Month: February 2022

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HEC Chairman visits LUMS

Lahore, February 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):Dr. Tariq Banuri, Chairman, Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan, on a visit to LUMS on January 28, 2022, shared his personal and professional trajectory and highlighted some of the work done at the HEC under his leadership. He was joined by Member, Management Committee, Mr. Osman Khalid Waheed and Vice Chancellor, Dr. Arshad Ahmad. Also present were Deans, faculty members as well as LUMS students.

The main thrust of Dr. Banuri’s talk was the importance of quality in academia and how it has been compromised over time in Pakistan. “When I look at academia, in large areas there is a wasteland because people have lost the sense of quality. In a lot of cases, people ask for a formula so that they don’t have to judge and what is quality. We, the academia, are the custodians of quality because our job is not just to understand it, but also make people understand it. To impart what is really human and divine about us and communicate and transfer it is our responsibility.”

He also raised pertinent questions about how to define quality; does is it merely refer to the curriculum, the pedagogy or being an expert in the subject you are teaching. Dr. Banuri shared some of the obstacles he has had to face during his time at HEC. Uniformed policies and actions have caused quality to be compromised. There is also a lack of accountability, massive interference from those with vested interests, and lack of academic freedom which has taken the community’s confidence to judge quality, he explained.

Responding to different questions from the audience, Dr. Banuri elaborated on his vision as Chairman, HEC. “My vision is that our entire community of people take the sole responsibility to identify, uphold and protect quality, and strengthen the academic autonomy in our institutions.”

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

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Participation of Pakistan Contingent in the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games 04 – 20 February, 2022

Lahore, February 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Pakistan Olympic Association takes the opportunity to share the information of the Pakistan Contingent set to participate in the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. The Pakistan Contingent has completed all the Covid-19 requirements before travelling to Beijing, China as per instructions of the Embassy of People’s Republic of China as well as the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. The contingent detail is as under:

Name – Function

Mr. Syed Noman ALI – Chef de Mission

Mr. Nadeem Ajmal Khan – Team Leader / Official

Mr. Muhammad Karim – Athlete

Mr. Muhammad Qamar MIRZA – Covid Liaison Officer / Coach

Mr. Agha Hunain Abbas Khan – Olympic Attache (From the Embassy of Pakistan in China)

The Pakistan Olympic Association has made the accreditation and travel arrangements of the Pakistan Contingent for their participation in the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. The Pakistan Contingent is travelling today on 1st February, 2022 from Lahore by QR 609 and will arrive at Beijing on 2nd February, 2022.

Mr. Muhammad Karim, Alpine Skiing Athlete will compete in Slalom event on 16 February, 2022.

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Olympic Association
Olympic House, 2-Hameed Nizami (Temple) Road,
Lahore, Pakistan
Postal Code: 54000
Phone: +92-42-36280002, +92-42-36373753
Email: info@nocpakistan.org
Website: https://nocpakistan.org/

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England beat Afghanistan to clinch place in ICC U19 Men’s CWC Final 

Dubai, February 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):England kept their nerve to become the first team to reach the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup final after edging a thriller with Afghanistan by 15 runs.

Spinner Rehan Ahmed became the hero for the Young Lions, taking three wickets in the penultimate over at crucial point when their opponents needed just 18 runs from the last 10 balls.

England will now face the winner of the other semi between Australia and India on Saturday in the final – a remarkable turnaround from the previous tournament just two years ago in South Africa when they finished ninth.

As for Afghanistan they will head to the Coolidge Cricket Ground for the third-place playoff.

England end 24-year wait to return to the final despite brave Afghanistan effort

Rain delayed the first of the two Super League semi-finals at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground after England won the toss and chose to bat.

Once both sides were eventually able to take to the field in Antigua and Barbuda it was Afghanistan who made the stronger start.

Jacob Bethell, who lit up the quarter-final tie with 88 against South Africa last week, was trapped LBW by Naveed Zadran, an early sign that England faced a difficult task.

Skipper Tom Prest then joined vice-captain Bethell in making an early departure, reducing them to 2-56, as the Young Lions struggled to command with the bat.

George Thomas did steady the ship with an excellent 50 after a slightly nervy introduction at the crease, only beaten by an excellent delivery from Noor Ahmad.

And when William Luxton was clean bowled by Izharulhaq Naveed, Prest’s team were five wickets down having barely put 100 runs on the board.

However, the rain came again to delay play for a further half hour and led to revised conditions of 47 overs per side.

England’s back-end partnership of 95 from George Bell and Alex Horton then managed to put a different dynamic on their innings. The duo attacked the Afghanistan seamers fiercely which managed to top the final total up to 231.

The earlier interruptions from the weather meant Afghanistan had a revised DLS target to match this score and chasing their first ever ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup final, they knew a good start was needed to seize control of the game.

Opener Nangeyalia Kharote was unable to provide it when English seamer Josh Boyden claimed his wicket with just the third ball of the innings.

But Kharote’s replacement Allah Noor, smashed a huge six to get off the mark and quickly gave his team a platform.

The 18-year-old produced a marvellous knock, which featured eight boundaries as the momentum of the semi swung back the Afghanistan’s way.

Along with wicketkeeper Mohammad Ishaq the pair got their team past 90, with Noor making a valuable half-century.

England’s crucial breakthrough came after some wonderful fielding led to a run-out for Ishaq with wicketkeeper Horton reacting quickly to a loose throw at the strikers end.

Noor remained stubborn but eventually went for 60, with Thomas Aspinwall claiming a vital wicket. That set-up a frantic-finish that could have gone either way.

The 44th over for England appeared to have turned the game when two no balls in-a-row gifted their opponents eight runs, before Abdul Hadi (37 no) smashed a huge six to take them to 200 and tantalising close.

But Ahmed’s late flurry and a nerveless final over from Boyden carried England over the line to their first ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup final since 1998 in South Africa, when they lifted the trophy.

Wednesday 2 February match

Super League semi-final – India v Australia, Coolidge Cricket Ground

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

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India and Australia all set for ICC U19 Men’s CWC Semi-Final 

Dubai, February 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):Cooper Connolly is backing Australia’s new batting prodigy Teague Wyllie to help fire his team into the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup final 2022.

A talented India team stand between Australia and Saturday’s showpiece match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

However, Aussie captain Connolly believes his team have the ability to get there, particularly if his Western Australia teammate Wyllie can maintain his red-hot form as the three-week tournament reaches its conclusion.

Wiley has already scored 264 runs in four matches and going into the semi-finals is the fourth-highest run scorer at the World Cup.

“I said at the start of the tournament,” said Connolly. “That he (Teague Wyllie) was going to be a big run scorer for us.

“I backed him as a Western Australia man, I’ve seen him progress all the way from playing as a junior. He is a really talented guy.

“There is no reason why he can’t continue to do that and I think he can play a big role for us in these last couple of matches.”

The 18-year-old all-rounder also confirmed that facing their toughest opponent of the finals so far wouldn’t stop his team from playing positively.

His team chased down a big total in their group win over Scotland before putting 276 runs on the board in the Super League quarter-final win over Pakistan.

Connolly added: “There is no change from us in approach. We are just going to try and play some good cricket and hopefully we can knock off India.

“They are a very good side and we know that, but I think if we play our best cricket we can beat them.

“To reach the final would be pretty cool. I spoke to Mitch Marsh briefly about it, because he won the last one for Australia (in 2010).

“I’d love to be able to get to that spot and do the same as him.”

Meanwhile, India skipper Yash Dhull says his team’s warm-up victory over Australia last month won’t have any substantial impact on their forthcoming final four clash.

Dhull’s team thrashed the Aussies by nine wickets in Guyana prior to the competition proper getting underway, with the skipper himself scoring an unbeaten half-century.

That day the Indian spinners were in particularly fine form but Dhull believes the differences, in both conditions and the wicket, make Wednesday’s game an incomparable scenario.

“The wicket in the warm-up match against Australia Under-19s was different to the one we will have in the semi-final tomorrow (in Antigua),” he said.

“The game will be played depending on the pitch conditions. So, we will only know tomorrow how we will bowl and how we can put Australia under pressure.”

“We will look to play with a positive mindset. We will look to set the target as per the condition of the wicket and the situation of the match.

“Everyone is fit and fine and available for selection.”

Dhull was part of the group in the India team hit by a covid earlier in the tournament, but recovered to produce an excellent display in the quarter-final win over Bangladesh.

He was also full of praise for the team’s coach VVS Laxman, who scored over 8,000 runs in test match cricket for the men in blue.

Dhull added: “VVS Laxman has been sharing his experience with us and been talking about the mindset we need to have. His role has been important for us.”

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

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Bahrain Secretary General of Higher Education Council – Exemption of RCSI Bahrain graduates from exams to practice medicine in the United Kingdom is a testament to the quality of higher education in Bahrain

Manama, Bahrain, Feb. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The General Medical Council (GMC) in the United Kingdom has given approval for the medical graduates of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain) to apply for registration to practice in the United Kingdom, without having to undertake the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) licensing examinations. PLAB examinations are administered by the General Medical Council to ensure that doctors who have received qualifications from abroad have the correct level of knowledge and skills to practice medicine in the UK.

RCSI Bahrain medical graduates can now apply for registration with the GMC through the Relevant European Qualification (REQ) pathway, thanks to the recognised medical degree awarded to them under the governance of RCSI in Dublin. This significant milestone will ease the process of accessing internship and postgraduate training opportunities for all RCSI Bahrain medical graduates in the UK, regardless of their nationality. Currently, 170 medical alumni are based in the United Kingdom, either working or training to international standards and availing of extended learning opportunities.

On this occasion, Her Excellency Dr Shaikha Rana bint Isa bin Duaij Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Secretary General of the Higher Education Council (HEC) and Deputy Chair of the HEC Board of Trustees, affirmed the approval received as global recognition of the quality of higher education in the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the care of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. RCSI Bahrain’s achievement also testifies to the policies enforced by the HEC Board of Trustees to advance higher education outcomes, encourage Bahraini institutions to obtain international accreditations for their academic programmes and accomplish the initiatives of the national strategy for higher education.

President of RCSI Bahrain, Professor Sameer Otoom commented, “Providing easier access to medical training in the United Kingdom is of great advantage for the numerous benefits it brings to our students, alumni and all healthcare facilities. Over the years, a number of our alumni have returned to their home country with unparalleled experiences and have made great strides in their fields of expertise. Creating a diverse body of internationally-trained medical professionals will enhance the knowledge base, research and quality of healthcare services for the benefit of all patients in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.”

About RCSI Bahrain

RCSI Bahrain is a constituent university of RCSI, which was established in Dublin, Ireland, in 1784. RCSI Bahrain, an independent private university, opened its doors to a cohort of 28 medical students in 2004. It is a not-for-profit health sciences institution focused on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide. Today, the purpose-built campus is home to a student body of more than 1,300 across Schools of Medicine; Nursing and Midwifery and Postgraduate Studies and Research.

For more information, please visit www.rcsi.com/bahrain

RCSI Bahrain Instagram

RCSI Bahrain Facebook

RCSI Bahrain LinkedIn

Attachments

Doaa Magdy
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain)
+97316660194  /  +973 39929700
dmagdy@rcsi-mub.com
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Sweegen Blazes New Territory in Sugar Reduction with Forward Progress in Brazzein

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Feb. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sweegen, a pioneer in wellness ingredient technologies and innovations, announced today the commercialization of its newest advancement in sweetness, the high-intensity sweetener brazzein. Starting this month, food and beverage brands seeking new ways to create better-for-you and reduced sugar products can begin product development activities with Sweegen’s Ultratia™ brazzein.

Samples are ready for brands interested in expanding their sugar reduction toolkits with cost-competitive ingredients to sugar. Brazzein is 500 to 2,000 times sweeter than regular sugar and low-calorie, making it an excellent alternative to sugar, artificial sweeteners, and old generation nature-based sweeteners such as stevia rebaudioside A.

“In 2021, Sweegen launched our Taste Blazer concept, which is a promise to the food and beverage industry that we will help forge a new path for creating truly better-for-you foods,” said Sally Aaron, senior vice president of marketing. “Sweegen’s Ultratia™ brazzein is a key tool to help brands explore entirely new ways to improve the health profile of existing and new products.”

Brazzein is a protein sweetener that promises little to no bitter aftertaste and helps reduce sweet linger, thereby reducing the taste challenges that have historically been a problem in the natural sweetener space. Brazzein is ideal for sugar reduction across various food and beverage applications.

“With Sweegen’s growing and proprietary portfolio of Signature Sweetness Solutions, product developers have more creative possibilities for developing mainstream reduced sugar foods and beverages, as well as innovations for popular diets such as Keto and low-to-no carbohydrate lifestyles,” said Aaron. “With Sweegen’s Ultratia™ brazzein, coupled with our portfolio of advanced stevia sweeteners, and our Flavors for Taste Modulation, featuring bitter blocking technology, brands now have modern tools for creating great-tasting products with consumer appeal,” said Aaron.

The pressure for mainstream food and beverage products to migrate to a healthier sugar and calorie profile has never been greater. Just last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region announced a new, voluntary Member State-led Sugar and Calorie Reduction Network to promote healthier diets and reduce overweight and obesity levels across the European region. The United Kingdom, which will lead the Network in its first three-year term, reports that sugar intake exceeds recommendations across all age groups in the country. The WHO reports that excess sugar consumption is true in many other countries in the European region.

“We’re charting new territory in sugar reduction solutions by bringing Sweegen’s Ultratia™ brazzein to market,” said Steven Chen, chief executive officer.

Brazzein’s extraordinary qualities enable it to join the ranks of other high-intensity sweeteners in a highly competitive way. Still, the quest to scale and commercialize has proven difficult until now. Found sparingly in nature, brazzein derives from the West African climbing plant’s fruit, oubli. To scale brazzein sustainably, Sweegen uses a proprietary precision fermentation process, a technology that produces clean and sustainable ingredients. In addition to scaling the manufacturing process, Sweegen is currently pursuing a range of global regulatory approvals.

“The launch of Sweegen’s Ultratia™ brazzein demonstrates our prioritized commitment to opening access to groundbreaking sugar reduction solutions for the global food and beverage industry,” said Chen. “We envision a better world through the lens of better foods for health and wellness.”

About Sweegen
Sweegen provides sweet taste solutions for food and beverage manufacturers around the world.

We are on a mission to reduce the sugar and artificial sweeteners in our global diet.  Partnering with customers, we create delicious zero-sugar products that consumers love.  Our portfolio has the best modern sweeteners, such as Bestevia® Rebs B, D, E, I, M, and N, and Ultratia™ brazzein, along with our deep knowledge of flavor modulators and texturants, Sweegen delivers market-leading solutions that customers want, and consumers prefer. Well. Into the Future.

For more information, please contact info@sweegen.com and visit Sweegen’s website, www.sweegen.com.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, among other statements, statements regarding the future prospects for Reb M stevia leaf sweetener. These statements are based on current expectations but are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are beyond the control of Sweegen, Inc.

Relevant risks and uncertainties include those referenced in the historic filings of Sweegen, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements and therefore should be carefully considered. Sweegen, Inc. assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements due to new information or future events or developments.

Attachments

Ana Arakelian
Sweegen
949-709-0583
ana.arakelian@sweegen.com