Mediaboss Marketing

Tampa, FL, Sept. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire--B2Digital Incorporated (the Company or B2Digital) (OTCMKTS:BTDG), the premier development league for mixed martial arts (MMA), is excited to announce that the Companys application for a promoters license has been approved by the Kansas Athletic Commission. B2Digital is now immediately eligible to hold and operate fights in the state.

The B2 Fighting Series also has received an official fight permit from the Kansas Athletic Commission to hold its first LIVE MMA B2 Fighting Series event. The event will take place on November 21 in suburban Johnson County, Kansas, which is located in the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area, under the newly formed Blaze MMA brand, which is solely the property of B2 Digital.

We continue to aggressively pursue geographic expansion in terms of our LIVE event footprint, and our move into the Kansas marketplace will tap into a wealth of value and continue to drive exciting growth for our brand and shareholders, commented Greg P. Bell, Chairman & CEO of B2Digital. Kansas has a tremendous MMA, fitness, and live sports culture, and we look forward to building our new Blaze MMA brand of the B2 Fighting Series in the fighting sports community.

Management notes that the Company is now licensed in eleven (11) total US states. The Blaze MMA brand has been created specifically for this expansion step. This business model is different than in the past where the company has typically acquired an existing fight brand for expansion.

This new model allows the Company to capitalize on its proprietary operational, technical, and intellectual property assets, along with the Companys current gym and fighter relationships, to receive the MMA fight license and fight permits from the state. This approach will lower the cost of expansion on a state-by-state basis by eliminating the initial fixed cost investment of acquiring an existing fight group.

Adam Roorbach, Executive Director, Kansas City Athletic Commission, added, We are excited to bring the B2 Fighting Series into Kansas for compelling live sports action. We are constantly working to attract MMA sports organizations to bring their events to Kansas, and the growing success of the B2 Fighting Series made it a natural choice. Kansas has become a destination for some of the top MMA organizations in the world, and our tremendous fight fans are a large reason why. We also welcome the exposure that B2Digital will bring as it broadcasts Kansas-based live events out to the world. The KAC is committed to the health and safety of all involved, and will work with B2 Fighting Series to ensure a healthy environment for all.

For more information about B2Digital, visit the Companys website atwww.b2digitalotc.com.

About B2Digital Inc.

With extensive background in entertainment, television, video and technology, B2Digital (OTC: BTDG) is now forging ahead and becoming a full-service live event sports company. Capitalizing on the combination of B2Digital CEO Greg P. Bells expertise and involvement with more than 40,000 live events over his career for major sports leagues and entertainment venues, B2Digital is in the process of developing and acquiring MMA and sports-related companies to build an integrated Premier Development League, Expand the B2 Official Training Facility Program Network and Continue the growth of the B2 Social Media Network for the multibillion-dollar mixed martial arts (MMA) industry.

B2Digital intends to create and develop league champions that will move on to the MMA major leagues from the Companys B2 Fighting Series brand. Each year, the top fighters will be invited to the annual B2 Fighting Series National Championship live event.

B2Digital has developed and deployed the systems and technologies for the operation of the B2 Fighting Series, B2FS. This includes social media marketing, event management, digital ticketing sales, digital video distribution, digital marketing, PPV, FTV (Free to View), merchandise sales, brand management and financial control systems. B2Digital owns all rights for TV, internet, social media, media, merchandising and trademarks, and branding for the B2Digital companies.

B2Digital: MMAs Premier Development League

http://www.b2digitalotc.com

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the securities laws. These statements relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

For more information, please contact:

information@b2fs.com

Public Relations:

Tiger Global Marketing & Branding Agency

info@TigerGMP.com

http://www.TigerGMP.com

See the original post:
B2Digital Gains Official License to Expand B2 Fighting Series LIVE MMA to Kansas - GlobeNewswire

LOS ANGELES (FIELD LEVEL MEDIA REUTERS) - Vanessa Bryant has sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, contending deputies shared photos of the helicopter crash in which her husband, basketball legend Kobe Bryant, and their teenage daughter died in January.

The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages for negligence, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Kobe Bryant, 13-year-old Gianna Bryant and seven others were killed Jan. 26 when the helicopter they were riding in crashed in Calabasas, California, en route to a youth basketball tournament.

In May, Vanessa Bryant filed a claim, which is a precursor to a lawsuit, against the department.

In the claim, Vanessa Bryant contended that Sheriff Alex Villanueva "personally assured her" that the family's privacy would be protected as it related to the crash site.

"In reality, however, no fewer than eight sheriff's deputies were at the scene snapping cellphone photos of the dead children, parents, and coaches," according to the claim.

"As the department would later admit, there was no investigative purpose for deputies to take pictures at the crash site. Rather, the deputies took photos for their own personal purposes."

In the lawsuit, Vanessa Bryant alleges that one of the deputies shared the crash-site photos with a woman at a bar in suburban Norwalk.

After a bartender reported what he witnessed to the sheriff's department, Villanueva went to the sheriff's substation that handled the crash and told the deputies they would not be disciplined if they deleted the photos, the Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday (Sept 22).

It was only after the Times reported the existence of the photos earlier this year that the department acknowledged an investigation, Vanessa Bryant's original claim said.

USA Today reported that social media users have cautioned Vanessa Bryant that photos of the remains of her late husband and daughter exist online.

"Mrs Bryant's fear has been exacerbated by the fact that, despite knowing about the photos within days of the crash, Sheriff Villanueva took none of the steps that a reasonable supervisor (let alone a highly-trained professional investigator) would take to prevent dissemination of harmful photos... it is impossible to rule out that the photos will surface and go viral online.

"This uncertainty has caused Mrs Bryant severe stress and anguish," the lawsuit reads, as per USA Today.

Read more from the original source:
Basketball: Vanessa Bryant sues sheriff's office over crash photos - The Straits Times

HONG KONG/LONDON (REUTERS) - Shares in HSBC and Standard Chartered fell on Monday (Sept 21) to their lowest in over two decadesafter media reports that they and other banks, including Barclays and Deutsche Bank, moved large sums of allegedly illicit funds over nearly two decades despite red flags about the origins of the money.

The BuzzFeed and other media articles were based on leaked suspicious activity reports (SARs) filed by banks and other financial firms with the US Department of Treasurys Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

HSBCs Hong Kong shares on Monday slid 5.3 per cent to close at HK$29.60, reaching their lowest since 1995. The stock has nowhalved since the start of the year. In London, HSBC shares fell as much as 3.6 per cent in the morning compared with the 1.7 per cent decline in the benchmark FTSE 100 Index.

StanChart closed down 6.2 per cent to HK$34.90 in Hong Kong, a 22-year low. Its London shares dropped as much as 3.6 per cent, against the backdrop of a broader selloff in the market with the STOXX European banks index, down 4 per cent.

More than 2,100 SARs, which are in themselves not necessarily proof of wrongdoing, were obtained by BuzzFeed News and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and other media organisations.

In a statement to Reuters on Sunday, HSBC said all of the information provided by the ICIJ is historical. The bank said that as of 2012 it had embarked on a multi-year journey to overhaul its ability to combat financial crime.

StanChart said in a statement it took its responsibility to fight financial crime extremely seriously and have invested substantially in our compliance programmes.

Barclays said it believes it has complied with all its legal and regulatory obligations, including in relation to US sanctions.

The most number of SARS in the cache related to Deutsche Bank, whose shares fell 5.2 per cent on Monday. In a statement on Sunday, Deutsche Bank said the ICIJ had reported on a number of historic issues.

We have devoted significant resources to strengthening our controls and we are very focused on meeting our responsibilities and obligations, a spokesperson for the bank said.

London-headquartered HSBC and StanChart, among other global banks, have paid billions of dollars in fines in recent years for violating US sanctions on Iran and anti-money laundering rules.

The media reports come at a tough time for HSBC and StanChart, both of which make the bulk of their profits in Asia, and are reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, US-China tensions, and political uncertainty in Hong Kong.

The files contained information about more than US$2 trillion (S$2.7 trillion) worth of transactions between 1999 and 2017, which were flagged by internal compliance departments of financial institutions as suspicious.

The ICIJ reported the leaked documents were a tiny fraction of the reports filed with FinCEN. HSBC and StanChart were among the five banks that appeared most often in the documents, the ICIJ reported.

The SARs showed that banks often moved funds for companies that were registered in offshore havens, such as the British Virgin Islands, and did not know the ultimate owner of the account, the report said.

Staff at major banks often used Google searches to learn who was behind large transactions, it said.

In some cases the banks kept moving illicit funds even after US officials warned them they could face criminal prosecutions if they continued to do business with criminals or corrupt regimes, it said.

Global banks in the recent years have boosted investments on technology and staff to deal with tighter anti-money laundering and sanctions regulatory requirements across the world.

Thousands of clients were booted out of bank accounts in major wealth hubs including Hong Kong and Singapore after a money laundering scandal in Malaysia, the Panama Papers expose, and a global push for tax transparency.

FinCEN said in a statement on its website on Sept 1 that it was aware that various media outlets intended to publish a series of articles based on unlawfully disclosed SARs, as well as other documents.

Read more:
HSBC, StanChart shares fall to over 20-year lows after 'FinCEN' leak reports - The Straits Times

Supercars looking to improve fan experience Photo: InSyde Media

Supercars is looking for a new digital media partner to expand its online presence and provide more free content to fans.

By MARK FOGARTY

A tender document calling for submissions for proposals for a Supercars Digital Transformation has been issued.

It is the latest request for a bid for a supply contract, following guidelines issued for Gen3 control pedal box, brakes, wheels and fuel system deals.

The plan is to upgrade Supercars digital and social media outlets to better service fans with more live and around-the-clock coverage via online platforms.

Supercars ambition is to be a part of every Australian household, the tender document preamble begins.

It adds: Key strategic pillars for the business moving forward include ensuring the longevity of the sport, developing an always-on media strategy, optimising the event calendar, further enhancing the at-event experience and increasing our digital footprint.

Supercars says more fan engagement is the aim.

The sports broadcasting landscape is in a time of flux. What we are witnessing is digital and technology platforms enabling a complete reinvention in the way fans consume and engage with the action and their sporting heroes.

In a highly competitive sporting and entertainment landscape, Supercars vision is to deliver seamless and engaging digital experiences that keep up with emerging technologies and platforms, builds the footprint of the sport and maximises commercial opportunities.

Our approach to digital will always be about the fan experience whether we are using new technologies to augment the trackside experience or connecting as many people to the live-action in the most immersive way as possible.

The tender document comprehensively outlines the requirements for the hosting of a redesigned web site and an enhanced mobile app, as well as greater data capture.

Supercars also wants to explore the option of integrating a COVID-19 tracking capability in the app, which would complement traditional broadcasts and help drive tune in.

Another major aim of the digital revamp is to more effectively commercialise the big audiences of Supercars web site, app and social media channels that is, attract more advertising and sponsorship.

It appears Supercars is looking to outsource its digital product, most of which is now created in-house by a small team, from February next year.

The existing supercars.com website was launched in 2015 and the Supercars mobile app has been running since 2017.

For more of the latest Supercars newspick up thecurrent issue of Auto Action. Also make sure you follow us on social mediaFacebook,Twitter,Instagramor ourweekly email newsletterfor all the latest updates between issues.

Date posted: September 22, 2020

Originally posted here:
SUPERCARS LOOKING TO IMPROVE FAN EXPERIENCE - Auto Action

The Korea Hearald/ANNA Seoul woman in her 20s tested positive for the novel coronavirus for a second time in April after she was declared recovered approximately a week earlier, Korean health authorities said Monday.

Jung Eun-kyeong, chief of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, said in a news briefing that the young patient had a second episode of COVID-19 about six days after two consecutive RT-PCR assays showed she was negative.

The investigation on this case is not yet complete to conclude that this counts as a reinfection, she said.

The national disease control agencys deputy chief Kwon Jun-wook said in a Monday briefing that the Seoul womans case is suspected to be successive infections with two variants of the virus -- namely, the clades V and GH.

Another potential explanation is that she may have contracted the virus before she was able to develop an immune response, Kwon said. In both episodes of infection, she experienced mild symptoms, such as cough and sputum.

At least 705 people have tested positive a second time after recovering since February, none of whom officially qualify as a reinfection according to health authorities.

The clinical committee for emerging infectious diseases within the National Medical Center said in an April press conference that the second positive cases here were the result of the assays responding to inactive viral particles.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Kim Woo-joo of Korea University Medical Center in Guro, southern Seoul, said, As different clades circulate, rapid reinfections may be possible."

Kim said the possibility of repeated infections means that COVID-19 may have "become endemic much like the flu." But good news is that so far, the new coronavirus seems to mutate at a slower rate than the influenza.

A close follow-up on former patients who are experiencing a relapse in symptoms is needed to help us gain better insight, he said.

Pulmonologist Dr. Chun Eun-mi of central Seouls Ewha Womans University Medical Center said as the virus mutates it may become less virulent.

Coinfections, second infections are witnessed in other viral respiratory illnesses like the cold, she said. Except with COVID-19, its much more contagious.

The worlds first proven case of reinfection was reported in Hong Kong last month. The 33-year-old man also suffered mild symptoms both times.

Meanwhile, the proportion of untraceable infections among those recently confirmed keeps setting new records.

For 28.8 percent of Seoul patients diagnosed Sept. 13-19, the point of transmission was unknown -- marking the highest since the disease appeared in the country. Since mid-August, the rate has consistently remained above 20 percent.

Preventive medicine specialist Dr. Ki Mo-ran of the National Cancer Center said the contact tracing failures may be attributable to the higher number of older patients being discovered in the lingering resurgence from last month.

Contact tracing relies heavily on technologies such as smartphone data and credit card records. This may not work well for older patients who tend to be less digitally connected, she said.

Ki said as contact tracing efforts fall short, there could be several dozens of people who are going undiagnosed. We are walking on thin ice here, she said. The numbers have to be brought down to manageable levels with strict physical distancing.

Health authorities said there will be special physical distancing restrictions put in place for the upcoming Chuseok holiday, falling Sept. 30-Oct. 4, the details of which will be disclosed later in the week.

Korea confirmed 70 more cases of the coronavirus in the last 24 hours ending Sunday midnight, pushing the cumulative total to 23,045.

Two more patients died. So far, there have been 385 known deaths related to COVID-19, which brings the overall fatality rate to 1.67 percent. For those over 80, the rate is 20.6 percent.

As of Sunday, 91 percent of the countrys 517 intensive care beds were full, leaving only 46 available. At designated coronavirus hospitals, whose combined bed capacity is 4,120, the occupancy rate was 32.5 percent.

The number of recoveries reached 20,248, up 90 from a day prior, bringing the recovery rate to 87.8 percent.

In late June, the bar for discharging patients was adjusted to allow patients who remain free of symptoms for 10 days in a row after diagnosis to be released from isolation. Previously, two negative results on RT-PCR tests with at least a 24-hour interval were required to be deemed recovered.

Korea has carried out 2,206,365 tests since Jan. 3. This translates to around 43,518 tests performed per million people. Of all tests taken, around 1 percent yielded positive results.

By Kim Arin ([emailprotected])

Original post:
Possible case of COVID-19 reinfection reported in Korea - Eleven Myanmar