DIDI UPDATED CLASS PERIOD: ROSEN, TOP RANKED GLOBAL INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages DiDi Global Inc. Investors with Losses in Excess of $500K to Secure Counsel Before Important Deadline in Securities Class Action – DIDI

NEW YORK, July 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces it has filed a class action lawsuit expanding the Class Period on behalf of more purchasers of the securities of DiDi Global Inc. (NYSE: DIDI): (1) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with DiDi's June 30, 2021 initial public offering (the "IPO" or "Offering"); and/or (2) between June 30, 2021 and July 21, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 7, 2021.

SO WHAT: If you purchased DiDi securities during the expanded Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the DiDi class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases–register–2113.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll–free at 866–767–3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 7, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the Registration Statement featured and defendants throughout the expanded Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Cyberspace Administration of China ("CAC") urged DiDi to delay its IPO; (2) DiDi "had the problem of collecting personal information in violation of relevant PRC laws and regulations"; (3) DiDi could not guarantee data security; (4) due to the foregoing, DiDi would face "serious, perhaps unprecedented, penalties" from relevant authorities; (5) DiDi and its many apps would face an imminent cybersecurity review by the CAC, which could lead to removal of Didi's apps from app stores; and (6) as a result, defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the DiDi class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases–register–2113.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll–free at 866–767–3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the–rosen–law–firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

———————————————–

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686–1060
Toll Free: (866) 767–3653
Fax: (212) 202–3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8290118)

Takeda and Frazier Healthcare Partners Announce Collaboration to Launch HilleVax, Inc. to Develop Clinical Stage Norovirus Vaccine Candidate

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, July 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) (Takeda) and Frazier Healthcare Partners (Frazier) today announced a collaboration to launch HilleVax, Inc. (HilleVax), a biopharmaceutical company to develop and commercialize Takeda's norovirus vaccine candidate. Takeda has granted a license to HilleVax for the exclusive development and commercialization rights to its norovirus vaccine candidate, HIL–214 (formerly TAK–214), worldwide outside of Japan. Takeda will retain commercialization rights in Japan and HilleVax will integrate certain Japan development activities into its global development. Takeda remains committed to vaccines and this collaboration allows Takeda to focus primarily on dengue, COVID–19, pandemic influenza and Zika.

HIL–214, which is a virus–like particle (VLP) based vaccine candidate, completed a randomized, placebo–controlled Phase 2b field efficacy study in 4,712 adult subjects in which HIL–214 was well–tolerated and demonstrated clinical proof of concept in preventing moderate–to–severe cases of acute gastroenteritis from norovirus infection.1 To date, the candidate has been studied in nine human clinical trials with safety data from over 4,500 subjects and immunogenicity data from over 2,000 subjects.

Ursula Belinda Myles, General Manager of Takeda's Access Market Cluster (covering much of Africa) commented: “Africa's underlying burden of endemic diseases is one of the largest in the world, and infectious diseases play a larger portion of these diseases across the continent. Like many other nations, COVID–19 has emphasized Africa's greatest challenges around healthcare and highlighted the need for continued greater investment in healthcare systems. These investments are critical to secure economic development as Africa implements flagship projects around the 2030 Africa Health Strategy.”

Ursula added: “The announcement of our partnership with Frazier Healthcare Partners will allow Takeda to focus efforts and resources on vaccines for diseases prevalent across Africa and provide support in alleviating the growing burden that infectious diseases have on public health systems.”

Norovirus is a common intestinal infection marked by diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, nausea and sometimes fever that may lead to clinically significant dehydration.2 Norovirus is recognized as the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis across the age spectrum.3 It is estimated that norovirus causes nearly 700 million cases of illness and more than 200,000 deaths worldwide per year with significant additional economic and social burden.3 No vaccines are currently approved for norovirus infection, and HIL–214 continues to be the most advanced norovirus vaccine candidate in human clinical trials.

"Takeda and Frazier have a history of successfully partnering together, and we are confident in HilleVax's capabilities to progress HIL–214, the most advanced norovirus vaccine candidate in development with the potential to address the huge global burden of norovirus–associated acute gastroenteritis," said Rajeev Venkayya, M.D., President of the Global Vaccine Business Unit, Takeda. "This will allow Takeda to focus its efforts and resources on our dengue vaccine, which we have begun filing for licensure around the world, our pandemic programs, and our partnership with the US Government to develop a Zika vaccine."

Takeda's Commitment to Vaccines

Vaccines prevent 2 to 3 million deaths each year and have transformed global public health. For more than 70 years, Takeda has supplied vaccines to protect the health of people in Japan. Today, Takeda's global vaccine business is applying innovation to tackle some of the world's most challenging infectious diseases, such as dengue, COVID–19, pandemic influenza and Zika. Takeda's team brings an outstanding track record and a wealth of knowledge in vaccine development and manufacturing to advance a pipeline of vaccines to address some of the world's most pressing public health needs. For more information, visit www.TakedaVaccines.com.

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values–based, R&D–driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to discover and deliver life–transforming treatments, guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Genetic and Hematology, Neuroscience and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma–Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality–diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries and regions. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com.

About Frazier Healthcare Partners

Founded in 1991, Frazier Healthcare Partners is a leading provider of growth and venture capital to healthcare companies. With nearly $4.8 billion total capital raised, Frazier has invested in over 200 companies, with investment types ranging from company creation and venture capital to buyouts of profitable lower–middle market companies. The firm's Growth Buyout team invests in healthcare and pharmaceutical services, medical products and related sectors. The Life Sciences team invests in therapeutics and related areas that are addressing unmet medical needs through innovation. Frazier has offices in Seattle, WA and Menlo Park, CA, and invests broadly across the US, Canada, and Europe. For more information about Frazier Healthcare Partners, visit the company's website at http://www.frazierhealthcare.com.

About HilleVax

HilleVax is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel vaccine candidates. Its initial program, HIL–214, is a virus–like particle (VLP) based vaccine candidate in development for the prevention of moderate–to–severe acute gastroenteritis caused by norovirus infection. For more information about HilleVax, visit the company's website at http://www.HilleVax.com.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Forward–Looking Statements

This press release and any materials distributed in connection with this press release may contain forward–looking statements, beliefs or opinions regarding Takeda's future business, future position and results of operations, including estimates, forecasts, targets and plans for Takeda. Without limitation, forward–looking statements often include words such as "targets", "plans", "believes", "hopes", "continues", "expects", "aims", "intends", "ensures", "will", "may", "should", "would", "could" "anticipates", "estimates", "projects" or similar expressions or the negative thereof. These forward–looking statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward–looking statements: the economic circumstances surrounding Takeda's global business, including general economic conditions in Japan and the United States; competitive pressures and developments; changes to applicable laws and regulations; the success of or failure of product development programs; decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof; fluctuations in interest and currency exchange rates; claims or concerns regarding the safety or efficacy of marketed products or product candidates; the impact of health crises, like the novel coronavirus pandemic, on Takeda and its customers and suppliers, including foreign governments in countries in which Takeda operates, or on other facets of its business; the timing and impact of post–merger integration efforts with acquired companies; the ability to divest assets that are not core to Takeda's operations and the timing of any such divestment(s); and other factors identified in Takeda's most recent Annual Report on Form 20–F and Takeda's other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available on Takeda's website at: https://www.takeda.com/investors/reports/sec–filings/ or at www.sec.gov. Takeda does not undertake to update any of the forward–looking statements contained in this press release or any other forward–looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule. Past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results or statements of Takeda in this press release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast, guarantee or projection of Takeda's future results.

# # #

CONTACTS:

Takeda Media Contacts:
Japanese Media

Ryoko Matsumoto

ryoko.matsumoto@takeda.com

+81 (0) 3–3278–3414

Media Outside Japan

Amy Atwood

amy.atwood@takeda.com

+1–774–571–3316

For HilleVax, Inc.: For Frazier Healthcare Partners:
David Socks

info@hillevax.com

+1–650–325–5156

Liz Park

liz.park@frazierhealthcare.com

+1–650–319–1831

References

1 Sherwood J, et al. Vaccine 2020; 38(41):6442–6449

2 https://ww.cdc.gov/norovirus/index.html [accessed 2021 April 27].

3 Hall AJ, et al. Expert Rev Vaccines 2016;15(8):949–951


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8289931)

Dickey's Barbecue Pit Expands to Pakistan

Dallas, Texas, July 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Lahore, Pakistan is open. The Texas Style barbecue restaurant features Short Ribs, Lamb Shank and Beef Sausages.

Representatives Azam Bhatti and Mazhar Zaidi from the A.J. Corporation inked their master franchise agreement with Dickey's Barbecue Pit to develop Pakistan's first American–based barbecue franchise and bring true, Texas–style barbecue to Pakistan. "We are so proud to be expanding Internationally and offer slow–smoked meats and sausages in Pakistan" says Roland Dickey Jr. Chief Executive Officer of Dickey's Capital Group.

"Dickey's Barbecue Pit is proud of the work Mazhar Ziadi, our master partner in Pakistan has done to drive the opening of our first location in Pakistan, Islamabad." Says Jim Perkins, Executive Vice President of International Sales and Support for Dickey's Barbecue Pit. "Under normal conditions opening a first location in a distant land is based on commitment and teamwork. Mazhar and his team forged forward under extreme Covid19 conditions and opens our Flagship store in Pakistan, I am proud of him, his team, and Dickey's Regional Manager in Dubai, Mansoor Saeed who made this available to the guests in Pakistan". Adds Perkins.

Since the barbecue chain opened their first overseas locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 2018, this new deal now marks the 6th international location for the world's largest barbecue concept who plans on opening in Cairo, Egypt in August of 2021.

The A.J. Corporation acquired full franchising rights for Pakistan that includes a total development of 20 stores spread out over the next 10 years and plans to offer a variety of menu items, delivery, and catering options at their first location.

"We have a love for barbecue, because of its unique taste and we are excited to introduce Pakistan to Dickey's Legit. Texas. Barbecue.," says Azam Bhatti, founder of the A.J. Corporation. The 2,300 square foot restaurant is open from 11am until midnight.

To learn more, about Dickey's Franchise opportunities, click HERE. Follow Dickey's Franchise infomation 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's 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.

Attachment


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8288997)

In-Purchase Financing Provider Behalf Raises Over $100M to Expand Buy Now, Pay Later Capability for B2B

NEW YORK and RA'ANANA, Israel, July 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Behalf, Inc., a provider of In–Purchase Financing solutions for B2B sellers and buyers, today announced $19 million in new venture financing. The round was led by existing investors MissionOG, Viola Growth, Viola Credit and Vintage Investment Partners. New investors Migdal Insurance and La Maison Partners are also participating in the round.

In addition, Behalf announced the creation of a new debt facility totaling up to $100 million, provided by funds managed by Ares Management Corporation ("Ares"). The capital raised will enable Behalf to expand the availability of In–Purchase Financing to a broader array of B2B merchants and their SMB customers, while continuing to extend the capabilities of its industry–leading platform.

"The B2B eCommerce market is ripe for transformation. Merchants are recognizing the opportunity to drive new revenue by deploying In–Purchase Financing," said Rob Rosenblatt, CEO of Behalf. "At the same time, small and mid–sized businesses (SMBs) need access to affordable financing options "" an evergreen challenge exacerbated during COVID. Even as the U.S. economy is improving, SMBs continue to seek financial assistance to purchase critical supplies, inventory and equipment. Oftentimes they lack the requisite spend capacity on their personal or business credit cards. By offering In–Purchase Financing with flexible terms, B2B merchants can increase average order size by as much as 50–80 percent while reducing their risk, improving cash flow and driving operational efficiencies."

Behalf's In–Purchase Financing solution provides B2B merchants with all the benefits of consumer–focused Buy Now, Pay Later offerings along with capabilities tailored specifically for business–to–business commerce including:

  • Seamless checkout that significantly improves the customer experience, drives same–session checkout, and enhances customer loyalty.
  • Easy integration with existing point–of–sale systems, avoiding disruptions that can otherwise impact real–time commerce.
  • Incorporation of advanced underwriting and scoring models based on expansive datasets, business history and other predictive metrics to address the added complexity and risk of SMB lending "" enabling Behalf to offer financing when traditional banks are unable to do so.
  • The ability to serve the needs of virtually all of the merchant's business customers "" small, medium and large.
  • Financing for transactions of significantly greater average order value vis–a–vis consumer financing offerings.
  • Sharing best practices with B2B merchants to enable them to provide different financing options to sell more product.

"We are pleased to invest in Behalf's current round," said Guy Fischer, Migdal's Deputy CEO and Chief Investment Officer. "This investment is made out of our $1.5 billion (USD) internal FinTech fund and is in line with our strategy of investing in FinTech companies that have robust growth potential. To support Behalf's growth, we are also in discussions with the company about a potential $100 million (USD) debt facility. This injection of capital should support a steep growth curve for the company."

"We think there is a great market opportunity for a B2B offering targeting the more complex, real–time financing needs of SMBs," said Jeffrey Kramer, Partner and Head of ABS in the Alternative Credit strategy of the Ares Credit Group. "We are excited to provide a debt facility that will help support the company to achieve its growth objectives."

About Behalf
Behalf offers alternative B2B financing solutions tailor–made for real–time commerce across e– tail, assisted–selling and other merchant sales channels. The solutions enable merchants to outsource their net terms and extended financing programs, and receive payment as early as next business day. With Behalf, merchants can significantly increase their business customers' spending power without tying up capital or devoting resources to the business of credit and collections. Customers can receive in–purchase financing from Net–30 to up to 180 days.

Behalf's e–commerce financing solution is offered by an array of merchants across the electronics, mobile phone resale, business supplies, medical and health, home/hardware and other merchant categories. To date, Behalf has on–boarded over 19,000 merchants and 95,000 business customers, and provided over $1 billion in financing. For more information, visit https://www.behalf.com/.

About Ares Management Corporation
Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) is a leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across the credit, private equity, real estate and infrastructure asset classes. We seek to provide flexible capital to support businesses and create value for our stakeholders and within our communities. By collaborating across our investment groups, we aim to generate consistent and attractive investment returns throughout market cycles. As of March 31, 2021, including the acquisition of Landmark Partners, which closed June 2, 2021, and the acquisition of Black Creek Group, which closed July 1, 2021, Ares Management's global platform had approximately $239 billion of assets under management with approximately 2,000 employees operating across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.aresmgmt.com. Follow Ares on Twitter @Ares_Management.

About Ares Alternative Credit
Ares' Alternative Credit strategy focuses on direct lending and investing in assets that generate contractual cash flows and fills gaps in the capital markets between credit, private equity and real estate. Ares Alternative Credit targets investments across the capital structure in specialty finance, lender finance, loan portfolios, equipment leasing, structured products, net lease, cash flow streams (royalties, licensing, management fees), and other asset–focused investments. Co–Headed by Keith Ashton and Joel Holsinger, Ares Alternative Credit leverages a broadly skilled and cohesive team of approximately 40 investment professionals as of March 31, 2021.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8288395)

FXCM Group Reports Monthly Execution Data

LONDON and SYDNEY, Australia and JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, July 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FXCM Group, LLC (“FXCM Group” or "FXCM"), a leading international provider of online foreign exchange trading, CFD trading, cryptocurrencies^ and related services, today released execution data for June 2021. To view execution data including historical spreads, execution speeds and historical price improvement data click here: https://www.fxcm.com/uk/about–fxcm/execution–transparency/

June 2021 All Instruments Highlights:*

  • 64.6% of orders executed at price1
  • 22.9% of orders executed with positive slippage2
  • 12.6% of orders executed with negative slippage3
  • Average execution speed 18 milliseconds4

Highlighted Instruments June 2021:

Instrument Peak
Spread5

Non–Peak
Spread
5

Effective
Spread
6
At Price
Orders
Positive
Slippage
Negative
Slippage
BTC/USD 46.4 46.1 46.3 54% 32% 13%
ETH/USD 2.7 2.7 2.7 65% 22% 13%
LTC/USD 0.4 0.4 0.4 42% 50% 7%
XAU/USD 0.4 0.4 0.4 52% 32% 16%
SPX500 0.5 0.5 0.5 47% 33% 20%
NAS100 1.5 1.5 1.5 39% 39% 22%
EUR/USD 0.1 0.4 0.2 77% 15% 9%
GBP/USD 0.3 0.9 0.5 72% 18% 10%
AUD/USD 0.2 0.5 0.3 79% 13% 8%

For more information and to open a live account, traders can contact an FXCM specialist 24 hours a day, 5 days a week.

^Cryptocurrency products are only available to Professional and Eligible Counterparty Clients under Forex Capital Markets Limited (“FXCM LTD”).

*These highlights come from orders that executed through FXCM Group from 1 June 2021 to 30 June 2021. Data excludes certain types of non–direct clients.

1Percentage of executed client trades# in June 2021, which were executed at the price clients requested.
2Percentage of executed client trades# in June 2021, which were executed at a more favorable price than the price clients requested.
3Percentage of executed client trades# in June 2021, which were executed at a less favorable price than the price clients requested.
4This defines the amount of time between when we receive the order until execution. This excludes internet latency and post trade booking.
5This data is compiled forex and CFD trading data from FXCM's Active Traders for 1 June 2021, to 30 June 2021. The data reflects average spreads made available to FXCM clients during all trading hours.
6This data is compiled forex and CFD trading data from FXCM's Active Traders for 1 June 2021, to 30 June 2021. The data reflects the spread at which trades were executed by FXCM clients during all trading hours.
#Client trades here cover stop, limit, "at market", and entry orders. Certain non–direct clients are excluded from the data. Limit and limit entry orders would only execute at the requested price or better and cannot receive negative slippage. Price improvements are subject to available liquidity.

About FXCM:
FXCM is a leading provider of online foreign exchange (FX) trading, CFD trading, and related services. Founded in 1999, the company's mission is to provide global traders with access to the world's largest and most liquid market by offering innovative trading tools, hiring excellent trading educators, meeting strict financial standards and striving for the best online trading experience in the market. Clients have the advantage of mobile trading, one–click order execution and trading from real–time charts. In addition, FXCM offers educational courses on FX trading and provides trading tools, proprietary data and premium resources. FXCM Pro provides retail brokers, small hedge funds and emerging market banks access to wholesale execution and liquidity, while providing high and medium frequency funds access to prime brokerage services via FXCM Prime. FXCM is a Leucadia Company.

Forex Capital Markets Limited: FCA registration number 217689 (www.fxcm.com/uk)

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.

73% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

FXCM EU LTD: CySEC license number 392/20 (www.fxcm.com/eu)

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.

Between 74–89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.

You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

FXCM Australia Pty. Limited: AFSL 309763. Losses can exceed your deposited funds. The products may not be suitable for all investors. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved. If you decide to trade products offered by FXCM AU, you must read and understand the Financial Services Guide, Product Disclosure Statement, and Terms of Business on www.fxcm.com/au.

FXCM South Africa (PTY) Ltd: FSP No 46534 (www.fxcm.com/za). Our service includes products that are traded on margin and carry a risk of losses in excess of your deposited funds. The products may not be suitable for all investors. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.

FXCM Markets Limited: Losses can exceed deposited funds. (www.fxcm.com/markets).

Media contact:
Chatsworth Communications
+44 (0) 20 7440 9780
fxcm@chatsworthcommunications.com


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8288320)

Nikkiso Cryogenic Services Recommissioned Air Separation Plant in India for Critical Oxygen Supply

TEMECULA, Calif., July 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries' Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (Group), a subsidiary of Nikkiso Co., Ltd (Japan), is proud to announce they have completed the recommissioning of an Air Separation plant in Patancheru, Hyderabad India. This project was done in coordination with the Telangana government (TEL), and Greenko Foundation (GKO).

Due to the ongoing pandemic crisis in India, the Indian government initiated a directive to restart the operation and LOX production to meet the urgent demands for medical oxygen. GKO has taken the old shut–down Oxygen plant on rental basis from Air Water India Private Limited (AWI) for period of (2) two years.

In May 2021, the Group partnered along with GKO in recommissioning of the plant. Nikkiso Cryogenic Services provided critical technical support and spare parts, including nozzle actuators and vibration components, and Nikkiso Cosmodyne India Pvt. Ltd. provided field service support. Critical components which typically take 12–14 weeks were provided in three days to support this urgent request. By June 22nd, the site was fully operational again.

"We are proud to have played a role in this fight against COVID, and of the technology and teamwork it took to get this facility up and running in such short time," according to Jim Estes, President, Nikkiso Cryogenic Services.

The Group has been instrumental in providing continuous global support for the critical oxygen supply throughout the COVID epidemic.

ABOUT CRYOGENIC INDUSTRIES
Cryogenic Industries, Inc. (now a member of Nikkiso Co., Ltd.) member companies manufacture engineered cryogenic gas processing equipment and small–scale process plants for the liquefied natural gas (LNG), well services and industrial gas industries. Founded over 50 years ago, Cryogenic Industries is the parent company of ACD, Cosmodyne and Cryoquip and a commonly–controlled group of approximately 20 operating entities.

For more information, please visit www.nikkisoCEIG.com and www.nikkiso.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Anna Quigley
+1.951.383.3314
aquigley@cryoind.com


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8287959)

Synchronoss Names Christina Gabrys Chief Legal Officer

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., July 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNCR), a global leader and innovator of cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, today announced the appointment of Christina "Chrissy" Gabrys as Chief Legal Officer. Gabrys succeeds Ronald Prague who is stepping down after 15 years with the company to pursue other interests. In her new role, Gabrys will oversee all legal affairs for the company.

"Ron has played a significant role in shaping the Synchronoss that we are today. His leadership in negotiating and closing customer agreements, completing acquisitions and the company's other financial endeavors "" including his contribution to the successful recent recapitalization of the company "" has been invaluable and he will be greatly missed," said Jeff Miller, President and CEO of Synchronoss. "I would like to thank Ron for all he's contributed to the business. We will always consider him part of the Synchronoss family and wish him well in his new endeavors. Ron also has put in place a thorough transition plan that will allow Chrissy to quickly assume her new responsibilities as we welcome her to the senior leadership team."

Gabrys most recently served as Synchronoss' Assistant General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer where she worked with global customers and partners. As the company's Chief Compliance Officer, she updated its compliance program to ensure best practices for corporate policies and procedures and governance across the organization. Gabrys joined Synchronoss as part of its acquisition of Openwave Messaging where she was legal counsel for the Americas and APAC.

"I am honored to assume the position of Chief Legal Officer and look forward to working with Synchronoss team members across the globe to empower our customers to connect with subscribers in trusted and meaningful ways," said Gabrys. "I also want to express my sincere appreciation to Ron. His mentorship and diligent planning has paved the way for a seamless transition as I begin this new role."

About Synchronoss
Synchronoss Technologies (NASDAQ: SNCR) builds software that empowers companies around the world to connect with their subscribers in trusted and meaningful ways. The company's collection of products helps streamline networks, simplify onboarding and engage subscribers to unleash new revenue streams, reduce costs and increase speed to market. Hundreds of millions of subscribers trust Synchronoss products to stay in sync with the people, services and content they love. That's why more than 1,500 talented Synchronoss employees worldwide strive each day to reimagine a world in sync. Learn more at www.synchronoss.com

Media Contacts

For Synchronoss:
Anais Merlin, CCgroup UK
Diane Rose, CCgroup US
E: synchronoss@ccgrouppr.com

Investor Contact
For Synchronoss: Todd Kehrli/Joo–Hun Kim, MKR Investor Relations, Inc., E: investor@synchronoss.com


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8287737)

Accelerate Announces Digital Platform Launch

CHICAGO, July 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Accelerate has entered the global health ecosystem as a purpose–built digital platform that drives 365 healthcare transformation by connecting health professionals to insights from peers and thought leaders, professional development tools, networking opportunities and curated content""anytime, anywhere.

Accelerate's initial development has come from HIMSS, the global advisor and thought leader supporting the transformation of the health ecosystem through information and technology.

Accelerate is a natural extension of HIMSS's origins and foundation as a member–driven society, and is an innovative solution aimed to support members, partners and the global health ecosystem 365 days a year.

Hal Wolf, the president and CEO of HIMSS, emphasizes: "Global operations, decades of experience, and thousands of members provide HIMSS with the critical scale and expertise required to execute such an ambitious pursuit. With unparalleled relationships among healthcare providers, industry executives, and public entities, Accelerate will be a digital platform that convenes a variety of health stakeholders."

With Accelerate, professionals from all parts of the healthcare ecosystem have access to a highly personalized platform tailored to their unique needs. Organizations benefit from radically improved ways of managing, supporting, and developing their staff and members. Suppliers enjoy unmatched access to market insights, as well as innovative ways to engage with customers. Additionally, Accelerate will seamlessly integrate with curated 3rd party offerings""thereby empowering industry–leading partners to distribute their digital products and services through the platform 365 days a year.

“HIMSS membership has nearly doubled in the last four years to 110,000, with more than 36,000 living outside of North America. Last year underscored our commitment to respond and support our community and mission in dynamic ways and that we need capabilities to reach and support our members when they need it,” said Wolf. “HIMSS has lead the investment in Accelerate and helped it launch, and the platform will be an asset to not only HIMSS members, but to the global health ecosystem at large.”

Starting today, Accelerate is available to all HIMSS members, individual users, as well as to enterprises, organizations, and associations interested in getting access for their members.

Interested parties are invited to join a strong set of already–committed organizations and become part of the launch. For more information, visit www.youraccelerate.com.

Karen D. Groppe
Senior Director, Strategic Communications
Mobile 312.965.7898 | Twitter @Karen_D_Groppe


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8287706)

Acumen Closes $58 Million Impact Fund, the First to Drive Climate Adaptation for Smallholder Farmers

Nairobi, Kenya, July 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF) closed on June 30 at $58 million. This first–of–its–kind equity fund provides critical capital to support African agribusinesses that help smallholder farmers adapt to climate change. Sponsored by Acumen and anchored by Green Climate Fund (GCF), the fund is supported by the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank (FMO), the Soros Economic Development Fund, the French development institution PROPARCO (through FISEA+, the AFD Fund advised by PROPARCO), the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Global Social Impact, and other respected investors and funders. The fund is managed by Acumen Capital Partners, a wholly owned subsidiary of Acumen.

"Smallholder farmers feed the world, but they are among the most affected by the climate crisis," said ARAF's Managing Director Tamer El–Raghy. "ARAF's impressive $58 million close, $8 million above our initial target for the fund, is a watershed moment and, with only 5% of climate investment directed toward adaptation, signals the beginning of a shift in climate finance. By investing in agri–startups in East and West Africa, ARAF can reduce poverty, build climate resilience, and demonstrate the impact of investing in resilient agriculture. Since we started deploying capital in 2020, our team has invested in five companies operating in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria."

Poverty, climate change, and resilient agriculture are intrinsically linked: More than half of the people living in poverty are smallholder farmers. These farmers provide a third of the world's food supply. In Africa, their role is even larger as they produce approximately 80% of the continent's food. Soil degradation, severe storms, shifting weather patterns, and more have changed the nature of farming, threatening farmers' livelihoods and their ability to feed communities worldwide. These challenges are intensified by structural inefficiencies and limited access to credit. By supporting agribusinesses that offer aggregation, digital platforms, and financial solutions to smallholder farmers, ARAF seeks to build an ecosystem that enables farmers to raise their incomes and increase their resilience.

"The Green Climate Fund is delighted to partner with Acumen to support innovative agribusinesses that enhance the climate resilience of smallholder farmers in Africa. GCF has supported the Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund from the early concept phase and provided catalytic capital to unlock private investment into this first climate adaptation–focused agribusiness investment fund in Africa. The fund will make critical investments to support climate resilience and agriculture productivity for smallholder farmers across countries in East and West Africa and help shift the pattern of investment in climate change adaptation in Africa from grants to a long–term capital approach," said Director of GCF's Private Sector Facility Tony Clamp.

New research by Acumen, funded by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office's (FCDO) Strengthening Impact Investment Markets for Agriculture (SIIMA) program, illustrates the need for this transition, and calls for an increase in risk–tolerant, blended capital to sustainably scale agribusinesses that help build climate resilience. ARAF's first–loss layer, supported by GCF and IKEA Foundation, enables this risk tolerance. Research also shows the importance of working with farmers and providing repeat training and instruction on how to best leverage products and services. ARAF answers this call by using blended finance to provide long–term support to small and medium–sized agribusinesses and through its $5 million Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) that is designed to provide farmers with the hands–on support they need. The TAF is funded by grants from GCF, IKEA Foundation, FCDO, and FMO.

"We are pleased to support ARAF as a lead investor. As a very reputable investor with an impressive track record in impact investing, Acumen's focus on investing in promising early–stage companies active in smallholder value chains across East and West Africa aligns perfectly with FMO's strategy. More importantly, by also being the first climate adaptation–focused agribusiness fund for African smallholders, the fund meets both our Green and Reducing Inequalities labels," said Pieternel Boogaard, director of agribusiness, food, and water at FMO.

"The Soros Economic Development Fund is thrilled to support ARAF as a lead investor and help improve the climate resilience of smallholder farmers across sub–Saharan Africa. We believe ARAF can foster change by helping to seed, expand, or scale business models and restructure their relationship with powerful economic actors to empower smallholder farmers to improve their livelihoods and thrive. While initiated before COVID–19, this investment speaks to the moment by supporting vulnerable communities that are already disproportionally at risk," said Catherine Cax, director of investments at the Soros Economic Development Fund.

To create ARAF, Acumen drew on its 20–year history supporting early–stage social enterprises and its experience scaling the off–grid energy sector through individual investments and commercial funds. Through ARAF, Acumen is bringing the same approach to resilient agriculture and delivering catalytic investment to address the capital gaps for agribusinesses on their journey to scale.

"The world's poorest communities are often those hit hardest by the negative impacts of climate change. While wealthier people can afford to adapt, rebuild, and relocate, the poor are left to fend for themselves. At Acumen, much of our work focuses on helping low–income people, particularly farmers, adapt to and become resilient to climate change. That's why we are so proud to sponsor ARAF and lead a group of committed investors to inject much needed capital into early–stage, integrated agribusinesses that will promote economic growth where it's needed most and help us build a future with the sustainability of the earth at its center," said Acumen Founder and CEO Jacqueline Novogratz. "Leveraging institutional support often requires initial philanthropic commitments, which are rare in the impact sector. We are deeply grateful to IKEA Foundation for its philanthropic gift that played a vital role in the launch of this critical fund."

ARAF's $58 million close illustrates a new focus on climate resilience among major investors. Together, the ARAF funders are reducing poverty, increasing climate resilience, and galvanizing sector–wide growth that can help build a more sustainable and prosperous future for us all.

***

CONTACT:

Liza Kane–Hartnett

+1 (941) 928.3843

lkanehartnett@acumen.org

About the Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF)

ARAF is an impact agriculture venture capital fund that invests in agri–startups with business models that help smallholder farmers become more resilient to climate change. ARAF is managed by Acumen Capital Partners, a wholly owned subsidiary of Acumen. Learn more at www.ARAFund.com.

About Acumen

Acumen is changing the way the world tackles poverty. We invest patient capital in inclusive, early–stage social enterprises that serve people in poverty and enable them to transform their lives. We share our ethos, principles, and practices to train the next generation of leaders through Acumen Academy. We scale the most effective solutions to systemic poverty through for–profit, returnable impact funds, managed by Acumen Capital Partners, totaling more than $150 million. Founded in 2001 by Jacqueline Novogratz, Acumen has invested more than $137 million in 139 companies across Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States. Learn more at www.acumen.org and follow us on Twitter @Acumen.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8287495)

ISW Holdings Lands Significant Hosting/Mining Agreement with Global Leader Bitmain to Launch Phase One at New Georgia Cryptocurrency Mining Operation

LAS VEGAS, July 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via InvestorWire — ISW Holdings, Inc. (OTC: ISWH) ("ISW Holdings" or the "Company"), a global brand management holdings company, is excited to announce the signing of a cryptocurrency mining hosting agreement (the "Agreement") with Bitmain Technologies ("Bitmain"), the world's leading producer of cryptocurrency mining hardware and a leading global cryptocurrency mining firm.

The Agreement will form the backbone of the Company's Phase One launch of its cryptocurrency hosting and mining operation in Georgia. Further details related to this Agreement will be discussed in the near future.

Irene Gao, Antminer BD Director NCSA Region, Bitmain, said, “We are excited to have signed this new pioneering project to begin cooperation with ISW Holdings, a new milestone for the industry for creating hosting facilities overseas. The 200 MW facility is the first phase of our long–term partnership, utilizing renewable energy as its source. We expect to further expand this project into the future to support the development of the industry.”

"Bitmain is probably the most recognizable name in the mining space, and we are excited that they will be a major piece of our success in Georgia," remarked Alonzo Pierce, ISW Holdings president and chairman. "Once our 200 MW power tranche is fully utilized, we anticipate annualized revenues of over $200 million, but that will only close the first phase of our vision. We look forward to discussing our next phases in due course. If we are able to execute according to our full vision, we have the potential to drive exponential revenue growth ahead."

For more details and forward–looking statements, view the entire announcement: https://ibn.fm/ISWBitmainAnnouncement

About Bitmain

Bitmain Technologies is a multinational semiconductor company with state–of–the–art IC design capabilities. Bitmain offers products, including chips, servers, and cloud solutions for blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Haidian District, Beijing, Bitmain has research and development centers in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United States. According to Frost & Sullivan, Bitmain is among the world's top 10 fabless IC designers and China's second largest. In the blockchain mining area, Bitmain has shipped billions of ASICs, accounting for 75% of the global market.

About ISW Holdings

ISW Holdings, Inc. (ISWH), based in Nevada, is a diversified portfolio company comprised of essential business lines that serve consumer product demands. Our expertise lies in strategic brand development, early growth facilitation, as well as brand identity through our proprietary procurement process. Together, with our partners, we seek to provide a structure that meets large scalability demands, as well as anticipated marketplace needs. We are able to meet these needs through a variety of strategic innovative processes. ISWH is creating and managing brands across a spectrum of disruptive industries. It maneuvers its proprietary companies through critical stages of market development, which includes conceptualization, go–to–market strategies, engineering, product integration and distribution efficiency. The company has also partnered with a well–known software development and consulting company, Bengala Technologies LLC, which is developing significant enhancements in the supply chain management space; and the partnership has a vitally needed patent now pending.

The Company's cryptocurrency mining segment, established in partnership with industry leader, Bit5ive LLC, is driven by a mission to mine cryptocurrency with a zero–carbon footprint.

For more information, visit www.iswholdings.com.

Company Contact:
info@ISWHoldings.com

Public Relations
EDM Media, LLC
https://edm.media

Corporate Communications:
InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN)
Los Angeles, California
www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com
310.299.1717 Office
Editor@InvestorBrandNetwork.com


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8285569)