Latest news with #BrianWalsh
Bloomberg
06-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
23andMe Expects Multiple Bids for Genetic Data, Lawyer Says
Multiple bidders are likely to submit offers for the DNA data bank and other assets of bankrupt genetic-testing firm 23andMe, according to a lawyer for the company. Although 23andMe was unable to land a lead bidder willing to make a binding offer, attorney Christopher Hopkins said during a Tuesday court hearing that the firm expects to go forward with an auction because of the 'robust' interest it has received so far. 'Our expectation is that we will receive multiple competitive bids by tomorrow's deadline,' he told US Bankruptcy Judge Brian C. Walsh.
RTÉ News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Boys' workshops help Zambia move closer to gender equality
In Zambia, where traditionally men held the most power and authority, more people are confronting cultural norms to try and break the cycle of gender inequality. Our reporter Karen Creed and camera man Brian Walsh travelled to Lusaka, supported by the Simon Cumbers Media Fund, to find out how certain initiatives and actions are helping to improve daily life for women and girls. Under the sweltering heat of the midday sun, a group of boys and young men are dancing, rapping and singing. It is part of an energising warm-up before their weekly Men of Honour meeting. There are around 40 of them attending this workshop in a suburb of Lusaka which is centred on teaching them why women and girls should have the same rights as them. Peter Mukuka, the Founder and Chief Executive of Men of Honour, shares the importance of creating a safe space as discussions at times can be uncomfortable. "We talk about things they find difficult to talk about, with their parents, even within their family space," he explained. "We can all share those difficult issues they are going through. "We see a lot of pressure for the boy child and men to live up to expectations of society." He explains how in the worst cases, it can lead to some boys and men committing "all sorts of crimes." "We look at gender-based violence which is one of the social issues facing our country and we try to engage them to see how they are playing a positive role in ending it." "Adolescence is a crucial age," he said. "We take time to break those deep-rooted beliefs that are negative and try to replace them with positive beliefs and what it means to be a man." A priority in these discussions is what constitutes violence and then encouraging the participants to bring what they learn about positive behaviour into their homes and communities. "Tradition plays a huge role, and we must convince them otherwise." The boys are also taught to not be a bystander when they see violent acts happening to girls and women and to speak up. The Gender Equity and Equality Act came into effect in Zambia in 2016. Since then, the focus is on getting men and boys to adapt to a fairer society while showing girls that their ambitions can be fulfilled. The National Gender Policy aims to integrate it across various facets of society and tackle gender disparities. Education essential to make progress Education is viewed as essential to make progress and there is a lot of investment in school programmes. Chrostinah Pemba is a civics teacher at Twin Palm Secondary School in Lusaka. She said teaching the children about gender equality is one of the biggest challenges and that it can be upsetting also. "At home it is what the parents say is right and here what the teachers say is right, so the kids are stuck in between," she said. "Tradition plays a huge role, and we must convince them otherwise. "It is a bit of a task, so we really need to be steadfast in delivering the message." "But now we have duty rotas, we make sure the boys hold that broom and must sweep." She describes the struggle for some children from certain tribes with certain rules and when they come to school, they are taught a different view. The approach being taken across schools has changed considerably since the time she was a teenager. "I remember back in our day, we would have chores and while we sweep the boys would do other things like pick papers, and the boys could not touch the broom according to tradition. "But now we have duty rotas, we make sure the boys hold that broom and must sweep." She is confident that they are seeing the benefits. "I think we are balancing it and getting somewhere," said Chrostinah. Football offers vast playing field That message is spreading from the classroom to the wider community about the importance of equal access to opportunities. In the push for gender equality football is one sport that offers a vast playing field. "Football is a lucrative sport, and young women and girls are changing the narrative and taking Zambia to the global stage." There is a lot of encouragement for women and young girls to get involved and to enjoy football like their male peers but also to score goals for equality and change. The girls' teams at State House Queens football club are supported by a charity that was set up by famous Zambian footballer Rachel Kundananji and her friend Bernadatte Deka Zulu. Bernadette has been campaigning for gender equality since her teenage years. "We have taken this path to make sure we reach out to young girls in Zambia and beyond to give skills, education, empowerment and social justice," she said. She is grateful for the rewards that are happening on and off the pitch. "What it means is that parents in our communities in the daily Zambian average family are going to let a young girl go out there and pursue her dreams." Bernadette explains that it is much more than just recreational activities. "Football is a lucrative sport, and young women and girls are changing the narrative and taking Zambia to the global stage." As we watch two of the girls' teams battle it out in a friendly, I realise most of the spectators who have gathered to watch the match are boys. It captures perfectly the change that Zambia is striving for, even if it is happening at a slower pace in some parts.
Reuters
29-04-2025
- Business
- Reuters
23andMe will have court-appointed overseer for genetic data in bankruptcy
NEW YORK, April 29 (Reuters) - Genetic testing company 23andMe agreed on Tuesday to allow a court-appointed overseer to take charge of ensuring customers' genetic data remains protected during the company's bankruptcy, settling a dispute with several U.S. states. Those states had argued the company was not taking data security seriously enough. Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Brian Walsh approved the agreement at a court hearing in St. Louis, Missouri, ordering the appointment of a consumer protection ombudsman who will be empowered to review 23andMe's handling of customers' genetic information and its security policies. The ombudsman will also review any sale of 23andMe's business or data during the company's bankruptcy, and report to the court about how any sale would impact customers' data. 23andMe had initially proposed hiring a "customer data representative" who would have had a more limited focus on ensuring that a future sale of the company or its data complied with the company's existing privacy policies. But a group of more than 25 states objected, saying that 23andMe simply wanted to hire someone who would "tell this court everything is fine." 23andMe has collected genetic data from 15 million customers who ordered DNA testing kits online and provided saliva samples to the company. The company has said it won't go through with a sale that imperils customers' genetic data, but the bankruptcy has drawn scrutiny from state attorneys general and lawmakers who warn that customer data could be sold to unscrupulous buyers. The consumer protection ombudsman will have an initial budget of $300,000 for their work, with the ability to ask the court for more money if needed. 23andMe filed for bankruptcy last month, seeking to sell its business after a drop-off in consumer demand and a 2023 data breach that exposed millions of customers' genetic data. The company is still negotiating with potential buyers for its business. It had hoped to name a bidder last week to serve as a minimum bid for other companies to compete against in a future auction. But those talks remain ongoing, and 23andMe has pushed the deadline to April 30, Chris Hopkins, a lawyer for the company, said at Tuesday's hearing. 23andMe founder Anne Wojcicki has also expressed interest in buying back the company. During the hearing, attorneys representing a class of more than 6 million customers affected by the 2023 data breach raised concerns about the bankruptcy's impact on a $30 million settlement reached last year. 23andMe's attorneys said the value of the class action settlement is in dispute now that the company is in bankruptcy. Walsh said he will address potential disputes about the class action settlement at a later date.
Cision Canada
28-04-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
HLS Therapeutics to Present at the 2025 Bloom Burton & Co. Healthcare Investor Conference
TORONTO, April 28, 2025 /CNW/ - HLS Therapeutics Inc. (HLS or the Company) (TSX: HLS), a pharmaceutical company focusing on addressing unmet needs in the treatment of psychiatric disorders and cardiovascular disease, announces that Brian Walsh, Chief Commercial Officer, will present at the 2025 Bloom Burton & Co. Healthcare Investor Conference, which takes place May 5-6, 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in downtown Toronto. Details on the Company's presentation are as follows: Webcast and replay information for this event will also be available on the Event Page in the Investor Relations section of HLS's website. The replay will be available for 90 days. ABOUT HLS THERAPEUTICS INC. Formed in 2015, HLS is a pharmaceutical company focused on the acquisition and commercialization of late-stage development, commercial stage promoted and established branded pharmaceutical products in the North American markets. HLS's focus is on products targeting unmet needs in the treatment of psychiatric disorders and cardiovascular disease. HLS's management team is composed of seasoned pharmaceutical executives with a strong track record of success in these therapeutic areas and at managing products in each of these lifecycle stages. For more information visit: FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION This release includes forward-looking statements regarding HLS and its business. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of HLS's management. In some cases the forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, including, among others, statements with respect to HLS's pursuit of additional product and pipeline opportunities in certain therapeutic markets, statements regarding growth opportunities, expectations regarding financial performance, and the NCIB and ASPP. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting HLS, including risks relating to the specialty pharmaceutical industry, risks related to the regulatory approval process, economic factors and many other factors beyond the control of HLS. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause HLS's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. A discussion of the material risks and assumptions associated with this release can be found in the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 12, 2025, and Management's Discussion and Analysis dated March 12, 2025, both of which have been filed on SEDAR+ and can be accessed at Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and HLS undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. SOURCE HLS Therapeutics Inc.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A financial blueprint can help investors weather volatility while saving for retirement
Listen and subscribe to Decoding Retirement on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. When it comes to saving and investing for retirement, especially during times of volatility, there's no need to complicate it. In fact, you should make saving as easy to implement as possible, according to Brian Walsh, the head of advice and planning at SoFi. The best way to save and invest your money is to have a financial blueprint, or a structured framework that guides your investment decisions based on your specific goals, time horizons, and risk tolerance. Like an architectural blueprint for a house, a financial blueprint provides the foundational plan that helps you build your financial future with purpose rather than reacting emotionally to market changes. A blueprint allows you to "always make sure that you're investing based on your goal" and plan for "when you're going to use your money," Walsh, who is also known as "Dr. Money," said in a recent episode of the Decoding Retirement podcast (see video above or listen below). This embedded content is not available in your region. One of the best financial blueprints to use is what Walsh calls the three-bucket investment approach, where you invest based on your time horizons. For money you need in the short term (less than three years), "Money should not be invested [in stocks]. Period," Walsh said. "Think money market funds, short-term bonds, high-yield savings." This conservative approach for short-term funds recognizes that market volatility could devastate money you need soon, so preservation of capital takes absolute priority over growth potential. The second bucket is for intermediate funding needs of three to 10 years. For that, you want "a mix of stocks and bonds," Walsh said. "That's long enough where you can actually deal with volatility." This balanced approach gives you enough time to weather market downturns while still providing growth potential. The intermediate timeframe allows you to take calculated risks without jeopardizing near-term financial goals. Read more: Here's what to do with your retirement savings in a market sell-off For the third bucket, dealing with long-term (10+ years) funding needs, Walsh advised investing in "mostly equities." With this extended timeline, you can afford to weather multiple market cycles and capitalize on the historically superior returns of stocks compared to other asset classes. The decade-plus horizon means short-term volatility becomes merely a blip in your overall investment journey, allowing you to focus on maximizing growth rather than minimizing fluctuations. 'We start with that framework,' Walsh said, noting that 'you always need to make sure that you're investing based on your goal.' In the podcast, Walsh also emphasized the importance of understanding the difference between your emotional comfort with risk — your risk tolerance — and your financial ability to absorb losses — your risk capacity — when making investment decisions. 'Risk tolerance is one thing,' he said. 'Risk capacity is a completely different thing.' Young investors should be able to tolerate risk, but having the ability to withstand the market's ups and downs is also very important. One has to be 'totally on board with some volatility and some risk,' Walsh said. But having a framework in place can help investors resist three key investment biases that can affect decision making, especially during volatile periods. Walsh discussed loss aversion, a concept introduced by Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel laureate in Economic Sciences, and psychologist Amos Tversky that posits that people tend to feel the pain of losses about twice as strongly as they feel the pleasure of equivalent gains. Another bias is confirmation bias, which leads people to seek out information that supports the story they already believe — whether it's accurate or not, Walsh said. And people often experience hindsight bias, where they believe they should have seen something coming, even if it was truly unpredictable. For example, after COVID hit, some might think, 'I should've sold my investments right after the first case in China. I could've made a lot of money,' Walsh said, even though that would've been nearly impossible to foresee at the time. He noted that after unpredictable events, people "feel like they should have known." The challenge, Walsh said, is recognizing those biases and figuring out how to manage them, whether it's by slowing down and reflecting more critically or by using tools like automation and technology to help make more objective choices. Each Tuesday, retirement expert and financial educator Robert Powell gives you the tools to plan for your future on Decoding Retirement. You can find more episodes on our video hub or watch on your preferred streaming service.
