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Man United renews Adidas partnership by 10 years in deal worth more than $1B
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United announced a 10-year extension to its partnership with Adidas that the English club said Monday will be worth more than $1 billion.
United’s deal with the German sportswear brand as its official uniform supplier runs to 2035 and “has a minimum cash guarantee of 900 million pounds ($1.15 billion), subject to certain adjustments,” the team said, making it the most lucrative in Premier League history.
“It is very natural for us to continue our cooperation,” Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden said. “We will combine tradition and innovation to please both the players and the fans.”
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with one of the most iconic clubs in football.”
The deal for the club’s single biggest source of revenue provides stability at a time when it is up for sale, with United’s American ownership weighing up offers from Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and English businessman Jim Ratcliffe.
Adidas supplied United’s uniform from 1980-1992 and the partnership started again at the beginning of the 2015-16 season.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/man-united-renews-adidas-partnership-by-10-years-in-deal-worth-more-than-1b/ | 2023-07-31T10:56:27 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/man-united-renews-adidas-partnership-by-10-years-in-deal-worth-more-than-1b/ |
UK to grant hundreds of new oil and gas licenses, ignoring calls from environmentalists
LONDON (AP) — Britain said on Monday it will grant hundreds of new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea in a bid for energy independence, 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 ($26 billion) in carbon capture and storage projects as Sunak maintained the government’s commitment to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050.
Sunak, who is traveling to Scotland to formally unveil the package, said Britain will still need fossil fuels even after the country reaches its net zero target. He said it is better to produce oil and natural gas at home rather than rely on foreign leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine sent global energy prices soaring around the globe.
“We have all witnessed how Putin has manipulated and weaponized energy — disrupting supply and stalling growth in countries around the world,’’ Sunak said in a statement. “Now more than ever, it’s vital that we bolster our energy security and capitalize on that independence to deliver more affordable, clean energy to British homes and businesses.’’
The plan comes as Sunak faces pressure to roll back expensive environmental commitments as his Conservative Party scrambles to attract voters amid opinion polls showing that the party is likely toward a crushing defeat in the next general election.
But U.N. scientists and environmental campaigners are calling on government’s around the world to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels after a summer of record high temperatures, drought and floods linked to man-made climate change. Burning oil and gas to power vehicles, factories and electricity generating stations releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide, the main driver of global warming.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has raised concerns that governments were backtracking on their commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions at a time when they should accelerate their efforts.
“The problem is not simply fossil fuel emissions, it’s fossil fuels — period,” Guterres told reporters last month in New York.
“The solution is clear: The world must phase out fossil fuels in a just and equitable way — moving to leave oil, coal and gas in the ground where they belong — and massively boosting renewable investment in a just transition.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/uk-to-grant-hundreds-of-new-oil-and-gas-licenses-ignoring-calls-from-environmentalists/ | 2023-07-31T10:56:33 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/uk-to-grant-hundreds-of-new-oil-and-gas-licenses-ignoring-calls-from-environmentalists/ |
Elephants have been coming to Baraboo since 1888. After August, they won't return
Every August, circus performers, animals and seasonal workers leave Circus World as the Baraboo museum’s summer performance season comes to an end. But after this year, for the first time since the Ringling Brothers arrived in Baraboo in the late 1800s, the elephants won’t be returning.
After this season, the elephants will move into retirement at the Endangered Ark Foundation in Oklahoma.
Circus World Executive Director Scott O’Donnell is sad to see them go.
“We’ve known this day has been coming for five years, and we’ve been planning for it, but that hasn’t taken away the sting of them leaving,” he said.
He knows this marks the end of an era for Baraboo.
“Elephants have been here since 1888. When you get off the interstate, there are elephant images everywhere in town, on the fire hydrants, everywhere," he said. "They’re part of the DNA of this community.”
And he’s touched to see how that community has come out in force to bid farewell to “the lovely ladies,” including at the recent annual Big Top Parade, where honorary grand marshals, elephants Kelly and Viola, were given “a historical and emotional standing ovation.”
But does O’Donnell think that the elephants’ exit will spell the end of the circus? Not by a long shot.
“The death knell of the circus has been rung ever since it first started,” he said. “When we went from horse-drawn wagons to trains, they thought that was the end. When we stopped exclusively performing under big top tents, they thought that was the end. And when some French-Canadian fire-eaters had a vision and created Cirque du Soleil, they said that was the end.
“But there’s still room for all of these things in the circus. Circus arts are so nimble and able to react, and that’s what’s exciting,” he said.
'There's just not a next generation of circus elephants'
Even so, the elephants’ exit from Circus World is a big change.
While elephants have been part of circus culture almost since the beginning of circuses, a variety of factors —including concerns about the ethics of animal performances and a growing commitment to endangered animal conservation — have contributed to circuses stepping away from elephants for years.
Feld Entertainment — which has owned the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus since 1967 — announced in 2015 that it would phase elephants out of its acts by 2018, a process that ended up being completed by 2016.
At the time, the company told NPR that the move was in the best interest of the elephants, and Alana Feld, the company’s executive vice president, attributed the decision to “a mood shift among our consumers.”
Humane Society CEO Wayne Pacelle said that mood shift was due to such things as the popularity of the 2013 documentary "Blackfish," which showed the treatment of killer whales in captivity. He told NPR the documentary led to an “emerging consciousness within the public about the proper treatment of animals.”
Although Circus World initially planned to keep elephants even after Feld made its announcement, that changed in 2018, and Circus World started planning for the elephants to retire by 2023.
“When we consulted with our vet teams and animal care staff five years ago about our elephants, we knew this vista was coming to us, and there’s just not a next generation of circus elephants,” O’Donnell said. “If there was, we would continue to have them here, but as a species, they’re very difficult to breed, there’s not a robust gene pool in North America, and they just need our undying attention and commitment as the critically endangered species they are.”
The Asian elephants who come to Circus World for summer performance seasons are part of a herd that live at Oklahoma’s Endangered Ark Foundation the rest of the year. This summer’s elephants are 46-year-old Kelly and 48-year-old Viola. When the performance season ends Aug. 27, Kelly and Viola will return to their herd in Oklahoma.
A dream job for a 'quirky kid'
Although O’Donnell is sad to see “the ladies” go, his background gives him the perspective to see the elephants’ farewell as part of the constant evolution of circuses.
He describes himself as “that quirky kid from Canada who was always interested in circuses.” When he was a child, he begged his family to take him to every circus that came to town, and he talked to the performers, eager to learn about their art form.
O’Donnell was especially interested in clowns — “I predated the Stephen King creepy clown thing” — and was disappointed to be unable to attend clown college in America because of immigration barriers.
“So I befriended the clowns who came to town, and off I went,” he said.
After performing for many years, O’Donnell owned and operated his own circus. His travels brought him to Baraboo in the early 2000s, and he’s had his dream job, director of Circus World, since 2013.
“When I was a kid and I was always so voracious about learning everything there was to know about circuses, I would read about this mythical place,” he said. “I actually thought it was called ‘Baruba,’ and my family was surprised when they found out it was in Wisconsin. They thought it was somewhere more tropical.”
A circus city within the city of Baraboo
Although Baraboo is far from tropical, it is a paradise for circus enthusiasts.
The Circus World grounds, operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society, spans 64 acres of historical buildings, exhibit space, animal barns and performance areas.
“For over 200 years in America, the circus has come to cities and become a town within a town,” O’Donnell said. “Here in Baraboo, Circus World is its own mini city within a city.”
Seven buildings on the property are designated as National Historic Landmarks; they are the original winter quarters — the animal barns and office space — of the famous Ringling Brothers, who brought their circus to Baraboo in 1884. The city would remain the Ringling Brothers' home base until 1918.
In 1959, the Ringling Brothers’ personal attorney, John M. Kelly, decided there should be a museum to “honor and preserve the legacy of over 100 circuses that have come from Wisconsin, more than any other state,” O’Donnell said.
Today, the space includes the historical buildings and several exhibits showcasing memorabilia and artifacts housed at Circus World — everything from circus wagons and train cars to posters and wardrobe pieces. There’s even a library and research center, which fields 2,500 to 3,000 genealogical requests each year.
“Someone will go to a family gathering and learn that Uncle Bill used to work in the circus,” O’Donnell said. “We get all these calls like that, asking us to tell them what their family members did in the circus.”
In addition to the museum and exhibit space, there are daily circus performances, animal rides and children's activities in the summer months.
'I go where the elephants go'
The Ringling Brothers are perhaps the most well-known circus family, in an industry that has been defined by family. Although O’Donnell — as the “quirky” kid whose interest in circuses was his own passion — doesn’t fit the bill, Armando Loyal's family background does.
Loyal, Circus World's elephant care superintendent, is part of the ninth generation of a circus family. As a circus kid, he grew up learning about and trying out everything from acrobatics to horse riding. When he was about 10, his interest turned to elephants.
“I started hanging out around them all the time,” Loyal said. “Old-timers will let you hang around the elephants as long as you pick up poop and run wheelbarrows,” he added, laughing.
Elephants have been Loyal’s focus for 15 years now, and he’s been Circus World’s elephant care superintendent for the past six. At the end of August, he’ll also leave Baraboo.
“I’m going to Oklahoma,” Loyal said. “I go where the elephants go.”
During his summers at Circus World, Loyal also goes where the elephants go. That includes leading them in their two performances each day, educating people about elephants in a daily “Trunk Tales” talk, and just answering people’s questions when they approach for elephant rides.
Loyal has even taken the elephants to visit a nearby senior home to thank one of the residents for creating public art inspired by Circus World elephants.
O’Donnell recalled the woman’s joy at visiting with the elephants: “Sometimes you have to wait till you’re 90 years young to have the best day of your life,” she told Loyal and O’Donnell.
Loyal said those moments with the community — “seeing people experience the same thing I do every day in my life” — will be what he misses the most when he leaves with the elephants at the end of August.
“We’re part of the community here so it will be sad to leave. I even saw a few ‘Armando for mayor’ signs at the parade,” Loyal said, laughing. “People here just love us so much. It’ll be tough.”
Circus World without elephants, but with their memory
In 2017, a year after Feld Entertainment stopped using elephants in their performances, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus closed. At the time, the Feld family attributed the closure to declining attendance due to a number of factors, including a “dramatic drop” after the elephants left.
However, last year, Feld Entertainment announced that their circus would start touring again, now focusing on human performances, as well as those performers’ back stories, including how they got interested in circus arts and how they’ve honed their skills.
O’Donnell is thrilled that the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey will tour again, and he thinks it bodes well for the future of circus performances — even without elephants.
He noted that an interest in human circus arts such as acrobatics and gymnastics has always been well-represented in Wisconsin, in large part due to German immigrants' establishment of Turner programs.
"We've also seen youth interest in circus arts grow," O'Donnell said. "There are hundreds of circus arts programs now, learning how to do all kinds of things. It's beautiful. Just when you think you've seen it all, someone else has a new dream."
While the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus won't have any animals, O'Donnell said animal performances — from horses and goats to dogs and llamas — will continue at Circus World.
And while there won't be any live elephants at Circus World anymore, their memory will live on in the historical site's exhibits and memorabilia.
"When I used to travel as a circus performer, I went all over the world," O'Donnell said. "I met a lot of circus people who didn't speak English, and the one word they all said that I understood when we tried to talk about the circus was 'Baraboo.' "
If you go
Circus World's summer performance season goes through Aug. 27, with daily Big Top performances at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Other summer activities include a musical performance, an interactive kids circus and a daily Trunk Tales talk, when Armando Loyal shares facts about elephants and his experiences with Circus World elephants.
Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Admission is $23 for ages 13-64, $20 for ages 65 and up, $15 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under 5. Admission fees include access to all the performances and museum exhibits.
From Aug. 28 through Sept. 29, the museum, buildings and grounds are open for self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Admission is $11 for ages 13-64, $9 for ages 65 and older, $7 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under 5.
Circus World is at 550 Water St., Baraboo. For more information, see circusworldbaraboo.org. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/2023/07/31/elephants-will-no-longer-be-at-baraboos-circus-world-after-2023/70403379007/ | 2023-07-31T10:56:37 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/2023/07/31/elephants-will-no-longer-be-at-baraboos-circus-world-after-2023/70403379007/ |
Foxconn builds microinverters for Enphase Energy; no new jobs created for contract
Workers for Foxconn Industrial Internet, a subsidiary of the Foxconn Technology Group, have been manufacturing microinverters at the campus in Mount Pleasant for Enphase Energy, a Fremont, California firm.
No additional jobs were created as a result of a deal with Enphase Energy, but a Foxconn insider said “several hundred” employees worked on the project.
In its second quarter report released Thursday, Enphase said the company “shipped approximately 50,000 units from these two U.S. contract manufacturers in the second quarter of 2023 and realized a net IRA benefit of $1.6 million.”
According to a video posted by Enphase Energy, Foxconn workers are shown working on the microinverters at the multipurpose building in Mount Pleasant.
More:What's happening at the Foxconn site in Wisconsin five years after the company announced its plans
Foxconn was one of two manufacturers to ship microinverters. The other manufacturer is a company called Flex in Columbia, South Carolina
“The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has enabled us to begin manufacturing in the United States, creating new jobs, advancing the country's clean energy economy, and contributing to the growth of our business,” Enphase said in its second quarter report.
Details of the contract between Foxconn and Enphase Energy are not clear in terms of how many microinverters need to be created by Foxconn or how long the deal is supposed to least.
Microinverters are used in solar technology and takes the energy gathered from solar panels and convert it into usable power.
“We’re excited to announce our contract manufacturing partnership with Enphase and bring to market product that expands consumer access to Enphase’s industry-leading energy solutions,” said Fooming Fu, President of Foxconn Industrial Internet, USA. “The production of energy solutions at our Wisconsin campus also aligns with Foxconn’s commitment to integrate green and sustainable practices throughout our global operations to mitigate the impacts of climate change."
He said the work with Enphase "also creates the opportunity for additional growth in Wisconsin, as Foxconn continues to meet customer demands that can succeed in the United States.”
Creation of jobs critical to Foxconn
The fact that this partnership did not create additional jobs normally wouldn't matter to most businesses, but for Foxconn, the company receives state tax credits for meeting hiring and capital investment bench marks.
Foxconn is hoping to have up to 1,454 employees by the end of 2025, compared with its previous promise to have 13,000 full-time employees.
If Foxconn has 1,454 full-time employees in 2024 and 2025, the company could receive an additional $19.7 million in tax credits.
Foxconn has met the hiring requirements under the revised contract with the state in the last two years.
When it comes to renewable energy, this is not the first time Foxconn has an agreement with a partner on solar energy. In March the company partnered with We Energies for a solar farm on its property.
In March, Young Liu, chairman of Foxconn was asked about developing auto components in Ohio and Wisconsin.
"We will develop new energy industry in Wisconsin, including battery cell, battery pack," Liu said according to a transcript of the call.
"Because Ohio is an assembly plant, there will be battery pack as well. Ohio will mainly be EV battery pack, while Wisconsin will mainly have new energy, ESS and battery cell."
There has been no indication by the company that it is working on battery technology in Mount Pleasant.
More:Microsoft will build a $1 billion data center in Mount Pleasant. Here's what we know about it. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2023/07/31/foxconn-builds-microinverters-for-enphase-energy/70488785007/ | 2023-07-31T10:56:43 | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2023/07/31/foxconn-builds-microinverters-for-enphase-energy/70488785007/ |
Downtown business interests raise questions about I-794's removal. Advocates have answers
A campaign to replace Milwaukee's Interstate 794 with at-grade streets could see opposition from downtown business interests who are raising questions about the proposal.
They fear removing the freeway between roughly the Hoan Bridge's northern approach and a few blocks west of the Milwaukee River would shift thousands of cars daily to surface streets − clogging traffic and lengthening commutes.
Freeway removal supporters say the streets can handle the change, which would open several blocks for commercial development − and tear down a barrier between downtown, the lakefront and the Historic Third Ward.
"People are generally open to it and like the idea. But they have some reservations," said Taylor Korslin, a representative of Rethink I-794, which supports removing the freeway.
The public gets a chance to opine at open house-style meetings this week. Those run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Milwaukee Marriott Downtown, 625 N. Milwaukee St., and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Thomas Moore High School, 2601 E. Morgan Ave., St. Francis.
The meetings will feature conceptual plans from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
They include seven options for repairing I-794 between the Milwaukee River and the Hoan Bridge and two alternatives for removing much of the freeway.
They will be the first of several meetings. WisDOT will eventually identify a "preferred alternative," with a public hearing likely in 2024.
The project's design is to be finalized in 2025 and 2026, with construction to run from 2026 through 2029 − pending funding availability.
WisDOT in 2022 proposed spending $300 million to replace different pieces of I-794 on the freeway's eastern portion.
Those sections date to 1974. They weren't touched when part of I-794 was reconstructed from 2013 through 2016 — a $239 million project that included rebuilding the Hoan's concrete deck.
In response, environmentalists and urbanists launched a campaign to remove both the older and newer freeway stretches.
Redevelopment potential estimated at $1.5 billion
With I-794 gone, 32.5 acres beneath the elevated freeway could be developed as apartments, offices and other buildings with estimated values totaling $1.5 billion, according to Rethink I-794.
WisDOT's two conceptual plans for removing I-794 mainly focus east of the Milwaukee River.
One alternative calls for removing the freeway from roughly East St. Paul Avenue to North Third Street. The other would remove I-794 between roughly East Chicago Street and Third Street.
Both would make available 15 to 18 acres for development, according to WisDOT. Clybourn Street would be converted to a two-way boulevard to help accommodate traffic.
Some downtown business operators are dubious.
Their concerns include the effects on commutes by suburban residents to downtown office buildings, said Beth Weirick, chief executive officer of Milwaukee Downtown Business Improvement District. The district is funded by downtown commercial property owners.
"If you have a workforce that's coming in from the south or the west, how will we get them there?" Weirick said. She spoke at a recent event on I-794's future organized by Rethink I-794, Marquette University's Center for Real Estate and the Milwaukee Business Journal.
She later declined to elaborate on those concerns.
"Until this entire process plays out with modeling and impacts on the local grid and the entire system along with its functionality, we have taken no formal position," Weirick told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We are also not certain of how preferred alternatives will play out with our stakeholders, so we have no comments this time."
The city's plan to shrink part of North Water Street from four lanes to two lanes, and add protected bike lanes and wider sidewalks, would be "much more challenging" with increased street traffic tied to I-794's removal, said Paul Schwartz, executive director of the Historic Third Ward Business Improvement District.
WisDot estimates traffic on Clybourn Street would increase 400%, with St. Paul Avenue traffic counts increasing 150%, if I-794 is removed, Schwartz said, in an interview.
There's skepticism among Third Ward business operators about the proposed removal, Schwartz said. They have "questions that are unanswered at this point," he said.
Concerns arose at recent City Hall meeting
The issue surfaced at a July 25 Common Council hearing on Milwaukee's new downtown comprehensive plan − which features a call for I-794's removal.
Ald. Robert Bauman, a removal supporter whose district includes downtown, said then he's heard such large downtown property owners as Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. and U.S. Bank are opposed to replacing the freeway with surface streets.
"Northwestern Mutual hasn’t taken a position on this matter, but I know we plan to stay engaged in the public process as a member of the business community," said Julia Fennelly, senior director of strategic communications and corporate reputation, in a statement.
U.S. Bank representatives didn't respond to requests for comment.
Officials from Mayor Cavalier Johnson's Department of City Development, which drafted the downtown plan in a partnership with the downtown business improvement district, are aware of the concerns, said Sam Leichtling, city planning manager. He said city officials will continue discussions with downtown stakeholders.
"We know we'll have to do some convincing," Leichtling told Bauman and other members of the council's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee.
Ald. Jonathan Brostoff, a committee member, joined in Bauman in saying the city should push back on opposition to the freeway's removal.
"The question is: are we going to allow some of those small but powerful interests who either stall 'til it falls," Brostoff said, "or, you know, find other ways to take control of this narrative?"
Rethink I-794 group addresses concerns
Meanwhile, Rethink I-794 is addressing concerns from business owners and others, said Korslin, who's also a Milwaukee architect.
Clybourn Street's conversion to a two-way boulevard would disperse traffic more efficiently through cross streets compared to the limited number of exits from I-794, Korslin said.
That's what happened when West McKinley Boulevard replaced the demolished Park East Freeway on downtown's northern edge, he said. Much of the land that was beneath the Park East Freeway has since been developed into such uses as apartments, Fiserv Forum's parking structure and The Trade Hotel.
Commutes from the suburbs to downtown office towers will take longer, perhaps three to five minutes, if I-794 is taken down, Korslin said.
But the trade-off, with more development and safer access for pedestrians and cyclists, is worth it, he said.
Regarding Water Street, WisDOT's data shows average daily traffic counts of around 11,000 vehicles in the Third Ward's four-lane section of that road. Those counts have been declining for years − perhaps due to increased remote work and a shift to walking, biking and transit, according to Rethink I-794.
Meanwhile, other Milwaukee streets have had their lanes reduced in recent years without major congestion issues, according to the group. Those include West Lisbon Avenue, North 27th Street and West Appleton Avenue − all with traffic counts higher than Water Street.
"People will take alternate routes when they know the street is full during peak hours," Korslin said.
The bigger point, he said, is companies such as Northwestern Mutual, Fiserv and Milwaukee Tool are shifting operations downtown to attract and retain talent − not because of an easy commute.
"Cities are the heart of commerce and exchange and social circles," Korslin said. "They're not about getting in and out."
Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2023/07/31/milwaukee-business-interests-raise-questions-about-i-794s-removal/70464637007/ | 2023-07-31T10:56:49 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2023/07/31/milwaukee-business-interests-raise-questions-about-i-794s-removal/70464637007/ |
Bayshore apartment developers worked to mislead tenants, pressured health department over TCE contamination
The developers of new Bayshore luxury apartments where residents were forced to evacuate due to the detection of a harmful carcinogen flouted health department orders, attempted to prevent government officials from speaking to tenants and minimized environmental issues at the site.
After informing government officials of TCE contamination at the site, developer Cypress Bayshore Residential balked at the language the North Shore Health Department instructed the company to use while informing residents of their exposure, according to records obtained by the Journal Sentinel.
“I don’t think we will be willing to agree with the attached (letter),” Cypress project lead John Ausburn wrote to his staff. “It is far too overreactive and one-sided. Send me your version, one that doesn’t make it sound like the tenants have had a month-long exposure to the plague.”
The company allowed tenants to move in before the required testing was completed.
In the first round of testing to confirm the success of clean-up efforts — three weeks after residents first moved in — results revealed that parts of Building 3 at Lydell Apartments in Glendale had 100 times the safe limit of the harmful chemical.
The failed clean-up effort led to the evacuation of six apartments on July 17. Cypress now is voluntarily relocating residents of the remaining 30 units and providing them $500 in compensation.
The property's management company, Lincoln Property Management, also terminated its contract with Cypress on July 20 after residents criticized both Lincoln and Cypress for "misleading them."
TCE has been listed as a known carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services since 2000 and has been linked to kidney damage, liver disease, fatal fetal cardiac defects, and death. Recent studies have also linked TCE to Parkinson’s Disease.
In a statement, Cypress Bayshore Residential, LP, President Chris Maguire said Ausburn did not want to "cause unnecessary stress on tenants at a time when more information and testing was still being collected on the situation."
Health department drafted its own letter to tenants
The June 14 notice Ausburn’s team drafted included two inaccuracies, prompting North Shore Health Department officials to send its own letter to residents less than a week later.
In the notice, Lydell operators wrote that developers had installed a TCE removal system “as a precaution” that “was added even though testing did not indicate the need for the system.”
In truth, it was not a precaution but a move recommended by the state Department of Natural Resources.
Developer discovered contamination in 2021
In a 2021 report sent by Cypress to the DNR, the company acknowledged that there was TCE contamination under what would become Building 3.
After consulting with the DNR, the developer submitted a plan to install a mitigation system. Cypress Bayshore Residential has insisted that it took all "proactive steps to design and install a vapor mitigation system on all buildings out of an abundance of caution."
However, those steps are typically not considered "proactive," but the norm. Current state statutes put the onus of contaminant clean-up on developers. Further, the DNR responded that it also believed a system was necessary and that testing should take place after installation but before residents move in, and Cypress agreed.
"Due to the proximity of chlorinated volatile organic compound soil and groundwater contamination to thedevelopment, the DNR agrees that the installation of a vapor mitigation system in each building isappropriate," DNR official David Hanson wrote.
Testing before residents move in is an industry-standard followed “99%” of the time, according to DNR Remediation and Redevelopment Program Director Christine Sieger.
Since the evacuation has been publicly reported, Lincoln Property Management insisted that Cypress carried out testing in Building 3 during construction that showed “there was no issue.”
The Journal Sentinel has requested this data six times since July 17 and received no response. Since then, Cypress Bayshore Residential, LP, has told the Journal Sentinel that the data does not exist.
In that same statement, Cypress said test results from Buildings 2 and 4 -- where residents from the contaminated building were relocated -- showed no TCE issues.
Developer ignored health department's recommendation on tenants
On June 21, North Shore Health Department Public Health Officer Becky Rowland sent Lydell operators a voluntary compliance notice instructing them to not move any residents into the building.
Ausburn agreed to it that day saying “ownership will temporarily cease from moving new tenants into Building 3.”
That same day, Lydell complex managers were giving tours to potential residents, including Kris Anderson and Alondra Terry. They moved in one week later.
“They didn’t tell us that there was a problem until a second after I got my keys,” Terry told the Journal Sentinel. “Then too, they said it wasn’t a big deal.” “We certainly would not have moved here if we knew this place could have killed us,” Anderson added.
According to another person who came to visit that day, Jennifer L, she was told the “move quickly because 20 other people were also interested.”
Health Department officials were not aware of these tours or that tenants had moved in.
Records obtained by the Journal Sentinel showed that a Lydell manager attempted to instruct the health department's Rowland to “coordinate with me going forward before any communications with residents.”
This exchange led Rowland to remind Lydell operators over email that she does “not take (her) directives from Lincoln or Cypress.”
Developer tried to hide problems from new tenants
Internal Cypress communications also show that Ausburn asked property managers “make the notice personal and confidential” to “give the tenants some pause before posting it on the internet.”
“They don’t want us speaking to the press,” resident Salemi Ngaruko told the Journal Sentinel. “They keep telling us that the city is blowing this out of proportion.”
Other residents have told the Journal Sentinel that developers have told the information that does not match what the health department told them.
After they were notified of an issue, the DNR and North Shore Health Department put into effect a slew of emergency measures, including the installation of air purifiers in all units.
The agencies instructed the property manager to inform residents of these actions. However, residents told the Journal Sentinel that the property management team tried “spin” some of these actions.
Resident Anna Lagoe said she was told by management that the air purifiers had been installed more to help with the smoke from Canadian wildfires rather than to mitigate TCE.
Contact Yash Roy at YRoy@gannett.com or 630-248-0921. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/31/lydell-apartments-bayshore-tce-flouted-government/70487476007/ | 2023-07-31T10:56:55 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/31/lydell-apartments-bayshore-tce-flouted-government/70487476007/ |
Can Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi both reach 1,000 yards for Wisconsin this season?
Seventh in a position-by-position series looking at the 2023 Wisconsin Badgers football team.
MADISON – Braelon Allen expects to rush for more than 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season.
Wisconsin’s junior tailback expects Chez Mellusi to break the 1,000-yard mark as well.
“Like I said before,” Allen said, “that is a realistic expectation.”
Allen rushed for 1,268 yards as a freshman in 2021 and for 1,242 yards last season. Mellusi rushed for 815 yards in 2021 before suffering a torn ACL the ninth game of the season (Rutgers). He rushed for only 473 yards last season but missed four games after suffering a wrist injury in the sixth game of the season (Northwestern).
The last time UW had two runners break the 1,000-yard mark in the same season? That was 2013, when Melvin Gordon (1,609 yards, 12 touchdowns) and James White (1,444 yards, 13 touchdowns) combined for 3,053 yards and 25 touchdowns.
If Allen and Mellusi can avoid injury this season and Phil Longo’s offensive scheme results in fewer stacked boxes, that expectation could become reality.
“I think both of them are phenomenal athletes,” running backs coach Devon Spalding said. “I’m expecting them to be able to be playmakers for us and help us win football games.”
Here are other players, changes to watch as UW prepares for the season:
Badgers searching for a third option behind Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi
When spring practice concluded in April it still wasn’t clear whether UW had a dependable No. 3 tailback to fill in if either Allen or Mellusi missed time because of injury.
Isaac Guerendo filled that role last season and was fabulous. He rushed 64 times for 385 yards and five touchdowns and caught 17 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. His per-carry average of 6.0 yards was better than Allen (5.4) or Mellusi (4.2). His total of 17 catches was the best mark among the tailbacks.
Who will be UW’s third tailback in 2023? The likely candidates appear to be either Cade Yacamelli, a former safety prospect, or Jackson Acker, who played fullback last season.
Yacamelli, 6-foot and 210 pounds, displayed a blend of quickness and speed in the spring. He also appears to be a legitimate receiving threat. Acker, 6-1 and 240, is more explosive, though not as shifty. He, too, can catch the ball but was limited in the spring because of an unspecified injury.
However, the staff noted that Acker’s versatility might mean playing time as an H-back if needed.
Is it possible Allen and Mellusi avoid injury and are productive all season? Yes. But the battle for the third tailback spot is worth monitoring.
Will the running backs be receiving threats in UW's new offense?
Reporters didn’t need long in the spring to notice how often running backs were available as receivers, particularly in the flat to either side of the field.
Can Allen, Mellusi and the other backs hurt opposing defenses with their hands?
Allen had 13 catches for 104 yards last season. Mellusi had just two catches for 25 yards. One catch was a 23-yard touchdown – from Allen.
Mellusi noted that Longo’s offense reminded him of the routes the running backs ran at Clemson.
“It wasn’t even a transition for me,” he said of adjusting to Longo's offense. “It was just like a memory of mine that I was used to at Clemson.”
Allen made it clear he enjoys getting the ball in space and on the move.
“I like the ball in my hands, just plain and simple,” he said. “Being out in space makes it a lot more fun.
“I’ve played receiver growing up. It is always comfortable for me. It’s just a little bit different…these quarterbacks are better than the ones I’ve had, so a little bit of an adjustment.
“The route running is super-detailed but I’ve been comfortable.”
Allen did homework on new position coach
After UW announced Spalding had been hired to coached the team’s running backs, Allen decided to surf the web to learn more about his new position coach.
“Once I saw his resume,” he said, “I knew it was going to be a great hire.”
Al Johnson, who played center at UW, coached the running backs last season. Spalding played wide receiver and running back in college and coached running backs at Youngstown State for three seasons before coming to UW.
“Respectfully, it is definitely refreshing,” Allen said. “Obviously, coach Al is a great guy for us to have in that room. But you can only get a certain level of coaching from somebody who didn’t play the position. Getting a former running back to coach us was definitely refreshing.”
More:Can Luke Fickell lead Wisconsin to the top of the Big Ten in his first season in Madison?
More:Wisconsin Badgers have an influx of new wide receivers in 2023 after transfers | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2023/07/31/braelon-allen-chez-mellusi-set-to-carry-wisconsin-badgers-ground-game/70434591007/ | 2023-07-31T10:57:01 | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2023/07/31/braelon-allen-chez-mellusi-set-to-carry-wisconsin-badgers-ground-game/70434591007/ |
BRIGHTON, Iowa (AP) — You-pick farms are struggling through heat, drought and haze as customers cancel picking appointments and crops across Iowa refuse to grow.
These farms offer visitors the chance to harvest their own produce straight from the tree, bush or ground.
But this summer marks Iowa’s third year in a row of drought. And that is hurting farmers who grow water-intensive crops like blueberries and strawberries that are particularly sensitive to heat and drought, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reported.
Kim Anderson told The Gazette that her well started faltering during last summer’s heat and drought at her 5-acre Blueberry Bottom Farm near Brighton in southeastern Iowa.
Many of her blueberry bushes became parched. And recently, for the first time in the farm’s five-season history, she had to cancel a day of picking appointments because there weren’t enough ripe berries.
“I just never anticipated something like this, that the well wouldn’t have enough water,” she said.
Similarly, Dean Henry told The Gazette that these are the worst conditions he has seen in his 56 years of operating the Berry Patch Farm in Nevada in central Iowa.
Henry said the Iowa Department of Natural Resources restricted his well water usage from 20 acres a day to 1 acre a day. But his strawberry plants need lots of water.
This year, his entire crop failed.
The heat has affected customers too. Some you-pick farms reported a decrease in customer visits, according to The Gazette. If people do come, they aren’t staying as long as normal to take in the entertainment at the farms, like picnic tables or games.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires also caused Iowa skies to grow hazy and air quality to be poor several times this summer. Customers canceled their appointments on especially hazy days, Anderson said. | https://wgntv.com/business/ap-business/ap-you-pick-farms-lose-customers-and-crops-through-heat-drought-and-haze-in-iowa/ | 2023-07-31T10:57:17 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/business/ap-business/ap-you-pick-farms-lose-customers-and-crops-through-heat-drought-and-haze-in-iowa/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — A week later, the “Barbenheimer” boom has not abated.
Seven days after Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” conspired to set box office records, the two films held unusually strongly in theaters. “Barbie” took in a massive $93 million in its second weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. “Oppenheimer” stayed in second with a robust $46.2 million. Sales for the two movies dipped 43% and 44%, respectably — well shy of the usual week-two drops.
“Barbenheimer” has proven to be not a one-weekend phenomenon but an ongoing box-office bonanza. The two movies combined have already surpassed $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales. Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore, call it “a touchstone moment for movies, moviegoers and movie theaters.”
“Having two movies from rival studios linked in this way and both boosting each other’s fortunes — both box-office wise and it terms of their profile — I don’t know if there’s a comp for this in the annals of box-office history,” said Dergarabedian. “There’s really no comparison for this.”
Following its year-best $162 million opening, the pink-infused pop sensation of “Barbie” saw remarkably sustained business through the week and into the weekend. The film outpaced Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” to have the best first 11 days in theaters of any Warner Bros. release ever.
“Barbie” has rapidly accumulated $351.4 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters, a rate that will soon make it the biggest box-office hit of the summer. Every day it’s played, “Barbie” has made at least $20 million.
And the “Barbie” effect isn’t just in North America. The film made $122.2 million internationally over the weekend. Its global tally has reached $775 million. It’s the kind of business that astounds even veteran studio executives.
“That’s a crazy number,” said Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief for Warner Bros. “There’s just a built-in audience that wants to be part of the zeitgeist of the moment. Wherever you go, people are wearing pink. Pink is taking over the world.”
Amid the frenzy, “Barbie” is already attracting a lot of repeat moviegoers. Goldstein estimates that 12% of sales are people going back with friends or family to see it again.
For a movie industry that has been trying to regain its pre-pandemic footing — and that now finds itself largely shuttered due to actors and screenwriters strikes — the sensations of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” have showed what’s possible when everything lines up just right.
“Post-pandemic, there’s no ceiling and there’s no floor,” Goldstein said. “The movies that miss really miss big time, and the movies that work really work big time.”
Universal Pictures’ “Oppenheimer,” meanwhile, is performing more like a superhero movie than a three-hour film about scientists talking.
Nolan’s drama starring Cillian Murphy as atomic bomb physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer has accrued $174.1 million domestically thus far. With an additional $72.4 million in international cinemas, “Oppenheimer” has already surpassed $400 million globally.
Showings in IMAX have typically been sold out. “Oppenheimer” has made $80 million worldwide on IMAX. The large-format exhibitor said Sunday that it will extend the film’s run through Aug. 13.
The week’s top new release, Walt Disney Co.’s “Haunted Mansion,” an adaptation of the Disney theme park attraction, was easily overshadowed by the “Barbenheimer” blitz. The film, which cost about $150 million, debuted with $24 million domestically and $9 million in overseas sales. “Haunted Mansion,” directed by Justin Simien (“Dear White People,” “Bad Hair”) and starring an ensemble of LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito and Rosario Dawson, struggled to overcome mediocre reviews.
“Talk to Me,” the A24 supernatural horror film, fared better. It debuted with $10 million. The film, directed by Australian filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou and starring Sophie Wilde, was a midnight premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January and received terrific reviews from critics (95% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes). It was made for a modest $4.5 million.
While theaters being flush with moviegoers has been a huge boon to the film industry, it’s been tougher sledding for Tom Cruise, the so-called savior of the movies last summer with “Top Gun: Maverick.” “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part I,” which debuted the week before the arrival of “Barbenheimer,” grossed $10.7 million in its third weekend. The film starring Cruise and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, has grossed $139.2 million domestically and $309.3 million oveseas.
Instead, the sleeper hit “Sound of Freedom” has been the best performing non-“Barbenheimer” release in theaters. The Angel Studios’ release, which is counting crowdfunding pay-it-forward sales in its box office totals, made $12.4 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its haul thus far to nearly $150 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Barbie,” $93 million.
2. “Opppenheimer,” $46.2 million.
3. “Haunted Mansion,” $24.2 million.
4. “Sound of Freedom,” $12.4 million.
5. “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One,” $10.7 million.
6. “Talk to Me,” $10 million.
7. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” $4 million.
8. “Elemental,” $3.4 million.
9. “Insidious: The Red Door,” $3.2 million.
10. “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani,” $1.6 million.
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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP | https://wgntv.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-the-barbie-bonanza-continues-at-the-box-office-oppenheimer-holds-the-no-2-spot/ | 2023-07-31T10:57:23 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-the-barbie-bonanza-continues-at-the-box-office-oppenheimer-holds-the-no-2-spot/ |
ST. ANTHONY, Idaho (AP) — Idaho mother Lori Vallow Daybell faces up to life in prison without parole Monday as she is sentenced in the murders of her two youngest children and a romantic rival in a case that included bizarre claims that her son and daughter were zombies and that she was a goddess sent to usher in the Biblical apocalypse.
Vallow Daybell was found guilty in May of killing her two youngest children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, her fifth husband’s previous wife.
The husband, Chad Daybell, is awaiting trial on the same murder charges. Vallow Daybell also faces two other cases in Arizona — one on a charge of conspiring with her brother to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and one of conspiring to kill her niece’s ex-husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed in 2019, but her niece’s ex survived an attempt later that year.
Monday’s sentencing will take place at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho. Judge Steven W. Boyce is expected to hear testimony from several representatives of the victims, including Vallow Daybell’s only surviving son, Colby Ryan.
The case began in July 2019, when Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, shot and killed her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in a suburban Phoenix home. Cox told police he acted in self defense. He was never charged in the case and died later that year of what authorities determined were natural causes.
Vallow Daybell was already in a relationship with Chad Daybell, a self-published author who wrote doomsday-focused fiction loosely based on Mormon teachings. She moved to Idaho with her kids and brother to be closer to him.
The children were last seen alive in September 2019. Police discovered they were missing a month later after an extended family member became worried. Their bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell’s yard the following summer.
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow married in November 2019, about two weeks after Daybell’s previous wife, Tammy, was killed. Tammy Daybell initially was described as having died of natural causes, but an autopsy later showed she had been asphyxiated, authorities said.
Defense attorney Jim Archibald argued during the trial that there was no evidence tying Vallow Daybell to the killings, but plenty showing she was a loving, protective mother whose life took a sharp turn when she met Chad Daybell and fell for his “weird” apocalyptic religious claims. He suggested that Daybell and Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, were responsible for the deaths.
Daybell told her they had been married in several previous lives and she was a “sexual goddess” who was supposed to help him save the world by gathering 144,000 followers so Jesus could return, Archibald said.
Vallow Daybell’s former friend Melanie Gibb testified during the trial that Vallow Daybell believed people in her life had been taken over by evil spirits and turned into “zombies,” including JJ and Tylee. | https://wgntv.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-idaho-mom-lori-vallow-daybell-faces-sentencing-in-deaths-of-2-children-and-her-romantic-rival/ | 2023-07-31T10:57:29 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-idaho-mom-lori-vallow-daybell-faces-sentencing-in-deaths-of-2-children-and-her-romantic-rival/ |
BEIRUT (AP) — Fighting raged Sunday in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp near the southern port city of Sidon, killing at least five people and wounding seven, Palestinian officials said.
UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, put the death toll at six, and Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said two children were among those wounded.
The Palestinian officials, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the fighting broke out after an unknown gunman tried to kill Islamist militant Mahmoud Khalil, killing a companion of his instead.
Later, Islamist militants shot and killed a Palestinian military general from the Fatah group and three escorts as they were walking through a parking lot, another Palestinian official told AP.
Ein el-Hilweh is notorious for its lawlessness and violence is not uncommon. The U.N. says about 55,000 people live in the camp, which was established in 1948 to house Palestinians displaced by Israeli forces during the establishment of Israel.
On Sunday, factions blazed away with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers and lobbed hand grenades in the camp as ambulances zoomed through its narrow streets to take the wounded to the hospital.
The fighting stopped for several hours in the morning, though state media said there was still sporadic sniper fire, but fighting erupted again after the killing of the Palestinian general and his escorts.
Some residents in Sidon neighborhoods near the camp fled their homes as stray bullets hit buildings and shattered windows and storefronts. The public Sidon General Hospital evacuated its staff and patients.
The Lebanese army said in a statement that a mortar shell hit a military barracks outside the camp and wounded one soldier, whose condition is stable. Military commandos deployed near the camp’s entrances as clashes continued into the night.
UNRWA said two of its schools that serve some 2,000 students were damaged in the fighting. It said it suspended all its operations in Ein el-Hilweh.
Fatah in a statement condemned the killing of its security official, saying the attack was part of a “bloody scheme that targets the security and stability of our camps.” It vowed to hold the “perpetrators accountable.”
In Ramallah, the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a statement decrying violence in a camp for Palestinian refugees.
“No one is allowed to intimidate our people and tamper with their security,” it said. “We support what the Lebanese government is doing to impose law and order, and we affirm our commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, including the Palestinian refugee camps, and maintaining security and the rule of law.”
Late in the day, the factions said in a joint statement that they had agreed to a ceasefire during a mediation meeting hosted by the Lebanese Shiite Amal movement and militant Hezbollah group in Sidon. But local media said fighting continued. A spokesperson from the Palestinian militant group Hamas told AP that the groups were working to implement the truce.
Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, condemned the clashes. “We call on the Palestinian leadership to cooperate with the army to control the security situation and hand over those meddling with security to the Lebanese authorities,” Mikati said in his statement.
Palestinian factions in the camp for years have cracked down on militant Islamist groups and fugitives seeking shelter in the camp’s overcrowded neighborhoods. In 2017, Palestinian factions engaged in almost a week of fierce clashes with a militant organization affiliated with the extremist Islamic State group.
___
Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report. | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-1-killed-6-wounded-in-overnight-clashes-in-crowded-palestinian-refugee-camp-in-lebanon/ | 2023-07-31T10:57:35 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-1-killed-6-wounded-in-overnight-clashes-in-crowded-palestinian-refugee-camp-in-lebanon/ |
BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — The Central African Republic went to the polls Sunday in a highly anticipated vote on a new constitution, which would remove presidential term limits.
President Faustin Archange Touadera wants to extend presidential terms from five to seven years and remove the previous two-term limit, enabling him to run again in 2025.
The new constitution would replace the one adopted at Touadera’s inauguration in 2016, when the country was in a civil war and 80% of it was not under state control. If the new constitution is passed, it could entrench the ruling party’s power indefinitely, analysts say.
“This referendum basically confirms the fears of authoritarian drift (in CAR),” said Enrica Picco, Central Africa project director with the International Crisis Group. The new constitution would weaken checks on the executive by opposition parties, closing the space for Central Africans to participate in democratic decision-making, she said.
The proposed changes also would lift requirements that executive decisions be debated by the legislative and permit Central Africans with dual nationalities to vote.
The mineral-rich but impoverished nation has faced intercommunal fighting since 2013, when predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power and forced then-President Francois Bozize from office. Mostly Christian militias later fought back, also targeting civilians in the streets. The United Nations, which has a peacekeeping mission in the country, estimates the fighting had killed thousands and displaced over a million people, one fifth of the country’s population.
When Touadera won re-election in 2020, barely a third of Central Africans made it to the polls, largely due to threats of violence by rebel groups. Touadera’s government has relied on support from UN peacekeepers, soldiers from neighboring Rwanda and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group to keep rebels out of the capital Bangui.
“Now that there is peace … the time has come for us to take action,” said Fidel Gouandjika, a presidential advisor.
Opposition groups accuse the ruling party of making a draft of the new constitution publicly available too late for people to make informed decisions, less than three weeks before the referendum, said Picco.
Together with opposition parties they are calling on Central Africans to vote against the proposed constitution, or abstain from the referendum.
“Touadera wants to see himself as an emperor, and he wants to make our country what he wants, not what Central Africans want,” said former Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye. | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-constitutional-referendum-to-remove-presidential-term-limits-divides-central-african-republic/ | 2023-07-31T10:57:41 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-constitutional-referendum-to-remove-presidential-term-limits-divides-central-african-republic/ |
HELSINKI (AP) — Denmark’s foreign minister said Sunday the government will seek to make it illegal to desecrate the Quran or other religious holy books in front of foreign embassies in the Nordic country.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in an interview with the Danish public broadcaster DR that the burning of holy scriptures “only serves the purpose of creating division in a world that actually needs unity.”
“That is why we have decided in the government that we will look at how, in very special situations, we can put an end to mockery of other countries, which is in direct conflict with Danish interests and the safety of the Danes,” he said.
A recent string of public Quran desecrations by a handful of anti-Islam activists in Denmark and neighboring Sweden have sparked angry demonstrations in Muslim countries.
Løkke Rasmussen said the Cabinet of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is determined to find “a legal tool” to prohibit such acts without compromising freedom of expression, but he acknowledged that would not be easy.
“There must be room for religious criticism, and we have no thoughts of reintroducing a blasphemy clause,” he told DR. “But when you stand up in front of a foreign embassy and burn a Quran or burn the Torah scroll in front of the Israeli embassy, it serves no other purpose than to mock.”
His comments followed a statement issued late Sunday by the Danish government saying freedom of expression is one of the most important values in Danish society.
But, it added, the descreation of the Muslim holy book in Denmark has resulted in the nation being viewed in many places around the world “as a country that facilitates insult and denigration of the cultures, religions, and traditions of other countries.”
The government repeated its condemnation of such descecrations, say they are “deeply offensive and reckless acts committed by few individuals” and “do not represent the values the Danish society is built on.”
In Sweden, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Sunday on Instagram that his government is analyzing the legal situation regarding desecration of the Quran and other holy books, given the animosity such acts are stirring up against Sweden.
“We are in the most serious security policy situation since the Second World War,” Kristersson said.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has called an emergency remote meeting Monday to discuss the Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark. | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-denmark-seeks-to-legally-prevent-burnings-of-quran-or-other-religious-scriptures/ | 2023-07-31T10:57:48 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-denmark-seeks-to-legally-prevent-burnings-of-quran-or-other-religious-scriptures/ |
CAIRO (AP) — Palestinian factions met Sunday in Egypt to discuss reconciliation efforts as violence in the occupied West Bank surged between Israel and Palestinian militants.
The main groups, Hamas and Fatah, have been split since 2007 and repeated reconciliation attempts having failed, so expectations for the one-day meeting were low.
Participants at the closed-door meeting gave no indication of what was discussed. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who initiated the session in the Egyptian city of el-Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea, said at its conclusion only that the meeting was a “first and significant step” in efforts to end the long-running division.
It came amid soaring violence in the West Bank, where Abbas and his Fatah group are based and exert limited self-rule. Israel has been staging near-nightly raids in Palestinian areas of the territory in what it says is an attempt to stamp out militancy, especially in areas where Abbas’ security forces have less of a foothold.
Those raids have led to some of the worst fighting in nearly two decades in the West Bank. Palestinians also say the Israeli raids undermine their own security forces and weaken their leadership.
The meeting in Egypt was chaired by Abbas, presenting the aging and longtime Palestinian leader with a chance to portray an image of control and statesmanship to both Palestinians and the international community at a time when he is deeply unpopular at home and his room for maneuver is constrained by the Israeli incursions.
The meeting was attended by other Palestinian leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip. Fatah and Hamas have been rivals since Hamas violently routed forces loyal to Abbas in Gaza in 2007, taking over the impoverished coastal enclave. Israel and Egypt have imposed a blockade on the territory.
For Hamas, joining the meeting was an opportunity to show Gazans that it is making an effort to mend the rift, even if nothing changes as a result.
Another key group playing a central role in the fighting with Israel, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, boycotted the gathering to protest the detentions by the Palestinian Authority of its members, said to the group’s leader, Ziyad al-Nakhala.
Egypt has for years acted as a mediator in trying to end the infighting between Palestinian factions. It also helped broker truces in multiple rounds of fighting between Israel and Hamas. | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-palestinian-factions-meet-in-egypt-to-try-to-reconcile-as-violence-surges-in-the-west-bank/ | 2023-07-31T10:57:54 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-palestinian-factions-meet-in-egypt-to-try-to-reconcile-as-violence-surges-in-the-west-bank/ |
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish government researchers said Sunday they had identified 357 foreign fighters who went missing during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the conflict that foreshadowed World War II.
Researchers confirmed the names of 212 fighters from Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, according to a statement from the government Sunday. Some 102 are of German origin, 70 Austrian and 40 Dutch. It gave no information on how many people of other nationalities had been identified.
The identified combatants fought within the International Brigades, military units set up by the Communist International to fight against General Francisco Franco’s fascist forces. Some 40,000 foreign men and women joined up as volunteers, fighting alongside the forces of the democratic Second Spanish Republic and against the rise of fascism in Europe in late 1930s.
The findings are based on a year of research in records held in documentary archives in Spain and Russia. Researchers combed through the daily lists of casualties and missing soldiers compiled by officers in the International Brigades.
The names of private soldiers were frequently omitted from the lists, making the research process more difficult. These lists are held in the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History, in Moscow. Researchers also dipped into the main archives on the Spanish Civil War located in Spain.
By cross-referencing documents, researchers were also able to identify the likely area where the soldiers died or were badly wounded. It is an important step toward locating their remains inside mass graves scattered across the country.
This research provides “very valuable information that gives us the opportunity to contact the families of the missing combatants and, in the future, to intervene in the mass graves that have been located,” said Alfons Aragoneses, head of the project.
All those identified were part of the Thälmann Brigade, a Communist unit made up largely of anti-Nazi Germans. The battalion was active on the Ebro River front in northeastern Spain between March and September 1938, the site of the longest and deadliest battle of the war.
The research is ongoing and it is funded by Catalan regional government, with the aim of contributing to the country’s historical memory. The second phase of the project will try to identify missing militiamen from Great Britain, Ireland, Canada and the United States. The final step would require opening the graves in search of bodies.
Historians estimate nearly 10,000 foreign volunteers died in combat on Spanish soil during the war. How many are still unidentified, buried inside graves, remains unknown.
The Spanish Civil War served as a testing ground for Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy prior to World War II. This triggered an international outcry to try to save the Republic’s democratic government, which eventually succumbed to Franco in 1939. | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-spain-identifies-212-german-austrian-and-dutch-fighters-who-went-missing-during-spanish-civil-war/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:00 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-spain-identifies-212-german-austrian-and-dutch-fighters-who-went-missing-during-spanish-civil-war/ |
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Several thousand people briefly took to the streets across the Gaza Strip on Sunday to protest chronic power outages and difficult living conditions, providing a rare public show of discontent with the territory’s Hamas government. Hamas security forces quickly dispersed the gatherings.
Marches took place in Gaza City, the southern town of Khan Younis and other locations, chanting “what a shame” and in one place burning Hamas flags, before police moved in and broke up the protests.
Police destroyed mobile phones of people who were filming in Khan Younis, and witnesses said there were several arrests. Dozens of young supporters and opponents of Hamas briefly faced off, throwing stones at one another.
The demonstrations were organized by a grassroots online movement called “alvirus alsakher,” or “the mocking virus.” It was not immediately known who is behind the movement.
Hamas rules Gaza with an iron fist, barring most demonstrations and quickly stamping out public displays of dissent.
The Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007 from the forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, prompting Israel and Egypt to impose a crippling blockade on the territory. Israel says the closure is needed to prevent Hamas, which does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, from building up its military capabilities.
The closure has devastated Gaza’s economy, sent unemployment skyrocketing and led to frequent power outages. During the current heat wave, people have been receiving four to six hours of power a day due to heavy demand.
“Where is the electricity and where is the gas?” the crowds shouted in Khan Younis. “What a shame. What a shame.”
Protesters also criticized Hamas for deducting a roughly $15 fee from monthly $100 stipends given to Gaza’s poorest families by the wealthy Gulf state of Qatar.
There was no immediate comment from the Hamas authorities. | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-thousands-take-to-streets-in-gaza-in-rare-public-display-of-discontent-with-hamas/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:06 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-thousands-take-to-streets-in-gaza-in-rare-public-display-of-discontent-with-hamas/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When viewed through a wide lens, renters across the U.S. finally appear to be getting some relief, thanks in part to the biggest apartment construction boom in decades.
Median rent rose just 0.5% in June, year over year, after falling in May for the first time since the pandemic hit the U.S. Some economists project U.S. rents will be down modestly this year after soaring nearly 25% over the past four years.
A closer look, however, shows the trend will likely be little comfort for many U.S. renters who’ve had to put an increasing share of their income toward their monthly payment. Renters in cities such as Cincinnati and Indianapolis are still getting hit with increases of 5% or more. Much of the new construction is located in just a few metro areas, and many of the new units are luxury apartments, which rent for well north of $2,000.
Median U.S. rent has risen to $2,029 this June from $1,629 in June 2019, according to rental listings company Rent, which tracks rents in 50 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Demand for apartments exploded during the pandemic as people who could work remotely sought more space or decided to relocate to another part of the country.
The steep rent increases have left tenants like Melissa Lombana, a high school teacher who lives in the South Florida city of Miramar, with progressively less income to spend on other needs.
The rent on her one-bedroom apartment jumped 13% last year to $1,700. It climbed another 6% to $1,800 this month when she renewed her lease.
“Even the $1,700 was a stretch for me,” said Lombana, 43, who supplements her teaching income with a side job doing educational testing. “In a year, I will not be able to afford living here at all.”
Lombana’s rent is now gobbling up nearly half her monthly income. That puts her in a category referred to as “cost-burdened” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, denoting households that pay 30% or more of their income toward rent. Last year, the average rent-to-income ratio per household rose to 30%. This March, it was 29.6%.
Lombana hasn’t had any luck finding a more affordable apartment. While South Florida is one of the metropolitan areas seeing a rise in apartment construction, the units are mostly high-end and not a viable option.
That scenario is playing out across the nation. Developers are rushing to complete projects that were green-lit during the pandemic-era surge in demand for rentals or left in limbo by delays in supplies of fixtures and building materials. Nearly 1.1 million apartments are currently under construction, according to the commercial real estate tracker CoStar, a pace not seen since the 1970s.
Increasing the supply of apartments tends to moderate rent increases over time and can give tenants more options on where to live. But more than 40% of the new rentals to be completed this year will be concentrated in about 10 high job growth metropolitan areas, including Austin, Nashville, Denver, Atlanta and New York, according to Marcus & Millichap. In many areas, the boost to overall inventory will be barely noticeable.
Even within metros where there’ll be a notable increase in available apartments, such as Nashville, most of it will be in the luxury category, where rents average $2,270, nationally. Some 70% of the new rental inventory will be the luxury class, said Jay Lybik, national director of multifamily analytics at CoStar.
That will leave most tenants unlikely to see a big enough reduction in rent to make a difference, industry experts and economists say.
“I think we’re in a period of rent flattening for 12 or 18 months, but it’s certainly not a big rent decline,” said Hessam Nadji, CEO of commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap.
“We’re building a multi-decade record number of units,” Nadji said. “It’s going to cause some softening and some pockets of overbuilding, but it’s not going to fundamentally resolve the housing shortage or the affordability problem for renters across the U.S.”
The surge in rents has made it difficult for workers to keep up with inflation despite solid wage gains the past few years and exacerbated a long-term trend. Between 1999 and 2022, U.S. rents soared 135%, while income grew 77%, according to data from Moody’s Analytics.
Realtor.com is forecasting that rents will drop an average of 0.9% this year. But while down nationally, rents are still rising in many markets around the country, especially those where hiring remains robust.
In the New York metro area, the median rent climbed 4.7% in June from a year earlier to $2,899, according to Realtor.com. In the Midwest, rents surged 5.6% in the Cincinnati metro area to $1,188, and 6.9% to $1,350 in the Indianapolis metro area.
The current spike in apartment construction alone isn’t going to be enough to address how costly renting has become for many Americans.
“For the rest of the 2020s rents will continue to grow because millennials are such a big generation and we’re very much in the hole in terms of building housing for that generation,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. “It will take many good years of new construction to build adequate housing for millennials.”
The bigger challenge is building more work force housing, because the cost of land, labor and navigating the government approval process incentivize developers to put up luxury apartments buildings.
Expanding the supply of modestly priced rentals would help alleviate the strain from so many new apartments targeting renters with high incomes, “although additional subsidies will be needed to make housing affordable to households with the lowest incomes,” researchers at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies wrote in a recent report.
Despite the overall pullback in U.S. rents, Joey Di Girolamo, in Pembroke Pines, Florida, worries that he’ll face more sharp rent increases in coming years.
Last year, the web designer left a two-bedroom, two-bath townhome he rented for $2,200 a month to avoid a $600 a month increase. This year, his rent went up by $200, a nearly 10% jump.
“That blew me away,” said Di Girolamo, 50. “I’m just kind of dreading what it’s going to be like next year, but especially 3 or 4 years from now.” | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-a-boom-in-apartment-construction-is-helping-to-curb-rents-but-not-all-renters-will-benefit/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:12 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-a-boom-in-apartment-construction-is-helping-to-curb-rents-but-not-all-renters-will-benefit/ |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The largest dam removal project in United States history is underway along the California-Oregon border — a process that won’t conclude until the end of next year with the help of heavy machinery and explosives.
But in some ways, removing the dams is the easy part. The hard part will come over the next decade as workers, partnering with Native American tribes, plant and monitor nearly 17 billion seeds as they try to restore the Klamath River and the surrounding land to what it looked like before the dams started to go up more than a century ago.
The demolition is part of a national movement to return the natural flow of the nation’s rivers and restore habitat for fish and the ecosystems that sustain other wildlife. More than 2,000 dams have been removed in the U.S. as of February, with the bulk of those having come down within the last 25 years, according to the advocacy group American Rivers.
The removal of four hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River is the movement’s greatest triumph and its greatest challenge. When demolition is completed by the end of next year, more than 400 miles (644 kilometers) of river will have opened for threatened species of fish and other wildlife. By comparison, the 65 dams removed in the U.S. last year combined to reconnect 430 miles (692 kilometers) of river.
The project will empty three reservoirs over about 3.5 square miles (9 square kilometers) near the California-Oregon border, exposing soil to sunlight in some places for the first time in more than a century.
For the past five years, Native American tribes have gathered seeds by hand and sent them to nurseries with plans to sow the seeds along the banks of the newly wild river. Helicopters will bring in hundreds of thousands of trees and shrubs to plant along the banks, including wads of tree roots to create habitat for fish.
This growth usually takes decades to happen naturally. But officials are pressing nature’s fast-forward button because they hope to repel an invasion of foreign plants, such as starthistle, which dominate the landscape at the expense of native plants.
“Why not just let nature take its course? Well, nature didn’t take its course when dams got put in. We can’t pretend this gigantic change in the landscape has not happened and we can’t just ignore the fact that invasive species are a big problem in the west and in California,” said Dave Meurer, director of community affairs for Resource Environmental Solutions, the company leading the restoration project. “Our goal is to give nature a head start.”
A power company, known today as PacifiCorp, built the dams starting in 1918 to generate electricity. The dams halted the natural flow of the river and disrupted the lifecycle of salmon, a fish that spends most of its life in the Pacific Ocean but returns to the chilly mountain streams to lay eggs. The fish are culturally and spiritually significant to a number of Native American tribes, who historically survived by fishing the massive runs of salmon that would come back to the rivers each year.
A combination of low water levels and warm temperatures in 2002 led to a bacterial outbreak that killed more than 34,000 fish, mostly Chinook salmon. The loss jumpstarted decades of advocacy from Native American tribes and environmental groups, culminating last year when federal regulators approved a plan to remove the dams.
“The river is our church, the salmon is our cross. That’s how it relates to the people. So it’s very sacred to us,” said Kenneth Brink, vice chairman of the Karuk Tribe. “The river is not just a place we go to swim. It’s life. It creates everything for our people.”
The project will cost $500 million, paid for by taxpayers and PacifiCorps ratepayers. Crews have mostly removed the smallest of the four dams, known as Copco No. 2. The other three dams are expected to come down next year after the reservoirs behind them are drained. That will leave some homeowners in the area without the picturesque lake they have lived on for years.
The Siskiyou County Water Users Association, which formed about a decade ago to stop the dam removal project, filed a federal lawsuit. But so far they have been unable to stop the demolition.
“I think it’s a huge mistake,” association President Richard Marshall said. “Unfortunately it’s a mistake you can’t turn back from.”
The water level in the lakes will drop between 3 feet and 5 feet (1 meter to 1.5 meters) per day over the first few months of next year. Crews will follow that water line, taking advantage of the moisture in the soil to plant seeds from more than 98 native plant species including wooly sunflower, Idaho fescue and Blue bunch wheat grass.
Tribes have been invested in the process from the start. Resource Environmental Solutions hired tribal members to gather seeds from native plants by hand. The Yurok Tribe even hired a restoration botanist.
Each species has a role to play. Some, like lupine, grow quickly and prepare the soil for other plants. Others, like oak trees, take years to fully mature and provide shade for other plants.
“It’s a wonderful marriage of tribal traditional ecological knowledge and western science,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, the nonprofit entity created to oversee the project.
The previous largest dam removal project was on Washington state’s Elwha River, which flows out of Olympic National Park into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Congress in 1992 approved the demolition of the two dams on the river constructed in the early 1900s. After two decades of planning, workers finished removing them in 2014, opening about 70 miles (113 kilometers) of habitat for salmon and steelhead.
Biologists say it will take at least a generation for the river to recover, but within months of the dams being removed, salmon were already recolonizing sections of the river they had not accessed in more than a century. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, which has been closely involved in restoration work, is opening a limited subsistence fishery this fall for coho salmon, its first since the dams came down.
Brink, the Karuk Tribe vice chair, hopes similar success will happen on the Klamath River. Multiple times per year, Brink and other tribal members participate in ceremonial salmon fishing using handheld nets. In many years, there have been no fish to catch, he said.
“When the river gets to flow freely again, the people can also begin to worship freely again,” he said.
___
Associated Press writer Eugene Johnson in Seattle contributed. | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-as-work-begins-on-the-largest-us-dam-removal-project-tribes-look-to-a-future-of-growth/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:17 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-as-work-begins-on-the-largest-us-dam-removal-project-tribes-look-to-a-future-of-growth/ |
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The discovery of four dead women in a drainage ditch just outside Atlantic City was shocking news in 2006.
International media flocked to the seaside gambling resort. More than 100 detectives and prosecutors were assigned to investigate. Casino guests worried about safety, and the victims’ fellow sex workers began carrying hidden knives.
But as the years passed, the public’s attention and fear faded, and the case of the “Eastbound Strangler” – so named for the direction the victims’ heads were facing – remained unsolved.
The arrest earlier this month of a man charged with killing three women whose remains were found on a Long Island beach in 2010 has breathed fresh life into another long-dormant case with obvious parallels; the Gilgo Beach serial killings involve a total of 11 victims, most of whom were young, female sex workers. Yet the recent breakthrough, and the rekindling of public interest, only highlights a painful truth: Many similar cases – like the one in Atlantic City — remain open.
The FBI would not say how many killings of sex workers in the U.S. remain unsolved. Media accounts and statements from local authorities show a long trail of open cases, from nine women whose bodies were found along highways in Massachusetts, to 11 found dead in New Mexico, and eight more found amid the crawfish farms and swamps of southern Louisiana. The killings of other sex workers in Chicago, New Haven, Connecticut and Ohio, among other places, also remain mysteries.
From the days of London’s Jack The Ripper in the 1880s, serial killers, particularly those preying on sex workers, have often gotten away with it, in part because their victims were easy targets living on the margins of society.
Gary Ridgway, the so-called Green River killer convicted of 49 killings in Washington state, said at during a 2003 court hearing in which he pleaded guilty that he chose sex workers as victims because he knew they would not be missed quickly, if at all.
“I picked prostitutes because I thought I could kill as many of them as I wanted without getting caught,” he said.
Two women were out for an afternoon walk near Atlantic City in November 2006 when they found a body in a ditch. They called police, who quickly found three others nearby.
The $15-a-night motel in Egg Harbor Township behind which the four bodies were found is long gone. It was torn down in an attempt to clear a seedy area known for crime, drugs and disturbances – and the murders of Barbara Breidor, 42, Molly Jean Dilts, 20, Kim Raffo, 35, and Tracy Ann Roberts, 23.
Because it is near the ocean, like Gilgo Beach, the location has prompted much speculation by amateur detectives about a single killer, but some other online sleuths have pointed out that oceanside areas are often the remotest locations after hours on the densely packed East Coast. Gilgo Beach is about 3.5 hours drive from Atlantic City.
Gone in New Jersey are the four small wooden crosses someone erected on the site, along with the folded-up paper note bearing a Biblical quote promising justice that someone left there on one of the anniversaries of the discovery of the bodies.
For families left behind, each new day without word in the case of their loved one brings fresh pain.
“I kind of lost hope that anyone was even searching for the killer anymore,” said Joyce Roberts, whose daughter Tracy Ann was one of the four Atlantic City-area victims. “The first six months, the prosecutor did get on the phone with me and told me they were working on it.
“Then it just fell off the radar,” she said. “It was like nobody cared anymore.”
That is a sentiment echoed by Phoenix Calida, a former sex worker from Chicago who now advocates for them through the Sex Workers Outreach Project.
“Police departments often refer to it as an ‘NHI’ case: No humans involved,” she said. ”You feel like the only way you’ll be remembered is when they catch the serial killer who killed you, and then they’ll make five movies about him and no one will remember your name.”
Massachusetts State Police are investigating “nine unsolved homicides possibly committed by the same person,” said David Procopio, a spokesperson for the agency. He said two additional missing persons cases may be homicides related to the other nine.
Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department, said the New Mexico cases remain actively investigated, with “multiple detectives” working them. The 11 victims were all involved in drugs and prostitution, police said.
A reward of $100,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case, which involved two victims who were just 15 years old.
Despite the decade-long efforts of a local, state and federal task force, Louisiana has at least eight unsolved apparent homicide cases involving sex workers between the ages of 17 and 30. Their bodies were found in marshy areas in Jennings, a small town in the area known as Cajun Country, between 2005 and 2009.
Prosecutors in New York’s Suffolk County investigating the Gilgo Beach cases have been in touch with multiple law enforcement agencies, but District Attorney Ray Tierney would not say which ones.
“Everything is being examined and looked at, and this is an active investigation,” said Anthony Carter, Suffolk County’s deputy police commissioner. He would not say if his agency was investigating any connection between Heuermann and the Atlantic City murders.
Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds said the four cases from the drainage ditch outside Atlantic City remain active, with detectives assigned to them, but would not say how many. He declined comment on the Long Island case “as we are not involved.”
Joyce Roberts, the victim’s mother, said no one from law enforcement has called her since the arrest was made in the Long Island cases.
Police in Las Vegas, where Heuermann owns a time share, said they are investigating whether Heuermann may be involved in cases involving the killings of sex workers there.
In the months immediately after the bodies’ discovery near Atlantic City, the local prosecutor’s office and a dozen other law enforcement agencies had 140 people assigned to the cases, Ted Housel, who was prosecutor at the time, said in 2008. By the first anniversary, the total had fallen to 85, and those investigators were also working other cases.
Calida, the former sex worker from Chicago, said women involved the sex trade are frequently robbed by people who know they’re carrying cash, and are sometimes coerced into sexual activity by police in return for not being arrested.
She said an attacker “knows you can’t or won’t report it. You’re an easy target and they know it.”
Three of her friends who were also sex workers in Chicago also turned up dead.
“You see someone, you become friends with them and then one day they’re suddenly just not there,” she said. “We’d all go out asking around and looking for them, and then a few days later a body would be found. There’s always this specific fear that it’s a serial killer. Sometimes we never even get a body back to bury. And we wonder: Will law enforcement take it seriously because it’s ‘just another sex worker?’”
___
AP writers Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque; Steve LeBlanc in Boston; Julie Walker and Robert Bumsted in Suffolk County, New York; Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this story.
Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-breakthrough-in-long-island-serial-killings-shines-light-on-the-many-unsolved-murders-of-sex-workers/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:23 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-breakthrough-in-long-island-serial-killings-shines-light-on-the-many-unsolved-murders-of-sex-workers/ |
MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE, Calif. (AP) — A massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve was spreading rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the southwest that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the vast wildland preserve crossed the state line into Nevada on Sunday and sent smoke further east into the Las Vegas Valley.
Wind-driven flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometers) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to an incident update. There was zero containment.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behavior,” the update said. No structures were threatened.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometers) in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the community of Aguanga that is home to horse ranches and wineries.
Gusty winds and the chance of thunderstorms into Monday will heighten the risk of renewed growth, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.
One firefighter was injured in the blaze, which was 5% contained. | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-erratic-winds-challenge-firefighters-battling-two-major-california-blazes/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:29 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-erratic-winds-challenge-firefighters-battling-two-major-california-blazes/ |
Man struck by multiple cars on Bellevue’s Main St.
BELLEVUE, Wis. (WBAY) - A man from the Bellevue area was struck and killed by multiple vehicles on Main Street outside the Green Bay city limits.
Deputies were called just before 1 a.m. Monday to the 3100-block of Main Street for a man in the road who might’ve been struck by a vehicle. Investigators determined he’d been struck by three different vehicles.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office says the victim was an 82-year-old man who lived nearby and walked away from the home. His name isn’t being made public at this time.
The first vehicle was identified and the driver was found, but the sheriff’s office is asking the public for help to identify the other two vehicles. The second was a light-colored SUV. Deputies don’t know the make or model. The third was a dark-colored pickup truck -- again, the make and model are unknown -- that was pulling a utility trailer without working lights. Both vehicles left the scene.
The scene is near a Pomp’s Tire warehouse and Ivy Trails garden center.
The sheriff’s office told Action 2 News the road was still closed at 5 o’clock Monday morning.
Copyright 2023 WBAY. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/man-struck-by-multiple-cars-bellevues-main-st/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:30 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/man-struck-by-multiple-cars-bellevues-main-st/ |
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — A “mass shooting” at a large party in Indiana early Sunday morning left one person dead, police said. A hospital said 19 people were being treated for injuries at its facility.
Muncie police responded to multiple reports of gunfire on the city’s east side just after 1 a.m., The Star Press reported. Police said in a news release that there was no active threat to the community and that “multiple” victims were injured, including some critically.
“Due to the number of victims and nature of the incident, multiple agencies were contacted to assist,” Muncie Deputy Police Chief Melissa Criswell said in a statement sent to The Star Press.
Many police officers from the nearby town of Eaton were among those who provided assistance, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page. Eaton Police Chief Jay Turner called the incident a “mass shooting.”
Police did not say how many people were injured, but officials at Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie told The Associated Press that 19 victims were treated in their emergency department for injuries related to the shooting, and 13 remained at the hospital in stabilized condition Sunday morning. Criswell said some victims sustained critical injuries and were transferred by medical helicopter to other facilities.
Delaware County Coroner Gavin Greene identified the man who died as 30-year-old Joseph E. Bonner III, The Star Press reported. | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-one-person-is-dead-and-multiple-were-wounded-in-indiana-shooting-police-say/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:35 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-one-person-is-dead-and-multiple-were-wounded-in-indiana-shooting-police-say/ |
Trump could be indicted soon in Georgia. Here’s a look at that investigation
ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia prosecutor is expected to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks in her investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis began investigating more than two years ago, shortly after a recording was released of a January 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia’s secretary of state.
Willis has strongly hinted that any indictment would come between July 31 and August 18. One of two grand juries seated July 11 is expected to hear the case.
If Trump is indicted by a Georgia grand jury, it would add to a growing list of legal troubles as he campaigns for president. Trump is set to go to trial in New York in March to face state charges related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. And he has another trial scheduled for May on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.
The Justice Department is also investigating Trump’s role in trying to halt the certification of 2020 election results in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump said he’s been told he’s a target of that investigation, which likely has some overlap with the one in Georgia.
Details of the Georgia investigation that have become public have fed speculation that Willis is building a case under the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which would allow her to charge numerous people in a potentially wide-ranging scheme.
Here are six investigative threads Willis and her team have explored:
THE PHONE CALLS
The Georgia investigation was prompted by the Jan. 2, 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Trump suggested the state’s top elections official could help “find” the votes needed to put him ahead of Democrat Joe Biden in the state.
“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” Trump is heard saying on a recording of the call, which was leaked to news outlets. “Because we won the state.”
Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong and has repeatedly said the call was “perfect.”
Trump also called other top state officials in his quest to overturn his 2020 election loss, including Gov. Brian Kemp, then-House Speaker David Ralston, Attorney General Chris Carr and the top investigator in the secretary of state’s office.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, also called Raffensperger shortly after the November election. Raffensperger said at the time that Graham asked whether he had the power to reject certain absentee ballots, which Raffensperger has said he interpreted as a suggestion to toss out legally cast votes.
Graham has denied wrongdoing, saying he just wanted to learn about the signature verification process.
FAKE ELECTORS
Biden won Georgia by a margin of fewer than 12,000 votes. Just over a month after the election, on Dec. 14, 2020, a group 16 Georgia Democratic electors met in the Senate chamber at the state Capitol to cast the state’s Electoral College votes for him. They each marked paper ballots that were counted and confirmed by a voice roll call.
That same day, in a committee meeting room at the Capitol, 16 prominent Georgia Republicans — a lawmaker, activists and party officials — met to sign a certificate falsely stating that Trump had won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. They sent that certificate to the National Archives and the U.S. Senate.
Georgia was one of seven battleground states that Trump lost where Republican fake electors signed and submitted similar certificates. Trump allies in the U.S. House and Senate used those certificates to argue for delaying or blocking the certification of the election during a joint session of Congress.
Prosecutors in Fulton County have said in court filings that they believe Trump associates worked with state Republicans to coordinate and execute the plan.
The multi-state effort was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite public pressure from Trump and his supporters, then-Vice President Mike Pence refused on Jan. 6, 2021, to introduce the unofficial pro-Trump electors. After the attack on the U.S. Capitol put a violent halt to the certification process, lawmakers certified Biden’s win in the early hours of Jan. 7, 2021.
At least eight of the fake electors have since reached immunity deals with Willis’ team. And a judge last summer barred Willis from prosecuting another one, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, because of a conflict of interest.
FALSE CLAIMS OF ELECTION FRAUD
Republican state lawmakers held several hearings at the Georgia Capitol in December 2020 to examine alleged problems with the November election. During those meetings, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies made unproven claims of widespread election fraud.
They alleged that election workers tallying absentee ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta had told outside observers to leave and then pulled out “suitcases” of unlawful ballots and began scanning them. The Trump allies played clips of surveillance video from the arena to support their allegations. State and federal officials investigated and said there was no evidence of election fraud at the site.
Some Trump allies also said thousands of people who were ineligible — including people convicted of felonies, people under the age of 18, people who had voted in another state — had cast votes in Georgia. The secretary of state’s office has debunked those claims.
ALLEGED ATTEMPTS TO PRESSURE ELECTION WORKER
Two of the election workers seen in the State Farm Arena surveillance video, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, said they faced relentless harassment online and in person as a result of the allegations made by Trump and his allies.
Giuliani last week conceded that statements he made about the two election workers were false.
In a bizarre episode detailed by prosecutors in court filings, a woman traveled from Chicago to Georgia and met with Freeman on Jan. 4, 2021. The woman initially said she wanted to help Freeman but then warned that Freeman could go to prison and tried to pressure her into falsely confessing to committing election fraud, prosecutors wrote in court filings last year.
ELECTION EQUIPMENT ACCESSED
Trump-allied lawyer Sidney Powell and others hired a computer forensics team to copy data and software on election equipment in Coffee County, some 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, according to invoices, emails, security video and deposition testimony produced in response to subpoenas in a long-running lawsuit.
The county Republican Party chair at the time — who also served as a fake elector — greeted them when they arrived at the local elections office on Jan. 7, 2021, and some county elections officials were also on hand during the daylong visit. The secretary of state’s office has said this amounted to “alleged unauthorized access” of election equipment and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into it at the secretary of state’s request.
Two other men who have been active in efforts to question the 2020 election results also visited Coffee County later that month and spent hours inside.
U.S. ATTORNEY RESIGNATION
U.S. Attorney BJay Pak, the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta, abruptly resigned two days after Trump called Raffensperger and a day after a recording of that call was made public. During that conversation, Trump called Pak a “never-Trumper,” implying that he didn’t support the president.
In December 2020, then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr asked Pak to investigate allegations by Giuliani and other Trump allies of widespread election fraud. Pak, who had been appointed by Trump in 2017, reported back that he had found no evidence of such fraud.
In August 2021, Pak told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which was investigating Trump’s post-election actions, that he resigned on Jan. 4, 2021, after learning from Department of Justice officials that Trump did not believe enough was being done to investigate allegations of election fraud and wanted him gone as U.S. attorney.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/trump-could-be-indicted-soon-georgia-heres-look-that-investigation/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:36 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/trump-could-be-indicted-soon-georgia-heres-look-that-investigation/ |
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Voting rights activists are returning to court to fight Alabama’s redrawn congressional districts, saying state Republicans failed to follow federal court orders to create a district that is fair to Black voters.
Plaintiffs in the high-profile redistricting case filed a written objection Friday to oppose Alabama’s new redistricting plan. They accused state Republicans of flouting a judicial mandate to create a second majority-Black district or “something quite close to it” and enacting a map that continues to discriminate against Black voters in the state.
A special three-judge panel in 2022 blocked use of the the state’s existing districts and said any new congressional map should include two districts where “Black voters either comprise a voting-age majority” or something close. That panel’s decision was appealed by the state but upheld in June in a surprise ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which concurred that having only one Black-majority district out of seven — in a state where more than one in four residents is Black — likely violated federal law.
The plaintiffs in the case, represented by the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and other groups, asked the three-judge panel to step in and draw new lines for the state.
“Alabama’s new congressional map ignores this court’s preliminary injunction order and instead perpetuates the Voting Rights Act violation that was the very reason that the Legislature redrew the map,” lawyers representing the plaintiffs in the case wrote.
The new map enacted by the Republican-controlled Alabama Legislature maintained one-majority Black district but boosted the percentage of Black voters in the majority-white 2nd Congressional District, now represented by Republican Rep. Barry Moore, from about 30% to 39.9%
Lawyers representing plaintiffs in the case wrote Friday that the revamped district “does not provide Black voters a realistic opportunity to elect their preferred candidates in any but the most extreme situations.” They accused state Republicans of ignoring the courts’ directive to prioritize a district that would stay under GOP control “pleasing national leaders whose objective is to maintain the Republican Party’s slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
Alabama has maintained the new plan complies with the Voting Rights Act, and state leaders are wagering that the panel will accept their proposal or that the state will prevail in a second round of appeals to the Supreme Court. Republicans argued that the map meets the court’s directive and draws compact districts that comply with redistricting guidelines.
The state must file its defense of the map by Aug. 4. The three judges have scheduled an Aug. 14 hearing in the case as the fight over the map shifts back to federal court.
The outcome could have consequences across the country as the case again weighs the requirements of the Voting Rights Act in redistricting. It could also impact the partisan leanings of one Alabama congressional district in the 2024 elections with control of the U.S House of Representatives at stake.
Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said in a statement that Alabama’s new map is a “brazen defiance” of the courts.
“The result is a shameful display that would have made George Wallace—another Alabama governor who defied the courts—proud,” Holder said in a statement. | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-plaintiffs-in-voting-rights-case-urge-judges-to-toss-alabamas-new-congressional-map/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:41 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-plaintiffs-in-voting-rights-case-urge-judges-to-toss-alabamas-new-congressional-map/ |
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.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:42 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ |
DENVER (AP) — As Denver neared triple-digit temperatures, Ben Gallegos sat shirtless on his porch swatting flies off his legs and spritzing himself with a misting fan to try to get through the heat. Gallegos, like many in the nation’s poorest neighborhoods, doesn’t have air conditioning.
The 68-year-old covers his windows with mattress foam to insulate against the heat and sleeps in the concrete basement. He knows high temperatures can cause heat stroke and death, and his lung condition makes him more susceptible. But the retired brick layer, who survives on about $1,000 a month largely from Social Security, says air conditioning is out of reach.
“Take me about 12 years to save up for something like that,” he said. “If it’s hard to breathe, I’ll get down to emergency.”
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 (43 Celsius) Wednesday, the nine 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. metros.
“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 nonprofit in Kansas City, Kansas, as temperatures soared to 101, and high humidity made it feel like 109. When the central air conditioning at her rental house went on the fritz, 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. She’s taken the bus to the library to cool off. 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.
While frigid temperatures and high heating bills birthed the term “heat or eat,” she said, “we can now transition to AC or eat, where people are going to have to make difficult decisions.”
As temperatures rise, so does the cost of cooling. And temperatures are already hotter in America’s low-income neighborhoods like Gallegos’ Denver suburb of Globeville, where people live along stretches of asphalt and concrete that hold heat like a cast-iron skillet. Surface temperatures there can be roughly 8 degrees hotter than in Denver’s wealthier neighborhoods, where a sea of vegetation cools the area, according to the environmental advocacy group American Forests.
This disparity plays out nationwide. 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.
About one in 10 U.S. households have no air conditioning, a disparity compounded for marginalized groups, according to a study by the Brookings Institution. Less than 4% of Detroit’s white households don’t have air conditioning; it’s 15% for Black households.
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 pours water on her head, freezes towels to put around her neck, and sits in her car with the air conditioner on. “Some people here spend every dollar for food, so air conditioning is something they can’t afford,” she said.
Shannon Lewis, 38, lived in her Detroit home for nearly 20 years without air conditioning. Lewis’s bedroom was the only place with a window unit, so she’d squeeze her teenager, 8-year-old and 3-year-old-twins into her queen-size bed to sleep, eat meals and watch television.
“So it was like cool in one room and a heat stroke in another,” Lewis said. For the first time, Lewis now has air conditioning through a local non-profit, she said. “We don’t have to sleep or eat in the same room, we are able to come out, sit at the dining room table, eat like a family.”
After at least 54 died during a 2021 heat wave, mostly elderly people without air conditioning, in the Portland area, Oregon passed a law prohibiting landlords from placing blanket bans on air conditioning units. By and large, however, states don’t have laws requiring landlords to provide cooling.
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. For people like Gallegos, who doesn’t pay taxes, the available credits are worthless.
The law also offers rebates, 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 bought thermal curtains, ceiling fans and runs a window unit. At night she tries to do skin-to-skin touch to regulate the baby’s body temperature. When the back door opens in the afternoon, she said, the indoor temperature jumps a degree.
“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.
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.
“I’m finding that you have to afford the project in the first place and then it’s like having a bonus coupon to take $5,000 off of the sticker price,” she said.
Lucy Molina, a single mom in Commerce City, one of Denver’s poorest areas, said her home has reached 107 degrees without air conditioning. Nearby, Molina’s two teenage children slurped popsicles to cool off, lingering in front of the open freezer.
For Molina, who bustled around her kitchen on a recent day when temperatures reached 99 degrees outdoors, it’s hard to see any path to a cooling respite.
“We’re just too poor,” she said.
____
Associated Press writers Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Kansas, and Corey Williams in Detroit contributed to this report.
——
Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-record-heat-waves-illuminate-plight-of-poorest-americans-who-suffer-without-air-conditioning/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:47 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-record-heat-waves-illuminate-plight-of-poorest-americans-who-suffer-without-air-conditioning/ |
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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A woman from New Hampshire who works for a nonprofit organization in Haiti and her young daughter have been reported as kidnapped as the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel advisory” in the country and ordered nonemergency personnel to leave there amid growing security concerns.
Alix Dorsainvil, a nurse for El Roi Haiti, and her daughter were kidnapped on Thursday, the organization said in a statement Saturday. El Roi, which runs a school and ministry in Port au Prince, said the two were taken from campus. Dorsainvil is the wife of the program’s director, Sandro Dorsainvil.
“Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family,” El Roi president and co-founder Jason Brown said in the statement. “Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus.”
A State Department spokesperson said in a statement Saturday is it “aware of reports of the kidnapping of two U.S. citizens in Haiti,” adding, “We are in regular contact with Haitian authorities and will continue to work with them and our U.S. government interagency partners.”
In its advisory Thursday, the department said that “kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens.”
It said kidnappings often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed.
Earlier this month, the National Human Rights Defense Network issued a report warning about an upsurge in killings and kidnappings and the U.N. Security Council met to discuss Haiti’s worsening situation.
WMUR-TV reported that Dorsainvil is from Middleton, New Hampshire, and went to Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, which has a program to support nursing education in Haiti.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Alex chose to get involved in this type of service work,” Regis College president Toni Hays told the station. “She was amazing. She was passionate, she was compassionate.” | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-us-mother-daughter-reported-kidnapped-in-haiti-people-warned-not-to-travel-there/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:53 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-us-mother-daughter-reported-kidnapped-in-haiti-people-warned-not-to-travel-there/ |
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.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:55 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ |
At 24, Alberto Rodriguez has grandparents younger than Joe Biden. But he’s more interested in the 80-year-old president’s accomplishments than his age.
“People as young as me, we’re all focusing on our day-to-day lives and he has done things to help us through that,” Rodriguez, a cook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, said of Biden’s support among young voters. Rodriguez pointed specifically to federal COVID-19 relief payments and government spending increases on infrastructure and other social programs.
Voters like him were a key piece of Biden’s winning 2020 coalition, which included majorities of young people as well as college graduates, women, urban and suburban voters and Black Americans. Maintaining their support will be critical in closely contested states such as Nevada, where even small declines could prove consequential to Biden’s reelection bid.
His 2024 campaign plans to emphasize messages that could especially resonate with young people in the coming weeks as the anniversary of the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act approaches in mid-August. That legislation includes provisions that the White House will embrace to argue that Biden has done more than any other president to combat climate change.
Such efforts, however, could collide with Biden’s personal reality — like when he recalled that, while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade at age 14, he appeared in a photo with President Harry S. Truman.
“Purely by accident — I assume it was an accident — the photographer from the newspaper got a picture of me making eye contact with Harry Truman,” Biden said to chuckles last week at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium in Washington.
In 2020, 61% of voters under age 30 — and 55% of those between 30 and 44 — supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate.
It’s an age group with which Republicans hope to make inroads. Former President Donald Trump, who is the early front-runner in the GOP presidential primary and is only 3 1/2 years younger than Biden, said Friday, “We are hitting the young person’s market like nobody’s ever seen before.”
Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, referred to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement in arguing that “young people are acutely impacted by the issues front and center in this election, driven by the extreme MAGA agenda.” He said that included inaction on climate change, gun violence and student debt.
“We will meet younger Americans where they are and turn their energy into action,” Munoz said in a statement.
That might not defuse questions about age, though, when it comes to Biden or Trump.
“There’s a frustration and exhaustion that they feel with the rematch,” Terrance Woodbury, co-founder & CEO of the Democratic polling firm HIT Strategies, said of young voters.
“That’s more of a problem than either of those two candidates individually, is that a system can just keep reproducing,” Woodbury added. “And I think a lot of people just find that untenable.”
An April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 25% of Democrats under 45 said they would definitely support Biden in a general election, compared with 56% of older Democrats. A majority of Democrats across age groups said they would probably support him as the party’s nominee, however.
Biden’s campaign is relying heavily on the Democratic National Committee, which during last year’s midterms, hired campus organizers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and other battleground states and offered weekly youth coordinating meetings to encourage in-class contacts and “dormstorms.” The DNC sees young people as some of the most critical voters it will need to reach in 2024 and promises “significant investments” to mobilize them. Plans are underway to expand on its work last cycle, including trainings it held on how best to turn out voters.
The Republican National Committee is trying to use Biden’s age against him, posting online videos of Biden seeming frail or making verbal gaffes, such as when he declared in June “God save the queen,” nearly nine months after the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Rodriguez shrugged off online attacks, “People can make all the hit pieces and memes and TikToks all they want.”
A starker contrast might be between the president and rising Democrats such as 46-year-old California Rep. Ro Khanna and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 41, one of Biden’s primary rivals in 2020. Neither seriously entertained running for the White House in 2024 and have backed Biden’s reelection.
“The only thing that really matters is your ability to do the job,” Buttigieg, who was 37 when he launched his 2020 presidential bid, said recently on CNN. Khanna told Fox News Channel that age will “obviously” be a 2024 factor, but suggested that Biden’s staff “overprotects” him and “the more he’s out there, the better.”
Other top young Democrats have lined up to back Biden. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was elected to Congress last year at 26, is on the Biden campaign’s advisory board, as is Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 44. New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, 33, recently endorsed Biden.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive who says strong turnout among young voters helped him win a runoff election this spring, said Biden’s policies transcend his age. Johnson noted that the president’s work “around climate justice speaks not just to this generation, but generations to come.”
“The excitement that I believe that we’re going to have is going to speak to the incredible work and organizing that we are committed to doing as a party,” said Johnson, 47. “And we’re looking forward to working with the president over the course of his next four years.”
Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, acknowledged that even the president’s supporters understand how demanding the White House can be.
“People worry about Joe Biden. They worry like you would worry about a beloved father or grandfather,” said Weingarten, 65. “What you normally hear from Democrats is this sense of, ‘OK, I just want him to be OK.’ And you’re hearing just the consternation of, ’This is a hard job.’”
Biden said he “took a hard look” at his age while deciding to seek a second term. But he’s also tried to suggest his age and experience are assets rather than liabilities by joking repeatedly about them. That’s a departure from 2020, when Biden called himself a “transition candidate” and pledged to be a “bridge” to younger Democrats.
Santiago Mayer, the founder of Voters of Tomorrow, which has 20-plus chapters nationwide and works to increase political engagement among young voters, argues that Biden is not defying his past promise by running for reelection, but keeping it.
“He just needs more time,” said Mayer, who graduated from California State University at Long Beach in May. “I think the second term is a very important part of that pledge. He’s building a progressive future for young people and he can’t actually pass the baton until that’s done.”
One key policy piece of Biden’s efforts to appeal to young voters, providing student debt relief, was recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The White House has launched a new effort, but it will take longer.
“Of course it’s going to dampen some of that because people are disappointed,” Weingarten said of the ruling’s effect on enthusiasm for Biden. But she said the decision could also motivate young Biden supporters anxious show their support for the president’s alternative plan.
“It is also about the fight,” Weingarten said “not just about the results.”
___
AP polling director Emily Swanson in Washington contributed to this report. | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-joe-biden-americas-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-to-win-again-will-his-age-matter/ | 2023-07-31T10:58:59 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-joe-biden-americas-oldest-sitting-president-needs-young-voters-to-win-again-will-his-age-matter/ |
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.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:02 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ |
MIAMI (AP) — An employee of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Carlos De Oliveira, is expected to make his first court appearance Monday on charges accusing him of scheming with the former president to hide security footage from investigators probing Trump’s hoarding of classified documents.
De Oliveira, Mar-a-Lago’s property manager, was added last week to the indictment with Trump and the former president’s valet, Walt Nauta, in the federal case alleging a plot to illegally keep top-secret records at Trump’s Florida estate and thwart government efforts to retrieve them.
De Oliveira faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators. He’s scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in Miami nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
The developments in the classified documents case come as Trump braces for possible charges in another federal investigation into his efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election. Trump has received a letter from Smith indicating that he is a target of that investigation, and Trump’s lawyers met with Smith’s team last week.
An attorney for De Oliveira declined last week to comment on the allegations. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and said the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform last week that he was told the tapes were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
Prosecutors have not alleged that security footage was actually deleted or kept from investigators.
Nauta has also pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta to begin in May, and it’s unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira to the case may impact the case’s timeline.
The latest indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that Trump tried to have security footage deleted after investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents Trump took with him after he left the White House.
Trump was already facing dozens of felony counts — including willful retention of notional defense information — stemming from allegations that he mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. Experts have said the new allegations bolster the special counsel’s case and deepen the former president’s legal jeopardy.
Video from Mar-a-Lago would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in effort to hide records not only only from investigators but Trump’s own lawyers.
Days after the Justice Department sent a subpoena for video footage at Mar-a-Lago to the Trump Organization in June 2022, prosecutors say De Oliveira asked a information technology staffer how long the server retained footage and told the employee “the boss” wanted it deleted. When the employee said he didn’t believe he was able to do that, De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, asking, “What are we going to do?”
Shortly after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and found classified records in the storage room and Trump’s office, prosecutors say Nauta called a Trump employee and said words to the effect of, “someone just wants to make sure Carlos is good.” The indictment says the employee responded that De Oliveira was loyal and wouldn’t do anything to affect his relationship with Trump. That same day, the indictment alleges, Trump called De Oliveira directly to say that he would get De Oliveira an attorney.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira later lied in interviews with investigators, falsely claiming that he hadn’t even seen boxes moved into Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
____
Richer reported from Boston. | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-to-make-first-court-appearance/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:05 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-to-make-first-court-appearance/ |
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.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:09 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia prosecutor is expected to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks in her investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis began investigating more than two years ago, shortly after a recording was released of a January 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia’s secretary of state.
Willis has strongly hinted that any indictment would come between July 31 and August 18. One of two grand juries seated July 11 is expected to hear the case.
If Trump is indicted by a Georgia grand jury, it would add to a growing list of legal troubles as he campaigns for president. Trump is set to go to trial in New York in March to face state charges related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. And he has another trial scheduled for May on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.
The Justice Department is also investigating Trump’s role in trying to halt the certification of 2020 election results in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump said he’s been told he’s a target of that investigation, which likely has some overlap with the one in Georgia.
Details of the Georgia investigation that have become public have fed speculation that Willis is building a case under the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which would allow her to charge numerous people in a potentially wide-ranging scheme.
Here are six investigative threads Willis and her team have explored:
The Georgia investigation was prompted by the Jan. 2, 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Trump suggested the state’s top elections official could help “find” the votes needed to put him ahead of Democrat Joe Biden in the state.
“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” Trump is heard saying on a recording of the call, which was leaked to news outlets. “Because we won the state.”
Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong and has repeatedly said the call was “perfect.”
Trump also called other top state officials in his quest to overturn his 2020 election loss, including Gov. Brian Kemp, then-House Speaker David Ralston, Attorney General Chris Carr and the top investigator in the secretary of state’s office.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, also called Raffensperger shortly after the November election. Raffensperger said at the time that Graham asked whether he had the power to reject certain absentee ballots, which Raffensperger has said he interpreted as a suggestion to toss out legally cast votes.
Graham has denied wrongdoing, saying he just wanted to learn about the signature verification process.
Biden won Georgia by a margin of fewer than 12,000 votes. Just over a month after the election, on Dec. 14, 2020, a group 16 Georgia Democratic electors met in the Senate chamber at the state Capitol to cast the state’s Electoral College votes for him. They each marked paper ballots that were counted and confirmed by a voice roll call.
That same day, in a committee meeting room at the Capitol, 16 prominent Georgia Republicans — a lawmaker, activists and party officials — met to sign a certificate falsely stating that Trump had won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. They sent that certificate to the National Archives and the U.S. Senate.
Georgia was one of seven battleground states that Trump lost where Republican fake electors signed and submitted similar certificates. Trump allies in the U.S. House and Senate used those certificates to argue for delaying or blocking the certification of the election during a joint session of Congress.
Prosecutors in Fulton County have said in court filings that they believe Trump associates worked with state Republicans to coordinate and execute the plan.
The multi-state effort was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite public pressure from Trump and his supporters, then-Vice President Mike Pence refused on Jan. 6, 2021, to introduce the unofficial pro-Trump electors. After the attack on the U.S. Capitol put a violent halt to the certification process, lawmakers certified Biden’s win in the early hours of Jan. 7, 2021.
At least eight of the fake electors have since reached immunity deals with Willis’ team. And a judge last summer barred Willis from prosecuting another one, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, because of a conflict of interest.
Republican state lawmakers held several hearings at the Georgia Capitol in December 2020 to examine alleged problems with the November election. During those meetings, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies made unproven claims of widespread election fraud.
They alleged that election workers tallying absentee ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta had told outside observers to leave and then pulled out “suitcases” of unlawful ballots and began scanning them. The Trump allies played clips of surveillance video from the arena to support their allegations. State and federal officials investigated and said there was no evidence of election fraud at the site.
Some Trump allies also said thousands of people who were ineligible — including people convicted of felonies, people under the age of 18, people who had voted in another state — had cast votes in Georgia. The secretary of state’s office has debunked those claims.
Two of the election workers seen in the State Farm Arena surveillance video, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, said they faced relentless harassment online and in person as a result of the allegations made by Trump and his allies.
Giuliani last week conceded that statements he made about the two election workers were false.
In a bizarre episode detailed by prosecutors in court filings, a woman traveled from Chicago to Georgia and met with Freeman on Jan. 4, 2021. The woman initially said she wanted to help Freeman but then warned that Freeman could go to prison and tried to pressure her into falsely confessing to committing election fraud, prosecutors wrote in court filings last year.
Trump-allied lawyer Sidney Powell and others hired a computer forensics team to copy data and software on election equipment in Coffee County, some 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, according to invoices, emails, security video and deposition testimony produced in response to subpoenas in a long-running lawsuit.
The county Republican Party chair at the time — who also served as a fake elector — greeted them when they arrived at the local elections office on Jan. 7, 2021, and some county elections officials were also on hand during the daylong visit. The secretary of state’s office has said this amounted to “alleged unauthorized access” of election equipment and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into it at the secretary of state’s request.
Two other men who have been active in efforts to question the 2020 election results also visited Coffee County later that month and spent hours inside.
U.S. Attorney BJay Pak, the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta, abruptly resigned two days after Trump called Raffensperger and a day after a recording of that call was made public. During that conversation, Trump called Pak a “never-Trumper,” implying that he didn’t support the president.
In December 2020, then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr asked Pak to investigate allegations by Giuliani and other Trump allies of widespread election fraud. Pak, who had been appointed by Trump in 2017, reported back that he had found no evidence of such fraud.
In August 2021, Pak told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which was investigating Trump’s post-election actions, that he resigned on Jan. 4, 2021, after learning from Department of Justice officials that Trump did not believe enough was being done to investigate allegations of election fraud and wanted him gone as U.S. attorney. | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-trump-could-be-indicted-soon-in-georgia-heres-a-look-at-that-investigation/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:11 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-trump-could-be-indicted-soon-in-georgia-heres-a-look-at-that-investigation/ |
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.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:16 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — With less than a month to go until the first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, seven candidates say they have met qualifications for a spot on stage in Milwaukee.
But that also means that about half the broad GOP field is running short on time to make the cut.
To qualify for the Aug. 23 debate, candidates needed to satisfy polling and donor requirements set by the Republican National Committee: at least 1% in three high-quality national polls or a mix of national and early-state polls, between July 1 and Aug. 21, and a minimum of 40,000 donors, with 200 in 20 or more states.
A look at who’s in, who’s (maybe) out and who’s still working on making it:
DONALD TRUMP
The current front-runner long ago satisfied the polling and donor thresholds. But he is considering boycotting and holding a competing event.
Campaign advisers have said the former president has not made a final decision about the debate. One noted that “it’s pretty clear,” based on Trump’s public and private statements, that he is unlikely to appear with the other candidates.
“If you’re leading by a lot, what’s the purpose of doing it?” Trump asked on Newsmax.
In the meantime, aides have discussed potential alternative programming if Trump opts for a rival event. One option Trump has floated is an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who now has a program on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.
RON DESANTIS
The Florida governor has long been seen as Trump’s top rival, finishing a distant second to him in a series of polls in early-voting states, as well as national polls, and raising an impressive amount of money.
But DeSantis’ campaign has struggled in recent weeks to live up to the sky-high expectations that awaited him when he entered the race. He let go of more than one-third of his staff as federal filings showed his campaign was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate.
If Trump is absent, DeSantis may be the top target on stage at the debate.
TIM SCOTT
The South Carolina senator has been looking for a breakout moment. The first debate could be his chance.
A prolific fundraiser, Scott enters the summer with $21 million cash on hand.
In one debate-approved poll in Iowa, Scott joined Trump and DeSantis in reaching double digits. The senator has focused much of his campaign resources on the leadoff GOP voting state, which is dominated by white evangelical voters.
NIKKI HALEY
She has blitzed early-voting states with campaign events, walking crowds through her electoral successes ousting a longtime incumbent South Carolina lawmaker, then becoming the state’s first woman and first minority governor. Also serving as Trump’s U.N. ambassador for about two years, Haley frequently cites her international experience, arguing about the threat China poses to the United States.
The only woman in the GOP race, Haley has said transgender students competing in sports is “the women’s issue of our time” and has drawn praise from a leading anti-abortion group, which called her “uniquely gifted at communicating from a pro-life woman’s perspective.”
Bringing in $15.6 million since the start of her campaign, Haley’s campaign says she has “well over 40,000 unique donors” and has satisfied the debate polling requirements.
VIVEK RAMASWAMY
The biotech entrepreneur and author of “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam” is an audience favorite at multicandidate events and has polled well despite not being nationally known when he entered the race.
Ramaswamy’s campaign says he met the donor threshold earlier this year. He recently rolled out “Vivek’s Kitchen Cabinet” to boost his donor numbers even more, by letting fundraisers keep 10% of what they bring in for his campaign.
CHRIS CHRISTIE
The former New Jersey governor opened his campaign by portraying himself as the only candidate ready to take on Trump. Christie called on the former president to “show up at the debates and defend his record.”
Christie will be on that stage, even if Trump isn’t, telling CNN this month that he surpassed “40,000 unique donors in just 35 days.” He also has met the polling requirements.
DOUG BURGUM
Burgum, a wealthy former software entrepreneur now in his second term as North Dakota’s governor, has been using his fortune to boost his campaign.
He announced a program this month to give away $20 gift cards — “Biden Relief Cards,” as a critique of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy — to as many as 50,000 people in exchange for $1 donations. Critics have questioned whether the offer violated campaign finance law.
Within about a week of launching that effort, Burgum announced he had surpassed the donor threshold. Ad blitzes in the early-voting states also helped him meet the polling requirements.
MIKE PENCE
Trump’s vice president has met the polling threshold but has yet to amass a sufficient number of donors, raising the possibility that he might not qualify for the party’s first debate.
Pence and his advisers have expressed confidence he will do so, noting that most other Republican hopefuls took a month or two of being active candidates to meet the mark. Pence entered the race on June 7, the same day as Burgum and one day after Christie.
“We’re making incredible progress toward that goal. We’re not there yet,” Pence told CNN in a recent interview. “We will make it. I will see you at that debate stage.”
ASA HUTCHINSON
According to his campaign, the former two-term Arkansas governor has met the polling requirements but is working on satisfying the donor threshold. As of Wednesday, Hutchinson marked more than 11,000 unique donors.
Hutchinson is running in the mold of an old-school Republican and has differentiated himself from many of his GOP rivals in his willingness to criticize Trump. He has posted pleas on Twitter for $1 donations to help secure his slot.
FRANCIS SUAREZ
The Miami mayor has been one of the more creative candidates in his efforts to boost his donor numbers. He offered up a chance to see Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi’s debut as a player for Inter Miami, saying donors who gave $1 would be entered in a chance to get front-row tickets.
Still shy of the donor threshold, he took a page from Burgum’s playbook by offering a $20 “Bidenomics Relief Card” in return for $1 donations. A super political action committee supporting Suarez launched a sweepstakes for a chance at up to $15,000 in tuition, in exchange for a $1 donation to Suarez’s campaign.
Suarez’s campaign did not return a message seeking details on his number of donors or qualifying polls.
LARRY ELDER
The conservative radio host wrote in an op-ed that the RNC “has rigged the rules of the game by instituting a set of criteria that is so onerous and poorly designed that only establishment-backed and billionaire candidates are guaranteed to be on stage.”
His campaign last week declined to detail its number of donors, saying only that there had been “a strong increase the last few weeks.” He has not met the polling requirements.
PERRY JOHNSON
Johnson, a wealthy but largely unknown businessman from Michigan, said in a recent social media post that he had notched 23,000 donors and was “confident” he would make the debate stage. He added that all donors were “eligible to attend my free concert in Iowa featuring” country duo Big & Rich next month.
Johnson, who has reached 1% in one qualifying poll, has also offered to give copies of his book “Two Cents to Save America” to anyone who donated to his campaign.
WILL HURD
The former Texas congressman — the last candidate to enter the race, on June 22 — has said repeatedly that he would not pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee, a stance that would keep him off the stage even if he had the qualifying donor and polling numbers.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-whos-in-whos-out-a-look-at-which-candidates-have-qualified-for-the-1st-gop-presidential-debate/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:17 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-whos-in-whos-out-a-look-at-which-candidates-have-qualified-for-the-1st-gop-presidential-debate/ |
Rare Beauty products by Selena Gomez are going viral
Since its debut in 2019, Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty company has taken the makeup industry by storm, mostly by dominating social media. The brand offers tinted moisturizer, bronzer, highlighter, setting powder, blush and other facial products; eye makeup such as eyeshadow, mascara and eyebrow pencils; products to enhance the lips, including lipstick, lip liner, lip oil and more. We researched the trendiest, most popular products from this celebrity-owned beauty brand worth adding to your makeup routine.
Shop this article: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer, and Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
About Rare Beauty
Selena Gomez’s vision for Rare Beauty breaks down unrealistic standards of perfection in the makeup industry. The brand’s mission is to help wearers celebrate the rarity that is their individuality, the main objective being “to create a safe, welcoming space in beauty — and beyond — that supports mental well-being across age, gender identity, sexual orientation, rare, cultural background, physical or mental ability and perspective,” according to the Rare Beauty site.
Rare Beauty products are cruelty-free, meaning they were developed without experimentation on animals. Depending on the product type, they’re also ophthalmologist- and/or dermatologist-tested. Many of the products have noncomedogenic ingredients that won’t clog or block pores, and there are various options for sensitive skin. Rare Beauty has a selection of vegan products, as well. They’re a skin-friendly, self-aware brand that wants to make the world a better place.
Top Rare Beauty products, according to customers
Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick
This buttery matte lipstick comes in 10 pigment-rich shades ranging from natural to bold. Suitable for sensitive skin, the creamy formula lasts all day while keeping lips soft and moisturized throughout wear.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lip Liner
This creamy, waterproof lip liner defines and shapes the lips while staying put all day — it’s perfect for outlining the lips or coloring them in. The lightweight formula keeps the lips feeling soft and won’t smudge. It features a built-in sharpener and comes in the same 10 shades as the Kind Words Matte Lipstick for effortless color matching.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
This lush liquid blush is Rare Beauty’s top-seller, having received Allure’s Best of Beauty award in 2022. The lightweight, buildable formula gives you a soft flush of color with long-lasting pigments for all-day wear. It’s suitable for sensitive skin and has 13 beautiful matte and dewy finishes.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer
This medium-coverage concealer hides blemishes, dark circles, redness and fine lines while evening out skin texture. It’s made with botanical ingredients that soothe and nourish the skin. The creamy formula is lightweight, buildable and sweat-resistant, with 48 shades to match virtually every skin tone.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation
This liquid foundation feels like a serum with a layerable, medium-coverage formula and a blend of botanical ingredients that soothe and nourish the skin. It’s best used with normal and combination skin types, available in 48 shades that accommodate nearly every skin tone.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer
This silky liquid highlighter feels like a second skin, creating a dewy, healthy-looking glow with superfine, light-catching pearls. Botanical ingredients have a soothing and nourishing effect on the skin. It layers well over makeup and provides all-day coverage with seven luminous shades.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick
This cream bronzer gives you a sun-kissed glow and adds gentle warmth to the skin with its natural finish. The formula is buildable, water-resistant and won’t clog your pores. It features Rare Beauty’s signature botanical ingredients for a calming and hydrating effect on the skin. The brand sells seven natural-looking shades, and the stick application makes it easy to use.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Always an Optimist Soft Radiance Setting Powder
This loose setting powder smooths skin texture, blurring the look of pores and controlling shine for a radiant yet natural finish. It helps makeup stay in place all day and is especially useful for those who struggle with oily skin. The container has a locking sifter for keeping the application process and storage mess-free. This setting powder comes in five sheer shades.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
This volumizing mascara was created for all lash types, featuring castor oil that conditions and nourishes your lashes. The unique curvy brush design combines long bristles that add length and short bristles for increasing volume. It’s an ultra-black, buildable, water-resistant formula that performs well all day. This mascara is safe for those with sensitive eyes and contact lenses.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener
If you struggle with dark circles or discoloration under the eyes, this liquid brightener will visibly brighten and smooth out the under-eye area for a refreshed look. The lightweight formula is enriched by hydrating white peony and vitamin E extracts. It’s easy to blend and layer using your fingertip, with six shades covering various skin tones.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer
This tinted moisturizer blurs and evens skin tone while minimizing the look of pores and fine lines. It offers glowy, light to medium coverage, with a hydrating formula containing vitamin E and SPF 20 broad-spectrum sunscreen. The long-lasting moisturizer is nongreasy and comes in 24 flexible shades.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Always an Optimist 4-In-1 Mist
This unique facial mist contains a layer of water-based active ingredients and another with nourishing oils that work together to hydrate, prime and set the skin. The refreshing mist boosts the foundation’s performance, and the natural, radiant finish won’t feel greasy. Suitable for sensitive skin, this versatile product comes in 0.12- and 2.87-fluid-ounce bottles.
Sold by Sephora
Worth checking out
- With a glossy finish and gentle plumping effect on the lips, the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil is a beauty-lover favorite.
- If you prefer using a powder highlighter, the Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter is an excellent option for a soft, natural-looking glow.
- The award-winning Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush offers a natural satin finish with a subtle blurring effect.
- The Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Eyeliner is a waterproof product that will stay in place — even on the waterline — with a built-in sharpener for precise application.
- The waterproof Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Precision Pencil is another stellar pick among fans for fuller-looking, more defined brows.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/makeup-palettes-sets-br/these-are-the-most-popular-rare-beauty-products/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:17 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/makeup-palettes-sets-br/these-are-the-most-popular-rare-beauty-products/ |
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.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:22 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ |
Bouldering equipment for beginners
Bouldering is gaining in popularity throughout the world. It’s an exciting and rewarding way to strengthen your muscles, increase flexibility and improve coordination. It lets you explore new locations and meet new people. Though it may seem intimidating when starting out, one of the best aspects of bouldering is the minimal equipment required. By investing in a few core pieces of climbing gear, you can tackle your next adventure and work your way up a challenging route.
Shop this article: La Sportiva Men’s TarantuLace Climbing Shoe, Black Diamond Circuit Crash Pad and Sukoa Chalk Bag
Bouldering vs. rope climbing: what’s the difference?
There are a few main differences between bouldering and traditional rock climbing. Most importantly, bouldering doesn’t require the use of any ropes since most routes are less than 15 feet in height. If you do happen to fall, you land on either a cushioned gym floor or a crash pad in outdoor situations. Traditional climbing requires the use of ropes, a harness, carabiners and often a partner to help belay while you make your ascent.
Bouldering also often uses different techniques and climbing moves compared to big wall climbs. It can be a great way for beginner climbers to build up their stamina and endurance before attempting longer routes or “boulder problems.”
Bouldering tips to get started
Here are five tips for bouldering.
- Know the scales: Most bouldering routes have a rating that corresponds to their difficulty. The two most common grading scales are V-scale and Font scale. V-scale is the system most commonly used in the United States and grades the difficulty on a scale of V0 to V16. While V0 is usually considered the easiest, you may sometimes encounter a route rated as VB, meaning it is for beginners.
- Start slow: As with most new sports or athletic activities, it’s always a good idea to start off slow and work your way up as you gain strength and experience. While it may seem tempting to tackle a hard boulder problem right out of the gate, overdoing it can lead to an increased risk of injury.
- It’s fine to fall: Always take all safety precautions seriously and always use proper safety gear, such as a crash pad when bouldering outdoors. However, the occasional fall while attempting a climb is only natural. As long as you have the proper safety equipment, each fall can be a learning experience, helping you improve your climbing abilities.
- Practice different moves: Don’t get stuck climbing in one style. Trying out different moves and varying your grip can help improve your skills. This is especially important for beginners starting out in a gym setting before transitioning to outdoor climbs.
- Legs are important: It may seem like bouldering is all about arm strength for beginners, but that isn’t the case. Your legs and core muscles are equally important. Your legs can help tightly grip footholds and push your body upwards without relying solely on arm strength.
Beginner bouldering gear
The three main pieces of gear you need to start bouldering are climbing shoes, a crash pad and a chalk bag to keep your hands dry. Besides the big three, there are several accessories that can improve your bouldering experience.
Best climbing shoes
La Sportiva Men’s TarantuLace Climbing Shoe
These bouldering shoes are perfect for both beginner and intermediate climbers. The high-traction Frixion sole means you can grip the rock face with confidence. The quick-lacing system provides a comfortable fit.
Sold by Amazon
Scarpa Origin Women’s Climbing Shoe
These women’s climbing shoes are a great beginner option. They use a flat last and heel system that reduces pressure and tension so they aren’t painful on your feet after a full day spent bouldering.
Sold by Backcountry
Best crash pads
Black Diamond Circuit Crash Pad
This crash pad is great for transporting to your favorite bouldering spot without being too heavy or bulky. The closed-cell PE foam is ideal for cushioning falls from various heights. It has backpack straps and easy-to-carry handles.
Sold by Amazon
This protective crash pad features 5 inches of padding and can even serve as a comfortable chair when not in use. You can choose between several fun colors.
Sold by Amazon
Best chalk bags and chalk
This budget-friendly chalk bag is great for beginners. It features two built-in pockets, letting you store important items while bouldering. The main compartment uses water-resistant materials. It’s spacious enough to accommodate larger hands.
Sold by Amazon
This simple chalk bag with a drawstring closure makes it easy to access your chalk with one hand. It is also available in several color options.
Sold by Amazon
This non-toxic chalk prevents any type of moisture from interfering with your climb, keeping your hands dry and your mind focused.
Sold by Amazon
Best climbing accessories
Using climbing tape can be helpful when getting your fingers and hands used to rough rock surfaces. This tape uses durable cotton and can prevent painful scrapes and scratches while building up callouses.
Sold by Amazon
Metolius Simulator 3D Training Board
An at-home training board can help you practice your grips on days when the weather isn’t cooperating, and you can’t make it to the gym. This Metolius model can be installed above your door frame and features a variety of holds in different sizes.
Sold by Amazon
PETZL Unisex Boreo Climbing Helmet
Not all people who boulder choose to wear a helmet, but they can help prevent a serious head injury in the event of an unexpected fall. This helmet has ventilation holes for breathability and sports a soft, comfortable headband.
Sold by Backcountry
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/camping-outdoors-br/gear-br/beginners-guide-to-bouldering-equipment-what-you-need-to-get-started/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:23 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/camping-outdoors-br/gear-br/beginners-guide-to-bouldering-equipment-what-you-need-to-get-started/ |
Which product helps prevent thigh chafing best?
Do you find your sense of style forever or athletic endeavors in conflict with the possibility of uncomfortable thigh chafing? You’re not alone. Sometimes a great outfit can be rendered completely unusable because you know your thighs will be left feeling red and raw after a little while. The same goes for people who do a lot of running or swimming. Fortunately, you no longer have to choose between what you want to do or wear and the toll it will take on your skin. There are creams, clothes and even creative accessories designed to soothe skin and prevent thigh chafing so you can live your life comfortably.
Shop this article: Monistat Care Chafing Relief Powder Gel, Body Glide Skin Glide Anti-Friction Cream and Undersummers by CarrieRae Women’s Shortlette
What causes thigh chafing?
The friction produced between the thighs when they rub together causes thigh chafing. It can make the skin red and cause irritation or even pain. Chafing, in general, is often considered an athlete concern, but it can be especially problematic for anyone during seasons when skirts and dresses are popular. Long pants usually lessen friction by providing a barrier of fabric between your thighs, which is why it’s often less of a problem when temperatures drop. Though inconvenient and uncomfortable, you can address thigh chafing and lessen or prevent it in a variety of ways.
What solutions are available?
These days, there are a few preventative measures you can take to avoid thigh chafing. There are rub-in creams or roll-on palms designed to do the trick, but if you’d prefer something wearable, there are shorts and bands that serve the same purpose.
Best rub-in thigh chafing preventatives
Monistat Care Chafing Relief Powder Gel
This is a non-greasy, fragrance-free formula that’s gentle on sensitive skin and combines the best of lotion and powder care. It protects skin, relieves irritation and is reliable for everyday use. It can be used for thigh chafing as well as underarm or breast chafing.
Sold by Amazon
Body Glide Skin Glide Anti-Friction Cream
This hypoallergenic hydrating cream doesn’t leave a greasy residue and creates a smooth barrier that protects sensitive skin. It won’t clog pores and washes off easily in the bath or shower. The cream prevents thigh chafing in both humid and dry climates.
Sold by Amazon
Though Aquaphor is mostly used for cracked skin, chapped lips and even tattoo care, it also makes for an excellent thigh chafing preventative. It’s incredibly nourishing for sensitive skin and it’s fragrance-free. A little goes a long way, and so a large jar like this one will last a while.
Sold by Amazon
Chamois Butt’r Original Anti-Chafe Cream
This anti-chafe cream is great for athletes or anyone experiencing uncomfortable thigh chafing. It’s gluten-free, paraben-free and has no artificial fragrances or colors in it. It also rubs into the skin smoothly and evenly.
Sold by Amazon
Blue Steel Sports Anti-Chafe Cream
This anti-chafing cream is called a “sports” cream but is made for anyone and includes natural tea tree oil. It’s water/sweat resistant, making it great for those planning on swimming or even just walking around on a hot day. It’s not greasy and won’t stain your clothes either.
Sold by Amazon
Best stick/roll-on thigh chafing preventatives
Vaseline All Over Body Balm Jelly Stick
This anti-friction jelly stick really nourishes dry skin. It can prevent chafing before it happens or soothes skin already sore from it. You can even use it on chapped lips or dry, cracked hands.
KT Tape KT Performance+ Anti-Chafing Stick
Here is a gel stick that is sweat-resistant, water-resistant and made to last up to 24 hours. It’s not sticky and holds up in both humid and dry climates. There are no sulfates, parabens, petroleum or dyes included in this formula.
Sold by Amazon
Zone Naturals Chub Rub All Natural Anti-Chafing Stick
This anti-chafing stick is made with all-natural ingredients that include coconut oil, Shea butter and aloe. It helps to protect and hydrate skin with the bonus of being paraben-free and fragrance-free.
Sold by Amazon
Squirrel’s Nut Butter All Natural Anti Chafe Salve Stick Applicator
Here is a salve popular with men and women for dry/sensitive skin. It’s in stick applicator form and great at preventing thigh chafing but can also be used for eczema, dry skin, diaper rash, razor burn and tattoo recovery.
Sold by Amazon
This anti-friction stick is designed specifically for thighs but you can use it anywhere to prevent chafing. It is made with aloe, pomegranate seed extract, Vitamin E and other natural ingredients. It’s sulfate, aluminum, paraben and phthalates-free.
Sold by Ulta Beauty
Best wearable thigh chafing preventatives
Hanes Men’s Comfort Flex Fit Total Support Pouch 3-Pack
Available in long leg or regular leg sizes, this package comes with three comfortable and breathable boxer briefs in assorted colors. They are made from a polyester/spandex blend and won’t ride up the thigh even after going through the washing machine.
Sold by Amazon
Wirarpa Women’s Anti Chafing Cotton Underwear
This set of three comes available in several color combinations and provides a comfortable fit for chafe-free thighs. The underwear is made from a cotton/spandex blend and it’s machine washable (though you should hang dry).
Sold by Amazon
Bandelettes Patented Trademarked Original Elastic Anti-Chafing Thigh Bands
Available in several colors and styles, this set of nylon/spandex blend bands is perfect for those who want their thighs protected but don’t want to wear long underwear or shorts beneath their clothes. They look delicate and flirty but are hand-wash only and line dry.
Sold by Amazon
Undersummers by CarrieRae Women’s Shortlette
This stretchy polyester/spandex shortlette protects thighs without causing extra friction that can be painful to the skin. It doesn’t ride up and comes in three colors (ecru, beige and black).
Sold by Amazon
Chicky Chaps Stretch-Mesh Breathable Thigh Bands
These mesh and lace thigh bands clip onto underwear to not fall and come in seven colors and styles. They aren’t the most durable chafe preventative, but if you’re looking for something sexier that looks like lingerie, these bands fit the bill. They are hand-wash only and line dry.
Sold by Amazon
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Emily Verona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/medical-supplies-equipment-br/15-products-that-help-prevent-thigh-chafing/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:29 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/medical-supplies-equipment-br/15-products-that-help-prevent-thigh-chafing/ |
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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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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Make your own pasta at home
Making pasta by hand looks impressive, but the truth is, homemade pasta is surprisingly simple to create. You can get started with just three ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Even if the only tools you have are a rolling pin and a chef’s knife, you can feed your family and friends a satisfying and delicious meal made entirely from scratch. All you’ll need is a recipe, a couple of hours, and just a little bit of practice.
Shop this article: Fox Run Polished Marble Rolling Pin with Wooden Cradle, Spring Chef Bench Scraper and OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Egg Separator
Is homemade pasta better?
You won’t just get a sense of accomplishment from making your own pasta — it tastes better, too. Fresh pasta has a more tender texture and a more pronounced eggy flavor than commercial-dried pasta. The pasta’s springiness holds up equally well, whether it goes into lasagna or straight onto the plate with some butter. You can even try making pasta dough with unusual ingredients like spinach or saffron for an extra-special meal.
How to get started making pasta
Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor
Making the pasta dough
There are as many fresh pasta recipes as there are people who make pasta, but to get started, it’s best to stick with a simple pasta dough that uses just a few ingredients: unbleached all-purpose flour, eggs, and a bit of salt.
If you want, you can use semolina durum flour, which is a more authentic pasta flour with a higher protein content and a coarser texture that helps sauces stick. However, if all-purpose flour is all you have in your pantry, it’ll turn into wonderful pasta.
Place 10 ounces of flour on a clean work surface and make a well. Add two eggs plus four egg yolks to the well and gently start incorporating the flour using a fork, gradually scraping in flour from the sides of the well. Switch to a bench scraper when it becomes too difficult to use a fork and mix until it’s fully combined by scraping and folding over the dough, turning it 45 degrees each time.
Kneading and rolling the pasta dough
You’ll know the dough is ready for kneading when it stops sticking to your hands and holds its shape when rolled into a ball. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and satiny, then shape it into a ball. Let it rest, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 30 to 60 minutes to let gluten develop.
Use the bench scraper to cut the ball into four equal portions and cover them with a towel to keep them from drying out. Working with one portion at a time, roll out the dough into an oblong shape between a quarter-inch and half-inch thick.
Making pasta by hand vs. using a stand mixer
If your arms aren’t up to the task of all that kneading, you can use a powerful food processor or a stand mixer. Simply place all the ingredients in the work bowl and run the machine (using a dough hook if you’re using a stand mixer) until a large, smooth ball forms.
How to shape homemade pasta
CucinaPro Pasta Maker Deluxe Set
Making pasta shapes with a pasta machine
Roll out your dough by hand or use a pasta maker. Some pasta machines can create extruded shapes like penne, while others deliver smooth sheets and strands of lasagna or fettuccine. Following the manufacturer’s instructions for the type of pasta you want to make, feed your rolled-out dough between the rollers until it reaches the right thickness.
At this point, you can trim it by hand to make filled pasta or lasagna or run it through the pasta machine to cut it into strands. As the cut pasta strands emerge from the machine, carefully catch them, dust them with flour, shape them into nests, and keep them covered until you’re ready to cook or dry them.
A stand mixer offers another advantage here: after you’ve whipped up a batch of pasta dough in the bowl, use the mixer’s pasta-making attachment to roll out, cut, or shape pasta.
How to make filled pasta
For filled pasta, make sure your filling is relatively dry so you can seal up your pasta and avoid leaking or soggy dough. Avoid the temptation to overload your pasta — follow your recipe’s guidance for the amount of filling to use in each pasta shape.
Depending on the type of stuffed pasta you’re making, you can use a pasta stamp, a pastry wheel, biscuit cutters, or even a chef’s knife to create rounds or squares. Seal the pasta by brushing the edges with a little water, then using gentle pressure to close the shapes. Make sure the filling is fully enclosed and that no air is trapped inside.
How to cook homemade pasta
Weston Bamboo Pasta Drying Rack
Cooking fresh pasta
Homemade pasta cooks very quickly — depending on the shape, it will need only two to four minutes in boiling water, and slightly longer for stuffed pasta. Salt your cooking water generously to amplify your pasta’s flavor, especially if your dough recipe doesn’t call for salt. Serve it immediately.
How to dry fresh pasta
Alternatively, you can dry your uncooked pasta to serve at a future date. Leaving egg-based food out in the open can feel counterintuitive, but when properly dried and stored, there should be no moisture remaining to encourage bacteria.
Toss the pasta shapes in flour, then lay the strands in a single layer on a drying rack or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the pasta dry uncovered and away from heat and sunlight, or use a food dehydrator for more consistency, especially if it’s a humid day. When the pasta snaps instead of bending, it’s ready for storage. Keep it in a dry, airtight container in your pantry or freezer.
FAQ
Q. How long does homemade pasta last?
A. Homemade pasta has a much shorter shelf life than commercially made pasta. Uncooked pasta can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for just one day. Properly dried homemade pasta can be stored in your pantry for up to six weeks. Alternatively, before you cut your pasta shapes, you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to one month.
Q. What sauces go with homemade pasta?
A. How you serve your pasta may come down to personal preference, but the shape of the pasta is a contributing factor. Pair fettuccine or tagliatelle with a homemade alfredo sauce or pesto. Wider pasta like pappardelle is great with slow-simmered meat sauces. You can also highlight the flavor of your fresh pasta (especially ravioli) by simply tossing it in browned butter and high-quality Parmesan.
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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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Become a lawn master
Knowing how to plant a new lawn is a useful skill to have, no matter if you’re moving into a new house, sprucing up your current one, or you just want to develop your green thumb. A lush green lawn is often the first thing people notice about your home, and well-manicured grass can greatly increase the value of your property. With a few personal touches, you can make it your own.
While it may seem like a daunting task at first, planting or renovating your lawn is relatively simple when broken down into a few easy-to-follow steps.
Shop this article: Tillers, Fertilizers and Lawn Rollers
Sod vs. seed
First, you must decide whether you want to use grass seed or sod on your lawn.
Let’s start with sod, as grass seed is relatively self-explanatory. Sod, also known as instant lawn or turf grass, is rolled grass that offers several benefits over grass seed. The most obvious is that it’s much faster to establish and gives the look of a finished lawn instantly. In addition, quality sod has few or no weed seeds present, which can save major headaches (and backaches) down the road. Also, because it’s heartier than young grass, sod can be installed nearly any time of year, so long as the ground isn’t frozen or exposed to extreme heat. However, it’s not without disadvantages.
Due to its convenience, sod is initially more expensive than grass seed and requires labor to install. Your grass choices are restricted as well, because most sod farmers grow their products in full sun. That means if your lawn is shaded by houses or large trees, sod may not thrive as well as seed designed for those environments. Shade blend sod is available in some areas, but it’s not always easy to find.
By contrast, grass seed is simpler, cheaper, less labor-intensive at the onset, and offers more choice when it comes to grass variety. It requires more consistent maintenance, though, and the chance for weed contamination is higher. Perhaps the most notable drawback is this method has a defined window for success, as extreme temperatures can lead to patchy results or complete seed failure.
How to prepare lawn for new grass
No matter which method you choose to grow your new lawn, the initial preparation is relatively consistent. Follow these steps:
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First, remove debris and any existing vegetation, i.e. weeds and grass. You can do this physically, with a flame torch, using a home remedy, or with a non-selective herbicide. If you use chemicals, remember to wait for the compounds to become inert before planting (check product labels for this info).
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Repeat the first step, till the soil, and check it again to make sure all remaining seeds are gone. Doing this will ensure a weed-free lawn in the long term.
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Once the area is free of vegetation, you are ready to plant.
How to plant a lawn with sod
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Till the first two inches of soil with a tiller or rake. If needed, add seeding soil to the top of your existing soil.
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Level soil. Any dips or bumps could stay there for years and can look unsightly.
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If you do not use seeding soil (these generally have starter fertilizer mixed in), apply a starter fertilizer, water, and till in.
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Roll out sod. Keep edges snug against each other but don’t overlap them.
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Use a lawn roller to smooth out and firm the sod, connecting it with the ground below and facilitating root contact. Keep sod moist for the first two weeks after application to further assist root growth.
How to plant a lawn with seed
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Till the first two inches of soil with a tiller or rake. If needed, add seeding soil to the top of your existing soil.
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Level soil. Any dips or bumps could stay there for years and can look unsightly.
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If you do not use seeding soil (these generally have starter fertilizer mixed in), apply a starter fertilizer, water, and till in.
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Divide your seed into two equal portions. Spread one half going one direction, with the other half going at a right angle in the other direction. This crisscross pattern guarantees even coverage across your lawn. For higher accuracy, use a drop spreader.
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Tamp seed down with a lawn roller. For added protection, cover the seeds with 1/4 inch of peat moss or compost. This prevents the seeds from washing away, stops birds from eating them, and also holds in moisture.
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Gently soak the soil about six inches deep after seeding, and keep the seeds moist until grass has germinated. This should take approximately two weeks. Continue to lightly water three to four times a day until the grass is about a half-inch high, then maintain as normal.
How to take care of new grass
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A watering rule of thumb: Once the grass is high enough to mow, water at approximately one inch per week.
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Water your lawn early in the morning. Doing it at night keeps the water stagnant, which raises the risk for mold and fungus, and watering midday increases evaporation risk. In addition, water deeply and infrequently as opposed to lightly and more often, as this improves root health.
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Keep your mower blades sharp, and don’t cut more than a third of the grass blade at a time to prevent shocking the grass.
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Fertilize every four to six weeks with lawn fertilizer.
Lawn care shopping list
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Planting a new lawn is incredibly rewarding, but it takes a toll on your hands. Invest in some high-quality gardening gloves to stay safe from thorns, sharp sticks, sunlight, and abrasions.
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A sturdy rake or cultivator will help you till your lawn before planting. This is a necessary step to remove unwanted vegetation, loosen up dirt, and aerate the soil.
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A lawn roller is the most efficient way to both tamp down new grass seeds and secure sod to the soil below. Fill your lawn roller with water if more weight is needed to finish the job. Choose between tow models that hook up to powered equipment or simple push/pull versions.
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Drop spreaders are extremely helpful in evenly distributing grass seed over an area. Available in rolling and handheld versions, these spreaders are adjustable for different drop rates. Great for grass seed or fertilizer!
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Fertilizer is necessary to keep a lawn healthy and full. Lawn fertilizers are typically rich in nitrogen, which is very water-soluble and promotes green, leafy growth.
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Your lawn won’t survive without water, and an adjustable rotating sprinkler helps it stay irrigated at the seedling stage as well as when it’s fully developed. Interested in even more control? Consider a multi-zone irrigation controller.
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Stellantis announced early Monday that it plans a second U.S. battery plant to help support American EV production.
With a memorandum of understanding signed between Stellantis and Samsung SDI Monday, the companies seek to start production at the facility in 2027 and “an initial annual production capacity of 34 gigawatt-hours.” But the location remains undisclosed and “currently under review,” according to a release.
The second battery plant will fall under the same StarPlus Energy joint venture as its first U.S. facility currently being built in Kokomo, Indiana and due to ramp up in early 2025.
Furthermore, Stellantis reported that the Indiana plant will aim for an annual production of 33 gigawatt-hours, up from 23 gwh when the project was announced.
Stellantis’ other proposed battery plant, a joint venture with LG Energy Solution, had been stalled until earlier this month over issues in which “the Canadian government has not delivered on what was agreed to,” according to what a Stellantis spokesperson said in May.
As of July 5, the companies reported the project was back on, with the plant due to start production in 2024, ramping up to an annual output of more than 45 gigawatt-hours.
That 4.5-million-square-foot factory with LG was previously due to be completed by the end of 2023. The site will also serve as a technology center for cell, module, and battery-pack development for EVs, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids, but the company hasn’t yet commented on how this delay might affect those plans.
Stellantis also hasn’t yet provided an update on whether this affects the timeline for the launch of upcoming EVs, potentially including the Ram 1500 REV electric truck, a Dodge electric muscle car, and a Jeep Recon that could act as a fully electric “brother” to the Wrangler.
Samsung SDI cells have precedent in Stellantis’ U.S. EV lineup. The original Fiat 500e that arrived for limited U.S. sale a decade ago was equipped with cells from that company.
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- All 4 Audi electric SUVs achieve top IIHS safety ratings | https://www.fox16.com/automotive/internet-brands/stellantis-confirms-second-us-battery-factory-with-samsung-sdi/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:48 | 1 | https://www.fox16.com/automotive/internet-brands/stellantis-confirms-second-us-battery-factory-with-samsung-sdi/ |
- Revenue of RMB9,908 Million in the Second Quarter, Up 6.7% Year-over-Year;
Excluding COVID-19 Commercial Projects, Up 39.5% - Revenue of RMB18,871 Million in the First Half, Up 6.3% Year-over-Year;
Excluding COVID-19 Commercial Projects, Up 27.9% - Net Profit Attributable to Owners of the Company for the First Half Increased 14.6% to RMB 5,313 Million
- Diluted Earnings per Share (EPS) for the First Half Increased 20.9% to RMB1.79
- Adjusted Non-IFRS Net Profit Attributable to Owners of the Company for the First Half Increased 18.5% to RMB5,095 Million
- Adjusted Non-IFRS Diluted EPS for the First Half Increased 18.5% to RMB1.73[1]
- Free Cash Flow Achieved RMB2,926 Million for the First Half, Turned Positive and Grew Strongly
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- WuXi AppTec (stock code: 603259.SH / 2359.HK), a global company that provides a broad portfolio of R&D and manufacturing services that enable companies in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries to advance discoveries and deliver groundbreaking treatments to patients, is pleased to announce its financial results for the first half ending June 30, 2023 ("Reporting Period").
This release provides a summary of the results and is not intended to be a comprehensive report. For additional information, please refer to the 2023 Interim Report and other relevant announcements published on the websites of the Shanghai Stock Exchange (www.sse.com.cn) and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (www.hkexnews.hk), and the designated media for dissemination of the relevant information. Investors are advised to exercise caution and be aware of the investment risks in trading Company shares.
All financial information disclosed in this press release is prepared based on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), in currency of RMB.
The 2023 Interim Report of the Company has not been audited.
Second Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights
Revenue grew 6.7% year-over-year to RMB9,908 million, excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, revenue grew strongly by 39.5%. This is primarily attributable to the Company's continued excellent execution of our unique Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) business model to achieve strong synergy and continuous growth:
- WuXi Chemistry revenue grew 2.6% year-over-year to RMB7,034 million, excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, revenue grew strongly by 51.6%. Adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 12.9% year-over-year to RMB3,216 million, with a gross profit margin of 45.7%.
- WuXi Testing revenue grew 23.6% year-over-year to RMB1,638 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 36.2% year-over-year to RMB640 million, with a gross profit margin of 39.1%.
- WuXi Biology revenue grew 17.5% year-over-year to RMB656 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 21.3% year-over-year to RMB 271 million, with a gross profit margin of 41.4%.
- WuXi ATU revenue grew 22.9% year-over-year to RMB389 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit was RMB(16) million, with a gross profit margin of (4.2)%
- WuXi DDSU revenue declined 17.9% year-over-year to RMB176 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew year-over-year 5.2% to RMB63 million, with a gross profit margin of 35.8%. Meanwhile, we received the first royalty income from customers in the second quarter, which is a breakthrough for DDSU.
Unit: RMB million
- IFRS gross profit increased 18.1% year-over-year to RMB4,030 million. Gross profit margin was 40.7%[2]
- Adjusted non-IFRS gross profit increased 16.4% year-over-year to RM4,177 million. Adjusted non-IFRS gross margin was 42.2%.
- Net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 5.1% year-over-year to RMB3,145 million.
- Adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 22.4% year-over-year to RMB2,753 million.
First-Half 2023 Financial Highlights
Revenue grew 6.3% year-over-year to RMB18,871 million, excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, revenue grew strongly by 27.9%. This is primarily attributable to the Company's continued excellent execution of our unique Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) business model to achieve strong synergy and continuous growth:
- WuXi Chemistry revenue grew 3.8% year-over-year to RMB13,467 million, excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, revenue grew strongly by 36.1%. Adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 14.9% year-over-year to RMB6,103 million, with a gross profit margin of 45.3%.
- WuXi Testing revenue grew 18.7% year-over-year to RMB3,091 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 26.1% year-over-year to RMB1,168 million, with a gross profit margin of 37.8%.
- WuXi Biology revenue grew 13.0% year-over-year to RMB1,233 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 15.1% year-over-year to RMB511 million, with a gross profit margin of 41.5%.
- WuXi ATU revenue grew 16.0% year-over-year to RMB714 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit was RMB(40) million, with a gross profit margin of (5.7)%.
- WuXi DDSU revenue declined 24.9% year-over-year to RMB342 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit declined 26.2% year-over-year to RMB103 million, with a gross profit margin of 30.1%. Meanwhile, DDSU achieved a breakthrough in receiving the first royalty income from customers.
Unit: RMB million
- IFRS gross profit increased 17.6% year-over-year to RMB7,556 million. Gross profit margin was 40.0%[3].
- Adjusted non-IFRS gross profit increased 15.7% year-over-year to RMB7,855 million. Adjusted non-IFRS gross margin was 41.6%.
- Net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 14.6% year-over-year to RMB 5,313 million.
- Adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 18.5% year-over-year to RMB5,095 million.
- Diluted EPS increased 20.9% year-over-year to RMB1.79, while adjusted diluted non-IFRS EPS increased by 18.5% year-over-year to RMB1.73.
- Free cash flow achieved RMB2,926 million, turned positive and grew strongly year-over-year.
First-Half 2023 Business Operation Highlights
- As an industry innovation enabler, we grow together with our customers. In the first half of 2023, we added over 600 new customers, and in total we served more than 6,000 active customers over the past 12 months. Backlog grew 25% year-over-year excluding COVID-19 commercial projects. We continued to optimize our cross-platform synergies to better serve our customers worldwide, strengthen our unique competitive advantage as a fully integrated Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) and Contract Testing, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CTDMO) platform, and provide one-stop services for our customers from discovery to development and manufacturing. The diversified revenue streams from customers across regions ensure the stability and resilience of the Company's financial performance.
- WuXi Chemistry: Integrated CRDMO Business Model Drives Steady Growth, with Continued Expansion in New Modalities (WuXi TIDES)
- In the past 12 months, we successfully synthesized and delivered more than 420,000 new compounds to customers, which grew 20% year-over-year. Through our chemistry drug discovery services, we enabled our customers to accelerate their research while generating opportunities for our downstream business units. In the past 12 months, 120 molecules have transitioned from R to D&M, representing a year-on-year growth of 21%. Through our "follow-the-customer" and "follow-the-molecule" strategies, we established trusted partnerships with our global customers, supporting the sustainable growth of our CRDMO business.
- We continued executing our "long-tail" strategy. Demand from "long-tail" customers in discovery services of small molecule and new modalities continued to grow, with the number of new customers growing 17% year-over-year.
- In the first half of 2023, D&M services revenue grew 2.1% year-over-year to RMB9.67 billion. Excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, D&M services revenue grew strongly by 54.5%.
- In the first half of 2023, we added 583 molecules to our D&M pipeline. To date, our D&M pipeline consists of 2,819 molecules, including 56 commercial projects, 59 in phase III, 301 in phase II and 2,403 in phase I and pre-clinical stages, among which, 8 commercial and phase III projects were added in the first half of 2023.
- In the first half of 2023, TIDES revenue grew 37.9% year-over-year to RMB1.33 billion. As of June 30, 2023, backlog of TIDES grew strongly by 188% year-over-year. We expect revenue growth from TIDES business to exceed 70% in 2023.
- The number of TIDES D&M customers increased 25% year-over-year to 121, and the number of TIDES molecules increased 46% year-over-year to 207.
- WuXi Testing: Lab Testing Services Drive Steady Growth, Clinical Business Fully Recovered
- The Company provides a full range of laboratory testing services for our customers, including drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK), toxicology, and bioanalysis for drug development testing, as well as medical device testing. We provide customers with high-quality services, realize "one report for global submission," and enable customers to save time, reduce costs and increase efficiency.
- H1 2023 revenue from drug safety evaluation services grew 24% year-over-year. We maintained our industry leadership position in Asia Pacific for drug safety evaluation services that meet global regulatory requirements. In the first half of 2023, new lab testing facilities in Qidong and Suzhou began operations as scheduled, ensuring the business growth to accelerate in the second half of 2023.
- Moreover, we continued to enhance capabilities related to new modalities, with comprehensive coverage such as target protein degradation, nucleic acids, conjugates, and cell and gene therapies (CGT), etc.
- SMO revenue grew strongly by 53.9% in Q2 2023 and 34.3% in H1 2023, maintaining a leadership position in China. In the first half of 2023, SMO supported 25 new drug approvals for customers.
- In the first half of 2023, clinical CRO enabled our customers to obtain 8 IND approvals and submit 3 NDA filings.
- WuXi Biology: Strong Contribution from New Modalities; Early Discovery Screening Platform Continued to Generate Downstream Opportunities
- WuXi ATU: CTDMO Business Model Drives Growth
- WuXi DDSU: the First Year to Receive New Drug Application (NDA) Approval of New Drugs Developed for Customers; Breakthrough to Receive the First Royalty Income
Our Commitment to ESG
As an industry innovation enabler, a trusted partner and a contributor to the global healthcare industry, the Company is committed to environmental protection and sustainability, and to being a good global corporate citizenship.
Our outstanding ESG performance has been recognized by major global ESG rating agencies, including MSCI, S&P Global, Sustainalytics, CDP and EcoVadis. In June 2023, we received the fourth "Silver" medal recognition from EcoVadis for our Couvet site in Switzerland.
By the first half of 2023, our carbon emission intensity, energy consumption intensity and water use intensity reduced by 20.1%, 18.4%, and 31.6%, respectively, as compared to the baseline year 2020.
As we continue to advance our sustainability strategy, we embrace our shared responsibility to be good stewards of the environment.
Management Comment
Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and CEO of WuXi AppTec, said, "We continued to achieve steady growth of revenue, net profit, and free cash flow in the first half of 2023. Our revenue increased 6.3% year-over-year to RMB18.87 billion, or 27.9% if excluding COVID-19 commercial projects. Our adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 18.5% year-over-year, outpacing the revenue growth rate, and our free cash flow achieved RMB2.93 billion, as a result of the Company's pursuit of operational excellence and productivity."
"The Company's performance in the first half of 2023 demonstrated that WuXi AppTec's unique CRDMO and CTDMO business models can effectively meet the growing demands from customers worldwide and continue to drive solid growth for the Company. In 2023, we aim to deliver a 5-7% revenue growth, increase adjusted non-IFRS gross profit by 13-14%, and expand free cash flow by 750-850%. We remain committed to prioritizing our customers' needs and enhancing our capacity and capabilities as we support our customers' efforts to bring groundbreaking therapies to patients around the world. Together, we can realize our vision that 'every drug can be made and every disease can be treated'."
About WuXi AppTec
As a global company with operations across Asia, Europe, and North America, WuXi AppTec provides a broad portfolio of R&D and manufacturing services that enable the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry to advance discoveries and deliver groundbreaking treatments to patients. Through its unique business models, WuXi AppTec's integrated, end-to-end services include chemistry drug CRDMO (Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization), biology discovery, preclinical testing and clinical research services, cell and gene therapies CTDMO (Contract Testing, Development and Manufacturing Organization), helping customers improve the productivity of advancing healthcare products through cost-effective and efficient solutions. WuXi AppTec received an AA ESG rating from MSCI in 2022 and its open-access platform is enabling more than 6,000 customers from over 30 countries to improve the health of those in need – and to realize the vision that "every drug can be made and every disease can be treated." Please visit: http://www.wuxiapptec.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" which are not historical facts, but instead are predictions about future events based on our beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to our management. Although we believe that our predictions are reasonable, future events are inherently uncertain and our forward-looking statements may turn out to be incorrect. Our forward-looking statements are subject to risks relating to, among other things, the ability of our service offerings to compete effectively, our ability to meet timelines for the expansion of our service offerings, our ability to protect our customers' intellectual property, unforeseeable international tension, competition, the impact of emergencies and other force majeure. Our forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law or listing rules. Accordingly, you are strongly cautioned that reliance on any forward-looking statements involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified by reference to the cautionary statements set forth in this section. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release and are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of this date, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
Use of Non-IFRS and Adjusted Non-IFRS Financial Measures
We provide non-IFRS gross profit and non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company, which exclude share-based compensation expenses, issuance expenses of convertible bonds, fair value gain or loss from derivative component of convertible bonds, foreign exchange-related gains or losses, amortization of intangible assets acquired in business combinations, non-financial assets impairment, etc. We also provide adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company and earnings per share, which further exclude realized and unrealized gains or losses from our venture capital investments and joint ventures. Neither is required by, or presented in accordance with IFRS.
We believe that the adjusted financial measures used in this press release are useful for understanding and assessing our core business performance and operating trends, and we believe that management and investors may benefit from referring to these adjusted financial measures in assessing our financial performance by eliminating the impact of certain unusual, non-recurring, non-cash and non-operating items that we do not consider indicative of the performance of our core business. Such adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company, the management of the Company believes, is widely accepted and adopted in the industry the Company is operating in. However, the presentation of these adjusted non-IFRS financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with IFRS. You should not view adjusted results on a stand-alone basis or as a substitute for results under IFRS, or as being comparable to results reported or forecasted by other companies.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Ruijia Tang (for investors)
IR Director
Email: tang_ruijia@wuxiapptec.com
Mr. Davy Wu (for media)
PR Director
Email: davy_wu@wuxiapptec.com
View original content:
SOURCE WuXi AppTec | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/wuxi-apptec-announced-strong-results-second-quarter-first-half-2023-top-an-exceptionally-strong-year-2022/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:49 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/wuxi-apptec-announced-strong-results-second-quarter-first-half-2023-top-an-exceptionally-strong-year-2022/ |
Tips and tricks for protecting your home from the elements
If you like learning new skills and having a to-do list that never ends, there’s no better investment than purchasing a home. But becoming a homeowner isn’t just the biggest financial commitment you’ll ever make, it’s also a pledge to take care of something, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live. Or at least until you decide it’s time to move.
Along with the bills, repairs, and perpetual upkeep, one of the biggest tasks you face as a homeowner is your never-ending battle with Mother Nature. Just when you think you’ve reshingled your last roof and can rest easy when it comes to leaks, you find a small pond in the basement after the latest storm. This list will walk you through everything you need to know in order to best protect your home from the elements.
But first, it’s important to review your insurance policy so you are aware of what is and isn’t covered. Your homeowner’s insurance policy might not cover floods and damage caused by the elements. Take a few minutes, read over your policy, call your agent and make the needed changes to get the peace of mind you deserve.
Shop this article: Tempera 9′ Outdoor Market Patio Table Umbrella, Deconovo Blackout Curtains and Jegs 3-Drawer Toolbox
What are the elements?
It’s not just water — which causes mold and rot — that you have to worry about. Wind, snow, hail, cold and heat can also do substantial damage to your home. Here are just a few examples of the havoc the elements can wreak on your home.
Wind
A gentle breeze is refreshing, but a gale-force wind? Anything over 50 or 60 mph can be devastating. From hurling projectiles and prying loose shingles to stripping away siding and shearing off the entire roof, strong winds can dismantle a house in a matter of minutes.
Snow
It’s pristine, and it twinkles as if infused by magic. Snow is beautiful. But it’s also heavy. On average, a square foot of snow weighs a little over 12 pounds. If you have a house that’s 2,000 square feet and it snows 12 inches, that’s roughly an extra 24,000 pounds — 12 tons — on your roof. See how this could cause a little trouble? Especially if the snow is resting on large tree branches or that evergreen that’s already leaning toward your house.
Hail
Hail is Mother Nature’s mischievous child. They enjoy causing trouble. Got cracked shingles? Divots in the lawn? Broken windows? Dents in your car? Damaged outdoor furniture? You’ve got hail!
Cold
Cold is the silent destroyer of homes. If you’ve ever had a pipe burst, you already know this. But beyond that, cold can create ice dams in your gutters that force water beneath your shingles, thereby ruining the items under your roof. And if water gets into any tiny crack, be it in your driveway or your foundation, it will expand when it freezes, turning that tiny crack into a crevasse.
Heat
Excessive moist heat can warp hardwood floors and accelerate deterioration in other areas, such as your attic and roof. Excessive dry heat can suck the moisture out of the ground, making it shrink and taking away some much-needed support from your home’s foundation.
Best strategies for keeping your home safe
Indeed, the elements can be devastating to your home. Thankfully, there are a number of quick and easy things you can do to protect it from the elements. Following is a list of the best (and most effortless) strategies.
Strategy 1: Bring items inside
Tempera 9′ Outdoor Market Patio Table Umbrella
Lawn chairs, watering cans, bicycles, scooters, patio umbrellas, and other loose items that you keep outside need to be brought inside before a storm. After all, the wind can turn anything that’s not fastened down into a destructive projectile.
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Strategy 2: Close the curtains
If anything flies into your window during a storm, having your blinds drawn and your drapes closed can help block some of the broken glass and other debris from entering your home.
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Strategy 3: Use your garage
If you don’t want dings in your car, put your vehicle in the garage before all hail breaks loose — along with anything else that could be damaged should the sky begin to pelt ice at your property. If your garage is full of clutter, however, this might not be as simple as it is supposed to be. Take time to organize and store your tools before the storm, and you could be thanking yourself later.
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Strategy 4: Rake the roof
When snow piles up on your house, it can get beneath your shingles as it melts, damaging your roof. When it’s safe to do so, grab a roof rake and clear your roof so melting snow can flow away without much damage. Note: always leave a thin layer of snow on your roof, because too much scraping could damage your shingles.
Strategy 5: Seal your driveway
Those tiny cracks in your driveway become bigger cracks when they fill with water which then freezes. Be proactive and seal your driveway — or at the very least, fill those cracks in with gravel — before winter arrives.
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Strategy 6: Run a dehumidifier
All that humidity in the summer can really mess with the wood in your house. It can also make everything feel quite sticky. To remedy the situation (and save your hardwood floors), turn on a dehumidifier and let it work its magic.
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Strategy 7: Use a sprinkler
During those hot, rainless periods of summer when the ground dries up and pulls away from your house, weakening its foundation, don’t fret. Instead, turn on your sprinkler and put some moisture back into the soil. Don’t add too much, though, because excess water near your home’s foundation has a way of seeping into your basement or crawlspace.
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Extra tips for protecting your home from weather damage
The following tips involve a little more than a quick fix, but they are much cheaper than full-blown repairs.
Anchor down your large items
If you have a storage shed, a grill, trash cans, or any large item that doesn’t have a permanent foundation or isn’t securely fastened, anchor it down. You can use straps, anchors, or bolts. In strong winds, this will help minimize dangerous projectiles. In a flood, it will help keep your valuables from drifting away.
Remove trees that pose a threat
Rain can make the ground soggy, allowing trees to lean. Once tilted, wet snow or strong winds can be all it takes to topple even the mightiest oak. Consider having any trees within striking distance of your home taken down before the next storm.
Bring in the reinforcements
A home is only as safe as its weakest spots. If you live in an area prone to severe weather, you need to do something about those spots. Get a professional out to reinforce your garage door, and consider installing storm shutters over your windows and glass doors.
The elements can be brutal on your home. From minor inconveniences to major repairs, Mother Nature really knows how to dish out the damage. But you aren’t helpless. Your best defense is a strong offense. Stay vigilant, smart, and proactive, and your home will be able to weather any storm.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/safety-equipment-br/how-to-protect-your-home-from-harsh-weather/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:49 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/safety-equipment-br/how-to-protect-your-home-from-harsh-weather/ |
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.kron4.com/hill-politics/lawmakers-set-to-face-ticking-clock-on-health-care-priorities/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:54 | 1 | https://www.kron4.com/hill-politics/lawmakers-set-to-face-ticking-clock-on-health-care-priorities/ |
Trump could be indicted soon in Georgia. Here’s a look at that investigation
ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia prosecutor is expected to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks in her investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis began investigating more than two years ago, shortly after a recording was released of a January 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia’s secretary of state.
Willis has strongly hinted that any indictment would come between July 31 and August 18. One of two grand juries seated July 11 is expected to hear the case.
If Trump is indicted by a Georgia grand jury, it would add to a growing list of legal troubles as he campaigns for president. Trump is set to go to trial in New York in March to face state charges related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. And he has another trial scheduled for May on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.
The Justice Department is also investigating Trump’s role in trying to halt the certification of 2020 election results in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump said he’s been told he’s a target of that investigation, which likely has some overlap with the one in Georgia.
Details of the Georgia investigation that have become public have fed speculation that Willis is building a case under the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which would allow her to charge numerous people in a potentially wide-ranging scheme.
Here are six investigative threads Willis and her team have explored:
THE PHONE CALLS
The Georgia investigation was prompted by the Jan. 2, 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Trump suggested the state’s top elections official could help “find” the votes needed to put him ahead of Democrat Joe Biden in the state.
“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” Trump is heard saying on a recording of the call, which was leaked to news outlets. “Because we won the state.”
Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong and has repeatedly said the call was “perfect.”
Trump also called other top state officials in his quest to overturn his 2020 election loss, including Gov. Brian Kemp, then-House Speaker David Ralston, Attorney General Chris Carr and the top investigator in the secretary of state’s office.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, also called Raffensperger shortly after the November election. Raffensperger said at the time that Graham asked whether he had the power to reject certain absentee ballots, which Raffensperger has said he interpreted as a suggestion to toss out legally cast votes.
Graham has denied wrongdoing, saying he just wanted to learn about the signature verification process.
FAKE ELECTORS
Biden won Georgia by a margin of fewer than 12,000 votes. Just over a month after the election, on Dec. 14, 2020, a group 16 Georgia Democratic electors met in the Senate chamber at the state Capitol to cast the state’s Electoral College votes for him. They each marked paper ballots that were counted and confirmed by a voice roll call.
That same day, in a committee meeting room at the Capitol, 16 prominent Georgia Republicans — a lawmaker, activists and party officials — met to sign a certificate falsely stating that Trump had won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. They sent that certificate to the National Archives and the U.S. Senate.
Georgia was one of seven battleground states that Trump lost where Republican fake electors signed and submitted similar certificates. Trump allies in the U.S. House and Senate used those certificates to argue for delaying or blocking the certification of the election during a joint session of Congress.
Prosecutors in Fulton County have said in court filings that they believe Trump associates worked with state Republicans to coordinate and execute the plan.
The multi-state effort was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite public pressure from Trump and his supporters, then-Vice President Mike Pence refused on Jan. 6, 2021, to introduce the unofficial pro-Trump electors. After the attack on the U.S. Capitol put a violent halt to the certification process, lawmakers certified Biden’s win in the early hours of Jan. 7, 2021.
At least eight of the fake electors have since reached immunity deals with Willis’ team. And a judge last summer barred Willis from prosecuting another one, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, because of a conflict of interest.
FALSE CLAIMS OF ELECTION FRAUD
Republican state lawmakers held several hearings at the Georgia Capitol in December 2020 to examine alleged problems with the November election. During those meetings, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies made unproven claims of widespread election fraud.
They alleged that election workers tallying absentee ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta had told outside observers to leave and then pulled out “suitcases” of unlawful ballots and began scanning them. The Trump allies played clips of surveillance video from the arena to support their allegations. State and federal officials investigated and said there was no evidence of election fraud at the site.
Some Trump allies also said thousands of people who were ineligible — including people convicted of felonies, people under the age of 18, people who had voted in another state — had cast votes in Georgia. The secretary of state’s office has debunked those claims.
ALLEGED ATTEMPTS TO PRESSURE ELECTION WORKER
Two of the election workers seen in the State Farm Arena surveillance video, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, said they faced relentless harassment online and in person as a result of the allegations made by Trump and his allies.
Giuliani last week conceded that statements he made about the two election workers were false.
In a bizarre episode detailed by prosecutors in court filings, a woman traveled from Chicago to Georgia and met with Freeman on Jan. 4, 2021. The woman initially said she wanted to help Freeman but then warned that Freeman could go to prison and tried to pressure her into falsely confessing to committing election fraud, prosecutors wrote in court filings last year.
ELECTION EQUIPMENT ACCESSED
Trump-allied lawyer Sidney Powell and others hired a computer forensics team to copy data and software on election equipment in Coffee County, some 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, according to invoices, emails, security video and deposition testimony produced in response to subpoenas in a long-running lawsuit.
The county Republican Party chair at the time — who also served as a fake elector — greeted them when they arrived at the local elections office on Jan. 7, 2021, and some county elections officials were also on hand during the daylong visit. The secretary of state’s office has said this amounted to “alleged unauthorized access” of election equipment and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into it at the secretary of state’s request.
Two other men who have been active in efforts to question the 2020 election results also visited Coffee County later that month and spent hours inside.
U.S. ATTORNEY RESIGNATION
U.S. Attorney BJay Pak, the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta, abruptly resigned two days after Trump called Raffensperger and a day after a recording of that call was made public. During that conversation, Trump called Pak a “never-Trumper,” implying that he didn’t support the president.
In December 2020, then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr asked Pak to investigate allegations by Giuliani and other Trump allies of widespread election fraud. Pak, who had been appointed by Trump in 2017, reported back that he had found no evidence of such fraud.
In August 2021, Pak told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which was investigating Trump’s post-election actions, that he resigned on Jan. 4, 2021, after learning from Department of Justice officials that Trump did not believe enough was being done to investigate allegations of election fraud and wanted him gone as U.S. attorney.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/31/trump-could-be-indicted-soon-georgia-heres-look-that-investigation/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:54 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/31/trump-could-be-indicted-soon-georgia-heres-look-that-investigation/ |
TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward was placed on the 10-day injured list with facial fractures on Sunday, a day after he was hit by a 91 mph pitch from Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah.
Ward was taken to a Toronto hospital after being struck in the fifth inning of Saturday’s 6-1 loss. He was released from hospital Saturday evening.
Before Sunday’s game, Angels manager Phil Nevin said Ward did not have vision damage. Surgery is an option for Ward, but no decision has been made. It was not clear when Ward would be able to return to California. The Angels play a three-game series at Atlanta this week before returning home Thursday to host Seattle.
To replace Ward, the Angels selected the contract of infielder Kevin Padlo from Triple-A Salt Lake.
Batting with the bases loaded, Ward was hit by a 2-0 pitch from Manoah. The ball appeared to strike Ward next to his next left eye, knocking off his batting helmet.
Plate umpire Andy Fletcher motioned to the Angels’ dugout for the trainer as Ward went down, blood running down his face. Angels staff rushed to the plate and held a towel to Ward’s face. After a couple of minutes, Ward got to his feet and left the field on a cart. His left eye appeared to be swollen shut.
A six-year veteran who has spent his entire career with the Angels, Ward is batting .253 with 14 home runs and 47 RBI in 97 games.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-outfielder-taylor-ward-placed-on-il-with-facial-fractures-after-being-hit-in-head/ | 2023-07-31T10:59:55 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-outfielder-taylor-ward-placed-on-il-with-facial-fractures-after-being-hit-in-head/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Six straight days of 12-hour driving. Single digit paychecks. The complaints come from workers in vastly different industries: UPS delivery drivers and Hollywood actors and writers.
But they point to an underlying factor driving a surge of labor unrest: The cost to workers whose jobs have changed drastically as companies scramble to meet customer expectations for speed and convenience in industries transformed by technology.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated those changes, pushing retailers to shift online and intensifying the streaming competition among entertainment companies. Now, from the picket lines, workers are trying to give consumers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to produce a show that can be binged any time or get dog food delivered to their doorstep with a phone swipe.
Overworked and underpaid employees is an enduring complaint across industries — from delivery drivers to Starbucks baristas and airline pilots — where surges in consumer demand have collided with persistent labor shortages. Workers are pushing back against forced overtime, punishing schedules or company reliance on lower-paid, part-time or contract forces.
At issue for Hollywood screenwriters and actors staging their first simultaneous strikes in 40 years is the way streaming has upended entertainment economics, slashing pay and forcing showrunners to produce content faster with smaller teams.
“This seems to happen to many places when the tech companies come in. Who are we crushing? It doesn’t matter,” said Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a screenwriter and showrunner on the negotiating team for the Writers Guild of America, whose members have been on strike since May. Earlier this month, the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists joined the writers’ union on the picket line.
Actors and writers have long relied on residuals, or long-term payments, for reruns and other airings of films and televisions shows. But reruns aren’t a thing on streaming services, where series and films simply land and stay with no easy way, such as box office returns or ratings, to determine their popularity.
Consequently, whatever residuals streaming companies do pay often amount to a pittance, and screenwriters have been sharing tales of receiving single digit checks.
Adam Shapiro, an actor known for the Netflix hit “Never Have I Ever,” said many actors were initially content to accept lower pay for the plethora of roles that streaming suddenly offered. But the need for a more sustainable compensation model gained urgency when it became clear streaming is not a sideshow, but rather the future of the business, he said.
“Over the past 10 years, we realized: ‘Oh, that’s now how Hollywood works. Everything is streaming,’” Shapiro said during a recent union event.
Shapiro, who has been acting for 25 years, said he agreed to a contract offering 20% of his normal rate for “Never Have I Ever” because it seemed like “a great opportunity, and it’s going to be all over the world. And it was. It really was. Unfortunately, we’re all starting to realize that if we keep doing this we’re not going to be able to pay our bills.”
Then there’s the rising use of “mini rooms,” in which a handful of writers are hired to work only during pre-production, sometimes for a series that may take a year to be greenlit, or never get picked up at all.
Sanchez-Witzel, co-creator of the recently released Netflix series “Survival of the Thickest,” said television shows traditionally hire robust writing teams for the duration of production. But Netflix refused to allow her to keep her team of five writers past pre-production, forcing round-the-clock work on rewrites with just one other writer.
“It’s not sustainable and I’ll never do that again,” she said.
Sanchez-Witzel said she was struck by the similarities between her experience and those of UPS drivers, some of whom joined the WGA for protests as they threatened their own potentially crippling strike. UPS and the Teamsters last week reached a tentative contract staving off the strike.
Jeffrey Palmerino, a full-time UPS driver near Albany, New York, said forced overtime emerged as a top issue during the pandemic as drivers coped with a crush of orders on par with the holiday season. Drivers never knew what time they would get home or if they could count on two days off each week, while 14-hour days in trucks without air conditioning became the norm.
“It was basically like Christmas on steroids for two straight years. A lot of us were forced to work six days a week, and that is not any way to live your life,” said Palmerino, a Teamsters shop steward.
Along with pay raises and air conditioning, the Teamsters won concessions that Palmerino hopes will ease overwork. UPS agreed to end forced overtime on days off and eliminate a lower-paid category of drivers who work shifts that include weekends, converting them to full-time drivers. Union members have yet to ratify the deal.
The Teamsters and labor activists hailed the tentative deal as a game-changer that would pressure other companies facing labor unrest to raise their standards. But similar outcomes are far from certain in industries lacking the sheer economic indispensability of UPS or the clout of its 340,000-member union.
Efforts to organize at Starbucks and Amazon stalled as both companies aggressively fought against unionization.
Still, labor protests will likely gain momentum following the UPS contract, said Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, which released a report this year that found the number of labor strikes rose 52% in 2022.
“The whole idea that consumer convenience is above everything broke down during the pandemic. We started to think, ‘I’m at home ordering, but there is actually a worker who has to go the grocery store, who has to cook this for me so that I can be comfortable,’” Campos-Medina said. | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/customers-want-instant-gratification-workers-say-theyre-on-the-brink/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:00 | 0 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/customers-want-instant-gratification-workers-say-theyre-on-the-brink/ |
FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) — Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh should be a star at next year’s Paris Olympics, and she showed why Sunday on the closing day of the swimming world championships in Japan.
The 16-year-old McIntosh won her second gold of the event, taking the 400-meter individual medley after winning the 200 butterfly gold on Friday.
That made up for a slow start for the young Canadian, who finished fourth in the 400 free, where she held the world record until Australia’s Ariarne Titmus took it back. She also took bronze in the 200 free, at least getting a medal.
“Going into tonight I just wanted to see how hard I could push myself,” McIntosh said.
She did just that. Her time of 4 minutes, 27.11 seconds was the third fastest ever, not far off her world record of 4:25.87. She was also the defending world champion. American Katie Grimes took the silver in 4:31.41, with Jenna Forrester of Australia picking up the bronze in 4:32.30.
“It was definitely motivating,” McIntosh said of her first few days. “I try to turn everything that goes wrong into motivation somehow.”
Asked about Paris, she replied: “Right now I’m just thinking about a little break.”
McIntosh should be joined by other young stars in Paris like 21-year-old Frenchman Leon Marchand and Australia’s 22-year-old Kaylee McKeown. Marchand and McKeown each won three individual golds.
The Americans also closed fast.
After winning only four gold medals during the first seven days, they picked up three on the eighth and final day for a total of seven golds and 38 overall. The gold total is still their lowest in a worlds going back for around 20 years. They won only eight in the 2015 worlds.
Australia finished with 13 gold and 20 overall, and China had five gold and 16 overall.
“This is the cherry on top,” said American Regan Smith, part of the winning 4×100 women’s medley relay. “I love racing with these girls and I love relays so much and brining home a gold in the last event for Team USA means so much to me and all of us.”
The Americans finished in 3:52.08, followed by Australia (3:53.37) and Canada (3:54.12).
The United States also won the men’s 4×100 medley in 3:27.20, ahead of China (3:29.00) and Australia (3:29.62), and added another gold with Hunter Armstrong in the 50-meter backstroke (24.05).
Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden made history with her victory in the women’s 50-meter freestyle. The gold gave Sjostrom 21 medals in individual races in the world championships, surpassing Michael Phelps who had 20.
Sjostrom, who set the world record in the semifinals on Saturday, powered home in the final 25 meters for the win, clocking 23.62. Shayna Jack of Australia picked up the silver in 24.10, while Zhang Yufei of China earned the bronze in 24.15.
Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania set a world record on the way to winning gold in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke in 29.16. She equaled the old world mark of 29.30 the night before in the semifinals.
Meilutyte grabbed the early lead and was never challenged. American Lilly King claimed the silver in 29.94, while Benedetta Pilato of Italy picked up the bronze in 30.04. She shared the old record of 29.30 with Meilutyte.
Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia added the men’s 1,500-meter free gold to the 800 free he won earlier in the worlds, prevailing in an epic battle with American Bobby Finke that went down to the wire.
The 20-year-old Hafnaoui, the defending 400 free Olympic champion, captured the gold in 14:31.54, with Finke clocking 14:31.59 for silver. Sam Short of Australia rounded out the podium with the bronze in 14:37.28.
The mark was just off the world record by Sun Yang of China, 14:31.02, set in 2012. Sun has been suspended for a doping violation.
“Bobby (Finke) is so fast at the end of the race. he pushed us to do the 14.31,” Hafnaoui said. “It was so close to the world record. I mean I enjoyed the race and thanks Bobby for pushing me.”
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-canadian-summer-mcintosh-16-gets-second-gold-medal-at-swimming-worlds-in-japan/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:01 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-canadian-summer-mcintosh-16-gets-second-gold-medal-at-swimming-worlds-in-japan/ |
(The Hill) – Dozens of former Cabinet officials under former President Trump’s administration declined to publicly support the former president’s third bid for the White House, NBC News reported.
NBC News reached out to 44 people who previously served in Trump’s Cabinet during his four years in office to gauge whether they would support the former president during the 2024 presidential election. The outlet reported that most of the people declined to comment or ignored the requests and that only four said publicly they would support Trump for the presidency.
Trump’s Cabinet saw a higher rate of turnover compared with many of his predecessors, with many new officials rotating in and out of his administration over the four years. The only four former Cabinet members who NBC News reached out to who said they would support Trump are former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, former chief of staff Mark Meadows, former Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Russell Vought and former acting director of national intelligence Richard Grenell.
A spokesperson for Meadows told NBC News that he “fully” supports Trump. In May, Vought posted on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, that the former president is “the only person I trust to take a wrecking ball to the Deep State.”
Other former administration officials were reluctant to support Trump or have publicly said they will not support him. Former Attorney General Bill Barr told NBC News that he opposes Trump getting the 2024 GOP nomination but declined whether to say he would support him in the general election if pitted against President Biden.
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Former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney also said that he does not want Trump to get the Republican nomination for president.
“I am working hard to make sure that someone else is the nominee,” Mulvaney told NBC News. “I think he’s the Republican who is most likely to lose in a general election, of all our leading candidates. If anyone can lose to Joe Biden, it would be him.”
Other former officials who have not endorsed Trump yet include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, former chief of staff John Kelly and Joseph Maguire and Dan Coats, who each once served as director of national intelligence. Coats told NBC News that he would be supporting former Vice President Mike Pence for the GOP primary.
The Hill has reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment. | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/dozens-of-former-trump-cabinet-officials-wont-publicly-support-his-2024-bid/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:06 | 1 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/dozens-of-former-trump-cabinet-officials-wont-publicly-support-his-2024-bid/ |
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/.
View original content:
SOURCE 111, Inc. | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:06 | 0 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ |
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Chris Buescher was already in good position to qualify for NASCAR’s playoffs.
Now, even something remarkable over the last four races of the regular season won’t keep him out.
Buescher pulled away on a restart with three laps to go to win at Richmond Raceway on Sunday and snag one of the final spots in NASCAR’s playoff field.
Buescher led 88 laps and was ahead by nearly 6 seconds when a caution came out with under 10 laps to go. That erased his lead over Virginia native Denny Hamlin, who was booed by his hometown crowd before the race.
But Hamlin got a poor final restart and Buescher easily pulled away for his first Cup Series win of the season, third of his career.
“I knew that last restart was going to be tough, but I knew we had the speed in this thing,” Buescher said.
He and RFK Racing teammate Brad Keselowski led a combined 190 of the 400 laps in their Fords. Keselowski, now a part owner of the team, led 102 laps on the 0.75-mile oval.
Buescher started 26th and had to drive through the field for the win that locked him into the 16-driver playoff field. Buescher became the 13th race winner this year and there are three playoff spots up for grabs over the next month.
It was the 139th Cup win for primary team owner Jack Roush, second since Keselowski joined the ownership group.
Ford now has 723 wins in NASCAR’s top Cup Series.
“Everybody at RFK Racing who has worked so hard to get us to this point,” said Buescher.
Hamlin, winner last week at Pocono, finished second in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Kyle Busch was third in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, followed by the Fords of Joey Logano from Team Penske and Ryan Preece of Stewart-Haas Racing.
“One win is good, but you get three or four or five and then you feel a lot better,” Keselowski said. “It sure beats not having any at all, but we want to keep going. It’s nice to have one car locked in the playoffs. We need to get both cars locked in the playoffs. We have a good points gap, but we want wins and this is where we need to be.”
Keselowski, despite being winless this season, is still mathematically in contention for the playoffs.
The race was slowed just three times by caution flags, with the final yellow sending the leaders to pit road for four tires with eight laps to go. When the green flag was shown again, Buescher used the inside line to pull away for his third career victory.
Hamlin’s bid for the victory ended on the second lap of the final sprint when he drove in too deep in the first turn and slid up the track. He finished 0.549-seconds behind Buescher.
“I got a bad restart,” Hamlin said. “I had to recover too much ground from what I lost on the front stretch. Almost got to the outside, and then in turn four, almost got to the outside again, and then in turn one, I was like ‘I’m just going to ship it in there and try to get to the outside one more time’ and I just carried way too much speed and locked up the left front tires.”
LARSON-HAMLIN
Kyle Larson, angered last week when Hamlin caused him to hit the wall while leading while Hamlin went on to win, was running a few laps down when he nudged Hamlin out of the way with 70 laps to go during Sunday’s race.
Larson, who won at Richmond in April, finished 19th.
“I think he was having a frustrating day,” Hamlin said. “It’s all good.”
SCORCHER
With temperatures in the mid-80s, it was about 15 degrees cooler than Saturday, when the temperature approached 100 and the heat index was at least 105.
Nevertheless, points leader Martin Truex Jr. still struggled.
“It was definitely really, really hot,” he said. “It felt longer than 400 laps. I’ll be honest, when we got to the end of stage two —– I thought there was no way. I thought that was the checkered flag. It just felt really, really long.”
Truex finished seventh.
CLEAN RACE
All 36 cars that started the race were still running at the end.
UP NEXT
The series moves to Michigan where Kevin Harvick, winless so far in this his final season, is the defending champion.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-chris-buescher-wins-at-richmond-and-secures-spot-in-nascar-playoffs/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:07 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-chris-buescher-wins-at-richmond-and-secures-spot-in-nascar-playoffs/ |
DENVER (AP) — As Denver neared triple-digit temperatures, Ben Gallegos sat shirtless on his porch swatting flies off his legs and spritzing himself with a misting fan to try to get through the heat. Gallegos, like many in the nation’s poorest neighborhoods, doesn’t have air conditioning.
The 68-year-old covers his windows with mattress foam to insulate against the heat and sleeps in the concrete basement. He knows high temperatures can cause heat stroke and death, and his lung condition makes him more susceptible. But the retired brick layer, who survives on about $1,000 a month largely from Social Security, says air conditioning is out of reach.
“Take me about 12 years to save up for something like that,” he said. “If it’s hard to breathe, I’ll get down to emergency.”
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 (43 Celsius) Wednesday, the nine 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. metros.
“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 nonprofit in Kansas City, Kansas, as temperatures soared to 101, and high humidity made it feel like 109. When the central air conditioning at her rental house went on the fritz, 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. She’s taken the bus to the library to cool off. 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.
While frigid temperatures and high heating bills birthed the term “heat or eat,” she said, “we can now transition to AC or eat, where people are going to have to make difficult decisions.”
As temperatures rise, so does the cost of cooling. And temperatures are already hotter in America’s low-income neighborhoods like Gallegos’ Denver suburb of Globeville, where people live along stretches of asphalt and concrete that hold heat like a cast-iron skillet. Surface temperatures there can be roughly 8 degrees hotter than in Denver’s wealthier neighborhoods, where a sea of vegetation cools the area, according to the environmental advocacy group American Forests.
This disparity plays out nationwide. 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.
About one in 10 U.S. households have no air conditioning, a disparity compounded for marginalized groups, according to a study by the Brookings Institution. Less than 4% of Detroit’s white households don’t have air conditioning; it’s 15% for Black households.
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 pours water on her head, freezes towels to put around her neck, and sits in her car with the air conditioner on. “Some people here spend every dollar for food, so air conditioning is something they can’t afford,” she said.
Shannon Lewis, 38, lived in her Detroit home for nearly 20 years without air conditioning. Lewis’s bedroom was the only place with a window unit, so she’d squeeze her teenager, 8-year-old and 3-year-old-twins into her queen-size bed to sleep, eat meals and watch television.
“So it was like cool in one room and a heat stroke in another,” Lewis said. For the first time, Lewis now has air conditioning through a local non-profit, she said. “We don’t have to sleep or eat in the same room, we are able to come out, sit at the dining room table, eat like a family.”
After at least 54 died during a 2021 heat wave, mostly elderly people without air conditioning, in the Portland area, Oregon passed a law prohibiting landlords from placing blanket bans on air conditioning units. By and large, however, states don’t have laws requiring landlords to provide cooling.
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. For people like Gallegos, who doesn’t pay taxes, the available credits are worthless.
The law also offers rebates, 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 bought thermal curtains, ceiling fans and runs a window unit. At night she tries to do skin-to-skin touch to regulate the baby’s body temperature. When the back door opens in the afternoon, she said, the indoor temperature jumps a degree.
“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.
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.
“I’m finding that you have to afford the project in the first place and then it’s like having a bonus coupon to take $5,000 off of the sticker price,” she said.
Lucy Molina, a single mom in Commerce City, one of Denver’s poorest areas, said her home has reached 107 degrees without air conditioning. Nearby, Molina’s two teenage children slurped popsicles to cool off, lingering in front of the open freezer.
For Molina, who bustled around her kitchen on a recent day when temperatures reached 99 degrees outdoors, it’s hard to see any path to a cooling respite.
“We’re just too poor,” she said. | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/were-just-too-poor-record-heat-waves-reveal-plight-of-americans-without-air-conditioning/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:12 | 1 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/were-just-too-poor-record-heat-waves-reveal-plight-of-americans-without-air-conditioning/ |
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Dalvin Cook got an up-close view of Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets while watching practice from the sideline Sunday.
The free agent running back has to see if he’ll spend the rest of training camp in their backfield — or elsewhere.
Cook spent Sunday meeting with the Jets as he ponders the next stop of his playing career. The four-time Pro Bowl selection was released by the Vikings on June 8 for salary cap savings, according to a person familiar with Minnesota’s decision.
The Jets are the first team Cook has officially visited as a free agent, with his hometown Miami Dolphins also among possible suitors. New York also must consider whether to make him an offer before he leaves the team’s practice facility.
Cook, who turns 28 on Aug. 10, was greeted by chants of “Dal-vin Cooook! Sign that contract!” from fans in the stands as he walked onto the field. He later responded to the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a green heart emoji.
Several Jets players, including Rodgers, greeted Cook and he spent a few moments chatting with owner Woody Johnson.
“He’s a good young man, a very good young man,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “We didn’t interact too much. There’s a lot of stuff going on, especially when it’s open to the public. But it was good to say hello.”
Cook has talked up the Jets in TV interviews in recent days, telling NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Friday they “are right at the top of the list” and the odds of him signing with them were “pretty high.”
“It’s a unique situation because I think they’re building something special over there,” Cook told “Good Morning Football” during the interview. “When you look at it, you always want to be around a great QB, you always want to be around somebody you can pick his brain and just learn from. A-Rod is a four-time MVP. So, just being around a guy like that you can learn a lot more and just develop as a player.
“That’s what I’m looking to do.”
He reiterated those comments Saturday during an interview with ESPN, saying he thinks “the coaching staff, I think everything about what they got going on, just says winning.”
But Cook, a former Florida State star, also said in the interview he was interested in the Dolphins and it would be “a Cinderella story” to play for his hometown team.
He was the guest of the Jets on Sunday, though. And now they have to wait to see if they offer Cook a deal and he accepts — or explores his options.
Both sides have expressed interest, and the Jets wanted Cook to take a physical to be sure his surgically repaired shoulder is healthy.
“That’s pretty much it,” Saleh said. “Call it a meet and greet.”
Cook, who has run for at least 1,000 yards in each of the past four seasons, was scheduled to count more than $14.1 million against the Vikings’ salary cap before he was released. He’s third on Minnesota’s career rushing list with 5,993 yards in six seasons.
With the Jets, Cook could give New York some insurance in the backfield with Breece Hall working his way back from a knee injury that cut short a promising rookie season. New York also has Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight, Damarea Crockett, fifth-round draft pick Israel Abanikanda and undrafted free agent Travis Dye at the position.
NOTES: Saleh said WR Garrett Wilson has a lower right ankle injury and the Jets are being cautious by holding him out of practice. Wilson appeared to have a slight limp and his right ankle was wrapped. … WR Corey Davis remains out with an illness, but Saleh said he could return to practice Monday. … WR Randall Cobb was activated from the physically unable to perform list and participated in practice. … Saleh said the starters aren’t expected to play Thursday night in the Hall of Fame game against Cleveland in Canton, Ohio. Among those players who will play include QB Zach Wilson and OT Mekhi Becton.
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AP Pro Football Writers Dave Campbell and Rob Maaddi contributed.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-dalvin-cook-visits-with-the-jets-and-watches-practice-as-he-considers-his-options/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:14 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-dalvin-cook-visits-with-the-jets-and-watches-practice-as-he-considers-his-options/ |
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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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Frank Clark has reunited with Russell Wilson in Denver and now the outside linebacker has former teammate Patrick Mahomes in his sights instead.
The 30-year-old outside linebacker signed with Denver after being jettisoned by the Kansas City Chiefs in a cost-cutting move this offseason and the Broncos are counting on him to add some oomph to their pass rush.
Still in the AFC West, Clark gets two opportunities at beating his former team this season, something the Broncos haven’t done since 2015. Their 15-game skid against the Chiefs is the fourth longest by one team to a single opponent in NFL history.
Unlike his reunion with Wilson, revenge and rivalry aren’t top of mind for Clark as he embraces his fresh start in the Rocky Mountains.
“I wouldn’t call it a rivalry. A rivalry is competitive,” Clark interjected in his first public comments since signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal with Denver last month. “I’m (with) the Broncos now. I’ve been on the other side. We didn’t call it a rivalry then.”
And before anyone around Denver can call it that the Broncos will have to beat Mahomes, something they have a better shot at doing with Clark on their side.
The Chiefs parted ways with Clark just a year after signing him to a two-year, $30 million extension. The Broncos haven’t had a fearsome pass rush since trading Von Miller two years ago. And with Baron Browning sidelined by a knee injury and Randy Gregory coming off an injury-filled debut season in Denver, first-year head coach Sean Payton eagerly welcomed the veteran with 58 1/2 sacks.
Clark had 23 1/2 sacks in four seasons in Kansas City and another 10 1/2 in the playoffs, helping the Chiefs go 10-2 in the postseason and make three trips to the Super Bowl.
“What we did in Kansas City was special,” Clark said. “Four-year run, two Super Bowl (rings), three AFC titles. It was fun, but at the end of the day all good things come to an end.”
Bad things, too, he hopes. Such as Denver’s 15-game skid to the Chiefs.
One thing Clark insists isn’t nearing the finish line in his proclivity for getting after the passer even though his five sacks in 2022 and two-game suspension for gun possession incidents a year earlier meant an end to his three-year run as a Pro Bowler.
“I wouldn’t say it was the end” in Kansas City last season, Clark said. “It’s never the end when you get the job finished.”
Now he aims to help the Broncos and Wilson bounce back in 2023.
“He’s still dangerous. Don’t get it twisted,” Clark said of Wilson, whom he played with in Seattle from 2015-18. “Russ is a veteran. He’s a guy that’s won on multiple levels. … I was a part of Seahawks teams that were successful; I was a part of teams where we didn’t make the playoffs. But it was the same Russ.
“So don’t think a bad season’s going to shake a guy like Russ,” Clark added. “Naw, bro, we start fresh every year. Every summer’s a fresh start.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-ex-chiefs-linebacker-frank-clark-reunites-with-russell-wilson-in-denver/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:18 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-ex-chiefs-linebacker-frank-clark-reunites-with-russell-wilson-in-denver/ |
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.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:20 | 0 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ |
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers is sticking by his offensive coordinator and firing his hardest throw of the summer at Sean Payton.
The Jets quarterback was bothered by critical comments Payton, the Denver Broncos’ head coach, recently made about offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Payton told USA Today for a story published Thursday that Hackett’s 15-game stint with the Broncos last season ”was one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.″
Payton also said there were “20 dirty hands” around Russell Wilson’s career-worst season, and took some shots at the Jets — Hackett’s new team where he and Rodgers are reunited after enjoying success together in Green Bay.
“It made me feel bad that someone who has 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,” Rodgers told NFL Network on Sunday. “I think it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth.”
Rodgers, acquired by New York in April from Green Bay, said Hackett is “arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL.” The pair was together for two of Rodgers’ four NFL MVP awards in 2020 and 2021 with the Packers.
During the interview with USA Today’s Jarrett Bell, Payton also criticized the Jets being the latest NFL team “trying to win the offseason” — something he said the Broncos under Hackett tried to do and were “embarrassed.”
Jets coach Robert Saleh said Thursday “Hackett’s doing a phenomenal job here” when asked about Payton’s comments. He also said the Jets are just focused on themselves, but recognizes “there’s a lot of people that are hatin’ on us and a lot of people looking for us to fail.”
Payton on Friday said he regretted his comments in which he disparaged Hackett, and said he would reach out to Hackett and Saleh “at the right time” to do so.
“Listen, I had one of those moments where I still had my Fox hat on and not my coaching hat,” said Payton, who’s returning to the sideline this season after a year’s sabbatical during which he worked as a studio football analyst for Fox Sports following a 15-year stint with the New Orleans Saints.
Rodgers told NFL Network he thought Payton’s initial comments “were very surprising, for a coach to do that to another coach.”
Meanwhile, the back-and-forth made the Jets’ matchup in Denver in Week 5 on Oct. 8 a bit juicier. Payton acknowledged Friday his comments “certainly will bring more interest to the game when we play them, but that seems like years from now.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton in Englewood, Colorado, contributed.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jets-aaron-rodgers-defends-nathaniel-hackett-and-fires-back-at-the-broncos-sean-payton/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:24 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jets-aaron-rodgers-defends-nathaniel-hackett-and-fires-back-at-the-broncos-sean-payton/ |
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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HOUSTON (AP) — Quarterback C.J. Stroud, taken second overall in this year’s draft, isn’t worried that the Panthers picked No. 1 selection Bryce Young as their starter on Day 1 of training camp while the Houston Texans are making him compete for the job.
“I’m happy for him, but his situation is his situation, and my situation is mine,” Stroud said Sunday. “So, I know that I’ve got to work on my end and do whatever I’ve got to do to make this team better. It’s not about the starter (or) who’s not the starter, it’s about getting better for Week 1 against Baltimore.”
Stroud is vying with Davis Mills to be the team’s quarterback. The Texans have split first-team snaps between the two in the first few days of camp.
Houston drafted Stroud after Mills struggled as the team’s starter for the past two years after Deshaun Watson sat out following a trade request before being shipped to Cleveland before last season.
Mills went 5-22-1 in 28 games, including 26 starts, as the Texans were among the NFL’s worst teams.
Stroud is just the third quarterback the Texans have drafted in the first round, joining Watson, taken 12th in 2017 and David Carr, the team’s first draft pick who was taken first overall in 2002.
After using such a high pick on Stroud it’s hard to imagine that he won’t end up as the team’s starter. But for now, new coach DeMeco Ryans is adamant that it’s an open competition between the former Ohio State star and Mills.
While Ryans won’t answer questions about what Stroud will have to do to win the job, he’s had plenty to say about the dedication the 21-year-old has shown since joining the team.
“What you see about C.J. is the work and preparation that he does when he’s not here,” Ryans said. “He’s a true football junkie. He loves football, always watching football, always asking for extra cut-ups from our coaches. I’m so impressed with the mental part of him and just how much he loves the game of football. When a guy has that much love for the game of football, he’s (only) going to continue to get better.”
Stroud was a two-year starter for Ohio State, where he threw for 8,123 yards with 85 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions as the Buckeyes went 21-4. His 85 touchdowns over two seasons broke a Big Ten record held by Drew Brees.
Despite competing with Mills for the job, the rookie said that he and fellow quarterback Case Keenum have both helped him a lot as he’s made the jump from college to the pros.
“I’ve learned everything from Davis,” Stroud said. “Davis and Case are great vets. And just because we may be competing against each other, doesn’t mean that we’re not going to learn from each other. I’ve had a really great time being in the room with those guys.”
Stroud certainly knows what’s at stake for him in this camp, but he’s trying not to let the competition change how he approaches his job day to day.
“I feel like when you try to have a different mindset you confuse yourself,” he said. “So, for me, I just try to keep my head down and I work — just try to work harder and harder every day. Just trying to … be the best person I can be on and off the field.”
As Stroud prepares for his first NFL season, he certainly has plenty of goals. However, his approach to goals has never been to list only lofty, far down the road ones.
“I have goals written down,” he said. “I did it in college and I’ll do it now. But I have a lot of things that I put down, like really small goals. I think the more you can accomplish small goals in your life, the big ones can come kind of natural. And they come as you get the small ones checked off.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-no-2-pick-stroud-competes-with-mills-for-starting-qb-job-with-houston-texans/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:30 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-no-2-pick-stroud-competes-with-mills-for-starting-qb-job-with-houston-texans/ |
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.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:33 | 0 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Olson says it’s no mystery why he’s leading the majors in RBIs.
In Atlanta’s powerful lineup, Olson is often hitting with runners on base.
Olson drove in five runs with two homers, including a two-run shot in the eighth, and the Braves beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 on Sunday to cap their sweep of the high-scoring series.
Olson has 35 homers, tops in the NL, and 88 RBIs. The Braves scored 29 runs in the three-game sweep in the matchup of NL contenders.
“There’s always dudes on base,” Olson said. “I feel like I’m rarely taking at-bats with the bases empty.”
The only player in the majors with more homers than Olson is Shohei Ohtani, with 39. Ohtani will bring the Los Angeles Angels into Atlanta for a series beginning Monday night.
With the sweep, the Braves won five of six against the Brewers in the last two weeks, including two of three in Milwaukee on July 21-23.
“You know you’re probably not shutting them out,” said Brewers left fielder Christian Yelich, who homered and drove in two runs.
Yelich said a “back-and-forth game” is likely against Atlanta. Sure enough, the Brewers lost despite holding leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 6-5.
“To keep roaring back, it’s a testament to how tough these guys are,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
Atlanta (67-36) leads the NL East by 11 1/2 games over Miami. Milwaukee’s loss coupled with Cincinnati’s win at the Dodgers dropped the Brewers (57-49) into second in the NL Central.
Orlando Arcia led off the eighth with a double to left against Milwaukee’s Joel Payamps (4-2). With one out, Olson’s tiebreaking 35th homer landed in the Atlanta bullpen in right-center.
Payamps entered with a string of 17 consecutive scoreless appearances. He had allowed just seven hits in his last 18 innings.
Kirby Yates (5-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win. Raisel Iglesias earned his 20th save by striking out the side in the ninth.
Olson’s three-run homer lifted the Braves to a 5-3 lead in the third. He drove in Ronald Acuña Jr., who singled and stole second, and Austin Riley, who walked.
Collin McHugh blew the 5-3 lead by giving up three runs in the sixth. William Contreras doubled in two runs for Milwaukee.
Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna tied the game at 6 with his homer off Hoby Milner.
Riley continued his power surge for Atlanta by hitting his eighth homer in the last 11 games in the first, giving him 24 on the year. The two-run shot off Colin Rea carried 463 feet to left-center.
Rea allowed five runs in five innings.
Carlos Santana, acquired from Pittsburgh on Saturday, hit his first homer with the Brewers in the third. The liner over the right-field wall gave Milwaukee a 3-2 lead. Yelich led off the third with his 16th homer.
TRADE
Atlanta added veteran infielder Nicky Lopez in a trade with the Kansas City Royals. The Braves sent left-hander Taylor Hearn to Kansas City for the 28-year-old Lopez, who can play shortstop, second base and third.
ROOKIE RETURNS
Atlanta rookie AJ Smith-Shawver, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett before the game, allowed three runs and four hits in five innings.
“He’s got a great way about him,” Snitker said of the 20-year-old right-hander. “There’s no panic in him. … There’s tremendous upside for him as he figures things out.”
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Thanks to Riley’s homer, the Braves have scored 109 first-inning runs, the most in the majors by any team in any inning. The Texas Rangers’ 90 fourth-inning runs are second on the list.
“We come in ready to swing and ready to do damage,” Ozuna said.
TRAINING ROOM
Brewers: LHP Wade Miley (left elbow) will come off the 15-day injured list to start Wednesday night at Washington. … RHP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder) will pitch for Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday. … RHP Julio Teheran (right hip impingement) was placed on the 15-day IL. RHP Peter Strzelecki was recalled from Nashville.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes (9-6, 3.46 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Monday night’s opener of a three-game series at Washington against RHP Jake Irvin (3-5, 4.96 ERA).
Braves: Atlanta opens an interleague series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night. Braves RHP Charlie Morton (10-8, 3.57 ERA) faces RHP Griffin Canning (6-4, 4.46 ERA). Morton is 4-1 with a 3.83 ERA in 10 career starts against the Angels.
——
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP–Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-olson-drives-in-5-with-2-hrs-including-go-ahead-shot-as-braves-sweep-brewers-8-6/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:36 | 0 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-olson-drives-in-5-with-2-hrs-including-go-ahead-shot-as-braves-sweep-brewers-8-6/ |
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.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:40 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sparked by the young guy and the old man, the Cincinnati Reds took over sole possession of first place in the NL Central.
Elly De La Cruz, the 21-year-old sensation, and Joey Votto, who turns 40 in September, helped the Reds rout the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-0 on Sunday. They won home and road series against the NL West-leading Dodgers this season.
“It’s big-time for us,” winning pitcher Graham Ashcraft said. “It keeps us going and gives us that edge to keep fighting.”
De La Cruz hit a two-run homer and went 4 for 5 in his third game of the season with four hits. He also scored twice as the Reds rapped out 14 hits in handing the Dodgers their worst loss since a 15-0 defeat to San Francisco on June 17.
De La Cruz broke out of the struggles he’s had since the All-Star break, while Votto shook off his offensive funk with a two-run shot. Votto went 2 for 5 with three RBIs.
“He knows how to come out of those slumps. He gives us ideas and tips on how we can get out of there too,” De La Cruz said. “He helps me and if there’s something I can help him out with, I’ll tell him, too.”
Votto respects the equanimity shown by his much younger teammates.
“During the rough spells, these guys have been the exact same people every day,” he said. “It’s a very young team. The energy is consistent. That’s the really charming part about it. Every single day from spring training, the optimism has been there.”
Ashcraft (6-7) scattered five hits over six innings and struck out two.
The Dodgers hit into three double plays on Friday and three more Sunday. They managed just two hits in a 3-2 loss Saturday. They didn’t get a runner past second base over the final five innings in the finale.
Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas made his first career pitching appearance in the ninth. He nearly hit Votto before the designated hitter answered with an RBI double that made it 9-0. Rojas then hit Christian Encarnacion-Strand.
Dodgers starter Michael Grove (2-3) got hit hard over the first three innings. Three pitches into the game, the Reds led 1-0 on TJ Friedl’s RBI double. Friedl scored on a throwing error by center fielder James Outman, and Matt McLain hustled home on Spencer Steer’s groundout to third.
“Too many pitches to hit with guys on base. I got to shore that up,” Grove said. “My attack plan wasn’t great early and I just got put on defense to start with and had to adjust. I got punished cause I was leaving pitches over the plate.”
De La Cruz’s solo shot traveled 411 feet into the right-field pavilion with two outs in the second. It was De La Cruz’s seventh homer.
McLain hit his 11th homer into the Dodgers bullpen in left leading off the third. Votto’s 418-foot shot into the Reds bullpen in right field scored Jake Fraley, who singled, and extended the lead to 7-0.
Votto was robbed of a potential second homer on Outman’s leaping catch at the top of the wall in right-center in the fifth.
The Reds led 8-0 on Friedl’s RBI double with two outs in the sixth.
Grove gave up eight runs and 10 hits in six innings. The rookie right-hander struck out a career-best 10 and walked one on a career-high 96 pitches.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: INF Jonathan India went on the IL with left heel pain.
Dodgers: DH J.D. Martinez left after the first inning with left hamstring tightness. … C Will Smith left the game in the top of the fourth with a left elbow contusion after getting hit by a pitch. X-rays were negative. … OF Mookie Betts (right ankle soreness) was out of the lineup for the second straight day. He got hurt in the batter’s box trying to avoid a pitch on Friday, but is expected back Tuesday. … LHP Julio Urías is having his next start pushed back a couple days while he deals with a nail issue. … LHP Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) played catch.
UP NEXT
Reds: LHP Andrew Abbott (6-2, 1.90 ERA) starts Monday night in the opener of a four-game series at the Chicago Cubs.
Dodgers: RHP Lance Lynn (6-9, 6.47 ERA) makes his Dodgers debut Tuesday in an interleague series opener against Oakland.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-reds-beat-dodgers-9-0-on-homers-by-de-la-cruz-and-votto-grab-nl-central-lead-over-brewers/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:42 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-reds-beat-dodgers-9-0-on-homers-by-de-la-cruz-and-votto-grab-nl-central-lead-over-brewers/ |
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.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:46 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ |
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen enters the mid-season break in unstoppable form, after emphatically winning the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday for an eighth straight win and 10th overall of a crushingly dominant season.
Despite starting from sixth place he finished 22.3 seconds ahead of teammate Sergio Perez to give Red Bull an easy 1-2. It moved Verstappen ominously closer to a third straight world title and his own F1 record of 15 wins from last year.
Verstappen is 125 points ahead of Perez after just 12 races, and his next target is matching Sebastian Vettel’s F1 record of nine straight wins with a victory at the Dutch GP when the lopsided season resumes on Aug. 27.
“I just want to have a nice time now, have a bit of time with family and friends,” Verstappen said.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished in third spot for a third podium of the season, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth for Mercedes ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
George Russell was sixth for Mercedes, with Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) completing the top 10.
Leclerc started on pole ahead of Perez, with Hamilton and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. behind them. McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri was on the next row alongside Verstappen — who was fastest in Friday’s qualifying but took a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change and had to avoid early traffic.
“It was just about surviving turn one. I could see it was all getting really tight,” Verstappen said. “I’ve been in that position before myself so I am just going to stay out of that and it worked out. From there onwards I made the right overtakes.”
Last year Verstappen won from 14th, and once he overtook Perez on Lap 17 of 44 his 45th career win was seemingly inevitable.
“Really enjoyable to drive once I got in the lead,” Verstappen said. “It was again a great race.“
Red Bull extended its record to 13 straight wins, including the final race of last season.
Hamilton came in on the penultimate lap for a tire change and the move paid off as he took the bonus point for fastest lap from Verstappen — a very minor blip for the dominant Dutchman.
It was yet another stellar weekend for Verstappen, who also won Saturday’s sprint race. The only issue was some more bickering with his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase over radio, as they continued their spat from Friday’s qualifying.
“Don’t forget Max, use your head, please,” Lambiase told Verstappen when he questioned why Perez was making his first tire change on Lap 14.
Verstappen defused any talk of tension with Lambiase.
“It’s fine. We know each other very well and we have a very good relationship,” he said. “I think it’s really important.”
With some rain forecast, Verstappen boxed on the next lap and came out about 2 seconds behind Perez. Just minutes later he cruised past Perez and, as so often this season, the rest was just about control.
Perez, meanwhile, pledged to stay on the podium for the rest of the season.
“It’s been a bit of a rough patch,” the 33-year-old Mexican said. “I really need this summer break, it’s been really intense. I’ll come back really strong for Zandvoort.”
Conditions were dry for the race start, in stark contrast to the two previous days, which were impacted by heavy rain at the 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Leclerc, who won his first F1 race here in 2019, made a solid start but Perez’s extra pace soon put him in front.
“I knew it was quite crucial for my race to get Charles on Lap 1,” Perez said.
Verstappen rose two places to fourth after Sainz bumped into Piastri on the first corner.
Piastri had to retire, while Verstappen overtook Hamilton on Lap 6, Leclerc three laps later and made short work of Perez just before some rain fell briefly.
Some good overtaking from Ocon moved the Frenchman up from 10th to eighth in the closing stages.
It was an early end for Piastri, who had impressed with a second place in Saturday’s sprint race.
A bad day for Sainz saw him retiring on Lap 25 and Leclerc moving above him in the standings.
“Of course the race was good on my side, a shame for Carlos as we had good pace,” Leclerc said. “When you look at the Red Bulls we still have a lot of work to do … This was the best we could achieve today, no doubt.”
After the F1 break there will be 10 races left, but most of the competition for places will be behind Verstappen.
Alonso is one point ahead of Hamilton in third overall, with Leclerc and Russell level and Sainz seven points behind them.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-verstappen-wins-belgian-gp-to-extend-huge-f1-lead-red-bull-teammate-perez-2nd/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:48 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-verstappen-wins-belgian-gp-to-extend-huge-f1-lead-red-bull-teammate-perez-2nd/ |
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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SOURCE Outfit7 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/talking-tom-mrbeast-celebrate-toms-birthday-with-an-exclusive-outfit-contribute-hospital-underprivileged-children/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:53 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/talking-tom-mrbeast-celebrate-toms-birthday-with-an-exclusive-outfit-contribute-hospital-underprivileged-children/ |
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have given outside linebacker Danielle Hunter a hefty pay raise, paving the way for the team’s best pass rusher to participate in practice after a months-long contract stalemate.
The Vikings announced Sunday on their website that they reached a new deal with Hunter, the three-time Pro Bowl pick with 71 sacks who will turn 29 in three months.
Hunter reported to training camp last week on schedule after skipping the offseason program and mandatory minicamp, but he has yet to join his teammates on the field. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Saturday that Hunter has been “in the building” and that they’ve been in “daily dialogue” about his physical and mental preparation.
“Danielle Hunter is a very special player, and as soon as we can get him out here, you guys will see him out here,” O’Connell said.
Hunter’s previous contract called for a $4.9 million base salary. According to NFL Network, he’ll make $17 million guaranteed this year with an opportunity to earn an additional $3 million in incentives. Hunter will still hit the free agent market after the season, unless he and the team strike a deal on an extension in the meantime.
Hunter’s presence will be vital for a Vikings defense that has been one of the NFL’s worst over the past three years. They allowed the second-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league in 2022, despite decent production by their primary edge rushers. Hunter had 10 1/2 sacks, Za’Darius Smith had 10 sacks and backups D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones had four sacks apiece.
Smith was since traded to Cleveland in a cost-cutting move, leaving Hunter as the only proven pass rusher on the roster. Marcus Davenport was signed as a free agent to push for a starting spot, but this remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the team this season.
“I think Danielle’s a phenomenal player,” said defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who was hired to replace the fired Ed Donatell. “I look forward to working with him.”
Under Donatell, Hunter often found himself as a standup rusher in a three-point stance. The Vikings with Flores are aiming to get back to turning Hunter loose with his hand in the ground more often.
“Veteran players, they’ve seen a lot of defense, coverages, fronts, stunts. I think terminology will probably be the one thing that’s a little bit different, maybe, but some of it, there’s some crossover from some things he’s heard in the past so I don’t think it’ll take long for him to get up to speed,” Flores said. “At the end of the day, we’re telling him to go get the quarterback. There’s really not much to that. So I think he’ll be just fine.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-vikings-end-stalemate-with-danielle-hunter-by-giving-edge-rusher-a-big-pay-raise/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:54 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-vikings-end-stalemate-with-danielle-hunter-by-giving-edge-rusher-a-big-pay-raise/ |
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.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/tour-de-turtles-celebrates-sea-turtles-supernatural-science-disneys-vero-beach-resort/ | 2023-07-31T11:00:59 | 1 | https://www.kait8.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.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/white-house-announces-partnership-with-affordablehousingcom-end-junk-fees/ | 2023-07-31T11:01:06 | 0 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/white-house-announces-partnership-with-affordablehousingcom-end-junk-fees/ |
- Revenue of RMB9,908 Million in the Second Quarter, Up 6.7% Year-over-Year;
Excluding COVID-19 Commercial Projects, Up 39.5% - Revenue of RMB18,871 Million in the First Half, Up 6.3% Year-over-Year;
Excluding COVID-19 Commercial Projects, Up 27.9% - Net Profit Attributable to Owners of the Company for the First Half Increased 14.6% to RMB 5,313 Million
- Diluted Earnings per Share (EPS) for the First Half Increased 20.9% to RMB1.79
- Adjusted Non-IFRS Net Profit Attributable to Owners of the Company for the First Half Increased 18.5% to RMB5,095 Million
- Adjusted Non-IFRS Diluted EPS for the First Half Increased 18.5% to RMB1.73[1]
- Free Cash Flow Achieved RMB2,926 Million for the First Half, Turned Positive and Grew Strongly
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- WuXi AppTec (stock code: 603259.SH / 2359.HK), a global company that provides a broad portfolio of R&D and manufacturing services that enable companies in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries to advance discoveries and deliver groundbreaking treatments to patients, is pleased to announce its financial results for the first half ending June 30, 2023 ("Reporting Period").
This release provides a summary of the results and is not intended to be a comprehensive report. For additional information, please refer to the 2023 Interim Report and other relevant announcements published on the websites of the Shanghai Stock Exchange (www.sse.com.cn) and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (www.hkexnews.hk), and the designated media for dissemination of the relevant information. Investors are advised to exercise caution and be aware of the investment risks in trading Company shares.
All financial information disclosed in this press release is prepared based on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), in currency of RMB.
The 2023 Interim Report of the Company has not been audited.
Second Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights
Revenue grew 6.7% year-over-year to RMB9,908 million, excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, revenue grew strongly by 39.5%. This is primarily attributable to the Company's continued excellent execution of our unique Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) business model to achieve strong synergy and continuous growth:
- WuXi Chemistry revenue grew 2.6% year-over-year to RMB7,034 million, excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, revenue grew strongly by 51.6%. Adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 12.9% year-over-year to RMB3,216 million, with a gross profit margin of 45.7%.
- WuXi Testing revenue grew 23.6% year-over-year to RMB1,638 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 36.2% year-over-year to RMB640 million, with a gross profit margin of 39.1%.
- WuXi Biology revenue grew 17.5% year-over-year to RMB656 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 21.3% year-over-year to RMB 271 million, with a gross profit margin of 41.4%.
- WuXi ATU revenue grew 22.9% year-over-year to RMB389 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit was RMB(16) million, with a gross profit margin of (4.2)%
- WuXi DDSU revenue declined 17.9% year-over-year to RMB176 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew year-over-year 5.2% to RMB63 million, with a gross profit margin of 35.8%. Meanwhile, we received the first royalty income from customers in the second quarter, which is a breakthrough for DDSU.
Unit: RMB million
- IFRS gross profit increased 18.1% year-over-year to RMB4,030 million. Gross profit margin was 40.7%[2]
- Adjusted non-IFRS gross profit increased 16.4% year-over-year to RM4,177 million. Adjusted non-IFRS gross margin was 42.2%.
- Net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 5.1% year-over-year to RMB3,145 million.
- Adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 22.4% year-over-year to RMB2,753 million.
First-Half 2023 Financial Highlights
Revenue grew 6.3% year-over-year to RMB18,871 million, excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, revenue grew strongly by 27.9%. This is primarily attributable to the Company's continued excellent execution of our unique Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) business model to achieve strong synergy and continuous growth:
- WuXi Chemistry revenue grew 3.8% year-over-year to RMB13,467 million, excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, revenue grew strongly by 36.1%. Adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 14.9% year-over-year to RMB6,103 million, with a gross profit margin of 45.3%.
- WuXi Testing revenue grew 18.7% year-over-year to RMB3,091 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 26.1% year-over-year to RMB1,168 million, with a gross profit margin of 37.8%.
- WuXi Biology revenue grew 13.0% year-over-year to RMB1,233 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit grew 15.1% year-over-year to RMB511 million, with a gross profit margin of 41.5%.
- WuXi ATU revenue grew 16.0% year-over-year to RMB714 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit was RMB(40) million, with a gross profit margin of (5.7)%.
- WuXi DDSU revenue declined 24.9% year-over-year to RMB342 million and adjusted non-IFRS gross profit declined 26.2% year-over-year to RMB103 million, with a gross profit margin of 30.1%. Meanwhile, DDSU achieved a breakthrough in receiving the first royalty income from customers.
Unit: RMB million
- IFRS gross profit increased 17.6% year-over-year to RMB7,556 million. Gross profit margin was 40.0%[3].
- Adjusted non-IFRS gross profit increased 15.7% year-over-year to RMB7,855 million. Adjusted non-IFRS gross margin was 41.6%.
- Net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 14.6% year-over-year to RMB 5,313 million.
- Adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 18.5% year-over-year to RMB5,095 million.
- Diluted EPS increased 20.9% year-over-year to RMB1.79, while adjusted diluted non-IFRS EPS increased by 18.5% year-over-year to RMB1.73.
- Free cash flow achieved RMB2,926 million, turned positive and grew strongly year-over-year.
First-Half 2023 Business Operation Highlights
- As an industry innovation enabler, we grow together with our customers. In the first half of 2023, we added over 600 new customers, and in total we served more than 6,000 active customers over the past 12 months. Backlog grew 25% year-over-year excluding COVID-19 commercial projects. We continued to optimize our cross-platform synergies to better serve our customers worldwide, strengthen our unique competitive advantage as a fully integrated Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) and Contract Testing, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CTDMO) platform, and provide one-stop services for our customers from discovery to development and manufacturing. The diversified revenue streams from customers across regions ensure the stability and resilience of the Company's financial performance.
- WuXi Chemistry: Integrated CRDMO Business Model Drives Steady Growth, with Continued Expansion in New Modalities (WuXi TIDES)
- In the past 12 months, we successfully synthesized and delivered more than 420,000 new compounds to customers, which grew 20% year-over-year. Through our chemistry drug discovery services, we enabled our customers to accelerate their research while generating opportunities for our downstream business units. In the past 12 months, 120 molecules have transitioned from R to D&M, representing a year-on-year growth of 21%. Through our "follow-the-customer" and "follow-the-molecule" strategies, we established trusted partnerships with our global customers, supporting the sustainable growth of our CRDMO business.
- We continued executing our "long-tail" strategy. Demand from "long-tail" customers in discovery services of small molecule and new modalities continued to grow, with the number of new customers growing 17% year-over-year.
- In the first half of 2023, D&M services revenue grew 2.1% year-over-year to RMB9.67 billion. Excluding COVID-19 commercial projects, D&M services revenue grew strongly by 54.5%.
- In the first half of 2023, we added 583 molecules to our D&M pipeline. To date, our D&M pipeline consists of 2,819 molecules, including 56 commercial projects, 59 in phase III, 301 in phase II and 2,403 in phase I and pre-clinical stages, among which, 8 commercial and phase III projects were added in the first half of 2023.
- In the first half of 2023, TIDES revenue grew 37.9% year-over-year to RMB1.33 billion. As of June 30, 2023, backlog of TIDES grew strongly by 188% year-over-year. We expect revenue growth from TIDES business to exceed 70% in 2023.
- The number of TIDES D&M customers increased 25% year-over-year to 121, and the number of TIDES molecules increased 46% year-over-year to 207.
- WuXi Testing: Lab Testing Services Drive Steady Growth, Clinical Business Fully Recovered
- The Company provides a full range of laboratory testing services for our customers, including drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK), toxicology, and bioanalysis for drug development testing, as well as medical device testing. We provide customers with high-quality services, realize "one report for global submission," and enable customers to save time, reduce costs and increase efficiency.
- H1 2023 revenue from drug safety evaluation services grew 24% year-over-year. We maintained our industry leadership position in Asia Pacific for drug safety evaluation services that meet global regulatory requirements. In the first half of 2023, new lab testing facilities in Qidong and Suzhou began operations as scheduled, ensuring the business growth to accelerate in the second half of 2023.
- Moreover, we continued to enhance capabilities related to new modalities, with comprehensive coverage such as target protein degradation, nucleic acids, conjugates, and cell and gene therapies (CGT), etc.
- SMO revenue grew strongly by 53.9% in Q2 2023 and 34.3% in H1 2023, maintaining a leadership position in China. In the first half of 2023, SMO supported 25 new drug approvals for customers.
- In the first half of 2023, clinical CRO enabled our customers to obtain 8 IND approvals and submit 3 NDA filings.
- WuXi Biology: Strong Contribution from New Modalities; Early Discovery Screening Platform Continued to Generate Downstream Opportunities
- WuXi ATU: CTDMO Business Model Drives Growth
- WuXi DDSU: the First Year to Receive New Drug Application (NDA) Approval of New Drugs Developed for Customers; Breakthrough to Receive the First Royalty Income
Our Commitment to ESG
As an industry innovation enabler, a trusted partner and a contributor to the global healthcare industry, the Company is committed to environmental protection and sustainability, and to being a good global corporate citizenship.
Our outstanding ESG performance has been recognized by major global ESG rating agencies, including MSCI, S&P Global, Sustainalytics, CDP and EcoVadis. In June 2023, we received the fourth "Silver" medal recognition from EcoVadis for our Couvet site in Switzerland.
By the first half of 2023, our carbon emission intensity, energy consumption intensity and water use intensity reduced by 20.1%, 18.4%, and 31.6%, respectively, as compared to the baseline year 2020.
As we continue to advance our sustainability strategy, we embrace our shared responsibility to be good stewards of the environment.
Management Comment
Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and CEO of WuXi AppTec, said, "We continued to achieve steady growth of revenue, net profit, and free cash flow in the first half of 2023. Our revenue increased 6.3% year-over-year to RMB18.87 billion, or 27.9% if excluding COVID-19 commercial projects. Our adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 18.5% year-over-year, outpacing the revenue growth rate, and our free cash flow achieved RMB2.93 billion, as a result of the Company's pursuit of operational excellence and productivity."
"The Company's performance in the first half of 2023 demonstrated that WuXi AppTec's unique CRDMO and CTDMO business models can effectively meet the growing demands from customers worldwide and continue to drive solid growth for the Company. In 2023, we aim to deliver a 5-7% revenue growth, increase adjusted non-IFRS gross profit by 13-14%, and expand free cash flow by 750-850%. We remain committed to prioritizing our customers' needs and enhancing our capacity and capabilities as we support our customers' efforts to bring groundbreaking therapies to patients around the world. Together, we can realize our vision that 'every drug can be made and every disease can be treated'."
About WuXi AppTec
As a global company with operations across Asia, Europe, and North America, WuXi AppTec provides a broad portfolio of R&D and manufacturing services that enable the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry to advance discoveries and deliver groundbreaking treatments to patients. Through its unique business models, WuXi AppTec's integrated, end-to-end services include chemistry drug CRDMO (Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization), biology discovery, preclinical testing and clinical research services, cell and gene therapies CTDMO (Contract Testing, Development and Manufacturing Organization), helping customers improve the productivity of advancing healthcare products through cost-effective and efficient solutions. WuXi AppTec received an AA ESG rating from MSCI in 2022 and its open-access platform is enabling more than 6,000 customers from over 30 countries to improve the health of those in need – and to realize the vision that "every drug can be made and every disease can be treated." Please visit: http://www.wuxiapptec.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" which are not historical facts, but instead are predictions about future events based on our beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to our management. Although we believe that our predictions are reasonable, future events are inherently uncertain and our forward-looking statements may turn out to be incorrect. Our forward-looking statements are subject to risks relating to, among other things, the ability of our service offerings to compete effectively, our ability to meet timelines for the expansion of our service offerings, our ability to protect our customers' intellectual property, unforeseeable international tension, competition, the impact of emergencies and other force majeure. Our forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law or listing rules. Accordingly, you are strongly cautioned that reliance on any forward-looking statements involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified by reference to the cautionary statements set forth in this section. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release and are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of this date, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
Use of Non-IFRS and Adjusted Non-IFRS Financial Measures
We provide non-IFRS gross profit and non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company, which exclude share-based compensation expenses, issuance expenses of convertible bonds, fair value gain or loss from derivative component of convertible bonds, foreign exchange-related gains or losses, amortization of intangible assets acquired in business combinations, non-financial assets impairment, etc. We also provide adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company and earnings per share, which further exclude realized and unrealized gains or losses from our venture capital investments and joint ventures. Neither is required by, or presented in accordance with IFRS.
We believe that the adjusted financial measures used in this press release are useful for understanding and assessing our core business performance and operating trends, and we believe that management and investors may benefit from referring to these adjusted financial measures in assessing our financial performance by eliminating the impact of certain unusual, non-recurring, non-cash and non-operating items that we do not consider indicative of the performance of our core business. Such adjusted non-IFRS net profit attributable to owners of the Company, the management of the Company believes, is widely accepted and adopted in the industry the Company is operating in. However, the presentation of these adjusted non-IFRS financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with IFRS. You should not view adjusted results on a stand-alone basis or as a substitute for results under IFRS, or as being comparable to results reported or forecasted by other companies.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Ruijia Tang (for investors)
IR Director
Email: tang_ruijia@wuxiapptec.com
Mr. Davy Wu (for media)
PR Director
Email: davy_wu@wuxiapptec.com
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SOURCE WuXi AppTec | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/wuxi-apptec-announced-strong-results-second-quarter-first-half-2023-top-an-exceptionally-strong-year-2022/ | 2023-07-31T11:01:13 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/wuxi-apptec-announced-strong-results-second-quarter-first-half-2023-top-an-exceptionally-strong-year-2022/ |
The tech giant made the line of sneakers as a one-time gift for its employees in the '90s. A size 10.5 pair has found its way onto the Sotheby's website, where it's on sale for $50,000.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The tech giant made the line of sneakers as a one-time gift for its employees in the '90s. A size 10.5 pair has found its way onto the Sotheby's website, where it's on sale for $50,000.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/a-pair-of-white-sneakers-made-specifically-for-apple-employees-is-up-for-auction | 2023-07-31T11:01:55 | 0 | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/a-pair-of-white-sneakers-made-specifically-for-apple-employees-is-up-for-auction |
Updated July 14, 2023 at 10:16 AM ET
Are you a kid — or do you know a kid — who is learning about climate change?
Whether they're asking about historic flooding or wondering about record-breaking temperatures, it can be hard to know where to start. So we made a guide about how it's changing the planet and how to deal with the big feelings you might have when you hear about it. Click here to print a paper version of this comic at home or in your classroom, and here's more information about how we made this.
Print this comic out at home or in your classroom
Click here to download and print this comic at home. When you print out the PDF file, select your printer's double-sided option with short-edge binding. Then fold the printed pages in half and organize them according to the page numbers. Feel free to make extra copies to share with your friends or your classmates!
Why we made this
Over the years we've created resources for how parents can talk to their kids about climate change. This time we wanted to make something specifically for kids as they're processing their feelings. We also wanted to create a free resource for parents or teachers to use who are looking for ways to help their kids understand how the planet is changing.
Our methodology
We talked with scientists, psychologists and climate researchers to find the best information and proven practices for how to talk to young kids about climate change. We also interviewed several kids who have experienced climate disasters and have taken action in their local communities.
Who this is for
This comic is intended for kids ages 6-12, who are starting to hear about climate change or are starting to experience climate anxiety. But we hope it can be a resource for people of any age.
Additional resources
Coping with climate change: Advice for kids — from kids
Climate change is here. These 6 tips can help you talk to kids about it
When Kids Ask (Really) Tough Questions: A Quick Guide
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-01-17/a-kids-guide-to-climate-change-plus-a-printable-comic | 2023-07-31T11:01:55 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-01-17/a-kids-guide-to-climate-change-plus-a-printable-comic |
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.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ | 2023-07-31T11:01:55 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ |
The bear was spotted chilling in a Burbank jacuzzi while resting its paws on the side of the backyard spa. The California homeowners says the trespasser fled the scene as soon as the police showed up.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The bear was spotted chilling in a Burbank jacuzzi while resting its paws on the side of the backyard spa. The California homeowners says the trespasser fled the scene as soon as the police showed up.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.mainepublic.org/2023-07-31/as-temperatures-climbed-into-the-90s-a-black-bear-cooled-off-in-a-jacuzzi | 2023-07-31T11:02:02 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/2023-07-31/as-temperatures-climbed-into-the-90s-a-black-bear-cooled-off-in-a-jacuzzi |
The bear was spotted chilling in a Burbank jacuzzi while resting its paws on the side of the backyard spa. The California homeowners says the trespasser fled the scene as soon as the police showed up.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The bear was spotted chilling in a Burbank jacuzzi while resting its paws on the side of the backyard spa. The California homeowners says the trespasser fled the scene as soon as the police showed up.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/as-temperatures-climbed-into-the-90s-a-black-bear-cooled-off-in-a-jacuzzi | 2023-07-31T11:02:02 | 1 | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/as-temperatures-climbed-into-the-90s-a-black-bear-cooled-off-in-a-jacuzzi |
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.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/emeren-group-announces-sale-first-rtb-solar-power-project-germany/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:02 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/emeren-group-announces-sale-first-rtb-solar-power-project-germany/ |
The tech giant made the line of sneakers as a one-time gift for its employees in the '90s. A size 10.5 pair has found its way onto the Sotheby's website, where it's on sale for $50,000.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The tech giant made the line of sneakers as a one-time gift for its employees in the '90s. A size 10.5 pair has found its way onto the Sotheby's website, where it's on sale for $50,000.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/a-pair-of-white-sneakers-made-specifically-for-apple-employees-is-up-for-auction | 2023-07-31T11:02:05 | 0 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/a-pair-of-white-sneakers-made-specifically-for-apple-employees-is-up-for-auction |
Trump could be indicted soon in Georgia. Here’s a look at that investigation
ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia prosecutor is expected to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks in her investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis began investigating more than two years ago, shortly after a recording was released of a January 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia’s secretary of state.
Willis has strongly hinted that any indictment would come between July 31 and August 18. One of two grand juries seated July 11 is expected to hear the case.
If Trump is indicted by a Georgia grand jury, it would add to a growing list of legal troubles as he campaigns for president. Trump is set to go to trial in New York in March to face state charges related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. And he has another trial scheduled for May on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.
The Justice Department is also investigating Trump’s role in trying to halt the certification of 2020 election results in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump said he’s been told he’s a target of that investigation, which likely has some overlap with the one in Georgia.
Details of the Georgia investigation that have become public have fed speculation that Willis is building a case under the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which would allow her to charge numerous people in a potentially wide-ranging scheme.
Here are six investigative threads Willis and her team have explored:
THE PHONE CALLS
The Georgia investigation was prompted by the Jan. 2, 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Trump suggested the state’s top elections official could help “find” the votes needed to put him ahead of Democrat Joe Biden in the state.
“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” Trump is heard saying on a recording of the call, which was leaked to news outlets. “Because we won the state.”
Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong and has repeatedly said the call was “perfect.”
Trump also called other top state officials in his quest to overturn his 2020 election loss, including Gov. Brian Kemp, then-House Speaker David Ralston, Attorney General Chris Carr and the top investigator in the secretary of state’s office.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, also called Raffensperger shortly after the November election. Raffensperger said at the time that Graham asked whether he had the power to reject certain absentee ballots, which Raffensperger has said he interpreted as a suggestion to toss out legally cast votes.
Graham has denied wrongdoing, saying he just wanted to learn about the signature verification process.
FAKE ELECTORS
Biden won Georgia by a margin of fewer than 12,000 votes. Just over a month after the election, on Dec. 14, 2020, a group 16 Georgia Democratic electors met in the Senate chamber at the state Capitol to cast the state’s Electoral College votes for him. They each marked paper ballots that were counted and confirmed by a voice roll call.
That same day, in a committee meeting room at the Capitol, 16 prominent Georgia Republicans — a lawmaker, activists and party officials — met to sign a certificate falsely stating that Trump had won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. They sent that certificate to the National Archives and the U.S. Senate.
Georgia was one of seven battleground states that Trump lost where Republican fake electors signed and submitted similar certificates. Trump allies in the U.S. House and Senate used those certificates to argue for delaying or blocking the certification of the election during a joint session of Congress.
Prosecutors in Fulton County have said in court filings that they believe Trump associates worked with state Republicans to coordinate and execute the plan.
The multi-state effort was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite public pressure from Trump and his supporters, then-Vice President Mike Pence refused on Jan. 6, 2021, to introduce the unofficial pro-Trump electors. After the attack on the U.S. Capitol put a violent halt to the certification process, lawmakers certified Biden’s win in the early hours of Jan. 7, 2021.
At least eight of the fake electors have since reached immunity deals with Willis’ team. And a judge last summer barred Willis from prosecuting another one, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, because of a conflict of interest.
FALSE CLAIMS OF ELECTION FRAUD
Republican state lawmakers held several hearings at the Georgia Capitol in December 2020 to examine alleged problems with the November election. During those meetings, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies made unproven claims of widespread election fraud.
They alleged that election workers tallying absentee ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta had told outside observers to leave and then pulled out “suitcases” of unlawful ballots and began scanning them. The Trump allies played clips of surveillance video from the arena to support their allegations. State and federal officials investigated and said there was no evidence of election fraud at the site.
Some Trump allies also said thousands of people who were ineligible — including people convicted of felonies, people under the age of 18, people who had voted in another state — had cast votes in Georgia. The secretary of state’s office has debunked those claims.
ALLEGED ATTEMPTS TO PRESSURE ELECTION WORKER
Two of the election workers seen in the State Farm Arena surveillance video, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, said they faced relentless harassment online and in person as a result of the allegations made by Trump and his allies.
Giuliani last week conceded that statements he made about the two election workers were false.
In a bizarre episode detailed by prosecutors in court filings, a woman traveled from Chicago to Georgia and met with Freeman on Jan. 4, 2021. The woman initially said she wanted to help Freeman but then warned that Freeman could go to prison and tried to pressure her into falsely confessing to committing election fraud, prosecutors wrote in court filings last year.
ELECTION EQUIPMENT ACCESSED
Trump-allied lawyer Sidney Powell and others hired a computer forensics team to copy data and software on election equipment in Coffee County, some 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, according to invoices, emails, security video and deposition testimony produced in response to subpoenas in a long-running lawsuit.
The county Republican Party chair at the time — who also served as a fake elector — greeted them when they arrived at the local elections office on Jan. 7, 2021, and some county elections officials were also on hand during the daylong visit. The secretary of state’s office has said this amounted to “alleged unauthorized access” of election equipment and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into it at the secretary of state’s request.
Two other men who have been active in efforts to question the 2020 election results also visited Coffee County later that month and spent hours inside.
U.S. ATTORNEY RESIGNATION
U.S. Attorney BJay Pak, the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta, abruptly resigned two days after Trump called Raffensperger and a day after a recording of that call was made public. During that conversation, Trump called Pak a “never-Trumper,” implying that he didn’t support the president.
In December 2020, then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr asked Pak to investigate allegations by Giuliani and other Trump allies of widespread election fraud. Pak, who had been appointed by Trump in 2017, reported back that he had found no evidence of such fraud.
In August 2021, Pak told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which was investigating Trump’s post-election actions, that he resigned on Jan. 4, 2021, after learning from Department of Justice officials that Trump did not believe enough was being done to investigate allegations of election fraud and wanted him gone as U.S. attorney.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kwch.com/2023/07/31/trump-could-be-indicted-soon-georgia-heres-look-that-investigation/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:07 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/2023/07/31/trump-could-be-indicted-soon-georgia-heres-look-that-investigation/ |
"I don't think it's caught up to me yet — how much my life has changed," says Emma Hardyman, singer of the 2023 Tiny Desk Contest-winning band Little Moon. The Utah-based band recently wrapped up the Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour, headlining eight sold-out shows across the country. While on the road, Hardyman caught up with NPR to reflect on the life-changing win and also share the story behind Little Moon's winning song, "Wonder Eye."
Hardyman tells NPR the song was written during the time her mother-in-law was in hospice care. The melody came to Hardyman as she and her husband Nathan Hardyman, who is also part of Little Moon, drove from Utah to Idaho to visit his mother.
During this difficult time, Emma and Nathan Hardyman were also in the process of leaving the Mormon church in which they had grown up.
"And pretty quickly, just because of the circumstances, I realized that this song, this melody, was about death," says Emma Hardyman, who wrote the structure of the song before asking Nathan Hardyman to write the lyrics.
The couple were also observing the disintegration of many of the building blocks their Mormon belief systems were built on. "I've grieved past versions of myself throughout my whole life," Emma Hardyman shares.
"I really love where Mormonism brought me," Emma Hardyman says. "It introduced me to teachings that are supposed to love everybody, that are supposed to incorporate everybody. [But] it couldn't follow me to how much I wanted to take [those teachings] seriously," she adds, noting that many of the Little Moon band members are queer. She says Mormonism didn't align with how she wants to treat people 'without conditions.'
Emma Hardyman also shares that she had many self-doubts about herself as an artist when she and Nathan Hardman met — but that he believed in her from their very first date. And in "Wonder Eye," the two even find peace in not having all the answers. Emma sings: "Is there a knowledge that is found not in knowing?" as she's met with the warm hums of the band.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-31/the-power-and-heartbreak-behind-the-song-that-won-the-tiny-desk-contest | 2023-07-31T11:02:08 | 0 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-31/the-power-and-heartbreak-behind-the-song-that-won-the-tiny-desk-contest |
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's recent health episodes have sparked concerns about his possible successor. NPR's A Martinez talks to Austin Horn, a reporter at the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's recent health episodes have sparked concerns about his possible successor. NPR's A Martinez talks to Austin Horn, a reporter at the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/kentucky-law-dictates-a-republican-would-replace-mcconnell-if-he-vacates-senate-seat | 2023-07-31T11:02:08 | 1 | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/kentucky-law-dictates-a-republican-would-replace-mcconnell-if-he-vacates-senate-seat |
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.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:09 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ |
The bear was spotted chilling in a Burbank jacuzzi while resting its paws on the side of the backyard spa. The California homeowners says the trespasser fled the scene as soon as the police showed up.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The bear was spotted chilling in a Burbank jacuzzi while resting its paws on the side of the backyard spa. The California homeowners says the trespasser fled the scene as soon as the police showed up.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/as-temperatures-climbed-into-the-90s-a-black-bear-cooled-off-in-a-jacuzzi | 2023-07-31T11:02:11 | 1 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/as-temperatures-climbed-into-the-90s-a-black-bear-cooled-off-in-a-jacuzzi |
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
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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.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:13 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/111-announce-second-quarter-2023-unaudited-financial-results-august-24-2023-conference-call-follow/ |
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.wunc.org/2023-07-31/the-death-toll-in-the-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-as-families-hold-funerals | 2023-07-31T11:02:15 | 1 | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/the-death-toll-in-the-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-as-families-hold-funerals |
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.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:16 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ |
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's recent health episodes have sparked concerns about his possible successor. NPR's A Martinez talks to Austin Horn, a reporter at the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's recent health episodes have sparked concerns about his possible successor. NPR's A Martinez talks to Austin Horn, a reporter at the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/kentucky-law-dictates-a-republican-would-replace-mcconnell-if-he-vacates-senate-seat | 2023-07-31T11:02:17 | 0 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/kentucky-law-dictates-a-republican-would-replace-mcconnell-if-he-vacates-senate-seat |
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.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/emeren-group-announces-sale-first-rtb-solar-power-project-germany/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:20 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/emeren-group-announces-sale-first-rtb-solar-power-project-germany/ |
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.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:22 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ |
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.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/the-death-toll-in-the-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-as-families-hold-funerals | 2023-07-31T11:02:24 | 1 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/the-death-toll-in-the-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-as-families-hold-funerals |
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.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:26 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/gehi-hold-extraordinary-general-meeting-shareholders-september-11-2023/ |
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.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:29 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/opteev-develops-worlds-first-multiplex-biochip-that-precisely-identifies-covid-flu-rsv-respiratory-pathogens-under-1-minute/ |
"I don't think it's caught up to me yet — how much my life has changed," says Emma Hardyman, singer of the 2023 Tiny Desk Contest-winning band Little Moon. The Utah-based band recently wrapped up the Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour, headlining eight sold-out shows across the country. While on the road, Hardyman caught up with NPR to reflect on the life-changing win and also share the story behind Little Moon's winning song, "Wonder Eye."
Hardyman tells NPR the song was written during the time her mother-in-law was in hospice care. The melody came to Hardyman as she and her husband Nathan Hardyman, who is also part of Little Moon, drove from Utah to Idaho to visit his mother.
During this difficult time, Emma and Nathan Hardyman were also in the process of leaving the Mormon church in which they had grown up.
"And pretty quickly, just because of the circumstances, I realized that this song, this melody, was about death," says Emma Hardyman, who wrote the structure of the song before asking Nathan Hardyman to write the lyrics.
The couple were also observing the disintegration of many of the building blocks their Mormon belief systems were built on. "I've grieved past versions of myself throughout my whole life," Emma Hardyman shares.
"I really love where Mormonism brought me," Emma Hardyman says. "It introduced me to teachings that are supposed to love everybody, that are supposed to incorporate everybody. [But] it couldn't follow me to how much I wanted to take [those teachings] seriously," she adds, noting that many of the Little Moon band members are queer. She says Mormonism didn't align with how she wants to treat people 'without conditions.'
Emma Hardyman also shares that she had many self-doubts about herself as an artist when she and Nathan Hardman met — but that he believed in her from their very first date. And in "Wonder Eye," the two even find peace in not having all the answers. Emma sings: "Is there a knowledge that is found not in knowing?" as she's met with the warm hums of the band.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/the-power-and-heartbreak-behind-the-song-that-won-the-tiny-desk-contest | 2023-07-31T11:02:30 | 0 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/the-power-and-heartbreak-behind-the-song-that-won-the-tiny-desk-contest |
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.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:33 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/notable-live-adds-three-gold-jackets/ |
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.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:36 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ |
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.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ | 2023-07-31T11:02:39 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nutex-health-announces-that-its-advanced-population-health-analytics-platform-has-been-selected-by-varmed-management-enhance-patient-care/ |