Latest news with #Azalea
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'Sister wants to name her daughter after a fungal infection – it's all my fault'
Finding the right name for your baby can be a difficult and stressful task. However, sometimes inspiration can come from the most unexpected of places – even from one of your health conditions. Taking to Reddit, one uncle-to-be expressed his concerns about the name of his future niece, who is due to be born in a few weeks. In the post, he explained that his sister and her husband had been struggling to come up with a name for their baby. Despite their due date creeping closer, they were still stuck on a name. For the couple's baby shower, the anonymous user shared that along with giving the expectant parents a crib for their baby, he also wrote a list of joke baby names. "We have a really close relationship, and it was in line with both our senses of humour," he explained in the post. As he's a biology student and his sister was a nurse, all of the names on the list were names of medications, infections, unpleasant animals. Each option 'sounds like' girls names when they are taken out of context. "Some of them were a little bit obscure, sure, but I included some obvious ones like 'Viagra' and 'Hernia' for good measure," he wrote. Two weeks after the baby shower, the expecting couple revealed that they'd finally agreed on a name for their daughter. The Redditor explained: "Malassezia. The baby's name is Malassezia. One of the names on my joke list. "Outside of the immediate issues (nearly impossible to pronounce on the first try, the 'a**' smack dab it the middle of it, the first syllable being mal-, literally meaning bad or evil), it's also the name of a very common fungal infection. One that my sister and I are both genetically predisposed to." Malassezia, also known as Pityriasis versicolor, refers to a group of basidiomycetous (club-shaped) yeasts of the genus Malassezia, which occurs when yeast on your skin multiplies and infects hair follicles, according to the NHS. It's associated with a variety of conditions, including dandruff, atopic eczema (AE)/dermatitis, pityriasis versicolor, seborrheic dermatitis, and folliculitis. As they pointed this out to the sister, she said that she was aware of what the name was referring to. However, she 'really liked' the way it sounded. She also believes the condition is so obscure that no one would think twice about it. Unimpressed, the uncle-to-be added: "I told her that the name was completely unacceptable, and I was shocked that she chose it. I even suggested some similar names, like Mallory, Azalea, or Anastasia, that would be more acceptable, but she wouldn't hear it! "She said that since I'm not one of the parents, I have no business telling her what she can and cannot name her child, and that I'm stepping way out of line. "I think it's pregnancy hormones, and she'll regret the decision very soon after her daughter is born." Several people took to the comments section – with many urging the Reddit poster to talk to his brother-in-law to make sure he knew the meaning of the name. "While your sis is right that it's her parental right, you're not stepping out of line – you're family and you're cautioning her," one person wrote. Another viewer said: "I'd also make a point of telling her husband what the name means." A third wrote: "Any middle school or high school classmate who browses a skincare subreddit will know malassezia yeast. The kids at school will find out what her name means and call her Yeastie. It's going to be bad." Another person provided a different perspective as they wrote: "Is it possible your sister is trolling you back about the baby name? Most of my friends and family have had no idea what baby name they liked until the baby arrived and some still struggled."
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'My sister is naming her kid after fungal infection after I told her it as joke'
A man has slammed his sister for wanting to name her daughter after a fungal infection - but some people believe she's simply making him panic for her amusement A man has been left gobsmacked after hearing how her sister is naming her daughter after a fungal infection. The 20-year-old explained how he introduced his sister, 27, to the moniker as a joke - but has been left horrified to hear she actually really likes the sound of it and is intending to use it on her newborn. Taking to Reddit, he said: "So my sister and her husband had been struggling a lot with baby names. She was determined to find the single perfect name-- even by the time of her baby shower (nearly five weeks before the due date), she didn't seem any closer to picking something out than she was at the start of her pregnancy. "I knew she was struggling, so in addition to the £900 wooden crib on her list that I got for her, I gave her a list of (obviously) joke baby names. We have a really close relationship, and it was in line with both our senses of humour." The biology student went on to explain how his sister works as a nurse - and so he came up with a list of 'medical' girls' names as a joke. He said: "All the names were medications, infections, unpleasant animals, etcetera, that all sound like lovely girls' names out of context. "Some of them were a little bit obscure, sure, but I included some obvious ones like 'Viagra' and 'Hernia' for good measure." Just two weeks later, his sister and her husband happily announced they'd finally settled on a name for their bundle of joy. Sharing his shock, he added: "Malassezia. The baby's name is Malassezia. One of the names on my joke list. "Outside of the immediate issues (nearly impossible to pronounce on the first try, the 'ass' smack dab it the middle of it, the first syllable being mal-, literally meaning bad or evil), it's also the name of a very common fungal infection. "One that my sister and I are both genetically predisposed to. 'One that we've both had multiple times throughout our lives. Her daughter will almost certainly catch it at some time!'" Malassezia is a type of fungi that colonise on the surface layers of the skin. He continued: "I pointed it out to her, and she said that yes, she knew what it meant, and she knew my list was intended to be a joke, but she just really liked the way it sounded. (I don't think the husband knows what it means- I think he'd reject it if he did.) "She says that it's so obscure that no one will ever think twice about it. (Except, you know, when little baby Malassezia turns 14, finds a weird spot on her neck, and goes on her phone to google what it is...)" Disgusted, he told her it's "completely unacceptable" to give her daughter this name - and started to suggest similar monikers to try to persuade her to change it. "I even suggested some similar names, like Mallory, Azalea, or Anastasia, that would be more acceptable, but she wouldn't hear it," he added. "She said that since I'm not one of the parents, I have no business telling her what she can and cannot name her child, and that I'm stepping way out of line. "I think it's pregnancy hormones, and she'll regret the decision very soon after her daughter is born. Commenting on his post, one user said: "Is it possible your sister is trolling you back about the baby name? Most of my friends and family have had no idea what baby name they liked until the baby arrived and some still struggled." Another user added: "Dude, she's pranking you." A third user said: "It is horrible to name a child that."
Cision Canada
09-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
East Side Games Group Announces Results of 2025 Annual General Meeting
VANCOUVER, BC, May 9, 2025 /CNW/ - East Side Games Group Inc. (TSX: EAGR) (OTC: EAGRF) (" ESGG" or the " Company"), is pleased to announce the voting results from its annual general meeting (the " Meeting") held on May 8, 2025. The total number of shares represented by shareholders present in person and by proxy at the Meeting was 42,128,592 common shares, representing 51.67% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. All of the matters put forward before shareholders for consideration and approval, as set out in the Company's management proxy information circular dated March 24, 2025, were approved by the requisite majority of votes cast at the Meeting. The details of the voting results for the election of directors are as follows: Darren Xu and Rob McLay are joining the Company's board of directors as newly elected members. "We're thrilled to officially welcome Darren Xu and Rob McLay to our board," said Jason Bailey, CEO of East Side Games Group. "Their exceptional leadership, experience, and perspective will be invaluable as we continue to grow ESG into a world-leading games company." Darren Xu is the Managing Member of Questline Capital, a San Francisco–based investment firm. Prior to his current role, he was a Managing Director at Farallon Capital and began his career in investment banking at Citigroup in New York. Darren joins the board as an active and engaged shareholder, bringing deep expertise in capital markets and investor relations. He aims to support East Side Games Group in making great games, and to offer strategic perspectives drawn from his experience across the investment landscape. Rob McLay is the Portfolio Manager of Azalea Fund LP. Azalea is a private investment fund with ownership in a concentrated portfolio of smaller capitalization public equities in North America, primarily Canada. Azalea utilizes a disciplined, private-equity style mindset and fundamental research process to identify undervalued and overlooked opportunities with value-surfacing catalysts. Prior to launching Azalea, Rob has over a decade of experience as a capital markets and investment professional, holding roles at a family office, hedge fund, private equity fund, and as an investment banking analyst specializing in equity and M&A transactions. Rob is a registered Advising Representative and Dealing Representative with Sharno Capital Corporation, the manager of Azalea Fund LP. The shareholders also: (1) approved setting the number of directors at six; and (2) approved the re-appointment of BDO Canada LLP, as auditors of the Company and authorized the directors to fix the auditors' remuneration. Results of the shareholder votes on these items are set forth below: About East Side Games Group Inc. ESGG is a leader in free-to-play mobile gaming, thrilling players with unforgettable experiences that spark lifelong fandom. Fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit, we are driven by creativity, flawless execution, and a laser-focused growth strategy. We develop and publish both original and licensed IP titles, license our cutting-edge GameKit(s) platforms, and strategically acquire studios or games to expand our family. Headquartered in Vancouver with around 120 talent dense team members, we operate over a dozen titles under East Side Games (" ESG") and LDRLY (Technologies) Inc. (" LDRLY"). Together, we're crafting, launching, and publishing mobile games across our own studios and an extended Game Kit partner network—reaching players on iOS and Android worldwide. We power our success through in-app purchases (" IAP")—offering exclusive, game-enhancing virtual items—and in-game advertising. To keep growing, we focus on captivating audiences, keeping them engaged, and unlocking exciting new ways to monetize. We'll drive this momentum by launching bold new titles, enriching our current lineup, innovating discovery, expanding into fresh markets and exploring new distribution platforms. Additional information about the Company continues to be available under its legal name, East Side Games Group Inc., at Forward-looking Information Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding the proposed transactions described herein. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including factors beyond the Company's control. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. SOURCE East Side Games Group Inc.
Business Wire
29-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Azalea Vision Raises €9 Million in First Closing of Series A to Further Develop Intelligent Connected Vision Platform
GHENT, Belgium--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Azalea (A-zuh-lay-ah) Vision, a HealthTech company engineering the future of sight, today announced the first closing of its €15 million Series A funding round, raising €9 million along with the appointment of Robert J. Dempsey as Chairman of the Board to guide strategic growth in the European and U.S. markets. I believe a future where vision is intelligent, connected, and effortlessly adaptive is among the most exciting frontiers in eyecare medical device innovation today. "Strong participation from repeat investors in this Series A milestone reaffirms their trust in our medical device and innovation for the future of intelligent ocular health,' said Enrique Vega, CEO of Azalea Vision. 'Additional funding in this round from SPRIM Global Investments and Afrimobility, along with a strategic investor who remains undisclosed, further emphasizes the confidence in our platform. The appointment of Robert J. Dempsey, a highly regarded leader in the ophthalmic space, brings deep domain expertise and strong industry relationships to guide our leadership team as we move forward into our next stage of growth.' 'I believe a future where vision is intelligent, connected, and effortlessly adaptive is among the most exciting frontiers in eyecare medical device innovation today,' said Robert J. Dempsey. 'I am honored to serve as Chairman of the Board and contribute to driving this transformational journey.' Mr. Dempsey brings over three decades of experience in the eyecare industry, having served in leadership roles including CEO, Chairman, and Board Advisor. He has a proven track record of driving strategic transactions across multiple companies. Notably, he led the build-out of Shire's ophthalmic business, establishing it as a global leader in the space. Under his leadership, the company launched Xiidra - culminating in one of only three ophthalmic deals in the past two decades with an upfront value exceeding $1 Billion. Robert's strong track record across anterior and posterior segments positions him as a key strategic expert in advancing ophthalmic innovation. The Series A funding will support the execution of Azalea Vision's First-in-human (FIH) pilot clinical trial, a key milestone in establishing the safety and performance of its medically intelligent ocular technology platform. The goal is to receive Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), continue the clinical trials, and further advance commercialization efforts. About Azalea (A-zuh-lay-ah) Vision Azalea Vision is pioneering the future of connected ocular health building a scalable solution for complex vision conditions, remote diagnostics, and targeted ocular therapies. Founded in 2021 as a spin-off from imec and Ghent University, the company is developing the first medical-grade smart lens platform designed to sense, adapt, and interact in real time. Azalea is supported since 2021 by leading MedTech, HealthTech, and DeepTech investors—including Elaia Partners, Sensinnovat and Shigeru – and reinforced by EIC and VLAIO (Belgium) non-dilutive grants. Led by a multidisciplinary team with deep expertise in microelectronics, biomedical optics, and medical device innovation, Azalea Vision brings together decades of research and industrial development. The company's platform integrates stretchable electronics, custom-designed ASICs, liquid crystal optics, and NFC communication, all engineered into a lens-embedded system. This foundation enables Azalea to deliver medical-grade smart lenses that sense, adapt, and connect in real time—scaling from vision correction to biosensing, diagnostics, and beyond. For more information, visit and follow us on LinkedIn.
Business Times
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Azalea's next challenge: Private equity investing for the mass affluent
[SINGAPORE] Azalea Investment Management, which pioneered the Astrea series of Singapore Exchange-listed private equity (PE) backed bonds, has arguably fulfilled its mission of democratising retail investors' access to PE – or a structure close to it. Over the past decade, it has raised a total of US$3.6 billion for Astrea bonds, including nearly S$1.3 billion in retail subscriptions. Three of the bond issuances have been fully redeemed. But now Azalea, a Temasek Group company, has set its sights even broader. Its ambition is to extend direct co-investing in PE portfolios to an even wider audience than accredited or sophisticated investors. It hopes the mass affluent, widely defined as those with between US$100,000 and US$1 million in investable assets, will be allowed to invest. It is also working on offering open-ended or semi-liquid funds, which typically have regular redemption windows, subject to limits. Azalea's PE co-investment platform is called Altrium, which has raised a total of about US$2.3 billion in assets from accredited accredited investors and institutions to date. This includes the recent successful first closing for Altrium PE Fund III, which attracted commitments of US$262 million. Altrium enables investments in the equity of private companies. This offers higher growth potential but at a higher risk. Investors generally have to remain invested over the funds' life. In contrast, Astrea comprises bonds collateralised by portfolios of PE funds. Distributions from the underlying funds are paid out as coupons to bondholders, who receive their principal at maturity. Bondholders do not participate in the underlying companies' growth. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The Monetary Authority of Singapore is currently seeking public feedback on a framework to enable retail investors to access private markets investments. Interest in private markets has intensified as investors seek sources of return uncorrelated with stocks and bonds. Traditional asset managers, who grapple with fee compression, are also muscling in. Private market fund fees are more lucrative than unit trusts' fees. Apollo and State Street recently listed an exchange-traded fund in the US with an allocation to private assets. Bond giant Pimco is set to launch a European private credit fund. Azalea itself recently completed a leadership transition. Margaret Lui, who has been chief executive since the firm was set up in 2015, has retired. She remains on the investment committees of existing Altrium funds. Chue En Yaw, who joined in 2018, is now chief executive officer, and retains his role as chief investment officer. Lui, a Temasek veteran, led the development of the Astrea bond programme, which took pains to mitigate the risk of PE investments for the man in the street. Safeguards typically include the prioritisation of coupon payments for the retail tranche, a reserve account to set aside cash to redeem the bonds, and a liquidity facility to fund expenses. The firm is confident about the resilience of the PE asset class and the Astrea bonds, despite the market upheaval over US President Donald Trump's tariffs. Chue said: 'We are still in early days, and the situation remains highly fluid. We're monitoring the situation closely and actively engaging our fund managers to assess the potential impact of the latest tariff changes on the underlying portfolio companies. 'While tariffs could impact PE investments and exit activity in the short term, it is worth noting that PE has historically demonstrated resilience across market cycles, including the dotcom crisis, global financial crisis and Covid-19.' The firm is convinced that PE can help enhance returns for retirement portfolios as well as provide diversification benefits. Lui said: 'I'm very fortunate to have this mandate to do good, and make it work in a commercial sense. The entire team is passionate about financial inclusivity and enabling people to have access to this asset class to invest for their future… The holy grail is to bring equity investing to retail investors. The regulator is quite understanding in that respect; the world is moving towards that. 'We'll still provide Astrea bonds and Altrium PE funds so investors can have the whole array of risk-reward options to give them a chance to build for their future.' Lui and Chue believe some retail investors are ready to co-invest in PE. Lui said: 'Over the past seven years investors in Astrea have graduated to a level where they're very curious about equity. We want to make sure people understand… After many iterations of Astrea PE bonds, perhaps it's time that investors can, within a certain framework, get access or invest in the equity. I do believe in time they will be allowed to.' Chue said: 'Our philosophy has been to reach the mass affluent. One of the ways we measure success is to focus on the smaller accounts. We want more people to benefit from PE.' The firm, he said, has sought to address some of the pain points of investing in PE. One is the 'J curve', where returns in the early years of a fund are poor or negative due to investment costs and the time needed for underlying investments to mature. To mitigate this, Azalea commits an amount to seed the portfolio, in what is termed a 'warehoused portfolio', which reduces the 'blind pool' risks. The warehoused portfolio allows investors to enter at a later stage and potentially enjoy a markup in value, which reduces the negative effects of the initial years of the J curve. Altrium funds also comprise a diversified mix of primary and secondary investments. Secondaries refer to existing PE assets put on the market by primary investors. Altrium also has relatively lower minimum commitments and shorter holding periods. Capital calls are made on an annual basis which enables investors to better manage their own capital and cash flows.
