June 9, 2022

Asda Stores Ltd Selects TrueCommerce to Manage its Business Transformation Initiative as It Separates from Walmart

COVENTRY, United Kingdom, June 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TrueCommerce, a leading global cloud provider of supply chain and trading partner connectivity, integration and omnichannel solutions, announced today that Asda is now using TrueCommerce’s EDI-based supplier enablement solution to manage supplier communications.

As the third-largest supermarket chain in the UK, Asda operates over 600 retail stores. The brand also offers their products online via Asda.com, which serves 98% of UK homes. To do so, Asda is supported by 37 distribution and fulfilment centres and thousands of suppliers.

In February 2021, Asda was sold by Walmart to the Issa Brothers and TDR Capital. That sale led the company to choose a new EDI provider that would support its future as a standalone business: TrueCommerce.

“TrueCommerce was part of a comprehensive RFP process and was selected on the basis of four key factors: its ability to understand and meet the Asda capability requirements, its confidence in adhering to programme timelines, its deep knowledge and expertise, and its overall commercial competitiveness,” said Jenny Hopkins, Senior Director at Asda.

As part of the agreement, TrueCommerce will implement a supplier enablement platform catering to the needs of the over 2,000 suppliers that make up Asda’s entire supplier community, with integration into the business’s SAP ERP system. As an SAP Silver Partner, TrueCommerce’s solution offers the highest level of integration and automation with the SAP system.

The solution offered by TrueCommerce features key capabilities that will enable thousands of Asda suppliers, regardless of their size or technical maturity, to easily communicate with the retailer. In addition to supporting EDI transactions, the supplier enablement platform also includes a web-EDI portal for use by non-EDI capable vendors. TrueCommerce’s platform also includes fully managed supplier onboarding and communications management for EDI-related supplier queries.

TrueCommerce’s expertise in the market and experience in managing complex supply chain communications for enterprise-grade businesses will enable a seamless transition for Asda and its supplier community. It will encourage higher rates of adoption that will, in turn, underpin the company’s ongoing supplier communication efforts.

Jenny highlighted that, “By partnering with TrueCommerce, Asda will offer a strong, stable, fully reliable and excellently managed EDI programme to our highly valued Asda suppliers, no matter how big or small they are!”

David Grosvenor, Managing Director, TrueCommerce Europe said, “I’d like to thank Jenny and the team at Asda for their cooperation in this process. Our teams at TrueCommerce are delighted to begin working with Asda and help further strengthen their business in the UK retail landscape.”

About Asda Stores Ltd

Founded in the 1960s in Yorkshire, Asda is Britain’s third largest supermarket. Dedicated colleagues serve customers from its network of stores and online services, including supercentres, superstores, supermarkets, living stores, petrol filling stations and depots across the UK. Asda was acquired by Issa TDR from Walmart in 2020.

About TrueCommerce

TrueCommerce is the most complete way to connect your business across the supply chain, integrating everything from EDI to inventory management, to fulfilment, to digital storefronts and marketplaces. We’ve revolutionised supply chain visibility and collaboration by helping organisations make the most of their omnichannel initiatives via business P2P connectivity, order management, collaborative replenishment, intelligent fulfillment, cross-functional analytics, and product information management.

The TrueCommerce Global Commerce Network can connect businesses to over 160,000 retailers, distributors, and logistics service providers. As a fully managed services provider, we also manage new trading partner onboarding, as well as the ongoing management of partner-specific mapping, labeling changes, and communications monitoring. That’s why thousands of companies—ranging from startups to the global Fortune 100, across various industries—rely on us.

TrueCommerce: Do business in every direction

For more information, visit TrueCommerce.

Media Contact
Yegor Kuznetsov, TrueCommerce
703-209-0167
yegor.kuznetsov@truecommerce.com

June 9, 2022

Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre Becomes First Site in Africa to Deploy Varian’s Ethos Therapy System for Adaptive Cancer Treatment

Innovative system from Varian incorporates artificial intelligence for the efficient delivery of personalized treatments that adapt to changes in the patient’s anatomy

DUBAI, UAE, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Advancing the treatment for cancer patients in Morocco, Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre has acquired and installed the Ethos™ therapy system – the first of its kind in Africa – from Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company. Ethos therapy, which is uniquely powered by artificial intelligence (AI), provides cancer patients with a personalized, adaptive radiotherapy treatment within a typical 15 to 30-minute time slot.

The Clinique d'Oncologie 16 Novembre clinical team with their new Ethos™ therapy system.

Adaptive therapy customizes the patient’s treatment based on tumor and anatomical changes that occur over a multi-week course of treatment. The goal is to better target the tumor, reduce doses to healthy tissue, and improve overall outcomes.

“We are proud to be the first cancer center in Africa to offer Ethos therapy treatment,” said Dr. Mounir Bachouchi, medical oncologist and CEO at Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre. “Adaptive therapy has so many benefits for both the patient and the clinician, and Varian’s Ethos system is at the leading edge of this technology, enabling our clinical team to adapt every treatment to changes in a patient’s anatomy from day to day, potentially improving overall outcomes.”

“Every patient deserves access to the best and most personalized cancer care,” said José-Manuel Valentim, Director of Africa operations at Varian. “Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre is a very forward-thinking cancer center focused on offering state-of-the-art cancer care with the most advanced technologies available.”

By providing an up-to-date view of the patient’s anatomy—and the ability to use that information to adapt the treatment— Ethos therapy provides clinicians the confidence to make more informed treatment decisions. The solution is built on Varian’s latest treatment delivery technology and provides fast imaging and treatment delivery without compromising quality.

“Adaptive therapy is the future of personalized radiation therapy, and we are excited that this center is taking on a leadership role by offering Ethos to the cancer patients of Morocco,” added Valentim. “This is a transformational moment for cancer care in Northern Africa.”

About Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre

The Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre was established in Rabat, Morocco to offer integrated and comprehensive multidisciplinary care for cancer patients, ranging from screening to the most innovative treatments, with full patient support and accompanying care. It offers personalized care, emphasizing a human approach to oncology, where close relations between patients and the medical professionals are an essential component of care.

About Varian

At Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company, we envision a world without fear of cancer. For more than 70 years, we have developed, built, and delivered innovative cancer care technologies and solutions for our clinical partners around the globe to help them treat millions of patients each year. With an Intelligent Cancer Care approach, we are harnessing advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to enhance cancer treatment and expand access to care. Our 11,000 employees across 70 locations keep the patient and our clinical partners at the center of our thinking as we power new victories in cancer care. Because, for cancer patients everywhere, their fight is our fight. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow @VarianMedSys on Twitter.

Press Contact

Meryl Ginsberg
Corporate Communications
publicrelations@varian.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835830/The_Clinique_d_Oncologie_16_Novembre_clinical_team_with_Varian_Ethos_therapy_system.jpg

June 9, 2022

International NASH Day Highlights a Common – But Unfamiliar – Liver Disease

Global Liver Institute Convenes Communities Around the Globe Today to Reverse the Growing Trend of Fatty Liver Disease

Washington, D.C., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Liver Institute (GLI) calls attention to NASH by leading the 5th annual International NASH Day on June 9. The number of people with this advanced liver disease is expected to double by 2030, but #NASHday aims to prevent this growth. Join the movement to #StopNASHNow by listening in as 24 expert panelists from around the globe share the latest updates about the disease or adding to the conversation on social media (#NASHday). The movement permeates the globe through many locally-organized events to educate about, screen for, and prevent NASH.

NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) is a serious, progressive condition in which too much fat accumulates on the liver, leading to its inflammation and injury. It is the severe form of NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). Modern lifestyle and dietary patterns have contributed to increased prevalence of NASH and NAFLD around the world, and it is becoming the most common cause of liver disease. Given its widespread impact and the possibility of prevention in most cases of this disease, NASH emerges as a global health priority.

“With over a hundred million people worldwide already who have NASH and several times more in the earlier stages, people have reason to know about this progressive condition and what they can do today to combat it,” shared Donna R. Cryer, president and CEO of GLI. “Collective action is imperative to be certain that individuals in each community, no matter their background or environment, are informed and equipped to prevent fatty liver disease. The momentum that we build together today must advance and sustain the global fight against NASH.”

If you didn’t know, then now you know! Even though NASH is common, it remains relatively unknown, leaving much work to be done to increase public awareness. This year, GLI and its partners join with the theme to #StopNASHNow: Even as therapies for NASH are being developed, there are many steps that people and their doctors can take today to prevent, reverse, or slow the progression of fatty liver disease. For the 25% of adults already affected worldwide, it is due time for this life-changing knowledge.

An estimated 1 in 4 adults around the world already has NAFLD.
As many as 1 in 20 people has NASH.
The prevalence of NAFLD is increasing among all global regions and among all ethnicities in parallel with diabetes and obesity.
NASH can progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer – which may necessitate a liver transplant.

“International NASH Day demonstrates the potential that is realized as all stakeholders in NASH come together worldwide,” said Jeff McIntyre, NASH Programs Director at GLI. “From in-person screenings in at-risk communities to educational materials in 16 languages to challenging conversations with researchers, providers, and patients – today the world joins to create meaningful solutions for patients at every stage of NAFLD and NASH.”

International NASH Day has garnered the endorsement of prominent organizations from around the globe: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD); Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH); Asociación Latinoamericana para el Estudio del Hígado (ALEH); Associazione Italiana Studio del Fegato (AISF); Asociación Mexicana de Hepatología (AMH); Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL); Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL); Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA); European African Treatment Advocates Network (EATAN); European Fatty Liver Conference (EFLC); European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN); EU Patient-Centric Clinical Trial Platforms (EU-PEARL); Fondazione Epatocentro Ticino; Hepatology Society, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Hepatology Society of the Philippines (HSP); Indian National Association for the Study of the Liver (INASL); North American Society For Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (NASPGHAN); Sociedad Argentina de Hepatologia (SAHE);Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL); United European Gastroenterology (UEG); World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO); and World Patients Alliance (WPA).

Get Involved

To view the expert panels throughout the day today, visit https://hopin.com/events/5th-annual-international-nash-day/registration. Panels are available in English, French, Hindi, Mandarin, and Spanish throughout the day.

For additional information on International NASH Day, visit www.international-nash-day.com.

Support the NASH Day social media campaign using hashtags #NASHday #StopNASHNow. Please direct any additional questions to NASHDay@globalliver.org.

International NASH Day and its logo are registered trademarks of Global Liver Institute.

About Global Liver Institute

Global Liver Institute (GLI) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in the belief that liver health must take its place on the global public health agenda commensurate with the prevalence and impact of liver illness. GLI promotes innovation, encourages collaboration, and supports the scaling of optimal approaches to help eradicate liver diseases. Operating globally, GLI is committed to solving the problems that matter to liver patients and equipping advocates to improve the lives of individuals and families impacted by liver disease. Follow GLI on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. GLI is the global host of International NASH Day.

Global Liver Institute
nashday@globalliver.org

June 9, 2022

More than 1,000 monkeypox cases reported to WHO

GENEVA, There have been more than 1,000 monkeypox cases reported to the World Health Organization in the current outbreak outside the countries in Africa where it more commonly spreads.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the risk of monkeypox becoming established in these non-endemic countries was real, but preventable at this point.

Twenty-nine countries have reported cases in the current outbreak, which began in May. None have reported deaths.

At a media briefing in Geneva, Tedros also said there had been more than 1,400 suspected cases of monkeypox this year in Africa and 66 deaths.

“It’s an unfortunate reflection of the world we live in that the international community is only now paying attention to monkeypox because it has appeared in high-income countries,” he said.

He said the outbreak was showing signs of community transmission in some countries. WHO recommends people with monkeypox isolate at home.

Cases are still predominantly among men who have sex with men, the WHO said, although cases in women have been reported.

The UN agency is working with organizations including UN AIDS and community groups to raise awareness and stop transmission.

Post-exposure vaccination, including for health workers or close contacts, including sexual partners – ideally within four days of exposure – may be considered for some countries, WHO added. The vaccines being used are designed against smallpox, a related, more dangerous virus that the world eradicated in 1980, but also work to protect against monkeypox, studies have shown.

WHO senior official Sylvie Briand said the agency is assessing the potency of vaccines stockpiled against smallpox and contacting manufacturers and countries who have previously pledged vaccines.

Source: Nam News Network

June 9, 2022

South Africa’s President Sidesteps Money-Hiding Allegations in Parliament Speech

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed parliament Thursday for the first time since a former spy boss last week accused him of hiding millions of dollars in his farmhouse.

Former director-general of State Security Arthur Fraser submitted an affidavit to police last week accusing the president of hiding large sums of cash.

Fraser said that on Feb. 9, 2020, a domestic worker and five accomplices stole at least $4 million that was stuffed in the furniture of Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm. Fraser further alleged the president did not report the crime to police but instead asked the head of the Presidential Protection Unit, Major General Wally Rhoode, to deal with the matter.

Rhoode allegedly put a team together that tracked down the burglars. Fraser said when found, each of the men was paid the equivalent of $9,700 to be silent about the stolen millions.

Ramaphosa has denied any criminal activity but admits money was stolen from his farm. The money, he said, was from the sale of wild game.

His budget vote speech in parliament Thursday started an hour late because members of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters objected, saying they refused to be addressed by “a money launderer and a criminal.”

Eventually, the president made it to the podium, where he told parliament the country faces many challenges and that lawmakers cannot “become distracted from the task that is at hand.”

Analyst Professor of Political Science at the University of Johannesburg, Mcebisi Ndletyana, said there are many questions that need to be answered, not least of all whether Ramaphosa paid tax on the money.

“The president has said it’s from the sale of animals, which is possibly true because that is a game farm, and these animals are quite expensive. It would appear very exotic,” Ndletyana said. “And so, to some degree there’s some comfort that the money is possibly not stolen. It’s highly unlikely that he stole it somewhere. But he still has to explain why the money was not banked, why it was at his house, whether it was declared or not.”

He said Fraser is no friend of Ramaphosa and has been implicated in the investigation into alleged corruption under former president Jacob Zuma.

“And so, he does have an ax to grind, and he may possibly be arrested and the report — this is going to be on the national intelligence — is coming out very soon, so he’s not going to look nice in that report. So, he’s an angry man,” Ndletyana said.

The claims against Ramaphosa are being investigated.

Source: voice of America

June 9, 2022

Ukraine War Threatens Pre-Pandemic Recovery of Global Foreign Direct Investment

U.N. economists are warning that the war in Ukraine threatens to upend last year’s recovery of foreign direct investment to pre-pandemic levels and send global investment flows spiraling downward in 2022. UNCTAD, the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development, has just launched its World Investment Report 2022.

Multiple global crises have seriously dimmed prospects for sustaining last year’s strong recovery, which saw global FDI, or foreign direct investment, reach nearly $1.6 trillion. That is an increase of almost 70% from the exceptionally low levels during the 2020 pandemic year.

UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan says climate change, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have dramatically changed the global environment for international business in the last three months.

She says multinational corporate investors are facing a year of uncertainties.

“Global value chains are greatly disrupted, consumers are worried, and interest rates are rising. Fears of a recession are high, and rising investor uncertainty will put significant downward pressures on global foreign direct investment in 2022,” she said.

The report notes last year’s recovery benefited all regions of the world. However, developed economies fared much better than those in the developing world. It says FDI flows rose 134% in developed countries, reaching $746 billion, more than double the 2020 level.

Grynspan says multinational companies raked in record profits, mainly from booming merger and acquisition transactions.

“Overall, FDI flows to developing economies grew much more slowly than those to developed regions, but still increased by 30%. The increase was mainly the result of strong growth performance in Asia, a partial recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean, and an uptick in Africa,” she said.

The United States, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Canada head the list of top 10 economies for FDI inflows in 2021.

UNCTAD economists say the growth momentum generated in 2021 cannot be sustained. They say global FDI flows this year likely will move on a downward trajectory or remain flat.

They warn FDI flows to developing countries in 2022 are expected to be strongly affected by the war in Ukraine. They say the fiscal space in many countries will be significantly reduced. They add governments, especially in oil-and food-importing developing economies, will have fewer resources to spend on so-called greenfield or new projects.

Source: voice of America