Following the vote on the 978 budgetary amendments to the Council’s reading of the 2025 EU Budget on 7 October, the Committee on Budgets, at its 14 October meeting, adopted a report prepared by the General Rapporteur on the 2025 budget (Section III – Commission), Mr Victor Negrescu (S&D), and the Rapporteur for other sections, Mr Niclas Herbst (EPP), which will reflect and accompany the outcome of the budgetary vote.
The Resolution and the budgetary amendments will be debated and adopted in the European Parliament’s plenary sitting in Strasbourg on 21-24 October.
The first conciliation meeting between the Council and the Parliament is scheduled for 5 November.
MEPs in the Trade Committee voted on Monday to support a loan of up to €35 billion to Ukraine as the EU’s contribution to the G7’s support initiative.
The Trade Committee voted by 31 in favour, 4 against and no abstentions on the Commission proposal to support Ukraine with an exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) loan of up to €35 billion. This is the EU’s contribution under the G7’s initiative to support Ukraine with up to $50 billion (approximately €45 billion) to address Ukraine’s urgent financing needs in the face of Russia’s brutal war of aggression.
The repayment of this exceptional MFA loan and of the loans from other G7 countries will come from the extraordinary revenues made from immobilised Russian Central Bank assets, and enabled by the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism, newly established under the Commission’s proposal.
The future revenues from frozen Russian assets, as well as possible contributions from EU member states and other countries, are set to be made available to Ukraine through the mechanism in order to assist the country in repaying the exceptional MFA loan, as well as loans from other G7 partners considered as eligible by the Commission. These funds will only be used for servicing and repaying eligible loans and the MFA loan.
The new MFA loan is undesignated, allowing Ukraine to allocate the funds as it deems appropriate. The management and control systems outlined in the Ukraine Plan, along with specific measures to prevent fraud and other irregularities, will also apply to the MFA loan. The new MFA funds will be made available by the end of 2024, and disbursed until the end of 2025. The MFA loan is conditional upon Ukraine’s continued commitment to uphold effective democratic mechanisms, respect human rights, and further policy conditions to be set out in a memorandum of understanding.
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”Using profits from immobilised Russian assets sends a clear signal that the burden of rebuilding Ukraine must be shouldered by those responsible for its destruction, namely Russia. The new macro-financial assistance and loan cooperation mechanism supports Ukraine to maintain important basic functions in society. Making Russia pay is an important step. Ukraine is not only fighting for its own existence and freedom, but also ours. This proposal underscores the EU’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and economic resilience,” rapporteur Karin Karlsbro (Renew, SE) said.
Next steps
Parliament is expected to vote on the proposal during its 21-24 October session. The Council endorsed the proposal last week, and it plans to adopt the regulation by written procedure after Parliament’s vote. The regulation is expected to enter into force on the day after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.
Background
In September, the Commission announced a €35 billion EU loan for Ukraine as part of a plan by G7 partners to issue loans of up to $50 billion (€45 billion). Future revenues coming from the frozen Russian state assets would finance the loans. Approximately 210 billion euros assets from the Central Bank of Russia are held in the EU and have been frozen under sanctions imposed over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. EU governments decided to set aside the extraordinary revenues from these assets, and use them to support both military efforts and reconstruction in Ukraine. Setting up the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism underlines the EU’s continued support to Ukraine.
The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.
Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L
Source: International Monetary Fund – IMF (video statements)
A panel discussion on Chapter 2 of our latest Global Financial Stability Report (GFSR) with:
– Mario Catalan, Deputy Division Chief, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF
– Andrea Deghi, Financial Sector Expert, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF
– José de Gregorio, Dean of the School of Economics and Business at the University of Chile, and former Governor of the Central Bank of Chile and former Minister of Economy, Mining, and Energy in Chile
– Moderator: Jeanna Smialek, Reporter, New York Times
Every time a new Pixel phone comes out, you might hear that “on-device processing” makes its cool new features possible. Just take a look at the new Pixel 9 phones
Exactly! Within recent years, there’s been this explosion in generative AI capabilities. At first when we started thinking about running large language models on devices, we thought it was kind of a joke — like, “Sure we can do that, but maybe by 2026.” But then we began scoping it out, and the technology performance evolved so quickly that we were able to launch features using Gemini Nano, our on-device model, on Pixel 8 Pro in December 2023.
That’s what I want to know more about: “on-device processing.” Let’s break it down and start with what exactly “processing” means.
The main processor, or system-on-a-chip (SoC), in your devices, has a number of what are called Processing Units designed specifically to handle the tasks you want to do with that device. That’s why you’ll see the chip (like the Tensor chip found in Pixels) referred to as a “system-on-a-chip: There’s not just one processor, but several processing units, memory, interfaces and much more, all together on one piece of silicon.
Let’s use Pixel smartphones as an example: The processing units include a Central Processing Unit, or CPU, as the main “engine” of sorts; a Graphics Processing Unit, or GPU, which renders visuals; and now today we have a Tensor Processing Unit, or TPU, specially designed by Google to run AI/ML workloads on a device. These all work together to help your phone get things done — aka, processing.
For example, when you take photos, you’re often using all elements of your phone’s processing power to good effect. The CPU will be busy running core tasks that control what the phone is doing, the GPU will be helping render what the lens is seeing and, on a premium Android device like a Pixel, there’s also a lot of work happening on the TPU to process what the optical lens sees to make your photos look awesome.
Got it. “On-device” processing implies there’s off-device. Where is “off-device processing” happening, exactly?
Off-device processing happens in the cloud. Your device connects to the internet and sends your request to servers elsewhere, which perform the task, and then send the output back to your phone. So if we wanted to take that process and make it happen on device, we’d take the large machine learning model that powered that task in the cloud and make it smaller and more efficient so it can run on your device’s operating system and hardware.
What hardware makes that possible?
New, more powerful chipsets. For example, with the Pixel 9 Pro, that’s happening thanks to our SoC called Tensor G4. Tensor G4 enables these phones to run models like Gemini Nano — it’s able to handle these high-performance computations.
So basically, Tensor is designed specifically to run Google AI, which isalsowhat powers a lot of Pixel’s new gen AI capabilities.
Right! And the generative AI features are definitely part of it, but there are lots of other things on-device processing makes possible, too. Rendering video, playing games, HDR photo editing, language translation — most everything you do with your phone. These are all happening on your phone, not being sent up to a server for processing.
TalkBack with Gemini, which analyzes images and reads descriptions out loud to blind or low-vision users, is an example of on-device processing that makes use of Tensor, Pixel’s system on a chip.
The computation your phone can do today is pretty incredible. Today’s smartphones are thousands of times faster than early high-performance computers, even those that were the size of rooms. Back in the day, those high-performance computers were the state of the art in terms of data analysis, image processing, anomaly detection and early AI research. Now we can do this all on device, and it opens up all sorts of neat opportunities to build helpful features that use this processing capability.
Is on-device processing better than off-device?
Not necessarily. If you were to use Search entirely on-device, that would be really slow or really limited or both, because when you’re searching the web, you’re sort of looking for a needle in a haystack. To fit the entire web index on your phone would be too much! Instead, when you use Search, you’re tapping into the cloud and our data centers to access trillions of web pages to find what you’re looking for.
But if you want to perform a more specific task, then on-device processing is really useful. For starters, there’s latency — if something’s being processed directly on the device, you may get the result faster. Then there’s also the fact that features that are fully on device work without an internet connection, meaning better availability and reliability.
Finally, given the AI chip is in your pocket rather than being served through a cloud backend, it’s free for apps to leverage the LLM capabilities.
All this said, there are distinct advantages to both: Cloud has more powerful models and can house lots of important data. Lots of your data, like photos, videos and more, sits in the cloud today. It also helps support actions like searching massive databases, like Drive, Gmail and Google Photos.
I’m already pretty impressed with what my Pixel can do today, but from what you’re saying, I’d imagine it’s only going to get better.
Yes, the models we’re using to do these complex tasks on Android devices are getting more capable. And of course it’s not just about better models and better technology: We also put a lot of work and research into thinking about what’s actually going to benefit people. We don’t want to just introduce products because the on-device processing can handle it; we want to make sure it’s something that people want to use on their phones in their everyday lives.
Headline: Governor Cooper Proclaims October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Reminds North Carolinians to Beware of Hurricane-Related Scams
Governor Cooper Proclaims October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Reminds North Carolinians to Beware of Hurricane-Related Scams mseets
Governor Roy Cooper has proclaimed October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month in North Carolina to recognize the ongoing importance of online safety, especially in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which brought historic devastation to the state.
“Storms like Helene offer prime opportunities for cybercriminals looking to take advantage of others during a crisis situation when they may have their guard down,” Governor Cooper said. “Every North Carolinian must remain vigilant about staying safe online and protecting their personal information.”
Scammers can pose as official representatives of disaster aid organizations or charities and use phishing emails, social media messages, texts and phone calls to obtain personal and financial information and access devices and networks that hold sensitive data. Be careful with any messages that include hurricane-related subject lines, attachments or hyperlinks.
“Our department continues to emphasize the importance of cybersecurity education and awareness,” said N.C. Department of Information Technology Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Jim Weaver. “We are committed to ensuring that everyone can access the internet safely and guard against cyberthreats, which can happen to anyone at any time.”
Here are some ways you can protect yourself, your family and your workplace from online threats:
Recognize, resist and delete phishing attempts. Do not click links or open attachments in suspicious messages. Always double check web and email addresses to make sure they are legitimate. If you think the message could be real, look up another way to contact the company or person directly to verify.
Avoid sharing personal information. Don’t send sensitive information such as passwords, account numbers and Social Security Numbers over email, text or chat.
Make passwords long, random and unique. Strong passwords should be at least 16 characters and include a random string of mixed-case letters, numbers and symbols. Use a different strong password for each account. Password managers can generate strong passwords and remember them for you.
Enable multifactor authentication for every account or app that offers it. Multifactor authentication requires you to enter more information than just a password, such as a text code or fingerprint.
Update software. Make sure your devices are running the latest version of operating systems, software and web browsers. When notified about updates, be sure to install them as soon as possible or turn on automatic updates to install updates without any input as soon as they are available.
The N.C. Department of Information Technology, along with other state, local and federal partners, works to protect North Carolina’s government IT systems, data and assets against cyberthreats.
In addition, NCDIT’s Division of Broadband and Digital Equity has launched a series of grant programs that have awarded $44 million to date to ensure North Carolinians can access and afford high-speed internet, obtain digital devices and safely and effectively navigate today’s digital world.
NCDIT will share tips and information on social media using hashtags #SecureOurWorld and #CyberSecureNC throughout the month. More information about online safety is available at it.nc.gov/CyberSecureNC.
Deputy Governor Xuan Changneng attended the Second BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting of the year, which was held in Moscow on October 11, 2024. The meeting discussed issues including Global Monetary and Financial System and international financial cooperations.
strong>BRISTOL, Va. — Residents of Scott County, Virginia are now eligible to apply for assistance from FEMA under the Individual Assistance Program. FEMA assistance can help with costs from damage and losses due to Tropical Storm Helene.
Residents of the cities of Galax and Radford, as well as Bedford, Bland, Carroll, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Russell, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe counties, remain eligible for assistance.
FEMA may be able to help you pay for essential items, temporary housing, home repairs and other needs due to the disaster, including:
Essential items such as water, food, first aid, prescriptions, infant formula, breastfeeding supplies, diapers, medical supplies and equipment, personal hygiene items and fuel for transportation;
Financial assistance to help pay for hotel stays, stays with family and friends, or other options while you look for a rental unit as well as rental assistance if you are displaced because of the disaster;
Repair or replacement of a vehicle, appliances, room furnishings, personal or family computer;
Books, uniforms, tools, computers and other items required for school or work, including self-employment; and
Moving and storage fees, medical expenses, childcare and funeral expenses.
For more information about the types of FEMA assistance available under the Individual Assistance Program, visit: fema.gov/ia.
You can apply for disaster assistance today:
To watch an accessible video about how to apply, visit FEMA Accessible: Registering for Individual Assistance – YouTube.
FEMA has set up a rumor response webpage to clarify our role in the Helene response. Visit Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response | FEMA.gov.
For more information on Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit vaemergency.gov, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Facebook page , fema.gov/disaster/4831 and facebook.com/FEMA.
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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 x.com/FEMAregion3and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/femaregion3.
To apply for FEMA assistance, please call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362, visit https://www.disasterassistance.gov/, or download and apply on the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages). Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status.
Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Watauga County
Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Watauga County
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Disaster Recovery Center is opening Tuesday, Oct. 15 in Boone (Watauga County) to assist North Carolina survivors who experienced loss from Helene.
The Watauga County DRC is located at:
Appalachian Enterprise Center 130 Poplar Grove Connector Boone, N.C. 28607 Open: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday through Sunday
A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is a one-stop shop where survivors can meet face-to-face with FEMA representatives, apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to local assistance in their area, apply with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans and much more.
FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or other uninsured, disaster-related needs, such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral or dental expenses.
Centers are already open in Asheville, Lenoir, Marion and Sylva. To find those center locations go to fema.gov/drcor text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. Additional recovery centers will be opening soon. All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology.
Homeowners and renters in 27 North Carolina counties and tribal members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can visit any open center, including locations in other states. No appointment is needed.
It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for FEMA assistance. The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via the FEMA app. You may also call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.
For the latest information about North Carolina recovery, visit Hurricane Helene | NC DPS or fema.gov/disaster/4827. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) announced today that its subsidiary, Phillips 66 Limited, has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its 49 percent non-operated equity interest in Coop Mineraloel AG (“CMA”) to its Swiss joint venture partner. It will receive cash of 1.06 billion Swiss francs (approximately $1.24 billion) consisting of a 1 billion Swiss franc sales price (approximately $1.17 billion) and an assumed dividend of 60 million Swiss francs (approximately $70 million) for financial year 2024 to be paid at or prior to closing. The sales price is subject to adjustment based on the amount of the dividend.
“This transaction marks significant progress in delivering on our commitment of over $3 billion in divestitures,” said Mark Lashier, chairman and CEO of Phillips 66. “As we manage our portfolio, we will continue to evaluate monetization of assets that no longer fit our long-term strategy.”
CMA operates 324 retail sites and petrol stations across Switzerland.
Proceeds from the sale will support the strategic priorities of Phillips 66, including returns to shareholders.
The transaction is subject to approval by the Swiss Competition Commission. It is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.
About Phillips 66
Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) is a leading integrated downstream energy provider that manufactures, transports and markets products that drive the global economy. The company’s portfolio includes Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, Marketing and Specialties, and Renewable Fuels businesses. Headquartered in Houston, Phillips 66 has employees around the globe who are committed to safely and reliably providing energy and improving lives while pursuing a lower-carbon future. For more information, visit phillips66.com or follow @Phillips66Co on LinkedIn.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE “SAFE HARBOR” PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to the sale of Phillips 66’s 49 percent non-operated equity interest in Coop Mineraloel AG. Words such as “anticipated,” “estimated,” “expected,” “planned,” “scheduled,” “targeted,” “believe,” “continue,” “intend,” “will,” “would,” “objective,” “goal,” “project,” “efforts,” “strategies” and similar expressions that convey the prospective nature of events or outcomes generally indicate forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on management’s expectations, estimates and projections as of the date they are made. These statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, and you should not unduly rely on them as they involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include: any delay in, or inability to obtain, necessary regulatory approvals, including from the Swiss Competition Commission; changes in governmental policies or laws that relate to our operations, including regulations that seek to limit or restrict refining, marketing and midstream operations or regulate profits, pricing, or taxation of our products or feedstocks, or other regulations that restrict feedstock imports or product exports; our ability to timely obtain or maintain permits necessary for projects; fluctuations in NGL, crude oil, refined petroleum, renewable fuels and natural gas prices, and refining, marketing and petrochemical margins; the effects of any widespread public health crisis and its negative impact on commercial activity and demand for refined petroleum or renewable fuels products; changes to worldwide government policies relating to renewable fuels and greenhouse gas emissions that adversely affect programs including the renewable fuel standards program, low carbon fuel standards and tax credits for biofuels; unexpected changes in costs for constructing, modifying or operating our facilities; our ability to successfully complete, or any material delay in the completion of, any asset disposition, acquisition or conversion that we may pursue; unexpected difficulties in manufacturing, refining or transporting our products; the level and success of drilling and production volumes around our midstream assets; risks and uncertainties with respect to the actions of actual or potential competitive suppliers and transporters of refined petroleum products, renewable fuels or specialty products; lack of, or disruptions in, adequate and reliable transportation for our products; potential liability from litigation or for remedial actions, including removal and reclamation obligations under environmental regulations; failure to complete construction of capital projects on time and within budget; our ability to comply with governmental regulations or make capital expenditures to maintain compliance with laws; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets, which may also impact our ability to repurchase shares and declare and pay dividends; potential disruption of our operations due to accidents, weather events, including as a result of climate change, acts of terrorism or cyberattacks; general domestic and international economic and political developments, including armed hostilities (such as the Russia-Ukraine war), expropriation of assets, and other diplomatic developments; international monetary conditions and exchange controls; changes in estimates or projections used to assess fair value of intangible assets, goodwill and property and equipment and/or strategic decisions with respect to our asset portfolio that cause impairment charges; investments required, or reduced demand for products, as a result of environmental rules and regulations; changes in tax, environmental and other laws and regulations (including alternative energy mandates); political and societal concerns about climate change that could result in changes to our business or increase expenditures, including litigation-related expenses; the operation, financing and distribution decisions of equity affiliates we do not control; and other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Phillips 66’s businesses generally as set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Phillips 66 is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kaltura, Inc. (Nasdaq: KLTR), the video experience cloud, today announced it will release its third quarter financial results for the period ended September 30, 2024, before market open on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.
Kaltura will host a conference call to review its third quarter 2024 financial results and discuss its financial outlook.
About Kaltura Kaltura’s mission is to power any video experience for any organization. Our Video Experience Cloud offers live, real-time, and on-demand video products for enterprises of all industries, as well as specialized industry solutions, currently for educational institutions and for media and telecom companies. Underlying our products and solutions is a broad set of Media Services that are also used by other cloud platforms and companies to power video experiences and workflows for their own products. Kaltura’s Video Experience Cloud is used by leading brands reaching millions of users, at home, at school and at work, for communication, collaboration, training, marketing, sales, customer care, teaching, learning, virtual events, and entertainment experiences. For more information, visit http://www.corp.kaltura.com.
Investor Contacts: Kaltura, Inc. John Doherty Chief Financial Officer IR@Kaltura.com
Sapphire Investor Relations, LLC Erica Mannion and Michael Funari IR@Kaltura.com +1 617 542 6180
We invite you to join us for a live online event on Tuesday, October 15,from 1:00-1:45 pm ET, with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) aid workers reflecting on the catastrophic health impacts of the war in Gaza.
MSF teams were already active providing medical care in Gaza when conflict escalated following the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7. In response, the Israeli government launched a ferocious military offensive on Gaza. More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, tens of thousands more have been injured, and some 1.9 million people have been displaced–often multiple times. Much of the Gaza Strip has been reduced to rubble.
MSF staff are providing urgent medical care even while facing the personal impacts of the war themselves–the deaths of loved ones, destruction of their homes, and constant dangers everywhere. Hospitals and health facilities have repeatedly come under fire or been forced to evacuate. The medical needs are exploding, including the spread of infectious diseases and the risk of starvation.
Join us for a conversation with Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim, emergency physician and former medical team leader in Gaza, and Dr. Amber Alayyan, pediatrician and medical program manager for MSF in Palestine, Afghanistan and Haiti. Dr. Mohammed AbuMughaisib, MSF deputy medical coordinator in Gaza, will share testimony directly from Khan Younis, and Avril Benoît, MSF USA chief executive officer, will moderate the live discussion. Together they will bear witness to this unfolding emergency and reflect on the medical challenges ahead.
Meet the speakers
Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim
Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim is an emergency physician and was president of MSF UK from 2017-2021. Born and raised in the UK to Sudanese Iranian parents, Javid volunteered with MSF as a medical student, and later joined MSF as an aid worker for his first assignment to Iraq. Since then, he has worked for MSF in conflict zones, crises and disease outbreaks around the world. He has completed assignments in Ukraine, Haiti, Lebanon/Syria, South Sudan, Sierra Leone (for Ebola), and on the Mediterranean Sea on one of MSF’s search and rescue vessels. Most recently, he worked as an emergency medical team leader in Gaza.
Dr. Amber Alayyan
Dr. Amber Alayyan is a pediatrician and international public health consultant with over 20 years of experience in health care in conflict and post-conflict zones particularly in the Middle East, as well as malnutrition and environmental health in conflict settings. She currently works as MSF’s medical program manager for Afghanistan, Palestine, and Haiti and previously managed medical programs for Peru, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Iraq. In her current role, she manages the medical operational strategy and activities in the West Bank and Gaza. These activities include burn and trauma surgery and multi-disciplinary pre/post-operative care, pediatric inpatient care, antibiotic resistance management, primary health care, mental health, and sexual and gender-based violence. Her work with MSF over the past 13 years includes assignments in the Central African Republic, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Jordan/Syria, Turkey/Syria, Lebanon, Croatia and Greece.
Dr. Mohammed Abu Mughaisib
Dr. Mohammed (Abu Abed) Abu Mughaisib is the deputy medical coordinator for MSF’s operations in Palestine. He holds degrees in both medicine and mental health and has worked with MSF for nearly 23 years. Last fall, he was forced to flee his home in Gaza City, and was displaced multiple times thereafter. While his wife and children managed to cross the border into Egypt, Abu Abed continues to provide lifesaving care as a critical member of our project team in Palestine.
Avril Benoît
Avril Benoît is the chief executive officer of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières in the United States (MSF USA). She has worked with the international medical humanitarian organization since 2006 in various operational management and executive leadership roles, most recently as the director of communications and development at MSF’s operational center in Geneva, a position she held from November 2015 until June 2019. Throughout her career with MSF, Avril has contributed to major movement-wide initiatives, including the global mobilization to end attacks on hospitals and health workers. She has worked as a country director and project coordinator for MSF, leading operations to provide aid to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in Mauritania, South Sudan, and South Africa. Avril’s strategic analysis and communications assignments have taken her to countries including Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Haiti, Iraq, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. From 2006 to 2012, Avril served as director of communications with MSF Canada. Prior to joining MSF, Avril had a distinguished 20-year career as an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in Canada. She was a documentary producer and radio host with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), reporting from Kenya, Burundi, India, and Brazil on HIV stigma, rapid urbanization, sexual violence in conflict, and political inclusion of women, among numerous other assignments and topics. Recent articles: Surge of humanity needed for migrants and refugees
NEWS | OCT 14, 2024
MSF mourns and condemns the tragic killing of our colleague in norther…
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the effects of Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Rumors and lies about government responses to natural disasters are not new. Politics, misinformation and blame-shifting have long surrounded government response efforts.
When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, for example, rumors and misinformation both originated from and were spread by government, news and individual user accounts on social media. And after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, rumors about the storm were so widespread that even CNN’s live coverage of the event was inaccurate.
Those rumors don’t usually come from former presidents. Yet in the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton, former President Donald Trump spread falsehoods about the federal government’s response to the disaster. Misinformation on the topic became so widespread that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as FEMA, set up a webpage to debunk the rumors spawned by Trump.
President Joe Biden responded angrily, calling the falsehoods that Trump and his followers spread “reckless, irresponsible” and “disturbing.” He also suggested Trump’s claims undermined the rescue and recovery work being done by local, state and federal authorities.
Disaster relief often becomes political because so many people are affected – and because there is a lot of media coverage surrounding hurricanes, floods and other major weather events. Additionally, relief requires a lot of money and coordination by high-profile elected officials.
The rhetoric around federal emergency management is made only more complicated because most people do not know that much about the federal law that governs disaster relief. Indeed, even state and local officials find navigating the details of the law and accompanying regulations difficult.
And finally, the law’s design and the timing of hurricane season can lead to politicization. Elected officials – politicians – are always involved in coordinating government response efforts, adding a layer of politics to disaster relief. The fact that hurricane and election seasons coincide only heightens the politics of such relief.
Former President Donald Trump saying falsely that the Biden administration “stole a billion dollars” meant for disaster relief and used it to help immigrants.
Explaining government responses to natural disasters
The Disaster Relief Act of 1974, as amended and now known as the Stafford Act, is the law that governs how the federal government responds to natural disasters and other emergencies.
But the act does not guarantee federal assistance to the communities affected by hurricanes or other natural disasters.
Instead, the governor of an affected state or the chief executive of an affected tribal government must ask the president for a disaster declaration. The request can be made before or after a storm hits but must show that the disaster is of such a severity and magnitude that the state, local or tribal governments cannot respond on their own.
Responding to such requests, Biden issued declarations covering eight states before and after Helene. He also issued a declaration for the Seminole Tribe and the state of Florida in response to Milton.
After the president issues a declaration, the federal government can begin to assist state, local and tribal governments. This includes coordinating all disaster relief assistance – from evacuations to recovery – provided by federal agencies, private organizations such as the Red Cross, and state and local governments.
Federal assistance can be financial or logistical. It covers everything from help repairing roads and restoring utility services to providing assistance and services, such as temporary housing, legal services and crisis counseling, to the people who have been affected by the disaster.
The number of federal agencies and employees involved in disaster relief is astounding. For example, thousands of federal personnel from FEMA, the Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation are helping respond to Helene and Milton.
Several state and local officials also play key roles after a disaster declaration. Each state’s governor or tribe’s chief executive serves as the leading official for coordination of state and federal efforts. That person also designates an officer to serve as a liaison between the federal government and the state or tribe. And in each affected community, a local elected official leads the response on the ground. This is usually a city or town’s mayor.
Federalism in action
Implementation of the Stafford Act requires cooperative, healthy relationships between the president, federal agencies and state, local and tribal governments.
When done well, government disaster response is a prime example of what’s called “federalism” in action. Federalism involves the sharing of power between the national and state governments. The framers of the United States Constitution created this system of shared power so that the national government could solve coordination and capacity problems among the states, and the state governments could respond to the nuances of local circumstances.
In response to state government requests in the wake of Hurricane Helene, for example, Biden directed federal efforts to help those most affected. The federal government’s response has so far included working with over 450 state and local officials to ensure that those affected by the hurricane have everything from housing assistance to financial support for medical and funeral expenses.
Politics in the mix
The very things that the framers designed the federalist constitutional system to do, however, can create opportunities for political manipulation. The Stafford Act creates a system of emergency management that is highly decentralized and responsive to local needs.
But that decentralization also means that, because of their different perspectives, the officials involved in disaster response prioritize different things, which can lead to conflict.
For example, various officials involved in the response to Hurricane Helene have advocated for federal resources such as money and personnel to go toward restoring utilities, law enforcement, fire, health, communications and transportation services. How can the national government possibly choose between all of these necessary services?
Everything is made more complicated because, as studies have shown, on average, the officials in charge of making such decisions – elected officials and their appointees – have less experience in government than the career civil servants who work on a daily basis with the people affected by natural disasters.
As a result, the Stafford Act’s decision to place elected officials and their appointees in charge of emergency management could reduce the quality of government response.
Members of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue task force search a flood-damaged area in Asheville, N.C., in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Oct. 4, 2024. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Debating size and role of government
Elected officials’ different political leanings add another wrinkle. Debates over disaster response often reflect larger political debates such as those over the size and role of government.
The history of the Stafford Act provides an illustrative example. Traditionally, disaster relief was the responsibility of state and local government. But a series of natural disasters, including the Alaska earthquake in 1964 and hurricanes Betsy in 1965 and Camille in 1969, were so large in scale that the federal government had to step in and help.
In the aftermath of Camille, accusations of racial discrimination in the relief process and partisan squabbling over who was to blame for the ineffectiveness of the government’s response to the disaster mounted. Media and congressional attention on government mismanagement of the relief effort created a window for the expansion of the federal government’s role in the process and ultimately led to the passage of the first version of the Stafford Act.
Fast-forward 35 years and many of the same issues – racial discrimination, government mismanagement and politicization of relief – arose in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Media and congressional attention led to legislation that amended the Stafford Act and restructured FEMA and how the federal government responds to state and tribal requests for assistance.
Trump’s lies are from the same playbook – false claims about money being diverted to migrants and that relief efforts are being used only to help areas where Democrats live.
Yet the devastation left by Helene and Milton do raise questions about local and federal coordination in preparation for and response to natural disasters and has led to calls for Congress to pass reforms to improve equity, efficiency and effectiveness in government responses to natural disasters. Whether this reform is possible in such a contentious political climate remains an open question.
Jennifer L. Selin has received funding and/or support for her research on the executive branch from the Administrative Conference of the United States. The views in this piece are those of the author and do not represent the position of the Administrative Conference or the federal government.
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics has been awarded to three US-based economists who examined the advantages of democracy and the rule of law, and why they are strong in some countries and not others.
Daron Acemoglu is a Turkish-American economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Simon Johnson is a British economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and James Robinson is a British-American economist at the University of Chicago.
The citation awards the prize “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity”, making it an award for research into politics and sociology as much as economics.
At a time when democracy appears to be losing support, the Nobel committee has rewarded work that demonstrates that, on average, democratic countries governed by the rule of law have wealthier citizens.
The committee says the richest 20% of the world’s countries are now around 30 times richer than the poorest 20%. Moreover, the income gap is persistent; although the poorest countries have become richer, they are not catching up with the most prosperous.
Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson have connected this difference to differences in institutions, and they find this derives from differences in the behaviour of European colonisers in different parts of the world centuries ago.
The denser the indigenous population, the greater the resistance that could be expected and the fewer European settlers moved there. On the other hand, the large indigenous population – once defeated – ofered lucrative opportunities for cheap labour.
This meant the institutions focused on benefiting a small elite at the expense of the wider population. There were no elections and limited political rights.
In the places that were more sparsely populated and offered less resistance, more colonisers settled and established inclusive institutions that incentivised hard work and led to demands for political rights.
The committee says, paradoxically, this means the parts of the colonised world that were the most prosperous around 500 years ago are now relatively poor. Prosperity was greater in Mexico under the Aztecs than it was at the same time in the part of North America that is now called Canada and the United States.
More so than in previous years, this year’s winners have written for the public as well as the profession. Acemoglu and Robinson are probably best known for their 2013 best-seller Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty.(It has pictures and no equations.)
In May this year Acemoglu wrote about artificial intelligence, putting forward the controversial position that its effects on productivity would be “nontrivial but modest”, which is another way of saying “tiny”. Its effect on wellbeing might be even smaller and it was unlikely to reduce inequality.
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
This year’s award makes the cohort of Nobel winners a little less US-dominated.
Although all three are currently working at American universities, Acemoglu is from Turkey and the others are British. There is even an Australian link. Robinson taught economics at The University of Melbourne between 1992 and 1995.
Winning the prize is life-changing for more reasons than the 11 million Swedish kroner (about $A 1.5 million) the winners share. As Nobel winners, they will have a higher profile. Their opinions will be accorded more respect by most but not all.
The new winners might get the same treatment. Johnson has critiqued Trump’s proposal to raise tariffs. Acemoglu has called Trump “a threat to democracy”.
John Hawkins 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.
Good morning everybody. Thank you for inviting me to join you here today. It’s great to be back here at the Academia. It is my pleasure to join you for the 10th anniversary celebration of the Duke-NUS Centre of Regulatory Excellence (CoRE).
2. One of the advantages of having been to many gatherings and meetings, such as scientific meetings, academic meetings, government regulatory meetings, you start to have the ability to have a feel for the community. You have a little bit of a sense, if this is one of those places where tech startups are exchanging cards because everyone’s trying to introduce themselves. Or is this community of practice which has been together with deep respect, and a deep understanding of each other’s contributions in the academic, scientific, and policy areas. I was asking Professor John Lim earlier this morning: “How long have you all been together?” Because there is a palpable sense of a community of practice, of professionals with deep expertise who have met each other over many meals, over many years, and flown not just halfway around the world, but all the way around the world, to be together. I had that sense of privilege walking in this morning that this is a community of professionals who have been working together for many years and understanding the importance of the work that you do, the effect that you will have on our healthcare systems.
3. CoRE was established as an academic centre at Duke-NUS Medical School with support from the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH), Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and Economic Development Board (EDB) to promote regulatory capacity development and innovation in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific. Officially inaugurated in November 2014, this is the first Centre in the region that focuses on promoting regulatory excellence for healthcare regulators and industry. A panel of international regulatory experts forms the CoRE Advisory Board that oversees the governance of the Centre, many of whom are current or former chief officials of their respective regulatory agencies. Some of them in the audience today.
4. Over the past decade, CoRE has become an important player in Singapore’s healthcare landscape. You have made significant strides in advancing regulatory science, not only in Singapore but also across ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific. Through your capacity building, thinktank and advisory initiatives, CoRE has become a trusted partner in a wide collaborative network to actively coordinate and strengthen regulatory systems, comprising international and regional regulatory authorities, industry, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions.
5. The Centre also supports MOH and HSA in building up the healthcare regulatory ecosystem, and more recently, advocating the convergence of products and services regulation to enhance healthcare systems’ efficiency. By bringing together key stakeholders and fostering collaboration among healthcare regulators, CoRE has created a platform for the exchange of knowledge and best practices.
Future of Health – Digitalisation and Precision Medicine
6. As we celebrate these achievements, and there are many, we must also anticipate the challenges on the horizon. Singapore’s healthcare landscape is undergoing fundamental changes, driven by demographic shifts and our evolving healthcare needs. To meet these changes, we are embracing digital health and precision medicine technologies. We will innovate to improve population health and ensure the sustainability of our healthcare system. This shift in our healthcare regulations will also be needed to keep pace with innovation and to continue our commitment to patient safety and welfare. Our goal is to create a regulatory framework that acts as a catalyst for progress, not a barrier to it.
7. The challenges, whether it’s our demographic shifts, evolving needs, the tensions and trade-offs within our approach to what we do within the regulatory space, underscores the need for regulators to be innovative and also prudent. We want to maximise the benefits of new technologies and safeguard against the risks. HSA already regulates Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medical Devices and MOH has issued the national AI in Healthcare guidelines. This is a space where you can see that there are potential significant transformative benefits just around the corner, but there are already extant risks that we need to safeguard against, to shore up public trust and to make sure these tools are deployed in the clinical spaces. And so we publish these guidelines and they lay out good practices for AI developers and influencers, and we’re revising this to account for newer technologies such as generative AI. We intend to provide unified guidance for AI developers, service implementers and healthcare professionals on the safe development of AI in healthcare.
8. With increasing use of precision medicine technologies, we may encounter ethical dilemmas in the potential misuse of genetic test information, for example, in insurance underwriting. To address this, MOH has worked with the Life Insurance Association to put in place a Moratorium on Genetic Testing and Insurance. It sets out specific protections over the use and disclosure of genetic test results, to prevent Singaporeans from being deterred from undergoing genetic testing which can be vital and useful for early detection, prevention and management of genetic conditions.
9 The challenges that I described transcend borders and they make international collaboration amongst regulators essential. Through exchanging best practices and developing partnerships for regulatory harmonisation, we can collectively have regulatory frameworks that are nimble, forward looking, and adaptable to rapid technological advancements.
Nimble and Forward-Thinking Regulatory Framework
10 MOH collaborates with agencies such as the European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in Health Services and Social Care (EPSO) and HealthAI. We also collaborate with CoRE to strengthen training in healthcare services regulations with ASEAN countries.
11 CoRE is focused on advancing regulatory science and policy in healthcare, both domestically and regionally, through capacity building, thought leadership and fostering collaboration.
12 To grow domestic capability in healthcare regulation, CoRE has launched key educational initiatives, including the flagship Graduate Certificate programme in health products regulation covering pharmaceutical and medical technology regulations. It also supports regional capacity building through the Asian Development Bank Projects in the Greater Mekong Subregion. By identifying regulatory gaps and conducting in-country capacity-building workshops in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia, CoRE is helping to shape more effective regulatory environments.
13 CoRE also facilitates joint initiatives research projects and roundtables for collaboration between academia, industry and international partners. One example is the CoRE Standards Development Organisation, set up in partnership with Enterprise Singapore, which manages over 60 Singapore Standards and Technical References in the biomedical and healthcare domains, ensuring alignment with global standards.
CoRE’s Role in the Next Decade
14 Regulatory innovation will play a part to shape the future of biomedical science and healthcare and delivery. The diverse topics covered at this conference – ranging from AI and digital health to healthy ageing and disease prevention – highlight the complexity of the challenges that face us. Working together, we can develop regulations that are robust, forward-looking and conducive to both access and innovation.
15 We have with us regulators from around the world, the Asia-Pacific region and Africa, alongside experts from the Ministry’s Regulatory Advisory Panel. Surely, with this brain trust that you have brought together, and the concentration of capability, expertise and experience, this professional community that has been working together to develop these big relationships, can effectively address these challenges and shape the future of healthcare regulation. Our partnerships will shape the next chapter of healthcare regulation, and so it’s my pleasure to declare this conference open.
WEST ORANGE, N.J., Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bel Fuse Inc. (“Bel,” or, “the Company”) (Nasdaq:BELFA and Nasdaq:BELFB), today announced its appointment of Uma Pingali as Global Head of Sales and Marketing, a newly created role. With over 30 years of management experience in global sales, marketing, business development within the electronic industry, Uma is uniquely positioned to lead and accelerate Bel’s sales and marketing organizations. His experience with integrating various sales teams that have joined via acquisitions will be very helpful for Bel with our history of acquisitions.
Uma started his career in India and has lived and led sales organizations there and in Singapore, China, Hong Kong and the U.S. In his most recent role as President of Global Sales at Farnell, based in Chicago, Uma managed a team of 600+ people in driving a $1.6 billion global sales organization.
Dan Bernstein, President and CEO, said, “Uma is the perfect fit for the role, given his extensive global experience in the electronics industry. He will be responsible for creating and executing strategies that drive growth beyond current trends, identifying areas for improvement, challenging existing processes, and implementing innovative solutions to optimize sales performance. We are very much looking forward to the contributions that Uma will bring to Bel in further positioning the company for long-term success.”
About Bel
Bel (www.belfuse.com) designs, manufactures and markets a broad array of products that power, protect and connect electronic circuits. These products are primarily used in the networking, telecommunications, computing, general industrial, high-speed data transmission, military, commercial aerospace, transportation and eMobility industries. Bel’s portfolio of products also finds application in the automotive, medical, broadcasting and consumer electronics markets. Bel’s product groups include Magnetic Solutions (integrated connector modules, power transformers, power inductors and discrete components), Power Solutions and Protection (front-end, board-mount and industrial power products, module products and circuit protection), and Connectivity Solutions (expanded beam fiber optic, copper-based, RF and RJ connectors and cable assemblies). The Company operates facilities around the world.
Company Contact:
Lynn Hutkin Vice President of Financial Reporting & Investor Relations ir@belf.com
Headline: Disaster Recovery Center to Open Oct. 15 in Unicoi County
Disaster Recovery Center to Open Oct. 15 in Unicoi County
ADisaster Recovery Center will open Tuesday, Oct. 15, in Unicoi County to help Tennessee survivors who had damage or losses from Tropical Storm Helene.
The center is located at:
National Guard Armory/Unicoi Emergency Operations Center 615 South Main Ave. Erwin, TN 37650 Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday to Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. ET Sunday
Additional centers are opening soon. To find one near you, go to fema.gov/drc.
The deadline to apply for FEMA disaster assistance is Monday, Dec. 2. Here are the ways to apply:
Visit DisasterAssistance.gov
Use the FEMA mobile app
Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to midnight ET seven days a week, and specialists speak many languages. If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.
To view an accessible video on how to apply, visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.
FEMA programs are accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.
Help Also Available at Multi-Agency Resource Centers
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, or TEMA, has opened three Multi-Agency Resource Centers, where you can speak with representatives from TEMA; FEMA; the Tennessee Department of Human Services, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and Department of Safety and Homeland Security-Driver Services; the American Red Cross; the U.S. Small Business Administration; Veterans Services and other organizations.
These centers are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday-Friday and noon to 5 p.m. ET Sunday in:
The issue volume was 900 CFAs with a yield of 22% per annum. The issuer of the CFAs was SELF SOFT PRODUCTION LLC, a company specializing in the creation of asset tokenization platforms and acting as the administrator of the investment art marketplace MyInvest.Art.
Sergey Kharinov, Managing Director for Digital Assets at Moscow Exchange:
“The issuance of digital financial assets for art objects is an important stage in the development of financial technologies and the spread of securitization mechanisms into new business segments. In the long term, this will allow investors to be provided with a wide variety of financial products that will expand the possibilities for diversifying their investments.”
Vladimir Shabason, founder of the MyInvest.Art platform:
“This is the first successful tokenization of a contemporary art piece in Russia, and we are proud that our team made this step possible. We are confident that this project opens a new era of investment in contemporary art, making it accessible to a wide range of investors. We plan to offer investors new products that will allow them to earn on the growth in the value of works of art.”
On August 3, 2023, the Moscow Exchange Group received licenses from the Bank of Russia to operate as an information system operator (NPO JSC NSD) and a digital financial asset exchange operator (PJSC Moscow Exchange).
Moscow Exchange is the largest Russian exchange, the only multifunctional platform in Russia for trading shares, bonds, derivatives, currencies, money market instruments and commodities. The Group includes a central depository, as well as a clearing center that performs the functions of a central counterparty in the markets, which allows Moscow Exchange to provide clients with a full cycle of trading and post-trading services.
Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232PR@moex.com
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Central Bank of Russia –
Most of the participants in the discussion conceptually supported the need to stimulate the market of affordable loans for citizens and businesses. They also believe that microfinance organizations (MFOs) should exclude negative practices that lead to indebtedness of citizens.
Public discussions Bank of Russia reporton promising areas of development of the MFI market for 2025–2027 were discussed with representatives of MFIs, self-regulatory organizations, the scientific and expert community, as well as State Duma deputies. The regulator processed more than 100 proposals and questions from market participants.
Following the consultations, the Bank of Russia plans to implement the measures proposed in the report to protect citizens as a matter of priority. This includes the introduction of the “one loan per hand until repayment” rule and the establishment of a cooling-off period, when a new loan can be obtained no earlier than three days after a person has repaid the previous debt to the MFI. In addition, the regulator intends to reduce the maximum overpayment on consumer loans from 130 to 100% of the debt amount.
A comprehensive review of legislation and regulations will take place over three years. The Bank of Russia will take into account the proposals and comments received during public consultations when developing the regulation.
Preview photo: Funtap / Shutterstock / Fotodom
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Central Bank of Russia (2) –
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 January – New Year holidays;
January 7 – Christmas;
February 23 – Defender of the Fatherland Day;
March 8 – International Women’s Day;
May 1 – Spring and Labor Day;
May 9 – Victory Day;
June 12 – Russia Day;
November 4 is National Unity Day.
List of additional days off in 2025:
May 2 – Friday;
May 8 – Thursday;
June 13 – Friday;
November 3 – Monday;
December 31st – Wednesday.
List of additional working days in 2025:
November 1st – Saturday.
Information on the conduct of trades and settlements on the domestic financial market of the Russian Federation during the holidays of 2025 will be announced additionally.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 January – New Year holidays;
January 7 – Christmas;
February 23 – Defender of the Fatherland Day;
March 8 – International Women’s Day;
May 1 – Spring and Labor Day;
May 9 – Victory Day;
June 12 – Russia Day;
November 4 is National Unity Day.
List of additional days off in 2024:
April 29, 30 – Monday, Tuesday;
May 10 – Friday;
December 30, 31 – Monday, Tuesday.
List of additional working days in 2024:
April 27 – Saturday;
November 2 – Saturday;
December 28 – Saturday.
Information on trading and settlements on the domestic financial market of the Russian Federation during the holidays of 2024 will be announced additionally.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 January – New Year holidays;
January 7 – Christmas;
February 23 – Defender of the Fatherland Day;
March 8 – International Women’s Day;
May 1 – Spring and Labor Day;
May 9 – Victory Day;
June 12 – Russia Day;
November 4 is National Unity Day.
List of additional days off in 2023:
February 24 – Friday;
May 8 – Monday;
November 6th – Monday.
Information on trading and settlements on the domestic financial market of the Russian Federation during the holidays of 2023 will be announced additionally.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 January – New Year holidays;
January 7 – Christmas;
February 23 – Defender of the Fatherland Day;
March 8 – International Women’s Day;
May 1 – Spring and Labor Day;
May 2 is a day off;
May 9 – Victory Day;
June 12 – Russia Day;
June 13 is a day off;
November 4 is National Unity Day.
List of additional days off in 2022:
March 7 – Monday;
May 3 – Tuesday;
May 10 – Tuesday.
List of additional working days in 2022:
March 5th – Saturday.
Information on trading and settlements on the domestic financial market of the Russian Federation during the holidays of 2022 will be announced additionally.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 January – New Year holidays;
January 7 – Christmas;
February 23 – Defender of the Fatherland Day;
March 8 – International Women’s Day;
May 1 – Spring and Labor Day;
May 3 is a day off;
May 9 – Victory Day;
May 10 is a day off;
June 12 – Russia Day;
June 14 is a day off;
November 4 is National Unity Day.
List of additional days off in 2021:
February 22 – Monday;
November 5 – Friday;
December 31st – Friday.
List of additional working days in 2021:
February 20 – Saturday.
Information on trading and settlements on the domestic financial market of the Russian Federation during the holidays of 2021 will be announced additionally.
dated 12/14/2020 No. IN-01-19/172
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 January – New Year holidays;
January 7 – Christmas;
February 23 – Defender of the Fatherland Day;
February 24 is a day off;
March 8 – International Women’s Day;
March 9 is a day off;
May 1 – Spring and Labor Day;
May 9 – Victory Day;
May 11 is a day off;
June 12 – Russia Day;
November 4 is National Unity Day.
List of additional days off in 2020:
May 4 – Monday;
May 5th – Tuesday.
dated 12/14/2020 No. IN-01-19/172
dated 12/19/2019 No. IN-01-19/95
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
Application selection parameters
Date of the selection of applications
10/15/2024
Unique identifier of the application selection
22024529
Deposit currency
rubles
Type of funds
funds of the single treasury account
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units
697 200
Placement period, in days
2
Date of deposit
10/15/2024
Refund date
10/17/2024
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)
FIXED
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum
18.14
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds
–
Minimum spread, % per annum
–
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)
Urgent
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units
1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.
5
Application selection form (open or closed)
Open
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications
PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:
from 09:30 to 09:40
Preliminary applications:
from 09:30 to 09:35
Applications in competition mode:
from 09:35 to 09:40
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:
from 09:40 to 09:50
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:
from 09:40 to 10:00
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:
from 10:00 to 11:00
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:
from 10:00 to 11:00
Deposit transfer time
In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n
Application selection parameters
Date of the selection of applications
10/15/2024
Unique identifier of the application selection
22024523
Deposit currency
rubles
Type of funds
funds of the single treasury account
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units
20,000
Placement period, in days
182
Date of deposit
10/15/2024
Refund date
04/15/2025
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)
FLOATING
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum
–
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds
RUONmDS
Minimum spread, % per annum
0.00
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)
Urgent
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units
1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.
5
Application selection form (open or closed)
Open
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications
PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:
from 12:30 to 12:40
Pre-applications:
from 12:30 to 12:35
Applications in competition mode:
from 12:35 to 12:40
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:
from 12:40 to 12:50
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:
from 12:40 to 13:00
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:
from 13:00 to 14:00
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:
from 13:00 to 14:00
Deposit transfer time
In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n
RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where
RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a publication of the RUONIA rate value on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.
DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.
Application selection parameters
Date of the selection of applications
10/15/2024
Unique identifier of the application selection
22024524
Deposit currency
rubles
Type of funds
funds of the single treasury account
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units
50,000
Placement period, in days
35
Date of deposit
10/16/2024
Refund date
11/20/2024
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)
FLOATING
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum
–
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds
RUONmDS
Minimum spread, % per annum
0.00
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)
Urgent
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units
1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.
5
Application selection form (open or closed)
Open
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications
PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:
from 15:30 to 15:40
Preliminary applications:
from 15:30 to 15:35
Applications in competition mode:
from 15:35 to 15:40
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:
from 15:40 to 15:50
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:
from 15:40 to 16:00
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:
from 16:00 to 17:00
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:
from 16:00 to 17:00
Deposit transfer time
In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n
RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where
RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a publication of the RUONIA rate value on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.
DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.
Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232PR@moex.com
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
DENVER, Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ArrowMark Financial Corp., (NASDAQ: BANX) (“ArrowMark Financial”), today announced that BANX’s estimated and unaudited Net Asset Value (“NAV”) as of September 30, 2024, was $21.73.
This estimated NAV is not a comprehensive statement of our financial condition or results for the month ended September 30, 2024.
About ArrowMark Financial Corp. ArrowMark Financial Corp. is an SEC registered non-diversified, closed-end fund listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BANX.” Its investment objective is to provide shareholders with current income. BANX pursues its objective by investing primarily in regulatory capital securities of financial institutions. BANX is managed by ArrowMark Asset Management, LLC. To learn more, visit ir.arrowmarkfinancialcorp.com, or contact Destra at 877.855.3434 or by email at BANX@destracapital.com.
Disclaimer and Risk Factors: There is no assurance that ArrowMark Financial will achieve its investment objective. ArrowMark Financial is subject to numerous risks, including investment and market risks, management risk, income and interest rate risks, banking industry risks, preferred stock risk, convertible securities risk, debt securities risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk, leverage risk, non-diversification risk, credit and counterparty risks, market at a discount from net asset value risk and market disruption risk. Shares of closed-end investment companies may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) their net asset value. Shares of ArrowMark Financial may not be appropriate for all investors. Investors should review and consider carefully ArrowMark Financial’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
The Annual Report, Semi-Annual Report and other regulatory filings of the Company with the SEC are accessible on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and on the BANX’s website at ir.arrowmarkfinancialcorp.com.
The Albanese government has announced a first step in what it says is a crackdown on excessive card surcharges and threatened a ban on surcharges for debit cards from early 2026.
In the latest of its cost-of-living measures, the government will provide $2.1 million for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission “to tackle excessive surcharges”.
The government also says it is prepared to ban debit card surcharges from January 1 2026, subject to further work by the Reserve Bank and “safeguards to ensure both small businesses and consumers can benefit from lower costs”.
The government is not considering a ban on credit card surcharges, although the ACCC scrutiny will cover both debit and credit cards.
The bank is reviewing merchant card payment costs and surcharging. Its first consultation paper will be released on Tuesday.
The government said in a statement: “the declining use of cash and the rise of electronic payments means that more Australians are getting slugged by surcharges, even when they use their own money”.
“The RBA’s review is an important step to reduce the costs small businesses face when processing payments. We want to ease costs for consumers without added costs for small businesses, or unintended consequences for the broader economy,” the statement from the prime minister, treasurer and assistant treasurer said.
Funding for the ACCC “will enable the consumer watchdog to crack down on illegal and unfair surcharging practices and increase education and compliance activities”.
The Reserve Bank required card providers such as Visa and Mastercard to remove their no‐surcharge rules in 2003 allowing retailers to directly pass on the costs of accepting card payments.
With the spread of payments by card, surcharges have become ubiquitous.
In a parliamentary hearing in August the head of the National Australia Bank Andrew Irvine complained about having to pay a 10% surcharge when he bought a cup of coffee in Sydney.
He told an inquiry it was “outrageous”, saying he didn’t like “the lack of transparency and lack of consistency”.
The ACCC regulates surcharges and can require merchants prove a surcharge is justified. It can take merchants to court to enforce the regulations governing surcharges, and has done so. But many charges are still higher than they are supposed to be.
The European Union bans surcharges.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said: “Consumers shouldn’t be punished for using cards or digital payments, and at the same time, small businesses shouldn’t have to pay hefty fees just to get paid themselves”.
The total cost to Australian consumers of surcharges is disputed – the RBA review will look at the likely cost.
Michelle Grattan 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.
When it comes to investing and planning your financial future, are you more willing to trust a person or a computer?
This isn’t a hypothetical question any more.
Big banks and investment firms are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help make financial predictions and give advice to clients.
Morgan Stanley uses AI to mitigate the potential biases of its financial analysts when it comes to stock market predictions. And one of the world’s biggest investment banks, Goldman Sachs, recently announced it was trialling the use of AI to help write computer code, though the bank declined to say which division it was being used in. Other companies are using AI to predict which stocks might go up or down.
But do people actually trust these AI advisers with their money?
Our new research examines this question. We found it really depends on who you are and your prior knowledge of AI and how it works.
Despite the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence, investors prefer human expertise when it comes to stock market predictions, according to a new study.
Trust differences
To examine the question of trust when it comes to using AI for investment, we asked 3,600 people in the United States to imagine they were getting advice about the stock market.
In these imagined scenarios, some people got advice from human experts. Others got advice from AI. And some got advice from humans working together with AI.
In general, people were less likely to follow advice if they knew AI was involved in making it. They seemed to trust the human experts more.
But the distrust of AI wasn’t universal. Some groups of people were more open to AI advice than others.
For example, women were more likely to trust AI advice than men (by 7.5%). People who knew more about AI were more willing to listen to the advice it provided (by 10.1%). And politics mattered – people who supported the Democratic Party were more open to AI advice than others (by 7.3%).
We also found people were more likely to trust simpler AI methods.
When we told our research participants the AI was using something called “ordinary least squares” (a basic mathematics technique in which a straight line is used to estimate the relationship between two variables), they were more likely to trust it than when we said it was using “deep learning” (a more complex AI method).
This might be because people tend to trust things they understand. Much like how a person might trust a simple calculator more than a complex scientific instrument they have never seen before.
Trust in the future of finance
As AI becomes more common in the financial world, companies will need to find ways to improve levels of trust.
This might involve teaching people more about how the AI systems work, being clear about when and how AI is being used, and finding the right balance between human experts and AI.
Furthermore, we need to tailor how AI advice is presented to different groups of people and show how well AI performs over time compared to human experts.
The future of finance might involve a lot more AI, but only if people learn to trust it. It’s a bit like learning to trust self-driving cars. The technology might be great, but if people don’t feel comfortable using it, it won’t catch on.
Our research shows that building this trust isn’t just about making better AI. It’s about understanding how people think and feel about AI. It’s about bridging the gap between what AI can do and what people believe it can do.
As we move forward, we’ll need to keep studying how people react to AI in finance. We’ll need to find ways to make AI not just a powerful tool, but a trusted advisor that people feel comfortable relying on for important financial decisions.
The world of finance is changing fast, and AI is a big part of that change. But in the end, it’s still people who decide where to put their money. Understanding how to build trust between humans and AI will be key to shaping the future of finance.
Gertjan Verdickt 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.
CommBank’s Household Spending Insights Index dipped in September, as consumers refrain from spending extra cash from income tax cuts.
The monthly CommBank Household Spending Insights (HSI) Index declined 0.7 per cent in September to 146.7, despite increased recreation spending around the AFL and NRL Grand Finals.
Six of the twelve spending categories saw a decline in the month, with Hospitality leading the drop (-2.8 per cent), followed by Transport (-2.5 per cent), Household Goods (-2.3 per cent), and Food & Beverage (-0.6 per cent).
Recreation helped offset these declines, rising 1.5 per cent in September, largely driven by an 18 per cent surge in Ticketing Services as eager sports fans snapped up tickets to the AFL and NRL grand finals. Spending on Education and Insurance also rose, each up by 0.7 per cent. Utilities spending, unexpectedly up 1.3 per cent, reflected the impact of rising local council and strata management fees, even as electricity costs declined off the back of government rebates.
There has been a notable decline in spending on Transport, impacted by the falling price of petrol, down approximately 15 per cent in the past 12 months. Transport was the only category to record declines both monthly (-2.5 per cent) and annually (-7.2 per cent).
On an annual basis, there was a significant slowdown in the pace of spending growth in the year to September to just to 2.1 per cent, down from 3.7 per cent in August.
Renters have witnessed the weakest spending in the year to September, down 1.1 per cent for the year, compared to though with a mortgage (+1.2 per cent) and those who own their home outright (+2.3 per cent).
CBA Chief Economist Stephen Halmarick said HSI data suggested income tax cuts had not led to a material rise in consumer spending.
“The spending slowdown in September was expected after an early Father’s Day led to consumers splashing out on household goods and hospitality for Dad. Although we saw a rise in Recreation spending associated with the AFL and NRL Grand Finals, consumer spending overall remains subdued, now growing at just over two per cent for the year.”
“It’s important to note that the only other spending categories to rise in September were all essentials, indicating that increased take-home pay from tax cuts is largely being used to pay down debt and on staples, not spending on discretionary items. This trend is reflected in the year to September, supporting our view that softer economic data, coupled with a further deceleration in inflation will see the RBA cut interest rates in December 2024.”
The CommBank HSI Index tracks month-on-month data at a macro level and is based on de-identified payments data from approximately 7 million CBA customers, comprising roughly 30 per cent of all Australian consumer transactions.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts is holding a public hearing tomorrow for its inquiry into the challenges and opportunities within the Australian live music industry, focussing on insurance in the sector.
Since March 2024 the Committee has been investigating the current state-of-play within the Australian live music environment. The Committee has heard that the impact of escalating business costs in the sector—including, but not solely, increasing impediments and costs in obtaining business and event insurance cover—have posed significant challenges.
Tomorrow’s hearing will take further evidence from submitters and previous witnesses, the Insurance Council of Australia and the Australian Live Music Business Council who have each considered ways to assist the sector with respect to insurance coverage. The Committee will also meet with an Australian insurance broker, H2 Insurance Solutions, which specialises in offering insurance products to the Australian live music sector.
Additionally, the Committee is interested to learn more about the organisation model and activities undertaken by Statewide Mutual. The Mutual body was created in 1993 to help reduce the risk profiles of activities undertaken by member NSW local governments and to obtain best value insurance coverage.
The Chair, Mr Brian Mitchell MP, said ‘there has been a perfect storm of escalating costs and compliance for venues and events; higher chances of negative weather impacts; changing audience behaviour and alternative entertainment options. Additionally, digitisation of music and the streaming of it, whilst offering greater choice, has, through algorithms, narrowed audience music selection. This has affected artists’ secondary income streams and reduced the discoverability of new artists.’
‘The Committee is looking to find some practical ways of assisting the sector in a manner which helps it to be self-sustainable in a new music consumption paradigm.’ Mr Mitchell said.
Details of the public hearing are below, with the full program and terms of reference available on the inquiry webpage.
More information about the Committee, including membership, may be found on the Committee’s website.
Public hearing detail
Date: Friday, 11 October 2024 Time: 9:00 am— ~12 midday Location: Committee Room 1S4, Australian Parliament House, Canberra
PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)
1.
KEY INFORMATION
(a)
Full name of discloser:
Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd. in its capacity as investment advisor and on behalf its affiliates who are also investment advisors (”Dimensional”). Dimensional expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares described in this form 8.3.
(b)
Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.
(c)
Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree
StoneX Group Inc
(d)
If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:
(e)
Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure
11 October 2024
(f)
In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”
Yes CAB Payments Holdings plc
2.
POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.
(a)
Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)
Class of relevant security:
Common (US8618961085)
Interests
Short Positions
Number
%
Number
%
(1)
Relevant securities owned and/or controlled:
1,375,767
4.32 %
(2)
Cash-settled derivatives:
(3)
Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:
Total
1,375,767 *
4.32 %
* Dimensional Fund Advisors LP and/or its affiliates do not have discretion regarding voting decisions in respect of 49,920 shares that are included in the total above.
All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.
Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).
(b)
Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)
Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:
Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:
3.
DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.
The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.
(a)
Purchases and sales
Class of relevant security
Purchase/sale
Number of securities
Price per unit
Common (US8618961085)
Purchase
8
87.8874 USD
Common (US8618961085)
Purchase
2
87.7700 USD
(b)
Cash-settled derivative transactions
Class of relevant security
Product descriptione.g. CFD
Nature of dealinge.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position
Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)
Class of relevant security
Nature of dealinge.g. subscription, conversion
Details
Price per unit (if applicable)
4.
OTHER INFORMATION
(a)
Indemnity and other dealing arrangements
Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
None
(b)
Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives
Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
None
(c)
Attachments
Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached?
NO
Date of disclosure
14 October 2024
Contact name
Thomas Hone
Telephone number
+44 20 3033 3419
Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.
The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
Advanced Integrated 8 x 16 LED Matrix Driver and 16 Capacitive Touch Key Controller
Enabling HMI in Industrial and Automotive Applications
MILPITAS, Calif., Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lumissil Microsystems expanded its automotive and industrial 32-bit MCU portfolio with the introduction of the IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310 family of intelligent programmable LED SoC with touch key controller. The LED driver enables the IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310 to create LED matrix light tailored to system requirements. They feature integrated non-volatile memory to store LED parameters essential for dynamic lighting effects such as color transition, pulsing, fading and animated patterns.
Dynamic lighting effects are created by an 8 x 12 LED matrix driver using 8 PMOS switches and 12 built-in current sinks, operating without an external microcontroller, thus reducing PCB size and cost. To address potential EMI from high-frequency LED operation, these drivers feature spread spectrum frequency modulation, distributing energy across a wide range to help meet EMI compliance standards. LED ghosting or residual light is tackled with a de-ghosting circuit in the IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310. For precise brightness control and uniform illumination, the drivers use 12-bit 80mA PWM-controlled current sinks, allowing each LED to be adjusted across 4096 brightness levels or the entire matrix across 256 levels.
To streamline the process of replacing traditional mechanical buttons, the IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310 are equipped with a touch controller consisting of 16 capacitive touch key sensors. These touch key sensors offer water and dust resistance, ensuring reliable operation in environments prone to moisture or splashes. This makes the IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310 suitable for applications where durability and resistance to environmental factors are critical.
In addition to touch key capabilities, the touch keys can be customized from self-capacitance to mutual capacitance, allowing the touch keys to serve as a touch sense matrix. Specifically, by reconfiguring the touch keys, it allows the keys to function as an 8-channel proximity sensor to detect gestures.
The IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310 include a 32-bit RISC-V processor as a flexible option to x86 and ARM processors. It can be configured for low power or high performance, leveraging a reduced instruction set architecture to efficiently decode and execute instructions, reducing power demand. The processor’s pipeline depth and execution types (integer, floating-point, branch prediction) are configurable. For power constraints, fewer pipeline stages can save power; more stages boost performance. It also features dynamic voltage and frequency scaling to optimize energy use. Being open source, RISC reduces risk and accelerates time to market with access to shared tools and resources.
In addition to the RISC architecture, the IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310 feature 256KB of integrated non-volatile memory to store not only custom LED patterns but also custom firmware for HMI white goods home appliances, automotive dashboard applications, and Industrial control panel use cases. The on-board memory simplifies design and minimizes BOM cost by eliminating the need for external memory and hardware. It also supports more advanced features such as melody generator, OTA (over the air) update capability and debugging port/tool support. “Lumissil is ready to tackle the next challenge integrating LED Drivers and touch sensing microcontrollers, addressing smart homes, appliances, automotive dashboards, industrial automation, and medical equipment with the new IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310 32-bit MCU SoC,” said Ven Shen, Lumissil’s VP of Marketing. “The IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310 will aid the development of advanced applications requiring integrated lighting and HMI sensing.”
Availability and Pricing
The IS31CS9310 and IS32CS9310 are available in mass production quantities. The industrial/commercial IS31CS9310 is offered in an eLQFP-64 package, priced at $1.79 in 1k quantities. The automotive IS32CS9310 is AEC-Q100 qualified and comes in an eLQFP-64 package, priced at $1.99 in 1k quantities.
About Lumissil Microsystems
Lumissil Microsystems specializing in analog/mixed-signal products for automotive, communications, industrial, and consumer markets. Lumissil’s primary products are LED drivers for low to mid-power RGB color mixing and high-power lighting applications. Other products include audio, sensors, high-speed wire communications, optical networking, and application specific microcontrollers. Lumissil Microsystems has worldwide offices in the US, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, mainland China, Europe, Hong Kong, India, and Korea. Website: https://www.lumissil.com
PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)
1.
KEY INFORMATION
(a)
Full name of discloser:
Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd. in its capacity as investment advisor and on behalf its affiliates who are also investment advisors (”Dimensional”). Dimensional expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares described in this form 8.3.
(b)
Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.
(c)
Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree
Anglogold Ashanti Plc
(d)
If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:
(e)
Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure
11 October 2024
(f)
In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”
YES Centamin PLC
2.
POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.
(a)
Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)
Class of relevant security:
USD 1 ordinary (GB00BRXH2664)
Interests
Short Positions
Number
%
Number
%
(1)
Relevant securities owned and/or controlled:
1,425,840
0.34 %
(2)
Cash-settled derivatives:
(3)
Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:
Total
1,425,840 *
0.34 %
* Dimensional Fund Advisors LP and/or its affiliates do not have discretion regarding voting decisions in respect of 1,051 shares that are included in the total above.
All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.
Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).
(b)
Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)
Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:
Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:
3.
DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.
The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.
(a)
Purchases and sales
Class of relevant security
Purchase/sale
Number of securities
Price per unit
USD 1 ordinary (GB00BRXH2664)
Sale
18,478
27.1468 USD
Please note, there were net transfers Out of 32,955
(b)
Cash-settled derivative transactions
Class of relevant security
Product descriptione.g. CFD
Nature of dealinge.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position
Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)
Class of relevant security
Nature of dealinge.g. subscription, conversion
Details
Price per unit (if applicable)
4.
OTHER INFORMATION
(a)
Indemnity and other dealing arrangements
Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
None
(b)
Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives
Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
None
(c)
Attachments
Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached?
NO
Date of disclosure
14 October 2024
Contact name
Thomas Hone
Telephone number
+44 20 3033 3419
Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.
The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
SINGAPORE, Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UXLINK, the world’s largest Web3 social platform and infrastructure provider, has unveiled its strategic roadmap to expand its user base to 1 billion through a series of high-impact initiatives. This ambitious plan includes integrating its Social Growth Layer infrastructure with major communication platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, Line, KakaoTalk, and WeChat, making Web3 socialization more accessible and inclusive.
“Our goal is to create a unified social experience across all major platforms while leveraging the benefits of blockchain technology,” said Sean, Founder at UXLINK. “By bridging the gap between traditional social networks and the decentralized world, UXLINK is poised to become the first choice for Web3 socialization and user engagement.”
Key Milestones in the Roadmap
Phase One: Integrate with core social platforms to establish a seamless Web3 social graph.
Phase Two: Deploy applications on Line and KakaoTalk to achieve high-quality user growth and expand the platform’s footprint in Asia.
Phase Three: Implement modular Web3 socialization upgrades, enabling a one-stop account system and social service ecosystem.
UXLINK’s roadmap is focused on creating a scalable, secure, and user-centric social platform that will support a diverse range of applications and services.
UXLINK is the world’s largest Web3 social platform and infrastructure provider, connecting a wide array of ecosystem partners and users through a seamless and interactive digital experience. By leveraging blockchain technology, UXLINK aims to redefine social networking, ensuring a secure, transparent, and rewarding environment for its global community.
Disclaimer: This content is provided by “UXLINK”. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. 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. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.
