Recursion schließt Übernahmevereinbarungen für Cyclica und Valence zur Stärkung der Fähigkeiten in den Bereichen Chemie und generative KI ab

SALT LAKE CITY und TORONTO und MONTRÉAL, May 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recursion (NASDAQ: RXRX), ein fhrendes, im klinischen Stadium ttiges TechBio–Unternehmen, das die Biologie entschlsselt, um die Arzneimittelforschung zu industrialisieren, hat heute die Unterzeichnung von Vereinbarungen zur bernahme von zwei Unternehmen im Bereich der KI–gesttzten Arzneimittelforschung bekanntgegeben: Cyclica und Valence.

"Recursion hat Pionierarbeit bei der massiven, parallelen Generierung von –omics–Daten mit maschinellem Lernen geleistet, um die Biologie zu kartieren und zu navigieren und so schneller neue Medikamente zu entdecken. Durch die strategischen bernahmen von Cyclica und Valence kommen branchenfhrende Fhigkeiten in der digitalen Chemie sowie im maschinellen Lernen und in der knstlichen Intelligenz hinzu, die uns in Kombination mit unseren automatisierten Nasslaboren und Supercomputing–Fhigkeiten in die Lage versetzen, die meiner Meinung nach umfassendste technologiegesttzte Lsung fr die Arzneimittelforschung in der Biopharmabranche bereitzustellen. Wir freuen uns darauf, der Welt durch die rasche Beschleunigung unserer Pipeline und unserer Partnerschaften den Beweis fr den umfassenden Nutzen dieses ganzheitlichen Ansatzes zu liefern. Inmitten eines sich rasant beschleunigenden globalen Wettlaufs um Technologietalente zementieren diese bernahmen Recursion als Gravitationszentrum fr die Besten und Klgsten in den Bereichen ML und KI, die die Art und Weise, wie Medikamente entdeckt werden, neugestalten wollen", so Dr. Chris Gibson, Mitbegrnder und CEO von Recursion. "Ich freue mich sehr, die Teams von Cyclica und Valence bei Recursion willkommen zu heien, vor allem in einem so dynamischen Moment, in dem maschinelles Lernen und knstliche Intelligenz so viele schnelle Vernderungen in jeder Branche bewirken."

Cyclica, mit Hauptsitz in Toronto, hat zwei hochdifferenzierte Produkte im Bereich der digitalen Chemie entwickelt, die in das RecursionOS integriert werden. MatchMaker ist eine KI–gesttzte Deep–Learning–Engine, die die Polypharmakologie kleiner Molekle vorhersagt und damit die Grundlage fr die Entdeckung niedermolekularer Arzneimittel bildet. Das System ist in der Lage, ber das Proteom zu verallgemeinern und verwendet sowohl AlphaFold2–Strukturen als auch Homologiemodelle. POEM (Pareto Optimal Embedding Model) ist ein einzigartiges, auf hnlichkeit basierendes Modell zur Vorhersage von Eigenschaften. Im Gegensatz zu anderen KI–Vorhersagemodellen verwendet POEM mehrere Arten von molekularen Fingerabdrcken, um Molekle zu beschreiben, und liefert so ein viel umfassenderes Ma fr die hnlichkeit, das zu einer hheren Genauigkeit fhrt.

"Cyclica und Recursion glauben beide an den Wert der Industrialisierung der Arzneimittelforschung", so Naheed Kurji, CEO und Mitbegrnder von Cyclica. "Die Kombination unserer proteomweiten Vorhersage von Interaktionen zwischen kleinen Moleklen und Zielmoleklen mit dem Datenuniversum von Recursion wird einen der grten zweckdienlichen biologischen und chemischen Datenstze im Bereich der Arzneimittelforschung schaffen. Zusammengenommen glaube ich, dass Recursion in den kommenden Jahren einen immensen Einfluss auf die menschliche Gesundheit haben wird."

Valence, mit Hauptsitz in Montral bei Mila, dem weltweit grten Forschungsinstitut fr Deep Learning, hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, das volle Potenzial von Deep Learning in der Arzneimittelforschung zu erschlieen. Das Unternehmen leistet Pionierarbeit bei der Anwendung des datenarmen Lernens im Bereich des Arzneimitteldesigns und ermglicht die Entwicklung differenzierter kleiner Molekle mit verbesserten Eigenschaften und Funktionen aus Datenstzen, die fr herkmmliche Deep–Learning–Methoden zu klein, zu sprlich oder zu verrauscht sind. Valence verfgt ber eine beispiellose Erfolgsbilanz bei Innovationen im Bereich des molekularen maschinellen Lernens, einschlielich branchenweit fhrender Methoden fr KI–gesttzte Strukturbiologie, generative Chemie und multiparametrische Optimierung, die letztlich das Design von Best–in–Class– oder First–in–Class–Chemie fr anspruchsvolle biologische Fragestellungen ermglicht.

"Die Integration der leistungsstarken KI–basierten Chemie–Engine von Valence in das vielfltige und datenreiche Betriebssystem von Recursion wird dazu beitragen, die wahre Leistungsfhigkeit der KI–gesttzten digitalen Chemie und Wirkstoffforschung zu erschlieen", so Daniel Cohen, CEO und Mitbegrnder von Valence Discovery. "Recursion ist ein fhrendes Unternehmen in der technologiegesttzten Arzneimittelforschung mit einer nachgewiesenen Erfolgsbilanz bei der Nutzung von Daten zur Aufdeckung neuer biologischer Zusammenhnge, und ich freue mich, dass unsere Teams ihre Krfte bndeln, um neue Medikamente fr Patienten, die sie bentigen, rasch verfgbar zu machen."

Durch den Zusammenschluss mit dem Deep–Learning–Forschungsbro von Recursion in Montral wird Valence zu einem Forschungszentrum fr knstliche Intelligenz und maschinelles Lernen, das von Daniel Cohen geleitet und weiterhin von Yoshua Bengio beraten wird.

"Die bernahme von Valence gibt Recursion die Mglichkeit, ein echtes Exzellenzzentrum fr einige der interessantesten KI/ML–Forschungen der Welt zu schaffen", so Yoshua Bengio, Deep–Learning–Pionier und wissenschaftlicher Berater sowohl von Recursion als auch von Valence. "Mit dieser neu integrierten Gruppe, die im Mila–kosystem untergebracht ist, erreicht das Forscherteam von Recursion im Bereich KI und ML fr die Arzneimittelforschung eine kritische Masse zu einem entscheidenden Zeitpunkt in der Entwicklung neuer KI–Algorithmen fr die wissenschaftliche Forschung."

Bedingungen der bernahmen

Recursion hat Vereinbarungen zur bernahme von Cyclica fr einen Kaufpreis von 40 Mio. USD und von Valence fr einen Kaufpreis von 47,5 Mio. USD getroffen, jeweils vorbehaltlich der blichen Anpassungen des Kaufpreises bei Abschluss und nach Abschluss. Der Kaufpreis fr die bernahmen wird in Form von Stammaktien der Klasse A von Recursion, Aktien einer Tochtergesellschaft von Recursion, die in Stammaktien der Klasse A von Recursion umgetauscht werden knnen, und der bernahme bestimmter ausstehender Optionen von Valence und Cyclica gezahlt. Unter bestimmten begrenzten Umstnden kann Recursion den Valence– und Cyclica–Aktionren anstelle solcher umtauschbaren Aktien oder Recursion–Stammaktien der Klasse A eine nominale Barzahlung leisten. Recursion erwartet keine wesentliche Vernderung der Liquidittslage als Folge dieser bernahmen. Recursion geht davon aus, dass beide bernahmen im zweiten Quartal 2023 abgeschlossen sein werden, vorbehaltlich der geltenden Abschlussbedingungen.

ber Rekursion
Recursion ist ein im klinischen Stadium ttiges TechBio–Unternehmen und fhrend auf dem Gebiet der Entschlsselung der Biologie zur Industrialisierung der Arzneimittelforschung. Grundlage fr diese Aufgabe ist das Recursion OS, eine Plattform, die auf verschiedenen Technologien basiert und einen der weltweit grten proprietren biologischen und chemischen Datenstze kontinuierlich erweitert. Recursion nutzt hochentwickelte Algorithmen des maschinellen Lernens, um aus seinem Datensatz eine Sammlung von Billionen von durchsuchbaren Beziehungen in der Biologie und Chemie abzuleiten, die nicht durch menschliche Voreingenommenheit eingeschrnkt sind. Durch die Beherrschung eines enormen Umfangs an Experimenten "" bis zu Millionen von Nasslaborexperimente pro Woche "" und eines enormen rechnerischen Umfangs "" das Unternehmen besitzt und betreibt einen der leistungsstrksten Supercomputer der Welt "" vereint Recursion Technologie, Biologie und Chemie, um die Zukunft der Medizin voranzutreiben.

Recursion hat seinen Hauptsitz in Salt Lake City, wo es ein Grndungsmitglied von BioHive, dem Branchenverband der Biowissenschaften in Utah, ist. Recursion hat auch Niederlassungen in Toronto, Montral und der San Francisco Bay Area. Erfahren Sie mehr unter www.Recursion.com oder vernetzen Sie sich auf Twitter und LinkedIn.

ber Cyclica
Als Neo–Biotech–Unternehmen treibt Cyclica effizient ein branchenfhrendes, robustes und nachhaltiges Arzneimittelforschungsportfolio voran, das sich auf ZNS–, Onkologie– und Autoimmunerkrankungen konzentriert. Cyclica hat die einzige verallgemeinerbare Plattform fr das gesamte Proteom entwickelt, die den Zielraum fr datenarme Ziele, einschlielich AlphaFold2–Strukturen, PPIs und mutierter onkogener Ziele, erweitert. Cyclica hat ein vielseitiges und erfahrenes Team aus Biologen, Chemikern, Informatikern und Geschftsleuten zusammengestellt, die sich gemeinsam fr einen Paradigmenwechsel in der Arzneimittelforschung einsetzen. Durch die Erforschung des Unerforschten und die Verabreichung von Medikamenten fr das Unerforschte strebt Cyclica danach, die Gesundheit der Patienten wie nie zuvor zu beeinflussen. Weitere Informationen erhalten Sie unter www.cyclicarx.com.

ber Valence Discovery
Valence macht sich eine Revolution in der Datenverarbeitung zunutze, um die menschliche Gesundheit zu verbessern. Das Unternehmen ist fhrend in der Entwicklung und dem Einsatz von KI– und physikbasierten Technologien, die das Design von differenzierten kleinen Moleklen mit verbesserten Eigenschaften und Funktionen ermglichen. Nach erfolgreichen Partnerschaften mit fhrenden Biotech– und Pharmaunternehmen und einer beispiellosen Erfolgsbilanz von Innovationen, die in fhrenden KI–Fachzeitschriften und auf Konferenzen vorgestellt wurden, hat Valence ein Team aus interdisziplinren Branchenveteranen und Computerexperten aufgebaut, das sich auf die rasche Weiterentwicklung eines Portfolios interner Arzneimittelforschungsprogramme konzentriert. Valence ging 2021 an die Brse, wird von fhrenden Biotech– und Deeptech–Investoren untersttzt und hat seinen Hauptsitz in Montral. Weitere Informationen erhalten Sie unter www.valencediscovery.com.

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Zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen
Dieses Dokument enthlt Informationen, die "zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen" im Sinne des Securities Litigation Reform Act von 1995 enthalten oder darauf beruhen, einschlielich, aber nicht beschrnkt auf Aussagen ber den Zeitpunkt und den Abschluss der bernahmen von Cyclica und Valence und die Ergebnisse und Vorteile, die von diesen bernahmen erwartet werden; Recursion OS und andere Technologien; Geschfts– und Finanzplne und –leistungen, einschlielich Cash Runway; und alle anderen Aussagen, die keine historischen Fakten sind. Zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen knnen identifizierende Wrter wie "planen", "werden", "erwarten", "antizipieren", "beabsichtigen", "glauben", "potenziell", "fortsetzen" und hnliche Begriffe enthalten. Diese Aussagen unterliegen bekannten oder unbekannten Risiken und Ungewissheiten, die dazu fhren knnen, dass die tatschlichen Ergebnisse wesentlich von den in diesen Aussagen ausgedrckten oder implizierten Ergebnissen abweichen, einschlielich, aber nicht beschrnkt auf: Herausforderungen, die der pharmazeutischen Forschung und Entwicklung inhrent sind, einschlielich des Zeitplans und der Ergebnisse prklinischer und klinischer Programme, bei denen das Risiko des Scheiterns hoch ist und ein Scheitern in jeder Phase vor oder nach der behrdlichen Zulassung aufgrund unzureichender Wirksamkeit, Sicherheitserwgungen oder anderer Faktoren eintreten kann; unsere Fhigkeit, unsere Arzneimittelforschungsplattform zu nutzen und zu verbessern; unsere Fhigkeit, Finanzmittel fr Entwicklungsaktivitten und andere Unternehmenszwecke zu erhalten; der Erfolg unserer Kooperationsaktivitten; unsere Fhigkeit, die behrdliche Zulassung von Arzneimittelkandidaten zu erhalten und diese letztendlich zu vermarkten; unsere Fhigkeit, den Schutz unseres geistigen Eigentums zu erhalten, aufrechtzuerhalten und durchzusetzen; Cyberangriffe oder andere Strungen unserer Technologiesysteme; unsere Fhigkeit, wichtige Mitarbeiter zu gewinnen, zu motivieren und zu halten und unser Wachstum zu steuern; Inflation und andere makrokonomische Probleme; sowie andere Risiken und Ungewissheiten, wie sie unter der berschrift "Risikofaktoren" in unseren Unterlagen bei der U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission beschrieben sind, einschlielich unseres Jahresberichts auf Formular 10–K. Alle zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen basieren auf den aktuellen Schtzungen, Prognosen und Annahmen des Managements, und Recursion bernimmt keine Verpflichtung, solche Aussagen zu korrigieren oder zu aktualisieren, sei es aufgrund neuer Informationen, zuknftiger Entwicklungen oder aus anderen Grnden, es sei denn, dies ist gesetzlich vorgeschrieben.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8835757)

Recursion conclut des accords pour acquérir Cyclica et Valence en vue de renforcer ses capacités en chimie et de l'IA générative

SALT LAKE CITY, TORONTO et MONTRÉAL, 10 mai 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recursion (NASDAQ : RXRX), une socit de biotechnologie au stade clinique de premier plan qui dcode la biologie pour industrialiser la dcouverte de mdicaments, a annonc aujourd'hui avoir sign des accords pour faire l'acquisition de deux socits dans le secteur de la dcouverte de mdicaments base sur l'IA : Cyclica et Valence.

Recursion a t le pionnier de la gnration massive et parallle de donnes omiques l'aide de l'apprentissage automatique pour cartographier et parcourir la biologie afin de dcouvrir plus rapidement de nouveaux mdicaments. Les acquisitions stratgiques de Cyclica et de Valence ajoutent des capacits de pointe au domaine de la chimie numrique, ainsi que l'apprentissage automatique et l'intelligence artificielle, qui combins nos laboratoires exprimentaux automatiss grande chelle et nos capacits de calcul intensif, nous permettent de dployer ce que je considre comme la solution de dcouverte de mdicaments la plus complte base sur la technologie dans l'industrie biopharmaceutique. Nous avons hte de prsenter au monde une preuve de l'avantage cumul de cette approche full–stack grce la rapide acclration de notre pipeline et de nos partenariats. Dans une course mondiale aux talents technologiques dont le rythme s'acclre rapidement, ces acquisitions consolident Recursion en tant que place centrale pour les meilleurs et les plus brillants talents en AA et IA qui souhaitent repenser la faon dont les mdicaments sont dcouverts , a dclar Chris Gibson, Ph.D., co–fondateur et PDG de Recursion. Je suis vraiment ravi d'accueillir les quipes de Cyclica et de Valence chez Recursion, surtout en un moment aussi dynamique de l'histoire, o l'apprentissage automatique et l'intelligence artificielle engendrent tant de changements rapides dans tous les secteurs.

Cyclica, dont le sige social est Toronto, a dvelopp deux produits trs diffrencis dans le secteur de la chimie numrique, qui seront intgrs au systme d'exploitation Recursion. MatchMaker est un moteur d'apprentissage profond bas sur l'IA qui prdit la polypharmacologie des petites molcules comme base de la dcouverte des mdicaments petites molcules. Il est capable de se gnraliser travers le protome et utilise la fois des modles d'homologie et des structures AlphaFold2. POEM (Pareto Optimal Embedding Model ou Modle d'intgration optimal de Pareto) est un modle unique de prdiction des proprits base sur la similarit. Contrairement aux autres modles de prdiction de l'IA, POEM utilise plusieurs types d'empreintes molculaires pour dcrire les molcules, fournissant ainsi une mesure de similarit beaucoup plus riche qui engendre une plus grande prcision.

Chez Cyclica et Recursion, on croit en la valeur de l'industrialisation de la dcouverte de mdicaments , a indiqu Naheed Kurji, PDG et co–fondateur de Cyclica. L'intgration de notre prdiction l'chelle du protome des interactions petites molcules–cibles dans l'univers des donnes de Recursion crera l'un des plus grands ensembles de donnes biologiques et chimiques adapts aux besoins dans le secteur de la dcouverte des mdicaments. Cette combinaison permettra selon moi Recursion d'avoir un impact immense sur la sant humaine dans les annes venir.

Valence, dont le sige social est Montral, au Mila, le plus grand institut de recherche en apprentissage profond au monde, est dtermine librer le plein potentiel de l'apprentissage profond dans le processus de dcouverte des mdicaments. La socit est pionnire dans l'application de l'apprentissage faible niveau de donnes dans la conception de mdicaments, dbloquant ainsi la capacit de concevoir des petites molcules diffrencies dotes de proprits et de fonctions amliores partir d'ensembles de donnes trop petits, pars ou bruits pour les mthodes d'apprentissage profond traditionnelles. Valence possde une exprience ingale en matire d'innovation dans l'apprentissage automatique molculaire, notamment les meilleures mthodes pour la biologie structurelle base sur l'IA, la chimie gnrative et l'optimisation multi–paramtrique, permettant en fin de compte la conception d'une chimie faisant figure de premire et meilleure de sa catgorie face une biologie difficile.

L'intgration du puissant moteur de chimie bas sur l'IA de Valence dans le systme d'exploitation diversifi et riche en donnes de Recursion aidera donner libre cours la vritable puissance de la chimie numrique et de la dcouverte de mdicaments mettant l'IA au premier plan , a indiqu Daniel Cohen, PDG et co–fondateur de Valence Discovery. Recursion est un chef de file dans la dcouverte des mdicaments base sur la technologie et a fait ses preuves dans l'exploitation des donnes visant dcouvrir une nouvelle biologie. Je suis ravi que nos quipes unissent et combinent leurs forces respectives afin de faire rapidement avancer de nouveaux mdicaments pour les patients qui en ont besoin.

Collaborer avec le bureau de recherche en apprentissage profond de Recursion Montral permettra Valence de devenir un centre de recherche d'apprentissage automatique et d'intelligence artificielle. Il sera dirig par Daniel Cohen qui bnficiera des conseils de Yoshua Bengio.

L'acquisition de Valence donne Recursion l'opportunit de crer un vritable centre d'excellence pour certaines des recherches sur l'IA/AA les plus convaincantes au monde , a dclar Yoshua Bengio, pionnier de l'apprentissage profond et conseiller scientifique de Recursion et de Valence. Avec ce groupe nouvellement intgr hberg dans l'cosystme de Mila, l'quipe de chercheurs en IA et en AA de Recursion qui "uvrent la dcouverte de mdicaments atteint une masse critique un moment crucial du dveloppement de nouveaux algorithmes d'IA pour la dcouverte scientifique.

Conditions des acquisitions

Recursion a conclu des accords visant acqurir Cyclica pour un prix d'achat de 40 millions de dollars, et Valence pour un prix d'achat de 47,5 millions de dollars, dans chaque cas sous rserve des ajustements habituels du prix d'achat la clture et aprs la clture. Le prix d'achat des acquisitions sera vers sous la forme d'actions ordinaires de classe A de Recursion, d'actions d'une filiale de Recursion changeables contre des actions ordinaires de classe A de Recursion et l'assomption de certaines options de Valence et Cyclica en circulation. Dans certaines circonstances limites, Recursion peut verser une contrepartie nominale en espces aux actionnaires de Valence et de Cyclica au lieu des actions changeables ou des actions ordinaires de classe A de Recursion. Recursion ne s'attend aucun changement important dans ses rserves de liquidits suite ces acquisitions. Selon Recursion, les deux acquisitions devraient tre finalises au deuxime trimestre 2023, sous rserve des conditions de clture applicables.

propos de Recursion
Recursion est une socit de biotechnologie au stade clinique, chef de file du secteur grce son dcodage de la biologie pour l'industrialisation de la dcouverte de mdicaments. Cette mission est rendue possible par le systme d'exploitation de Recursion, savoir une plateforme labore l'aide de diverses technologies, qui dveloppe continuellement l'un des plus grands ensembles de donnes biologiques et chimiques exclusifs au monde. Recursion tire parti d'algorithmes d'apprentissage automatique sophistiqus pour distiller partir de son ensemble de donnes une collection de billions de relations interrogeables travers la biologie et la chimie non contraintes par les prjugs humains. En commandant une chelle exprimentale massive (jusqu' des millions d'expriences dans des laboratoires exprimentaux chaque semaine) et une chelle de calcul tout aussi massive, ainsi qu'en possdant et en exploitant l'un des superordinateurs les plus puissants au monde, Recursion allie technologie, biologie et chimie pour faire avancer la mdecine du futur.

Recursion a son sige social Salt Lake City et y est un membre fondateur de BioHive, le collectif de l'industrie des sciences de la vie de l'Utah. Recursion possde aussi des bureaux Toronto, Montral et dans la rgion de la baie de San Francisco. Pour en savoir plus, rendez–vous sur www.Recursion.com, ou connectez–vous sur Twitter et LinkedIn.

propos de Cyclica
En tant que no–biotech, Cyclica fait efficacement progresser un portefeuille de dcouverte de mdicaments solide, durable et la pointe de l'industrie, ax sur le SNC, l'oncologie et les maladies auto–immunes. Cyclica a cr la seule plateforme gnralisable sur l'ensemble du protome, en largissant le secteur cible pour les cibles faible niveau de donnes, notamment les structures AlphaFold2, les IPP et les cibles oncognes mutantes. Cyclica a rassembl une quipe diversifie et exprimente de biologistes, de chimistes, d'informaticiens et de professionnels des affaires, tous passionns par le changement du paradigme de la dcouverte de mdicaments. En explorant l'inexplor et en traitant les non–traits, Cyclica s'efforce d'avoir un impact sur la sant des patients comme jamais auparavant. Pour plus d'informations, consultez le site : www.cyclicarx.com.

propos de Valence Discovery
Valence exploite une rvolution dans le calcul pour amliorer la sant humaine. La socit est un chef de file dans le dveloppement et le dploiement des technologies bases sur l'IA et la physique pour permettre la conception de petites molcules diffrencies dotes d'une fonction et de proprits amliores. Suite des partenariats russis avec des socits biotechnologiques et pharmaceutiques de premier plan et une exprience ingale en matire d'innovation prsente dans les meilleures revues et confrences sur l'IA, Valence a constitu une quipe interdisciplinaire de professionnels chevronns du secteur et d'experts en calcul dtermins faire rapidement progresser un portefeuille de programmes internes de dcouverte de mdicaments. Valence, qui a t introduite en bourse en 2021, est soutenue par des investisseurs biotech et deeptech de premier plan. Son sige social est Montral. Pour en savoir plus, rendez–vous sur www.valencediscovery.com.

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noncs prospectifs
Le prsent document contient des informations qui comprennent ou qui sont bases sur des noncs prospectifs au sens du Securities Litigation Reform Act de 1995, y compris, mais sans s'y limiter, ceux concernant le timing et la ralisation des acquisitions de Cyclica et de Valence ainsi que les rsultats et les bnfices attendus desdites acquisitions ; le systme d'exploitation et les autres technologies de Recursion ; les plans d'affaires et financiers et les performances, y compris les rserves de liquidits ; et tous les autres noncs qui ne sont pas des faits historiques. Les noncs prospectifs peuvent ou non inclure des mots d'identification tels que planifier , sera , s'attendre , anticiper , avoir l'intention de , croire , potentiel , continuer ainsi que des termes similaires. Ces noncs sont soumis des risques connus ou inconnus et des incertitudes qui pourraient amener les rsultats rels diffrer sensiblement de ceux exprims ou sous–entendus dans lesdits noncs, y compris, mais sans s'y limiter : les difficults inhrentes la recherche et au dveloppement pharmaceutiques, y compris le timing et les rsultats des programmes prcliniques et cliniques, o les risques d'chec sont levs et o l'chec peut survenir n'importe quel stade avant ou aprs une approbation rglementaire en raison d'une efficacit insuffisante, de considrations de scurit ou d'autres facteurs ; notre capacit exploiter et amliorer notre plateforme de dcouverte de mdicaments ; notre capacit obtenir le financement d'activits de dveloppement et d'autres objectifs d'entreprise ; la russite de nos activits de collaboration ; notre capacit obtenir une approbation rglementaire des candidats mdicaments et finalement les commercialiser ; notre capacit obtenir, conserver et faire respecter les protections des droits de proprit intellectuelle ; les cyberattaques ou autres perturbations de nos systmes technologiques ; notre capacit attirer, motiver et retenir des employs cls et grer notre croissance ; l'inflation et d'autres problmes macroconomiques ; ainsi que d'autres risques et incertitudes tels que ceux dcrits sous la rubrique Risk Factors (Facteurs de risque) de nos documents dposs auprs de la Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) des tats–Unis, y compris notre rapport annuel sur le Formulaire 10–K. Tous les noncs prospectifs sont bass sur les estimations, projections et hypothses actuelles de la direction et Recursion dcline toute obligation de corriger ou de mettre jour lesdits noncs, que ce soit la suite de nouvelles informations, d'vnements futurs ou autrement, sauf dans la mesure exige par la lgislation en vigueur.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8835757)

Floship Hand-Picked for The Leading 100 List 2023

HONG KONG and NEW YORK, May 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Floship, a leading global circular supply chain solutions provider, is pleased to announce that it has been appointed to The Leading 100 List "" a highly anticipated annual research list by The Lead that recognizes innovative tech start–ups that are driving the future of brand–to–consumer businesses.

Companies from across the value chain""including marketing, e–commerce, last–mile, and third–party logistics, checkouts, and payments were nominated and considered.

All companies were evaluated and selected using a rigorous methodology including company interviews, nomination forms, and company data. The selection process included a detailed look at each company's business with a decision–making criterion based on Innovation, Business Impact, Commercialization & Customers, Teams and experience, Competition, Media Buzz, and Investor Value Creation.

Speaking on the selection, Floship CEO Joshua Tsui said, "Floship's appointment to The Leading 100 List is a tremendous honor. The selection comes at an exciting time in our journey and this acknowledgment underscores Floship's intelligent technology's innovative capabilities and the exceptional value that it creates for our clients and their customers. As we look ahead to the next phase of our growth, our technology will remain integral to the rollout of our modular service offering including white–labeling solutions for enterprise organizations and this award confers another level of assurability to our solutions."

Companies on The Leading 100 List will be honored in an awards ceremony at The Lead Innovation Summit between 12 & 13 July in New York City. The annual summit brings together executives from across the entire fashion, beauty, CPG, and retail innovation community to engage the future of the direct–to–consumer business model.

"I'd like to thank the selection committee and express my congratulations to the other companies selected for The List and look forward to connecting with industry peers in New York," shared Tsui.

About Floship

Floship's global circular supply chain ecosystem solutions cover all aspects of the global supply chain, ensuring minimal operation effort for e–commerce businesses, and allowing business owners to concentrate on driving growth with investment flexibility while gaining peace of mind.

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GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8834891)

Consumers across the globe desire humanized experiences when navigating the insurance industry

Boston / London, May 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Duck Creek Technologies, the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance, has proudly published its second annual benchmark survey, the 2023 Global Consumer Insurance Insights. The survey reveals strong demand from global consumers for humanized insurance purchasing, switching and communication experiences through digital channels.

The 2023 wave of research – which is being launched at the Duck Creek Technologies Formation "23 event for customers and partners from May 8–10, was conducted independently by Research in Finance for Duck Creek Technologies and surveyed over 2,000 policyholders across 13 countries, all of whom held at least one insurance policy.

Aimed at refining the strategies that bring insurers closer to consumers worldwide, this year's survey is more extensive than the inaugural 2022 edition, with more questions and responses from policyholders across more countries. The survey provides insights for carriers, reflecting consumer preferences and awareness of innovation opportunities, purchasing, and communication methods.

Key findings from the survey include:

  • 93% of consumers are confident they have the proper coverage, irrespective of which channel they used to purchase the insurance policy.
  • Once a policy is in place, 44% of consumers prefer human interaction (2022: 35%). At the same time, however, interest in app/WhatsApp usage for buying and switching insurance also increased year–over–year.
  • 46% of global consumers are unaware of embedded insurance. Of those who were aware (37%), almost half said they trust it because of product or retailer quality. Those who do not trust it (26%) find embedded insurance unnecessary and expensive. Those who are unsure (29%) require more information, having had little experience with embedded insurance.

The survey reveals significant positives for insurance providers and clearly shows they are getting it right in many areas. However, it also highlights areas where insurers must reflect and improve further – including bolstering global consumer confidence and trust in insurance.

According to Jess Keeney, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Duck Creek, “As the insurance industry continues to evolve, it is crucial for providers to listen to the needs and preferences of their customers. The 2023 Duck Creek Technologies benchmark survey provides invaluable insights into consumer behaviors and trends, highlighting the areas where insurers can maximize accessibility, accelerate speed to market, and differentiate competitively."

While the survey shows that carriers around the world are responding quickly to consumer demand for more relevant and timely products and services, it also reveals that a significant number of consumers prefer a humanized experience when interacting with their insurance providers. This emphasizes the importance of exploring ground–breaking and varying communication options to meet the needs of diverse customers.

Keeney adds, "It is encouraging to see that despite the challenging economic environment, people are re–evaluating their insurance needs and considering a wider range of products. Mobile and gadget insurance, travel insurance, and embedded insurance are being purchased more frequently than other types of insurance.

Duck Creek's 2023 survey is a vital resource for insurance providers, offering unique insights into customer perceptions and highlighting the next opportunities for innovation. We urge providers to delve deeply into the results and continue pushing the frontiers of the insurance industry forward."

Research in Finance Head of Research, Karen Scott, added, "In the insurance industry, listening to consumers is essential for success. As the Global Consumer Insurance Insights Survey 2023 demonstrates, primary research capturing changing behaviors, user feedback, and satisfaction is invaluable to help inform insurance company strategies, new product development, marketing, and communications plans. Insurers now have access to significant data sets to compare year–on–year, creating a true benchmark series of reports we are proud to support. Ultimately, insurers who prioritize listening to and understanding their consumers will come out on top."

The 2023 Global Consumer Insurance Insights Survey highlights four key calls to action for insurers:

  1. Maximize accessibility of insurance products to consumers across channels
  2. Accelerate speed to market with the SaaS model
  3. Humanize the consumer experience through digital channels
  4. Leverage the SaaS ecosystem to differentiate competitively

Download the 2023 Global Consumer Insurance Insights Survey here.

About Duck Creek Technologies
Duck Creek Technologies is the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of the property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance industry. We are the platform upon which modern insurance systems are built, enabling the industry to capitalize on the power of the cloud to run agile, intelligent, and evergreen operations. Authenticity, purpose, and transparency are core to Duck Creek, and we believe insurance should be there for individuals and businesses when, where, and how they need it most. Our market–leading solutions are available on a standalone basis or as a full suite, and all are available via Duck Creek OnDemand. Visit www.duckcreek.com to learn more. Follow Duck Creek on our social channels for the latest information "" LinkedIn and Twitter.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8833259)

Parliamentarians Ask G7 Hiroshima Summit to Support Human Security and Vulnerable Communities

Parliamentarians attending the Global Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development Toward the 2023 G7 Hiroshima Summit. Credit: APDA

Parliamentarians attending the Global Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development Toward the 2023 G7 Hiroshima Summit. Credit: APDA

By Cecilia Russell
JOHANNESBURG, May 9 2023 – Parliamentarians from more than 30 countries agreed to send a strong message to the G7 Hiroshima Summit in Japan later this year, focusing on human security and support of vulnerable communities, including women, girls, youth, aging people, migrants, and indigenous people, among others.

The wide-ranging declaration also called on governments to support active political and economic participation for women and girls, enhancing and implementing legislation that addresses gender-based violence (GBV) and eradicating harmful practices like child, early, and forced marriages. During discussions and in the declaration, a clear message emerged that budgetary requirements for Universal Health Care (UHC) should be prioritized and the exceptional work done by health workers during the pandemic be recognized.

In his keynote address, Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio reminded delegates that Covid-19 had exposed the “fragility of the global health architecture and underscored the need for UHC.”

Kishida said that the central vision of the G7 Hiroshima Summit was to emphasize the importance of addressing human security – through building global health architecture, including the “governance for prevention, preparedness, and response to public health crises, including finance. We believe it is important for the G7 to actively and constructively contribute to efforts to improve international governance, secure sustainable financing and strengthen international norms.”

Apart from contributing to resilient, equitable, and sustainable UHC, health innovation was needed to promote a “more effective global ecosystem to enable rapid research and development and equitable access to infectious disease crisis medicines … and to support aging society,” Kishida said.

Former Prime Minister of Japan Fukuda Yasuo, Chair of APDA, and Honorary Chair of JPFP said this conference and its declaration would follow in a tradition of delivering strong messages to the G7 that improving reproductive health was crucial to the development and the future of a planet which now had 8 million people living on it.

“International Community is becoming increasingly confrontational and divided, and there is the emergence of a national leader who is threatening the use of nuclear weapons. No nuclear weapons have been used in the nearly 80 years since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We must work together to prevent the use of nuclear weapons, which can take many precious lives and people’s daily lives. In this instance, I would like you to search for the path toward appeasement and not division. We must keep all channels of dialogue open so as to ease tension,” Fukuda asked of the conference.

While calling on parliamentarians to work together to address challenges, Fukuda also expressed concern about the widening inequities caused by Covid-19 and climate change and noted: “This network of parliamentarians on population and development has been a vital resource for parliamentarians who share the same concern for not only their own countries but for the entire planet and future generations.”

Kamikawa Yoko, MP Japan, Chair of JPFP, said that with a world population of 8 billion, it was essential to “realize a society where no one is left behind … and Japan would share its experiences of being on the frontlines of an aging society with declining birth rates. “We are living in an aging society … and given these challenges in Japan, we will try to share with you our experience and lessons through our diplomacy while trying to deepen our discussions and exchanges to seek solutions.”

Japan’s Foreign Affairs Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa said it was essential for all to cooperate during the “Anthropocene era, when human activities have promised to have a major impact on the global environment, global issues that transcend national borders, such as climate change, and the spread of infectious diseases, including Covid-19 are becoming more and more prevalent.”

He reminded the delegates that at the center of Japan’s economic growth post World War II was mainly through health promotion and employment policies.

Delegates of the Global Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development Toward the 2023 G7 Hiroshima Summit agreed to send a strong message on human security to the Summit. Credit: APDA

Delegates of the Global Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development Toward the 2023 G7 Hiroshima Summit agreed to send a strong message on human security to the Summit. Credit: APDA

Director of the Division for Communications and Strategic Partnerships of UNFPA, Ian McFarlane, said it was not about the “numbers of people but the rights of the people that matter. It’s not about whether we are too many or too few, but whether women and girls can decide if, when, and how many children to have.”

A recent UNFPA report indicated that nearly half of the women across the globe could not exercise their rights and choices, their bodily autonomy, and expressed hope that policies in the future continue to focus on humanity and universal human rights.

Despite being close to the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the conference heard that much still needed to be done regarding women’s rights.

New Zealand MP and co-chair of AFPPD Standing Committee on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, Angela Warren-Clark, reminded the audience that women still only held 26 percent of parliamentarian seats globally. While women make up 70 percent of the workforce in the health sector, only 25 percent have senior leadership positions.

“It is women in this pandemic who bore the increased burden of unpaid work at home as schools were closed, and it is girls and the poorest families who were taken out of school and forced into early marriages … We believe that if women had an equal say in decision-making during the pandemic, some of these mistakes would have been avoided.”

Baroness Elizabeth Barker, MP from the United Kingdom, told parliamentarians their role was to ensure that “no person on earth, from the head of G7 country to a poor person in a village, can say that they do not know what gender equality is. And they do not know what gender violence is.”

Barker suggested they use international standards, like the Istanbul Convention on Violence Against Women, to compare countries. “And you know that if your country doesn’t come out very well, they really don’t like it.”

She pointed to two successes in the UK, including stopping virginity testing and tackling the practice of forced marriages. She also warned the delegates that there was a right-wing campaign aimed at destroying human rights gained, and they chose different battlegrounds. The overturning of abortion rights in the United States in the Roe vs. Wade case was an example, as was the anti-LGBTQ legislation in Uganda.

Hassan Omar, MP from Djibouti, gave a host of achievements in his country, including ensuring that women occupy 25 percent roles in politics and the state administration and the growing literacy of women numbers in his country.

Risa Hontiveros, MP Philippines, painted a bleak picture of the impact of Covid in her country.

Hontiveros said GBV increased during Covid and extended to the digital space.

“The Internet has become a breeding ground for predators and cyber criminals to prey on children, especially young women, and girls. The online sexual abuse and exploitation of children … has become so prevalent in the Philippines that we have been tagged as the global hotspot.”

In a desperate attempt to provide for their families, even parents produced “exploitative material of their own children and sold them online to pedophiles abroad.”

To address these, she filed a gender-responsive and inclusive Emergency Management Act bill, which seeks to address the gender-differentiated needs of women and girls, because they were “disproportionately affected in times of emergencies.”

Former MP from Afghanistan Khadija Elham’s testimony united many in the conference and even resulted in proposals from the floor to include a condemnation of the Taliban’s women’s policies.

Elham said GBV had increased since the Taliban took over – women were forced to wear a burqa in public, they were not allowed to work, and those who wish to “learn science or (get an) education are forced to continue their studies and hidden places like basements.”

If their secret schools are exposed, they face torture and imprisonment. During the last two months, 260 people, including 50 women, were publicly whipped – a clear violation of their human rights. Women’s representation in political life has been banned, and women are no longer allowed to work in NGOs – and it has been “550 days since women could attend high schools and universities.”

She called on the international community, the United Nations, to pressure the Taliban to restore women’s work and education rights.

Nakayama Maho, Director of the Peacebuilding Program at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, announced new research on factors contributing to men’s propensity to GBV. The research found that the higher a man’s educational attainment, the lower the level of violence. There were also lower levels of violence with “positive” masculinity – such as a man being employed, married, and capable of protecting his family. Men who experienced violence during times of conflict tended to support violence to instill discipline, or protect women and communities.

Dr Roopa Dhatt, Executive Director of Women in Global Health, summed up this critical session by saying, “Equal leadership for women in all fields is a game changer, particularly in politics and health.”

Japan’s Health, Labour and Welfare Minister, Kato Katsunobu, noted during his closing address that the G7 countries “share the recognition that investment in people is not an expense, but an investment… and as you invest in people you can create a virtuous cycle between workers well-being and social and economic activities.”

He said Japan had a lot to offer concerning aging populations.

“Japan has been promoting the establishment of a comprehensive community-based care system so that people can continue to live in their own way in their own neighborhood until the end of their lives and is in the position to provide knowledge to the G7 countries and other countries who will be facing (an aging population) in the future.”

Dr Alvaro Bermejo, Director-General of IPPF, commended the conference and said he was “thankful” that the conference declaration would tell G7 governments to set an example. “Marginalized and excluded populations are at the heart of human security and can only be achieved in solidarity, and that message from this conference is clear.”

Professor Takemi Keizo, MP Japan, Chair of AFPPD, summed up the proceeding by saying that parliamentarians as representatives of the electorate were vital to creating a “positive momentum in this global community and overcoming so many difficult issues.”

Takemi elaborated on some issues facing the world now, including climate change and military conflicts, but as parliamentarians, there was the opportunity to “build up the new basis of the global governance, which can be very beneficial.”

NOTE: Global Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development Toward the 2023 G7 Hiroshima Summit was organized by the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA), the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), and the Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population (JPFP).

It was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Japan Trust Fund (JTF), and Keidanren-Japan Business Federation in cooperation with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).

IPS UN Bureau Report

 


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Climate Change Threatens Kenya’s Historical Sites in Coastal Region

The sea wall was built to protect the Vasco da Gama pillar in Malindi. Historical sites along Kenya’s coastline are being threatened by climate-change-induced weather conditions. Credit: Diana Wanyonyi/IPS

The sea wall was built to protect the Vasco da Gama pillar in Malindi. Historical sites along Kenya’s coastline are being threatened by climate-change-induced weather conditions. Credit: Diana Wanyonyi/IPS

By Diana Wanyonyi
MOMBASA, May 9 2023 – Along coastal Kenya, historical sites and monuments are threatened due to the impacts of climate change—structures along the Indian Ocean are falling to ruin or collapsing into the ocean because of high tides.

One threatened historical site was the Portuguese-built Fort Jesus, located on Mombasa Island. In 2011, the fort was declared a World Heritage Site by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, as one of the most outstanding and well-preserved examples of Portuguese military fortifications. But unfortunately, the fort, which has been standing tall for more than 500 years, was threatened by high tides and strong winds from the Indian Ocean, which was eroding its massive rock foundation.

Lucky three years ago, Fort Jesus was secured from erosion caused by strong tides after the government, in collaboration with National Museums of Kenya, constructed a seawall on the eastern side of the Fort that faces the Indian Ocean.

Fatma Twahir, the principal curator of Fort Jesus, says that before the construction of the seawall, the coral base of Fort Jesus was badly eroded.

“The base of Fort Jesus was badly damaged, and there were worries that it would lose stability. We brought in engineers who investigated, and they confirmed our fears saying that if we did not act fast, the Fort might collapse into the Indian Ocean. We informed the national government, and it stepped in. The government gave us 497 million Kenyan shillings (about USD 3,6 million) for the contractor to build a sea wall; the construction commenced in June 2017 and ended in February 2019,” Twahir said.

One of the issues Kenya’s coastal region experiences is what’s known as the India Ocean Dipole, says Jennifer Fitchett, Associate Professor of Physical Geography, University of the Witwatersrand, in an article in The Conversation. This causes heavy rainfall. She notes that “under climate change, the frequency and intensity of extreme climatic events is increasing. We can therefore expect to experience strong 2°C Indian Ocean Dipoles more often in the years and decades to come.”

US Aid notes too that “most of the country’s coast is low-lying, with coastal plains, islands, beaches, wetlands, and estuaries at risk from sea level rise. A sea level rise of 30 cm is estimated to threaten 17 percent (4,600 hectares) of Mombasa with inundation.”

Twenty kilometres from Mombasa, north of Mtwapa Creek in Kilifi County, are the Jumba la Mtwana ruins. Jumba la Mtwana is a Swahili word meaning the ‘large house of the slave’. Although there are no written historical records of the ruins, the ceramic evidence during excavations showed that the town had been built in the 14th century and became a significant slave port before it was abandoned in the early 15th century.

The ruins, near the Indian Ocean, include a tomb that is believed to be that of one of the sultans who ruled the area. Also, four mosques and four houses have survived the impact of climate change and are still in good condition. The inhabitants of the Jumba ruins were mainly Muslims, as evidenced by the number of ruined mosques.

The mosques are still used for prayers by fishers, locals, and visitors.

An Arabic inscription on the column adjacent to the tomb says, “Every Soul Shall Taste Death.”

Jumba Ruins are also affected by climate change as many of the building structures have been damaged by either strong winds or eroded by the encroaching ocean tides, impacting the ruins’ coral walls.

Chengo Kalume is a resident and a fisher who has been working in the area for more than 25 years. He says strong ocean tides have destroyed a large portion of the ruins. Thirty years ago, when he was young, the ruins were in good condition.

“While I was growing up, this ruin was not damaged, and the ocean tide was not reaching near it, but when the temperatures started changing, the ocean tides were becoming stronger and stronger ocean waves hit hard on the shoreline, the waters started rising, and it started reaching the structures of the ruins. That is when the walls started breaking and crumbling,” he lamented.

He worries that if urgent action isn’t taken, the ruins will be swept away and forgotten. “I am worried that if the ruin is not preserved early, then future generations will not be able to see them; they will only be reading about it through the books,” said Kalume.

For Kalume, unpredictable ocean storms and strong winds made him quit his fishing career, making him prone to accidents such as his boat capsizing in inclement weather. Also, a change in weather in the ocean contributed to the disappearance of some fish species.

He remembers, “On several occasions, while I was going fishing, the weather was calm and promising all of a sudden while in the deep sea, the ocean waves changed and became stronger and stronger, this weakened our fishing vessel, and also this made some fish disappear such as barracuda, tuna and parrot fish. I always came back to the shore with a small catch.”

However, building sea walls is not an option for this area.

Hashim Mzomba, the curator-in-charge of Jumba la Mtwana Ruins, says the shoreline provides a good nesting place for sea turtles.

“Because this shoreline is a sea turtle’s breeding nest, we prefer to plant trees that will be able to break the winds. This will also reduce the impact of strong ocean tides.”

The Vasco da Gama pillar in Malindi, some 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa, was also in a state of disrepair following the weakening of its coral rock base caused by strong ocean tides. The pillar is one of the oldest remaining monuments in Africa and was built in 1498 by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama as a sign of appreciation for the welcome the Sultan of Malindi gave him.

“Climate change weakened the pillar for a long time; two years ago, the government stepped in and constructed a sea wall around the pillar,” said Omar Abdulrahim Abdallah, principal curator of Vasco Da Gama pillar.
IPS UN Bureau Report

 


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African governments harness education data to reverse learning crisis

LONDON, May 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — African education leaders travelling to London to showcase NewGlobe–supported transformational public educational programs at the prestigious Education World Forum (EWF), May 8 – 10.

Harnessing education data to drive learning transformation will be a key takeaway for the global education community at EWF, the biggest gathering of education ministers in the world.

They face what World Bank Education Director, Jaime Saavedra, calls, "the most serious crisis in education in 100 years."

Data from the World Bank shows global Learning Poverty "" defined as the percentage of 10–year–olds unable to read a simple sentence "" in low and middle–income countries has increased from 50% to 70% while in Sub–Saharan Africa it is 90%.

Despite such enormous challenges, NewGlobe–supported programs in Nigeria, Liberia, Rwanda, and Manipur (India) are leading the way in the use of education data–led solutions to Learning Poverty.

The success stories of the EKOEXCEL, EdoBEST, BayelsaPRIME, KwaraLEARN, Bridge Liberia, RwandaEQUIP, and STAR Education programs will be on display at EWF. All are seeing huge improvements in learning outcomes.

Underpinning their success is a data–driven structured pedagogy, independently assessed in Kenya in a study led by Nobel Prize winning economist Professor Michael Kremer. It confirmed learning gains among the "largest ever measured in international education."

The EKOEXCEL program in Lagos State, Nigeria is an exemplary case of using data–driven solutions to reverse Learning Poverty. One of the program's initiatives, the "Situation Room' will be on display at EWF.

The Situation Room visualizes data from all 1012 primary schools in Lagos State, offering powerful insights. Using NewGlobe's Spotlight software, gives education leaders access to key data in real time "" empowering the government to make informed interventions.

Lagos State Education Commissioner, Folashade Adefisayo said:

"If there are any problems in schools, we are able to track them, so people going there to solve the problem have a lot of data in their hands; they would know how many children and teachers there are, whether the head teacher is at school and whether students are having learning difficulties in a subject."

Within eight weeks of EKOEXCEL's launch, literacy learning rates measured three times faster, and numeracy two times faster, than schools not in the program.

EWF promises to inspire governments to harness education data to reshape education and overcome Learning Poverty, with visionary African governments leading.

For additional information, contact: marek.pruszewicz@newglobe.education


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 1000808910)

Race to Zero in Asia and Pacific: Our Hopes in the Climate Fight

Carbon emission is one of the major causes for climate change. Countries should accelerate their effort to achieve carbon neutrality. Credit: Pixabay / Peggychoucair

 
Heads of State, ministers, senior government officials and other key stakeholders will convene in Bangkok from 15 to 19 May at the 79th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to explore policy options and foster ambitious climate action towards net-zero pathways. Ahead of the 79th session, ESCAP will also launch its theme study The Race to Net Zero: Accelerating Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific. The study sets out the transformations that are needed for the region to transition to a net-zero carbon future in support of sustainable development. It provides an outline of the regional context of climate change and identifies policies and actions that could be taken in various sectors of the economy to support the global climate agenda.

By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
BANGKOK, Thailand, May 9 2023 – The latest synthesis report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change makes for grim reading: Every fraction of a degree of warming comes with escalated threats, from deadly heatwaves to severe hurricanes and droughts, affecting all economies and communities.

It is a reality that the people of Asia and the Pacific know only too well. “The worst April heatwaves in Asian history” last month was just a taste of the worsening climate impacts we will continue to face in the years to come.

Our latest report highlights that the sea level is creeping up in parts of the region at a slightly higher rate than the global mean, leaving low-lying atolls at existential threat. Annual socioeconomic loss due to climate change is mounting and likely to double in the worst-case climate scenario.

Inequity is yet another threat as climate change sweeps across the region. Asia and the Pacific already accounts for more than half of global greenhouse gas emissions and the share is growing.

But there is another picture of hope in our region: 39 countries have committed to carbon neutrality and net zero between 2050 and 2060. The cost of renewable energy is falling almost everywhere, with installed capacity growing more than three-fold in the past decade.

Electric vehicles are entering the market en masse as countries such as China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Thailand have made electric mobility a priority.

This momentum needs to accelerate like a bullet train. Because nothing short of a breakthrough in hard-to-abate sectors will give us a good chance of stopping catastrophic global warming.

Accelerating a just and inclusive energy transition

The recent energy crisis has kicked renewable energy into a new phase of even faster growth thanks to its energy security benefits. There is opportunity now to leverage this momentum and turn it into a revolutionary moment.

Cross-border electricity grids can be the game changer. ESCAP has simulated different scenarios for grid connectivity and scaling up renewables. It shows that a green power corridor, cross-border power grid integration utilizing renewables, can help to remove the last hurdles of the transition. We are working with countries to chart a path to improved regional power grid connectivity through cooperation.

Achieving low-carbon mobility and logistics

The exceptional growth of electric vehicles has proved that electric mobility is a smart investment. And it is one that will help stave off carbon dioxide emissions from transport, which has stubbornly increased almost by 2 per cent annually the past two decades.

Through the Regional Cooperation Mechanism on Low Carbon Transport, we are working with the public and private sector to lock in the changeover to low-carbon mobility, clean energy technologies and logistics.

This is complemented by peer learning and experience sharing under the Asia-Pacific Initiative on Electric Mobility to accelerate the penetration of electric vehicles and upgrading public transport fleets.

Building low-carbon industries through climate-smart trade and investment

The net zero transition is not complete without decarbonizing the industrial sector. The region accounts for nearly three quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions in manufacturing and construction.

Binding climate considerations in regional trade agreements can be a powerful tool. While climate-related provisions have entered regional trade agreements involving Asian and Pacific economies, they offer few concrete and binding commitments. To unlock further benefits, they will need to be broader in scope, deeper in stringency and more precise in obligations.

As foreign investment goes green, it should also go where it is needed the most. It has not been the case for any of the least developed countries and small island developing States in the region.

Financing the transition

The transition can be only possible by investing in low- and zero-emission technologies and industries. Current domestic and international financial flows fall well short of the needed amount.

The issuance of green, social and sustainability bonds is rapidly growing, reaching $210 billion in 2021 but were dominated by developed and a few developing countries. Both public and private financial institutions need to be incentivized to invest in new green technologies and make the uptake of such technologies less risky.

Linking actions and elevating ambitions

The code red to go green is ever so clear. Every government needs to raise their stake in this crisis. Every business needs to transform. Every individual needs to act. A journey to net zero should accelerate with a fresh look at our shared purpose.

At ESCAP, we are working to bring together the pieces and build the missing links at the regional level to support the net-zero transition work at the national level. The upcoming Commission session will bring countries together for the first time in an intergovernmental setting – to identify common accelerators for climate action and to chart a more ambitious pathway.

This is the start of an arduous journey that requires cooperation, understanding and determination. And I believe we have what it takes to get there together.

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

https://www.unescap.org/news/accelerating-climate-action-forefront-upcoming-regional-un-assembly for more information of the CS79 meeting.

IPS UN Bureau

 


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Mosa Meat Prepares for Market Entry by Opening Largest Cultivated Meat Campus in the World to date and Working with Two Michelin-starred Chef Hans van Wolde

MAASTRICHT, The Netherlands, May 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mosa Meat, the pioneers in the cultivated meat space that grow beef directly from animal cells, opened a new 2,760 square metre (29,708 square feet) scale–up facility in Maastricht on Monday. This fourth facility completes the new Mosa C.A.M.P.U.S. or Center for Advanced Meat Production, Upscaling, and Sustainability for a total footprint of 7,340 square metres (79,007 square feet).

Monday's program included a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Mayor of Maastricht Annemarie Penn–te Strake, the Governor of Limburg Emile Roemer, and the Mosa Meat team, a cultivated burger cooking demonstration by Chef Hans van Wolde, and tours of the new facility. A select group of 50 investors, journalists and value chain partners from around the world attended the event. The new facility will start the first production runs in a matter of days.

Mosa Meat CEO Maarten Bosch said: “As this scale–up facility comes online next month, we will have the capacity to make tens of thousands of cultivated hamburgers. The facility is designed to grow as demand increases with regulatory approvals and regional market entries, up to hundreds of thousands of cultivated hamburgers per year. And in combination with our contract manufacturer in Singapore, even a lot more. We are excited to debut this great tasting hamburger today that even hardcore carnivores will love."

Mosa Meat Co–founder & CSO Dr. Mark Post said: "When we introduced cultivated meat to the world, we predicted it would take 10 years to create a consumer product. Now, almost exactly 10 years later, we have a consumer product that we can start making in larger quantities and that we can start serving to consumers in Singapore, pending regulatory approval" said Mark Post, co–founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Mosa Meat.

Chef Hans van Wolden said: "When I first tried a Mosa Burger as part of the internal development team, I was blown away by the beefy taste and the amazing mouthfeel of the beef fat. It gave me goosebumps. I genuinely believe this new way of making beef can delight connoisseurs and casual beef lovers alike, while enjoying the positive benefits of cultivated beef from a sustainability perspective. I am excited to work with the Mosa Meat team to make future versions even better.

ABOUT MOSA MEAT

Mosa Meat is a global food technology company pioneering a cleaner, kinder way of making real beef. Our founders introduced the world's first cultivated beef hamburger in 2013, by growing it directly from cow cells. Founded in 2016, Mosa Meat is now scaling up production of the same beef that people love, but in a way that is better for people, animals, and the planet. A diverse and growing team of 165 food–loving problem–solvers, we are united in our mission to fundamentally reshape the global food system. Headquartered in Maastricht, The Netherlands, Mosa Meat is a privately held company backed by Blue Horizon, Bell Food Group, Nutreco, Mitsubishi Corporation, Leonardo DiCaprio and others. Follow Mosa Meat on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram or visit mosameat.com to learn more about why people #cravechange.

For more information, reach out to press@mosameat.com.

Visual assets from the event will be loaded here by 17:00 CET on May 8th

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/181Qd14IJ9QD55SfwarnohvzO5–rjxtHf

The general Mosa Meat press kit is here:

https://mosameat.com/press–kit

ABOUT CHEF HANS VAN WOLDE

Chef Hans is a Dutch 2–Michelin star chef who converted an old farmhouse outside Maastricht into his restaurant Brut172. Previouslyhe was the chef owner of 2–star restaurant Beluga in Maastricht and has been featured on TV shows like MasterChef and Snackmasters. He has formally joined Mosa Meat's product development, sensory evaluation and recipe formulation team to complement Mosa Meat's internal team of food scientists.

www.brut172.com

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