March 13, 2023 – Bahrain News Gazette

March 13, 2023

PharmaLedger Association Launches Digital Trust Ecosystem in Healthcare

photo PharmaLedger video release link

original image of PharmaLedger event and link to video release

BASEL, Switzerland, March 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The PharmaLedger Association (PLA), a not-for-profit based in Switzerland, announces the endorsement of its 3-year strategic plan to implement and promote a Digital Trust Ecosystem in healthcare (DTE-H) at its Annual General Meeting held in Lucerne, Switzerland on 1 March 2023. The member organizations also confirmed the appointment of eight Directors to its board, delivering on PLA’s core value of “Ecosystem Leadership.”

Representing the diversity of healthcare, PLA’s founding members comprise of large and small pharmaceutical companies, research organizations, patient representative organizations, non-profit organizations, technology, and healthcare service providers. PLA has confirmed its mandate as a pre-competition umbrella organization delivering common and interoperable digital solutions in the areas of Product Trust, Decentralized Clinical Trials, and Supply Chain Traceability.

Products & Project: In Q1 2023, PLA will release the first qualified product, electronic Product Information for implementation by its members.
In Q2 2023, the Association will continue with the development of new products in its innovation xLab, including of a product digital twin, decentralized identities, and verifiable credentials to facilitate visibility, security, traceability, and trust in all areas of healthcare.

Governance & Compliance: PLA will leverage its capability to develop, qualify, launch, and maintain products in healthcare’s highly regulated environment by ensuring continuous adherence to antitrust, intellectual property, data privacy, and Computerized System Assurance guidelines.
Ecosystem Engagement & Growth: The association will continue to onboard new members and engage with authorities, trade associations and standards development organizations, ensuring growth and financial viability.
Platform Technology & Security: PLA will focus on easing adoption of new solutions with its members and users while maintaining the cybersecurity benefits of its architecture.

The formation of PLA and the endorsement of its mission by diverse members of healthcare is a major milestone. This paves the way for delivery of widely trusted blockchain-based platforms with new open-source healthcare solutions to create value for patients and ecosystem stakeholders. PLA is grateful to its 20 founding members and invites all healthcare related organizations to learn more and engage towards the realization of a trusted Healthcare 4.0.

“Blockchain is a team sport. PLA has started with a diverse and strong team of members with a common vision and who believe in real change. With PLA we have the right vehicle, resources, and roadmap to take patients to a better place in healthcare,” Daniel Fritz, Executive Director, PharmaLedger Association.

PLA is the result of the successful completion of the PharmaLedger research project, a €22 million, 30-member consortium with 12 large pharma companies and 18 public partners, funded under the European Union (EU) and European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA)’s Innovative Health Initiative.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0682572a-b8ac-4b5b-885b-8af008287cff

Contact – info@pharmaledger.org / www.pharmaledger.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000797758

March 13, 2023

Seoul to bid for 2036 Olympics Games without North Korea’s Pyongyang: Mayor

Seoul will pursue a bid for the 2036 Summer Games without reviving efforts to co-host an Olympics with the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon told Reuters.

Amid hopes for better relations with the nuclear-armed North, Seoul sent a proposal for co-hosting the 2032 Olympics with Pyongyang to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2021, before Brisbane was named as host city.

“I think the strategy for 2032 was doomed to failure because of unpredictable inter-Korean relations,” Oh said in an interview.

The 2032 joint bid had sought to build on the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics hosted in the South in 2018, during which athletes from both Koreas marched under a unified flag at the opening ceremony and fielded a combined women’s ice hockey team.

IOC President Thomas Bach welcomed the joint bid at the time as a “historic initiative”.

But relations have since soured again, and North Korea has tested a record number of ballistic missiles in the past year, Reuters said.

Pyongyang routinely trades threats with Seoul and its allies in Washington, where officials say North Korea may be preparing to resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time since 2017.

Oh said Seoul would remain flexible to the idea of holding a few events in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) or Pyongyang if relations improved enough by that time.

An official with the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) said it had not received formal statements of intent from either Seoul or the southern city of Busan on a 2036 bid.

It would be up to the individual cities in consultation with the national government to decide whether to jointly host with Pyongyang, the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing deliberations.

Among potential rivals for the Games, Qatar is expected to make a push to host the event following its successful staging of last year’s soccer World Cup, while India, Germany and Egypt are also reported to be considering a bid.

Mexico has also thrown its hat into the ring for the 2036 Game

Source: Bahrain News Agency (BNA)

March 13, 2023

Juve edge closer to top six after 4-2 win over Sampdoria

Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot scored in each half to help secure a 4-2 victory over bottom club Sampdoria in a thrilling game on Sunday that lifted his injury-hit side to seventh place and within sight of the last European spot.

Massimiliano Allegri’s Turin outfit now have 38 points and are four behind sixth-placed Atalanta, Reuters reports.

Juve were without several key players including midfielder Paul Pogba who has a muscle problem from training and will be sidelined until after the international break.

Angel Di Maria, Federico Chiesa and Alex Sandro were also missing with injuries they received in the 1-0 Europa League victory at home to German side SC Freiburg on Thursday.

“This morning Pogba was taking free kicks and felt a twinge in his adductor. He will have tests tomorrow but will certainly not be there on Thursday or next Sunday so we’ll see him after the break for international duty,” Allegri told DAZN.

Gleison Bremer put Juve ahead with a header after 11 minutes when he outjumped the Sampdoria defence.

Rabiot doubled the lead with another header after 26 minutes when he met Fabio Miretti’s cross from the right.

The visitors then scored twice in 72 seconds just after the half-hour when Tommaso Augello tapped in a deflected shot before Filip Djuricic sent the Allianz Stadium into a shocked silence when he took a pass from the byline and fired into the corner.

Sampdoria chased another goal but to no avail and Juve’s players went in at halftime with loud boos from the stands.

‘GAME MANAGEMENT’

“I think the team must improve in game management,” Allegri added. “We were leading 2-0, we had to close up the spaces and go on the counter-attack.

“The older defenders should have told off the younger ones and got them back into position. These are situations you get when players haven’t had many games for Juventus.”

Rabiot became the hero of the night for the home supporters when he scored his second goal of the match after 64 minutes with a volley from the edge of the box.

“He (Rabiot) is a player you enjoy watching, he has a different engine to the others. My idea today was to give Rabiot 60 minutes and Pogba 30, but then he got injured,” said Allegri.

The drama continued when Dusan Vlahovic missed a penalty for the hosts after Juan Cuadrado was tripped by Augello.

The constant pressure in the last part of the match paid off for Juve though when Matias Soule headed in the rebound after a save by Sampdoria’s Martin Turk four minutes into stoppage time.

The defeat leaves the Genoa club bottom with 12 points from 26 matches, 12 points adrift of the safety zone and at risk of ending their 11-year streak in the top flight.

Source: Bahrain News Agency (BNA)

March 13, 2023

Raphinha strikes again to give Barca win at Athletic

Barcelona winger Raphinha secured a 1-0 win in LaLiga for the second straight week this time at Athletic Bilbao as his side tightened their grip on top spot ahead of a potentially season-defining week in which they host second-placed Real Madrid.

Repeating the combination of provider and scorer from last week’s 1-0 win at Valencia, Raphinha netted a thunderous strike right on halftime after a brilliant pass by midfielder Sergio Busquets who spotted the Brazilian ghosting behind the defence.

But Raphinha’s goal was one of only two Barca shots on target in the match as they survived a frantic affair in which the hosts were the better side for large parts of the contest, Reuters reports.

Athletic saw two shots hit the bar and an Inaki Williams effort in the last few minutes of the game ruled out for a controversial handball in the build-up.

Barcelona have 65 points, nine clear of second-placed Real who face a must-win game at Camp Nou next Sunday to keep their slim chances of retaining the title alive. Athletic are ninth on 33 points.

“It’s the same thing once again. We have to play and attack better,” coach Barca Xavi Hernandez told DAZN.

“We went 1-0 in a difficult stadium and end up suffering. It is a golden victory, but we keep thinking about improving offensively.”

Roared by some 40,000 fans who fired up a sold-out San Mames, Athletic dominated proceedings early with the Williams brothers, Nico and Inaki, a constant threat to Barca’s defence.

The clever Alex Berenguer almost scored in the 24th minute after Barca defender Jules Kounde messed up a pass back to Marc-Andre ter Stegen, the Athletic forward getting in front of the goalkeeper but putting his shot just wide.

Man-of-the-match Ter Stegen made several crucial saves to preserve a clean sheet, the first in the 30th minute, when he palmed Inaki Williams’ close-range strike round the post.

He was lucky from the following corner when a Raul Garcia header cannoned off the crossbar.

But just when Athletic were in full control and knocking on the door, Raphinha made the most of a chance with an unstoppable strike to give Barca a breather going into the break.

Athletic kept fighting in the second half and in the 71st minute Alex Berenguer hit the post as he tried to slot the ball home from inside the box on a counter attack.

Five minutes later it was Ter Stegen who denied Athletic the equaliser with an incredible fingertip save from Iker Muniain’s shot from the edge of the box.

In the 88th minute Inaki Williams fired past Ter Stegen but his effort was ruled out for a handball by Muniain early in the build-up after VAR intervened and the referee checked the replay screen, leaving Athletic’s players and fans outraged.

The hosts had another chance in added time but Ter Stegen’s reflex save denied Yuri Berchiche and Marcos Alonso headed off the line to stop Oier Zarraga’s shot from the rebound.

Source: Bahrain News Agency (BNA)

March 13, 2023

Dollar slides on likely rate pause in wake of SVB collapse

The Dollar fell sharply on heightened expectations the Federal Reserve will take a less aggressive monetary path as authorities stepped in to limit the fallout from the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O).

The U.S. government announced several measures early during the Asian trading day, saying all SVB customers will have access to their deposits starting on Monday, Reuters reported.

The authorities also said depositors of New York’s Signature Bank (SBNY.O), which was closed Sunday by the New York state financial regulator, would be made whole at no loss to the taxpayer.

The Fed announced it would make additional funding available through a new Bank Term Funding Program, which would offer loans up to one year to depository institutions, backed by Treasuries and other assets these institutions hold.

The market turmoil from the SVB collapse led investors to speculate the Fed will no longer raise interest rates by a super-sized 50 basis points this month.

Investor focus will now be on Tuesday’s inflation data to gauge how hawkish the Fed is likely to be.

Dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency against six rivals, slipped 0.55% to near one-month lows of 103.67 after Goldman Sachs said it no longer expects the Fed to deliver a rate hike at its March 22 meeting.

The index was last at 103.85.

Given what’s happened in the U.S. financial system, a 25 basis point hike is more likely than a 50 basis point hike.

The market is now pricing a nearly 18% chance of the Fed sticking to its current rate and an 82% chance of a 25 basis point hike.

In contrast, the market was pricing a 70% chance of a 50 basis point hike before the SVB collapse.

Terminal rate expectations should remain below the peaks reached during Powell’s testimony last Tuesday, with a more cautious approach likely in the aftermath of this meltdown, said Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist at Corpay.

“The episode will contribute to higher levels of background volatility, with investors watching warily for other cracks to emerge as the Fed’s policy tightening continues.”

Meanwhile, the Japanese yen strengthened 0.61% versus the U.S. dollar to 134.18 per dollar, having touched a one-month high of 133.58 earlier in the session.

The euro was up 0.72% at $1.072, hovering near the one-month high of $1.0737 it scaled earlier.

Sterling was last trading at $1.2114, up 0.71% on the day.

The Australian dollar surged 1.31% to $0.666, and was on track for its biggest one-day percentage jump since Jan 6 The kiwi gained 1% at $0.620.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies rallied, with bitcoin last 11.74% higher at $22,454.09.

Ethereum, was last up 12.48% at $1,604.10.

U.S. two-year Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, was down 14.9 basis points at 4.439%, its biggest three-day decline since Black Monday in 1987.

Source: Bahrain News Agency (BNA)

March 13, 2023

Social Development Minister: allowances to be disbursed to beneficiaries on March 15

Social Development Minister Osama bin Ahmed Al Asfoor stressed the Government’s commitment to improve citizens’ standard of living, in line with the comprehensive development, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, with the support of Hos Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

He valued HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister’s order to double the financial support for eligible individuals on social security and disability allowances marking the holy month of Ramadan.

He extended deepest thanks and gratitude to HM the King and HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, hailing their keenness on ensuring decent living standards for citizens, especially low-income categories.

He announced that the ministry has immediately began implementing HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister’s order, noting that the amounts due to beneficiaries of social security assistance and disability allowance were transferred to their bank accounts to be disbursed to them on March 15.

Source: Bahrain News Agency (BNA)

March 13, 2023

Launch of the First Business Leaders Conference “Connect 2 Innovate”

The first Business Leaders Conference “Connect 2 Innovate” kicked off this evening, Monday, March 13, 2023, until March 15 in Manama, organized by Start-Up Nation Central, a non-profit organization that connects governments, companies and investors to the Israeli innovation ecosystem.

The event is held in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the EDB, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in Israel, at the Wyndham Grand Hotel – Bahrain Bay.

The conference included a recorded speech by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, where he welcomed the guests of the first conference of business leaders ” Connect 2 Innovate”.

He referred to his official visit last December and his meeting with HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The president praised the culture of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance in Bahrain and praised the initiative to host the first conference that gathers both nations, providing an opportunity for entrepreneurs and companies to communicate and share expertise, to build a foundation for a prosperous future of cooperation and economic relations between the two countries, to achieve common goals and interests.

He expressed his thanks to the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, the EDB and STARTUP NATION CENTRAL for this wonderful initiative, wishing them all success and prosperity.

The Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro delivered a speech in which he stressed that Bahrain today represents a prominent investment center, while Israel is a famous center for research and development of modern technology.

By combining both our strengths, we have the ability to transform the region and work together to meet today’s challenges and build a bright future for all.

He added that this event affirms the growing partnership between Bahrain and Israel, noting that it will address challenges facing financial technology, manufacture, logistics, water, energy, and climate sectors and identify new growth opportunities.

In addition to sharing experiences and best practices to find innovative solutions for technological ecosystem development and human capital investment.

The minister said that the Kingdom of Bahrain is an attractive destination for startups in the field of innovation and technology through its youth, ambitious workforce with high scientific qualifications and thriving ecosystem.

Bahrain’s advanced digital infrastructure, and the adoption of cloud computing, contributed to attracting global partnerships and leaders, and the Kingdom’s commitment to innovation, digital economy, forward-thinking, and attractive regulations made the Kingdom an innovation hub.

“The relationship between Israel and Start-Up Nation Central and the Kingdom of Bahrain is true and honest, created by the desire to deepen the fruitful cooperation between both countries”.

“I am proud to say that approximately three years after signing of the Abraham Accords, the collaborations, in all fields, are expanding and we always strive to grow them even more”.

“I am confident that the technological tools and products developed by the Israeli startup companies will bring great benefit to the Bahraini economy and vice versa”, said Khalid Yusuf Ahmed Al Jalahma, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Israel.

For his part, Avi Hasson, CEO of Start-Up Nation Central said “As our region moves from being a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based one, Israel and Bahrain are prime to work together toward achieving this vision.

Together, we will blaze a new path forward and this conference is just the beginning as long-lasting relationships form solutions to common challenges are identified,” Hasson added, “We thank our colleagues in Bahrain for their partnership and pride ourselves to be part of Team Bahrain from now on”.

“Connect 2 Innovate” is the first conference of its kind, and it gathers government officials, large corporations, international organizations, business communities and technology innovators to focus on challenges in fintech, logistics, supply change, water, energy and climate.

The conference will include workshops on building the technological ecosystem and developing human capital, enabling the two countries to exchange knowledge and best practices, through the participation of a delegation of more than 50 government officials, businessmen and investors in Israel.

The 2nd and 3rd days of the conference will include professional workshops, lectures, panel discussions, presentation sessions and discussions on the future of banking and financial technology, water security and smart energy, startup ecosystem development, human capital challenges, and the establishment of a sustainable sea-air corridor.

Keynote speakers at the conference included Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, EDB CEO Khalid Ibrahim Humaidan, the Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Kingdom of Bahrain Eitan Na’eh, and Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson.

Source: Bahrain News Agency (BNA)