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CHICAGO, Sept. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scott Butera has joined Vigtory as its Co-CEO, joining forces with the companys current CEO, Sam Rattner. Butera has also joined Vigtorys Board of Directors.

Rattner founded Vigtory with a vision to create the most innovative, consumer-first sportsbook in the U.S. market - founded on the principles of product, price and state-of-the-art customer experience. Built exclusively for the American bettor, Vigtory delivers first-in-class product through frictionless betting functionality, superior pricing and VIP loyalty, all of which create the most comprehensive platform in the industry. Butera, who shares Rattners vision, brings 30 years of executive management and operational expertise across casino operations, sports betting and iGaming. Butera will lead strategy and corporate growth for the emerging sports betting and interactive gaming company.

Prior to joining Vigtory, Butera was President of Interactive Gaming at MGM Resorts International, where he was responsible for the development and operations of sports betting and online gaming across online and traditional platforms. Butera oversaw MGM Resorts professional sports partnerships, as well as its digital media strategy.While at MGM Resorts, Butera was instrumental in the launch of BetMGM, the product of Roar Digital, MGMs joint venture with GVC Holdings. He played a key role in the formation of MGM Resorts historic gaming partnerships with the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and BetMGMs partnership with the National Lacrosse League. Butera also helped form groundbreaking partnerships with Yahoo! Sports and Buffalo Wild Wings, as well as a market access partnership with Boyd Gaming.

Preceding MGM Resorts, Butera was Commissioner of the Arena Football League, President & CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino, CEO of Tropicana Entertainment, Chief Operating Officer of the Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, President of Metroflag Management, and President, Chief Operating Officer, and Executive Vice President of Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc. His financial background includes 20 years in investment banking with UBS Investment Bank, Credit Suisse First Boston, Smith Barney and Bear Stearns & Co, and Coopers & Lybrand in New York.

I am incredibly excited to be joining Vigtory. While US sports betting and interactive gaming is off to a tremendous start, there are countless opportunities in underserved sectors. Sam and I share a common vision to create a state-of-the-art customer experience, bringing unique sports betting products and a level of sophistication to a market thats ripe for disruption, said Butera.

Rattner comments, My blueprint for building Vigtory has always been to arm the company with specific knowledge, domain expertise and thought-leadership. For 30 years, Scott has helped successfully build and scale some of the most prominent companies in sports and gambling across the United States. I couldnt be more excited for Scott to be on board.

Ahead of Vigtorys launch this Fall, the Company is finalizing deals with professional sports leagues and media outlets alike, utilizing technology to create cutting-edge products across pricing, live-streaming, and data & analytics. Vigtory is securing market-access in multiple jurisdictions across the United States and is currently expanding the team and hiring talent. Sports technology venture fund SeventySix Capital invested in the Chicago based startup and Managing Director Chad Stender holds a board seat.

About VIGTORY

Comprised of sports marketing and legacy gaming executives, Vigtory is reinventing what it means to bet on sports. Entering the industry as the most competitively priced sportsbook in the U.S. market, Vigtory is unrivaled in the fact that its in-app insights and data empowers their bettors to wager in complete confidence.Vigtory delivers an unparalleled productthrough progressive innovation, ultimately improving fan engagement. Unsatisfied with the current sportsbook offerings, Vigtory was founded by bettors who sought to tackle the most strategic challenge that sportsbooks face: how to build the greatest betting experienceat the best possible price.

Click here to learn more about Vigtory

ContactTaylor Tashimamedia@betvigtory.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements and information contained in this press release and any other statements or information that may be furnished by or on behalf of Vigtory, including statements and information relating to Vigtorys business, products and services (including the timing of their development and launch), opportunities (including for market-access), growth and other statements which are not historical, are forwardlooking statements or forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws and are referred to herein as forwardlooking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as intends, seeks, may, will, should, could, would, expects, plans, anticipates, believes, estimates, projects, predicts, potential or continue or the negative of those forms or other comparable terms. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause Vigtorys actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results. Such forwardlooking statements are based on Vigtorys current view in relation to future events and various assumptions and estimations, including estimations and assumptions about events that have not occurred, any of which may prove incorrect. While Vigtory believes such estimations and assumptions are reasonable under the circumstances, they are subject to uncertainties, changes (including changes in economic, operational, political, legal, tax and other circumstances) and other risks, including, but not limited to, broad trends in business and finance, tax and other legislation affecting Vigtory, its investors, interest rates, inflation, market conditions, the availability and cost of shortterm or longterm funding and capital, all of which are beyond Vigtorys control and any of which may cause the relevant actual, financial and other results to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by such forwardlooking statements. All forward-looking statements included in this presentation are qualified by these cautionary statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Vigtory does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

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Vigtory Sportsbook to Launch with Former President of MGM Interactive and Trump Entertainment Scott Butera as Co-CEO - GlobeNewswire

Since taking office in 2012, he has become head of not only the state, the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and the armed forces, as is normal for the country's leader -- but also of multiple new party super-committees, prompting speculation from international commentators that he is less of a president and more of an autocrat.

Now a new bill in the United States Congress wants to strip Xi of the title "President," which most Western governments and English-language news organizations -- including CNN -- refer to him by.

"The leadership of the People's Republic of China has gone unchallenged in its perverse pursuits of human rights abuses across decades," the bill reads. "Addressing the head of state of the People's Republic of China as a 'President' grants the incorrect assumption that the people of the state, via democratic means, have readily legitimized the leader who rules them."

Xi's titles have been a topic of controversy and some confusion. None of his official Chinese titles include the word "president," or translate to it -- but all Chinese leaders since the 1980s, when the country began to open up its economy, have had that official English title in China.

Perry isn't the first to call for a change in designation; for years, critics have argued that this split in Xi's Chinese and English titles allows him to project an image of openness and representative leadership to the international community that is at odds with his authoritarian style and consolidation of power at home.

A quick history

Xi is known by three main titles in Chinese.

As State Chairman (guojia zhuxi), he is the head of state; as Chairman of the Central Military Commission (zhongyang junwei zhuxi), he is the commander-in-chief of the People's Liberation Army (PLA); and as General Secretary of the CCP (zong shuji), he is head of China's ruling (and effectively only) political party.

These titles are used depending on context; the military title is used when Xi is dealing with PLA matters, for instance.

It wasn't until 1982, under a new leader pushing to open China to the world, that another constitution was introduced. It reversed many of Mao's changes by re-establishing the State Chairman's office, rebranding the Party Chairman as General Secretary -- and introducing the new official English translation of "President," which has since been used for each successive leader.

The word "president" has Latin roots that mean "to sit before," which is why it was initially used for heads of colleges or committee leaders. Its meaning doesn't inherently have anything to do with elections or democracy; but the United States was the first country to use the word as a title for the head of a republic, and other countries followed suit.

The newly adopted English title of "President" reflected this spirit of opening up and increased international diplomacy. It also put distance between the country's new leadership and Mao's authoritarian regime, during which up to 45 million people starved to death, and inched closer to how other modern countries referred to their leaders.

The shift indicated "kind of an external alignment with international practices," said Janny Leung, a professor of linguistics at Hong Kong University's School of English, in contrast to Soviet-era Chinese titles which "have a strong Communist historical association."

Some Western newspapers adopted the term president immediately, while others continued using "leader of the Communist Party."

But as China prepared to join the World Trade Organization in the late 1990s, which was taken as a sign that it was tracking towards a more democratic future, the use of "Chinese President" as a title became more widespread.

International pushback

The country's leadership and political landscape have also transformed. Whereas Deng, and other officials of his time, carefully stepped away from the Mao era, Xi has worked to increase Communist Party control over nearly all aspects of society, drawing parallels between his and Mao's governing style.

At the time, the CPP justified the change as necessary to align the presidency with Xi's two other, more powerful, posts -- heads of the party and the military -- which have no term limits.

A 'war of words'

This rise in tensions has been reflected in how top US officials refer to Xi.

As the latest push to officially change Xi's title, the "Name The Enemy Act" is more of a political statement than a linguistic adjustment, said Leung, the Hong Kong University professor.

The move to strip Xi of his title of President is a "war of words -- a way to diminish the legitimacy of the CCP in this current US-China tension," Leung said.

"If a foreign country then tells China, 'No we're not going to use your official name,' it just causes China to lose face, regardless of what the term means," she added. "If that's the term they choose and if you are denying or (refusing) to acknowledge it, I think that itself challenges the face of the country."

It's unclear how likely the bill is to pass; though it has four other Republican cosponsors, there are also only a few months left in this congressional session. If it isn't signed into law by the session's end in January, it'll have to be scrapped and later re-introduced.

The power of such a law, however, rests on one thing: the assumption that Xi still wants to be called President. Some experts argue he might, instead, prefer to revive the retired title of Party Chairman, last held by Mao.

"This year we can see a lot of steps (by Xi) in preparation for the coming 20th Party Congress (scheduled for 2022), but also we could see such change in the English title of Chairman," said Wu Qiang, a political commentator in Beijing. "The title of Chairman means the top, absolute top, absolute authority. The totalitarian title for the leader of the Party."

If Xi brings the title back, it would be his most significant step in following Mao's legacy, Wu Qiang added -- a sign that "he wants to turn back to the Maoist era."

And adopting the term "Chairman" could help Xi consolidate even more power, said Leung -- perhaps turning him, literally, into the Chairman of Everything.

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US lawmakers want to stop calling Xi Jinping a President. But will he care? - CNN

LONDON, Sept. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Ship Lease, Inc. (NYSE:GSL) (the Company) announced today that the Companys Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.546875 per depositary share, each representing a 1/100th interest in a share of its 8.75% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares (the Series B Preferred Shares) (NYSE:GSLPrB). The dividend represents payment for the period from July 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020 and will be paid on October 1, 2020 to all Series B Preferred Shareholders of record as of September 24, 2020.

About Global Ship Lease

Global Ship Lease is a leading independent owner of containerships with a diversified fleet of mid-sized and smaller containerships. Incorporated in the Marshall Islands, Global Ship Lease commenced operations in December 2007 with a business of owning and chartering out containerships under fixed-rate charters to top tier container liner companies. On November 15, 2018, it completed a strategic combination with Poseidon Containers.

Global Ship Leaseowns 43 containerships, ranging from 2,207 to 11,040 TEU, of which nine are fuel-efficient new-design wide-beam, with a total capacity of 245,280 TEU and an average age, weighted by TEU capacity, of 13.2 years as atJune 30, 2020.

Adjusted to include all charters agreed, and ships acquired or divested, up toAugust 06, 2020, the average remaining term of the Companys charters atJune 30, 2020, to the mid-point of redelivery, including options under the Companys control, was 2.3 years on a TEU-weighted basis. Contracted revenue on the same basis was$659.1 million. Contracted revenue was$743.6 million, including options under charterers control and with latest redelivery date, representing a weighted average remaining term of 2.6 years.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide the Companys current expectations or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements include statements about the Companys expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts. Words or phrases such as anticipate, believe, continue, estimate, expect, intend, may, ongoing, plan, potential, predict, project, will or similar words or phrases, or the negatives of those words or phrases, may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that may be incorrect, and the Company cannot assure you that the events or expectations included in these forward-looking statements will come to pass. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including the factors described in Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F and the factors and risks the Company describes in subsequent reports filed from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Investor and Media Contact:The IGB GroupBryan Degnan646-673-9701orLeon Berman212-477-8438

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Global Ship Lease Declares Quarterly Dividend on its 8.75% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares - GlobeNewswire

SINGAPORE - Apple unveiled its world's first floating spherical store at Marina Bay Sands on Tuesday (Sept 8) in a preview for the media before its official opening on Thursday.

Surrounded by emerald waters and built entirely of glass, Apple Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is made up of 114 pieces of reinforced glass held together by 10 narrow mirror-like columns known as mullions. Store visitors get a 360-degree view of Marina Bay, from the ArtScience Museum to Marina Bay Financial Centre to the wide open sea, and encounter no sharp corners or obstructive columns while inside the orb.

Apart from showcasing Apple products, the interior of the dome holds the Forum, an events space centred on a video wall which will serve as the stage for Apple's in-store events, featuring Singapore's artists, musicians, and creators.

Apple Marina Bay Sands, Apple's third store after Orchard Road and Jewel Changi Airport,also features baffles - spherical strips of metal that act as massive blinds - that protect visitors' eyes from the sun's blinding rays and create a night-time lighting effect.

An oculus or clear space in the ceiling lets in shafts of light for a touch of drama.

Spread across three levels, the MBS store also has an underwater boardroom at its Basement level for entrepreneurs and developers to receive training and advice.

The MBS store represents Apple's unique and continuing relationship with Singapore, and is also a culmination of 20 years of Apple's retail design globally, Apple's senior director of worldwide retail Chris Braithwaite told The Straits Times.

"Apple has a deep and rich history in Singapore, having opened our first corporate office (here) nearly 40 years ago in Ang Mo Kio," said Mr Braithwaite, who worked with global architectural practice Foster + Partners to take the concept of the floating store from first sketches in 2013 to final realisation earlier this year.

"Singapore is special to us because it is an incredibly vibrant city which has a very clear vision and a continuous flow of passions and ideas which Apple can relate to," he added.

An oculus or clear space in the ceiling lets in shafts of light for a touch of drama. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

The MBS store is manned by a 148-strong team which includes "Apple geniuses", who are trained technical support personnel.

The store will open to the public on Thursday from 10am with safety measures in place such as a mandatory mask-up, temperature checks and social distancing. Visits to the MBS store will be by appointment only through this website.

Apple says that each non-transferable online reservation admits only one person, and visitors may have to queue before they can enter the store. From Friday, walk-ins will also be allowed.

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Apple's floating glass store to open at Marina Bay Sands on Sept 10 - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE -The one-year shareholder return of Singapore'sinvestment company,Temasek, fell into negative territory in its latest financial year, with its net portfolio value taking a dip from last year's record high as well.

Temasek's net portfolio was valued at $306 billion as at March 31, 2020, 2.2 per cent lower than last year's record $313 billion, it said in its annual review on Tuesday (Sept 8).

Temasek's final portfolio performance results, which confirm the preliminary figures released in July, reflected the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on global financial markets in the last quarter of its financial year.

Its one-year return for shareholders came in at -2.28 per cent, compared with 1.49 per cent the previous year. Over the longer term, its total shareholder return over 10 years was 5 per cent, down from 9 per cent a year ago.

The last time Temasek's one-year return for shareholders was negative was in 2016, when it fell to -9.02 per cent on the back of declines in the share prices of listed investments.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Temasek noted that its one-year shareholder return was -29.6 per cent in 2009 during the global financial crisis, and -18.8 per cent in 2003 amid the severe acute respiratory syndrome or Sarsepidemic.

Temasek's investments benefit Singaporeans through the Net Investment Return Contribution (NIRC) to the annual Budget. Under the NIRC framework, the Government can spend up to half of the long-term expected investment returns generated by Temasek, sovereign wealth fund GIC and the Monetary Authority of Singapore - the three entities tasked to invest Singapore's reserves.

Temasek's annual review also showed that unlisted assets made up their highest-ever share of 48 per cent of its portfolio in the past financial year, as the investment firm continues to increase its exposure in non-listed companies.

Financial services remained the largest sector in Temasek's portfolio at 23 per cent, as it increased exposure in the payments sector and other non-bank financial services companies to benefit from the acceleration in digitalisation of financial services.

In particular, it increased its investments in payment providers PayPal, Mastercard and Visa, and also put money in Blend, a United States-based digital lending platform for mortgages and consumer banking.

Temasek International chief executive Dilhan Pillay said that while the firm is watchful on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, it is committed to a future of sustainable living.

"We recognise the urgent need for businesses with innovative solutions to improve lives and increase social resilience. This has led us to accelerate our investments into low-emission and resource-efficient companies, including in the areas of energy, food, waste, water, mobility and urban development."

In the past year, Temasek backed Singapore-based solar energy firm Sunseapand increased its exposure to alternative protein firms such as Impossible Foods.

The firm also closed the year with carbon neutrality, and has committed to halve the net carbon emissions attributable to its portfolio by 2030.

In its annual report, chairman Lim Boon Heng noted the significant uncertainty and complexity ahead, and reaffirmed Temasek's commitment to strengthening its capabilities and introducing new strategies to enable the firm and its portfolio companies to weather the storm and prepare for the future.

"We will continue to invest in our network to add value to others, even as we derive greater value from working together," he said.

The technology and life science sectors were also areas where Temasek was active over the past financial year, capitalising on growth trends in these areas.

Among its tech investments were Duck Creek Technologies, a US-based software provider to the property and casualty insurance industry, and Chinese data solutions firm MiningLamp.

Meanwhile, it also backed firms in the life sciences and healthcare industry, such as integrated healthcare system CareBridge, and biopharma companies developing drugs and therapeutic solutions like Transcenta.

Geographically, Temasek stayed anchored in Asia, with the region accounting for 66 per cent of its underlying assets, unchanged from last year. China and Singapore remained the top two countries by concentration, at 29 per cent and 24 per cent respectively. But the investment firm also continued to grow its portfolio in North America (17 per cent), "where we see opportunities in line with key structural trends".

Temasek invested $32 billion over the year and divested $26 billion of assets during that time.

Looking ahead, the unpredictable paths of Covid-19 and geopolitical issues pose near-term challenges, said Temasek deputy chief financial officer and head of financial services Png Chin Yee.

"We will stay watchful and remain disciplined in our investment approach, as we focus on building a portfolio that will benefit from policy tailwinds and is resilient in the long term," she said.

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Temasek's 1-year shareholder return turns negative, more uncertainty ahead with Covid-19 - The Straits Times