Monthly Archives: August 2021

Oregon posts 53% increase in weekly coronavirus cases as part of record-setting span – OregonLive

Posted: August 18, 2021 at 7:32 am

The Oregon Health Authority on Monday announced 4,396 new coronavirus cases from the preceding three days, pushing the weekly total to a pandemic record.

Oregon reported 12,740 cases in the past week, or an average of 1,820 a day, setting a new high. Cases are up 53% from the previous week, marking the sixth consecutive week of gains.

The Oregon Health Authority in July stopped reporting cases on the weekends, leading to high three-day totals announced on Mondays. The new cases included 2,027 for Friday, 1,533 Saturday and 836 Sunday.

Hospitalizations also climbed over the weekend, although the trajectory slowed. Oregon reported 752 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized, up 19 since the last public report. The number of people in intensive care stands at 206, up 21 since Fridays figures.

Its too early to tell if that slower growth will continue, and some metrics suggest it wont, as hospitalizations typically lag new positive cases.

The states test positivity rate for the cases reported Monday is alarmingly high, at 13.6%, exceeding the daily rates reported last week.

Meanwhile, the states previous high for weekly cases had been 10,355, set for the week ending Dec. 6.

Vaccines:

Oregon reported 3,013 newly administered doses, which includes 751 on Sunday and the remainder from previous days.

Where the new cases are by county: The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (18), Benton (54), Clackamas (296), Clatsop (73), Columbia (19), Coos (66), Crook (19), Curry (136), Deschutes (355), Douglas (350), Harney (11), Hood River (10), Jackson (542), Jefferson (30), Josephine (363), Klamath (15), Lane (567), Lincoln (35), Linn (178), Malheur (17), Marion (163), Morrow (13), Multnomah (504), Polk (46), Tillamook (66), Umatilla (109), Union (39), Wallowa (11), Wasco (22), Washington (166), Yamhill (103).

Who died: Oregons 2,936th death linked to COVID-19 is a 54-year-old Douglas County who tested positive Aug.7 and died on Aug. 14 at Mercy Medical Center.

The 2,937th fatality is a 27-year-old Douglas County woman who tested positive Aug. 6 and died Aug. 14 at Mercy Medical Center.

Oregons 2,938th death is a 79-year-old Douglas County man who tested positive July 29 and died Aug. 12 at Mercy Medical Center.

The 2,939th fatality is an 80-year-old Crook County woman who tested positive Aug. 6 and died Aug. 12 at her residence.

Oregons 2,940th death is a 69-year-old Coos County woman who tested positive Aug. 3 and died Aug. 11 at a location still being confirmed.

The 2,941st fatality is a 90-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive July 27 and died Aug. 11 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.

Oregons 2,942nd death is an 88-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive July 13 and died Aug. 13 at his residence.

The 2,943rd fatality is a 69-year-old Lane County man who tested positive July 30 and died Aug. 12 at his residence.

Oregons 2,944th death is a 47-year-old Jefferson County woman who tested positive July 23 and died Aug. 12 at St. Charles Bend Hospital.

The 2,945th fatality is a 47-year-old Washington County man who tested positive Aug. 9 and died on Aug.13 at his residence.

Oregons 2,946th death is a 93-year-old Washington County man who tested positive July 23 and died on Aug. 5 at his residence.

The 2,947th fatality is a 54-year-old Multnomah County man who tested positive Aug. 9 and died Aug. 11 at Adventist Health Portland.

Oregons 2,948th death is a 93-year-old Wasco County man who tested positive Aug. 5 and died Aug. 11 at his residence.

The 2,949th fatality is a 63-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive June 10 and died on Aug. 12 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

Each person had underlying health conditions or officials were determining if underlying conditions were present.

Hospitalizations: 752 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are hospitalized, up 19 from Friday, a record during the pandemic. That includes 206 people in intensive care, 21 more than Friday and a new high point since the beginning of the pandemic.

Since it began: Oregon has reported 242,843 confirmed or presumed infections and 2,949 deaths. To date, the state has reported 4,723,999 doses administered, fully vaccinating 2,351,758 people and partially vaccinating 201,626 people.

To see more data and trends, visit https://projects.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/

-- Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-221-8505; @tedsickinger

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Wildfire smoke linked to thousands of coronavirus cases on West Coast – San Francisco Chronicle

Posted: at 7:32 am

The presence of wildfire smoke last year during the pandemic may have been responsible for at least 19,000 additional coronavirus cases on the West Coast, and 700 subsequent deaths, a new study shows.

The study, published Friday in the journal Science Advances, offers the most detailed accounting yet of how the devastating 2020 wildfire season is believed to have amplified the coronavirus outbreak.

It traces increases in infections to periods of smoke in more than 50 counties in California, Oregon and Washington.

Some of the biggest smoke-related spikes were in the Sierra foothills and Central Valley, according to the study, but parts of the Bay Area also saw jumps. In Sonoma County, 13.1% of the cases from March to December last year were linked to smoke, or 1,754. This compares to 17.3% of the cases in Butte County, which had the largest percentage of smoke-associated cases of any California county.

Calaveras County fared the worst in terms of per-capita deaths. More than half of the countys 22 coronavirus fatalities were tied to smoke. The highest number of overall COVID-19 deaths associated with smoke were in Fresno and Alameda counties, with 131 and 110 people dying, respectively.

While a correlation between wildfire smoke and COVID-19 doesnt prove causation, the studys authors say the tie is no coincidence. Plenty of research since the start of the pandemic has suggested that exposure to smokes primary unhealthy component PM 2.5, which refers to particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers in size or smaller, compromises peoples immunity and increases susceptibility to COVID-19. Scientists also hypothesize that the virus may be spread by the particles.

The new findings come as the delta variant fuels yet another surge of coronavirus infections across the country while fire season is again in high gear in the West. Parts of California are already blanketed in smoke, with bad air recently reported as far away as New York and North Carolina.

Its a horrible combination, said Francesca Dominici, one of the authors of the study and a biostatistician at Harvard Universitys T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Together, the wildfires and COVID-19 make us even sicker.

The new research is based on statistical modeling done by Dominici and her colleagues at Harvard University and Californias Environmental Systems Research Institute in San Bernardino County.

The teams models crunched coronavirus numbers in 92 counties during non-smoky periods from March 15 to Dec. 16 and how these numbers changed when wildfire smoke brought particulate pollution. The area the researchers examined covered 95% of the population in California, Oregon and Washington. They excluded areas that did not have sufficient data for modeling.

The models took into consideration lag times between viral exposure and testing, and they adjusted for several variables, including changes in weather and population.

Areas with the most coronavirus cases and deaths linked to smoke last year were often those closest to the fires.

The researchers found that across the counties a daily increase in PM 2.5 concentrations of 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air in smoke over 28 days correlated with an average 11.7% increase in coronavirus cases and 8.4% increase in COVID-19 deaths. The 24-hour concentration of PM 2.5 is generally considered unhealthy for some people when it gets above 35 micrograms per cubic meter of air.

In California, Sutter County followed Butte County in tallying the largest percentage of smoke-related coronavirus cases: 16.2% of all infections. Both are north of Sacramento, where bad air from several Sierra fires collected. In Mendocino County, where Californias largest fire in history burned, the August Complex fires, 14.6% of cases were associated with smoke.

Sacramento County, meanwhile, counted the most overall coronavirus cases tied to wildfires in the state: 4,639.

Beyond proximity to fires, the researchers said that the same factors resulting in some areas having more coronavirus cases than others racial makeup, pre-existing medical conditions and access to health care, for example explain why certain areas may be more vulnerable to smoke.

In some counties, including San Francisco, the number of coronavirus cases tied to smoke was actually less than what it would have been without a smoky fire season, according to the study. The researchers presumed that residents in these areas took extra precautions because of the wildfires, such as staying indoors as much as possible, buying air filters and wearing masks while outside. This could have boosted their level of protection to the virus.

The 2020 fire season went down as one of the nations worst, with a record 4.1 million acres burned in California. Many remember the eerie orange sky that emerged over the Bay Area because of wildfire smoke last September.

John Balmes, a professor of medicine at UCSF who was not affiliated with the new paper, said the research both helps validate the connection between wildfires and COVID-19 and underscores the need to do something about it.

This study is just one more set of evidence that we have to be doubling down on our efforts to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, he said.

In the meantime, Balmes and the studys authors advise people to avoid exposure to smoke as best they can.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander

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Oceania Reveals Dining Options on the New Vista – Cruise Industry News

Posted: at 7:31 am

Oceania Cruises has revealed the restaurants and dining experiences aboard its newest ship, the 1,200-passenger, 67,000-ton Vista, due to debut in early 2023. These include the new to the brand Ember and Aquamar restaurants

Ember will be open for lunch and dinner with American creations such as braised short ribs on polenta, grilled swordfish with asparagus, crab cakes with spicy aioli, and a cobb salad with smoked chicken among the menu items.

Aquamar Kitchen promises to offer wellness choices. Breakfast selections include cold-pressed raw juices and smoothies, homemade granolas and avocado toasts, organic power bowls, and breakfast wraps. For lunch, dishes will include slow-roasted organic salmon with quinoa tabouleh and lemon tahini, yellowfin tacos with white cabbage slaw, or a crunchy chicken sandwich on a freshly baked whole grain bun.

The Grand Dining Room is described as the grand dame of Oceania Cruises culinary world. This signature dining experience will have new array of options from Chef Jacques Ppin in addition to an all-new tasting menu. Menus change daily with a choice of at least 10 appetizers, soups and salads and 10 entres.

Polo Grill will feature a classic steakhouse experience. Of the beef dishes, all will be 28-day dry aged certified Black Angus USDA Prime in addition to seafood dishes such as grilled swordfish and whole Maine lobster gratine.

According to Oceania, Toscana presents an evolution of Tuscan cuisine, listing octopus carpaccio with Champagne vinaigrette, artichoke and parmesan cheese timbale with black truffle sauce, hand-rolled gnocchi with pesto, risotto with lobster medallions and shallots, pan-seared sea bass filet with Sorrento lemon, chardonnay and capers.

Red Ginger will feature Pan-Asian dishes ranging from spicy roast duck and watermelon with cashews, mint and Thai basil to Malaysian beef penang with coconut rice and paratha roti, or Thai vegetable curry with sweet potatoes, aubergine, mushrooms and basil in green curry sauce.

Terrace Caf will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner informally and alfresco. Oceania said that a varied menu of hot and cold specialties changes daily along with the chefs market dinners featuring locally inspired specialties from the ports of call.

Waves Grill is the setting for all-American favorites, including burgers and sides of fresh salads, coleslaw and hand-cut fries.

In the Culinary Center guests may partake in hands-on instruction and may also join the new ocean-view Culinary Center Dining Room with private group dinners or one of the ships exclusive food and wine pairing experiences.

Private dinner parties can be arranged in Prive for up to 10 guests. And, the Baristas is, as the name implies, the ships coffee bar with pastries.

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Oceania reveals new restaurants and culinary experiences on the new Vista – Cruise Passenger

Posted: at 7:31 am

Oceania Cruises, known as the foodies cruise line, has revealed the restaurants and dining experiences aboard its newest ship, Vista, which is due to make her debut in 2023.

Vista will present a fresh perspective on the finest cuisine at sea with an astounding array of dining options that range from informal to the extravagant, stated Bob Binder, President and CEO of Oceania Cruises.

Vista will offer a total of twelve dining venues and of the twelve, four are brand new and exclusive to Vista.

We have never been content to rest on our laurels, so even the expected has become the unexpected. A dramatic re-inspiration of every dining space from dcor to table setting to menu offerings has resulted in a new pinnacle of diversity and creativity for our guests to enjoy, added Binder.

Ember is the signature addition to Oceania Cruises family of restaurants. Featuring a menu of inventive American creations blended with time-honoured classics like braised short ribs on polenta, grilled swordfish with asparagus, crab cakes with spicy aioli, and a cobb salad with smoked chicken are just a few of the delights designed to tempt the palate.

Aquamar Kitchen is for guests looking for wellness approach to their food. Breakfast selections include cold-pressed raw juices and super-food smoothies, hearty homemade granolas and avocado toasts, organic power bowls, and savoury breakfast wraps. For lunch, dozens of tempting, healthy dishes are offered such as slow-roasted organic salmon with quinoa tabouleh and lemon tahini, yellowfin tacos with white cabbage slaw, or even a crunchy chicken sandwich on a freshly baked whole grain roll.

The Grand Dining Room is the luxurious grand dame of Oceania Cruises culinary world. This signature dining experience has always offered a bevy of delicious continental dishes, and now a fresh and new array of options brings even more exciting possibilities. Every day presents a realm of choices from signature Jacques Ppin classics to an incredible spectrum of global flavours and an all-new Executive Chefs Tasting Menu. Menus change daily with an expansive choice of at least ten entres, soups and salads and ten main courses along with healthy options such as Aquamar Vitality Cuisine.

Polo Grill is the ultimate classic steakhouse experience presented with timeless reverence. Richly layered dcor and an abundance of custom millwork create an imaginative rendition of tradition set against crisp white linen tablecloths, while a cadre of black jacketed servers set the tone for an evening of gracious dining. Each course stands as the very definition of time-honoured favourites, most notably the beef dishes, all of which are 28-day dry aged certified Black Angus USDA Prime, while succulent seafood dishes such as grilled swordfish and whole Maine lobster gratine are also classics in their own right.

Toscana focuses on Tuscan cuisine in a truly Italian setting of rich Chianina leather, hand-blown Venetian glass and Carrara marble. Many of our recipes originated with the mothers and grandmothers of Oceanias Italian culinary staff. Presented on elegant, custom-designed Versace china, masterfully prepared dishes exemplify the essence of Tuscany and celebrate Italys culinary passion. The evening begins with the octopus carpaccio with Champagne vinaigrette or the artichoke and parmesan cheese timbale with black truffle sauce, followed by classic dishes such as the hand-rolled gnocchi with pesto, a rich risotto with lobster medallions and shallots, or a pan-seared sea bass fillet finished with sorrento lemon, Chardonnay and Capers.

Red Ginger has a focus on Pan-Asian dishes our talented chefs have created. Much like the room itself, the Thai, Korean, Japanese and Malaysian rooted specialties are a mlange of spicy and soothing, savoury and sweet to please virtually every palate. Begin with a salad of spicy roast duck and watermelon with cashews, mint and Thai basil. Savour a Malaysian beef Penang with coconut rice and paratha roti. Or try Thai vegetable curry with sweet potatoes, eggplant, mushrooms and basil in green curry sauce.

Terrace Caf is the ultimate informal dining experience any time of day. At breakfast, Terrace Caf features a seemingly never-ending selection of sumptuous savoury and sweet temptations including made-to-order eggs, omelettes, pancakes and waffles. Come lunch, an expansive menu of international-inspired dishes is complemented by flavourful roasted and rotisserie meats and the magic of the pizzerias oven. In the evening, youll enjoy dinner from grilled-to-order lobster tails, fish, fillets and steaks to freshly made, hand-cut sushi and sashimi. A varied menu of hot and cold specialties changes daily along with our hallmark Chefs Market Dinners featuring locally inspired selections from the ports of call.

Waves Grill is a casual, colourful, and perhaps a bit playful setting for dining on all-American favourites. Located in a spacious, shaded area steps from the swimming pool and Terrace Caf, Waves Grill offers an extensive and mouthwatering menu during lunch and late into the afternoon for that much-desired snack or meal after an adventurous day of touring ashore. Watch the chefs grill gourmet burgers, succulent seafood and sandwiches to order in the open galley, accompanying them with sides like fresh salads, coleslaw and crispy, hand-cut fries. There is always room for dessert and the selection here is too good to pass up. Try a homemade sorbet, a made-to-order hot fudge sundae or a thick, hand-dipped milkshake.

The Culinary Center is where guests may not only partake in lively hands-on instruction they may also indulge the pleasures of the palate in the new ocean view Culinary Center Dining Room with private group dinners or one of our many exclusive and highly acclaimed food and wine pairing experiences.

Prive is a private dining venue for ten privileged guests. Dramatic backlit, debossed walls and a blooming flower petal ceiling from which a dramatic chandelier descends over the polished marble slab dining table set the stage for a memorable evening while a wall of floor-to-ceiling glass provides an exhilarating view to complement a most memorable private dinner party that can literally traverse continents.

Baristas is where guests enjoy complimentary illy espressos, cappuccinos and lattes prepared by our master baristas as well as delicious pastries, finger sandwiches and homemade biscotti. Just steps away is the new Bakery, with its freshly baked French and Italian pastries.

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All Blacks: Caleb Clarke eyes return for Auckland instead of trip to Perth – Stuff.co.nz

Posted: at 7:31 am

Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images

Caleb Clarke, who played five tests for the All Blacks in his breakout season in 2020, will return to the 15-man game with Auckland but says he wont play for them this weekend.

Caleb Clarke has a plan, and it doesnt involve joining the All Blacks on a flight to Perth on Sunday.

Instead, Clarke, fresh out of MIQ, intends to return to the 15-man game as a member of an Auckland backline that may also include ex-Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson speaks to the Breakdown about a couple of the hot topics of the rugby week.

Named as a travelling reserve for the All Blacks Sevens team that secured silver at the Olympics, Clarke never took the field in Tokyo and hasnt played since the Oceania Sevens Challenge tournament in Townsville in late June.

Good enough to make five appearances for the All Blacks last year, Clarke made the bold call to skip the earlier part of the test programme, so he could have a crack at the Olympics.

READ MORE:* Tokyo Olympics: Wallaby Samu Kerevi picked for Australia's men's sevens team* Tokyo Olympics: All Blacks star Caleb Clarke named as travelling reserve in sevens squad* Tokyo Olympics: Last chance for Caleb Clarke to cement place in All Blacks sevens squad

While isolated in a Christchurch hotel he watched the All Blacks retain the Bledisloe Cup, and experienced pangs of jealousy as Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane and Will Jordan operated on the wings against the Wallabies in both tests.

Yet Clarke says he still didnt question the decision to trade a potential start for the All Blacks for a trip to the Olympics.

I loved this (sevens) team, just being a part of it, he said. Definitely no regrets.

Clarke was unsure whether he would try to play sevens in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year, but indicated it may be unlikely.

I feel like I have tried my best. I have said it before, even before coming into sevens, that I wanted to look back at my career and have my best shot at the Olympics. And I feel like I did that.

Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Caleb Clarke tries to break a tackle while playing for the All Blacks Sevens team against Fiji in the Oceania Sevens Challenge in Townsville in late June.

While in MIQ, he fielded calls from All Blacks coach Ian Foster and Blues coach Leon MacDonald but said not all the discussions were related to rugby.

A lot was about where my mindset was at, how I have dealt with the last few weeks, and what I am looking forward to once I get back playing the 15-man game.

Riding a stationary bike, and doing push-ups and squats, as well as being careful with his food intake, ensured Clarke remained in good shape prior to getting back home.

Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Beauden Barrett celebrates with Caleb Clarke after the Blues won the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final against the Highlanders this season.

While keen to get back to the rugby field, Clarke was encouraged by Foster not to rush back; he confirmed hes not expected to play for Auckland against Bay of Plenty at Eden Park on Saturday night, which means he isnt going to be asked to fly to Perth as the All Blacks prepare for the dead rubber against the Wallabies next weekend.

Some of the conversations were to have a little break, which was quite strange given that we have just got out of quarantine, but it was more just around the mental side of around being able to see family and friends and to have a last little break-up of the sevens (squad) as well.

When, or if, Clarke will represent the All Blacks in 2021 is uncertain.

Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Braydon Ennor, Jordan, Reece and Ioane, who can all play on the wing, were named in the squad for the Rugby Championship matches against the Wallabies, Springboks and Pumas all possibly to be played in Perth because of the pandemic.

Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

All Blacks Sevens squad member Caleb Clarke (right) looks on during a welcome home ceremony for the New Zealand Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games team at Christchurch Airport on Monday.

I will just be with Auckland, that is where my mindset is at the moment, Clarke said.

It is up to Fozzie. It is in his and all the selectors hands, which I am happy with. I am not in any rush to be anywhere.

I am just really looking forward to playing 15s rugby. I know I am just excited to get out and play, and it will be awesome to play with Roger (Tuivasa-Sheck) as well.

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Syria, Japan, and Guam are the biggest leapers in the FIBA World Ranking update – FIBA

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BEIRUT (Lebanon) - The FIBA World Ranking Men, presented by Nike, has been updated following the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers, FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs), and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. While the majority of the top teams in Asia & Oceania remained close to their original spots, some aspiring and rapidly developing countries took huge leaps towards the top.

Here's the link to the full country list of the FIBA World Ranking Men, presented by Nike for Asia & Oceania.

Syria were the team that moved up the ranking the most in Asia & Oceania, shooting up from 92 to 82. Their 10-spot climb was also the 5th highest at the global level. The Qasioun Eagles were able to beat Qatar in the recent FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers to punch their tickets to the next Asia Cup where they will have a chance to go up even higher in the ranking.

Syria (+10) and Saudi Arabia (+6) are one of the biggest climbers in the recent Ranking

Asia Cup 2021 hopefuls Guam were the second highest climbers from the region as they went up from 85 to 77. The up-and-coming squad have been one of the most enthusiastic teams in the Asia Cup Qualifiers so far. Theyll be aiming for a spot at the grand event when they play in the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifying Tournament for third ranked teams in Mangilao against Chinese Taipei on August 26 and 28.

Palestine and Saudi Arabia will also be playing in a FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifying Tournament for third ranked teams. However, these two teams will be playing in the tournament held in Jeddah. Coincidentally, both teams are also among those that have made the biggest climbs in this update of the ranking by moving up 6 spots. Both nations have been moving up the ladder at a fast pace and could go up even higher should they later qualify for the Asia Cup.

Japan also made a significant leap in the standings going up 7 spots to 35. Hosting and playing in the Olympics have helped their steady rise and the future looks bright with a promising Asia Cup appearance coming up.

FIBA

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All teams qualified for the 2021 League of Legends World Championship – Dot Esports

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The stage is set for the 2021 League of Legends World Championship.

For the second year running, the end-of-year event will take place in China. The multi-city tour will include five distinct cities from Shanghai in the opening stage of the tournament to Shenzhen in the finals.

Weve locked in the five Chinese cities after an extremely competitive bidding process, and were now ready to deliver on our promise to players with a multi-city tour for the biggest esports event on the planet, Riots head of esports John Needham said in June.

Worlds 2021 will bring together the top teams from 12 regional leagues to compete for the Summoners Cup. At its full capacity, the 60,000-seat Universiade Sports Centre in Shenzhen will be host to the finals on Nov. 6.

All in all, 24 teams will compete at the event, including four teams from China and Korea, three teams from Europe and North America, two teams from Taiwan and Vietnam, and one team from each of CIS, Latin America, Turkey, Brazil, Japan, and Oceania.

Here are all of the teams attending Worlds 2021.

DWG qualified for Worlds 2021 based on championship points accumulated over the course of the season. A total of 170 points90 from the Spring Split and 80 from the Summer Splitsecured qualification for the reigning world champions.

After placing first in the LEC summer regular season with a 13-5 record, a hard-fought win against Misfits was all Rogue needed to qualify for Worlds 2021. The addition of Odoamne in the top lane has been vital to the teams success over the past eight months.

In a repeat performance of the 2021 LEC Spring Split playoffs, MAD Lions beat G2 Esports 3-1 to secure a spot at Worlds. The team effort of the squad was more than enough to overcome the former LEC champions, who left much to be desired in the best-of-five series.

For the first time since 2018, 100 Thieves qualified for Worlds after beating Evil Geniuses in the LCS Summer playoffs. A roster reshuffle in the offseason has made a sizable difference to the team.

Team Liquid qualified for Worlds 2021 after a decisive 3-1 win over TSM in the LCS Summer playoffs. The team got it together when it mattered the most, despite issues with health, player management, and coaching staff throughout the split.

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All Whites determined to play this year as World Cup qualifying campaign looms – Stuff.co.nz

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Danny Hay is determined to have the All Whites playing in the October and November international windows as his focus turns from the Tokyo Olympics to qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar next November.

The countrys top footballers havent played since November 2019, more than 600 days ago, but having gained experience in how to operate amidst the Covid-19 pandemic with the OlyWhites in Japan, their coach is hopeful they will soon be back in action.

September is a no-go for obvious reasons seeing as we've just come back and are still sitting here in quarantine, Hay said of the next international window, which begins in less than three weeks, on August 30.

STUFF

OlyWhites midfielder Clayton Lewis reflects on New Zealand's Olympic campaign.

It's just too much of a quick turnaround, but we're working hard to get games in October and November.

READ MORE:* OlyWhites had Clayton Lewis' back after missing penalty against Japan* Chris Wood excited for World Cup campaign after OlyWhites' Tokyo Olympics efforts* OlyWhites lose Tokyo Olympics quarterfinal against Japan in penalty shootout* OlyWhites want no what-ifs after Tokyo Olympics quarterfinal against hosts Japan

I think it's critical that we try and bring a large number of the players that were with us in Japan back together and then bring other players in, that are based around either Europe or the US.

It's not an easy operation. It's tough getting the games, as everybody will be aware, but we're going to make it happen.

We're very determined that it's going to happen and if that's going to mean a few staff members being based over in Europe for a couple of months, then so be it.

We're just champing at the bit to get it going again.

There are no European opponents available in the October window, so New Zealand Football will likely have to look to the Middle East and west Asia, where Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Uzbekistan are among the nations yet to organise fixtures.

In November, there are several European countries with dates free, including the Czech Republic, who made the quarterfinals at Euro 2020 in July, and Lithuania, the All Whites most recent opponents.

Managed isolation and quarantine requirements are set to rule players based in Australia and New Zealand out of any matches arranged later this year, but there should be enough players based in Europe and the US available for Hay to assemble a squad.

That group grew by one this week, with midfielder-turned-defender Gianni Stensness on the move from Australia to Norway following a strong Olympic campaign.

While Hay is busy preparing for the end of 2021, he is also hoping to soon have some clarity as to what the start of 2022 will look like for the All Whites.

An Oceania World Cup qualifying tournament is set to take place in January in the Middle East, as local venues were unviable as a result of Covid-19 border restrictions, with the winner advancing to an intercontinental playoff in June for one of the final two spots in the tournament, which has been moved from its usual place in the middle of the year to November and December.

The best team from Oceania will play either the fourth-best team from North and Central America, the fifth-best team from Asia, or the fifth-best team from South America in that playoff, with a draw to determine the exact matchup expected to take place soon.

I know they're looking closely at having the OFC qualifiers in Qatar, Hay said.

Hopefully that happens. I think that would be a great place to host them, particularly with the World Cup being there later that year, but we're arming up for that, and then the Intercontinental playoff, should we make it that far.

For us, that is the main goal, to get to that point and then give ourselves the best chance possible of trying to make the World Cup. We still don't know who we could potentially be facing in the intercontinental playoff, but we're happy to face whoever.

We need games at the moment and time together, and that'll obviously give us our best opportunity.

The All Whites last matches and their only matches with Hay in charge were in November 2019, when they lost to the Republic of Ireland and Lithuania in a pair of European friendlies.

They were scheduled to play Bahrain and Oman in March 2020, but those matches were cancelled when the scale of the Covid-19 pandemic became clear.

Plans to play friendlies in Europe at the end of last year, including against powerhouses Belgium and England, were scuppered when travel restrictions as a result of Covid-19 led to player availability issues.

October 4-12 2021: Two-match international window

November 8-16 2021: Two-match international window

January 2022: Potential Oceania World Cup qualifying tournament

March 21-29 2022: Two-match international window

May 30 June 14 2022: Four-match international window, potentially including a World Cup qualifying intercontinental playoff

September 19-27 2022: Two-match international window

November 21 December 18 2022: Fifa World Cup in Qatar

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All Whites determined to play this year as World Cup qualifying campaign looms - Stuff.co.nz

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Worldwide Refinery Alkylation Units Industry Insights to 2025 – GlobeNewswire

Posted: at 7:31 am

Dublin, Aug. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Refinery Alkylation Units Outlook to 2025 - Capacity and Capital Expenditure Outlook with Details of All Operating and Planned Hydrotreater Units" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global refinery alkylation units capacity increased from 2,406 thousand barrels per day (mbd) in 2015 to 2,553 mbd in 2020 at an Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR) of 1.2 percent. It is expected to increase from 2,553 mbd in 2020 to 2,748 mbd in 2025 at an AAGR of 1.5 percent. The US, China, Japan, India, and South Korea are the major countries that accounted for 67.4 percent of the total global alkylation unit capacity in 2020.

Scope

Reasons to Buy

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction1.1. What is this Report About?1.2. Market Definition

2. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot2.1. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, Key Data, 20202.2. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units2.3. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Region2.4. Global Refinery Alkylation Units, Regional Comparisons

3. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units3.1. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot3.2. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country3.3. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Key Countries3.4. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Nigeria3.5. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, South Africa3.6. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Egypt3.7. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Angola3.8. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Congo Republic3.9. Africa Refinery Alkylation Units, Djibouti

4. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units4.1. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot4.2. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country4.3. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Key Countries4.4. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, China4.5. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Japan4.6. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, India4.7. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, South Korea4.8. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Taiwan4.9. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Philippines4.10. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Indonesia4.11. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Thailand4.12. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Singapore4.13. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Brunei4.14. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Pakistan

5. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units5.1. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot5.2. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units, Trinidad and Tobago5.3. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units, Curacao5.4. Caribbean Refinery Alkylation Units, U.S. Virgin Islands

6. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units6.1. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot6.2. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, United Kingdom6.3. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Germany6.4. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Italy6.5. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, France6.6. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Belgium6.7. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Spain6.8. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Netherlands6.9. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Slovakia6.10. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Bulgaria6.11. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Finland6.12. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Portugal6.13. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Poland6.14. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Hungary6.15. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Romania6.16. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Greece6.17. Europe Refinery Alkylation Units, Serbia

7. Former Soviet Union Refinery Alkylation Units7.1. Former Soviet Union Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot7.2. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country7.3. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Country7.4. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Russia7.5. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Turkmenistan7.6. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Belarus7.7. FSU Refinery Alkylation Units, Azerbaijan7.8. Asia Refinery Alkylation Units, Lithuania

8. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units8.1. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot8.2. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country8.3. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Key Countries8.4. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Saudi Arabia8.5. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, United Arab Emirates8.6. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Iran8.7. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Kuwait8.8. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Israel8.9. Middle East Refinery Alkylation Units, Iraq

9. North America Refinery Alkylation Units9.1. North America Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot9.2. North America Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country9.3. North America Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Country9.4. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, Gulf Coast (PADD 3)9.5. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, Midwest (PADD 2)9.6. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, West Coast (PADD 5)9.7. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, East Coast (PADD 5)9.8. Refinery Alkylation Units in the US, Rocky Mountain (PADD 4)9.9. Refinery Alkylation Units in Canada9.10. Refinery Alkylation Units in Mexico

10. Oceania Refinery Alkylation Units10.1. Oceania Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot10.2. Oceania Refinery Alkylation Units, Australia

11. South America Refinery Alkylation Units11.1. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Snapshot11.2. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Planned and Announced Alkylation Units, Capacity Expansions and Capex by Country11.3. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, New Alkylation Units and Capacity Expansions by Country11.4. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Venezuela11.5. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Colombia11.6. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Chile11.7. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Brazil11.8. South America Refinery Alkylation Units, Argentina

12. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lqxgk0

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Worldwide Refinery Alkylation Units Industry Insights to 2025 - GlobeNewswire

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Streamlining AML with Automated Solutions – International Banker

Posted: at 7:30 am

By Andrew Davies, Vice President, Global Market Strategy, Financial Crime Risk Management, Fiserv

Regulatory standards play an important role in safeguarding consumers, financial institutions and the global financial industry. As regulatory scrutiny in areas such as anti-money laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) continues to grow, so does the opportunity to streamline and enhance compliance efforts to tackle financial crime more efficiently and effectively.

In a notable example, financial institutions are turning to automated solutions, specifically robotic process automation (RPA), to perform routine compliance tasks quickly and accurately in a cost-effective manner. RPA can be configured to fully automate high-volume tasks like data entry and transaction processing, or even partially automate AML compliance processes such as suspicious activity investigation, customer onboarding, and client screening, to reduce workloads for employees. This capacity to optimise data generation and interpretation while streamlining compliance has made RPA a particularly desirable tool for financial institutions regulatory departments.

Opportunities for automation

There are several processes related to AML compliance that are particularly suited to automation. First among these is the identification of suspicious activity via transaction monitoring. Transaction monitoring is a perfect candidate for RPA because it involves standardised and repetitive tasks. When a transaction is identified as suspicious an alert is generated for analyst investigation. As RPA cannot completely replace analyst knowledge, its purpose is to optimize the workload of human analysts by lowering the number of false positives they must investigate, allowing them to more efficiently identify actual fraud.

During customer onboarding, automated solutions can be utilized as part of Know Your Customer (KYC) document gathering and validation processes. The automation of customer onboarding can take dierent forms, from automated document capture to automated identity verication. RPA can be used to collate data from disparate internal systems or from external sources such as regulatory agencies and open databases, including company registers used to identify benecial owners.

Finally, for client screening, rms are using RPA in Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) research. In this application, robots automatically navigate and collect live data from any website, in multiple languages, in the present moment as well as into the future as sources change. RPA can nd content hidden within the deep web and navigate complex menu structures, using dierent crawl techniques to access the volume of sites needed during early investigative work and then to pinpoint the precise information required as this work proceeds.

RPA is worth the investment

Crime monitoring and screening processes traditionally require employees to compile and evaluate large and unstructured datasets. RPA is flexible, straightforward to implement, and can be designed by regulatory departments to follow specific logic parameters to analyse and interpret this data quickly. RPA also enables internal control of these processes, as bots actions are saved in log files that can be accessed and reviewed by the institution at any time.

The speed, accuracy, and efficiency with which RPA can be used to gather and aggregate data from different sources can increase the effectiveness of regulatory and risk reporting. A successful deployment of RPA can also free up employees to direct their expertise towards analysis-based tasks, such as judgement-based monitoring and higher value reporting. Furthermore, RPA technology is not limited to large institutions. Its scalable nature enables adaptation to business environments of different sizes and dynamics, helping institutions prepare for regulatory audits with less employee input required.

Automated solutions reduce the need for repetitive, deterministic, and manual tasks, presenting clear benefits. Observing this, many financial institutions are already seeking to enhance those benefits by combining RPA with more advanced machine learning (ML) technologies, such as intelligent automation (IA). This will result in further simplified interactions, an increase of speed, and the enablement of better enforcement of regulation.

IA bots offer an elevated level of process accuracy and speed by eliminating the need for error-prone manual data entry. They can centralise reporting data into an institutions desired format, increasing auditability and significantly decreasing time and resources expended by compliance teams.

Combatting challenges ahead

Although the benefits of automated AML solutions are clear, widespread implementation will require financial institutions to address a few challenges.

Documentation of infrastructure and standards for existing manual compliance processes must be thorough in order to identify suitable opportunities for automation. Many financial institutions may lack this information and would therefore need to expend more human resources gathering requirements before the automation implementation process can begin.

Successful integration of RPA and IA involves a cultural shift in favour of automation. Financial institutions often overlook robotics as a long-term solution for compliance, instead viewing it as a tactical quick fix for specific issues. Further, a lack of understanding amongst senior executives on how these systems work and the benefits attached can make permanently adopting automation a complex, time-consuming, and difficult process.

RPA and IA integration could cause friction within a financial institution among employees, management, and human resources. Automation goes hand-in-hand with vigilance and scrutiny on the part of employees, and detecting and solving technical problems requires thorough training on human-robot collaboration. Without training and a corresponding willingness to adapt, small issues can materialise into delays and service interruptions which counter the original goals of automation.

Its important to note that RPA is unlikely to fully replace underlying business systems or existing jobs. Instead, automation allows organisations to concentrate employees time and capabilities towards higher value-added and more investigative tasks.

The role of the regulators

Regulators are increasingly showing measured but encouraging approval for automated solutions, recognising the potential improvements that recent innovation can bring to compliance processes. Regulators themselves are implementing RPA to bolster compliance via enhanced monitoring and analysis of potentially suspicious transactions. Despite this affirmation, ambiguity and distrust over the utility of IA and RPA persist, potentially illuminating a need for industry-wide updates and clarification as these technologies continue to emerge.

The lasting importance of the role AML departments play within financial institutions to protect risk and reputational damage cannot be understated. Given Bank of England Governor Andrew Baileys 2020 endorsement of innovation in the financial sector, robotic technologies like RPA and intelligent automation (IA) may represent a powerful solution to modern AML legislation and the cost of AML compliance.

The UKs Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) also noted the importance of automation in a 2019 speech by its Executive Director of Strategy and Competition, Christopher Woolard, entitled The Future of Regulation. Mr Woolard recognised that innovation had gathered pace in the regulatory sphere, underlined that automation had the capacity to bridge the gap between customers and providers, and said that it was, therefore, of utmost importance for regulators to adapt to the times, including by digitising many of their analogue processes.

Future-oriented solutions

Adopting automated technologies like RPA and IA to combat crime has the potential to generate exponential value for financial institutions. The benefits of reduced time spent on manual repetitive tasks, enhanced efficiency and accuracy of data processing, and automatic monitoring of suspicious activity, demonstrate how automated solutions can help financial institutions tackle financial crime more effectively in a properly regulated environment. With clear-cut, coherent regulatory guidelines, as well as appropriate internal culture and governance within financial institutions, RPA and IA can lead to a more efficient industry altogether.

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Streamlining AML with Automated Solutions - International Banker

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