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Russia reports new daily COVID infections high

Russia’s national COVID response centre Saturday said daily COVID-19 infections had hit an all time high, with 41,335 infections and 1,188 fatalities reported in the last 24 hours.

The Coronavirus Control Centre stated more than 8.75 million people had tested positive for the highly contagious respiratory disease, 245,635 of whom have died, with a total recoveries of 7.53 million.

More than 212.4 million PCR tests have been conducted so far, with 524,000 of those conducted in the last 24 hours, it added.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

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Arab parliament decries Houthi attack on Saudi’s Abha

the Arab Parliament Saturday inveighed against an attempt by the Houthi militia to target the Abha international airport in Abha in the south of Saudi Arabia with a drone.

The pan-Arab legislature said the attempted attack threatens the life of travellers, reiterating that it stands in “solidarity” with the GCC country and underscored its support for Saudi Arabia’s measures to protect itself.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

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Foreign Ministry condemns terrorist attack in Niger

Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has condemned the terrorist attack that took place in southwestern Niger, which killed dozens of people.

In a press statement on Saturday, the ministry’s official spokesperson Haitham Abu Al-Foul, expressed the Kingdom’s condemnation and denunciation of all terrorist acts and practices, stressing Jordan’s support and solidarity with Niger’s people.

The diplomat also expressed his condolences to the victims families, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

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Enhanced access of Jordanian products to Palestinian market…1st, final add

Haj Tawfiq expressed his hope that the next stage would witness a “new” start for the two countries’ trade and investment relations.

To enhance trade movement, Haj Tawfiq stressed the need to make more political efforts to amend Paris Protocol (PP) to ensure the smooth flow of Jordanian goods to the Palestinian market without obstacles.

This effort would contribute to increasing the number of Jordanian traders willing to export and expanding the export base to include other Jordanian industry’s products, he pointed out.

Paris Protocol is “an obstacle to developing Jordanian-Palestinian economic relations,” he said, calling for making pressure on the international community to amend the agreement and facilitate the import and export process in both directions.

In 1994, Paris Protocol was signed by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and “Israel,” which curbed Palestinian economy’s growth, by restricting trade exchange between Palestine and occupation authorities in the first place.

ACC, he noted, will work during the next stage to increase coordination with the Palestinian commercial and service sector institutions and arrange continuous visits to Palestinian traders and importers to ensure success of the “major” steps taken at high levels to enhance the two countries’ trade exchanges.

Haj Tawfiq called for activating the twinning and cooperation agreements and protocols signed between the Jordanian commerce chambers with the Federation of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (FPCCIA) to serve common interests.

According to the ACC statistical data, the volume of trade exchange between Jordan and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) during 2020, approximately stood at JD139 million, of which JD108 million are exports to the Kingdom.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

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Enhanced access of Jordanian products to Palestinian market helps economic recovery-ACC

The Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) said enhanced access of Jordanian products and goods to the Palestinian market and expansion of its base represents an opportunity to expedite recovery of the national economy from the Covid-19 pandemic-induced consequences.

In his interview with “Petra” on Saturday, the ACC Head, Khalil Haj Tawfiq said solidarity with the Palestinian economy is a duty to support its steadfastness, in light of the “distinguished and historic” Jordanian-Palestinian relations.

Haj Tawfiq also referred to Jordan’s support to the Palestinian people and their just cause, adding that His Majesty King Abdullah II “always affirms that the Kingdom will remain the true support for Palestinians.”

Haj Tawfiq called for promoting trade and investment exchange between Jordan and Palestine to “better” levels that meet the two peoples’ aspirations.

He also lauded the “remarkable” efforts made by the Jordanian government and the Royal directives to facilitate access of Jordanian products to the Palestinian market and remove the Israel-imposed obstacles.

Stressing the importance of facilitating access to Palestinian market to enhance trade exchange with the Palestinian side, he also highlighted the importance of revamping trade mechanisms related to private sector institutions in the two brotherly countries, which will be reflected on the level of their economic relations.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

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Elections, parties draft laws to be sent to Cabinet Sunday -Maaitah

The draft laws on elections, parties and constitutional amendments, which were approved by the ministerial legal committee, are scheduled to be submitted to the Cabinet Sunday, to be then sent in their final version to Jordan’s Parliament, Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs, Musa Maaitah, said on Saturday.

Last Thursday, the Royal Committee to Modernize the Political System (RCMPS) sent its recommendations to the government.

Speaking at the launch of the Youth Forum for Training and Political Dialogue today, Maaitah said the Political and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry has developed a joint executive plan with Ministry of Youth to kick off dialogue sessions with young people in all Jordanian governorates and universities to highlight the RCMPS’s most important recommendations related to youth and women.

The ministry, he said, will implement programs to empower youth and women to increase their engagement in political life.

Noting some amendments related to youth and women contained in the proposed elections, parties bills, he said age of candidacy will be lowered to 25 years, and 20% youth and women membership is stipulated when launching political parties.

The minister also noted party financial contributions regulations, which were implemented in the previous parliamentary elections, are now linked to the parties’ seats in the Lower House.

20% of the value of the gov’t support to parties will be allocated depending on whether youth and women under the age of 35 win seats in the parliamentary elections, according to Maaitah.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

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Resverlogix Enters into a Cooperation Agreement with the Supreme Council of the Arab-African Economy to Support the Development of Apabetalone for COVID-19 Patients

This initiative will provide the necessary investments to advance first-in-class drug – apabetalone for the potential treatment of COVID-19 within the Arab-African Economy

RESVERLOGIX ENTERS INTO A COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE ARAB-AFRICAN ECONOMY TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF APABETALONE FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS
From left to right: Mr. Shazaad Mohammed – President of GCEI Consultants; His Excellency Dr. Hani Abu Zaid, President of the Supreme Council for the Arab-African Economy; Mr. Donald J. McCaffrey President & CEO Resverlogix Corp.; Mr. Winston Chin – President & CEO Holistic Wealth Management.

CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Resverlogix Corp. (“Resverlogix” or the “Company”) (TSX: RVX), a world leader in epigenetics or gene regulation, is pleased to announce today that it has entered into a cooperation agreement with the Supreme Council of the Arab-African Economy which has expressed an interest in providing necessary investments and partnerships to support the entry of Resverlogix’s first-in-class drug – apabetalone into the Arab-African Economy.

“We are excited to be collaborating with the Supreme Council of the Arab-African Economy under the leadership of His Excellency Dr. Hani Abu Zaid,” said Donald J. McCaffrey, President & CEO of Resverlogix. “By entering into this cooperation agreement, it will assist our approach in strengthening our relationships, developments, and interests within the Arab-African Economy, while propelling the development of apabetalone,” further commented Mr. McCaffrey.

“The Supreme Council of the Arab-African Economy is pleased to be in collaboration with Resverlogix to provide the necessary investment and assistance to support the emergence of apabetalone into the Arab-African Economy. We look forward to working with Mr. McCaffrey and his team of world-class scientists and experts in the field of epigenetics,” stated His Excellency Dr. Hani Abu Zaid, President of the Supreme Council for the Arab-African Economy.

Resverlogix has been actively working with hospitals and the respective ministries globally to commence COVID-19 clinical trials. On October 12th, 2021 Resverlogix received ethics committee approval for Western Canadian sites in a Phase 2 clinical trial for apabetalone in COVID-19 patients. On November 1st, 2021 the Canadian arm of the trial began actively recruiting patients. Additionally, a Phase 3 COVID-19 trial in the US is anticipated to commence in coming months based on final protocol approval.

Phase 2 Trial Overview – Canada/Brazil

Study participants will be made up of patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 cases. Participants will either receive twice daily doses of apabetalone for up to 4 weeks alongside standard of care, compared to standard of care alone. The primary outcome measure of the study will be change in the World Health Organization (WHO) Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement. A total of 100 patients are expected to be enrolled at multiple sites in Canada and Brazil. The study is actively recruiting in the Canadian arm. The full study protocol can be found on clinicaltrials.gov.

About the Supreme Council of Arab-African Economy – The Council’s Mandate 

The Supreme Economic Council for the Arab-African Economy is an economic-diplomatic body recognized by the United Nations, European Union, Arab League, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). The Supreme Economic Council for the Arab-African Economy specializes in promoting and facilitating investments and trade in member nations and affiliates to strengthen their economies.

About Apabetalone

Apabetalone (RVX-208), is a first-in-class, epigenetic small molecule, or gene regulating, therapeutic candidate. It is a selective BET (bromodomain and extra-terminal) inhibitor, which works in preventing disease by turning genes on and/or off through regulation of gene expression. The prevalence of BET proteins in the human body allows apabetalone, through its unique mechanism of action, to simultaneously target multiple disease-causing biological processes while maintaining a well described safety profile – leading to a new way to treat chronic disease.

Cardiology:

In February 2020, apabetalone became the first therapy of its kind to receive Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – for a major cardiovascular indication – following the ground-breaking findings from the BETonMACE Phase Three study. Data from BETonMACE showed apabetalone can potentially prevent major adverse cardiac events among high-risk cardiovascular disease patients who also have type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Covid-19:

On March 23, 2020, Resverlogix launched its COVID-19 program, enlisting world-renowned collaborators. Studies demonstrate that apabetalone has the potential to act against COVID-19 with a unique dual-mechanism: the first pillar of apabetalone’s dual-mechanism is preventing viruses from entering the cells and replicating; the second pillar is averting runaway inflammatory reactions that can cause severe and lasting organ damage. A Phase 2 clinical trial is evaluating apabetalone in combination with standard of care for patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Apabetalone treatment could potentially reduce the severity and duration of COVID-19. Apabetalone’s unique dual-mechanism also means that it is likely to show efficacy against COVID-19 variants and may even help fight other related viruses.

Apabetalone is the only drug of its class with a well-established safety record in human clinical trials, with well over 4200 patient-years on drug across 10 clinical trials.

About Resverlogix

Founded in 2001, Resverlogix is a Calgary based late-stage biotechnology company and the world leader in epigenetics, or gene regulation, with the goal of developing first-in-class therapies for the benefit of patients with chronic disease.

Resverlogix is commercializing a new class of epigenetic therapies designed to regulate gene expression, turning disease-associated genes “on” or “off”. We aim to improve patients’ lives by restoring biological functions – altered by serious illnesses such as cardiovascular disease – back to a healthier state.

The Company’s clinical program is focused on evaluating the lead epigenetic candidate apabetalone for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and associated comorbidities, and COVID-19.

Resverlogix common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:RVX).

Follow us: Twitter: @Resverlogix_RVX.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resverlogix-corp-/

For further information please contact:

Investor Relations
Email: ir@resverlogix.com
Phone: 403-254-9252
www.resverlogix.com

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation, that are not based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words “believes”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “intends”, “will”, “should”, “expects”, “continue”, “estimate”, “forecasts” and other similar expressions. In particular, this news release includes forward looking information related to the Company’s discussions with the Supreme Council of Arab-African Economy, the Company’s clinical trials and the potential role of apabetalone in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 (and potentially other viruses), cardiovascular disease and associated comorbidities and other chronic diseases. Our actual results, events or developments could be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We can give no assurance that any of the events or expectations will occur or be realized. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions and risk factors including those discussed in our Annual Information Form and most recent MD&A which are incorporated herein by reference and are available through SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/12958904-5b38-4a6a-8d1c-d11786bd9487

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German Government Calls for COVID-19 Booster Shots for All as Cases Surge

Germany’s health minister, Jens Spahn, called Friday for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for anyone who was fully vaccinated at least six months ago, as the nation faces a fourth wave of coronavirus infections.

Speaking to reporters following a two-day summit in Bavaria with health ministers from the 16 German states, Spahn said Germany’s COVID-19 situation is entering a very difficult period, as the country’s Robert Koch Institute reported a record 37,120 new daily cases Friday.

Spahn said the “fourth wave” is not only here, but it has “been here for a long time,” and is gaining strength “and has clearly accelerated.”

The minister said some German state leaders have warned the country may need a new lockdown if urgent action is not taken.

The surge in Germany is part of a rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Europe that have made the region the new epicenter of the pandemic, Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Europe regional director, said Thursday.

At a regular COVID-19 briefing at the agency headquarters in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other experts discussed the surge in Europe, where cases have risen 55% in the past four weeks, despite an ample supply of vaccines.

“Let me be very clear: This should not be happening. We have all the tools to prevent COVID-19 transmission and save lives, and we continue to call on all countries to use those tools,” Tedros said.

The WHO chief also decried the fact that the world’s low-income nations have received only 0.4% of the world’s vaccines. He said those nations rely almost exclusively on vaccines distributed through the WHO-managed global vaccine cooperative, COVAX.

Tedros said no more vaccines should go to nations that have vaccinated more than 40% of their populations and no more boosters should be administered, except to patients who are immunocompromised, until COVAX gets the vaccines it needs to inoculate low-income nations to the 40% level.

Separately, in the United States, the Biden administration says it has severed ties with a U.S. company that was awarded a $628 million deal by the Trump administration to produce COVID-19 vaccines.

Earlier this year, Emergent BioSolutions was found to have contaminated 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with ingredients designated for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration later threw out at least 60 million more Johnson & Johnson shots produced at the Baltimore plant.

Americans who work for companies with at least 100 employees must be fully vaccinated by January 4 or undergo weekly testing for COVID-19, the Biden administration said Thursday. The new rule affects about 84 million workers, but it is not immediately clear how many of those workers are unvaccinated.

WHO has issued an alert about fake AstraZeneca vaccines in Iran. WHO said the “difficult to detect products” are “illicitly refilled vials of used and discarded genuine COVID-19 VACCINE AstraZeneca” and pose a risk for being “illicitly or accidentally inserted into the regulated supply chain or authorized immunization program.”

Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center said early Friday that it has recorded 248.7 million global COVID-19 cases and more than 5 million deaths. The center said 7.1 billion vaccine doses have been administered.

Source: Voice of America

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UN Security Council Calls for End to Fighting in Ethiopia

The U.N. Security Council on Friday called for an end to fighting in Ethiopia and expressed serious concern about the intensifying conflict in the country’s northern Tigray region.

In a statement approved by all 15 members, the council urged all parties in Ethiopia “to put an end to hostilities and to negotiate a lasting cease-fire.”

The council also “called for refraining from inflammatory hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness.”

The statement comes a day after the first anniversary of the start of the conflict in Tigray. It is only the second time that the U.N. Security Council has issued a statement on Ethiopia since the fighting began.

“Today the Security Council breaks six months of silence and speaks again with one united voice on the deeply concerning situation in Ethiopia,” Ireland’s U.N. Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason said in a statement. She said it was the first time that the council called for an end to hostilities in Ethiopia.

Council members said the language in the statement was amended to remove a call for an “immediate” end to hostilities “without preconditions” because of objections from Russia, according to The Associated Press.

The U.N. call comes as Tigray forces in Ethiopia announced Friday that they have formed an alliance with other armed and opposition groups around the country, including forces in the Oromo region, in order to end the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. They said they were willing to bring down the prime minister through negotiation or force.

Ethiopia’s government called the creation of an alliance “a publicity stunt.”

According to Reuters, a group of anti-government forces is threatening to march into the capital, Addis Ababa.

The U.S. State Department on Friday urged all Americans to leave Ethiopia “as soon as possible,” according to a security alert posted on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa.

The alert called the security situation in the country “very fluid.”

The State Department also warned Americans on its travel advisory website, saying: “Do not travel to Ethiopia due to armed conflict, civil unrest, communications disruptions, crime, and the potential for terrorism and kidnapping in border areas.”

The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency Wednesday and called on residents to defend their neighborhoods if rebels arrive in the capital.

Thursday marked the first anniversary of Prime Minister Abiy’s deployment of troops to Tigray in response to forces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front seizing military bases a day earlier. The ensuing conflict has killed thousands of people, displaced several million from their homes and left 400,000 residents of Tigray facing famine, according to a July estimate by the United Nations.

A joint investigation by the United Nations and the government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission published findings on Wednesday that all sides in the conflict have committed human rights violations, including torturing civilians, gang rapes and arresting people based on ethnicity.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said some of those abuses may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Source: Voice of America

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Niger Says 11 Soldiers Killed, Nine Missing After Attack

NIAMEY, NIGER — Eleven soldiers were killed and nine reported missing on Friday following a jihadi attack on an army position in Dagne in western Niger, days after 69 civilians died in an ambush, the government said.

The attack by “a column of heavily armed terrorists in several vehicles and dozens of motorcycles” killed 11 soldiers, and left one injured, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense read on public television.

“After fierce fighting, the enemy column was forced to retreat with its dead and wounded,” added the statement, which said “air and ground reinforcements dispatched to the area continue to sweep” the locality.

The soldiers targeted had been deployed to ensure the safety of the thousands of villagers who had returned to their communities after the earlier killings.

At least 69 people, including a local mayor, died earlier this week in an attack in the country’s volatile tri-border zone with Burkina Faso and Mali.

The assault took place on Tuesday at Adab-Dab, a village about 55 kilometers (32 miles) from Banibangou in the western region of Tillaberi, but was only confirmed by the government on Thursday.

The government declared two days of national morning starting Friday.

Local sources said a motorcycle-borne defense force was attacked by “heavily armed members of the ISGS (Islamic State in the Greater Sahara),” who were also on motorbikes.

Another source said the target of the attack on Tuesday was a local anti-jihadi defense force called the Vigilance Committees, which was headed by the mayor of Banibangou district.

The defense force had recently been set up by local people following a string of attacks on farm workers in remote fields by highly mobile jihadists, a former mayor said.

The world’s poorest country by the benchmark of the U.N.’s Human Development Index (HDI), Niger is facing jihadist insurgencies on its western border with Mali and Burkina Faso and on its southeastern frontier with Nigeria.

The western insurgency began with incursions in 2015. The bloodshed escalated in 2017, with massacres carried out by groups affiliated to al-Qaida and Islamic State.

Human Rights Watch estimated in August that more than 420 civilians had been killed since the start of the year in western Niger.

Source: Voice of America