period for enrolment in 4 Undergraduate, 14 Master and PhD

 

Programmes of study for the spring semester of the current 2022-2023 academic year (courses begin

 

in January 2023). Prospective students are invited to submit their online applications by the 15th of

 

November, 2022.

 

Two Postgraduate Programmes at Master’s level are offered in English:

 

– Educational Leadership and Policy

 

– Cognitive Systems (joint degree with the University of Cyprus)

 

OUC’s flexible distance learning methodology supports people’s need for continuous enhancement of

 

their qualifications and personal/professional advancement, allowing students the flexibility to fit their

 

studies around personal and professional commitments. OUC’s main educational tool is the state-of-

 

the-art eLearning Platform eClass, which facilitates online teaching and learning, allowing the

 

establishment of virtual classrooms, and which is equipped with real-time and asynchronous

 

collaboration tools.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Mary Kay Inc., a leading corporate advocate of women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship, announces its third annual World Series of Innovation (WSI) challenge in partnership with Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). The global competition invites young people ages 13-24 to put their critical thinking skills to the test and get involved in solving some of the biggest challenges humanity faces today to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship an international nonprofit organization providing entrepreneurship training and educational programs to middle and high school students, college students, and adults (Graphic: Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship)

 

Mary Kay’s WSI challenge kicks off September 15 in conjunction with World Clean Up Day. The Mary Kay challenge encourages young entrepreneurs to submit innovative solutions to address UN SDG 14: Life Below Water. Specifically, students are challenged to design a solution to further the conservation and/or protection of the world’s marine ecosystems and coastal communities.

 

“All life on Earth began in and depends on our oceans. Water is the most valuable resource on our planet, and it’s essential that we not only respect it, but do our part to protect it,” said Deborah Gibbins, Chief Operating Officer for Mary Kay Inc. “The next generation of global thinkers and leaders are already addressing these critical areas of concern and spearheading conservation efforts. We are excited to see how the world’s youth can help to advance ecosystems and biodiversity conservation globally.”

 

In its first year partnering with the NFTE World Series of Innovation in 2020, Mary Kay sponsored a WSI challenge for UN SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Young entrepreneurs were encouraged to design a product, service or initiative that promoted the reuse or upcycling of textiles. In 2021, Mary Kay sponsored its second WSI challenge to address UN SDG 5: Gender Equality. Students were tasked with developing programs to promote workplace equality and ensure equal access to economic opportunity for women and girls.

 

“Mary Kay Global Oceans Conservations Challenge dares our young WSI competitors to think big about water quality,” said Dr. J.D. LaRock, President and CEO of NFTE. “In classrooms, students learn that water is fundamental to a healthy ecosystem. Through experiences like WSI, however, they become empowered to sustain that resource. They can ideate ways to look after marine life, safeguard oceans, secure affordable access to clean drinking water, protect water resources from pollution, address overconsumption, or otherwise help preserve our ecosystem for generations to come. That’s powerful.”

 

NFTE is a global educational non-profit focused on bringing the power of entrepreneurship to low-income communities. Since its founding more than 35 years ago, NFTE has trained thousands of teachers and educated well over a million young people worldwide. Every fall, NFTE launches a new set of challenges for the WSI competition and invites corporate sponsors to address the UN SDGs. The 2022 NFTE World Series of Innovation is presented by Citi Foundation and features challenges sponsored by Mary Kay Inc., MetLife Foundation, Mastercard, Bank of the West, Link, Maxar, Ernst & Young, LLP (EY), ServiceNow and Zuora. The top three winners will be announced in early 2023.

 

About Mary Kay

 

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty company in 1963 with one goal: enriching women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. As an entrepreneurship development company, Mary Kay is committed to empowering women on their journey through education, mentorship, advocacy, networking, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in enriching lives today for a sustainable tomorrow, partnering with organizations from around the world focusing on promoting business excellence, supporting cancer research, advancing gender equality, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

 

Minister of Labor Kyriakos Koushos said Thursday that the support of the government to the citizens is targeted and the focus remain to provide them with efficient services.

 

He added that the aim of President Nicos Anastasiades is to build a real Welfare State, which will meet the needs of the people, especially the vulnerable ones.

 

Delivering a speech at the inauguration of the Social Welfare and Employment Center of the Municipality of Larnaca, Koushos referred to the significant strengthening of the State’s support to the family, the adoption of a series of measures to reconcile professional and family life and the creation of structures for quality care and social development of children and adolescents.

 

The Center costed 4,2 million euro and was co-financed from EU structural funds.

 

Labor Minister also said that from 2013 up to this day the government introduced measures that benefited 17,829 mothers, totaling €8.9 million, 2,600 vulnerable families were also benefited through the new “Child Dowry” Plan, with a total cost of €3.2 million, while with the increase in income criteria of the child allowance, 379 families are benefited annually, with an additional annual cost of €1 million.

 

In addition, he said, 12,338 people have benefited from the introduction of paid paternity leave, with a total cost of €6.6. million. Koushos also referred to the establishment of the Children’s House and the Woman’s House, in 2017 and 2020, which helped 1,500 children and 565 women with a total cost of €2.8 million.

 

Moreover, he referred to the Mother’s Allowance which was re-introduced in 2017 through which 16,764 mothers with multiple children have benefited with an annual cost of around €6.8 million.

 

The Minister also referred to the paid paternity leave through which 12,338 beneficiaries have benefited, with a total cost of €6.6 million.

 

In addition, he referred to 11 projects under the “Cyprus – Tomorrow” Plan which provide for the extension of free compulsory pre-school education from the age of three years and eight months, tuition fees for children between the ages of three years and four years and eight months attending public kindergartens and schemes to subsidize infant and toddler care services up to 3 years and 8 months.

 

An additional 25 thousand children are expected to benefit from these policies, he said.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Savvas Soudjis, brother of Andreas Soudjis, a Greek Cypriot who is illegally detained in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus, said on Thursday that he is happy since there is no espionage case and no serious charge.

 

Speaking outside the “military court” in Turkish occupied Nicosia, where he went to support his brother, Savvas Soudjis expressed the hope that “in a week he will be with us again. I think we’re close to the end.”

 

Andreas Soudjis’ friend, Andreas Paralikis, told CNA that he is happy “because it seems that we are nearing the end of this process. We hope that the final decision will be made.” There might be some fine, he added, which must be paid to free Andreas.

 

Andreas Soudjis is accused and targeted as a spy in all the [Turkish Cypriot] media for days, which shows us how important the presumption of innocence really is, Andreas’ friend and member of UniteCyprusNow, Kemal Baikal told CNA, adding that some things must be taken into account in terms of journalistic ethics.

 

Saying that Soudjis had in his possession a mobile phone, maps, photos and some audio data, he noted that everyone has such data on their phones and said that in the “north” there is always the possibility that someone for example takes a selfie and behind him there is a military area. This means, he said, that all of us could commit this “offence”.

 

Baikali said that every day thousands of people pass through the crossing points and that the lack of a solution of the Cyprus problem demonstrates that there is a dead-end in such cases and that anything can happen at any moment. He said that establishing good relations does not harm anyone, adding that “strolling or hanging out with your friends shouldn’t be tried”.

 

Murat Kanatli, member of the Turkish Cypriot New Cyprus party and a friend of Andreas Soudjis told CNA that they are following the case with concern, saying that “it is already known that the “country” is already a military zone, by decision of the “council of ministers”, which has not declassified Varosha as a military area”.

 

He continued by saying that when one enters Varosha which is done with a permit, you can take pictures, but if you do it outside it is a crime. In such an abnormal situation, he added, considering as a crime taking a photo in a place where one is, is an anomaly.

 

It is obvious, he said, that that there was no bad intention on the part of Andreas Soudjis not even regarding the radio he possessed. “We do not understand and do not accept this stubbornness. This is bullying for bicommunal relations. This situation is not acceptable. Our most serious concern is the way this is portrayed in the press, especially in some media-tools in Turkey.”

 

His Turkish Cypriot lawyer, Odgel Polili, said that the “police” investigation has been completed and the charges in the “military court” are the possession of five photos of military areas, adding that there is no charge of espionage.

 

Soudjis will remain in the “central prison” for a period of no more than seven days until he is charged and the so called trial in the case against him begins, a “military court” in the Turkish occupied areas ruled on Thursday.

 

He appeared before the “court” after the expiration of the last eight-day “detention order” issued against him on September 7.

 

The “military court” is examining the “charge” of photographing of military areas in the occupied areas.

 

Outside the “court” in occupied Nicosia there were relatives and friends of Andreas Soudjis.

 

The “charge” of possessing a radio without a licence was not examined on Thursday, but is expected to be tried by the Trikomo “district court”.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

French Ambassador to Cyprus, Salina Grenet-Catalano, has stressed that a fair and lawful settlement of property issues in Cyprus, respecting the property rights of all Cypriots is key to resolve the Cyprus problem.

 

The Ambassador, who met on Thursday with Titina Loizidou, a Greek Cypriot refugee who won a case against Turkey in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding her property in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus, wrote on her twitter account “I met today Titina #Loizidou to exchange on the current status of her case before the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe”.

 

“A fair & lawful settlement of property issues in #Cyprus, respecting the property rights of all Cypriots is key to resolve the #Cyprob.” the Ambassador concluded.

 

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. Turkey has ignored numerous UN resolutions calling for the withdrawal of the Turkish troops and respect of the integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency