Month: June 2022

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Russia, China Unveil First Road Bridge

Russia and China on Friday unveiled the first road bridge between the two countries as Moscow pivots to Asia amid its confrontation with the West over Ukraine.

The kilometer-long bridge over the Amur River links the far eastern Russian city of Blagoveshchensk with Heihe in northern China.

The construction of the bridge was completed two years ago but its inauguration was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During a ceremony in Blagoveshchensk on Friday, the bridge opened to freight traffic, with the passage of the first trucks greeted by fireworks.

Consisting of two traffic lanes, the bridge cost around 19 billion rubles ($328 million), according to official figures.

Once bitter foes during the Cold War, Moscow and Beijing have over the past years ramped up political and economic cooperation as both are driven by a desire to counterbalance what they see as US global dominance.

Trade between Russia and China, which share a 4,250-kilometre border, has flourished since the normalization of relations between the two giants in the late 1980s, but has always come up against the region’s lack of transport infrastructure.

Source: Voice of America

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Asda Stores Ltd Selects TrueCommerce to Manage its Business Transformation Initiative as It Separates from Walmart

COVENTRY, United Kingdom, June 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TrueCommerce, a leading global cloud provider of supply chain and trading partner connectivity, integration and omnichannel solutions, announced today that Asda is now using TrueCommerce’s EDI-based supplier enablement solution to manage supplier communications.

As the third-largest supermarket chain in the UK, Asda operates over 600 retail stores. The brand also offers their products online via Asda.com, which serves 98% of UK homes. To do so, Asda is supported by 37 distribution and fulfilment centres and thousands of suppliers.

In February 2021, Asda was sold by Walmart to the Issa Brothers and TDR Capital. That sale led the company to choose a new EDI provider that would support its future as a standalone business: TrueCommerce.

“TrueCommerce was part of a comprehensive RFP process and was selected on the basis of four key factors: its ability to understand and meet the Asda capability requirements, its confidence in adhering to programme timelines, its deep knowledge and expertise, and its overall commercial competitiveness,” said Jenny Hopkins, Senior Director at Asda.

As part of the agreement, TrueCommerce will implement a supplier enablement platform catering to the needs of the over 2,000 suppliers that make up Asda’s entire supplier community, with integration into the business’s SAP ERP system. As an SAP Silver Partner, TrueCommerce’s solution offers the highest level of integration and automation with the SAP system.

The solution offered by TrueCommerce features key capabilities that will enable thousands of Asda suppliers, regardless of their size or technical maturity, to easily communicate with the retailer. In addition to supporting EDI transactions, the supplier enablement platform also includes a web-EDI portal for use by non-EDI capable vendors. TrueCommerce’s platform also includes fully managed supplier onboarding and communications management for EDI-related supplier queries.

TrueCommerce’s expertise in the market and experience in managing complex supply chain communications for enterprise-grade businesses will enable a seamless transition for Asda and its supplier community. It will encourage higher rates of adoption that will, in turn, underpin the company’s ongoing supplier communication efforts.

Jenny highlighted that, “By partnering with TrueCommerce, Asda will offer a strong, stable, fully reliable and excellently managed EDI programme to our highly valued Asda suppliers, no matter how big or small they are!”

David Grosvenor, Managing Director, TrueCommerce Europe said, “I’d like to thank Jenny and the team at Asda for their cooperation in this process. Our teams at TrueCommerce are delighted to begin working with Asda and help further strengthen their business in the UK retail landscape.”

About Asda Stores Ltd

Founded in the 1960s in Yorkshire, Asda is Britain’s third largest supermarket. Dedicated colleagues serve customers from its network of stores and online services, including supercentres, superstores, supermarkets, living stores, petrol filling stations and depots across the UK. Asda was acquired by Issa TDR from Walmart in 2020.

About TrueCommerce

TrueCommerce is the most complete way to connect your business across the supply chain, integrating everything from EDI to inventory management, to fulfilment, to digital storefronts and marketplaces. We’ve revolutionised supply chain visibility and collaboration by helping organisations make the most of their omnichannel initiatives via business P2P connectivity, order management, collaborative replenishment, intelligent fulfillment, cross-functional analytics, and product information management.

The TrueCommerce Global Commerce Network can connect businesses to over 160,000 retailers, distributors, and logistics service providers. As a fully managed services provider, we also manage new trading partner onboarding, as well as the ongoing management of partner-specific mapping, labeling changes, and communications monitoring. That’s why thousands of companies—ranging from startups to the global Fortune 100, across various industries—rely on us.

TrueCommerce: Do business in every direction

For more information, visit TrueCommerce.

Media Contact
Yegor Kuznetsov, TrueCommerce
703-209-0167
yegor.kuznetsov@truecommerce.com

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Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre Becomes First Site in Africa to Deploy Varian’s Ethos Therapy System for Adaptive Cancer Treatment

Innovative system from Varian incorporates artificial intelligence for the efficient delivery of personalized treatments that adapt to changes in the patient’s anatomy

DUBAI, UAE, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Advancing the treatment for cancer patients in Morocco, Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre has acquired and installed the Ethos™ therapy system – the first of its kind in Africa – from Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company.  Ethos therapy, which is uniquely powered by artificial intelligence (AI), provides cancer patients with a personalized, adaptive radiotherapy treatment within a typical 15 to 30-minute time slot.

The Clinique d'Oncologie 16 Novembre clinical team with their new Ethos™ therapy system.

Adaptive therapy customizes the patient’s treatment based on tumor and anatomical changes that occur over a multi-week course of treatment. The goal is to better target the tumor, reduce doses to healthy tissue, and improve overall outcomes.

“We are proud to be the first cancer center in Africa to offer Ethos therapy treatment,” said Dr. Mounir Bachouchi, medical oncologist and CEO at Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre.  “Adaptive therapy has so many benefits for both the patient and the clinician, and Varian’s Ethos system is at the leading edge of this technology, enabling our clinical team to adapt every treatment to changes in a patient’s anatomy from day to day, potentially improving overall outcomes.”

“Every patient deserves access to the best and most personalized cancer care,” said José-Manuel Valentim, Director of Africa operations at Varian. “Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre is a very forward-thinking cancer center focused on offering state-of-the-art cancer care with the most advanced technologies available.”

By providing an up-to-date view of the patient’s anatomy—and the ability to use that information to adapt the treatment— Ethos therapy provides clinicians the confidence to make more informed treatment decisions. The solution is built on Varian’s latest treatment delivery technology and provides fast imaging and treatment delivery without compromising quality.

“Adaptive therapy is the future of personalized radiation therapy, and we are excited that this center is taking on a leadership role by offering Ethos to the cancer patients of Morocco,” added Valentim. “This is a transformational moment for cancer care in Northern Africa.”

About Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre 

The Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre was established in Rabat, Morocco to offer integrated and comprehensive multidisciplinary care for cancer patients, ranging from screening to the most innovative treatments, with full patient support and accompanying care.  It offers personalized care, emphasizing a human approach to oncology, where close relations between patients and the medical professionals are an essential component of care.

About Varian 

At Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company, we envision a world without fear of cancer. For more than 70 years, we have developed, built, and delivered innovative cancer care technologies and solutions for our clinical partners around the globe to help them treat millions of patients each year. With an Intelligent Cancer Care approach, we are harnessing advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to enhance cancer treatment and expand access to care. Our 11,000 employees across 70 locations keep the patient and our clinical partners at the center of our thinking as we power new victories in cancer care. Because, for cancer patients everywhere, their fight is our fight. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow @VarianMedSys on Twitter.

Press Contact 

Meryl Ginsberg
Corporate Communications
publicrelations@varian.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835830/The_Clinique_d_Oncologie_16_Novembre_clinical_team_with_Varian_Ethos_therapy_system.jpg

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International NASH Day Highlights a Common – But Unfamiliar – Liver Disease

Global Liver Institute Convenes Communities Around the Globe Today to Reverse the Growing Trend of Fatty Liver Disease

Washington, D.C., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Liver Institute (GLI) calls attention to NASH by leading the 5th annual International NASH Day on June 9. The number of people with this advanced liver disease is expected to double by 2030, but #NASHday aims to prevent this growth. Join the movement to #StopNASHNow by listening in as 24 expert panelists from around the globe share the latest updates about the disease or adding to the conversation on social media (#NASHday). The movement permeates the globe through many locally-organized events to educate about, screen for, and prevent NASH.

NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) is a serious, progressive condition in which too much fat accumulates on the liver, leading to its inflammation and injury. It is the severe form of NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). Modern lifestyle and dietary patterns have contributed to increased prevalence of NASH and NAFLD around the world, and it is becoming the most common cause of liver disease. Given its widespread impact and the possibility of prevention in most cases of this disease, NASH emerges as a global health priority.

“With over a hundred million people worldwide already who have NASH and several times more in the earlier stages, people have reason to know about this progressive condition and what they can do today to combat it,” shared Donna R. Cryer, president and CEO of GLI. “Collective action is imperative to be certain that individuals in each community, no matter their background or environment, are informed and equipped to prevent fatty liver disease. The momentum that we build together today must advance and sustain the global fight against NASH.”

If you didn’t know, then now you know! Even though NASH is common, it remains relatively unknown, leaving much work to be done to increase public awareness. This year, GLI and its partners join with the theme to #StopNASHNow: Even as therapies for NASH are being developed, there are many steps that people and their doctors can take today to prevent, reverse, or slow the progression of fatty liver disease. For the 25% of adults already affected worldwide, it is due time for this life-changing knowledge.

  • An estimated 1 in 4 adults around the world already has NAFLD.
  • As many as 1 in 20 people has NASH.
  • The prevalence of NAFLD is increasing among all global regions and among all ethnicities in parallel with diabetes and obesity.
  • NASH can progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer – which may necessitate a liver transplant.

“International NASH Day demonstrates the potential that is realized as all stakeholders in NASH come together worldwide,” said Jeff McIntyre, NASH Programs Director at GLI. “From in-person screenings in at-risk communities to educational materials in 16 languages to challenging conversations with researchers, providers, and patients – today the world joins to create meaningful solutions for patients at every stage of NAFLD and NASH.”

International NASH Day has garnered the endorsement of prominent organizations from around the globe: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD); Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH); Asociación Latinoamericana para el Estudio del Hígado (ALEH); Associazione Italiana Studio del Fegato (AISF); Asociación Mexicana de Hepatología (AMH); Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL); Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL); Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA); European African Treatment Advocates Network (EATAN); European Fatty Liver Conference (EFLC); European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN); EU Patient-Centric Clinical Trial Platforms (EU-PEARL); Fondazione Epatocentro Ticino; Hepatology Society, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Hepatology Society of the Philippines (HSP); Indian National Association for the Study of the Liver (INASL); North American Society For Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (NASPGHAN); Sociedad Argentina de Hepatologia (SAHE);Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL); United European Gastroenterology (UEG); World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO); and World Patients Alliance (WPA).

Get Involved

To view the expert panels throughout the day today, visit https://hopin.com/events/5th-annual-international-nash-day/registration. Panels are available in English, French, Hindi, Mandarin, and Spanish throughout the day.

For additional information on International NASH Day, visit www.international-nash-day.com.

Support the NASH Day social media campaign using hashtags #NASHday #StopNASHNow. Please direct any additional questions to NASHDay@globalliver.org.

International NASH Day and its logo are registered trademarks of Global Liver Institute.

About Global Liver Institute

Global Liver Institute (GLI) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in the belief that liver health must take its place on the global public health agenda commensurate with the prevalence and impact of liver illness. GLI promotes innovation, encourages collaboration, and supports the scaling of optimal approaches to help eradicate liver diseases. Operating globally, GLI is committed to solving the problems that matter to liver patients and equipping advocates to improve the lives of individuals and families impacted by liver disease. Follow GLI on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. GLI is the global host of International NASH Day.

Global Liver Institute
nashday@globalliver.org
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AU Chair Urges Ukraine to Demine Odesa Port to Ease Wheat Exports

Senegalese President and African Union Chair Macky Sall on Thursday urged Ukraine to demine waters around its Odesa port to ease much needed grain exports from the war-torn country.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions have disrupted grain deliveries from the two countries, fueling fears of hunger around the world.

Cereal prices in Africa, the world’s poorest continent, have surged because of the slump in exports, sharpening the impact of conflict and climate change and sparking fears of social unrest.

If wheat exports do not resume from Ukraine, Africa “will be in a situation of very serious famine that could destabilize the continent,” Sall told French media outlets France 24 and RFI.

Russia and Ukraine produce 30% of the global wheat supply.

But grain remains stuck in Ukraine’s ports because of a Russian blockade and Ukrainian mines, while Western sanctions on Moscow have disrupted exports from Russia.

Moscow has called for Ukraine to demine the waters surrounding the Ukrainian-controlled port of Odesa to allow out blocked grain, but Kyiv has refused for fear of a Russian attack.

Sall said Russia President Vladimir Putin, whom he met last week in Russia, had assured him this would not happen.

“I even told him: ‘The Ukrainians said that if they demine, you’ll enter the port.’ He says, no, he will not enter, and that’s a commitment he made,” the Senegalese leader said.

“There must now be work towards getting the demining done, the United Nations involved … so that we can start getting the Ukrainian wheat out,” he said.

Sall is to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in France on Friday.

He is expected to ask him to help lift EU sanctions against Russia, especially to reverse its exclusion from the global SWIFT bank messaging system.

“Since our banks are mostly linked to European banks, they cannot pay as they used to” for Russian products, the AU chair explained.

Source: Voice of America

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President Isaias Afwerki encourages Biniam Ghirmay

President Isaias Afwerki received this morning, 9 June, at his office in Adi-Halo iconic Eritrean Professional Cyclist Biniam Ghirmay.

On the occasion in which Ambassador Zemede Tekle, Commissioner of Culture and Sports as well as heads of the National Cycling Federation took part, President Isaias said that the victory Biniam registered at Giro d’Italia beyond shining the image of Eritrea has significant contribution to inspiring the youth sportspeople in the country.

Indicating that the climate and landscape of Eritrea as well as the encouraging followers have a comparative advantage, President Isaias said that Biniam has all the potential of registering more victories in similar international competitions.

President Isaias also called for putting in place sports facilities in all regions and working for more victories.

Biniam Ghirmay on his part said that the encouragement by President Isaias before and after competitions has significant input in the victories being registered as well as in shouldering responsibility.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Natnael Tesfatsion wins King of Mountains

The 23 years old Eritrean Professional Cyclist, Natnael Tesfatsion, a member of Italian Cycling Team Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli that took part in the Adriatica Ionica race wins the King of the Mountains jersey.

At the five stages race in which more than 100 competitors took part, Natnael Tesfatsion stood second in the race for the Yellow Jersey, second in the general classification, second for the best young rider, and 5th in overall points.

Likewise, Professional Cyclists Henok Mulubrhan and Efrem Gebrehiwet stood 22nd and 42nd respectively.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea