Latest news with #GCA
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
President of Ghana Joins Board of Global Center on Adaptation
Rotterdam/Nairobi, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) today announced that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, has joined its Board. He joins a distinguished group of global leaders - including Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania; William Samoei Ruto, President of Kenya and Hilda Heine, President of the Marshall Islands - committed to advancing climate adaptation as an urgent development and economic priority. President Mahama's appointment comes as GCA deepens its work across Africa through its flagship Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, which has shaped over $15 billion in adaptation investments in 40 countries. With the opening of its new headquarters in Nairobi this year, GCA continues to scale up local action in agriculture, resilient infrastructure, youth entrepreneurship, and climate finance. As the world transitions from ambition to implementation, GCA Board members like President Mahama will be central in ensuring adaptation is treated not as a cost, but as an engine of growth, equity, and resilience. Accepting his appointment, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana stated: ' 'I am deeply honoured to accept my appointment to the Board of the Global Centre on Adaptation today. Climate change is not a distant threat; it is an urgent crisis that is already undermining Africa's development and jeopardising our collective future. As I join this esteemed institution, I will amplify the voices of African leaders and communities demanding greater investment in climate adaptation. The world must recognise that adaptation is not a choice but a necessity for our continent, which bears the brunt of climate impacts while contributing the least to its causes. To our development partners: Africa's adaptation ambitions require your steadfast support. We call for increased financing, technology transfer, and collaborative action to build resilience across our vulnerable nations. The time for pledges has passed; the time for delivery is now. Together, we can safeguard Africa's future and ensure that climate justice becomes a cornerstone of global solidarity." Commenting on the announcement, Macky Sall, Chair of the Global Center on Adaptation and Fourth President of Senegal said: 'President Mahama's return to leadership comes at a critical moment for Africa and the world. His deep experience, unwavering commitment to sustainable development, and proven ability to deliver impact on the ground will be a major asset to the GCA Board. Together, we will work to elevate adaptation as an economic and moral imperative, ensuring that Africa's leadership lights the path toward a more resilient future for all.' Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen, President and CEO of GCA, added: 'President Mahama exemplifies how bold political leadership and integrated national strategies can accelerate climate adaptation. His holistic approach—combining finance innovation, agricultural resilience, youth engagement, and governance reform—will elevate our Board's ability to translate global ambition into local impact, especially in Africa.' With President Mahama's leadership and the backing of other sitting and former heads of state on its Board, GCA is climate-proofing development across Africa and beyond—anchored by its new presence in Nairobi and a growing global mandate for action. CONTACT: Alexandra Gee Global Center on Adaptation +447887804594 in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Journal
6 days ago
- Health
- The Journal
'One of the worst things I've ever been through' - Domestic abuse survivors on Ireland's courts
SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC violence and abuse have described their experiences of navigating family law courts in Ireland, with many saying that the system re-traumatised them and did not protect them from abusers. In some cases, how the courts handled domestic abuse cases made the situation worse rather than better, survivors have said in new research published today. 'It is one of the worst things I've ever been through. Ever. I sometimes put it down as worse than some of the things that he did, because of what resulted from it,' said one survivor. A team of researchers from Trinity and University College Cork have published a detailed 405-page report in collaboration with Women's Aid and other charities looking at the experiences of domestic violence and abuse survivors in Ireland. It looks particularly at their experiences of navigating the Irish family law system in guardianship, custody and access (GCA) cases. The research gathered data from almost 440 survivors of domestic abuse, nearly 200 people involved in services working against domestic violence, and 61 health, social care and legal professionals. It found that two-thirds of adult victim-survivors reported that judges failed to take their experiences of domestic violence and abuse into account when making decisions about guardianship, custody, and access involving the perpetrator. Survivors reported being put into the impossible position of having to adhere to court-ordered custody and access arrangements that placed their children in harm's way or risk facing penalties if they did not comply. They described their experience of the courts as relentless, overwhelmingly negative and retraumatising. When asked what, if anything, had been good about their experience of GCA proceedings in the family law court, many used terms like 'nothing', 'N/A' or 'zero'. 'Absolutely nothing. It was really traumatic, and I was made to feel like I was the problem for wanting to protect my children,' one woman said. Advertisement Another said: 'Absolutely nothing, was a completely traumatic experience where endless lies were ignored, false affidavits ignored, domestic abuse was ignored, mine and children's voices ignored, all my ex had to claim was parental alienation and courts falling over themselves for him despite the fact he cancelled all access. Maintenance hearings were dismissed more than once, I was belittled by judge in court.' Concerns were raised about solicitors or other legal professionals not understanding the sensitivity of the cases or giving bad legal advice. One participant described the courthouse as being 'like a zoo' with solicitors 'bouncing from person to person' and said that hours of being left waiting around the court opened up opportunities for her former partner to intimidate her; he was 'just staring at [me] the whole time – the intimidation is huge – absolutely huge'. Another said that being in the courtroom was 'like fighting with your hands tied behind your back. There's plenty you can say, but you can't say, because they're just going to throw it back at your kids. Your kids are going to get the backlash'. One woman said: 'I think the court system and every judge that I have met have placed catastrophic experiences on people – court is only a place for liars and actors. The court doesn't have time [and] they're not educated enough.' Survivors were asked to quantify their overall feelings of safety while going through the courts on a scale from one to 10, one being 'not safe at all/at risk' to 10 being 'very-safe/no risk'. The average rating among female survivors was 3.3/10. More than a quarter (26%) rated their feeling of safety as only 1/10. Women's Aid CEO Sarah Benson said the new report 'provides a picture of the horrendous abuse and control that adult and child victim-survivors have experienced during the relationship, while trying to leave and post-separation'. Benson said that it 'tells us that, sadly, even where there are some examples of informed and understanding practices among some key individuals, this is completely inadequate when the system itself is not attuned and responsive to the tactics and impacts of domestic abuse post-separation'. 'Participants in the research spoke of having to adhere to court ordered access to avoid being charged with violating a court order, requiring them to regularly engage with their abuser. This frequently provided court sanctioned opportunities for further abuse to occur,' she said. 'The research holds a mirror up to the reality of many families lives marred by domestic abuse and challenges us to do better. 'What we are particularly appalled by is the finding that adult victim-survivors of domestic abuse navigating the system for matters of guardianship, custody, and access describe the experience as relentless, overwhelmingly negative and retraumatising, with some saying that it became 'even worse than the abuse'.' Are you affected by issues raised in this article? Help is available: Women's Aid 24-hour National Freephone helpline on 1800 341 900 National Male Advice Line on 1800 816 588 Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Inspired by Ricky Ponting, MSD-like farewell: India's 'almost there' player Priyank Panchal
New Delhi: Gujarat batter 's decision to retire at 35 caught the cricket fraternity by surprise, including the state team's captain Chintan Gaja and other teammates. "I got to know about Panchal's retirement after he revealed it on Instagram," said Gaja. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Gujarat opener Aarya Desai similarly learnt about the decision on Instagram, admitting that the call left him surprised. "Nobody knew. We had no indication before he sent an email to the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) on the previous day in the evening. There was a sense of expectation that Panchal would play his 100th Ranji Trophy match in the upcoming season," said Gujarat Selection Committee chairman Kirat Damani during an exclusive interaction with Panchal took a leaf out of MS Dhoni's playbook, keeping his decision under wraps till the end with a quiet and unexpected announcement. The Gujarat batter bows out of the game with an impressive tally of 6,992 runs in 99 Ranji Trophy matches. Panchal finishes as the state's second-highest run-getter, scoring just 19 runs less than Parthiv Patel's tally of 7,011 runs. The 35-year-old accumulated 8,856 runs in 127 first-class matches, slamming 29 hundreds and 34 fifties, with an unbeaten 314 marking his highest score. However, even this mammoth tally of runs failed to earn Panchal a Team India debut, with the cricketer ending his career as an 'almost there' player. The batter smashed 1,310 runs during the 2016/17 Ranji Trophy season, helping Gujarat win the tournament. Panchal's performances resulted in his selection for India-A squads on multiple occasions, emerging as an impressive captain. The 35-year-old first got an opportunity with the Indian team after being picked for an away Test series against South Africa in 2021-22. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Panchal was also selected for a Test series against Sri Lanka in February 2022. However, the batter didn't get a chance to feature in the lineup. It was in such tough situations that Panchal, who idolises Rahul Dravid and draws inspiration from Ricky Ponting, showcased his character. Shubman Gill story: From a remote village near the border to India's Test captain "An anecdote I recall showcasing his mentality was when Panchal missed out on a chance to replace Cheteshwar Pujara in an away series against England, due to an injury. I thought he'd be extremely gutted. Panchal said, ''I've worked very hard. If I was destined to get that chance, I would've got it'. His maturity and grit astonished me," said Damani. "The one thing that stood out very early was his ability to learn from seniors and eagerness to improve. Panchal would show up season after season with thorough professionalism without letting the disappointment of non-selection for the Indian team affect his mentality," added Damani. Poll Should Priyank Panchal have been given a chance to represent Team India? Absolutely Maybe, but he had his chances No, he wasn't consistent enough Panchal faced questions regarding his capabilities during the 2024/25 edition of the Ranji Trophy, which marked his last tournament. The cricketer was under pressure before the team's semi-final against Kerala, considering his lack of big runs. "He was unable to convert starts. However, we were confident of his capabilities," said Gaja. Kerala scored 457 in their first innings, tiring out the Gujarat fielders by making them field for over two and a half days. Gujarat needed to cross Kerala's run tally in a game set to be decided based on the first-innings lead. Desai and Panchal stitched a 131-run partnership, putting the opposition under pressure. "We were very tired after fielding for two and a half days. Priyank told me to keep attacking. He even cautioned me when he felt I was being too casual, urging me to not lose focus," said Desai. Panchal maintained the intensity following his fellow opener's dismissal, scoring with intent. The batter let out a roar after scoring a century, leaving teammates and friends stunned, considering his quiet nature. The Gujarat cricketer continued to fight despite an injury on his left index finger. "The top hand plays a dominant role. Fingers on the left-hand are always vital for a right-handed batter," said Panchal. Ex-Gujarat cricketer Dhruv Raval said he's never seen his former teammate celebrate in such an aggressive manner. "It was very unexpected. It is extremely unfortunate that one of India's best domestic players failed to represent the nation," he added. "Priyank was very determined to help Gujarat reach the final. His celebration showed that there was a lot going on inside," stated Gaja. Panchal was eventually dismissed for 148, bowing out of the game on an astounding note. While the cricketer emerged as a solid run-scorer, he was also the ultimate teamman. "Panchal guided me a lot with technical issues, motivating me during my initial matches. His discipline is top-notch. I will certainly remember him for that," said Gujarat all-rounder Jaymeet Patel.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Priyank Panchal retires from all forms of cricket
AHMEDABAD: , who captained India 'A' and played a key role in Gujarat's maiden title-winning campaign in 2016-17, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Monday. His decision was conveyed by the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Panchal's last match was the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Kerala, in which the visitors edged Gujarat dramatically by virtue of a two-run first-innings lead. Panchal smashed a superb 148 in that match. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. Panchal played 127 first-class matches, including 99 Ranji Trophy Matches for Gujarat. He scored 8,856 runs with 29 hundred and 34 fifties, with an unbeaten 314 being his highest. The 35-year-old finishes as Gujarat's second-highest run-getter in first-class cricket, just 19 runs short of Parthiv Patel's 7011 runs. He was selected for the three-match Test series against South Africa in Dec 2021 as a replacement for the then-injured Rohit Sharma and was also part of the squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in Feb 2022. This was the closest the 35-year-old came to playing for India. The selectors were impressed with his 96-run knock in the first innings against a South Africa 'A' side in Bloemfontein. More Than a Team: The Rise of CSK & the Whistle Podu Army Former Gujarat Ranji coach Hitesh Majmudar, who was with the squad when Panchal made his debut, told TOI, 'He was unfortunate to not play for India. He did remarkably well when Gujarat won the Ranji Trophy in 2016-17, and also in the domestic T20 competition in 2013-14. He was the backbone of Gujarat batting.'
Barnama
23-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
LIMA' 25: GCA Forges Strategic Ties To Aid Malaysia's Aerospace, Defence Sector
LANGKAWI, May 23 (Bernama) -- Global Component Asia (GCA), a local aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service provider, is strengthening Malaysia's aerospace and defence sector by developing local expertise and forging key international partnerships. The effort is part of several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA' 25), which began on Tuesday. GCA chairman Datuk Nonee Ashirin Mohd Radzi said one of the key MoUs was signed with CW Aero Services (CWAS), aimed at strengthening Malaysia's position in the global aerospace market.
