Julian Assange Permitted to Marry in Belmarsh Prison
Julian Assange Permitted to Marry in Belmarsh Prison
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been given permission to marry his fiancée Stella Morris in the maximum security Belmarsh prison in London on March 23rd. Stella is a member of his legal team and mother of his two young children. The couple had to fight for their right to marry, even bringing legal action against the UK Government.
Julian and Stella will be dressed by Vivienne Westwood. Julian will wear a kilt, honouring his Scottish ancestry. The couple are said to be very excited despite the severe restrictions imposed on the ceremony. They will be permitted only four guests and have been denied the request to marry in the prison’s Chapel, despite the fact that Julian regularly worships their.
Stella told the Daily Mail that the right to marry is ‘written into law’ in the UK. ‘Of course, the circumstances are not ideal but I am relieved that reason has prevailed and I hope there will be no further interference with our marriage. Julian is not charged with any crime in this country, he is not serving a sentence, his imprisonment serves no purpose at all other than to prolong and make his suffering worse. I hope the injustice of this situation is swiftly brought to an end so that we can enjoy marriage outside of the walls of Belmarsh when he is freed.’
Assange is being held in the notorious Belmarsh prison despite not being convicted of anything. He is awaiting the outcome of a US extradition request to face charges of ‘espionage’ for publishing evidence of war crimes and torture. Press freedom groups warn this unprecedented prosecution would criminalise fundamental journalistic practices.
Assange recently suffered a minor stroke, and doctors warn this will likely lead to a fatal stroke if his conditions are not improved quickly. He is detained in solitary confinement 23 hours per day, which fits the definition of torture under international law. The Australian Government has been criticised for ‘sitting on their hands’ over one of their citizens. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer said The Australian Government as ‘failed to support Julian Assange, and is complicit in his psychological torture.’
Helen Clark recently said ‘You do wonder when the hatchet can be buried with Assange? And not buried in his head by the way. But at some point, could people move on? I do think that the information that’s been disclosed by whistle-blowers down through the ages has been very important in broader publics getting to know what is really going on behind the scenes. And should people pay this kind of price for that? I don’t think so… The real issue really is the activities they were exposing, not their actions of exposure.’
Aoteroa 4 Assange is calling on the New Zealand Government to stand for Assange to protect human rights, the public’s right to know and peace.
Alimetry raises $16.3 Million to launch wearable diagnostic device for the gut
Alimetry, a digital healthcare and medical device start-up, announced today it has closed a NZ$16.3 Million financing round led by New Zealand largest venture capital investor Movac. Existing investor partners IP Group, Matū Karihi, and UniServices supported the round, with K1W1 also participating.
The company will use the funding to accelerate the international launch of its first product, a wearable diagnostic device called Gastric Alimetry. Gastric Alimetry uses a stretchable high-resolution sensor to non-invasively map digestive patterns, and delivers clinical reports via the cloud to inform the diagnosis and classification of gastric disorders.
“Chronic gastric symptoms are extremely common, yet many of our patients still suffer from repeated inconclusive tests, trial and error care, and confusion,” said CEO Greg O’Grady, a Professor of Surgery and co-founder of Alimetry. “Gastric Alimetry is on track to deliver breakthrough results in diagnosing gastric symptoms, enabling enhanced clinical outcomes and safer, more accessible, and less-invasive care.”
Gastric Alimetry targets prevalent stomach diseases including nausea and vomiting, gastroparesis, and functional dyspepsia, affecting over 8% of the world’s population and costing billions of dollars in healthcare expenses. The device is currently undergoing clinical trials in 5 countries, with results and further regulatory approvals expected during 2022. Alimetry will also use the new funding to expand its artificial intelligence capabilities and expand its product pipeline.
Lovina McMurchy, a General Partner at Movac who will join Alimetry’s Board, stated: “While Alimetry has only recently come out of stealth mode in New Zealand, the team has made an incredible amount of progress in bringing their product to market globally. They are already working with the top gastroenterology clinics in the world to trial the devices and they are in the approval process with the Federal Drug Administration in the US for full scale commercialization. This is a tremendous example of what our science ecosystem can produce at it’s very best.”
Gastric Alimetry has recently received numerous innovation and product design awards, including Gold from the Australian Good Design Awards, and a prestigious ‘Purple Pin’ at the New Zealand Best Design Awards. The Best Awards judges stated: “This is a tangible example of how New Zealand science, technology and design can work together to produce brilliant results.”
Alimetry was spun-out of the University of Auckland in 2019 from a centre of excellence in digestive diseases. The company was founded by Prof. Greg O’Grady and Dr. Armen Gharibans, on the background of a decade of award-winning science.
To learn more about Alimetry visit www.alimetry.com.
About Movac
Movac is New Zealand’s largest and most experienced venture capital fund, supporting technology founders from early stage through to growth investing. Movac was the first institutional grade venture investor supported by both New Zealand Superannuation and Kiwi Wealth. It currently has $400m funds under management and invests across deep tech, software, hardware and healthtech.
About IP Group
IP Group is a leading intellectual property commercialisation company focused on evolving great ideas and cutting-edge research from its partner universities into world-changing businesses. The Group pioneers a unique approach to developing these ideas and the resulting businesses by providing access to business building expertise, capital, scientific insight, and supporting infrastructure. IP Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: IPO), has a strong track record of success and, its portfolio comprises holdings in early stage to mature businesses across life sciences and technology. In Australia and New Zealand, IP Group works in close partnership with the Go8 Universities and the University of Auckland to identify ground-breaking technologies rooted in hard science, which have the most promising commercial potential. www.ipgroupanz.com
About University of Auckland Inventors’ Fund, managed by Auckland UniServices
The University of Auckland Inventors Fund is an evergreen, open-ended $20 million investment fund owned and managed by Auckland UniServices Limited, the commercial company for The University of Auckland. The Inventors’ Fund provides seed capital for ventures started out of the University of Auckland. www.uniservices.co.nz
About Matū Karihi Fund.
Matū is a venture capital fund investing in early-stage science and deep technology commercialisation from education and research institutions and the private sector. Karihi (nucleus) is Matū’s original pre-seed and seed-focused fund, working with start-ups at the earliest stages of their journey. As an open fund it raises capital over time and holds investments through to exit where possible, and therefore invests on a long timeframe. www.matu.co.nz
About K1W1
K1W1 Ltd is an investment company owned by Sir Stephen Tindall. It has invested over a total of $100M Seed and Venture capital into a large number of start-up and early stage businesses from Biotech, environmental technology, high tech, software and other high export potential businesses. The aim is, either directly or as a “fund of funds” to assist young entrepreneurs to grow New Zealand as a leader in the “knowledge economy” and to help create a culture of making New Zealand “cash flow positive” in international goods and services trade.
Attached files: Gastric Alimetry-11
Teams “Yadrava na Vanua” from Fiji and “Not Basic” from New Zealand win the Grand Prizes for Space Challenge
Christchurch—18 February 2022.
Yadrava na Vanua (Environment Watch) from Suva, Fiji won the Grand Prize today for the Space for Planet Earth Challenge.
Their project focused on integrating satellite data on land cover types across Fiji with ground truth measurements, and refining the carbon sequestration data with machine learning analysis of high resolution satellite images from Planet to generate international standard levels of measurements, reporting, and verification of carbon stocks.
Separately, “Not Basic” from Newlands College, Wellington, New Zealand, won the Grand Prize at the High School level. Their work featured using machine learning analysis of satellite data to predict the conditions leading to coral bleaching as detected within the Allen Coral Atlas with Planet satellite data.
Six teams from New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji competed in demo sessions with a panel of judges, then a Pitch presentation to a live online audience. The winners are awarded cash prizes of $30,000 and $10,000 each, satellite data from company Planet, and mentorship from SpaceBase. Additionally the High School team will receive scholarships from the US Based MMAARS Academy to attend their Level 1 Virtual Mars Programme.
“The presentations that I’ve seen were so amazing…and I was blown away by the ideas and the ability that they’ve shown…Planet is so proud to be part of this competition,” Dr. Tanya Harrison, Director of Strategic Innovation for Planet and a Finals Judge for the competition, said at the event.
The winners were selected by judges from Planet, the U.S. Embassy to New Zealand, Pacific GIS and Remote Sensing Council, Rocket Lab, Callaghan Innovation, ChristchurchNZ, Callaghan Innovation, and Consegna.cloud.
The awards were presented by the NZ Space Agency and the U.S. Embassy.
“I’ve been extremely impressed with the sophistication of the solutions that have been developed, by the approach of looking for different data sources to incorporate into those solutions, to reaching out to other organisations, establishing partnerships to make this more effective, and the quality of the presentations,” said Dimitri Geidelberg, Principal Advisor to the Agency.
The Challenge was the brainchild of SpaceBase founders who leverage incentive prizes and space technologies to catalyse innovation while solving tough problems in the region. “Already, we see the Challenge as pushing the teams to accelerate their research and create opportunities they may not otherwise have been able to realise.” said Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom, CEO of SpaceBase. “We think this is only the beginning for these climate change focused innovations, and we hope to continue to support these teams in their progress over the coming months and years.”
For more information about the Challenge and the Winners, go to spaceforearth.org
The Challenge is made possible by a partnership between SpaceBase Limited and Planet. Sponsors include the U.S. Embassy in New Zealand, K1W1, NZ Space Agency, ChristchurchNZ, Consegna.cloud, Clare Foundation, Greenlight Ventures, Namaste Foundation, Engineering Dreams, MMAARS Academy, and Christchurch City Council.
SpaceBase Limited is a New Zealand based education and consulting social enterprise, whose mission is to democratise access to space for everyone. SpaceBase is creating equal opportunity to leverage space technologies to solve problems on Earth, by catalysing space ecosystems in developing and emerging countries, starting in New Zealand. Since its incorporation in 2017, it has collaborated with economic development agencies, local governments, and advocacy groups to deliver over 100 educational presentations and workshops; two national space and aerospace competitions, as well as helping birth space communities and organisations locally and globally. SpaceBase created a platform for the NZ Aerospace Directory and a free course, Catalysing a Space Industry in Your Region, for anyone interested in creating a local space industry. SpaceBase is also the NZ Ambassador for the International Space University.
Animal Dermatology Group Applauds Dr. Helen Orbell, New Diplomate with the American College of Veterinary Dermatology
IRVINE, Calif., January 26, 2022 / — Animal Dermatology Group, Inc. (ADG) congratulates Dr. Helen Orbell on achieving Diplomate status with the American College of Veterinary Dermatology (ACVD), the organization accredited to maintain post-graduate training and certification in veterinary dermatology. She joins the ACVD’s 300+ board certified veterinary dermatologists in the US and throughout the world.
Dr. Orbell graduated from the University of Queensland in Brisbane with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) and has practiced in Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland and the United States. She currently practices at ADG’s Animal Dermatology Clinic – Palmerston North, in New Zealand.
“My love for veterinary dermatology has continued to grow throughout my career and I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity with ADG to learn from leaders in the field,” stated Dr. Orbell. “The additional challenges during my residency due to my location makes achieving Diplomate status even more rewarding. I am extremely grateful for the support of ADG, my mentors and colleagues, the ACVD, and especially, the love and encouragement of my family throughout this journey.”
“ADG is proud to have supported Dr. Orbell, the first veterinarian to be trained in an ACVD residency program in New Zealand,” said Dr. Rusty Muse, DACVD and ADG Medical Director. “She worked hard to achieve this amazing milestone and we are delighted to have her as part of our world-wide team.”
ADG is the first non-academic organization approved by the ACVD to provide a residency training program and currently hosts the largest ACVD residency class preparing future board certified dermatologists.
Steven Mrha, CEO of ADG, stated “We are pleased to welcome Dr. Orbell as our newest ACVD Diplomate. We strive to create an exciting, dynamic and rewarding environment at ADG, where our growing team of board certified veterinary dermatologists collaborate and support each other as we advance the research, education and clinical practice of veterinary dermatology.”
About Animal Dermatology Group
Animal Dermatology Group is the largest veterinary dermatology business in the U.S., providing the highest quality care to pets with acute and chronic skin conditions. ADG has over 40 primary and satellite locations where its veterinary dermatology specialists are actively involved in providing clinical care, research and academic training. For more information, please visit www.animaldermatology.com.
Contact:
Juan Mena: jmena@adcmg.com
91% Kiwis think it’s safe to travel within NZ yet only 19% plan to take a holiday
Auckland, New Zealand – Travel search and comparison start up Tripomi conducted a survey in which New Zealanders were asked about their current travel outlook. 82% of survey respondents stated they would prefer to travel within New Zealand instead of abroad this year.
And while 91% of respondents believe it is currently safe to travel within New Zealand only 19% plan to take a holiday. As for visitors, 87% believe foreigners need to be vaccinated in order to visit New Zealand.
In terms of the destinations within New Zealand respondents plan to visit this year, Auckland ranked highest with 29%, followed by Queenstown (24%), Christchurch (21%) and Wellington (14%).
“The biggest surprise from our survey is that New Zealanders of all ages are interested in visiting cities while popular outdoor destinations such as Milford Sound received little interest,” said James Watson, one of Tripomi’s co-founders.
“We’re seeing an increase in searches for hotels in cities like Auckland which is good since many premium hotels are currently offering excellent deals,” said James.
When asked about the travel bubble with Australia, 62% of survey respondents (vs 38%) believe it is currently safe to travel to Australia, yet only 40% would visit.
About Tripomi:
Tripomi.com is a travel search and comparison site. It’s free to use, available 24/7, and contains zero advertisements. The best part is you never have to login or share any personal information. Just search and compare great offers.
Tripomi’s New Zealand Travel Outlook Survey:
- Google Survey:
- Sample size: 200
- Gender: All
- Ages: All
- Current Location: New Zealand
- Language: English
- Conducted: May 14-16 2021.
- Sampling method: Convenience
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Arvida Group Partner with Liftango to Personalise Transport for Members
Christchurch, New Zealand. Arvida Group selects transport technology provider Liftango as a strategic partner to deliver innovative On-Demand Transport services as part of their new services to people living in their own homes.
The bespoke transport solution will provide personalised and On-Demand Transport for Arvida Good Friends members under the brand name Good Friends Go. Members will include Arvida residents across eight villages in Christchurch as well as people who live independently in the community.
Members can access the service via a smartphone App or request a booking by phone. The service consists of a unique membership functionality developed by Liftango. This allows members of Arvida Good Friends to book individual rides on-demand and pay as they go, or access unlimited rides for a monthly subscription.
“We saw this opportunity to expand our demand-responsive transport offering as it aligned with the needs of key members of society that require better access to transport,” says Trystan Eeles, COO and Co-Founder of Liftango.
Good Friends Go services eight Arvida facilities and is available now in Riccarton, Addington, Sydenham, Cashmere and Christchurch City.
“Adding Liftango’s On-Demand Transport solution provides our members with more choice in how they plan their days. Good Friends Go membership means independence to stay active and socially connected – and to easily access our new community Living Well Centre,” says Rachel Hopkins, Head of Living Well Communities at Arvida Group.
Passengers can specify pick up and drop off locations and have full visibility of their vehicle location via the Good Friends Go smartphone App. For individuals who do not wish to use a smartphone, bookings can be made by speaking to a trained operator within a dedicated Call Centre.
For older Cantabrians, On-Demand Transport provides the security of knowing they can stay connected by accessing a reliable mode of transport with trained drivers when they need it.
To access the Good Friends Go On-Demand Transport service Good Friends members can visit https://www.goodfriendsgo.co.nz/. For more information, please call 0800 20 41 20.
About Arvida Group
Arvida Group Limited is one of the largest operators of aged care and retirement villages in New Zealand and is listed on the Main Board (NZSX) of the NZX with the ticker symbol ‘ARV’. It is a constituent member of the S&P/NZX 50 Index.
About Arvida Good Friends
Stay in the home you know and love with a bit of help from Arvida Good Friends – private home help, transport and activities at our community centre. Arvida Good Friends Help at Home and Care at Home plans make it easy to access friendly, trained helpers who support you to keep living the independent life you love. Good Friends Go is an On-Demand Transport service available exclusively to Arvida Good Friends members.
For more information: https://goodfriends.co.nz | hello@goodfriends.co.nz
About Liftango
We help cities, communities and organisations reduce congestion and combat climate change by providing equitable access to shared transport through a carpool and On-Demand transport technology platform. This technology makes best use of vehicle capacity whilst giving passengers the freedom to travel the way they want to.
Together, we help:
- Cities evolve into Smart Cities
- Transit Agencies to create better public bus systems
- Private Bus Operators to digitise their services to become more efficient
- Corporates to create sustainable and scalable mobility solutions for their staff
- Property Developers to design sites around future mobility solutions instead of using space for parking
We believe access to transportation is a fundamental right for people in modern society and through our technology, we provide convenient, efficient and sustainable transportation for the people that need it the most.
For more information: https://liftango.com | info@liftango.com
Alimetry Leaves Stealth Mode to Announce CE Mark on New Wearable Medical Device for Gastric Diseases and Investment
Alimetry, a digital healthcare and diagnostic devices start-up, announced today that it has achieved CE Mark for its first product, a pioneering medical device for enabling diagnosis of gastric diseases.
The new wearable product, called Gastric Alimetry, is positioned to transform the diagnostic pathway for millions of patients worldwide suffering from diseases such as functional dyspepsia, gastroparesis and chronic nausea and vomiting. Gastric symptoms are extremely prevalent and impart a vast burden, affecting around 10% of the global population. The Gastric Alimetry device collects data by non-invasively sensing the activity of the stomach from the body surface. The data is sent to the cloud for analysis, and is used by clinicians to determine the causes of gastric symptoms and direct treatment.
Co-Founder and CEO Professor Greg O’Grady said “As clinicians, we lack the tools we need to reliably diagnose gastric disorders. This contributes greatly to the frustration and suffering of our patients. I was driven to this cause by seeing too many patients go through laborious, invasive and expensive rounds of repeat diagnostic testing, only to end up with inconclusive results and confusion. We invented Gastric Alimetry to help address this need. I am immensely proud of our hard-working team who have delivered an incredibly creative solution with outstanding potential to impact patient care.”
In addition to successfully achieving CE mark for the Gastric Alimetry product, enabling the company to start commercializing the medical device in European countries, Alimetry also announced today that it had achieved the ISO 13485 international quality management system accreditation. As it grows global operations, the company has enhanced its executive team with new appointments. Hanie Yee joined the company as Chief Operating Officer, from her previous role as Clinical Business Lead at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, and Professor Chris Andrews, a leading gastroenterologist from Canada, has joined Alimetry as Chief Medical Officer.
Alimetry has been the culmination of over a decade of award-winning scientific research out of The University of Auckland, backed by scientific grants from the New Zealand Health Research Council and the US National Institutes of Health, followed by Callaghan Innovation funding. To support the next phase of growth, the company completed its first institutional investment round, led by IP Group, a leading international intellectual property commercialisation company. The investment round was supported by UniServices Ltd (via the University of Auckland’s Inventors’ Fund), and Matū, a New Zealand early-stage science and deep-tech venture capital fund. The capital raised by Alimetry will be used to advance the company’s clinical trials, enter the market, and progress regulatory approval in the United States.
The Managing Director of IP Group Australia, Dr Michael Molinari, said “We are excited to be working with Professor O’Grady and the world-class team at Alimetry to provide a step change in the quality of life for millions of patients with gastric disorders. This technology, at the intersection of multiple exponentially growing fields such as wearable medical devices, digital health, and machine-learning assisted diagnostics, is another great example of the breakthrough innovations coming from our partners at the University of Auckland”.
About Alimetry
Alimetry was founded in 2019 as a spin-out company from the University of Auckland’s Bioengineering Institute and Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. The company was founded on a background of world-leading science in gastrointestinal diseases. Alimetry is dedicated to improving the lives of patients by delivering innovative medical solutions to advance GI diagnostics and enable targeted therapies. www.alimetry.com
About IP Group
IP Group is a leading intellectual property commercialisation company focused on evolving great ideas from its partner universities into world-changing businesses. The Group pioneered a unique approach to developing these ideas and the resulting businesses by providing access to business building expertise, capital, scientific insight, and the supporting infrastructure. In Australia and New Zealand, IP Group works in close partnership with the Go8 Universities and the University of Auckland to identify ground-breaking technologies, rooted in hard science, which have the most promising commercial potential. IP Group, which is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol IPO, has a strong track record of success and its portfolio comprises holdings in early stage to mature businesses across life sciences and technology.
Discover more at www.ipgroupanz.com
About The University of Auckland Inventors’ Fund. The University of Auckland Inventors Fund is an evergreen, open-ended $20 million investment fund owned and managed by Auckland UniServices Limited, the commercial company for The University of Auckland. The Inventors’ Fund provides seed-capital for ventures started out of the University of Auckland. www.uniservices.co.nz
About Matū Fund. Matū is a venture capital fund investing in early-stage science and deep technology commercialisation from education and research institutions and the private sector. As an open and evergreen fund, Matū takes a long-term investment view and is aimed at turning ground-breaking ideas into globally focused, IP-rich companies. Matū provides intelligent capital with active governance, executive management, operational support, and mentorship for founding and executive teams. www.matu.co.nz
Released images (png format):
Contact Information:
Hanie Yee, Chief Operating Officer
M: +64 (0) 21 651 226
Social Media:
Twitter: @alimetry_ltd