VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Ximen Mining Corp. (TSX.v:XIM) (FRA:1XMA) (OTCQB:XXMMF) (the "Company" or "Ximen") is pleased to provide the following update on progress at the Kenville Gold Mine project in the Nelson mining camp in southern British Columbia.

Work on the 257 portal is continuing non-stop under the direction of the company's consultant geotechnical engineer and site manager. The slope above the portal has now been secured with geotechnical bolting to prevent any soil creep. Now the major excavation of gravel around the outside of the portal will start using an excavator and loader. Ximen recently purchased a new Hitachi 190 excavator for this work. Once the excavation is complete, screening will be installed and the bed for the steel culvert will be prepared. Preparation of the rock face and installation of steel and timber sets will be done prior to placement of the portal culvert. After the culvert is installed, the gravel backfill will be placed around the culvert. Finally, mine services (air and water lines) will be installed and connected to the underground workings. After everything that has been mentioned before has been completed the company can finally focus on producing the first Dore Bar.

Photo of new Hitachi 180 for Kenville portal excavation

Proactive Ximen Mining Video: https://youtu.be/C0BAdcN9-es

Kenville Mine: 257 Portal initial excavation

An updated collation of permit documents was submitted to the regulatory authorities to meet requirements for information. Approval of the new underground development program is anticipated once this material has been reviewed.

Photo of completely bolted and secured slope above portal site.

Kenville Mine: steel culvert for new 257 Portal

Dr. Mathew Ball, P.Geo., VP Exploration for Ximen Mining Corp. and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, approved the technical information contained in this News Release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Christopher R. Anderson"

Christopher R. Anderson,
President, CEO and Director
604 488-3900

Investor Relations:
Sophy Cesar,
604-488-3900,
ir@XimenMiningCorp.com

About Ximen Mining Corp.

Ximen Mining Corp. owns 100% interest in three of its precious metal projects located in southern BC. Ximen`s two Gold projects The Amelia Gold Mine and The Brett Epithermal Gold Project. Ximen also owns the Treasure Mountain Silver Project adjacent to the past producing Huldra Silver Mine. Currently, the Treasure Mountain Silver Project is under a option agreement. The option partner is making annual staged cash and stocks payments as well as funding the development of the project. The company has recently acquired control of the Kenville Gold mine near Nelson British Columbia which comes with surface and underground rights, buildings and equipment.

Ximen is a publicly listed company trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol XIM, in the USA under the symbol XXMMF, and in Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin Stock Exchanges in Germany under the symbol 1XMA and WKN with the number as A2JBKL.

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval and the exercise of the Option by Ximen. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include the possibility that the TSX Venture Exchange may not accept the proposed transaction in a timely manner, if at all. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Ximen Mining Corp
888 Dunsmuir Street – Suite 888, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3K4 Tel: 604-488-3900

SOURCE: Ximen Mining Corp.

ReleaseID: 599415

CHARLOTTE, NC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / With the rise of COVID-19 and the economic fallout it created, Americans are in more need of flexibility with their budget than they have for generations. In fact, in 2019, it was widely reported that many Americans couldn't even swing a $400 payment in the case of emergencies. According to a recent post at American IRA, that uncertainty has led to a lot of fear, panic, and questionable financial decisions.

But are there retirement plan options that may help provide Americans with more flexibility in their budget? For those who have to stay at home, or have been either laid off or furloughed, every little bit helps. And according to the post at American IRA, there are options for families that need to pay the bills.

In one example, according to the post, the Self-Directed Roth IRA can serve as a rainy-day fund of last resort. The logic is simple: because contributions to a Self-Directed Roth IRA are used with taxable money-there are no deductions for these contributions-the government allows retirement investors to withdraw those contributions easily. This, in turn, makes the Roth IRA a flexible way to invest in retirement. While the first priority for any investor should be to keep retirement money exclusively for retirement, there can be some added peace of mind for investors who know that the money in a Roth IRA can serve them in dire emergencies.

The post also pointed to the ability of investors to make tax-deductible contributions in retirement. This makes it more feasible for investors to fit regular investments into a long-term plan while still saving money in the short term.

"When there are crises like these, not everyone is thinking about retirement," said Jim Hitt, CEO of American IRA. "And that's for good reason. People out there are hurting, and they are uncertain about their future. But it is important to remember that there may be attributes of these retirement accounts that can help people do their best to manage-and to continue to build long-term wealth that gives them peace of mind."

For more information about these individual accounts and what American IRA had to say about how they might help with budget flexibility, visit the post at www.AmericanIRA.com. Interested parties may contact American IRA at 866-7500-IRA.

About:
"American IRA, LLC was established in 2004 by Jim Hitt, CEO in Asheville, NC.

The mission of American IRA is to provide the highest level of customer service in the self-directed retirement industry. Jim Hitt and his team have grown the company to over $400 million in assets under administration by educating the public that their Self-Directed IRA account can invest in a variety of assets such as real estate, private lending, limited liability companies, precious metals and much more.

As a Self-Directed IRA administrator, they are a neutral third party. They do not make any recommendations to any person or entity associated with investments of any type (including financial representatives, investment promoters or companies, or employees, agents or representatives associated with these firms). They are not responsible for and are not bound by any statements, representations, warranties or agreements made by any such person or entity and do not provide any recommendation on the quality profitability or reputability of any investment, individual or company. The term "they" refers to American IRA, located in Asheville and Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA."

SOURCE: American IRA, LLC

ReleaseID: 595968

Empower Clinics has received confirmation from the British Columbia Securities Commission that a revocation order will be issued and published on July 29th, 2020

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CSE: CBDT) (Frankfurt 8EC) (OTCQB: EPWCF) ("Empower" or the "Company"), a life sciences company, is pleased to announce the British Columbia Securities Commission has communicated that the current Cease Trade Order (CTO) is scheduled to be revoked, and a revocation order will be issued and published on July 29th, 2020.

"We confirm that Full Year 2019 and First Quarter 2020 Financial Statements and MD&A and have been filed on SEDAR and the CSE." said Steven McAuley, Chairman and CEO. "We continue to serve our patients, protect our staff and grow our business, to provide ongoing shareholder value."

ABOUT EMPOWER

Empower is a vertically integrated health & wellness company with a network of corporate and franchised health & wellness clinics in the U.S. The Company is focused on helping patients improve and protect their health, through innovative physician recommended treatment options. The Company has launched Dosed Wellness Ltd. to connect its significant data, to the potential of the efficacy of alternative treatment options related to hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) therapies, psilocybin and other psychedelic plant-based treatment options.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Steven McAuley
Chief Executive Officer

Investors: Dustin Klein
Director
dustin@svmmjcc,com
720-352-1398

Investors: Steven McAuley
CEO
s.mcauley@empowerclinics.com
604-789-2146

For French inquiries:
Remy Scalabrini,
Maricom Inc.,
E: rs@maricom.ca,
T: (888) 585-MARI

DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements can frequently be identified by words such as "plans", "continues", "expects", "projects", "intends", "believes", "anticipates", "estimates", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding; the Company's intention to open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility, the expected benefits to the Company and its shareholders as a result of the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; the effectiveness of the extraction technology; the expected benefits for Empower's patient base and customers; the benefits of CBD based products; the effect of the approval of the Farm Bill; the growth of the Company's patient list and that the Company will be positioned to be a market-leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2019 and beyond. Such statements are only projections, are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including; that the Company may not open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company's business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in connection with the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; and other factors beyond the Company's control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws.

SOURCE: Empower Clinics Inc.

ReleaseID: 599416

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 28, 2020 / GLG Life Tech Corporation (TSX:GLG) ("GLG" or the "Company"), a global and agricultural leader in the natural zero-calorie sweetener industry, committed to the sustainable development of high-quality zero-calorie natural sweeteners, is pleased to announce, in accordance with Toronto Stock Exchange requirements, the voting results for election of its Board of Directors at the Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held virtually on July 28, 2020. The director nominees, as listed in the Management Information Circular dated June 18, 2020, were elected as directors of the Company at the meeting. According to proxies received (none voted by ballot), the results are as follows:

Votes in Favour

Votes Withheld

Dr. Luke Zhang

20,477,075

99.87%

26,024

0.13%

Mr. Brian Palmieri

20,480,875

99.89%

22,224

0.11%

Dr. Hong Zhao Guang

20,479,452

99.88%

23,647

0.12%

Madame Sophia Leung

20,482,452

99.90%

20,647

0.10%

Mr. Simon Springett

20,477,875

99.88%

25,224

0.12%

Madame Liu Yingchun

20,479,452

99.88%

23,647

0.12%

The results of the other matters considered at the meeting are reported in the Report of Voting Results as filed on SEDAR on July 28, 2020.

For further information, please contact:

Simon Springett, Investor Relations
Phone: +1 (604) 285-2602 ext. 101
Fax: +1 (604) 285-2606
Email: ir@glglifetech.com

About GLG Life Tech Corporation

GLG Life Tech Corporation is a global leader in the supply of high-purity zero calorie natural sweeteners including stevia and monk fruit extracts used in food, beverages, and dietary supplements. GLG's vertically integrated operations, which incorporate our Fairness to Farmers program and emphasize sustainability throughout, cover each step in the stevia and monk fruit supply chains including non-GMO seed and seedling breeding, natural propagation, growth and harvest, proprietary extraction and refining, marketing and distribution of the finished products. Additionally, to further meet the varied needs of the food and beverage and supplement industries, GLG's Naturals+ product line enables it to supply a host of complementary ingredients reliably sourced through its supplier network in China. For further information, please visit www.glglifetech.com.

Forward-looking statements: This press release may contain certain information that may constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or words and phrases that state or indicate that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

While the Company has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations about future events, the statements are not guarantees of the Company's future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include amongst others the effects of general economic conditions, consumer demand for our products and new orders from our customers and distributors, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal proceedings and negotiations, industry supply levels, competitive pricing pressures and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking statements. Specific reference is made to the risks set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form published June 5, 2020. In light of these factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release might not occur.

Further, although the Company has attempted to identify factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

As there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: GLG Life Tech Corporation

ReleaseID: 599377

IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 28, 2020 / Afecta Pharmaceuticals announces publication of a new study in collaboration with colleagues at the University of California at Irvine (UCI) that identifies novel mechanisms of action of Luteolin, a naturally occurring chemical found in several fruits and vegetables that inhibits growth of malignant melanoma in vitro and in vivo.

The paper published in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114025) discusses the most recent findings in elucidating novel mechanisms of action for Luteolin using PharmetRx® , the company's A.I. driven computational platform for drug discovery and development. The study is part of a longer term drug discovery and development program that has been ongoing for 20 years that seeks to integrate systems biology data with chemical biology data and machine learning in order to develop a technology that makes new drug discovery and pre-clinical development more efficient and cost effective. Afecta is working day in and day out to help our colleagues in industry and the academic community to reduce the time and costs of bringing new treatments to patients while also reducing late stage clinical trial failures.

John Shomberg, Ph.D., who was the lead author on the publication and is Director of the Bioinformatics team at Afecta, stated that, "This study on again demonstrates our computational platforms' unique and powerful capability to apply advanced machine learning to complex biological datasets. We are looking forward to the next step in this project. Using the chemical biology algorithms in PharmetRx we also have been able to identify key molecular features of Luteolin that provide its mechanism of action and design a series of new compounds that are likely to be even more effective". Importantly in looking at our recent data it appears that in addition to malignant melanoma several other tumor types are inhibited.

According the Feng Liu-Smith, Ph.D., the principle investigator at UCI, "Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer and the most difficult to treat. It often spreads to other sites in the body very early on. When this happens, it can be difficult to treat, and the outlook is often very poor. We are looking forward to testing the new compounds that have been created."

Afecta Pharmaceuticals has previously applied the PharmetRx platform to development other new treatments for serious disorders affecting the eyes, central nervous system, skin and others. Their work has sparked interest from companies like Allergan, Supernus, AstraZeneca and others. They also collaborate with a number of universities in the US and abroad to create new therapeutics.

About Afecta Pharmaceuticals
Afecta Pharmaceuticals is a privately held drug discovery and development company that leverages several key technologies and is positioned to change the pharmaceutical paradigm through innovation.

CONTACT: 
Bruce Kovacs
949 253 4688
bwk@afecatpharm.com

SOURCE: Afecta Pharmaceuticals Inc.

ReleaseID: 599362

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO / ACCESSWIRE / July 28, 2020 / GRUPO GICSA, S.A.B. de C.V. ("GICSA" or "the Company") (BMV:GICSA), a Mexican leading company specialized in the development, investment, commercialization and operation of shopping malls, corporate offices, industrial buildings and mixed use properties, announced today its results for the second quarter ("2Q20") and for the sixth months ("6M20") period ended June 30, 2020.

All figures have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and are stated in millions of Mexican pesos (Ps.). GICSA's financial results presented in this report are unaudited; therefore, figures mentioned throughout this report may present adjustments in the future.

Main Highlights

Corporate

Our administration is focused on preserving liquidity and on maintaining the continuity of the business, under the best conditions and for the benefit of all our shareholders, clients, suppliers and financial creditors. During 2Q20, the Company entered into agreements to implement support measures to reduce the COVID-19 impact on our business. In summary, we are executing the following actions:

Financial Actions

Reduction of operating expenses by 36%, and corporate expenses and project under development investments by 59%.
We achieved negotiations with financial institutions to defer capital amortization for an average period of 6 months for loans at project level, as well as to defer capital amortization and interest payments for loans for project under development. With these negotiations we managed to defer financial obligations for the amount of approximately Ps. 328 million during this crisis.
For local bonds with ticker symbols: GICSA 15, GICSA 16U, GICSA 17, GICSA 18U and GICSA 19, we hold a local bondholders' meeting, in which it was approved, modifications related to certain obligations and capitalization of interest for up to 9 months. This will result in the capitalization of approximately Ps. 550 million.
As part of our strategy to reduce corporate debt, we undertook the following actions:

On April 23, 2020, we purchased 5 million local bonds issued under the ticker symbol GICSA 19. With this transaction, the outstanding balance of GICSA 19 issuance is Ps. 1,591 million (the original amount was Ps. 2,500 million).
In line with Banco de Mexico's gradual interest rate reductions, the Company carried out the early payment of coverage rates for Ps. 8,390 million, at a cost of approximately Ps. 164 million; with this adjustment, the new interest rate coverage is 67% TIIE and 82% LIBOR.
On July 21, 2020, we agreed with Goldman Sachs to pay off the interim loan assigned to 9 properties. With this agreement the amount of debt decreased by Ps. 2,750 million

We carried out programs and support plans for our tenants to regularize payments and deferred discounts on the payments of rent.
As of today, nearly 800 agreements have been signed, 340 are close to signing and 140 notifications have been sent, which on average correspond to 50% fixed income discount from April to June and is subject to the adjustment of its debits and the fulfilment of its obligations in the following months of 2020.
By signing these agreements and despite the highly negative environment generated by this pandemic, we have managed to recover about 60% of our regular cash flow, as well as allows us to mitigate the impact on revenue recognition in our financial statements.

Operational and Health Actions

We implemented health protocols complying with the health measures enacted and suggested by the authorities of the places in which we operate.
We have strengthened our healthcare and cleaning efforts, intensified the monitoring and maintenance of air conditioners, installed anti-bacterial gel stations at the entrances and interiors of our shopping centers, placed temperature intake and sanitizing mats at the entrances, required mandatory use of face mask, minimum distance of 1.5 meters and at the corporate offices sanitizing showers for our employees.
All our shopping centers operate following the capacity restrictions set by authorities at each location. Customer traffic has gradually recovered, per the mobility conditions of each location.

The technological support we have allowed us to continue remote operations and constantly monitor the health of our staff. Since July 13, we resumed in person activities at the corporate offices, alternating weekly our staff between work from home and in our offices. Our staff who are part of the vulnerable group will continue to work remotely.

Operational

GICSA reported a total of 912,162 square meters (m²) of Gross Leasable Area (GLA) comprised of 16 properties in operation at the close of 2Q20. GICSA´s proportional GLA was 84.7% equivalent to 772,978 square meters. This represented an increase of 9% of total GLA and 11% of proportional GLA, compared to 2Q19.
As of 2Q20, the renewal rate of the stabilized portfolio was 98%.
As of 2Q20, the occupancy rate of the stabilized properties was 90.5% and 89.0% of the total portfolio.
Average leasing rate per square meter of the stabilized portfolio at the close of 2Q20 was Ps. 393, and Ps. 387 in the total portfolio, an increase of 12.9% and 11.2%, respectively, compared to 2Q19.
At the close of 2Q20, the lease spread of the shopping malls of the stabilized portfolio was 4%, which was above the inflation rate.

Financial

Fixed rental revenues were Ps. 712 million in 2Q20, a decrease of 3% compared to 2Q19.
In 2Q20, consolidated Net Operating Income (NOI) reached Ps. 789 million, while GICSA's proportional NOI was Ps. 663 million, a decrease of 7% and 2%, respectively, compared to 2Q19.
Consolidated EBITDA reached Ps. 730 million in 2Q20, a decrease of 4% compared to 2Q19; while GICSA's proportional EBITDA increased by 3%, to Ps. 604 million.
At the close of 2Q20, net income before valuation effects was Ps. 667 million.
Consolidated debt at the close of 2Q20 was Ps. 29,672 million; while GICSA's proportional debt was Ps. 26,981 million. Consolidated LTV was 40%. With the agreement signed on July 21, our consolidated debt decreased to Ps. 26,922 million, reaching a LTV of 37%.

Pipeline

As a precautionary measure to preserve the Company's liquidity, as of March 2020, investments in new developments were halted with the exception of Explanada Culiacán, which exceed 90% of work progress, and Cero5Cien, which is self-built with the collection of sales already made.
Due to health restrictions, Explanada Culiacán and Cero5Cien restarted their construction process during the second week of June, reporting work progress rates of 96% and 39%, respectively, as of the close of 2Q20.
Regarding the work progress, during 2Q20 the Company invested Ps. 86 million in shopping centers under development and Ps. 25 million in Cero5Cien.

For a full version of GICSA's Second Quarter 2020 Earnings Release, please visit:

http://www.gicsa.com.mx/en/investors-relationship/financial-information

Conference Call

GICSA cordially invites you to its Second Quarter 2020 Conference call

Wednesday, July 29, 2020
1:00 PM Eastern time
12:00 PM Mexico City Time

Presenting for GICSA:
Diódoro Batalla – Chief Financial Officer
Avril Carenzzo – Treasury and Investor Relations Officer

To access the call, please dial:
1 (877) 830 2576 U.S. participants
1 (785) 424 1726 International participants

001-800- 514-6145 Mexico dial in (Toll free)
Passcode: 44272

About the Company

GICSA is a leading company in the development, investment, commercialization and operation of shopping malls, corporate offices and mixed used well known for their high-quality standards, which transform and create new development spaces, lifestyles and employment in Mexico, in accordance to its history and executed projects. As of June 30, 2020, the Company owned 16 income-generating properties, consisting of ten shopping malls, five mixed use projects (which include four shopping malls, four corporate offices and one hotel), and one corporate office building, representing a total Gross Leasable Area (GLA) 912,162 square meters, and a Proportional GLA of 772,978 square meters. Since June 2015, GICSA is listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange under the ticker (BMV:GICSA B).

Investor Relations Contact:

Avril Carenzzo Yinneth Lugo
Tel: +52 (55) 5148 0400 Ext. 4609 Tel: +52 (55) 5148 0402
Email: acarenzzo@gicsa.com.mx Email: ylugo@gicsa.com.mx

SOURCE: GRUPO GICSA, S.A.B. DE C.V.

ReleaseID: 599350