Technology

We Must Respond to the Call by the African Union: Educate an Africa Fit for the 21st Century

Published

2 years ago

May 25, 2024

Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif Statement on Africa Day 2024

NEW YORK, May 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Africa is an amazingly beautiful continent with a powerful young generation who have the inherent right to an inclusive and continued quality education. Yet – and especially in Sub-Saharan Africa – they have been left furthest behind for far too long. Now is the time to right the wrongs.

As we celebrate Africa Day, we call on all leaders in Africa – and all world leaders globally – to support the African Union’s Call to Educate an Africa Fit for the 21st century and make good on the global promises of universal education as outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

More than 60 years ago, African leaders gathered in Ghana for the First Congress of African States. Five years later, on 25 May 1963 – with nearly two-thirds of the continent achieving their longed-for independence – leaders met again in Ethiopia to form the Organization of African Unity. From these early days, the African Union was born in 2002 with the noble vision to create “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.”

While progress has been made over the past two decades in delivering on these goals, Africa continues to fall behind in meeting many of the targets outlined in the 2030 Agenda. Think about this: “In 1990, 14% of the world’s poor lived in Africa; by 2019, this number jumped to 57%,” according to the World Bank.

Economic interests and a sense of scarcity – in spite of a continent rich in resources – these diametrically opposed positions tend to lead to conflict and human rights abuses. The brunt of this is born by children, families, teachers and communities in countries like Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, South Sudan and Sudan.

Schools, children and teachers are being increasingly targeted. “The number of violent incidents affecting education in Africa Union countries rose by 20% in 2023 with 411 reports of violent incidents,” according to Save the Children.

Furthermore, climate change is compounding these painful realities putting even more girls and boys in harm’s way. According to Education Cannot Wait’s recent analysis on the impacts of climate change on education: “Over the last decade, more than 91 million school-aged children impacted by crises have faced climate shocks amplified by climate change worldwide. The effects have been particularly pronounced in Sub-Saharan Africa, affecting 42 million children. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where climate-related crises are prevalent, internally displaced children are 1.7 times more likely to be out of primary school compared to their non-displaced peers. Girls are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, with a higher likelihood of dropping out of school and being forced into early marriages.”

While the challenges before us are enormous, there is hope if we take collective, responsible and global action to right the wrongs now.

It starts with embracing the values and commitments outlined in the UN Charter, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. The people of Africa deserve no less. Their rights must be guaranteed with an emphasis on their right to an inclusive, equitable, quality education, as the very foundation for all other rights.

Together with our strategic donor partners, and through ECW’s investments in partnerships and joint programming (ECW Multi-Year Resilience Programmes) in Africa, we work closely with Ministries of Education and connect a wide array of local and international partners, governments, non-profits and the private sector to deliver unified programming that breaks down silos and delivers quality with impact.

These programmes provide holistic education – the kind of education that the Global North enjoys, such as mental health and psychosocial support, academic learning, school feeding programmes, teacher training and incentives, back-to-school programmes and catch-up classes, vocational training, early childhood education and more – to ensure that African children and adolescents can access true, quality education.

However, we must urgently increase funding for education. Nowhere is this more true than in Africa’s forgotten crises in places like the Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, South Sudan and Sudan. According to ECW’s strategic partner Educo: “In Mali, all regions of the country have been affected by attacks on schools by armed groups throughout 2023 forcing their closure. In all, 1,170 schools have closed, affecting more than half a million children and 10,260 teachers. Despite this growing and deteriorating context, the education sector has received the least amount of funding, so that only 16% of the identified students have been reached. In 2023, only 7.4% of the US$96 million appeal has been covered.”

If Africa is to deliver on the promises envisaged 60 years ago for “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa,” it must enjoy the rights and resources to focus on educating every girl and boy. A continent that has produced global personalities like Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel and Desmond Tutu among so many other profoundly educated leaders is a continent with great promises for all of us. With a quality education, many more young people will step out of the shadows in Africa and bring the kind of humanity we so desperately need in the world today.

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Technology

Accord Specialty Pharmacy Named Finalist in MMIT’s 11th Annual Retail Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Awards

Published

15 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

ORLANDO, Fla., April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Accord Specialty Pharmacy, an independent specialty pharmacy serving patients across multiple states, has been named a finalist in the MMIT Patient Choice Awards, a recognition based on patient-reported satisfaction and experience.

Accord was selected as the only independent pharmacy among finalists in its category, alongside national pharmacy organizations such as Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy and Walmart Specialty Pharmacy. This distinction highlights the company’s commitment to delivering personalized, high-touch care for patients managing complex and chronic conditions.

The MMIT Patient Choice Awards recognize specialty pharmacies that demonstrate excellence in patient satisfaction, service quality, and overall care experience. Finalists are determined based on direct patient feedback, making the recognition a meaningful reflection of the trust patients place in their pharmacy providers.

“Being recognized alongside national organizations and as the only independent finalist validates our belief that personalized, patient-centered care drives better outcomes. We are building a model that combines clinical depth, national reach, and operational flexibility to better serve patients, providers, and partners.” said AJ Patel, Founder and Pharmacy Manager of Accord Specialty Pharmacy.

Accord Specialty Pharmacy supports patients across complex specialty categories, including oncology, rare disease, and infusion, through a clinically driven, high-touch care model designed to improve access, adherence, and outcomes. The company’s approach emphasizes personalized support, responsive care coordination, and strong clinical engagement to help patients navigate complex therapies more effectively. With a growing national footprint and multi-state licensure, Accord is positioned to support patients, providers, and partners across diverse markets.

For more information, visit MMIT Announces Finalists of the 11th Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Awards – MMITNetwork.

About Accord Specialty Pharmacy:

Accord Specialty Pharmacy is an ACHC-accredited, multi-state licensed independent specialty pharmacy located in Central Florida, dedicated to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care for individuals managing complex and chronic conditions. Through personalized support, clinical expertise, and a high-touch approach, Accord helps patients navigate every step of their treatment journey. Learn more at www.accordspecialty.com.

CONTACT: contact@accordspecialty.com

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SOURCE Accord Specialty

Technology

HAIVISION ANNOUNCES VOTING RESULTS FROM 2026 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

Published

15 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

MONTRÉAL, April 23, 2026 /CNW/ – Haivision Systems Inc. (“Haivision” or the “Company”) (TSX: HAI) is pleased to announce the voting results from its annual meeting of shareholders held today in a virtual format.

A total of approximately 45.97 % of the issued and outstanding common shares of Haivision were represented at the meeting.

Election of Directors

Each of the six nominated directors of Haivision was elected as director of the Company with the following results:

Director

Votes
For

% Votes
For

Votes
Against

% Votes
Against

Miroslav Wicha

11,110,245

99.26 %

82,583

0.74 %

Harvey Bienenstock

11,155,137

99.66 %

37,691

0.34 %

Robin M. Rush

11,121,855

99.37 %

70,973

0.63 %

Neil Hindle

10,794,005

96.44 %

398,823

3.56 %

Julie Tremblay

10,941,969

97.76 %

250,859

2.24 %

Lee K. Levy II

9,084,418

81.16 %

2,108,410

18.84 %

2. Appointment of Auditors

Deloitte LLP were reappointed auditors of the Company for the ensuing year with 12,492,582 (98.84%) votes cast in favour and 146,406 (1.16%) votes withheld.

3. Approval of the Unallocated Awards under the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan

The Company’s unallocated awards were approved with 8,710,347 (77.82%) votes cast in favour and 2,482,481 (22.18%) votes cast against.

4. Reapproval of Company’s Shareholder Rights Plan

The Company’s shareholder rights plan was approved with 10,572,490 (94.46%) votes cast in favour and 620,338 (5.54%) votes cast against.

Final voting results on all matters voted on at the meeting will be filed under Haivision’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Haivision

Haivision is a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video streaming and visual collaboration solutions. Our connected cloud and intelligent edge technologies enable organizations globally to engage audiences, enhance collaboration, and support decision making. We provide high quality, low latency, secure, and reliable live video at a global scale. Haivision open sourced its award-winning SRT low latency video streaming protocol and founded the SRT Alliance to support its adoption. Awarded four Emmys® for Technology and Engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Haivision continues to fuel the future of IP video transformation. Founded in 2004, Haivision is headquartered in Montreal and Chicago with offices, sales, and support located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Learn more at haivision.com.

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SOURCE Haivision Systems Inc.

Technology

Noritz upgrades EZ Pro Series of tankless water heaters with larger, multi-function panel display for faster installation and servicing

Published

15 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

Improved, fully integrated diagnostic interface eliminates the need for a separate remote controller, providing key system status data and enhanced digital controls to ease startup, operation, and maintenance for pro installers and service techs.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Noritz America, an international leader in tankless and electric heat pump water heaters and high-efficiency combination boilers, has further enhanced its EZ Series Pro line of residential condensing tankless water heaters by expanding both the size and the functionality of the units’ built-in control panel, whose user-friendly digital interface is mounted prominently on the front exterior.

Providing upgraded monitoring and diagnostic capabilities, the multi-function panel display allows professional installers to view system status, temperature settings, service reminders, maintenance data, error codes, error history, and (if applicable) recirculation timing settings. All of this vital information is built in and readily accessible on the water heater. Besides eliminating the need for a separate, external remote controller, the panel enables guided setup during installation and faster, more effective troubleshooting.

In addition, installers and users can monitor and program the unit remotely via Bluetooth® connectivity that works alongside the panel, using the EZ Start Plus app on their smartphones. A separate external remote is optional.

“The intent of our upgrade efforts was to create a more satisfying user experience for both the professional and the consumer,” says Noritz Executive Vice President and General Manager Jason Fleming. “We focused on simplified installation, advanced diagnostics, and giving professionals and their customers easier, more responsive control of the water heater.”

Essential Features of the Multi-Function Panel

Below are the main features and capabilities of the upgraded, built-in, multi-function panel and related control system:

Digital temperature control: Professional installers and service technicians will find it easier to use the enlarged panel to set the output water temperature to 100° – 140° Fahrenheit. Temperature settings are available in increments as small as 5°F.

Key benefits: More precise temperature control for professionals and, as a result, safer, more consistent hot-water delivery for end users.

Integrated Bluetooth connectivity; no more dip switches: The EZ Start Plus app enables installers and service techs to perform system setup, adjust the temperature, run diagnostics and share this information electronically with Noritz Technical Support. Installers can even register the water heater to qualify for the accompanying warranty.

Key benefits: Simplified startups mean faster installs, minimizing the manual programming that installers previously had to perform. Smartphone-based control and troubleshooting eliminate the need for old-style manual adjustment of physical dip switches.

Improved service access: Even the physical design of the EZ Series Pro has been reengineered to work more effectively with the newly enhanced multi-function panel.

Key benefits: The latched, snap-lock front cover enables quicker access to components for easier maintenance and servicing.

Industry-Best Warranty

The upgraded EZ Series Pro continues to include three models, all with a Uniform Energy Factor of 0.98, the highest efficiency rating in the tankless water heater industry:

EZ71: input range — 12,800 to 160,000 BTU/hour; flow rate — 0.4 to 9.0 gallons per minute; turndown ratio — 12.5:1EZ98: 12,800 to 180,000 BTUh; 0.4 to 9.8 gpm; 14:1;EZ111: 12,800 to 199,900 BTUh; 0.4 to 11.1 gpm; 16:1.

All three units carry a 25-year limited warranty on their stainless steel heat exchangers, the longest such protection in the industry. Further protection includes a five-year limited parts warranty and one year for reasonable labor.

The water heaters use natural gas but are field-convertible to LP with a parts kit included with every unit. Two water heaters can be linked using Noritz’s optional Quick Connect linkage to double the hot-water flow rate.

Designed for wall-mounting indoors, the EZ Series Pro heaters can be direct-vented with two-, three-, or four-inch Schedule 40 or Schedule 80 PVC or CPVC, or two-inch or three-inch polypropylene venting. They can also be installed outdoors in milder year-round climates using an optional vent cap.

All EZ Series Pro models have received approvals from CSA, NSF5, NSF372, and are Low NOx approved by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (Rule 1146.2).

For more information on the newly upgraded Noritz EZ Series Pro, visit: https://ezseries.noritz.com/

A short product video is available at: https://youtu.be/m5iDn7sOGMc

For more information on the full line of Noritz tankless water heating products, visit www.noritz.com. You can also contact us by telephone at 866.766.7489 or by email at support@noritz.com.

For editorial assistance, contact John O’Reilly or Emma Wurzer at GreenHouse Digital PR, 15255 South 94th Avenue, Suite 500 | Orland Park, IL 60462; tel.: 708.428.6385; e-mail: john@greenhousedigitalpr.com | emma@greenhousedigitalpr.com.

Hi-res versions of photographs to accompany this press release are available for immediate download by using this link: https://noritz.greenhousedigitalpr.com/ez-series-pro-upgrades.

NORITZ AMERICA CORPORATION, a subsidiary of Noritz Japan, has corporate offices in Fountain Valley, Calif., and Atlanta, offering a full line of tankless water heaters and high-efficiency combination boilers to meet the hot water demands of residential and commercial applications. Noritz supports its products with a national network of skilled representatives and employees committed to providing our communities with the finest products and services by helping consumers live a more comfortable, efficient, and healthy lifestyle. For more information on Noritz America and the entire line of Noritz’s ENERGY STAR® tankless water heaters, please call (877) 986-6748 or visit our website at www.noritz.com.

CONTACT:
Andrew Tran
Noritz America
(714) 433-7813
atran@noritz.com

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SOURCE Noritz