Khabib Nurmagomedov's First Step in Indonesia with Kahforward Inspires Youth to Take Impactful Action

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kahf, a men's personal care brand from PT Paragon Technology and Innovation, proudly presents Kahforward 2024, an inclusive movement themed #LangkahBerdampak. The event runs for two days, from September 28-29, 2024, at Indonesia Arena. One of the event's key highlights is the appearance of undefeated former UFC world champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov from Russia, as the global speaker. This is a significant moment as it marks Khabib first-ever visit to Indonesia, where he inspires Kahfbro by emphasizing the importance of taking meaningful steps in life. Kahforward 2024 focuses on the #LangkahBerdampak initiative, urging Indonesia's youth to begin a journey filled with positive impact. With the tagline "Begin the Purposeful Journey," Khabib encourages the young generation to take small, impactful steps that contribute to personal, professional, and social change. Khabib Nurmagomedov shared, "I believe we all have the capacity to make a positive impact. I hope that by building schools in my hometown, I can help improve the quality of life for the local community. This effort isn't just about today, but also about leaving a lasting legacy." Kahf, through the Kahforward movement and #LangkahBerdampak theme, shares the values embodied by Khabib who was known for his unwavering discipline, determination, and faith. As a former UFC world champion, Khabib serves as a powerful source of inspiration for Indonesia's youth. His life philosophy, centered around taking small, purposeful steps, has led to significant change. Khabib encourages Kahfbro to begin their own purposeful journey, reminding them that every contribution towards good has the potential to create a widespread impact. In addition to featuring Khabib, Kahforward 2024 hosts over 50 local and global speakers, offering a variety of engaging activities such as workshops, community networking, art and immersive installations, and the latest in men's grooming technology, including a robot perfume maker and skin-check analyzer. Salman Subakat, CEO of NSEI ParagonCorp, stated, "This year's Kahforward calls on young people not just to dream but to take real, impactful steps toward a meaningful journey. Just like Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has inspired the world with his discipline and perseverance, we believe that every step, no matter how small, can create a huge impact. Khabib is not only a champion in the ring but also in life. Even after retiring from sports, he continues to stand for the values he believes in." Kahforward 2024 remains committed to inspiring the young generation to begin their own purposeful journey and create far-reaching impacts. For more information, visit kahforward.com or follow the official social media @kahfeveryday. Media Kit About KahfKahf is a men's skincare brand under the umbrella of PT Paragon Technology and Innovation (Paragon). Founded by Nurhayati Subakat, who currently serves as Paragon's commissioner, this halal, nature-inspired men's skincare brand consistently prioritizes quality in supporting men in their various activities. Kahf carries the tagline "Jalan Yang Kupilih" (The Path I Choose) to demonstrate its commitment to spreading positive influence, accompanying men on every path they choose to become better individuals and make a positive impact on those around them. As a brand that supports men's activities, Kahf actively collaborates with various men's lifestyle communities to spread goodness in alignment with the chosen path. Kahf offers a range of modern men's skincare and facial care products developed through the use of advanced science and technology, backed by in-depth research, and dermatologically tested. Website : www.kahfeveryday.com Facebook : Kahf Everyday Youtube : Kahf Everyday Twitter : @kahfeveryday Instagram : @kahfeveryday @kahfbrotherhood For media correspondence and more information, please contact:

Novel Molecules From Generative AI to Phase II: First Novel TNIK Inhibitors for Fibrotic Diseases Discovered and Designed Using Generative AI

A study published in Nature Biotechnology presents the entire journey of INS018_055, from AI algorithms to Phase II clinical trials for the first time. Raw data from 13 preclinical experiments and 3 clinical trials referenced in this study can be accessed by visiting Insilico's data room. Insilico developed a PaperGPT system based on ChatGPT-4 Turbo and internal LLM that provides answers related to the paper via chat functionality. NEW YORK and HONG KONG, March 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- There are thousands of diseases worldwide with no cure or available treatments. Traditional drug discovery and development takes decades and billions of dollars and more than 90% of these drugs fail in clinical trials. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) holds promise for streamlining and improving the entire process. However, ushering in a new era of AI-driven drug discovery requires costly and lengthy validation in preclinical cell, tissue, and animal models and human clinical trials. Now, that preclinical and part of that clinical validation was published in a new study in Nature Biotechnology. In this paper, Insilico Medicine and collaborators present the journey of its lead therapeutic program with an AI-discovered target and novel molecule generated from AI algorithms to Phase II clinical trials. For the first time, the paper discloses the raw experimental data and the preclinical and clinical evaluation of the potentially first-in-class TNIK inhibitor discovered and designed through generative AI. The study underscores the benefits of AI-led drug discovery methodology to provide efficiency and speed to drug discovery and highlights the promising potential of generative AI technologies for transforming the industry. "When our first paper in the generative AI for generation of novel molecules was published in 2016, followed by many follow-up papers, the drug discovery community was very skeptical. Even after several validation experiments and launch of our AI software platform that is now used by many biopharma companies, many questions remained. Based on the research data, especially those from the live clinical program. To date, I have not seen anything close from any other company in our field," said Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine. "From my perspective, the progress of INS018_055 has significant implications for the drug discovery field. It not only serves as a proof-of-concept for Pharma.AI, our end-to-end AI-driven drug discovery platform, but sets a precedent for the potential of generative AI to accelerate drug discovery. Using the publication as a guide, one can extrapolate how generative AI drug discovery tools may streamline early discovery efforts. We anticipate that the expanded application of this platform will address challenges facing industry R&D, including cost and efficiency, and accelerate the delivery of innovative therapies to patients." Insilico initiated the research by focusing on fibrosis, a biological process closely associated with aging. The group first trained PandaOmics, the target identification engine of Insilico's proprietary AI platform Pharma.AI, on the collection of omics and clinical datasets related to tissue fibrosis. Next, PandaOmics proposed a potential target list using deep feature synthesis, causality inference, and de novo pathway reconstruction. After that, the natural language processing (NLP) models of PandaOmics analyzed millions of text files, including patents, publications, grants, and clinical trial databases to further assess the novelty and disease association. TNIK was identified as the most promising anti-fibrosis target. Notably, TNIK had been indirectly linked to multiple fibrosis-driven pathways in previous research but was never pursued as a potential target for IPF. In a separate paper, Insilico scientists demonstrated that TNIK may be implicated in multiple hallmarks of aging. After selecting TNIK as a primary target, Insilico scientists utilize Chemistry42, the Company's generative chemistry engine, to generate novel molecular structures with the desired properties using the structure-based drug design (SBDD) workflow. Chemistry42 combines over 40 generative chemistry algorithms and over 500 pre-trained reward models for de novo compound generation, and can optimize both generation and virtual screening based on expert human feedback. Following multiple iterative screens, one promising hit candidate demonstrated activity with nanomolar IC50 values. The group further optimized the compound to increase solubility, promote a good ADME safety profile, and mitigate unwanted toxicity while retaining its remarkable affinity for TNIK, which ultimately produced the lead molecule INS018_055, with less than 80 molecules synthesized and tested. In subsequent preclinical studies, INS018_055 demonstrated significant efficacy in vitro and in vivo studies for IPF and showed promising results in pharmacokinetic and safety studies across multiple cell lines and multiple species. Furthermore, INS018_055 showed pan-fibrotic inhibitory function, attenuating skin and kidney fibrosis in two additional animal models. Based on these studies, INS018_055 achieved preclinical candidate nomination in February 2021, in less than 18 months following PandaOmics' proposal of TNIK as a potentially novel target for IPF in 2019. INS018_055 has exhibited excellent performance in clinical trials to date. In November 2021, 9 months after PCC nomination, the first healthy volunteers were dosed in a first-in-human (FIH) microdose trial of INS018_055 in Australia. This microdose trial exceeded expectations, delivering a favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profile that successfully demonstrated this clinical proof-of-concept and set the stage for the next step of clinical testing. In Phase I trials carried out in New Zealand and China, INS018_055 was tested in 78 and 48 healthy subjects, divided into cohorts focusing on a single ascending dose (SAD) study and multiple ascending dose (MAD) study. The international multi-site Phase I studies yielded consistent results, demonstrating favorable safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) profiles of INS018_055, and supporting the initiation of the Phase II studies. "Combining AI methods with human intelligence, we have successfully nominated INS018_055, a potentially first-in-class antifibrotic inhibitor, with significant reductions in time and costs", said Feng Ren, PhD, co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Insilico Medicine. "Encouraged by positive preclinical and available clinical data, we look forward to favorable performance of INS018_055 in Phase 2 clinical trials, which would provide innovative options for patients while bringing more solid evidence for the AI-driven drug discovery industry." At the time of this publication, two Phase 2a clinical trials of INS018_055 for the treatment of IPF are being conducted in parallel in the United States and China. The studies are randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of the lead drug. In addition, the trials will assess the preliminary efficacy of INS018_055 on lung function in IPF patients. As this drug continues to advance, it drives hope for the roughly five million people worldwide suffering from this deadly disease. Insilico's drug discovery efforts are driven by its validated and commercially viable AI drug discovery platform, Pharma.AI, which works across biology, chemistry, and clinical medicine, providing the biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry with advanced generative AI tools to accelerate their internal research and development. Powered by Pharma.AI, Insilico is delivering breakthroughs for healthcare in multiple disease areas, including fibrosis, cancer, immunology and aging-related disease. Since 2021, Insilico has nominated 18 preclinical candidates in its comprehensive portfolio of over 30 assets and has advanced six pipelines to the clinical stage. Industry Commentary and Additional Information "There has been much speculation that AI and deep learning methods will have a substantial role in shaping the future course of drug development. This paper presents a very convincing proof of concept." says Charles Cantor, PhD, Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) at Insilico Medicine, "Driven by AI at nearly every stage from target identification to drug candidate selection, to phase 1 studies, a novel molecule is now ready for phase 2 clinical trials. If this process proves to be general, drug development without AI may well become inconceivable." "Healthcare is undergoing an important transformation of digitalization." says Dr.Kai-Fu Lee Chairman of Sinovation Ventures, CEO of 01.AI. "I believe the use of AI and data science will revolutionize the field of medicine. Insilico Medicine's TNIK program is a great example, presenting a breakthrough paradigm for discovering medicines from scratch under generative AI in chemistry and biology. The milestones achieved by Insilico, backed by compelling experimental data, will encourage the entire ecosystem that we are marching down the right track to advance life science with state-of-the-art information technology." "Although lots of companies are working on AI to improve different steps in drug discovery, Insilico is trying to apply their AI in all early drug discovery and design stages, which is so exciting to me," says Michael Levitt, PhD, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 2013. "Insilico is literally AI from A to Z. They not only identified a novel target, but also accelerated the whole early drug discovery process and they've quite successfully validated their AI methods in the TNIK program. Drug discovery is a very wide-ranging project with a lot of uncertainty. AI can cope well with specific techniques for huge amounts of data, and by combining them with clever filtering, we can gain certainty and options from uncertainty." "Nowadays, it seems that we read about the virtues of AI, ML, generative design almost daily. There is a feeling that, perhaps, it is overhyped," says Stevan Djuric, PhD, adjunct professor in medicinal chemistry at the University of Kansas and former head of the global medicinal chemistry leadership team at AbbVie. "However, in this paper, the Insilico Medicine team convincingly demonstrates the power of their proprietary platform which features target identification and validation, medicinal chemistry design and clinical trial components using the aforementioned tools. For experienced medicinal chemists, improving potency of compounds is often not the major challenge, but rather fine tuning of PK (CLu etc) and safety (off-target effects). The Insilico engine, in the case presented, successfully tackled all components of these difficult problems in a particularly timely manner. We will eagerly await news on the further progress of this agent and further clinical candidates discovered using generative AI paradigms." "Many people say they are doing AI for drug discovery," says Alán Aspuru-Guzik, PhD, professor of Chemistry and Computer Science at the University of Toronto and director of the Acceleration Consortium. "A handful are delivering. Insilico's team has shown both, the identification of a target followed by the development of a therapeutic agent all driven by AI. This, to my knowledge, is the first AI-generated drug in stage II clinical trials. A true milestone for the community and for Insilico. The lessons learned here can be further expanded to accelerate the discovery and development process." "When we started the preclinical profiling of INS018_055 for fibrotic diseases, everybody was seeing its target TNIK as a candidate for oncology indications," says Klaus Witte, MD, German Medical Board certified Pharmacologist & Toxicologist, Preclinical Consultant to Insilico Medicine. "Although I was skeptical in the beginning, all data that we generated clearly supported Insilico's prediction of anti-fibrotic efficacy. Looking at the broad set of preclinical and clinical data that is meanwhile available, I'm confident that INS018_055 could become a very valuable treatment option in pulmonary fibrosis and other fibrosis indications. Having helped to bring the compound to its present stage is something I'm really proud of." "As a clinician, I see firsthand the need for novel, effective treatments. This landmark work highlights the central role that AI can play in accelerating the path from discovery to treatment, reshaping our strategy against diseases that currently have limited therapeutic options," says Prof. Christoph Kuppe, PhD, physician scientist at the RWTH Aachen. "I was struck by the incredible progress Alex and Insilico have made in a single decade," says Bud Mishra, PhD, professor of computer science at New York University. "The paper focuses on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a disease with complex genetics involving multiple genetic mutations. They broke this complex problem down into two parts: selecting a target (namely, TNIK), and then guiding the drug discovery process by designing small molecules that would bind to that target and make it ineffective. The first part uses heuristics that are based on the scientific experiences accumulated in the past (the target must be novel, easy to understand in terms of interactions with known pathways, and follow the approaches used by others in guiding drug discovery and clinical trials in the past) and hence ideal for NLP using LLMs. The second part uses randomized heuristics to search and optimize over complex combinatorial spaces using DNNs, capable of dealing with naturally occurring 'easy instances of hard problems.' Speculatively, the first part will become more difficult over time (hallucination vs. true novelty) and the second part, simpler, as Moore's law will continue to improve the computational power exponentially." Reference Ren, F., et al. A small-molecule TNIK inhibitor targets fibrosis in preclinical and clinical models. Nat Biotechnol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-024-02143-0 About Insilico Medicine Insilico Medicine, a global clinical-stage biotechnology company powered by generative AI, connects biology, chemistry, and clinical trial analysis using next-generation AI systems. The company has developed AI platforms that utilize deep generative models, reinforcement learning, transformers, and other modern machine learning techniques for novel target discovery and generating novel molecular structures with desired properties. Insilico Medicine is developing breakthrough solutions to discover and develop innovative drugs for cancer, fibrosis, immunity, central nervous system diseases, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and aging-related diseases. www.insilico.com

[Herald Review] ‘Chopin, Blue Note’: Lyrical journey through theater, live music

“What color could encapsulate the essence of your enigmatic music?” asks Sand. “I don’t know. It is just faint strokes and shadows,” answers Chopin. Amidst a pivotal moment of emotional revelation between Chopin and Sand, the backdrop of their confession becomes a stage where a pianist, in the quietude of the night, weaves the melodic tapestry of Nocturnes, Op. 9 No. 2. The lyrical notes permeate the small theater, and a warm, cerulean glow blankets the surroundings. The scene is from “Chopin, Blue Note,” which kicked off on Dec. 14 at Sanwoollim, a theater in Mapo-gu, western Seoul. This performance marks the 10th installment in the illustrious Sanwoollim concert series, a play incorporated with live music, that delves into the lives and compositions of classical maestros. The series previously celebrated the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, Schumann, Schubert, Brahms, and more since 2013. The 10th installment sheds light on Frederic Chopin, a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. In the play, French novelist George Sand, who was also Chopin’s longtime lover, describes him as someone who creates “an infinite language through the piano.” “I‘ve always wanted to delve into Chopin for quite some time, given the immense love he commands among the Korean audience and their profound interest,” said director Lim Soo-hyun to a group of reporters, after a rehearsal that was open to the press on Dec. 14. “His love affair with Sand was very interesting. I thought it would be difficult to depict Chopin‘s life without Sand,” Lim added. The narrative unfolds chronologically, capturing pivotal moments in Chopin‘s life -- the Polish–Russian War from 1830–31, his encounters with his lover, Sand, and the ensuing separation. Chopin, played by Ryu Young-bin, reveals his innermost thoughts by reading letters, and Sand, played by Lee Da-hae, also takes on the role of the narrator. The title, “Blue Note” draws inspiration from Sand‘s words in “Impressions and Souvenirs.” Recounting an evening with Chopin and French artist Eugene Delacroix, where the three likened the tones of colors in painting to the sounds in music, Sand described Chopin’s compositions: “Suddenly the note of blue sings out, and the transparent night of azure surrounds us.” Live piano performances of nine of Chopin‘s compositions lead scene changes, adding emotional depth in each moment. In the scene where Chopin shouts to the sky in frustration after hearing the news of the Polish–Russian war, the Etude in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 12, or the so-called “Revolutionary,” is played under red lighting as if to represent Chopin‘s passionate feelings. In the part where Sand takes care of Chopin, who collapsed after being soaked in the rain, his affection is highlighted through Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15, also known as “Raindrop.” “I find myself acting thinking how the play and music performance can harmonize seamlessly,” said Ryu, the actor portraying Chopin. Lee added, “While practicing my lines with music, I become more entranced by the melodies. Even when I am on the backstage, I can feel my heart race with the music. Also as a narrator, my role is to recount Chopin‘s life, and in doing so, I feel like I am sharing his emotions.” Accompanying the actors are pianists Shunji Hirota and Piotr Kupka, who have been with the Sanwoollim concert since its early years. “It is a new experience to share the stage with actors,” said Hirota, a professor of piano at the University of Suwon. He has been with the Sanwoollim concert series since its inaugural edition in 2013. “From the audience’s view, there aren‘t many opportunities to see both actors and musicians so closely and intimately, with such detailed proximity,” said Kupka, a professor at Ewha Womans University. Polish pianist Kupka spoke about Chopin‘s life and music with deep affection. “Chopin endured a lifetime of unhappiness (due to his poor health) except for his childhood in Poland. He was someone who found solace in dreams rather than reality,” Kupka said. “While an overarching sadness permeates his music, there are moments of joy interspersed. I hope the audience can feel those moments.” “Chopin, Blue Note” runs until Dec. 31.

Astana Club: Nursultan Nazarbayev - Moscow and Washington need to hold direct talks to resolve the deadlock in Ukraine

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Dec. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, the VII meeting of the Astana Club dedicated to the topic "A new formula for peace: the world on the verge of transformation" was held in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana. The strategic stalemate in Ukraine was the key topic all the discussions were centered around. The First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev noted during his speech at the Club meeting that he was once a direct participant in the process of conflict resolution in Ukraine. "I put a lot of effort into organizing the Minsk agreements meeting at the height of the Ukrainian crisis in 2014. Back then, it was for the first time possible to organize a face-to-face dialogue between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine. The Minsk agreements opened the way to negotiations and compromise. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. We know the result now", Nazarbayev stated. In his opinion, the reality on the battlefield today is that a way out of the Ukrainian deadlock is possible only through negotiations. "In my opinion this severe conflict in the center of Europe could be stopped only by great powers, the United States and Russia, inviting also other leaders to dialogue if there is a will and desire on their side. And of course, always considering the interests of Ukraine", he said. The Club's participants shared this vision about the current deadlock in war. For instance, Charles Kupchan, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations said: "We have a zugzwang on the battlefield, Russia has no success in 2023, and neither does Ukraine. We also see that it will be much more difficult for the U.S. to maintain support for Ukraine". Considering China's approach to this conflict, Senior colonel Zhou Bo, a prominent Chinese military expert from Tsinghua University, emphasized that Beijing should not be blamed for adopting its current position. "The outbreak of World War III would have been predetermined, if only China supported Russia's position. However, China is in favor of a peaceful settlement, and has made its own proposals", he said. All participants, including former Prime minister of Spain José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero stated the importance of having a neutral platform for negotiations. Kazakhstan with its multi-vector foreign policy could become a perfect place for the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis.

Zelensky says Russian attacks increasing

KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday Russia was increasing its attacks across the front line, as Kyiv called for the West to boost its weapons supplies ahead of winter. Neither side has made any significant territorial gain for months, but both Zelensky and the Kremlin have denied the conflict has ground to a stalemate. "The military reported an increase in the number of enemy assaults," Zelensky said in a post on social media, saying Russians were attacking around the cities of Donetsk, Kupyansk and Avdiivka. Zelensky has warned Russia is likely to increase air strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of the winter, as it did this time last year. Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Monday to press Ukraine's need to keep the flow of Western weapons coming. "As winter approaches, we expect the Russian missile terror to intensify," Yermak said in a post on Telegram after the meeting. "Therefore, we are in dire need of air and missile defence systems that will protect Ukrainian cities, key critical infrastructure facilities, and grain corridor routes," he said. Zelensky on Tuesday called Russian rocket and artillery strikes on the city of Kherson "revenge" and said they were "without any military necessity." Russian hits on Kherson, which Ukraine retook from Russian forces one year ago, killed three people and wounded at least 12 on Monday, Ukrainian officials said. (AFP)

[Daniel DePetris] Pessimism is growing in Ukraine over its war with Russia

Last August, more than two months after Ukraine began its counteroffensive against Russian positions in the east, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan was asked about whether the war was degenerating into a stalemate. Sullivan’s answer: no. “We do not assess that the conflict is a stalemate,” he said at the time. “We are seeing (Ukraine) continue to take territory on a methodical, systematic basis.” Fast-forward to today, and the cautious optimism cited by US officials has largely turned into worry -- worry that Ukraine’s counteroffensive has stalled; worry that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be able to squeak out victory from the jaws of defeat; and worry that Kyiv’s backers in the West, principally the United States, will not be able to sustain Ukraine’s war effort for much longer. The lingering doubt about Ukraine’s prospects is beginning to creep into the Ukrainian population as well. While much has been made about so-called war fatigue in Western capitals, a similar feeling is percolating in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and the small towns throughout the Donbas. There is a growing sense that the war will only get worse before it gets better. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy still has sky-high approval ratings compared with his counterparts in the US and Europe, yet even his popularity is slowly dipping. According to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, the Ukrainian public’s trust in their government has declined by 35 percentage points since May. The Ukrainian people haven’t given up, but they’ve become a lot more realistic about what may be in store over the coming winter. So has Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, the man ultimately responsible for commanding the Ukrainian war effort. Even the top commander isn’t exactly beaming with braggadocio these days. Indeed, he even used the s-word -- stalemate -- to describe the current state of the war. “Just like in the First World War, we have reached the level of technology that puts us into a stalemate,” he opined to the Economist last week. “There will most likely be no deep and beautiful breakthrough.” Those remarks aren’t exactly a shock to those monitoring the war. Take a look at a battlefield map from early June, before Ukraine’s counteroffensive commenced, and the disposition of forces is almost identical to what the map looks like today. Zaluzhny is right: There is no big breakthrough in the works. The Russian army may have long since exposed itself as an incompetent mess, but Russian forces have managed to partially replace lack of quality with mass and a whole ton of ordinance. The Russians have turned the 1,000-kilometer-long front line into a European-style version of the Korean Peninsula’s Demilitarized Zone, with miles upon miles of land mines, tank traps, machine gun nests and trenches. To the extent the Ukrainians have made territorial gains, they’ve been at the margins and have come at a very high cost in men and equipment. In some areas of the front line, the Ukrainians are back on defense; in Avdiivka and near Kupiansk, Russian forces are keeping Ukrainian troops busy with a near constant volley of artillery fire. We should be brutally honest: More than five months in, Ukraine’s counteroffensive has failed. While many would undoubtedly take serious issue with this assessment, the evidence available is quite clear. The Ukrainians hoped to accomplish three major objectives: reach the Sea of Azov, cut Russian-occupied territory in two and squeeze the Crimean Peninsula to the point where Putin concluded that maintaining control of the strategic peninsula was too costly. Not a single one of these objectives has been accomplished. Ukrainian policymakers and military officers will now have to make a choice about whether doubling down on their current strategy will increase the chances of success or whether an alternative plan, perhaps the consolidation of land the Ukrainian army already possesses, is a wiser course. Whichever decision the Ukrainian government takes will determine the scope and direction of the war over the coming months. Regardless, Zelenskyy and his top advisers are clear about one thing: Even broaching the subject of peace talks with the Russian occupiers is unacceptable. “We don’t want to make any dialogue with terrorists,” Zelenskyy declared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” over the weekend. “And the president of the United States and Congress, bipartisan support, all these people, they know that I am not ready to speak with the terrorists because their word is nothing.” The question then arises: If Zelenskyy isn’t ready to talk to the Russians now, when will he be ready? During the war’s first month, Ukrainian and Russian officials actually did sit down in an attempt to find a way out before the going got tough. Of course, those sessions didn’t amount to anything. Outside of a few prisoner exchanges, contact between Kyiv and Moscow has since been kept to an absolute minimum. Zelenskyy’s position has hardened as the war has trudged on, and Putin will likely hold all of his options in reserve until he knows who the next president of the United States is going to be. Wars end one of two ways: One side vanquishes the other on the battlefield or the combatants agree that an acceptable compromise is more advantageous to them than more fighting. The inability of the Russians and Ukrainians to make major advances in the field makes the first scenario highly unlikely. Yet, leaders on both sides have still not reached the point in which end-of-war diplomacy is a realistic possibility. Ukrainians should therefore brace for an even harsher winter. Daniel DePetris Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities and a foreign affairs columnist for the Chicago Tribune. -- Ed. (Tribune Content Agency)

COP28 President-Designate advances innovative climate finance, leveraging public, business and philanthropic capital during meetings with UK Government, King Charles III and President Biden

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate, met with US President Joe Biden, His Majesty King Charles III, UK Government Ministers and Leading Investors and Philanthropists to discuss unlocking climate finance with a focus on developing economies. The meeting was part of the Climate Finance Mobilization Forum, led by the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. Dr. Al Jaber said, "The leadership of the US and UK is crucial on both fulfilling climate finance pledges and mobilizing further capital. We must deliver on the $100bn of annual climate finance promised in 2009, and I have been encouraged by recent assurances that this pledge will be fulfilled." "Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution. All financial actors must work within a new framework of solidarity to enable climate finance at the scale, scope and speed that the world needs." "We must now take holistic action to mobilize capital from all sectors, public, private and philanthropic. I welcome the US and UK's efforts to create the right enabling environment for business and philanthropy to mobilize climate finance at the scale required ahead of COP28." "Today, representatives from leading business and philanthropic organizations came together to announce significant action to increase innovative and catalytic climate finance for developing economies. This is a significant step forward for those living on the frontlines of climate change." "To help raise global ambition, COP28 will host a High-Level Business & Philanthropy Delivery Forum. This forum will focus on removing barriers to progress, showcasing what is working, and identifying opportunities for co-creation, collaboration, and acceleration. This will be the first time that business and philanthropy will be meaningfully and inclusively integrated into the Official Leaders' Programme." "His Majesty King Charles's leadership in convening and mobilizing the global private sector has been critical in recent years, and we are delighted that his Sustainable Markets' Initiative will be one of the key delivery partners for the Business & Philanthropy Delivery Forum at COP28." "The World Bank's Private Sector Investment Lab is also a strong complement to our efforts. I look forward to actionable recommendations coming out of the Private Sector Investment Lab that can be integrated into COP28's climate finance agenda." WINDSOR, England, July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate has participated in high-level discussions on climate finance with US President Joe Biden and H.M King Charles III, alongside leading investors and philanthropists, in a visit to the UK to advance innovative climate finance to deliver climate action and a just energy transition. During his visit, Dr. Al Jaber attended a forum on Climate Finance Mobilization convened by the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Rt Hon. Grant Shapps MP and the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry. The forum was attended by UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, Mark Carney, as well as private sector and philanthropic leaders from finance, sustainability, and climate action. Dr. Al Jaber encouraged all parties to set their ambitions high ahead of COP28 and continue to galvanize UK and US-based businesses and philanthropists to do the same. Dr. Al Jaber said, "The leadership of the US and UK is crucial to both fulfil climate finance pledges and mobilize further capital. We must deliver on the $100bn of annual climate finance promised in 2009, and I have been encouraged by recent assurances that this pledge will be fulfilled. However, we need to mobilize trillions, not billions, of dollars if we are to reach our climate, biodiversity and SDG targets. To achieve this we need to mobilize capital at all levels, public, business and philanthropic. Capital and finance are critical enablers of climate action. But to unleash its power, it must be available, accessible and affordable throughout the world." Dr. Al Jaber added, "Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution. All financial actors must work within a new framework of solidarity to enable climate finance at the scale, scope and speed that the world needs. As an outcome of today's meetings, I am pleased to announce that COP28 will host a High-Level Business & Philanthropy Delivery Forum, during the World Climate Action Summit. The forum will focus on removing barriers to progress, showcasing what is working, and identifying opportunities for co-creation, collaboration, and acceleration." Dr. Al Jaber restated his call for major reform of international financial institutions and multilateral development banks, and added, "To invest the amounts required, we must build the right risk mitigation instruments that incentivize private sector action at scale. This is not a time for incremental reform. We need a holistic approach underpinned by collaborative frameworks." Discussing the announcements made by organizations in attendance, Dr. Al Jaber continued, "Initiatives like the Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum provide a key avenue for progress. The funding announced today by some of the world's leading private sector actors and philanthropists is exactly what we need to see ahead of COP28." During his visit, Dr. Al Jaber also welcomed progress on the World Bank's Private Sector Investment Lab which will be charged with developing solutions to address barriers to private sector climate finance. Dr. Al Jaber said, "Capital is a key enabler of climate action, and catalyzing private investments is a key priority for the COP28 Presidency. I look forward to actionable recommendations coming out of the Private Sector Investment Lab that can be integrated into COP28's climate finance agenda." He concluded that, "The UK and US are home to two of the largest financial markets in the world. Their action and the funding announced today is vital to keep 1.5C within reach and must be replicated on a global scale." COP28 UAE: COP28 UAE will take place at Expo City Dubai from November 30-December 12, 2023. The Conference is expected to convene over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors. As mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement, COP28 UAE will deliver the first ever Global Stocktake – a comprehensive evaluation of progress against climate goals. The UAE will lead a process for all parties to agree upon a clear roadmap to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition and a 'leave no one behind' approach to inclusive climate action. The Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum was convened by the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security, the Rt Hon. Grant Shapps MP and the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry. The Forum was attended by COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, in addition to: UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, Mark Carney Chair and CEO of Bank of America, Brian Moynihan Chair and CEO of Blackrock, Larry Fink CEO of HSBC, Noel Quinn, Founder and Executive Chair of Fortescue, Dr Andrew Forrest Founder and CEO of Ninety One, Hendrik du Toit Chair of Prudential, Shriti Vadera Founder and Chair of Heirs Holdings, Tony O. Elumelu Global Chair of Boston Consulting Group, Rich Lesser Chair of Meritage Group LP, Nat Simons LeapFrog founder, Dr. Andy Kuper Group CEO of Standard Chartered, Bill Winters CEO of Allianz Insurance, Colm Holmes Co-CEO of ImpactA, Isabella da Costa Mendes Co-CEO and CIO of ImpactA, Victoria Miles CEO of NatWest Group, Alison Rose DBE Vice Chairman of Community Jameel, Fady Jameel Co-Founder and Managing Principal, Three Cairns Group Vice Chair of Global Public Policy of Bloomberg, Mary Schapiro Founder and CEO of Builders Vision, Lukas Walton CEO of The Sustainable Markets Initiative, Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, MBA CEO of Lloyds of London, John Neal

Ko Jin-young says 'everything is perfect' ahead of LPGA season's 1st major

Having put a nagging wrist injury behind her, South Korean LPGA star Ko Jin-young thinks she couldn't be in a better spot as she gears up for the first major championship of the season. "Mentally and physically, everything is perfect," Ko said at a press conference ahead of the Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods, just outside Houston, Texas, on Wednesday. The competition tees off Thursday at the par-72 Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. "This course is not easy, but I'm ready to enjoy it," Ko continued. "I'm ready to play." Ko had a particularly difficult stretch in the second half of the 2022 season, missing three cuts and withdrawing from another in a four-tournament span from August to November while struggling with the wrist injury. Ko also fell from the No. 1 spot in the women's world rankings in the process. The 27-year-old has been in fine form so far in 2023, though. Now world No. 3, Ko successfully defended her title at the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore last month. It is one of three top-10 finishes she has posted in four starts this year. "I had a tough season last year, but my wrist is getting better," she said, noting that the wrist is "about 80 percent" healed. "It's really good now. I don't need to think about it much." While recovering from the ailment, Ko said she changed her game a little bit. She used to hit a draw, getting the ball to travel from right to left, but she is now hitting it either straight or with "a little bit of fade," meaning the ball now cuts from left to right. Ko added the new ball flight allows her to put more spin on her approaches. "That means more chances for birdies," she said. "I think my game has changed a bit over the last year, and I am playing aggressively this year. My game is pretty good now." But Ko said she will have to pick her spots on the par-72, 6,824-yard course. "This course is not easy for an aggressive play," she said. "The first few holes are really long, but on par-5s, I have a chance to make birdies. Par-3s are kind of long, but it's OK. This is a major." Ko won this tournament in 2019, when it was still called the ANA Inspiration and was played at its signature track, the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Under the new corporate sponsor, the tournament has moved outside California for the first time. With that, the annual tradition of the champion jumping into "Poppie's Pond" by the 18th green may have ended too. The final hole at the Nicklaus course does feature a pond, though defending champion Jennifer Kupcho said earlier she had some misgivings about taking her leap because "I think there might be snakes in the water here." Ko, on the other hand, is fully committed to jumping into the pond. "I'm ready, 100 percent," she said. (Yonhap)

Huawei will supply technology to one of the largest RES power plants in Central and Eastern Europe

KLECZEW, Poland, March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The largest hybrid farm in Central and Eastern Europe will be built in Poland, combining a photovoltaic and a wind power plants with a total capacity of 205 MW. The annual production will supply electricity to more than 100,000 households and reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 160 tons. To develop the plant's technological infrastructure, Huawei will supply 710 string inverters and 23 smart transformer stations. The hybrid farm is being built on post-mining land in Kleczew, Wielkopolska Voivodeship. Kleczew Solar & Wind is located on post-mining land and will be one of the largest renewable energy parks in Central and Eastern Europe and the first project in Poland, on such a large scale, to combine photovoltaic and wind technologies. The first phase of construction includes the construction of a 193 MWp photovoltaic power plant and a 12 MW wind power plant. As part of the investment, Huawei will supply 23 smart transformer stations and 710 inverters, one of the key components of the photovoltaic power plant. The assumed annual energy yield from the photovoltaic power plant is about 222 GWh and about 47 GWh from the wind farm. The hybrid farm in Kleczew will be able to supply energy needs of more than 100,000 households. Huawei has been consistently involved in the development of modern energy sector with smart photovoltaic solutions for several years. I am extremely pleased that our technologies can proactively support Poland's green transformation in such key projects as the hybrid power plant in Kleczew. This is a very important investment on the way to the full decarbonization of the Polish economy and the provision of green, clean and cost-effective energy to the entire society. - says Ryszard Hordyński, Director of Strategy and Communications at Huawei Poland. Kleczew Solar & Wind's investor is Lewandpol Group; the asset manager is Ergy, the Electrum Group is responsible for general contracting and the implementation of the active and reactive power regulator, Renedium. This is a strategically important project towards the decarbonization of the Polish economy. Suppliers and contractors involved in the supply chain were carefully selected, in order to ensure efficiency and reliability during and beyond the construction period of the power plant. We are confident we will be cooperating with the best suppliers, this includes Huawei, already known on the Polish market as a reliable supplier of high-end inverters. - said Marcin Kuprel, CEO of Ergy. Huawei leverages its advantages in digital and power electronics technologies, and innovates in integrating its established digital technologies with PV, energy storage, cloud, and AI technologies. It offers intelligent PV+storage solutions for three main scenarios in power generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption: Utility-scale Smart PV Solution, C&I Smart PV Solution, and Residential Smart PV Solution. The solutions reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of PV plants over the lifetime and improve the grid forming performance, making PV a primary energy source. The selection of inverters and smart transformer stations by our business partners is the best confirmation of the high quality and reliability of our technology. The Kleczew Solar & Wind investment is both the culmination of many years of holistic business cooperation, as well as an important factor for the further development of hybrid power plants. The confidence of business partners: Ergy, Electrum and investor Lewandpol in our products fills us with pride and provides motivation for further work, in the name of developing emission-free energy sources. It is worth noting that Huawei inverters were the first in Poland to receive indefinite mandatory certification for all photovoltaic inverters. - adds Paweł Strzałkowski, Senior Account Representative, Digital Power, Huawei Poland. The photovoltaic part of the Kleczew Solar & Wind power plant is being built with the participation of Electrum, Jinko Solar, Budmat and Tele-Fonika Kable.

[Nicholas Goldberg] Is it time to wind down the war in Ukraine?

There's been a lot of uplifting, we're-in-it-to-win-it language used about the Ukraine war recently. The message being sent is that the United States is committed for the long haul and won't abandon its friends to a brutal aggressor like Russian President Vladimir Putin. It's a moving display of solidarity, including last week's visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House -- especially since it comes against the backdrop of 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 40,000 civilians killed or wounded, according to the Pentagon, since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. "We will stay with you for as long as it takes," President Biden told Zelenskyy. But does he mean it? And even if he does, can the US be trusted to follow through? For that matter, should we encourage the war indefinitely, helping Ukraine drag out its fight in hopes of a decisive military victory? The war in Ukraine poses complicated questions. Of course we want to support our allies, who are fighting fiercely to protect their country and their territorial integrity against foreign invaders. But it's by no means clear how long "as long as it takes" will take, or whether the American government and its NATO allies will really stick it out. Ukraine has persevered -- defying odds and expectations -- for nearly a year, buoying some people's hopes that it can actually prevail on the battlefield. It has pushed the Russians, who no doubt foresaw an easy victory, back from Kyiv, out of the Kharkiv region and the city of Kherson. But what's next? Some analysts believe Ukraine can and will drive Russia out of Ukraine entirely. Others worry that the cost in dollars and lives is becoming unacceptably high, that the threat of dangerous military escalation is growing or that the Russians might turn the tide in the war. The latter group believes it's time to think seriously about negotiating for peace. I'm torn, like many people. I entirely agree that Putin is dangerous and irresponsible, and I'd like to see his army pushed out. Occupying another country's territory by force is unacceptable. And I'm not deaf to the argument that if the world permits such behavior today, it encourages Putin to go farther and others to emulate him. The ideal message to send is that we are united in our irrevocable commitment to oppose Russian atrocities and imperial conquest. But I know us. It's all very well for Biden to say we're with you "for as long as it takes," but Biden is in no position to make such a promise; he faces reelection in 2024. Furthermore, history suggests Americans are not inclined to stay involved indefinitely in faraway crises if the costs grow too high. Republicans, who will take control of the House of Representatives next week, are already grumbling that Ukraine shouldn't get a "blank check." (With the signing of the budget bill this week, US aid to Ukraine since February will reach more than $100 billion.) NATO allies in Europe may wobble as well, as the costs of war mount, gas prices rise in the winter and millions of refugees stream in. For Ukraine and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization supporters, deciding when to go to the negotiating table to try to bring the military phase of the conflict to an end is a question of pragmatism, strategy and timing. Lots of factors need to be considered. Which side is in the stronger battlefield position? Which benefits from a continuation of the fighting? Is a decisive Ukrainian victory possible or could there be a reversal of fortunes? Could the war spread geographically or escalate from conventional to nuclear weapons? How committed is NATO? For how long will Ukrainians be willing to fight on, as casualties mount? Will Russia negotiate seriously and can it be trusted to keep its word? And are there settlement terms that would meet the minimum requirements of both sides? Charles A. Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, says that even as we aid Ukraine, it's time to think seriously about what a negotiated endgame might look like. "So far the administration has had it about right: Give the Ukrainians the arms they need to defend themselves, hit the Russians hard with sanctions and bulk up NATO's eastern flank," he says. "But I do think the prospect of a war that continues for the indefinite future runs the risk of escalation because you just don't know what the Russians will do." (On Monday, Ukraine launched its third strike this month deep into Russian territory, apparently unworried about the possibility of escalation.) Kupchan says a Russian withdrawal from every inch of Ukrainian territory -- including Crimea, which it occupied for eight years before the February invasion -- is not a realistic or necessary starting point for negotiations. And he thinks Ukraine should consider dropping its bid for NATO membership. There have apparently been no meaningful negotiations in months and Ukrainian officials said this week that there won't be until Moscow withdraws its troops and faces a war crimes tribunal. Russian officials, including Putin over the weekend, insist they're open to talks. But Russia has set unreasonable conditions -- among them, acceptance of its illegal annexation of four Ukrainian territories in late September -- and US officials doubt they would negotiate in good faith. The world is left with a terrible status quo. Ukraine fights fiercely as if the war -- and allied help -- will go on indefinitely. Russia continues to destroy Ukrainian towns and cities, and perhaps plans a new surge, with few signs of a dent in Putin's power. We are left looking -- so far in vain -- for offramps, de-escalators and mutually acceptable compromises that end the carnage and ensure a free, independent Ukraine. It's not time to cut our support for Ukraine, but it is time for both sides to begin laying the groundwork for talks. Nicholas Goldberg Nicholas Goldberg is an associate editor and Op-Ed columnist for the Los Angeles Times. -- Ed. (Tribune Content Agency)