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NSSF Public Service Announcements Remind Recreational Shooters to help Prevent Wildfires

·2 min read

NEWTOWN, Conn., May 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With federal agencies projecting this year's fire season could top last year's record of 10.3 million acres burned, the National Shooting Sports Foundation is reminding outdoor recreationists, including target shooters and hunters, to take precautions so they don't accidentally ignite a wildfire.

National Shooting Sports Foundation Logo (PRNewsfoto/NSSF)
National Shooting Sports Foundation Logo (PRNewsfoto/NSSF)

NSSF's "Help Prevent Wildfires" public service announcements campaign provides video and audio PSAs, an 8.5 x 11 poster, an infographic and shareable social media posts that remind recreational shooters and other outdoor enthusiasts to be mindful of their surroundings and to take precautions, such as:

  • Being aware of restrictions on shooting and other activities in fire-prone areas

  • Not using tracer rounds, exploding targets or ammunition that is steel-jacketed or contains steel-core components

  • Knowing that a vehicle's hot exhaust systems can ignite dry vegetation

  • Making sure all campfires and smoking materials are properly extinguished

There were more than 57,000 human-caused wildfires in 2020 that burned 10.3 million acres of land throughout the country, causing billions of dollars in damage along with hardship for both people and wildlife. Wildfires are tragic in many ways, including that in most cases they can be prevented when people pay attention to their surroundings and follow safe practices. Some 90 percent of wildland fires in the United States caused by human actions.

"After seeing the terrible destruction and heartbreak wildfires can cause, no one would want to accidentally be the cause of one," said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. "As gun owners, we care about safeguarding our communities and our natural resources, and so we remind everyone to check the fire-danger levels in their area and take precautions before heading outdoors to pursue our warm-weather activities, including recreational shooting."

NSSF encourages individuals and organizations to share the "Help Prevent Wildfires" public service announcements and infographic on their social media networks and to use the #GunOwnersCare hashtag.

Cision
Cision

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nssf-public-service-announcements-remind-recreational-shooters-to-help-prevent-wildfires-301294019.html

SOURCE National Shooting Sports Foundation

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    (Bloomberg) -- To get a sense of just how quickly corporate America has bounced back from the pandemic, consider this: for the first time since January 2020, U.S. bankruptcy courts saw no large Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings last week.The halt in filings by companies with at least $50 million of liabilities comes as re-openings and vaccinations pick up steam. Bankruptcies and restructuring in the lodging sector and others related to leisure and travel should continue to decline as vaccines roll out globally, Ronen Bojmel, head of restructuring at Guggenheim Securities, said in an interview.“People are going to want to go out, they will want to spend and travel, and the market will demonstrate significant strength for a period of time,” Bojmel said. But it’s “extremely volatile” and “could change direction pretty quickly.”Just 56 large firms have sought bankruptcy court protection in the U.S. as of May 17, well below last year’s tally of 87 during the same time. Still, the pace of bankruptcy filings is above the 10-year average of about 52 cases as of that date, data shows.“There’s no distress in the economy right now -- it’s pretty amazing,” said Chris Ward, a bankruptcy lawyer with Polsinelli PC. “Retail is coming back. Bars and restaurants are opening. There’s definitely optimism in the economy.”Despite the lack of new filings, last week was busy for companies already in bankruptcy court. Hertz Global Holdings picked Knighthead Capital Management and Certares Management to buy the car renter out of bankruptcy. Brazos Electric Power Cooperative secured a $350 million bankruptcy loan from JPMorgan Chase & Co. Energy company Seadrill Partners also won approval of its plan to slash $2.8 billion of debt, while the National Rifle Association lost its Chapter 11 protection after it was tossed out of bankruptcy court.Meanwhile, the total amount of traded distressed bonds and loans is less active, falling again to about $79 billion as of May 14, data compiled by Bloomberg show. There were 209 distressed bonds from 120 issuers trading as of Monday, up from 200 and up from 119, respectively, one week earlier, according to Trace data.Click here for a worksheet of distressed bonds and loansBusinesses most impacted by the pandemic stand to gain from the slow down in Covid-19 infections seen in recent weeks. The amount of traded distressed bonds rose 1.3% week-on-week, while distressed loans fell 13.2%Despite the lack of troubled issuers on a week-by-week basis, industries including retail, real estate, and hospitality can still offer deals for bargain hunters willing to take on uncertainty, Howard Marks, co-founder of Oaktree Capital Management, said last week during a virtual finance panel hosted by the Committee of 100.Diamond Sports Group LLC had the most distressed debt of issuers that hadn’t filed for bankruptcy as of May 14, Bloomberg data show. Its parent company, Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., said in a March filing that it expects Diamond to have enough cash for the next 12 months if the pandemic doesn’t get worse.Click here for more news on distressed debt and bankruptcy. First Word is curated by Bloomberg editors to give you actionable news from Bloomberg and select sources, including Dow Jones and Twitter. First Word can be customized to your Worksheet, sectors, geography or other criteria by clicking into Actions on the toolbar or hitting the HELP key for assistance.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

  • $70 Oil, $200 Iron, $10,000 Copper: Commodities Smash Milestones

    (Bloomberg) -- When headline crude futures topped $70 a barrel on Tuesday, it was just the latest landmark in a banner year for raw materials.From copper to iron ore and oil, prices have rallied broadly in 2021, as the global economy emerges from the depths of the coronavirus pandemic and fires up demand. The Bloomberg Commodity Spot Index, which tracks a broad basket of raw materials, is up 21% since January, putting it on track for the best year since 2016.Copper surged to an all-time high this month, bursting through $10,000 a ton in the process. Iron ore also hit a record recently with the steelmaking raw material surging as China churns out more of the alloy that ever. Now oil’s joining in, with Brent crude topping $70 a barrel, and retail gasoline prices above $3 a gallon in the U.S.Together, they’re latest signs of a global economy that is starting to see inflationary forces at work. The prices of the raw materials used to make everything from houses to coffee are skyrocketing, underscoring the giant reflation trade that has gripped global markets this year.“It’s driven by inflation concerns and demand,” said Giovanni Staunovo commodity analyst at UBS Group AG. “Commodities are reopening-and-reflation trades.”Beyond of raw materials, there are wider booms underway across commodity markets. Argentina’s government is limiting exports of beef, a staple in the country, to try to contain runaway inflation that’s approaching 50% annually. Wheat, corn, and sugar all hit multiyear highs recently, while palm oil reached a record and soybean oil is trading near an all-time high.Gold rose to the highest in more than three months, breaking out of a downtrend its held since August, on growing inflation concerns and assurances on monetary policy.Economic RecoveryCopper has been one of the main beneficiaries of a broad economic recovery and vast stimulus programs around the world, but investors are also getting excited about the longer-term outlook.The metal is crucial for nearly all the technologies and infrastructure needed to decarbonize the global economy with supply struggling to keep pace with consumption. A lack of mine investment and paucity of new projects has prompted forecasts of shortages.There’s optimism among oil bulls that the crude market will keep running hot into the summer too. Continued restrictions on flying are likely to force people into their cars when they go on vacation, potentially proving to be a boon in road fuels demand. Meanwhile airlines are growing optimistic that some regions will be able to open their borders as vaccinations progress.As a result big banks have rolled out a wealth of bullish takes on the sector. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. says a goldilocks scenario is forming for the commodities sector, with inflation starting to rise but monetary policy not yet tightening. Top trader Trafigura Group has talked up the prospects for copper to hit $15,000 a ton in the coming decade.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

  • Stocks could drop 20% when Fed fights inflation: hedge fund founder

    Satori Fund founder Dan Niles is warning that inflation might force the Fed's hand into sparking a 20% market collapse.

  • Global Banks Lose Share in China’s $186 Billion Loan Market

    (Bloomberg) -- Global banks are losing share in the $186 billion lending market for Chinese borrowers offshore, falling behind local rivals boosting their presence just as the nation’s corporate sector recovers from the pandemic.Their portion of such lending has steadily dropped over the past decade, hitting 37% so far this year to May 17, well below the 11-year average of 51%, according to Bloomberg-compiled data. Last year the share fell to 29%, the lowest since at least 2010. Taking over the slack are local lenders led by Bank of China Ltd., which has made the most offshore loans in the country for at least the last three years.The increased prominence of Chinese banks in the offshore loan market reflects the growth in general of the lenders as the economy expands. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. has seen its total assets more than double in the past decade to $5.1 trillion in 2020, making it the world’s largest bank by that measure, and the holdings of its big three state-owned rivals have also ballooned at a similar pace.For foreign banks, the increased competition from their Chinese rivals could lead to shrinking profit margins on deals, said Gary Ng, economist at Natixis SA in Hong Kong.Deals in China’s offshore loans, which are non-yuan debt clubbed or syndicated in Asia excluding China for the nation’s borrowers, have grown eightfold to $44.7 billion last year from $5.2 billion in 2010, Bloomberg-compiled data show. Bankers expect mergers and acquisitions to help drive such borrowings this year as the global economy recovers from the pandemic. The rebound in China is also likely to extend into the second quarter, according to Bloomberg economist Chang Shu.A look at the share of China offshore loans among the top global banks highlights their retreat. Standard Chartered Plc’s portion fell to 5% last year from 9% in 2010 while it’s halved to 3% for HSBC Holdings Plc. Current market leader Bank of China’s share, though, has surged to about 8% from 2% in the period.Spokespeople at Standard Chartered and HSBC declined to comment. There was no immediate reply from Bank of China to an email seeking comment.Some international lenders are already reducing staff for the loans or exiting the market completely. Australia’s Westpac Banking Corp. said it aims to close its mainland China and Hong Kong branches next year, subject to local regulatory approval.“For a lot of international banks, the competitive pressure on margins and terms may not meet their returns hurdle, making it less appealing for them to participate,” according to Augusto King, co-head of Asia debt capital markets - loans and bonds at MUFG Securities Asia.(Adds story link table)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

  • Alibaba Leads $400 Million Investment in Vietnam Retail Firm

    (Bloomberg) -- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and partners are investing $400 million in Vietnamese conglomerate Masan Group Corp.’s retail arm, a deal that will expand the Chinese e-commerce giant’s online groceries business in Southeast Asia.Alibaba and Baring Private Equity Asia are leading a consortium that will take a 5.5% stake in The CrownX, which holds Masan’s interests in Masan Consumer Holdings and VinCommerce, while the conglomerate will own 80.2% of the firm following the investment, according to a statement Tuesday. The deal implies a pre-investment valuation of $6.9 billion for The CrownX, the statement showed.Masan is in advanced talks with other investors on a further investment of $300 million to $400 million into The CrownX that is expected to close in 2021, the company said. Shares of the Vietnamese corporation rallied as much as 2.7% in early trading Tuesday.As part of the deal, the Vietnamese retail firm will team up with Alibaba’s Southeast Asian unit Lazada to expand its digital business in the country. Jack Ma’s corporation is seeking to expand its foothold in Southeast Asia, home to more than 650 million people, as competition and regulatory scrutiny intensify in its home market of China. Vietnam’s digital economy is forecast to grow to $52 billion by 2025, an annual 29% increase from 2020, according to estimates by Bain & Co., Google and Temasek.“The move should strengthen Lazada’s competitive position by broadening its offerings in groceries, similar to the RedMart acquisition in Singapore,” Bloomberg Intelligence senior analyst Vey-Sern Ling said. “The Southeast Asia e-commerce markets are nascent and Alibaba will probably invest much more in the future, especially since competition in the region is increasing.”VinCommerce will provide groceries to Lazada’s e-commerce platform in Vietnam and turn its physical stores into pick-up points for online orders, according to the statement. Groceries account for half of the country’s retail market and a quarter of consumer spending, but online penetration is still nascent, the statement said.“Our immediate priority is to modernize Vietnam’s grocery market and develop an unparalleled consumer proposition from assortment to shopping experience,” said Danny Le, chief executive officer of Masan Group.Masan Group is controlled by Vietnamese tycoon Nguyen Dang Quang. Founded in 1996, the Ho Chi Minh City-based firm is best-known for its fish sauce which it sells under brands including Chin-Su and Nam Ngu, according to its website. It has interests in retailing and mining as well as a stake in Vietnam Technological & Commercial Joint-Stock Bank, commonly known as Techcombank. Its VinCommerce arm operates one of the country’s largest convenience store chains.The CrownX is targeting online gross merchandise value to account for at least 5% of total sales in the coming years.(Updates with Masan’s share performance in third paragraph, analyst comment in fifth paragraph.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.