September 2021 – Page 11 – Western Sahara Wire

September 9, 2021

Zoom Video Communications To Hold Financial Analyst Briefing During Zoomtopia

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) will hold a Financial Analyst Briefing on September 13, 2021 during its premier customer event, Zoomtopia. The event will be hosted by members of the executive team and will cover Zoom’s business strategy, opportunities, and initiatives.

Attendees of the Financial Analyst Briefing must first register for Zoomtopia at: https://www.zoomtopia.com/. Once registered, attendees will receive instructions for joining the Zoomtopia lobby from where they may search for and join the Financial Analyst Briefing track. The live video webinar will begin at 2pm ET/11am PT, and last for approximately two hours. Attendees must update their Zoom client to version to 5.7.6 or later in order to run Zoom Events and join the session smoothly.

A replay will be available approximately three hours after the conclusion of the live event at https://investors.zoom.us/news-events/events.

About Zoom

Zoom is for you. We help you express ideas, connect to others, and build toward a future limited only by your imagination. Our frictionless communications platform is the only one that started with video as its foundation, and we have set the standard for innovation ever since. That is why we are an intuitive, scalable, and secure choice for large enterprises, small businesses, and individuals alike. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Visit zoom.com and follow @zoom.

Press Relations

Colleen Rodriguez
Global PR Lead for Zoom
press@zoom.us

Investor Relations

Tom McCallum
Head of Investor Relations for Zoom
408.675.6738
investors@zoom.us

September 9, 2021

BRICS Nations Say Afghan Territory Should Not Be Used by Terror Groups

NEW DELHI – Leaders of the BRICS nations discussed Afghanistan at a virtual summit Thursday, with participants underscoring the importance of preventing terrorists from using Afghan soil to stage attacks on other countries.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the five-nation group that comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The talks come weeks after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan led to a geopolitical shift in Asia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, China’s President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro joined Modi for the online summit.

Speaking at the opening of the summit, Putin said the withdrawal of the United States and its allies from Afghanistan “has led to a new crisis” and the “entire international community will have to clear up the mess as a result.”

He said the situation stemmed from “irresponsible attempts to impose alien values from outside and this intention to build so-called democracy” without taking into account historical features and traditions resulting in “destabilization and chaos.”

In wrapping up the summit, the BRICS nations called for “refraining from violence and settling the situation by peaceful means to ensure stability in the country.”

Afghanistan is of major concern to three of the five countries in the group – Russia, India and China.

Putin said the country should not become a threat to its neighbors or a source of terrorism and drug trafficking.

In late August, the U.S. completed a withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan to end a 20-year war.

Observers say China and Russia will use the opportunity to step into the void left by the U.S., although Moscow is wary of the Islamist ideology of the Taliban and the threat posed by foreign militant groups to Central Asia.

India’s concern

New Delhi, meanwhile, finds itself isolated with the takeover by the Taliban, which has long been an anti-India group. New Delhi has emphasized that its main concern is about Afghan territory being used by terror groups that target India such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

The group adopted what it called a Counter Terrorism Action Plan and said in its declaration, “We stress the need to contribute to fostering an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue so as to ensure stability, civil peace, law and order in the country.”

The statement also emphasized the need to address the humanitarian situation and to uphold human rights, including those of children, women and minorities.

The summit, held for a second year in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, expressed “regret” at the glaring inequity in access to vaccines, especially for the most vulnerable populations, and highlighted the need for access to affordable shots for the world’s poorest.

The declaration also said cooperation on the study of the origins of the coronavirus is an important aspect of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus causes COVID-19.

The BRICS group was formed to enhance cooperation among the world’s major emerging economies, which account for 40% of the global population and 25% of global gross domestic product. Their first summit was held in 2009.

Source: Voice of America

September 9, 2021

Africa Steps Up Surveillance of New COVID Variants

GENEVA – The World Health Organization says genomic sequencing capability is being improved in Africa to better detect, monitor and respond to COVID-19 mutations.

Several variants of the coronavirus are circulating in African countries. The Delta variant is, by far, the most contagious and virulent. The variants have sparked flare-ups of this deadly disease. However, the Delta variant is most responsible for prolonging Africa’s third pandemic wave.

The World Health Organization says Africa’s COVID-19 third wave is now tapering off after a two-month surge, with the number of new cases decreasing by 23% last week. The World Health Organization says the case load remains extremely high, though, with more than 165,000 new weekly cases reported.

WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti says the WHO is supporting countries in scaling up pathogen surveillance through genome sequencing. She says together with the South African National Bioinformatics Institute, the WHO is launching a new Regional Center of Excellence for Genomic Surveillance in Cape Town.

“Knowing which variants are circulating and where is critical for informing effective response operations … The continent lags far behind the rest of the world when it comes to sequencing, accounting for only 1% of over 3 million COVID-19 sequences conducted worldwide. So, this ground-breaking initiative aims to initially support 14 Southern African countries to scale up their genomic sequencing by 15-fold each month,” she said.

Moeti says analysis will shed light on the pathways COVID-19 is using to spread into communities. On the vaccine front, she notes Africa still lags far behind the world’s richer nations in inoculating its inhabitants.

In the past week, the COVAX Facility has delivered over 5 million doses to African countries. I was saddened to read that three times as many doses have been thrown away in the United States alone — 15 million doses since March 2021. This is enough vaccines to cover everyone over 18 years in Liberia, Mauritania, and the Gambia, for example,” she said.

Moeti says high-income countries have not kept their pledges to share 1 billion doses globally. So far, she says only 120 million doses have been released.

She notes only 3% of the continent’s 1.2 billion people are fully vaccinated. She says Africa has passed the sad milestone of 200,000 lives lost to the coronavirus, lives that could have been saved had they received a dose of the vaccine.

Source: Voice of America

September 8, 2021

Moroccan wind + sustainable computing project continues development under a new name

Soluna Technologies Ltd. is now called Harmattan Energy, Ltd.

NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Soluna Technologies, Ltd., known for the 900 megawatt (MW) wind farm and blockchain computing center under development in Dakhla, Morocco, is now called Harmattan Energy, Ltd. The Chief Executive Officer, John Belizaire renamed the company after Mechanical Technology, Inc. (MTI) acquired Soluna Computing — a spin-out focused on eliminating wasted renewable energy using sustainable computing — to become Soluna Holdings on August 12, 2021. The Harmattan Wind project in Morocco was not included in MTI’s acquisition of Soluna.

Harmattan Energy, Ltd. will hold the Harmattan Wind project and manage all development activities.

“Harmattan inspired our entire business model for Soluna, and it will be an important proving ground as the first-of-its-kind, vertically integrated wind, and blockchain computing project,” said Belizaire. “This project has the potential to be the largest in Africa, taking advantage of an enormous wind resource. Our business model of renewable energy development paired with sustainable computing can unlock economic opportunity across the continent.”

Named after the easterly trade winds of West Africa, Harmattan will continue developing the wind farm on over 10,000 hectares including on-site data centers that use renewable energy to power blockchain computing. Harmattan Energy will generate clean energy for high-intensity, batchable computing processes. This business model is solving two growing problems. First, it creates a beneficial use for “curtailed,” or wasted renewable energy. Second, it provides a pathway to make energy-intensive computing more sustainable.

Harmattan Energy, Ltd. will continue with previously conceived plans through its subsidiary A.M Wind, SARL to develop a Center of Excellence, create jobs, and partner with local stakeholders that include government, local organizations, and utility partners in Morocco.

The company retains its original shareholders, Brookstone Partners. It will be overseen by Matt Lipman, Managing Director at Brookstone. Mr. Belizaire will serve as interim CEO, until a replacement is named. The first phase of development of 100 MW is planned to start construction in 2022.

About Harmattan Energy, Ltd.

Formerly known as Soluna Technologies Ltd., Harmattan Energy, Ltd., was founded in 2018, and then renamed in 2021. Harmattan develops vertically integrated, utility-scale projects that combine its own renewable energy power plants with dispatchable computing facilities focused on cryptocurrency mining and cutting-edge blockchain applications. Soluna’s flagship project, Harmattan Wind, is a 900 MW wind site located in Morocco. The record-breaking productivity of the site brings a clean, low-cost, sustainable infrastructure layer to the blockchain.

Led by a world-class team of technologists and renewable energy experts, Harmattan’s mission is to better the world by making renewable energy the primary power source using computing as a catalyst.

Harmattan is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Morocco.

September 8, 2021

Medwish.com lance un plan mondial d’expédition gratuite pour livrer du matériel médical aux hôpitaux

SHANGHAI, 8 septembre 2021/PRNewswire/ — Medwish.com, la place de marché en ligne d’équipements médicaux B2B, a annoncé aujourd’hui que la livraison serait offerte sur plus de 10 000 produits médicaux dans l’ensemble de ses 14 sous-catégories, allant des lits d’hôpitaux, des moniteurs, des nébuliseurs à compresseur, des concentrateurs d’oxygène et du système de diagnostic par ultrasons jusqu’aux incubateurs à secousses, brancards hydrauliques, ventilateurs médicaux, caméras NIR 4K, défibrillateurs, etc.

Pendant la pandémie de COVID-19, les frais de fret international ont augmenté de 500 % dans la plupart des pays par rapport à l’année dernière. Cela a rendu extrêmement difficile l’exportation de dispositifs médicaux. De nombreux plans d’acquisition d’ingénierie hospitalière sont bloqués en raison du montant élevé des frais. L’augmentation du fret international aura un sérieux impact sur les exportations d’équipement au cours des prochains mois de 2021.

Medwish.com, une place de marché B2B professionnelle dans le domaine médical, est déterminé à amener plus de 400 fabricants d’équipements médicaux de Jiangsu à rejoindre sa plateforme afin de mettre en place une promotion d’expédition gratuite de septembre à décembre en réponse à la forte augmentation des frais d’expédition internationaux.

Face aux épidémies qui sévissent à l’étranger et à l’augmentation des frais de fret internationaux, Medwish.com s’associe à ses partenaires et est prêt à mettre de côté ses intérêts à court terme pour livrer des dispositifs médicaux au monde entier le plus rapidement possible afin de lutter contre l’épidémie. Dans le même temps, les clients du monde entier sauront qu’à Zhangjiagang, qui fait partie de la ville de Suzhou, dans la province de Jiangsu, il existe une plateforme médicale prête à établir une connexion entre les pays dont les frais de fret sont élevés.

« La promotion devrait commencer le 1^er septembre et durer 120 jours jusqu’au 31 décembre 2021. Le volume des transactions sur medwish.com devrait dépasser au moins 200 millions de dollars américains (1,3 milliard de yuans). Il est prévu que 1 200 conteneurs de 40 pieds de haut soient expédiés, pour une valeur d’environ 18 millions de dollars américains (environ 120 millions de yuans). S’il y a davantage de fournisseurs et de clients, il y aura davantage d’avancées », déclare Fola Wu, PDG de Medwish.com.

À propos de Medwish.com

La plateforme « MEDWISH » (www.medwish.com) est une place de marché mondiale B2B axée sur la fourniture et l’achat d’équipements et de dispositifs médicaux. L’équipe de Medwish coopère avec les principaux prestataires de services mondiaux dans des domaines tels que la logistique, l’assurance, le financement, le dédouanement, le paiement international, etc. Cette place de marché médicale élimine les difficultés des acheteurs mondiaux en intégrant des chaînes d’approvisionnement de haute qualité. Les acheteurs de Medwish.com travaillent essentiellement dans des hôpitaux récemment construits ou sont des agents étrangers.

Site web : www.medwish.com

Photo : https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1609312/1.jpg

September 8, 2021

Dickey’s Executes Monumental International Franchise Deal to Expand in Africa

Texas-style barbecue restaurant announces master agreement to open eight new locations across Botswana by 2032

Dallas, Texas, Sept. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dickey’s Barbecue Pit international expansion efforts are showing no signs of slowdown as the world’s largest barbecue concept is bringing its slow-smoked meats and savory sides to more of Africa!

Dickey’s announced today that the company signed a Master agreement with exclusive rights to grow its Africa presence by opening eight locations in Botswana over the span of a decade. The new locations will join Dickey’s first Africa restaurant in Cairo, Egypt. Dickey’s continues to expand its global footprint with additional locations open in Japan, Singapore, Philippines and United Arab Emirates and Master development agreements in place in Abu Dhabi, Australia, Brazil, Dubai, Pakistan, Myanmar, Taiwan and Georgia.

Located in the business district of Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, Dickey’s 1,575-square-foot flagship location will offer dine-in seating for up to 60 guests, carryout, and delivery. In addition to serving its traditional American menu, Botswana’s first Dickey’s will also feature local favorites such as lamb shank.

“The owner operators offer a firm understanding of the cultural and financial factors related to Botswana and Dickey’s,” said Jim Perkins, vice president of international development and support at Dickey’s. “One of the Owner/Operators gained personal experience with the brand a few years ago while visiting her now husband who was studying at a University in Texas, which aided in driving this relationship forward during the pandemic. I could not be happier with their experience and energy – it is outstanding!”

The new Owner/Operators will travel to Dallas to attend Dickey’s training program – Barbecue University. While in the U.S., they will take advantage of visiting the various footprints that Dickey’s offers, including traditional brick-and-mortar, food trucks, non-traditional locations and more.

To learn more, follow Dickey’s Barbecue Pit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Download the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. 

Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the world’s largest barbecue concept, was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey. For the past 80 years, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has served millions of guests Legit. Texas. Barbecue.™ At Dickey’s, all our barbecued meats are smoked onsite in a hickory wood burning pit. Dickey’s proudly believes there’s no shortcut to true barbecue and it’s why they never say bbq. The Dallas-based, family-run barbecue franchise offers several slow-smoked meats and wholesome sides with ‘No B.S. (Bad Stuff)’ included. The fast-casual concept has expanded worldwide with international locations in the UAE and Japan. Dickey Family Restaurant brands have over 550 locations nationwide. In 2016, Dickey’s won first place on Fast Casual’s “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” list, was named a Top 500 Franchise by Entrepreneur in 2018 and was named to Hospitality Technology Industry Heroes in 2021. Led by CEO Laura Rea Dickey, who was named among the country’s 50 most influential women in foodservice in 2020 by Nation’s Restaurant News and was recognized as one of the top 25 industry leaders on Fast Casual’s 2020 Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Fox News, Forbes Magazine, Franchise Times, The Wall Street Journal and QSR Magazine. For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.

Attachments

Chrissy Bachman
Dickey's Barbecue Pit
469-580-0459
cbachman@dickeys.com

September 8, 2021

HolyGrail 2.0, l’initiative relative aux filigranes numériques visant à révolutionner le recyclage des emballages plastiques, franchit une étape importante

Les essais semi-industriels commenceront lors de la prochaine phase de l’initiative européenne relative aux filigranes numériques, pilotée par l’AIM, l’Association des Industries de Marque, et alimentée par l’Alliance to End Plastic Waste.

BEAVERTON, Oregon, 7 septembre 2021/PRNewswire/ — Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ: DMRC) annonce aujourd’hui son entrée en phase d’essais semi-industriels, marquant la prochaine étape de développement de la solution de tri intelligent des déchets sur laquelle porte HolyGrail 2.0, l’initiative relative aux filigranes numériques dirigée par l’AIM, l’Association des Industries de Marque, et propulsée par l’Alliance to End Plastic Waste.

Les essais semi-industriels ayant débuté, HolyGrail 2.0 est sur la bonne voie pour lancer la phase très attendue de démonstration sur le marché et d’essais à l’échelle industrielle. Les produits filigranés numériques pourraient être déployés en magasin au Danemark, en France et en Allemagne au premier semestre de 2022.

En tant que fournisseur désigné de technologie de filigranes numériques, Digimarc travaille avec les deux fournisseurs de machines Pellenc ST et Tomra afin de développer des modules pour leurs unités de tri par détection. Des tests sont prévus en octobre 2021 dans deux sites d’essai. De plus, des démonstrations du prototype de l’unité de tri par détection auront lieu à l’Amager Resource Centre (ARC), à Copenhague, les 19 octobre et 18 novembre 2021. Les parties intéressées peuvent s’inscrire ici .

Cette étape importante marque la deuxième année du projet HolyGrail 2.0, qui compte maintenant plus de 130 entreprises et organisations provenant de part et d’autre de la chaîne de valeur de l’emballage.

Lire le communiqué de presse

À propos de Digimarc
Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ: DMRC) est un pionnier et un leader dans le domaine des solutions de filigrane numérique et de l’identification automatique des médias, notamment le conditionnement, les imprimés commerciaux, les images numériques, l’audio et la vidéo. Digimarc aide les clients à améliorer l’efficacité, la précision et la sécurité des chaînes d’approvisionnement physiques et numériques. Visitez www.digimarc.com et suivez-nous sur LinkedIn et Twitter pour en savoir plus.

À propos de l’initiative relative aux filigranes numériques HolyGrail 2.0
L’ initiative relative filigranes numériques HolyGrail 2.0 , pilotée par l’AIM (l’Association des Industries de Marque) et propulsée par l’Alliance to End Plastic Waste, est un projet pilote ayant pour objectif de démontrer, d’une part, que les filigranes numériques sont techniquement viables pour le tri précis des déchets d’emballage et, d’autre part, que l’analyse de rentabilité est économiquement viable à grande échelle. Les filigranes numériques sont des codes imperceptibles de la taille d’un timbre-poste qui couvrent la surface des emballages de biens de consommation et qui contiennent un large éventail d’attributs. Leur principe est le suivant : lorsqu’un emballage entre dans une installation de tri des déchets, le filigrane numérique est détecté et décodé sur la ligne de tri par une caméra haute résolution, qui peut ensuite, selon les attributs transférés (p. ex., produit alimentaire ou non alimentaire), placer l’emballage dans les flux appropriés. En rendant les flux de tri plus efficaces et plus précis, leur utilisation se traduit donc par des matières recyclées de meilleure qualité qui profitent à l’ensemble de la chaîne de valeur de l’emballage.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/461519/digimarc_logo.jpg

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjg_GuLDZI

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1609147/Holy_Grail_2_Point_0_Logo.jpg

September 8, 2021

Guinea Junta Leader Promises ‘Government of National Union’

WASHINGTON – The military leaders who seized power and dissolved Guinea’s National Assembly said Monday they would set up a transitional government.

The details of the promised transition were not immediately clear, but they followed widespread condemnation of the coup from the international community.

In a speech the day after his men declared on national television that they had arrested the president and dissolved the country’s constitution, Army Colonel Mamady Doumbouya promised a “government of national union.”

He also stated that there would be no “witch hunt” of the government officials he dismissed during the takeover and replaced with regional military commanders.

Doumbouya hoped to calm concerns about economic upheaval, promising that Guinea would “uphold all its undertakings (and) mining agreements,” stressing “its commitment to give favorable treatment to foreign investment in the country.”

Mining accounts for roughly 35% of GDP in Guinea, whose citizens rarely reap the benefits of the country’s mineral wealth because of corruption and lack of infrastructure.

A video emerged hours into the apparent takeover that showed Guinean President Alpha Conde in a room surrounded by special forces soldiers. Members of the military who referred to themselves as the National Rally and Development Committee (CNRD) later issued a statement saying the 83-year-old Conde was not harmed and was in contact with his doctors.

In October, Conde won a third term in office after amending the constitution to allow him to run again. The controversial election sparked violent protests throughout the country.

Fighting was reported earlier Sunday in the capital, Conakry, but following the announcement of the takeover, many people celebrated in the streets for what they believed to be a successful coup.

A statement issued Sunday by the U.S. State Department condemned the coup, warning that the “extra-constitutional measures will only erode Guinea’s prospects for peace, stability, and prosperity” and limit the ability of the United States and Guinea’s other international partners “to support the country as it navigates a path toward national unity.”

The State Department urged all sides to forge “a process of national dialogue to address concerns sustainably and transparently to enable a peaceful and democratic way forward for Guinea to realize its full potential.”

The United Nations, France and the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, were quick to condemn the unrest in Guinea.

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former special representative of the U.N. secretary general and former head of the U.N. Office for West Africa and the Sahel, told VOA that ECOWAS bears no responsibility for the unrest in Guinea because its leadership repeatedly warned Conde against amending the constitution and running for a third term.

Chambas says he expects ECOWAS to reiterate its “policy of zero tolerance for military coups d’état,” adding that there “is no way that the current situation can be accepted by the authority of heads of state and government.”

VOA’s James Butty contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse.

Source: Voice of America

September 8, 2021

Clashes Between South Sudan Forces Unsettle Western Equatoria State

JUBA , SOUTH SUDAN – The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) called on military commanders and political leaders Tuesday to end clashes in Western Equatoria state following the deaths of at least five people on Monday.

A joint team made up of South Sudan defense forces and Opposition Alliance forces was dispatched to Tambura to resolve the conflict, according to Major General Lul Ruai Koang, spokesperson for the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).

Reports circulated that fighting erupted between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army In Opposition (SPLM/A IO) and SSPDF forces loyal to General James Nando.

There are varying accusations of who was involved in the fighting that has destabilized the region and led locals to flee the town of Tambura.

Koang said the fighting involved a few soldiers but not full compliments of troops.

“That was not a clash between the two armies, it was a clash between elements from both sides,” Koang told VOA’s South Sudan in Focus radio program.

But SPLM-IO spokesperson Major General Lam Gabriel denied that the fighting involves opposition forces. The SPLM-IO is the political wing of the opposition group.

Father Emmanuel Bie Gbafu, the local parish priest, relocated to a United Nations base in Tambura for safety reasons.

Displaced families are sheltering at UNMISS camps in Tambura, and thousands of residents have fled the fighting, Gbafu said.

Gbafu said he heard gunshots in Tambura beginning early Monday but did not know “who was fighting who.”

“We don’t know who is doing the killing, (but) civilians are dying,” Gbafu said.

The violence is endangering the town’s nearly 10,000 residents, creating the risk of further displacement and increasing humanitarian needs, according to an UNMISS statement.

The statement quoted UNMISS chief Nicholas Haysom as saying it is “vital” that national and local political leaders “take urgent action to resolve tensions and bring communities together to avoid further loss of life, homes, and livelihoods.”

Aid workers are “caught in the crossfire while trying to carry out critical tasks,” Haysom said. He called on authorities to do more to ensure that aid agencies have safe access to people in need.

South Sudan’s Joint Defense Board vowed to end tensions by separating forces in the area.

“We know it’s civilian violence, but the presence of the IO and SSPDF in the areas is making the situation become more political,” SPLM-IO spokesperson Gabriel told South Sudan in Focus.

But Western Equatoria State Information Minister William Adriano Baiki said the conflict in Tambura is not between two ethnic communities but between warring forces.

Source: Voice of America

September 8, 2021

Millions Face Hunger Crisis as Conflict Engulfs Northern Ethiopia

GENEVA – The World Food Program warns that emergency food needs in northern Ethiopia are increasing, as conflict spills beyond the embattled Tigray region into neighboring Afar and Amhara provinces.

The agency reports that up to 7 million people are acutely short of food and are facing a hunger crisis. They include more than 5.2 million people in Tigray who are dependent on U.N. food aid for survival. Additionally, the World Food Program reports the conflict, which has now engulfed the entire region, has thrust 1.7 million more people into hunger.

This month, WFP has begun delivering emergency food assistance to communities in Ethiopia’s northern region and says it plans to reach 530,000 people in Afar and 250,000 in Amhara with food aid.

Meanwhile in Tigray, WFP spokesman Tomson Phiri says the situation continues to deteriorate. He says aid agencies are struggling to meet the urgent food needs of more than 5 million people across the war-torn region.

“In fact, WFP food stocks had been almost entirely depleted until two days ago when the first convoy in over two weeks entered the region,” said Phiri. “The WFP-led convoy of over 100 trucks carried 3,500 metric tons of food and other life-saving cargo, including fuel, as well as health and shelter items.”

Phiri says WFP has only managed to get 355 trucks into the region since mid-July. While this sounds like much, he says it is not. He says 355 trucks represents less than 10 percent of the supplies needed. He says 100 trucks must enter Tigray every day to meet people’s food requirements.

He says trucks get stuck in Afar because of bureaucratic delays and difficulties in passing checkpoints. He says some trucks also have been attacked and looted by people in local communities.

“Apart from the escalating fighting that is in the north of the country, food security for millions across the whole of Ethiopia is also under threat due to an unprecedented funding gap for WFP activities in the country,” said Phiri.

WFP is calling for $426 million to expand its emergency food operation to meet the needs of up to 12 million people throughout Ethiopia this year. The agency warns it will be forced to cut rations for people in northern Ethiopia if it does not receive the extra funding,

It says it might have to stop distributing food to about 4 million people in Tigray, Afar and Amhara in the coming months if it runs out of money.

November 4 will mark a year since the Ethiopian government began its military offensive to wrest control of the Tigray region from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

Source: Voice of America

September 7, 2021

Majid Al Futtaim Launches AI Powered Carrefour City+; The Region’s First Check-Out Free Store

Carrefour City+ The Region’s First Check-Out Free Store

Opened today in Mall of the Emirates, the new convenience store provides a fast, seamless and contactless experience using cutting-edge, artificial intelligence technology

Carrefour City+ offers customers a fast, seamless and contactless shopping experience
From start to finish, the new store explores a holistic approach to Artificial Intelligence
Customers simply pick their products and walk-out with no staff interaction or checkout

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Majid Al Futtaim – the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia – is setting new precedents for retail with the launch of the region’s first check-out free store, Carrefour City+. Opened today in Mall of the Emirates, the new convenience store provides a fast, seamless and contactless experience using cutting-edge, artificial intelligence technology. Customers use their phones to access the store, pick their desired items and simply walk out without having to queue and pay at the cash register.

Carrefour City+ The Region’s First Check-Out Free Store

Opened today in Mall of the Emirates, the new convenience store provides a fast, seamless and contactless experience using cutting-edge, artificial intelligence technology

Carrefour City+ was inaugurated by H.E Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications along with Alain Bejjani, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Holding and Hani Weiss, Chief Executive Officer at Majid Al Futtaim Retail.

Store access and shopping payment is enabled via the current MAF Carrefour App. Once inside Carrefour City+, every item picked up by customers will then be automatically added to a digital shopping basket and the purchase will be completed by simply walking out. Not only is the shopping journey faster, but also completely contactless, with no store staff interaction necessary.

“Carrefour City+ has been designed to make life easier by using technology to remove friction and enhance the retail experience,” revealed Hani Weiss, Chief Executive Officer at Majid Al Futtaim Retail. “The store represents a huge leap forwards for retail in the UAE and region as Carrefour continues to innovate to meet the needs of the present whilst anticipating future shopping trends.”

A first for Carrefour worldwide, City+ deploys artificial intelligence and state of the art technology to identify thousands of products with pinpoint accuracy, improving inventory management and simplifying shopping for customers. Carrefour City+ stocks over 1,300 items including snacks, beverages, packaged food and food-to-go meals as well as basic essentials. It can easily be found near the entrance of the Mall of the Emirates Metro Station link for anyone wishing to try the world’s most advanced, ‘simply walk out’ shopping technology.

Carrefour City+ is a prime example of the role of the private sector in supporting the UAE’s Fourth Industrial Revolution Strategy to become a leading global hub and an open lab for the Fourth Industrial revolution’s application. It is also in line with the UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy that aims to make the UAE the first in the field of AI investments and applications in various sectors. Having established a reputation for innovation, modernity and technology, this retail revelation from Majid Al Futtaim contributes to the UAE’s transformation into an international technology hub as the government takes concrete steps towards establishing a strong, digitally enabled economy.

Media Contact:

Mina Kiwan – Media Relations
E: mina.kiwan@ogilvy.com
D. +971 (0) 4 305 0325
M. +971 (0) 55 2426806

Raed Matarbazi – Communications Manager
Carrefour UAE
E: RMatarbazi@mafcarrefour.com
M. M +971 (0) 56 417 9771

About Carrefour

Carrefour was launched in the region in 1995 by UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim, which is the exclusive franchisee to operate Carrefour in over 30 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and fully owns the operations in the region. Today, Majid Al Futtaim operates over 375 Carrefour stores in 17 countries, serving more than 750,000 customers daily and employing over 37,000 colleagues.

Carrefour operates different store formats, as well as multiple online offerings to meet the growing needs of its diversified customer base. In line with the brand’s commitment to provide the widest range of quality products and value for money, Carrefour offers an unrivalled choice of more than 500,000 food and non-food products, and a locally inspired exemplary customer experience to create great moments for everyone every day. Across Carrefour’s stores, Majid Al Futtaim sources over 80% of the products offered from the region, making it a key enabler in supporting local producers, suppliers, families and economies.

About Majid Al Futtaim

Founded in 1992, Majid Al Futtaim is the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

A remarkable business success story, Majid Al Futtaim started from one man’s vision to transform the face of shopping, entertainment and leisure to ‘create great moments for everyone, every day’. It has since grown into one of the United Arab Emirates’ most respected and successful businesses spanning 17 international markets, employing more than 43,000 people, and obtaining the highest credit rating (BBB) among privately-held corporates in the region.

Majid Al Futtaim owns and operates 28 shopping malls, 13 hotels and four mixed-use communities, with further developments underway in the region. The shopping malls portfolio includes Mall of the Emirates, Mall of Egypt, City Centre malls, My City Centre neighbourhood centres, and five community malls which are in joint venture with the Government of Sharjah. The Company is the exclusive franchisee for Carrefour in over 30 markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, operating a portfolio of more than 375 outlets and an online store.

Majid Al Futtaim operates more than 500 VOX Cinemas screens as well as a portfolio of world-class leisure and entertainment experiences across the region including Ski Dubai, Ski Egypt, Dreamscape, Magic Planet, Little Explorers and iFLY Dubai. The Company is parent to a Fashion, Home and Specialty retail business representing international brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, AllSaints, lululemon athletica, Crate & Barrel, Maisons du Monde, LEGO and THAT, a Majid Al Futtaim fashion concept store and app. In addition, Majid Al Futtaim operates Enova, a facility and energy management company, through a joint venture operation with Veolia, a global leader in optimised environment resource management.

www.majidalfuttaim.com

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September 7, 2021

Major Milestone Achieved in the HolyGrail 2.0, the Digital Watermarks Initiative Aimed at Revolutionizing the Recycling of Plastic Packaging

Semi-industrial trials to commence in the next phase of the EU Digital Watermarks Initiative, driven by AIM – European Brands Association, and powered by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste.

BEAVERTON, Ore., Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Digimarc Corporation (Nasdaq: DMRC) announces today it has entered semi-industrial trials, the next stage of development for intelligent waste sorting as part of the Digital Watermarks Initiative HolyGrail 2.0., driven by AIM, the European Brands Association, and powered by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste.

With the commencement of semi-industrial trials, HolyGrail 2.0 is on track to launch the highly anticipated phase of in-market demonstrations and industrial-scale trials, with the potential for digitally watermarked products to be added to stores in Denmark, France, and Germany by the first half of 2022.

As the selected digital watermarks technology provider, Digimarc is working with the two machine vendors, Pellenc ST and Tomra, to develop add-on modules for their detection sorting units. Testing is scheduled to take place via trials in two test locations in October 2021. Demonstrations of the prototype sorting detection unit will happen at Amager Resource Centre (ARC) in Copenhagen on October 19 and November 18, 2021. Interested stakeholders can register here.

This milestone marks the second year of the HolyGrail 2.0 project, which has grown to include over 130 companies and organizations across the complete packaging value chain.

Read the Press Release

About Digimarc
Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ: DMRC) is a pioneer and leader in digital watermarking solutions and the automatic identification of media, including packaging, commercial print, digital images, audio and video. Digimarc helps customers drive efficiency, accuracy and security across physical and digital supply chains. Visit www.digimarc.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

About Digital Watermarks Initiative HolyGrail 2.0
The Digital Watermarks Initiative HolyGrail 2.0 – driven by AIM – European Brands Association and powered by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste – is a pilot project with the objective to prove the technical viability of digital watermarks for accurate sorting of packaging waste as well as the economic viability of the business case at large-scale. Digital watermarks are imperceptible codes, the size of a postage stamp, covering the surface of a consumer goods packaging and carrying a wide range of attributes. The aim is that once the packaging has entered into a waste sorting facility, the digital watermark can be detected and decoded by a high-resolution camera on the sorting line, which then – based on the transferred attributes (e.g. food vs. non-food) – is able to sort the packaging in corresponding streams. This would result in better and more accurate sorting streams, thus consequently in higher quality recyclates benefiting the complete packaging value chain.

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Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjg_GuLDZI
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September 7, 2021

Intelex Is Making Moves to Further the Global Expansion of its Innovative ESG and Global Environmental Solutions

Sustainability Hero of the Year Michael Tuohy appointed as Intelex VP of Environment and Sustainability and Steven Lavoie named Senior Product Manager of Environment

Toronto, Sept. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TORONTO, CANADA – September 7, 2021 – Intelex Technologies, ULC, a leading global provider of cloud-based Environmental, Health, Safety and Quality (EHSQ) management software, today announced the appointments of Michael Tuohy as its new Vice President of Environment and Sustainability and Steven Lavoie as its Senior Product Manager of Environment to drive rapid innovation within the environmental and sustainability sectors.

The Business Intelligence Group has also announced today that not only was Tuohy named its Sustainability Hero of the Year in its 2021 Sustainability Awards program, Intelex’s ESG Management Suite won product of the year. The Sustainability Awards honor those who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice and who use their role to make a meaningful impact on the environment. Organizations of all sizes submitted nominations to reward team members and gain exposure for their organizations, their initiatives and the exemplary accomplishments of their leaders as they work to improve our environment for future generations.

“We are so proud to reward and recognize all of our winners and finalists, as they provide the leadership and vision needed to protect our environment,” said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group.

With over a decade of diverse technology and industry experience, Tuohy will now oversee the strategic development and delivery of Intelex’s global environmental compliance and ESG solution suite. By significantly expanding capabilities and team size, Tuohy is helping to boost Intelex’s ESG profile and increasing the ability of Intelex’s solutions to meet and exceed the needs of today’s global market. With global regulators and financiers using ESG as a gauge for risk, and the industry seeing a drastic shift in focus rarely seen before, Intelex is uniquely positioned to guide its clients through the complex landscape so they can become the leading companies of the future.

“Intelex is a company that not only says it values ESG, but truly believes in the importance of it and takes actions that genuinely help our clients have positive global impacts,” said Tuohy. “It is an honor to be stepping into the role of Vice President of Environment and Sustainability, where I can continue to grow our innovative team that designs, builds and delivers the leading ESG Management Software solution.”

Steven Lavoie, who has been at Intelex for nine years, has a background in energy and the environment, including field work as an onsite geologist for oil and gas, stack testing for mining, refineries, waste and water treatment.

Lavoie has a deep and thorough understanding of the energy industry and its ESG concerns and will drive product innovation and investments in technologies and talent around environmental compliance and sustainability.

“Transitioning into the role of Senior Product Manager of Environment could not be any more exciting than it is now. With today’s fast-paced world, immediate and effective actions within the ESG field are what we need now more than ever, and I could not be more thrilled to be as involved in the process as I am” said Lavoie. “Working at Intelex, with other like-minded people who collaboratively have the same end goal of delivering out-of-the-box, efficient and effective ESG solutions, is an honor.”

Intelex Technologies, ULC is a global leader in environmental, health, safety and quality (EHSQ) management software. Since 1992, Intelex employees across the globe have been committed to innovating and enabling organizations to send their employees home safely every day, leaving behind a more sustainable world to the generations that follow, and manage quality so that only the safest and highest quality products make it to market.

Intelex’s scalable, web-based platform and applications have helped clients across all industries improve business performance, mitigate organization-wide risk, and ensure sustained compliance with internationally accepted standards (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001) and OSHAS 18001) and regulatory requirements. Almost 1,400 customers in 195 countries trust Intelex to power their EHSQ initiatives.

Headquartered in Toronto with regional offices and employees around the world, Intelex became an Industrial Scientific company in 2019. In 2020, Intelex acquired ehsAI, provider of a SaaS-based next-wave compliance automation solution that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. For more information about Intelex, visit www.intelex.com.

Attachment

SUSTAINABILITY-2021

Sandy Smith
Intelex Technologies
2163750484
Sandy.Smith@intelex.com

September 7, 2021

Medwish.com Launches Global Free Shipping Plan to Deliver Medical Equipment to Hospitals

SHANGHAI, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Medwish.com, the online B2B medical equipment marketplace, today announced it will offer free shipping on more than 10,000 medical products in its full 14 sub-categories covering hospital beds, patient monitors, compressor nebulizers, oxygen concentrators, Ultrasound Diagnostic System, shaking incubators, hydraulic stretchers, medical ventilators, 4K NIR Cameras, defibrillators, etc.

International freight rates have been rising during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increase of 500% in most countries over last year. The export of medical devices becomes extremely difficult due to the rise of international freight. Many hospital engineering procurement plans are blocked due to the high freight. The coming months of 2021 will witness a serious impact on equipment exports due to the rise of international freight.

Medwish.com, a professional global medical B2B marketplace, is determined to lead 400+ medical equipment manufacturers in Jiangsu to join Medwish platform to implement free shipping promotion from September to December in response to the sharp increase in international shipping cost.

In the face of overseas epidemics and rising international freight rates, Medwish.com joins hands with its partners, and is willing to put aside their short-term interests to deliver medical devices to the world as soon as possible to fight against the epidemic. At the same time, global customers will feel that in Zhangjiagang, part of Suzhou city of Jiangsu province, there is a medical platform willing to build a connection between countries at the high freight rate.

“The promotion is expected to start on September 1 and last 120 days till December 31, 2021. The transaction volume on medwish.com will exceed 200 million US dollars (1.3 billion Yuan) at least. It is expected that 1200 40-foot-high containers will be shipped, worth of about 18 million US dollars (about 120 million Yuan). If there are more suppliers and customers, more breakthroughs will be achieved.” says Fola Wu, CEO of Medwish.com.

About Medwish.com

The “MEDWISH” (www.medwish.com) platform is a global B2B marketplace focused on the supply and procurement of medical equipment and devices. The Medwish team cooperates with global leading service providers in fields including logistics, insurance, financing, customs clearance, international payment, etc. The medical marketplace clears out global buyers’ one-stop shopping difficulties by integrating global high-quality supply chain channels, and buyers of Medwish.com come from mainly newly constructed hospitals and overseas agents.

Website: www.medwish.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1609312/1.jpg

September 7, 2021

Smile Train and COSECSA Enhance Surgical Training through $1.2M Investment

Together, Smile Train and COSECSA aim to narrow the gap of 5 billion people who lack access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — In a bid to strengthen the surgical systems in Sub-Saharan Africa, Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft charity, has amplified its partnership with the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) to invest in the education and training of 112 additional cleft and reconstructive surgeons.

Through this partnership, 12 surgeons will receive a full scholarship to a 3-year Plastic Surgery Fellowship, with four positions specifically reserved for female surgeons. The partnership will also support ten scholars to engage in an eight-month Post-Fellowship Cleft Surgery Certification program. In addition, over a five-year period, Smile Train will support sixty scholars to attend country-level Train the Trainer Surgery Workshops as well as thirty scholars to participate in a fully funded Surgical Exchange program. Smile Train will further support program management and the COSECSA examination processes.

Smile Train has continuously supported COSECSA’s training programs over the last 5 years. This increased investment is part of the organization’s commitment to scaling cleft surgical education and training.

“Smile Train led training innovation for cleft surgeons more than a decade ago when we first released our ground-breaking Cleft Surgery DVD, which has since evolved into an award-winning Virtual Surgery Simulator. We also distribute the highest-fidelity cleft simulation devices in the world through our division Simulare. We support our more than 1,100 partners with a range of education and training opportunities throughout the year. We are truly transforming the landscape of cleft treatment around the world, and in doing so transforming surgical systems,” said Dr. Esther Njoroge-Muriithi, Senior Vice President, Global Medical Programs, Smile Train.

The partnership comes against a backdrop of increased need for qualified surgeons in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

“The COVID-19 pandemic has proven the need to have more robust surgical systems in the local communities, and through Smile Train’s unique teach a man to fish model we can help elevate surgical capacity. Together with COSECSA, we are bridging the gap for the 5 billion people who lack access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care; and will increase the number of surgeons across Africa, including those who specialize in cleft care,” noted Mrs. Nkeiruka Obi, Vice President and Regional Director, Smile Train Africa.

According to the 2015 Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, 143 million additional surgical procedures are needed in LMICs each year to save lives and prevent disability, and every year an estimated 81 million people face catastrophic financial expenditure due to costs associated with seeking surgical care. A surgical workforce crisis threatens to only heighten these global inequities, and investments in surgical workforce capacity are essential.

Prof. Godfrey Muguti, President of COSECSA, welcomed the partnership, noting Smile Train’s keen interest in empowering surgeons in the region.

“The burden of surgical care is astronomical and out of reach for many, and families gamble with fundraisers to the tunes of millions to receive better care in developed nations. Through the investment in the knowledge exchange in our MoU with Smile Train, we aim to build confidence in Africa’s surgeons, find local solutions to local challenges and administer quality, more affordable care in the local community,” noted Prof. Muguti.

Interested applicants are encouraged to review the qualifications and apply through COSECSA’s website.

Smile Train, which has active cleft care programs in 40 countries across Africa, has 245+ partners and 255+ partner hospitals across the continent. At the core of Smile Train’s model is local capacity building for the cleft ecosystem professionals including surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, nutritionists, midwives, speech therapists and orthodontists. Through strategic partnerships at the local and international level, Smile Train dedicates itself towards quality healthcare capacity building and advocacy to increase access to safer surgeries in low- and middle-income countries.

About Smile Train:
Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train’s sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.

About COSECSA:
The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) is a non-profit professional body that fosters postgraduate education in surgery and provides surgical training in the East, Central and Southern Africa region. COSECSA shapes and leads the training, examination and accreditation of surgeons in the East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) region. Admission to the College is open to all registered medical practitioners who comply with the professional requirements (Email: info@cosecsa.org, Website: www.cosecsa.org )

Media Contacts:

Emily Manjeru
Smile Train Africa
c. +254 724 926 269
emanjeru@smiletrain.org

Amani Pascal
COSECSA
c. +255 625 941 330
exams_asst@cosecsa.org

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