Latest news with #Nader
Economic Key
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Economic Key
Kayan Egypt Celebrates 130 Years of ŠKODA's Legacy Worldwide
Kayan Egypt for Trade and Investment, the exclusive agent for ŠKODA in Egypt, celebrates the 130th anniversary of the establishment of the renowned Czech brand. Celebrating this occasion, Kayan Egypt is offering now Octavia models at a starting price of 1,799,000 EGP and Kodiaq models at a starting price of 2,549,000 EGP. Kayan Egypt plays an integral role in the ongoing success of this leading brand in the Egyptian market, demonstrating a strong commitment to quality and continuous innovation that has characterized ŠKODA over the years. Kayan Egypt emphasizes the importance of fostering mutual cooperation with the parent company ŠKODA to provide the best products and services to customers in the Egyptian market. Nader Nabil, ŠKODA Egypt Brand Director at Kayan Egypt for Trade and Investment, commented on the occasion: 'We are proud to celebrate 130 years of the ŠKODA brand and reaffirm our ongoing efforts to enhance the position of ŠKODA vehicles in the Egyptian market as one of the leading brands in the automotive sector.' 'We look forward to continuing this success and fruitful partnership with ŠKODA brand in the coming years, achieving further growth and prosperity.' Nader added. Nader also emphasized that the company strives to offer a unique and exceptional experience that exceeds customer expectations. They are keen to provide a wide range of ŠKODA models that meet various needs and tastes, aligning with the requirements of Egyptian customers and the nature of local needs for ŠKODA's global products, as well as providing high-quality after-sales services through an extensive network of authorized service centers staffed by highly trained technicians. As part of the 130-year celebration of the brand's foundation, ŠKODA Global has opened the ŠKODA Museum to showcase the company's most notable achievements and amazing stories. The museum features dozens of cars, a selection of its first motorcycles and bicycles, and an interactive map detailing the development stages of the main factory. It also highlights 125 years of engine development and production in Mladá Boleslav. Additionally, ŠKODA launched a special series of wristwatches created specifically for this celebration—a limited edition of 130 luxury watches from 'Laurin & Klement,' designed by the renowned Czech watchmaker Prokop & Bros. These exclusive watches are inspired by the Laurin & Klement BSC model, a rare and historically significant sports car from 1908 that represents the pinnacle of early automotive engineering. This edition of wristwatches honors both the watchmaking industry and the craftsmanship of automobile manufacturing, and will be available in selected European markets in September of this year. تم نسخ الرابط
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
CHRB Food Fight? California's Top Horse Racing Regulators Clash After Humboldt County Fair Dates Request Is Denied
Guy Fieri tried, but even the Food Network star of 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' couldn't save horse racing in his small northern California hometown of Ferndale, the site of the Humboldt County Fair since 1896. Racing has been a mainstay of the fair most of the years since, but that is coming to an end in 2025. On Thursday, for the second month in a row, the California Horse Racing Board voted against approval of the Humboldt County Fair's dates request for three consecutive weekends of racing between Aug. 13 and Sept. 1. The regularly scheduled meeting was held in Sacramento at the California Exposition and State Fair Grandstand. Technically, the April vote, 3-2 against granting the dates, meant no action was taken by the board because a majority of four of the seven CHRB seats is required. One commissioner, Damascus Castellanos was absent from the April meeting, and one board seat was open because of the resignation of John Carvelli in February. Thursday's vote was 4-3 against the request, with chairman Dr. Gregory Ferraro and commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Thomas Hudnut and Castellanos voting no. Voting in favor of the Humboldt County Fair dates request was vice chairman Oscar Gonzales, along with commissioners Brenda Davis and Peter Stern. Stern was recently appointed to fill the vacant CHRB seat by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The vote came after presentations by representatives of the Humboldt County Fair, recognition that a number of local, state and Congressional politicians had written to the CHRB in support of approving a race meet in Ferndale, and pleadings from owners, breeders, trainers and track employees who said a meet would be beneficial to California racing and breeding. One speaker read a letter from the well-known television star Fieri, who annually attends the fair and whose food career was launched as a teenager with a pretzel cart on the fair grounds. In pleading for approval of the dates, Fieri wrote in his letter, 'To put it very bluntly, taking this meet away from Ferndale would be a bullet to the heart of the fair community. There's no other way to say it.' Speaking against the request for dates was Bill Nader, president and CEO of Thoroughbred Owners of California. Nader outlined the disastrous results of the short-lived Golden State Racing meet at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton last year, which the CHRB approved over TOC protests. That meet, Nader said, required a bailout from Southern California interests and caused severe financial losses to the California Authority of Racing Fairs, which had previously operated fair meets throughout Northern California. CARF ended up selling equipment needed to operate a race meet to a track in Wyoming and has refocused its business on helping Northern California fairs operate their off-track betting facilities. "We need to be very careful with how we govern and how we go forward to protect and preserve California racing," Nader told the CHRB commissioners. The denial of the Humboldt County Fair dates mean there will be no Northern California racing this summer. Since Belinda Stronach, owner of Golden Gate Fields, closed the Bay Area track in June 2024, the only racing was the short-lived Golden State meet from mid-October through mid-December. The CHRB last month voted 4-1 against a request by newly formed Bernal Park Racing to conduct a June 10-July 6 meet at the Alameda County Fair. Bernal Park Racing, an entity started by owner-breeders George Schmitt and John Harris, was set to operate the Ferndale meet if the dates had been approved. Schmitt spoke at the meeting and said he and Harris deposited $1.5 million to help fund the Humboldt County Fair meet and had spent over $100,000 so far on fees and other fairs have applied for 2025 dates. After the dates request was voted down, vice chairman Gonzales, who has clashed with chairman Ferraro in past meetings and was particularly critical of him over the Ferndale vote in April, called it a 'serious, serious, serious mistake that this board made." Gonzales asked the CHRB's executive director, Scott Chaney, the logistics of calling for a follow-up meeting to address the request again. "Commissioner Gonzales, how many votes do you want to have on this?' Ferraro asked. 'You've lost twice. Do you not accept the vote?' 'I don't. I don't, Mr. Chairman,' Gonzales responded. 'Well, that's your problem. That's not the problem of the board,' Ferraro answered back. As chairman, Ferraro can veto calls for a special or emergency meeting and said he would do so if Gonzales tried to have one scheduled. Later, during a public comment period, Gonzales irked Ferraro again, complaining about a back-and-forth between Ferraro and a member of the public. 'Are you being particularly rude today," Ferraro asked, "or do you just have a problem?' The meeting was then adjourned. If Fieri was there to serve lunch, a food fight might have broken out between California's top two horse racing regulators.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Deli Boys' and ‘Shifting Gears' showrunner Michelle Nader says both shows ‘are about humanity and make people laugh'
Michelle Nader, the showrunner behind two of the year's new comedies — Hulu's Deli Boys and ABC's Shifting Gears — says "both shows are about humanity and making people laugh." With two very different worlds, casts, and tones to balance, Nader has crafted shows that not only entertain but resonate deeply with audiences. Created by Abdullah Saeed, Deli Boys follows a pair of privileged Pakistani-American brothers who lose their lavish lifestyle after their convenience-store mogul father dies in a freak golfing accident. Nader calls the genre-blending comedy one of the most rewarding experiences of her career. More from GoldDerby TV showrunner panel: 'The Better Sister,' 'Deli Boys,' 'Overcompensating,' 'Shifting Gears,' and 'Three Women' 'Three Women' showrunner Laura Eason talks courage, desire, and 'superhero' intimacy coordinators 'Overcompensating' showrunner Scott King on Prime Video comedy: 'There are no heroes or villains - everyone is just a f--ing mess' 'Deli Boys is so special to me,' Nader shares. 'The experience of working on it has been one of the best I've had in my long career. It was such a gift to be able to tell this story about a family coming together through crime. I come from Philadelphia, it's set in Philadelphia, and it was a convergence of so many great things — the cast, the writers' room, and the directors. It's a special show that is resonating with people. The genre is such a blend of action, comedy, and craziness. That's what people want now — laughing and being surprised. A lot of comedies today are just smiles." Deli Boys brings on the laughs. At the heart of Deli Boys is its ensemble cast, led by Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh as the brothers navigating their father's criminal empire. Nader credits their bond as the driving force behind the series' success. 'Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh are brothers now,' Nader says. 'They are the two sides of Abdullah [Saeed]: the hardworking person and his pursuit of weed. It's about rich kids — one wants to enjoy [the wealth], and the other wants to keep [the family business afloat]. Both Saagar and Asif really took that to heart. They came every day ready to explore [their characters] with each other and with us. The dialogue between the writers and them, as actors, brought their performances and the show to a level that people are responding to.' The diverse and energetic writers' room also played a pivotal role in shaping the voice of Deli Boys. 'Abdullah is Pakistani, I'm Lebanese and Italian — there were Indian people, Persian people, Thai, other Pakistanis, Jewish writers. We had this Ocean's Eleven group of weirdos with crazy backgrounds drama,' Nader explains. 'I would say in the writers' room, 'It has to be a runaway train to a rocket ride.' Abdullah created something so rich. We were able to cull from that and develop it." While Deli Boys explores crime and chaos, ABC's Shifting Gears takes a more traditional sitcom approach, with Tim Allen playing widower Matt Parker, whose estranged daughter shows up with her two teenage children, sparking both family drama and heartfelt humor. Though Nader didn't work on the pilot, she was thrilled to join forces with Kat Dennings, whom she calls her 'professional wife' after working closely together on 2 Broke Girls. 'It was going to be hard for me to watch Kat in another relationship on a show,' Nader jokes. 'Miraculously, fate brought me to [Shifting Gears]. Then I got to work with Tim Allen, who is such a legend. I was nervous because he's such an icon, but he was so welcoming and trusting. We were on the same page — we wanted this to be a classic sitcom but modernized.' The chemistry between Allen and Dennings was what ultimately convinced Nader the show could work creatively. 'They are so magical together,' Nader says. 'I responded to their dynamic and chemistry as actors, but I also love the exploration of grief and how people have to rebuild. The show is about Matt Parker restoring classic cars, so thematically, I wanted to mirror that idea of restoration in the family as well. They still fight, but they have to make peace with their differences and drive the car together.' Deli Boys and Shifting Gears are both streaming on Hulu. This article and video are presented by Disney/Hulu. Best of GoldDerby Filming 'The White Lotus' terrified Sam Nivola more than once TV showrunner panel: 'The Better Sister,' 'Deli Boys,' 'Overcompensating,' 'Shifting Gears,' and 'Three Women' 'Three Women' showrunner Laura Eason talks courage, desire, and 'superhero' intimacy coordinators Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
At $15,000, Is This 1966 Chevy Corvair Monza A Safe Bet?
Arguably the prettiest car in Chevy's '60s fleet, today's Nice Price or No Dice Corvair still holds up. Let's decide if there's any hold-up with its asking price. Wouldn't it be nice if we could do our part in saving the planet while still being able to have a little fun in the process? I mean, most conservation efforts, despite instilling an intense sense of noblesse and self-satisfaction, don't often engender any adrenal-exercising Kool-Aid "Oh Yeah!" moments. The 2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid we looked at yesterday might very well be a notable exception to this unwritten rule. It, after all, had that rare commodity on any car, much less on a hybrid: a manual transmission. And it was a six-speed row-yer-own, to boot! That makes for some fun while sipping fuel and zipping through electrons to lower one's carbon footprint. Another fun factor was the Honda's $5,900 asking price. You all gave that a solid 65% Nice Price win. Read more: Popular Cars Consumer Reports Recommends You Skip In Favor Of Something Better The 1970s was a weird time for ironic deaths. Notably, There was the passing of Euell Gibbons, the healthy diet advocate whose eating habits didn't prevent his dying of a ruptured aorta. Then there was Jim Fixx. His fame arose from writing a best-selling book on the health benefits of running and died of a heart attack while, you guessed it, out running. Having demonstrated so cruel a sense of humor, it wouldn't have been surprising for fate to have marked safety advocate and perennial presidential candidate Ralph Nader for a fiery death behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Corvair, one of the targets of his screed against the auto industry's lackadaisical attitude toward occupant safety in the '50s and '60s. "Unsafe At Any Speed." Instead, Nader dodged that bullet and is still kicking it today at the ripe old age of 91. The Corvair, however, is not. First introduced for the 1960 model year, the Corvair was a very obvious answer to the best-selling import of the time, Volkswagen's Beetle. It became the unfortunate object of Nader's aggrievement due to the quirky handling characteristics of the early models. Those suffered from snap oversteer due to the back-forty engine placement and a cost-saving swing axle rear suspension. By the time the second generation arrived in 1965, those demons had been exorcised. A redesigned and fully articulating rear suspension tamed the handling and allowed for more horsepower out of the air-cooled pancake six. To fete the feat, Chevy's designers imbued the revamped models with knuckle-bitingly beautiful styling. On the downside, the model line was pared down to pillarless sedans and coupes, as well as a convertible. The previous generation's station wagon and forward-control vans and pickups were no more. This 1965 Chevy Corvair Monza proves that Chevy's stylings really knew what they were doing. The car's long, low, and clean design is immediately familial. It shares its subtle Coke bottle side profile with the Chevelle, but with more purpose in its shark nose and Corvette homage quad tail lamps. Under the deck lid is the 164 cubic-inch displacement flat-six, but in this Monza, it's fitted with four single-barrel carburetors. The carbs are set up like a four-barrel, with two primary carbs and two secondaries that only open upon full throttle. The benefit over a single 4BBL carb is better response and more torque down low. As fitted, the naturally-aspirated "Turbo-Air" engine offers 140 (gross) horsepower, which can move the 2,300-pound car smartly. Ahead of that is a four-speed manual shifted via a curvy lever sprouting from the Corvair's iconic flat floorboard. Other notable features of the Monza include a black crinkle finish on the dash and glovebox door, a tach in the instrument panel, and bucket seats for the driver and front passenger. According to the ad, this Monza also wears a set of SS wheels off a Chevelle or Camaro and features an older respray in the factory Aztec Red. Some bubbling under that paint is evident just ahead of the windshield, but there doesn't seem to be any major road rot anywhere structural. Things are just as nice in the cabin. The vinyl upholstery is wholly intact and doesn't suffer from fading. And while this is a sixties car with a reputation for danger, it has been updated with seat belts and a dual-circuit brake system. The seller says it also has had a "sporty exhaust" added to improve the sound. Overall, it appears to be a good ten-foot car, and aside from that bubbling under the paint, seems to need nothing to be a great classic weekend cruiser. A clean title and the seller's suggestion that "In these uncertain times, why not drop the top and enjoy the journey?" add to the car's advocacy. Any and all upgrades and replacement parts are said to have come from a Corvair specialist, so nothing janky or weird should pop up for the next owner. It's also fun to think that Chevy built this sports car, which offered more power than its next-closest layout competitor, Porsche's then-new 911, as well as a full convertible roof when the German car could only manage a Targa top. The only real question, then, is whether it's worth the seller's $15,000 asking price to gain that experience. What do you think? Is this Corvair a deal at that $15K asking? Or do you stand with Nader that this Chevy is unsafe at any spend? You decide! Nice Price or No Dice: Seattle, Washington, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears. Help me out with NPOND. Hit me up at robemslie@ and send me a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
L'Orient-Le Jour
08-05-2025
- Business
- L'Orient-Le Jour
At LAU, W2W transforms beer 'waste' into sustainable resources
The Waste to Wealth (W2W) project was selected from nearly 2,700 applications and is among the 100 most innovative projects of Prototypes for Humanity. This initiative brings together professors, recent graduates and students from more than 800 universities to develop solutions for major social and environmental challenges. "The selection was primarily based on innovation. The jurors were also looking for commercially viable solutions. Having an industrial partner was therefore an added value. Finally, the project needed to provide a tangible benefit to humanity, true to the spirit of Prototypes for Humanity," explained Joelle Nader, assistant professor in the Department of Information Technology and Operations Management at the Adnan Kassar School of Business in the Lebanese American University (LAU), who oversees the W2W project conducted with students. The team recovers residual yeast from the brewery of its industrial partner, Kassatly Chtaura. While this is often discarded, despite its richness in useful compounds, the W2W project transforms it into pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, a process with multiple benefits. "In terms of production, we reduced energy consumption by 22 to 25 percent compared to traditional techniques. We also increased the bioavailability of beneficial compounds, such as beta-glucans, polyphenols and proteins, by 40 to 45 percent, which is significant. This means that consuming just half as much now achieves the same effects," said Nader. A high-tech solution to valorize waste To explain these results, Nader highlights that the transformation process involves a series of optimized subprocesses and includes the use of an innovative, energy-efficient patented technology, Controlled Instantaneous Decompression (DIC), which uses controlled pressure drops to effectively process these wastes. "Without chemicals, this technology is based solely on thermodynamic principles. We also use a drying technique that does not harm the product." At the origin of the DIC, a French company specializes in manufacturing: Abcar D.I.C. Process, with which the expert collaborates. "Today, the DIC incorporates advances from Industry 4.0, allowing it to be further optimized to achieve the expected results. The technology is therefore already at an advanced stage of improvement and contributes to the project's evolution," she noted, indicating that, with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), it would be possible, in a later project phase, to generate a personalized product. "For example, we could ask the client targeted questions, have them take a few tests and prescribe a pill containing a precise concentration of this or that component, according to their needs. We therefore integrate machine learning and AI to advance this approach further," continued Nader. Meanwhile, the W2W project uses advanced data analysis tools. "Rather than multiplying trial and error, these tools allow for optimizing results by establishing precise models with a reduced number of tests. My approach is therefore fully in line with a sustainability logic," she added. Holding a PhD in industrial process engineering and possessing expertise in biochemistry, industrial technology and engineering management, Nader emphasized that W2W ensures "that the final product is both marketable and beneficial to humanity." She added that the return on investment for this project reaches about 87 percent, with a payback period of less than a year. "This is crucial for an industrial partner, ensuring viability and sustainability." On another level, this expert recalls that "waste" is actually valuable products, rich in nutritional compounds. "Generally, they are discarded or used as animal feed. I don't like to call them 'waste' because it suggests something useless to humanity, which is far from the truth," she said. "They are rather losses for the industries." For Nader, the goals are multiple: "Sustainable development, waste reduction through lean production practices, increased profitability and consumer interest in the product, thanks to the integration of AI for targeted nanoparticle-based therapy." Bridging gap between industrial and academic worlds "The W2W project is beneficial for both the industrial and academic worlds. It relies on research strengths to develop innovative solutions while integrating the profitability requirements inherent in the industrial sector," clarified the assistant professor. As an executive member of the advisory board of the LAU Industrial Hub, she said that the W2W is part of the VIP (Vertically Integrated Projects) initiative of the LAU School of Engineering with which she collaborates. Consequently, it is a project that brings together students from various disciplines: engineering, business, arts and sciences. The goal is to promote interdisciplinary research. On the other hand, the VIPs allow them to gain hands-on experience, far beyond theory. While validating up to six or seven credits, depending on their field, students work on large-scale projects, exploring a self-learning experience. "Although training and workshops are offered, they are also encouraged to seek information on their own, thus developing their autonomy and practical skills," Nader noted. As for industries, Dr. Nader explains that some are ready to engage in innovative projects that would be beneficial to them. However, they face a major obstacle: subsidies and funding. "This is why multiplying successes would strengthen credibility and attract more funding and investors. The proposed model is clear: If 75 percent of the funding is covered by grants, obtained through proposals sent to different organizations, only 25 percent would be borne by the industry. This type of approach is based on a synergy between the LAU Industrial Hub, funders, industrial partners, students and teachers. It is ultimately a coherent and effective network," said Nader, who is also a consultant for several industries, both locally and internationally. With the transformation of residual yeast, Nader and her team are on their second project. Their journey began with the project to transform wine by-products, namely grape marc, into three high-value products: a powdered dietary supplement concentrated in polyphenols, pharmaceutical-type supplement capsules and a cream rich in antioxidants, with protective properties. Today, in the finalization phase, this project earned them in 2022 "the first world prize in the international innovation competition of the VIP consortium, a real recognition among 44 international institutions, including 19 based in the United States," rejoiced Nader. "Although we must keep up with the rapid pace of developments related to AI and Industry 4.0, it is essential to preserve our values. We must focus on interdisciplinarity, bridge the gap between industry and the academic world, and above all, restore hope to industries and students," concluded the expert. À la LAU, W2W transforme les « déchets » de la bière en ressources durables
