Category Archives: Cf

Finally recording a new episode of Onto Waveland (its the podcast I do with Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney) after months of being locked out (not literally, but, well, effectively), and then a week of trying to coordinate schedules of people in three different time zones covering different aspects of the sport exploding back into life. Itll be good to get back on the mic. If you want to check it out, our regular schedule will resume soon twice a week and you can find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Jason Heyward is willing to move to center field to accommodate Seiya Suzuki, who is believed to be best deployed in right field:

I think thats a fine and admirable offer sincere, too but there are a couple things to keep in mind. For one, Heyward would have to get back to actually hitting righties well in order to justify even thinking about keeping him semi-regularly in the lineup against righties in center field (where you could otherwise deploy, for example, Rafael Ortega, who destroyed righties last year). For another thing, Heyward hasnt played any center field since 2019, and he rated out a little below average. If he could still be a little below average out there, that would probably be fine from a defensive perspective (Ortega and Ian Happ, as other options against righties, wouldnt necessarily be better defensively), but I dont know after three more years of aging.

That is all to say: good to know that Heyward might be a part-time option in center field for the Cubs, but it should be considered far from a sure thing that, even if Suzuki is the regular right fielder, Heyward is the best option against righties in center field. (And against lefties, you DEFINITELY wouldnt want Heyward in there, both because he hasnt hit lefties in years and years, but also because thats where Id like to see Michael Hermosillo getting every start, if he makes the team.)

Cubs reliever David Robertson, one of MANY new additions this week, on signing with the Cubs (Cubs.com): Its a good fit for me. Its a strong team. Its a great city. Ive lived in Chicago before. I just thought that I could mix in here and probably pick up some late innings in the back end of this pen. They were very convincing.

To that point, Robertson is one of many theoretical back-end options for the Cubs in the early part of the season. I tend to think David Ross is not going to NAME A CLOSER to open the season, but instead there will be a couple guys who might get the 9th depending on how the game has shaken loose, with a particular deference to one guy or the other. Robertson obviously has closing experience, albeit pre-injury and a bit in the past. Mychal Givens has done some closing over the last few years. Rowan Wick has closer stuff. I think Manny Rodriguez, if he makes the big league team, will work in earlier innings. Chris Martin is more of a middle/setup type. Keegan Thompson, I would argue, could have the stuff to be dominant in a one-inning role, but he might be even more valuable to the Cubs in a multi-inning role. This is just gonna have to shake loose over time.

Speaking of which, FanGraphs looked at a trio of Cubs recent relief signings Robertson, Givens, and Daniel Norris and I think appropriately sums up the hey, they could be good or maybe not but lets find out nature of not only these signings, but the entire 2022 Cubs enterprise. Among their comments:

Will his control rebound enough to put together another solid season? I have no idea, and the Cubs probably dont either. But he might be great, and hell certainly be serviceable, and if things work out well he might fetch a prospect at the trade deadline.

Robertson is even more of an enigma. After a long string of effective years of relief, things have fallen apart for him recently. He blew his elbow out in 2019, missed all of 2020 rehabbing, and only got a major league job after pitching well for Team USA at the Olympics. He struck out 32% of his opponents in a brief stint in Tampa Bay, threw four scoreless innings in the postseason, and hit free agency.

Robertson lives or dies with his cutter, which he throws 75% of the time. He complements it with a two-plane curveball that hitters simply cant pick up; the pitch sports a career 20.6% swinging strike rate, which is downright outrageous. At 36, hes one elbow injury or velocity decline away from looking quite ordinary but he looked excellent last year, and the money is certainly right from Chicagos side to take a chance on him and see what they find.

Givens walked 12.5% of his opponents between stops in Colorado and Cincinnati last year, and looks far removed from his peak years in Baltimore. But stop me if youve heard this before he still throws hard, and his fastball/slider/changeup pitch mix gives him the tools to attack lefties and righties, and he misses a ton of bats when hes right. Will he be good this year? I have absolutely no idea. But if the alternative was some non-roster invitees and career minor leaguers, I like the idea of trying to catch lightning in a bottle with three pitchers who have shown they can put up good numbers at the major league level.

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Scott Effross throws wiffleballs out there, with his sinker and his slider pairing together perfectly, each breaking hard in opposite directions. Heres the slider from yesterday:

Trevor Bauers administrative leave has been extended through April 16. I understand there is an investigation ongoing by MLB, but at some point the league has to stop punting and just issue its decision/punishment. Whenever that does happen, it seems pretty likely it will be retroactive (i.e., Bauer will have already served his suspension from last July through whenever), and then the clock will immediately start ticking on what the Dodgers decide to do.

In other words, Rick Hahn made it pretty plain last fall that the White Sox were going to trade Craig Kimbrel, but then, well, things happened:

It still seems possible that a Kimbrel trade will come together over the next couple weeks, maybe especially after Kenley Jansen signs. Kimbrel, man. Dude has had ONE normal-ish Spring Training in the last four years.

A significant case about minor league pay and jobs continues to wind its way through the courts in California (appeals will be forthcoming), and there could also be legislation in the state that aims to blow up the whole developmental system:

It seems highly likely to me that, if that bill were actually made law in California, MLB organizations would pull their minor league teams out of the state rather than risk losing their minor league players after just four years (compared to every other org, which would get upwards of seven years). Still, this is definitely worth tracking now.

This is a pretty interesting random data pull:

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Heyward Willing to Play CF, Who Closes for the Cubs, Bauer, Minors Lawsuit, and Other Cubs Bullets - bleachernation.com

Atlanta United had perhaps a little too much trouble getting past a pointless Charlotte FC last week but it has another chance of prolonging a winless run in Week 4 when CF Montreal visits the Benz. The Canadian side has three losses from three in regular-season play, though it did make it to the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals. Its the type of game Atlanta should win, but as we saw a week ago, the Five Stripes are prone to inconsistency.

After missing out on the playoffs in 2021 by two points, Montreal avenged itself with a Canadian Championship trophy in Wilfried Nancys debut campaign. The Quebec side brought back almost all of last seasons core and added Nashville defender Alistair Johnston in the offseason. Though things haven't gone to plan in domestic play, Montreal has started the season with one of the toughest schedules in the league to go along with CCL action. Montreal fell to road losses to Orlando and NYCFC, with a home defeat to Philadelphia sandwiched in between. Its CCL journey has fared much better, as Nancys side knocked out Liga MX side Santos Laguna 3-1 on aggregate before a quarterfinal matchup with Cruz Azul.

Now that its international commitments are put aside, Montreal will put its full focus on MLS just in time for Atlanta. Romell Quioto and Djordje Mihailovic are the main danger men and combined for 12 goals and 18 assists last season. They already have a combined two goals and three assists so far, albeit the majority of which came in CCL. Montreals real problems come in defense, as its been outscored 10-2 across its first three MLS games. Atlanta showed it has no problems creating chances against Charlotte, but the Five Stripes finishing needs some work and Montreal is the perfect opportunity for the good guys to find its scoring boots.

Atlantas 2-1 win over Charlotte was the result we all predicted/expected but didnt quite come in the desired fashion. The Five Stripes needed a last-gasp Jake Mulraney winner to take the three points after a less-than-inspiring performance. Despite similar records, Montreal will mount a much tougher test than Charlotte and Atlanta will have to take it up a gear to make it three home wins from three.

Previous Results

Atlanta has a 5W-2T-2L advantage in the all-time record against Montreal and split last seasons three meetings evenly.

Predicted Starting XIs

Prediction: Atlanta United 3-1 CF Montreal

Josef Martinez will follow up his opening goal of 2021 with a brace against Montreal from a pair of Marcelino Moreno assists before Thiago Almada comes off the bench to seal the victory. Montreal will make things interesting with a Quioto strike but it wont be enough to keep Atlanta from closing the curtains on March with a W.

Continued here:

Atlanta United vs CF Montreal: Match Preview - Dirty South Soccer

In February 2022, Color Star's subsidiary, Color Sky Entertainment Limited, and Villarreal CF, which is known as the "Yellow Submarine", formally reached a partnership agreement to begin their footballing journey together. In this Champions League Round of 16 match, Villarreal CF won the match with superb tactical acumen and footballing ability.

Color Star's CEO, Lucas Capetian announced: "We've stuck together like a family since the first day of our partnership and I'd like to congratulate Yellow Submarine for their great success. I am really proud of the team and extend them my best wishes for the rest of Championship. We anticipate further strengthening our partnership and to even greater achievements in the future."

About Color Star Technology

Color Star Technology Co, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CSCW) is an entertainment and education company that provides online entertainment performances and online music education services. Its business operations are conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Color China Entertainment Ltd. and CACM Group NY, Inc. The Company's online education is provided through its Color World music and entertainment education platform. More information about the Company can be found at http://www.colorstarinternational.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate" or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantee of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, including the development of the metaverse project; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the growth of the educational and training services market internationally where CSCW conducts its business; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at http://www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forwardlooking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof unless required by applicable laws, regulations or rules.

SOURCE Color Star Technology Co., Ltd.

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As Villarreal CF Reaches Champions League Quarter Finals, Color Star Technology Invites the World to Witness Footballing Glory - PR Newswire

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Two offseasons ago, the Mets changed their conditioning recommendations, urging players to complete their cardiovascular work before hitting the weight room. It was a minor tweak based upon the science of injury prevention, but Brandon Nimmo found it productive for another reason.

It was harder, Nimmo said.

At least partially because of that program, Nimmo came into Spring Training in 2021 feeling faster than ever before. And it wasnt just a feeling. By seasons end, Nimmos Statcast data revealed that he had increased his average sprint speed to 28.9 feet per second, the highest mark of his career and up significantly from his 28.0 feet per second in 2020. With that as a pedestal, Nimmo also improved from -4 Outs Above Average in center field in 2020 to +4 OAA in 2021.

Thanks to that speed, Nimmo was able to play deeper in center field, preventing more balls from going over his head without sacrificing those in front of him. He even became a frequent source of highlights, often diving straight forward to catch line drives.

Im really proud of it, Nimmo said, and want to continue that as long as possible.

Soon, Nimmo will find out if the Mets intend to let him. The team has a choice this spring between Nimmo and new acquisition Starling Marte, a two-time Gold Glover in left field who has played almost exclusively center since 2018. Before last season, Marte probably would have been the obvious choice for the job, given his elite sprint speed and defensive history. But he is 33 years old -- 4 1/2 years older than Nimmo -- and his metrics in center last year simply werent as strong.

As of Thursday, Mets manager Buck Showalter had not yet crowned either player as his everyday center fielder, in part because Showalter values competition in camp. To date, Nimmo has worked almost exclusively in center, but thats with Marte battling a minor bout of left oblique soreness. (He should be fine for Opening Day.)

The reality is that Showalter wants Nimmo, Marte and starting right fielder Mark Canha to all take practice reps in center in case any of them must play there during the regular season.

Theyve all three been receptive to whats best for the team, Showalter said. So thats a really good start.

No matter what alignment the Mets use, they should have a far stronger outfield than in years past, when they routinely ranked near the bottom of the league in Defensive Runs Saved. Offensively, all three starters are also proven hitters, with Nimmo coming off another strong -- albeit injury-plagued -- season, and Marte offering the type of baserunning aggressiveness that the Mets havent had since Jos Reyes heyday.

For Nimmo, there is a personal element in all of this, too: he can become a free agent after the season, and free-agent center fielders tend to earn more money than corner outfielders with similar offensive profiles. If Nimmo can prove that last years defensive performance was no fluke, he could theoretically make himself more valuable on the market.

I take a lot of pride in the work that I do and how I go out there and play and prepare, Nimmo said. So it would be great to play center field. But I think competition is a good thing, too. All I know is that I am getting a lot of reps in center field, so Im being prepared out there.

More here:

Nimmo's faster than ever. But will that make him the CF starter? - MLB.com

OTTAWA -- A senior Canadian general in charge of protecting North American airspace says Russia has the capability to strike this continent, bolstering the need for improved defensive systems.

Russia has spent years investing in its military, including when it comes to things like cruise missiles and developing a variety of non-nuclear weapons, among other defence measures.

Protecting North America from the threat of a cruise-missile attack is the job of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, better known by the acronym Norad.

Maj.-Gen. Eric Kenny, commander of the Canadian Norad region, says Russia has the capabilities, if it so desires, to strike within North America through different means, although he doesn't expect imminent attack.

Kenny made the comments in an interview from Yellowknife as Norad conducted a previously planned exercise that included Canadian CF-18 fighter jets.

Kenny says the exercise aims to give new and veteran members of the Forces a feel for operating in the North, and ideally to give Norad a leg up on adversaries.

But the reality is, we can only do so much with the force that we have, Kenny said. So we make very conscious and deliberate decisions on what that means within the Norad context.

Successive Canadian and American governments have vowed to modernize systems as part of a sweeping update to Norad, which was first created during the Cold War to protect against a Soviet attack.

The federal Liberals set aside an initial $163 million for the effort last year.

The Defence Department's forward-looking plan for the fiscal year that begins in April noted that a number of the modernizing initiatives have yet to be fully defined and funded. The report specifically mentioned the North Warning System, a string of radars built in the Canadian Arctic in the 1980s.

Kenny said officials are looking closely at needed infrastructure, ensuring it is the right size and at the right location, and noted the planned replacement of the aging CF-18s.

He also expects an announcement in the next year on the long-delayed procurement, with delivery of new planes by the middle is this decade.

The government's main spending estimates released earlier this month listed a $25.9 billion budget for the Department of National Defence, slightly above the $25.7 billion authorized for the department so far this fiscal year. Within next year's allotment was almost $4.8 billion for procurement.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has hinted that more money may be coming for the military in her upcoming budget as Canada sees many of its allies boosting their defence spending.

Among NATO allies, the goal is to make defence spending equal to two per cent of the size of domestic economies. The latest figures from the alliance put Canada's defence spending at 1.39 per cent of the country's gross domestic product in 2021.

Defence Minister Anita Anand has been meeting with her NATO counterparts this week in Brussels, including a one-on-one Thursday with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, as the military alliance debates next steps in Ukraine.

The discussions I had while at NATO reinforce the shared commitment of allies and partners to supporting Ukraine and the need to adapt the alliance's deterrence and defence posture, Anand said in a statement.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to join other NATO leaders at a special summit next week.

Some of the military members taking part in the Norad exercise in the North were part of Canadian efforts to train Ukrainian security forces before Russia invaded three weeks ago.

Kenny said the fighting in Ukraine is striking a personal chord with them. He said Canadian soldiers are proud of the training they provided, and seeing the results of some of that training now, but are equally disturbed by the impact on Ukrainians.

The world is not safe as some may think it is, Kenny said.

When certain actors, in particular peer states, decide to commit military forces, you have what you have at that moment.

The federal government on Thursday looked to tighten the financial screws on allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said the government is slapping economic sanctions on 22 senior defence officials in Belarus who supported Putin's action, including by allowing Belarus to be used as a launch pad for the Russian invasion.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2022.

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Russian invasion of Ukraine shows need to protect Canada's North: Norad - CTV News

New research indicated that the target body mass index (BMI) of a patient with cystic fibrosis (CF) should be reconsidered. While the prevalence of overweight and obesity among patients with cystic fibrosis has been on the rise, its unclear whether theres any benefit associated with increasing weight compared with the normal reference range.

According to the results of a new study, patients with cystic fibrosis who had a normal weight compared with those who were overweight or obese were associated with a higher forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration. Also, those at a normal weight were at higher odds for cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) and pancreatic insufficiency (PI).

The team of investigators, led by Rita Nagy, MD, Institute for Translational Medicine, Szentagothai Centre, Medical School University of Pecs, called for more studies with long-term follow-up to assess the possible adverse effects of higher BMI or higher fat mass in patients with cystic fibrosis.

In the study, the investigators noted that the fatal inherited disease is caused by recessive genetic variants in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene affecting 1 in 3300 White newborns. This disease affects multiple organs including the lungs, gastrointestinal system, and reproductive system.

Airway infections, chronic inflammation, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and complications like CF-related diabetes and CF-related liver disease, are frequent which results in poor quality of life for these individuals.

The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, the European Cystic Fibrosis Society, along with a number of other official organizations recognize the adult and pediatric dietary guideline that focuses on nutritional failure with no recommendation on the management of individuals who are overweight or obese.

In the past 2 decades, overweight and obesity among adults with cystic fibrosis is experienced in 31.4% of individuals in this population, which has more than doubled. However, investigators pointed out that the currently recommended high-fat and high-carbohydrate diet in those with CF could have various effects on the body and even clinical outcomes.

To fulfill the knowledge gap, investigators explained, we aimed to evaluate the differences in clinically significant outcomes, such as lung function, PI, and CFRD, in patients with CF having altered BMI and/or body composition by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.

Investigators aimed to evaluate the association of altered BMI or body composition and clinical outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis. A couple of authors extracted data and had it validated by a third author.

The systematic review and meta-analysis search of 3 databases was conducted in November 2020: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Patients above the age of 2 years who were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and altered body composition or BMI were compared with patients who had the measured parameters within the reference ranges.

The main outcomes were pulmonary function, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and CF-related diabetes. The odds ratios or weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated and the hypothesis was formulated before data collection.

Only 61 records of the 10,524 that were identified, met the criteria and were included in the analysis. From there, 17 studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. The systematic review and meta-analysis included 9114 patients.

Those who were overweight or obese were associated with higher forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration compared with those at a normal weight. High heterogeneity was shown in the analysis of pulmonary function.

The results show that nutritional status does have an impact on maintaining organ function in patients with cystic fibrosis. According to investigators, a nutritional strategy that increases the BMI closer to the upper limit of the normal BMI is reached should be included in daily protocol.

Further research examining long-term follow-up of higher BMI, body composition, and high-fat diet, is necessary to focus any possible harmful effects of these higher levels. According to investigators, the research suggests that careful evaluation of body composition is needed to be incorporated into everyday clinical practice.

Our findings suggest that nutritional status plays an important role in maintaining organ function in patients with CF, investigators wrote. Because we noted that a higher BMI is associated with better clinical parameters, we advise clinicians to reconsider increasing the currently recommended target BMI (22 for women and 23 for men).

Excerpt from:

Target BMI Among Patients with Cystic Fibrosis to be Reconsidered According to New Study - MD Magazine

TEMPE, Ariz. -- A day after Angels manager Joe Maddon said that superstar Mike Trout could move from center field to a corner outfield spot in an effort to keep him healthy this season, Trout said Monday that he prefers to play center field and Maddon later confirmed that Trout wont be moving positions this year.

Trout, 30, said he was surprised by Maddons comments on Sunday and that he found out about the potential position change via Twitter. But Trout, who was limited to just 36 games last year because of a strained right calf suffered in mid-May, said he had a good conversation with general manager Perry Minasian and Maddon early Monday. Trout, a three-time AL MVP and nine-time All-Star, has exclusively played center since 2014.

He feels really good and feels really strong, Maddon said. He feels like he's in great shape. He's lost weight. Everything is in order so he can play center field. During the lockout, we werent permitted to talk to people and I didn't get to talk to him about it yesterday. But the conclusion was always going to be to see how Mike feels, and he feels really good.

Trout said he understood the rationale to try to keep him healthy this year but said hes just not quite ready to make that move away from center field.

I hadnt really thought about it until it popped up, Trout said. I obviously love center field. Ive got nine years left [on my contract] so I could see it down the road, moving to a corner. Corner outfield is less on your body. Theyre trying to keep me out there for 162 games. But I want to play center field and we had a great conversation about it.

The Angels considered starting Brandon Marsh in center but ultimately decided to keep Trout there after he indicated thats where hed like to play and hes in good health. Notably, Marsh also has to earn his spot on the roster this spring and there remains the possibility Marsh could be traded for pitching.

Trout also explained why he prefers center field over a corner outfield spot, believing its his natural position. Trout, who has never won a Gold Glove despite a strong reputation in center, has played 124 career games in left and 17 in right, seeing some time in the corner outfield early in his career when Peter Bourjos was on the roster.

"I feel comfortable out there and natural, Trout said. I told them basically to tell me what to work on and I'll get better at it. But the main reason is to keep my body healthy. The calf injury last year was difficult. So I'm just doing whatever I can to stay out there."

Trout said his calf strain didnt fully heal until mid-October but he was able to have a normal offseason otherwise. With the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19 and his injury-marred 2021 campaign, Trout has played in just a combined 89 games over the last two years.

Given his incredible resume, its not that Trout has much to prove, but he does want to show he can be healthy and put up another MVP-caliber season. He loved watching his teammate Shohei Ohtani win the AL MVP Award last year but lamented he hasnt played much with Ohtani or fellow star Anthony Rendon much over the past two years.

You have to look at it as a new year, Trout said. The stats and everything have been great in the past but Ive got something to prove this year. I come in every year and try to be the best player on the field at all times. Thats my mentality. The biggest thing is staying healthy and Im going to do everything I can to do that.

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Trout will remain in CF after all, says Maddon - MLB.com

There was a lot of animosity going into the Brave CF 57 co-main event rematch between Mohammad Fakhreddine and Mohamed Said Maalem, and a definitive end to the bout didnt prevent the bad blood from spilling over.

After Fakhreddine (15-4) picked up a knockout win over Maalem (11-4) on Fridays card in Bahrain, he went over the corner of his opponent and flipped the middle finger amid his celebration. That prompted one of the cornermen to scale and jump over the cage, causing all hell to break loose.

To his credit, however, referee Aaron Wallace stepped up and prevented the chaotic situation from escalating.

Wallace did his best to restrain Fakhreddine, who managed to get free and rush the cage intruder with a winging punch. Multiple people filled the cage, and Wallace pulled back multiple men and separated people until cooler heads prevailed.

Ultimately, things got civil enough for both men to meet in the center of the cage for the result announcement to be read.

Check out the madness below (via Twitter):

Mohammad Fakhreddine Mohamed Said Maalem pic.twitter.com/XuSYMEKYPN

BRAVE Combat Federation (@bravemmaf) March 11, 2022

Don't go starting post fight fights with the Vanilla Gorilla Aaron Wallace Cageside #BraveCF57 pic.twitter.com/GAq6TPP4jn

Noel O'Keeffe (@nok1980) March 11, 2022

The tension between Fakhreddine and Maalem stems from their first bout at Brave CF 52 in August. Maalem earned a first-round TKO victory at the event, but the finishing sequence included multiple strikes to the back of the head. Fakhreddine filed an appeal of the result with the Italian Federation of Grappling and Mixed Martial Arts, and the result was overturned to a no contest.

Fakhreddine got his redemption in the rematch to claim the vacant Brave CF light heavyweight title, but the scene afterward set the table for a potential trilogy down the line.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkies blog space. We dont take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Watch this referee go above and beyond to stop an all-out brawl at Brave CF 57 - MMA Junkie

Corporate Governance

Statement 2021

Columbus A/S | CVR no. 13 22 83 45

Corporate Governance in Columbus

This statutory report constitutes part of the management's report to the Annual Report 2021 for Columbus A/S, cf. section 107b of the Danish Financial Statements Act. This statutory report covers the fiscal year 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021.

Columbus is committed to follow the Danish Recommendations on Corporate Governance of 2 December 2020, issued by the Danish Committee on Corporate Gov- ernance. Accordingly, the Board of Directors continuously considers the recommendations in order to determine which are relevant for Columbus, considering the size, ownership structure, nature of the Company and the Company's business model.

Columbus A/S:

Deviations are described under "Recom- mendations on Corporate Governance" on page 5, according to the "comply or ex- plain" principle.

This report is not covered by the auditor's remarks about the management's report.

Shareholders

The shareholders have the final authority over the Company and exercise their right to make decisions at general meetings. At the Annual General Meeting, shareholders approve the Annual Report, any amendments to the Company's Articles of Association and elect Board members and state- authorized public accountant company.

The Board of Directors emphasize that the shareholders are given detailed information and an adequate basis for the decisions to be made by the General Meeting. The date for the General Meeting is announced in the Company's financial calen- dar. Notice of the General Meeting occurs electronically with at least three weeks' and at the most, five weeks' notice. All shareholders have the right to participate and vote at the General Meeting, cf. the Articles of Association. Shareholders have the opportunity to vote by proxy. Votes by proxy allow shareholders to consider each individual item on the agenda. The Board of Directors encourages shareholders to ask questions at the General Meeting, and shareholders may submit proposals that are requested to be handled at the General Meeting before a given deadline.

Resolutions to amend the Articles of Association require that at least half of the share capital is represented at the General Meeting, and the resolutions must be approved by at least 2/3 of the votes cast and 2/3 of the registered voting share cap- ital. Proposals presented or recommended by the Board of Directors may, however, always be passed with at least 2/3 of both the votes cast and the voting share capital represented, regardless of the amount of the share capital represented. If less than 50% of the share capital is represented at the General Meeting but the resolution has been passed with 2/3 of both the votes cast and the registered voting share capital represented, a new General Meeting must be called within three weeks, where the resolution may be passed with 2/3 of both the votes cast and the registered voting share capital represented, irrespective of whether 50% of the share capital is rep- resented.

Management

Columbus has a unified management structure consisting of a Board of Directors and an Executive Board. The two bodies are separate, and no one serves as members of both.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall management of the Company on behalf of the shareholders and supervises the Company and the work of the Executive Board, including ensuring adequate management of the Company in compliance with legislation and Articles of Association. Together with the Executive Board, the Board of Directors determines goals and strategies, and approves budgets and action plans.

The Board of Directors makes decisions about acquisitions, large investments and divestments, size and composition of capital base, long-term debt, controlling, auditing and considerable operational circum- stances.

The Board of Directors in Columbus A/S consists of four members: Ib Kune, Sven Madsen, Peter Skov Hansen and Karina Kirk. The board members are elected for one year at a time with the option for re- election. The number of board members is considered adequate by the Board of Di- rectors, and likewise the composition of the Board is considered appropriate in terms of professional experience and relevant special competences to perform the tasks of the Board of Directors. Two out of the four members elected by the General Meeting are independent members, and

none of the Board members participates in the day-to-day operation of the Company.

For more details about the members of the Board of Directors and the members of the Audit Committee, please see "Board of Directors and Executive Board" on page 36 in the Annual Report 2021.

The Board of Directors holds at least nine meetings a year according to a meeting schedule planned one year in advance at the Board meeting in December. Extraordinary Board meetings are held according to need. In 2021, 15 Board meetings were held. The Executive Board participates in Board meetings in order to ensure a direct dialogue and that the Board of Directors is well informed about the operation of the Company.

In 2021, the Board of Directors focused on the following areas:

The general guidelines for the Board of Di- rector's work are specified in the Rules of Procedure, which are reviewed at least once annually and are adapted to Colum- bus' needs.

Executive Board

The Board of Directors appoints the Executive Board and determines the terms of

employment. The Executive Board is responsible for the day-to-day operation and management of Columbus, including strat- egy, budgets and targets for the Company.

The Executive Board consists of two mem- bers: CEO & President Sren Krogh Knudsen and Corporate CFO Hans Henrik Thrane.

The Board of Directors has adopted Rules of Procedure for the Executive Board, which describe the overall tasks and responsibilities of the Executive Board, reporting to the Board of Directors and authorities of the Executive Board.

Information from the Executive Board occurs systematically as well as at meetings and in written and verbal ongoing report- ing. The reporting contains information about the financial development as well as profitability.

Audit Committee

The purpose of the Audit Committee is to supervise accounting, audit, risk and controlling issues. The Audit Committee consists of Peter Skov Hansen (Chairman) and Sven Madsen. One of the two members of the Audit Committee (Peter Skov Hansen) is considered an independent member.

The tasks of the Audit Committee have been determined in a Terms of Reference, which has been approved by the Board of Directors. The Terms of Reference are available on the Company's website. The

Committee determines the meeting fre- quency. In 2021, five meetings were held. In 2021, the Audit Committee focused on the following areas:

Evaluation of performance

The Chairman of the Board is responsible for conducting an annual evaluation of the competencies of the Board of Directors, the cooperation between the Board of Directors and the Executive Board and the performance and results of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board, including the areas operation, finance, strategy, organization and management.

The individual Board members and Executive Board members anonymously complete an online survey. The results of the evaluation are presented and discussed at the subsequent Board meeting.

Based on the evaluation, which was conducted in 2021, it was concluded that the work of the Board of Directors and Executive Board is efficient, and that the composition and qualifications of the Board of Directors is appropriate in terms of professional experience and relevant special competences to perform the tasks of the Board of Directors in the best possible manners.

Dialogue with shareholders and other stakeholders

Columbus endeavors to continuously enhance the open and active dialogue with

shareholders and other stakeholders. The communication between Columbus and shareholders primarily takes place via company announcements, at the Com- pany's Annual General Meeting and via conference calls after publication of financial statements. These calls can be followed directly via the Company's website, and webcasts are available at the website after the conference calls for one year. During these conference calls participants have the opportunity to ask questions to the Executive Board.

The Company's website is constantly updated with published information. Colum- bus' shareholders may subscribe to Co- lumbus' e-mail service and receive company announcements, interim management statements, interim reports and annual reports as well as other news via e- mail.

Internal controls and risk management related to financial reporting

The intention with Columbus A/S' internal control system is to eliminate or mitigate significant risks identified in the financial reporting, and that material errors and inconsistencies in the financial reporting process are identified and corrected.

Overall control environment

The Board of Directors has the overall responsibility for Columbus A/S' internal controls and has approved Group policies related to internal controls, standards and procedures for financial reporting.

The Board of Directors has appointed an Audit Committee to assist the Board of Directors with supervising the financial reporting process and monitoring the effectiveness of the internal controls and risk management system.

The responsibility for maintaining efficient internal controls and a risk management system in connection with the financial reporting lies with the Executive Board which in cooperation with the Board of Directors evaluate the control system of the Group annually. Responsibilities, authorities and procedures relating to essential areas are defined in a Group policy which is approved by the Board of Directors.

Risk assessment

The Board of Directors and the Executive Board annually assess the risks that Co- lumbus A/S is exposed to, including risks related to the financial reporting process.

On an ongoing basis, the Audit Committee monitors the effectiveness of the internal controls for financial reporting and reviews and discusses material and relevant changes to accounting principles, including implementation of these.

Control activities and monitoring

All Business Units in the Columbus Group report financial and operational data to the head office on a monthly basis. The reporting includes comments to the financial and business development. Based on this reporting the Group's financial statements are consolidated and reported to the Group management. As part of this

process, monthly business reviews and controlling meetings are held, and control visits to all operational companies in the Group are performed on an ongoing basis in order to ensure that material errors in the financial reporting are discouraged, discovered and corrected.

The need for an internal audit is considered annually by the Audit Committee. However, due to the size of the Company and the established control activities the Audit Committee so far considers it unnecessary to establish an independent internal audit function.

Information and communication Columbus A/S has implemented a formalized reporting process for monthly, quarterly and annual reporting as well as for budgeting and forecasting.

Columbus A/S's reporting manual and other reporting instructions are updated on an ongoing basis. All updates are communicated to the global finance organization. All employees have access to reporting manuals and instructions.

Whistleblower function

As part of the risk management, Columbus A/S has established a whistle blower function for expedient and confidential notification of possible or suspected wrongdoing.

So far, no cases have been reported through the whistleblower scheme.

The report concerns the financial year 1 January - 31 December 2021.

Recommendations for Corporate

Governance

Explanation

Recommendation

The company com-

The company does

Why

How

plies

not comply

1. Interaction with the company's shareholders, investors and other stakeholders

1.1. Communication with the company's shareholders, investors and other stakeholders

1.1.1. The Committee recommends that the

X

management through ongoing dialogue and inter-

action ensures that shareholders, investors and

other stakeholders gain the relevant insight into

the company's affairs, and that the board of direc-

tors obtains the possibility of hearing and including

their views in its work.

1.1.2. The Committee recommends that the

X

company adopts policies on the company's rela-

tionships with its shareholders, investors and if rel-

evant other stakeholders in order to ensure that

the various interests are included in the company's

considerations and that such policies are made

available on the company's website.

1.1.3. The Committee recommends that the

X

company publish quarterly reports

1.2. The general meeting

1.2.1. The Committee recommends that the

X

board of directors organises the company's gen-

eral meeting in a manner that allows shareholders,

who are unable to attend the meeting in person or

5

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Columbus A/S : Statutory report on Corporate Governance 2021 cf section 107b of the Danish Financial Statements Act - Marketscreener.com

Fertilizer stocks are rising higher on Thursday as investors react to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Source: Fotokostic / Shutterstock.com

Fertilizer stands out as one of the resources that could be in high demand due to the war. As such, it only makes sense that investors would jump into fertilizer stocks as a way to ride a possible increase in profit from higher prices.

Lets take a look at the fertilizer stocks that are on the rise today below!

Investors on the lookout for more recent stock market news will want to stick around!

Weve got all the latest stock market coverage that traders need to know about for Thursday! Among that is whats happening with Indonesia Energy(NYSEMKT:INDO) stock, what halted trading of Evraz(OTCMKTS:EVRZF) today, as well as analysts weighing in on the Amazon(NASDAQ:AMZN) stock split news. You can get up to speed on all of these matters by checking out the links below!

On the date of publication, William Whitedid not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.

Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2022/03/fertilizer-stocks-why-are-mos-cf-uan-and-ntr-up-today/.

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Fertilizer Stocks: Why Are MOS, CF, UAN and NTR Up Today? - InvestorPlace