Day: November 1, 2021

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Open Society Foundations Call for Release of Wrongfully Imprisoned Kavala

New York, Nov. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Open Society Foundations join today with thousands of voices inside and outside Turkey, calling on the Turkish government to comply with the rule of law and end the imprisonment of Osman Kavala, the philanthropist and businessman who today marks his fourth year behind bars.

“The continued prosecution of this case shines a spotlight on the erosion of the rule of law in Turkey,” said Open Society Foundations President Mark Malloch-Brown. “Kavala has now spent more than 1,400 days in prison, even though he has never been convicted of a crime and top European and Turkish courts have ruled he should be freed.”

“The prosecution of this case is not about the law,” Malloch-Brown added. “It is an effort to silence independent voices like Kavala’s within Turkey.”

Kavala was originally arrested in 2017. He remains behind bars even though the European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2019 that he should be freed, citing the lack of evidence against him. Kavala was subsequently acquitted by a top Turkish court in 2020, and then immediately rearrested on additional bogus charges.

Before his arrest, Kavala ran a local foundation he had established to support the arts, culture, and human rights. He also served on the boards of a number of organizations including Open Society’s now-closed Turkish foundation. President Erdogan’s campaign of slander against Kavala has included distorting and misrepresenting his entirely open and legitimate contacts with Open Society and its founder George Soros.

“We call for justice to prevail and an end to the cruel imprisonment of Osman Kavala, who for decades has fought for basic, fundamental rights for all,” Malloch-Brown said.

Read more about Open Society’s work in Turkey. 

Office of Communications
Open Society Foundations 
(212) 548-0378
media@opensocietyfoundations.org

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NetJets Celebrates One Year of Global Sustainability Program Launch

The World’s Largest Private Aviation Company Announces Latest Sustainability Metrics and Enters Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market in Europe

COLUMBUS, OHIO, Nov. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NetJets, the leader in private aviation with more than 760 aircraft worldwide, today celebrates the first anniversary of its Global Sustainability Program by sharing a progress update and highlights of the last year:

  • Earlier this year, NetJets invested in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through a deal with WasteFuel, which includes an offtake of 100 million gallons of SAF over the next decade.
  • NetJets saw a 71% increase in Blue Skies® enrollment, which encourages Owners worldwide to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their flight by seamlessly purchasing the equivalent amount of carbon credits to ensure their flight activity is carbon neutral.
  • In July, NetJets Europe (NJE) became the first customer to purchase Air bp’s sustainable aviation fuel, marking NJE’s entry into the SAF space.

The following global metrics outline the results of these and other collective sustainability efforts over the last year:

  • Over 751,000 gallons of SAF uplifted
  • 2.5 million nautical miles flown with SAF
  • Approximately $100,000 in CO2 offset by NetJets admin and training flights

“The last year has seen some really exciting advancements for NetJets in our sustainability efforts,” said Brad Ferrell, Executive Vice President of Administrative Services. “We’re energized to see our peers in the private and commercial sectors making sustainability commitments of their own. In the years to come, NetJets looks forward to being at the forefront of sustainable aviation fuel and other initiatives that will keep our industry at the cutting-edge.”

A subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, NetJets aligns its Global Sustainability Program with the holding company’s commitment to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. To follow NetJets’ sustainability progress, visit https://www.netjets.com/en-us/sustainability.

About NetJets

Beginning as the first private jet charter and management company, NetJets® has led the industry for 55+ years. Then in 1986, they revolutionized it with the concept of shared ownership and proceeded to build the largest, most diverse private jet fleet in the world. Today, NetJets is proud to be a Berkshire Hathaway company known for its unwavering commitment to safety, service, and unmatched global access. NetJets’ industry-leading scale and business model offer NetJets and its Owners dependable financial sustainability unlike any other in the industry. For these reasons and many more, NetJets will continue to be the favored choice of the world’s most discerning travelers for generations to come. For more information about the world’s most reliable and trusted aviation company, please visit netjets.com.

KWT Global
netjets@kwtglobal.com
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Kohli-Pant Chat in World Cup Ad Shows India’s Disregard for Opponents [Video]

The Indian cricket team is on the brink of elimination from the 2021 T20 World Cup after suffering heavy losses in their first two matches of the competition. While the Indian team was regarded as one of the strong favorites to win the T20 World Cup, their performances have shown a lack of depth and quality in their line-up.

It is no secret that India is the most powerful cricketing nation in the world and their cricket board, BCCI, is certainly the richest cricket board in the world. Indian cricket stars are also certainly some of the biggest cricket stars in the world and it is much owed to their portrayal in the Indian media.

The likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and many more are signed with some of the biggest brands in India and appear regularly in advertisements and commercials on Indian television. While it has helped in building a strong image for Indian cricket around the world, it has also led to a lot of overconfidence in fans and the players.

Indian media has been renowned to create advertisements that clearly display their overconfidence and arrogance. One such advertisement was the infamous ‘Mauka Mauka’ series which mocked Pakistan’s record against India in World Cups. Pakistan did manage to finally defeat India in the ongoing T20 World Cup and give a befitting response to their neighbors.

Another advertisement has surfaced online after India’s second defeat of the tournament at the hands of New Zealand. In the advertisement, Indian cricketers, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are discussing India’s schedule in the T20 World Cup, and rather than focusing on their group matches, they are talking about their potential opponents in the semi-final.

The advertisement shows India’s complete lack of respect for their opponents and their overconfidence in qualifying for the next round of the T20 World Cup. With just three more matches to go in the group stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup, India will need nothing short of a miracle to move on to the semi-finals of the mega event.

Source: Pro Pakistani

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Here’s What Babar Azam Said About Hasan Ali’s Poor Form

Pakistan captain, Babar Azam, has expressed his confidence in his ‘strike bowler’ Hasan Ali despite his poor run in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

The captain and the team management held separate meetings with players during a party organized by seasoned all-rounder, Shoaib Malik, and his wife, Sania Mirza, to celebrate the third birthday of their son, Izhaan Mirza Malik.

Babar lauded the team’s performance and motivated players to carry the momentum into knockout matches.

He also motivated the fast bowler, Hasan Ali, and called him a “big match bowler.” Azam advised him to avoid social media stay focused on his bowling.

Hasan Ali, the third leading wicket-taker in the world after Ravi Ashwin and Shaheen Afridi in 2021, has been off-color in the mega event.

In three T20 World Cup matches, he has picked three wickets and conceded 108 runs in the 11 overs he has bowled in the tournament.

However, Babar remained unfazed by his form and told Hasan Ali that he had his backing.

“You are our strike bowlers, and our support is with you,” Babar told Hasan.

Babar also showed confidence in senior players, including Mohammed Hafeez, and hoped that he would win him matches in the future.

“It doesn’t matter if we face Australia or South Africa in the semifinal, we will beat them and then win the final,” the skipper added.

Source: Pro Pakistani

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#BanIPL Trends as Fans Blame IPL for India’s Horror Show in World Cup

India’s hopes for qualifying for the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup hang by a thread as they suffered their second consecutive loss in the tournament. Having previously lost to arch-rivals Pakistan by 10 wickets, India put on another torrid show against a strong New Zealand side and lost by 8 wickets.

India currently sit at the fifth position in Group 2 of Super 12s and qualifying for the next round is no longer in their hands. They will need to rely on other results going their way alongside winning their next three matches convincingly to move onto the semi-final stage.

Prior to the start of the tournament, India were considered strong favorites to lift the trophy and this horror show by the Indian team was least expected. The Indian team had the best possible preparation for the tournament as they played the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the same conditions just before the start of the mega event.

Indian cricket fans seem unimpressed with their team’s performances and believe that holding the IPL just before the tournament is the reason behind their downfall. The Indian cricket fraternity took to social media to voice their concerns and blamed IPL for their poor performances. Calls to ban IPL was one of the top trends in India after their embarrassing loss to New Zealand.

Source: Pro Pakistani

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Pakistan Overtakes India in Updated ICC T20I Rankings

Pakistan has jumped up to the second spot in ICC T20I team rankings after their brilliant performances in the ongoing 2021 T20 World Cup. Pakistan overtook arch-rivals India who have had a horrid start to their T20 World Cup campaign.

Prior to the start of the mega event, the Pakistan team was ranked number three while India were ranked number two in the world. Pakistan started their World Cup campaign by defeating India by ten wickets and followed it up with thrilling victories against New Zealand and Afghanistan, winning both matches by five wickets.

India, on the other hand, have lost their opening two encounters, first to Pakistan by ten wickets and the second to New Zealand by eight wickets. Their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals are hanging by a thread and will now have to rely on other results going their way to get a chance to move on to the next round.

England maintained their spot as the best T20I side in the world after a tremendous start to the T20 World Cup. England have also won their first three matches of the competition as they defeated defending champions West Indies, Bangladesh, and arch-rivals Australia convincingly.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan have also moved up the team rankings after winning two out of their first three matches while Bangladesh have dropped down two places after a disappointing run of results in the mega event.

Source: Pro Pakistani

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Bangladesh Suffer a Massive Blow for the Remainder of T20 World Cup

Bangladesh will be without the services of their star player, Shakib Al Hasan, for the last two Group 1 games against South Africa and Australia.

Shakib has been ruled out of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 due to a hamstring injury. He pulled up while fielding during Bangladesh’s game against West Indies, though he did bowl four overs after suffering the injury and even opened the innings while chasing.

Bangladesh Team Doctor, Debashis Chowdhury, said, “Shakib sustained a left lower hamstring strain while fielding during the match against the West Indies. In clinical examination, it was diagnosed as an injury of Grade 1 intensity. He is ruled out from participation in the last two matches of the tournament and until further review.”

Bangladesh will not name a replacement for Shakib as they do not have any reserve players available traveling with the squad.

Bangladesh are currently winless in the Super 12 stage of the tournament after qualifying as Group A runners-up in Round 1. Currently at the bottom of the Group 1 standings, the Tigers have two more games remaining against South Africa on November 2 followed by Australia on November 4.

Source: Pro Pakistani

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Aaqib Javed Believes India Has Not Recovered From Shaheen’s Spell

Pakistan’s former fast bowler Aaqib Javed believes that India has not been able to recover from Shaheen Afridi’s spell in their first match against Pakistan. Aaqib said that India looked scared when they stepped onto the ground to face New Zealand and were not able to perform up to the standards as they had Shaheen’s spell at the back of their minds.

India lost their second consecutive match of the 2021 T20 World Cup and are on the brink of elimination from the mega event. India is currently on the fifth spot in the table and will require a miracle to advance into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.

Aaqib believes that India’s confidence was rattled by Pakistan, and Shaheen Afridi’s spell at the start of their innings led to their downfall in the tournament. He said that India panicked when they lost the toss, and to avoid a similar situation as to Shaheen’s, they decided to drop Rohit Sharma to one down.

“Rohit Sharma is one of the best players in T20 cricket, but after one blow of Shaheen Shah Afridi, you changed your openers. You brought in Ishan Kishan as he is a leftie because they were afraid of putting two righties against [Trent] Boult, so Rohit was made to bat at number three. It was only two overs [opening spell] and being the one of the best in the world, Rohit should have gone out as an opener rather than hiding,” Aaqib said.

The former world-cup-winning fast bowler also raised questions on India’s body language and said that they were already defeated before the first ball of the match. He said that they were scared to play their shots and succumbed to the pressure of the mega event.

Source: Pro Pakistani