Headline: Public Invited to Review Flood Maps in Suffolk City, VA
Public Invited to Review Flood Maps in Suffolk City, VA
PHILADELPHIA– FEMA is proposing updates to the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for Suffolk City, Virginia. Community partners are invited to participate in a 90-day appeal and comment period. The 90-day appeal period began Jan. 15, 2025.The updated maps were produced in coordination with local, state and FEMA officials. Significant community review of the maps has already taken place, but before the maps become final, community partners can identify any corrections or questions about the information provided and submit appeals or comments. Residents, business owners and other community partners are encouraged to review the updated maps to learn about local flood risks and potential future flood insurance requirements. They may submit an appeal if they perceive that modeling or data used to create the map is technically or scientifically incorrect.An appeal must include technical information, such as hydraulic or hydrologic data, to support the claim. Appeals cannot be based on the effects of proposed projects or projects started after the study is in progress.If property owners see incorrect information that does not change the flood hazard information—such as a missing or misspelled road name in the Special Flood Hazard Area or an incorrect corporate boundary—they can submit a written comment.The next step in the mapping process is the resolution of all comments and appeals. Once they are resolved, FEMA will notify communities of the effective date of the final maps.Submit appeals and comments by contacting your local floodplain administrator: Margaret Pittenger at mpittenger@suffolkva.us. The preliminary maps may be viewed online at the FEMA Region 3 Flood Map Changes Viewer.For more information about the flood maps:Use a live chat service about flood maps at FEMA Mapping and Insurance eXchange (FMIX). Click on the “Live Chat” icon.Contact a FEMA Map Specialist by telephone; toll free, at 1-877-FEMA-MAP (1-877-336-2627) or by email at FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov. Most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover flooding. There are cost-saving options available for those newly mapped into a high-risk flood zone. Learn more about your flood insurance options by talking with your insurance agent and visiting https://www.floodsmart.gov.Suffolk City, VA Flood Mapping MilestonesMarch 30, 2023 — Flood Risk Review Meeting to review draft flood hazard data.April 29, 2024 — Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map released.May 29, 2024 — Community Coordination Meeting to review Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map and discuss updates to local floodplain management ordinance and flood insurance.Jan.15, 2025 –Appeal Period starts.June 2026* — New Flood Insurance Rate Map becomes effective and flood insurance requirements take effect. (*Timeline subject to change pending completion of the appeal review process.)If you have any questions, please contact FEMA Region 3 Office of External Affairs at femar3newsdesk@fema.dhs.gov. ###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.Follow us on “X” at twitter.com/femaregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/femaregion3 erika.osullivan Fri, 01/31/2025 – 14:49
Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC
WASHINGTON – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today released a list of orders of administrative enforcement actions taken against banks and individuals in December 2024. There are no administrative hearings scheduled for February 2025.
The FDIC issued 16 orders, one Notice, and one adjudicated Decision and Order in December 2024. The administrative enforcement actions in those orders consisted of six orders of prohibition; four orders terminating deposit insurance; one combined prohibition order and order to pay; one amended combined prohibition order and order dismissing order to pay; one consent order; one order terminating consent order; one Notice; and one Decision and Order.
To view orders, adjudicated decisions and notices and the administrative hearing details online, please visit the FDIC’s Web page by clicking the link below.
The FDIC does not send unsolicited e-mail. If this publication has reached you in error, or if you no longer wish to receive this service, please unsubscribe.
Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the 2024 Article IV consultation[1] with the Republic of Kazakhstan on a lapse of time basis on November 27, 2024.
After reaching 5.1 percent in 2023, Kazakhstan’s economic growth has remained robust in 2024, and inflation has continued to decline gradually. The banking sector remains resilient amid continued rapid consumer credit growth. In the medium term, growth is projected to stabilize at about 3½ percent, while inflation would ease further and reach its 5 percent target by 2028.
The National Bank of Kazakhstan has maintained a prudent monetary policy in light of persisting inflation pressures from increased energy tariffs and fiscal underperformance: as of September 2024, tax revenues were only 60½ percent of the 2024 budget plan, implying an expansionary fiscal stance. The macroprudential policy and risk-based supervisory frameworks are being strengthened in line with the 2023 FSAP recommendations.
Structural reform implementation remains slow, with the state footprint growing in some areas, while higher economic growth, diversification and resilience will be important in the current environment, including to address increasingly pressing challenges from climate change.
In concluding the Article IV consultation with the Republic of Kazakhstan, Executive Directors endorsed the staff’s appraisal as follows:
Robust economic growth and disinflation have continued this year. Growth is projected at 3.9 percent in 2024 due to broad-based acceleration of economic activity in the second half of the year. Inflation is expected to reach 8.2 percent, still above its 5 percent target, as the pace of disinflation has slowed this year due to increased domestic energy tariffs and an expansionary fiscal policy. On the external front, a moderate current account deficit is expected in 2024, and the external position is assessed as moderately weaker than implied by economic fundamentals and desirable policies.
Risks to the outlook remain tilted to the downside. They include external risks from a slowdown in major economies, an intensification of regional conflicts, secondary sanctions, and higher commodity price volatility or export pipeline disruptions. On the domestic front, key risks are delays in large infrastructure projects in the short term, failure to reintroduce fiscal discipline which could fuel inflation pressures, and a resurgence of social tensions. Upside risks include accelerated reform implementation, higher oil prices, and stronger foreign investment in new sectors.
Monetary policy should remain tight until inflation is close to target, and its effectiveness could be further strengthened. The combination of robust growth, slowing disinflation, and an uncertain outlook justify continued monetary policy prudence. In order to enhance the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK)’s institutional independence and monetary policy effectiveness, its governance and legal framework can be further improved, and the NBK should refrain from foreign exchange interventions in the absence of disorderly market conditions.
Recurrent fiscal underperformance requires measures to avoid fiscal procyclicality and strengthen the fiscal policy framework. Such measures would also help to meet the authorities’ objective of fiscal consolidation and maintain a balanced external position. Priorities are to improve macro-fiscal forecasts and budget planning, and to use the introduction of new tax and budget codes as opportunities to enhance non-oil revenue mobilization, including through gradual VAT rate increases, and spending efficiency. Fiscal policy effectiveness also requires public sector data that are better aligned with international standards and a more rules-based and transparent policy framework, including by reducing off-budget spending and the continued reliance on discretionary transfers from the National Fund.
The banking sector remains resilient and rapid progress in implementing the 2023 FSAP recommendations is commendable. In particular, the regulatory agency (ARDFM)’s institutional independence and risk-based supervision, as well as the NBK’s macroprudential policy mandate and toolkit, have been significantly enhanced. Going forward, the main priority is to introduce a fully-fledged framework for bank resolution, including coordination mechanisms among the ARDFM, NBK and relevant ministries.
Structural reform implementation is critical to elevate long-term economic growth. To meet the authorities’ ambitious growth objectives, a key priority is to reduce the state footprint in the economy and promote competition and private sector development. However, the amount and size of state interventions, subsidies, state-owned enterprises, and external restrictions have recently increased. Stronger public governance is also required, including through continued efforts to reduce corruption-related vulnerabilities.
Given increasingly pressing challenges from climate change, more comprehensive policies are needed to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and resilient economic model and meet the authorities’ commitment to reduce carbon emissions. Building on recent progress, including in implementing the national strategy for carbon neutrality, priorities are to modernize energy infrastructure, enhance energy efficiency, accelerate fossil fuel subsidy reforms, and adopt measures to transform high-emission sectors, manage climate-related risks in the financial sector, and address the needs of vulnerable groups.
Sources: Kazakhstani authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.
1/ Non-oil revenue in 2023 includes a one-off dividend from Samruk-Kazyna of 1.1 percent of GDP and in 2024 includes a one-off dividend from Kazatomprom of 0.3 percent of GDP from the sale of shares to the NFRK.
2/ Excluding reserve movements.
3/ Based on a conversion factor of 7.5 barrels of oil per ton.
[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.
[2] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without conveying formal discussions.
Foresight Ventures, a leading global crypto venture capital firm, has announced its participation in Consensus Hong Kong 2025, the premier blockchain and Web3 gathering hosted by CoinDesk. As a VC partner, Foresight Ventures will play an integral role in amplifying the impact of the event and fostering meaningful dialogue around Asia’s emerging trends in blockchain, DeFi, and AI-driven Web3 innovations.
As part of its engagement, Forest Bai, Co-Founder of Foresight Ventures, has been invited as a judge for the CoinDesk PitchFest. This high-stakes competition will highlight some of the most promising blockchain startups as they pitch their innovations to a panel of industry-leading investors and entrepreneurs.
PitchFest serves as a launchpad for early-stage Web3 startups, offering them exposure, mentorship, and potential investment opportunities. With Foresight Ventures’ deep expertise in bridging East and West through strategic investments and incubation, the firm is well-positioned to identify and support disruptive projects poised for long-term success.
Forest Bai commented on the participation: “Consensus Hong Kong is a gateway to Asia’s rapidly evolving blockchain landscape. At Foresight Ventures, we believe in empowering the next wave of innovators, and PitchFest is the perfect stage to discover and support game-changing projects. We’re excited to engage with the brightest minds and reinforce our commitment to fostering blockchain excellence in Asia and beyond.”
Beyond PitchFest, Consensus Hong Kong 2025 will feature a diverse lineup of notable speakers, including CEO and executives of Binance, Robinhood, Solana Foundation, Wintermute, Backpack, Polymarket, Grayscale, Aptos, Monad and many more, together with networking opportunities, and deep dives into regulations, DeFi, PayFi, and AI’s intersection with Web3. The event is expected to attract top-tier investors, founders, and developers looking to shape the future of the blockchain industry.
About Foresight Ventures Foresight Ventures is the first and only crypto VC bridging East and West. With a research-driven approach and offices in the US and Singapore, we are a powerhouse in crypto investment and incubation. Our premier media network includes The Block, Foresight News, BlockTempo, and Coinness. We aggressively invest in the most daring innovations. We are dedicated to partnering with visionary projects and top teams to help them succeed, reshaping the future of digital finance and beyond.
HOUSTON, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kahuna Workforce Solutions, a leading skills and competency management SaaS platform, today announced financing from Stifel Bank, an affiliate of Stifel Financial Corp., a global diversified financial services firm. The credit facility with Stifel Bank will provide financing for working capital and growth capital, enabling Kahuna to expand its product and service offerings further to serve its customers and partners best.
With the infusion of capital, Kahuna aims to fund the development of new products, as well as enhance the integration functionality of its skills and competency management SaaS platform with other technology solutions in the human resources, operations and learning ecosystems. Kahuna will also leverage the financing to grow its channel and partnership strategy, a key pillar of the company’s long-term vision for growth.
“Our goal at Kahuna has always been to provide our customers with the insights and tools they need to enhance their workforce capability and reach their organizational goals,” said Jai Shah, chief executive officer of Kahuna. “Partnering with Stifel Bank allows us to deepen this commitment and continue innovating, expanding and enhancing the capabilities of our product offerings so that we can meet the evolving requirements of the organizations and markets we serve.”
As part of its growth strategy, Kahuna has recently strengthened its leadership team with two key additions. Diane Mitchell joins as chief marketing officer, bringing extensive experience in brand development and strategic marketing. Jeff Durand joins as vice president of channels and business development, focusing on expanding Kahuna’s strategic partner network and broadening its market reach.
“Kahuna is uniquely positioned to address the growing demand for validated skills data with its skills and competency management solutions,” said Alan Faulkner, managing director of Stifel Venture Banking. “They are transforming how organizations assess and develop their workforce skills and capabilities, and we look forward to supporting them as they continue to grow and innovate their product offerings and business overall.”
About Kahuna Workforce Solutions Kahuna Workforce Solutions is a leading skills and competency management SaaS platform designed for operations, learning and human resources. The platform provides enterprises with validated skills data, offering valuable insights into workforce capabilities, aligning talent supply and demand and maximizing training investments. Kahuna helps organizations build a more skilled, adaptable, and competitive workforce. Learn more: kahunaworkforce.com
About Stifel Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a diversified global wealth management, investment bank, and commercial banking company. Stifel Venture Banking, a division of Stifel Bank, Member FDIC, provides commercial banking and debt capital financing solutions to venture capital-backed technology companies and their investors. Stifel Bank has the flexibility and resources to offer its customers the banking, treasury management, and lending solutions they value most, with the legacy of Stifel. Stifel Bank collaborates with Stifel Investment Banking teams and Stifel Wealth Management, tailoring solutions for companies and individuals across their asset management needs. To learn more, please visit: https://stifelventurebanking.com/
Many wars on Earth start over territorial disputes. In order to avoid such disputes in outer space, nations should consider enacting national laws that specify the extent of each settler’s authority in outer space and provide a process to resolve conflicts.
Space is an international area, and companies and individuals are free to land their space objects – including satellites, human-crewed and robotic spacecraft and human-inhabited facilities – on celestial bodies and conduct operations anywhere they please. This includes both outer space and celestial bodies such as the Moon.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits territorial claims in outer space and on celestial bodies in order to avoid disputes. But without national laws governing space settlers, a nation might attempt to protect its citizens’ and companies’ interests by withdrawing from the treaty. They could then claim the territory where its citizens have placed their space objects.
Nations enforce territorial claims through military force, which would likely cost money and lives. An alternative to territorial claims, which I’ve been investigating and have come to prefer, would be to enact real property rights that are consistent with the Outer Space Treaty.
Territorial claims can be asserted only by national governments, while property rights apply to private citizens, companies and national governments that own property. A property rights law could specify how much authority settlers have and protect their investments in outer space and on celestial bodies.
The Outer Space Treaty
In 1967, the Outer Space Treaty went into effect. As of January 2025, 115 countries are party to this treaty, including the United States and most nations that have a space program.
The Outer Space Treaty is the main international agreement governing outer space. However, it is not self-executing.
The Outer Space Treaty outlines principles for the peaceful exploration and use of outer space and celestial bodies. However, the treaty does not specify how it will apply to the citizens and companies of nations that are parties to the treaty.
For this reason, the Outer Space Treaty is largely not a self-executing treaty. This means U.S. courts cannot apply the terms of the treaty to individual citizens and companies. For that to happen, the United States would need to enact national legislation that explains how the terms of the treaty apply to nongovernmental entities.
One article of the Outer Space Treaty says that participating countries should make sure that all of their citizens’ space activities comply with the treaty’s terms. Another article then gives these nations the authority to enact laws governing their citizens’ and companies’ private space activities.
This is particularly relevant to the U.S., where commercial activity in space is rapidly increasing.
UN Charter
It is important to note that the Outer Space Treaty requires participating nations to comply with international law and the United Nations Charter.
In the U.N. Charter, there are two international law concepts that are relevant to property rights. One is a country’s right to defend itself, and the other is the noninterference principle.
The international law principle of noninterference gives nations the right to exclude others from their space objects and the areas where they have ongoing activity.
But how will nations apply this concept to their private citizens and companies? Do individual people and companies have the right to exclude others in order to prevent interference with their activities? What can they do if a foreign person interferes or causes damage?
The noninterference principle in the U.N. Charter governs relations between nations, not individuals. Consequently, U.S. courts likely wouldn’t enforce the noninterference principle in a case involving two private parties.
So, U.S. citizens and companies do not have the right to exclude others from their space objects and areas of ongoing activity unless the U.S. enacts legislation giving them that right.
The accords explain how important components of the Outer Space Treaty will apply to private space activities. One section of the accords allows for safety zones, where public and private personnel, equipment and operations are protected from harmful interference by other people. The rights to self-defense and noninterference from the U.N. Charter provide a legal basis for safety zones.
Aside from satellite and rocket-launch regulations, the United States has enacted only a few laws – including the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015 – to govern private activities in outer space and on celestial bodies.
As part of this act, any U.S. citizen collecting mineral resources in outer space or on celestial bodies has a right to own, transport, use and sell those resources. This act is an example of national legislation that clarifies how the Outer Space Treaty applies to U.S. citizens and companies.
Property rights
Enacting property rights for outer space would make it clear what rights and obligations property owners have and the extent of their authority over their property.
All nations on Earth have a form of property rights in their legal systems. Property rights typically include the rights to possess, control, develop, exclude, enjoy, sell, lease and mortgage properties. Enacting real property rights in space would create a marketplace for buying, selling, renting and mortgaging property.
Because the Outer Space Treaty prohibits territorial claims, space property rights would not necessarily be “land grabs.” Property rights would operate a little differently in space than on Earth.
Property rights in space would have to be based on the authority that the Outer Space Treaty gives to nations. This authority allows them to govern their citizens and their assets by enacting laws and enforcing them in their courts.
Space property rights would include safety zones around property to prevent interference. So, people would have to get the property owner’s permission before entering a safety zone.
If a U.S. property owner were to sell a space property to a foreign citizen or company, the space objects on the property would have to stay on the property or be replaced with the purchaser’s space objects. That would ensure that the owner’s country still has authority over the property.
Also, if someone transferred their space objects to a foreign citizen or company, the buyer would have to change their objects’ international registration, which would give the buyer’s nation authority over the space objects and the surrounding property.
Nations could likely avoid some territorial disputes if they enact real property laws in space that clearly describe how national authority over property changes when it is sold. Enacting property rights could reduce the legal risks for commercial space companies and support the permanent settlement of outer space and celestial bodies.
U.S. property rights law could also contain a reciprocity provision, which would encourage other nations to pass similar laws and allow participating countries to mutually recognize each other’s property rights.
With a reciprocity provision, property rights could support economic development as commercial companies around the world begin to look to outer space as the next big area of economic growth.
Wayne N White Jr consults with One Space Technologies Inc. He is a member and former Director of The National Space Society and an Associate Fellow of AIAA.
Assistant professor Frank Cackowski, left, and researcher Steven Zielske at Wayne State University in Detroit became suspicious of a paper on cancer research that was eventually retracted.Amy Sacka, CC BY-ND
Over the past decade, furtive commercial entities around the world have industrialized the production, sale and dissemination of bogus scholarly research. These paper mills are profiting by undermining the literature that everyone from doctors to engineers rely on to make decisions about human lives.
It is exceedingly difficult to get a handle on exactly how big the problem is. About 55,000 scholarly papers have been retracted to date, for a variety of reasons, but scientists and companies who screen the scientific literature for telltale signs of fraud estimate that there are many more fake papers circulating – possibly as many as several hundred thousand. This fake research can confound legitimate researchers who must wade through dense equations, evidence, images and methodologies, only to find that they were made up.
Even when bogus papers are spotted – usually by amateur sleuths on their own time – academic journals are often slow to retract the papers, allowing the articles to taint what many consider sacrosanct: the vast global library of scholarly work that introduces new ideas, reviews and other research and discusses findings.
These fake papers are slowing research that has helped millions of people with lifesaving medicine and therapies, from cancer to COVID-19. Analysts’ data shows that fields related to cancer and medicine are particularly hard-hit, while areas such as philosophy and art are less affected.
To better understand the scope, ramifications and potential solutions of this metastasizing assault on science, we – a contributing editor at Retraction Watch, a website that reports on retractions of scientific papers and related topics, and two computer scientists at France’s Université Toulouse III–Paul Sabatier and Université Grenoble Alpes who specialize in detecting bogus publications – spent six months investigating paper mills.
Frank Cackowski at Detroit’s Wayne State University was confused.
The oncologist was studying a sequence of chemical reactions in cells to see whether they could be a target for drugs against prostate cancer. A paper from 2018 in the American Journal of Cancer Research piqued his interest when he read that a little-known molecule called SNHG1 might interact with the chemical reactions he was exploring. He and fellow Wayne State researcher Steven Zielske began experiments but found no link.
Meanwhile, Zielske had grown suspicious of the paper. Two graphs showing results for different cell lines were identical, he noticed, which “would be like pouring water into two glasses with your eyes closed and the levels coming out exactly the same.” Another graph and a table in the article also inexplicably contained identical data.
Zielske described his misgivings in an anonymous post in 2020 at PubPeer, an online forum where many scientists report potential research misconduct, and also contacted the journal’s editor. The journal pulled the paper, citing “falsified materials and/or data.”
“Science is hard enough as it is if people are actually being genuine and trying to do real work,” said Cackowski, who also works at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Michigan.
Wayne State scientists Cackowsi and Zielske carried out experiments based on a paper they later found to contain false data. Amy Sacka, CC BY-ND
Legitimate academic journals evaluate papers before publication by having other researchers in the field carefully read them over. But this peer review process is far from perfect. Reviewers volunteer their time, typically assume research is real and so don’t look for fraud.
It’s unclear when paper mills began to operate at scale. The earliest suspected paper mill article retracted was published in 2004, according to the Retraction Watch database, which details retractions and is operated by The Center for Scientific Integrity, the parent nonprofit of Retraction Watch.
An analysis of 53,000 papers submitted to six publishers – but not necessarily published – found 2% to 46% suspect submissions across journals. The American publisher Wiley, which has retracted more than 11,300 articles and closed 19 heavily affected journals in its erstwhile Hindawi division, said its new paper mill detection tool flags up to 1 in 7 submissions.
As many as 2% of the several million scientific works published in 2022 were milled, according to Adam Day, who directs Clear Skies, a company in London that develops tools to spot fake papers. Some fields are worse than others: biology and medicine are closer to 3%, and some subfields, such as cancer, may be much larger, Day said.
The paper mill problem is “absolutely huge,” said Sabina Alam, director of Publishing Ethics and Integrity at Taylor & Francis, a major academic publisher. In 2019, none of the 175 ethics cases escalated to her team was about paper mills, Alam said. Ethics cases include submissions and already published papers. “We had almost 4,000 cases” in 2023, she said. “And half of those were paper mills.”
The Cochrane Collaboration has a policy excluding suspect studies from its analyses of medical evidence and is developing a tool to spot problematic medical trials. And publishers have begun to share data and technologies among themselves to combat fraud, including image fraud.
Technology startups are also offering help. The website Argos, launched in September 2024 by Scitility, an alert service based in Sparks, Nevada, allows authors to check collaborators for retractions or misconduct. Morressier, a scientific conference and communications company in Berlin, offers research integrity tools. Paper-checking tools include Signals, by London-based Research Signals, and Clear Skies’ Papermill Alarm.
But Alam acknowledges that the fight against paper mills won’t be won as long as the booming demand for papers remains.
Today’s commercial publishing is part of the problem, Byrne said. Cleaning up the literature is a vast and expensive undertaking. “Either we have to monetize corrections such that publishers are paid for their work, or forget the publishers and do it ourselves,” she said.
There’s a fundamental bias in for-profit publishing: “We pay them for accepting papers,” said Bodo Stern, a former editor of the journal Cell and chief of Strategic Initiatives at Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a nonprofit research organization and funder in Chevy Chase, Maryland. With more than 50,000 journals on the market, bad papers shopped around long enough eventually find a home, Stern said.
To prevent this, we could stop paying journals for accepting papers and look at them as public utilities that serve a greater good. “We should pay for transparent and rigorous quality-control mechanisms,” he said.
Peer review, meanwhile, “should be recognized as a true scholarly product, just like the original article,” Stern said. And journals should make all peer-review reports publicly available, even for manuscripts they turn down.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. This is a condensed version. To learn more about how fraudsters around the globe use paper mills to enrich themselves and harm scientific research, read the full version.
Labbé receives funding from the European Research Council.
He has also received funding from the French National Research Agency (ANR), and the U.S. Office of Research Integrity.
Labbé has been in touch with most of the major publishers and their integrity officers, offering pro-bono consulting regarding detection tools to various actors in the field including STM-Hub and Morressier.
Cabanac receives funding from the European Research Council (ERC) and the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF). He is the administrator of the Problematic Paper Screener, a public platform that uses metadata from Digital Science and PubPeer via no-cost agreements. Cabanac has been in touch with most of the major publishers and their integrity officers, offering pro bono consulting regarding detection tools to various actors in the field including ClearSkies, Morressier, River Valley, Signals, and STM.
Frederik Joelving does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
“Just Because I am a Librarian doesn’t mean I have to dress like one.”
With this breezy pronouncement, Belle da Costa Greene handily differentiated herself from most librarians.
She stood out for other reasons, too.
In the early 20th century – a time when men held most positions of authority – Greene was a celebrated book agent, a curator and the first director of the Morgan Library. She also earned US$10,000 a year, about $280,000 today, while other librarians were making roughly $400.
She was also a Black woman who passed as white.
Born in 1879, Belle was the daughter of two light-skinned Black Americans, Genevieve Fleet and Richard T. Greener, the first Black man to graduate from Harvard. When the two separated in 1897, Fleet changed the family’s last name to Greene and, along with her five children, crossed the color line. Belle Marion Greener became Belle da Costa Greene – the “da Costa” a subtle claim to her Portuguese ancestry.
When banking magnate J.P. Morgan sought a librarian in 1905, his nephew Junius Morgan recommended Greene, who had been one of his co-workers at the Princeton Library.
Henceforth, Greene’s life didn’t just kick into a higher gear. It was supercharged. She became a lively fixture at social gatherings among America’s wealthiest families. Her world encompassed Gilded Age mansions, country retreats, rare book enclaves, auction houses, museums and art galleries. Bold, vivacious and glamorous, the keenly intelligent Greene attracted attention wherever she went.
I found myself drawn to the worlds Greene entered and the people she described in her lively letters to her lover, art scholar Bernard Berenson. In 2024, I published a book, “Becoming Belle Da Costa Greene,” which explores her voice, her self-invention, her love of art and literature, and her path-breaking work as a librarian.
Yet I’m often asked whether Greene mentions her passing as white in her writings. She did not. Greene was one of hundreds of thousands of light-skinned Black Americans who passed as white in the Jim Crow era. While speculation about Greene’s background circulated in her lifetime, nothing was confirmed until historian Jean Strouse revealed the identities of Greene’s parents in her 1999 biography, “Morgan: American Financier.” Until that point, only Greene’s mother and siblings knew the story of their Black heritage.
“Passing” can often raise more questions than answers. But Greene did not largely define herself through one category, such as her racial identity. Instead, she constructed a self through the things she loved.
‘I love this life – don’t you?’
In my view, any consideration of Greene’s attitudes toward her own race must remain an open question. And uncertainty can be acknowledged – even embraced – with judgments suspended.
The Morgan Library & Museum currently has an exhibition on Greene that will run until May 4, 2025 – one that’s already generated debates about Greene and the significance of her passing.
One section of the exhibition, “Questioning the Color Line,” includes novels on passing, paintings such as Archibald J. Motley Jr.’s “The Octoroon Girl,” photographs of Greene, and clips from Oscar Micheaux’s 1932 film “Veiled Aristocrats” and John M. Stahl’s 1934 film “Imitation of Life,” which portray painful scenes between white-passing characters and their family members.
None of these objects clarifies Greene’s particular relationship to passing. Instead, they place the librarian within melodramatic and conventional representations about passing that stress self-division and angst.
We don’t know – perhaps we will never know – whether Greene had similar moments of self-doubt.
Yet some critics have concluded as much. In his review of the exhibition for The New Yorker, critic Hilton Als laments what Greene’s passing had cost her. He describes her as a “girl who loved power,” a woman who “became a member of another race – not Black or white but alternately grandiose and self-despising.”
There’s a lot of certainty in such a pronouncement – and scant evidence furnished to support such declarations.
New York Times columnist John McWhorter takes issue with Als’s depiction of the librarian’s passing in a Jan. 23, 2025, article.
Citing passages from her letters in which Greene excitedly describes reading the Arabic folktales “The Thousand and One Nights” and seeing exhibitions of modern art, McWhorter asks readers to reconsider this “witty, puckish soul who savored books and art” and “had an active social life.”
What if Greene gave her race little thought, McWhorter wonders. What if she simply saw the notion of race and racial categorization as “a fiction” and instead lived her life to its fullest? Of course, her light skin afforded her the opportunity that other Black people of her era didn’t have. But does that necessarily mean that she was self-loathing or conflicted?
“[W]e are all wearing trousers and I love them,” Greene writes in one letter to Berenson, adding, “The Library grows more wonderful every day and I am terribly happy in my work here … I love this life – don’t you?”
The connoisseur was not the only contemporary who admired Greene’s effervescence. In “The Living Present,” an account of the activities of women before and after World War II, Greene’s friend Gertrude Atherton paid tribute to Greene, a “girl so fond of society, so fashionable in dress and appointments” that she could impress any stranger with her “overflowing joie de vivre.”
Greene dressed to be noticed – and she was. Meta Harrsen, the librarian Greene hired in 1922, offers a rare eye-witness account. On the day Greene interviewed Harrsen, “she wore a dress of dark red Italian brocade shot with silver threads, a gold braided girdle, and an emerald necklace.”
Greene understood well the power of clothes to project a distinct identity – a highly crafted one in this case, and one befitting a connoisseur of rare books.
At that, she excelled. She became known for her stunning acquisition coups: her purchase of 16 rare editions of the works of English printer William Caxton at an auction; her procurement of the highly coveted Crusader’s Bible through a private negotiation; and her acquisition of the Spanish Apocalypse Commentary, a medieval text written by a Spanish monk that Greene was able to buy at a steep discount.
To me, a 1915 photo captures Greene’s confidence and aura more than any other image of the librarian.
She posed in her home and wasn’t shot in soft focus with a studio backdrop as other photographs tend to portray her. Sitting on the arm of a large chair upholstered in a tapestry weave, she wears an elaborate hat with a large ostrich plume, a high-necked blouse under a long, loosely belted jacket with a ruffled cuff over a long dark skirt. The decor is no less striking: Flemish tapestries decorate the walls behind her, and a liturgical vestment is draped over the bookcase. Looking directly at the viewer, Greene is assured and poised.
Greene’s stylish flair was not simply decorative. It was a testament to her vibrant personality and the joy she took in her work. Rather than judge her according to contemporary notions of racial identity, I prefer to marvel over her achievements and how she became a model for generations of future librarians.
Greene didn’t just pass. She surpassed – in spectacular ways.
Deborah W. Parker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In the course of the intra-group reorganization of Aktsiaselts Infortar (Infortar), on 31 January 2025 Tallinna Raamatutrükikoja Osaühing (TRT) acquired Printon AS shares from AS Vaba Maa and AS Vaba Maa shares from Infortar. Following the transactions AS Vaba Maa and AS Printon will remain a subsidiaries of Tallinna Raamatutrükikoja Osaühing.
“This change will not affect our clients and partners; work will continue as usual in both of our production units. The only addition is the technological capability and flexibility to utilize both production units,” noted Priit Tamme, Deputy Managing Director of Infortar.
Infortar operates in seven countries, the company’s main fields of activity are maritime transport, energy and real estate. Infortar owns a 68.47% stake in Tallink Grupp, a 100% stake in Elenger Grupp and a versatile and modern real estate portfolio of approx. 116,000 m2. In addition to the three main areas of activity, Infortar also operates in construction and mineral resources, agriculture, printing, and other areas. A total of 105 companies belong to the Infortar group: 96 subsidiaries, 4 affiliated companies and 5 subsidiaries of affiliated companies. Excluding affiliates, Infortar employs 6,108 people.
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lingokids, the leading educational app for children aged 2-8 years old, is thrilled to announce its latest achievements: winning the Parents’ Picks Awards 2025 and the Mom’s Choice Awards 2025. These prestigious recognitions reaffirm Lingokids’ commitment to providing high-quality, safe, and interactive learning experiences that empower young learners and give parents peace of mind.
A Double Recognition for Excellence in Early Education
Lingokids has been honored with the Best Educational App award in both Preschool and Elementary categories by the Parents’ Picks Awards. This distinction is particularly significant as only two companies have been recognized in both categories, highlighting the app’s broad appeal and effectiveness across different age groups. Selected by parents and education experts, the Parents’ Picks Awards celebrate top-tier learning tools that enhance children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Additionally, Lingokids has once again received the Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold Level distinction, the highest honor awarded by MCA. This marks the second consecutive year that Lingokids has achieved this prestigious recognition, underscoring its consistent commitment to excellence in educational technology. The Mom’s Choice Awards are globally respected and trusted by parents, educators, and professionals, evaluating products based on their quality, innovation, and educational value.
Why Lingokids Stands Out
Lingokids has been recognized for its unique Playlearning™ approach, which seamlessly blends education with interactive and entertaining content. The app offers a diverse range of activities, including Lingokids Lessons, gamified learning experiences, and exciting partnerships such as its recent collaboration with NASA to introduce children to space and science concepts.
The awards highlight Lingokids’ alignment with key educational principles, including:
Academic Skill Development: Strengthening literacy, math, and critical thinking skills.
Social & Emotional Learning: Encouraging empathy, self-awareness, and communication.
Cognitive Growth: Fostering problem-solving and logical reasoning.
Safe & Guilt-Free Screen Time: Providing a secure and engaging digital learning environment that parents can trust.
Continuing the Mission into 2025
Winning these prestigious awards reinforces Lingokids’ mission to be the #1 kids’ educational and safe screen time choice for families worldwide. As the app continues to expand its content and partnerships, parents can expect even more innovative learning experiences designed to make education engaging, interactive, and stress-free.
About Lingokids
Lingokids is an educational tech and media company dedicated to transforming the way children learn traditional and modern life skills. Through its unique Playlearning™ approach, Lingokids provides engaging, interactive learning experiences, empowering children to lead their own educational journeys. Launched in 2015, Lingokids has become a trusted platform for over 160 million families worldwide, offering the award-winning Lingokids app, podcasts, videos, and more.
Dubai, UAE, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Solidus AI Tech, a pioneering force in AI-driven high-performance computing (HPC), has fortified its leadership team with an elite selection of industry veterans from globally recognized firms, including Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, Careem, Cisco, and Dell. This addition to the powerhouse C-suite is set to drive the company’s mission of revolutionizing AI infrastructure and accelerating the adoption of AI solutions worldwide.
Unparalleled Financial and Investment Leadership
Kal Desai – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Kal Desai, an Australian-qualified chartered accountant, brings decades of financial acumen spanning Australia, the U.K., and the Middle East. With a career that includes leadership roles at BHP Billiton, Orange, and Reuters, Kal has played a pivotal role in the financial scaling of technology enterprises. Notably, he spearheaded capital raises and exits, including the landmark sale of Zawya to Thomson Reuters in 2012 and his instrumental role as founding CFO of Careem, which was acquired by Uber for $3.1 billion. At Solidus AI Tech, he will steer financial growth strategies, ensuring a robust financial infrastructure to support expansion and innovation.
Michael Swan – Chief Investment Officer (CIO) With nearly two decades of investment expertise in both traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi), Michael Swan has held influential roles at Macquarie Bank and Goldman Sachs. Transitioning into the Web3 sector, he became a recognized industry authority at Tokenomik Inc., executing over 70 seed and private round investments across blockchain projects. As CIO, Michael will architect innovative financing solutions, leveraging a hybrid model of instruments to optimize capital structures for Solidus AI Tech.
Elite Technology and Innovation Leadership
Christian Szilagyi – Chief Technology Officer (CTO) A veteran technology leader with over 30 years of experience, Christian Szilagyi has a distinguished career in infrastructure architecture, AI, automation, and high-performance computing (HPC). His track record includes key roles at industry titans like Dell, Verint, and LivePerson, as well as pioneering regional expansions for Calabrio and Centrical. With expertise spanning DevOps, B2C optimization, and enterprise AI integration, Christian will drive Solidus AI Tech’s technology strategy, ensuring its AI and HPC capabilities are at the cutting edge of innovation.
Niraj Poduval – Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) With over 11 years of AI and data consulting expertise, Niraj Poduval has played a key role in AI adoption strategies across banking, retail, smart cities, and the public sector. His tenure at Deloitte saw him architect AI transformation roadmaps for high-profile clients. As CINO at Solidus AI Tech, Niraj will lead AI-driven initiatives, aligning technological advancements with the company’s strategic vision to maximize business impact and market expansion.
Commercial and Market Expansion Leadership
Mike Doria – Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Bringing extensive expertise in Web3, AI, and enterprise infrastructure, Mike Doria has held key leadership roles at Cisco and DXC. His track record includes spearheading revenue growth, securing funding for large-scale data center projects, and launching disruptive AI solutions. With experience as a co-founder and CEO of multiple technology ventures, Mike is set to drive Solidus AI Tech’s commercial strategy, expanding its market reach and establishing it as a dominant force in AI-powered computing.
A Bold Vision for the Future of AI & HPC
This addition formidable C-suite brings a wealth of expertise across finance, investment, technology, and commercial strategy. Their combined leadership positions Solidus AI Tech at the forefront of AI and HPC innovation, strengthening its position as a leading infrastructure provider for AI-powered applications. With a strategic blend of TradFi, DeFi, and cutting-edge AI solutions, the company is positioned to drive transformative advancements in AI adoption across industries.
Solidus AI Tech is an upcoming industry leader in high-performance AI computing solutions, committed to building the next generation of AI infrastructure. With a focus on sustainability, efficiency, and cutting-edge technology, Solidus AI Tech provides enterprises with the tools and computing power necessary to drive AI-driven transformations.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.
Headline: ICC announces new editorial board for Dispute Resolution Bulletin
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has appointed new co-editors-in-chief and editorial board members of the ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin. The Bulletin is ICC’s flagship, triannual journal focused on arbitration and other methods of dispute resolution. Editorial board members are highly-regarded dispute resolution practitioners from around the world, with diverse backgrounds. With their involvement, the Bulletin will remain one of the most essential go-to resources on dispute prevention and resolution.
Since the first edition in 1990, the Bulletin has been at the forefront of providing up-to-date developments in international arbitration and commentaries on ICC dispute resolution and arbitral awards. The Bulletin offers legal updates, expert insights and studies, best practices and analysis of ICC awards. It also reports on ICC events and trainings, and features book reviews for dispute resolution practitioners.
Claudia Salomon, President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, said:
“In line with the ICC Court pledge to drive thought leadership, the new co-editors in chief and editorial board members will ensure that the Bulletin continues to generate innovative ideas, and build capacity, offering readers a greater understanding of the arbitration and ADR process.”
Alexander G. Fessas, Director of ICC Dispute Resolution Services and Secretary General of the ICC Court, said:
“As the leading institution in dispute resolution, ICC plays a critical role in promoting access to justice and the rule of law. The Bulletin serves as a vital platform for analysis and debate, fostering the safeguard of the legitimacy of arbitration and ADR, and maximising the potential of all in the legal and business communities. We are confident that, with the new editorial board, the Bulletin’s relevance and reach will continue to grow exponentially.”
The Bulletin’s gender-balanced editorial board comprises 20 members based in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and the United States.
The Bulletin is led by two co-editors-in-chief: Rafael Rincón, a partner at Rincón Castro Abogados in Colombia, and Sara Nadeau Seguin, a partner at Teynier Pic in France. Both were members of the board during the previous mandate. They succeed Julien Fouret and Yasmine Lahlou, who were appointed as members of the ICC Court in July 2024.
The 2025-2027 ICC Bulletin editorial board members are:
Sara Nadeau Seguin, Co-Editor in Chief, Partner, Teynier Pic, France
Rafael Rincón, Co-Editor in Chief, Partner, Rincón Castro Abogados, Colombia
Aysha Abdulla Mutaywea, Partner, MENA Chambers, Bahrain
Marie-Isabelle Delleur, Counsel, Clifford Chance, Brazil
*Farouk El-Hosseny, Senior Associate, Three Crowns, United Kingdom
*Ahmed Habib, Senior Associate, DWF, Qatar
*Imad Khan, Partner, Winston & Strawn, United States of America (Houston)
*Damien Nyer, Partner, White & Case, United States of America (New York)
*Olena Perepelynska, Partner and Head of International Arbitration, Integrites, Ukraine
*Sulabh Rewari, Partner, Keystone, India
*Michele Sabatini, Partner, Arblit, Italy
Mikaël Schinazi, Associate, Jones Day, France
Anna Secomb, Arbitrator, Singapore
*Leyou Tameru, Founder, I-Arb Africa, Ethiopia
Mireille Taok, International Arbitrator, Lawyer, and University Lecturer, United Arab Emirates
Monty Taylor, Barrister, Tenth Floor Chambers, Australia
Sylvia Tee, Partner, Ashurst, China
*Angeline Welsh, Barrister, Essex Chambers, United Kingdom
* Member during the previous mandate, which is renewable once.
The Bulletin is published three times a year with the next edition due in March 2025. The latest edition of the ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin is freely available for download in the ICC Dispute Resolution Library.
Innovation and a strong reform drive have strengthened Benin’s resilience to regional and global challenges and supported progress toward meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
Benin faced a number of negative spillovers in 2022: a deteriorating regional security situation at its northern border, the lingering scars of COVID-19, and higher living costs amid the war in Ukraine. To help counter those headwinds,the country tapped IMF support, including a $650 million blended Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, complemented by a $200 million Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in 2023. Development partners’ confidence in the country’s reform program has been reflected in budget support consistently exceeding expectations. Moreover, Benin was among the first countries to re-access the international capital market last year, following a two-year hiatus, with several sovereign credit rating upgrades in recent years.
Despite challenges, there are promising signs of economic transformation. Among other achievements, growth has been strong, fiscal adjustment is proceeding while allowing for a significant increase in social spending, and efforts to strengthen governance are gaining ground.
Following the combined Fifth Review of the ongoing EFF/ECF arrangement and Second Review of the RSF, IMF Country Focus discussed the country’s economic performance with Romuald Wadagni, Senior Minister of State of Economy and Finance for Benin, and Constant Lonkeng, IMF Mission Chief for Benin.
How is the current reform program affecting the daily lives of Beninese people?
Finance Minister Wadagni: First and foremost, our ongoing reform program has allowed us to navigate an episode of severe and repeated shocks, with technical and financial support from our development partners. As a result, our economy has shown remarkable resilience, with growth averaging more than 6.5 percent in recent years.
Economic resilience is helping harness the potential of Benin’s people. A key focus of our reform program is enhancing human capital, as articulated under our people-centric Government Action Program (PAG 2021–26).
Our Integrated School Feeding Program currently provides free meals to students in 95 percent of elementary schools in rural areas (more than 1.3 million children), with full coverage targeted this year. Lower education is now tuition-free for girls across all of Benin’s 77 communes (estimated 2 million girls), with an ongoing pilot to extend to upper secondary school. We are also putting emphasis on technical education and vocational training to prepare our large youth population to seize job opportunities in high value-added activities.
More broadly, our flagship Insurance for Human Capital Enhancement (ARCH) seeks to foster social resilience through various programs including micro-credits, access to healthcare, and pensions. The social registry—established early on under the EFF/ECF with World Bank technical support—is an essential tool for targeting our support to the most vulnerable.
How has IMF engagement supported the authorities’ policy agenda?
IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: One key design consideration of Benin’s IMF-supported program was balancing financing and fiscal adjustment in a shock-prone environment. Considering Benin’s established track record in macroeconomic management, we opted for a flexible design—a vote of confidence from the IMF.
Frontloaded financing supported the country’s appropriately strong counter-cyclical policy response to severe shocks—the IMF disbursed more than 40 percent of the total financing envelope of about 400 percent of Benin’s quota in the first 6 months of the 42-month program to smooth out fiscal adjustment. The EFF/ECF was subsequently complemented by an RSF (120 percent of Benin’s quota) to help enhance the country’s overall socio-economic resilience.
The authorities have since been re-building policy space, with domestic revenue mobilization being a key part of this effort and, more broadly, the cornerstone of the authorities’ reform program. A frontloaded tax policy reform under the program complemented efforts to digitalize the tax system to boost revenue collection. As the chart shows, Benin’s tax-to-GDP ratio increased by more than 2 percentage points during 2022–24, far exceeding the average improvement of other countries in this timeframe.
There are promising signs of economic transformation. How are you achieving this and what lessons did you learn along the way?
Finance Minister Wadagni: We first conducted an in-depth diagnostic of our economic and financial situation about a decade ago. We then embarked on a first wave of reforms to lay the foundations for structural transformation, cognizant of the fact that sound public finances, reliable energy, and infrastructure—including digital—are key prerequisites for sustained economic expansion.
The ongoing second wave of reforms seek to consolidate our initial achievements and climb up value chains by processing commodities locally. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone—which is dedicated to the local transformation of agricultural products including cotton, cashews, and soybeans—plays a strategic role in this regard. We intend to further develop the zone and, more broadly, pursue the structural transformation of our economy, including through continued modernization and enhanced resilience of agriculture. We will also step up investment in unlocking Benin’s tourism potential and modernizing the Port of Cotonou.
In doing all of the above, we will expand the social safety nets to reach as many vulnerable people as possible. A key lesson from our experience so far is that sound governance is critical in economic transformation.
Benin innovated with the issuance of the first Social Development Goal (SDG) bond in the region – and is now extending this framework to catalyze private climate finance. Can you elaborate?
Finance Minister Wadagni: We developed an SDG bond framework around the country’s social and climate priorities as an integral part of our development finance strategy. The framework was initially used to issue a €500 million SDG bond in 2021, a first in the region. It has since facilitated the financing of key social and energy transition projects. We intend to leverage the SDG bond framework to catalyze financing for climate change adaptation, resilient agriculture, sustainable ecosystem management, and the energy transition.
Relatedly, we secured climate financing pledges from our partners during the recent COP29, following the climate finance roundtable that we co-convened in Cotonou with the IMF and the World Bank.
What has been the key to program engagement in your view, and what do you see as the main challenges ahead?
IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: First and foremost, program ownership has been key. Benin has an established tradition of public consultation around the country’s reform agenda—under the National Development Plan and the Government Action Program. The Fund-supported program therefore had a solid homegrown foundation to build on.
Going forward, continued expansion of the tax base, drawing on the country’s recently developed medium-term revenue strategy, would help fund Benin’s large development needs (the country’s median age is 18), and improve the country’s capacity to carry debt and preserve debt sustainability.
On the structural front, a continued move away from the traditional transit-centered growth model—supported by a balanced social contract—would foster private sector job creation in higher value-added activities for the large youth population. Enhancing resilience to climate change and maintaining the digitalization drive would also support overall socio-economic resilience in the long-term. All of this would help raise the living standards of the Beninese in a sustained and inclusive manner.
The largest UN agency in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, UNRWA, said on Friday that its staff are still providing aid to the people of Gaza and the West Bank including East Jerusalem who depend on them “for their sheer survival”, a day after the Israeli parliament ban on its activities entered into force.
The development came as more than 462,000 people are estimated to have crossed from south Gaza to the north since the opening of the Salah ad Din and Al Rashid roads on Monday.
The UN and humanitarian partners are assisting those on the move by providing water, high-energy biscuits and medical care along these two routes.
Once back in the north, UN aid workers have reported seeing Gazans using shovels to remove rubble and setting up makeshift shelters or tents where their homes used to be.
Impending catastrophe
Any disruption to UNRWA’s work will have “catastrophic consequences on the lives and futures of Palestine refugees”, insisted Juliette Touma, Director of Communications for the UN Relief and Works Agency, pointing to the agency’s massive reach into the communities where it has provided free healthcare and education for decades.
Last October, the Israeli parliament – the Knesset – passed two laws that called for ending UNRWA’s operations in its territory and prohibiting Israeli authorities from having any contact with the agency.
Soundcloud
That developed followed Israeli accusations that UNRWA workers were involved in the 7 October attacks that sparked the war in Gaza. Nine staff were sacked after an internal UN investigation for possible involvement.
Under the Knesset ban, UNRWA was ordered to vacate all premises in occupied East Jerusalem and cease operations in them by 30 January.
“Our teams continue to serve, even though they themselves in Gaza as an example, they themselves are impacted, they themselves have been forced to flee their homes,” Ms. Touma explained.
“They continue to serve and we are committed as UNRWA to stay and deliver across the Occupied Palestinian Territory. That includes the Gaza Strip, it includes the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
She noted that no official communication has been received from the Israeli authorities on how the Knesset ban will be implemented across the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
No alternative
“In the absence of any durable solution, Palestine refugees will continue to depend on UNRWA for basic services including health and education; and in Gaza, in the aftermath of the devastation caused by the war, for their sheer survival,” Ms. Touma maintained.
She noted that UNRWA’s health centres continued to receive patients in East Jerusalem in the West Bank on Thursday, while schools were expecting to reopen on Sunday after a scheduled break.
“Our teams…will continue to provide learning for children. We have around 50,000 boys and girls across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, who go to UNRWA’s schools,” Ms. Touma said.
Aid boost continues
As the UN-wide effort to flood Gaza with aid continues, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced plans to set up more aid distribution points this week in the north, where all of its bakeries are now running once again.
The UN agency reported that together with UNRWA it has resumed “fully-fledged” food parcel distribution and reached 350,000 people since the ceasefire took effect on 19 January.
Some 20,000 hot meals are also being distributed daily in Beit Lahia, in the far north, said Antoine Renard, WFP’s Country Director in Palestine, who underscored the need for non-food supplies – so-called dual use items – to be allowed into the war-shattered enclave also.
Medical emergency
Echoing that message, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said that only 18 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are even partly functional, with just one-third – 57 of the 142 primary healthcare centres and 11 field hospitals – also partly functional.
“The ceasefire is good news for our scale up of aid,” said Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in OPT. “As we know, the influx in the north has increased health needs. So 450,000 people have crossed into northern Gaza [and] there’s only there 10 partially functional hospitals in Gaza City and one minimally functional hospital in north Gaza.”
Amid reports that 2,500 children at risk of imminent death in Gaza need immediate medical evacuation, Dr Peeperkorn said that between 12,000 and 14,000 people need specialized care outside the enclave.
“So, what we have been asking for all the time…is first and foremost a restoration of the referrals, the traditional referral pathway to West Bank and East Jerusalem. The East Jerusalem hospitals and the West Bank hospitals are ready to receive Gazan and Palestinian critical patients,” he said.
Many of us have witnessed unusual and even anti-social behaviour at an airport or on a flight. These may range from benign acts such as sleeping on the floor or doing yoga in front of the flight information display system to serious incidents like early morning drunken arguments or even trying to open the aeroplane doors mid-flight.
These more sinister problems appear to have worsened over recent years, with increasing air rage incidents and flight diversions. Such incidents have led to calls to reduce or even ban the sale of alcohol at airports and on planes. RyanAir, for example, has called for a two-drink limit at airport bars to stop drunken incidents on planes.
But what is it about airports that make us behave differently? Let’s take a look at the psychology.
Many holidaymakers feel that the adventure begins at the airport, putting them in a different frame of mind to normal. They are eager to begin their one or two weeks’ of relaxed hedonism with a flourish.
Others, however, are anxious about flying, which may make them act out of character or take refuge in alcohol. The noise and crowds of airports doesn’t help either. As the field of environmental psychology has demonstrated, human beings are very sensitive to our immediate surroundings, and can easily become “overloaded” by stressors such as crowds and noise.
Stress and anxiety produce irritability, both on a temporary and ongoing basis. People who are generally anxious are more prone to anger. And a temporary anxious mood often triggers angry outbursts.
In my view, we also need to look at the airport from a psychogeographic perspective. Psychogeography studies the effect of places on people’s emotions and behaviour, particularly urban environments.
In Celtic cultures, there is a concept of special “thin places” – often sacred groves or forests – where the veil between the material and spiritual world is thin. In thin places, we are between two realms, neither fully in one place nor another.
In the modern technological world, airports can also be seen as “thin places”. They are liminal zones where boundaries fade. On a literal level, national borders dissolve. Once we pass through security, we enter a no man’s land, between countries. The concept of place becomes hazy.
In a similar way, time becomes a hazy concept at airports. About to step on a plane, we are in a liminal space between two time zones, about to leap forward in time, or even head back into the past. Some flights across the US – such as Atlanta to Alabama – land earlier than departure time, as they cross time zones. Being able to manage our time gives us a sense of control over our lives. Losing this may be another source of anxiety.
In another sense, airports are a zone of absence, where the present moment is unwelcome. Everyone’s attention turns towards the future, to their flights and the adventures ahead of them when they arrive at their destination. This intense future focus often brings frustration, especially if flights are delayed.
Personal boundaries also become fluid. As well as anti-social behaviour, airports may play host to pro-social behaviour, where strangers share their travel and holiday plans, speaking with unusual intimacy. In no man’s land, normal social inhibitions don’t apply. And alcohol can further lubricate this social cohesion.
Due to the haziness of time and place, airports create a sense of disorientation. We define ourselves in terms of time and place. We know who we are in relation to our daily routines and our familiar environments. We also define ourselves in terms of nationality. Without such markers, we may feel adrift. Whether caused by psychological or environmental factors, and even if only temporary, disorientation can have detrimental effects.
Liberating effects
On the plus side, all of this may have a liberating effect for some of us. As I point out in my book Time Expansion Experiences, we normally view time as an enemy that steals the moments of our lives and oppresses us with deadlines. So to step outside time sometimes feels like being let out of prison.
The same applies to identity. A sense of identity is important to our psychological health, but can become constricting. Like actors who are stuck playing the same character in a soap opera week after week, we enjoy the security of our roles but long to test and stretch ourselves with new challenges. So to step outside our normal routines and environments feels invigorating. Ideally, the freedom that begins at the airport continues throughout our foreign adventures.
Ultimately, whether we feel anxious or liberated, we may end up acting out of character.
In line with the theories of psychologist Sigmund Freud, this could be interpreted as a shift from our normal civilised ego to the primitive, instinctive part of the psyche, which Freud called the id. According to Freud, the id is the site of our desires and drives, our emotion and aggression, and it demands instant gratification. The id is normally held in check by the ego, but is always liable to break through, especially when our inhibitions are loosened by alcohol or drugs.
Outside normal restraints, some holidaymakers allow their id to express itself as soon as they pass through security. And once they become intoxicated, the id is completely dominant, and liable to cause mayhem.
Banning alcohol from airports may sound draconian. But given that there are so many factors that encourage anti-social behaviour, it is difficult to think of any other solution. In a situation when boundaries break down, leading to possible chaos, a legal boundary may be the only hope.
Steve Taylor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
KH Group Plc Stock Exchange Release 31 January 2025 at 4.45 p.m. EET
KH GroupPlc’s Shareholders’ Nomination Board’s proposals for the composition and remuneration of the Board of Directors
KH Group Plc’s Shareholders’ Nomination Board has submitted its proposals for the Annual General Meeting to KH Group’s Board of Directors. The Shareholders’ Nomination Board makes its proposals unanimously. The Annual General Meeting is planned to be held on Tuesday, 6 May 2025. The company will publish the notice to convene the Annual General Meeting at a later time.
Proposal on Board Composition
The Shareholders’ Nomination Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the number of members of the Board of Directors shall be five (5).
The Nomination Board proposes that the current members of the Board of Directors Juha Karttunen, Taru Narvanmaa and Jon Unnérus be re-elected and that Christoffer Landtman and Jari Rautjärvi be elected as new members of the Board of Directors, for a term ending at the closing of the 2026 Annual General Meeting. Of the current Board members, Kati Kivimäki and Timo Mänty have indicated that they are not available for re-election. According to the Articles of Association of KH Group, the Board of Directors elects a Chair from among its members.
All persons nominated as members of the Board of Directors have given their consent to the election. The Nomination Board considers all the nominees to be independent of the company and of the significant shareholders of the company.
CVs, photographs and the evaluation regarding the independence of the current members of the Board of Directors are presented on the company’s website at https://khgroup.com/en/investors/corporate-governance/board-of-directors/. Presentations of the proposed new members of the Board of Directors Christoffer Landtman and Jari Rautjärvi are attached to this stock exchange release.
Remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors
The Shareholders’ Nomination Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the monthly remuneration for the Board of Directors remain unchanged, so that the Chairman of the Board of Directors be paid as remuneration EUR 3,550 per month and each member of the Board of Directors EUR 2,300 per month. The Nomination Board further proposes that the travel expenses of the members of the Board of Directors be compensated in accordance with the company’s travel policy and that each of the members of the Board of Directors shall have the right to abstain from receiving remuneration.
Earnings-related pension insurance contributions are paid voluntarily for the paid remuneration.
Composition of the Shareholders’ Nomination Board
The Shareholders’ Nomination Board comprises representatives of the Company’s largest shareholders based on the ownership situation on 31 August 2024 and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of KH Group. The members of the Nomination Board are: Simon Hallqvist (Preato Capital AB), Mikko Laakkonen, Johanna Takanen and Juha Karttunen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of KH Group.
KH GROUP PLC Juha Karttunen Chairman of the Board of Directors
FURTHER INFORMATION: Chairman of the Board of Directors Juha Karttunen, +358 40 555 4727
DISTRIBUTION: Nasdaq Helsinki Oy Main media www.khgroup.com
KH Group Plc is a Nordic conglomerate operating in business areas of KH-Koneet, Indoor Group and Nordic Rescue Group. We are a leading supplier of construction and earth-moving equipment, furniture and interior decoration retailer as well as rescue vehicle manufacturer. The objective of our strategy is to create an industrial group around the business of KH-Koneet. KH Group’s share is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
Headline: New AI Hub coming in partnership with State of New Jersey, Princeton University and CoreWeave
Major artificial intelligence Hub will bolster state’s innovation economy
Microsoft, CoreWeave, New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Princeton University expected to invest over $72 million to support the long-term success of the Hub
TRENTON, N.J. (Jan. 31, 2025) – Governor Phil Murphy and Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber on Friday announced thatMicrosoftandCoreWeavewill join the state and Princeton as founding partners in the NJ AI Hub. The NJ AI Hub will serve as a state-of-the-art, collaborative ecosystem that integrates world-class research, innovation, education and workforce development. As part of this investment in the NJ AI Hub, Microsoft will leverage itsTechSpark programto provide expertise and resources for AI skilling and workforce development to create opportunities for innovation in New Jersey and the region.
The NJ AI Hub will help position New Jersey as a leading East Coast center for AI innovation. It will be located along Route 1 — New Jersey’s innovation corridor — at 619 Alexander Road in Princeton, in space provided by Princeton University.
“As the AI industry rapidly evolves, it’s imperative that we capitalize on this moment in New Jersey. I’m incredibly proud of this partnership with the top leaders in the industry and higher education, which further establishes our state as a hub for cutting-edge AI innovation and talent,” said Governor Murphy. “AI’s economic and innovation potential is vast, giving us the chance to take our state to new heights. This partnership will not only solidify New Jersey’s position as a global technology leader, it will also attract high-paying, sustainable jobs for our residents, allowing for a stronger and more prosperous future for our state.”
“The addition of Microsoft and CoreWeave as founding partners of the NJ AI Hub demonstrates how government, higher education and the corporate sector are coming together to advance AI innovation and the regional innovation ecosystem — two of Princeton’s highest priorities,” President Eisgruber said. “I’m eager to see many of the state’s other excellent colleges and universities join this effort as its development continues.”
“New Jersey has long been at the forefront of American innovation, and AI is the next chapter of this journey,” said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft. “By leveraging the strengths of the private sector, Princeton and the state of New Jersey, our goal is to build a thriving regional AI economy that not only drives economic growth but sets a new standard for research, development and workforce development.”
“This collaboration represents the best of what private-public partnerships can achieve, bringing together the brightest minds from government, academia, the business community and our team of experts to foster groundbreaking AI innovation in New Jersey,” said Brian Venturo, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at CoreWeave. “Together, we’re advancing the future of technology while driving meaningful economic growth and strengthening New Jersey’s role as a leader in the global AI landscape. New Jersey is our home, and we’re excited to continue our partnership with the state by making it a leader in AI advancement.”
“AI is rapidly evolving, and New Jersey is capitalizing on this moment to cement our place as a national leader in the industry. By bringing together world-class leaders like Princeton, Microsoft and CoreWeave, Governor Murphy is building upon the Garden State’s long-standing legacy in innovation and helping advance cutting-edge AI technologies,” said New Jersey Economic Development Authority Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “The opportunity presented by AI aligns with Governor Murphy’s vision for cultivating high-growth sectors, with the goal of creating family-sustaining career opportunities. Showcasing New Jersey’s bustling innovation community, talent pool and robust resources will help AI companies recognize the state’s value proposition for growing innovative companies of the future.”
Microsoft, CoreWeave, the NJEDA and Princeton University are founding equity partners in the newly created NJ AI Hub. Together, they expect to invest over $72 million to support the long-term success of the Hub, including up to $25 million of nonbinding commitment from the NJEDA.
A portion of NJEDA’s and CoreWeave’s committed funding will include a planned NJ AI Venture Fund that will support innovation commercialization through equity investments.
Microsoft, CoreWeave, the NJEDA, and Princeton University will focus on the following three pillars of programming at the NJ AI Hub:
Research and development: The NJ AI Hub will help companies across a range of industry sectors integrate and apply AI in their businesses and use it to advance their research and development efforts. The Hub will focus on applications of AI in several industry sectors that have strong footprints in New Jersey, such as the life sciences, clean energy and climate resilience, telecommunications and cybersecurity, and infrastructure and logistics. The NJ AI Hub will also actively engage New Jersey’s research universities on applied research in AI and will host events to connect companies developing and using AI tools with cutting-edge research and potential collaborators.
Commercializing and accelerating innovation: An AI accelerator will be operated at the NJ AI Hub, which will help facilitate the growth of the early-stage AI ecosystem in New Jersey. The accelerator will host cohorts of startup ventures and will provide them with essential support services such as workspace, compute power, legal assistance and business development advice. In addition, these startups will have coordinated access to the NJ AI Hub’s corporate partners for mentorship and networking opportunities.
Strengthening AI education and workforce development: The Hub will work closely with New Jersey’s higher education community to promote high-quality talent development at all levels and will leverage the resources of Microsoft’sTechSpark program. By developing shared curricula, projects and teaching tools for AI courses; training community college faculty in teaching AI; and creating upskilling opportunities to help workers across disciplines apply AI in their work, the Hub will coordinate efforts to build the state’s pool of AI talent. Ongoing collaboration with employers will ensure that education and training programs are providing trainees with industry-recognized credentials and in-demand skills for the workforce. The NJ AI Hub will also be able to connect employers with opportunities to host AI apprenticeships, develop customized upskilling training for their workers, recruit talent from New Jersey schools for jobs and internships, and partner with project-based AI courses at the college and graduate level.
Through this new AI Hub, Microsoft will be bringing itsTechSparkprogram to New Jersey. Founded in 2017, Microsoft TechSpark fosters inclusive economic opportunity across the U.S., including job creation and innovation, by working in communities and investing in local organizations. TechSpark operates across all 50 states and to date has helped secure more than $700 million in community funding for local innovation, trained 65,000 people in critical technology skills, and created 4,500 jobs.
Plans for an AI Hub wereannouncedby Governor Murphy and President Eisgruber in 2023. Pending NJEDA Board approval, the NJ AI Hub will be supported through the NJEDA’sStrategic Innovation Center(SIC) initiative. The NJEDA has executed a nonbinding term sheet to support the NJ AI Hub’s operating budget for up to five years. In total, the NJEDA is anticipated to invest up to $25 million to support the NJ AI Hub and the NJ AI Venture AI Fund.
For further updates, please visit the NJ AI Hub website atnjaihub.org.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
For more information, press only:
Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, [email protected]
RESTON, Va. — Low-level helicopter flights are planned over areas of Wyoming and northern Colorado to image geology using airborne geophysical technology.
Data collection for this survey area will be conducted starting in February 2025 for approximately three months, weather and flight restriction permitting. Surveying is expected to be completed by the summer of 2025.
Flights will cover areas within Albany, Carbon, Converse, Laramie, and Platte counties in Wyoming as well as Jackson, Larimer, and Routt counties in Colorado.
The flights will be based out of various Wyoming airports. Flights and landing areas could shift with little to no warning to other parts of the survey area as necessary to minimize ferrying distances and avoid adverse flying conditions.
The purpose of the airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey is to provide images of subsurface electrical resistivity that expand the fundamental knowledge of geology underpinning an area from the Cheyenne Belt in Wyoming through to the Black Hills in South Dakota. These flights are a part of a two-year airborne data collection project, expected to finish in 2026.
The helicopter will fly along pre-planned flight paths relatively low to the ground at about 100 to 200 feet (30-60 meters) above the land surface. The ground clearance will be increased as needed and will comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations. Flight lines will be flown along lines of variable orientation and spacing with a typical approximate spacing of 6,500 ft (2,000 m).
A sensor that resembles a large hula-hoop will be towed beneath the helicopter to measure small electromagnetic signals that can be used to map geologic features.
None of the instruments carried beneath or on the aircraft pose a health risk to people, animals, or plant life. No photography or video data will be collected. The data collected will be made freely available to the public on ScienceBase, typically within one year of flight completion. The aircraft will be flown by experienced pilots who are specially trained and approved for low-level flying. The survey company works with the FAA to ensure flights are safe and in accordance with U.S. law.
The surveys will be conducted during daylight hours only. Surveys do not occur over densely populated areas and the helicopter will not directly overfly buildings at low altitude.
The survey is funded by the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative and is designed to meet needs related to mineral resource assessments, regional geologic framework and mapping studies, as well as water resource investigations and surficial mapping studies. The AEM survey is focused on characterizing several major mineral systems, including critical minerals associated with mafic magmatic, volcanogenic seafloor, and porphyry systems.
The new geophysical data will be processed to develop high-resolution three-dimensional representations of near-surface geology from the surface to depths up to 1,500 ft (roughly 500 meters) below the surface. The 3D models and maps derived from this project are important for improving our understanding of critical mineral resource potential, water resources, groundwater pathways near legacy mining areas, parameters for infrastructure and land use planning.
The survey fits into a broader effort by the USGS, the Wyoming State Geological Survey, the Colorado Geological Survey, and other partners – including private companies, academics and state and federal agencies – to modernize our understanding of the Nation’s fundamental geologic framework and knowledge of mineral resources. This effort is known as the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, and it includes airborne geophysical surveys like this one, geochemical reconnaissance surveys, topographic mapping using LiDAR technology, hyperspectral surveys, and geologic mapping projects.
The USGS has contracted Fugro and Xcalibur Smart Mapping to collect data.
Read the full project announcement for this survey in our newsroom here.
To learn more about USGS mineral-resource and commodity information, please visit our website and follow us on X.
HONOLULU, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Voltage, a leader in Bitcoin infrastructure solutions, has announced that CEO and Founder Graham Krizek will speak at Plan B Forum 2025 in El Salvador, an event hosted by Tether that convenes industry experts in the Bitcoin ecosystem. Krizek will participate in a panel discussion exploring the history and evolution of the Lightning Network, a transformative technology that has brought instant, low-cost Bitcoin transactions to the world.
This year’s forum comes amid transformative developments in the Lightning ecosystem, including Tether’s announcement to bring its stablecoin to the Lightning Network. While Krizek will not be announcing new initiatives from Voltage, his insights into the development and progress of Lightning provide essential context for understanding why the network is uniquely positioned to integrate stablecoins like Tether’s USDT.
“The Lightning Network represents a revolutionary leap in Bitcoin scalability, enabling fast, secure, and cost-effective transactions,” said Graham Krizek, CEO of Voltage. “By looking back at its history, we can better appreciate the incredible advancements that make today’s innovations, such as Tether’s integration, possible. I’m excited to share this perspective with the global Bitcoin community at Plan B Forum.”
As the Lightning Network continues to grow, its ability to support additional assets like stablecoins could redefine financial access and efficiency. The network’s low fees and speed offer a viable framework for global remittances, microtransactions, and businesses seeking to adopt Bitcoin in a practical, scalable way.
Voltage has been at the forefront of Lightning’s journey, offering the infrastructure and tools that developers, businesses, and enterprises need to build on the network. By reflecting on Lightning’s past and celebrating its recent milestones, Krizek’s panel will highlight how these developments set the stage for an exciting future in global payments.
About Voltage Voltage is a leading payments provider enabling instant, low-cost global settlement on Bitcoin and stablecoins over the Lightning Network. As the longest-running infrastructure provider for the Lightning Network, Voltage serves exchanges, neo-banks, wallets, fintech innovators, and more, empowering them to build and scale high-performance financial solutions with enterprise-grade security and privacy standards. With modular tools that make it easy to build, deploy, and scale payment systems, Voltage reduces costs and delivers unmatched efficiency.
Contact
Founder & CEO Phil 21M Communications phil@21mcommunications.com
DUBLIN, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via IBN — Fusion Fuel Green PLC (Nasdaq: HTOO) (“Fusion Fuel” or the “Company”), a leading provider of comprehensive energy engineering, advisory, and supply solutions, today announced that it was notified by the staff of the Listing Qualifications Department (the “Staff”) of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) that the Staff has approved the Company’s application to transfer its Class A Ordinary Shares and publicly-traded warrants to The Nasdaq Capital Market from The Nasdaq Global Market. This transfer will take effect at the opening of business on February 3, 2025.
In connection with the transfer, the Staff determined that the Company will be eligible for an additional 180 calendar day period, or until July 28, 2025, to regain compliance with the Nasdaq minimum $1.00 bid price per share requirement (the “Minimum Bid Price Requirement”). The Company intends to take all necessary steps to regain compliance, including effecting a reverse share split, if necessary, to regain compliance. If at any time during this additional time period the closing bid price of the Class A Ordinary Shares is at least $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive business days, the Staff will provide written confirmation of compliance for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market.
As previously reported in a Report on Form 6-K furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 13, 2025, on January 10, 2025, the Company received a letter from the Staff notifying it that since the Company has not yet held an annual meeting of shareholders within twelve months of the end of the Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, it no longer complies with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5620(a) (the “Annual Meeting Requirement”). There can be no assurance that Fusion Fuel will be able to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement, whether by implementing a reverse share split or otherwise, that the Company will be able to regain compliance with the Annual Meeting Requirement, or that the Company will be able to meet the Nasdaq listing requirements in general.
Fusion Fuel does not anticipate a material impact on its equity trading as a result of the transfer of listing. The Nasdaq Capital Market operates in the same manner as The Nasdaq Global Market and is a continuous trading market that lists companies that must meet certain financial and corporate governance requirements. Fusion Fuel’s securities will continue to trade under the symbols “HTOO” and “HTOOW.”
“We are pleased to receive Nasdaq’s approval to transfer our listing to The Nasdaq Capital Market, along with the additional time to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement,” said JP Backwell, CEO of Fusion Fuel. “This determination provides us with both the flexibility and the confidence to continue executing on our strategic initiatives with a renewed focus on building our business. We remain committed to delivering value to our shareholders and further establishing Fusion Fuel as a leading provider of full-service energy engineering and advisory solutions.”
About Fusion Fuel Green plc
Fusion Fuel Green PLC (NASDAQ: HTOO) is an emerging leader in the energy services sector, offering a comprehensive suite of energy engineering and advisory solutions through its Al Shola Gas and BrightHy subsidiaries. Al Shola Gas provides full-service industrial gas solutions, including the design, supply, and maintenance of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) systems, as well as the transport and distribution of LPG to a broad range of customers across commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. BrightHy, the Company’s newly launched hydrogen solutions platform, focuses on delivering innovative engineering and advisory services that enable decarbonization across hard-to-abate industries.
This press release includes “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target”, “may”, “intend”, “predict”, “should”, “would”, “predict”, “potential”, “seem”, “future”, “outlook” or other similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions) that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Fusion Fuel has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties (including those set forth in Fusion Fuel’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements.
Limassol, Cyprus, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UFarm.Digital, a decentralized finance asset management platform, has secured $500,000 in its early seed funding round. This milestone will support the company’s efforts to expand its platform capabilities, strengthen its market presence, and accelerate strategic development initiatives.
The funding will enable UFarm.Digital to implement key enhancements, including new features designed to improve user experience and bolster security measures. Planned developments include cross-chain integrations, the addition of new DeFi protocols, and an advanced asset management solution tailored for hedge funds. A portion of the funds will also be allocated to marketing efforts and community engagement to increase the platform’s visibility and reach
As part of its ongoing development, UFarm.Digital has made significant progress by launching its platform on the Arbitrum network. This strategic move enables the platform to leverage Arbitrum’s scalability and low transaction costs, providing users with faster, more efficient operations. At launch, UFarm.Digital offers a range of investment pools designed to cater to varying risk appetites and strategies, delivering flexibility to both institutional and private investors.
The platform offers non-custodial security, allowing investors to maintain full control over their funds and significantly reducing risks associated with traditional asset management. It emphasizes seamless integration with DeFi protocols, simplifying asset management while maintaining high security standards. Users have access to top-tier asset managers, who are vetted through a comprehensive, independent rating system that ensures transparency and reliability. The fee management process is secure and straightforward, making it easier to handle success and management fees charged by asset managers. The platform’s smart contracts have undergone rigorous audits by Decurity, with further audits by Hexens planned to uphold ongoing security.
“Our platform is designed to empower investors by combining robust security measures with a seamless user experience,” said Olga Tiagunova, CEO of UFarm.Digital. “These investments allow us to accelerate the implementation of new features and solutions in our product, enhancing the capabilities of our asset managers while reinforcing the security of our platform.”
These planned features include a privacy-focused private layer, cross-chain support, and enhanced security infrastructure capable of detecting suspicious activities within the protocol to strengthen asset protection and further enhance overall security. Additionally, zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology for KYC verification is part of the company’s roadmap, aimed at maintaining regulatory compliance while safeguarding user privacy.
As UFarm.Digital welcomes its first institutional clients, the team is dedicated to expanding its services and continuing to innovate. Future developments include enhanced reporting tools and the rollout of a bug bounty program to further ensure platform integrity. The company’s user-first approach and focus on transparency position it as a trusted partner for investors navigating the decentralized finance landscape.
About UFarm.Digital
UFarm.Digital is a decentralized finance platform dedicated to simplifying digital asset management for institutional and private investors. The platform provides robust features such as private and public investment pools, customizable fees, secure cross-chain integration, and specialized solutions for hedge funds. In addition, it offers enhanced tools for data-driven performance tracking, operational transparency, and support for future interoperability across multiple blockchain networks. By fostering innovation and maintaining a user-centric focus, UFarm.Digital aims to reshape the digital asset management landscape and become a trusted partner for investors worldwide.
STAMFORD, Conn., Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Grayscale Investments®, a leading crypto asset management firm, offering more than 25 crypto investment products, today announced the creation and launch of Grayscale® Dogecoin Trust (the “Trust”).
The Trust offers investors the opportunity to gain exposure to DOGE, the native coin of the Dogecoin network, an open-source peer-to-peer digital currency originally derived from Litecoin, which itself originated from Bitcoin. Grayscale believes DOGE has transitioned from a memecoin of a Shiba Inu to a tool for global financial inclusion, grassroots activism, and a viable means of payment. Due to its widespread accessibility, affordability, and rapid transaction speeds, DOGE has garnered significant adoption worldwide.
“Dogecoin has matured into a potentially powerful tool for promoting financial accessibility. We believe, as a faster, cheaper, and more scalable derivative of Bitcoin, Dogecoin is helping groups underserved by legacy financial infrastructure to participate in the financial system,” said Grayscale’s Head of Product & Research, Rayhaneh Sharif-Askary. “Grayscale Dogecoin Trust offers investors exposure to an asset that is positioned to help fulfill Bitcoin’s originally intended use case and its egalitarian ethos.”
The Trust is now open for daily subscription by eligible individual and institutional accredited investors.* The Trust functions like Grayscale’s other single-asset investment trusts and is solely invested in the token underpinning the Dogecoin network.
This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be illegal, nor shall there be any sale of any security in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that jurisdiction.
Private placement securities are speculative, illiquid, and entail a high level of risk, including the risk that an investor could lose their entire investment.
Grayscale intends to attempt to have shares of new products quoted on the secondary market. However, there is no guarantee that Grayscale will be successful. Although the shares of certain products have been approved for trading on a secondary market, investors in the new products should not assume that the shares will ever obtain such an approval due to a variety of factors, including questions regulators, such as the SEC, FINRA, or other regulatory bodies may have regarding such products. As a result, shareholders of such products should be prepared to bear the risk of investment in the shares indefinitely. To date, certain products have not met their investment objective, and the shares of such products quoted on OTC Markets have not reflected the value of the digital assets held by such products, less such products’ expenses and other liabilities, but have instead traded at a premium over such value, which at times has been substantial. There have also been instances where the shares of certain products have traded at a discount.
About Grayscale Investments®
Grayscale enables investors to access the digital economy through a family of future-forward investment products. Founded in 2013, Grayscale has a decade-long track record and deep expertise as an asset management firm focused on crypto investing. Investors, advisors, and allocators turn to Grayscale for single asset, diversified, and thematic exposure. For more information, please follow @Grayscale or visit grayscale.com.
WISeKey WISe.Social Network: A New Era of Digital Identity Ownership and Data Privacy
WISe.Social provides a model for how social networks can align with privacy regulations while fostering a more ethical digital ecosystem.
Geneva, January 31, 2025 –WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, blockchain, and IoT company, today announces that in an era where personal data has become the currency of the digital world, the Company is setting a new standard with WISe.Social, a proof-of-concept social media platform designed to restore user control over digital identity, data privacy, and consent. Unlike conventional platforms that monetize user information without transparent accountability, WISe.Social is built from the ground up with privacy, security, and user sovereignty as its core principles.
At the heart of WISe.Social lies WISeKey’s advanced Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), enabling every user to own their digital identity through a cryptographic certificate issued by the platform. This certificate acts as a secure authentication method, allowing seamless login across various digital services while ensuring that personal identity remains under the sole control of the user. Should the user choose to revoke their certificate, all associated content is either deleted or made available for download, reinforcing the fundamental principle that personal data should belong to the individual, not the platform.
By integrating blockchain technology, WISe.Social ensures full transparency in content moderation, safeguarding users against arbitrary censorship or manipulative algorithms. Every moderation decision is immutably recorded, creating a verifiable and accountable framework for digital discourse. The platform also eliminates the rampant spread of misinformation, fake accounts, and bots by requiring all profiles to be tied to a verifiable digital identity.
WISe.Social goes beyond traditional security measures by incorporating post-quantum cryptography, protecting users against emerging cyber threats that could compromise sensitive information. This future-proof approach guarantees that personal data remains secure in an evolving technological landscape.
As governments and regulatory bodies worldwide demand greater compliance with data protection laws such as GDPR, WISe.Social provides a model for how social networks can align with privacy regulations while fostering a more ethical digital ecosystem. The platform redefines consent by allowing users to control their data lifecycle, dictating how and when their information is used.
WISeKey believes that the future of social media must be built on trust, accountability, and user empowerment. With WISe.Social, individuals reclaim ownership of their digital presence, ensuring that their personal data is protected, their identity remains private, and their consent is always respected. By challenging outdated norms and reshaping the way online platforms operate, WISeKey is leading the charge toward a more secure, transparent, and privacy-centric digital world.
About WISeKey
WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.
Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.
Disclaimer This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.
Press and InvestorContacts
WISeKey International Holding Ltd Company Contact: Carlos Moreira Chairman & CEO Tel: +41 22 594 3000 info@wisekey.com
WISeKey Investor Relations (US) The Equity Group Inc. Lena Cati Tel: +1 212 836-9611 / lcati@equityny.com
Nørresundby, Denmark, 31 January 2025 Announcement no. 04/2024
Today, 31 January 2025, RTX A/S held its Annual General Meeting at which the following decisions were made:
The annual report for the financial year 2023/24 was adopted (item 2).
The proposal not to distribute any dividend for the financial year 2023/24 was approved (item 3).
The Remuneration Report for 2023/24 was approved in the advisory vote (item 4).
The Remuneration Policy was adopted (item 5.1).
The remuneration of the Board of Directors for 2024/25 was adopted (item 5.2).
Henrik Schimmell, Jesper Mailind, Katja Millard and Mogens Vedel Hestbæk were re-elected and Gitte Schjøtz and Carsten Drachmann were newly elected to the Board of Directors for a one-year term (item 6).
KPMG Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab was re-appointed as the company’s auditors (item 7).
The below proposal from the Board of Directors was approved:
Authorization to attorney Henrik Møgelmose to inform the Danish Business Authority of the resolutions passed and to make any resulting changes to the Company’s Articles of Associations (item 8.1).
At a meeting of the Board immediately after the AGM, the Board constituted itself with Henrik Schimmell as Chair and Katja Millard as Deputy Chair. Further, Mogens Vedel Hestbæk was selected as Chair of the Audit Committee with Henrik Schimmell and Katja Millard as members of the Committee. Henrik Schimmell, Katja Millard and Jesper Mailind were selected as members of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee.
Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the 2024 Article IV consultation[1] with the Republic of Kazakhstan on a lapse of time basis on November 27, 2024.
After reaching 5.1 percent in 2023, Kazakhstan’s economic growth has remained robust in 2024, and inflation has continued to decline gradually. The banking sector remains resilient amid continued rapid consumer credit growth. In the medium term, growth is projected to stabilize at about 3½ percent, while inflation would ease further and reach its 5 percent target by 2028.
The National Bank of Kazakhstan has maintained a prudent monetary policy in light of persisting inflation pressures from increased energy tariffs and fiscal underperformance: as of September 2024, tax revenues were only 60½ percent of the 2024 budget plan, implying an expansionary fiscal stance. The macroprudential policy and risk-based supervisory frameworks are being strengthened in line with the 2023 FSAP recommendations.
Structural reform implementation remains slow, with the state footprint growing in some areas, while higher economic growth, diversification and resilience will be important in the current environment, including to address increasingly pressing challenges from climate change.
In concluding the Article IV consultation with the Republic of Kazakhstan, Executive Directors endorsed the staff’s appraisal as follows:
Robust economic growth and disinflation have continued this year. Growth is projected at 3.9 percent in 2024 due to broad-based acceleration of economic activity in the second half of the year. Inflation is expected to reach 8.2 percent, still above its 5 percent target, as the pace of disinflation has slowed this year due to increased domestic energy tariffs and an expansionary fiscal policy. On the external front, a moderate current account deficit is expected in 2024, and the external position is assessed as moderately weaker than implied by economic fundamentals and desirable policies.
Risks to the outlook remain tilted to the downside. They include external risks from a slowdown in major economies, an intensification of regional conflicts, secondary sanctions, and higher commodity price volatility or export pipeline disruptions. On the domestic front, key risks are delays in large infrastructure projects in the short term, failure to reintroduce fiscal discipline which could fuel inflation pressures, and a resurgence of social tensions. Upside risks include accelerated reform implementation, higher oil prices, and stronger foreign investment in new sectors.
Monetary policy should remain tight until inflation is close to target, and its effectiveness could be further strengthened. The combination of robust growth, slowing disinflation, and an uncertain outlook justify continued monetary policy prudence. In order to enhance the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK)’s institutional independence and monetary policy effectiveness, its governance and legal framework can be further improved, and the NBK should refrain from foreign exchange interventions in the absence of disorderly market conditions.
Recurrent fiscal underperformance requires measures to avoid fiscal procyclicality and strengthen the fiscal policy framework. Such measures would also help to meet the authorities’ objective of fiscal consolidation and maintain a balanced external position. Priorities are to improve macro-fiscal forecasts and budget planning, and to use the introduction of new tax and budget codes as opportunities to enhance non-oil revenue mobilization, including through gradual VAT rate increases, and spending efficiency. Fiscal policy effectiveness also requires public sector data that are better aligned with international standards and a more rules-based and transparent policy framework, including by reducing off-budget spending and the continued reliance on discretionary transfers from the National Fund.
The banking sector remains resilient and rapid progress in implementing the 2023 FSAP recommendations is commendable. In particular, the regulatory agency (ARDFM)’s institutional independence and risk-based supervision, as well as the NBK’s macroprudential policy mandate and toolkit, have been significantly enhanced. Going forward, the main priority is to introduce a fully-fledged framework for bank resolution, including coordination mechanisms among the ARDFM, NBK and relevant ministries.
Structural reform implementation is critical to elevate long-term economic growth. To meet the authorities’ ambitious growth objectives, a key priority is to reduce the state footprint in the economy and promote competition and private sector development. However, the amount and size of state interventions, subsidies, state-owned enterprises, and external restrictions have recently increased. Stronger public governance is also required, including through continued efforts to reduce corruption-related vulnerabilities.
Given increasingly pressing challenges from climate change, more comprehensive policies are needed to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and resilient economic model and meet the authorities’ commitment to reduce carbon emissions. Building on recent progress, including in implementing the national strategy for carbon neutrality, priorities are to modernize energy infrastructure, enhance energy efficiency, accelerate fossil fuel subsidy reforms, and adopt measures to transform high-emission sectors, manage climate-related risks in the financial sector, and address the needs of vulnerable groups.
Sources: Kazakhstani authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.
1/ Non-oil revenue in 2023 includes a one-off dividend from Samruk-Kazyna of 1.1 percent of GDP and in 2024 includes a one-off dividend from Kazatomprom of 0.3 percent of GDP from the sale of shares to the NFRK.
2/ Excluding reserve movements.
3/ Based on a conversion factor of 7.5 barrels of oil per ton.
[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.
[2] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without conveying formal discussions.
Innovation and a strong reform drive have strengthened Benin’s resilience to regional and global challenges and supported progress toward meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
Benin faced a number of negative spillovers in 2022: a deteriorating regional security situation at its northern border, the lingering scars of COVID-19, and higher living costs amid the war in Ukraine. To help counter those headwinds,the country tapped IMF support, including a $650 million blended Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, complemented by a $200 million Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in 2023. Development partners’ confidence in the country’s reform program has been reflected in budget support consistently exceeding expectations. Moreover, Benin was among the first countries to re-access the international capital market last year, following a two-year hiatus, with several sovereign credit rating upgrades in recent years.
Despite challenges, there are promising signs of economic transformation. Among other achievements, growth has been strong, fiscal adjustment is proceeding while allowing for a significant increase in social spending, and efforts to strengthen governance are gaining ground.
Following the combined Fifth Review of the ongoing EFF/ECF arrangement and Second Review of the RSF, IMF Country Focus discussed the country’s economic performance with Romuald Wadagni, Senior Minister of State of Economy and Finance for Benin, and Constant Lonkeng, IMF Mission Chief for Benin.
How is the current reform program affecting the daily lives of Beninese people?
Finance Minister Wadagni: First and foremost, our ongoing reform program has allowed us to navigate an episode of severe and repeated shocks, with technical and financial support from our development partners. As a result, our economy has shown remarkable resilience, with growth averaging more than 6.5 percent in recent years.
Economic resilience is helping harness the potential of Benin’s people. A key focus of our reform program is enhancing human capital, as articulated under our people-centric Government Action Program (PAG 2021–26).
Our Integrated School Feeding Program currently provides free meals to students in 95 percent of elementary schools in rural areas (more than 1.3 million children), with full coverage targeted this year. Lower education is now tuition-free for girls across all of Benin’s 77 communes (estimated 2 million girls), with an ongoing pilot to extend to upper secondary school. We are also putting emphasis on technical education and vocational training to prepare our large youth population to seize job opportunities in high value-added activities.
More broadly, our flagship Insurance for Human Capital Enhancement (ARCH) seeks to foster social resilience through various programs including micro-credits, access to healthcare, and pensions. The social registry—established early on under the EFF/ECF with World Bank technical support—is an essential tool for targeting our support to the most vulnerable.
How has IMF engagement supported the authorities’ policy agenda?
IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: One key design consideration of Benin’s IMF-supported program was balancing financing and fiscal adjustment in a shock-prone environment. Considering Benin’s established track record in macroeconomic management, we opted for a flexible design—a vote of confidence from the IMF.
Frontloaded financing supported the country’s appropriately strong counter-cyclical policy response to severe shocks—the IMF disbursed more than 40 percent of the total financing envelope of about 400 percent of Benin’s quota in the first 6 months of the 42-month program to smooth out fiscal adjustment. The EFF/ECF was subsequently complemented by an RSF (120 percent of Benin’s quota) to help enhance the country’s overall socio-economic resilience.
The authorities have since been re-building policy space, with domestic revenue mobilization being a key part of this effort and, more broadly, the cornerstone of the authorities’ reform program. A frontloaded tax policy reform under the program complemented efforts to digitalize the tax system to boost revenue collection. As the chart shows, Benin’s tax-to-GDP ratio increased by more than 2 percentage points during 2022–24, far exceeding the average improvement of other countries in this timeframe.
There are promising signs of economic transformation. How are you achieving this and what lessons did you learn along the way?
Finance Minister Wadagni: We first conducted an in-depth diagnostic of our economic and financial situation about a decade ago. We then embarked on a first wave of reforms to lay the foundations for structural transformation, cognizant of the fact that sound public finances, reliable energy, and infrastructure—including digital—are key prerequisites for sustained economic expansion.
The ongoing second wave of reforms seek to consolidate our initial achievements and climb up value chains by processing commodities locally. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone—which is dedicated to the local transformation of agricultural products including cotton, cashews, and soybeans—plays a strategic role in this regard. We intend to further develop the zone and, more broadly, pursue the structural transformation of our economy, including through continued modernization and enhanced resilience of agriculture. We will also step up investment in unlocking Benin’s tourism potential and modernizing the Port of Cotonou.
In doing all of the above, we will expand the social safety nets to reach as many vulnerable people as possible. A key lesson from our experience so far is that sound governance is critical in economic transformation.
Benin innovated with the issuance of the first Social Development Goal (SDG) bond in the region – and is now extending this framework to catalyze private climate finance. Can you elaborate?
Finance Minister Wadagni: We developed an SDG bond framework around the country’s social and climate priorities as an integral part of our development finance strategy. The framework was initially used to issue a €500 million SDG bond in 2021, a first in the region. It has since facilitated the financing of key social and energy transition projects. We intend to leverage the SDG bond framework to catalyze financing for climate change adaptation, resilient agriculture, sustainable ecosystem management, and the energy transition.
Relatedly, we secured climate financing pledges from our partners during the recent COP29, following the climate finance roundtable that we co-convened in Cotonou with the IMF and the World Bank.
What has been the key to program engagement in your view, and what do you see as the main challenges ahead?
IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: First and foremost, program ownership has been key. Benin has an established tradition of public consultation around the country’s reform agenda—under the National Development Plan and the Government Action Program. The Fund-supported program therefore had a solid homegrown foundation to build on.
Going forward, continued expansion of the tax base, drawing on the country’s recently developed medium-term revenue strategy, would help fund Benin’s large development needs (the country’s median age is 18), and improve the country’s capacity to carry debt and preserve debt sustainability.
On the structural front, a continued move away from the traditional transit-centered growth model—supported by a balanced social contract—would foster private sector job creation in higher value-added activities for the large youth population. Enhancing resilience to climate change and maintaining the digitalization drive would also support overall socio-economic resilience in the long-term. All of this would help raise the living standards of the Beninese in a sustained and inclusive manner.
Antidepressants can be useful for treating a wide range of conditions.Kmpzzz/ Shutterstock
Antidepressants are typically prescribed to manage depression. But this isn’t the only reason you may be prescribed an antidepressant. In fact, they can have a broad range of effects, which makes them suitable for managing a range of other health conditions that aren’t necessarily related to mental health.
Here are five health conditions you may be prescribed an antidepressant for.
1. Chronic nerve pain
Many antidepressants are believed to work by increasing the levels of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters – although the exact science is still unknown. In particular, they increase levels of serotonin and noradrenaline, which are linked to mood.
These neurotransmitters are also linked to pain pathways. It’s for this reason that some people who experience nerve pain may be prescribed a tricyclic antidepressant – such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline.
Studies show that low doses of these drugs may be effective in treating nerve pain. This pain is often described as a shooting, burning pain, which may radiate outwards.
Sometimes patients also experience tingling and numbness. This type of pain is typically caused by nerve damage. Nerve pain can occur in people with diabetes (diabetic neuropathy), trigeminal neuralgia (facial pain) and multiple sclerosis.
Studies show these antidepressants are more likely to relieve nerve pain compared to traditional painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. Duloxetine is another antidepressant that may be used.
Antidepressants may also be helpful in managing urinary incontinence (unintentionally passing urine) and stress incontinence (passing urine when there’s pressure on the bladder from coughing, jumping, laughing or sneezing).
In clinical trials of the antidepressant duloxetine (a serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, or SNRI), the drug is shown to be useful in treating severe urinary incontinence in women. However, duloxetine is usually only prescribed by a specialist as a second-choice treatment after surgery.
An SNRI is typically only prescribed as a second-line treatment option for incontinence. CrizzyStudio/ Shutterstock
In children who experience bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis), studies show a tricyclic antidepressant, such as imipramine, may be used. Similarly to duloxetine, this is only used if other treatments have been unsatisfactory.
Imipramine may help with bedwetting as it relaxes the bladder muscle so children are less likely to release urine.
3. Eating disorders
Bulimia is an eating disorder characterised by purging (for example, making themselves vomit) and binge eating. As it’s a complex mental health disorder, the first-choice treatment is psychotherapy. But fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is the only antidepressant licensed for bulimia. It’s normally prescribed alongside psychotherapy if psychotherapy by itself hasn’t worked.
A small study showed that fluoxetine was more effective than a placebo in treating some bulimia symptoms. It’s unclear what the exact mechanism is, but some research suggests fluoxetine reduces depressive symptoms which may be associated with bulimia in some patients – making it easier for them to engage in psychotherapy.
4. OCD, panic and anxiety disorders
Antidepressants may also be useful for treating other mental health conditions – including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder and generalised anxiety disorder.
The exact mechanism that enables antidepressants to work for these conditions is unknown. But it may be due to the increase in serotonin levels or changes in brain pathways which regulate mood, anxiety and compulsions.
5. Menopause
Although antidepressants are not licensed for this condition, they are sometimes used to treat menopausal symptoms.
Several studies show the SSRIs paroxetine and citalopram and the SNRI venlafaxine can help women. In particular, they reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes – one of the most common menopause symptoms women seek help for. One review found that hot flushes can be reduced by up to 65% when using these antidepressants.
In menopause, a woman’s oestrogen level drops. This is a hormone that stimulates the production of serotonin. But some studies suggest the lower levels of serotonin may be linked to hot flushes. This may explain why antidepressants are useful in managing hot flushes as they are thought to increase serotonin levels in the brain.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective option for managing menopause symptoms such as hot flushes. But antidepressants may be useful for women who are unable to use HRT. But as there is limited research on using antidepressants to manage menopause symptoms, more studies will be needed.
For many of these conditions, antidepressants are the last treatment option. But for some, such as those with nerve pain, antidepressants are the most effective options. Antidepressants may not work for everyone – and they may cause side-effects in some people. This is why it’s important to talk with your pharmacist or doctor if you have questions about taking an antidepressant you’ve been prescribed.
Dipa Kamdar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
This article was first published as World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK. Click here to receive this newsletter every Thursday, direct to your inbox.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians returned to the northern Gaza Strip this week after checkpoints were reopened in line with the ceasefire agreement. Many will have found their homes destroyed after months of heavy fighting and bombardment – something the new US president, Donald Trump, has pointed out.
In an exchange with reporters last weekend, Trump said: “I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess.” He then went on to suggest Palestinians there should be “evacuated” to Egypt and Jordan where “they could maybe live in peace for a change”. “You’re talking about a million and a half people … we just clean out that whole thing,” he continued.
Trump is seemingly no stranger to airing whatever thoughts come into his head. At his inauguration he claimed – without providing evidence – that “China is operating the Panama canal”. And he has since called Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine “ridiculous”. But even by these standards, his suggestion to evict Gazans from their land is brash to say the least.
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As Karin Aggestam of Lund University reports, Trump’s proposal has been met with disbelief across the Middle East. It has been widely criticised throughout the region as a potential “second Nakba” – referring to the displacement of Palestinians after Israel’s unilateral declaration of statehood in 1948.
The proposal has also been rejected outright by Egypt and Jordan. Egypt’s ministry of foreign affairs released a statement on Sunday objecting to any forced displacement of Palestinians. And Jordan’s minister of foreign affairs, Ayman Safadi, said his country was committed to “ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land”. The Arab League regional bloc has accused Trump of advocating ethnic cleansing.
Aggestam says it’s not yet certain if moving Palestinians out of Gaza will become an official US policy position, or whether it is yet another example of Trump speaking his mind. But, in her view, Trump’s latest pronouncement will further complicate the already fragile ceasefire.
The idea of relocating Palestinians to other countries has thrilled Israel’s extreme ultra-nationalist parties. The Israeli finance minister and leader of the Religious Zionist party, Bezalel Smotrich, and the former national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, have both previously encouraged the return of Israeli settlers to the Gaza Strip.
Ben Gvir, who recently resigned from his ministerial position in protest at the Gaza ceasefire, asserted in October that “encouraging emigration” of Palestinian residents of Gaza would be the “most ethical” solution to the conflict.
According to Leonie Fleischmann of City, University of London, the pair share an anti-Arab ideology and a messianic belief in the Jewish people’s right to what they call “Greater Israel”. This refers to a Jewish state that would also include the West Bank, which they referred to as “Judea and Samaria”, as well as Gaza and part of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
As Fleischmann explains, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip were the sites of many key events in biblical times and were the home of a number of Israelite kingdoms. In the Bible, God even promises this land to the descendants of Abraham – the Jewish people. This, Fleischmann writes, is the reason behind Smotrich and Ben Gvir’s belief that the Jewish people have the God-given right to settle the whole of Greater Israel.
This is not a position held by the majority of Israelis. But Israel’s ultra-nationalists wield considerable political power, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government dependent on their support to remain in power. Indeed, days after Trump suggested clearing out Gaza, Smotrich spoke of turning it into an actionable policy.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, he said: “There is nothing to be excited about the weak opposition of Egypt and Jordan to the plan. We saw yesterday how Trump [imposed his will on] Colombia to deport immigrants despite its opposition. When he wants it, it happens.”
The events Smotrich was referring to in Colombia were certainly extraordinary. Outraged at the repatriation of Colombian migrants in military planes, Colombian president Gustavo Petro refused to allow the flights to land.
Trump immediately vowed tariffs on Colombian goods and sanctions on government officials, which drew a furious social media response out of Petro and the start of a (very brief) trade war. But within a few hours, Petro had backed down and Colombia announced it would start receiving migrants, including on US military aircraft.
The White House hailed the agreement as a victory for Trump’s hardline immigration strategy. However, according to Amalendu Misra of Lancaster University, Trump’s punishing tariff threats and foul rhetoric toward illegal immigrants may only damage the power and position of the US in the region.
His willingness to wage a trade war with countries in Latin America could encourage others to speed up their search for alternative trade partners. And, worse still, he may even push them towards closer relations with governments and ideologies that are inimical to US interests, writes Misra.
Back in the Middle East, the ceasefire in Gaza has offered the region a break from war. This has included a pledge by Houthi militants in Yemen not to attack commercial ships travelling through the Red Sea.
These attacks have halved the number of ships passing through the Suez Canal, a crucial route for goods moving between Asia and Europe, with many diverting around the southern tip of Africa.
This route adds thousands of miles to the journey, so supply chains have had to deal with higher shipping costs, product delivery delays and increased carbon emissions. In the view of Gokcay Balci, a logistics expert at Leeds University, this disruption is likely to continue.
The situation in the Red Sea remains unpredictable, he writes. The leader of the Houthis, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, said on Monday that the group was “ready to return to escalation again alongside our brothers, the fighters in Palestine”, and warned: “We have our finger on the trigger.” Shipping companies have, unsurprisingly, announced that they will continue to prioritise alternative routes.
The Houthis seem unconvinced that the ceasefire in Gaza will hold. But, at least for now, it is providing civilians with some much-needed respite after more than a year of relentless violence.
Prepare to be amazed as the NI Science Fair rolls into town
31 January 2025
Science buffs across Strabane should prepare to be amazed as the NI Science Fair visits the Alley Theatre for a series of exciting events.
Established in 2014, the NI Science Festival has grown to become the largest celebration of its kind on the island of Ireland, and one of the leading science festivals in Europe.
For its 11th edition, the festival will present more than 300 events across Northern Ireland, focusing on our rich and diverse natural environment, our engineering and manufacturing heritage, sustainability, technology, the mind and body, and much more.
The festival’s regional roadshow will touch down in Strabane with a series of events, including Chemistry & the Celts on Friday 14th February at The Alley Theatre. An immersive exploration into the world of the Irish Celts with Scientific Sue, this engaging show, supported by Almac, brings ancient traditions to life, blending the wonders of chemistry with the rich tapestry of Celtic history.
Also taking place at The Alley is Look Closer where little explorers embark on a fun-filled journey of discovery into nature’s wonders with screenings of BBC/CBeebies Tiny Wonders followed by hands-on experiments in Mini Lab Zones where the budding researchers will get to use real microscopes and take a closer look at fascinating little curiosities from nature.
NI Science Festival director Sarah Jones said: “The NI Science Festival is a celebration of science, creativity, and the world around us, designed to be engaging and enjoyable for everyone. Over 12 days, the festival will pop up in venues across Northern Ireland, showcasing the incredible work of local researchers and scientists alongside some well-known guest speakers. This year’s programme is packed with exciting events for all ages, offering something for everyone. It’s an opportunity to embrace the joy of discovery, explore the power of ideas, and celebrate the possibilities science brings to our everyday lives.”
Dr Frances Weldon, Associate Director STEM Outreach, Almac Group, said: “We are deeply committed to supporting STEM education at Almac and as such we’re delighted to partner with NI Science Festival in the Chemistry & the Celts show and to receive funding from the Arts & Business NI Investment Programme. Chemistry is a core discipline and career area at Almac. This collaborative project delivers entertaining chemistry content through arts and history, sparking children’s curiosity and stimulating them to think about chemistry as part of everyday life.”
Tickets are available from the Alley Theatre website: www.alley-theatre.com or call the Alley Theatre Box Office on 028 71 384444
UNESCO has chosen the city of Coventry and Warwick Business School (WBS) to participate in its global project to highlight the role of culture in building a sustainable future for the planet.
In a significant stride towards global cultural sustainability, Coventry City Council in collaboration with WBS, has been selected to participate in the prestigious UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators initiative.
The UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators project is a framework designed to monitor and evaluate the role of culture in sustainable development.
Coventry City Councillor Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and the Communities, said: “We are honoured to be part of this ground-breaking initiative, along with Warwick Business School, to contribute to UNESCO’s global sustainability mission.
“Coventry is the home of many fantastic cultural organisations, artists, community groups and creatives, and we are delighted that UNESCO can see the value in working with Coventry as a city.
“This marks a major step forward in advancing global cultural sustainability, underscoring the essential role of culture in achieving the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Mark Scott, Research Fellow at WBS who is a leading place and culture data expert with extensive experience of working with the local cultural sector and colleagues in Coventry City Council, said: “The UNESCO project encompasses a range of thematic indicators that assess various aspects of cultural impact, from heritage preservation to cultural participation and education.
“The inclusion of the city of Coventry and WBS in this project not only reinforces Coventry’s legacy as a City of Culture but also highlights Warwick Business School’s commitment to leveraging research and data to drive impactful global change.
“Being part of the UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators project is a tremendous honour for WBS. This collaboration underscores our dedication to cultural sustainability and our role in shaping a better future through informed research and data-driven strategies.”
The collaboration between WBS, Coventry, and UNESCO is also supported by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This partnership aims to position the UK as a leader in cultural data management and sustainable development. By contributing to this ground-breaking project, WBS and Coventry are helping to shape policies and practices that will benefit communities worldwide.
Jonathan Neelands, Professor of Creative Education at WBS, said: “By contributing to this initiative, we are helping to position the UK as a leader in cultural data management and sustainable development, further cementing the School’s place on the international stage.”
Mark Scott and Professor Neelands were leads in the research and evaluation for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 and continue to be involved in other Coventry data-led and evidence-based policy projects like the recent Coventry Cultural Place Profiler. Coventry City Council has a unique pool of cultural and other data that makes the partnership distinctive.
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