US Pharmacy Chains Reach Tentative Opioid Settlement

Two of the largest U.S. pharmacy chains — CVS and Walgreens — are reported to have tentatively agreed to pay more than $10 billion to settle more than 3,000 state and local lawsuits involving the dispensing of opioid painkillers.

In a statement released Wednesday, CVS Health said it agreed it will pay approximately $5 billion — with $4.9 billion to states and political subdivisions and approximately $130 million to Native American tribes — over the next 10 years beginning in 2023.

In a similar statement, Walgreens said it would make $4.95 billion in remediation payments to be paid out over 15 years. The company said the settlement frameworks include no admission of wrongdoing or liability.

In the statement, CVS Health Chief Policy Officer and General Counsel Thomas Moriarty said, “We are committed to working with states, municipalities and tribes, and will continue our own important initiatives to help reduce the illegitimate use of prescription opioids.”

Both companies’ statements included a list of initiatives undertaken to fight opioid abuse.

An earlier report said Walmart had also reached a tentative settlement, but a lawyer involved in the negotiations said those discussions are continuing.

In the lawsuits, governments said pharmacies were filling prescriptions they should have flagged as inappropriate.

If the settlements are finalized, they would mark the first nationwide deals with retail pharmacy companies. They follow nationwide opioid settlements with drugmakers and distributors totaling more than $33 billion.

Opioids are natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic chemicals used to reduce the intensity of pain signals and feelings of pain. The class of drugs includes the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain medications available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, and many others.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that from 1999 to 2020, more than 564,000 people in the United States died from overdoses involving an opioid, including prescription and illicit ones. They report 187 people in the U.S. continue to die from an opioid overdose every day.

Source: Voice of America

As Ebola Spreads in Kampala, WHO Urges Uganda’s Neighbors to Prepare 

The World Health Organization warned Wednesday that Ebola’s arrival in the Ugandan capital highlighted the high risk of further spread of the deadly virus, calling on neighboring countries to boost their preparedness.

Since Uganda’s health ministry first declared the outbreak on September 20, the country has registered more than 150 confirmed and probable cases, including 64 deaths, WHO said.

And since the deadly disease spread to Kampala last week, 17 cases have been confirmed there, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.

“Although these cases are linked to known clusters, the very fact that there are cases in a densely populated city underscores the very real risk of further transmission,” he said, speaking from WHO headquarters in Geneva.

There is a “very urgent need for increased readiness in districts and surrounding countries,” he warned.

Ebola is spread through bodily fluids, with common symptoms being fever, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhea. It is fought through tracing, containing and quarantining.

Outbreaks are difficult to contain, especially in urban environments.

“Ebola in a complex, urban city like Kampala is not easy, and we have to do everything possible to pull every chain of transmission,” WHO incident manager Abdi Mahamud told reporters.

Tedros said the U.N. health agency had on Tuesday released an additional $5.7 million from its contingency fund for emergencies, in addition to the $5 million previously released to address the Uganda crisis.

WHO, he said, was working closely with the Ugandan government and partners to respond to the outbreak and was calling for “a strengthened global response and increased donor investment.”

Uganda’s last recorded fatality from a previous Ebola outbreak was in 2019.

The strain now circulating in Uganda is known as the Sudan Ebola virus, for which there is currently no vaccine, although there are several candidate vaccines heading toward clinical trials.

Source: Voice of America

CCTV+: Lyrics of In the Name of Youth

BEIJING, Nov. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Ruijin, the cradle of the People’s Republic of China, has created countless firsts in history. Songping Village is a historic site. On a wall, there wrote a few essays, rough in lines but tender in style, appearing to be doodles of pupils. In fact, these essays were written by the Red Army soldiers, who studied here some 90 years ago.

In the 1930s, the Kuomintang carried out a raging military “encirclement and suppression” and economic blockade in the Central Soviet Area. In 1933, the Communication School of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army was established at Pingshan Hill of Songping Village during the ravaging war. A group of young Red Army soldiers, aged 16 to 17, with lower than elementary school-level knowledge, diligently studied radio technology to build the communication network for the Red Army.

It has been 90 years since then. Today’s young students may not be able to feel the hunger and thirst for knowledge of the youth in those days. After 90 years, we can no longer decipher how the young soldiers felt when they painted the graffiti on the wall. However, we can see traces of their lives here. This is the place where their loud reciting voices and their flourishing youth were recorded. It was during those years that they bravely rushed to the battlefield of communication only after a short period of learning.

The once teenagers became fading figures in the ocean of time, but their essays on the wall are still clear. What the rough and tender strokes represent is the indelible spirit of the Red Army. After 90 years, the wish behind the graffiti has already come true. The loyalty, faith, dedication, and sacrifices of generations of Communists have initiated the great revival of the Chinese nation. The shadows of the past are bygone, but the red mark on the land of Jiangxi has never faded and shall always remain brilliant.

Video – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1935979/Lyrics_of_In_the_Name_of_Youth.mp4

 

Zoom to Release Financial Results for the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2023

SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM), today announced it will release its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2023 on Monday, November 21, 2022, after the market closes.

A live Zoom Video Webinar of the event can be accessed at 2:00 pm PT / 5:00 pm ET through Zoom’s investor relations website at https://investors.zoom.us. A replay will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live event.

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

Public Relations
Colleen Rodriguez
Head of Global PR
press@zoom.us

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

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8686055

EMGA obtient un financement par emprunt de 20 millions de dollars US pour Banco Improsa du Costa Rica

LONDRES, 01 nov. 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP (EMGA), qui travaille pour la deuxième fois avec Banco Improsa, obtient cette facilité de 20 millions de dollars US auprès de l’Agence espagnole de coopération internationale pour le développement (AECID)- AECID (conseillée par la COFIDES).

Commentant cette transaction, Felix Alpizar, directeur général de BANCO IMPROSA, a déclaré : « Banco Improsa est très honoré d’être reconnu par l’AECID et la COFIDES pour ses antécédents et pour ses programmes visant à financer et à soutenir les micro, petites et moyennes entreprises (MPME) costariciennes. Grâce à cette facilité de crédit, nous poursuivrons notre contribution au développement économique et social du pays. »

Sajeev Chakkalakal, directeur de la banque d’investissement d’EMGA, a déclaré : « Nous sommes de nouveau ravis de contribuer à la vision continue de Banco Improsa de soutenir les PME au Costa Rica et de compléter cette solution de financement avec l’AECID (conseillée par la COFIDES). »

José Luis Curbelo, président-directeur général de COFIDES, a déclaré : « Nous sommes très heureux de soutenir l’AECID dans son premier projet d’impact avec EMGA et BANCO IMPROSA dans la région d’Amérique centrale. La transaction servira à financer les petites et moyennes entreprises au Costa Rica, ce qui contribuera à la création et au maintien d’emplois de qualité et à la réduction des inégalités. Nous sommes impatients de poursuivre ces partenariats stratégiques qui améliorent la croissance économique dans les pays en développement en renforçant le secteur privé grâce à un soutien financier solide. »

Carlos Jiménez Aguirre, directeur général du FONPRODE et chef du département de coopération financière de l’AECID, a déclaré que « la formalisation de cette transaction reflète les objectifs de la coopération espagnole de contribuer à élargir le soutien financier aux micro, petites et moyennes entreprises (MPME) costariciennes, car les MPME jouent un rôle clé dans la création et le maintien d’emplois décents et la réduction des inégalités. Notre intention est d’étendre ce type de soutien à d’autres pays d’Amérique centrale en leur donnant accès au financement des MPME, avec un accent particulier mis sur l’intégration des stratégies relatives à l’égalité des sexes et aux changements climatiques dans les activités du secteur privé. »

Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP, basée à Londres, aide les institutions financières et les entreprises basées sur les marchés émergents, qui recherchent de nouveaux capitaux d’emprunt ou capitaux propres.

Banco Improsa a été fondée en 1995. C’est une banque de niche spécialisée dans la fourniture de solutions et de services financiers aux MPME, qui représentent la majeure partie de son portefeuille. Elle dispose d’une vaste expérience dans la fourniture de services de soutien et de conseils aux MPME. Le facteur clé de réussite de Banco Improsa réside dans son engagement envers des normes élevées de service personnalisé, agile et flexible, qui, avec des solutions financières personnalisées, lui ont permis d’atteindre une position solide dans ces segments. Banco Improsa fait partie de Grupo Financiero Improsa (GFI).

Le Fonds pour la promotion du développement (FONPRODE) est géré par l’Agence espagnole pour la Coopération internationale au développement (AECID) avec l’appui de la COFIDES (Institution espagnole de financement du développement). L’AECID est le principal organe de gestion de la coopération espagnole et est axée sur la lutte contre la pauvreté et la promotion du développement durable. La COFIDES fournit un soutien à la gestion du FONPRODE avec des opérations de financement remboursables qui favorisent le développement économique et social des pays partenaires par le biais d’investissements ou de transferts de ressources économiques à caractère remboursable. Le FONPRODE peut financer des dettes et des capitaux propres non remboursables et remboursables. Parmi les exemples de financement remboursable proposés par le FONPRODE, on peut citer les prêts aux prestataires de services financiers visant à l’inclusion financière.

La COFIDES, société publique qui se consacre à la gestion de l’État et de tiers, ainsi que de ses propres fonds, poursuit plusieurs objectifs : l’internationalisation de l’économie espagnole, la promotion du développement économique et la fortification de la solvabilité des sociétés touchées par la COVID-19. Outre l’État espagnol, ses actionnaires comprennent Banco Santander, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Banco Sabadell et la Banque de développement d’Amérique latine (CAF).

Dobson Jeremy

info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000754205

EMGA garante financiamento de 20M USD para Banco Improsa da Costa Rica

LONDRES, Nov. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP (EMGA), pela segunda vez a trabalhar com o Banco Improsa, assegura uma linha de crédito de 20 milhões de dólares da Agência Espanhola de Cooperação Internacional para o Desenvolvimento – AECID (assessorada pela COFIDES).

Comentando a transação, Felix Alpizar, Diretor-geral do Banco Improsa, afirmou: “O Banco Improsa sente-se honrado por ser reconhecido pela AECID e COFIDES pelo seu historial e programas de financiamento e apoio às micro, pequenas e médias empresas costa-riquenhas (MPME). Com esta linha de crédito, continuaremos a contribuir para o desenvolvimento económico e social do país.”

Sajeev Chakkalakal, Diretor de Banca de Investimentos da EMGA, disse: “É um prazer, mais uma vez, poder apoiar a visão continuada do Banco Improsa, de apoiar as PME na Costa Rica, e fechar este acordo de financiamento com a AECID (assessorada pela COFIDES).”

José Luis Curbelo, Presidente e Diretor-executivo da COFIDES, declarou que “temos o prazer de apoiar a AECID no seu primeiro projeto de grande impacto com a EMGA e o Improsa na região da América Central. Esta transação servirá para financiar pequenas e médias empresas na Costa Rica, o que contribuirá para a criação e manutenção de empregos de qualidade e para a redução das desigualdades. Esperamos poder continuar com estas parcerias estratégicas, que aumentam o crescimento económico nos países em desenvolvimento através do reforço do setor privado com um apoio financeiro sólido.”

Carlos Jiménez Aguirre, Diretor-geral da FONPRODE e Diretor do Departamento de Cooperação Financeira da AECID indicou que “a formalização desta transação reflete os objetivos da Cooperação Espanhola de contribuir para expandir o apoio financeiro às micro, pequenas e médias empresas (MPME) da Costa Rica, uma vez que as MPME desempenham um papel fundamental na criação e manutenção de empregos decentes e na redução de desigualdades. A nossa intenção é expandir este tipo de apoio a outros países da América Central, facilitando o acesso das MPME ao financiamento, com especial atenção à integração das estratégias de género e das alterações climáticas nas atividades do setor privado.”

A Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP, com sede em Londres, ajuda empresas e instituições financeiras de mercados emergentes a obterem novas linhas de crédito ou a reforçar os seus capitais próprios.

O Banco Improsa foi fundado em 1995 e é um banco de nicho de mercado especializado na prestação de serviços financeiros e fornecimento de soluções financeiras às MPME, as quais representam a maior parte da sua carteira de clientes. O banco tem um vasto historial na prestação de serviços de apoio e aconselhamento às MPME. A chave para o sucesso do Banco Improsa reside no seu compromisso com elevados padrões de serviço personalizado, ágil e flexível, que, juntamente com soluções financeiras personalizadas, lhe tem permitido alcançar uma posição sólida nestes segmentos. O Banco Improsa faz parte do Grupo Financiero Improsa (GFI).

O Fundo para a Promoção do Desenvolvimento (FONPRODE) é gerido pela Agência Espanhola de Cooperação Internacional para o Desenvolvimento (AECID) com o apoio da COFIDES (Instituição Financeira Espanhola para o Desenvolvimento). A AECID é o principal organismo de gestão da Cooperação Espanhola e está orientada para a luta contra a pobreza e a promoção do desenvolvimento sustentável. A COFIDES fornece assessoria à gestão do FONPRODE com operações de financiamento reembolsáveis que promovem o desenvolvimento social e económico dos países parceiros através de investimentos ou transferências de recursos económicos com carácter reembolsável. O FONPRODE pode assegurar o financiamento não-reembolsável ou reembolsável de dívida e capitais próprios. Exemplos de financiamentos reembolsáveis no âmbito do FONPRODE são os empréstimos a prestadores de serviços financeiros destinados à inclusão financeira.

A COFIDES, uma empresa pública que se dedica à gestão de fundos públicos e de terceiros, bem como dos seus fundos próprios, persegue vários objetivos: internacionalização da economia espanhola, promoção do desenvolvimento económico e reforço da solvência das empresas afetadas pela COVID-19. Entre os seus acionistas contam-se, para além do Estado espanhol, o Banco Santander, o Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), o Banco Sabadell e o Banco de Desenvolvimento da América Latina (CAF).

Jeremy Dobson

info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000754205