Tag Archives: Rice

Health

Black Rice to Improve Diabetic Nephropathy and More

Leave a comment

Rice varieties can be divided into white, glutinous, purple, and black. Among them, black rice has the most nutritional and medicinal value. In ancient China, black rice was reputed to cure disease, contribute to longevity, and was used as a tribute to the Emperor—so powerful and rare it was.

According to the Chinese medical classic “Compendium of Materia Medica,” black rice can “nourish yin and tonify the kidneys, keep the body fit and warming the stomach, improve eyesight and promote blood circulation.” Studies have also confirmed that black rice contains anthocyanins (a group of deep red, purple and blue pigments found in plants), which can effectively improve diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), and vision, as well as prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer.

5-Colored Foods Nourish 5 Internal Organs

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory is based on the “Five Elements Theory”—that all things in the universe are composed of five basic substances: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The development and changes of various things and phenomena in nature are the results of the continuous movement and interaction among these five substances.

According to the theory of TCM, the five elements also correspond to the five internal organs of the human body: “liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidney,” which in turn correspond to the five colors “blue (green), red, yellow, white, and black (purple).”

The Chinese medicine classic “Huang Di Nei Jing” (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine) states that the theory of “five colors nourish the five internal organs,” essentially meaning that foods of different colors have different health benefits, and eating more of one and/or the other of the five-colored foods can impact the corresponding five internal organs.

In that respect, it is said that white moisturizes the lungs, yellow is for the spleen, red for the heart, blue for the liver, and black for the kidneys. Therefore, according to TCM, eating more black food, such as black rice, will bring direct nourishment to the kidneys.

The Surprising Benefits of Anthocyanins

Modern studies have also found that black rice can effectively improve diabetic nephropathy. A study published in the academic journal, Journal of Functional Foods in 2020 confirmed that cyanidin-3-glucoside in black rice can inhibit the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the kidneys of rats with diabetic nephropathy. It is also found to alleviate oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines and inhibits renal interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis in rats with diabetic nephropathy.

Black rice contains an abundance of anthocyanins, comparable to blueberries. In November 2022, a study published in the journal Translational Medicine also pointed out that anthocyanins can improve kidney function in patients with diabetes. Through experiments on mice, it was found that anthocyanins play a significant role in improving hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity.

In 2017, the medical journal Food & Nutrition Research published a research paper stating that anthocyanins have a multitude of beneficial effects such as prevention of cardiovascular disease, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, improved vision, anti-obesity, antibacterial, and neuroprotective. In addition, black rice is also rich in various trace elements, vitamins, carotene, and more. At the same time, it also has the characteristics of brown rice, which is rich in dietary fiber and can promote intestinal peristalsis.

Black Rice Sushi—Delicious and Nutritious

The sleek color of black rice is due to anthocyanins. Recently, the Health Promotion Administration of Taiwan shared an article about how to make sushi with black rice. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 100 g (3.5 oz) black rice
  • 50 g (1.8 oz) Taiwanese quinoa
  • 200 g (7 oz) white rice
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) raw bean buns (a steamed bun made of sweetened adzuki bean filling and soft, leavened dough).
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) chicken breast
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) cucumbers
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) carrot
  • 4 pieces (10 g-0.4 oz each) nori seaweed slices
  • 350 ml (11.8 fl oz) water

Preparation

1. Wash and drain dry the black rice, Taiwan quinoa, and white rice. Add 350 ml (11.8 fl oz) of water, and steam in a 1.5-meter jar.
2. Wash in sequence the cucumbers, carrots, bean buns, and chicken breasts.
3. Cut the cucumbers lengthwise into long strips, peel the carrot and cut into strips.
4. Boil a pot of boiling water, blanch the carrots, bean buns, and chicken breasts in it. Cut the bean buns and chicken breasts into strips and set aside to cool and ready for further processing.
5. After the black rice is steamed and well cooked, stir it loose with a rice spoon, and let it cool.
6. Spread a layer of plastic wrap, put nori seaweed on top, spread the black rice flat, add the ingredients, roll it up, slice, and serve.

Black rice can also be made into Chinese pastries, sweet soup, or cooked into cereal porridge. All are healthy and delicious dishes.

Ellen Wan has worked for the Japanese edition of The Epoch Times since 2007.

Read original article here

Health

White rice is just as bad for your heart as candy, study suggests

Leave a comment

Here’s some spooky news for rice lovers this October: A new study has found that eating too many refined grains is just as bad for your heart as eating too much Halloween candy.

The report, which studied the eating habits and health histories of Iranians, says the risk of premature coronary artery disease, or PCAD, from eating white rice is similar to that of eating the kind of “unhealthy sugars and oils” found in sweet treats.

The study focused on a group of some 2,500 people, some with normal arteries and some with coronary artery disease. Each participant answered a food frequency questionnaire to determine how often they ate whole and refined grains.

Researchers found a higher intake of refined grain was associated with an increased risk of PCAD, while eating whole grains was associated with a reduced risk.

Grains are “refined” when they’re processed into flour or meal, which gives them a finer texture and longer shelf life but eliminates some key nutrients. However, whole grains, like brown rice oats and whole-wheat bread, contain the entire grain.

“There are many factors involved in why people may be consuming more refined grains as opposed to whole grains … Some of the most important factors to consider include the economy and income, job, education, culture, age and other similar factors,” said Dr. Mohammad Amin Khajavi Gaskarei, the study’s lead author.

The study examined the relationship between different types of grain intake and premature coronary artery disease.
Getty Images/iStockphoto

“A diet that includes consuming a high amount of unhealthy and refined grains can be considered similar to consuming a diet containing a lot of unhealthy sugars and oils,” he continued.

Refined grains are quickly broken down by the body since they have been stripped of fiber, which leads to a post-meal spike in blood sugar levels, per the CDC.

Over time, high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart and cause plaque to form in the artery walls.

A 2019 report from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommends a diet that emphasizes the intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and fish to decrease heart disease risk factors.

“As more studies demonstrate an increase in refined grains consumption globally, as well as the impact on overall health, it is important that we find ways to encourage and educate people on the benefits of whole grain consumption,” Khajavi Gaskarei continued.

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and fish to decrease heart disease risk factors.
Getty Images/iStockphoto

“Tactics to consider include teaching improved dietary choices in schools and other public places in simple language the general population can understand, as well as on television programs and by continuing to do high-level research that is presented at medical conferences and published in medical journals. Clinicians must also be having these conversations with each other and their patients,” the doctor concluded.

The study will be presented at the American College of Cardiology Middle East with the 13th Emirates Cardiac Society Congress in Dubai at a conference that starts Friday and goes through Sunday.

Read original article here

Health

White rice is just as bad for your heart as CANDY, study suggests

Leave a comment

White rice and pasta are just as bad for your heart as CANDY, study suggests

  • Refined grains increase the amount of fat in the blood, known as triglyceride
  • This can clog blood vessels and worsen the likelihood of coronary heart disease
  • However, whole grains can decrease the risk, researchers from Iran found

By Caitlin Tilley, Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Published: | Updated:

Eating lots of white rice is just as bad for your heart in the long run as consuming lots of candy, a study suggests.

Researchers in Iran looked at the risk of heart disease among people whose diets were high in refined grains compared to whole grains.

They found those who ate refined grains – processed to give them a finer texture and longer shelf life – were more likely to develop coronary artery disease in middle-age.

Lead study author Dr Mohammad Amin Khajavi Gaskarei said the damage done by a diet high in these grains was similar to eating lots of junk food.

‘A diet that includes consuming a high amount of unhealthy and refined grains can be considered similar to consuming a diet containing a lot of unhealthy sugars and oils,’ he said.

Refined grains are broken down rapidly by the body because they have been stripped of fiber, which leads to a post-meal spike in blood-sugar levels.

Over time, high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart and cause plaque to form in the artery walls.

Refined grains can be compared to sugary foods like candy, researchers from Iran have suggested. Many cereals, crackers and pastas are made from refined grains

Whole grains, such as brown rice, oats and whole-wheat bread, contain the entire grain, whereas refined grains have been milled, meaning they have been ground into flour or meal.

This is done to extend shelf life, but means the grains lose key nutrients in the process. Many crackers, puddings and pastas are also made with refined grains.

The study looked at 1,168 healthy patients and compared them to 1,369 patients with coronary artery disease.

Participants answered a food frequency questionnaire to determine how often they ate whole and refined grains.

A higher consumption of refined grains was linked to a higher risk of PCAD, while eating more whole grains saw a reduced risk.

Dr Gaskarei said: ‘As more studies demonstrate an increase in refined grains consumption globally, as well as the impact on overall health, it is important that we find ways to encourage and educate people on the benefits of whole grain consumption.’

The study will be presented at the American College of Cardiology Middle East 2022 Together with the 13th Emirates Cardiac Society Congress, in Dubai on October 7-9, 2022.

One person dies every 34 seconds in the US from heart disease, and it was responsible for one in five deaths in 2020.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common kind of heart disease, affecting 20.1million US adults (more than 7 per cent) aged 20 and over.

In 2020, roughly two in 10 deaths from CAD occurred in adults who were less than 65 years old.

In the UK, one person every eight minutes dies from CAD, causing around 66,000 deaths yearly.

It kills twice as many women in the UK as breast cancer, and even kills more women before their 75th birthday.

The 2019 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association’s guideline on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease says that all adults should focus on eating whole grains, as well as vegetables, fruits, nuts, sources of protein and fish.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) clogs up the blood vessels and can lead to angina, strokes or heart attacks 

Coronary artery disease occurs when the major blood vessels that supply the heart with oxygen and nutrients become damaged.

CAD affects more than 1.6million men and one million women in the UK, and a total of 15million adults in the US. 

It is usually due to plaque and inflammation.

When plaque builds up, it narrows the arteries, which decreases blood flow to the heart.

Over time this can cause angina, while a complete blockage can result in a heart attack.

Many people have no symptoms at first but as the plaque builds up they may notice chest pains or shortness of breath when exercising or stressed. 

Other causes of CAD include smoking, diabetes and an inactive lifestyle. 

It can be prevented by quitting smoking, controlling conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, staying active, eating well and managing stress. 

Drugs can help to lower cholesterol, while aspirin thins the blood to reduce the risk of clots.

In severe cases, stents can be put into the arteries to open them, while coronary bypass surgery creates a graft to bypass the blocked arteries using a vessel from another part of the body.

Source: Mayo Clinic

<!- - ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/de/health/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 - ->

Advertisement

Read original article here

Sports

With ‘a lot of confidence,’ USC Trojans open Lincoln Riley era with easy win over Rice Owls

Leave a comment

12:02 AM ET

  • Paolo UggettiESPN

LOS ANGELES — The grand opening of the Lincoln Riley era at USC began with a new logo on his familiar visor and plenty of fireworks on the field from new and old faces alike.

USC scored its most points in a game since 2008 thanks to a clinical debut by quarterback Caleb Williams and three interceptions returned for touchdowns by the defense as the Trojans trounced Rice 66-14 on Saturday in the season opener.

“We understand this is just the beginning and there’s so much left, so much better to play, so much better to coach,” Riley said. “It’s a great start; it’s not anything more than that, not anything less than that.”

Even if Riley didn’t want to inflate the result, the game couldn’t have gone much better for him. USC finished with 538 total yards, 27 first downs and a single punt that came with 12:21 left in the fourth quarter just after Williams and a host of other starters on offense had exited.

“I think we have a lot of confidence,” said Williams, who transferred from Oklahoma after Riley was hired. “And we didn’t just build that confidence coming out here being excited for the first game.”

Williams’ debut brought the most anticipation of any new Trojan heading into the opener, but it was difficult to see any semblance of pressure or expectations affecting him. He was comfortable in a pocket that allowed him to take his time and complete 19 of his 22 pass attempts (best for a USC quarterback since Matt Barkley in 2012), including throws to 12 different receivers and two touchdowns to the other highly touted transfer the Trojans snagged this offseason: Biletnikoff winner Jordan Addison.

“Since he got here, it was almost as if we’ve been throwing to each other for the past year,” Williams said. “It’s been easy.”

Everything seemed easy for Williams, including using his scrambling ability to dance through the Rice defense to the tune of 68 rushing yards on six carries. It appeared as if Williams barely broke a sweat through three quarters, and when he sensed it would be time for Riley to pull him out of the game, he tried his best to keep playing.

“Oh, I didn’t want to come out, so I was trying to play as smart as possible by going down before anyone could hit me,” Williams said. “[Riley] said, ‘I know you’re trying to stay in the game.'”

“It’s not Year 1 anymore,” Riley joked in the media room.

For all of the attention on USC’s high-powered offense, the surprise of the game was its defense. The unit came into the season with the most questions surrounding its depth and talent, and though it began the game by allowing two long drives for touchdowns, it woke up in a big way with four interceptions — the Trojans had four all of last season — including three returned for TDs by sophomore Calen Bullock, Alabama transfer linebacker Shane Lee and senior linebacker Ralen Goforth.

“It got real today,” defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said. “You can only do so much in practice, and it’s critical. No one will talk about practice more than me. But ultimately, you got to go out there on the stage.”

Addison and Williams were the headliners, but plenty of other transfers and even some incoming freshmen made an immediate impact. Austin Jones from Stanford had two rushing touchdowns while true freshman Raleek Brown had eight electric touches that bode well for the Trojans’ depth at the position.

For at least one game against an inferior opponent, USC didn’t look like a team that had been overhauled in the offseason with more than 40 new players. Instead, the Trojans proceeded to put it all together and score more points than they had in any game under former head coach Clay Helton.

“This is definitely a statement, that’s what we wanted to do,” Addison said. “We had to show everybody that this wasn’t just no hype. We ready to play.”

The significance of the long-awaited journey to the first game under the new regime wasn’t lost on Riley or any of the players. As temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees, USC announced just over 60,000 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where capacity is 78,647.

“We understand that in this city, and I think it’s fair, we gotta go prove who we are as a team,” Riley said. “We’re going to do everything we can as a team to keep working so that people can’t even stand the thought of not coming to a USC football game.”

Added Oklahoma transfer wide receiver Mario Williams: “This is a new era, this SC.”

Read original article here

Sports

Condoleezza Rice joins Broncos’ new ownership group

Leave a comment

Condoleezza Rice, the former U.S. secretary of state who has been linked in the past to a variety of potential NFL roles, is joining the incoming ownership group of the Denver Broncos led by Walmart heir Rob Walton, the team’s new owners announced Monday.

“We’re pleased to welcome former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to our ownership group,” Walton said in a statement released by the Broncos. “A highly respected public servant, accomplished academic and corporate leader, Secretary Rice is well known as a passionate and knowledgeable football fan who has worked to make the sport stronger and better.”

Rice, 67, is the director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. She previously had been mentioned as an NFL commissioner candidate and once was linked to the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching job, speculation that she and the team quickly dismissed. She was also an inaugural member of the College Football Playoff selection committee.

“Her unique experience and extraordinary judgment will be a great benefit to our group and the Broncos organization,” Walton said.

The amount of her investment in the franchise was not disclosed.

“It is an honor to be part of this ownership group,” Rice said in a statement released through the Hoover Institution. “Football has been an integral part of my life since the moment it was introduced to me, and I am thrilled to be a part of the Broncos organization today. I spent much of my younger years in Denver, so to be able to combine my love of the game with my love for this great city and team is an adventure of a lifetime and a great opportunity.”

Rice became the first Black woman to serve as secretary of state when she succeeded Colin Powell in January 2005. She served until January 2009.

Group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton agrees to buy Broncos for $4.65 billion

Walton’s group agreed in June to purchase the Broncos from the Pat Bowlen Trust for $4.65 billion, according to a person familiar with the sale agreement. The deal remains subject to final approval by fellow NFL team owners.

Walton announced when the deal was struck that Mellody Hobson, the co-CEO of Ariel Investments, had agreed to join his ownership group. Hobson, who is Black, also is the chair of the board of the Starbucks Corporation and a director of JPMorgan Chase.

NFL owners approved a resolution in March endorsing diversity in franchise ownership.



Read original article here

US

Officer who fatally shot Tamir Rice sworn in and resigned from new law enforcement position in the same week, official says

Leave a comment

Loehmann had been slated to be the only police officer for Tioga Borough, according to the borough’s mayor, David Wilcox, CNN affiliate News 5 Cleveland reported Wednesday. According to the latest Decennial Census data, the rural town in north central Pennsylvania boasted a population of 606 inhabitants in 2020.

Henry Hilow, an attorney who represents Loehmann, told CNN his client resigned from the Tioga Borough Police Department because of a conflict between Wilcox and the borough council. Loehmann had been sworn into his position earlier the same week by Wilcox, according to Tioga Borough Council President Steve Hazlett.

Both the mayor and the council were apprised of Loehmann’s background, Hilow said, a subject they broached during his interview. However, where the council continued to back Loehmann’s appointment to the police department, Wilcox did not, according to Hilow.

Loehmann felt the dispute wouldn’t allow him to do his job to the best of his ability, so he resigned, Hilow said.

“He didn’t want to be a distraction for people,” he added. “The situation was discussed, as well as other questions of his qualifications to serve the community. In no way was there deceit by Mr. Loehmann.”

CNN has reached out to Wilcox and his attorney. They did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Wilcox said he was unaware of Loehmann’s background, since the hiring and firing of the borough’s lone officer is the purview of the borough council, News 5 reported. Wilcox attended Loehmann’s interview — during which the ex-officer’s time in Cleveland was discussed, though his involvement in Rice’s death was not mentioned — after which Loehmann was “unanimously approved” by the council, News 5 reported.

“I was not allowed to take his resume or look into his background,” News 5 quoted the mayor as saying.

According to Hilow, the mayor was well aware of Loehmann’s background prior to his swearing in.

“It is disingenuous for the mayor to say otherwise,” Hilow told CNN in a statement.

Hazlett confirmed to CNN that Loehmann has “withdrawn his application” and subsequently clarified that by “application” he meant Loehmann’s position in the Tioga Borough Police Department.

Other borough officials did not respond to CNN’s questions about Loehmann’s employment history.

On November 22, 2014, Loehmann fatally shot Tamir Rice at a playground, three seconds after getting out of his patrol car, CNN previously reported.

At the time he was shot, Rice was holding a toy replica pistol. A witness called 911, reporting that an individual brandishing a firearm was in a park. The caller said the firearm was likely fake — but that information was not relayed to the dispatched officers. Loehmann was a trainee at the time.

An Ohio grand jury declined to criminally charge the officers in 2015.

Loehmann was eventually fired in 2017 — not for the shooting, but because investigators found he wasn’t truthful about his employment history when he applied for the job.

Read original article here

Sports

Jerry Rice on why 49ers QB Trey Lance is ‘ready to go’

Leave a comment

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Jerry Rice seems to be all aboard the Trey Lance train as the 2022 San Francisco 49ers season approaches.

The legendary former 49ers receiver spoke briefly about Lance with KSBW-TV in Monterey this week while he was in the area promoting his energy drink, G.O.A.T. Fuel. Rice was asked about Lance during his appearance and said he likes his dual threat potential over what Jimmy Garoppolo brings to the table and that he thinks Lance is ready to take over the team’s starting quarterback spot this season.

“Trey Lance, I think he’s ready to go,” Rice said. “And I think he’s incredible because he has that one aspect that Jimmy doesn’t have, and that’s the threat of running with the ball and stuff like that. So his mobility, his strong arm, and this guy, he’s before his time.”

It’s still hard to say exactly what the 49ers will get from Lance this season, but Rice seems to think the 2021 first-round pick has what he needs to be a success.

“He’s a young kid, but he’s very experienced and I think he’s ready to go,” Rice said.

Click here to watch the full video.

Lance and the 49ers have less than four weeks remaining before they begin training camp in Santa Clara, with rookies and veterans set to report on July 26. All eyes will be on Lance to see if he’s indeed ready to take permanent ownership of the starting role after waiting his turn behind Garoppolo last season.

Nobody’s perfect. Did you find a mistake in this article?
Report it.

Facebook Comments

More San Francisco 49ers News

Former NFL player compares 49ers’ Trey Lance to Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes

By Rohan Chakravarthi

Jun 19

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance has started to attract serious attention from the media, as many analysts are coming on board with the 22-year-old’s potential as he enters his second NFL season.

During a recent appearance on NFL Total Access, former Green Bay Packers receiver James Jones continued the trend, going as far as comparing Lance to his former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

“I believe we’re looking at a bonafide superstar [in Lance], like Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers,” Jones said. “We had a small sample size of Aaron Rodgers, but all you heard out of the locker room and the people around Aaron was, ‘Just wait. You

Bruschi: 49ers’ Trey Lance has ‘most to prove’ among second-year QBs

The quarterbacks from the 2021 draft class will be linked together and compared for a long time. Most received a significant amount of playing time during their rookie seasons. The one who did not was San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance. He started just two games and spent most of his freshman NFL season learning behind veteran Jimmy Garoppolo.

The upcoming season will be different, though. Lance is slated to become the 49ers’ full-time starter, with Garoppolo likely to be shipped out of Santa Clara. One ESPN analyst believes Lance has the most to prove among the 2021 first-round quarterback class that also includes Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones.

“He is the one that has the most to prove because you almost have to prove your

Five Reasons to Trust Trey Lance as 49ers’ Quarterback

With the debate raging in the media and fandom about whether Trey Lance will start this year, an important fact has been lost by some. The team says Lance will start.

That begs several questions.

What kind of quarterback is Trey Lance? What can fans expect from this fledgling play-caller? Can Lance buck the “Shanahan Curse” and win without changing his first name to “Jimmy?”

These are fair questions (Well, maybe the last one is a bit facetious.). With all this in mind, here are five reasons to trust Trey Lance as the 49ers’ starting quarterback this season:

He has displayed incredible athletic potential.

Trey Lance’s college tape litters the internet. It isn’t unusual to discover hours of footage covering all the plays

Sam Acho picks 49ers’ Trey Lance as 2nd-year QB to make biggest jump in 2022

Last week, ESPN analyst Rob Ninkovich looked at the 2021 rookie quarterback class and stated he expects Trey Lance to make the “biggest jump” in Year 2. Another ESPN analyst, Sam Acho, agrees with that prediction.

Why is Lance the best second-year quarterback, in Acho’s opinion? It’s because of the weapons around him. The 22-year-old quarterback will have wide receiver Deebo Samuel (assuming the offseason rift can be mended) and tight end George Kittle at his disposal.

“Yes, there was a reason Zach Wilson was the second pick overall last year,” Acho said. “There’s a reason Trey Lance was third, right? Because he’s that good as well.”

More critical for



Read original article here

Business

Rice prices are rising amid rising food inflation, export bans

Leave a comment

The spider web rice fields in Flores, Indonesia. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization Food Price Index shows international rice prices creeping up for the fifth straight month to reach a 12-month high, according to the latest May data published last week.

Tanutkij Wangsittidej

Food prices have been on the rise in the past few months. And rice, a staple food in much of Asia, could be next, industry watchers said.

The prices of many foods, ranging from wheat and other grains to meat and oils, have shot up. That’s been driven by a slew of factors, including the rising cost of fertilizer and energy in the past year as well as the Russia-Ukraine war.

Food export bans or serious disruptions have included those from India (wheat), Ukraine (wheat, oats and sugar, among others) and Indonesia (palm oil).

Rice could be next in line. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization Food Price Index already shows international rice prices creeping up for the fifth straight month to reach a 12-month high, according to the latest May data published last week.

To be sure, rice production is still bountiful, experts said. But rising wheat prices, and the generally higher costs of farming, would make rice prices worth monitoring next.

So there is an argument to say … if the market is indicating an increase in price then why shouldn’t the farmers benefit from increased prices?

Nafees Meah

International Rice Research Institute

“We need to monitor rice prices going forward, because rising wheat prices could lead to some substitution towards rice, increasing demand and lowering existing stocks,” said Sonal Varma, chief economist at Japanese bank Nomura.

Risk of protectionism

Protectionist measures “actually worsen price pressures at a global level for various reasons,” she told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia.” Feed and fertilizer costs for farming are already rising, and energy prices are adding to freight costs, she added.

“So there is a risk that we see more protectionism from countries,” said Varma.

Nevertheless, she maintained that risks to rice are still low as global rice inventories are ample and harvests in India are expected to be good this summer.

“Right now, I will be much more worried by India slapping an export ban on rice in the coming weeks — as they were thinking about after wheat and sugar,” David Laborde, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute, told CNBC.

India and China are the world’s top two producers of rice, accounting for more than half of the global total, according to the World Economic Forum. Vietnam is the fifth-largest, while Thailand is in sixth place.

India imposed export bans on wheat in May, citing a need “to manage the overall food security of the country.” It also slapped restrictions on sugar just days after the wheat ban.

Are price hikes preferable?

Laborde said that a price increase would be far preferable to any export ban.

“We should really differentiate between a price rise that compensates for higher costs and will benefit farmers (and help them producing), than an export ban” that pushes prices up on world markets but pushes prices down on domestic markets, he said.

Nafees Meah, regional representative for South Asia at the International Rice Research Institute, added that energy costs, which have been rising globally, are a big part of rice production costs.

“So there is an argument to say … if the market is indicating an increase in price then why shouldn’t the farmers benefit from increased prices?” Nafees told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.”

But an increase in rice prices would badly affect many in Asia, which is the biggest consumer of the staple.

“So in in the Southeast Asia Pacific region, countries like East Timor, Laos, Cambodia and of course, places like Indonesia, which [has a] very large population, and many of whom are food insecure will be pretty badly affected if prices continue to rise and stay at these very high levels,” said Nafees.

Way above pre-pandemic levels

The U.N.’s food price index showed prices are now 75% above pre-pandemic levels, said Frederique Carrier, managing director and head of investment strategy for RBC Wealth Management.

“Pandemic-related labor shortages and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have aggravated the situation by both curtailing food supply and pushing up energy prices even further,” she wrote in a June report.

About a third of food production costs are energy-related, Carrier said. Fertilizer in particular is very energy-intensive to produce and prices have soared since last year.

Read original article here

Business

Disney Fires Peter Rice, Its Top TV Content Executive

Leave a comment

The Walt Disney Company has abruptly fired Peter Rice, its most senior television content executive, citing an ill fit with Disney’s corporate culture, according to three people briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information.

Mr. Rice, chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content, a division of the company that makes more than 300 shows annually for platforms like ABC, the Disney Channel, Disney+, Hulu and FX, was ousted by Bob Chapek, Disney’s chief executive, in a brief meeting on Wednesday, these people said. Mr. Rice, who has also overseen ABC News, most recently renewed his contract at Disney in August. It ran until the end of 2024. Disney will pay him out, the people said.

Mr. Rice declined to comment.

The ouster of Mr. Rice went off like a sonic boom in Hollywood, where he is widely admired. Many people in the entertainment business (outside Disney, at least) have even seen Mr. Rice as a possible candidate to succeed Mr. Chapek as Disney’s chief executive. Mr. Chapek’s decision is sure to generate questions about whether that chatter got a little too loud; Mr. Chapek has had a difficult few months, with Disney becoming a political punching bag, particularly for Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, and Disney’s stock price falling sharply amid industrywide concerns about the profitability of streaming services.

In April, Mr. Chapek fired the company’s most senior communications and government relations executive; the executive, Geoff Morrell, had joined Disney in January under a multiyear contract. Disney also paid him out. On Thursday, Disney shares closed at just above $103, a drop of almost 4 percent, which was more than the broader market’s decline of about 2 percent.

Susan E. Arnold, chairwoman of Disney’s board, said in an emailed statement that Mr. Chapek had the board’s backing — a rare public comment that indicates that, despite upheaval, Mr. Chapek is headed toward a contract renewal. His current contract expires in February.

“The strength of the Walt Disney Company’s businesses coming out of the pandemic is a testament to Bob’s leadership and vision for the company’s future,” Ms. Arnold said. “In this important time of business growth and transformation, we are committed to keeping Disney on the successful path it is on today, and Bob and his leadership team have the support and confidence of the Board.”

Another Disney board member, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss company matters, said the board had never considered Mr. Rice a candidate for chief executive.

Disney confirmed that Mr. Rice would immediately leave the company, but declined to comment as to why. After news of his ouster broke, Disney announced that Dana Walden, who has been chairwoman for entertainment for Walt Disney Television, would succeed him. Ms. Walden, working in tandem with Mr. Rice, has recently delivered hits like “Abbott Elementary,” an ABC comedy, and “Only Murders in the Building,” a comedic crime drama on Hulu.

“Dana is a dynamic, collaborative leader and cultural force who in just three years has transformed our television business into a content powerhouse,” Mr. Chapek said in a statement. “She and Peter have worked closely together for years to create the best programming in the industry.”

Mr. Chapek offered nothing more about Mr. Rice, eschewing the glowing platitudes that Hollywood usually turns to in these moments. Nor did Disney give Mr. Rice a parachute in the form of a production deal. (“I know all of us wish Peter the best,” Mr. Chapek said in an internal email that announced Ms. Walden’s ascent.)

Ms. Walden said in a statement that it was “an incredible honor” to be promoted and praised the team assembled by Mr. Rice as “truly the absolute best in every respect.” The group includes Kimberly Godwin at ABC News and Ayo Davis at Disney Branded Television.

Mr. Rice’s sudden departure ruptures a powerful trio that Disney inherited from 21st Century Fox, which it agreed to buy from Rupert Murdoch in 2017. Mr. Rice, Ms. Walden and the FX Networks chairman John Landgraf worked closely together at Fox for decades.

Mr. Rice, affable yet often inscrutable to those who worked with him, started his entertainment career in 1987, when he was a summer intern at Mr. Murdoch’s movie studio. Over the next three decades, he would become close to Mr. Murdoch, rising to become president of 21st Century Fox. Along the way, Mr. Rice turned Fox Searchlight into an Oscar and box-office superpower, delivering idiosyncratic hits like “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Sideways” and “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Filmmakers and television creators came out of the woodwork on Thursday to praise Mr. Rice. “Peter’s the best executive I’ve ever worked with, and I know many other artists would agree,” said Danny Boyle, who directed “Slumdog Millionaire.” He added that Disney would be “weaker” and “more corporate without him.”

The Disney shake-up was a shock to both Mr. Rice and Ms. Walden, the people briefed on the matter said. As recently as three weeks ago, Disney dispatched Mr. Rice to its upfront stage, the company’s annual showcase for the advertising industry. A prominent upfront appearance generally indicates that an executive’s standing at a company is strong.

Mr. Rice, who was introduced onstage by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, the stars of “Only Murders in the Building,” talked up Disney’s strong market position, pointing out that it was the “only company that hasn’t been bought or sold over the last 100 years.”

The Disney TV division has been having a good run. In addition to “Only Murders in the Building,” Hulu recently aired “The Dropout,” a critically beloved limited series about the Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. The top shows for ABC News, “Good Morning America” and “World News Tonight,” remain the most-watched morning and evening newscasts.

Ms. Walden’s relationships in Hollywood, like Mr. Rice’s, run deep. Jay Sures, a co-president at the United Talent Agency, called her “arguably the best creative executive in the TV business,” adding that “she is beloved by talent.”

Read original article here

Business

Peter Rice Exiting Disney; Dana Walden Taking His Post – Deadline

Leave a comment

UPDATED: Disney has confirmed the exit of Peter Rice and the ascension of Dana Walden. Release is below.

Peter Rice, the highly regarded Disney exec, has been fired, Deadline hears. Rice is the chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content, and has been a respected leader there since moving over after the studio swallowed Fox. Rice was blindsided yesterday by the move, sources said.

Dana Walden, the Chairman of Entertainment, Walt Disney Television, will be succeeding him, we hear. The move marks a high profile restructuring shift made by Disney CEO Bob Chapek, as he continues to put his mark on the studio post Bob Iger.

Both are very well regarded execs, and Rice had to spend the past few months fending off wide rumors that Warner Bros Discovery chief David Zaslav would tap him to run the entertainment business for him. When it was clear Zaslav wanted execs to report directly to him, Rice pulled himself out of the running, making this a true shock.

No immediate reaction by Disney stock or many on Wall Street to this stunner. There’s a Shakespearean element to all this: Chapek has had a rocky go of things, and his contract is up next February. Rice was rumored to be a contender to ascend to the CEO position before Chapek got the job. He’s expected to survive, but had he been deposed, Rice would have been the strongest internal candidate to replace him. Was this a factor? No one is saying.

Rice signed a new contract just last summer. Meanwhile, Walden’s contract was up this year, and she had been negotiating a new one with Disney over the past couple of months. Clearly, for Disney CEO Chapek, it came down to choosing between the two executives, and he made his pick.

The executive shakeup is certain to reverberate throughout the company as it upends the balance of power at the top levels of the TV operation. For instance, Walden and FX chairman John Landgraf have co-existed for years, both reporting to Rice. It is unclear how changing that dynamic will impact Landgraf, a very well respected executive.

Disney did not immediately respond for comment. We will build out this story with more details, as we hear them.

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY NAMES DANA WALDEN AS CHAIRMAN OF DISNEY GENERAL ENTERTAINMENT CONTENT

BURBANK, Calif., June 9, 2022—The Walt Disney Company has named Dana Walden as Chairman, Disney General Entertainment Content, it was announced today by Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. In this role, Walden will lead the company’s general entertainment content engine that creates original entertainment and news programming for Disney’s streaming platforms and its cable and broadcast networks. She will have oversight of ABC Entertainment, ABC News, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and Onyx Collective. Walden previously served as Chairman, Entertainment, Walt Disney Television and succeeds Peter Rice, who is leaving the company. Her appointment is effective immediately, and she will report directly to Chapek.

“Dana is a dynamic, collaborative leader and cultural force who in just three years has transformed our television business into a content powerhouse that consistently delivers the entertainment audiences crave,” Chapek said. “Her well-earned reputation for championing creative talent and developing programming that truly captures the cultural zeitgeist has resulted in hit after hit, from ABC’s Abbott Elementary and Onyx Collective’s Academy Award-winning Summer of Soul, to Hulu Originals like Only Murders in the Building, Dopesick, The Dropout and The Kardashians. She and Peter have worked closely together for years to create the best programming in the industry, and I can think of no one better than Dana to lead Disney General Entertainment to even greater heights.”

“It is an incredible honor to be asked to lead this amazingly talented team—they are truly the absolute best in every respect—and I am grateful to Bob for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Walden said. “Disney General Entertainment’s culture of creative excellence and originality has made us home to many of the most talented creators in the business. I am humbled to lead this team, and I am confident that together, we will continue to build on the foundation of culture-defining entertainment we have achieved so far.”

Walden joined Disney in 2019 with the company’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox, and in her role leading Entertainment for Walt Disney Television, she oversaw Disney Television Studios (20th Television, ABC Signature, 20th Television Animation and Walt Disney Television Alternative), the original entertainment slates and content marketing for ABC, Freeform, Hulu Originals and Onyx Collective.

Under Walden’s leadership, ABC has been the No. 1 entertainment network for three consecutive seasons—the first time that has happened in 25 years. And since assuming leadership of the Hulu Originals slate of series in 2019, the streamer has seen record viewership for the aforementioned hits, as well as The Handmaid’s Tale, Little Fires Everywhere and Nine Perfect Strangers.

At Disney Television Studios, Walden has overseen the production of such iconic and hit series as Grey’s Anatomy, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers and 9-1-1. The areas under her oversight have collectively earned an impressive 270 Emmy® nominations and 23 wins since she joined Disney.

Walden previously served as chairman and CEO of Fox Television Group, which included Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, Fox 21 Television Studios, Fox Consumer Products and the syndication supplier, 20th Television. In the four years she oversaw Fox Broadcasting Company, she took the network from fourth place to first.

During her 25 years at 21st Century Fox, the studios overseen by Walden amassed 184 Emmy® wins, 29 Golden Globes®, 17 Screen Actors Guild Awards and 24 Peabody Awards and Humanitas Prizes. Additionally, Walden was responsible for numerous No. 1 broadcast hits like This Is Us, Empire and Glee, to multiple Emmy Award winners Modern Family, Homeland, Ally McBeal, Arrested Development, The Practice and Boston Legal. Other landmark series overseen by Walden include 24, How I Met Your Mother, New Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She has also overseen along with John Landgraf the long and successful partnership between 20th Television and FX and FX Productions, resulting in The Americans, Sons of Anarchy, Pose, American Horror Story and the American Crime Story franchise.

In 2021, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business. She has received the National Association of Television Program Executive’s Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award and was named MIPCOM’s Personality of the Year. In 2013, she was inducted into Broadcasting & Cable’s Television Hall of Fame. She has been named Showman of the Year by Variety, Television Showman of the Year by the Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild, and Executive of the Year in 2019 by The Hollywood Reporter.

Walden began her career at the public relations firm Bender, Goldman & Helper. At Fox, she rose through the ranks in roles that ranged from communications to programming, ultimately serving as executive vice president of Drama before being named head of the studio in 1999. She sits on the board of directors for Live Nation Entertainment and UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Additionally, she is a member of USC’s President’s Leadership Council and the President’s Circle of the NAACP.



Read original article here

The Ultimate News Site