Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Drone light show staged in Chongqing, SW China
Category: KB
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MIL-OSI China: Drone light show staged in Chongqing, SW China
A drone light show is staged in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] A drone light show is staged in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] A drone light show is staged in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] A drone light show is staged in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] A drone light show is staged in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] A drone light show is staged in Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] -
MIL-OSI China: 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay kicks off in Harbin
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay kicks off in Harbin
Torch bearer, Shen Xue greets audience during the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Torch bearer, Liu Jiayu poses during the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Artists perform during the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on Feb. 3, 2025, shows the general view of the launch ceremony of the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua] Torch bearer, Wang Shun holds the torch during the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Torch bearer, Sui Wenjing lights the caldron during the Flame Retrieval Ceremony of the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Artists perform during the Flame Retrieval Ceremony of the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Artists perform during the Flame Retrieval Ceremony of the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Spectators take photos during the launch ceremony of the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Spectators cheer for the torch bearers during the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Artists perform during the launch ceremony of the 2025 Asian Winter Games Torch Relay in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] -
MIL-OSI China: Policy bank lends 20.4 bln yuan to support China’s dual-use public infrastructure in 2024
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Policy bank lends 20.4 bln yuan to support China’s dual-use public infrastructure in 2024
BEIJING, Feb. 3 — China Development Bank issued loans of 20.4 billion yuan (about 2.85 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024 to support 136 “dual-use public infrastructure” projects in cities including Beijing, Shenzhen and Fuzhou, said the policy bank.
Dual-use public infrastructure refers to public facilities such as stadiums, convention centers and parking facilities that can be easily converted for emergency use.
In recent years, China has proposed strengthening the construction of affordable housing, renewing urban villages, and developing dual-use public infrastructure.
Guan Hongyan, general manager of the bank’s transportation department, said the bank will increase medium- and long-term financing support for relevant projects.
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MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Public urged to get flu jabs early
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The community should heighten its vigilance and enhance protection measures against influenza, including receiving the seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV), and those who plan to travel should stay alert to the situation of infectious diseases at their destination.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) made the plea today as the seasonal influenza activity in Hong Kong and many other countries and regions in the northern hemisphere remains at a high level.
Noting that Hong Kong entered the influenza season in early January, the CHP said it recorded 199 adult cases of intensive care unit admissions or deaths due to influenza in the first four weeks, as compared with 127 cases in the same period in the previous influenza season.
Among them, there were 122 deaths and over 70% of these severe or death cases did not receive the SIV. For the deaths, nearly 90% involved people aged 65 or above, and nine cases of severe paediatric influenza-associated complications were recorded for children with seven of them unvaccinated.
CHP Controller Edwin Tsui said that with the influenza activity in many parts of the northern hemisphere including the Mainland, Japan, Korea as well as Europe and North America staying at a high level, those planning to travel should monitor the flu situation at their destination before departure and take personal protective measures.
These measures include receiving the SIV as soon as possible and wearing a surgical mask while in crowded places. Whether in Hong Kong or abroad, people who develop respiratory symptoms, even mild ones, should wear surgical masks and seek medical advice, he added.
With reference to previous surveillance data, virus activity will continue to increase for a period of time after the start of the flu season before peaking. Currently, available data indicates that the influenza activity level is still on the rise.
In view of the high levels of flu activity locally and in the northern hemisphere in the coming weeks, Dr Tsui urged people aged six months and above, particularly seniors and children with higher risk of getting infected and developing complications, to act immediately to minimise the risk of serious complications and death after infection.
As of yesterday, about 1,932,000 vaccine doses were administered under the various vaccination programmes, about a 6.4% increase over the same period last year and an all time high, surpassing the 1,873,000 doses administered in 2023-24.
The number of schools participating in the SIV School Outreach has also increased significantly this year. However, the SIV coverage rate for children aged six months to under two years remained relatively low.
The Government has opened the Department of Health’s Maternal & Child Health Centres for children of that age range to receive the jab. Parents can book an appointment for them online.
Visit the CHP’s seasonal influenza and COVID-19 & Flu Express webpages for the relevant information.
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MIL-OSI USA: Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Call With the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence John Healey
Source: United States Department of Defense
Pentagon Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:
On January 31, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a call with his United Kingdom counterpart, Secretary of State for Defence John Healey. The two Secretaries committed to continuing the especially close coordination between the United Kingdom and the United States on defense issues, including our Warfighters deployed shoulder to shoulder to secure our shared interests. The two leaders discussed the need to increase Allied defense investment and industrial base capacity to strengthen NATO, as well as the situation in Ukraine and other pressing security issues.
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MIL-OSI: Dominion Lending Centres Inc. Enters into Platform Licensing Agreement with Pinch Financial
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dominion Lending Centres Inc. (TSX: DLCG) (“DLC” or the “Corporation”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a platform licensing agreement (the “License Agreement”) with Pinch Financial Incorporated (“Pinch”).
Pinch owns and operates a technology platform that leverages AI to verify information and qualify potential borrowers for mortgages entirely online (referred to herein as the “Pinch Platform”). Real estate listing portals in Canada, most notably REALTOR.ca, leverage the Pinch Platform, which allows borrowers who are applying for a mortgage to select between a specific bank or lender or apply with the assistance of a licensed mortgage broker. DLC is now included in the Pinch Platform and will be available for consumers through REALTOR.ca.
Gary Mauris, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The DLC mortgage broker network is delighted to be integrated into the Pinch Platform, and we are excited to work with homebuyers using REALTOR.ca.”
About Dominion Lending Centres Inc.
Dominion Lending Centres Inc. is Canada’s leading network of mortgage professionals. DLCG operates through Dominion Lending Centres Inc. and its three main subsidiaries, MCC Mortgage Centre Canada Inc., MA Mortgage Architects Inc. and Newton Connectivity Systems Inc., and has operations across Canada. DLCG’s extensive network includes over 8,500 agents and over 500 locations. Headquartered in British Columbia, DLCG was founded in 2006 by Gary Mauris and Chris Kayat.
DLCG can be found on X (Twitter), Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn @DLCGmortgage and on the web at www.dlcg.ca.
Contact information for the Corporation is as follows:
Eddy Cocciollo
President
647-403-7320
eddy@dlc.caJames Bell
EVP, Corporate and Chief Legal Officer
403-560-0821
jbell@dlcg.ca -
MIL-OSI: Verde Resources to Present at the Small Cap Growth Virtual Investor Conference February 6th
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Verde Resources Inc. (OTCQB: VRDR), a leader in sustainable, next-generation infrastructure materials, today announced that Jack Wong, CEO and Eric Bava, COO, will present live at the Small Cap Growth Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on February 6th, 2025
DATE: February 6th
TIME: 2:30 – 3:00 pm ET
LINK: https://bit.ly/40GBUPa
Available for 1×1 meetings: February 6thThis will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.
“We are excited to bring our story to an audience of engaged, self-directed investors and discuss the progress Verde has made in 2024 and the exciting year ahead of us,” said Jack Wong, Verde’s CEO.
“Over the past year, we have forged strategic industry partnerships and integrated groundbreaking low-carbon building materials into the Verde portfolio. Our Blueprint lowers costs, enhances durability, and reduces emissions compared to conventional methods, all while enabling large-scale carbon sequestration and repurposing millions of tons of waste. This pragmatic approach drives economic value, modernizes infrastructure, and promotes environmental sustainability. At Verde, we believe that the road to Net Zero is paved with innovation, strategic partnerships and common-sense economics.”
It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.
Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.
About Verde Resources Inc.
Verde Resources Inc. (OTCQB: VRDR) is leading the development of the world’s first Net Zero road construction blueprint, validated at the highest standards. Through the integration of innovative technologies and sustainable practices, Verde offers a scalable and licensable solution for the infrastructure industry across the U.S. and globally.
About Virtual Investor Conferences®
Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.
Media and Investors
Crocker Coulson, AUM Media
Crocker.coulson@aummedia.org
(646) 652-7185Virtual Investor Conferences
John M. Viglotti
SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
OTC Markets Group
(212) 220-2221
johnv@otcmarkets.com -
MIL-OSI: ACNB Corporation Announces Completion of Traditions Bancorp, Inc. Acquisition
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
GETTYSBURG, Pa., Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ACNB Corporation (NASDAQ: ACNB), the parent financial holding company of ACNB Bank, a Pennsylvania state-chartered, FDIC-insured community bank, headquartered in Gettysburg, PA, announced the completion of the acquisition of Traditions Bancorp, Inc. (“Traditions”) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Traditions Bank, headquartered in York, PA, effective February 1, 2025. Traditions was merged with and into a wholly-owned subsidiary of ACNB Corporation immediately followed by the merger of Traditions Bank with and into ACNB Bank. ACNB Bank will operate the former Traditions Bank branches as “Traditions Bank, A Division of ACNB Bank”. In connection with the close of the acquisition, Traditions stockholders received 0.7300 shares of ACNB Corporation common stock for each share of Traditions common stock that they owned as of the closing date, with cash paid in lieu of fractional shares.
In addition, at the close of the acquisition, three former Traditions directors, Eugene J. Draganosky, Elizabeth F. Carson, and John M. Polli, joined the Boards of Directors of ACNB Corporation and ACNB Bank. Mr. Draganosky has nearly 40 years of banking experience, and is the former CEO and Chair of the Board of Traditions and Traditions Bank, having held those roles since 2017 and 2023, respectively. Ms. Carson, Lead Independent Director of Traditions, joined the Traditions Bank Board in 2015, after over 30 years of banking experience in a variety of leadership roles with community and regional banks. Mr. Polli was a member of the Traditions Bank board of directors since its founding in 2002, and has nearly 40 years of diverse business expertise, from serving as a public accountant to owning, managing, and advising businesses in the transportation, real estate, and insurance industries.
With the combination of the two organizations, and based on financial information for each organization as of December 31, 2024, ACNB Corporation will have approximately $3.26 billion in assets, $2.04 billion in deposits, and $2.36 billion in loans, and will serve its customers throughout 35 community banking offices in south central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland.
“We are pleased to announce the completion of our strategic acquisition of Traditions Bancorp, and excited to unite our teams of dedicated local bankers who are committed to their customers and communities,” stated ACNB Corporation President & Chief Executive Officer James P. Helt. “This combination brings together organizations that are unified by a shared vision, values, and a customer-centric approach to banking, to create an even stronger community bank. Importantly, our customers will benefit from expanded products and services delivered by the familiar faces they have come to know and trust. This merger positions us well to continue to grow in the attractive York and Lancaster County markets, and enhances ACNB Bank’s mortgage operations, which will now serve customers throughout our footprint as ‘Traditions Mortgage, A Division of ACNB Bank.’ Together, we look forward to continuing to deliver on our vision of being the financial services provider of choice in the communities we serve.”
Alan J. Stock, Chair of the Board of ACNB, stated “We welcome Mr. Draganosky, Ms. Carson, and Mr. Polli to the ACNB Boards of Directors, and are confident that their expertise, skills, and strong connections to the York and Lancaster market areas will enhance and complement ACNB’s current Boards of Directors. We are committed to enhancing value for our shareholders and are poised to deliver on that commitment with an experienced and knowledgeable board, a seasoned management group, and a team of bankers and professionals dedicated to a successful integration and customer experience.”
Bybel Rutledge LLP served as legal counsel and Piper Sandler served as financial advisor to ACNB Corporation for the transaction. Pillar + Aught served as legal counsel and Stephens Inc. served as financial advisor to Traditions Bancorp, Inc.
About ACNB Corporation
ACNB Corporation, headquartered in Gettysburg, PA, is the $3.26 billion financial holding company for the wholly-owned subsidiaries of ACNB Bank, Gettysburg, PA, and ACNB Insurance Services, Inc., Westminster, MD. Originally founded in 1857, ACNB Bank serves its marketplace with banking and wealth management services, including trust and retail brokerage, via a network of 35 community banking offices and two loan offices located in the Pennsylvania counties of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster and York and the Maryland counties of Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick. ACNB Insurance Services, Inc. is a full-service insurance agency with licenses in 46 states. The agency offers a broad range of property, casualty, health, life and disability insurance serving personal and commercial clients through office locations in Westminster and Jarrettsville, MD, and Gettysburg, PA. For more information regarding ACNB Corporation and its subsidiaries, please visit investor.acnb.com.FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS – In addition to historical information, this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, (a) projections or statements regarding future earnings, expenses, net interest income, other income, earnings or loss per share, asset mix and quality, growth prospects, capital structure, and other financial terms, (b) statements of plans and objectives of Management or the Board of Directors, and (c) statements of assumptions, such as economic conditions in the Corporation’s market areas. Such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes”, “expects”, “may”, “intends”, “will”, “should”, “anticipates”, or the negative of any of the foregoing or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, or by discussion of strategy. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties such as national, regional and local economic conditions, competitive factors, and regulatory limitations. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results and experience to differ from those projected include, but are not limited to, the following: short-term and long-term effects of inflation and rising costs on the Corporation, customers and economy; banking instability caused by bank failures and financial uncertainty of various banks which may adversely impact the Corporation and its securities and loan values, deposit stability, capital adequacy, financial condition, operations, liquidity, and results of operations; effects of governmental and fiscal policies, as well as legislative and regulatory changes; effects of new laws and regulations (including laws and regulations concerning taxes, banking, securities and insurance) and their application with which the Corporation and its subsidiaries must comply; impacts of the capital and liquidity requirements of the Basel III standards; effects of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies, as well as the Financial Accounting Standards Board and other accounting standard setters; ineffectiveness of the business strategy due to changes in current or future market conditions; future actions or inactions of the United States government, including the effects of short-term and long-term federal budget and tax negotiations and a failure to increase the government debt limit or a prolonged shutdown of the federal government; effects of economic conditions particularly with regard to the negative impact of any pandemic, epidemic or health-related crisis and the responses thereto on the operations of the Corporation and current customers, specifically the effect of the economy on loan customers’ ability to repay loans; effects of competition, and of changes in laws and regulations on competition, including industry consolidation and development of competing financial products and services; inflation, securities market and monetary fluctuations; risks of changes in interest rates on the level and composition of deposits, loan demand, and the values of loan collateral, securities, and interest rate protection agreements, as well as interest rate risks; difficulties in acquisitions and integrating and operating acquired business operations, including information technology difficulties; challenges in establishing and maintaining operations in new markets; effects of technology changes; effects of general economic conditions and more specifically in the Corporation’s market areas; failure of assumptions underlying the establishment of reserves for credit losses and estimations of values of collateral and various financial assets and liabilities; acts of war or terrorism or geopolitical instability; disruption of credit and equity markets; ability to manage current levels of impaired assets; loss of certain key officers; ability to maintain the value and image of the Corporation’s brand and protect the Corporation’s intellectual property rights; continued relationships with major customers; and, potential impacts to the Corporation from continually evolving cybersecurity and other technological risks and attacks, including additional costs, reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and financial losses; and, the other factors detailed in ACNB’s publicly-filed documents, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024, and its other filings with the SEC. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements only speak as of the date hereof, and ACNB does assume any obligation to revise, update or clarify forward-looking statements to reflect events or conditions after the date of this press release.
ACNB #2025-5
February 3, 2025Contact: Kevin Hayes
SVP/ General Counsel,
Secretary, and Chief
Governance Officer
717.339.5161
khayes@acnb.com -
MIL-OSI: NEWTON GOLF Announces $1 Million Share Repurchase Authorization
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
CAMARILLO, CA, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NEWTON GOLF Company (Nasdaq: SPGC) (“NEWTON GOLF” or the “Company”), a technology-forward golf company with a growing portfolio of golf products, including putters, golf shafts, golf grips, and other golf-related accessories, announces that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase authorization of up to $1 million of its common stock, effective January 31, 2025 and expiring January 31, 2026. The Company may repurchase the shares in open market transactions, privately negotiated transactions, or a combination thereof. Share repurchases are subject to the Company’s discretion based on market conditions, business considerations, legal requirements, and other factors. There is no guarantee as to the number of shares that will be repurchased, and the repurchase program may be extended, suspended, or discontinued without prior notice at the Company’s discretion.
“Our share repurchase authorization reflects the confidence we have in our business, our outlook for continued growth, and a path to breakeven. Growing adoption of our Newton Motion replacement shafts is a significant factor that provides us the flexibility and discretion to repurchase our common stock,” commented NEWTON GOLF Executive Chairman Greg Campbell.
About NEWTON GOLF: A Sacks Parente Company
NEWTON GOLF: A Sacks Parente Company, is a technology-forward golf company that help golfers elevate their game. With a growing portfolio of golf products, including putters, golf shafts, golf grips, and other golf-related accessories, the Company’s innovative accomplishments include: the First Vernier Acuity putter, patented Ultra-Low Balance Point (ULBP) putter technology, weight-forward Center-of-Gravity (CG) design, and pioneering ultra-light carbon fiber putter shafts.
In consideration of its growth opportunities in golf shaft technologies, the Company expanded its manufacturing business in April of 2022 to develop the advanced Newton brand of premium golf shafts by opening a new shaft manufacturing facility in St. Joseph, MO. It is the Company’s intent to manufacture and assemble substantially all products in the United States, while also expanding into golf apparel and other golf-related product lines to enhance its growth.
The Company’s future expansions may include broadening its offerings through mergers, acquisitions or internal developments of product lines that are complementary to its premium brand. The Company currently sells its products through resellers, the Company’s websites, Club Champion retail stores, and distributors in the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.newtongolfco.com or on social media at @newtongolfco.com, @newtonshafts, or @gravityputters.
Investor Contact for NEWTON GOLF
CORE IR
516-222-2560
investors@sacksparente.com -
MIL-OSI Global: While plastic dominates human consumption, the global economy will remain hooked on fossil fuels
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam Hanieh, Professor of Political Economy and Global Development, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter
Plastic waste in the Maldives. MOHAMED ABDULRAHEEM/Shutterstock In early December 2024, hopes for a landmark global treaty to curb plastic pollution were dashed as negotiations in South Korea stalled. Leading the campaign against the deal were major oil-producing nations, especially Saudi Arabia and Russia, who argued for a more flexible approach to any legally binding limits on plastic manufacturing.
The collapse of any agreement came despite scientific research delivering ever more alarming warnings about the dangers of plastic pollution. Over the last two years, an avalanche of studies have revealed the pervasive presence of tiny plastic particles in human blood, brains, and even placental tissue.
These particles, which stem from the breakdown of larger plastic waste, have been linked to everything from inflammation to hormonal disruption, and potential long-term health risks such as cancer. Aside from their effects on human health, plastics are wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems, with microplastics now found in Arctic ice and in the bodies of fish and birds.
Behind these alarming studies stands a seemingly unstoppable juggernaut of plastic production. The annual global production of plastics reportedly grew nearly two hundredfold between 1950 (two million tonnes) and 2015 (381 million tonnes), and the pace of growth is accelerating.
Over half of all plastics ever made were produced in the past 25 years, and production levels are estimated to double or triple again by 2050. And more production brings more waste.
Less than 10% of all plastics ever produced have been recycled. And the volume of “mismanaged plastics” – those which are not recycled, incinerated, or sealed in landfills – is also estimated to double by 2050.
It seems as if humans have become the organic detritus within a plastic world of our own creation.
Plastic elephants
But despite growing awareness around the problems associated with plastic, there is a fundamental flaw in how we tend to think about it as a product.
For there is a tendency to frame plastic as a problem of pollution and recycling, rather than as an integral part of our fossil fuel-driven world. This narrative is also promoted by major oil companies, such as the American giant, ExxonMobil, which stated in the lead up to the South Korean summit: “The issue is pollution. The issue is not plastic.”
The problem with this perspective is that it obscures the fact that plastics are petrochemical products: substances which are ultimately derived from oil and gas.
Indeed, the future of fossil fuels is increasingly tied to the future of plastics. It has been estimated that by 2040, plastics will account for as much as 95% of net growth in oil demand.
This is perhaps why 220 fossil fuel lobbyists attended those recent treaty discussions, outnumbering all other delegations. It could also explain why Saudi Arabia, home to one of the world’s largest petrochemical companies, led the opposition to any global limits on plastic production.
At the core of capitalism
The problem we confront is not simply the presence of an oil lobby, it is the systemic role that plastics play within capitalism.
Plastics, and the wider petrochemical industry, played a crucial part in the transformation of global capitalism from the mid-20th century onwards.
As I explore in my book, Crude Capitalism, the things we used to need to build and make things previously relied on sourcing naturally occurring, labour-intensive goods like timber, cotton or metals. But the invention of plastics and other synthetic materials separated commodity production from nature.
More plastic in the pipeline.
Kodda/ShutterstockOil became more than a fuel – it was the substance that came to dominate our lives. A petrochemical shift to the rise of an oil-dominated world. With capitalism untethered from natural cycles, there was a radical reduction in the time taken to produce commodities and an end to any limits on the quantity and diversity of goods produced.
Along with this, consumption habits became centred around notions of disposability and obsolescence. Plastics made the essential features of contemporary capitalism possible: a drive to limitless growth, continual acceleration of production and consumption, and the frenzied expansion of markets.
The emergence of fast fashion is just one example. Alongside poorly paid garment workers in countries such as Bangladesh, really cheap clothing was only made possible through the massive expansion of polyester production (a kind of plastic), which freed the industry from its dependence on supplies of wool and cotton.
The consumption of plastics looms large in today’s ecological crisis. And having become so accustomed to thinking about oil and gas as primarily an issue of energy and fuel choice, perhaps we have lost sight of how much of our lives depend upon the products of petroleum.
These synthetic materials drove a post-war revolution in productivity, bringing labour-saving technology and mass consumption. It is now almost impossible to identify an area of life that has not been radically transformed by the presence of plastics and other petrochemicals.
Plastic products have become normalised as natural parts of our daily existence. And it is this paradox which must be fully confronted if we are to move beyond fossil fuels.
Adam Hanieh’s research into petrochemicals has been supported by a Political Economy Fellowship from the Independent Social Research Foundation (ISRF).
– ref. While plastic dominates human consumption, the global economy will remain hooked on fossil fuels – https://theconversation.com/while-plastic-dominates-human-consumption-the-global-economy-will-remain-hooked-on-fossil-fuels-247393
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MIL-OSI Global: Presidential smiles: the untold story of teeth in the White House
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rae Gillibrand, Lecturer, Premodern History, University of Leeds
When Donald Trump joined Elon Musk for a live interview on X (formerly Twitter) late last year, the conversation covered a range of significant topics: his near-assassination, Biden’s withdrawal from the race, and the future of the presidency. However, for many viewers, an unexpected detail stole the spotlight: Trump’s slurred speech and lisp.
Was Trump wearing dentures? The public certainly seemed to think so. Throughout the interview, the word “dentures” was mentioned over 15,000 times on X and the interview sparked the resurgence of the hashtag #DenturedDonald.
Why does this matter? Trump is, after all, 78 years old, and a 2017 survey showed that nearly one in four Americans aged 75 and older have no teeth left at all. However, presidential dental health has long had an impact on public perception and leadership itself. From George Washington’s infamous dentures to Teddy Roosevelt’s toothy grin, a president’s teeth (or lack thereof) have often shaped the way they are seen by the American public.
Since the appointment of George Washington as the first US president, it has been tradition for each new president to commission a portrait of themselves during their time in office. However, it was not until Ronald Reagan’s portrait, completed in 1991, that we saw a president depicted with a smile.
This is partly to do with practicality – many early portraits were painted from life, and sitting with a smile for hours was almost impossible – and partly to do with etiquette. In the 18th century, a wide smile was considered a sign of lewdness and drunkenness and associated largely with the lower classes.
Indeed, a 1703 text on “decorum and civility” said that some people part their lips so that “their teeth are almost entirely visible. This is entirely contradictory to decorum, which forbids you to allow your teeth to be uncovered, since nature gave us lips to conceal them.”
It is often suggested that historical portraits avoided smiles because of poor dental hygiene, but in reality, social conventions played a much larger role. For earlier presidents, maintaining an image of sobriety, morality and respectability was important, and a serious expression was seen as a reflection of these values.
This all changed with Teddy Roosevelt. When Roosevelt became the 25th US president in 1901, photography was becoming much more accessible. Technological advancements and the introduction of handheld cameras meant that photography could be practised by a much broader range of people.
Because of this, Roosevelt was often candidly photographed while laughing or smiling, leading to his reputation as “the first president who smiled”.
He even capitalised on his grin in his 1904 campaign by releasing the Teddy’s Teeth Whistle. Retailing at five cents (US$1.77 or £1.44 in today’s money), supporters were encouraged to buy a set and “blow the horn for Teddy”.
Roosevelt’s embrace of his smile and the promotion of his teeth marked a shift in how a president’s image could be used to influence public perception, showing that good dental health could be a powerful political tool.
Worse than wood
Not all presidents were as diligent as Roosevelt when it came to dental hygiene. George Washington, for example, was infamous for his poor dental health.
His letters, diaries and financial accounts reveal a long history of dental troubles, ultimately leading to his use of dentures. However, contrary to popular belief, Washington’s dentures were not made of wood. Instead, they were made from materials including ivory, animal teeth and human teeth.
One of Washington’s account books reveals that he bought nine teeth from enslaved people on his Mount Vernon plantation. This detail adds a sinister layer to the history of Washington’s dental care because, while these people were paid for their teeth, their enslaved status probably left them with little choice in the matter.
Washington’s poor dental hygiene also extended to his care of his dentures. They became notoriously stained, largely due to his fondness for rich red wine. One letter from his dentist chastised him for the condition of his dentures, stating: “The set [of dentures] you sent me from Philadelphia … was very black, occasioned either by your soaking them in port wine, or by your drinking it. I advise you to either take them out after dinner and put them in clean water … or clean them with a brush.”
These insights into Washington’s dental struggles underscore the lasting effect of oral health on the presidential image.
Presidential dental health has played, and continues to play, an important role in shaping public perception, with teeth often serving as symbols of both personal care and political power. Whether influencing how a president is seen or reflecting broader social attitudes, the state of a leader’s teeth has clearly left its mark on the history of the office.
Rae Gillibrand 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.
– ref. Presidential smiles: the untold story of teeth in the White House – https://theconversation.com/presidential-smiles-the-untold-story-of-teeth-in-the-white-house-248391
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MIL-OSI Global: Why drying clothes indoors could put your health at risk
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca A. Drummond, Associate Professor, Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham
Hanging the washing out to dry in the garden has been a rare sight these last few months, with winter storms bringing freezing temperatures and 100mph gusts of wind. But does the way we dry our clothes indoors actually matter?
Drying wet clothing on racks in poorly ventilated spaces could increase the amount of mould growing in your home, which is associated with poor health and, in some cases, even death.
When mould grows in your home, it can form black or green coloured patches on the walls, and usually creates an unpleasant musty smell. It shouldn’t be ignored, because being exposed to mould over long periods of time can have serious health implications.
Mould is a broad term for a group of fungi that produce tiny particles called spores. Fungi produce spores when conditions are right for their growth, which can include cooler temperatures and high humidity. This is why you’re more likely to find mould growing on bathroom ceilings or damp walls, where there is more water for fungal spores to settle and grow.
There are many different species of mould. The most common ones to cause problems in damp homes are penicillium and aspergillus. It’s estimated that we breathe in small numbers of spores from these fungi on a daily basis.
Luckily, our immune system is very good at spotting and killing fungal spores, which limits the number of fungal lung infections in humans even though we’re constantly exposed. Immune cells called macrophages sit inside the air spaces of the lungs (called alveoli), and these cells eat anything you inhale that could be considered harmful, including fungal spores.
Risks for compromised immune systems
However, there are many people whose immune systems are not able to remove fungal spores, and in these cases the fungi can cause dangerous infections or make underlying health conditions (such as asthma) much worse.
People who have damaged or compromised immune systems are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell from fungal infections. Moulds like aspergillus cause infections in patients with limited immune function, or who have lung damage from diseases like asthma, cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with heavy smoking.
In people with asthma, the immune system overreacts to triggers (including fungal spores) causing inflammation in the lung. This inflammation makes it more difficult to breathe by reducing the size of the airways. The same type of immune response is responsible for the symptoms of asthma and allergic responses, and fungal spores can also trigger these same types of immune responses. This means that fungal spores can be a particularly powerful trigger for some people.
In very extreme cases, the fungal spores don’t just cause inflammation but can invade the airways and block them leading to bleeding within the lung. This happens when spores germinate and form long spiderweb-like projections called mycelium which create sticky lumps that block airways and damage the delicate tissues of the lung.
Growing resistance
Aspergillus infections are treated with antifungal drugs called azoles, which prevent the fungal cells from forming properly. Azoles are very effective, but there are increasing rates of resistance to azoles reported in aspergillus which is a significant cause for concern.
We have a limited range of antifungal drugs available to treat mould infections – and when resistance develops this can severely reduce the options a patient has for treatment.
Resistance to drugs such as azoles can develop in patients who take these drugs for long periods of time, but recent research has indicated that resistance is more commonly developing in the environment, where most fungi are found. This means that even before a patient is diagnosed with an aspergillus infection, it may already be too late for the antifungal drugs to be effective.
Development of drug resistance in environmental fungi has been linked to use of azoles and other antifungal drugs in farming. Fungal infections are a big problem for crops, and plants need protection from these infections the same way we do. Unfortunately, the same drugs we use in the clinic are the same types that are being used in agriculture.
Climate change may also be driving drug resistance in environmental fungi. Exposure to high temperatures was recently found to help moulds develop resistance to commonly prescribed antifungal drugs. There have also been reports of patients becoming ill from species of mould that were not thought to cause human disease, in part because they could not grow at the human body temperature.
More mould species could therefore be picking up the ability to cause infections, as well as becoming drug resistant. Research programs and healthcare initiatives that monitor for these changes are vital to help us become prepared for potential increases in mould infections.
While a healthy immune system means that typical exposure to fungal spores is not likely to cause you any health problems, being exposed to very large amounts of fungal spores can prove to be fatal even for people who don’t have underlying health issues.
In 2020, toddler Awaab Ishak died as a direct result of high exposure to fungal spores, caused by excessive damp and mould in his home.
His death led to a change in UK law (Awaab’s Law) which requires landlords to respond promptly to damp in homes they manage, to ensure that tenants are not exposed to excessive levels of fungal spores which can affect their physical and mental health.
It’s important, then, to help keep your home free of mould. The best way to do this is ensure you have good ventilation and take other measures to reduce damp, such as using a dehumidifier or investing in a heated clothes rack to dry your clothes indoors in the winter.
Rebecca A. Drummond receives funding from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the Lister Institute.
– ref. Why drying clothes indoors could put your health at risk – https://theconversation.com/why-drying-clothes-indoors-could-put-your-health-at-risk-248467
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MIL-OSI Global: How to argue without falling out – an expert guide
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jessica Robles, Lecturer in Social Psychology, Loughborough University
To disagree is an inescapable part of being human. We simply are not all the same. But whereas a small disagreement may remain amiable, particularly over text or online where we can edit our responses, a face-to-face row over a sensitive topic can develop into a more antagonistic form of argument.
You may have experienced this over the recent festive season, when many of us spend more time in close contact with our relatives than usual. This can sometimes bring simmering tensions to the surface.
An argument can start over a lot of things, from politics to each other’s behaviour – something anyone who spends much time on social media will be familiar with. But the stronger the view, the more intense and complex an argument can become.
So, what can you do to avoid a minor argument becoming a major row – whether online or face-to-face? As an expert in social interactions, I think paying attention to what someone says – and how they say it – is crucial, along with learning how to avoid responding in ways that might blow up in your face.
Remember, disagreements are a normal part of life and relationships. But here are three key tips for how to avoid them escalating into something more serious.
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1. Manage escalation
If you disagree with someone, stay in the conversation in a productive way by avoiding using direct insults. Also, take care to avoid actions that may put the other person on the back foot, such as accusing, complaining or mocking them.
We tend to put a lot of emphasis on the content of an argument, and also on our assumptions about what the other person “really thinks”. What is the argument about? Is it just a misunderstanding – or is it a matter of personality, where one party is biased or has some ulterior motive?
The rise of social media has created an age of endless conflict.
pathdoc / ShutterstockWe care very much whether the person actually believes what they are saying. Research suggests we often resent people playing “devil’s advocate” outside of certain settings.
But you cannot truly know someone’s intentions, so it’s a good idea to avoid thinking the worst about the person you are arguing with. Otherwise, you might unfairly talk to them as if they’re being manipulative, unfair, damaging or thoughtless.
2. Be open-minded
Sometimes, what someone has said may sound (and feel) pretty awful. When this happens, keep two things in mind.
First, nothing we say has just one meaning. There are often multiple interpretations, and you cannot always trust the first one that leaps to mind when you’re in the heat of the moment.
During an argument, it’s worth slowing down and thinking through all possible interpretations. Consider asking for a moment to think, or getting a cup of tea to distract both of you from an escalation.
Second, if what the person is saying still sounds negative no matter how charitable you try to be, ask them to explain more. This may not be easy to do, but people will often reveal what they meant if they have to elaborate. And helping them feel as if they are being carefully listened to might defuse a possible escalation.
3. Stay on track
There is another side to this coin: choosing carefully what you say, and keeping in mind how you will come across. Anyone can get caught up in an argument and say something they regret, including you.
Something to balance carefully is “going meta” – pausing to talk about the argument you’re having and the way you’re having it. This can be productive if, for instance, you ask to keep the conversation focused on something specific. However, it can easily come across as an implicit criticism of the other person.
If you do choose to discuss the quarrel you’re having, you may have to include an apology or speak in a quieter tone to keep the other person from thinking you are going to accuse them of arguing “wrongly” in some way. It’s challenging, so don’t feel bad if you don’t get it right the first time you try this technique.
Anyone can get caught up in an argument, including you.
fizkes / ShutterstockDo we have the same values?
People don’t just argue for the sake of arguing. One of the main reasons for engaging in an argument is to position ourselves in relation to other people. Are we on the same side, and do we have the same values?
Arguments are also tied to identity. The most contentious arguments generate strong feelings. We’re aware that we might be judged for our opinions, and others will assume that we might judge them in return.
Mutual judgment can easily escalate not just during a disagreement but in the relationship as a whole, causing a temporary falling-out or even loss of friendship. People who want to avoid this often assume the answer is to simply put their feelings aside and “focus on facts”.
But denying an emotional response might feel like denying one’s commitment to a valued cause. Recognising that someone feels this way is an important step to knowing what you might be able to change their mind about – and what is best left alone, at least for now.
Jessica Robles 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.
– ref. How to argue without falling out – an expert guide – https://theconversation.com/how-to-argue-without-falling-out-an-expert-guide-236812
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MIL-OSI Global: The Sims: from Hot Date to Get Famous, why expansion packs have been key to the game’s longevity
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Aditya Deshbandhu, Lecturer of Communications, Digital Media Sociology, University of Exeter
SimCity 3000, the predecessor to The Sims, played a pivotal part in my childhood, growing up in Hyderabad, India. Its recreation of the western, urban world helped me understand how cities were planned, designed and financed – and how they provided people with key services like transportation, health and education while preparing for accidents and other hazards.
As an eight-year-old trying to figure out my place in the world, that game offered me a way to make meaning of the chaos that can be life. So, when The Sims launched in 2000 – enabling me to live inside a virtual city, rather than simply build one – I had to get my hands on a copy.
Twenty-five years later, I write this piece in a drastically different gaming landscape, where games offer high visual fidelity and ever-increasing frame rates for ultra-smooth game play. But despite all these technological innovations and the pursuit of photo-realism, the popularity of The Sims’ game designer Will Wright’s satire on American consumer culture endures.
Sul Sul! This article is part of a mini series from The Conversation marking 25 years of The Sims franchise.
The franchise’s four Sims games had sold over 200 million copies before the latest instalment, The Sims 4, became free to play in 2022. Players now spend their money on extras within the game. Over 85 million people played The Sims worldwide in 2024.
At a time when the success of a modern video game is measured in metrics like “cumulative engagement time” (number of players playing at the same time), acquisition of new players and “intensity of engagement” (number of hours spent by a player), now-over-a-decade-old The Sims 4 continues to excel with its mastery of the live-service format.
The trailer for the first Sims game. Live-service describes the form modern digital games embrace when they transition from conventional products into “services” – a shift made possible because games today can be regularly updated, fixed and expanded upon by their makers remotely. They can acquire new levels and in-game features in a similar way to how streaming platforms like Netflix drop new episodes of your favourite show.
Players don’t buy a live-service game, they sign up for the journey.
Expanding player horizons
In each incarnation of The Sims, players have been able to access new ways to perform roles and tasks that mimic everyday life, in the form of expansions and content packs.
The original title, The Sims (2000), had seven expansion packs and two content packs. I distinctly remember brewing potions in the chemistry lab and rubbing a magic lamp to conjure a genie in the first expansion, Livin’ Large; the new holiday island that was built for The Sims: Vacation; and leaving my Sim’s home to visit downtown areas as part of Hot Date.
The trailer for The Sims Hot Date expansion pack. But for The Sims 4 (2014), the developers went all in. This game – and its subsequent expansions – represents a digital supermarket of lifestyles, sub-cultures, activities and stardom. For example, 2018’s Get Famous pack not only introduced Del Sol Valley – a region that resembled Los Angeles and the Hollywood Hills – but also introduced the “reputation” mechanism for players.
The Discover University expansion (2019) allowed players to take their Sims to school in a new region called Britechester – after this update, the game integrated Sims’ careers and education, and in many ways changed the rules of the game. And the Eco Lifestyle expansion pack (2020) is memorable because the game engaged with ideas of sustainable living for the first time.
Genre, fantasy and reality
From content packs featuring a digital recreation of singer Katy Perry in The Sims 3 to collaborations with streamers, content creators and fashion houses, The Sims has remained relevant by consistently blurring the lines between genre, reality and fantasy.
Hot Date was a popular early Sims expansion pack. Today, video game makers the world over try to master formats like free-to-play games where players pay for cosmetic items, customisations and added content, or expansions offering downloadable content. The Sims set the standard for most of them.
Over the past 25 years, this franchise has had several life simulation competitors in the form of Second Life, Facebook’s once popular Farmville, virtual reality experiences like Half-Life: Alyx and, during the pandemic when we worked, learnt and played online, initiatives like the Metaverse.
However, today only The Sims endures. The game’s developers continue to give its players what they want, while also getting them to engage with difficult ideas like sustainability, the question of life and death, and even gentrification (For Rent expansion pack, anyone?).
Few games let players critique life so closely. For game researchers like me, this begs the question: do people play life simulation games like The Sims in order to build alternative lives, relive their own – or create something entirely new?
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Aditya Deshbandhu 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.
– ref. The Sims: from Hot Date to Get Famous, why expansion packs have been key to the game’s longevity – https://theconversation.com/the-sims-from-hot-date-to-get-famous-why-expansion-packs-have-been-key-to-the-games-longevity-248604
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MIL-OSI Global: Will multinational companies flock to Syria? Maybe, if foreign aid arrives first
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ana Carolina Garriga, Professor of Political Science, University of Essex
Syria’s new foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, recently appeared at the World Economic Forum’s annual conference in the Swiss resort of Davos. He announced that his country is open for business and seeking foreign investment.
After more than 13 years of civil war and decades of dictatorship that saw Syria become a pariah state, the country needs all the financial support it can get. But will foreign firms set up shop in Syria?
Countries like Syria, emerging from conflict, face the challenge of convincing investors they are a safe environment for investment. Our research suggests companies look at what governments are doing in terms of aid when considering whether to invest. In general, post-war countries that receive more foreign aid subsequently receive more foreign investment.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) typically involves multinational companies building factories, opening stores or investing capital in businesses abroad. It can be highly beneficial for developing countries.
FDI is the most stable source of international financing, and generally has positive long-term effects on economic growth and poverty reduction. More importantly for incumbent governments, FDI has positive short-term effects on domestic employment, government financing and spending, and foreign exchange reserves.
It also has a potential positive effect on government approval ratings, as attracting inward FDI signifies political competence to voters. These reasons are why almost all governments compete to receive these financial flows.
FDI is especially important in post-conflict countries. Civil wars typically destroy or seriously harm the productive capacity of countries. In Syria, the conflict destroyed tens of billions of US dollars worth of infrastructure, and incapacitated more than half its electrical grid.
After 13 years of civil war, Syria needs all the financial support it can get.
Vagabjorn / ShutterstockWar often disrupts a country’s access to the international economic exchanges that help economic growth. Since the beginning of its conflict in March 2011, Syria’s annual exports have dropped from US$8.8 billion (£7.1 billion) to US$1 billion, due to the war and war-related sanctions. Its economy has shrunk by 54%.
Foreign investment can contribute substantially to rebuilding the economy. But post-conflict countries might seem risky to investors.
Foreign firms sometimes avoid countries plagued by violence, political instability, or political risk. Conflict could reemerge in Syria, and multinational corporations probably do not want their business in a place where factories could be bombed or customers killed.
Post-conflict situations are also relatively information-poor environments. Conflict often hampers data collection efforts, and governments, in desperate need of capital, may be incentivised to misrepresent the actual state of the economy or strength of the political system.
In the case of Syria, foreign observers do not know what to make of the new ruling coalition, which is led by a designated terrorist organisation in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. While the international community seems to want to support Syria – the UK, for example, has been clear about its intention to help the country – observers are unsure about the environment and how it might change in the coming years.
In these kinds of situation, international investors look at a variety of signals. In our research, we show that one key signal is whether other governments have sent official development aid to post-conflict countries.
Following the aid
We argue that the decision to send aid to a country signals the donors’ trust of local authorities. What matters is this presence of aid, whether or not the aid achieves its intended purpose.
Examining decades of global data, we have found a robust relationship between foreign aid and subsequent investment in post-conflict countries – with one striking exception.
There does not seem to be a relationship between aid from the US and foreign investment. Because so much of US foreign aid is geostrategic – to shore up alliances or secure access to particular areas – investors do not seem to view it as a valuable signal about the recipient country.
So, Syria should perhaps not worry too much about the new US president Donald Trump’s plan to cut American foreign aid. If aid from other government donors can still flow in, this could encourage investment to follow.
Fortunately for Syria, some countries and international organisations have already pledged aid – including the UK, which has announced £50 million in humanitarian aid for the country and its refugees. This seems like a good sign for Syria’s future – even more so because of the signal it sends to foreign investors.
Specific domestic policies that encourage FDI and build stronger institutions will be necessary to secure investment in the longer term. Syria will need to demonstrate its commitment to the rule of law and property rights, while creating a stable environment for investment.
However, if the pledged aid materialises – and if more countries chip in – this could lead to substantial economic benefits for Syria.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Will multinational companies flock to Syria? Maybe, if foreign aid arrives first – https://theconversation.com/will-multinational-companies-flock-to-syria-maybe-if-foreign-aid-arrives-first-248406
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MIL-OSI Global: Representation gaps and the rise of populism
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laurenz Guenther, Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Economics, Bocconi University
Shutterstock/Alejo Bernal The rise of rightwing populists continues across the west, leaving many wondering how mainstream parties can respond. Part of the picture is the failure of political parties to meet voters’ views on immigration with policy responses.
Germany is a strong example here. In 2013, it had no notable rightwing populist party. Alternative for Germany (the AfD) did already exist, but it was neither populist nor strongly anti-immigrant. But immigration into Germany was increasing.
In the years prior to 2013, several hundred thousand asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East entered the country each year. Many Germans wanted lower immigration but German political parties were not offering corresponding policies. The public and parliamentarians were already on a different page.
To measure this disagreement, researchers asked representative samples of German parliamentarians and ordinary citizens the following question in 2013: “Should it be easier or harder for foreigners to immigrate?”
They could choose from 11 responses, ranging from “0 – immigration for foreigners should be much easier” to “10 – immigration for foreigners should be much harder”.
The results show that most Germans wanted to restrict immigration in 2013. Despite this public demand, nearly all parliamentarians from all the four major parties wanted to facilitate immigration.
Immigration attitudes in 2013:
How the representation gap emerged over immigration.
L Guenther, CC BY-NDTwo years later, in 2015, the refugee crisis began. Over the course of just a few years, two million asylum seekers entered Germany. In response, Germans viewed immigration as an increasingly important issue and increasingly voted based on their attitudes towards immigration. Because most Germans wanted lower immigration, this increased the demand for an anti-immigration party.
During this time, the AfD changed its policy platform to become Germany’s only party that was clearly calling for much lower immigration. As a result, the AfD became the only party to represent the will of many Germans on the issue they considered most important.
Immigration attitudes in 2017:
From this perspective, it is not surprising that the AfD strongly increased its vote share in the 2017 election and became the first party to the right of the conservatives to ever enter the federal parliament.
In my research, I found similar patterns are evident across Europe. In 27 countries, most political mainstream parties are much more in favour of immigration than the majority of their voters and citizens demand.
The representation gap is not only systematic across countries but also across political issues and voter subgroups. On nearly all cultural issues, such as multiculturalism or gender relations, I found that voters are more conservative than their parliamentarians.
Across Europe, the difference between the average voter and parliamentarian is as large as the difference between the average conservative and socialist parliamentarian.
Even voters with the same level of education, or voters who are well-informed about politics, are much more culturally conservative than their representatives. Even immigrants themselves are much more opposed to immigration and multiculturalism than the average parliamentarian.
While these cultural representation gaps have existed for a long time, it is the increase in their salience and perceived importance that contributes to the rise of rightwing populism. This is most strongly driven by the increased importance in immigration.
These results matter because they can equip politicians with the information they need to win (back) voters. And on a deeper level, these findings raise the question whether mainstream parties need to adjust their policies on immigration.
One important argument of mainstream politicians against populists is that once populists come to power they aim to establish dictatorships and then rule against the interest of the people. However, this argument rings hollow if mainstream parties are unwilling to acknowledge and act on the issues considered most important by the people.
Laurenz Guenther receives funding from Bocconi University. He is affiliated with the Instutute for European Policymaking at Bocconi University.
– ref. Representation gaps and the rise of populism – https://theconversation.com/representation-gaps-and-the-rise-of-populism-245871
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MIL-OSI Global: How The Sims’ endless customisation fostered one of gaming’s most diverse player communities
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andra Ivănescu, Senior Lecturer in Game Studies and Ludomusicology, Brunel University of London
Katy Perry is in a recording booth. She turns to the camera, smiles and begins to sing: “Badipsa frooby noop”. As if to confirm that we didn’t mishear her, she repeats “Badipsa frooby noop” and gives the camera a thumbs up.
The moment was captured in 2010, in a behind-the-scenes video of Perry recording her song Last Friday Night in Simlish – the language spoken by characters in The Sims games. It was part of her branded downloadable content (DLC) package, Sweet Treats, which was available to players of The Sims 3.
The Sims is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, to the chagrin of many a millennial. From its groundbreaking approach to inclusive character creation to the surreal charm of global pop stars re-recording their hits in Simlish, The Sims has always operated at the intersection of individuality and shared culture.
Created by one of the industry’s few auteur game-designers, Will Wright, The Sims 1 was released on the cusp of the millennium and changed the video game landscape forever.
The game harks back to what game studies researcher Jesper Juul described, in his foundational book Half-Real (2005), as the “primordial game structure”. This is a game in which the player doesn’t follow a set story or structure in a linear way, but gets to design their own strategies, combining the rules in often unpredictable ways.
Sul Sul! This article is part of a mini series from The Conversation marking 25 years of The Sims franchise.
More than that, players are able to tell their own stories and build emergent narratives. These narratives are not about war, fantasy worlds or outer space, but regular people, regular homes, regular jobs and plenty of WooHoo (The Sims’ euphemism for sex).
Custom creativity
The Sims franchise provides players with a space to perform and experiment, to be cruel, silly or creative. These modes of play can take the form of machinima – using the game engine to make creative videos. Or using features like the family album, in which players can capture photos of their avatars within the game to make poignant statements about important social issues.
The base game has provided an increasingly diverse range of opportunities for customisation of characters, spaces and activities. And the large quantity of available DLCs and mods (player-made modifications to the game) has offered even more variety.
Many of the customisation options have been explicitly related to characters’ identities, and the series has gradually improved its representation. For instance, while the original game already included same-sex relationships, The Sims 2 included a “joined union” option which was similar to marriage. By The Sims 3, same-sex couples could marry with no distinction from opposite-sex couples. Similar developments have taken place in the diversity of skin tones and gender identities as the series progressed.
Read more:
Why The Sims 4’s new inclusion of transgender and disabled sims matters
As a result of these inclusive changes, players enjoy gaming experiences as diverse as they are.
Phillip Ring, executive producer on The Sims 4, provided an overview of the game’s demographics in a Game Developers Conference talk in 2023. Only 21% of Sims players are men, while 55% identify as heterosexual and 62% as white. Ring explained how the game’s developers, Maxis and Electronic Arts, consider equality, diversity and inclusion as part of hiring, development and engaging with the player community. Active inclusivity has become an essential part of The Sims design.
None of this touts The Sims as a digital utopia. The franchise has been criticised for its consumerist ideology, and much of its progressive content has been deeply controversial in different territories of the game’s release.
Katy Perry records Last Friday Night in Simlish. For better or worse, the game has both reflected and shaped pop culture – which brings us back to Katy Perry. The Simlish version of her song may sound nonsensical, but it reflected a cultural moment – the post-feminist, anthemic pop of the 2010s.
That moment has now passed. In a post-Brat summer era, Perry’s Sims moment feels outdated. The Sims, however, remains relevant, evolving alongside popular culture.
In his book Understanding Video Game Music (2016), musicologist Tim Summers interprets Simlish rerecordings as satires of contemporary pop culture. I disagree. Instead, I believe Simlish is designed to let players “fill in the blanks”, using their imagination to shape meaning.
This has always been central to The Sims – allowing players to project their own stories onto a world within the cultural zeitgeist. Many of us grew up with The Sims. As we’ve evolved, so has the game – which remains a dynamic cultural artefact.
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Andra Ivănescu is the recepient of a British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant for her project Gaming Censorship: Videogame Content Regulation in the UK.
– ref. How The Sims’ endless customisation fostered one of gaming’s most diverse player communities – https://theconversation.com/how-the-sims-endless-customisation-fostered-one-of-gamings-most-diverse-player-communities-248686
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MIL-OSI Global: How The Sims accidentally invented the cosy game genre
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam Jerrett, Lecturer, Faculty of Creative & Cultural Industries, University of Portsmouth
Ooboo Vroose Baa Dooo! That’s “happy birthday” in Simlish, the delightfully nonsensical language of The Sims. The life simulation video game franchise turns 25 this year, making me feel officially old.
Like many others, I grew up playing The Sims, oscillating between designing dream homes and orchestrating ideal careers, and trapping my Sim characters in a tiny block room, removing all the doors and watching the chaos ensue. For the more benevolent among us, The Sims was an endlessly rewarding digital dollhouse.
Game designer Sid Meier (creator of the Civilisation series) defines a video game as “a series of interesting decisions”. In most games, interesting decisions are about which gun to use or which party member to heal. The Sims’ interesting decisions, however, were far more mundane. “What clothes should I make my simulated human (typically a digital avatar of myself or my friends) wear?”; “Who should they date?”; and, most importantly: “Should I use the ‘rosebud’ cheat to give myself infinite money?”
The Sims went on to become one of the bestselling franchises of all time, with myriad sequels, expansions and an obsessed player base. While similar titles at the time, such as Black and White, had you playing as an omnipotent god, they were primarily strategy games based around controlling territory. What made The Sims special was its focus on emergent narratives – player-driven experiences where players could create their own stories.
Sul Sul! This article is part of a mini series from The Conversation marking 25 years of The Sims franchise.
Much of this focus is also present in what is now called the “cosy game” genre. These are games that focus not on conflict or challenges, but rather on creativity, exploration and personal expression.
Before Stardew Valley let us befriend a moody fisherman, Animal Crossing allowed us to be financially terrorised by a raccoon, and Unpacking made us cry over a box of kitchen utensils, The Sims showed us a new way to play. One where the biggest challenge was forgetting to pay your bills, and the most rewarding accomplishment was finally affording a pool (whose exit ladder may or may not just have mysteriously disappeared).
This normalised the idea that games didn’t need to be won to be fun. It was a shift in design philosophy that paved the way for later games that let players tend a farm, manage a café, or befriend ghosts without a game-defined goal.
A trailer for one of the more recent expansion packs, Cottage Living. The Sims was less about victory than it was about making your own fun – whether that meant imagining your future family life with your crush, or seeing how well you could build your Sim’s career from the ground up before succumbing to late-stage capitalism.
Copying The Sims’ homework
Many features that define the cosy game genre today trace directly back to The Sims. It popularised meticulous environment building and customisation tools, for example, from house layouts to outfit choices and suspiciously elaborate hedge mazes. This DNA is the bedrock of many modern cosy games, like Tiny Glade’s whimsical castle-building or pandemic hit Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ island growing.
The Sims was free from combat or major stressors (unless you count fire hazards and rogue Grim Reapers). No timers, no pressure – just vibes (unless you forgot to build a toilet, in which case the vibes would be bad). You could play at your own pace, which came to define other self-paced games like A Short Hike.
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Much of The Sims was about the relationships between the Sims themselves. They could get married, have children, make friends and even enemies. Instead of fighting for survival, Sims were fighting for their relationships.
This was augmented by a growing “machinima” fan culture, where players made short films and movies using in-game footage. These forms of emergent, social storytelling are a mainstay of modern gaming and meme culture, made even more prevalent by social media and the “share” buttons now on many game controllers.
In this work of machinima, a Sims player has made a sitcom trailer using footage from their gameplay. Over the years, The Sims franchise has become a bastion for diversity, equity and inclusion. Most recently, that’s meant allowing players to create disabled and transgender Sims.
This provides more representation to players, and showcases the importance of cosy games for exploring an array of identities, values and stories. The move has even inspired copycats like the upcoming Inzoi, which provides even more realistic graphics and complex life simulation, building on the formula introduced by Sims creator Will Wright all those years ago.
For 25 years, The Sims has proven that games can be different. They don’t need conflict, challenge or even victory to be engaging. Sometimes, the real joy comes from designing an entire town, crafting a chaotic soap opera – or simply watching a Sim pace around a door-less room, gradually descending into madness.
Adam Jerrett 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.
– ref. How The Sims accidentally invented the cosy game genre – https://theconversation.com/how-the-sims-accidentally-invented-the-cosy-game-genre-248702
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MIL-OSI Global: How to set healthy boundaries
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Gio Dolcecore, Assistant Professor, Social Work, Mount Royal University
Boundaries are about what you do when something triggers an emotional response from you, and how you communicate to others what you are feeling. (Shutterstock) Setting our boundaries can sometimes be tough. Maybe you’re living with someone who’s always in your space. Or you’ve got that friend who feels a little too comfortable trauma-dumping on you. Maybe you feel your spouse isn’t respecting your choices.
Whatever the reason, telling others how you feel isn’t always easy. And it can be difficult to figure out where to draw your lines and how to communicate them to others.
There’s also a lot of misunderstanding about what boundaries are and what they aren’t. The prevalence of “therapy-speak” can make figuring that out even harder.
Setting boundaries can often seem complicated and feel uncomfortable. That’s because it can take a lot of courage to stick up for yourself. It also takes a lot of emotional regulation and self-awareness.
However, setting boundaries doesn’t have to be a daunting prospect. Taking time to figure out how to communicate them effectively can lead to healthier relationships with the people in your life.
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Setting healthy boundaries
Think of boundaries as promises you make to yourself about how you will respond to others when their actions or words conflict with your self-worth, communication style and relationship expectations. Things that influence our beliefs towards boundaries can include our cultural, religious and political identities.
Boundaries are about what you do when something triggers an emotional response from you, and how you communicate to others what you are feeling. Boundaries are not about telling others what to do or how to feel.
People in different places approach them in different ways. American authors like Brené Brown see boundaries as a way of loving ourselves by saying no, even if that means we let someone else down.
Looking at cultures around the world can also help us learn more about the intricate relationship between boundaries, communication style and relationship expectations. For example, in Iran the term gheirat refers to a moral-emotional experience. It is a concept referring to an experience when there is a violation involving people, such as romantic partners, family dynamics and politics.
A healthy boundary can be invitational, meaning you are inviting others to participate in the problem-solving process. In relationships we have to balance our feelings, their feelings and what is needed for the relationship to blossom. This tricky balance means inviting others in, while indicating what is needed for you to safely participate.
For example saying “let’s finish this conversation when neither of us is raising our voices” is a healthy way of setting a boundary compared to “leave me alone right now” or “don’t speak to me like that.”
Telling someone not to speak to you during a hard conversation can sound dismissive of their feelings, especially if they’re feeling unheard. The boundary is not about the conversation ending, it’s about what is needed for the conversation to continue in a respectful way.
You don’t always owe others your time to communicate and explain what you need. Sometimes, it’s about walking away from a situation that you know isn’t serving you.
(Shutterstock)Communication is key
Healthy boundaries can be a way to mutually emotionally regulate. For example, saying “it makes me uncomfortable when you tell your friends personal details about our relationship” is offering others two opportunities. The first, awareness of how their actions are making you feel. And second, the opportunity to problem-solve with you.
Most people will respond by explaining why they are doing what they are doing. With that information, you can decide how you want to respond. Maybe they’re choosing to disclose information to their friends because they rely on external processing to help make decisions. Or maybe they’re looking for external validation. You get to choose how to respond now that you have their rationale.
As a therapist, I often tell clients you have options when it comes to setting and maintaining boundaries. The next time you have to set a boundary, think of the following tips.
Do:
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Express how you’re feeling in response to someone’s actions or inaction.
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Identify your priorities and know your limits. Provide an opportunity for repair.
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If someone tells you why they did what they did, remind them it’s important for you they recognize how you’re feeling versus rationalizing their behaviour.
Don’t:
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Tell someone how to act or feel.
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Expect others to know what you need or what you’re thinking.
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Rely on others to uphold your boundaries.
You don’t always owe others your time to communicate and explain what you need. Sometimes, it’s about walking away from a situation that you know isn’t serving you. Based on how you observe people living their life, how they talk about social or political issues, conduct themselves when you express your feelings, you can choose not to give people access to your life.
Sometimes walking away is about preserving your self-worth, especially after you’ve tried communicating and problem solving. This is where boundaries become hard to maintain, because we have to determine whether someone’s actions are enough to protect ourselves and uphold our self worth.
However you choose to set your boundaries, communicating them honestly and calmly is key to getting others to understand and respect them.
Gio Dolcecore 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.
– ref. How to set healthy boundaries – https://theconversation.com/how-to-set-healthy-boundaries-237745
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MIL-OSI Video: Minister Gwede Mantshe delivers the keynote address at the African Mining Indaba 2025
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)
Minister Gwede Mantshe delivers the keynote address at the African Mining Indaba 2025 on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa
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MIL-OSI United Kingdom: St Albans Spring Festival – thousands expected at an exciting new street event in May
Source: St Albans City and District
Publication date:
An exciting new street event is to be held in St Albans City Centre featuring free entertainment for everyone.
The St Albans Spring Festival on Sunday 18 May will be a celebration of food, well-being, community spirit and sustainability.
Thousands of people are expected at the street party which will take place from 11am to 5pm, with St Peter’s Street closed to traffic.
Among the attractions will be live music, arts and crafts, street theatre and dozens of stalls selling takeaway food, drink and other produce. There will be opportunities to learn, play and create with fun activities.
To ensure accessibility, sighted guides and British sign language interpreters will be in attendance.
St Albans City and District Council is organising the Festival and will also be bringing back its popular Christmas Cracker, the event which launches the festive season in the District. This will be held on Sunday 16 November.
The St Albans Feastival, usually staged in September, will not take place this year with May’s Spring Festival being used instead to highlight the District’s hospitality businesses and tourism offering.
Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Lead for Events, said:
We have rearranged our street events to give our residents an excellent choice of things to do from May all the way through to November.
Our Feastival was held in September, but there are a lot of things going on in the late summer, such as Pub in the Park, and it was felt May was a better date for an event.
The Spring Festival will mark the start of the warmer months and with the Cracker in November, our events will book- end the outdoor season.
During that time, from May through to November, there will be many other events, run by a host of organisations. Residents and visitors will have an abundance of opportunities to get out and about and socialise with their friends and neighbours.
More details about the Spring Festival entertainment will appear in the Council’s social media channels in the run-up to the event.
Among the other events to be held in the District this year are:
Hertfordshire County Show, Redbourn – Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 May.
Foodies Festival, Oaklands College, St Albans – Friday 30 May to Sunday 1 June.
Harpenden Carnival – Saturday 7 June.
St Albans Half Marathon, Verulamium Park, St Albans – Sunday 8 June.
Alban Day, a procession of giant puppets recreating the story of St Alban through the City to the Cathedral – Saturday 21 June.
Highland Gathering, Rothamsted Park, Harpenden – Sunday 13 July.
Comedy Garden, Verulamium Park, St Albans – Wednesday 23 to Sunday 27 July.
Classics on the Common, Harpenden – Wednesday 23 July.
Pub in the Park, Verulamium Park, St Albans – Friday 5 to Sunday 7 September
Harpenden Food and Drink Festival – Saturday 13 September
Gin and Jazz Festival, George Street, St Albans – Friday 3 October.
St Albans Cathedral Fireworks – Saturday 1 November
St Albans Christmas Cracker, St Peter’s Street – Sunday 16 November.
Harpenden Christmas Carnival – Sunday 23 November.
Photo: scene from a street event last year.
Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727- 819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.
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MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: Rosreestr is implementing a pilot project to involve unused real estate objects into circulation and fill the Unified State Register of Real Estate
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The government is strengthening its comprehensive work to identify, record and involve unused real estate objects into circulation. This will ensure the completeness and quality of information in the Unified State Register of Real Estate (USRRE) by the end of 2030 and involve unused land plots and territories into economic circulation.
“Since 2021, these issues have been addressed, among other things, within the framework of the state program “National Spatial Data System”. During this time, Rosreestr and the Roscadastre sub-company have entered 191 boundaries between subjects and 1.85 thousand boundaries of municipalities into the Unified State Register. Three times more than in the previous 10 years, the boundaries of territorial zones were entered – 298.6 thousand. 1.9 million registry errors were corrected. The number of objects with copyright holders increased by 18.1 million. At the same time, despite the significant dynamics, there is still a lot of work left. In order to complete it within the deadline set by the state program, by the end of 2030, this activity will be intensified. Rosreestr has launched a pilot project that will intensify the creation of a complete and accurate real estate register in the regions and identify new sites and territories for inclusion in economic circulation,” said Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.
Currently, the pilot project is being implemented in individual municipalities of 16 regions – in the Kostroma, Lipetsk, Novgorod, Omsk, Penza, Pskov, Smolensk, Tambov, Ulyanovsk regions, Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories, the republics of Mari El, Mordovia, the Chuvash Republic, the Jewish Autonomous Region and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug.
“In fact, a complete inventory of lands and property is being carried out, which will allow us to collect and summarize information about all real estate objects. At present, the work has been completed in 71 settlements, and is ongoing in 38 more. As a result, information about the title holders has been identified for 8.3 thousand real estate objects, information about the boundaries of 18.7 thousand land plots and capital construction projects has been clarified, and 3.2 thousand hectares of territory suitable for inclusion in circulation have been identified,” noted Oleg Skufinsky, head of Rosreestr.
The project is being implemented within the framework of an agreement concluded between Rosreestr, the head of the region and the public-law company Roskadastr (which is the contractor). After the creation of an operational headquarters in the subject and the approval of the “road map”, work begins on the analysis of archival documents, including cartographic materials, and a survey of the territories.
The results of the work are entered into the Unified State Register of Real Estate and the National Spatial Data System. Rosreestr provides organizational, coordination and methodological support for the pilot project on an ongoing basis.
Today, in the land and real estate sector, there are still historically accumulated problems of missing information in the Unified State Register of Real Estate and other registries. There is no information about the owners of 29.9 million objects, and the boundaries of 17.4 million land plots have not been established. There is still a shortage of available land for provision to citizens, legal entities and investors.
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.
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MIL-OSI USA: Natural gas spot prices fell across key regional trading hubs in 2024
Source: US Energy Information Administration
In-brief analysis
February 3, 2025
Data source: Natural Gas Intelligence
Note: Prices are adjusted for inflation based on the December 2024 Consumer Price Index.
Average natural gas spot prices at most major trading hubs in the Lower 48 states declined in 2024 compared with 2023 in real terms, according to data from Natural Gas Intelligence.
Inflation-adjusted natural gas prices in the Northeast at Algonquin Citygate and Eastern Gas South averaged 32 cents per million British thermal units (MMBtu) and 6 cents/MMBtu lower in 2024, respectively, and western prices at Northwest Sumas and SoCal Citygate averaged $2.51/MMBtu and $4.55/MMBtu lower compared with 2023, respectively. In West Texas, prices at the Waha Hub near Permian Basin production activities traded below zero for 42% of trading days in 2024 as natural gas production from the Permian Basin outpaced available pipeline takeaway capacity. The Matterhorn Express Pipeline, capable of carrying 2.5 billion cubic feet per day from the Permian Basin to demand centers on the Texas coast, entered service in October 2024 and helped clear some of the regional production bottleneck. Since mid-November the price at the Waha Hub has been more than zero.
Prices at regional trading hubs decreased last year primarily because of relatively high natural gas inventories in each of the storage regions, sustained U.S. natural gas production, and mild winter temperatures. Because of relatively warm winter temperatures, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest (the largest consumers of natural gas for space heating), regional natural gas storage levels remained above the five year (2019–23) average for most of 2024.
Spot natural gas prices at the Henry Hub in Erath, Louisiana, which serves as the U.S. benchmark, averaged $2.22/MMBtu in 2024, the lowest average annual price in inflation-adjusted dollars ever reported.
Principal contributor: Andrew Iraola
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MIL-OSI: Wearable Devices Unveils the LLM of Gesture Control: Large MUAP Models (LMM) Set to Revolutionize Human-Computer Interaction
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Pioneering AI-powered neural gesture technology enables personalized, intuitive interactions for the AI and XR era
Yokneam Illit, Israel, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wearable Devices Ltd. (the “Company” or “Wearable Devices”) (Nasdaq: WLDS, WLDSW), an award-winning pioneer in artificial intelligence (“AI”)-based wearable gesture control technology, announced a groundbreaking advancement in human-computer interaction: Large MUAP Models (“LMM”). Building on the success of LLMs in natural language processing, Wearable Devices is actively developing LMMs with the goal to revolutionize how we interact with digital devices, aiming to offer personalized, intuitive gesture control powered by neural data. While still in development, this innovative technology holds immense potential to redefine human-device interaction.
The LMM Revolution: Decoding the Neural Alphabet
Just as LLMs unlocked the power of language for AI, LMMs aim to unlock the power of neural gestures for seamless, natural interactions. By decoding Motor Unit Action Potentials (MUAPs)—the body’s language for communicating with muscles—Wearable Devices has created a new paradigm for gesture control. LMMs are harnessing the potential of big data to enable devices to understand and predict user intentions with unprecedented speed and precision, making interactions faster and more intuitive than ever before. Personalized Gestures for a Natural User Experience
At the heart of LMMs is personalization. The technology learns from individual users, creating a unique neural profile that will enable gestures tailored to each person’s natural movements. Whether it’s a subtle thumb swipe to select an option or a pinch-to-zoom gesture in augmented reality, LMMs will make interactions feel effortless and intuitive. “With LMMs, we are decoding the neural alphabet, potentially unlocking a strategically vital technology that fuses human neurology with AI. This breakthrough has the potential to create sci-fi-like superhuman abilities, giving a fundamental edge to whoever masters it first,” said Guy Wagner, Chief Scientific Officer of Wearable Devices.
Wearable Devices’ flagship products, such as the Mudra Band for Apple Watch and the Mudra Link for universal device control, are already demonstrating the power of neural interfaces. These devices allow users to control their digital environments with simple, natural gestures. LMMs have the potential to make our current technology user-personalized, paving the way for a future where wearable technology is seamlessly integrated into our daily lives.
The Future of AI and XR: Powered by Neural Gestures
As spatial computing becomes the next computing platform, LMMs will provide the intuitive, natural interactions needed to unlock its full potential. Wearable Devices is focused on developing this technology and plans to seek collaboration with leading companies to integrate LMMs into next-generation extended reality (XR) platforms, ensuring that users can interact with their digital environments in ways that feel as natural as moving their hands.
“The future of XR and AI interactions is here, and it starts with your wrist,” added Mr. Wagner. “With LMMs, we are not just imagining the future—we are building it.”
About Wearable Devices Ltd.
Wearable Devices Ltd. is a pioneering growth company revolutionizing human-computer interaction through its AI-powered neural input technology for both consumer and business markets. Leveraging proprietary sensors, software, and advanced AI algorithms, the Company’s innovative products, including the Mudra Band for iOS and Mudra Link for Android, enable seamless, touch-free interaction by transforming subtle finger and wrist movements into intuitive controls. These groundbreaking solutions enhance gaming, and the rapidly expanding AR/VR/XR landscapes. The Company offers a dual-channel business model: direct-to-consumer sales and enterprise licensing. Its flagship Mudra Band integrates functional and stylish design with cutting-edge AI to empower consumers, while its enterprise solutions provide businesses with the tools to deliver immersive and interactive experiences. By setting the input standard for the XR market, Wearable Devices is redefining user experiences and driving innovation in one of the fastest-growing tech sectors. Wearable Devices’ ordinary shares and warrants trade on the Nasdaq under the symbols “WLDS” and “WLDSW,” respectively.
Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the “safe harbor” created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “estimate,” “anticipate” or other comparable terms. For example, we are using forward-looking statements when we discuss the benefits and advantages of our devices and technology, including the potential of LMMs, and that we are focused on developing this technology and plan to seek collaboration with leading companies to integrate LMMs into next-generation XR platforms. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: the trading of our ordinary shares or warrants and the development of a liquid trading market; our ability to successfully market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed on March 15, 2024 and our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Investor Relations Contact
Michal Efraty
IR@wearabledevices.co.il -
MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – Renewi Plc
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
8.3
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: Rathbones Group Plc (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/offereeRenewi 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 disclosure31/01/2025 (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”No 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: £1 Ordinary Shares Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 1,374,666 1.70% (2) Cash-settled derivatives: (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: TOTAL:
1,374,666 1.70% 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 £1 Ordinary Shares Sale 3,333 802.2835p (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions
Class of relevant security Product description
e.g. CFDNature of dealing
e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short positionNumber of reference securities Price per unit (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)
(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying
Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
e.g. American, European etc.Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit (ii) Exercise
Class of relevant security Product description
e.g. call optionExercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)
Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
e.g. subscription, conversionDetails 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: 03/02/2025 Contact name: Chinwe Enyi – Compliance Department Telephone number: 0151 243 7053 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.
The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at.
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MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – Warpaint London Plc
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
8.3
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: Rathbones Group Plc (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/offereeWarpaint London 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 disclosure31/01/2025 (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”No 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: 25p Ordinary Shares Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 3,078,793 3.81% (2) Cash-settled derivatives: (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: TOTAL:
3,078,793 3.81% 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 25p Ordinary Shares Sale 215 511.5001p 25p Ordinary Shares Sale 90 515p 25p Ordinary Shares Purchase 505 517p 25p Ordinary Shares Purchase 800 516.065p 25p Ordinary Shares Purchase 7,500 515p (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions
Class of relevant security Product description
e.g. CFDNature of dealing
e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short positionNumber of reference securities Price per unit (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)
(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying
Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
e.g. American, European etc.Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit (ii) Exercise
Class of relevant security Product description
e.g. call optionExercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)
Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
e.g. subscription, conversionDetails 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: 03/02/2025 Contact name: Chinwe Enyi – Compliance Department Telephone number: 0151 243 7053 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.
The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at.
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MIL-OSI: NowVertical Announces Agreement to Defer Payment of Amounts to Affinio Sellers, Demonstrating Continued Support
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
TORONTO, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NowVertical Group Inc. (TSX-V: NOW) (“NowVertical” or the “Company”), a leading data and AI solutions provider, is pleased to announce that the sellers of Affinio Inc. (the “Sellers”) led by Whitecap Venture Partners have agreed to defer payment of USD $998,000 of outstanding liabilities previously due during the first half of 2025, which will now become payable in late Q4 2025. This deferral demonstrates the ongoing confidence and support the Sellers have in NowVertical’s “One Brand, One Business” strategy.
“We appreciate the Affinio Sellers’ willingness to work with us in extending these liabilities,” said Sandeep Mendiratta, Chief Executive Officer of NowVertical. “This agreement allows us to maintain our focus on executing our organic growth initiatives as we move towards our objective to achieve a US$50 million revenue run rate and 20% best-in-class EBITDA margin.”
This development reflects the strong relationship between NowVertical and the Sellers, reaffirming the trust and alignment both parties share in the Company’s strategic vision. NowVertical appreciates this collaboration, which underscores a positive outlook for the Company’s continued success and growth.
About NowVertical Group Inc.
The Company is a global data and analytics company which helps clients transform data into tangible business value with AI, fast. Offering a comprehensive suite of solutions and services the Company enables clients to quickly harness the full potential of their data, driving measurable outcomes and accelerating potential return on investment. Enterprises optimize decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and unlock long-term value from their data using the Company’s AI-Infused first party and third-party technologies. NowVertical is growing organically and through strategic acquisitions. For further details about NowVertical, please visit www.nowvertical.com.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For further information, please contact:
Andre Garber, CDO
IR@nowvertical.com
T: +1(647)947-0223Cautionary note regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (together “forward-looking statements“). Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, certain of which are unknown. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe” or “continue”, or the negative thereof or similar variations and include statements regarding the ability of the Company to achieve its financial objectives. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by inherent risks and uncertainties, including: adverse market conditions; risks that the Company will be unable to pay amounts owing when due; risks inherent in the data analytics and artificial intelligence sectors in general; regulatory and legislative changes; that future results may vary from historical results; inability to obtain any requisite future financing on suitable terms; any inability to realize the expected benefits and synergies of acquisitions or dispositions; that market competition may affect the business, results and financial condition of the Company and other risk factors identified in documents filed by the Company under its profile at www.sedarplus.com, including the Company’s management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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MIL-OSI: Apollo Advances Financial Advisor Education and Access to Alternative Investments with Launch of Apollo Allocation Pro
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
NEW YORK, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) today announced the launch of Apollo Allocation Pro. Designed for a financial advisor audience, Apollo Allocation Pro seeks to provide an intuitive, hands-on experience to explore portfolio construction strategies that include alternatives, particularly private markets. The tool is now available on Apollo.com.
Apollo Allocation Pro is the latest step in Apollo’s commitment to enhancing access to alternatives and empowering financial intermediaries with ongoing education and resources for integrating private markets into client portfolios.
The tool builds off Apollo Academy, the firm’s alternative-investment educational platform. Launched in September 2022, Apollo Academy offers financial advisors a variety of educational programs, from its cornerstone course, Alternative Investing Essentials (a 10-hour, CE-credit course), to pinpointed CE-credit classes, white papers, podcasts and the Daily Spark blog with Apollo’s Chief Economist Torsten Slok.
“With Apollo Allocation Pro, we’re continuing to educate and empower financial advisors as they seek greater diversification and excess return on behalf of their clients,” said Apollo’s Stephanie Drescher, Partner and Chief Client and Product Development Officer. “This tool highlights our commitment to providing advisors with resources to integrate private market strategies into portfolios, enabling them to deliver tailored solutions that align with their clients’ financial goals.”
Key Features of Apollo Allocation Pro:
- Interactive Portfolio Design: Create and model illustrative portfolio allocations that integrate alternatives alongside traditional public market indices with varying levels of risk tolerance across asset classes.
- Advisor-Focused Insights: Leverage custom insights to address diverse client objectives by accessing 17 different indices from which to allocate.
- Broader Education Initiatives: Aligned with Apollo’s educational framework, the tool complements the resources offered through Apollo Academy.
The tool was developed in partnership with iCapital1, the global fintech platform driving the world’s alternative investment marketplace for the wealth and asset management industries, and is powered by iCapital Architect.
__________________________________
1iCapital, Inc. and its affiliates (together, “iCapital”)About Apollo
Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of September 30, 2024, Apollo had approximately $733 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.Contacts
Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0540
IR@apollo.comJoanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491
Communications@apollo.com -
MIL-OSI: Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund Announces Distribution of $0.08 Per Share for February 2025
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
HOUSTON, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today a monthly distribution of $0.08 per share for February 2025. This distribution is payable to common stockholders on February 28, 2025 (as outlined in the table below).
As previously announced, the Company plans to declare distributions on a monthly basis, with the next distribution expected to be declared in early March. Payment of future distributions is subject to the approval of the Company’s Board of Directors, as well as meeting the covenants on the Company’s debt agreements and the terms of its preferred stock.
Record Date /
Ex-DatePayment Date Distribution Amount Return of Capital
Estimate2/14/25 2/28/25 $0.08 75%(1) (1) This estimate is based on the Company’s anticipated earnings and profits. The final determination of the tax character of distributions will not be determinable until after the end of fiscal 2025 and may differ substantially from this preliminary information.
Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE: KYN) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, whose common stock is traded on the NYSE. The Company’s investment objective is to provide a high after-tax total return with an emphasis on making cash distributions to stockholders. KYN intends to achieve this objective by investing at least 80% of its total assets in securities of Energy Infrastructure Companies. See Glossary of Key Terms in the Company’s most recent quarterly report for a description of these investment categories and the meaning of capitalized terms.
The Company pays cash distributions to common stockholders at a rate that may be adjusted from time to time. Distribution amounts are not guaranteed and may vary depending on a number of factors, including changes in portfolio holdings and market conditions.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer or sale is not permitted. Nothing contained in this press release is intended to recommend any investment policy or investment strategy or consider any investor’s specific objectives or circumstances. Before investing, please consult with your investment, tax, or legal adviser regarding your individual circumstances.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This communication contains statements reflecting assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions, or beliefs about future events. These and other statements not relating strictly to historical or current facts constitute forward-looking statements as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements involve a variety of risks and uncertainties. These risks include but are not limited to changes in economic and political conditions; regulatory and legal changes; energy industry risk; leverage risk; valuation risk; interest rate risk; tax risk; and other risks discussed in detail in the Company’s filings with the SEC, available at www.kaynefunds.com or www.sec.gov. Actual events could differ materially from these statements or our present expectations or projections. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Kayne Anderson undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein. There is no assurance that the Company’s investment objectives will be attained.
Contact investor relations at 877-657-3863 or cef@kayneanderson.com.
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MIL-OSI: illumin to Present at the Small Cap Growth Virtual Investor Conference on February 6th
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
TORONTO and NEW YORK, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — illumin Holdings Inc. (TSX: ILLM) (OTCQB: ILLMF) (“illumin” or “Company”), a leader in digital marketing technology, today announced that Simon Cairns, Chief Executive Officer, and Elliot Muchnik, Chief Financial Officer, will present live at the Small Cap Growth Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on February 6th, 2025.
DATE: February 6th
TIME: 10:00 am ET
LINK: https://bit.ly/40Wa3fj
Available for 1:1 meetingsThis will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the Company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.
It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.
Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.
Recent Company Highlights
- Partnership with Adsquare to Deliver Advanced Footfall Attribution
- Record Third Quarter 2024 Revenue of $36.3 Million, up 23% YoY
- Self-Service Revenue Rose 64% YoY in Q3 2024 to $8.4 Million
About illumin
illumin is evolving the digital advertising landscape by empowering marketers to achieve transformative results through its customer-centric approach. Featuring a unified canvas built around the open web, illumin lets brands and agencies seamlessly plan, build, and execute campaigns across the entire marketing funnel—connecting programmatic channels, email, and social media within a single platform. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, illumin serves clients across North America, Latin America, and Europe. For more information, visit illumin.com.About Virtual Investor Conferences®
Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.
CONTACTS:
Steve Hosein
Investor Relations
illumin Holdings Inc.
416-218-9888 x5313
investors@illumin.comDavid Hanover
Investor Relations – U.S.
KCSA Strategic Communications
212-896-1220
dhanover@kcsa.comVirtual Investor Conferences
John M. Viglotti
SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
OTC Markets Group
(212) 220-2221
johnv@otcmarkets.com
