Latest news with #Roundtable
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hundreds of brightly coloured plastic ducks to fill River Tees for charity race
Brightly coloured plastic ducks will soon fill the River Tees for a charity race with a difference. The annual Charity Duck Race, organised by Stockton-on-Tees Roundtable, will be held on August 17 at the Tees Barrage, raising funds for SARA Animal Rescue and Daisy Chain. A spokesman for Stockton-on-Tees Roundtable said: "We're incredibly excited to welcome the community back to the Tees Barrage for another fantastic event. "It's a fun, family-friendly day, but more importantly, it helps us raise vital funds for two charities that make a real difference in our area." The event has become a firm favourite in the region, attracting crowds from across Teesside. Hundreds of sponsored plastic ducks will be released into the river, with the first to cross the finish line earning its sponsor a £150 cash prize. The fun doesn't stop at the water's edge. This year's race day will also feature stalls, food vendors, and live entertainment, offering a full day out for visitors of all ages. Each duck can be sponsored online at Stockton-on-Tees Roundtable's Square site: All funds raised will go directly to the chosen charities. SARA Animal Rescue is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming abandoned and mistreated animals. Daisy Chain supports families affected by autism and neurodiversity through therapeutic and educational services. The Roundtable group, part of the wider Round Table organisation, is a social and charitable network for men aged 18 to 45. In addition to hosting events, members regularly take part in community fundraising and hands-on volunteer work. The spokesman said: "It's a fun, family-friendly day, but more importantly, it helps us raise vital funds for two charities that make a real difference in our area." The event is open to everyone and early duck sponsorship is advised. READ MORE: Luxury housing scheme in North East takes shape with backing of major fund Anger as council propose speed limit increase on 'dangerous' County Durham road Beloved Darlington butchers hits the market after decades of serving the town Organisers encourage the community to join in the fun, whether by cheering on the ducks, enjoying the entertainment, or exploring the stalls and food options. Those looking to support the cause or feeling lucky are invited to sponsor a duck and head down to the Tees Barrage on August 17. It promises to be one of Stockton's most uplifting summer events.
RTHK
11-07-2025
- Health
- RTHK
Spinal muscular atrophy drug subsidy 'set for adults'
Spinal muscular atrophy drug subsidy 'set for adults' Michael Tien, standing centre, hopes the new arrangement to widen the application of a subsidy to more spinal muscular atrophy patients can be implemented within months. Photo: RTHK More Hong Kong patients suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) will be able to enjoy a government subsidy to control the symptoms of their disorder with two drugs, Roundtable lawmaker Michael Tien said. Currently, only infants and children suffering from two types of SMA, a group of neuromuscular disorders, are entitled to government assistance to purchase the drugs – Nusinersen and Risdiplam. The health authorities, Tien said on Friday, have recently given the green light for adult patients suffering from two other types of the disorder to apply for the subsidy as well. Tien said he aims to push for the new arrangement to be implemented before his Legco term ends by the end of the year. He also urged the government to refer to mainland data in vetting drugs in the future. 'Hong Kong experts, when they decide whether to use public money to help patients with a particular disease, look at their own research…they look at worldwide papers,' Tien said. 'My argument is that those [patients] are not of the same race as us, our blood types are different, our DNAs are different. "Why can't the Hong Kong government look more at the mainland situation?' Tien also said the newly introduced 1+ mechanism that speeds up registration of new drugs in Hong Kong will also facilitate the SAR in price negotiations with global pharmaceutical companies.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The TON golden visa offer was never about residency. It was about crypto's identity crisis
The TON golden visa offer was never about residency. It was about crypto's identity crisis originally appeared on TheStreet. This past weekend, The Open Network (TON) made an announcement that staking $100,000 worth of Toncoin for three years and paying a $35,000 processing fee, individuals could become eligible for a 10-year golden visa to the United Arab Emirates. The message was clear—crypto wasn't just about finance anymore. It was now offering life-changing, government-backed privileges. Or so it seemed. The proposal promised a streamlined pathway to residency — under seven weeks from submission to approval — along with annual staking yields of 3% to 4% and visa coverage for immediate family members. It was billed as an 'investment alternative' to traditional golden visa routes, which usually require property purchases or large equity injections. And it came with an apparent seal of confidence: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov reshared the announcement on X, lending it a powerful (if implicit) sense of credibility. Have a different take on TON's golden visa pitch? Join TheStreet's Mehab Qureshi on Roundtable and share your view. For a few hours, it worked. Toncoin rallied. Crypto Twitter buzzed. In an industry constantly searching for validation in the real world, this felt like a headline breakthrough. But by Monday, the UAE government had refuted the claim, categorically. In a joint statement, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, the Securities and Commodities Authority, and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority stated clearly: digital asset investments do not qualify for golden visa programs. They warned investors not to confuse promotional material with public policy, and they noted that TON was not licensed or regulated in the UAE. Let's be clear that there's nothing illegal about promoting staking programs. And blockchain-backed yield mechanisms, while still volatile, are a part of mainstream crypto infrastructure. But what made this case stand out was the leap from digital finance into sovereign immigration policy, something no crypto project, no matter how confident, has the authority to promise. The golden visa debate is just getting started. Join Mehab Qureshi on Roundtable to weigh in. To be eligible for a golden visa in the UAE, investors must meet strict criteria: a minimum of 2 million AED (about $544,000 USD) in real estate or public investments, or professional distinction in high-demand sectors like healthcare, research, or entrepreneurship. The visa allows long-term residency, the ability to live and work in the country without a sponsor, and other benefits designed to attract talent and capital. That's why the TON episode should be read not as an isolated misfire, but as a symptom of crypto's deeper identity tension. On one hand, the industry is maturing, platforms like TON, Ethereum, and Solana are increasingly integrated into fintech conversations. On the other hand, there's still a hunger for moonshot moments shortcuts to legitimacy, often pitched without the infrastructure or oversight to support them. In this case, even seasoned observers were caught off guard. Binance founder CZ reacted on X with the simple question, 'Is this real?' And that's the real issue. It's not about TON. It's about how easily bold crypto narratives can break containment—how fast a marketing slide can be mistaken for state-backed policy, especially in a space where tokens double as brands, products, and investments. The UAE has positioned itself as a global blockchain hub, attracting hundreds of firms with its light-touch but structured approach to crypto regulation. But the golden visa is not part of that sandbox. TON's misstep wasn't in building a staking program. It was in assuming that the rules of the blockchain could extend to the rules of a state. There's a lesson here, and it's one the crypto sector would do well to internalize, innovation doesn't excuse overreach. You can build fast, yes. But if you're going to claim real-world access—residency, citizenship, banking—you need real-world permission. Crypto still operates in a credibility economy. And that credibility is hard-earned, easily lost. The more projects blur the line between aspiration and authority, the harder it becomes for the entire space to gain the trust it desperately seeks—from regulators, from users, and from the public. For all its potential, crypto cannot rewrite immigration law. Not yet. And certainly not through a staking pitch. Disclaimer: This article is an opinion piece and reflects the views of the author. The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as legal, financial, or immigration advice. The TON golden visa offer was never about residency. It was about crypto's identity crisis first appeared on TheStreet on Jul 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Leapfrog, Transform Capitalism, And Embrace Women's Strengths For Climate Positive Economy
A woman uses her Samsung smartphone in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty ... More Images) 'Perhaps it's not about redesign, it's actually leapfrogging where we are, right? If you think about mobile phone technology…when the first mobile phones came out, they were about this big right? Bricks, well, in Africa they didn't build networks across phone lines or electricity lines to enable mobile technology. They went straight from no phones to mobile phones, right? That's a leapfrog. So,I take your point about we need to look at it with a different lens, to me a different lens is let's stop trying to redesign, recreate, tinker at the edges and just leapfrog stuff…. It will take us sort of taking our own blinkers off in a way and thinking about what's the leapfrog change that we can make? What's our move from no phones to mobile phones?' That's one of the insights a group of 11 extraordinarily accomplished women across industries, geographies, generations and cultures came up with at a private Roundtable I produced at SXSW London recently. The purpose was to talk about addressing the climate crisis and what women's role in doing so might be. It was Chatham House Rules, so I can't reveal who was there, but I can share their insights without attribution. conference room - image by websubs for PIxabay The Frame Our goal was 'To step outside the usual conversations, spark new ideas and co-create tangible strategies for advancing a thriving green economy through the power of female leadership.' There are obviously fierce, urgent, and conflicting political, economic, cultural and environmental forces at play today. The planet is warming, yet dominant political forces deny climate change and are empowering industries that will make it worse. Yet, market forces are addressing the climate crisis, in part because businesses have to make long-term decisions and investments to protect their operations, their supply chains, their people, and their homes. Investors take seriously the very real financial risks of climate change and are demanding businesses do too. There are workforce pressures too, including studies that the majority of Gen Zers and Millennials, which are 38% of the workforce today and will grow, want to work for companies that have sustainability initiatives. A woman searches for a sweater at a Uniqlo store on January 4, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ... More) Women make or influence 85% of purchasing decisions and they prioritize environmental issues as voters too. A recent environmental voter projects study found that 62% of women prioritize environmental issues compared to only 37% of men. Screenshot - Woman in cotton field on The Fearless Girl is silhouetted at night in front of the New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan, New ... More York, on July 7, 2024. (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA / AFP) Production staff on the weekly fashion magazine, (Photo by) Volunteer rescuer workers help a woman from her home that was inundated with the flooding of ... More Hurricane Harvey on August 30, 2017 in Port Arthur, Texas. (Photo by) There was so much more… Thank you to these extraordinary women. You know who you are.
Boston Globe
26-06-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
As costs rise, more Mass. employers are hiring remote workers
Related : More than 85 percent of the respondents now report having at least some staff 'There's a growing comfort level with hiring some portion of your workforce out-of-state,' said Roundtable president JD Chesloff. 'The cost of living has become a cost of doing business.' Advertisement The culprits, per the survey, Office vacancy rates in Boston are stuck at multi-decade highs. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff 'COVID gave us a license to be hybrid,' said Lisa Murray, president of Citizens Bank's Massachusetts operations and chair of the Roundtable's board of directors. 'I would argue that the quality of an interaction is lessened when it's over Zoom versus being in person [but] it does allow for this dynamic of saying you can live in Arizona and work for a Boston-based company if your job allows for that. That exacerbated an issue we already had.' Advertisement The 'issue' Murray is referring to is 'We've spent a lot of time talking about not only the pluses we have in Massachusetts, and there are many, but what are the headwinds?' Murray said. 'What are the things we need to jump on to make sure we stay as competitive as we are? While recognizing the headwinds, most of the respondents also said they're interested in partnering with other organizations or state officials to tackle issues such as AI adoption and workforce development. Broader federal concerns are also at play. Around More than half said they will make no change in local employment over the next 12 months, up from 30 percent a year ago. A quarter specifically said tariff uncertainty is prompting a pause in investments or hiring. Related : Advertisement Governor Maura Healey touched on a number of these issues in a speech at the New England Council on Wednesday, saying that creating great jobs, making it easier to do business in the state, and lowering costs for residents are among her administration's top priorities. Two Republicans who have announced they're vying for the party's nod to run against Healey next year for governor, Brian Shortsleeve and Mike Kennealy, are incorporating similar issues in their campaigns. Jay Ash, chief executive of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, said he regularly hears concerns from his members about the high cost of living as well as the challenges with securing government permits to build here. Ash said he's alarmed by the fact Massachusetts is one of the few states that have not rebounded back to their pre-COVID levels of employment. 'We are better than anyone else at coming up with the next thing,' Ash said. 'We invent things here. But where it's eye-opening is when companies that come up with the next thing here have to open up a plant outside of Massachusetts.' Jon Chesto can be reached at
