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Cyprus court hands British man a 2-year prison term for killing his ailing wife to spare her pain
By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS
Associated Press
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A Cyprus court has sentenced a British man who killed his ailing wife in their retirement home to two years in prison, rejecting a defense request to hand down a suspended sentence after convicting him earlier of manslaughter. State prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou said Monday the three-judge bench imposed the prison term as a “deterrent.” But the judges had earlier ruled that David Hunter’s decision to suffocate his wife Janice in December 2021 was a made on the spur of the moment because he could no longer stand seeing her weeping in pain. Hadjikyrou said the court took into account that 76-year-old Hunter acted “out of love” to save his wife from suffering from a blood ailment. Defense lawyers said their client could be released by Aug. 18. | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/cyprus-court-hands-british-man-a-2-year-prison-term-for-killing-his-ailing-wife-to-spare-her-pain/ | 2023-07-31T10:17:39 | 1 | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/cyprus-court-hands-british-man-a-2-year-prison-term-for-killing-his-ailing-wife-to-spare-her-pain/ |
Children and their families arrive early Saturday for the 62nd East Ascension Sportman's League's Kids Fishing Rodeo in Geismar.
The young anglers lined the banks of the pond at Twin Lakes Mobile Home Estates.
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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. | https://www.theadvocate.com/the-62nd-edition-of-the-east-ascensions-sportmans-leagues-kids-fishing-rodeo-takes-place/article_f5f84584-2e56-11ee-9c32-b7dac01d9314.html | 2023-07-31T10:17:41 | 0 | https://www.theadvocate.com/the-62nd-edition-of-the-east-ascensions-sportmans-leagues-kids-fishing-rodeo-takes-place/article_f5f84584-2e56-11ee-9c32-b7dac01d9314.html |
A study examines the toll of silicosis on stone workers. Dozens of young Latino men in California developed severe lung disease and at least 10 died. (Story aired on ATC on July 24, 2023.)
Copyright 2023 NPR
A study examines the toll of silicosis on stone workers. Dozens of young Latino men in California developed severe lung disease and at least 10 died. (Story aired on ATC on July 24, 2023.)
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/stone-countertop-workers-are-getting-sick-and-dying-due-to-exposure-to-silica-dust | 2023-07-31T10:17:41 | 1 | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/stone-countertop-workers-are-getting-sick-and-dying-due-to-exposure-to-silica-dust |
Two new surveys from the CDC reveal a rising number of patients with an allergy to meat caused by tick bites. Called alpha-gal syndrome, it's far from the superpower the name suggests.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Two new surveys from the CDC reveal a rising number of patients with an allergy to meat caused by tick bites. Called alpha-gal syndrome, it's far from the superpower the name suggests.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/the-cdc-says-millions-of-americans-might-be-living-with-an-allergy-to-meat | 2023-07-31T10:17:43 | 1 | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/the-cdc-says-millions-of-americans-might-be-living-with-an-allergy-to-meat |
Ten defendants pled guilty in Pontotoc County Circuit Court last week and were sentenced.
The second week of court is ongoing and colludes Friday, August 4. No court will be held next week because of the August 8 general election primaries. The third week of court will run August 14-18.
Defendant David Charles Hudson,II, pled guilty to possession of meth and burglary of a building. On the meth charge Hudson was sentenced to a three years suspended prison term. On the burglary charge Hudson was sentenced to seven years in prison, but he was credited with time served and the balance suspended.
The two sentences will run consecutively. Hudson was placed on five years supervision, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $125 restitution.
Defendant Jaylin D. Souter pled guilty to accessory after the fact-burglary and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with nine years suspended. Souter placed on five years supervision and fined $1,000.
Defendant Brittany Rena Kestner pled guilty to possession of meth but the court withheld adjudication of guilt and imposition of sentencing pending five years probation. Kestner was fined $1,000 and must pay $125 restitution.
Defendant Marshall Lee Brodzinski pled guilty to burglary of a building and received a seven years suspended prison term. Brodzinski's sentence will run consecutively to one he is already serving. He was ordered to pay $3,000 restitution.
Defendant Jonathan Paul Bolton pled guilty to malicious mischief and received a 10 years prison term, but he was credited with time served and the balance suspended. Bolton was placed on five years supervision and his sentence will run concurrently with one he is already serving. Bolton was also fined $1,000.
Defendant Rodger Finley pled guilty to uttering a forged prescription and received a five years prison term. But Finley was given credit for time served and the balance suspended. He was placed on four years supervision and fined $1,000.
Defendant Joey Dayton Putt pled guilty to embezzlement but the court withheld adjudication of guilt and imposition of sentencing pending five years probation. Putt was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $3,897.27 restitution.
Defendant Rhonda Patterson pled guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor possession of a schedule II controlled substance. Patterson was ordered to pay fines, fees, costs and restitution totaling $870.75.
Defendant Lenny Weaver pled guilty to possession of meth and was sentenced to eight years in prison. But with no prior felony conviction, Weaver's sentence was suspended. Weaver was placed on five years supervision, fined $1,000 and must pay $75 restitution.
Defendant Derek H. Keith pled guilty to burglary of a building but the court withheld adjudication of guilt and imposition of sentence pending five years probation. Keith was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $1,775.00 in restitution.
Defendants arraigned and pleading not guilty included:
-Ryan Nelson Mitchell, possession of meth with intent;
-Alexis Danielle Nichols, two counts of child neglect;
-William Joseph Dugard, sale of meth.
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Error! There was an error processing your request. | https://www.djournal.com/pontotoc/news/ten-plead-guilty-in-circuit-court-sentenced/article_971fae2a-2d94-11ee-9f9b-37af4a6feae0.html | 2023-07-31T10:17:45 | 0 | https://www.djournal.com/pontotoc/news/ten-plead-guilty-in-circuit-court-sentenced/article_971fae2a-2d94-11ee-9f9b-37af4a6feae0.html |
Recruiting Season Is in Full Swing for Professional Football Players to Join Virtual Fan Engagement Channel
NAPLES, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Notable Live is announcing that it has added three more Pro Football Hall of Fame players to the Notable Live line-up for the upcoming season. In addition to existing players Emmitt Smith and Ray Lewis, Notable Live is excited to add Cris Carter, Champ Bailey and Ed Reed to the Notable Live team. This comes as a fast follow to Notable Live's recent multi-year commercial agreement with eBay and its Series A financing round led by eBay Ventures.
Notable Live is a tech-enabled virtual engagement platform that connects fans to teams, leagues and players in a way they have always dreamed about through an immersive experience. Notable Live, co-founded in 2018 by Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and entrepreneurial veteran Mike Antonucci, helps players monetize their image and personal brands not just on game day, but every day.
Through one set of login credentials, the Notable Live platform unlocks an expansive catalog of one-to-many engagement experiences, including live events and on-demand content. On the platform's commerce-enabled exchange, players, teams and leagues can activate live auction or marketplace functions to sell physical memorabilia, digital content, in-person experiences or other unique offerings. All items offered on the Notable Live platform and its associated channels can be authentically bought and sold across the growing and loyal community of Notable Live fans.
"The multi-billion annual sports memorabilia market is rapidly evolving to include new digital experiences, and Notable Live continues to grow its comprehensive platform for both the college and professional sports markets. We are pleased to announce the continued expansion of our roster of NFL athletes on our platform," said Mike Antonucci, co-founder and CEO of Notable Live.
"The fans bring their passion for the game and for their favorite players, ensuring the memorabilia space remains more about the fans than about the athletes," added Emmitt Smith, co-founder of Notable Live. "We are excited to continue expanding our platform with fellow Hall of Famers and other athletes."
About Notable Live
Notable Live was co-founded in 2018 by avid sports fan Mike Antonucci and Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith to create a unique platform providing sports fans with unparalleled access to their favorite notables via virtual interactive events. Notable Live, a mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play, grants fans real access to notables by putting them "in the room" together for memorable virtual experiences. Connect with Notable Live at www.notable.live or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Threads for iOS and Threads for Google Play.
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SOURCE Notable Live | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ | 2023-07-31T10:17:45 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ |
Europe’s economy shows modest growth after months of stagnation as rate hikes weigh on businesses
By DAVID McHUGH
AP Business Writer
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe’s economy is growing again — but not by much. Growth came in at 0.3% in the April-to-June quarter, following zero expansion in the three months immediately before. Stronger performance in Spain and France helped. But Germany, the largest of the 20 economies that use the euro, is holding things back with zero growth. High inflation is still sapping consumer spending power despite rebounding travel. Another factor is the series of interest rate hikes from the European Central Bank, which are making it harder to borrow to spend or invest. Amid inflation and higher rates, prospects for the rest of the year are muted. | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/europes-economy-shows-modest-growth-after-months-of-stagnation-as-rate-hikes-weigh-on-businesses/ | 2023-07-31T10:17:46 | 1 | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/europes-economy-shows-modest-growth-after-months-of-stagnation-as-rate-hikes-weigh-on-businesses/ |
The House and Senate left Washington for the month of August with a lengthy, time-sensitive to-do list waiting when they return, including multiple key health care priorities.
There will only be three weeks before the end of the fiscal year to get everything done, and just 11 legislative days when both chambers will be in session at the same time.
Congress faces a Sept. 30 deadline to reauthorize a sweeping pandemic preparedness bill, fund community health centers and renew opioid addiction services.
But the largest looming deadline is the appropriations bills to fund the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which are tied up in the House amid disagreements over abortion and spending levels.
GOP leaders scuttled a vote planned for Friday on legislation funding the FDA and the Department of Agriculture after moderate Republicans objected to a provision that would reverse the FDA’s decision to allow the abortion pill mifepristone drug to be dispensed through the mail and in retail pharmacies.
House Freedom Caucus members have also been demanding even deeper spending cuts than agreed to in the bipartistan debt ceiling deal.
The Labor-HHS bill advanced through a House Appropriations subcommittee earlier this month, but hadn’t even made it to the full committee before recess. The Republican-led House bill would slash or eliminate funding from a range of programs that deal with everything from family planning to teen pregnancy and even HIV.
Both FDA and HHS funding bills face a major fight in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where the Appropriations Committee has already passed its own version by near unanimous margins, owing to an agreement by Democratic and Republican leaders not to insert “poison pill” amendments.
House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.) argued in a floor speech that lawmakers should stay in Washington to strip out the “toxic, divisive, bigoted riders” in the bills, and ripped Republicans for delaying votes until September.
Pandemic preparedness
The House and Senate are taking different tracks in the reauthorization of the pandemic preparedness bill, complicating its path forward.
The Senate advanced a bipartisan version of the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act out of committee, but the House is divided. House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans advanced a bill on party lines after Democrats introduced their own version.
The primary disagreement is over drug shortages. Democrats are clamoring to give FDA more oversight authority to address the shortages, but Republicans are insisting on keeping the issues separate.
The Senate version contains some provisions addressing drug shortages, but only one involves beefing up FDA authority.
Congress is under pressure to stem drug shortages amid reports of doctors rationing cancer drugs and other medicine. Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee have said they are committed to dealing with the problems, but that it shouldn’t be part of the preparedness bill.
Energy and Commerce Committee GOP leaders released a discussion draft on Friday of drug shortage legislation focusing on the economic reasons for shortages, including giving some generic drug manufacturers the ability to raise the cost of their drugs if hospitals keep prices “artificially low” to the point where there’s no economic incentive.
Health centers
Legislation to reauthorize funding for community health centers also faces partisan challenges. But in this case, the House cleared its bill on a bipartisan basis, while the Senate is still working through disagreements, highlighting the work to be done.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, originally wanted tens of billions of dollars more for the centers. He was asking for $130 billion to fund the centers over the next five years as well as $60 billion to help grow the health care workforce.
But Sanders ended up canceling a planned markup during the last week of July. Raising some eyebrows, Sanders said he is working with Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) to craft a bipartisan bill that will be “ready by the first week of September.”
Separately, Sanders and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued a joint statement pledging to partner and work towards legislation in the fall aimed at addressing primary care and other health care workforce shortages.
Opioids
At issue are several provisions of sweeping legislation signed into law in 2018 called the Support Act, which aimed to tackle the country’s drug overdose epidemic.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced a bipartisan reauthorization and expansion bill, but advocates are concerned the Senate is behind.
HELP Committee ranking member Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced his own version of the bill on July 20, but hearings won’t be scheduled until September. Cassidy has warned that the committee is wasting time on partisan bills instead of easy bipartisan wins, such as the Support Act.
Insulin/PBM reform
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said for months that he wants to move legislation that would cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for people with private insurance.
There’s hope to combine it with legislation reforming the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry into a package that could get bipartisan support.
But there’s no looming deadline and no guarantee it will get taken up in September.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who is a co-sponsor of one of the insulin bills with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), said she still has Schumer’s support heading into the fall, but has not heard anything about timing.
Multiple committees have advanced PBM reform bills in both the House and Senate, so they will all need to be combined into one floor-friendly package. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/hill-politics/lawmakers-set-to-face-ticking-clock-on-health-care-priorities/ | 2023-07-31T10:17:47 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/hill-politics/lawmakers-set-to-face-ticking-clock-on-health-care-priorities/ |
NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Leslie Rasmussen about her new novel, The Stories We Cannot Tell, in which two women navigate pregnancy, infertility, relationships and family.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Leslie Rasmussen about her new novel, The Stories We Cannot Tell, in which two women navigate pregnancy, infertility, relationships and family.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/the-inspiration-behind-leslie-rasmussens-the-stories-we-cannot-tell | 2023-07-31T10:17:49 | 1 | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/the-inspiration-behind-leslie-rasmussens-the-stories-we-cannot-tell |
HOUSTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nutex Health Inc. ("Nutex Health" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: NUTX), a physician-led, technology-enabled integrated healthcare delivery system comprised of 21 state-of-the-art micro hospitals in 8 states and primary care-centric, risk-bearing physician networks, today announced that its Clinigence Health advanced population health analytics platform has been selected by Varmed Management, a Puerto Rico-based medical management company, to enhance its population health capabilities and patient care.
Clinigence Health's partnership with Varmed Management honors the company's commitment to improving quality of life and health outcomes through implementing advanced analytics and cutting-edge technology. Together, they aim to deliver unparalleled solutions to patients, ensuring seamless, whole-person care while reducing costs.
Clinigence Health is thrilled to assist Varmed Management in its mission. Sophisticated population health management requires a platform like Clinigence Health that helps organizations enhance the care delivered to their patients by identifying opportunities to engage its physicians and its patients with data to drive continued quality improvement.
"The partnership creates an environment where high-quality care is accessible and affordable to everyone in our community. By integrating Clinigence Health's advanced analytics into our population health management strategy, we can provide even more personalized patient care," stated José J. Vargas, Chief Executive Officer of Varmed Management.
"The healthcare industry continues to experience the loss of billions of premium dollars to overutilization and inappropriate use of services to the detriment of patient care. The transition to value-based care models requires organizations to understand the patterns of care and best medical practices that allow quality care to be delivered cost-effectively," stated Lawrence Schimmel, M.D., Chief Medical Information Officer of Nutex Health, Inc.
"Clinigence is a pioneer in clinical data integration, clinical quality reporting and population health analytics. Our scalable, purpose-built cloud-based platform has clinical and claims data on over 3 million patients and is in use by multiple independent practice associations ("IPAs"), medical groups, accountable care organizations ("ACOs"), hospitals and physicians. We look forward to partnering with the talented team at Varmed," stated Warren Hosseinion, M.D., President of Nutex Health.
For more information, visit Clinigence Health at www.clinigencehealth.com or email info@clinigence.com for personalized information requests.
About Nutex Health Inc.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas and founded in 2011, Nutex Health Inc. (NASDAQ: NUTX) is a healthcare management and operations company with two divisions: a Hospital Division and a Population Health Management Division.
The Hospital Division owns, develops and operates innovative health care models, including micro-hospitals, specialty hospitals, and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). This division owns and operates 21 facilities in 8 states.
The Population Health Management division owns and operates provider networks such as Independent Physician Associations (IPAs). Through our Management Services Organization (MSO), we provide management, administrative and other support services to our affiliated hospitals and physician groups. Our cloud-based proprietary technology platform aggregates clinical and claims data across multiple settings, information systems and sources to create a holistic view of patients and providers, allowing us to deliver greater quality care more efficiently.
About Varmed Management
Varmed Management is a fully integrated healthcare solutions provider. As a population health management organization, we are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions to our clients, improving quality of life through patient empowerment, improving healthcare outcomes and reducing costs. www.varmedmanagement.com
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements and information included in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words or phrases "will", "will likely result," "expected to," "will continue," "anticipated," "estimate," "projected," "intend," "goal," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks, known and unknown, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, our ability to successfully execute our growth strategy, changes in laws or regulations, including the interim final and final rules implemented under the No Surprises Act , economic conditions, dependence on management, dilution to stockholders, lack of capital, the effects of rapid growth upon the Company and the ability of management to effectively respond to the growth and demand for products and services of the Company, newly developing technologies, the Company's ability to compete, conflicts of interest in related party transactions, regulatory matters, protection of technology, lack of industry standards, the effects of competition and the ability of the Company to obtain future financing. An extensive list of factors that can affect future results are discussed in the Current Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2023 under the heading "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item IA thereof, and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such factors could materially adversely affect the Company's financial performance and could cause the Company's actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed within this press release.
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SOURCE Nutex Health, Inc. | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ | 2023-07-31T10:17:51 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ |
UK to grant hundreds of new oil and gas licenses, ignoring calls from environmentalists
By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Britain says it will grant hundreds of new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea in a bid for energy independence. The government is ignoring calls from the environmental campaigners and the United Nations to stop the development of new fossil fuel projects. The plans announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak include a pledge to invest 20 billion pounds, or about $26 billion, in carbon capture and storage projects as Sunak maintained the government’s commitment to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050. Sunak is traveling to Scotland to formally unveil the package. He says Britain will still need fossil fuels even after the country reaches its net zero target. | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/uk-to-grant-hundreds-of-new-oil-and-gas-licenses-ignoring-calls-from-environmentalists/ | 2023-07-31T10:17:53 | 1 | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/uk-to-grant-hundreds-of-new-oil-and-gas-licenses-ignoring-calls-from-environmentalists/ |
For the first time since 1991, the U.S. could miss making the Women's World Cup knockout round. NPR's A Martinez talks to Alicia DelGallo of USA Today Sports about the reasons why.
Copyright 2023 NPR
For the first time since 1991, the U.S. could miss making the Women's World Cup knockout round. NPR's A Martinez talks to Alicia DelGallo of USA Today Sports about the reasons why.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/the-u-s-is-at-risk-of-heading-home-early-from-the-fifa-womens-world-cup | 2023-07-31T10:17:55 | 0 | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/the-u-s-is-at-risk-of-heading-home-early-from-the-fifa-womens-world-cup |
BALTIMORE, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Opteev Technologies, Inc., a pioneering technology company at the forefront of diagnostics, has filed a patent (Patent Application #63/513,007) for a revolutionary multiplex biochip for respiratory infection diagnostics. The groundbreaking polymer-based biochip offers the potential to test multiple pathogens responsible for respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and Influenza, and precisely identify the specific virus or bacteria in under 1 minute. This game-changing technology paves the way for an ultra-rapid, portable, and accurate syndromic diagnostic device to empower healthcare providers with immediate results at their fingertips.
The tiny biochip can directly detect whole viruses in real-time in both processed and unprocessed samples such as saliva or nasal swab and has demonstrated an unprecedented accuracy rate of 99.49% with an impressive limit of detection in its analytical performance evaluation. Furthermore, the biosensor achieves fine-tuned specificity by carefully selecting specific virus-binding peptides, enabling accurate identification of target viruses in complex samples. To ensure precise and reliable virus detection, the biochip utilizes artificial intelligence to optimize the frequency range effectively mitigating the impact of interfering noise signals.
Unlike conventional respiratory panels that cost tens of thousands of dollars and take days to provide results, Opteev's multiplex biochip will offer healthcare providers affordable syndromic testing with the ability to process samples at the point of care, allowing for the simultaneous detection and specific identification of multiple pathogens instantaneously. This breakthrough technology will eliminate the need for speculation by providing healthcare providers with the critical information needed to deliver the most effective treatment options at the point of care.
"With the development of our multiplex biochip, we are revolutionizing point-of-care diagnostics," said Dr. Mesfin Meshesha, Vice President of Virology & Diagnostics at Opteev Technologies. "The potential of this technology to transform patient care, streamline operations, and reduce costs is truly remarkable."
As Opteev Technologies continues to push the boundaries of point-of-care diagnostics, the company welcomes potential collaborations and partnerships to further develop and commercialize its multiplex biochip. "Together, we can shape the future of diagnostics and unlock the massive potential of our game-changing multiplex biochip," said Conrad Bessemer, Opteev's Chairman and Co-founder.
For more information about Opteev Technologies and its groundbreaking multiplex biochip, please visit www.opteev.com.
Opteev Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, MD, is a pioneering technology company at the forefront of diagnostics. With a strong focus on respiratory pathogen detection, Opteev is committed to developing innovative solutions that revolutionize the field of point-of-care diagnostics. As a subsidiary of Novatec, Inc., a trusted manufacturer and supplier of machinery and sensor technology, Opteev leverages decades of experience to drive advancements in healthcare.
Media Contact:
Dana Gardner
Vice President
dgardner@opteev.com
Phone: 443-457-5214
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SOURCE Opteev Technologies, Inc | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ | 2023-07-31T10:17:58 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ |
Ukraine says Russian missiles hit another apartment building and likely trapped people under rubble
By FELIPE DANA
Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles slammed into the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, killing two people, wounding at least 20 others and trapping up to seven beneath rubble, Ukraine’s interior minister said Monday.
The two missiles struck an apartment building, destroying a section of it between the fourth and ninth floors, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. Part of a four-story university building also was destroyed, he said.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian artillery strike on partially occupied Donetsk province killed two people and wounded six in the regional capital, according to Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-installed leader of the llegally annexed province.
A bus was also hit as Ukrainian forces shelled the city of Donetsk multiple times Monday, Pushilin said.
Neither side’s claims could be independently verified.
In Kryvyi Rih, video showed rescue crews working through the wreckage from the part of the university building that was demolished. .
Black smoke billowed from corner apartments in the apartment building. Outside, debris was strewn across the tree-lined street. Parked cars were burned out or damaged.
The governor of Dnipropetrovsk province, Serhii Lysak, said the morning attack wounded 31 people, including four children. It was not possible to reconcile different casualty figures.
Kryvyi Rih is the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Kremlin’s forces have occasionally targeted the city since they invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Bombarding populated areas with missiles, artillery and drones has been a hallmark of Moscow’s tactics during the war, with some aerial attacks hitting civilian areas. The strategy has continued during a Ukrainian counteroffensive that is trying to drive Russian forces out of occupied areas.
Russian officials insist they only take aim at legitimate military targets.
Commenting on Monday’s attack, Ukraine’s president said that “in recent days, the enemy has been stubbornly attacking cities, city centers, shelling civilian objects and housing.”
“But this terror will not frighten us or break us,” Zelenskyy said in a social media statement.
In the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed another civilian Monday, local authorities said. Several others were reported to be wounded.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has sought to take the war deep into Russia, reportedly using drones to hit targets as far away as Moscow. The latest strike, on Sunday, damaged two office buildings a few miles (kilometers) from the Kremlin.
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia and Moscow-annexed territory, especially Crimea, have become more frequent recently.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/ukraine-says-russian-missiles-hit-another-apartment-building-and-likely-trapped-people-under-rubble/ | 2023-07-31T10:17:59 | 1 | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/ukraine-says-russian-missiles-hit-another-apartment-building-and-likely-trapped-people-under-rubble/ |
As Ukraine claims a strategic victory in a long, grinding counteroffensive, its troops say they need more long-range weapons to fight increasingly entrenched Russian troops.
Copyright 2023 NPR
As Ukraine claims a strategic victory in a long, grinding counteroffensive, its troops say they need more long-range weapons to fight increasingly entrenched Russian troops.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/ukraines-troops-are-slowly-pushing-russian-forces-out-of-occupied-ukrainian-land | 2023-07-31T10:18:01 | 1 | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/ukraines-troops-are-slowly-pushing-russian-forces-out-of-occupied-ukrainian-land |
After police hauled away a computer programmer, his wife was left to discover who her husband really was — a mysterious political blogger. (Story aired on All Things Considered on July 27, 2023.)
Copyright 2023 NPR
After police hauled away a computer programmer, his wife was left to discover who her husband really was — a mysterious political blogger. (Story aired on All Things Considered on July 27, 2023.)
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/woman-in-china-learned-about-her-husbands-secret-identity-after-police-grabbed-him | 2023-07-31T10:18:03 | 0 | https://www.knau.org/2023-07-31/woman-in-china-learned-about-her-husbands-secret-identity-after-police-grabbed-him |
Mobile Visual Processing Solutions Coupled with Dedicated Game Tuning Services Take Mobile Gaming Experience to a Brand-New Level
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pixelworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: PXLW), a leading provider of innovative visual processing solutions, today announced the official launch of its new IRX gaming experience brand. As a brand targeted at smartphone users, IRX is grounded on Pixelworks' mobile visual processing solutions and coupled with in-depth game tuning services. This combination leverages Pixelworks' expertise to achieve ultra-smooth gaming experience and the highest picture quality for different types of games on mobile devices. In addition, it exercises effective control of power consumption, latency and other performance variables to ensure stable and long-lasting gaming with optimal visual performance, providing end users with unparalleled mobile gaming experiences.
The IRX gaming experience is enabled by a portfolio of technology advantages and product application experiences based on the Company's innovative distributed rendering architecture. More specifically, Pixelworks' ultra-low latency MotionEngine® technology, low power super-resolution technology, AI Always-on HDR and other technologies bring optimized rendering capabilities to smartphones that exceed what can be achieved by a traditional chipset. Together with Pixelworks' profound tuning experience for different games on various mobile devices the result is a meaningfully enriched visual experience for smartphone users, which is the core foundation for the IRX gaming experience.
The IRX gaming experience brand will be supported by a certification program for mobile devices that incorporates Pixelworks visual processors. The certification program will be backed by a suite of visual quality evaluation systems agreed upon with smartphone manufacturers to ensure that Pixelworks powered smartphones provide the most outstanding gaming performance and utmost visual quality for consumers.
The IRX branded certification program is comprised of both device certification and game tuning services. Pixelworks will optimize the rendering capabilities and display quality of top games on mobile devices based on its visual processors' capabilities as well as the devices' performance characteristics. Smartphones that meet the technical requirements as well as Pixelworks' visual processing standards will be granted the IRX branded certification, and games that meet Pixelworks' visual quality requirements will be included in the IRX-supported game list. To date, there are 20 top games being enlisted on the IRX-supported game list, which can be found on Pixelworks' official IRX gaming experience website. Furthermore, Pixelworks plans to establish expanded communication channels with consumers to help further educate end users on the benefits of the IRX gaming experience.
"IRX is a gaming experience brand from Pixelworks targeted directly towards mobile device users." said Ting Xiong, President of Pixelworks China. "Pixelworks would like to empower smartphone manufacturers to break the ceiling of mobile gaming experience from content optimization to performance enhancement with its innovative rendering technologies and years of game tuning and optimization experience. Additionally, we are also aiming to develop and promote consumer awareness around how to better evaluate visual display quality and the mobile gaming experience, enabling them to make smarter choices when purchasing a smartphone. By utilizing professional technologies and services to build more links across both products and users, we hope to drive mutual growth through in-depth interactions while bringing display performance and the mobile gaming experience to a brand-new level."
About Pixelworks
Pixelworks provides industry-leading content creation, video delivery and display processing solutions and technology that enable highly authentic viewing experiences with superior visual quality, across all screens – from cinema to smartphone and beyond. The Company has more than 20 years of history delivering image processing innovation to leading providers of consumer electronics, professional displays and video streaming services.
For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.pixelworks.com.
Note: Pixelworks, MotionEngine and the Pixelworks logo are trademarks of Pixelworks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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SOURCE Pixelworks, Inc. | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:04 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ |
West African nations threaten to use force if Niger’s president isn’t reinstated within a week
By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — West African nations have given Niger’s coup leaders one week to reinstate the country’s democratically elected president and have threatened to use force if the demands aren’t met.
The announcement came at the end of an emergency meeting of West African countries Sunday in Nigeria, where the regional bloc, known as ECOWAS, convened to respond to last week’s military takeover. President Mohamed Bazoum remains under house arrest and has yet to resign.
“In the event the authority’s demands are not met within one week, (the bloc will) take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force,” said the statement.
The bloc also imposted strict sanctions, including suspending all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger and freezing of assets in regional central banks.
Economic sanctions could have a deep impact on Nigeriens, who live in the third-poorest country in the world, according to the latest U.N. data. The country relies on imports from Nigeria for up to 90% of its power, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
The sanctions could be disastrous and Niger needs to find a solution to avoid them, Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou told French media outlet Radio France Internationale on Sunday.
“When people say there’s an embargo, land borders are closed, air borders are closed, it’s extremely difficult for people … Niger is a country that relies heavily on the international community,” he said.
The 15-nation ECOWAS bloc has unsuccessfully tried to restore democracies in nations where the military took power in recent years. Four nations are run by military governments in West and Central Africa, where there have been nine successful or attempted coups since 2020.
In the 1990s, ECOWAS intervened in Liberia during its civil war. In 2017, it intervened in Gambia to prevent the new president’s predecessor, Yahya Jammeh, from disrupting the handover of power. Around 7,000 troops from Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal entered, according to the Global Observatory, which provides analysis on peace and security issues.
If the regional bloc uses force, it could trigger violence not only between Niger and ECOWAS forces but also civilians supporting the coup and those against it, Niger analysts say.
“While this remains to be a threat and unlikely action, the consequences on civilians of such an approach if putschists chose confrontation would be catastrophic,” said Rida Lyammouri, senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a Morocco-based think tank.
“I believe economic sanctions are the ones to be imposed, but don’t see a military intervention happening because of the violence that could trigger,” he said.
The military junta, which seized power on Wednesday when members of the presidential guard surrounded Bazoum’s house and detained him, is already cracking down on the government and civil liberties.
On Sunday, junta spokesman Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane said on state television that all government cars need to be returned by midday Monday and banned the use of social media to diffuse messages against state security. He also claimed that Bazoum’s government had authorized the French to carry out strikes to free Bazoum. The Associated Press can’t verify his allegations.
In anticipation of the ECOWAS decision Sunday, thousands of pro-junta supporters took to the streets in the capital, Niamey, denouncing its former colonial ruler, France, waving Russian flags and telling the international community to stay away.
Demonstrators in Niger are openly resentful of France, and Russia is seen by some as a powerful alternative. The nature of Moscow’s involvement in the rallies, if any, isn’t clear, but some protesters have carried Russian flags, along with signs reading “Down with France” and supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The situation of this country is not good … It’s time for change, and change has arrived,” said Moussa Seydou, a protester. “What we want from the putschists — all they have to do is improve social conditions so that Nigeriens can live better in this country and bring peace,” he said. | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/west-african-nations-threaten-to-use-force-if-nigers-president-isnt-reinstated-within-a-week/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:05 | 0 | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/31/west-african-nations-threaten-to-use-force-if-nigers-president-isnt-reinstated-within-a-week/ |
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 111, Inc. (NASDAQ: YI) ("111" or the "Company"), a leading tech-enabled healthcare platform company committed to digitally connecting patients with medicine and healthcare services in China, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023, before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, August 24, 2023.
111's management team will host an earnings conference call at 7:30 AM U.S. Eastern Time on Thursday, August 24, 2023 (7:30 PM Beijing Time on the same day).
Details for the conference call are as follows:
Conference Topic: 111, Inc. Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call
Registration Link: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10032701-ygfhis.html
All participants must use the link provided above to complete the online registration process in advance of the conference call. Upon registering, each participant will receive a set of participant dial-in numbers, the Direct Event passcode, and a unique Registration ID, which can be used to join the conference call.
Please dial in 15 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the Direct Event passcode and unique Registration ID you have received upon registering to join the call.
A telephone replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the conference call until August 31, 2023
United States: +1 855 883 1031
Mainland China: 4001 209 216
Hong Kong: 800 930 639
International: +61 7 3107 6325
Conference ID: 10032701
A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the website at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/iw7ck9oc
About 111, Inc.
111, Inc. (NASDAQ: YI) ("111" or the "Company") is a leading tech-enabled healthcare platform company committed to digitally connecting patients with medicine and healthcare services in China. The Company provides consumers with better access to pharmaceutical products and healthcare services directly through its online retail pharmacy, 1 Pharmacy, and indirectly through its offline virtual pharmacy network. The Company also offers online healthcare services through its internet hospital, 1 Clinic, which provides consumers with cost-effective and convenient online consultation, electronic prescription service, and patient management service. In addition, the Company's online platform, 1 Medicine Marketplace, serves as a one-stop shop for pharmacies to source a vast selection of pharmaceutical products. With the largest virtual pharmacy network in China, 111 enables offline pharmacies to better serve their customers with cloud-based services. 111 also provides an omni-channel drug commercialization platform to its strategic partners, which includes services such as digital marketing, patient education, data analytics, and pricing monitoring.
For more information on 111, please visit: http://ir.111.com.cn/.
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SOURCE 111, Inc. | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:06 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ |
Highly experienced Corporate Financier and Business Builder Will Partner with René Obermann to Further Accelerate the Growth and Momentum of the Firm's European Business
LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Warburg Pincus, a leading global growth investor, today announced the appointment of Andrew Sibbald as a Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe. Mr. Sibbald will work alongside veteran investor and current Co-Head of Europe, René Obermann, based in Berlin. Mr. Sibbald will succeed Adarsh Sarma, who will remain a Managing Director and Partner with the Firm, focusing on his existing portfolio. Jim Neary, Co-Head of U.S. Private Equity, will work closely with Andrew, René and the European team to support the firm's global strategy, portfolio management and new investments.
Based in London, Mr. Sibbald joins Warburg Pincus from Evercore, where he most recently served as Chairman and Senior Managing Director of Evercore's European investment banking business. He was previously the Co-Founder and Senior Partner of Lexicon Partners which was acquired by Evercore in 2011. With over 35 years of financial services experience, Mr. Sibbald has advised on many notable M&A and corporate finance transactions including recently: Arcmont on its sale to Nuveen; Global Risk Partners on its sale to Brown & Brown; and AA on its sale to Warburg Pincus and TowerBrook Capital.
"Andrew's impressive expertise and deep-rooted experience, particularly in Europe, advising leading companies on a variety of sophisticated transactions will serve our portfolio and investing teams well as we continue to navigate complex market dynamics," said Chip Kaye, CEO, Warburg Pincus. "We look forward to welcoming Andrew to Warburg Pincus and want to thank Adarsh for his 18+ years of service in the US and Europe," continued Jim Neary, Managing Director, Co-Head of U.S. Private Equity, Warburg Pincus.
"I have long admired the success and culture of Warburg Pincus and I'm thrilled to be joining the firm. I have enormous respect for René and look forward to working closely with him and the team in Europe to drive further positive momentum in the business here. Warburg Pincus has an incredibly strong reputation for creating effective partnerships with management teams all over the world to deliver sustainable value and growth, as well as attractive returns for its investors. I strongly believe that the firm's long established global platform together with its local networks and insights provide real advantages to the management teams and businesses that partner with us," said Andrew Sibbald.
Warburg Pincus is one of the leading private equity investors in Europe. Since the firm's first European transaction in 1983, the firm has invested more than $15B in over 130 companies in 23 European countries. The firm has one of the largest pools of available private equity capital in Europe and seeks to partner with management teams that are building, transforming or acquiring businesses with the potential to be market leaders with enduring value.
Prior to founding Lexicon Partners in 2000, Mr. Sibbald was a Managing Director at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where he led a team specializing in M&A in the financial institutions sector. He was previously a Partner in The Phoenix Partnership.
About Warburg Pincus
Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global growth investor. The firm has more than $83 billion in assets under management. The firm's active portfolio of more than 250 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector, and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 21 private equity and 2 real estate funds, which have invested more than $112 billion in over 1,000 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.warburgpincus.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.
Contact
Kerrie Cohen | Managing Director, Head of Communications
T: +1 212 878 9207
E: kerrie.cohen@warburgpincus.com
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SOURCE Warburg Pincus | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/andrew-sibbald-joins-warburg-pincus-co-head-europe/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:07 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/andrew-sibbald-joins-warburg-pincus-co-head-europe/ |
Updated July 31, 2023 at 5:30 AM ET
Pakistan held funerals Monday for victims of a massive suicide bombing that targeted an election rally for a pro-Taliban cleric the previous day, as the death toll climbed to at least 54 and the government vowed to hunt down those behind the attack.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday's bombing, which also wounded nearly 200 people. Police said their initial investigation suggested that the Islamic State group's regional affiliate could be behind the attack.
The victims were attending a rally organized by the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, headed by hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman. He did not attend the rally, held under a large tent close to a market in Bajur, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.
Rehman, who has long supported Afghanistan's Taliban government, escaped at least two known bomb attacks in 2011 and 2014, when bombings damaged his car at rallies.
Victims of the bombing were buried in Bajur on Monday.
As condolences continued to pour in from across the country, dozens of people who received minor injuries were discharged from hospital while the critically wounded were taken to the provincial capital of Peshawar by army helicopters. The death toll rose to 46 on Monday as two critically wounded people died in hospital, physician Gul Naseeb said.
On Monday, police recorded statements from some of the wounded at a hospital in Khar, Bajur's largest town. Feroz Jamal, the provincial information minister, said police were "investigating this attack in all aspects."
At least 1,000 people were gathered under a large tent Sunday as their party prepared for parliamentary elections, expected in October or November.
"People were chanting God is Great on the arrival of senior leaders, when I heard the deafening sound of the bomb," said Khan Mohammad, a local resident who said he was standing outside the tent.
Mohammad said he heard people crying for help, and minutes later ambulances started arriving and taking the wounded away.
Abdul Rasheed, a senior leader in Rehman's party said the bombing was aimed at weakening the party but that "such attacks cannot deter our resolve."
Islamist groups have long had a presence in Bajur. The district was formerly a base for Al Qaida and a stronghold of the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The army declared the district clear of the group in 2016 following a series of offensives.
The IS regional affiliate, known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, is based in neighboring Afghanistan's Nangarhar province and is a rival of the Afghan Taliban and Al Qaida.
Pakistani security analyst Mahmood Shah told The Associated Press that breakaway factions of the TTP could also be behind the attack. He said some TTP members have been known to disobey their top leadership to carry out attacks, as have breakaway factions of the group.
Shah said such factions could have perpetrated the attack to cause "confusion, instability and unrest ahead of the elections."
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to dissolve Pakistan's parliament in August.
Rehman's party is part of Sharif's coalition government, which came to power in April 2022 by ousting former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the legislature.
Sharif called Rehman to express his condolences and assure the cleric that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished. The bombing has also drawn nationwide condemnation, with ruling and opposition parties offering condolences to the families of the victims. The U.S. and Russian embassies in Islamabad also condemned the attack.
Khan condemned the bombing Sunday.
The Pakistani Taliban also distanced themselves from the attack, saying that the attack aimed to set Islamists against each other. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, wrote in a tweet that "such crimes cannot be justified in any way."
The bombing came hours before the arrival of Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Islamabad, where on Monday he was to participate in an event to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a sprawling package under which Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Pakistan.
In recent months, China has helped Pakistan avoid a default on sovereign payments. Some Chinese nationals have also been targeted by militants in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere.
Sunday's bombing was one of the four worst attacks in northwestern Pakistan since 2014, when 147 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar.
In January, 74 people were killed in a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar. And in February, more than 100 people, mostly policemen, died in a bombing at a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-31/the-death-toll-in-the-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-as-families-hold-funerals | 2023-07-31T10:18:09 | 0 | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-31/the-death-toll-in-the-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-as-families-hold-funerals |
NEWARK, N.J. and NANJING, China, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Biosion USA, Inc. (Biosion), a global clinical-stage R&D biotechnology company, today announced the phase 2 study initiation for the evaluation of BSI-045B, an anti-TLSP mAb, in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) .
"We are pleased to have initiated this important Phase 2 trial, which brings us closer to delivering a new treatment option for patients with atopic dermatitis," said Hugh M. Davis, Ph.D. Chief Business and Development Officer & President, Biosion USA. "This marks another important clinical milestone for Biosion in our effort to develop more high value treatment options for patients."
The phase I study of BSI-045B demonstrated its potential to be a first-in-class treatment for AD due to its single dose activity in a cohort of AD patients, excellent PK and favorable safety profile. The phase II study is designed to assess the efficacy of BSI-045B as monotherapy as well as in combination therapy with Dupixent® to further increase therapeutic effectiveness for patients who are suffering from AD.
For additional information on this trial (NCT05114889), please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov
About BSI-045B
BSI-045B is a high-affinity, humanized monoclonal antibody, targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a cytokine that is implicated in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis, asthma and other eosinophilic and Th2 immune-related diseases. Biosion's collaboration partner - CTTQ, a China-based pharmaceutical company with rights to BSI-045B (TQC2731) for China development and commercialization, is currently conducting a Phase II clinical trial of BSI-045B in China for the treatment of severe uncontrolled asthma.
About Biosion
Biosion is a global, clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to developing antibody-based therapies to improve patient outcomes for the treatment of immune and oncologic diseases. Established in 2017, Biosion has built a pipeline of innovative biologics through its internally derived proprietary technologies including the H³ antibody discovery platform, SynTracer® high-throughput endocytosis platform, and Flexibody® bispecific platform. Biosion's lead asset, BSI-045B (anti-TSLP mAb), is currently in phase-II for severe asthma and phase-I for atopic dermatitis. Biosion and partners have plans to progress the immune-oncology and antibody drug conjugate-based portfolio into clinical trials for oncology indications over the next year. Biosion has operations in the US, Australia, and China.To learn more about Biosion, please go to www.biosion.com.
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SOURCE Biosion, Inc. | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/biosion-announces-phase-ii-study-start-anti-tslp-mab-bsi-045b-atopic-dermatitis-adamant/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:09 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/biosion-announces-phase-ii-study-start-anti-tslp-mab-bsi-045b-atopic-dermatitis-adamant/ |
LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Talking Tom and MrBeast just announced a unique collaboration for Talking Tom's 10th birthday party! Starting today, players of My Talking Tom 2, the popular virtual pet game, can unwrap an exclusive surprise from MrBeast himself — a one-of-a-kind outfit. Additionally, Talking Tom and MrBeast are also joining forces with a contribution to the Tebow CURE Hospital for underprivileged children in the Philippines.
"Our collaboration with MrBeast for Talking Tom's 10th anniversary demonstrates our commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences to our players," said Xinyu Qian, CEO of Outfit7. "By offering an exclusive MrBeast outfit and extending our support to the Tebow CURE Hospital, we aim not only to enhance the excitement within the game but also to make a meaningful difference in the lives of underprivileged children."
For a limited time of two weeks, the exclusive MrBeast outfit for Tom can be found in the bedroom wardrobe, or claimed through a pop-up gift box, either on the porch or in the bathroom. As part of the 10th birthday celebration, Tom has also given users a generous gift of 100,000 in-game gold coins, which are still attainable in the game.
In addition to the in-game collaboration, Talking Tom and MrBeast have joined forces to support the Tebow CURE Hospital, which provides assistance to underprivileged children in the Philippines. Together they will support the hospital's activities for a month, enabling them to carry out over 150 surgeries. To ensure sustainable care for the children, the hospital will also receive a year's supply of essential orthopaedic supplies.
Download My Talking Tom 2 now and claim the exclusive MrBeast outfit! It will be available for free in My Talking Tom 2 for a limited time, from July 30 to August 13, 2023.
ABOUT OUTFIT7: Outfit7 Limited is a dynamic force in mobile gaming, reaching a global audience of billions with its award-winning games. Powered by creativity and industry-leading expertise, the company's talented international team of around 400 people pushes the boundaries of the possible every day. Outfit7's 20+ games have now been downloaded worldwide over 21 billion times and up to 470 million fans play with them every month. Its portfolio also includes numerous chart-topping animated series, theme parks, and a licensing program. You can find more information at www.outfit7.com.
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2164951/Outfit7.jpg
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LOGAN, Utah, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyrusher, the professional e-bike producer, will launch pre-sales of the Nitro, the company's first mid-motor model, in late-July. This is an ebike with great comfort and speed for your 2023 riding adventure. Riders will enjoy a pleasant and effortless ride on the Nitro, as well as greater power, speed and control compared to a hub motor electric bike.
The Nitro, appearing as the first mid-motor model, integrates design aesthetics, technological innovation and a variety of other factors to ensure riders have a pleasant and smooth riding experience that exceeds expectations.
An attractive aesthetic design style - three color options
The Nitro follows the color-rich design style of the Cyrusher models while incorporating its own design aesthetics, making it a colorful option for many riders. The Nitro has a color-blocking design that keeps the black color of the rear frame while varying the fork gradient colorways to create a unique frame style. The Nitro is available in three color options, black red, and blue, to suit different rider preferences.
The ultimate speed experience - the mid-motor configuration
There is no doubt that this mid-motor Nitro was developed to meet the needs of the rider. The highly effective mid-mounted motor, which has been improved to provide an unprecedented level of power, is the most significant addition to the updated Nitro. The utterly improved 1000W Bafang mid-drive motor makes the e-bike's ride feel more dynamic responding readily to the rider even at maximum speed. To optimise the bike's balance, the mid-mounted motor is incorporated directly into the pedals and cranks. This also results in more efficient power transmission from the motor and higher climbing ability and weight lifting capability.
In addition, unlike other hub motor categories, the Nitro delivers 160 Nm of torque power, offering more flexibility for speed variation and a genuinely powerful speed sensation.
Powerful energy supply - 48V 20Ah Samsung Li-battery
The battery that powers the mid-mounted engine on the Nitro is still as secure, water-resistant and durable as the usual model. In combination with the mid-motor's more efficient power transmission, the 48V 20Ah battery allows the bike to cover up to 85 miles with its reliable capacity. Along with extending the vehicle's lifespan and durability, it can efficiently charge up to 800 cycles, making it an extremely cost-effective option.
Safe braking capability - hydraulic brakes
To improve braking power, Nitro chose twin-piston calipers. The twin-piston calipers allow for a larger surface area of contact with the brake rotors which increases the friction when the brakes are applied. Hydraulic brakes enable quicker braking reactions and improved traffic safety. The extra engine cut-off feature ensures that the brakes can be applied quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency, providing an extra layer of safety and security. The Nitro helps the rider cycle freely on the road and stop easier, achieving a better balance between thrill and safety.
Solid road pioneering - puncture-resistant fat tires
Nitro, with a 26*4 fat tire, is developed to be a powerful means of transportation. Fat tires offer much better traction and cushioning than regular tires, allowing you to easily navigate through difficult terrains like sand and mud. Therefore, Nitro is a great tool for exploring the city and the outdoors, with the ability to twist and turn through crowded streets, climb steep slopes and ride along soft beaches. Besides providing stability on slippery surfaces, Nitro can handle higher speeds with less chance of blowouts.
The top comfort escort - front and rear air shock absorption
The powerful Nitro is a full suspension electric bike with front and rear air suspension, guaranteeing maximum comfort. It offers better cushioning than previous generations. The adjustable front and rear air suspension features the highest configuration, allowing it to take on more challenging terrain without sacrificing comfort. It offers 135mm of thread that can be adjusted separately for terrain variations, boosting the damping effect for an enjoyable riding experience.
Reliable load capacity - upgraded to 200kg load capacity
The Nitro was designed with a mid-motor that reduces the bike's center of gravity, giving it outstanding balance. This allows the bike to carry up to 200kg of cargo. Additionally, its high load capacity ensures that the bike's weight doesn't negatively impact its performance.
Smooth gear transport - Shimano 10-speed transmission
The drive system's reliability is essential in order to ensure that the Nitro will be able to take full advantage of its improved high torque capabilities. The Shimano transmission helps to reduce wear and tear on the chain, making it more durable and efficient. The 10-speed pedal assist mode option gives riders the flexibility to choose the speed setting that perfectly suits their needs, ensuring that the bike can be tailored to meet the requirements of any type of rider.
All the details are there - the accessories
The Nitro comes with its own Led front and rear tail lights which provide excellent illumination and make sure that the rider is able to ride in dimly lit conditions. And, the Nitro has an updated Bafang back-lit display that allows the rider to more clearly track data such as speed, battery life, range and pedal assist levels.
Reliable after-sales service
The Cyrusher team consistently prioritizes the customer's needs and provides them with outstanding service. The team is available for customer inquiries and feedback 24/7 and offers fast and efficient response times. A long-term guarantee with a two-year product warranty backs the Nitro. The reliable customer service demonstrates Cyrusher's commitment to customer satisfaction, giving Cyrusher a distinct competitive edge.
Price tag
Priced at $4499, the powerful Nitro opens up even more riding possibilities for riders. The Nitro is equipped with a powerful engine and advanced features such as an adjustable suspension and quick brakes. This makes it a great choice for riders looking for a performance-oriented ride. If you are interested in the powerful Nitro, you can find more details on the official website.
What is the significance of the development of a Nitro?
Sustainable energy solution for a greener planet
Cyrusher has always been committed to green and sustainable development, exporting green travel vehicles worldwide and launching high-quality electric mobility tools to support sustainable development. By developing Nitro, Cyrusher demonstrates its commitment to its original goal. Nitro is an innovative and powerful electric bike that offers riders the ultimate convenience, comfort and performance. The company is helping to reduce carbon footprints and support a green earth by encouraging more people to cycle.
Leading the industry to new heights
A healthy competitive relationship provides a favourable opportunity for the industry to upgrade and change. The Cyrusher e-bike has been designed to maintain its own unique characteristics while responding to the changing market trends and offering more competitive value-for-money models to meet the needs of cyclists of all ages and performance levels. The launch of the Nitro is Cyrusher's newest work in the mid-motor field. With high quality range, powerful running ability and ultimate comfort, it is undoubtedly the most competitive product of its kind. Cyrusher will keep improving its technology and services in the future to offer better value to more riders and set a new benchmark for the sector.
A constant insight into customer needs
The Nitro is based on the company's insights into user needs and changing industry standards. Cyrusher insists on being user-centred, with high-quality components that have been repeatedly researched, tested and polished over a long period of time. The Nitro integrates comfort, safety and stability to bring riders the ultimate rewarding experience beyond expectations. The Nitro can be used freely on any road and with the wind blowing gently in your face, you'll have a more comfortable and enjoyable riding experience. Cyrusher is always moving forward and making great strides.
About Cyrusher
Cyrusher is a reputable producer of electric bicycles for professionals that have been successfully marketed in more than 10 nations worldwide. The brand's electric bicycles pass rigorous international quality tests and meet CE, UL, Rhos and FCC requirements. Additionally, Australia, China, the EU, Japan, Korea and the USA have registered and approved the brand. An offline store test-ride service has also been introduced in a number of nations, including the USA, UK and France. Cyrusher will keep expanding its range of vehicles to satisfy the needs of more riders, offering a solution for zero-carbon, fast and convenient urban commuting.
Cyrusher Contact:
UK official website: www.cyrusher.co.uk
US official website: www.cyrusher.com
French official website: www.cyrusher.fr
German official website: www.cyrusher.de
Phone: 01134900889
Email: support@cyrusher.com
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SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2023 China Digital Entertainment Congress commenced on Thursday alongside ChinaJoy, the country's largest gaming event. Lu Xiaoyin, Co-CEO and President of Perfect World Co., Ltd, as well as the CEO of Perfect World Games, was among the esteemed guests in attendance.
During his keynote speech, Lu emphasized the rapid development of the Chinese gaming industry, which has greatly benefited from the country's "digitalization" strategies. He highlighted the industry plays a crucial role in promoting digitalization across various sectors, including empowering the real economy, driving technological innovation, and preserving cultural heritage.
Lu lauded Chinese games for their exceptional ability to embody the essence of Chinese culture, offering a wealth of inspiration for game development. In line with this approach, Perfect World integrates elements of China's cultural heritage into its games. For instance, the company has artfully incorporated China's intangible cultural heritage, Suzhou embroidery, into its mobile game "Tower of Fantasy", and showcased the beauty of Chinese traditional opera Huangmei Opera in another mobile game "Zhuxian".
Lu highlighted the inseparable connection between technology and the gaming industry. Specifically, he emphasized the pivotal role of digital intelligence technologies like generative AI in optimizing game content creation and production methods.
Perfect World recognized the potential of AI technology several years ago and took significant steps by establishing an AI center. This center serves as a hub for applying AI across different production chains, including NPC creation, modeling, painting, and story development.
The gaming industry is driven by technologies like VR, AR, and AI, which inject vitality into the broader economy. Perfect World has collaborated with local governments and scenic spots to incorporate digital scenes into tourism to offer tourists a captivating experience.
Lu emphasized Perfect World is a R&D-oriented enterprise, with high-quality products serving as the cornerstone of the company's growth. The company focuses on two main categories: "MMO+" and "card+". On one hand, it upgrades classic MMORPG genres, introducing mobile games like "New Swordsman", "World of Jade Dynasty", "Fantasy New Jade Dynasty", and "Perfect New World". On the other hand, it creates games of different genres, such as "One Punch Man: World", "Persona 5: The Phantom X" and "Kai-Ri-Sei Million Arthur: Ring".
Additionally, Perfect World actively pursues the distribution of its games overseas, with "Tower of Fantasy" achieving remarkable success since its release in August 2022, and soon to be launched on PlayStation.
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Michelle Yeoh marries partner Jean Todt nearly 7,000 days after he first proposed
By Simone McCarthy, CNN
(CNN) — Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh has married her longtime partner Jean Todt in a ceremony in Switzerland – nearly two decades after the French businessman first proposed to her.
Yeoh, 60, who earlier this year became the first woman of Asian descent to win the Academy Award for best actress, confirmed her marriage to Todt, 77, a former head of Ferrari, on Instagram over the weekend.
“19 years and YES!! we are married!! Thkq to our ‘families’ who love us for all these years. We love you and here’s to many more to come,” the Malaysian actress wrote.
The post included images of the two exchanging rings and another of them sitting snuggled together on a bed decorated with flower petals.
A shot of a printed wedding message posted to Instagram by racing driver Felipe Massa, who was a guest at the ceremony, gave a glimpse into the long love story that led to last week’s nuptials.
“We met in Shanghai on 4th June 2004. On 26th July 2004, J.T. proposed to marry M.Y. and she said YES! Today after 6,992 days on 27th July 2023 in Geneva surrounded by loving family and friends, we are so happy to celebrate this special moment together!” the message read.
Yeoh broke into a new level of celebrity status this year for her acclaimed performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
The movie, which follows the story of a Chinese immigrant and laundromat owner who finds herself at the center of a struggle in the multiverse, won seven Oscars out of 11 nominations – including best picture – at the Academy Awards in March.
When accepting her Oscar, the star called it a “beacon of hope and possibilities” for “all the little boys and girls who look like me.” Yeoh, who did many of the stunts in the action film herself, also gave a shout out to women, saying: “Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.”
Movie credits for Yeoh, who is widely considered an icon of martial arts cinema, also include Marvel Studio’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021), “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018), “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” (2008), “Memoirs Of A Geisha” (2005) and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000).
She made her name in Hong Kong action movies of the 1980s and 90s, before her breakthrough international role in 1997 opposite Pierce Brosnan in “Tomorrow Never Dies.”
And Yeoh’s part in that James Bond movie received a nod at her wedding – among images the actress shared announcing her marriage was a fake film poster with the title: “Love Never Dies.”
The poster doctored an image from an epic motorcycle ride in the Bond flick to replace Brosnan’s face with Todt’s, while Yeoh appears on the back of the bike.
Todt posted the framed image on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, over the weekend, thanking long-time Bond producer Barbara Broccoli for the “touching” wedding gift.
Todt, who made his name as a World Rally Championship co-driver, is also a former president of Formula 1’s governing body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile. He currently serves as the United Nations Secretary General’s special envoy for road safety.
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If you're feeling a bit brain-fogged these days, you might not be wrong to blame it on the heat.
Several summers back, researchers in Boston studied young adults living in college dorm rooms during a heat wave. Some had central AC, and slept at a cool 71 degrees Fahrenheit. But others slept in rooms without air-conditioning, where the temperature hovered around 80 degrees.
Each morning for nearly two weeks the students took a few tests, administered on their cell phones. The people who slept in the hotter dorm rooms performed measurably worse on the tests.
The tests included a math test requiring simple addiction and subtraction and a second test, the Stroop test, that jumbles colors and words. "So, if I show the word 'red' in the color blue, participants have to respond 'blue'," says study author Jose Guillermo Cedeño Laurent, an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health.
It's easy to get tripped up if your attention or reaction time is slowed, he says, and that's exactly what heat appears to be doing. "The magnitude of the effect was really striking," Cedeño Laurent says. "We saw reductions in the order of 10% in their response times and also their accuracy."
Part of this effect may be explained by interrupted sleep. It can be hard to get a good night's rest if you're not accustomed to the heat, and a lack of sleep could certainly impair reaction time and focus. But there's a body of evidence suggesting it may be something about the heat itself that interferes with cognition.
A similar study published in 2021 also documented a dip in cognitive performance at air temps of 79 degrees. Researchers found that as the temperature rose, activity in the parasympathetic nervous system, the anti-stress system that can help us stay calm and relaxed, was lowered. Plus oxygen saturation levels in the blood were lower at the elevated temperatures as well, which the researchers said could be expected to result in reduced cognitive performance.
Other studies have found an effect from heat on office workers and on standardized test score performance, says Caleb Dresser, an emergency medicine physician who also serves as the director of health care solutions at the Harvard Chan Center for Climate, Health and Global Environment.
One of these studies showed that productivity in the workplace is highest when the air temperature is about 72 degrees, and productivity starts to drop off in the mid-70s. And another shows that for high school students, taking a standardized test on a hot day is linked to poorer performance.
Dresser says the evidence suggests that heat can influence us in sometimes indiscernible ways. "All of these [studies] seem to point to a reduced ability to think clearly and quickly and efficiently when the body is too hot," he says.
There's also research to suggest that heat can make you moodier or irritated, in part, perhaps, by raising cortisol levels, and inducing a stress response.
Of course, you can acclimate to heat after several days of exposure, and our bodies have several built-in coping mechanisms that help us cool down. For instance, you'll begin to sweat sooner and blood flow to the skin increases, which can carry heat away from the body's core.
But, given the extreme heat waves that are becoming more common, there's increasing interest in better understanding the mechanisms by which heat may exacerbate or set off mood and anxiety-related problems. Dresser points to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2022 that found hospital ER visits, for mental health conditions, rise during extremely hot days.
"I think this is consistent with what a lot of physicians will tell you if they have worked during hot conditions," Dresser says. Mental health is a concern all of the time, "but it can become a bigger concern during really hot conditions," he says.
Multiple factors likely explain how heat exacerbates the risks, beyond changes in stress hormones and sleep disturbances. Dresser points out that there's an overlap between populations who are vulnerable to mental health issues and populations that are unhoused or have intermittent access to housing.
And, clearly, if someone is living outside during a heat wave, there's a greater likelihood of significant impact. "There may be complicated social issues going on," he says.
A better understanding of all of these factors could help inform strategies to prevent or manage the challenges. "As we learn to live in a warming world where the summers are getting hotter, we need to be extra alert to recognize when conditions are dangerous and take steps to stay safe," Dresser says.
One of the key strategies is to stay well hydrated. This may sound obvious, but dehydration is common in the summer, and many people underestimate how much fluid they need to replace when they're sweating a lot or spending time outdoors.
In fact, the participants in the college dorm study benefited from staying well-hydrated. During the study, the researchers sent text messages asking all the participants how much liquid they'd consumed, and it turned out that the participants who slept in the hot dorm rooms, and drank less than 6 glasses of liquid per day, performed worse on the tests. And prior research has shown that being even a little dehydrated can impair cognitive performance.
It's a reminder that a simple step – remembering to drink plenty of water – can help protect not just our physical health, but our mental wellbeing, too.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-31/yes-heat-can-affect-your-brain-and-mood-heres-why | 2023-07-31T10:18:15 | 0 | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-31/yes-heat-can-affect-your-brain-and-mood-heres-why |
16TH annual event features turtles named after characters in Disney's frighteningly fun adventure movie, "Haunted Mansion," now playing in theaters.
VERO BEACH, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the weekend at Disney's Vero Beach Resort, researchers from the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) and Disney Conservation released two sea turtles as part of the 16th annual Tour de Turtles "migration marathon." Tour de Turtles is a fun, educational event that follows the migration of sea turtles from their nesting beaches to their feeding grounds and, ultimately, provides scientific data on how best to protect their species.
The Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) and Disney Cruise Line are each sponsoring a turtle this year, whose names, Madame Leota and Harriet, are the names of characters in Disney's frighteningly fun adventure movie "Haunted Mansion," now playing in theaters. Not unlike Gabbie, another character in the film who enlists a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters – Tour de Turtles brings together a team of researchers from the STC and Disney Conservation annually to undertake a daunting mission - using satellite telemetry to track two female turtles to determine where and how far they swim during the migration season.
Each turtle swims to raise awareness about various threats to sea turtle survival. The turtle to swim the furthest distance will win the Tour de Turtles race.
"Disney's commitment to sea turtle conservation in Vero Beach spans 20 years, and we are very proud to have recently watched our 1.5 millionth sea turtle hatchling leave the nest and shuffle its way to the ocean," said Mark Penning, Vice President of Disney's Animals, Science and Environment. "Southeast Florida hosts one of the largest nesting aggregations of loggerhead sea turtles, making up to 40 percent of the global loggerhead population. The team has recorded more than 20,000 sea turtle nests on our survey route since the program began."
The data collected during Tour de Turtles helps researchers, conservationists and governing agencies make more informed decisions about sea turtle conservation and management. Since the launch of the event in 2008, STC and Disney have collaborated to study 29 sea turtles outfitted with satellite transmitters and released from Disney's Vero Beach Resort. Continuing its commitment to strengthen youth education programs in port communities around the world, Disney Cruise Line proudly supported local students from Club Esteem from Melbourne, Florida, to participate in this year's event. DCF also has directed more than $5.1 million to support global sea turtle conservation efforts.
"Disney is a fantastic collaborator," said David Godfrey, STC Executive Director. "Disney's commitment to conservation, passion for environmental education, and effectiveness at communicating with audiences have made the Tour de Turtles a fun and successful program since it was launched over a decade ago."
In addition to Tour de Turtles, the Disney Conservation team has dedicated nearly 19,000 hours to studying and monitoring sea turtle nests during the summer nesting season along the five-mile coastline at Disney's Vero Beach Resort. From approximately May to October, Disney Vacation Club members and resort guests also have the opportunity to assist the team by joining outings to observe real-time sea turtle research while learning how they can take action to protect sea turtles. So far this year, the Disney Conservation team has a record-breaking number of nests along their survey route – nearly 2,000 by August, well above the average 1,500 normally counted in an entire season.
Tour de Turtles is a research and education program of the Sea Turtle Conservancy and Disney's support is just one example of bringing Disney Planet Possible to life by taking action to make a happier, healthier planet possible for all. To learn more and follow the turtles' migration, visit the Tour de Turtles website at www.tourdeturtles.org
ABOUT DISNEY'S VERO BEACH RESORT
Disney's Vero Beach Resort, a Disney Vacation Club Resort, offers spacious vacation villas along the pristine Atlantic coastline. The resort is located less than a two-hour drive from the Walt Disney World Resort, and its design reflects the Treasure Coast region where it is situated. Disney Vacation Club, a leader in vacation ownership, debuted in 1991 with a flexible, vacation points-based system rather than the traditional fixed-week timeshare model. Disney Vacation Club Members are able to choose from among a variety of exciting vacation destinations, including a stay at any Disney Vacation Club Resort or one of thousands of other vacation options in destinations around the world.
ABOUT DISNEY'S "HAUNTED MANSION"
Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, Disney's "Haunted Mansion" is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.
Directed by Justin Simien, the film features an all-star cast ensemble including LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon and Daniel Levy, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost. The film's producers are Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, with Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman serving as executive producers.
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Viola Davis pauses movie filming due to ongoing strikes despite SAG-AFTRA green light
By Melissa Alonso, CNN
(CNN) — Oscar winning actor Viola Davis is pausing work on her upcoming movie, “G20,” amid the actors’ and writers’ strikes, despite having been granted permission by the guild to move forward with the project, according to a statement provided to the Los Angeles Times and other news outlets.
“I love this movie, but I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike,” Davis said in the statement.
While Hollywood has ground to a halt due to parallel writers’ and actors’ strikes, some productions have been allowed to continue filming, including those that are not associated with one of the major studios.
“G20” is among dozens of independent projects that have been granted a waiver by SAG-AFTRA. Davis is attached to produce and star in the picture, which is partially backed by her company, JuVee Productions.
“I appreciate that the producers on the project agree with this decision. JuVee Productions and I stand in solidarity with actors, SAG/AFTRA and the WGA,” Davis said in the statement.
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The Nation's Largest Network for Affordable Housing Protects Consumers from Unfair Fees and Costs
BOCA RATON, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AffordableHousing.com today announced it will join the White House and a compendium of government agencies and other private sector companies in large-scale efforts to end junk fees and ensure that Americans are provided with honest, transparent pricing. More than 100 million property searches per year are performed on AffordableHousing.com–the largest platform for affordable housing in the nation.
"For decades, families have relied on us to help them find affordable housing," says Richard Cupelli, CEO at AffordableHousing.com. "We take pride in advocating for these families, so it was a natural fit for us to join forces with the Administration and other socially responsible companies to help protect consumers in our industry."
On July 19, 2023, the White House published a Fact Sheet announcing its crack-down on junk fees in the rental market, highlighting private-sector commitments supporting this initiative made by the three major rental housing platforms: AffordableHousing.com, Zillow, and Apartments.com.
Late last year, the President called on federal agencies, Congress, and private companies to take action to address junk fees across the economy. The initiative aims to ensure Americans are provided with honest, transparent pricing. By February 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced proposed rules limiting credit card late fees. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) finalized a rule requiring cable and internet providers to list fees up front. And the Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed a requirement for airlines and booking services show the full price of a plane ticket, including baggage and other fees.
In March, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge released an open letter to housing providers and state and local governments, encouraging them to adopt policies promoting greater fairness and transparency of fees faced by renters. Substantial research shows such fees obstruct comparison shopping, impede competition, and lead to consumers paying more.
A long-standing resource for families seeking affordable housing, AffordableHousing.com has policies in place supporting this transparency and protecting its customers from unfair fees.
Renters can search available properties free on AffordableHousing.com, and property owners are required to be upfront about all refundable and non-refundable rental fees and costs. AffordableHousing.com also does not charge rental application fees.
"Our socially responsible technology platform has allowed us to establish the largest network of affordable housing in the nation," says Cupelli. "We understand the accountability that comes with our standing in the industry and the trust that our customers place in us."
As a hub for housing agencies across the nation, AffordableHousing.com also allows state and local governments to have their own customized website that serves their local community, enforces their specific regulatory requirements, centralizes all affordable housing, and simplifies the application and approval process.
"We are working with AffordableHousing.com to implement the Vermont Affordable Housing Hub, which will allow families to easily find and apply to all affordable housing in the state," says Kathleen Berk, Executive Director at Vermont State Housing Authority. "By utilizing AffordableHousing.com's custom housing hub to build our state-specific site, we can streamline compliance with state laws, which have strict application fee guidelines. We can also add safeguards to protect our families by providing the Clear and Fair Lease template for property owners to use. These leases will also comply with affordable housing programs, like Section 8."
AffordableHousing.com also rewards reputable property owners. Those with a history of good standing can qualify for a Trusted Owner Badge, which ensures their credibility to prospective renters on the site and increases consumer confidence. Trusted Owners also receive prominent listing status.
Earning and maintaining status as a Trusted Owner requires providing various levels of documentation to verify qualifications and authenticity, adhering to all relevant federal, state, and local laws, and complying with the site's reasonable fee guidelines.
Together with its research partner, Learning Collider (www.learningcollider.org), AffordableHousing.com is conducting research into the real cost of administrative fees, the impact of fee transparency in rental listings, and the effectiveness of platform features like the common application for rental and government programs—an endeavor that the company has been urging agencies to adopt for years.
"Our research partnership with AffordableHousing.com has allowed us to analyze the impacts of rental fees on low-income families in real-time," says Peter Bergman, Professor at UT Austin and Director of the Learning Collider research lab. "Together, we are advancing research to identify junk fees and establish transparent fee practices, easing the path to affordable rentals for families across the U.S."
The President announced in latest White House Fact Sheet, released on July 27, 2023, further plans to protect renters, naming AffordableHousing.com as an ally in the initiative and endorsing the site's plans to deploy additional consumer protection tools by the end of the year, including "Clear and Fair" digital leases, which will align with the principles outlined in the White House Blueprint for a Renter Bill of Rights. Property owners who use these "Clear and Fair" digital leases will be acknowledged on AffordableHousing.com.
About AffordableHousing.com: For more than 20 years, AffordableHousing.com has provided innovative technology and real solutions that help solve some of the most complex challenges impacting the availability of affordable housing in the United States. By simplifying access to available resources, AffordableHousing.com boosts participation in government programs, increasing the much-needed supply of affordable housing nationwide, and providing more homes to more families.
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Just one drink a day can raise blood pressure, study says
By Sandee LaMotte, CNN
(CNN) — As little as one alcoholic drink a day increased systolic blood pressure — the top number in a blood pressure reading — even in men and women with no existing hypertension, a new study found.
“We found no beneficial effects in adults who drank a low level of alcohol compared to those who did not drink alcohol,” said senior study author Dr. Marco Vinceti, a professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy, in a statement.
The negative impact of alcohol on systolic blood pressure continued to rise over the years, the study found, even in men and women who drank little each day. Small amounts of alcohol also raised the lower, or diastolic blood pressure reading, but only in men, according to the study, which was published Monday in the journal Hypertension.
“Both systolic and diastolic readings contribute to (cardiovascular) risk and go hand in hand, but of the two, systolic blood pressure is definitely the most important risk factor in adults,” said study coauthor Dr. Paul Whelton, chair in global public health at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans and president of the World Hypertension League.
Blood pressure and cardiovascular health
Blood pressure is measured in units of millimeters of mercury (abbreviated as mmHg), and written as two numbers, one above the other. The top or systolic reading, which represents the force of blood against artery walls when the heart contracts, is a “major risk factor for cardiovascular disease for people over 50,” according to the American Heart Association. The lower diastolic reading measures pressure in the arteries as the heart muscle rests between beats.
A normal systolic reading is typically 120 mm Hg or below but tends to rise as blood vessels weaken and narrow with age, the AHA said. A normal diastolic reading is below 80 mm Hg but begins to decline with age as arteries lose their elasticity and stiffen, at times leading to an increase in pulse rate.
“Alcohol is certainly not the sole driver of increases in blood pressure; however, our findings confirm it contributes in a meaningful way,” said Vinceti, also an adjunct professor in the department of epidemiology at Boston University’s School of Public Health. “Limiting alcohol intake is advised, and avoiding it is even better.”
The concept that too much alcohol raises blood pressure has been around for a long time, said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver.
“However, this review found relatively low levels of alcohol impacted blood pressure,” said Freeman, who was not involved with the research. “So, to me, this is yet another study showing there may not be any safe amount of alcohol.”
Risk rises with increasing alcohol levels
The review analyzed data from seven studies conducted in Japan, South Korea and the United States between 1997 and 2021. It followed more than 19,000 adults from age 20 to about 70 who had no prior diagnoses of alcoholism, binge drinking, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or liver disease over an average five-year span of time.
All participants were asked about their typical alcohol intake at the start of the studies, which was translated into grams of alcohol to avoid differences between countries on what constitutes a “standard drink.” The World Health Organization, for example, sets the standard at 10 grams of alcohol per drink, while the US defines it as 14 grams.
“In the US, you’re probably getting more than one standard drink per day,” Whelton said. “If you got a pour of wine with 14 grams of alcohol at a restaurant, you’ll want to say to your server, ‘You cheapskate, go back and pour a real glass of wine.’ We think we’re consuming one standard drink, but we’re not.”
Researchers then used statistics to plot how various amounts of alcohol affected blood pressure over time. Drinking an average of 12 grams of alcohol per day, or less than one US standard drink, produced a small rise in systolic pressure of 1.25 mm Hg over an average of five years.
“We were somewhat surprised to see that consuming an already-low level of alcohol was also linked to higher blood pressure changes over time compared to no consumption — although far less than the blood pressure increase seen in heavy drinkers,” Vinceti said.
In people who consumed an average of 48 grams of alcohol per day, or nearly 3.5 standard US drinks, systolic blood pressure rose nearly 5 mm Hg over the same time frame compared with nondrinkers.
“That would certainly move you from pre-hypertensive to hypertensive, just as eating an excessive amount of sodium, too few fruits and vegetables and not getting enough physical activity will push you in the wrong direction,” Tulane’s Whelton said.
Another finding: The impact of alcohol on blood pressure was even more significant if a person’s readings were already heading upward when the study began, Whelton said.
“This suggests that people with a trend towards increased blood pressure may benefit the most from low to no alcohol consumption,” he said.
Confusing messages about alcohol
How do the study results fit in with past research that has shown alcohol may be beneficial for the heart? For one, many of the older randomized clinical trials only compared light drinkers with heavy ones, and not to those who did not drink at all, Whelton said.
“What we generally have seen in the clinical trials are that drinkers are randomized to less alcohol, such as light beer, versus continuing to drink as normal. And of course, those who consumed low to moderate amounts of alcohol had better outcomes,” said Whelton, who coauthored a meta-analysis on such studies.
“From a blood pressure perspective, I think most people would agree that there’s no level in which alcohol is safe,” he added. “From a cardiovascular point of view, you may get mixed opinions.”
Studying alcohol use is difficult because it is associated with behaviors that can be both helpful and unhelpful, Freeman said.
“If you’re drinking in a smoke-filled bar at night with friends, (your exposure) to secondhand smoke and alcohol will certainly disrupt your sleep, and both are harmful to health,” he said. “But you’re also getting the positives of socialization.”
Research on “blue zones,” areas of the world where people typically live up to and past 100, has shown the diets in these locations often include small amounts of alcohol that are routinely consumed with dinner. Is it the alcohol that helps longevity, or the tight social networks?
“It can be hard to tease out these associations,” Freeman said, adding that he gives his patients the same guidance as the AHA and WHO.
“First, I don’t recommend people start drinking,” he said. “If they do drink, they should try to really minimize it and then do their best to maintain healthy behaviors that help the heart, such as exercise and stress reduction.
“Exercise is an amazingly effective way to lower blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic, as it helps the heart relax and maintain better efficiency.”
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/health/cnn-health/2023/07/31/just-one-drink-a-day-can-raise-blood-pressure-study-says/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:24 | 1 | https://kion546.com/health/cnn-health/2023/07/31/just-one-drink-a-day-can-raise-blood-pressure-study-says/ |
STAMFORD, Conn., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Emeren Group Ltd ("Emeren" or the "Company") (www.emeren.com) (NYSE: SOL), a leading global solar project developer, owner, and operator, recently announced the successful sale of an 11.5 MWp PV project to the Swiss-based energy company MET Group. The project was sold at the Ready-to-Build ("RTB") stage and MET Group will complete the construction and operate the power plant. This is the first project developed to RTB stage by Emeren Germany GmbH, the Berlin-based subsidiary of Emeren Group, since its entry into the market in early 2021. Capcora, a German consulting company, acted as the exclusive sell-side M&A advisor to Emeren.
The new PV power plant will be located in Kentzlin nestled in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the commercial operations are expected to start in the second half of 2024.
Yumin Liu, CEO of Emeren Group, commented, "This project is an important milestone for our business in Germany and represents our commitment to developing renewable energy infrastructure in the region. We look forward to continuing to work with our local partners to build a more sustainable future."
Bernd Wollwerth-Carl, Director of Emeren Germany GmbH, added, "We are delighted to have sold our first RTB project in Germany. Starting from scratch in 2021, we managed to grow quickly in a competitive German PV market, establishing partnerships and building a pipeline of medium and large-scale ground mounted PV plants. With MET, we found a reliable and competent partner and we look forward to further expanding our cooperation."
Christian Hürlimann, Renewables CEO of MET Group, commented, "The Kentzlin project fits well into MET's strategic vision to enter the highly competitive German renewables market, as well as to further expand its renewables portfolio across Europe and particularly in Western Europe. Emeren Group's expertise in renewable energy was instrumental in achieving this milestone, and we anticipate future collaboration on additional projects."
Henning Prigge, Director at Capcora, adds: "We are delighted to have played a pivotal role in Emeren's successful project sale to MET Group, a prominent integrated European energy company. Our long-standing partnership with Emeren has allowed us to witness their growth and success, and we couldn't be happier to have been a part of this milestone. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to providing top-notch support and solutions to our valued clients."
About Emeren Group Ltd
Emeren Group Ltd (NYSE: SOL) is a leading global solar project developer, owner, and operator with a pipeline of projects and IPP assets totaling over 3 GW, as well as a storage pipeline of over 6 GWh across Europe, North America, and Asia. The Company focuses on solar power project development, construction management and project financing services with local professional teams across multiple countries. For more information, go to www.emeren.com.
About MET Group
MET Group is an integrated European energy company, headquartered in Switzerland, with activities and assets in natural gas and power markets. MET is present in 14 countries through subsidiaries, 30 national gas markets, and 22 international trading hubs. MET has extensive experience in operating green (renewable) and flexible (conventional) energy assets, thus providing the widest possible support to energy transition. In 2022, MET Group's consolidated sales revenue amounted to EUR 41.5 billion, the total traded volume of natural gas was 109 BCM including futures, total traded electricity 67 TWh including futures.
About Capcora
Capcora is an independent financial advisory boutique specializing in M&A and project finance services to accelerate the energy transition in Europe. Founded in 2015, the Frankfurt-based company helps its clients succeed in the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors by advising them on sell-side and buy-side transactions, and by raising mezzanine, unitranche or senior debt.
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SOURCE Emeren Group Ltd | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/emeren-group-announces-sale-first-rtb-solar-power-project-germany/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:26 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/emeren-group-announces-sale-first-rtb-solar-power-project-germany/ |
Dolphins Odds to Make Playoffs and Win Super Bowl
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 5:26 AM EDT|Updated: 51 minutes ago
The Miami Dolphins have +2000 odds to win the Super Bowl as of December 31.
Watch the Dolphins this season on Fubo!
Dolphins Super Bowl Odds
- Odds to Win the AFC East: +275
- Odds to Win the Super Bowl: +2000
Looking to place a futures bet on the Dolphins to win the Super Bowl this season? Head to BetMGM using our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Miami Betting Insights
- Miami went 9-8-0 ATS last season.
- Dolphins games hit the over eight out of 17 times last season.
- Miami averaged 364.5 yards per game on offense last season (sixth in ), and it ranked 18th on the other side of the ball with 337.8 yards allowed per game.
- At home last year, the Dolphins were 6-2. Away, they were 3-6.
- Miami had seven wins as the favorite in 10 games last season, and won twice (in seven opportunities) as an underdog.
- The Dolphins were 3-3 in the AFC East and 7-5 in the AFC as a whole.
Dolphins Impact Players
- Tua Tagovailoa threw for 3,548 yards (272.9 per game), completing 64.8% of his passes, with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 13 games last year.
- In the passing game, Tyreek Hill scored seven TDs, hauling in 119 balls for 1,710 yards (100.6 per game).
- In the passing game a season ago, Jaylen Waddle scored eight TDs, catching 75 balls for 1,356 yards (79.8 per game).
- On the ground, Raheem Mostert scored three touchdowns and accumulated 891 yards (55.7 per game).
- Jalen Ramsey delivered four interceptions to go with 88 tackles, 4.0 TFL, two sacks, and 18 passes defended in 17 games last year with the Rams.
Bet on Dolphins to win the Super Bowl and plenty more with BetMGM. Head to BetMGM using our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
2023-24 Dolphins NFL Schedule
Odds are current as of July 31 at 5:27 AM ET. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
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Europe’s economy is growing again as inflation continues to fall
By Anna Cooban, CNN
London (CNN) — The euro area economy is growing again.
Gross domestic product across the 20 countries that share the euro currency rose by 0.3% in the second quarter, compared with the previous three months, according to an official estimate published Monday.
GDP in the euro area had fallen by 0.1% in the last three months of 2022, and stagnated in the first quarter of this year.
Separately, official data showed that inflation continued to fall this month. The consumer price index for the euro area rose by 5.3%, down from 5.5% in June.
Encouraging data
The euro area economy was hit hard last winter by the huge increase in energy prices that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — but data from Europe’s two biggest economies on Friday had signaled that a recovery was already underway.
“The Putin shock is fading. Sky-high prices for energy and food had hit consumers hard, but as inflation recedes while employment continues to rise and wage growth firms, real disposable incomes of households look set to strengthen materially in coming quarters,” Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg, said in a research note on Friday.
French GDP grew by 0.5% in the second quarter, compared with the first quarter of this year, beating economists’ expectations, according to official statistics released on Friday. Germany stagnated last quarter, but that was a modest improvement from the previous six months, when Europe’s biggest economy was stuck in recession.
Despite the flurry of encouraging economic data, there are signs that the region could be heading towards stagnation, according to Schmieding.
He said that France’s better-than-expected growth figures were “entirely due to very strong exports,” while domestic indicators of demand “performed much worse,” including a 0.4% drop in household consumption.
“The delivery of a cruise ship to a foreign buyer contributed notably to this one-off gain in exports,” he added.
Demand for business loans in the euro area fell to a record low in the second quarter, according to a survey published by the ECB last week. Separate survey data showed that business activity contracted at the fastest pace in eight months in July.
An initial reading of the Purchasing Managers’ Index, which tracks activity in the manufacturing and service sectors, dropped to 48.9 from 49.9 in June. A reading below 50 indicates a contraction.
A pause to rate hikes?
The European Central Bank raised the benchmark interest rate in the euro area by a quarter of a percentage point to 3.75% on Thursday, the central bank’s ninth consecutive hike.
But ECB President Christine Lagarde told journalists that she was considering a pause in hiking rates at the central bank’s next meeting in September.
Consumer price inflation has fallen sharply from a record 10.6% in October 2022 but is still well above the ECB’s 2% target.
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BEIJING, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gravitas Education Holdings, Inc. ("GEHI" or the "Company") (NYSE: GEHI), a leading early childhood education service provider in China, today announced that it will hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the "EGM") at 3/F, No. 28 Building, Fangguyuan Section 1, Fangzhuang Fengtai District, Beijing 100078, People's Republic of China, at 10:00 a.m. (Beijing time) on September 11, 2023, for the purposes of considering and, if thought fit, approving the transactions contemplated in the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), dated April 18, 2023, by and among the Company, Bright Sunlight Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company ("Merger Sub"), Best Assistant Education Online Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company ("Best Assistant") and a controlled subsidiary of NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKEX: 0777, "NetDragon"), a Cayman Islands exempted company, and solely for purposes of certain named sections thereof, NetDragon. It is contemplated that Best Assistant will transfer the education business of NetDragon outside of the PRC to Elmtree Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company limited by shares ("eLMTree") and currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Best Assistant. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will merge with and into eLMTree with eLMTree continuing as the surviving company and becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the "Merger").
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger (the "Effective Time"), each ordinary share of eLMTree issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (excluding the Dissenting Shares and the Excluded Shares, each as defined in the Merger Agreement) will be cancelled in exchange for the right to receive a number of validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable ordinary shares of the Company in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements under the Securities Act of 1933.
Shareholders of the Company will also be asked to consider and vote on certain additional Merger-related proposals at the EGM, including, among others:
- that, subject to and conditional upon the Merger becoming effective, the fifth amended and restated memorandum and article of association of the Company be amended and restated by their deletion in their entirety and the substitution of in their place of the sixth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company (the "A&R MAA") effective immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger;
- that, subject to and conditional upon the Merger becoming effective, the name of the Company be changed from "Gravitas Education Holdings, Inc." to "Mynd.ai, Inc." effective immediately prior to the Effective Time;
- that, subject to and conditional upon the Merger becoming effective, immediately prior to the Effective Time, the authorized share capital of the Company be varied as follows: (a) the authorized share capital of the Company shall be varied to US$1,000,000 divided into 1,000,000,000 shares comprising of (i) 990,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.001 each (each a "ListCo Ordinary Share") and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.001 each of such class or classes (however designated) as the board of directors may determine in accordance with the A&R MAA, and (b) all Class A ordinary shares of the Company prior to the adoption of the A&R MAA, par value US$0.001 per share ("ListCo Class A Ordinary Shares") and all Class B ordinary shares of the Company prior to the adoption of the A&R MAA, par value US$0.001 per share ("ListCo Class B Ordinary Shares") in the authorized share capital of the Company (including all issued and outstanding ListCo Class A Ordinary Shares and ListCo Class B Ordinary Shares, and all authorized but unissued ListCo Class A Ordinary Shares and ListCo Class B Ordinary Shares) shall be re-designated as ListCo Ordinary Shares.
Holders of the Company's ordinary shares whose names are on the register of members of the Company at the close of business in the Cayman Islands on August 7, 2023, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the EGM or any adjournment or postponement thereof in person. Holders of the Company's American depositary shares ("ADSs") at the close of business in New York City on August 7, 2023, are entitled to exercise their voting rights for the underlying ordinary shares and must act through Citibank, N.A., the depositary of the Company's ADS program.
The notice of the EGM, which contains the detailed proposals to be presented at the EGM, and the proxy statement related to the EGM, are being filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and can be obtained without charge from the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). These documents are also available in the "Financial Information" section of the Company's investor relations website at https://ir.geh.com.cn/. In addition, the proxy materials (including the proxy statement) will be mailed to the Company's shareholders and holders of ADSs.
SHAREHOLDERS AND ADS HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THE PROXY MATERIALS AND OTHER MATERIALS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY CONTAIN VOTING INSTRUCTIONS AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, ELMTREE, THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS.
This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the transactions described above and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of eLMTree or the Company, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements." These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the pending transactions described herein, and the parties' perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Merger, including the equity values, the benefits of the Merger, expected revenue opportunities, anticipated future financial and operating performance and results, including estimates for growth, the expected management and governance of the combined company, and the expected timing of the transactions. The words "will," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions indicate forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and shareholders and other potential investors must recognize that actual results may differ materially from the expectations as a result of a variety of factors. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are hard to predict or control, that may cause the actual results, performance, or plans to differ materially from any future results, performance or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: (i) risks related to the expected timing and likelihood of completion of the Merger, including the risk that the transaction may not close due to one or more closing conditions to the transaction not being satisfied or waived, such as regulatory approvals not being obtained, on a timely basis or otherwise, or that a governmental entity prohibited, delayed or refused to grant approval for the consummation of the transaction or required certain conditions, limitations or restrictions in connection with such approvals; (ii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the applicable transaction agreements; (iii) the risk that there may be a material adverse change with respect to the financial position, performance, operations or prospects of the Company or eLMTree; (iv) risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the Merger; (v) the risk that any announcements relating to the Merger could have adverse effects on the market price of the Company's securities; (vi) the risk that the Merger and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of eLMTree to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with their suppliers and customers and on their operating results and businesses generally; (vii) any changes in the business or operating prospects of eLMTree or its businesses; (viii) changes in applicable laws and regulations; and (ix) risks relating to the combined company's ability to enhance its services and products, execute its business strategy, expand its customer base and maintain stable relationship with its business partners.
A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the proxy statement that will be filed with the SEC by the Company in connection with the Merger, and other documents that the parties may file with or furnish to the SEC, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and eLMTree, the Company and their subsidiaries and affiliates undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or applicable regulation.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
The Company will file with the SEC and mail to its shareholders and ADS holders a proxy statement in connection with the Merger. Investors and security holders are urged to read the proxy statement when it becomes available because it will contain voting instructions and important information regarding the proposed arrangement. You may access the proxy statement (when available) and other related documents filed by the Company with the SEC at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. You also may obtain the proxy statement and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC relating to the proposed arrangement for free by accessing the Company's website at https://ir.geh.com.cn/ by clicking on the link for "Financial Information," and then clicking on the link for "SEC Filings."
CONTACT: Gravitas Education Holdings, Inc., Investor Relations, E-mail: ir@geh.com.cn
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SOURCE Gravitas Education Holdings Inc. | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:32 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ |
It is a partly cloudy, foggy, and muggy start to this Monday morning with temperatures in the 70s. A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect until 8 AM. Watch for visibility less than 1 mile at times.
Today, the cold front will move to South Alabama today. Drier and less humid air will build over Central Alabama by this afternoon. It will be mostly sunny and hot with high temperatures in the middle 90s. The humidity levels will be dropping, so the heat index will be 95-100°.
Tonight, it will become mostly clear, less humid, and more comfortable. Lows will be in the upper 60s to lower 70s.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the upper-level ridge of high pressure will build toward the Southeast U.S. from the Southwest U.S. Alabama will be on the eastern edge of the ridge, so winds aloft will be out of the northwest. This will make it mostly sunny to partly cloudy and less humid each day. There will be a chance for a few showers each day. High temperatures each day will be in the lower to middle 90s.
We will also have to watch out for a few MCSs (clusters of storms) that will dive toward Alabama from the northwest Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning. It is likely they will be dissipating as they move into the state since they will run into drier air. If they survive, expect scattered showers and possibly some strong storms. The question will be if they make it to Alabama, or stay farther to the west in Mississippi. We will have to watch and see.
On Thursday and Friday, the old cold front will move north from the coast and the upper-level ridge will move back west. We will become partly cloudy and more humid with scattered showers and storms. Some heavy rain will be possible. High temperatures will be in the middle 90s and the heat index 100-105°.
Weekend Outlook: We will continue to be hot and humid with a daily chance for spotty showers and storms. High temperatures will be in the middle 90s and the heat index 105°+ each day.
Be sure to follow the CBS 42 Storm Team:
Follow Us on Facebook: Chief Meteorologist Ashley Gann, Meteorologist Dave Nussbaum, Meteorologist Michael Haynes and Meteorologist Alex Puckett | https://www.cbs42.com/weather/a-hot-and-less-humid-start-to-the-work-week/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:34 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/weather/a-hot-and-less-humid-start-to-the-work-week/ |
Heineken’s profit hit by drop in beer sales in Asia
By Michelle Toh, CNN
Hong Kong (CNN) — People in Asia aren’t guzzling as much beer as they used to.
Dutch brewer Heineken (HEINY) announced disappointing earnings and cut its financial outlook Monday, posting a 9% drop in net profit in the first half due to a downturn in what is normally its most profitable region, Asia Pacific.
Demand in Asia Pacific in the first six months of 2023 was worse than expected, with a 13% drop in the volume of beer sold compared to the same period last year.
Sales were particularly weak in Vietnam, where the world’s second biggest brewer is working to hook more customers through other beverages, such as a South Korean-inspired, soju-infused beer.
“Demand in APAC was considerably softer than foreseen, due to an economic slowdown and our own underperformance in Vietnam,” CEO Dolf van den Brink said in a statement.
Best known for its eponymous beer label, Heineken is home to more than 300 brands, including Tiger beer, Amstel Lager and Strongbow cider. Heineken branded beer did continue to see growth in the first half, both overall and within Asia Pacific.
In addition to weak sales in Vietnam, the company said it was hit by “socioeconomic volatility” in Nigeria, which has struggled with a cost-of-living crisis following the end of fuel subsidies in late May.
A slump in both countries “accounted for over half of the decline in the first six months,” Heineken said.
The company’s shares fell 7% in Amsterdam Monday.
‘Unprecedented’ price jumps
Like other food and beverage makers, Heineken has been raising prices as it grapples with “unprecedented levels of commodity and energy inflation,” the company said in its statement.
Though its revenue rose 6.3% in the first half, that was “more than offset” by inflationary pressures and reinvestment in the business, it added.
To cope, the company’s recent price hikes have been “often leading the market,” it noted. That, in turn, has clearly driven some consumers away.
The brewer also blamed a drop in premium beer sales on a decline in Russia, a market the company has said it’s trying to exit.
Heineken was recently called out by experts for remaining in the country despite announcing plans last year to leave following President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to Yale research, Heineken still had seven breweries and 1,800 employees in Russia more than a year after it announced its plan to exit, even launching new brands there.
Heineken responded to CNN saying it had stopped selling the Heineken brand in Russia and found a prospective buyer of its Russia business. However, that potential deal, submitted to Russian authorities this April, is still pending regulatory approval, according to the company.
As of Monday, the status had not changed, and “recent developments in Russia demonstrate that it is even more challenging for businesses to secure exit approval,” the company said.
“We do not accept any financial gain from the ongoing operations [and] will not profit from the sale of the business,” it continued.
“We remain fully committed to leaving Russia, however the timing of our exit is not in our control.”
Moving forward, the company expects inflationary headwinds to ease in the second half of this year, albeit not enough to maintain its earnings guidance.
Heineken now expects “stable to mid-single-digit” growth in operating profit for the full year, compared with the “mid- to high-single-digit” growth it outlined in April.
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2023/07/31/heinekens-profit-hit-by-drop-in-beer-sales-in-asia/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:36 | 0 | https://kion546.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2023/07/31/heinekens-profit-hit-by-drop-in-beer-sales-in-asia/ |
- Back to Hogwarts returns on 1st September, inviting Harry Potter fans from all over the world to mark the moment the Hogwarts Express departs from King's Cross for the start of term
- Fans can join themed events, watch parties, digital and real-life celebrations that promise to be bigger and better than ever
LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, on Harry Potter's birthday, Wizarding World announces the return of its Back to Hogwarts celebrations, alongside a search for the UK's most enthusiastic Harry Potter fan to lead the Hogwarts Express' departure countdown.
The Harry Potter books, written by J.K. Rowling have had a huge impact on fans around the globe, having sold over 600 million copies worldwide, been distributed in more than 200 territories and translated into over 85 languages since they were first published by Bloomsbury and Scholastic 25 years ago.
Beginning as a fan celebration, Back to Hogwarts is recognised as one of the biggest days in any Harry Potter fan's calendar – marking the moment when students would board the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾ for adventure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Dressed in their finest cosplay, thousands of fans make the trip to London's King's Cross station each year and more come together online to raise their wands for the countdown and share their love of the stories.
Bringing Gryffindors, Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs together, this year celebrations are bigger than ever with the launch of a UK competition for one lucky fan between age five and seventeen years old to get the chance to travel to King's Cross and help host the countdown on 1st September. The competition is live and young wizards and witches wishing to enter can submit a video of their best countdown online (via a parent or guardian) by 11.59pm on 7th August.
The magic doesn't stop there! This lucky winner (plus a parent or guardian) will get the chance to pack their trunks once again to come back to the capital with a complete package of Harry Potter experiences. The ultimate Harry Potter London Breaks Experience gives this fan the opportunity to discover the filmmaking magic of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and see the critically acclaimed stage production, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. To top it off, the winner will receive an incredible merchandise bundle from the Harry Potter Shop. Full details on prize entry can be found here.
Until 3rd September an array of magical experiences awaits at King's Cross as fans get the chance to sip on Butterbeer, play Hogwarts Legacy on PlayStation®5 courtesy of Warner Bros. Games, and enjoy LEGO® Harry Potter giveaways and photo opportunities. Additionally, in celebration of the publication of The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac, fans will also be able to spin Bloomsbury's giant wand spinner and find out whose wand they are best suited to, with free gifts up for grabs for those taking part.
Festivities aren't contained to the station… why not relive the movie magic on the big screen? Theatres around the world will be putting on special Harry Potter screenings for Back to Hogwarts. In the UK, Everyman will screen all eight films at Everyman Kings Cross and select Harry Potter movies at their cinemas nationwide. ODEON will present Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets nationwide over the course of the weekend. US fans can get their fix at Cinemark where more than 250 theatres will be showing an exclusive re-release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts 1&2. Down Under? Join in the fun at 15 locations of Village Cinemas across Victoria, Australia as they host screenings of the final two Deathly Hallows films in the iconic series. Further theatres and locations will be announced soon, including screenings in Barcelona and Madrid.
Pam Lifford, President, Global Brands, Franchises and Experiences, at Warner Bros. Discovery, said: "Back to Hogwarts is a day cherished by Harry Potter fans of all ages, from all over the world. Just like their passion for the magic of the stories, their celebrations grow every year! 2023 is set to be a year like no other – we will see fan world record attempts in Germany, high octane quiz competitions in France and of course, the UK's search to find the perfect person to join that amazing countdown. We are so proud to offer new and exciting ways to bring fans together and give them new ways to celebrate the Harry Potter magic – there's nothing quite like Back To Hogwarts!"
Check out Wizarding World Digital at www.wizardingworld.com for all the Back to Hogwarts updates, including the latest UK activity and info on what's happening in Italy, Germany, France, Japan, China and more. Look out for news too on how to get involved with Harry Potter Watch Parties (MAX US subscribers will be able to join and watch-along on 1st September) and when to tune into the Back to Hogwarts Digital Showcase.
Join the global community of millions of members following the fun on social and don't forget to sign up to the Harry Potter Fan Club!
Website: www.wizardingworld.com/harry-potter-fan-club.
Instagram: @wizardingworld https://www.instagram.com/wizardingworld/?hl=en
Hashtag: #BacktoHogwarts
About The Wizarding World
In the years since Harry Potter was whisked from King's Cross station onto Platform nine and three quarters, his incredible adventures have left a unique and lasting mark on popular culture. Eight blockbuster Harry Potter films based on the original stories by J.K. Rowling have brought the magical stories to life and today, the Wizarding World is recognised as one of the world's best-loved brands.
Representing a vast interconnected universe, it also includes three epic Fantastic Beasts films, Harry Potter & The Cursed Child – the multi-award-winning stage-play, state-of-the-art video and mobile games from Portkey Games, innovative consumer products, thrilling live entertainment (including four theme park lands) and insightful exhibitions, as well as a forthcoming Harry Potter TV series.
This expanding portfolio of Warner Bros. Discovery owned Wizarding World experiences also includes Harry Potter New York – the iconic flagship store, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, and the Harry Potter Shop online and retail shops.
The Wizarding World continues to evolve to provide Harry Potter fans with fresh and exciting ways to engage. For the worldwide fan community, and for generations to come, it welcomes everyone in to explore and discover the magic for themselves.
About Back to Hogwarts
On 1st September, fans from all generations and corners of the globe come together to celebrate a very special day in the wizarding world calendar: Back to Hogwarts. Having started as an organic fan celebration many years ago, today Back to Hogwarts is an annual tradition recognised as one of the biggest moments in the Harry Potter fan's calendar when wizards and witches board the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾ for a year of magical adventure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In a unique celebration, each year fans come together online and in real life to celebrate the magic of these beloved stories and unite with their community.
UK Activity - About The Competition
Parents and guardians can enter their child by 7th August to help lead the Hogwarts Express' departure countdown at 11.00am on 1st September 2023 at King's Cross station and win a bundle of Harry Potter prizes.
The Wizarding World is searching for an enthusiastic, confident young fan to lead all the young wizards, witches and Muggles in the countdown moment. For the opportunity to lead the countdown, the parent or guardian of the applicant must send a video lasting no longer than 20 seconds, counting down from ten, showing how they would lead the Hogwarts Express' departure countdown.
Entrants must be based in the UK and Northern Ireland, aged between 5 and 17 years old, and details for entering the competition are detailed at https://www.wizardingworld.com/terms/back-to-hogwarts-2023-uk-countdown-competition-terms
Entries must be sent via email to BackToHogwarts@premiercomms.com and must be sent via a file sharing platform such as WeTransfer or DropBox.
The opportunity to enter opened at 12.00am on 31st July and will close at 11.59pm on 7th August. The successful applicant will be informed by 18th August.
The Competition Prize
- Lead the fans in a countdown at 11.00am BST to launch the Hogwarts Express announcement on 1st September 2023
- First to enter Back to Hogwarts fan zone at King's Cross station
- Wizarding World London Breaks - Ultimate Experience: 1 nights' accommodation, 2x tickets to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, 2x tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for winner and one parent/guardian – to be redeemed at a later date
- A Wizarding World merchandise bundle from the Harry Potter Shop
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SOURCE Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-celebrations-begin-back-hogwarts/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:38 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-celebrations-begin-back-hogwarts/ |
6 migrant workers were hit and injured by an SUV outside a North Carolina Walmart, and authorities are searching for the driver, police say
By Jamiel Lynch and Chenelle Woody, CNN
(CNN) — Six migrant workers were hit and injured by an SUV outside a North Carolina Walmart in what appears to be an “intentional assault” Sunday afternoon, and authorities are looking for the driver involved, police said.
The incident happened after 1 p.m. outside the store in the city of Lincolnton, about 38 miles northwest of Charlotte, according to the Lincolnton Police Department.
All six injured were taken to a local hospital with various injuries, police said, adding that none of the injuries appeared life-threatening.
Police described the driver involved in the incident as “an older white male” who was driving an older model mid-size black SUV with a luggage rack.
The department didn’t provide details on the circumstances of the collision, or what led police to believe it may have been intentional.
“The motives of the suspect are still under investigation,” Lincolnton Police said on Facebook.
Police released surveillance images of a black SUV and asked for the public’s assistance in identifying the vehicle and its driver.
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2023/07/31/6-migrant-workers-were-hit-and-injured-by-an-suv-outside-a-north-carolina-walmart-and-authorities-are-searching-for-the-driver-police-say/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:42 | 1 | https://kion546.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2023/07/31/6-migrant-workers-were-hit-and-injured-by-an-suv-outside-a-north-carolina-walmart-and-authorities-are-searching-for-the-driver-police-say/ |
BlackBerry QNX and BlackBerry IVY to serve as the software foundation for alliance's EV projects
WATERLOO, ON and TAIPEI, Taiwan, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) today announced that the Mobility in Harmony (MIH) Consortium, a Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd, (Foxconn)-initiated group, that seeks to create an open ecosystem to transform and accelerate innovation within the electric vehicle industry, has selected BlackBerry to provide the foundation for its next-generation platform.
MIH will use a range of BlackBerry software and services to serve as the safe and secure software foundation for the consortium's open and agnostic electric vehicle platform with a unique modular design approach. Project X, one of the MIH EV projects, will be a single-row three-seater geared towards Asian consumers, and is set to be unveiled in Japan in late 2023. MIH will also release six-seater and nine-seater vehicle platforms in the coming years to provide more vehicle segment choices, and to enable greater innovation.
As part of the agreement, MIH will utilize the company's trusted, safety-certified BlackBerry® QNX® product portfolio and award-winning cloud-connected, automotive AI platform, BlackBerry IVY™, including QNX Software Development Platform (SDP 7.1) licenses, QNX middleware technologies, as well as engineering professional services for system-level integration, performance optimization, and solution validation.
"MIH is committed to driving an open and agnostic ecosystem, with a focus that goes beyond just electric vehicles. Our ambition lies in crafting intelligent user experiences that enhance smart living and redefine the future of mobility and green logistics. BlackBerry's alignment with MIH's vision makes them the perfect partner for our goals. We anticipate deeper collaboration to realize our shared vision to revolutionize the electric vehicle industry and we're thrilled about our partnership with BlackBerry," said Jack Cheng, Chief Executive Officer at MIH Consortium.
Mattias Eriksson, President, BlackBerry IoT commented: "The Foxconn-led MIH Consortium has articulated an ambitious and compelling vision focused on accelerating innovation in the EV ecosystem. As the leading foundational software for the intelligent edge, BlackBerry QNX helps our customers and partners turbocharge their software development efforts. Companies all over the world, deploy BlackBerry's high-performance, safe and secure foundational software to allow their own internal resources to focus on layers higher up in the software stack. They trust us for the 'plumbing,' so they can confidently dedicate their work to software directly impacting their customers' experiences. This accelerates development, improves safety and security, while reducing overall costs. We are excited to join the MIH consortium and look forward to helping them execute on their vision of transforming the overall EV industry."
For more information about the MIH Consortium please visit: MIH | Mobility in Harmony (mih-ev.org).
For more information on how BlackBerry QNX can help with building the safe and secure vehicles of tomorrow, please visit: BlackBerry.QNX.com.
About BlackBerry
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. The company secures more than 500M endpoints including over 235M vehicles. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company leverages AI and machine learning to deliver innovative solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, safety and data privacy solutions, and is a leader in the areas of endpoint management, endpoint security, encryption, and embedded systems. BlackBerry's vision is clear - to secure a connected future you can trust.
For more information, visit BlackBerry.com and follow @BlackBerry.
Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.
About MIH Consortium
Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), a global leader in smart manufacturing, introduced MIH, its software and hardware open platform for EVs, in 2020 and initiated the formation of the MIH Consortium in 2021. Foxconn aims to position MIH as the "Android system of the EV industry." Foxconn is inviting automakers, manufacturers, and supply chain partners to join the MIH to collaborate. MIH's mission is to lower barriers to entry into the EV industry, accelerate innovation, and shorten development cycles by realizing key technologies and developing reference designs and standards. Currently, the MIH has more than 2,600 members.
For More: https://www.mih-ev.org/
Media Contacts:
BlackBerry Media Relations
+1 (519) 597-7273
mediarelations@BlackBerry.com
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SOURCE BlackBerry Limited | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mobility-harmony-mih-consortium-selects-blackberry-advance-its-next-generation-electric-vehicle-development-efforts/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:45 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mobility-harmony-mih-consortium-selects-blackberry-advance-its-next-generation-electric-vehicle-development-efforts/ |
Aaron Rodgers hits back at Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton for ‘out of line’ comments
By Jacob Lev, CNN
(CNN) — New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has described Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s comments on Nathaniel Hackett as “out of line” and “inappropriate.”
The 59-year-old Payton was hired this past offseason by the Broncos, succeeding former head coach Hackett, who was let go by the team after a 4-11 record last season. Hackett is now offensive coordinator with the Jets.
Payton has apologized for his critique of the team’s previous coach and staff, calling his comments a “mistake.” He had initially told USA Today that his predecessors had done “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.”
In an interview with Peter Schrager on Back Together Weekend on NFL+, Rodgers came to Hackett’s defense saying, “Yeah, I love Nathaniel Hackett, and those comments were very surprising, for a coach to do that to another coach.”
“My love for Hack goes deep, you know, we had some great years together in Green Bay,” Rodgers continued.
“(We) kept in touch, love him and his family, he’s an incredible family man and an incredible dad. And on the field, he’s arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL. Just his approach to it – he makes it fun, how he cares about the guys, just how he goes about his business with respect, with leadership, with honesty, with integrity.
“It made me feel bad that someone (Payton) who’s accomplished a lot in the league is that insecure that they have to take another man down to set themselves up for some sort of easy fall if it doesn’t go well for that team this year.
“I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coach’s name out of his mouth.”
Prior to coaching the Broncos, Hackett coached Rodgers for three seasons from 2019 to 2021, while the two were with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers won two MVP awards while Hackett was the offensive coordinator for the Packers under head coach Matt LaFleur.
Payton has had plenty of success in the NFL, coaching the New Orleans Saints for 15 years. He led the franchise to the playoffs nine times and won the Super Bowl in 2010.
Following the 2021 season, Payton stepped down as head coach in New Orleans and worked as a broadcaster last season. The Broncos hired him in February after a disappointing 5-12 season.
In 2012, Payton was suspended without pay for the entire NFL season after a league investigation found the Saints had an “active bounty program” during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. “Bounty” payments were given to players for hits that hurt opponents and knocked them out of the game.
The Jets and quarterback Rodgers face the Cleveland Browns in the NFL’s annual Hall of Fame game on Thursday.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/sports/cnn-sports/2023/07/31/aaron-rodgers-hits-back-at-denver-broncos-head-coach-sean-payton-for-out-of-line-comments/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:48 | 1 | https://kion546.com/sports/cnn-sports/2023/07/31/aaron-rodgers-hits-back-at-denver-broncos-head-coach-sean-payton-for-out-of-line-comments/ |
Recruiting Season Is in Full Swing for Professional Football Players to Join Virtual Fan Engagement Channel
NAPLES, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Notable Live is announcing that it has added three more Pro Football Hall of Fame players to the Notable Live line-up for the upcoming season. In addition to existing players Emmitt Smith and Ray Lewis, Notable Live is excited to add Cris Carter, Champ Bailey and Ed Reed to the Notable Live team. This comes as a fast follow to Notable Live's recent multi-year commercial agreement with eBay and its Series A financing round led by eBay Ventures.
Notable Live is a tech-enabled virtual engagement platform that connects fans to teams, leagues and players in a way they have always dreamed about through an immersive experience. Notable Live, co-founded in 2018 by Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and entrepreneurial veteran Mike Antonucci, helps players monetize their image and personal brands not just on game day, but every day.
Through one set of login credentials, the Notable Live platform unlocks an expansive catalog of one-to-many engagement experiences, including live events and on-demand content. On the platform's commerce-enabled exchange, players, teams and leagues can activate live auction or marketplace functions to sell physical memorabilia, digital content, in-person experiences or other unique offerings. All items offered on the Notable Live platform and its associated channels can be authentically bought and sold across the growing and loyal community of Notable Live fans.
"The multi-billion annual sports memorabilia market is rapidly evolving to include new digital experiences, and Notable Live continues to grow its comprehensive platform for both the college and professional sports markets. We are pleased to announce the continued expansion of our roster of NFL athletes on our platform," said Mike Antonucci, co-founder and CEO of Notable Live.
"The fans bring their passion for the game and for their favorite players, ensuring the memorabilia space remains more about the fans than about the athletes," added Emmitt Smith, co-founder of Notable Live. "We are excited to continue expanding our platform with fellow Hall of Famers and other athletes."
About Notable Live
Notable Live was co-founded in 2018 by avid sports fan Mike Antonucci and Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith to create a unique platform providing sports fans with unparalleled access to their favorite notables via virtual interactive events. Notable Live, a mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play, grants fans real access to notables by putting them "in the room" together for memorable virtual experiences. Connect with Notable Live at www.notable.live or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Threads for iOS and Threads for Google Play.
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Japan stuns Spain 4-0 to top Group C while Zambia earns first ever Women’s World Cup win
By Ben Morse, CNN
(CNN) — Japan provided one of the performances of the Women’s World Cup so far to stun Spain 4-0 in Wellington on Monday.
A first-half brace from Hinata Miyazawa either side of a deflected shot from Riko Ueki had Japan 3-0 ahead by the 40th minute as its tactic of catching Spain on the counterattack paid dividends in this Group C match
Despite Spanish pressure and possession, Japan further extended the lead through a late Mina Tanaka goal to close out an impressive win.
By topping the group Japan will now face Norway in the last 16 round of the tournament on Saturday. Spain will play Switzerland on the same day.
Meanwhile in Hamilton, Zambia earned its first ever Women’s World Cup victory thanks to a 3-1 win over Costa Rica.
Lushomo Mweemba scored the country’s first ever goal at the tournament through a delightful volley directly from a corner before Barbra Banda doubled the lead from the penalty spot. Banda’s penalty was the 1,000th Women’s World Cup goal.
Although an error from Zambia goalkeeper Catherine Musonda gave Costa Rica a route back into the game, with Melissa Herrera scoring, Zambia secured a famous victory with Racheal Kundananji wrapping up the evening in fine fashion with her late goal in added time.
Group C wrapped up
Prior to Monday’s game, both Japan and Spain had already booked their slots in the tournament’s knockout stages, with this match to decide who would top Group C.
Japan might have made five changes to the team that had beaten Costa Rica in its previous game, but the Asian side’s impressive tactical discipline and energetic defending restricted any clear openings for Spain, despite the European team dominating possession.
Japan looked dangerous on the counterattack and in the 12th minute, Miyazawa capitalized on a beautifully weighted pass from Jun Endo to race through on goal, slotting the ball past Misa Rodríguez in goal as Spain conceded for the first time at this year’s tournament.
Ueki doubled the Nadeshiko’s lead on the half-hour mark, once again punishing La Roja in a swift counterattack with her deflected effort evading a despairing Rodríguez.
The counterattacking strategy continued to pay dividends for Japan with Miyazawa expertly finishing a few minutes before halftime.
And sespite Spanish pressure, it was Japan who got the next goal, Tanaka adding a fourth to further embarrass the European team.
Japan’s last 16 meeting against Norway in the next round of the tournament will see the 2011 world champion – the Asian side beat the US Women’s National Team in that final – take on the 1995 world champion.
Costa Rica and Zambia entered Monday’s game knowing that although both sides’ qualification hopes had gone, the possibility of a first ever Women’s World Cup win was up for grabs.
Mweemba’s exquisite volley in the opening five minutes had the Copper Queens well on their way before Banda – having been fouled in the box by Katherine Alvarado – further extending Zambia’s lead.
Costa Rica ramped up the pressure after the interval and found a route back into the game thanks to a mistake from Musonda, allowing Herrera to score Costa Rica’s first goal at this year’s tournament.
Herrera thought she had brought Costa Rica level when she scored in the 69th minute, only for the offside flag to rule out her effort.
In added time, Kundananji capped off a memorable evening for Zambia, placing the ball past the Costa Rican goalkeeper to send the Zambia fans wild in celebration as their team completed this historic victory.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/sports/cnn-sports/2023/07/31/how-to-watch-australia-canada-and-nigeria-battle-for-womens-world-cup-knockout-phase-spot/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:54 | 1 | https://kion546.com/sports/cnn-sports/2023/07/31/how-to-watch-australia-canada-and-nigeria-battle-for-womens-world-cup-knockout-phase-spot/ |
HOUSTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nutex Health Inc. ("Nutex Health" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: NUTX), a physician-led, technology-enabled integrated healthcare delivery system comprised of 21 state-of-the-art micro hospitals in 8 states and primary care-centric, risk-bearing physician networks, today announced that its Clinigence Health advanced population health analytics platform has been selected by Varmed Management, a Puerto Rico-based medical management company, to enhance its population health capabilities and patient care.
Clinigence Health's partnership with Varmed Management honors the company's commitment to improving quality of life and health outcomes through implementing advanced analytics and cutting-edge technology. Together, they aim to deliver unparalleled solutions to patients, ensuring seamless, whole-person care while reducing costs.
Clinigence Health is thrilled to assist Varmed Management in its mission. Sophisticated population health management requires a platform like Clinigence Health that helps organizations enhance the care delivered to their patients by identifying opportunities to engage its physicians and its patients with data to drive continued quality improvement.
"The partnership creates an environment where high-quality care is accessible and affordable to everyone in our community. By integrating Clinigence Health's advanced analytics into our population health management strategy, we can provide even more personalized patient care," stated José J. Vargas, Chief Executive Officer of Varmed Management.
"The healthcare industry continues to experience the loss of billions of premium dollars to overutilization and inappropriate use of services to the detriment of patient care. The transition to value-based care models requires organizations to understand the patterns of care and best medical practices that allow quality care to be delivered cost-effectively," stated Lawrence Schimmel, M.D., Chief Medical Information Officer of Nutex Health, Inc.
"Clinigence is a pioneer in clinical data integration, clinical quality reporting and population health analytics. Our scalable, purpose-built cloud-based platform has clinical and claims data on over 3 million patients and is in use by multiple independent practice associations ("IPAs"), medical groups, accountable care organizations ("ACOs"), hospitals and physicians. We look forward to partnering with the talented team at Varmed," stated Warren Hosseinion, M.D., President of Nutex Health.
For more information, visit Clinigence Health at www.clinigencehealth.com or email info@clinigence.com for personalized information requests.
About Nutex Health Inc.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas and founded in 2011, Nutex Health Inc. (NASDAQ: NUTX) is a healthcare management and operations company with two divisions: a Hospital Division and a Population Health Management Division.
The Hospital Division owns, develops and operates innovative health care models, including micro-hospitals, specialty hospitals, and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). This division owns and operates 21 facilities in 8 states.
The Population Health Management division owns and operates provider networks such as Independent Physician Associations (IPAs). Through our Management Services Organization (MSO), we provide management, administrative and other support services to our affiliated hospitals and physician groups. Our cloud-based proprietary technology platform aggregates clinical and claims data across multiple settings, information systems and sources to create a holistic view of patients and providers, allowing us to deliver greater quality care more efficiently.
About Varmed Management
Varmed Management is a fully integrated healthcare solutions provider. As a population health management organization, we are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions to our clients, improving quality of life through patient empowerment, improving healthcare outcomes and reducing costs. www.varmedmanagement.com
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements and information included in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words or phrases "will", "will likely result," "expected to," "will continue," "anticipated," "estimate," "projected," "intend," "goal," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks, known and unknown, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, our ability to successfully execute our growth strategy, changes in laws or regulations, including the interim final and final rules implemented under the No Surprises Act , economic conditions, dependence on management, dilution to stockholders, lack of capital, the effects of rapid growth upon the Company and the ability of management to effectively respond to the growth and demand for products and services of the Company, newly developing technologies, the Company's ability to compete, conflicts of interest in related party transactions, regulatory matters, protection of technology, lack of industry standards, the effects of competition and the ability of the Company to obtain future financing. An extensive list of factors that can affect future results are discussed in the Current Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2023 under the heading "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item IA thereof, and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such factors could materially adversely affect the Company's financial performance and could cause the Company's actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed within this press release.
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SOURCE Nutex Health, Inc. | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ | 2023-07-31T10:18:59 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ |
Taylor Ward suffers facial fractures after being hit by 91mph pitch
By Aimee Lewis, CNN
(CNN) — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward suffered facial fractures after being hit by a 91mph pitch on Saturday, his team said.
The 29-year-old was taken off the field in the fifth inning of the 6-1 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre after being hit on the head by Alek Manoah’s pitch.
Taylor was taken to hospital for further testing, the team said, and discharged later in the day.
“He’s expected to need surgery, and manager Phil Nevin said there’s no timetable for his return,” the team said on its website.
“That’s probably the worst feeling ever,” Manoah said, per Reuters. “Definitely want to pray for him and his family. That’s the last thing you want to do, no matter the situation, no matter the team, no matter anything. I feel really bad about it.”
Ward was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday, leaving the Angels without Ward, Mike Trout (fractured left hamate bone), Anthony Rendon (bruised left leg), Zach Neto (back) and Brandon Drury (left shoulder contusion) for the three-game series against Atlanta Braves starting Monday.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/sports/cnn-sports/2023/07/31/taylor-ward-suffers-facial-fractures-after-being-hit-by-91mph-pitch/ | 2023-07-31T10:19:00 | 0 | https://kion546.com/sports/cnn-sports/2023/07/31/taylor-ward-suffers-facial-fractures-after-being-hit-by-91mph-pitch/ |
BALTIMORE, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Opteev Technologies, Inc., a pioneering technology company at the forefront of diagnostics, has filed a patent (Patent Application #63/513,007) for a revolutionary multiplex biochip for respiratory infection diagnostics. The groundbreaking polymer-based biochip offers the potential to test multiple pathogens responsible for respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and Influenza, and precisely identify the specific virus or bacteria in under 1 minute. This game-changing technology paves the way for an ultra-rapid, portable, and accurate syndromic diagnostic device to empower healthcare providers with immediate results at their fingertips.
The tiny biochip can directly detect whole viruses in real-time in both processed and unprocessed samples such as saliva or nasal swab and has demonstrated an unprecedented accuracy rate of 99.49% with an impressive limit of detection in its analytical performance evaluation. Furthermore, the biosensor achieves fine-tuned specificity by carefully selecting specific virus-binding peptides, enabling accurate identification of target viruses in complex samples. To ensure precise and reliable virus detection, the biochip utilizes artificial intelligence to optimize the frequency range effectively mitigating the impact of interfering noise signals.
Unlike conventional respiratory panels that cost tens of thousands of dollars and take days to provide results, Opteev's multiplex biochip will offer healthcare providers affordable syndromic testing with the ability to process samples at the point of care, allowing for the simultaneous detection and specific identification of multiple pathogens instantaneously. This breakthrough technology will eliminate the need for speculation by providing healthcare providers with the critical information needed to deliver the most effective treatment options at the point of care.
"With the development of our multiplex biochip, we are revolutionizing point-of-care diagnostics," said Dr. Mesfin Meshesha, Vice President of Virology & Diagnostics at Opteev Technologies. "The potential of this technology to transform patient care, streamline operations, and reduce costs is truly remarkable."
As Opteev Technologies continues to push the boundaries of point-of-care diagnostics, the company welcomes potential collaborations and partnerships to further develop and commercialize its multiplex biochip. "Together, we can shape the future of diagnostics and unlock the massive potential of our game-changing multiplex biochip," said Conrad Bessemer, Opteev's Chairman and Co-founder.
For more information about Opteev Technologies and its groundbreaking multiplex biochip, please visit www.opteev.com.
Opteev Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, MD, is a pioneering technology company at the forefront of diagnostics. With a strong focus on respiratory pathogen detection, Opteev is committed to developing innovative solutions that revolutionize the field of point-of-care diagnostics. As a subsidiary of Novatec, Inc., a trusted manufacturer and supplier of machinery and sensor technology, Opteev leverages decades of experience to drive advancements in healthcare.
Media Contact:
Dana Gardner
Vice President
dgardner@opteev.com
Phone: 443-457-5214
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SOURCE Opteev Technologies, Inc | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ | 2023-07-31T10:19:05 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ |
Women’s World Cup: Which teams are through? Which are out? Which can still qualify?
By Matias Grez and Ben Morse, CNN
(CNN) — With some Women’s World Cup groups balancing on a knife edge, working out which team needs to get what result to still qualify can be a tricky process.
CNN Sport takes a look at each group and breaks down the teams that are already through to the round of 16, those that are out and the results the remaining teams need to qualify.
Group A
Co-host New Zealand picked up an unwanted record by becoming the first host nation knocked out at the Women’s World Cup group stages, after its 0-0 draw against Switzerland in its final group game.
With Norway thrashing the Philippines 6-0 in the other Group A game, the Football Ferns needed to beat its Swiss opponents to secure a place in the last 16 but was unable to find a breakthrough.
The results on Sunday mean Switzerland go through as the group winners, with Norway progressing as the runner-up ahead of New Zealand on goal difference.
Group B
Canada vs. Australia, Republic of Ireland vs. Nigeria
Leader Nigeria will qualify with a win or a draw, but is currently only topping the group on goals scored over Canada.
If second place Canada also wins, it will come down to goal difference then goals scored to determine the group winner. Canada can also qualify with a draw.
Only a win will guarantee Australia avoids the same potential fate as its co-host and goes out in the group stage, but a draw will also be enough if the Republic of Ireland beat Nigeria by two goals.
The Republic of Ireland is already eliminated.
Group C
Costa Rica vs. Zambia, Japan vs. Spain
Japan and Spain were already through to the last 16 after winning their opening two matches, but Japan’s 4-0 win over Spain ensures Japan tops the group.
Costa Rica and Zambia were both already eliminated before they faced each other in the final group game.
Group D
China vs. England, Haiti vs. Denmark
England needs just a point against China to finish top of Group D.
Denmark, level on points with China but ahead on head-to-head after beating the Chinese, just needs to better China’s result to qualify.
If China and Denmark win or England and Haiti win, three teams will be level on points. Qualification would be decided by goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head.
Group E
Portugal vs. United States, Vietnam vs. Netherlands
The US Women’s National Team will qualify with a win or a draw and need to either match or better the Netherlands’ result to guarantee top spot.
The Netherlands can also qualify with a win or draw, but need to win and hope the US either loses or draws – or wins but scores two or more goals fewer than the Dutch – to finish top.
Portugal can still qualify, but the odds are heavily stacked against it. The team either needs to beat the US or draw and hope for another miracle in the form of a Vietnam victory over the Netherlands.
Vietnam is already eliminated.
Group F
Jamaica vs. Brazil, Panama vs. France
France will qualify for the last 16 with a win or a draw against Panama and victory will guarantee top spot as long as it matches or betters Jamaica’s result.
Jamaica will qualify if it can cause a huge upset and win or draw against Brazil.
Brazil needs a win to guarantee a place in the last 16, but will also qualify in the unlikely event of a Brazil draw and Panama beat France.
Group G
Argentina vs. Sweden, South Africa vs. Italy
Sweden is already through to the last 16 and only needs a draw against Argentina to guarantee top spot.
Italy will qualify if it beats South Africa or if it draws and Argentina draws or loses against Sweden.
Argentina and South Africa both need to win to stand any chance of reaching the knockout stages.
If they both win, three teams will be on four points and it will again come down to goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head.
Group H
South Korea vs. Germany, Morocco vs. Colombia
Colombia is on the brink of a spot in the knockout stages thanks to the surprise victory over Germany in its second group game. a draw against Morocco in its final group game will see it top Group H.
A draw or better against Morocco in its final game would secure top spot in the group for Colombia. The second qualification place looks set to go down to the wire with both Germany and Morocco level on three points.
Germany may need to beat South Korea in its final group game to guarantee a place in the last 16.
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Mobile Visual Processing Solutions Coupled with Dedicated Game Tuning Services Take Mobile Gaming Experience to a Brand-New Level
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pixelworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: PXLW), a leading provider of innovative visual processing solutions, today announced the official launch of its new IRX gaming experience brand. As a brand targeted at smartphone users, IRX is grounded on Pixelworks' mobile visual processing solutions and coupled with in-depth game tuning services. This combination leverages Pixelworks' expertise to achieve ultra-smooth gaming experience and the highest picture quality for different types of games on mobile devices. In addition, it exercises effective control of power consumption, latency and other performance variables to ensure stable and long-lasting gaming with optimal visual performance, providing end users with unparalleled mobile gaming experiences.
The IRX gaming experience is enabled by a portfolio of technology advantages and product application experiences based on the Company's innovative distributed rendering architecture. More specifically, Pixelworks' ultra-low latency MotionEngine® technology, low power super-resolution technology, AI Always-on HDR and other technologies bring optimized rendering capabilities to smartphones that exceed what can be achieved by a traditional chipset. Together with Pixelworks' profound tuning experience for different games on various mobile devices the result is a meaningfully enriched visual experience for smartphone users, which is the core foundation for the IRX gaming experience.
The IRX gaming experience brand will be supported by a certification program for mobile devices that incorporates Pixelworks visual processors. The certification program will be backed by a suite of visual quality evaluation systems agreed upon with smartphone manufacturers to ensure that Pixelworks powered smartphones provide the most outstanding gaming performance and utmost visual quality for consumers.
The IRX branded certification program is comprised of both device certification and game tuning services. Pixelworks will optimize the rendering capabilities and display quality of top games on mobile devices based on its visual processors' capabilities as well as the devices' performance characteristics. Smartphones that meet the technical requirements as well as Pixelworks' visual processing standards will be granted the IRX branded certification, and games that meet Pixelworks' visual quality requirements will be included in the IRX-supported game list. To date, there are 20 top games being enlisted on the IRX-supported game list, which can be found on Pixelworks' official IRX gaming experience website. Furthermore, Pixelworks plans to establish expanded communication channels with consumers to help further educate end users on the benefits of the IRX gaming experience.
"IRX is a gaming experience brand from Pixelworks targeted directly towards mobile device users." said Ting Xiong, President of Pixelworks China. "Pixelworks would like to empower smartphone manufacturers to break the ceiling of mobile gaming experience from content optimization to performance enhancement with its innovative rendering technologies and years of game tuning and optimization experience. Additionally, we are also aiming to develop and promote consumer awareness around how to better evaluate visual display quality and the mobile gaming experience, enabling them to make smarter choices when purchasing a smartphone. By utilizing professional technologies and services to build more links across both products and users, we hope to drive mutual growth through in-depth interactions while bringing display performance and the mobile gaming experience to a brand-new level."
About Pixelworks
Pixelworks provides industry-leading content creation, video delivery and display processing solutions and technology that enable highly authentic viewing experiences with superior visual quality, across all screens – from cinema to smartphone and beyond. The Company has more than 20 years of history delivering image processing innovation to leading providers of consumer electronics, professional displays and video streaming services.
For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.pixelworks.com.
Note: Pixelworks, MotionEngine and the Pixelworks logo are trademarks of Pixelworks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Talking Tom and MrBeast just announced a unique collaboration for Talking Tom's 10th birthday party! Starting today, players of My Talking Tom 2, the popular virtual pet game, can unwrap an exclusive surprise from MrBeast himself — a one-of-a-kind outfit. Additionally, Talking Tom and MrBeast are also joining forces with a contribution to the Tebow CURE Hospital for underprivileged children in the Philippines.
"Our collaboration with MrBeast for Talking Tom's 10th anniversary demonstrates our commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences to our players," said Xinyu Qian, CEO of Outfit7. "By offering an exclusive MrBeast outfit and extending our support to the Tebow CURE Hospital, we aim not only to enhance the excitement within the game but also to make a meaningful difference in the lives of underprivileged children."
For a limited time of two weeks, the exclusive MrBeast outfit for Tom can be found in the bedroom wardrobe, or claimed through a pop-up gift box, either on the porch or in the bathroom. As part of the 10th birthday celebration, Tom has also given users a generous gift of 100,000 in-game gold coins, which are still attainable in the game.
In addition to the in-game collaboration, Talking Tom and MrBeast have joined forces to support the Tebow CURE Hospital, which provides assistance to underprivileged children in the Philippines. Together they will support the hospital's activities for a month, enabling them to carry out over 150 surgeries. To ensure sustainable care for the children, the hospital will also receive a year's supply of essential orthopaedic supplies.
Download My Talking Tom 2 now and claim the exclusive MrBeast outfit! It will be available for free in My Talking Tom 2 for a limited time, from July 30 to August 13, 2023.
ABOUT OUTFIT7: Outfit7 Limited is a dynamic force in mobile gaming, reaching a global audience of billions with its award-winning games. Powered by creativity and industry-leading expertise, the company's talented international team of around 400 people pushes the boundaries of the possible every day. Outfit7's 20+ games have now been downloaded worldwide over 21 billion times and up to 470 million fans play with them every month. Its portfolio also includes numerous chart-topping animated series, theme parks, and a licensing program. You can find more information at www.outfit7.com.
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2164951/Outfit7.jpg
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16TH annual event features turtles named after characters in Disney's frighteningly fun adventure movie, "Haunted Mansion," now playing in theaters.
VERO BEACH, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the weekend at Disney's Vero Beach Resort, researchers from the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) and Disney Conservation released two sea turtles as part of the 16th annual Tour de Turtles "migration marathon." Tour de Turtles is a fun, educational event that follows the migration of sea turtles from their nesting beaches to their feeding grounds and, ultimately, provides scientific data on how best to protect their species.
The Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) and Disney Cruise Line are each sponsoring a turtle this year, whose names, Madame Leota and Harriet, are the names of characters in Disney's frighteningly fun adventure movie "Haunted Mansion," now playing in theaters. Not unlike Gabbie, another character in the film who enlists a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters – Tour de Turtles brings together a team of researchers from the STC and Disney Conservation annually to undertake a daunting mission - using satellite telemetry to track two female turtles to determine where and how far they swim during the migration season.
Each turtle swims to raise awareness about various threats to sea turtle survival. The turtle to swim the furthest distance will win the Tour de Turtles race.
"Disney's commitment to sea turtle conservation in Vero Beach spans 20 years, and we are very proud to have recently watched our 1.5 millionth sea turtle hatchling leave the nest and shuffle its way to the ocean," said Mark Penning, Vice President of Disney's Animals, Science and Environment. "Southeast Florida hosts one of the largest nesting aggregations of loggerhead sea turtles, making up to 40 percent of the global loggerhead population. The team has recorded more than 20,000 sea turtle nests on our survey route since the program began."
The data collected during Tour de Turtles helps researchers, conservationists and governing agencies make more informed decisions about sea turtle conservation and management. Since the launch of the event in 2008, STC and Disney have collaborated to study 29 sea turtles outfitted with satellite transmitters and released from Disney's Vero Beach Resort. Continuing its commitment to strengthen youth education programs in port communities around the world, Disney Cruise Line proudly supported local students from Club Esteem from Melbourne, Florida, to participate in this year's event. DCF also has directed more than $5.1 million to support global sea turtle conservation efforts.
"Disney is a fantastic collaborator," said David Godfrey, STC Executive Director. "Disney's commitment to conservation, passion for environmental education, and effectiveness at communicating with audiences have made the Tour de Turtles a fun and successful program since it was launched over a decade ago."
In addition to Tour de Turtles, the Disney Conservation team has dedicated nearly 19,000 hours to studying and monitoring sea turtle nests during the summer nesting season along the five-mile coastline at Disney's Vero Beach Resort. From approximately May to October, Disney Vacation Club members and resort guests also have the opportunity to assist the team by joining outings to observe real-time sea turtle research while learning how they can take action to protect sea turtles. So far this year, the Disney Conservation team has a record-breaking number of nests along their survey route – nearly 2,000 by August, well above the average 1,500 normally counted in an entire season.
Tour de Turtles is a research and education program of the Sea Turtle Conservancy and Disney's support is just one example of bringing Disney Planet Possible to life by taking action to make a happier, healthier planet possible for all. To learn more and follow the turtles' migration, visit the Tour de Turtles website at www.tourdeturtles.org
ABOUT DISNEY'S VERO BEACH RESORT
Disney's Vero Beach Resort, a Disney Vacation Club Resort, offers spacious vacation villas along the pristine Atlantic coastline. The resort is located less than a two-hour drive from the Walt Disney World Resort, and its design reflects the Treasure Coast region where it is situated. Disney Vacation Club, a leader in vacation ownership, debuted in 1991 with a flexible, vacation points-based system rather than the traditional fixed-week timeshare model. Disney Vacation Club Members are able to choose from among a variety of exciting vacation destinations, including a stay at any Disney Vacation Club Resort or one of thousands of other vacation options in destinations around the world.
ABOUT DISNEY'S "HAUNTED MANSION"
Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, Disney's "Haunted Mansion" is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.
Directed by Justin Simien, the film features an all-star cast ensemble including LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon and Daniel Levy, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost. The film's producers are Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, with Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman serving as executive producers.
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SOURCE Walt Disney World | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/tour-de-turtles-celebrates-sea-turtles-supernatural-science-disneys-vero-beach-resort/ | 2023-07-31T10:19:24 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/tour-de-turtles-celebrates-sea-turtles-supernatural-science-disneys-vero-beach-resort/ |
The Nation's Largest Network for Affordable Housing Protects Consumers from Unfair Fees and Costs
BOCA RATON, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AffordableHousing.com today announced it will join the White House and a compendium of government agencies and other private sector companies in large-scale efforts to end junk fees and ensure that Americans are provided with honest, transparent pricing. More than 100 million property searches per year are performed on AffordableHousing.com–the largest platform for affordable housing in the nation.
"For decades, families have relied on us to help them find affordable housing," says Richard Cupelli, CEO at AffordableHousing.com. "We take pride in advocating for these families, so it was a natural fit for us to join forces with the Administration and other socially responsible companies to help protect consumers in our industry."
On July 19, 2023, the White House published a Fact Sheet announcing its crack-down on junk fees in the rental market, highlighting private-sector commitments supporting this initiative made by the three major rental housing platforms: AffordableHousing.com, Zillow, and Apartments.com.
Late last year, the President called on federal agencies, Congress, and private companies to take action to address junk fees across the economy. The initiative aims to ensure Americans are provided with honest, transparent pricing. By February 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced proposed rules limiting credit card late fees. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) finalized a rule requiring cable and internet providers to list fees up front. And the Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed a requirement for airlines and booking services show the full price of a plane ticket, including baggage and other fees.
In March, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge released an open letter to housing providers and state and local governments, encouraging them to adopt policies promoting greater fairness and transparency of fees faced by renters. Substantial research shows such fees obstruct comparison shopping, impede competition, and lead to consumers paying more.
A long-standing resource for families seeking affordable housing, AffordableHousing.com has policies in place supporting this transparency and protecting its customers from unfair fees.
Renters can search available properties free on AffordableHousing.com, and property owners are required to be upfront about all refundable and non-refundable rental fees and costs. AffordableHousing.com also does not charge rental application fees.
"Our socially responsible technology platform has allowed us to establish the largest network of affordable housing in the nation," says Cupelli. "We understand the accountability that comes with our standing in the industry and the trust that our customers place in us."
As a hub for housing agencies across the nation, AffordableHousing.com also allows state and local governments to have their own customized website that serves their local community, enforces their specific regulatory requirements, centralizes all affordable housing, and simplifies the application and approval process.
"We are working with AffordableHousing.com to implement the Vermont Affordable Housing Hub, which will allow families to easily find and apply to all affordable housing in the state," says Kathleen Berk, Executive Director at Vermont State Housing Authority. "By utilizing AffordableHousing.com's custom housing hub to build our state-specific site, we can streamline compliance with state laws, which have strict application fee guidelines. We can also add safeguards to protect our families by providing the Clear and Fair Lease template for property owners to use. These leases will also comply with affordable housing programs, like Section 8."
AffordableHousing.com also rewards reputable property owners. Those with a history of good standing can qualify for a Trusted Owner Badge, which ensures their credibility to prospective renters on the site and increases consumer confidence. Trusted Owners also receive prominent listing status.
Earning and maintaining status as a Trusted Owner requires providing various levels of documentation to verify qualifications and authenticity, adhering to all relevant federal, state, and local laws, and complying with the site's reasonable fee guidelines.
Together with its research partner, Learning Collider (www.learningcollider.org), AffordableHousing.com is conducting research into the real cost of administrative fees, the impact of fee transparency in rental listings, and the effectiveness of platform features like the common application for rental and government programs—an endeavor that the company has been urging agencies to adopt for years.
"Our research partnership with AffordableHousing.com has allowed us to analyze the impacts of rental fees on low-income families in real-time," says Peter Bergman, Professor at UT Austin and Director of the Learning Collider research lab. "Together, we are advancing research to identify junk fees and establish transparent fee practices, easing the path to affordable rentals for families across the U.S."
The President announced in latest White House Fact Sheet, released on July 27, 2023, further plans to protect renters, naming AffordableHousing.com as an ally in the initiative and endorsing the site's plans to deploy additional consumer protection tools by the end of the year, including "Clear and Fair" digital leases, which will align with the principles outlined in the White House Blueprint for a Renter Bill of Rights. Property owners who use these "Clear and Fair" digital leases will be acknowledged on AffordableHousing.com.
About AffordableHousing.com: For more than 20 years, AffordableHousing.com has provided innovative technology and real solutions that help solve some of the most complex challenges impacting the availability of affordable housing in the United States. By simplifying access to available resources, AffordableHousing.com boosts participation in government programs, increasing the much-needed supply of affordable housing nationwide, and providing more homes to more families.
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SOURCE AffordableHousing.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/white-house-announces-partnership-with-affordablehousingcom-end-junk-fees/ | 2023-07-31T10:19:30 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/white-house-announces-partnership-with-affordablehousingcom-end-junk-fees/ |
Website says cheapest weeklong beach vacation is right here in North Central Florida
The most affordable beach town in the U.S. is right here in North Central Florida, according to at least one analysis.
Upgraded Points, a website that aims to help travelers best use their credit card points and miles to upgrade their vacation experiences, ranked Cedar Key as the cheapest location for a weeklong beachfront vacation rental among 75 of the country’s most popular beach towns.
The website used Airbnb listings to calculate the average cost for houses and hotels in each town.
It determined that an average weeklong stay in a beachfront rental — house or hotel — in Cedar Key is $1,330.
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Key West was listed as the most expensive beach town in Florida with an average weeklong price of $4,547 for a beachfront vacation.
Other Florida beach towns on the list include Miami Beach ($4,211), Sanibel Island ($3,472), Naples ($3,356), Jacksonville Beach ($3,062), Clearwater Beach ($3,150) and St. Augustine ($2,443).
The most expensive places on the list were all in New York: Montauk ($6,454), South Hampton ($6,391) and East Hampton ($6,178). The average weeklong stay in Malibu California was listed at $6,150.
Airbnb costs more
Upgraded Points found that staying in a beachfront home adds 27% to the rental's average nightly price. It also found that booking a home on Airbnb cost about 25% more than booking a hotel room on Airbnb.
Across all 75 towns studied, the average nightly price to stay at a beachfront home on Airbnb for a week was $3,771. An average beachfront hotel on Airbnb came in at $2,936.
If an ocean view isn’t that important to your beach vacation, the analysis shows there’s plenty of money to be saved depending on where you visit.
While a non-ocean view in Cedar Key will save you just $14 a week, that same concession in Malibu will save you $5,383 a week. In Florida, Jacksonville Beach — at a savings of $1,701 — had the greatest price difference between beachfront and non-beachfront vacation homes.
It's unclear from the website’s data if it looked at peak or non-peak vacation times for each location. It’s also unclear if the prices listed include extra costs such as booking and cleaning fees. | https://www.gainesville.com/story/lifestyle/travel/2023/07/31/upgraded-points-determines-cedar-key-offers-cheapest-oceanfront-stay/70479000007/ | 2023-07-31T10:19:50 | 0 | https://www.gainesville.com/story/lifestyle/travel/2023/07/31/upgraded-points-determines-cedar-key-offers-cheapest-oceanfront-stay/70479000007/ |
5 questions facing Florida football as the Gators enter fall camp for the 2023 season
Florida football will open fall camp on Monday with plenty to work on in preparation for its season opener a month from now against Utah (August 31, 8 p.m., ESPN).
The Gators enter season two under head coach Billy Napier with 32 new faces on the roster that will need to continue to mesh with returning players. Part of that process occurred during spring practice in March and April, but the sense of urgency will be heightened with a full season ahead.
"The theme here for training camp, all parts of the organization and the team, is we have to agree to an expectation," Napier said. "I think that's a big deal."
Camp opens:Everything Florida football coach Billy Napier had to say on report day for fall camp
Big surprise:"It blows my mind." Florida football DB Jaydon Hill reacts to being picked 5th in SEC East
The Gators will practice 15 times over the next three weeks with a strategy mapped out by Napier centered on enhancing performance.
"As competitors that make up our team, this is a time of the year that you really look forward to, as we kind of prepare for the challenges that are ahead of us," Napier said. "This is a critical time of the year. You've got to work really hard, but you've got to work smart."
Here are five key questions for the Gators entering fall camp:
When will Florida football coach Billy Napier name a starting QB?
Napier said two weeks ago at SEC Football Media the decision could be made by the end of the scrimmage. But he also said he wouldn't rush the decision if there wasn't a clear leader between the two battling for the position -- Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and redshirt sophomore Jack Miller.
Mertz appears to have the upper hand after spring and summer workouts and proved leadership qualities to his teammates. As a former starter at Wisconsin, Mertz has more experience (32 career starts) than Miller (1 career start).
"Graham is actually on my offseason team, and he's been doing a good job just making sure everybody is where they're supposed to be, doing what they're supposed to do," Florida defensive back Jaydon Hill said. "Then just for the team, Graham has gotten up, he's spoken to us as far as just being a leader, and everybody, they listen. Graham has a lot of respect from us as players."
What other position battles are worth watching?
With Hill moving from cornerback to the star position, the other starting cornerback spot opposite Jason Marshall Jr. is up for grabs, with contenders including Jalen Kimber, Devin Moore and true freshmen Ja'Keem Jackson and Dijon Johnson.
Kimber, a transfer from Georgia, returned an interception for a touchdown last season against USF.
"With D-Mo coming back from his injury, I feel like he's going to be out there," Hill said. "Jalen Kimber had a big spring. With Ja'Keem, we got Dijon just came in, but we got a couple of guys that can go in there, and I look forward to all them guys in there contributing. I'm sure they will."
At linebacker, Scooby Williams, Ohio State transfer Teradja Mitchell and Houston transfer Mannie Nunnery will battle for the second starting position opposite Shemar James. Justus Boone and Tyreak Sapp will battle for a starting spot at defensive end, though with the added depth on the defensive line, both should get extensive snaps.
Can the defense continue its momentum from the spring under first year coordinator Austin Armstrong?
Both defensive units were impressive in UF's Orange and Blue game as the Gators combined for eight sacks and held both offenses to 17 points. Armstrong blitzed on and off throughout the contest holding true to his mantra of a defense that intends to "negotiate with a hammer."
"The identity of our defense, we want to be a tough, physical, relentless -- a group that plays with relentless effort and physicality, situational experts, plays with joy and enthusiasm," Armstrong said. "We're going to be the aggressor and we're going to hunt."
The 29-year-old Armstrong was hired away from a brief stint as linebackers coach at Alabama under Nick Saban after two years as the defensive coordinator at Southern Mississippi. At Southern Miss, Armstrong's defenses were strong on third down and generating sacks, two areas where UF struggled last season under former defensive coordinator Patrick Toney.
"It's going to make all of us better," Hill said. "The more disruption we cause, the better we are in the back end. We're all tying together."
Can the offensive line be a strength again this season after losing All-American O'Cyrus Torrence?
The Gators lost four starters on the offensive line, though Austin Barber returns at left tackle after making five starts at the tackle position last season. Starting center Kingsley Eguakun also is back.
The Gators are counting on Alabama transfer Dameion George Jr. to step in at right tackle and Richie Leonard IV to replace Torrence at right guard.
"For a lot of those guys, it's their second year in the system," Florida offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Rob Sale said. "The cumulative amount of reps that we do and our year-round plan, we've got Damieon George who came from another school that's run similar concepts, now it's just word association, getting him in there to play good football and jelling with his teammates next to him, and he's done a good job, as well."
At left guard, a potential position battle could develop between Baylor transfer Micah Mazzccua, who is recovering from shoulder surgery and true freshman Knijeah Harris, who started in the spring game. Mazzccua will be limited at the start of fall drills, Sale said. Sale is high on the potential of Harris.
"Football comes easy to him," Sale said. "He looks like he's been around here three or four years, and he's a freshman. Everybody, it kind of gets them a little bit different at different times. Some kind of need more reps, some kind of get the concept, OK, I get it. But he's a guy that is a good teammate, good person, obviously a good player, as well."
Florida suffered an unexpected loss to the offensive line when Kentucky transfer Kiyaunta Goodwin left the team a few weeks ago for family reasons to be closer to his mother in Louisville, who is battling cancer. But Sale thinks there's still enough depth and a tackle rotation could develop with Jordan Herman and FIU transfer Lyndell Hudson Jr.
"We've still got enough bullets in the chamber there when it comes to Damieon George," Sale said. "You've got Lyndell, and you've got Jordan Herman. So, we've got guys there that can play football for us."
Can any freshman emerge over the next three weeks?
The wide receiver position presents some interesting candidates. Andy Jean is coming off a strong showing in the spring as an early enrollee, and fellow early enrollee Aidan Mizell is a potential deep threat with his straight-line speed.
Another true freshman slot receiver, Eugene Wilson III, has impressed in summer workouts. At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Wilson has shown quickness coming out of the slot and elusiveness with the ball in his hands after the catch.
"I could see his play making ability early on," Hill said. "He has like a -- he's kind of been a little limited right now, but like as far as just watching him go, I've matched up with him a couple of times. He definitely can go, and he's going to make a lot of plays for us." | https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/college/football/2023/07/31/five-questions-for-florida-gators-football-entering-fall-camp/70483444007/ | 2023-07-31T10:19:56 | 1 | https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/college/football/2023/07/31/five-questions-for-florida-gators-football-entering-fall-camp/70483444007/ |
What does Florida football's Desmond Watson weigh? And is he ready to eat up the SEC?
The first thing out of Billy Napier’s mouth when Florida football's fall camp opened was a nod to players who’ve transformed their bodies since we last saw them.
He noted how Jack Pyburn has cut his body fat 6% while adding 10 pounds of muscle. T.J. Searcy’s added 12 pounds of muscle. Princely Umanmielen “improved his max velocity, gained 10 pounds of lean muscle, and he lost seven pounds of fat mass.”
Napier ran down a list of names, but he didn’t mention the one player most associated with the term “body mass.” The one player whose weight is always a point of curiosity. The one player who’d qualify as the biggest man on any campus.
So, just what does Desmond Watson tip the scales at these days?
“It’s still fluctuating. I’m trying to get it down,” he said. “I’ll leave it at that.”
My guess is he’s 431 pounds, give or take a Panda Express Family Meal. That might disappoint fans who hoped Watson would show up sporting washboard abs and 3% body fat, but it shouldn’t be surprising.
This is Watson’s third year at Florida. When he first arrived from Plant City, the hope was he’d get in a high-tech nutrition program, slim down to a svelte 380 or so and become a (semi) lean, mean tackling machine.
By now, it’s apparent there will always be a Battle of the Bulge.
“Des still has work to do,” said Mark Hocke, UF’s director of strength and conditioning. “But I love Des Watson.”
Everybody does. Part of it is the Jolly Fat Guy Syndrome, though these days it probably should be called the Jolly Calorically Challenged Guy. They are easy to embrace, and the entire country seemed to fall for Watson last November.
Opening statement:Everything Florida football coach Billy Napier had to say on report day for fall camp
Gators outlook up front:Deeper Florida football defensive line could improve in 2023.
He stripped the ball from a South Carolina runner and rumbled toward the end zone. Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler flung himself at the passing iceberg and managed to partially dislodge the ball.
Watson cradled the ball and went down, completing the most memorable eight-yard run in Florida history. The Heisman-like stiff-arm spawned dozens of memes and made Watson a YouTube superstar.
“Coach (Sean) Spencer is calling him ‘The Eighth Wonder of the World,’” Hocke said. “What an unbelievable talent for a guy to be so big, strong powerful and agile.”
Watson is indeed a physical freak. His thighs could pass for oak trees, yet he has the feet of a ballet dancer. Even if they are size 17s.
He became a starter last season, and the biggest problem was stamina. Florida’s defensive line was threadbare, so Watson wore down during games.
That’s what happens when you weigh 415 pounds. Or is it 435? Or 449?
Standing 6-foot-5, Watson is more just plain big than calorically challenged. Even if he became a Jenny Craig fanatic, his build and metabolism would keep him in the upper-300-pound range.
“When I hear about the smaller guys struggling to put on weight, I shake my head,” Watson said. “It’s not a big thing for me.”
He could put on 15 pounds by looking at a Burrito Supreme. But Watson admits he could do a better job watching his weight.
The word he uses is “complacent.” Changing that has become the training staff’s version of The Manhattan Project.
“We've got a team of people working directly with Des,” Hocke said. “We’re going to keep chipping away and getting him in a great place.”
An influx of defensive line talent might help matters. CamRon Jackson and Caleb Banks arrived via the transfer portal. Sophomore Chris McClellan and freshman Kelby Collins will be bucking for playing time.
A little competition never hurt anyone.
“You’ve got to take a step and realize that stuff can happen, and you could be a backup instead of a starter,” he said. “Even if I don’t feel that will happen, you’ve got to know that it’s possible. So that takes away from being complacent.”
We’ll start finding out this week. What percentage of complacency has Watson managed to lose since we last saw him?
“I’m definitely in better condition than I was last year,” he said. “For sure, I’m confident.”
Watson just needs to realize that no matter what he weighs, even the biggest man on campus is not too big to fail.
David Whitley is The Gainesville Sun's sports columnist. Contact him at dwhitley@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidEWhitley | https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/columns/2023/07/31/competition-should-cure-floridas-watson-of-complacency/70485974007/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:02 | 1 | https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/columns/2023/07/31/competition-should-cure-floridas-watson-of-complacency/70485974007/ |
Tight games and triple plays: How a Gainesville Babe Ruth team rolled to the World Series.
As Gainesville’s youth-league baseball season wound down in early June, a couple of coaches thought it was too soon to call it a summer.
Why not throw together an all-star team and have a little more fun?
“We just wanted to let the kids play some more ball,” Mark Bender said,
So he and Ben Haines put together a roster of 11-year-old boys, filled out the paperwork and started practicing twice a week. They didn’t suspect they were giving birth to local baseball history.
The Gainesville Babe Ruth All Stars swept through three qualifying tournaments. Now they’re set to compete in the Babe Ruth World Series, which begins Monday at the Ocala Rotary Complex.
As best as anyone can recall, it’s the first time a Gainesville team has made a Babe Ruth World Series. So, how did kids from five different teams mesh into a juggernaut?
“They just clicked,” Bender said. “This is a great group. And they’re all good kids, which is just as important.”
There are no inflated egos (Major Leaguers, take note) or personality clashes, he said. They’re having fun, but they’ve also reached an age where winning starts to matter.
“They’re starting to realize that it’s competition,” Bender said. “It’s not just a social event with these kids.”
Their postseason run began with a second-place finish at the state tournament. The coaches figured they might have something brewing when the team won a couple of one-run games.
“Only good teams win one-run games,” Bender said.
Future Gator relocates:2024 LB commit Myles Graham to play senior HS season in Gainesville
Gainesville Sun All-Area:Who made the 2023 all-area big school baseball team?
And only good teams come up with triple plays. In one tight game, the opponent had the bases loaded with nobody out. The batter hit a fly ball, which center fielder James Thomas caught.
He threw out the runner who’d tried to score from third base. The runner on second base tried to advance, but catcher Gerardo Barrios fired the ball to third baseman Javier Suarez, who tagged him out.
“The whole place went nuts,” Bender said.
The All Stars advanced to the Southeast Region, where they were seeded fourth in bracket play. They beat the No. 1 seed 18-2 and cruised to a 4-2 win in the title game.
Barrios was pitching a complete game, and the coaches were feeling pretty confident going into the final inning. A batter hit a pop fly near the Gainesville dugout, and catcher Mason Williams scrambled after it.
“It’s about the sixth game of the week, and it’s 300 degrees out there,” Bender said. “The kid just darts from home plate and lays out. Bam!
“I felt it when he hit the ground. That’s the kind of motivation that comes from within.”
And that’s the kind of motivation that just might bring Gainesville its first Babe Ruth World Series championship.
David Whitley is The Gainesville Sun's sports columnist. Contact him at dwhitley@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidEWhitley | https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/youth/2023/07/31/gainesville-babe-ruth-team-makes-world-series/70485682007/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:08 | 1 | https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/youth/2023/07/31/gainesville-babe-ruth-team-makes-world-series/70485682007/ |
Carlos Santana Player Prop Bets: Brewers vs. Nationals - July 31
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 4:28 AM CDT|Updated: 52 minutes ago
On Monday, Carlos Santana (.649 slugging percentage in past 10 games, including four home runs) and the Milwaukee Brewers face the Washington Nationals, whose starting pitcher will be Jake Irvin. First pitch is at 7:05 PM ET.
He notched a home run while going 1-for-4 in his last game against the Braves.
Carlos Santana Game Info & Props vs. the Nationals
- Game Day: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Stadium: Nationals Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Nationals Starter: Jake Irvin
- TV Channel: MASN2
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -222)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +400)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +135)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +135)
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Carlos Santana At The Plate
- Santana has 25 doubles, 13 home runs and 47 walks while hitting .233.
- In 56 of 96 games this year (58.3%) Santana has picked up a hit, and in 20 of those games he had more than one (20.8%).
- Looking at the 96 games he has played this season, he's homered in 12 of them (12.5%), and in 3.2% of his trips to the plate.
- Santana has driven in a run in 35 games this season (36.5%), including 13 games with more than one RBI (13.5%). He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in four contests.
- In 37.5% of his games this season, he has scored at least once. And he's had eight games with multiple runs (8.3%).
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Carlos Santana Home/Away Batting Splits
Nationals Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Nationals has a collective 7.6 K/9, the second-worst in the league.
- The Nationals have a 4.96 team ERA that ranks 27th across all league pitching staffs.
- Nationals pitchers combine to allow 152 total home runs at a clip of 1.4 per game (most in the league).
- Irvin makes the start for the Nationals, his 16th of the season. He is 3-5 with a 5.09 ERA and 60 strikeouts through 74 1/3 innings pitched.
- The right-hander last pitched on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies, when he tossed six innings, allowing four earned runs while giving up six hits.
- The 26-year-old has a 5.09 ERA and 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings across 15 games this season, while allowing a batting average of .260 to his opponents.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/carlos-santana-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:27 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/carlos-santana-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
Christian Yelich Player Prop Bets: Brewers vs. Nationals - July 31
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 4:29 AM CDT|Updated: 50 minutes ago
On Monday, Christian Yelich (.650 slugging percentage in past 10 games, including three home runs) and the Milwaukee Brewers face the Washington Nationals, whose starting pitcher will be Jake Irvin. First pitch is at 7:05 PM ET.
He hit a home run while going 1-for-4 in his previous game against the Braves.
Christian Yelich Game Info & Props vs. the Nationals
- Game Day: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Stadium: Nationals Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Nationals Starter: Jake Irvin
- TV Channel: MASN2
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +160)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +400)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +150)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -161)
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Christian Yelich At The Plate
- Yelich leads Milwaukee with 111 hits and an OBP of .372, plus a team-best slugging percentage of .482.
- Among qualifying batters in MLB play, he ranks 16th in batting average, 19th in on-base percentage, and 34th in slugging.
- Yelich has picked up a hit in 70.6% of his 102 games this year, with more than one hit in 28.4% of those games.
- He has homered in 14.7% of his games in 2023 (15 of 102), and 3.6% of his trips to the plate.
- In 37.3% of his games this season, Yelich has had at least one RBI. He's picked up more than one in 14.7% and driven in three or more of his team's runs in six contests.
- He has scored in 51.0% of his games this season, with more than one run scored in 20.6%.
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Christian Yelich Home/Away Batting Splits
Nationals Pitching Rankings
- The 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings put together by the Nationals pitching staff ranks 29th in the league.
- The Nationals have a 4.96 team ERA that ranks 27th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Nationals pitchers combine to allow 152 total home runs at a rate of 1.4 per game (most in baseball).
- The Nationals are sending Irvin (3-5) to the mound for his 16th start of the season. He is 3-5 with a 5.09 ERA and 60 strikeouts through 74 1/3 innings pitched.
- His most recent appearance was on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies, when the righty threw six innings, surrendering four earned runs while allowing six hits.
- The 26-year-old has a 5.09 ERA and 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings across 15 games this season, while giving up a batting average of .260 to opposing hitters.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/christian-yelich-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:34 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/christian-yelich-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
Boston-area drivers are enduring a two-month closure of the Sumner Tunnel, a key artery connecting traffic from the North Shore to downtown Boston via East Boston, as a restoration effort is underway.
The shutdown is the first of two major closures, the second being scheduled for the summer of 2024. The tunnel will also be closed on some weekends through the fall of 2024. Officials have urged people to ditch their cars for the duration of the current shutdown, and the MBTA has made Blue Line trips free and taken a number of other measures to entice commuters to use public transportation.
Advertisement | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/26/metro/share-your-thoughts-this-story-whats-being-fixed-sumner-tunnel-these-are-key-upgrades/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:37 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/26/metro/share-your-thoughts-this-story-whats-being-fixed-sumner-tunnel-these-are-key-upgrades/ |
Packers Odds to Make Playoffs and Win Super Bowl
The Green Bay Packers have +6600 odds to win the Super Bowl, 19th-ranked in the NFL as of December 31.
Watch the Packers this season on Fubo!
Packers Super Bowl Odds
- Odds to Win the NFC North: +400
- Odds to Win the Super Bowl: +6600
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Green Bay Betting Insights
- Green Bay covered eight times in 17 games with a spread last season.
- Last season, eight Packers games went over the point total.
- Green Bay ranked 17th in total offense (337.9 yards per game) and 17th in total defense (336.5 yards allowed per game) last year.
- Last year the Packers were 5-4 at home and 3-5 on the road.
- As favorites, Green Bay went 5-6. As underdogs, the Packers were 3-3.
- The Packers were 6-6 in the NFC, including 3-3 in the NFC North.
Packers Impact Players
- In 17 games last year, Aaron Jones rushed for 1,121 yards (65.9 per game) and two touchdowns.
- In addition, Jones had 59 catches for 395 yards and five touchdowns.
- A.J. Dillon rushed for 770 yards (45.3 per game) and seven touchdowns in 17 games.
- Dillon also had 28 receptions for 206 yards and zero TDs.
- In the passing game a season ago, Christian Watson scored seven TDs, catching 41 balls for 611 yards (43.6 per game).
- Romeo Doubs had 42 receptions for 425 yards (32.7 per game) and three touchdowns in 13 games.
- On defense last year, Quay Walker helped lead the charge with 119 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, and seven passes defended in 17 games.
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2023-24 Packers NFL Schedule
Odds are current as of July 31 at 5:27 AM ET. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/packers-nfl-playoffs-super-bowl-odds/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:40 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/packers-nfl-playoffs-super-bowl-odds/ |
Your TV GPS, Globe TV critic Matthew Gilbert’s look at the week ahead in television, appears every Monday morning on BostonGlobe.com. Today’s column covers July 31-Aug. 6.
Due to the strikes in Hollywood, “Saturday Night Live” hasn’t aired in a while, and that may continue into the next season, the show’s 49th. But there was some loud chit-chat about it last week, and there will certainly be more in the coming year.
Why? Many are expecting executive producer and creator Lorne Michaels, 78, to leave after the 50th anniversary. Michaels himself has given mixed signals. “I’d like to see that through, and I have a feeling that’d be a really good time to leave,” he said about the 2024-25 season in 2021. But last year he told the New York Times, “I have no plans to retire.”
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The rumor mill was fueled last week by a piece in the New York Post that had Tina Fey being courted for the job. “I would be surprised if it wasn’t her,” a mystery source told the Post. “Seth Meyers has his own show. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg won’t come here. Judd Apatow passed [on the job] years ago. Amy Poehler has her own stuff. Bill Hader is directing a movie. Kate McKinnon is too hot.”
However, after the Post story appeared an NBC spokesperson told ET Canada that “there is no truth to this report.”
WHAT I’M WATCHING THIS WEEK
1. I’m a fan of Sigourney Weaver, so I’m going to give her new Amazon miniseries, “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart,” a try. It’s a seven-part Australian mystery based on the Holly Ringland novel, with Weaver’s June, a flower farmer, taking in her 9-year-old granddaughter, Alice, after the child loses her mother and her abusive father in a mysterious fire. Weaver + Aussie Accent = Yes Please, Mate. The moody miniseres (trailer here) premieres on Friday.
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2. There are a bunch of returning series this week, including some of my favorites. “Reservation Dogs” (Hulu, Wednesday) continues to follow the group of Indigenous kids, now back from California and living on their Oklahoma reservation. This season, the show’s third and last, will feature Graham Greene. Season two of the British teen series “Heartstopper” (Netflix, Thursday) picks up with friends-now-boyfriends Nick and Charlie navigating the next chapter of their relationship. The British dark comedy “Breeders” (FX, Monday at 10 p.m.), featuring the fantastic pairing of Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard, returns for its fourth and final season. The aerobics opus “Physical” (Apple TV+, Wednesday) starring Rose Byrne is back for its third and final season. The 16-episode sixth season of Lena Waithe’s “The Chi” (Paramount+, Friday, and Showtime, Sunday at 9 p.m.) will be split in two, with the second eight episodes coming at a later date. And the star-filled “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” (HBO, Sunday at 9 p.m.) — accused by some, including Magic Johnson, of inaccuracy — returns with seven episodes that cover 1980-1984.
3. For some, there can never be too many true-crime docuseries. So here’s a new three-parter for them, this one about Christina Boyer, the so-called “Poltergeist Girl” and “Telekinetic Mom,” who claimed to have telekinesis and who is now serving a prison term for having murdered her 3-year-old daughter in 1992. (Trailer here.) Called “Demons and Saviors,” the series follows a group of amateur sleuths obsessed with exonerating her. It premieres Thursday on Hulu.
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CHANNEL SURFING
“The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge” Ten amateur bakers compete. Netflix, Friday
“FBoy Island” The first season of the Max series airs on broadcast TV. The CW, Thursday, 9 p.m.
RECENTLY REVIEWED
“Minx” The comedy returns in good form for season two. Starz
“Justified: City Primeval” Timothy Olyphant returns as Raylan Givens in this miniseries. FX, Hulu
“The Afterparty” Season two of the murder-mystery comedy is set at a wedding. Apple TV+
“Full Circle” A dynamic thriller from Steven Soderbergh. Max
“The Bear” The show returns with a strong second season. Hulu
“The Full Monty” A warm return to the struggling community of Sheffield. Hulu
“The Crowded Room” A portrait of mental illness starring Tom Holland. Apple TV+
Matthew Gilbert can be reached at matthew.gilbert@globe.com. Follow him @MatthewGilbert. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/arts/this-weeks-tv-snl-rumors-sigourney-weaver-drama-six-series-begin-new-seasons/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:43 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/arts/this-weeks-tv-snl-rumors-sigourney-weaver-drama-six-series-begin-new-seasons/ |
Victor Caratini Player Prop Bets: Brewers vs. Nationals - July 31
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 4:32 AM CDT|Updated: 48 minutes ago
On Monday, Victor Caratini (coming off going 1-for-3) and the Milwaukee Brewers face the Washington Nationals, whose starting pitcher will be Jake Irvin. First pitch is at 7:05 PM ET.
In his last game he had a one-hit showing (1-for-3) against the Braves.
Victor Caratini Game Info & Props vs. the Nationals
- Game Day: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Stadium: Nationals Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Nationals Starter: Jake Irvin
- TV Channel: MASN2
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -189)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +475)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +170)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +130)
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Read More About This Game
Victor Caratini At The Plate
- Caratini is hitting .250 with a double, five home runs and 16 walks.
- Caratini has gotten a hit in 22 of 40 games this year (55.0%), with multiple hits on eight occasions (20.0%).
- He has hit a home run in 12.5% of his games this season, and 3.3% of his trips to the plate.
- Caratini has an RBI in 15 of 40 games this season, with multiple RBI in three of them.
- In 13 games this year (32.5%), he has scored, including multiple runs twice.
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Victor Caratini Home/Away Batting Splits
Nationals Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Nationals has a collective 7.6 K/9, the second-worst in MLB.
- The Nationals have a 4.96 team ERA that ranks 27th among all league pitching staffs.
- The Nationals give up the most home runs in baseball (152 total, 1.4 per game).
- Irvin gets the start for the Nationals, his 16th of the season. He is 3-5 with a 5.09 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings pitched.
- His most recent time out came on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies, when the righty went six innings, surrendering four earned runs while allowing six hits.
- The 26-year-old has put up a 5.09 ERA and 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings across 15 games this season, while giving up a batting average of .260 to his opponents.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/victor-caratini-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:46 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/victor-caratini-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
Early in the morning on a fall day in 2020, a Harvard student was abruptly awoken at a friend’s out-of-state home by a classmate sexually assaulting her.
The female student notified Harvard officials after the attack but was discouraged by the university’s Title IX process, which sounded onerous and confusing. She also heard from peers and advocates that the process often did not result in discipline. She turned instead to the criminal justice system. Nearly two years later, a judge found the attacker guilty of sexual abuse, a misdemeanor, and sentenced him to a year of probation.
Finally, with a criminal conviction, the woman was hopeful that Harvard would discipline her attacker. But Harvard insisted that it must conduct its own investigation to determine if its Title IX policies had been violated before disciplining the attacker. As a result, the convicted student remained on campus for the past two semesters, leaving the woman fearful of run-ins with him. And because Harvard’s disciplinary proceedings are confidential, the woman does not know whether Harvard took any action at all.
Her experience reflects the murky process that unfolds at universities after sexual assaults involving students or employees are reported. Colleges have struggled for decades with a pervasive culture of assault and harassment. But experts say a once imperfect process for holding perpetrators accountable is now broken and in desperate need of repair — and politicians are partly to blame.
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Advocates and legal experts said that the situation at Harvard is not an anomaly and underscores just how increasingly complicated — and often dysfunctional — the process is for victims aiming to hold their assailants accountable. The problem has been exacerbated by politicians’ shifting interpretations of Title IX, a federal law that dictates how universities respond to sexual misconduct.
The Trump administration expanded protections for students accused of sexual assault on campuses and allowed colleges to largely ignore cases occurring off campus, even on study abroad programs. (Some colleges, including Harvard, say they still investigate assaults that occur off campus, but there is no federal mandate to do so).
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The 2020 regulations are lengthy and confusing, even for legal experts to understand. But the thrust of the policy is that colleges must treat the accused as innocent until proven guilty by Title IX investigations, even when the accused has been criminally convicted. The Title IX investigations can take months, sometimes even longer than criminal trials. Federal funding is on the line for schools that do not follow the rules.
Too often the investigations result in no discipline, experts said, because Trump’s rules raised the burden of proof for campus sexual assault cases. Experts said Title IX investigators typically need phone or video recording of a confession before disciplining a student. Such evidence is often missing in sexual assault cases.
The Biden administration is expected to release updated Title IX rules in October, but advocates worry that Biden’s changes will not go far enough to remedy the gridlock that currently results from Title IX investigations.
“I wouldn’t recommend any victim go into [a Title IX investigation] at this point because it’s just going to waste your time and slow down your healing process,” said Nicole Bedera, a Minnesota sociologist who studies sexual violence on college campuses. Universities, Bedera said, “have favored symbolic measures over substance.”
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Policies that require the schools — even if a criminal conviction exists — to conduct investigations of the allegations before discipline could occur are not always clearly communicated to students.
The Harvard student, who graduated in May, expressed exasperation with the university’s process. (The student is not being named because she is a victim of sexual assault. The student also requested that her attacker be kept anonymous to further protect her identity).
“I would keep asking, ‘Is there really nothing you can do to discipline a student who has been found guilty of a misdemeanor of sexual abuse?’” the survivor said in a recent interview, recalling her conversations with Harvard officials following the conviction. “[Harvard officials kept] diverting the conversation or [I received] blank stares back. I felt like I was losing my mind.”
A Harvard spokesperson said the university does not comment on student matters. Harvard does withhold diplomas of students who are not in good standing, which includes an open Title IX investigation.
Amanda Walsh, deputy director of the Victim Rights Law Center in Boston, said that it is “really disheartening” for survivors who have endured the pain of a criminal trial to learn that a university does not sanction a fellow student even after a conviction.
“Sometimes [the Title IX] process is just as long or longer than a criminal case,” Walsh said. “That results in a lot of feelings of betrayal that victims have towards the institution.”
Title IX of the Civil Rights Act was signed into law by Richard Nixon 51 years ago to prevent discrimination on the basis of sex in educational and athletic activities. Advocates point to the rapid expansion of women’s participation in sports as proof of the law’s success.
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Over the years, however, the law has expanded to encompass sexual harassment and sexual assault since such incidents of misconduct could impair equal access to education. The law’s record on reducing sexual assault on campuses and offering due process to alleged perpetrators has been much spottier than its athletic contributions.
About 13 percent of all college students experience rape or sexual assault, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. But research shows that few of those incidents are reported. And even fewer result in meaningful discipline on campus, a USA Today investigation found.
In a case with echoes of the one at Harvard, a former Boston University student woke up on the floor of a friend’s dorm room on Commonwealth Avenue in April 2021 to a classmate sexually assaulting her. The survivor reported the crime to campus police several weeks later, just after she graduated. In a recent interview, she said she believed they would launch both a criminal probe and a Title IX investigation. The assailant graduated in 2021 and then enrolled in BU’s dental school as a graduate student.
The case went to trial and in May a jury found Joseph Hraiz guilty of two felony counts of rape and one felony count of indecent assault and battery, according to court documents. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half to three years at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster. He is appealing his conviction.
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The survivor said she contacted the university after the trial ended and learned that because she filed the police report after graduation, no Title IX investigation was opened. She was shocked and disappointed to learn that there were more steps ahead before the university could discipline the attacker.
In emails shared by the woman, BU told her that even though the attacker had been convicted and incarcerated, the university needed to conduct its own review — which is ongoing — to determine if Hraiz violated university sexual misconduct policies before he could be disciplined.
In the emails, a BU official asked the victim and her attorney for court transcripts, where Hraiz was incarcerated, and the name of his attorney. The victim said that BU told her (and her attorney) that Hraiz remains enrolled at the university.
“Is this really about getting to the truth or are they finding a reason why my rape may be excusable?” the survivor said. “[Boston University] wants to be able to play jury themselves and it’s causing pain and trauma to survivors.”
A spokesperson for Boston University declined to comment on student disciplinary matters. He added that the university’s policy says the outcome of any criminal prosecution is not determinative of whether Title IX sexual misconduct occurred under the university’s policy.
Nancy Gertner, a former US federal judge and senior lecturer at Harvard Law School, said that interpretation and enforcement of Title IX has changed drastically in recent years.
The administration of Barack Obama put colleges “on notice that you’re going to lose funding if you don’t comply with Title IX,” and investigate reports of sexual assault, Gertner said. It was also widely believed that the criminal justice system was not welcoming to female survivors at the time, Gertner said, and many believed that universities would be better equipped to investigate such matters.
The guidance from the federal government led to universities increasing resources for survivors and adopting “the most pro-complainant policies that you can imagine,” Gertner said, as colleges were nervous about veering out of compliance and losing federal funding.
But that didn’t last long. The Trump administration enforced a vastly different interpretation of Title IX amid public outcry that male students accused of sexual assault were not given due process on campuses. Trump’s education secretary, Betsy DeVos, said at the time that the final rules, which were implemented in 2020, balance “the scales of justice on campuses across America.”
The Trump-era Title IX rules, which universities are still operating under, narrowed the definition of sexual harassment and required that universities hold in-person hearings with cross-examinations of victims. University leaders and victim advocates feared the live hearings would deter survivors from coming forward.
“I don’t think there has ever been an area of a law that you’ve seen the kind of swings that Title IX has seen,” Gertner said.
The changing rules contribute to the confusion surrounding Title IX, for university administrators trying to balance compliance, help victims and avoid potential lawsuits from students alleging they were not given a fair trial process. Each time the rules change, schools have to assess internal procedures, make changes to stay in compliance and educate their campuses on the changes, said Rob McCarron, president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.
“It creates a risk of confusion and uncertainty,” McCarron said.
That leaves survivors on campuses navigating confusing, often contradictory policies.
Because university disciplinary proceedings have a lower standard of evidence than the criminal justice system, theoretically colleges should be disciplining more students than the criminal justice system, but research shows that’s not the case, said Bedera, the sociologist.
There is no federal reporting mandate for the outcomes of college Title IX investigations. Just two states, New York and Maryland, currently have such reporting requirements for their public universities, Bedera said.
“I found that there was really no amount of evidence that universities would consider sufficient to take [disciplinary] action, short of a video confession or a phone call confession,” Bedera said.
Shelley Murphy of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
Hilary Burns can be reached at hilary.burns@globe.com. Follow her @Hilarysburns. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/campus-sexual-assault-title-ix/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:49 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/campus-sexual-assault-title-ix/ |
William Contreras Player Prop Bets: Brewers vs. Nationals - July 31
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 4:32 AM CDT|Updated: 48 minutes ago
On Monday, William Contreras (.293 batting average in his past 10 games, with four doubles, a home run, two walks and eight RBI) and the Milwaukee Brewers face the Washington Nationals, whose starting pitcher will be Jake Irvin. First pitch is at 7:05 PM ET.
He racked up two hits (going 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI) in his last appearance against the Braves.
William Contreras Game Info & Props vs. the Nationals
- Game Day: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Stadium: Nationals Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Nationals Starter: Jake Irvin
- TV Channel: MASN2
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +185)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +475)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +145)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +105)
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Discover More About This Game
William Contreras At The Plate
- Contreras is hitting .276 with 21 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs and 33 walks.
- Among the qualified hitters in baseball, he ranks 35th in batting average, 36th in on-base percentage, and 55th in slugging.
- Contreras has picked up a hit in 59 of 86 games this season, with multiple hits 26 times.
- He has hit a home run in 12.8% of his games this year, and 3.1% of his trips to the dish.
- Contreras has had at least one RBI in 33.7% of his games this season (29 of 86), with two or more RBI 11 times (12.8%). He has also accounted for three or more of his team's runs in three contests.
- He has scored in 36 of 86 games this season, and more than once 8 times.
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William Contreras Home/Away Batting Splits
Nationals Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Nationals has a collective 7.6 K/9, the second-worst in MLB.
- The Nationals' 4.96 team ERA ranks 27th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Nationals pitchers combine to surrender the most home runs in baseball (152 total, 1.4 per game).
- Irvin (3-5) takes the mound for the Nationals in his 16th start of the season. He's put together a 5.09 ERA in 74 1/3 innings pitched, with 60 strikeouts.
- The right-hander's most recent time out came on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies, when he threw six innings, surrendering four earned runs while giving up six hits.
- In 15 games this season, the 26-year-old has a 5.09 ERA and 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings, while allowing a batting average of .260 to opposing batters.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/william-contreras-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:53 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/william-contreras-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
JAMESTOWN, R.I. — Ben Tuff has made headlines for he-must-be-crazy ultra swims in Rhode Island.
He swam 23 miles solo around Conanicut Island four years ago. Then in 2021, he swam 19 miles nonstop from Block Island to Jamestown. Last year, he swam nearly 24 miles from Providence to Jamestown, the challenging length of Narragansett Bay.
Sure, the swims raised more than $272,000 for Clean Ocean Access, a nonprofit in Middletown, where he serves as board president.
But there was something bigger that propelled Tuff into the ocean.
He has battled an addiction to alcohol since drinking his first beer when he was a seventh grader. He has found his redemption and his recovery in the water’s embrace.
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Now Tuff, 43, is featured in a new documentary, “Swim Tuff: How I Swam My Way Out of the Bottle,” which screens in Newport Tuesday. Produced by Matthew Corliss, it’s about that one-day swim in Narragansett Bay last year, and Tuff’s decade-long journey in sobriety.
This isn’t an “Intervention” type of tale. This is about what can come next, Tuff said, when you climb out of addiction and find your way into your life.
“One of the reasons why I made this film, and one of the reasons why I’m so outspoken, is I didn’t have anyone in my life who was a role model in sobriety as someone who embraced life, who loved everything and was able to do so without any drug or alcohol,” Tuff said.
“So I’m hoping that [people] can see that life can be an adventure again in sobriety,” he said, “and that it’s never too late to try something new and find that adventure.”
While the film is about perseverance, it’s also about the love and support that Tuff found in his family and close friends.
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“I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by people that have helped me accept who I am and embrace who I am, so much that we decided to make a movie about it,” Tuff said.
Although he now lives in Vermont, Tuff has spent summers in Jamestown since he was an infant; his roots on the island go back to his great-grandfather, Admiral Herbert Seymour Howard.
Growing up, drinking was an acceptable part of life, he says. For him, it was also a poisonous way to cope with the anxieties that he started living with when he was still young.
As an adult, married with two children, and teaching full time, Tuff was drinking heavily. Daily, he drank 8 ounces of vodka, disguising the alcohol in Vitamin Water bottles, and then followed with six or eight beers.
“I wasn’t being a great father. I wasn’t being a great husband. I wasn’t being the best teacher I could be. And I was holding it together just enough for this big secret not to kind of come out,” Tuff said.
In 2012, his health collapsed. He had a panic attack and ended up at the hospital. His wife, Gretchen, gave him an ultimatum.
“She said, ’Okay, you’re going to go to detox right now, and then you’re going to rehab and you are going to take care of yourself, and unless you do this, you’ll lose me and the kids,’ ” Tuff said. “I started crying. I’m ready to go. I just want help.”
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Six days of detox were followed by rehab at Silver Hill Hospital in Connecticut, where he met his psychiatrist and mentor, Dr. Rocco Marotta. Tuff was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Marotta promised to help him.
“I was so excited, because I so needed to be there,” Tuff remembered. “I’m eating, I’m taking care of myself. I’m with people that can relate to me. I have doctors around me who know exactly what’s going on, and I felt free...
“Then, it was ‘go time.’ And I was like: Okay, it’s time to live.”
Tuff found his guide in his sponsor, a “no BS” kind of guy, who ran marathons. He encouraged Tuff to get involved with triathlons, and Tuff decided, why not? He’d never done it before, but he liked the discipline. He liked how the training and healthier lifestyle was changing his body. He liked the goal and the focus.
And once he dropped into the pool for the first time and began teaching himself how to swim, Tuff found the mindfulness that had been escaping him.
He swims, and he listens to music and takes in the waves, finding his rhythm. It was like a daily meditation practice, where he could be with his thoughts and his prayers, in “the place that’s kind of become my cathedral,” Tuff said.
Daily swims, years of training, distance swimming competitions. He never learned the technique of swimming. He knows he makes mistakes. He doesn’t care. For him, it’s not about being perfect, it’s about being present.
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As his mind has changed with sobriety over the last decade, so has his physique. He was 165 pounds, emaciated and sick when he entered rehab. He’s now 217 pounds, fit and muscular.
He knows his purpose — evangelizing about the route to recovery. He left teaching in February to work on the documentary and become an advocate and speaker around the country.
“Swim Tuff” was shown for the first time in May to students and their parents on Block Island, where alcoholism and substance abuse are known to be common struggles.
Tuff tells audiences that he didn’t know how to ask for help. When he speaks to parents, he tells them, “no matter what, you have to have the avenues for your children to ask for help at all points in their life.”
Yes, there must be repercussions for bad decisions, Tuff said. “But what’s important is, is that there is that open-ended support system, and that kids know that there is unconditional love.”
Tuff said when he became sober, he never looked back. That doesn’t mean his journey has been easy.
His nearly-impossible swims have served as a metaphor for the path of recovery.
During the swim last year from Providence to Jamestown, Tuff was near the aptly named Despair Island when the currents and waves shoved him backward. He went from swimming two miles an hour to barely 350 yards. The Bay had turned against him, and he still had far to go.
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“I was so mad, and I was so fed up. I had to undo my goggles ‘cause it was filled with tears. But I knew it wasn’t an option to quit. I knew I was going to get through it,” Tuff said.
“There’s been some times where, yes, I’m the happiest alcoholic, yes, I love life. It doesn’t mean that things can’t be really difficult sometimes. But it’s how we deal with those difficulties.”
He wasn’t sure he could go on. So, he went on.
Eventually, he made it.
“Swim Tuff” will be shown at The Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport on Tuesday at 7 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session at 8:15 p.m. Tickets are $25 and benefit Clean Ocean Access.
Amanda Milkovits can be reached at amanda.milkovits@globe.com. Follow her @AmandaMilkovits. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/life-can-be-an-adventure-sobriety-ri-ultra-swimmer-made-film-share-his-story/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:55 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/life-can-be-an-adventure-sobriety-ri-ultra-swimmer-made-film-share-his-story/ |
Willy Adames Player Prop Bets: Brewers vs. Nationals - July 31
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 4:24 AM CDT|Updated: 56 minutes ago
The Milwaukee Brewers, including Willy Adames (.135 batting average in his past 10 games), take on starting pitcher Jake Irvin and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Monday at 7:05 PM ET.
In his most recent game he had a hitless showing (0-for-3) against the Braves.
Willy Adames Game Info & Props vs. the Nationals
- Game Day: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Stadium: Nationals Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Nationals Starter: Jake Irvin
- TV Channel: MASN2
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -227)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +400)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +145)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +115)
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Read More About This Game
Willy Adames At The Plate
- Adames has 16 doubles, 17 home runs and 41 walks while batting .202.
- Adames has had a hit in 53 of 96 games this year (55.2%), including multiple hits 16 times (16.7%).
- He has hit a home run in 15 games this season (15.6%), leaving the park in 4.1% of his trips to the dish.
- In 28.1% of his games this year, Adames has had at least one RBI. He's picked up more than one in 11.5% and driven in three or more of his team's runs in seven contests.
- He has scored in 34 of 96 games this year, and more than once 9 times.
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Willy Adames Home/Away Batting Splits
Nationals Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Nationals has a collective 7.6 K/9, the second-worst in the league.
- The Nationals' 4.96 team ERA ranks 27th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- The Nationals surrender the most home runs in baseball (152 total, 1.4 per game).
- Irvin (3-5) gets the starting nod for the Nationals in his 16th start of the season. He's put together a 5.09 ERA in 74 1/3 innings pitched, with 60 strikeouts.
- In his most recent time out on Wednesday, the righty tossed six innings against the Colorado Rockies, allowing four earned runs while surrendering six hits.
- The 26-year-old has amassed an ERA of 5.09, with 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings, in 15 games this season. Opponents are batting .260 against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/willy-adames-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-31T10:20:59 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/willy-adames-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 111, Inc. (NASDAQ: YI) ("111" or the "Company"), a leading tech-enabled healthcare platform company committed to digitally connecting patients with medicine and healthcare services in China, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023, before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, August 24, 2023.
111's management team will host an earnings conference call at 7:30 AM U.S. Eastern Time on Thursday, August 24, 2023 (7:30 PM Beijing Time on the same day).
Details for the conference call are as follows:
Conference Topic: 111, Inc. Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call
Registration Link: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10032701-ygfhis.html
All participants must use the link provided above to complete the online registration process in advance of the conference call. Upon registering, each participant will receive a set of participant dial-in numbers, the Direct Event passcode, and a unique Registration ID, which can be used to join the conference call.
Please dial in 15 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the Direct Event passcode and unique Registration ID you have received upon registering to join the call.
A telephone replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the conference call until August 31, 2023
United States: +1 855 883 1031
Mainland China: 4001 209 216
Hong Kong: 800 930 639
International: +61 7 3107 6325
Conference ID: 10032701
A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the website at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/iw7ck9oc
About 111, Inc.
111, Inc. (NASDAQ: YI) ("111" or the "Company") is a leading tech-enabled healthcare platform company committed to digitally connecting patients with medicine and healthcare services in China. The Company provides consumers with better access to pharmaceutical products and healthcare services directly through its online retail pharmacy, 1 Pharmacy, and indirectly through its offline virtual pharmacy network. The Company also offers online healthcare services through its internet hospital, 1 Clinic, which provides consumers with cost-effective and convenient online consultation, electronic prescription service, and patient management service. In addition, the Company's online platform, 1 Medicine Marketplace, serves as a one-stop shop for pharmacies to source a vast selection of pharmaceutical products. With the largest virtual pharmacy network in China, 111 enables offline pharmacies to better serve their customers with cloud-based services. 111 also provides an omni-channel drug commercialization platform to its strategic partners, which includes services such as digital marketing, patient education, data analytics, and pricing monitoring.
For more information on 111, please visit: http://ir.111.com.cn/.
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SOURCE 111, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:01 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ |
The United Way of Rhode Island has tapped Nancy Wolanski its inaugural director of the new Nonprofit Resource Center, a hub designed to help serve Rhode Island’s entire nonprofit sector.
The NRC will have a particular focus on small and mid-size organizations, addressing both the emerging and systemic needs of the nonprofit sector. Wolanski said the NRC will partner with the public sector and funders to help develop needed resources, address funding inequities, and strengthen workforce pipelines.
Wolanski previously served as the executive director of the Grantmakers Council of Rhode Island.
Q: You’ve been on the committee that’s helped design the mission and programs of the Nonprofit Resource Center. During those listening sessions, what did you hear were the biggest issues the sector faced?
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Wolanski: The biggest one is resources. During the pandemic, there was an influx of resources because the need was so high. According to a survey we recently conducted, about 60 percent of nonprofits in Rhode Island said the need is still higher than pre-pandemic levels but the resources are dried or are drying up.
The other obvious thing is the burnout of staff in the sector who have been dealing with those needs. Their jobs are incredibly stressful, but the pay isn’t adequate. In the last few years, we’re seeing an exodus of skilled, experienced people leaving the sector without a strategic pipeline to bring more people in.
Can you provide an overview of what the Nonprofit Resource Center is and how it will work?
The NRC hasn’t officially launched yet, but we’re looking to begin our first round of programs and services this fall. Our goal is to be responsive to the needs of the sector in ways that can be rolled out quickly, but also being focused on a longer-term vision of the sector. That falls into three buckets: Supporting the people of the sector by helping individuals with their own careers through professional development work; strengthening organizations through financial resources and expertise sharing; and then helping build a more sustainable and equitable support system.
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How much does state government rely on nonprofits?
If you look at different agencies within state government, almost every single one outsources critical services to nonprofits. And then they depend on them to continue carrying out those programs. The nonprofit sector is absolutely the service infrastructure for the state of Rhode Island.
This was also very much the case during the thick of the pandemic. The state wanted to do work to help people in the crisis, but it was not the state doing the work, it was outsourcing it to nonprofits. The majority of the pandemic relief and vaccine work was all done by this sector.
So the state is often asking for nonprofits to step up. But is state government stepping up when nonprofits ask for necessary funding?
No. For example, when a construction company wants to bid on a project, they offer a cost breakdown to the state and they won’t take a contract unless the state is willing to pay for the entire scope of work. Nonprofits still usually take the work, even when the costs are higher compared to what the state is paying.
Nonprofits are not disposable vendors. You can’t just cannibalize them and then go onto the next one. But if the state wanted to provide these services for themselves, they would need to hire people at a much higher expense.
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What are some examples of where the state has fallen short on supporting nonprofits recently, despite relying on them for those services?
There was a chunk of pandemic relief funds allocated to child care workers for retention bonuses. That was great for the two months they received those retention bonuses, but now we’re right back to same point we were before they received those. You not going to have a growing economy unless you focus on child care.
We’re hearing a lot about flashy programs, such as this need to create an infrastructure for the blue economy to grow, millions of dollars for improvements to Quonset Business Park, and creating lab space. You can create all different incentives to try to bring companies into the state, but if you don’t have a place to send their kids that they trust, then they won’t come here to work.
Look at homeless providers: They’re provided funds to deliver additional shelter beds. But what about investments to upgrade the technology to manage this? General facility improvements, and for them to also become ADA-accessible? Staff training? These are the basic, but long-term investments that are often ignored.
What are the long-term ramifications of this?
It creates a starvation cycle. You start to lose staff that can provide critical programs and services, and then those vacancies last for months. That can increase the waitlist for programs like early intervention and home-visiting programs, which are essential and mandated.
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How important is the nonprofit sector to Rhode Island’s overall economy?
The state cannot achieve its desired “economic rebound” without the nonprofit sector. Almost 17 percent of the state’s workforce is employed by a nonprofit. Our economy won’t function without us.
The Boston Globe’s weekly Ocean State Innovators column features a Q&A with Rhode Island innovators who are starting new businesses and nonprofits, conducting groundbreaking research, and reshaping the state’s economy. Send tips and suggestions to reporter Alexa Gagosz at alexa.gagosz@globe.com.
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/our-economy-wont-function-without-us-ri-nonprofit-leader-direct-sector-support-center/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:01 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/our-economy-wont-function-without-us-ri-nonprofit-leader-direct-sector-support-center/ |
The Bloomington area can expect a very hot day. It looks to reach a balmy 86 degrees. We'll see a low temperature of 65 degrees today. We will see clear skies today. The sunshine will be intense today; high UV indexes are forecasted. Be careful outside, especially during late morning through mid-afternoon. If your shadow is shorter than you, seek shade and wear protective clothing and generously apply sunscreen on exposed skin. The area will see gentle winds today, with winds only reaching 11 miles per hour, coming from the North. Special National Weather Service Alert: Severe Thunderstorm Watch from FRI 7:31 PM CDT until SAT 2:00 AM CDT. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. Keep an eye on pantagraph.com for forecast information and severe weather updates.
Here is today's weather outlook for Jul. 29, 2023 in Bloomington, IL
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The forecast is showing a hot day in Bloomington. Temperatures are projected to be a steamy day today with temperatures reaching a high of 98 …
Hot temperatures are predicted today. The forecast calls for it to be a warm 83 degrees. Today's forecasted low temperature is 60 degrees. It …
The Bloomington area can expect a very hot day. Temperatures are projected to be a steamy day today with temperatures reaching a high of 95 th…
Hot temperatures are predicted today. Temperatures are projected to be a scorcher today with temperatures reaching a high of 95 though it will… | https://pantagraph.com/weather/here-is-todays-weather-outlook-for-jul-29-2023-in-bloomington-il/article_c70d7813-3b36-503f-8e8a-d184921688b7.html | 2023-07-31T10:21:01 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/weather/here-is-todays-weather-outlook-for-jul-29-2023-in-bloomington-il/article_c70d7813-3b36-503f-8e8a-d184921688b7.html |
Highly experienced Corporate Financier and Business Builder Will Partner with René Obermann to Further Accelerate the Growth and Momentum of the Firm's European Business
LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Warburg Pincus, a leading global growth investor, today announced the appointment of Andrew Sibbald as a Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe. Mr. Sibbald will work alongside veteran investor and current Co-Head of Europe, René Obermann, based in Berlin. Mr. Sibbald will succeed Adarsh Sarma, who will remain a Managing Director and Partner with the Firm, focusing on his existing portfolio. Jim Neary, Co-Head of U.S. Private Equity, will work closely with Andrew, René and the European team to support the firm's global strategy, portfolio management and new investments.
Based in London, Mr. Sibbald joins Warburg Pincus from Evercore, where he most recently served as Chairman and Senior Managing Director of Evercore's European investment banking business. He was previously the Co-Founder and Senior Partner of Lexicon Partners which was acquired by Evercore in 2011. With over 35 years of financial services experience, Mr. Sibbald has advised on many notable M&A and corporate finance transactions including recently: Arcmont on its sale to Nuveen; Global Risk Partners on its sale to Brown & Brown; and AA on its sale to Warburg Pincus and TowerBrook Capital.
"Andrew's impressive expertise and deep-rooted experience, particularly in Europe, advising leading companies on a variety of sophisticated transactions will serve our portfolio and investing teams well as we continue to navigate complex market dynamics," said Chip Kaye, CEO, Warburg Pincus. "We look forward to welcoming Andrew to Warburg Pincus and want to thank Adarsh for his 18+ years of service in the US and Europe," continued Jim Neary, Managing Director, Co-Head of U.S. Private Equity, Warburg Pincus.
"I have long admired the success and culture of Warburg Pincus and I'm thrilled to be joining the firm. I have enormous respect for René and look forward to working closely with him and the team in Europe to drive further positive momentum in the business here. Warburg Pincus has an incredibly strong reputation for creating effective partnerships with management teams all over the world to deliver sustainable value and growth, as well as attractive returns for its investors. I strongly believe that the firm's long established global platform together with its local networks and insights provide real advantages to the management teams and businesses that partner with us," said Andrew Sibbald.
Warburg Pincus is one of the leading private equity investors in Europe. Since the firm's first European transaction in 1983, the firm has invested more than $15B in over 130 companies in 23 European countries. The firm has one of the largest pools of available private equity capital in Europe and seeks to partner with management teams that are building, transforming or acquiring businesses with the potential to be market leaders with enduring value.
Prior to founding Lexicon Partners in 2000, Mr. Sibbald was a Managing Director at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where he led a team specializing in M&A in the financial institutions sector. He was previously a Partner in The Phoenix Partnership.
About Warburg Pincus
Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global growth investor. The firm has more than $83 billion in assets under management. The firm's active portfolio of more than 250 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector, and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 21 private equity and 2 real estate funds, which have invested more than $112 billion in over 1,000 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.warburgpincus.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.
Contact
Kerrie Cohen | Managing Director, Head of Communications
T: +1 212 878 9207
E: kerrie.cohen@warburgpincus.com
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SOURCE Warburg Pincus | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/andrew-sibbald-joins-warburg-pincus-co-head-europe/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:07 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/andrew-sibbald-joins-warburg-pincus-co-head-europe/ |
This story first appeared in Globe Rhode Island’s Food & Dining newsletter, a free weekly email about Rhode Island’s restaurant industry that also contains information about local events, Q&As with chefs, dining guides, and more. If you’d like to receive it via e-mail each Thursday, you can sign up here.
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — This summer is a scorcher, and for those of us who can’t become beach bums slurping a Del’s for three months, solid air conditioning with Wi-Fi and caffeine are necessary to survive a work week.
I’ll admit that I spend a good chunk of my weekly pay on exotic beans and interesting-sounding lattés. But I can’t keep hogging my favorite spots.
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If you’re looking for a new coffee shop to get some work done, try one of these cafés.
SEED CAFÉ & ESPRESSO BAR
Less than a month old, Seed Café & Espresso Bar is a solid choice in downtown Pawtucket for something new. It’s a coffee shop located in the Still on Main building, which attracts multiple vendors and appears to be in a sort of transition period. They sell beans and espresso from Borealis Coffee Company, a small batch specialty coffee roaster from Rhode Island’s East Bay, along with tea, fresh egg sandwiches and bagel chips. It’s a tiny spot that looks like a bar, but with soft lounge chairs. Bohemian-style lighting and greenery are dripping from the ceiling, the walls, and basically every shelf space you can imagine — you can even buy a plant — so it’s a go-to for when you need a relaxed but productive environment. 250 Main St., Suite 18, Pawtucket, check for updates on Instagram.
RISE ‘N SHINE COFFEE
Over on Smith Hill in Providence, a historic second-empire style carriage house first constructed in 1858 was restored to its original glory in 2020 by Neal Kaplan. The property was part of Christopher Dodge’s estate, and included a horse and buggy stable on the first floor, a second floor for the bachelor, and a third story that was added sometime during the turn of the century. Kaplan, a longtime Smith Hill resident, opened the Rise ‘N Shine Coffee Bar in the carriage house’s storefront and it’s become a hidden enclave off the beaten path. In 2022, the cafe was recognized by the Providence Preservation Society with a Neighborhood Gem Award. The space also has decor that celebrates cobblers, which honors both the space — which was a cobbler shop in the 1950s — and Kaplan’s great grandfather, who was once a cobbler in New York City. There’s even a two-seat shoe shine stand that is a replica of the one that use to be located in the old Providence train station. 97 Holden St., Providence, risenshineri.com.
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COCO’S CAFE & BAR
Located where New Harvest Coffee Roasters used to be in the historic Arcade building in downtown Providence, Coco’s Cafe and Bar is still something of a hidden gem. It’s a newer addition to the Arcade, opened by owner Amanda Gabro, who is serving coffee, matcha from Rishi Tea & Botanicals, doughnuts from Knead, and other homemade treats during the day. They’re open until 7 p.m. daily, and have a bar for cocktails if you’re looking to switch from straight caffeine to an espresso martini. 65 Weybosset St., Providence, check for updates on Instagram.
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Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/three-new-ish-cafs-where-you-can-get-work-done-ri/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:07 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/metro/three-new-ish-cafs-where-you-can-get-work-done-ri/ |
NEWARK, N.J. and NANJING, China, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Biosion USA, Inc. (Biosion), a global clinical-stage R&D biotechnology company, today announced the phase 2 study initiation for the evaluation of BSI-045B, an anti-TLSP mAb, in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) .
"We are pleased to have initiated this important Phase 2 trial, which brings us closer to delivering a new treatment option for patients with atopic dermatitis," said Hugh M. Davis, Ph.D. Chief Business and Development Officer & President, Biosion USA. "This marks another important clinical milestone for Biosion in our effort to develop more high value treatment options for patients."
The phase I study of BSI-045B demonstrated its potential to be a first-in-class treatment for AD due to its single dose activity in a cohort of AD patients, excellent PK and favorable safety profile. The phase II study is designed to assess the efficacy of BSI-045B as monotherapy as well as in combination therapy with Dupixent® to further increase therapeutic effectiveness for patients who are suffering from AD.
For additional information on this trial (NCT05114889), please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov
About BSI-045B
BSI-045B is a high-affinity, humanized monoclonal antibody, targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a cytokine that is implicated in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis, asthma and other eosinophilic and Th2 immune-related diseases. Biosion's collaboration partner - CTTQ, a China-based pharmaceutical company with rights to BSI-045B (TQC2731) for China development and commercialization, is currently conducting a Phase II clinical trial of BSI-045B in China for the treatment of severe uncontrolled asthma.
About Biosion
Biosion is a global, clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to developing antibody-based therapies to improve patient outcomes for the treatment of immune and oncologic diseases. Established in 2017, Biosion has built a pipeline of innovative biologics through its internally derived proprietary technologies including the H³ antibody discovery platform, SynTracer® high-throughput endocytosis platform, and Flexibody® bispecific platform. Biosion's lead asset, BSI-045B (anti-TSLP mAb), is currently in phase-II for severe asthma and phase-I for atopic dermatitis. Biosion and partners have plans to progress the immune-oncology and antibody drug conjugate-based portfolio into clinical trials for oncology indications over the next year. Biosion has operations in the US, Australia, and China.To learn more about Biosion, please go to www.biosion.com.
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SOURCE Biosion, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/biosion-announces-phase-ii-study-start-anti-tslp-mab-bsi-045b-atopic-dermatitis-adamant/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:13 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/biosion-announces-phase-ii-study-start-anti-tslp-mab-bsi-045b-atopic-dermatitis-adamant/ |
When talking about the two leading Republican presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, the 2008 race between Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama may not occur to you. But it should.
Political consultants and campaign advisors are looking back at their protracted fight for the Democratic nomination 15 years ago for strategic insight into the current Republican campaign, and the lessons suggest that Trump’s lead in the polls could fade over time.
Back then, there was one clear frontrunner for the nomination. At this time in 2007, Hillary Clinton had a massive two to one lead over her nearest competitor, Obama, something she had maintained throughout the year.
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Clinton seemingly had every advantage — the name recognition, the party infrastructure from her husband’s White House years, the money, and with all that, the sense that her nomination was all but inevitable.
Right now, Trump is the clear frontrunner for the nomination. Just as Clinton did, he holds a massive two to one lead over his nearest competitor, DeSantis, and lately the lead has widened. Trump also seems to hold every advantage — name recognition, the party’s infrastructure from his own time in the White House, money, and the sense that his victory is largely assured.
As for the nearest competitors, in 2007 Obama was dismissed in many circles as “moody,” inexperienced, and not particularly good at retail politics, and was told he should wait his turn for the nomination although he was raising a lot of money. Much of the same criticism has been leveled at DeSantis, whose main super PAC is investing eye-popping numbers in his campaign.
Interestingly, both Obama and DeSantis was the ideological answer to what their party base wanted. In 2008, the left wanted someone who opposed the war in Iraq, as Obama did. Today, the Republican base seems to want a culture warrior like DeSantis, and he has been happy to oblige.
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Six months before the Iowa caucuses, the field in both contests had the same tiers of candidates: a frontrunner, a main challenger, and everyone else.
The similarities between the races, and Obama’s victory, are hopeful signs for DeSantis, and provide an important lesson — to invest heavily in the early states, especially in Iowa, as Obama did.
The reason for this is simple: if the clear frontrunner loses the first contest, the aura of invincibility cracks.
In 2008, Obama hired record numbers of organizers in Iowa and bused volunteers from his home state, Illinois, just over the border. The win there convinced Democrats in South Carolina and other states that Obama is capable of running a good campaign and becoming the nominee.
This time around, DeSantis and his super PAC claim they are building the biggest Iowa team ever, in hopes that history will repeat itself, with Trump meeting the same fate as his 2016 rival.
A major difference, of course, from 2008 is that it’s a Republican primary. While Obama had a clear path to the nomination after winning in Iowa, recent winners on the Republican side include Ted Cruz, Rick Santorum, and Mike Huckabee, all of whom quickly faded from contention.
In other words, Trump could easily dismiss a DeSantis win in Iowa as irrelevant, and DeSantis might have to win New Hampshire as well to emerge as the frontrunner.
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Still, the parallels between the two races are undeniable and ripe with irony. If they continue, in the months ahead, DeSantis and his team many find themselves asking an unexpected question: what would Obama do?
James Pindell can be reached at james.pindell@globe.com. Follow him @jamespindell and on Instagram @jameswpindell. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/nation/2024-trump-desantis-contest/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:14 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/nation/2024-trump-desantis-contest/ |
LOGAN, Utah, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyrusher, the professional e-bike producer, will launch pre-sales of the Nitro, the company's first mid-motor model, in late-July. This is an ebike with great comfort and speed for your 2023 riding adventure. Riders will enjoy a pleasant and effortless ride on the Nitro, as well as greater power, speed and control compared to a hub motor electric bike.
The Nitro, appearing as the first mid-motor model, integrates design aesthetics, technological innovation and a variety of other factors to ensure riders have a pleasant and smooth riding experience that exceeds expectations.
An attractive aesthetic design style - three color options
The Nitro follows the color-rich design style of the Cyrusher models while incorporating its own design aesthetics, making it a colorful option for many riders. The Nitro has a color-blocking design that keeps the black color of the rear frame while varying the fork gradient colorways to create a unique frame style. The Nitro is available in three color options, black red, and blue, to suit different rider preferences.
The ultimate speed experience - the mid-motor configuration
There is no doubt that this mid-motor Nitro was developed to meet the needs of the rider. The highly effective mid-mounted motor, which has been improved to provide an unprecedented level of power, is the most significant addition to the updated Nitro. The utterly improved 1000W Bafang mid-drive motor makes the e-bike's ride feel more dynamic responding readily to the rider even at maximum speed. To optimise the bike's balance, the mid-mounted motor is incorporated directly into the pedals and cranks. This also results in more efficient power transmission from the motor and higher climbing ability and weight lifting capability.
In addition, unlike other hub motor categories, the Nitro delivers 160 Nm of torque power, offering more flexibility for speed variation and a genuinely powerful speed sensation.
Powerful energy supply - 48V 20Ah Samsung Li-battery
The battery that powers the mid-mounted engine on the Nitro is still as secure, water-resistant and durable as the usual model. In combination with the mid-motor's more efficient power transmission, the 48V 20Ah battery allows the bike to cover up to 85 miles with its reliable capacity. Along with extending the vehicle's lifespan and durability, it can efficiently charge up to 800 cycles, making it an extremely cost-effective option.
Safe braking capability - hydraulic brakes
To improve braking power, Nitro chose twin-piston calipers. The twin-piston calipers allow for a larger surface area of contact with the brake rotors which increases the friction when the brakes are applied. Hydraulic brakes enable quicker braking reactions and improved traffic safety. The extra engine cut-off feature ensures that the brakes can be applied quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency, providing an extra layer of safety and security. The Nitro helps the rider cycle freely on the road and stop easier, achieving a better balance between thrill and safety.
Solid road pioneering - puncture-resistant fat tires
Nitro, with a 26*4 fat tire, is developed to be a powerful means of transportation. Fat tires offer much better traction and cushioning than regular tires, allowing you to easily navigate through difficult terrains like sand and mud. Therefore, Nitro is a great tool for exploring the city and the outdoors, with the ability to twist and turn through crowded streets, climb steep slopes and ride along soft beaches. Besides providing stability on slippery surfaces, Nitro can handle higher speeds with less chance of blowouts.
The top comfort escort - front and rear air shock absorption
The powerful Nitro is a full suspension electric bike with front and rear air suspension, guaranteeing maximum comfort. It offers better cushioning than previous generations. The adjustable front and rear air suspension features the highest configuration, allowing it to take on more challenging terrain without sacrificing comfort. It offers 135mm of thread that can be adjusted separately for terrain variations, boosting the damping effect for an enjoyable riding experience.
Reliable load capacity - upgraded to 200kg load capacity
The Nitro was designed with a mid-motor that reduces the bike's center of gravity, giving it outstanding balance. This allows the bike to carry up to 200kg of cargo. Additionally, its high load capacity ensures that the bike's weight doesn't negatively impact its performance.
Smooth gear transport - Shimano 10-speed transmission
The drive system's reliability is essential in order to ensure that the Nitro will be able to take full advantage of its improved high torque capabilities. The Shimano transmission helps to reduce wear and tear on the chain, making it more durable and efficient. The 10-speed pedal assist mode option gives riders the flexibility to choose the speed setting that perfectly suits their needs, ensuring that the bike can be tailored to meet the requirements of any type of rider.
All the details are there - the accessories
The Nitro comes with its own Led front and rear tail lights which provide excellent illumination and make sure that the rider is able to ride in dimly lit conditions. And, the Nitro has an updated Bafang back-lit display that allows the rider to more clearly track data such as speed, battery life, range and pedal assist levels.
Reliable after-sales service
The Cyrusher team consistently prioritizes the customer's needs and provides them with outstanding service. The team is available for customer inquiries and feedback 24/7 and offers fast and efficient response times. A long-term guarantee with a two-year product warranty backs the Nitro. The reliable customer service demonstrates Cyrusher's commitment to customer satisfaction, giving Cyrusher a distinct competitive edge.
Price tag
Priced at $4499, the powerful Nitro opens up even more riding possibilities for riders. The Nitro is equipped with a powerful engine and advanced features such as an adjustable suspension and quick brakes. This makes it a great choice for riders looking for a performance-oriented ride. If you are interested in the powerful Nitro, you can find more details on the official website.
What is the significance of the development of a Nitro?
Sustainable energy solution for a greener planet
Cyrusher has always been committed to green and sustainable development, exporting green travel vehicles worldwide and launching high-quality electric mobility tools to support sustainable development. By developing Nitro, Cyrusher demonstrates its commitment to its original goal. Nitro is an innovative and powerful electric bike that offers riders the ultimate convenience, comfort and performance. The company is helping to reduce carbon footprints and support a green earth by encouraging more people to cycle.
Leading the industry to new heights
A healthy competitive relationship provides a favourable opportunity for the industry to upgrade and change. The Cyrusher e-bike has been designed to maintain its own unique characteristics while responding to the changing market trends and offering more competitive value-for-money models to meet the needs of cyclists of all ages and performance levels. The launch of the Nitro is Cyrusher's newest work in the mid-motor field. With high quality range, powerful running ability and ultimate comfort, it is undoubtedly the most competitive product of its kind. Cyrusher will keep improving its technology and services in the future to offer better value to more riders and set a new benchmark for the sector.
A constant insight into customer needs
The Nitro is based on the company's insights into user needs and changing industry standards. Cyrusher insists on being user-centred, with high-quality components that have been repeatedly researched, tested and polished over a long period of time. The Nitro integrates comfort, safety and stability to bring riders the ultimate rewarding experience beyond expectations. The Nitro can be used freely on any road and with the wind blowing gently in your face, you'll have a more comfortable and enjoyable riding experience. Cyrusher is always moving forward and making great strides.
About Cyrusher
Cyrusher is a reputable producer of electric bicycles for professionals that have been successfully marketed in more than 10 nations worldwide. The brand's electric bicycles pass rigorous international quality tests and meet CE, UL, Rhos and FCC requirements. Additionally, Australia, China, the EU, Japan, Korea and the USA have registered and approved the brand. An offline store test-ride service has also been introduced in a number of nations, including the USA, UK and France. Cyrusher will keep expanding its range of vehicles to satisfy the needs of more riders, offering a solution for zero-carbon, fast and convenient urban commuting.
Cyrusher Contact:
UK official website: www.cyrusher.co.uk
US official website: www.cyrusher.com
French official website: www.cyrusher.fr
German official website: www.cyrusher.de
Phone: 01134900889
Email: support@cyrusher.com
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SOURCE cyrusher | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/cyrusher-first-mid-drive-e-bike-nitro-comes-out-redefining-speed-riding/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:19 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/cyrusher-first-mid-drive-e-bike-nitro-comes-out-redefining-speed-riding/ |
KHAR, Pakistan— The death toll from a suicide bombing at a political rally in Pakistan’s Bajur district rose to 54 as critically wounded people died in hospital, police announced Monday.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s bombing, which also wounded nearly 200 people. Police said their initial investigation suggested that the Islamic State group’s regional affiliate could be behind the attack.
The victims were attending a rally organized by the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, headed by hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman. He did not attend the rally, held under a large tent close to a market in Bajur, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.
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Rehman, who has long supported Afghanistan's Taliban government, escaped at least two known bomb attacks in 2011 and 2014, when bombings damaged his car at rallies.
Victims of the bombing were buried in Bajur on Monday.
As condolences continued to pour in from across the country, dozens of people who received minor injuries were discharged from hospital while the critically wounded were taken to the provincial capital of Peshawar by army helicopters. The death toll rose to 46 on Monday as two critically wounded people died in hospital, physician Gul Naseeb said.
On Monday, police recorded statements from some of the wounded at a hospital in Khar, Bajur's largest town. Feroz Jamal, the provincial information minister, said police were “investigating this attack in all aspects.”
At least 1,000 people were gathered under a large tent Sunday as their party prepared for parliamentary elections, expected in October or November.
“People were chanting God is Great on the arrival of senior leaders, when I heard the deafening sound of the bomb,” said Khan Mohammad, a local resident who said he was standing outside the tent.
Mohammad said he heard people crying for help, and minutes later ambulances started arriving and taking the wounded away.
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Abdul Rasheed, a senior leader in Rehman’s party said the bombing was aimed at weakening the party but that “such attacks cannot deter our resolve.”
Islamist groups have long had a presence in Bajur. The district was formerly a base for Al Qaida and a stronghold of the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The army declared the district clear of the group in 2016 following a series of offensives.
The IS regional affiliate, known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, is based in neighboring Afghanistan's Nangarhar province and is a rival of the Afghan Taliban and Al Qaida.
Pakistani security analyst Mahmood Shah told The Associated Press that breakaway factions of the TTP could also be behind the attack. He said some TTP members have been known to disobey their top leadership to carry out attacks, as have breakaway factions of the group.
Shah said such factions could have perpetrated the attack to cause “confusion, instability and unrest ahead of the elections.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to dissolve Pakistan's parliament in August.
Rehman’s party is part of Sharif’s coalition government, which came to power in April 2022 by ousting former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the legislature.
Sharif called Rehman to express his condolences and assure the cleric that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished. The bombing has also drawn nationwide condemnation, with ruling and opposition parties offering condolences to the families of the victims. The U.S. and Russian embassies in Islamabad also condemned the attack.
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Khan condemned the bombing Sunday.
The Pakistani Taliban also distanced themselves from the attack, saying that the attack aimed to set Islamists against each other. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, wrote in a tweet that “such crimes cannot be justified in any way.”
The bombing came hours before the arrival of Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Islamabad, where on Monday he was to participate in an event to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a sprawling package under which Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Pakistan.
In recent months, China has helped Pakistan avoid a default on sovereign payments. Some Chinese nationals have also been targeted by militants in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere.
Sunday's bombing was one of the four worst attacks in northwestern Pakistan since 2014, when 147 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar.
In January, 74 people were killed in a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar. And in February, more than 100 people, mostly policemen, died in a bombing at a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters.
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Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this story from Islamabad. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/world/death-toll-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-54-families-hold-funerals-police-say/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:20 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/world/death-toll-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-54-families-hold-funerals-police-say/ |
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2023 China Digital Entertainment Congress commenced on Thursday alongside ChinaJoy, the country's largest gaming event. Lu Xiaoyin, Co-CEO and President of Perfect World Co., Ltd, as well as the CEO of Perfect World Games, was among the esteemed guests in attendance.
During his keynote speech, Lu emphasized the rapid development of the Chinese gaming industry, which has greatly benefited from the country's "digitalization" strategies. He highlighted the industry plays a crucial role in promoting digitalization across various sectors, including empowering the real economy, driving technological innovation, and preserving cultural heritage.
Lu lauded Chinese games for their exceptional ability to embody the essence of Chinese culture, offering a wealth of inspiration for game development. In line with this approach, Perfect World integrates elements of China's cultural heritage into its games. For instance, the company has artfully incorporated China's intangible cultural heritage, Suzhou embroidery, into its mobile game "Tower of Fantasy", and showcased the beauty of Chinese traditional opera Huangmei Opera in another mobile game "Zhuxian".
Lu highlighted the inseparable connection between technology and the gaming industry. Specifically, he emphasized the pivotal role of digital intelligence technologies like generative AI in optimizing game content creation and production methods.
Perfect World recognized the potential of AI technology several years ago and took significant steps by establishing an AI center. This center serves as a hub for applying AI across different production chains, including NPC creation, modeling, painting, and story development.
The gaming industry is driven by technologies like VR, AR, and AI, which inject vitality into the broader economy. Perfect World has collaborated with local governments and scenic spots to incorporate digital scenes into tourism to offer tourists a captivating experience.
Lu emphasized Perfect World is a R&D-oriented enterprise, with high-quality products serving as the cornerstone of the company's growth. The company focuses on two main categories: "MMO+" and "card+". On one hand, it upgrades classic MMORPG genres, introducing mobile games like "New Swordsman", "World of Jade Dynasty", "Fantasy New Jade Dynasty", and "Perfect New World". On the other hand, it creates games of different genres, such as "One Punch Man: World", "Persona 5: The Phantom X" and "Kai-Ri-Sei Million Arthur: Ring".
Additionally, Perfect World actively pursues the distribution of its games overseas, with "Tower of Fantasy" achieving remarkable success since its release in August 2022, and soon to be launched on PlayStation.
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SOURCE Perfect World | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/digital-intelligence-technology-fuelling-value-creation-reshaping-gaming-industry/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:25 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/digital-intelligence-technology-fuelling-value-creation-reshaping-gaming-industry/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles slammed into the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, killing two people, wounding at least 20 others and trapping up to seven beneath rubble, Ukraine’s interior minister said Monday.
The two missiles struck an apartment building, destroying a section of it between the fourth and ninth floors, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. Part of a four-story university building also was destroyed, he said.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian artillery strike on partially occupied Donetsk province killed two people and wounded six in the regional capital, according to Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-installed leader of the llegally annexed province.
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A bus was also hit as Ukrainian forces shelled the city of Donetsk multiple times Monday, Pushilin said.
Neither side’s claims could be independently verified.
In Kryvyi Rih, video showed rescue crews working through the wreckage from the part of the university building that was demolished. .
Black smoke billowed from corner apartments in the apartment building. Outside, debris was strewn across the tree-lined street. Parked cars were burned out or damaged.
The governor of Dnipropetrovsk province, Serhii Lysak, said the morning attack wounded 31 people, including four children. It was not possible to reconcile different casualty figures.
Kryvyi Rih is the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Kremlin’s forces have occasionally targeted the city since they invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Bombarding populated areas with missiles, artillery and drones has been a hallmark of Moscow’s tactics during the war, with some aerial attacks hitting civilian areas. The strategy has continued during a Ukrainian counteroffensive that is trying to drive Russian forces out of occupied areas.
Russian officials insist they only take aim at legitimate military targets.
Commenting on Monday’s attack, Ukraine’s president said that “in recent days, the enemy has been stubbornly attacking cities, city centers, shelling civilian objects and housing.”
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“But this terror will not frighten us or break us,” Zelenskyy said in a social media statement.
In the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed another civilian Monday, local authorities said. Several others were reported to be wounded.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has sought to take the war deep into Russia, reportedly using drones to hit targets as far away as Moscow. The latest strike, on Sunday, damaged two office buildings a few miles (kilometers) from the Kremlin.
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia and Moscow-annexed territory, especially Crimea, have become more frequent recently.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/world/ukraine-says-russian-missiles-hit-another-apartment-building-likely-trapped-people-under-rubble/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:26 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/world/ukraine-says-russian-missiles-hit-another-apartment-building-likely-trapped-people-under-rubble/ |
STAMFORD, Conn., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Emeren Group Ltd ("Emeren" or the "Company") (www.emeren.com) (NYSE: SOL), a leading global solar project developer, owner, and operator, recently announced the successful sale of an 11.5 MWp PV project to the Swiss-based energy company MET Group. The project was sold at the Ready-to-Build ("RTB") stage and MET Group will complete the construction and operate the power plant. This is the first project developed to RTB stage by Emeren Germany GmbH, the Berlin-based subsidiary of Emeren Group, since its entry into the market in early 2021. Capcora, a German consulting company, acted as the exclusive sell-side M&A advisor to Emeren.
The new PV power plant will be located in Kentzlin nestled in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the commercial operations are expected to start in the second half of 2024.
Yumin Liu, CEO of Emeren Group, commented, "This project is an important milestone for our business in Germany and represents our commitment to developing renewable energy infrastructure in the region. We look forward to continuing to work with our local partners to build a more sustainable future."
Bernd Wollwerth-Carl, Director of Emeren Germany GmbH, added, "We are delighted to have sold our first RTB project in Germany. Starting from scratch in 2021, we managed to grow quickly in a competitive German PV market, establishing partnerships and building a pipeline of medium and large-scale ground mounted PV plants. With MET, we found a reliable and competent partner and we look forward to further expanding our cooperation."
Christian Hürlimann, Renewables CEO of MET Group, commented, "The Kentzlin project fits well into MET's strategic vision to enter the highly competitive German renewables market, as well as to further expand its renewables portfolio across Europe and particularly in Western Europe. Emeren Group's expertise in renewable energy was instrumental in achieving this milestone, and we anticipate future collaboration on additional projects."
Henning Prigge, Director at Capcora, adds: "We are delighted to have played a pivotal role in Emeren's successful project sale to MET Group, a prominent integrated European energy company. Our long-standing partnership with Emeren has allowed us to witness their growth and success, and we couldn't be happier to have been a part of this milestone. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to providing top-notch support and solutions to our valued clients."
About Emeren Group Ltd
Emeren Group Ltd (NYSE: SOL) is a leading global solar project developer, owner, and operator with a pipeline of projects and IPP assets totaling over 3 GW, as well as a storage pipeline of over 6 GWh across Europe, North America, and Asia. The Company focuses on solar power project development, construction management and project financing services with local professional teams across multiple countries. For more information, go to www.emeren.com.
About MET Group
MET Group is an integrated European energy company, headquartered in Switzerland, with activities and assets in natural gas and power markets. MET is present in 14 countries through subsidiaries, 30 national gas markets, and 22 international trading hubs. MET has extensive experience in operating green (renewable) and flexible (conventional) energy assets, thus providing the widest possible support to energy transition. In 2022, MET Group's consolidated sales revenue amounted to EUR 41.5 billion, the total traded volume of natural gas was 109 BCM including futures, total traded electricity 67 TWh including futures.
About Capcora
Capcora is an independent financial advisory boutique specializing in M&A and project finance services to accelerate the energy transition in Europe. Founded in 2015, the Frankfurt-based company helps its clients succeed in the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors by advising them on sell-side and buy-side transactions, and by raising mezzanine, unitranche or senior debt.
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SOURCE Emeren Group Ltd | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/emeren-group-announces-sale-first-rtb-solar-power-project-germany/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:31 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/emeren-group-announces-sale-first-rtb-solar-power-project-germany/ |
BEIJING, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gravitas Education Holdings, Inc. ("GEHI" or the "Company") (NYSE: GEHI), a leading early childhood education service provider in China, today announced that it will hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the "EGM") at 3/F, No. 28 Building, Fangguyuan Section 1, Fangzhuang Fengtai District, Beijing 100078, People's Republic of China, at 10:00 a.m. (Beijing time) on September 11, 2023, for the purposes of considering and, if thought fit, approving the transactions contemplated in the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), dated April 18, 2023, by and among the Company, Bright Sunlight Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company ("Merger Sub"), Best Assistant Education Online Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company ("Best Assistant") and a controlled subsidiary of NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKEX: 0777, "NetDragon"), a Cayman Islands exempted company, and solely for purposes of certain named sections thereof, NetDragon. It is contemplated that Best Assistant will transfer the education business of NetDragon outside of the PRC to Elmtree Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company limited by shares ("eLMTree") and currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Best Assistant. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will merge with and into eLMTree with eLMTree continuing as the surviving company and becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the "Merger").
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger (the "Effective Time"), each ordinary share of eLMTree issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (excluding the Dissenting Shares and the Excluded Shares, each as defined in the Merger Agreement) will be cancelled in exchange for the right to receive a number of validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable ordinary shares of the Company in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements under the Securities Act of 1933.
Shareholders of the Company will also be asked to consider and vote on certain additional Merger-related proposals at the EGM, including, among others:
- that, subject to and conditional upon the Merger becoming effective, the fifth amended and restated memorandum and article of association of the Company be amended and restated by their deletion in their entirety and the substitution of in their place of the sixth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company (the "A&R MAA") effective immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger;
- that, subject to and conditional upon the Merger becoming effective, the name of the Company be changed from "Gravitas Education Holdings, Inc." to "Mynd.ai, Inc." effective immediately prior to the Effective Time;
- that, subject to and conditional upon the Merger becoming effective, immediately prior to the Effective Time, the authorized share capital of the Company be varied as follows: (a) the authorized share capital of the Company shall be varied to US$1,000,000 divided into 1,000,000,000 shares comprising of (i) 990,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.001 each (each a "ListCo Ordinary Share") and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.001 each of such class or classes (however designated) as the board of directors may determine in accordance with the A&R MAA, and (b) all Class A ordinary shares of the Company prior to the adoption of the A&R MAA, par value US$0.001 per share ("ListCo Class A Ordinary Shares") and all Class B ordinary shares of the Company prior to the adoption of the A&R MAA, par value US$0.001 per share ("ListCo Class B Ordinary Shares") in the authorized share capital of the Company (including all issued and outstanding ListCo Class A Ordinary Shares and ListCo Class B Ordinary Shares, and all authorized but unissued ListCo Class A Ordinary Shares and ListCo Class B Ordinary Shares) shall be re-designated as ListCo Ordinary Shares.
Holders of the Company's ordinary shares whose names are on the register of members of the Company at the close of business in the Cayman Islands on August 7, 2023, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the EGM or any adjournment or postponement thereof in person. Holders of the Company's American depositary shares ("ADSs") at the close of business in New York City on August 7, 2023, are entitled to exercise their voting rights for the underlying ordinary shares and must act through Citibank, N.A., the depositary of the Company's ADS program.
The notice of the EGM, which contains the detailed proposals to be presented at the EGM, and the proxy statement related to the EGM, are being filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and can be obtained without charge from the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). These documents are also available in the "Financial Information" section of the Company's investor relations website at https://ir.geh.com.cn/. In addition, the proxy materials (including the proxy statement) will be mailed to the Company's shareholders and holders of ADSs.
SHAREHOLDERS AND ADS HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THE PROXY MATERIALS AND OTHER MATERIALS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY CONTAIN VOTING INSTRUCTIONS AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, ELMTREE, THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS.
This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the transactions described above and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of eLMTree or the Company, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements." These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the pending transactions described herein, and the parties' perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Merger, including the equity values, the benefits of the Merger, expected revenue opportunities, anticipated future financial and operating performance and results, including estimates for growth, the expected management and governance of the combined company, and the expected timing of the transactions. The words "will," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions indicate forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and shareholders and other potential investors must recognize that actual results may differ materially from the expectations as a result of a variety of factors. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are hard to predict or control, that may cause the actual results, performance, or plans to differ materially from any future results, performance or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: (i) risks related to the expected timing and likelihood of completion of the Merger, including the risk that the transaction may not close due to one or more closing conditions to the transaction not being satisfied or waived, such as regulatory approvals not being obtained, on a timely basis or otherwise, or that a governmental entity prohibited, delayed or refused to grant approval for the consummation of the transaction or required certain conditions, limitations or restrictions in connection with such approvals; (ii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the applicable transaction agreements; (iii) the risk that there may be a material adverse change with respect to the financial position, performance, operations or prospects of the Company or eLMTree; (iv) risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the Merger; (v) the risk that any announcements relating to the Merger could have adverse effects on the market price of the Company's securities; (vi) the risk that the Merger and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of eLMTree to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with their suppliers and customers and on their operating results and businesses generally; (vii) any changes in the business or operating prospects of eLMTree or its businesses; (viii) changes in applicable laws and regulations; and (ix) risks relating to the combined company's ability to enhance its services and products, execute its business strategy, expand its customer base and maintain stable relationship with its business partners.
A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the proxy statement that will be filed with the SEC by the Company in connection with the Merger, and other documents that the parties may file with or furnish to the SEC, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and eLMTree, the Company and their subsidiaries and affiliates undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or applicable regulation.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
The Company will file with the SEC and mail to its shareholders and ADS holders a proxy statement in connection with the Merger. Investors and security holders are urged to read the proxy statement when it becomes available because it will contain voting instructions and important information regarding the proposed arrangement. You may access the proxy statement (when available) and other related documents filed by the Company with the SEC at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. You also may obtain the proxy statement and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC relating to the proposed arrangement for free by accessing the Company's website at https://ir.geh.com.cn/ by clicking on the link for "Financial Information," and then clicking on the link for "SEC Filings."
CONTACT: Gravitas Education Holdings, Inc., Investor Relations, E-mail: ir@geh.com.cn
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SOURCE Gravitas Education Holdings Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:37 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ |
- Back to Hogwarts returns on 1st September, inviting Harry Potter fans from all over the world to mark the moment the Hogwarts Express departs from King's Cross for the start of term
- Fans can join themed events, watch parties, digital and real-life celebrations that promise to be bigger and better than ever
LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, on Harry Potter's birthday, Wizarding World announces the return of its Back to Hogwarts celebrations, alongside a search for the UK's most enthusiastic Harry Potter fan to lead the Hogwarts Express' departure countdown.
The Harry Potter books, written by J.K. Rowling have had a huge impact on fans around the globe, having sold over 600 million copies worldwide, been distributed in more than 200 territories and translated into over 85 languages since they were first published by Bloomsbury and Scholastic 25 years ago.
Beginning as a fan celebration, Back to Hogwarts is recognised as one of the biggest days in any Harry Potter fan's calendar – marking the moment when students would board the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾ for adventure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Dressed in their finest cosplay, thousands of fans make the trip to London's King's Cross station each year and more come together online to raise their wands for the countdown and share their love of the stories.
Bringing Gryffindors, Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs together, this year celebrations are bigger than ever with the launch of a UK competition for one lucky fan between age five and seventeen years old to get the chance to travel to King's Cross and help host the countdown on 1st September. The competition is live and young wizards and witches wishing to enter can submit a video of their best countdown online (via a parent or guardian) by 11.59pm on 7th August.
The magic doesn't stop there! This lucky winner (plus a parent or guardian) will get the chance to pack their trunks once again to come back to the capital with a complete package of Harry Potter experiences. The ultimate Harry Potter London Breaks Experience gives this fan the opportunity to discover the filmmaking magic of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and see the critically acclaimed stage production, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. To top it off, the winner will receive an incredible merchandise bundle from the Harry Potter Shop. Full details on prize entry can be found here.
Until 3rd September an array of magical experiences awaits at King's Cross as fans get the chance to sip on Butterbeer, play Hogwarts Legacy on PlayStation®5 courtesy of Warner Bros. Games, and enjoy LEGO® Harry Potter giveaways and photo opportunities. Additionally, in celebration of the publication of The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac, fans will also be able to spin Bloomsbury's giant wand spinner and find out whose wand they are best suited to, with free gifts up for grabs for those taking part.
Festivities aren't contained to the station… why not relive the movie magic on the big screen? Theatres around the world will be putting on special Harry Potter screenings for Back to Hogwarts. In the UK, Everyman will screen all eight films at Everyman Kings Cross and select Harry Potter movies at their cinemas nationwide. ODEON will present Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets nationwide over the course of the weekend. US fans can get their fix at Cinemark where more than 250 theatres will be showing an exclusive re-release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts 1&2. Down Under? Join in the fun at 15 locations of Village Cinemas across Victoria, Australia as they host screenings of the final two Deathly Hallows films in the iconic series. Further theatres and locations will be announced soon, including screenings in Barcelona and Madrid.
Pam Lifford, President, Global Brands, Franchises and Experiences, at Warner Bros. Discovery, said: "Back to Hogwarts is a day cherished by Harry Potter fans of all ages, from all over the world. Just like their passion for the magic of the stories, their celebrations grow every year! 2023 is set to be a year like no other – we will see fan world record attempts in Germany, high octane quiz competitions in France and of course, the UK's search to find the perfect person to join that amazing countdown. We are so proud to offer new and exciting ways to bring fans together and give them new ways to celebrate the Harry Potter magic – there's nothing quite like Back To Hogwarts!"
Check out Wizarding World Digital at www.wizardingworld.com for all the Back to Hogwarts updates, including the latest UK activity and info on what's happening in Italy, Germany, France, Japan, China and more. Look out for news too on how to get involved with Harry Potter Watch Parties (MAX US subscribers will be able to join and watch-along on 1st September) and when to tune into the Back to Hogwarts Digital Showcase.
Join the global community of millions of members following the fun on social and don't forget to sign up to the Harry Potter Fan Club!
Website: www.wizardingworld.com/harry-potter-fan-club.
Instagram: @wizardingworld https://www.instagram.com/wizardingworld/?hl=en
Hashtag: #BacktoHogwarts
About The Wizarding World
In the years since Harry Potter was whisked from King's Cross station onto Platform nine and three quarters, his incredible adventures have left a unique and lasting mark on popular culture. Eight blockbuster Harry Potter films based on the original stories by J.K. Rowling have brought the magical stories to life and today, the Wizarding World is recognised as one of the world's best-loved brands.
Representing a vast interconnected universe, it also includes three epic Fantastic Beasts films, Harry Potter & The Cursed Child – the multi-award-winning stage-play, state-of-the-art video and mobile games from Portkey Games, innovative consumer products, thrilling live entertainment (including four theme park lands) and insightful exhibitions, as well as a forthcoming Harry Potter TV series.
This expanding portfolio of Warner Bros. Discovery owned Wizarding World experiences also includes Harry Potter New York – the iconic flagship store, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, and the Harry Potter Shop online and retail shops.
The Wizarding World continues to evolve to provide Harry Potter fans with fresh and exciting ways to engage. For the worldwide fan community, and for generations to come, it welcomes everyone in to explore and discover the magic for themselves.
About Back to Hogwarts
On 1st September, fans from all generations and corners of the globe come together to celebrate a very special day in the wizarding world calendar: Back to Hogwarts. Having started as an organic fan celebration many years ago, today Back to Hogwarts is an annual tradition recognised as one of the biggest moments in the Harry Potter fan's calendar when wizards and witches board the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾ for a year of magical adventure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In a unique celebration, each year fans come together online and in real life to celebrate the magic of these beloved stories and unite with their community.
UK Activity - About The Competition
Parents and guardians can enter their child by 7th August to help lead the Hogwarts Express' departure countdown at 11.00am on 1st September 2023 at King's Cross station and win a bundle of Harry Potter prizes.
The Wizarding World is searching for an enthusiastic, confident young fan to lead all the young wizards, witches and Muggles in the countdown moment. For the opportunity to lead the countdown, the parent or guardian of the applicant must send a video lasting no longer than 20 seconds, counting down from ten, showing how they would lead the Hogwarts Express' departure countdown.
Entrants must be based in the UK and Northern Ireland, aged between 5 and 17 years old, and details for entering the competition are detailed at https://www.wizardingworld.com/terms/back-to-hogwarts-2023-uk-countdown-competition-terms
Entries must be sent via email to BackToHogwarts@premiercomms.com and must be sent via a file sharing platform such as WeTransfer or DropBox.
The opportunity to enter opened at 12.00am on 31st July and will close at 11.59pm on 7th August. The successful applicant will be informed by 18th August.
The Competition Prize
- Lead the fans in a countdown at 11.00am BST to launch the Hogwarts Express announcement on 1st September 2023
- First to enter Back to Hogwarts fan zone at King's Cross station
- Wizarding World London Breaks - Ultimate Experience: 1 nights' accommodation, 2x tickets to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, 2x tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for winner and one parent/guardian – to be redeemed at a later date
- A Wizarding World merchandise bundle from the Harry Potter Shop
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SOURCE Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-celebrations-begin-back-hogwarts/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:44 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-celebrations-begin-back-hogwarts/ |
NAIROBI, Kenya -- African leaders have left two days of meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin with little to show for their requests to resume a deal that kept grain flowing from Ukraine and to find a path to end the war there.
Putin in a news conference late Saturday following the Russia-Africa summit said Russia's termination of the grain deal earlier this month caused a rise in grain prices that benefits Russian companies. He added that Moscow would share some of that revenue with the "poorest nations."
That commitment, with no details, follows Putin's promise to start shipping 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain for free to each of six African nations in the next three to four months -- an amount dwarfed by the 725,000 tons shipped by the U.N. World Food Program to several hungry countries, African and otherwise, under the grain deal. Russia plans to send the free grain to Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Mali, Somalia and Zimbabwe.
Fewer than 20 of Africa's 54 heads of state or government attended the Russia summit, while 43 attended the previous gathering in 2019, reflecting concerns over Russia's invasion of Ukraine even as Moscow seeks more allies on the African continent of 1.3 billion people. Putin praised Africa as a rising center of power in the world, while the Kremlin blamed "outrageous" Western pressure for discouraging some African countries from showing up.
The presidents of Egypt and South Africa were among the most outspoken on the need to resume the grain deal.
"We would like the Black Sea initiative to be implemented and that the Black Sea should be open," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said. "We are not here to plead for donations for the African continent."
African leaders also called clearly for peace.
"This war must end and it can only end on the basis of justice and reason," said the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat. "The disturbances that it causes in the supply of energy and grain must cease immediately" for the benefit of all, especially Africans.
Putin said Russia would analyze African leaders' peace proposal for Ukraine, whose details have not been publicly shared. But the Russian leader asked: "Why do you ask us to pause fire? We can't pause fire while we're being attacked."
The next significant step in peace efforts instead appears to be a Ukrainian-organized peace summit hosted by Saudi Arabia in August. Russia is not invited.
Africa's nations make up the largest voting bloc at the United Nations and have been more divided than any other region on General Assembly resolutions criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine. Delegations at the summit in St. Petersburg roamed exhibits of weapons, a reminder of Russia's role as the top arms supplier to the African continent.
But African nations need more concrete results from such meetings, the AU Commission head told the summit.
"The trade balance between Russia and Africa, very unbalanced in favor of the first party, must be improved," Mahamat said. At the first Russia-Africa Summit in 2019, Putin vowed to double Russia's trade with the continent within five years. Instead, it has stalled at around $18 billion a year.
In addition, "the strengthening of cooperation on peace and security and the fight against terrorism calls for more deeds and fewer declarations of intent," Mahamat said, while he and other African leaders were rushing to respond to a coup in Niger that could upend the regional response to a growing threat from Islamic extremist groups.
Putin in his remarks on Saturday also downplayed his absence from the BRICS economic summit in South Africa next month amid a controversy over an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court. His presence there, Putin said, is not "more important than my presence here, in Russia."
DANUBE PORTS
Danube River ports are now the only routes to ship grain, but have stirred divisions among nearby European countries and generated higher costs to be absorbed by Ukrainian farmers, said Joseph Glauber, former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Russian missile strikes against the Danube port of Odesa earlier this month also raised questions about how much longer that route will remain viable.
That's a disincentive to keep planting fields already threatened by missiles and strewn with explosive mines. Corn and wheat production in agriculture-dependent Ukraine is down nearly 40% this year from prewar levels, analysts say.
From the first of July last year until June 30 this year, Ukraine exported 68 million tons of grain, according to data from Mykola Horbachov, the president of the Ukrainian Grain Association. Ukrainian farmers shipped 11.2 million tons via railways, 5.5 million tons by road transport and around 18 million tons through Danube ports. Additionally, nearly half of the total exported grain, 33 million tons, was delivered through seaports under the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Ihor Osmachko, the general director of Agroprosperis Group, was unsurprised by Russia's withdrawal from the deal leading to its collapse. His company had never considered it a reliable or permanent solution during wartime.
He said Russians frequently stymied the deal, even while it was functioning, by delaying ship inspections until the cargoes were sent back, leading to $30 million in losses for his company alone. Now, they are once again forced to pay to reroute 100,000 tons of grain trapped in ports that are no longer safe, Osmachko said.
"We have been preparing for this whole time," Osmachko said. "We haven't stopped. We are moving forward."
Osmachko estimated around 80% to 90% of the approximately 3.2 million tons of grain Agroprosperis exported to China, Europe and African countries during the past year went through the grain corridor.
"The most significant problem today is the cost of logistics," explained Mykola Horbachov, president of the Ukrainian Grain Association. Before the war, farmers paid approximately $20 to $25 per ton to transport grain to the Odesa ports. Now, logistics costs have tripled as they are forced to pay more than $100 to transport a single ton via alternative routes through the Danube port to Constanta, Romania.
"If we were to go on the Danube with the grain corridor closed, practically all our production would be unprofitable," Osmachko said.
The Danube ports can't handle the same volume as seaports. The most Agroprosperis has sent through this route is 75,000 tons per month, compared with a monthly average of 250,000 tons through Black Sea ports.
The Ukrainian harvest this year is the lowest in a decade, according to a July report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Horbachov said shipping costs to export around the world and uncertainty about the length of the war will last could quickly make new planting unprofitable for Ukrainian farmers.
Ukraine currently produces three times more grain than it consumes, while global prices will inevitably rise if the country's exports decrease.
"I think you're looking at a diminished Ukraine for at least the next couple of years and maybe longer," said Glauber. "That's something the rest of the world just needs to make up."
The war from all sides poses risks for Agroprosperis.
In the Sumy region on the Russian border, farmers harvest their crops wearing body armor. Sometimes they must stop their combines in the middle of the wheat fields to pick up shrapnel from Russian projectiles.
"It can get tough at times," Osmachko acknowledged. "But there are responsibilities -- some have duties on the front. Some must grow food and ensure the country's and world's security."
Information for this article was contributed by Cara Anna, Hanna Arhirova, Volodymyr Yurchuk and Courtney Bonnell of The Associated Press. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/african-leaders-press-to-resume-grain-shipments/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:48 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/african-leaders-press-to-resume-grain-shipments/ |
BlackBerry QNX and BlackBerry IVY to serve as the software foundation for alliance's EV projects
WATERLOO, ON and TAIPEI, Taiwan, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) today announced that the Mobility in Harmony (MIH) Consortium, a Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd, (Foxconn)-initiated group, that seeks to create an open ecosystem to transform and accelerate innovation within the electric vehicle industry, has selected BlackBerry to provide the foundation for its next-generation platform.
MIH will use a range of BlackBerry software and services to serve as the safe and secure software foundation for the consortium's open and agnostic electric vehicle platform with a unique modular design approach. Project X, one of the MIH EV projects, will be a single-row three-seater geared towards Asian consumers, and is set to be unveiled in Japan in late 2023. MIH will also release six-seater and nine-seater vehicle platforms in the coming years to provide more vehicle segment choices, and to enable greater innovation.
As part of the agreement, MIH will utilize the company's trusted, safety-certified BlackBerry® QNX® product portfolio and award-winning cloud-connected, automotive AI platform, BlackBerry IVY™, including QNX Software Development Platform (SDP 7.1) licenses, QNX middleware technologies, as well as engineering professional services for system-level integration, performance optimization, and solution validation.
"MIH is committed to driving an open and agnostic ecosystem, with a focus that goes beyond just electric vehicles. Our ambition lies in crafting intelligent user experiences that enhance smart living and redefine the future of mobility and green logistics. BlackBerry's alignment with MIH's vision makes them the perfect partner for our goals. We anticipate deeper collaboration to realize our shared vision to revolutionize the electric vehicle industry and we're thrilled about our partnership with BlackBerry," said Jack Cheng, Chief Executive Officer at MIH Consortium.
Mattias Eriksson, President, BlackBerry IoT commented: "The Foxconn-led MIH Consortium has articulated an ambitious and compelling vision focused on accelerating innovation in the EV ecosystem. As the leading foundational software for the intelligent edge, BlackBerry QNX helps our customers and partners turbocharge their software development efforts. Companies all over the world, deploy BlackBerry's high-performance, safe and secure foundational software to allow their own internal resources to focus on layers higher up in the software stack. They trust us for the 'plumbing,' so they can confidently dedicate their work to software directly impacting their customers' experiences. This accelerates development, improves safety and security, while reducing overall costs. We are excited to join the MIH consortium and look forward to helping them execute on their vision of transforming the overall EV industry."
For more information about the MIH Consortium please visit: MIH | Mobility in Harmony (mih-ev.org).
For more information on how BlackBerry QNX can help with building the safe and secure vehicles of tomorrow, please visit: BlackBerry.QNX.com.
About BlackBerry
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. The company secures more than 500M endpoints including over 235M vehicles. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company leverages AI and machine learning to deliver innovative solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, safety and data privacy solutions, and is a leader in the areas of endpoint management, endpoint security, encryption, and embedded systems. BlackBerry's vision is clear - to secure a connected future you can trust.
For more information, visit BlackBerry.com and follow @BlackBerry.
Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.
About MIH Consortium
Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), a global leader in smart manufacturing, introduced MIH, its software and hardware open platform for EVs, in 2020 and initiated the formation of the MIH Consortium in 2021. Foxconn aims to position MIH as the "Android system of the EV industry." Foxconn is inviting automakers, manufacturers, and supply chain partners to join the MIH to collaborate. MIH's mission is to lower barriers to entry into the EV industry, accelerate innovation, and shorten development cycles by realizing key technologies and developing reference designs and standards. Currently, the MIH has more than 2,600 members.
For More: https://www.mih-ev.org/
Media Contacts:
BlackBerry Media Relations
+1 (519) 597-7273
mediarelations@BlackBerry.com
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SOURCE BlackBerry Limited | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mobility-harmony-mih-consortium-selects-blackberry-advance-its-next-generation-electric-vehicle-development-efforts/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:50 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mobility-harmony-mih-consortium-selects-blackberry-advance-its-next-generation-electric-vehicle-development-efforts/ |
DENVER -- As climate change fans hotter and longer heat waves, breaking record temperatures across the U.S. and leaving dozens dead, the poorest Americans suffer the hottest days with the fewest defenses. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
As Phoenix weathered its 27th consecutive day above 110 degrees Wednesday, the people who died indoors didn't have functioning air conditioning, or it was turned off. Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
"To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills," said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. "Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours."
It's the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metro areas.
"The temperature differences ... between lower-income neighborhoods, neighborhoods of color and their wealthier, whiter counterparts have pretty severe consequences," said Cate Mingoya-LaFortune of Groundwork USA, an environmental justice organization. "There are these really big consequences like death. ... But there's also ambient misery."
Some have window units that can offer respite, but "in the dead of heat, it don't do nothing," said Melody Clark, who stopped Friday to get food at a Kansas City, Kansas, nonprofit as temperatures soared to 101. When the central air conditioning at her rental house broke, her landlord installed a window unit. But it doesn't do much during the day.
So the 45-year-old wets her hair, cooks outside on a propane grill and keeps the lights off indoors. At night she flips the box unit on, hauling her bed into the room where it's located to sleep.
As far as her two teenagers, she said: "They aren't little bitty. We aren't dying in the heat. ... They don't complain."
While billions in federal funding have been allocated to subsidize utility costs and the installation of cooling systems, experts say they often only support a fraction of the most vulnerable families and some still require prohibitive upfront costs. Installing a centralized heat pump system for heating and cooling can easily reach $25,000.
President Joe Biden announced steps on Thursday to defend against extreme heat, highlighting the expansion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which funnels money through states to help poorer households pay utility bills.
While the program is critical, said Michelle Graff, who studies the subsidy at Cleveland State University, only about 16% of the nation's eligible population is actually reached. Nearly half of states don't offer the federal dollars for summer cooling.
"So people are engaging in coping mechanisms, like they're turning on their air conditioners later and leaving their homes hotter," Graff said.
As temperatures rise, so does the cost of cooling. And temperatures are already hotter in America's low-income neighborhoods. Researchers at the University of San Diego analyzed 1,056 counties and in over 70%, the poorest areas and those with higher Black, Hispanic and Asian populations were significantly hotter. That's in part because those neighborhoods lack tree coverage.
At noon on Friday, Katrice Sullivan sat on the porch of her rented house on Detroit's westside. It was hot and muggy, but even steamier inside the house. Even if she had air conditioning, Sullivan said she'd choose her moments to run it to keep her electricity bill down.
The 37-year-old factory worker sometimes sits in her car with the air conditioner running. "Some people here spend every dollar for food, so air conditioning is something they can't afford," she said.
In the federal Inflation Reduction Act, billions were set aside for tax credits and rebates to help families install energy-efficient cooling systems, but some of those are yet to be available. Rebates are the kind of state and federal point-of-sale discounts that Amanda Morian has looked into for her 640-square-foot home.
Morian, who has a 13-week-old baby susceptible to hot weather, is desperate to keep her house in Denver's Globeville suburb cool. She got estimates from four different companies for installing a cooling system, but every project was between $20,000 and $25,000, she said. Even with subsidies she can't afford it.
Instead, she bought thermal curtains and ceiling fans and runs a window unit. At night she tries to do skin-to-skin touch to regulate the baby's body temperature.
"All of those are just to take the edge off, it's not enough to actually make it cool. It's enough to keep us from dying," she said.
Information for this article was contributed by Heather Hollingsworth and Corey Williams of The Associated Press. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/air-conditioning-cost-an-issue-of-life-death/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:54 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/air-conditioning-cost-an-issue-of-life-death/ |
Recruiting Season Is in Full Swing for Professional Football Players to Join Virtual Fan Engagement Channel
NAPLES, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Notable Live is announcing that it has added three more Pro Football Hall of Fame players to the Notable Live line-up for the upcoming season. In addition to existing players Emmitt Smith and Ray Lewis, Notable Live is excited to add Cris Carter, Champ Bailey and Ed Reed to the Notable Live team. This comes as a fast follow to Notable Live's recent multi-year commercial agreement with eBay and its Series A financing round led by eBay Ventures.
Notable Live is a tech-enabled virtual engagement platform that connects fans to teams, leagues and players in a way they have always dreamed about through an immersive experience. Notable Live, co-founded in 2018 by Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and entrepreneurial veteran Mike Antonucci, helps players monetize their image and personal brands not just on game day, but every day.
Through one set of login credentials, the Notable Live platform unlocks an expansive catalog of one-to-many engagement experiences, including live events and on-demand content. On the platform's commerce-enabled exchange, players, teams and leagues can activate live auction or marketplace functions to sell physical memorabilia, digital content, in-person experiences or other unique offerings. All items offered on the Notable Live platform and its associated channels can be authentically bought and sold across the growing and loyal community of Notable Live fans.
"The multi-billion annual sports memorabilia market is rapidly evolving to include new digital experiences, and Notable Live continues to grow its comprehensive platform for both the college and professional sports markets. We are pleased to announce the continued expansion of our roster of NFL athletes on our platform," said Mike Antonucci, co-founder and CEO of Notable Live.
"The fans bring their passion for the game and for their favorite players, ensuring the memorabilia space remains more about the fans than about the athletes," added Emmitt Smith, co-founder of Notable Live. "We are excited to continue expanding our platform with fellow Hall of Famers and other athletes."
About Notable Live
Notable Live was co-founded in 2018 by avid sports fan Mike Antonucci and Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith to create a unique platform providing sports fans with unparalleled access to their favorite notables via virtual interactive events. Notable Live, a mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play, grants fans real access to notables by putting them "in the room" together for memorable virtual experiences. Connect with Notable Live at www.notable.live or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Threads for iOS and Threads for Google Play.
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SOURCE Notable Live | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ | 2023-07-31T10:21:57 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ |
Oh what a tangled web the economy weaves. Just when you think things are bad, they get better. And just when you think things are getting better, they get worse. That might be a big reason they call economics the dismal science.
The good news: The Conference Board (a business research group that researches this kind of thing) says the consumer confidence index rose to 117 this month, the highest it's been in over two years. How the board comes up with that index is anybody's guess. But what we do know about consumer confidence is that it affects spending habits--and consumer spending is responsible for about 70 percent of GDP. So it's important.
It's about perception, and when it comes to the economy, perception can become reality PDQ.
That brings us to gas prices, which are lower than they were a year ago. But be warned, they are going up. The AP reports that gasoline (not crude oil) prices "soared to a nine-month high in New York, sending shock waves through to the pump, while prices have also been rising in Asia."
How is it possible that the price at the pump could rise when the price at the wellhead is essentially unchanged?
Let us count the examples in which the energy industry is vastly more complex than most people know:
First, unexpected refinery outages, specifically at ExxonMobil's refinery in Baton Rouge, Shell's refinery in Rotterdam, and ENEOS' facility in Japan have reduced supply.
Second, stockpiles of gasoline are lower than normal in key storage hubs in the U.S. Gulf Coast and in Singapore for this time of year.
Third, the loss of heavy naphtha--what? just bear with us--from Russia has squeezed components critical to the octane rating of gasoline. (Naphtha is a component.)
Fourth, "Switching away from Russia's" heavy naphtha "... has led to an excess of light naphtha [here we go again], which can be blended into gasoline but requires other components such as reformate [c'mon, guys], which has lifted the cost of premium gasoline."
Fifth, "counter-seasonal strengthening in diesel fuel prices has prompted refiners" to increase diesel production at the expense of gasoline, according to Wood Mackenzie.
There are few industries that provide a better example of how the law of supply and demand work--or that we live in a world that is not as black and white as we might want it to be. And to be certain, it demonstrates that complex problems can rarely be explained with simple answers.
It remains to be seen how long consumer confidence will remain high when the price at the pump heads north for the rest of the summer.
But remember, nothing lasts forever. Good or bad. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/another-reason/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:00 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/another-reason/ |
HOUSTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nutex Health Inc. ("Nutex Health" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: NUTX), a physician-led, technology-enabled integrated healthcare delivery system comprised of 21 state-of-the-art micro hospitals in 8 states and primary care-centric, risk-bearing physician networks, today announced that its Clinigence Health advanced population health analytics platform has been selected by Varmed Management, a Puerto Rico-based medical management company, to enhance its population health capabilities and patient care.
Clinigence Health's partnership with Varmed Management honors the company's commitment to improving quality of life and health outcomes through implementing advanced analytics and cutting-edge technology. Together, they aim to deliver unparalleled solutions to patients, ensuring seamless, whole-person care while reducing costs.
Clinigence Health is thrilled to assist Varmed Management in its mission. Sophisticated population health management requires a platform like Clinigence Health that helps organizations enhance the care delivered to their patients by identifying opportunities to engage its physicians and its patients with data to drive continued quality improvement.
"The partnership creates an environment where high-quality care is accessible and affordable to everyone in our community. By integrating Clinigence Health's advanced analytics into our population health management strategy, we can provide even more personalized patient care," stated José J. Vargas, Chief Executive Officer of Varmed Management.
"The healthcare industry continues to experience the loss of billions of premium dollars to overutilization and inappropriate use of services to the detriment of patient care. The transition to value-based care models requires organizations to understand the patterns of care and best medical practices that allow quality care to be delivered cost-effectively," stated Lawrence Schimmel, M.D., Chief Medical Information Officer of Nutex Health, Inc.
"Clinigence is a pioneer in clinical data integration, clinical quality reporting and population health analytics. Our scalable, purpose-built cloud-based platform has clinical and claims data on over 3 million patients and is in use by multiple independent practice associations ("IPAs"), medical groups, accountable care organizations ("ACOs"), hospitals and physicians. We look forward to partnering with the talented team at Varmed," stated Warren Hosseinion, M.D., President of Nutex Health.
For more information, visit Clinigence Health at www.clinigencehealth.com or email info@clinigence.com for personalized information requests.
About Nutex Health Inc.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas and founded in 2011, Nutex Health Inc. (NASDAQ: NUTX) is a healthcare management and operations company with two divisions: a Hospital Division and a Population Health Management Division.
The Hospital Division owns, develops and operates innovative health care models, including micro-hospitals, specialty hospitals, and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). This division owns and operates 21 facilities in 8 states.
The Population Health Management division owns and operates provider networks such as Independent Physician Associations (IPAs). Through our Management Services Organization (MSO), we provide management, administrative and other support services to our affiliated hospitals and physician groups. Our cloud-based proprietary technology platform aggregates clinical and claims data across multiple settings, information systems and sources to create a holistic view of patients and providers, allowing us to deliver greater quality care more efficiently.
About Varmed Management
Varmed Management is a fully integrated healthcare solutions provider. As a population health management organization, we are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions to our clients, improving quality of life through patient empowerment, improving healthcare outcomes and reducing costs. www.varmedmanagement.com
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements and information included in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words or phrases "will", "will likely result," "expected to," "will continue," "anticipated," "estimate," "projected," "intend," "goal," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks, known and unknown, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, our ability to successfully execute our growth strategy, changes in laws or regulations, including the interim final and final rules implemented under the No Surprises Act , economic conditions, dependence on management, dilution to stockholders, lack of capital, the effects of rapid growth upon the Company and the ability of management to effectively respond to the growth and demand for products and services of the Company, newly developing technologies, the Company's ability to compete, conflicts of interest in related party transactions, regulatory matters, protection of technology, lack of industry standards, the effects of competition and the ability of the Company to obtain future financing. An extensive list of factors that can affect future results are discussed in the Current Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2023 under the heading "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item IA thereof, and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such factors could materially adversely affect the Company's financial performance and could cause the Company's actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed within this press release.
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SOURCE Nutex Health, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:03 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ |
Arkansas is adopting a federal list of medical disorders that newborn babies must be screened for under a law passed during this year's legislative session.
On Thursday, the state Board of Health unanimously approved rules implementing Act 490, the Universal Newborn Screening Act.
"It removes all those specific conditions and instead just makes a broad statement that any new condition added to the Recommended [Uniform] Screening Panel, or RUSP, is automatically added to the screening panel in the state of Arkansas," said Katie Seely, director of the state's public health laboratory.
If a new condition is added to the RUSP, it will be automatically adopted into Arkansas newborn testing practices after 36 months, Seely said.
"Many of the disorders or conditions, when they're added to the RUSP, are not FDA approved yet. This is time for the vendor that we use that supplies reagents for those testing methods, test time to achieve FDA approval before we add them," she said.
The Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, determined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, lists 37 core conditions for newborns.
In the past, the Arkansas Department of Health has tested newborns for more than 30 disorders, including phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia and severe combined immunodeficiency.
In 2022, 98.3% of the more than 35,000 babies born in Arkansas were screened for genetic disorders, according to the Health Department's newborn screening annual report for 2022.
Despite the increase in the number of conditions newborns will be screened for, the fee charged to hospitals will remain $131. Hospitals pass along the fee to patients, and it is typically covered by private health insurance or Medicaid.
"We are constantly upgrading our instrumentation and equipment to try to stay, you know, aligned with what is the most up-to-date, high tech and most efficient use of testing," Seely said. "That includes a lot of automation that we're using now instead of having more people. We're using more robots to do the work for us now, which improves quality of our testing as well."
The legislation that became Act 490 was sponsored by Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Knoxville, who said he wanted to do whatever he could to "move the needle" in Arkansas maternal care.
"There's not one piece of legislation that's gonna be the silver bullet," Pilkington said. "It's a lot of different things working in tandem, whether that be newborn screening or the expansion of postpartum Medicaid. All of those types of things work together to improve Arkansas because we are one of the worst states in the union for maternal and newborn health."
Ly is a Report for America Corps member. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/arkansas-adopts-federal-list-for-newborn-screening/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:06 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/arkansas-adopts-federal-list-for-newborn-screening/ |
BALTIMORE, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Opteev Technologies, Inc., a pioneering technology company at the forefront of diagnostics, has filed a patent (Patent Application #63/513,007) for a revolutionary multiplex biochip for respiratory infection diagnostics. The groundbreaking polymer-based biochip offers the potential to test multiple pathogens responsible for respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and Influenza, and precisely identify the specific virus or bacteria in under 1 minute. This game-changing technology paves the way for an ultra-rapid, portable, and accurate syndromic diagnostic device to empower healthcare providers with immediate results at their fingertips.
The tiny biochip can directly detect whole viruses in real-time in both processed and unprocessed samples such as saliva or nasal swab and has demonstrated an unprecedented accuracy rate of 99.49% with an impressive limit of detection in its analytical performance evaluation. Furthermore, the biosensor achieves fine-tuned specificity by carefully selecting specific virus-binding peptides, enabling accurate identification of target viruses in complex samples. To ensure precise and reliable virus detection, the biochip utilizes artificial intelligence to optimize the frequency range effectively mitigating the impact of interfering noise signals.
Unlike conventional respiratory panels that cost tens of thousands of dollars and take days to provide results, Opteev's multiplex biochip will offer healthcare providers affordable syndromic testing with the ability to process samples at the point of care, allowing for the simultaneous detection and specific identification of multiple pathogens instantaneously. This breakthrough technology will eliminate the need for speculation by providing healthcare providers with the critical information needed to deliver the most effective treatment options at the point of care.
"With the development of our multiplex biochip, we are revolutionizing point-of-care diagnostics," said Dr. Mesfin Meshesha, Vice President of Virology & Diagnostics at Opteev Technologies. "The potential of this technology to transform patient care, streamline operations, and reduce costs is truly remarkable."
As Opteev Technologies continues to push the boundaries of point-of-care diagnostics, the company welcomes potential collaborations and partnerships to further develop and commercialize its multiplex biochip. "Together, we can shape the future of diagnostics and unlock the massive potential of our game-changing multiplex biochip," said Conrad Bessemer, Opteev's Chairman and Co-founder.
For more information about Opteev Technologies and its groundbreaking multiplex biochip, please visit www.opteev.com.
Opteev Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, MD, is a pioneering technology company at the forefront of diagnostics. With a strong focus on respiratory pathogen detection, Opteev is committed to developing innovative solutions that revolutionize the field of point-of-care diagnostics. As a subsidiary of Novatec, Inc., a trusted manufacturer and supplier of machinery and sensor technology, Opteev leverages decades of experience to drive advancements in healthcare.
Media Contact:
Dana Gardner
Vice President
dgardner@opteev.com
Phone: 443-457-5214
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SOURCE Opteev Technologies, Inc | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:10 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ |
Arkansas hospitals would receive more than $93 million in lump sum payments from the federal government under a proposal by a federal agency to compensate them for a cut in what Medicare paid them for prescription drugs from 2018 to 2022.
The payments are part of $9 billion that would go to hospitals nationwide under the proposal to make up for the cut, which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2022 was unlawful.
In Arkansas, more than a third of the money -- almost $33.4 million -- would go to UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock.
The proposal, however, would also reduce what Medicare pays hospitals for "non-drug items and services" by 0.5% starting in 2025.
That's because, at the time it reduced what it pays certain hospitals for prescription drugs, Medicare increased what it pays hospitals for other types of care.
The proposal, contained in a proposed rule published in last month by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is designed to correct for both that increase and the cut in drug reimbursement.
Described as a "budget neutrality adjustment," the cut in what Medicare pays hospitals for care other than drugs is meant to recoup $7.8 billion over an estimated 16 years.
"UAMS was very pleased to hear that CMS has finally provided a solution to how they will repay hospitals for the underpayment that has occurred since 2018," Amanda George, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' vice chancellor for finance and administration, said in a statement.
"A lump sum payment was the ideal solution. However, the budget neutrality requirement definitely counteracts the impact," she added.
George said a large portion of the payment that would got to UAMS is related to infusion therapy, primarily associated with the cancer treatment it provides.
UAMS and other hospitals are in line for the potential payments because of their participation in the federal 340B drug pricing program.
Named for a section of the Public Health Service Act and administered by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, the program requires drug manufacturers that participate in Medicaid to offer discounts to participating hospitals and other providers.
Small rural hospitals known as critical access hospitals and those that serve large numbers of uninsured and low-income patients are among providers eligible to participate.
Because of the discounted prices the 340B hospitals were receiving from the drug manufacturers, Medicare in 2018 reduced their drug reimbursement rate in 2018 by 22.5%.
Certain types of hospitals, including critical access hospitals and children's hospitals, were exempt from the cut.
The American Hospital Association, among other groups, challenged the cut in court, saying the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services hadn't conducted a survey of hospitals' acquisition costs that was required before it could reduce its reimbursement rate for some hospitals but not others.
The Supreme Court agreed, sending the case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
In a September ruling in the case, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., reversed the cut in the drug reimbursement rate for the 340B hospitals.
The judge in January left it up to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to decide how to compensate hospitals for the money they lost due to the cut.
In Arkansas, the second-largest payment under the proposed rule would got to St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, which would receive $16.8 million.
"We, at St. Bernards, appreciate the proposal to remedy five years' worth of underpayments to participating hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program," Mitchell Nail, media relations manager of St. Bernards, said.
"This vital program continues to help Arkansans afford needed prescription medications, while hospitals and partnering community pharmacies steward program resources, providing community benefits nationwide for every dollar in the 340B program," he said.
Other proposed payments include $16.5 million for Mercy Hospital Fort Smith, $9.6 million for NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro, $6.3 million for Baptist Health-Fort Smith and $6.1 million for CHI St Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock.
The hospitals expect to receive the money later this year or early next year, Jodiane Tritt, executive vice president of the Arkansas Hospital Association, said.
"We're obviously super happy that, finally, our 340B hospitals that have endured these cuts for five years are going to get some of their dollars back that they lost," Tritt said.
At the same time, she said she's concerned that proposed the cut in reimbursement for types of care besides drugs would affect more hospitals than just the ones that participate in the 340B program.
"We don't want them having to foot the bill for CMS' and HRSA's mistake," Tritt said. "We don't think that you ought to recoup the dollars from other entities that are not 340B entities to try to make up for the mistake that you made in 2018."
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is accepting public comment on the proposed rule through Sept. 5 and said it expects to issue a final rule this fall.
Ly is a Report for America Corps member. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/arkansas-hospitals-in-line-for-93-million-in/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:13 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/arkansas-hospitals-in-line-for-93-million-in/ |
Mobile Visual Processing Solutions Coupled with Dedicated Game Tuning Services Take Mobile Gaming Experience to a Brand-New Level
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pixelworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: PXLW), a leading provider of innovative visual processing solutions, today announced the official launch of its new IRX gaming experience brand. As a brand targeted at smartphone users, IRX is grounded on Pixelworks' mobile visual processing solutions and coupled with in-depth game tuning services. This combination leverages Pixelworks' expertise to achieve ultra-smooth gaming experience and the highest picture quality for different types of games on mobile devices. In addition, it exercises effective control of power consumption, latency and other performance variables to ensure stable and long-lasting gaming with optimal visual performance, providing end users with unparalleled mobile gaming experiences.
The IRX gaming experience is enabled by a portfolio of technology advantages and product application experiences based on the Company's innovative distributed rendering architecture. More specifically, Pixelworks' ultra-low latency MotionEngine® technology, low power super-resolution technology, AI Always-on HDR and other technologies bring optimized rendering capabilities to smartphones that exceed what can be achieved by a traditional chipset. Together with Pixelworks' profound tuning experience for different games on various mobile devices the result is a meaningfully enriched visual experience for smartphone users, which is the core foundation for the IRX gaming experience.
The IRX gaming experience brand will be supported by a certification program for mobile devices that incorporates Pixelworks visual processors. The certification program will be backed by a suite of visual quality evaluation systems agreed upon with smartphone manufacturers to ensure that Pixelworks powered smartphones provide the most outstanding gaming performance and utmost visual quality for consumers.
The IRX branded certification program is comprised of both device certification and game tuning services. Pixelworks will optimize the rendering capabilities and display quality of top games on mobile devices based on its visual processors' capabilities as well as the devices' performance characteristics. Smartphones that meet the technical requirements as well as Pixelworks' visual processing standards will be granted the IRX branded certification, and games that meet Pixelworks' visual quality requirements will be included in the IRX-supported game list. To date, there are 20 top games being enlisted on the IRX-supported game list, which can be found on Pixelworks' official IRX gaming experience website. Furthermore, Pixelworks plans to establish expanded communication channels with consumers to help further educate end users on the benefits of the IRX gaming experience.
"IRX is a gaming experience brand from Pixelworks targeted directly towards mobile device users." said Ting Xiong, President of Pixelworks China. "Pixelworks would like to empower smartphone manufacturers to break the ceiling of mobile gaming experience from content optimization to performance enhancement with its innovative rendering technologies and years of game tuning and optimization experience. Additionally, we are also aiming to develop and promote consumer awareness around how to better evaluate visual display quality and the mobile gaming experience, enabling them to make smarter choices when purchasing a smartphone. By utilizing professional technologies and services to build more links across both products and users, we hope to drive mutual growth through in-depth interactions while bringing display performance and the mobile gaming experience to a brand-new level."
About Pixelworks
Pixelworks provides industry-leading content creation, video delivery and display processing solutions and technology that enable highly authentic viewing experiences with superior visual quality, across all screens – from cinema to smartphone and beyond. The Company has more than 20 years of history delivering image processing innovation to leading providers of consumer electronics, professional displays and video streaming services.
For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.pixelworks.com.
Note: Pixelworks, MotionEngine and the Pixelworks logo are trademarks of Pixelworks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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SOURCE Pixelworks, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:16 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ |
The immediate questions for anyone thinking about getting an electric vehicle are good ones: Where do I charge it? How long is that...
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Print Headline: Charge it | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/charge-it/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:19 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/charge-it/ |
LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Talking Tom and MrBeast just announced a unique collaboration for Talking Tom's 10th birthday party! Starting today, players of My Talking Tom 2, the popular virtual pet game, can unwrap an exclusive surprise from MrBeast himself — a one-of-a-kind outfit. Additionally, Talking Tom and MrBeast are also joining forces with a contribution to the Tebow CURE Hospital for underprivileged children in the Philippines.
"Our collaboration with MrBeast for Talking Tom's 10th anniversary demonstrates our commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences to our players," said Xinyu Qian, CEO of Outfit7. "By offering an exclusive MrBeast outfit and extending our support to the Tebow CURE Hospital, we aim not only to enhance the excitement within the game but also to make a meaningful difference in the lives of underprivileged children."
For a limited time of two weeks, the exclusive MrBeast outfit for Tom can be found in the bedroom wardrobe, or claimed through a pop-up gift box, either on the porch or in the bathroom. As part of the 10th birthday celebration, Tom has also given users a generous gift of 100,000 in-game gold coins, which are still attainable in the game.
In addition to the in-game collaboration, Talking Tom and MrBeast have joined forces to support the Tebow CURE Hospital, which provides assistance to underprivileged children in the Philippines. Together they will support the hospital's activities for a month, enabling them to carry out over 150 surgeries. To ensure sustainable care for the children, the hospital will also receive a year's supply of essential orthopaedic supplies.
Download My Talking Tom 2 now and claim the exclusive MrBeast outfit! It will be available for free in My Talking Tom 2 for a limited time, from July 30 to August 13, 2023.
ABOUT OUTFIT7: Outfit7 Limited is a dynamic force in mobile gaming, reaching a global audience of billions with its award-winning games. Powered by creativity and industry-leading expertise, the company's talented international team of around 400 people pushes the boundaries of the possible every day. Outfit7's 20+ games have now been downloaded worldwide over 21 billion times and up to 470 million fans play with them every month. Its portfolio also includes numerous chart-topping animated series, theme parks, and a licensing program. You can find more information at www.outfit7.com.
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A Riverside County, Calif., wildfire continued to burn out of control overnight and had swelled to 2,069 acres as of Saturday morning, while parts of a nearby residential community remained under evacuation orders.
The Bonny fire, which ignited Thursday afternoon near Aguanga southeast of Temecula, has grown steadily amid changing wind patterns, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection/Riverside County Fire Department.
The fire is burning dangerously close to the community of Terwilliger Valley, but so far no homes have been damaged. One injury has been reported. Fire officials also said flames have destroyed a nonresidential building and one vehicle.
The blaze was 5% contained as of Saturday morning. Crews had estimated its containment at 10% early Friday, but lost ground as the fire swelled in size.
More than 1,000 firefighters continued to battle the blaze under a heat advisory as it burned toward the southeast, charring dense vegetation. Air resources including five helicopters were also on hand.
"The firefighters were able to do some good work despite the steep, rugged terrain," said Rob Roseen, a public information officer for the fire department.
Temperatures Friday crept into the triple digits with low humidity. Similar weather conditions were expected Saturday, heightening the risk of erratic fire behavior, officials said.
There would be a continued risk of lightning in the area from Sunday night into this morning before temperatures fall back into the 90s, where they're expected to remain for much of the week, said Casey Oswant, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's San Diego office.
"It will be pretty toasty for the next couple of days," Oswant said.
Evacuation orders expanded Friday afternoon, more than tripling the number of homes threatened by the fire. A wildfire smoke advisory was issued for eastern Riverside County, with residents urged to stay indoors if they smell smoke or see ash.
At 12:30 p.m., all residents of the Terwilliger Valley community were ordered to evacuate, affecting more than 700 homes.
The expanded evacuation included residents north of the San Diego County border; west of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; south of Bowers, Bailey and Ramsey roads; and east of Bonny Lane.
Hamilton High School in Anza was serving as an evacuation center. A stretch of Old Mitchell Camp Road between Chihuahua Valley Road and the Cooper Cienega Truck Trail was closed, as was Chihuahua Valley Road between Old Mitchell Camp Road and Highway 79.
Capt. Robert Foxworthy, a spokesperson for Cal Fire, said this winter's historic rainfall and snowpack delayed the fire season. But in the coming weeks, he expects larger fires to ignite in recently dried fuels.
"As we continue in the summer, especially with 100-plus temperatures, we will continue to have fuels dying out and drying out and being more receptive to burn," he said.
"The chances for those bigger fires will only increase."
Another Riverside County fire that broke out Thursday evening near Banning was no longer active Saturday.
The Sunset fire, which ignited near Mesa and Gilman streets, had reached 103 acres and firefighters were battling the blaze through Friday.
Investigators said Friday that they believe the fire was the result of arson.
One suspect -- identified only as Andre Cox -- has been arrested and now faces multiple charges, fire officials said. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/evacuation-orders-expand-in-california-as-winds/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:25 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/evacuation-orders-expand-in-california-as-winds/ |
FRANKFURT – The European economy grew modestly in the most recent quarter, breaking out of a months of stagnation or contraction as higher interest rates designed to fight inflation make it more expensive for households and businesses to borrow, invest and spend.
The 20 countries that use the euro currency and their 346 million people saw 0.3% growth in the April-to-June period, the EU statistics agency Eurostat reported Monday. That’s an improvement over zero growth in the first quarter of this year and a slight decline in fourth quarter of last year, but not by much.
A revision raised figures for the first quarter from a decline of 0.1%, wiping out two straight quarters of declining output. Inflation in the eurozone, meanwhile, continued its gradual decline, falling to 5.3% in July from 5.5% in June.
Europe's economic growth got a boost by 0.5% growth in France and 0.4% in Spain, where lower inflation has helped lift consumer spending power.
The French figure, however, was increased by a one-off: the delivery of one very large manufactured item, a cruise ship. That statistical quirk flattered the French growth figure but does little to disguise weak demand for goods in the eurozone’s second-largest economy.
The most growth was posted by Ireland at 3.3%. The country's growth figures often show large swings due to major international companies locating their headquarters there.
Europe's largest economy, Germany, struggled in the second quarter, recording zero growth after two straight quarters of falling output as it grappled with high energy costs tied to Russia's war in Ukraine.
Europe is still struggling with the aftershocks of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow cutting off most of its natural gas to the continent, sharply raising prices for the fuel and the electricity it generates. In Germany, Europe’s manufacturing powerhouse, Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck has proposed capping energy prices for industry with government help.
The worst of the price spike is over, but costs are still higher than before the war began. Energy has faded as a main driver of inflation, but price rises are hitting Europeans when they shop for groceries, clothes and more, and the rebound for services companies such as hotels and restaurants that suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic has mostly run its course.
Rebounding travel, especially in the Mediterranean countries that heavily rely on tourism, is expected to support growth in the third quarter as people flock to the beach for their summer holidays in Greece, Spain and Italy, despite recent heat waves and wildfires.
Other than that, prospects for the rest of the year are muted. Another drag on the economy is the rapid series of interest rate increases that the European Central Bank has unleashed to knock down inflation.
The ECB made its ninth straight hike Thursday, bringing its key deposit rate from minus 0.5% to 3.75% in just one year, a record pace since the creation of the euro in 1999. The result has been higher mortgage rates and canceled construction plans due to expensive or unavailable credit.
The central bank’s lending survey shows the lowest level of business loans and credit lines since the statistics started in 2003. Bank President Christine Lagarde left open whether the bank will keep hiking rates at its next meeting on Sept. 14, saying the decision will depend on incoming inflation data at the time.
Since the rate hikes began, inflation has steadily fallen from a peak of 10.6% in October to 5.5% in June, still well above the ECB’s 2% target. Bank officials say tough action now will spare even more painful restriction of credit later if inflation gets completely out of control. | https://www.wsls.com/business/2023/07/31/europes-economy-shows-modest-growth-after-months-of-stagnation-as-rate-hikes-weigh-on-businesses/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:27 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/business/2023/07/31/europes-economy-shows-modest-growth-after-months-of-stagnation-as-rate-hikes-weigh-on-businesses/ |
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 111, Inc. (NASDAQ: YI) ("111" or the "Company"), a leading tech-enabled healthcare platform company committed to digitally connecting patients with medicine and healthcare services in China, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023, before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, August 24, 2023.
111's management team will host an earnings conference call at 7:30 AM U.S. Eastern Time on Thursday, August 24, 2023 (7:30 PM Beijing Time on the same day).
Details for the conference call are as follows:
Conference Topic: 111, Inc. Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call
Registration Link: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10032701-ygfhis.html
All participants must use the link provided above to complete the online registration process in advance of the conference call. Upon registering, each participant will receive a set of participant dial-in numbers, the Direct Event passcode, and a unique Registration ID, which can be used to join the conference call.
Please dial in 15 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the Direct Event passcode and unique Registration ID you have received upon registering to join the call.
A telephone replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the conference call until August 31, 2023
United States: +1 855 883 1031
Mainland China: 4001 209 216
Hong Kong: 800 930 639
International: +61 7 3107 6325
Conference ID: 10032701
A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the website at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/iw7ck9oc
About 111, Inc.
111, Inc. (NASDAQ: YI) ("111" or the "Company") is a leading tech-enabled healthcare platform company committed to digitally connecting patients with medicine and healthcare services in China. The Company provides consumers with better access to pharmaceutical products and healthcare services directly through its online retail pharmacy, 1 Pharmacy, and indirectly through its offline virtual pharmacy network. The Company also offers online healthcare services through its internet hospital, 1 Clinic, which provides consumers with cost-effective and convenient online consultation, electronic prescription service, and patient management service. In addition, the Company's online platform, 1 Medicine Marketplace, serves as a one-stop shop for pharmacies to source a vast selection of pharmaceutical products. With the largest virtual pharmacy network in China, 111 enables offline pharmacies to better serve their customers with cloud-based services. 111 also provides an omni-channel drug commercialization platform to its strategic partners, which includes services such as digital marketing, patient education, data analytics, and pricing monitoring.
For more information on 111, please visit: http://ir.111.com.cn/.
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SOURCE 111, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:27 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ |
Highly experienced Corporate Financier and Business Builder Will Partner with René Obermann to Further Accelerate the Growth and Momentum of the Firm's European Business
LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Warburg Pincus, a leading global growth investor, today announced the appointment of Andrew Sibbald as a Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe. Mr. Sibbald will work alongside veteran investor and current Co-Head of Europe, René Obermann, based in Berlin. Mr. Sibbald will succeed Adarsh Sarma, who will remain a Managing Director and Partner with the Firm, focusing on his existing portfolio. Jim Neary, Co-Head of U.S. Private Equity, will work closely with Andrew, René and the European team to support the firm's global strategy, portfolio management and new investments.
Based in London, Mr. Sibbald joins Warburg Pincus from Evercore, where he most recently served as Chairman and Senior Managing Director of Evercore's European investment banking business. He was previously the Co-Founder and Senior Partner of Lexicon Partners which was acquired by Evercore in 2011. With over 35 years of financial services experience, Mr. Sibbald has advised on many notable M&A and corporate finance transactions including recently: Arcmont on its sale to Nuveen; Global Risk Partners on its sale to Brown & Brown; and AA on its sale to Warburg Pincus and TowerBrook Capital.
"Andrew's impressive expertise and deep-rooted experience, particularly in Europe, advising leading companies on a variety of sophisticated transactions will serve our portfolio and investing teams well as we continue to navigate complex market dynamics," said Chip Kaye, CEO, Warburg Pincus. "We look forward to welcoming Andrew to Warburg Pincus and want to thank Adarsh for his 18+ years of service in the US and Europe," continued Jim Neary, Managing Director, Co-Head of U.S. Private Equity, Warburg Pincus.
"I have long admired the success and culture of Warburg Pincus and I'm thrilled to be joining the firm. I have enormous respect for René and look forward to working closely with him and the team in Europe to drive further positive momentum in the business here. Warburg Pincus has an incredibly strong reputation for creating effective partnerships with management teams all over the world to deliver sustainable value and growth, as well as attractive returns for its investors. I strongly believe that the firm's long established global platform together with its local networks and insights provide real advantages to the management teams and businesses that partner with us," said Andrew Sibbald.
Warburg Pincus is one of the leading private equity investors in Europe. Since the firm's first European transaction in 1983, the firm has invested more than $15B in over 130 companies in 23 European countries. The firm has one of the largest pools of available private equity capital in Europe and seeks to partner with management teams that are building, transforming or acquiring businesses with the potential to be market leaders with enduring value.
Prior to founding Lexicon Partners in 2000, Mr. Sibbald was a Managing Director at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where he led a team specializing in M&A in the financial institutions sector. He was previously a Partner in The Phoenix Partnership.
About Warburg Pincus
Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global growth investor. The firm has more than $83 billion in assets under management. The firm's active portfolio of more than 250 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector, and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 21 private equity and 2 real estate funds, which have invested more than $112 billion in over 1,000 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.warburgpincus.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.
Contact
Kerrie Cohen | Managing Director, Head of Communications
T: +1 212 878 9207
E: kerrie.cohen@warburgpincus.com
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SOURCE Warburg Pincus | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/andrew-sibbald-joins-warburg-pincus-co-head-europe/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:28 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/andrew-sibbald-joins-warburg-pincus-co-head-europe/ |
16TH annual event features turtles named after characters in Disney's frighteningly fun adventure movie, "Haunted Mansion," now playing in theaters.
VERO BEACH, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the weekend at Disney's Vero Beach Resort, researchers from the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) and Disney Conservation released two sea turtles as part of the 16th annual Tour de Turtles "migration marathon." Tour de Turtles is a fun, educational event that follows the migration of sea turtles from their nesting beaches to their feeding grounds and, ultimately, provides scientific data on how best to protect their species.
The Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) and Disney Cruise Line are each sponsoring a turtle this year, whose names, Madame Leota and Harriet, are the names of characters in Disney's frighteningly fun adventure movie "Haunted Mansion," now playing in theaters. Not unlike Gabbie, another character in the film who enlists a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters – Tour de Turtles brings together a team of researchers from the STC and Disney Conservation annually to undertake a daunting mission - using satellite telemetry to track two female turtles to determine where and how far they swim during the migration season.
Each turtle swims to raise awareness about various threats to sea turtle survival. The turtle to swim the furthest distance will win the Tour de Turtles race.
"Disney's commitment to sea turtle conservation in Vero Beach spans 20 years, and we are very proud to have recently watched our 1.5 millionth sea turtle hatchling leave the nest and shuffle its way to the ocean," said Mark Penning, Vice President of Disney's Animals, Science and Environment. "Southeast Florida hosts one of the largest nesting aggregations of loggerhead sea turtles, making up to 40 percent of the global loggerhead population. The team has recorded more than 20,000 sea turtle nests on our survey route since the program began."
The data collected during Tour de Turtles helps researchers, conservationists and governing agencies make more informed decisions about sea turtle conservation and management. Since the launch of the event in 2008, STC and Disney have collaborated to study 29 sea turtles outfitted with satellite transmitters and released from Disney's Vero Beach Resort. Continuing its commitment to strengthen youth education programs in port communities around the world, Disney Cruise Line proudly supported local students from Club Esteem from Melbourne, Florida, to participate in this year's event. DCF also has directed more than $5.1 million to support global sea turtle conservation efforts.
"Disney is a fantastic collaborator," said David Godfrey, STC Executive Director. "Disney's commitment to conservation, passion for environmental education, and effectiveness at communicating with audiences have made the Tour de Turtles a fun and successful program since it was launched over a decade ago."
In addition to Tour de Turtles, the Disney Conservation team has dedicated nearly 19,000 hours to studying and monitoring sea turtle nests during the summer nesting season along the five-mile coastline at Disney's Vero Beach Resort. From approximately May to October, Disney Vacation Club members and resort guests also have the opportunity to assist the team by joining outings to observe real-time sea turtle research while learning how they can take action to protect sea turtles. So far this year, the Disney Conservation team has a record-breaking number of nests along their survey route – nearly 2,000 by August, well above the average 1,500 normally counted in an entire season.
Tour de Turtles is a research and education program of the Sea Turtle Conservancy and Disney's support is just one example of bringing Disney Planet Possible to life by taking action to make a happier, healthier planet possible for all. To learn more and follow the turtles' migration, visit the Tour de Turtles website at www.tourdeturtles.org
ABOUT DISNEY'S VERO BEACH RESORT
Disney's Vero Beach Resort, a Disney Vacation Club Resort, offers spacious vacation villas along the pristine Atlantic coastline. The resort is located less than a two-hour drive from the Walt Disney World Resort, and its design reflects the Treasure Coast region where it is situated. Disney Vacation Club, a leader in vacation ownership, debuted in 1991 with a flexible, vacation points-based system rather than the traditional fixed-week timeshare model. Disney Vacation Club Members are able to choose from among a variety of exciting vacation destinations, including a stay at any Disney Vacation Club Resort or one of thousands of other vacation options in destinations around the world.
ABOUT DISNEY'S "HAUNTED MANSION"
Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, Disney's "Haunted Mansion" is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.
Directed by Justin Simien, the film features an all-star cast ensemble including LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon and Daniel Levy, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost. The film's producers are Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, with Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman serving as executive producers.
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SOURCE Walt Disney World | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/tour-de-turtles-celebrates-sea-turtles-supernatural-science-disneys-vero-beach-resort/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:30 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/tour-de-turtles-celebrates-sea-turtles-supernatural-science-disneys-vero-beach-resort/ |
NEWARK, N.J. and NANJING, China, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Biosion USA, Inc. (Biosion), a global clinical-stage R&D biotechnology company, today announced the phase 2 study initiation for the evaluation of BSI-045B, an anti-TLSP mAb, in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) .
"We are pleased to have initiated this important Phase 2 trial, which brings us closer to delivering a new treatment option for patients with atopic dermatitis," said Hugh M. Davis, Ph.D. Chief Business and Development Officer & President, Biosion USA. "This marks another important clinical milestone for Biosion in our effort to develop more high value treatment options for patients."
The phase I study of BSI-045B demonstrated its potential to be a first-in-class treatment for AD due to its single dose activity in a cohort of AD patients, excellent PK and favorable safety profile. The phase II study is designed to assess the efficacy of BSI-045B as monotherapy as well as in combination therapy with Dupixent® to further increase therapeutic effectiveness for patients who are suffering from AD.
For additional information on this trial (NCT05114889), please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov
About BSI-045B
BSI-045B is a high-affinity, humanized monoclonal antibody, targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a cytokine that is implicated in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis, asthma and other eosinophilic and Th2 immune-related diseases. Biosion's collaboration partner - CTTQ, a China-based pharmaceutical company with rights to BSI-045B (TQC2731) for China development and commercialization, is currently conducting a Phase II clinical trial of BSI-045B in China for the treatment of severe uncontrolled asthma.
About Biosion
Biosion is a global, clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to developing antibody-based therapies to improve patient outcomes for the treatment of immune and oncologic diseases. Established in 2017, Biosion has built a pipeline of innovative biologics through its internally derived proprietary technologies including the H³ antibody discovery platform, SynTracer® high-throughput endocytosis platform, and Flexibody® bispecific platform. Biosion's lead asset, BSI-045B (anti-TSLP mAb), is currently in phase-II for severe asthma and phase-I for atopic dermatitis. Biosion and partners have plans to progress the immune-oncology and antibody drug conjugate-based portfolio into clinical trials for oncology indications over the next year. Biosion has operations in the US, Australia, and China.To learn more about Biosion, please go to www.biosion.com.
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SOURCE Biosion, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/biosion-announces-phase-ii-study-start-anti-tslp-mab-bsi-045b-atopic-dermatitis-adamant/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:29 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/biosion-announces-phase-ii-study-start-anti-tslp-mab-bsi-045b-atopic-dermatitis-adamant/ |
PHOENIX -- A historic heat wave that has gripped the U.S. Southwest throughout July, blasting residents and baking surfaces like brick, is beginning to abate with the late arrival of monsoon rains.
Forecasters expect that by today, people in metro Phoenix will begin to see high temperatures fall under 110 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time in a month.
But not on Saturday. The high temperature in the desert city with more than 1.6 million residents climbed past 110 F for the 30th straight day, the National Weather Service said. The previous record stretch of 110 F or above was for 18 days in 1974.
There were increased chances on Sunday of cooling monsoon thunderstorms. Though welcome, wet weather can also bring damaging winds, blowing dust and the chance of flash flooding, the weather service warned. Sudden rains running off hard-baked surfaces can quickly fill normally dry washes.
Already this week, the overnight low at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport fell under 90 F for the first time in 16 days, finally giving residents some respite from the stifling heat once the sun goes down.
Temperatures also were expected to ease in Las Vegas, in Albuquerque and even in Death Valley, Calif., where the weather service said the expected high of 122 F on Saturday is forecast to lower to 113 F by Tuesday -- along with a slight chance of rain.
Also in California, triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the San Joaquin Valley from Saturday through today, according to the National Weather Service in Hanford, Calif.
Gusty, late-afternoon winds were expected Saturday and Sunday in Santa Barbara County, posing an elevated risk of fire weather, the weather service in Los Angeles said. Hot, dry weather was also expected across nearby valleys, lower mountains and desert areas.
The heat is affecting animals, as well. Police in the city of Burbank, Calif., found a bear cooling off in a Jacuzzi behind a home on Friday. Police released a video of the animal in a neighborhood about 10 miles north of Los Angeles near the Verdugo Mountains and warned residents to lock up food and garbage.
A downward trend in Southwest heat started Wednesday night, when Phoenix saw its first major monsoon storm since the traditional June 15 start of the thunderstorm season. While more than half of the greater Phoenix area saw no rainfall from that storm, some eastern suburbs were pummeled by high winds, swirling dust and localized downfalls of up to 1 inch of precipitation.
Storms gradually increasing in strength were expected over the weekend.
Scientists calculate that July will prove to be the hottest globally on record and perhaps the warmest human civilization has seen. The extreme heat is now hitting the eastern part of the U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places are seeing their warmest days so far this year.
The new heat records being set this summer are just some of the extreme weather being seen around the U.S. this month, such as flash floods in Pennsylvania and parts of the Northeast.
"Anyone can be at risk outside in this record heat," the fire department in Goodyear, a Phoenix suburb, warned residents on social media while offering ideas to stay safe.
For many people such as older adults, those with health issues and those without access to air conditioning, the heat can be dangerous or even deadly.
Maricopa County, the most populous in Arizona and home to Phoenix, reported this week that its public health department had confirmed 25 heat-associated deaths this year as of July 21, with 249 more under investigation.
Results from toxicological tests that can take weeks or months after an autopsy is conducted could eventually result in many deaths listed as "under investigation" as heat associated being changed to "confirmed."
Maricopa County confirmed 425 heat-associated deaths last year, and more than half of them occurred in July.
Elsewhere in Arizona this week, the agricultural desert community of Yuma is expecting highs ranging from 104 to 112 F and Tucson is looking at highs ranging from 99 to 111 F.
The highs in Las Vegas are forecast to slip as low as 94 on Tuesday after a long spell of highs above 110 F. Death Valley, which hit 128 F in mid-July, will cool as well, though only to a still blistering-hot 116 F.
In New Mexico, the highs in Albuquerque next week are expected to be in the mid- to high-90s F, with party cloudy skies.
Information for this article was contributed by Ken Ritter and Amy Taxin of The Associated Press. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/heats-grip-on-southwest-loosens/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:31 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/31/heats-grip-on-southwest-loosens/ |
NIAMEY – West African nations have given Niger's coup leaders one week to reinstate the country's democratically elected president and have threatened to use force if the demands aren't met.
The announcement came at the end of an emergency meeting of West African countries Sunday in Nigeria, where the regional bloc, known as ECOWAS, convened to respond to last week's military takeover. President Mohamed Bazoum remains under house arrest and has yet to resign.
“In the event the authority’s demands are not met within one week, (the bloc will) take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force,” said the statement.
The bloc also imposted strict sanctions, including suspending all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger and freezing of assets in regional central banks.
Economic sanctions could have a deep impact on Nigeriens, who live in the third-poorest country in the world, according to the latest U.N. data. The country relies on imports from Nigeria for up to 90% of its power, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
The sanctions could be disastrous and Niger needs to find a solution to avoid them, Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou told French media outlet Radio France Internationale on Sunday.
“When people say there’s an embargo, land borders are closed, air borders are closed, it’s extremely difficult for people ... Niger is a country that relies heavily on the international community,” he said.
The 15-nation ECOWAS bloc has unsuccessfully tried to restore democracies in nations where the military took power in recent years. Four nations are run by military governments in West and Central Africa, where there have been nine successful or attempted coups since 2020.
In the 1990s, ECOWAS intervened in Liberia during its civil war. In 2017, it intervened in Gambia to prevent the new president’s predecessor, Yahya Jammeh, from disrupting the handover of power. Around 7,000 troops from Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal entered, according to the Global Observatory, which provides analysis on peace and security issues.
If the regional bloc uses force, it could trigger violence not only between Niger and ECOWAS forces but also civilians supporting the coup and those against it, Niger analysts say.
“While this remains to be a threat and unlikely action, the consequences on civilians of such an approach if putschists chose confrontation would be catastrophic," said Rida Lyammouri, senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a Morocco-based think tank.
“I believe economic sanctions are the ones to be imposed, but don’t see a military intervention happening because of the violence that could trigger," he said.
The military junta, which seized power on Wednesday when members of the presidential guard surrounded Bazoum's house and detained him, is already cracking down on the government and civil liberties.
On Sunday, junta spokesman Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane said on state television that all government cars need to be returned by midday Monday and banned the use of social media to diffuse messages against state security. He also claimed that Bazoum’s government had authorized the French to carry out strikes to free Bazoum. The Associated Press can't verify his allegations.
In anticipation of the ECOWAS decision Sunday, thousands of pro-junta supporters took to the streets in the capital, Niamey, denouncing its former colonial ruler, France, waving Russian flags and telling the international community to stay away.
Demonstrators in Niger are openly resentful of France, and Russia is seen by some as a powerful alternative. The nature of Moscow's involvement in the rallies, if any, isn’t clear, but some protesters have carried Russian flags, along with signs reading “Down with France” and supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The situation of this country is not good ... It’s time for change, and change has arrived," said Moussa Seydou, a protester. "What we want from the putschists — all they have to do is improve social conditions so that Nigeriens can live better in this country and bring peace,” he said. | https://www.wsls.com/business/2023/07/31/west-african-nations-threaten-to-use-force-if-nigers-president-isnt-reinstated-within-a-week/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:33 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/business/2023/07/31/west-african-nations-threaten-to-use-force-if-nigers-president-isnt-reinstated-within-a-week/ |
The Nation's Largest Network for Affordable Housing Protects Consumers from Unfair Fees and Costs
BOCA RATON, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AffordableHousing.com today announced it will join the White House and a compendium of government agencies and other private sector companies in large-scale efforts to end junk fees and ensure that Americans are provided with honest, transparent pricing. More than 100 million property searches per year are performed on AffordableHousing.com–the largest platform for affordable housing in the nation.
"For decades, families have relied on us to help them find affordable housing," says Richard Cupelli, CEO at AffordableHousing.com. "We take pride in advocating for these families, so it was a natural fit for us to join forces with the Administration and other socially responsible companies to help protect consumers in our industry."
On July 19, 2023, the White House published a Fact Sheet announcing its crack-down on junk fees in the rental market, highlighting private-sector commitments supporting this initiative made by the three major rental housing platforms: AffordableHousing.com, Zillow, and Apartments.com.
Late last year, the President called on federal agencies, Congress, and private companies to take action to address junk fees across the economy. The initiative aims to ensure Americans are provided with honest, transparent pricing. By February 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced proposed rules limiting credit card late fees. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) finalized a rule requiring cable and internet providers to list fees up front. And the Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed a requirement for airlines and booking services show the full price of a plane ticket, including baggage and other fees.
In March, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge released an open letter to housing providers and state and local governments, encouraging them to adopt policies promoting greater fairness and transparency of fees faced by renters. Substantial research shows such fees obstruct comparison shopping, impede competition, and lead to consumers paying more.
A long-standing resource for families seeking affordable housing, AffordableHousing.com has policies in place supporting this transparency and protecting its customers from unfair fees.
Renters can search available properties free on AffordableHousing.com, and property owners are required to be upfront about all refundable and non-refundable rental fees and costs. AffordableHousing.com also does not charge rental application fees.
"Our socially responsible technology platform has allowed us to establish the largest network of affordable housing in the nation," says Cupelli. "We understand the accountability that comes with our standing in the industry and the trust that our customers place in us."
As a hub for housing agencies across the nation, AffordableHousing.com also allows state and local governments to have their own customized website that serves their local community, enforces their specific regulatory requirements, centralizes all affordable housing, and simplifies the application and approval process.
"We are working with AffordableHousing.com to implement the Vermont Affordable Housing Hub, which will allow families to easily find and apply to all affordable housing in the state," says Kathleen Berk, Executive Director at Vermont State Housing Authority. "By utilizing AffordableHousing.com's custom housing hub to build our state-specific site, we can streamline compliance with state laws, which have strict application fee guidelines. We can also add safeguards to protect our families by providing the Clear and Fair Lease template for property owners to use. These leases will also comply with affordable housing programs, like Section 8."
AffordableHousing.com also rewards reputable property owners. Those with a history of good standing can qualify for a Trusted Owner Badge, which ensures their credibility to prospective renters on the site and increases consumer confidence. Trusted Owners also receive prominent listing status.
Earning and maintaining status as a Trusted Owner requires providing various levels of documentation to verify qualifications and authenticity, adhering to all relevant federal, state, and local laws, and complying with the site's reasonable fee guidelines.
Together with its research partner, Learning Collider (www.learningcollider.org), AffordableHousing.com is conducting research into the real cost of administrative fees, the impact of fee transparency in rental listings, and the effectiveness of platform features like the common application for rental and government programs—an endeavor that the company has been urging agencies to adopt for years.
"Our research partnership with AffordableHousing.com has allowed us to analyze the impacts of rental fees on low-income families in real-time," says Peter Bergman, Professor at UT Austin and Director of the Learning Collider research lab. "Together, we are advancing research to identify junk fees and establish transparent fee practices, easing the path to affordable rentals for families across the U.S."
The President announced in latest White House Fact Sheet, released on July 27, 2023, further plans to protect renters, naming AffordableHousing.com as an ally in the initiative and endorsing the site's plans to deploy additional consumer protection tools by the end of the year, including "Clear and Fair" digital leases, which will align with the principles outlined in the White House Blueprint for a Renter Bill of Rights. Property owners who use these "Clear and Fair" digital leases will be acknowledged on AffordableHousing.com.
About AffordableHousing.com: For more than 20 years, AffordableHousing.com has provided innovative technology and real solutions that help solve some of the most complex challenges impacting the availability of affordable housing in the United States. By simplifying access to available resources, AffordableHousing.com boosts participation in government programs, increasing the much-needed supply of affordable housing nationwide, and providing more homes to more families.
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SOURCE AffordableHousing.com | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/white-house-announces-partnership-with-affordablehousingcom-end-junk-fees/ | 2023-07-31T10:22:36 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/white-house-announces-partnership-with-affordablehousingcom-end-junk-fees/ |