Bollywood superstar Salman Khan will be back on our screens, both big and small, after almost two years with Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai. The film, which will be Salmans Eid gift to his fans, will release in a hybrid model. The film will be released in theatres, on ZEE5 with ZEEs pay per view service ZEEPlex, and on all leading DTH operators like Dish, D2H, Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV.

Radhe is Salman Khans third collaboration with Prabhudeva, which means we can expect the film to have elements of their previous hit projects together, namely Wanted and Dabangg 3. In Radhe, Salman plays an undercover cop trying to bring down a drug nexus, a fitting tribute to the other two films.

The trailer of the film was released last month and it promised a wild-ride from start to finish. Not only were there elaborate fight sequences in slow motion. There were also Salman Khan special one-liners. The other characters of the film were also as interesting as Salmans Radhe. Randeep Hoodas antagonist looked psychopathic and sleek. Jackie Shroff, who plays a senior police officer was quirky, to say the least. He also was the elder brother to Disha Patanis character, who looked stunning and needed saving from the hero. In a nutshell, Radhe promises every element of a typical Salman Khan model.

In fact, it can be argued that Radhe is an extension of Salman Khans larger-than-life personality, which he has so carefully curated. Salman Khans image as a superstar solidified in 2009 when he starred in Wanted. While he had played a cop before, this was his first venture where he played one with a flamboyant personality. In a way, Wanted was a precedent for super-cop films such as Salmans own Dabangg franchise, and Rohit Shettys cop universe. Wanted was Salmans first film to enter the 100 crore club. Every film Salman has ever acted in since then, has managed to earn at least 100 crores in the box office.

Salman Khan has also always benefited from roles in which he plays some kind of an authority figure- a policeman, a soldier or an intelligence officer. Of course, there are always some films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan or a Sultan, which explore his range more than others. However, Salman Khan fans are always more comfortable in watching him beating up a 100 baddies. And by the looks of it, Salman is comfortable in making those films, too.

Take the Dabangg franchise. The first film, which came out in 2010 saw Salman Khan as Chulbul Pandey, a cop who doesnt hesitate to break the rules to teach the villains a lesson, wears his sunglasses at the back of his head, passionately pursues his lady love and breaks out into dance moves every so often. The first film was extremely entertaining, with one-liners that people still remember well. The success of Dabangg prompted two sequels, which werent half as good, but successful, nonetheless.

Even with a comparatively serious action thriller like Ek Tha Tiger, Salman Khan has managed to churn out a franchise which will be successful no matter who directs it.

On the other hand, even when Salman plays a criminal or a con-man, people love to see it because it is another way the actor can display his machismo. A film like Kick, where Salman plays a thief with a heart of gold, works because of the action sequences, the bike chases and the dialogues. As long as his character is a mighty action-hero, fans are satisfied.

This is directly linked to how Salman chooses to carry himself in his personal life. His characters usually dress like him, they walk and talk like him as well. Salman is also one of the fittest actors in Bollywood, and he doesnt shy away from showing off how ripped he is. He is also witty, and has quick come-backs during interviews or TV show appearances. Life imitates art and vice versa. This statement is true for Salman Khan, if not anyone else in Bollywood.

Is it a bad thing that the distinction between Salman the superstar and his characters, is blurry? Not necessarily. Salman has been profiting off of this image since 2009. He is arguably one of the most successful stars of Bollywood, if not the most. What does an actor want more than a guarantee that their films would always be successful?

On the other end of the spectrum, watching Salman in similar films makes it difficult for audiences to digest him in different kinds of roles. Hence, he is likely not offered different kinds of roles. However, at the end of the day, it is Salmans choice if he wants to prioritise his films success over a diverse filmography. As the old adage goes to each their own.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here

Read the original post:

Is Radhe-Your Most Wanted Bhai an Extension of Salman Khans Real Life Personality? - News18

May 15, 2021

May 15, 2021

5 minute read

In an expansionary budget, one area that felt a bit underdone was Defence. Here, the government delivered what it promised 12 months ago: $44.6bn, an increase over last years budget of 4.1 per cent in real terms.

At any time in the last 25 years a Defence budget growing at that level would have been welcome. But now Australia and the wider region faces the direst strategic outlook perhaps since the end of World War II.

Its clear that Scott Morrison and his ministers understand that the region is facing a crisis brought on by an increasingly bellicose Chinese Communist Party. Taiwan is the immediate flashpoint, with the level of risk peaking in perhaps four to five years time. In that period, according to the US Defence Department, the Peoples Liberation Army will gain a strong military edge over the Straits of Taiwan in air power, missiles and ships.

Read Next

Would Xi Jinping risk his own future, as well as that of the Chinese Communist Party, to stage an attack on Taiwan? Xi has learned to turn risky situations to his advantage. In the illegal annexation of the South China Sea, in cyber spying and intellectual property theft, the imposition of Communist authority in Hong Kong and in the economic coercion of Australia, Xi took significant risks to strengthen his rule and largely got away with them.

Xi will apply the same strategy to Taiwan, using all means short of war and indeed some measures that cross that offensive line right up to the limits of US tolerance.

Ill come to what this might mean for Australia and for the defence budget soon, but first consider a remarkable phenomenon, which is the ability of so many in Australia to deny what is obvious about Beijings intentions.

Writing in the Australian Financial Review last week, Gareth Evans judged that no Chinese political or military preparations suggest an invasion is remotely imminent. That is an astonishing misjudgment. On April 24, Xi presided over a ceremony commissioning three major warships for Chinas Southern Fleet.

The Communist Party newspaper the Global Times declared: These vessels will play important roles in solving questions in places like the island of Taiwan and the South China Sea. Hardly a day goes by without PLA aircraft, often in large numbers, encroaching Taiwanese airspace. Communist Party rhetoric about taking Taiwan by force if necessary is increasingly being used in speeches and editorials.

Xi will hope that this show of strength will deter the US and the allies from stepping in and that his aims can be realised short of war, but we all need to understand that the risk of conflict is sharply growing.

In Washington on Thursday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Marise Payne held talks and gave a press conference, underlining the closeness of the alliance relationship.

The Secretary of State stressed the Biden administrations interest in reaffirming and revitalising Americas alliances and partnerships and, in the 70th year of the ANZUS Treaty, finding ways for the alliance to evolve to meet the challenges we face.

Blinken said: The United States will not leave Australia alone on the field, or maybe I should say alone on the pitch, in the face of economic coercion by China. Thats what allies do. We have each others backs.

Understand that the US has every expectation that the requirement for support runs in both directions. Washington wants Australia to do more, and is telling us that the alliance needs to be revitalised, and that challenges will be faced together.

This will include working out how to jointly respond to Chinese Communist Party belligerence over Taiwan, which wasnt mentioned once in the Blinken/Payne press conference. Sometimes you can judge the significance of an issue by the way it isnt mentioned publicly.

Back to the defence budget. The Morrison government has delivered everything that it has promised to do in the 2016 Defence White Paper and more, including two additional P-8 maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft and four extra Chinook heavy lift helicopters. There is also an accelerated plan to establish a missile manufacturing capability in Australia.

While these are positive steps, the uncomfortable truth is that the bulk of the $270bn allocated over the coming decade to build ships, submarines and other military equipment will only come into service well after the riskiest period for Taiwan.

Defence Minister Peter Duttons most pressing challenge is to strengthen the Defence Force in the shortest time frame possible. An immediate candidate will be to move quickly on the life extension and upgrade program for the Collins submarines. The government should also explore options to add yet more P-8 aircraft to the current 14 airframes, but there are limits to what can be done quickly.

A faster way to strengthen deterrence would be to re-open a discussion with the US about increasing the US Marine Corps presence in northern Australia and getting some US Navy ships operating out of our west coast base, HMAS Stirling.

When the US Marine presence was being negotiated a decade ago, the initial American offer was to deploy a 7500-strong Marine Air Ground Task Force. The Australian government of the day baulked, and instead we had a decade-long slow growth to the current annual marine contingent of 2500.

A larger marine presence ultimately hinges on access to a port facility. Consider the thought that if Beijing wanted to slow down the growth of Australian-US defence co-operation in the Top End, a clever way to do it would be to take control of the areas most viable port, which is exactly what happened in 2015, when Darwin Port was leased to a Chinese company for 99 years.

The world has fundamentally changed since then. Now, the opportunity to strengthen a shared US and Australian deterrent posture in the Indo-Pacific needs to be urgently reconsidered.

A conflict over Taiwan would be a disaster for all concerned, but disastrous conflicts happen all the time. At this point, the best hope to keep the peace is to change Xis calculation about the level of risk the PRC would face if it initiated such a crisis.

The only short-term way to strengthening deterrence is by lifting the defence readiness of the democracies.

If US President Joe Biden does visit Australia for the ANZUS anniversary, you can be assured this will be the number one item on his agenda.

Peter Jennings is the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and a former deputy secretary of strategy in Defence.

Read Next

Reader comments on this site are moderated before publication to promote lively, but civil and respectful debate. We encourage your comments but submitting one does not guarantee publication. You can read our comment guidelines here. If you believe a comment has been rejected in error, email comments@theaustralian.com.au and we'll investigate. Please ensure you include the email address you use to log in so we can locate your comment.

Continued here:

Defence spending needs to match risk of conflict - The Australian

When the coronavirus pandemic hit in full force in March, it upended normal life in a very meaningful way. Businesses were forced to shut down. Schools closed for in-person learning all over the country. And countless families were left scrambling to pay their bills.

Given that chaos, the IRS made what many agree was a smart and reasonable decision -- to postpone 2020's tax-filing deadline from April 15 to July 15. Not only were taxpayers given an extra three months to submit their returns, but they also got three more months to pay any tax debt they owed without incurring interest or penalties.

Image source: Getty Images.

Of course, one year later, we're only in a modestly better place as far as the pandemic goes. Sure, there are vaccines, but the majority of Americans have yet to receive one, and COVID-19 cases are still exploding all over the country. As such, you may be wondering if the IRS will extend this year's tax-filing deadline as a courtesy.

Unfortunately, filers won't get any extra time this year to tackle their tax returns. The IRS has confirmed this week that it will not, in fact, be pushing back the April 15 deadline this year. If you haven't begun to give your taxes some thought, now's the time to get moving.

Though life is hardly back to normal for most of us, last year, a big reason the IRS moved the tax-filing deadline back was because the pandemic caught everyone by surprise. At this point, it's been with us for roughly a year, so most people have ample opportunity to get their taxes done by the April 15 deadline -- especially given the number of tax professionals who have shifted to remote services.

That said, this certainly isn't the year to dawdle when it comes to filing your taxes. A lot of people are struggling financially, and if you think you're owed money from the IRS, the sooner you submit your return, the sooner you'll get it.

Generally, tax refunds for electronically filed returns are issued within three weeks of receipt. Refunds for paper returns can take a lot longer -- especially this year, given that as of late 2020, the IRS still had a major backlog of paper returns to go through. If you want your money sooner, filing electronically is the way to go.

You'll also need to file a tax return this year if you were entitled to a stimulus payment based on your income but never received one. And the sooner you do, the faster you'll get that money.

Of course, if you find that you need more time to get your taxes done this year, you can always request an extension from the IRS. An extension will buy you six more months to file your taxes, but it won't extend the deadline to pay -- that will hold steady at April 15. As such, if you get an extension and owe money but don't pay it until mid-October, you'll accrue six months of penalties and interest.

Though the IRS usually starts accepting tax returns in late January, this year, the start of the tax season was delayed until February 12. But at this point, you're free to go ahead and submit your return. The sooner you do, the better.

Go here to see the original:

IRS Says It Won't Extend This Year's Tax-Filing Deadline - The Motley Fool

News Release

Monday, February 8, 2021

NIH trial has begun enrolling participants.

An international randomized, controlled Phase 3 clinical trial has begun evaluating the safety and efficacy of an investigational long-acting antibody combination for treating people hospitalized with COVID-19. The trial, part of a master protocol known as ACTIV-3, has an adaptive design allowing investigators to add new sub-studies of additional investigational agents. ACTIV-3is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

The new sub-study is evaluating AZD7442, an investigational long-acting antibody combination developed by biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca (Cambridge, United Kingdom). Antibodies are infection-fighting proteins naturally made by the immune system. Antibodies can prevent viruses from infecting cells, usually by binding to the surface of the virus. In 2020, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, isolated antibodies from two patients who had recovered from COVID-19. These antibodies, which were licensed to AstraZeneca, formed the basis for the synthetic antibodies included in AZD7442. AZD7442 is engineered with AstraZenecas proprietary half-life extension technology which helps the therapeutic work for a longer period of time. This investigational long-acting antibody combination might function both as a treatment and as a means of preventing infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. However, the ACTIV-3 trial will only be testing its efficacy as a therapeutic.

ACTIV-3 is part of the NIH Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) public-private partnership to develop a coordinated research strategy for prioritizing and accelerating development of the most promising treatments and vaccines. The ACTIV-3 master trial is designed to conduct multiple different trials of experimental therapeutics simultaneously. The placebo group serves as a shared comparison group for two or more experimental therapeutics, increasing the chance that participants will receive a therapeutic in this randomized trial. The new sub-study of AZD7442 will be running concurrently with two other sub-studies. One sub-study is evaluating VIR-7831, a SARS-CoV-2 experimental monoclonal antibody developed through a partnership between GlaxoSmithKline (Brentford, United Kingdom) and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (San Francisco). The other ongoing sub-study is evaluating the combination of BRII-196 and BRII-198, two investigational SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies manufactured by Brii Biosciences (Durham, North Carolina, and Beijing).

Initial participants in the new ACTIV-3 sub-study will be hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and fewer than 13 days of symptoms. They will be randomized to receive either a saline placebo control or one of the three experimental therapeutics. After five days, the participants medical condition will be assessed on two seven-point ordinal scales, each ranging from being able to undertake usual activities with minimal or no symptoms to death.

If the ordinal outcomes assessed at five days, after approximately 150 volunteers have received AZD7442, indicate that AZD7442 is likely to be both safe and effective, enrollment in the trial will be expanded. At that time, an additional 700 participants, some of whom may have more severe cases of COVID-19, will be enrolled and randomized in the trial. This expanded pool of participants will allow researchers to better evaluate whether the therapeutic fulfills the trials primary endpoint of sustained recovery. Participants will have met this endpoint when they have been discharged from the hospital and have lived at home for 14 consecutive days.

The principal investigator of ACTIV-3 is Jens Lundgren, M.D., of the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet. Leaders of the participating networks include James Neaton, Ph.D., of the NIAID-sponsored INSIGHT network; Taylor Thompson, M.D., of the PETAL network, Annetine Gelijns, Ph.D., and Alan Moskowitz, M.D., of the CTSN, both NHLBI-sponsored networks; and Victoria Davey, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

People interested in learning more about the trial can visit ClinicalTrials.gov and search identifier NCT04501978.

NIAID conducts and supports research at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

###

More:

Clinical trial in hospitalized COVID-19 patients evaluates long-acting antibody therapy - National Institutes of Health

A US government-funded trial of AstraZenecas (AZ) long-acting antibody (LAAB) therapy AZD7442 has launched to evaluate the efficacy of the drug in patients hospitalised with COVID-19.

The ACTIV-3 study is sponsored by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the investigational LAAB combination for the treatment of individuals hospitalised with COVID-19.

AZD7442 is based on antibodies isolated from two patients who had recovered from COVID-19 by researchers at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the US.

The LAAB combination was designed using AZs half-life extension technology, with the aim of helping the therapy to work for a longer period of time.

The first patients in the ACTIV-3 sub-study of AZD7442 will be patients hospitalised with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who have had symptoms for less than 13 days.

Approximately 150 participants will be assessed after five days of receiving the drug, at which point enrolment into the AZD7442 study could be expanded, depending on the success of the drug in the early stage.

An additional 700 participants, that could include patients with more severe cases of COVID-19, will then be enrolled and randomised in the trial

AZ has received around $486m in support from the US government for the development and supply of AZD7443, as part of an agreement with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

Under the terms of a separate agreement, the US government can acquire up to one million doses of AZD7442 in 2021.

This agreement with the US government will help accelerate the development of our long-acting antibody combination which has the potential to provide immediate and long-lasting effect in both preventing and treating COVID-19 infections, said Pascal Soriot, chief executive officer of AZ.

We will be evaluating the LAAB combination in different settings from prophylaxis, to outpatient treatment to hospitalisation, with a focus on helping the most vulnerable people, he added.

AZD7442 is also being studied to prevent COVID-19 infection for up to 12 months in approximately 5,000 participants.

A second trial will evaluate post-exposure prophylaxis and pre-emptive treatment in around 1,100 participants.

Read more:

NIH trial of AZ's long-acting COVID-19 antibody launches in the US - PMLiVE

When Bristol Myers Squibb and Exelixis first unveiled kidney cancer data for the combination of Opdivo and Cabometyx last fall, industry watchers couldnt determine a clear winner between that duo and Merck & Co. and Pfizers Keytruda-Inlyta cocktail. Now, with longer-term data, the jurys still out.

In previously untreated kidney cancer, the Opdivo-Cabometyx combo slashed the risk of death by 34% compared with Pfizers older drug Sutent. The data, from a 23.5-month follow-up of the phase 3 CheckMate-9ER trial, was released for the virtual American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.

Sutent patients lived amedian 29.5 months after therapy, while the median overall survival for the Opdivo-Cabometyx combowas not reached, Jonathan Cheng, M.D., BMS head of oncology development, said in an interview.

Innovation in Rare Disease: Making Progress with Cell & Gene Therapies A Webinar Series from the Rare Disease Innovations Institute and Syneos Health

Join patients and their families, legislators, industry experts, advocates and sponsors to discuss education initiatives, recent advancements and the future promise of cell and gene medicine, and current patient experiences with these therapies.

The life-extension data again looked very similar to what Keytruda and Inlyta previously posted in the Keynote-426 trial. In that phase 3, after a minimum of 23 months of follow-up, the risk reduction was 32%, which may seem slightly below that of the Opdivo regimen.

Notice the difference between the median and the minimum between the two data cutoffs, though. In fact, according to results published in The Lancet Oncology, the Keytruda-Inlyta combos 32% death risk reduction still held true after a median follow-up of 30.6 months.

RELATED:How will BMS' new Opdivo-Cabometyx kidney cancer combo fare against Keytruda? It may come down to marketing: analyst

Overall survival benefits appear to shrink for immuno-oncology regimens in front-line kidney cancer as follow-up continues. Previously, at the 18-month follow-up mark, the risk reduction amounted to 40% for the Opdivo-Cabometyx therapy; the rate was 41% for Keytruda-Inlyta after 17 months.

On some of the other efficacy markerssuch as risk reduction on tumor progression, the rate of tumor response and duration of responsethe two regimens both have wins against each other.

While its still hard to make a solid judgment between the two regimens, Cheng pointed to Cabometyxs long experience in kidney cancer since its first FDA approval in 2016.

Cabo is specifically well-known to the kidney cancer oncologic community ... because it has single-agent approval, and the safety profile is well-understood, including the discontinuation rate, he said.

But as one analyst sees it, thefirst-line kidney cancer I-O/TKI winner may be a different regimenentirely. That title may belong to Merck and Eisais Keytruda-Lenvima pairing, SVB Leerink analyst Daina Graybosch said in a Tuesday note to clients.

RELATED:Merck, Eisai further complicate kidney cancer race with Keytruda-Lenvima win

At ASCO GU, Merck and Eisai will show that Keytruda and Lenvima cut the risk of deathalso by 34%after 24 months of follow-up in theKeynote-581 trial. But Graybosch pointed to several bright spots in the datasetin favor of the new contender.

Specifically, the Keytruda-Lenvima duo cut the risk of disease progression or death by a whopping 61% over Sutent, higher than the 48% and 29% for Opdivo-Cabo and Keytruda-Inlyta, respectively. The trial also found a better tumor response rate, longer duration of response, and more complete responses in Keytruda-Lenvima patients.

Industry opinion leaders believe complete response rate predicts long-tail survival, Graybosch said. Cross-trial comparisons should be made with caution, given differences in study design and baseline patient profile.

Graybosch said she will keep a close eye on some important details on treatment discontinuation rate, where, as Cheng hinted, Opdivo-Cabo looks to have the best profile.

Read more here:

ASCO GU: With 2-year data, the jury's still out on the kidney cancer race between Opdivo-Cabometyx and Keytruda-Inlyta - FiercePharma

Food loss and food waste remain a big challenge. How are packaging companies working to help address this problem while striking a balance between the sustainability of the packaging materials used and their function to keep food fresh? Elisabeth Skoda speaks to Thomas Kahl, EcoSolutions Project Manager at Mondi, to get the companys take on the issue.

ES: What is Mondi doing to make consumers more aware of the potential packaging has for food waste reduction?

TK: Consumers are increasingly aware of the need for more sustainable choices, which includes wasting less food. We collaborate with our customers and work to ensure we ask the right questions to find the best possible packaging solutions for their business, their product and the planet. Together with brands and retailers we have a responsibility to design packaging that balances functionality and sustainability. Shelf life, product protection, portion control and food waste reduction are key for product development. This is particularly true for the fresh fruit and vegetable category, but also meat, cheese and other refrigerated products. If the right packaging is used, it can help prevent food spoilage; protect food from physical damage while being transported as well as helping consumers buy the right amount, providing convenience and portion control.

ES: How would you describe the advantages/limitations of cardboard/paper and flexible packaging for food respectively?

TK: We are seeing increasing interest from our customers in replacing plastic food packaging with paper-based solutions. In many cases, we work with customers to enhance the capabilities of paper-based packaging by adding functional barrier properties to give the required technical functionalities that help to extend shelf life and avoid waste for high value products such as sliced meats or cheese. For example, our PerFORMing removable consists of a paper tray and fully removable plastic which can easily be separated from the tray. The paper can be fully recycled in existing waste streams across Europe. A key advantage of using paper-based solutions is the combination of renewable material and recycability and that consumers are clear on how to dispose of it correctly. Paper is the most recycled material in the world today and the recycling rate for paper is 72% in Europe, meaning paper-based solutions are far more likely to be recycled and turned into another product at the end-of-life point, becoming part of the circular economy.There are, however, certain applications where plastic solutions provide essential functionality, such as barrier properties and shelf-life extension for example in the baby and dehydrated food and pet food category. The relative benefits of paper, including being renewable and recyclable, should always be factored in. And, with increased R&D being carried out both on paper and plastic, we hope it will be possible to achieve a similar degree of packaging efficiency with paper solutions and ensure plastic is recyclable.

ES: What are the different challenges across the value chain (for example transport, keeping fresh in the consumers fridge after the pack has been opened etc.)

TK: In Europe, roughly half of food loss occurs before food gets to the point of consumption: 23% happens in production; 12% occurs in handling, storage and transport after harvesting; nine per cent is lost in the distribution across European markets and five per cent occurs with processing. The remainder of waste is from consumers, caterers and restaurants. There are unique challenges at every point of the value chain, but one focus area for us is how food items are transported to consumers as this is a critical loss point for fresh fruit and vegetables. For example, bruising and other damage is largely down to inadequate bulk packaging. In Europe consumer food waste is highest across food groups which need to be refrigerated or handled with care but also by excess buying, confusion over labels (best before vs. use by) and poor in-home storage. As we see a rise in e-grocery across Europe, this is going to become a greater issue.

ES: What is the process for determining what material is best for what food application?

TK: The foremost function of packaging is to protect what is inside, during production, storage and transportation. If this is not the case, the resources used in producing both the food and the packaging itself will be wasted. By partnering with customers using our EcoSolutions approach, we are able to create sustainable packaging that is fit-for-purpose. At the heart of this is asking the right questions across the value-chain from retailers to recyclers to balance the needs of business, product and planet - using paper where possible, plastic when useful. We work with our partners, suppliers and customers to: replace less sustainable products with new solutions; reduce the amount of raw material used; and develop packaging solutions designed to be recycled. At a practical level, the first step is to identify the challenge, then undertake analysis and only then do we create a number of packaging solutions to test and review. At the end of this process we are left with a product which is truly fit-for-purpose.

ES: Could you give us some examples of applications that were successful in reducing food waste?

TK: Coral Tray is a new packaging tray made of 100% recyclable corrugated board for transporting fresh produce like tomatoes. It balances the ability to see the fresh product, which is key for consumers, with stability for stacking and protection for the product. The robust corrugated board ensures the product is extremely well protected against damage both in the shopping basket or on the way home with the consumer. The open structure of the box allows air to circulate reducing the risk of condensation and mould forming. Earlier this year we also worked with Austrian meat producer Huetthaler to create a new fully recyclable plastic packaging for their meat and sausage products. The solution we developed minimises food waste by providing packaging that is air tight, with fat, oxygen, aroma and moisture barriers as well as reducing total raw materials used, all without compromising the attractive presentation of the food inside.

Continue reading here:

Food packaging: Balancing functionality and sustainability - Packaging Europe

Compostable packaging producer TIPA and shelf-life extension specialist PerfoTec have partnered to offer fully compostable packaging that extends the shelf life of fresh produce.

The resulting laser microperforated compostable film provides retailers and suppliers with the ideal packaging qualities to reduce food waste, combat plastic pollution and cut carbon emissions, the two companies said.

They added that their combined technologies have been found to extend the shelf life of fruit, vegetables and flowers by up to two times.

TIPAs compostable packaging performs like a conventional plastic but decomposes in compost back into the soil with no toxic residue, microplastics or other pollutants. Its packaging solutions fit with industry machinery and manufacturing practices.

PerfoTecs High Precision Laser Technology facilitates longer shelf life by adapting the permeability of food packaging.

The technologies provide an end-of-life solution for produce packaging while supplying retailers and end consumers with extended produce shelf life, the companies added.

The partnership comes in response to high consumer demand to reduce food waste and combat plastic pollution, with some 85 per cent of UK consumers believing compostable packaging should be used to wrap food as an alternative to plastic.

PerfoTec chief executive Bas Groeneweg said: After months of trials with this film, we realised that TIPAs compostable film combined with PerfoTecs patented laser perforation provided the best shelf life for fruits, vegetables and flowers by far. It provides longer shelf life and freshness which means fewer quality losses, less food waste and cost savings for producers and retailers.

Partnering with TIPA to create compostable packaging that can outperform conventional plastic is a hugely exciting step forward for sustainable packaging. Were delighted to be playing our part in the stride against quality losses, food waste and plastic pollution.

Ayellet Zinger, VP of sales for TIPA, said: In combining our technologies, TIPA and PerfoTec form a synergistic partnership that optimises flexible packaging for produce.

We have created an exceptional product that extends the shelf life of fruit, vegetables and flowers with a protective and fully compostable film that decomposes just like the product its packaging. TIPA and PerfoTec bring huge added value for flexible produce packaging, reducing food and packaging waste, and providing solutions for the future of sustainable packaging."

Read more:

TIPA and PerfoTec team up to tackle waste - Fruitnet

AU$8.34 AU$7.51 (exc. GST)

AU$8.34 AU$7.51 (exc. GST)

AU$40.66 AU$36.59 (exc. GST)

AU$64.64 AU$58.18 (exc. GST)

AU$31.28 AU$28.15 (exc. GST)

AU$33.36 AU$30.02 (exc. GST)

AU$12.51 AU$11.26 (exc. GST)

AU$41.70 AU$37.53 (exc. GST)

AU$33.36 AU$30.02 (exc. GST)

Our new bottles reveal an evolutionary new look for our always innovative products. You will see our bottles and packaging transition into sleek, dark blue bottles and lids.

During this transition period, products may arrive in either branded packaging. We would never distribute outdated products, so youll always get fresh products. Regardless of package design, youll be getting the products you rely on to live your healthiest life.

Popular Product Categories

Our CoQ10 supplements offer potent antioxidative support for heart health and create internal combustion, turning fuel into real energy. The traditional form of CoQ10, ubiquinone, is difficult for your body to absorb, but our ubiquinol form absorbs up to eight times better.

Why Life Extension?

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

3 Months, no-hassle returns, money-back guarantee.

Highly Recommended

98% of our customers recommend us to family and friends. Life Extension is proud to be recognised as the #1 Catalogue/Internet Brand 3 years running.

Complimentary, Personalised Guidance

Medical doctors, nutritionists & other health professionals are passionate about providing personalised solutions to help you achieve optimal health.

Efficacious Formulas

40 years of research dedicated to bringing you premium, scientifically - validated formulations.

Product Transparency

99% of our products are manufactured in the U.S. Our facility is NSF GMP registered, and a Certificate of Analysis is available for every product we produce.

February 2021

Fisetin has demonstrated robust systemic health benefits. Lifespan increases occur even when fisetin is initiated in old age. A novel formulation increases fisetin bioavailability.

Read the rest here:

Life Extension Multivitamins & Supplements | Life ...

With winters coldest months upon us, we are all looking for ways to beat the frigid temperatures. Local residents want to know how to stay warm and safe this winter. Electrical fires in our homes claim the lives of 280 Americans each year. Your local fire department wants you to know that winter electrical fires can be prevented. By understanding the risks involved with electrical wiring and appliances and recognizing the signs of electrical hazards, you can stay warm and safe with your family this winter season.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are nearly 47,800 home electrical fires each year, and about half of these involve lighting equipment or home electrical wiring. Sadly, home electrical fire deaths accounted for the highest share of civilian deaths (60%). These fires peak between midnight and 8 a.m., when families are likely unaware of any problems. Nearly 50% of electrical fire deaths in homes occur during the winter season.

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reports that heating fires in homes are to blame for nearly 20% of structure fires each year. That percentage jumps to nearly 30% during the coldest months. The USFA points out that many of these fires are caused by incorrectly installed wiring, overloaded circuits, and misused extension cords. The following electrical fire safety tips can help you maintain a fire-safe home this winter season.

Developing an awareness of the electrical hazards in your home can save your life. You may hear, see, or even smell electrical dangers at home. Lights that flicker for no apparent reason are an indication that something is not right. If a light switch does not turn the lights on, or even worse, it does not turn them off, this is not safe. Appliances, outlets, or switches that are warm to the touch, spark, or make sizzling sounds may be an indication of something burning behind the walls.

Be on the lookout for outlets and switches that appear discolored, as well as outlets, extension cords, or surge protectors that are overloaded. These devices are intended for use with a very specific number of appliances. Overloading them is extremely unsafe. Finally, circuit breakers are designed to cut off the electricity in order to prevent electrical fires. This means if a breaker trips, something is wrong. Be especially concerned if a breaker will not reset.

If you think you have an electrical problem, call an electrician, however if there are any signs or indications of a possible fire, call 911 immediately. These indications could include a light smoke condition, the smell of plastic burning, the smell of an acrid odor, or sizzling sounds.

While knowing the signs of a potential electrical hazard can be life-saving, understanding how to prevent electrical fires may provide peace of mind. The NFPA suggests that you plug only one heat-producing appliance directly into a wall outlet at a time. For example, your coffee-maker and your microwave should be plugged into different outlets. Experts suggest that extension cords should never be used with a heat-producing appliance and should never be placed under a rug. If an appliance has a three-prong plug, only use it in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet, and never use an adapter that defeats the purpose of a grounded plug. Routinely check your electrical appliances and wiring, and replace the wires and cords if they are frayed, worn, or damaged. Since water and electricity do not mix, you should pay special attention to electrical appliances that are used on the wet kitchen counter and in the bathroom.

Winter storms in New England can cause additional hazards. The use of alternative heating devices, such as space heaters, increase during winter storms. If you need to use a space heater to stay warm, be sure to keep all flammable items at least 3 feet away, and plug the heater directly into an outlet. Adverse weather events can damage utility lines and frozen water pipes can burst and cause additional safety hazards.

An awareness of the electrical hazards that exist in every home, along with the knowledge of how to prevent these hazards, are the best way to keep stay warm and safe this winter. In the event that you do have an electrical issue in your home, working smoke alarms are essential for alerting your family of the danger. Working smoke alarms are particularly important to survival in the overnight hours when electrical fires can go unnoticed. In addition to smoke alarms, have a fire extinguisher readily available to help you contain a fire before it gets too big. If there is a fire in your home, your family should quickly implement your exit plan to get all family members outside to safety. Once safe, call 911 immediately. For more information on home electrical fires, visit http://www.nfpa.org.

This column was written by Jane Perkins, Fire Safety Specialist for the Rhode Island Southern Firefighters League and Captain of the Watch Hill Fire Department. If you would like to see a question answered in this column, please e-mail her at askafirefighter@yahoo.com.

Read the rest here:

Ask a Firefighter: Keep your family warm and safe this winter with these tips - The Westerly Sun

Compostable packaging producer TIPA and shelf-life extension specialist PerfoTec have partnered to offer compostable packaging that reportedly extends the shelf-life of fresh produce.

TIPA and PerfoTec say that their solutions, which utilise laser microperforated compostable films, have been found to extend the shelf-life of fruit, vegetables and flowers by up to two times.

According to TIPA, its compostable packaging performs like a conventional plastic, but decomposes in compost back into the soil with no toxic residue, microplastics or other pollutants. The company also says that its solutions mesh with existing industry machinery and manufacturing practices.

Meanwhile, PerfoTecs patented High Precision Laser Technology facilitates longer shelf-life by adapting the permeability of food packaging.

TIPA predicts that the growing market share for alternatives to conventional plastic, like compostable films, will be a key contributor to the growth of the global flexible packaging market. The size of the market is expected to increase from $160.8 billion to $200.5 billion by 2025.

PerfoTecs CEO, Bas Groeneweg, said: After months of trials with this film, we realised that TIPAs compostable film combined with PerfoTecs patented laser perforation provided the best shelf-life for fruits, vegetables and flowers by far. It provides longer shelf-life and freshness which means fewer quality losses, less food waste and cost savings for producers and retailers.

Partnering with TIPA to create compostable packaging that can outperform conventional plastic is a hugely exciting step forward for sustainable packaging. Were delighted to be playing our part in the stride against quality losses, food waste and plastic pollution.

Ayellet Zinger, VP of sales for TIPA, added: In combining our technologies, TIPA and PerfoTec form a synergistic partnership that optimises flexible packaging for produce.

We have created an exceptional product that extends the shelf-life of fruit, vegetables and flowers with a protective and fully compostable film that decomposes just like the product its packaging. TIPA and PerfoTec bring huge added value for flexible produce packaging, reducing food and packaging waste, and providing solutions for the future of sustainable packaging.

See the article here:

TIPA and PerfoTec collaborate to create compostable packs that extend shelf-life - Packaging Europe

Building on its 163-year tradition of innovation, Oppy is set to conduct two independent trials exploring the viability of new technologies that aim to further advance strawberry production practices by offering solutions to persistent issues faced by the industry.

The premier grower, marketer and distributor of fresh produce from around the world will work with the University of California, Santa Cruz on the first of the trials, a USDA-funded research project that aims to test a systems-based approach to pest and disease mitigation. The study will explore alternative treatments to mitigate pervasive and detrimental soil-borne pathogens during strawberry cultivation, includingFusarium oxysporumandMacrophomina phaseolina.

Were extremely excited to be working on finding solutions to challenges facing the strawberry industry as a whole, Oppys VP of Categories, Berries and Greenhouse Jason Fung said. Oppys participation in this research project has the potential to be transformative, as most soilborne pathogens are lethal to strawberry crops, so any improvements in reducing this will have a tremendous impact on our business on multiple fronts.

The second trial aims to improve operational efficiencies in strawberry cultivation through a robotic harvester. Oppy and its partners will examine if the new harvester can assist in solving some of the industrys difficulties with labor scarcity, which have only been amplified during the pandemic. The trial will determine if robotic picking is more efficient and cost-effective than traditional methods, as well as assess the harvesters ability to select fruit based on specific standards, and understand which varieties work best with this machine.

Automation in agriculture has been catapulted into the spotlight thanks to the unique challenges posed by the pandemic, Oppys Senior Manager of Insights and Innovation Garland Perkins said. By assessing the first ever commercially available robotic harvester for strawberries, Oppy has once again taken a leading role in exploring the future of our industry. Engaging with our stakeholders across the supply chain is necessary for the success of these trials, and reflects the collaborative approach that is essential for innovation.

Oppy has placed a renewed focus on innovation over the past few years, investing in numerous trials of a wide range of technologies and across categories. These include shelf life extension, varietal development, automation and more.

More here:

University and grower together research strawberry technologies - hortidaily.com

The freeze was supposed to expire on Jan. 31, but was extended to the end of September by the Biden administration.

DAVENPORT, Iowa Faith Boyd graduated last year from St. Ambrose University with a degree in exercise science. While she's been going back to school this semester to finish a Spanish degree thrown off track by the pandemic, the months since her first graduation have become a painful reality filled with debt.

"I am currently $37,000 in debt," she said. "I always hear 'wow, you're really low end, you did really good!' And I'm like, 'yeah, it's good when you think about it that way, but then at the end of the day when you think about how our loan system actually runs, it's like man... you're gonna be paying that for what feels like for life."

Even with scholarships and grants, Boyd says loans stacked up quickly and now it's a heavy burden to bear. Still, she tries to stay positive.

"You have to have a light heart about it otherwise I don't think you'll be able to see an outcome for it," laughed Boyd.

She says the Biden administration's extension to freeze student loans is a temporary relief, but she knows the payments will eventually restart.

"I was supposed to start paying January 6 and I did not have a plan. It kind of hits you really quick after college," she said.

Federal student loan collections have been paused since last March and are now extended until September. That means federal borrowers don't have to make payments right now, and now interest is accrued.

What it doesn't mean, is loan forgiveness.

"It's very much a give and take right now, as always with politics," said Boyd.

As the pandemic continues, those with student loans are some of the hardest hit by covid's economic fallout. It's estimated that by next year, the amount of outstanding student loan balance in this country is expected to rise to $2 trillion.

And for local students like Boyd, it can seem like an impossible battle.

"Do I want to pursue my education, do I want to do the things that I set my heart for and be in debt for the rest of my life," she questioned. "Or do I finish what I have now, work out with what I have now?"

See the article here:

'It weighs on you': extension on the federal student loan freeze is a temporary relief for local graduates - WQAD.com

Google has apparently blocked The Great Suspender extension from Chrome, with existing users now receiving a message that it has been disabled because it contains malware. Its also been removed from the Chrome Web Store, with any links to it now leading to a 404 page. Some are worried about losing their tabs, but Reddit users have found a way to recover them (via XDA-Developers Mishaal Rahman).

The Great Suspender was a hugely useful extension minus the malware, at least for keeping your browser running smoothly. The tool would automatically shut down tabs that you hadnt looked at for a while, replacing them with a blank gray screen. Return to the tab, and you could click to reload back to where you were. Given Chromes tendency to hog much of a computers memory, the extension was a simple way to keep your browser moving a bit faster, without actually forcing you to close old tabs.

If you used the extension and are looking to get your tabs back, the steps are simple, if a bit tedious. If the tabs were open, you can go to them and click into the URL bar. There will be a ton of text that looks something like this:

chrome-extension://klbibkeccnjlkjkiokjodocebajanakg/suspended.html#ttl=%22Dawn%22%20Dario%20Marianelli%20(Pride%20%26%20Prejudice)%20Piano%20solo%20%26%20Tutorial%20-%20P.%20Barton%20-%20YouTube&pos=0&uri=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJXGLl_sEDU

At the end will be the address for the page you were on. Deleting everything before the URL and hitting enter will bring the page back to life.

Reddit user avatar_ENG also discovered you can still get those tabs back by searching your Chrome history. Its basically the same process as above: you search for the extensions ID, klbibkeccnjlkjkiokjodocebajanakg, then open the tabs and remove the junk. It may be an annoying process, but its better than losing any work or incredible memes you had open.

Neither Google nor the developers of the extension immediately responded to a request for comment.

See the original post:

Chrome is blocking The Great Suspender, heres how to get your tabs back - The Verge

Wheeling, WV (WTRF)- With fridge weather approaching, be extra careful when youre stuck at home.

Its that time of year when structure fires are more common. Even the Wheeling fire department can attest to this.

The National Fire Protection Association says 2 in 5 fires in the winter are caused by space heaters.Most of them can caused injury or even a fatality.

So if youre using an extra space heaters or something supplemental like that, Wheeling fire officials remind you to be careful. Fire officials say an electric space heater should only be plunged directly into a wall. That means no extension cords or power strips. You dont want to overflow a circuit.

Also, keep your space heaters at least 3-feet apart from other object all just to be extra safe.

If youre having trouble with your heating devices, have them serviced by a qualified technician. Be aware of when you use space heaters. When you leave the room or if you leave the house, make sure you shut those off, unpluge them Common sense goes a long way. Be cautious. Be careful.

Wheeling fire officials add its also a good idea to have a working smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector.

If you have kids, fire officials say you could even practice an at-home fire drill.

See original here:

Tips from Wheeling firefighters that could save your life - WTRF

Building on its 163-year tradition of innovation, Oppy is set to conduct two independent trials exploring the viability of new technologies that aim to further advance strawberry production practices by offering solutions to persistent issues faced by the industry.

The premier grower, marketer and distributor of fresh produce from around the world will work with the University of California, Santa Cruz on the first of the trials, a USDA-funded research project that aims to test a systems-based approach to pest and disease mitigation. The study will explore alternative treatments to mitigate pervasive and detrimental soil-borne pathogens during strawberry cultivation, includingFusarium oxysporumandMacrophomina phaseolina.

Were extremely excited to be working on finding cutting edge solutions to challenges facing the strawberry industry as a whole, Oppys VP of Categories, Berries and Greenhouse Jason Fung said. Oppys participation in this research project has the potential to be truly transformative, as most soilborne pathogens are lethal to strawberry crops, so any improvements in reducing this will have a tremendous impact on our business on multiple fronts.

The second trial aims to improve operational efficiencies in strawberry cultivation through a state-of-the-art robotic harvester. Oppy and its partners will examine if the new harvester can assist in solving some of the industrys difficulties with labor scarcity, which have only been amplified during the pandemic. The trial will determine if robotic picking is more efficient and cost-effective than traditional methods, as well as assess the harvesters ability to select fruit based on specific standards, and understand which varieties work best with this machine.

Automation in agriculture has been catapulted into the spotlight thanks to the unique challenges posed by the pandemic, Oppys Senior Manager of Insights and Innovation Garland Perkins said. By assessing the first ever commercially available robotic harvester for strawberries, Oppy has once again taken a leading role in exploring the future of our industry. Engaging with our stakeholders across the supply chain is necessary for the success of these trials, and reflects the collaborative approach that is essential for innovation.

Oppy has placed a renewed focus on innovation over the past few years, investing in numerous trials of a wide range of technologies and across categories. These include shelf life extension, varietal development, automation and more.

About Oppy

Growing, marketing and distributing fresh produce from around the globe for more than 160 years, Vancouver, BC-based Oppy discovers and delivers the best of the worlds harvest. With over 50 million boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables grown on every continent moving through its supply chain annually, Oppy offers popular favorites from avocados and berries to apples and oranges year-round, alongside innovative seasonal specialties. Over the years, Oppy has introduced North Americans to a number of items across its diverse produce range, including Granny Smith, JAZZ and Envy apples, as well as green and gold kiwifruit. Go to oppy.com to learn more.

See more here:

Oppy Continues Pioneering Research With Two Trials for Innovative Strawberry Technologies - PerishableNews

Rochester Institute of Technologys Saunders College of Business has announced an extension of its unique partnership with Jewish Senior Life, a Continuing Care Retirement Community based in Rochester, N.Y. Over the next five years, the Jewish Senior Life Innovation Collaborative will support the development of research materials to explore how new technologies may impact and improve the lives of seniors, including supporting research stipends and resources for students.

TekHub, a technical support offering for senior residents in Jewish Senior Lifes independent living residence, The Summit at Brighton, kicked off the partnership in March 2020. Residents make appointments with Noah Wallace, a fourth-year computing security student from Rochester, N.Y., who was instrumental in developing the initiative. Wallace assists with technology inquiries ranging from best practices in password protection to Roku troubleshooting and accessing family Zoom calls. These interactions are then recorded and analyzed to identify common questions, challenges, and successes, allowing RITs Saunders College to create innovative solutions to address often encountered challenges.

Theres a cycle going on where we observe, learn, and help, said Victor Perotti, Benjamin Forman Collaborative Research Professorship in Saunders College, who leads the RIT students in this research. Then we take what weve learned and feed it back into the system to try to improve the overall technology literacy and technology confidence in that community. Some of these solutions come in the form of resident-wide webinars, while other challenges require more extensive solutions.

Initial research suggests that technology challenges seniors face today are not primarily due to physical limitations, such as vision or hearing loss, as previously believed. Rather, challenges stem from lack of awareness or education.

Wallace explains, When presented with smart devices, which have been around for over a decade now, residents still dont have the fundamentals to interact with the technology. The generation that grew up with smart devices gradually became accustomed to needing precise tapping, advanced swiping, and having to navigate cluttered menus; but these skills were never taught to the seniors who have just began to use these new devices. Theres a vast contrast between their knowledge and that of someone who has been using devices like iPads or smartphones their whole life.

Once theyre taught how to use the device, the research suggests, seniors do not return for additional help.

The work were doing with Saunders College is critical to the well-being of our residents, especially during the pandemic when technology is crucial in maintaining connections with loved ones, said Jewish Senior Life President and CEO Michael King. Were thrilled to continue to build upon this successful collaboration to improve the lives of aging people within our community.

Over time, the Jewish Senior Life Innovation Collaborative will expand to include applied analytics work, machine-learning capabilities, and even robotics with help from RITs Kate Gleason College of Engineering. The ultimate goal is to improve the mental and physical health of seniors through technology.

Our goal is to help the whole community have a better relationship with technology and enjoy all the rewards that come with that. Things like better social connections, better health, and access to things they wouldnt otherwise have access to, said Perotti. Jewish Senior Life is an exceptionally innovative organization and therefore a superb partner for this.

See the original post here:

Saunders College of Business expands research with Jewish Senior Life partnership - RIT University News Services

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote a letter to U.S. Steel Corp. and Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. on Monday urging the companies to ensure the continued operation of both Minntac and Hibbing Taconite into the future. And the following day, Lourenco Goncalves, chairman, president and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs, responded.

"As the majority owner and manager of the Hibbing Taconite joint venture, Cleveland-Cliffs continues to advance options for mining beyond the current reserve base of five years, including acquisition of lands adjacent to Hibbing Taconite," Goncalves wrote.

Cliffs owns a smattering of land at the never-completed Mesabi Metallics mining facility in Nashwauk. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also has been encouraging U.S. Steel and Arcelor Mittal to provide Hibtac with access to the neighboring Carmi Campbell Reserve. That land is currently leased by U.S. Steel's Keetac facility, DNR Assistant Commissioner Jess Richards reported late last year.

Unless Hibbing Taconite gains access to additional mineral reserves, Goncalves has warned the operation, which employs about 750 people, will be forced to close in about five years.

Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves talks about the company during a Northland event in 2019. (Steve Kuchera / File / News Tribune)

Goncalves said Cliffs and U.S. Steel representatives engaged in fruitless talks regarding gaining access to the Carmi Campbell Reserve from August 2019 to December 2020.

"The unsuccessful negotiations with U.S. Steel were a very important part of our decision to acquire land in Nashwauk, in order to provide us with the mine life extension we need at Hibbing Taconite. If Cleveland-Cliffs controls Nashwauk, not only Hibbing Taconite will be saved, but we would also have the opportunity to build a direct-reduction plant on the site, creating the basis of a future steel mill in Nashwauk, locally supplied with HBI (hot briquetted iron)," he wrote.

Goncalves went on to say that he would appreciate any assistance the state can render "in convening the parties to work quickly toward facilitating a viable option with the Carmi Campbell leases" as soon as possible.

Amanda Malkowski, a spokeswoman for U. S. Steel, responded to Goncalves' missive, with an emailed statement.

"U.S. Steel recognizes the importance of Hibtac and all iron mining operations to the communities, employees and businesses on the Iron Range," she said. "We have and will continue to work collaboratively with the governor and the Iron Range legislative delegation to seek a workable solution that will benefit all concerned stakeholders."

See more here:

Cliffs CEO asks for Walz's help to save Hibbing Taconite - Duluth News Tribune

The AIM-traded firm said its current bank loans were scheduled to be fully repaid in the second quarter of 2021.

It said it had cash of $11m at the end of the quarter, up from $9m three months prior, with total bank debt standing at $13m, down by $6m during the quarter, with a gold inventory value of about $4m.

The board reported a total recordable injury frequency rate of 0.82, exceeding its target of a rate lower than 2.5 for 2020.

A total of $2m was received from the Mali government as part payment for their acquisition of an additional 10% stake in Yanfolila, as announced on 2 February 2017.

On the production front, 22,012 ounces of gold was poured in the quarter, broadly in line with the 24,722 ounces poured in the third quarter, with full-year production for 2020 standing at 101,069 ounces of gold .

The company reported an all-in sustaining cash cost (AISC) on gold sold in the quarter of $1,496 per ounce, up from $1,283 per ounce in the third quarter, as its full-year AISC came in at $1,147 per ounce.

A total of 24,285 ounces of gold was sold in the fourth quarter, at an average realised price of $1,862 per ounce.

Looking ahead, Hummingbird issued 2021 production guidance of between 100,000 and 110,000 ounces of gold, with an AISC of $1,250 to $1,350 per ounce on gold sold.

Its production profile would be weighted towards the second half of the year, with part of the KE pit to be mined out in the period, and a focus to move to the Komana West pit, where higher grades were lower in the orebody and were not expected to be accessed until the late part of 2021.

Mali development capital expenditure of $7m was planned for 2021, focussing on the Gonka, SW and KEUG deposits for future production, including the haul roads to SE and SW currently under construction.

The companys exploration and mine life extension budget in Mali was doubled to $10m, focussing on SE drilling and permitting to increase the confidence of current geology, and expand on the existing resources of around 62,000 ounces, as well as KEUG drilling and permitting requirements, to be finalised with a view to be in production by 2022.

It expected KEUG to contribute to the base load production profile for the firm at greater than three grams per tonne, with the mine life potential looking to be extended with the current year's exploration and drilling programmes.

The budget would also be used for SW follow-up drilling of high-grade zones identified in 2020, to further increase current resources of around 138,000 ounces, as well as initial green field exploration drilling at the Diaban target, and further metallurgical work at the Kabaya South deposit.

Updated company mineral resources estimate models would be released at the end of the first quarter, and were expected to be updated annually to capture the progress of each years' programmes.

Hummingbird was also undertaking pre-development, optimisation and exploration planning in Guinea, focussing on the ongoing pre-development work to de-risk and optimise the project, including completion of front-end engineering and design, and the contract tendering process.

Exploration planning was ongoing for programmes to increase confidence and the extent of the current resource base of around 1.18 million ounces at three grams per tonne.

A number of high-priority targets had been identified to focus on at the key deposits KK and KnK, the board said.

Finally, Hummingbird aid Junction Contract Mining was expected to be appointed as the mining contractor at Yanfolila in Mali, on similar terms to the current contractor, whose contract was ending this year.

2020 has been a challenging year in which to operate and many of these logistical challenges remain, said chief executive officer Dan Betts.

However, Hummingbird ends the year in a solid net cash balance sheet position, with a strong internal growth pipeline including the development of Kouroussa and the exciting 2021 exploration and drilling campaign at Yanfolila ahead of us.

We have a more modest 2021 production outlook which we believe is achievable and will establish a solid footing for the company as we generate circa $70m of project level EBITDA at current gold prices.

Betts said its pre-development plans at Kouroussa continued, with its confidence of the exploration and mineral resource growth potential increasing the more work it did on the project.

Additionally, we are excited about the progress at our Dugbe Gold project in Liberia with earn-in partners Pasofino.

I believe the foundations are set for 2021 to be a strong year for the Company as we capitalise on the organic growth opportunities ahead of us and continue to progress towards our goal of being a multi-asset, multi-jurisdiction producing resources company.

At 1304 GMT, shares in Hummingbird Resources were down 9.05% at 28.65p.

Continue reading here:

Hummingbird Resources pleased with fourth quarter performance - ShareCast

TSX: GPR | NYSE American: GPL

(All dollar amounts expressed in US dollars unless otherwise noted)

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan.29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Great Panther Mining Limited (TSX: GPR) (NYSE-A: GPL) ("Great Panther" or the "Company") announces today it has filed the "Technical Report on the 2020 Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources of the Tucano Gold Mine, Amapa State, Brazil" ("Technical Report"). The Technical Report supports the Company's updated Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimate ("MRMR") for Tucano announced by news release onDecember 15, 2020.

The Technical Report has an effective date ofSeptember 30, 2020, and is available on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.comand on the Company's website at http://www.greatpanther.com,and will be filed on EDGAR as soon as practicable at http://www.sec.gov.

2021 Exploration Programs and Exploration Strategy Update

"Our 2020 exploration programs were successful in extending the existing open pit mine life at Tucano and adding significant resources to our mineral inventory for the Guanajuato Mine Complex", stated Rob Henderson, President and CEO. "2021 will represent a significant increase in our exploration efforts with a planned record of 90,000 metres of drilling representing a $13 million investment. Our key objectives will be to continue to extend the Tucano open pit mine life, further prove up the underground with a view to extending the high-grade zones, and make meaningful inroads into key targets in the expansive Tucano regional land package. Building on our 2020 exploration success in Mexico will also be a key focus for this year."

The Great Panther exploration strategy is built on the objective of result driven exploration programs leading to resource replacement and near-mine growth, and longer-term organic growth through regional exploration.

The following outlines Great Panther's 90,000 metres ("m") drilling program for 2021.

Drilling Program

Meters

USD (millions)

Tucano (Brazil)

Open pit

24,000

3.5

Underground

8,000

1.7

Regional

28,000

3.2

Sub-Total

60,000

8.4

Mexican Operating Mines

GMC(1)

15,000

2.0

Topia

5,000

1.0

Sub-Total

20,000

3.0

Other Projects(2)

10,000

2.0

Total

90,000

13.4

(1)

"GMC" refers to the Guanajuato Mine Complex comprised of the Guanajuato Mine, San Ignacio Mine and the Cata processing plant.

(2)

Planned 2021 drilling metres and expenditure for Other Projects (described below) are new disclosures. The Company previously provided planned 2021 drilling expenditures for the Tucano Mine and Mexican operating mines in its January 14, 2021 press release which provided production and cost guidance for these mines.

Tucano (Brazil)

Great Panther's strategy for Tucano is to explore and grow the gold resource potential of the tenement portfolio, covering an almost 2,000 square kilometres ("km2") portion of the Vila Nova Greenstone Belt (the "Belt"). In 2021, five drill rigs are planned to complete 60,000m of drilling and over 500km of regional soil sampling will identify high priority regional targets.

The Tucano Gold Mine is host to a 7-kilometer-long trend of gold deposits surrounded by the large, near 2,000km2 tenement package controlled by Great Panther. Despite the long history of the deposit, discovered in the late 1990's and with first production in 2005, little exploration or resource drilling has been carried out outside the Tucano mine trend. A number of targets were defined in aero-geophysical and regional geochemical surveys in the late 1990's and Great Panther plans include carrying exploration of those viewed as the highest potential targets within reasonable proximity of the current mining operations.

Open Pit Resource replacement and expansion. The 24,000m combined Reverse Circulation ("RC") and Diamond Drilling ("DD") campaign is focused on near-mine targets including TAPC, Urso and Torres, as well as testing of several geochemical anomalies associated with the mine sequence that have not been evaluated.

Urucum underground. The current underground MRMR incorporates just part of the anomalous trend below the Urucum pits. There are a number of high-grade mineralized zones suggested by the modelling of the historical drilling. The 8,000m diamond drilling program is focused on upgrading one of the known high-grade zones at Urucum North while testing another zone at Urucum Central. The extent of these high-grade zones is important in determining the placement of the primary decline that will be used to access the mining areas.

Regional target drilling. A total of 28,000m has been planned for fast-track evaluation of key targets such as Mutum, Saraminda and Lona Amarela using Auger, Rotary Air Blast ("RAB") and RC drilling programs plus multi-element soil geochemistry. Initial orientation studies in 2020 and currently underway at Mutum suggest the interpretation of detailed soil sampling using multi-element geochemical analyses will allow for the skipping of the auger drilling step and going straight to RAB or RC drilling, which is expected to accelerate the start of drill permitting processes by four to eight months. A detailed soil grid is currently being opened to cover the 5km long Mutum gold trend and RAB and RC programs are being prepared for Saraminda and Lona Amarela. Mutum, Saraminda and Lona Amarela are within 15 km of the of the existing mine operations.

New target generation. Having defined the regional structural model associated with the mineralization events, Great Panther has prioritized high potential exploration corridors within the 2000km2 area of interest. It has initiated a program of regional multi-element soil sampling over these corridors with the intention of defining new targets within the Belt and prioritizing these targets using the combination of the geochemistry and existing regional aero-geophysical data.

Mexico

San Ignacio.Exploration efforts continue with 5,000m of fill-in surface drilling planned along the Purisima veins south of the development of the San Pedro ramp, deeper in the Purisima/Purisima alto vein system and continue testing for Au-Ag mineralization along 1.1km of Purisima vein north from the old San Ignacio shaft.

Guanajuato. A concerted effort of sampling and geological mapping in accessible parts of the historical mining areas is near completion and will be followed by a planned 10,000m of underground drilling on the most prospective areas, including along the north side of Valenciana, between Valenciana and Cata, and in the Pozos, Promontorio, and Guanajuatito areas. The 2020 exploration efforts more than doubled the known Inferred Mineral Resource estimate. See the Company's news release dated November 23, 2020 and the related technical report filed on December 23, 2020 with an effective date of July 31, 2020 for more details.

Topia. 5,000 m exploration surface drilling are planned focussed on defining new Mineral Resources in six areas along the strike and down-dip extents of present mining efforts.

Other Projects

Other Projects. These may include the Plomo gold project in Sonora ("Plomo"), El Horcn which has proximity to the GMC, or Coricancha in Peru. The $2.0 million budgeted for these projects will be allocated on the basis of a number of factors including potential for return on investment, access and availability of resources, community and permitting considerations. Plans for Plomo, for example, will see detailed geological / alteration / structural mapping to confirm an earlier geological interpretation from 2012, before any surface drill testing. El Horcon drilling will be subject to a successful study on the addition of a zinc concentrate flotation for the Guanajuato plant. Drilling for Coricancha would focus on expanding readily accessible high grade Mineral Resources along the Constancia, Wellington, and Escondida veins and is subject to achieving acceptable community agreements for access.

QUALIFIED PERSONS

All scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Neil Hepworth, Chartered Engineer MIMMM, Chief Operating Officer of Great Panther, Nicholas Winer, FAusIMM, Vice-President, Exploration of Great Panther, and Robert F. Brown, P. Eng., Geological Consultant of Great Panther, each a non-independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101)".

ABOUT GREAT PANTHER

Great Panther is a growing gold and silver producer focused on the Americas. The Company owns a diversified portfolio of assets inBrazil,MexicoandPeruthat includes three operating gold and silver mines, four exploration projects, and an advanced development project. Great Panther is actively exploring large land packages in highly prospective districts and is pursuing acquisition opportunities to complement its existing portfolio. Great Panther trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol GPR, and on the NYSE American under the symbol GPL.

CAUTIONARY NOTES ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Tucano Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates and the GMC Mineral Resource estimates and the assumptions underlying the estimates; the Tucano life of mine extensions; the Company's ability to advance successfully opportunities for resource growth and mine life extension in the future; the exploration potential of Tucano near-mine, underground and regional land package; the Company's plans to complete and results of further exploration and drilling at Tucano, Topia, GMC, Plomo, El Horcn and Coricancha; the Company's ability to further prove up the underground resources to support the development of an underground mine; the Company's ability to successfully execute and fund its exploration strategies as planned; and the Company's plans to pursue acquisition opportunities to complement its existing portfolio.

These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties, and contingencies. These assumptions include: the accuracy of the Company's Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates and the assumptions upon which they are based; ore grades and recoveries; metal prices remaining as estimated; national and international transportation arrangements to deliver Tucano's gold dor to international refineries continue to remain available, despite inherent risks due to COVID19; international refineries that the Company uses continue to operate and refine the Company's gold dor, and in a timely manner such that the Company is able to realize revenue from the sale of its refined metal in the timeframe anticipated, despite inherent risks due to COVID19; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; capital, decommissioning and reclamation estimates; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for the Company's operations and exploration and drilling programs are received in a timely manner and maintained, including the various drilling permits required to complete the programs; the Company will be able to access the prospective exploration and drilling areas without interruption; continued operations at Tucano in accordance with the Company's mine plan, including the expectations regarding the ongoing geotechnical control of Urucum Central South ("UCS") where mining re-started in the last week of October; management's estimates in connection with the assessment of provisions for loss and contingent liabilities relating to legal proceedings may differ materially from the ultimate loss or damages incurred by the Company; assumption that the Company will be successful in resolving the legal claims that ban the use of cyanide in the Tucano processing; management's estimates regarding the carrying value of its mineral properties may be subject to change in future financial periods, which may result in further writedowns and consequential impairment loss; conditions in the financial markets; the ability to procure equipment and operating supplies and that there are no material unanticipated variations in the cost of energy or supplies; the accuracy of the geological, operational and price and exchange rate assumptions on which the cost assumptions are based; operations not being disrupted by issues such as pit-wall failures or instability, mechanical failures, labour disturbances and workforce shortages, illegal occupations or mining, seismic events, and adverse weather conditions; the Company's expectations that metallurgical, environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, political, marketing or other issues will not materially affect the estimates or Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources or its future mining plans; and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.

These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to be materially different. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to: the impact of COVID19 on the Company's ability to operate as anticipated, including the risk of an unplanned partial or full shutdown of the Company's mines and processing plants, whether voluntary or imposed by authorities, which would adversely impact the Company's revenues, financial condition and ability to meet its production and cost guidance; the inherent risk that estimates of Mineral Reserves and Resources may not be accurate or that the assumptions upon which they are based are different than expected; the discontinuity of the ore body and mine selectivity may result in a risk that dilution and mining recovery estimates used in the Mineral Reserve estimation do not accurately reconcile with the Company's ability to recover the tonnage, grade and metal content estimated in the Mineral Reserves; metal prices may decline or may be less than forecasted; fluctuations in currency exchange rates (including the U.S. dollar to Brazilian real exchange rate) may increase costs of operations; potential of further instability or failure of walls of the UCS pit, which compromises a material part of the Mineral Reserves being accessed in 2021; there is no assurance that the Company will be able to continue mining and be able to access the UCS Mineral Reserves which may adversely impact the Company's Mineral Reserve estimates, production plans and future revenues, including the potential risk that the Mineral Reserves at UCS may not be accessible at all or that access may be dependent on further remedial work that might interrupt operations; operational and physical risks inherent in mining operations (including pit wall collapses, tailings storage facility failures, environmental accidents and hazards, industrial accidents, equipment breakdown, unusual or unexpected geological or structural formations, cave-ins, flooding and severe weather) may result in unforeseen costs, shut downs, delays in production and exposure to liability; risk that the Company is not successful in its litigation, including a risk that the use of cyanide would be banned in respect of Tucano's operations causing Tucano to have to cease operations if an alternative to cyanide treatment cannot be identified and implemented in a cost-effective way (of which there is no assurance); planned exploration activities may not result in conversion of existing Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves or discovery of new Mineral Resources; potential political and social risks involving Great Panther's operations in a foreign jurisdiction; the potential for unexpected costs and expenses or overruns; employee and contractor relations; relationships with, and claims by, local communities; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner, which if not granted could result in an interruption to operations, including the permits and approvals of the expansion of the GMC tailings facility and the exploration and drilling programs required to complete the various programs being planned; changes in laws, regulations and government practices in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates; legal restrictions related to mining; diminishing quantities or grades of Mineral Reserves as properties are mined; operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; the Company's inability to meet its production forecasts or to generate the anticipated cash flows from operations could result in the Company's inability to meet its scheduled debt payments when due or to meet financial covenants to which the Company is subject; ability to maintain and renew agreements with local communities to support continued operations, including any access which may be required for the exploration and drilling programs described in this news release; there is no assurance that the Company will be able to identify or complete acquisition opportunities; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in respect of Great Panther, in its annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2019 and material change reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators available at http://www.sedar.comand reports on Form 40-F and Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at http://www.sec.gov.

There is no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove accurate or that actual results will not vary materially from these forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described, or intended. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements and information are designed to help readers understand management's current views of our near- and longer-term prospects and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not intend, nor does it assume any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, changes in assumptions, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

CAUTIONARY NOTE TO UNITED STATES INVESTORS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF MEASURED, INDICATED AND INFERRED RESOURCES

The Company prepares its disclosure in accordance with the requirements of securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Terms relating to Mineral Resources in this news release are defined in accordance with NI 43-101 under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves 2014 (CIM Definition Standards).

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has adopted amendments effective February 25, 2019 (the "SEC Modernization Rules") to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The SEC Modernization Rules have replaced SEC Industry Guide 7, which will be rescinded following a transition period and after the required compliance date of the SEC Modernization Rules.

As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC will now recognize estimates of "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", which are defined in substantially similar terms to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards. In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "Proven Mineral Reserves" and "Probable Mineral Reserves" to be substantially similar to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards.

United States investors are cautioned that while the foregoing terms are "substantially similar" to corresponding definitions under the CIM Definition Standards, there are differences in the definitions under the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definition Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any Mineral Resources that the Company may report as "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules.

United States investors are also cautioned that while the SEC will now recognize "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", investors should not assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories would ever be converted into a higher category of Mineral Resources or into Mineral Reserves. Mineralization described by these terms has a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to assume that any "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources", or "Inferred Mineral Resources" that the Company reports are or will be economically or legally mineable.

Further, "Inferred Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. Therefore, United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the Inferred Resources exist. In accordance with Canadian securities laws, estimates of "Inferred Mineral Resources" cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies, except in limited circumstances where permitted under NI 43-101.

In addition, disclosure of "contained ounces" is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC has historically only permitted issuers to report mineralization as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.

SOURCE Great Panther Mining Limited

http://www.greatpanther.com

See more here:

Great Panther Files NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Tucano Gold Mine and Provides Update on Exploration Strategy and Programs for 2021 - PRNewswire