Source: Google
We’re always working to make your Pixel phones even better with regular software updates that are packed with new features and improvements. We’re now calling these updates “Pixel Drops,” and they’ll include updates across your Pixel devices on an ongoing basis. Today’s Pixel Drop brings AI-powered helpfulness expansions, camera improvements, new safety features and more to Pixel phones, tablets and watches. In addition to the features below, Android 15
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
Includes $750M Agreement For Funding From Schumer’s CHIPS Act & $750M Private Investment, Boosting Wolfspeed’s Ongoing Expansion In Upstate NY And Building A New North Carolina Facility Which Sends Wafers To Oneida County’s Marcy Nanocenter To Be Finished, Providing Long Term Work For Mohawk Valley
Wolfspeed Says It Also Plans To Tap Up To Nearly $1 Billion From The CHIPS ITC That Schumer Created To Help Fund Completion Of Mohawk Valley Plant
Schumer: My CHIPS & Science Law Is Bringing Wolfspeed To Front Of The Pack & Helping Mohawk Valley Lead America’s Semiconductor Renaissance
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced Wolfspeed has reached a $750 million preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) funding agreement under the CHIPS & Science Law he led in writing and passing into law, helping them unlock an additional $750 million in private investment. Wolfspeed also said it plans to tap nearly $1 billion from the CHIPS Investment Tax Credit that Schumer helped create to fund much of the state-of-the-art equipment being installed to complete the expansion their Silicon Carbide Fabrication Facility at Marcy Nanocenter in Oneida County.
Wolfspeed said this massive collective investment will help accelerate their ongoing expansion in the Mohawk Valley and boosting good-paying jobs expected to be created at the Marcy facility. This CHIPS investment will also support Wolfspeed’s new North Carolina Siler City facility which is integral to the Mohawk Valley’s future as it will send wafers to be finished in NY, creating long term work and future growth opportunities for the Marcy operation.
“Wolfspeed is leading the pack in bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to America. This major multibillion investment powered by my CHIPS & Science Law will accelerate the ongoing expansion in the Mohawk Valley, helping boost hundreds of good paying jobs and providing long term work for the Marcy fab to succeed well into the future,” said Senator Schumer. “From electric vehicles to artificial intelligence, so much critical technology relies on the silicon carbide chips that Wolfspeed will manufacture and perfect in the Mohawk Valley. Today’s massive investment will make America’s economy and our national security stronger as Wolfspeed helps us write the next chapter of America’s resurgence as the leader in the semiconductor industry, with the Mohawk Valley as the beating heart.”
Schumer explained that Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab is the largest and one of the only 200mm Silicon Carbide fabrication facilities in the world. Wolfspeed officially opened their new fab in 2022 and is actively expanding with approximately $790 million in additional capital planned investment in the Mohawk Valley which will help support new good paying manufacturing and construction jobs to the region. The proposed CHIPS investment would also support the construction of Wolfspeed’s silicon carbide wafer manufacturing facility in North Carolina. Nearly all of the wafers from Wolfspeed’s new facility in Siler City, NC are needed and sent to the Mohawk Valley Fab to be finished and this investment is essential to ramp up chip production in New York. The proposed CHIPS funding will support the Mohawk Valley fab to increase its production capacity by approximately 30%.
To achieve this increase in capacity in the Mohawk Valley, Wolfspeed will purchase and install additional tools & equipment in the Mohawk Valley, such as photolithography tools, ion implanters, metal deposition tools, etch systems, automation equipment and more that will be support by the Investment Tax Credit from the CHIPS & Science Law.
The proposed $750 million in CHIPS funding will also help catalyze private capital investment of at least $750 million to support the company’s expansion plans. This injection of private capital would not have occurred were it not for the CHIPS and Science Act. Wolfspeed is the world’s leading manufacturer of wafers and devices made from silicon carbide, a compound which has favorable chemical and material properties compared to traditional silicon, enabling Wolfspeed’s semiconductors to be highly energy-efficient and durable. The silicon carbide devices manufactured by Wolfspeed power electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids, enabling extended driving range-per-charge, faster charging times, and lower overall systems costs, they also are vital for artificial intelligence and in military applications critical for national security.
Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. said, “We thank Senator Schumer for securing $750 million in funding for Wolfspeed from his historic CHIPS & Science Law. This transformative investment will accelerate hundreds of good-paying jobs in Oneida County and further elevate our region as a leader in semiconductor production. As Wolfspeed enhances its capabilities, we look forward to the opportunities this brings for our workforce and our future in the Mohawk Valley.”
Acting President of Mohawk Valley EDGE Shawna Papale said, “On behalf of Mohawk Valley EDGE, we commend the Department of Commerce for reaching a preliminary agreement with Wolfspeed to leverage more than $2.5 billion of investment including over $750 million in CHIPS Act grant funding. The growth of the Mohawk Valley Fab is hinged on the ability of Siler City to produce 200mm silicon carbide wafers to supply Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab. Thanks to Senate Majority Leader Schumer, this CHIPs announcement accelerates hiring towards Wolfspeed’s job target of over 600 employees and increases production capacity at the Marcy Nanocenter. This was a true collaboration across local, county, State, and Federal officials along with the leadership of Wolfspeed to make the dream of recreating American made manufacturing a reality right here in Oneida County.”
Last week, Schumer announced Edwards Vacuum reached a $18 million CHIPS PMT to build its new $300+ million dry pump manufacturing facility for the semiconductor industry, the first of its kind for America, in Western NY. Earlier this year, Schumer also announced that Micron, which plans to invest $100 billion over the next two decades – the largest private investment in New York’ s history – reached a $6.1 billion CHIPS PMT funding agreement. In addition, GlobalFoundries in the Capital Region also reached an agreement for $1.5 billion in direct grant funding under his CHIPS & Science Law to support a $12.5 billion public-private investment over the next ten plus years to expand and construct a second, new state-of-the-art computer chip factory in Malta, NY.
Schumer added, “The CHIPS & Science Law keeps helping grow the booming semiconductor industry in Upstate NY. We are seeing more targeted federal investment than ever before to bring back manufacturing, and awards like this show how the I-90 corridor from Buffalo to Syracuse to Utica to Albany truly is becoming America’s semiconductor superhighway.”
Schumer has long worked to position the Mohawk Valley for semiconductor investment. In addition to his efforts on further recruiting chip suppliers to Marcy Nanocenter, Schumer secured $2 million in U.S. DOL funding for the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties and Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) to boost technical training to support the expansion and attraction of the semiconductor industry. Schumer also secured $2 million for MVCC to create a new state-of-the-art semiconductor and advanced manufacturing training center.
Schumer is also actively working with Mohawk Valley EDGE to help lure additional semiconductor and supply chain companies to Marcy Nanocenter which will get a further boost from Wolfspeed and Micron’s expansions in the region.
Schumer said, “Marcy Nanocenter is one of the most shovel-ready sites in the whole country and with this investment helping to strengthen Wolfspeed and with Micron rapidly establishing itself in the broader region, I am going all out to land more companies to make the Mohawk Valley a central component of bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to America.”
Thanks to Schumer’s CHIPS & Science Law, Upstate New York has seen a major revival in tech manufacturing. Micron has announced plans for a historic $100+ billion investment to build a cutting-edge memory fab in Central New York. GlobalFoundries plans to invest over $12 billion to expand and construct a second, new state-of-the-art computer chip factory in the Capital Region. TTM Technologies, a printed circuit board manufacturer, plans to invest up to $130 million to expand their facilities in Onondaga County, creating up to 400 good-paying jobs. Menlo Micro will invest $150 million to build their microchip switch manufacturing facility in Tompkins County, creating over 100 new good-paying jobs. In addition, Upstate New York is home to semiconductor supply chain companies like Corning Incorporated, which manufactures glass critical to the microchip industry at its Canton and Fairport, NY plants. Edwards Vacuum is also moving forward with a $300+ million investment to build a dry pump manufacturing facility in Western New York, creating 600 good-paying jobs to support the growing chip industry in Upstate New York and across the nation.
The PMT outlines key terms for Wolfspeed’s CHIPS agreement. To finalize the federal CHIPS agreement, the Commerce Department will now begin a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed project and other information contained in the application. After satisfactory completion of the due diligence phase, the Commerce Department will finalize the PMT.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
CLEVELAND, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GoldSmith Labs, a fast-growing tech startup founded by Brendan Smith and Ethan Golden, has released its newest product: an AI Voice Agent that simplifies business communication, resulting in improvements to both inbound and outbound customer interactions for companies. The company seeks to dramatically decrease operational expenses without sacrificing productivity by managing tasks such as customer service, appointment scheduling, and lead generation—all without human intervention.
A Collaboration of Frustration and Innovation
GoldSmith Labs is the brainchild of Brendan Smith, an experienced entrepreneur and marketing agency owner who grew tired (and slightly frustrated) with how tedious cold calling could actually be. Despite the necessity of cold calling in lead generation for many industries, Smith knew this was an area that could be disrupted. He teamed up with Ethan Golden, an AI automation expert and former University of Arizona student. Together, they developed an AI solution that would solve most of the problems business communication causes while achieving the desired results.
“We wanted to create something that businesses could set and forget,” Smith said. “Our Voice Agent handles everything, allowing businesses to grow while we manage their communication.”
AI Voice Agent: Cutting-Edge Technology for the Modern Enterprise
The AI Voice Agent from GoldSmith Labs uses advanced artificial intelligence to handle up to 10,000 calls per hour—a complete game changer within the industry. From inbound inquiries and outbound sales to appointment scheduling and customer support, the system is built to optimize every interaction.
“Robots don’t get tired, they don’t need breaks, and they certainly don’t incur company expenses on trips,” Golden stated. “They are stable, responsive, and always improving.”
The AI draws from a library of over 10,000 unique voices to ensure businesses can tailor their agents based on company branding and target audience. This personalized touch is designed to enhance customer experience, making it as smooth and human-like as possible.
Additionally, the AI continually adapts, becoming more effective by learning from data gathered from every call it handles. This data-driven approach allows the system to scale and evolve with the company’s growth.
Aiming for the Market Leaders
GoldSmith Labs may be a new name in the market, but it has huge aspirations. The company hopes to become the go-to platform for AI-driven voice interactions across industries like real estate, customer service, and even food orders. Smith and Golden have set an ambitious goal of reaching $30 million in annual revenue while serving over 20,000 clients within five years.
“We aim to dominate the space by offering the best in AI voice agents,” Smith explained. “In a few years, we want GoldSmith Labs to be synonymous with AI voice interaction across all industries.”
Targeting Middle to Top-Market Businesses
The launch of GoldSmith Labs’ AI Voice Agent is particularly aimed at middle to top-market decision-makers looking to cut costs while increasing operational efficiency. These businesses understand the value of automation but need solutions that can manage complex, large-scale interactions without compromising quality.
“Our target audience is professionals who are serious about scaling their business while keeping everything efficient,” Golden noted. “We know our solution isn’t just another tool in the toolkit—it’s a game changer.”
A Visionary, Results-Driven Brand
In many ways, the culture of GoldSmith Labs reflects its leadership. Smith describes the company’s ethos as “born to win,” which manifests in a results-driven approach without compromise. “We make things happen. Either get with it, or get left behind,” he declared, emphasizing the startup’s bold stance in the competitive AI space.
The AI Voice Agent empowers businesses to save time, reduce costs, and achieve greater productivity. By offering a highly efficient and impactful product, GoldSmith Labs stands out from the competition and delivers immediate results.
Looking Ahead
With its focus on rapid growth and market share, GoldSmith Labs positions itself as a leader in the future of business communication. Its innovative AI Voice Agent, paired with its results-driven leadership, makes the company one to watch in the coming years.
For more information on GoldSmith Labs and its AI Voice Agent, visit http://www.goldsmithlabs.com.
Name: Brendan Smith, Ethan Golden
Company: GoldSmith Labs
Phone: +1 (307) 202-8593
Email: media@frostpublishinggroup.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f77d3dca-b087-481b-b0bc-4fab373125c1
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
CAIRO, Egypt, October 15, 2024/APO Group/ —
[1] MDBs are supranational institutions set up by sovereign states, which are their shareholders, to foster economic and social development in developing nations. MDBs provide loans and guarantees to fund projects that support social and economic development.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
RESTON, Va., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Science Applications International Corp. (NASDAQ: SAIC) and Wind River® have announced an expanded strategic partnership to deliver industry-leading technologies to government customers by easing mission-oriented integration, speeding development and enhancing functionality in systems, for the U.S. Army and other government entities, including Cabinet-level departments and independent agencies.
As part of the partnership, SAIC and Wind River will collaborate on product integration and joint go-to-market plans across the Wind River software portfolio, including digital engineering and digital twin, DevSecOps, Linux, safety certifiable products and certification services and cloud-based command and control operations.
For more than a decade, Wind River has been a trusted SAIC partner supporting U.S. Army embedded software development at Redstone Arsenal. The expanded strategic partnership will enable acceleration of mission solutions and provide secure, safe and reliable mission-critical systems across a range of applications. Those include lifecycle systems, engineering and computer resource engineering support to systems, and activities necessary to define concepts and requirements, while also plan, manage, develop, sustain, modify, improve, test, train, field and retire systems and system computer resources in a time frame necessary to meet customer needs.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with Wind River, which enables us to deliver cutting-edge solutions that accelerate the design and mission-oriented integration of complex weapons systems,” said Josh Jackson, executive vice president and manager, Army Business Group. “Together, we are poised to leverage a suite of cloud based digital engineering tools purposely designed to address the requirements in building the Army of 2030.”
SAIC is uniquely focused on offering prebuilt, commercially integrated and configured products and services to customers, accelerating time to value for all parties. As a market leader, SAIC is helping accelerate Army modernization by empowering the Army with trusted services and cutting-edge technology-agnostic integrated solutions that provide accelerated Operational Outcomes for Multi-Domain Operations.
“Wind River’s strategic partnership with SAIC represents a pivotal moment for our government customers, driving a transformational shift toward delivering comprehensive, end-to-end solutions that advance the software-defined future of mission-critical, AI-driven applications at the intelligent edge,” said Avijit Sinha, Wind River President. “Together, we will introduce innovative, highly capable joint solutions that provide transformative value across defense, space, civilian, and intelligence sectors, and beyond.”
Wind River is a global leader in delivering software for mission-critical systems. With technology proven in over 750 safety programs and in more than 120 civilian and military aircraft, Wind River has over three decades of experience helping to build safe, secure, and reliable computing systems for demanding commercial aircraft, space exploration, and military operations. It is a leading supplier of real-time operating systems, Linux offerings, hypervisors, and simulation technology to the aerospace, government, and defense industries with its portfolio of product, including VxWorks®, Wind River Helix™ Virtualization Platform, Wind River Linux, Wind River Studio Developer, and the recently launched eLxr Pro.
About SAIC
SAIC® is a premier Fortune 500® technology integrator focused on advancing the power of technology and innovation to serve and protect our world. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets includes secure high-end solutions in mission IT, enterprise IT, engineering services and professional services. We integrate emerging technology, rapidly and securely, into mission critical operations that modernize and enable critical national imperatives.
We are approximately 24,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. SAIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion, which is core to our values and important to attract and retain exceptional talent. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.4 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom.
About Wind River
Wind River is a global leader in delivering software for the intelligent edge. For more than four decades, the company has been an innovator and pioneer, powering billions of devices and systems that require the highest levels of security, safety, and reliability. Wind River software and expertise are accelerating digital transformation across industries including automotive, aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, and telecommunications. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio supported by world-class global professional services and support and a broad partner ecosystem. To learn more, visit Wind River at http://www.windriver.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release contain or are based on “forward-looking” information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “guidance,” and similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements in this release may include, among others, estimates of future revenues, operating income, earnings, earnings per share, charges, total contract value, backlog, outstanding shares and cash flows, as well as statements about future dividends, share repurchases and other capital deployment plans. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from the guidance and other forward-looking statements made in this release as a result of various factors. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause or contribute to these material differences include those discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Legal Proceedings” sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated in any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC, which may be viewed or obtained through the Investor Relations section of our website at saic.com or on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SAIC expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement provided in this release to reflect subsequent events, actual results or changes in SAIC’s expectations. SAIC also disclaims any duty to comment upon or correct information that may be contained in reports published by investment analysts or others.
Media Contact:
Greg Hicks
619.961.0075 | gregory.l.hicks@saic.com
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By AD Narayan, Visual Effects Artist and Lecturer in Digital Communication, Auckland University of Technology
From the mind-bending reality warps of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) to the breathtaking alien vistas of Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), visual effects have transported us to worlds beyond imagination. Yet the future of visual effects (VFX) could hang in the balance as artificial intelligence is subsumed into screen production processes.
Lionsgate’s recent partnership with AI startup Runway has sparked controversy in the visual effects industry.
By allowing Runway to train AI on Lionsgate’s vast film and TV catalogue, the collaboration promises increased efficiency and financial savings – but at what cost?
According to a research report published in January, 75% of 300 entertainment industry leaders surveyed said generative AI tools, software and models had contributed to the elimination, reduction or consolidation of jobs within their business divisions.
The report highlighted the visual effects sector as being particularly vulnerable, as AI techniques are often applied in post-production processes. This vulnerability was typified in our own research published today.
Our work reveals visual effects artists have serious concerns about generative AI’s integration into screen production. These include worries over job insecurity, creative devaluation, and the potential for AI to produce derivative content that fails to meet audience expectations.
Our findings reflect growing concerns that AI’s use in filmmaking could magnify existing industry problems. It could, for instance, exacerbate unfair working conditions. Or it could undermine creativity if artists are expected to “clean up” AI-generated work rather than create their own.
Visual effects artists, who have typically been early adopters of new technologies, acknowledge AI could bring both opportunities and challenges. While it could help streamline certain tasks, it could equally impact on the overall quality of their work.
The artists we spoke to were worried a reliance on AI might stifle creativity and skill development, by making the work “more mechanical and less creative”. In a recent example, the AI-generated title sequence for Marvel’s Secret Invasion series was widely criticised for lacking artistic merit.
There were also questions about how artists would be compensated if their work is used to train AI models.
Some senior supervisors were particularly concerned about the ethical and legal considerations of using AI on commercial projects. They were uncertain around intellectual property rights for AI-generated content, as well as the potential for copyright infringement.
On the creative and technical front, artists recognised AI’s value in generating ideas and automating repetitive tasks. However, nearly all of them said AI tools weren’t yet production-ready, and highlighted difficulties with integrating said tools into existing pipelines.
The VFX industry was already struggling with profits and sustainability before the AI boom. Visual effects companies often face bankruptcy – even Oscar-winning ones. In many cases, artists will get laid off once a project is complete.
The partnership between Lionsgate and Runway represents the industry’s collective failure to address concerns over AI. But there’s still time to fix things.
The first step is developing clear industry guidelines for AI’s use in visual effects. Above all else, AI should help augment human creativity, rather than replace it. And artists should be fairly compensated if their work is used to train AI models.
Investment in training programs could also help artists adapt to new AI tools without compromising their creativity. As one interviewee told us, human expertise and creativity remain important in visual effects.
“Understanding the why behind certain choices, the creative decision making, that’s something I haven’t really seen AI effectively do,” they said.
As the industry stands at a technological crossroads, it must balance the pursuit of efficiency with genuine creativity. Otherwise, we risk losing the human touch that brings our favourite films to life.
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. AI is creeping into the visual effects industry – and it could take the human touch out of film and TV – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-creeping-into-the-visual-effects-industry-and-it-could-take-the-human-touch-out-of-film-and-tv-240112
Source: United Nations – Geneva
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today considered the eighth periodic report of Chile, with Committee Experts praising the State’s laws on violence against women and femicide, and raising questions about measures to prevent trafficking of children and sexual abuse of girls.
One Committee Expert said Chile had impressive laws on violence against women and femicide. What was the reparation regime for femicide?
A Committee Expert said trafficking remained a problem in Chile. There were around 20,000 illegal adoptions; the stealing of children was reportedly a lucrative business for criminal groups. What measures were in place to support women and children who were at risk of trafficking?
Another Expert said the Committee was concerned by the high rates of teenage pregnancy and sexual abuse of teenage girls. What was being done to prevent early pregnancies, sexual abuse of girls, and delays in processing of abortion requests?
Introducing the report, Antonia Orellana Guarello, Minister of Women and Gender Equity of Chile and head of the delegation, said an emblematic advance in the fight against violence in Chile was the enactment this June of the comprehensive law against gender violence. In the last two years, law reform had established a comprehensive protection and reparation regime for victims of femicide. National violence against women programmes had been redesigned to offer care to a wider range of victims.
Ms. Orellana Guarello said the Government had developed the National Action Plan against Trafficking in Persons 2023-2026, focusing on prevention, protection of victims, prosecution of crimes, intersectoral coordination, and international cooperation. This plan had made it possible to double the State’s capacity to care for adult victims.
The delegation added that the State had a new procedure for assessing international adoptions and was supporting investigations into kidnapping of children. One individual who had been kidnapped had been identified and reunited with their family. The State party was working to establish a genetic database to help reunite families and victims.
Chile had seen a downward trend in teenage pregnancies since 2016, the delegation noted, influenced by the free distribution of contraception. The State party was developing legislation that decriminalised abortion. Around 70 per cent of girls under 14 who requested abortions did so on the grounds of rape. An early referrals programme had been developed to speed up their access to abortions.
In closing remarks, Ms. Orellana Guarello said Chile was committed to implementing the rights of women in all their diversity. The State party would work to collect disaggregated data on women, achieve gender parity at all levels, increase access to abortion, promote the rights of older women and reform the pension system, and improve the situation of women deprived of liberty.
Ana Peláez Narváez, Committee Chair, in concluding remarks, said that the dialogue had helped the Committee to better understand the situation of women and girls in the State party. It would develop recommendations based on the dialogue to strengthen the implementation of the Convention for the benefit of all women and girls in Chile.
The delegation of Chile consisted of representatives from the Supreme Court; Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; National Migration Service; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Women and Gender Equity; Ministry of the Interior and Public Security; Public Prosecutor’s Office; Gendarmerie; Public Criminal Defender’s Office; Cabinet of the Minister of Social Development and Family; and the Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Chile at the end of its eighty-ninth session on 25 October. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 16 October to consider the tenth periodic report of Canada (CEDAW/C/CAN/10).
Report
The Committee has before it the eighth periodic report of Chile (CEDAW/C/CHL/8).
Presentation of Report
ANTONIA ORELLANA GUARELLO, Minister of Women and Gender Equity of Chile and head of the delegation, said that since the last dialogue, Chile had experienced social protests, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the emergence of “anti-rights” groups. Despite these challenges, the State had made progress in institutional, legal and administrative mechanisms to ensure the rights of women. The National Equality Plan, updated in 2023, was the roadmap for equality policies in Chile. Minority groups had participated in the construction and monitoring of the plan. In 2023 and 2024, six billion pesos were allocated to projects that directly benefited the diversity of women in different State institutions.
An emblematic advance in the fight against violence was the enactment this June of the comprehensive law against gender violence, which established measures to punish and eradicate gender-based violence. It created a judicial supervision mechanism, recognised children and adolescents as victims, and established an integrated data system on cases of gender violence. In the last two years, law reform had improved procedural guarantees and protected the rights of victims of sexual crimes; advanced the prevention, investigation and punishment of workplace sexual harassment; and established a comprehensive protection and reparation regime for victims of femicide, including a pension for sons and daughters, which until August 2024 has benefited 126 children and adolescents. National violence against women programmes had been redesigned to offer care to a wider range of victims. The budget allocated to the prevention of violence against women had been increased by 22 per cent between 2021 and 2024.
In 2022, a law prohibiting child marriage was enacted. Thanks to this law, in the last two years there were no marriages with spouses under 18 years of age. The Government had also developed the National Action Plan against Trafficking in Persons 2023-2026, focusing on prevention, protection of victims, prosecution of crimes, intersectoral coordination, and international cooperation. This plan had made it possible to double the State’s capacity to care for adult victims. As of May 2024, humanitarian visas were issued to 21 women victims. Progress had also been made with respect to the payment of child support through the creation of the National Registry of Alimony Debtors and the effective payment law. This had allowed the payment of more than 333 million United States dollars for alimony, benefiting more than 50,000 families as of May 2024.
Chile was processing the bill that modified the Labour Code to promote equal pay between men and women, seeking to address the persistent gender wage gap, which stood at 23.3 per cent. The Buenos Aires Commitment recognised the right to care and be cared for. The Government had introduced a bill to establish a national policy on care to guarantee access to care in conditions of dignity. Resources for care systems would be increased by 40 per cent by 2025, with the goal of serving 75,000 people with severe dependency.
The More Women Scientists Programme had provided posts to women in science, technology, engineering and maths programmes at the university level. The number of women selected for such programmes had since increased by 16.8 per cent. The Government had implemented an inspection manual for the voluntary interruption of pregnancy law, which gave tools to local authorities for the supervision of health facilities. It had also reduced the prices of oral, vaginal and long-acting contraception.
The percentage of women participating in politics had increased in recent decades. Chile was ranked sixth worldwide in high-level representation of women, with 58.3 per cent of members of the Cabinet of Ministers being women. The Government was also promoting projects such as gender quotas in the elections of regional governors and councillors. In the last two years, spaces had been created for women to participate in the evaluation and transformation of public policy, such as the Citizen Dialogues for the Care System, which had 12,614 participants, of which 80.4 per cent were women. Dialogues were also held for rural women and for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community, on sexual and reproductive rights and pension reform.
In the last two years, 119 indigenous language and culture educators were recruited. The Good Living Plan promoted the participation of Mapuche and rural women in political and social decisions through territorial dialogues. The Government had also doubled the quota for hiring people with disabilities in companies and public institutions with 100 or more workers. The National Policy on Migration and Foreigners provided comprehensive care for foreign women victims of domestic and gender-based violence. Since 2023, the gender identity accompaniment programme had been implemented, serving more than 2,500 transgender and gender non-conforming children and adolescents. This year, the Protocol for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders was approved, reaffirming the commitment of the State to protect women human rights defenders. The Protocol on the Treatment of Pregnant Women in Detention sought to guarantee respect for and exercise of these women’s rights. From 2022 to May of this year, a total of 321 pregnant women had benefited from this law.
The Committee’s recommendations would allow the State to make progress in complying with its international commitments and to guarantee respect for human rights.
LORETO CARVAJAL, Senator of the Republic, said she was a member of a group of parliamentarians that promoted the creation of the Commission on Women and Gender Equity, a space to debate policies against discrimination and violence against women. The law on labour conciliation enshrined the right to remote work for all workers who had children under 14 years of age in their care. Another law prohibited sexual and workplace violence and harassment at work. The National Congress had also established its first breastfeeding room, and the Senate had installed 24 kits with menstrual hygiene products in its bathrooms. The Work-Life Balance Protocol supported women with family and care responsibilities.
Chile also faced several challenges. The revision of the civil partnership regime was still pending, as was a bill to strengthen the anti-discrimination law. It was essential that resources were appropriately allocated to initiatives that addressed gender-based violence and promoted women’s economic empowerment. There also needed to be increased cooperation between the legislative branch, the executive and civil society. The delegation would faithfully reflect on both the State’s progress and the challenges remaining regarding the implementation of the Convention.
ANDREA MUÑOZ SÁNCHEZ, Minister of the Supreme Court of Chile, said Chile’s understanding of the need to increase women’s access to justice had improved over the reporting period, and legal instruments and rulings reflected this. The Supreme Court of Justice had a technical secretariat on gender equality and a gender equality policy. There had been rulings regarding cases of violence against women that dealt with abandonment and recognition of non-typical cases of violence, including the use of legitimate use of self-defence by women. There had also been rulings on the rights of women deprived of liberty and rulings recognising non-binary gender, and alternatives to detention had been issued for pregnant women. The judiciary had also implemented many measures to eradicate sexual harassment in the workplace.
Statement by the National Human Rights Institute
CONSUELO CONTRERAS LARGO, National Director, National Human Rights Institute of Chile, said Chile’s statistics on violence against women were not disaggregated based on ethnicity, location, age, disability, sexual orientation and migrant status; this needed to be done. It was worrying that amendments to the conjugal partnership law and the anti-discrimination law had not progressed. The gap in representation between men and women continued to be wide, especially in mayoral offices and in the Senate, where women made up only 17 per cent and 24 per cent of representatives, respectively. There was no gender quota in municipal elections, and for parliamentary elections, the quota would be in force only until 2029.
Difficulties in reporting violence and accessing care for minority women were concerning. There was a low number of personnel responsible for investigating trafficking in persons in the investigative police. It was also worrying that only 15 universities offered training in gender violence, women’s rights, and gender perspective, and there was no discussion in Congress about comprehensive sex education in the school curriculum.
Gaps in wages and employability of men and women remained, while unemployment rates continued to be higher in women than in men. The Institute was also concerned about barriers that hindered the provision of access to voluntary termination of pregnancy, including training and conscientious objection, and about the situation of pregnant women and women with children in prisons and the lack of progress on the bill prohibiting pretrial detention for such women. The Institute was concerned about the lack of cultural relevance of policies for the prevention of violence against indigenous women.
Questions by a Committee Expert
MARION BETHEL, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chile, said that the Committee welcomed the efforts by the State party to disseminate the Convention and the ratification of the Optional Protocol in 2020. Capacity-building efforts had reached over 46,000 public servants. Had the State party established a permanent accountability mechanism regarding the Convention? Was the Convention promoted in rural areas and had it been translated into indigenous languages?
The recent reform of the Constitution was a unique opportunity to advance gender equality and incorporate comprehensive protections for women’s rights. However, this process had faced challenges. What steps had been taken to anchor women’s rights in the Constitution? The Committee was concerned about discrimination targeting indigenous women and women of African descent. What steps had been taken to amend the law on discrimination in line with the Convention? How many cases had been tried under the law and what reparation had been provided to minority women? What steps had been taken to address the law’s inadequacies?
The availability of legal assistance for minority women remained insufficient. How was the State party addressing this? What training was being provided on gender equality and support for women for members of the judiciary? Did training provided for the police and prison service improve access to justice for indigenous women, and how was gender mainstreaming being incorporated in the judiciary?
Ms. Bethel welcomed that the Convention had been invoked in court rulings. The State party needed to collect disaggregated data to inform public policy on gender. What had been the impact of the work of the Intersectoral Working Group on the Rights of Indigenous Women?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Chile was committed to addressing gaps in monitoring the implementation of the Convention. The State party was making use of the “SEMORE” system, which collected data on the implementation of human rights treaties. A mechanism had opened that allowed civil society to monitor the implementation of the Convention and a gender budgeting system would soon be implemented.
More than 33,000 public servants had received training on gender equality. The State was collaborating with the local office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to strengthen training on the Convention for public officials. Between 2022 and 2024, around 7,500 members of the judiciary took courses on gender issues and more than 900 members of the investigative police had also received such training. From this year, all criminal and family judges were required to undergo mandatory training on violence against women, and prosecutors also underwent training on the Convention.
The judiciary provided defence for all individuals. There were specialised defenders for indigenous women and intercultural communicators who supported these women. A bill to reform the Anti-Discrimination Act addressed shortcomings in the legislation and the need to compensate victims; this bill had been rejected, but work was underway to reform it so that it could be passed.
The Government was working to establish institutions, roadmaps and training programmes to promote the rights of indigenous women. The judiciary had a handbook of good practices related to gender, and a repository of judgements related to gender had been published. More than 11,000 judgements had referenced the Convention, including 8,000 judgements by family courts.
The Sub-Commission on Gender Statistics had established a standard on statistics on gender identity. Upcoming surveys on gender-based violence would cover rural areas. The new national census would include questions on gender identity, ethnicity and other characteristics.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert congratulated the State party on the creation of the Ministry for Women and Gender Equity. What percentage of the national budget had been devoted to gender institutions in the last three years? How did the State party ensure compliance by public officials with the Convention? What was the mandate of the National Service for Women and Gender Equity? How was the Women’s Ministry empowered to influence other ministries, institutions and the media?
The fourth national action plan on equality between men and women was commendable. What budget had been attached to the plan and what achievements had it made? Were issues concerning disadvantaged women integrated into national priorities? What measures were in place to monitor the implementation of the plan?
MARION BETHEL, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chile, commended the State party for its use of temporary special measures in promoting the representation of women in political bodies. There was an absence of temporary special measures to promote the rights of disadvantaged women in other areas, however. What groups of women had been targeted by temporary special measures and what steps had been taken to guarantee women’s rights in the economic recovery plan? How were temporary special measures being used to address gender stereotypes and promote women’s access to employment?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the National Service for Women and Gender Equity promoted gender equality and women’s empowerment in various areas. The budget for the Service had been increased in recent years, and its programme to combat violence had been strengthened. Its activities reached more than 150,000 women, preventing violence and promoting women’s political participation.
Almost 46,000 members of the police service had received training on human rights and gender, including over 500 directors of the police force. The share of women applying for posts within the police had increased to 40 per cent.
The Women’s Ministry had participated in drafting the post-pandemic economic recovery plan in 2022, incorporating gender perspectives into the plan. The rate of female integration in the workforce had increased by two per cent since the implementation of the plan. Subsidies were provided to employed women to access childcare, and structures providing care for the elderly had been strengthened to alleviate women’s care burden. The childcare system had been reformed to increase access for marginalised women.
The labour inclusion law had helped to double the number of women with disabilities who had access to the labour market. There was currently a record number of women in construction in Chile.
Questions by Committee Experts
MARION BETHEL, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chile, said there was a lack of temporary special measures for indigenous women, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women, and other disadvantaged women. Was the State party working to create these?
ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chair, asked how the State party ensured access to justice for vulnerable women. Could indigenous women use their own languages in court? What measures were in place to protect girls in the justice system? How did the State ensure access to its national surveys for indigenous women, girls and women with disabilities?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Government was drafting a law on access to justice for gender-based crimes. The judiciary had training programmes on gender and sexual diversity and there had been an inclusion protocol developed for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community.
The Government was working to ensure access to social programmes for marginalised groups of the population. Community care centres had been set up in rural areas to support the care burden for indigenous peoples. Information on sexual and reproductive rights was being provided to indigenous women in different indigenous languages and in Braille. The national census was made available in the main three indigenous languages. A law had been passed to recognise Chilean people of African descent, and the Ministry of Women had a body working to promote the rights of women of African descent.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert welcomed that Chile’s domestic legislation needed to be interpreted in line with the international human rights treaties ratified by Chile, and commended the State party’s efforts to address historical wrongs against women. How was the State party advancing space exploration led by women and addressing the threats posed to women by autonomous weapons systems? How would the State party incorporate women peacebuilders within its national action plan on women, peace and security?
Technology-assisted violence disproportionately affected women. How was the State party addressing algorithmic biases against women in artificial intelligence models? The State had impressive laws on violence against women and femicide. What was the reparation regime for femicide? How did the State party monitor the implementation of the law on workplace harassment and prevent reprisals against women who reported it? The State party needed to immediately promulgate the law on consent for sexual relations. Was the monitoring mechanism for discrimination against HIV-positive people still in place? Did the media law prohibit gender stereotyping?
Trafficking remained a problem in Chile. There were around 20,000 illegal adoptions; the stealing of children was reportedly a lucrative business for criminal groups. Children in child protection centres were at risk of trafficking. What reparations had been provided for victims of illegal adoptions? What measures were in place to support women and children who were at risk of trafficking?
ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chair, congratulated the State party on implementing the ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights regarding reparation for the forced sterilisation of a woman. Was forced sterilisation of women with disabilities common? When would the State party criminalise this practice? How was the State party ensuring protection for girls who were wards of the State from institutional violence?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said women were included in Chile’s armed forces. The Commission of Peace and Understanding between the State and the Mapuche people, which included Mapuche women, was striving to achieve peace and an end to conflict with the Mapuche. Chile had had a feminist foreign policy since 2022, and a gender lens was incorporated into foreign aid activities. Chile was focusing on including women in international peace negotiations, such as negotiations with Colombia. The State party had included a gender dimension in the regulation of autonomous weapons and in disarmament efforts.
There were differing opinions on the effectiveness of establishing a law on consent for sexual relations; negotiation on this act was ongoing. Laws had been implemented that increased penalties for obstetric violence and the non-consensual dissemination of pornographic material. The new comprehensive law on violence against women addressed obstetric violence. Courts were providing compensation for moral harm caused by obstetric violence and failed sterilisation procedures requested by women.
Chile was promoting the inclusion of women in science, technology, engineering and maths careers and there had been an increase in women taking up these careers. The State party had passed a law that promoted the inclusion of women in the mining sector.
The State had a new procedure for assessing international adoptions and was supporting investigations into the kidnapping of children. One individual who had been kidnapped had been identified and reunited with their family. The State party was working to establish a genetic database to help reunite families and victims.
Chile had not received complaints related to the forced sterilisation of persons with disabilities. It had recently adopted a law that required free, prior and informed consent for sterilisation procedures. The State party had created a special body monitoring girls, boys and adolescents who were wards of the State. Protection measures were implemented as a last resort.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert commended the State party’s commitment to female diplomacy and representation in all decision-making arena. Would the State party implement quotas for 50 per cent representation of women at all levels of government? The Expert welcomed the definition of “political violence” against women in the State’s legislation. Was there a system for implementing this legislation? What measures were in place to promote gender parity in the private sector? Was there a system to assess the environmental and gender impacts of foreign policies?
Another Committee Expert welcomed efforts to address statelessness, including the implementation of the Statelessness Convention and the granting of Chilean nationality to all people born on Chilean territory. Many children were born on migratory routes in Chile, increasing their risk of statelessness. How was the State party working to register the births of migrant children? Could it provide statistics in this regard? How was the State party promoting access to refugee status determination procedures?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Chile’s feminist foreign policy included measures promoting the representation of women in the foreign service. Around 24 per cent of Chile’s ambassadors were female, up from around 12 per cent in 2022. The State was approaching gender parity in its diplomatic corps. All Chile’s trade agreements had specific chapters on women. Chile had won a prize from the World Trade Organization for promoting gender equality through trade.
There had been a rise in female participation in the Congress. Quotas had been established for electoral lists. Women were currently heading 13 different ministries, including ministries typically led by men. Quotas were also being implemented in the regional elections that were currently underway. A tool had been developed to support women wishing to run for election. The Government had recognised political violence as a form of discrimination. The Electoral Service was developing clear standards on this form of violence.
Currently, all children born on migratory routes had access to Chilean nationality. The State project on statelessness had allowed for the provision of nationality to around 100 children. The law on immigration respected the best interests of the child. A draft law had been developed to provide nationality to children who did not have identity documents. The State party worked to prevent refoulement of migrants.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert commended the educational reforms implemented by the State party. What strategy did the State party have to prevent the dissemination of gender stereotypes in education? What redress systems were in place for victims of discrimination within education? What monitoring was in place to ensure that the language policy empowered and did not stigmatise indigenous children? What temporary special measures were in place to promote access to education for minority girls?
Had the State party developed disability-friendly learning environments and promoted inclusive education? What was the rate of return for girls who left the education system early? How did the State party’s science, technology, engineering and maths education programme address structural barriers to women accessing careers in this field? The reproductive health education programme started in the second education cycle and was not compulsory. Would the State party make the programme compulsory, continuing and age appropriate?
Another Committee Expert commended the State party’s gender parity initiative, the law to reduce the maximum weekly working hours, and the law to implement International Labour Organization Convention 190. The gender pay gap persisted in the State party. What measures would the State party take to address the gap, particularly in higher paying positions? The labour participation rate for women was 48.1 per cent in 2021. What measures were in place to increase the rate and eliminate horizontal and vertical discrimination against women in the workplace? How was the State party promoting women’s participation in the digital economy, and the employment of marginalised women? How were self-employed women and domestic workers supported to access State benefits? What efforts had been made to promote the equal sharing of household responsibilities between men and women? Could data on this be provided?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Chile had developed a draft bill on schooling that addressed discrimination within the educational community. The bill was currently being assessed by Congress. National days on non-sexist education had been held; over 450,000 children and parents had participated. The admission system for higher education had been amended to support women’s access. Textbooks had been updated to remove gender stereotypes. The Government was also working to discourage violence in educational settings. There were seven possible programmes for sex education, and schools could choose which programme they provided. The State party planned to develop a bill that would improve the quality of sex education. Educational institutions were being provided with guidance to implement inclusive education for children with disabilities.
Between 2022 and 2024, women’s wages had increased by six per cent, and employment rates for women had returned to pre-pandemic levels. The gender wage gap had decreased from 25 per cent in 2022 to 23 per cent in 2023. Most trade unions had greater participation of women than men. Regulations had been implemented that allowed for shorter working hours for workers with children. The number of days that parents could have off when their children were sick had been increased from 15 to 30. Chile’s legislation established the joint responsibility of parents in caring for their children. A programme had been developed to provide care for children in rural areas during holiday periods to allow their mothers to continue working. This programme was now being expanded.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said learners with auditory disabilities had complained that digital education portals were not accessible for them. Had the State addressed this issue? Each of the seven possible sexual health education programmes needed to be compliant with the Convention. How many educational institutions had been fined for discrimination against girls?
Another Committee Expert commended the State party’s initiative to decriminalise abortion on all grounds. The Committee was concerned by the high rates of teenage pregnancy and sexual abuse of teenage girls. What was being done to prevent early pregnancies, sexual abuse of girls, and delays in processing of abortion requests? Around 42 per cent of obstetric practitioners were conscientious objectors to abortion. In rural areas, there were no alternatives if local doctors were conscientious objectors. How was the State party addressing this? Many women had experienced obstetric violence. What support was the State party providing to ensure access to reparation for such violence?
One Committee Expert commended the State’s pension and labour law reform. Women’s unpaid working hours exceeded those of men by a large margin. Almost half of households were headed by women, many of which were impoverished. There was a pay gap regarding pension payments for retirees. How was the State party preventing the widening of the gender wage gap and working to reduce the representation of women in the informal sector? How would the State party correct the gender inequalities in the pension system and compensate women for unpaid care work? Over 40 per cent of companies did not have women on their boards; how was this being addressed?
What measures were in place to promote women and girls’ access to cultural and sporting activities, and to address discrimination against women in sports?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Chile had seen a downward trend in teenage pregnancies since 2016, influenced by the free distribution of contraception. To prevent the underground use of misoprostol, the State party was developing legislation that decriminalised abortion. Under 10 per cent of health providers had conscientious objectors to abortions. The State party supported the referral of persons seeking abortions to alternative abortion providers in cases of conscientious objection. Conscientious objectors were required to provide abortions if there was a risk to the life of the mother. Chile had amended legislation to require healthcare institutions to provide patients with information on their abortion rights in various languages. Around 70 per cent of girls under 14 who requested abortions did so on the grounds of rape. An early referrals programme had been developed to speed up their access to abortions. Most family court cases concerning abortions for minors who had been raped were decided within two days.
Coverage of the pension system had reached 80 per cent, increasing greatly in recent years. The State party was implementing reforms to close the gender pension gap. It had drafted a law towards this aim that was currently in its second reading. A national survey was being carried out that assessed the distribution of domestic work responsibilities. It would inform future support policies.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert asked if the State party had considered mechanisms to prevent backstreet abortions. What support did the State provide to girls who underwent abortions?
Another Committee Expert asked if girls aged 16 and over could access abortions in cases of rape.
One Committee Expert asked about measures to support women entrepreneurs’ access to loans and credit.
A Committee Expert asked about steps that had been taken to develop an action plan on rural women and girls that addressed their access to services and land. Chile was the only country in Latin America that did not recognise indigenous peoples in its Constitution. Would the State party establish a ministry of indigenous affairs, as the Committee had previously recommended? What measures were in place to guarantee the right to tenure and ownership of land for indigenous women? Women of African descent were not visible in the State party due to a lack of data. Not all women of African descent were recognised by the State party in its legislation; how would this be addressed?
Another Committee Expert commended reforms that raised the minimum age of marriage to 18 without exception. De facto early unions were still being carried out in Chile. What measures were in place to identify such unions and to support their dissolution, particularly in rural areas? How was the State party promoting access to adoption for same-sex couples? What was the status of efforts to amend the marital regime and to educate the population in this regard? How effectively were temporary protective measures implemented to protect women and children in cases of family violence?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Chile planned to collect more data on people of African descent through its 2025 census. The Ministry of Women and Equity had implemented measures to support access to land tenure for indigenous peoples. There had yet to be progress on the draft law establishing a ministry of indigenous affairs; the Government would devote further efforts toward this aim.
A national roundtable had been set up to support rural and indigenous women. The roundtable had developed a programme to support access to water for these women. There was also a programme supporting the development of rural and indigenous women as leaders.
Amendments to the adoption law had been discussed for over 10 years. The Government was working to establish a law that allowed for the adoption of children by same-sex couples. Custody of children was not granted to violent parents. Recent legislative reform defined children who experienced domestic violence as victims. The State party was working to reform the marital property regime to increase women’s access to property in cases of divorce.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said extractive industry activities had affected access to water in rural areas. Would the State party strengthen environmental regulations to ensure that agribusiness activities did not negatively affect rural and indigenous women? What steps had been taken to hold persons responsible for human rights violations occurring in the context of the 2019 protests?
Another Committee Expert noted that a case had been brought before the Supreme Court in 2021 by two women regarding the shutting down of a power plant in Huasco. What measures were in place to protect women in Huasco from pollution from power plants?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said a plan was being developed to gradually close power plants in Huasco and to provide reparations to persons who had been affected by pollution from these plants. A draft bill had been put forward to address the loss of rural ecosystems caused by the activities of extractive industries. A climate change adaption plan was also in place.
Around 50 complaints had been brought against civil servants related to their actions in response to the 2019 protests, some of which had led to prosecutions. Five of these cases involved female victims.
Concluding Remarks
ANTONIA ORELLANA GUARELLO, Minister of Women and Gender Equity of Chile and head of the delegation, said the dialogue had been constructive. The Committee’s inputs had been and would continue to be vital for the State party. Chile was committed to implementing the rights of women in all their diversity. The State party had made progress but acknowledged that gaps remained. The Committee’s recommendations would help the State party to move forward. Chile would work to collect disaggregated data on women, achieve gender parity at all levels, increase access to abortion, promote the rights of older women and reform the pension system, and improve the situation of women deprived of liberty.
ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chair, said that the dialogue had helped the Committee to better understand the situation of women and girls in Chile. It would develop recommendations based on the dialogue to strengthen the implementation of the Convention for the benefit of all women and girls in Chile.
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not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.
CEDAW24.028E
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
NEW YORK, United States of America, October 15, 2024/APO Group/ —
The NBA today announced the launch of new features available to fans globally on the NBA App – the official home of basketball – for the 2024-25 season, showcasing the league’s dedication to innovation to enhance the fan viewing experience. The new elements are highlighted by multiview now available on connected devices, which gives fans the option to watch up to four games simultaneously on NBA League Pass – the league’s live game subscription service.
In addition, NBA League Pass subscribers in Africa and around the world will have the ability to customize their viewing experience and always be live when watching NBA games. Fans can smart rewind games from any point with key plays highlighted, download full games for offline viewing and access a range of game recap versions including “All Possessions,” “10-Minute Condensed,” “Key Highlights,” and more. Additionally, the app will offer interactive synced stats and analytics, ensuring fans experience the game in the app as if it is live no matter when they are watching.
Among the game-changing enhancements is “NBA Insights,” an AI-powered tool that leverages the power of Microsoft Azure. The feature uses AI rooted in deep basketball understanding to identify key narratives, player performances, and notable milestones, providing fans with a continuous feed of text-based updates that go beyond the box score to better contextualize what’s happening on the court. The league is also using Generative AI to localize content, offering game recaps in French, Portuguese and Spanish as well as translations for select original programming and live games.
Additionally, content on the NBA App throughout the season will incorporate “Dunk Score,” an AI-calculated grade for in-game dunks in real-time based on a breadth of factors including the player’s jumping distance, style and force at the rim, and defensive efforts from the opposing team.
“Pass the Rock,” the popular NBA App series highlighting the emerging league stars, returns for season three with a special “Rookie Year Edition.” This episode will follow San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s transition to the NBA, culminating in him being named the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year. On Sunday, Oct. 20, the NBA will launch “Raising 18,” a nine-part docuseries narrated by five-time NBA All-Star Al Horford spotlighting the Boston Celtics’ journey to their 2024 NBA Finals victory.
Popular experiential features within the NBA App have been enhanced to increase personalization, including the all-new ‘Following’ tab, which combines the latest content from your favorite teams and players into an algorithmic feed as well as the revamped “Game Stories” now with pre-game analysis, highlights and interactive polls. “Moments” – the popular vertical social media-style feed feature – has been upgraded to include multi-language support and can now be accessed on Roku TVs for quick content consumption on larger screens.
On NBA League Pass, fans will have access to a variety of alternate telecast options, including in-language streams (Spanish, Portuguese and Korean), the return of the popular “NBA Strategy Stream” providing fans with a unique viewing option breaking down in-game tactics and “NBA HooperVision” featuring NBA legend Quentin Richardson and special guests. Additional alternate stream options will be announced throughout the season.
As part of the league’s partnership with Meta, 52 live game broadcasts will be streamed in immersive VR in NBA Arena in Meta Horizon Worlds and Xtadium on Meta Quest, the Official MR Headset of the NBA, NBA G League and WNBA. Xtadium will also allow NBA League Pass subscribers to watch every live 2D game nightly in mixed reality, complete with real-time stats. More information, including the full 2024-25 NBA game schedule for Meta Quest, can be found here (https://apo-opa.co/3YaWS7w).
The league continues to expand the technological capabilities of its “Next Gen integrated digital platform,” which is now powering four team-specific direct-to-consumer streaming services in the NBA App, including BlazerVision (https://apo-opa.co/3Ypldb1) (Portland Trail Blazers), ClipperVision (https://apo-opa.co/3Ypldb1) (LA Clippers), Jazz+ (https://apo-opa.co/3A1d7fq) (Utah Jazz) and Suns Live (https://apo-opa.co/3Ypldb1) (Phoenix Suns). The platform, which is the technology backbone for the NBA App, is also enabling Spectrum SportsNet+ (Los Angeles Lakers).
The NBA App – a product of NBA Digital, the league’s joint venture with TNT Sports – is powered by Microsoft Azure and free to download here (https://apo-opa.co/4dPaT0o)
Source: Government of India
AI-CoEs will create new generation of job creators and wealth creators and establish new paradigms of global public good – Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Government approved Rs. 990.00 Crore for creation of three AI-CoEs
Posted On: 15 OCT 2024 4:35PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, announced the establishment of three AI Centres of Excellence (CoE) focused on Healthcare, Agriculture, and Sustainable Cities in New Delhi today. Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Shri K. Sanjay Murthy; Co-chair of the Apex Committee and Founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, Shri Sridhar Vembu; Chairman of the National Educational Technology Forum, Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe; MD, PeakXV Partners and Surge, Shri Rajan Anandan; CEO, Khosla Labs, Shri Srikanth Nadhamuni; Head, Cropin AI Labs, Dr. Praveen Pankajakshan; senior officials from various ministries of the Government of India, Directors of IITs, Heads of higher educational institutions (HEIs), industry leaders, and start-up founders were also present at the event. Shri Pradhan presented a sapling and a Plaque to the representatives of AIIMS and IIT Delhi, IIT Ropar, and IIT Kanpur, which will lead the CoEs, for their commitments and support. Respective Apex Committee members of the AI-CoE Healthcare, Agriculture and Sustainable Cities explained the scope and extent of the projects.
While speaking at the event, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan hoped that the three AI-CoEs would emerge as temples of global public good. With the unveiling of the Centres, significant strides have been taken to strengthen Bharat’s credentials in the global AI landscape, he added. Shri Pradhan also said that with the talent and zeal that Bharat is blessed with, in the times ahead, these CoEs will be a key element of global public policy and also emerge as solution providers of the world.
He complimented the apex committee led by Shri Sridhar Vembu for their meticulous and sincere efforts towards the implementation of these COEs in AI in the top academic institutions of the country. Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for his vision to establish India as a global hub of AI, he added that these CoEs in AI will give further impetus to the start-up ecosystem in the country, help create a new generation of job and wealth creators, and establish new paradigms of global public good.
Shri K. Sanjay Murthy, in his address highlighted that these CoEs are not just institution-based but are designed to serve the entire country. Stressing the importance of interdisciplinary research, he mentioned that with the right kind of collaboration among like-minded resources, optimum results can be achieved. He noted that the competitive-based challenge methods developed in educational institutions have ensured progress toward resolving common problems. He also expressed his gratitude to Shri Dharmendra Pradhan for his leadership and vision in bringing the entire project to fruition.
Dr. Sridhar Vembu, in his address, highlighted how these projects will holistically benefit the health of villages, cities, and the people of the country. He emphasized the importance of nurturing the country’s talent pool to ensure its members flourish and serve the nation in the coming 10 to 20 years. He added that the CoEs will bootstrap numerous efforts, create companies, nurture talent, and generate opportunities for our talent pool.
The genesis, implementation and insights into development so far in the AI-CoE was presented by Smt. Saumya Gupta Joint Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. A short film on the theme, Make AI in India and Make Al work for India, was also shown during the event.
To realize the vision of “Viksit Bharat,” these three CoEs for Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be led by top educational institutions, in consortium with industry partners and startups. They will conduct interdisciplinary research, develop cutting-edge applications, and create scalable solutions in these three areas. This initiative aims to galvanize an effective AI ecosystem and nurture quality human resources in these critical fields.
As part of the vision to “Make AI in India and Make AI work for India,” the establishment of these centres was announced under Para 60 of the Budget Announcement for 2023-24. In alignment with this, the Government has approved the creation of the three AI Centres of Excellence, with a total financial outlay of Rs. 990.00 Crore over the period of FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.
To oversee the implementation of this initiative, an industry heavy Apex Committee has been constituted, co-chaired by Dr. Sridhar Vembu.
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MV/AK
(Release ID: 2064990) Visitor Counter : 115
Source: Government of India
Posted On: 15 OCT 2024 4:49PM by PIB Delhi
For the rollout of 730 Private Radio channels in 234 uncovered new cities in India, the Government has issued a Notice Inviting Applications from prospective bidders for E-Auction of Third Batch of Private FM Radio Phase-III channels.
Annual License Fee of FM channels in these cities shall be charged as 4% of Gross Revenue excluding GST. The reserve price for auction of channels in these cities is as per the TRAI recommended prices of 2022. The last date for submitting applications is 18th November, 2024.
The complete Notice and the FM Phase-III Policy Guidelines is available on the website of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and can be accessed by clicking on the link here
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Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha
(Release ID: 2065001) Visitor Counter : 16
Source: Government of India
Innovation defines India growth story, world recognises India as a leader in democratising technology for the world: Shri Goyal
Posted On: 15 OCT 2024 5:28PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal said that India is all set to become a provider of telecom services and Indian companies will become providers of high security and quality technological equipment to emerging economies.
During his address at the inauguration of World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly and 8th edition of India Mobile Congress today in New Delhi, the Minister expressed confidence that India in the future will lead international telecom supply chains and urged companies to find solutions to help take telecom to countries still behind in network connectivity. India has a role to play in making technology available in the Global South and in leading the world in fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to make digital connectivity affordable across the globe. He added that seamless broadband connectivity across the country has earned India the moniker ‘Trusted Partner of the World’.
Commerce and Industry Minister highlighted India’s stable network connectivity across rural and urban areas as an achievement of the flagship ‘Digital India’ campaign launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2015. He hailed the Prime Minister’s foresight of using technology as an enabler for good governance, for providing business opportunities and as an enabler to expand the country’s economic activities. Shri Goyal said that India today thinks as one nation and attributed Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of ushering a change in the mindset of the youth and aligning the thought process of the entire country towards the nation’s development.
Shri Goyal continued that making the digital push back in 2015 helped in continuation of essential services leading to seamless business activities across the country during Covid pandemic. When countries work with India, they are assured of high quality, affordability and cost effective solutions and are assured of uninterrupted business activities allowing companies to look up to India for their global capability centres (GCCs), he said.
He noted that in terms of technological developments in telecom services like innovation, availability of equipment, services and data India is far ahead of developed countries. Of India celebrating World Standards Day yesterday, Shri Goyal said that the government is working towards making India a provider of quality goods and services. Everything that India does will have an imprint of quality defining the India growth story, he said.
Alluding to the theme of the event “The Future Is Now”, the Minister said that India is contributing to not only its future but of the world and its offering of digital technologies plays an integral part in bringing the world as one family. He further stated that the entire ecosystem of digitalisation involving machine learning, artificial intelligence and data analytics has its imprint in India. India is recognised for its innovation, talent and the large market it provides. Innovation defines the India growth story and the world recognises India as a leader in democratising technology for the deprived and the whole world, he said.
While paying his respects to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on his birth anniversary, the Union Minister stressed that his pioneering work in cutting edge technology has been appreciated worldwide and his engagement with the youth will always remain a source of inspiration for the country.
Shri Goyal praised the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) for instilling confidence in making India self-reliant in technological achievements. He emphasised that India today is a different story as it has been able to launch 5G parallelly with the rest of the world and underlined that the country will be the leader in launching and developing 6G. He said that through the National Broadband Mission, every corner of the country will benefit from 5G technology.
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AD/VN/AM
(Release ID: 2065022) Visitor Counter : 69
Source: Government of India
Posted On: 15 OCT 2024 6:28PM by PIB Delhi
CMPDI in collaboration with Tidal Wave Pvt Ltd. is showcasing ‘how 5G technology is revolutionizing the mining industry’ through different cutting-edge technology use cases at the ongoing India Mobile Congress 2024 (IMC 2024) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 15-18th October, 2024. Each use case highlights the transformative power of 5G in improving safety, efficiency and operational precision in mining. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Inaugurated the India Mobile Congress 2024.
Chairman –cum- Managing Director, Coal India Limited Shri P.M. Prasad was the first visitor to CMPDI’s stall at IMC 2024. CMD, CMPDI, Shri Manoj Kumar and other senior officials from CMPDI were also present on the occasion.
CMPDI is showcasing total 13 use cases in the IMC 2024 which are as below
5G enables real-time communication, allows remote monitoring and control in the most challenging environment by surpassing traditional wireless technologies like Wi-Fi and Tetra. It also ensures seamless automation, reduces risk and supports future-ready operations making it indispensable for mining’s digital future.
Coal Ministry had successfully demonstrated 5G technology use cases (5G enabled Drones, AI powered camera, Vehicle Tracking System (VTS) and Mission Critical Voice and Video communications) in Amlohri Open Cast mine (OCP) of Northern Coalfields Limited from IMC 2023, New Delhi. CMPDI conceptualized and played a pivotal role in deployment of India’s First Private 5G Network in Coal Mining at Amlohri OCP.
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ST
(Release ID: 2065069) Visitor Counter : 77
Source: Government of India (2)
For the 27th month in a row, the monthly disposal crossed 1 lakh cases in the Central Secretariat
Department of Revenue, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs and Department of Posts topped in Group A category in the rankings released for the month of September, 2024
Department of Land Resources, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management and Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities topped in Group B category in the rankings released for the month of September, 2024
Posted On: 15 OCT 2024 7:59PM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) released the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) monthly report for September, 2024, which provides a detailed analysis of types and categories of public grievances and the nature of disposal. This is the 29th report on Central Ministries/Departments published by DARPG.
The progress for September, 2024 indicates 1,24,879 Grievances Redressed by Central Ministries/Departments. The Average Grievance Disposal Time in the Central Ministries/Departments from 1st January to 30th September, 2024 is 13 days. These reports are part of the 10-step CPGRAMS reform process which was adopted by DARPG to improve the quality of disposal and reduce the timelines.
The report provides the data for new users registered through the CPGRAMS Portal in the month of September, 2024. A total of 50,393 new users registered in the month of September, 2024, with maximum registrations from Uttar Pradesh (8,281) registrations.
The said report also provides the Ministry/Department-wise analysis on the grievances registered through Common Service Centres in September, 2024. CPGRAMS has been integrated with the Common Service Centre (CSC) portal and is available at more than 5 lakh CSCs, associating with 2.5 lakh Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs). 8,017 grievances were registered through CSCs in the month of September, 2024. It also highlights the major issues/categories for which the maximum grievances were registered through CSCs.
In September, 2024, the Feedback Call Centre collected 84,224 feedbacks. Out of the total feedbacks collected, around 48% citizens expressed satisfaction with the resolution provided to their respective grievances. In September, 2024, 50,737 feedbacks were collected for Central Ministries/Departments by the Feedback Call Centre, out of which around 54% citizens expressed satisfaction with the resolution provided. The performance of Ministries/Departments in the last 9 months, with respect to the satisfaction percentage of citizens is also present in the said report.
The following are the Key Highlights of the DARPG’s monthly CPGRAMS report for September, 2024 for Central Ministries/ Departments:
The report also features 3 success stories of effective grievance resolution from Central Ministries/Departments:
Shri Biswa Ranjan Samal filed his income tax return on time for the FY 2009-10. However, due to a delay by the Secretariat Administration Department, Assam Secretariat Civil, his TDS of ₹1,50,000 was not reflected in Form 26AS. After rigorous follow-ups, the TDS return was finally updated and reflected in his Form 26AS. Despite this, the citizen’s request to the IT department for reprocessing, so that the demand could be squared off, was not addressed. As a result, the concerned citizen filed a CPGRAMS grievance.
Within 16 days of filing the grievance, the JAO passed a rectification order under Section 154 for AY 2010-11, reducing the demand to nil.
Shri. Vivek, a small business owner, raised a grievance regarding the freezing of his Bank of Baroda account after making multiple transactions. The Bank froze his account due to the cyber fraud flagged against his account. Despite explaining the situation to the bank and undergoing verification (CPV), his account remained frozen and no concrete action was taken.
Concerned, he filed a CPGRAMS and within 8 days of filing the grievance, post due diligence by the bank, the account freeze was lifted.
The complainant, Anurag Jain reported a pending payment of ₹21,000 for contract GEMC-511687741711265, where materials were delivered on time and the CRAC was generated on 24/06/2023. Despite several reminders to the ordering officer, payment was not received within the stipulated 21 days as per GEM policy.
Concerned, the citizen filed a CPGRAMS and as a result, the outstanding payment along with the interest was released to the citizen.
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NKR/DK/AG
(Release ID: 2065116) Visitor Counter : 32
Source: Government of India (2)
Security agencies have established their complete dominance by reducing violence in the three hotspots of J&K, LWE affected areas and the Northeast
All officers should eliminate anti-national activities with a ruthless approach
Timely justice, sufficient evidence for conviction and use of technology incorporated in the three criminal laws
Safety of citizens is the basis of national security
Young police officers should focus on the safety of citizens and protection of their rights
Protecting the rights of the poor, children and women are of prime importance
When people remember your good works even after you leave the district is the biggest medal
Posted On: 15 OCT 2024 8:17PM by PIB Delhi
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah interacted with the probationers of the 2023 batch (76 RR) of the Indian Police Service (IPS) in New Delhi today. During the interaction, trainee IPS officers shared their experiences related to training with the Union Home Minister. Many dignitaries including Union Home Secretary, Director, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Director, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) were present on the occasion.
During the interaction, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat in 2047 would be a terror-free and drug-free country, having internal security, and will ensure protection of human rights and rights of citizens. Shri Amit Shah said that the trainee IPS officers should contemplate and reflect on the time at which they have become IPS officers. He said that the trainee officers should contemplate because the batch that will emerge as IPS officers this time will have a bigger responsibility than the previous 75 batches. Shri Shah added that the trainee officers should reflect because it is completely up to them and the batches coming after them whether our country will change the scale and enter the next generation of policing or not.
Shri Amit Shah said that as the Home Minister of the country, he can definitely say that now no one has the courage to insult our borders and our army. He said that we have done a lot to provide tight security to our borders and the rest is being done. Shri Shah added that earlier Jammu & Kashmir, North East and Left Wing Extremism affected areas were the three sores, but now we have succeeded in reducing violence by 70% in these three places. He said that today Indian agencies have complete dominance in these three hotspots. Shri Shah said that now the culture of making both demands and aspiration for change through democratic process has reached the bottom, due to which the big protests that were seen earlier have now ended.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that now the time has come that the police system should come forward to protect the fundamental rights of our citizens, the police system should be alert to minimize the crimes happening within the borders of the country and the time has come that we should be able to give justice to the citizen in the shortest possible time.
Shri Amit Shah said that today through Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), 99% of the police stations of the country have become online, online data has been generated and radical changes have been made in many provisions through three new laws. In the new laws, emphasis has been laid on timely justice, increasing the proofs of conviction and maximum use of technology. Because we have made scientific evidences mandatory, the prosecution need not produce multiple witnesses, and now guilt can be proved on the basis of scientific evidences.
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the judicial process has been made time-bound in the new laws. In 5 years, the new laws will be fully implemented in every police station across the country, including installation of technology, development of software and training. After that, the process of justice will be completed within 3 years after the FIR is registered. Shri Shah said that the new laws have incorporated the latest technology and these laws have been made keeping in mind the changes that will take place in technology in the coming 100 years. Giving the example of e-summons, he said that provisions have been made in it to incorporate the technology of the coming 100 years. Provision has been made for the Director of Prosecution and Forensic Science Lab (FSL) has been made compulsory. No one can favour anyone because even if an officer compromises on his duties, due to the scientific evidences, he will not be able to do anything in front of the court. The FSL report will go directly to the court and a copy of it will also come from the police.
Shri Amit Shah said that we have also secured the rights of citizens in the three new laws. The number of people in police custody will have to be declared online. Chargesheet will have to be filed within 90 days and videography of search and seizure will have to be done. Along with the fingerprint data on National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), data on terrorism and narcotics has been generated separately. National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) is also managing all the CCTNS data in a different way. The work of creating a data bank at the national level has been done with a lot of data. He said that now the Home Ministry team is also working to simplify your work by building software using artificial intelligence which will help in analysis.
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the security of the nation does not mean only the security of the border. The nation is made of its citizens. The security of the citizen is the basis of the security of the nation. He said that when he talks about security, it is not limited to the security of life and property, but the security of the rights given to the citizens by our Constitution also comes under it. The Constitution has given equal rights to the poorest of the poor as are enjoyed even by the Prime Minister of the country, and police officers have a lot of responsibility to protect their rights.
Shri Amit Shah said that after 75 years, the time has come for us to focus on our core work. Now is the time to protect the rights of citizens and make efforts to prevent atrocities against them. The Union Home Minister said that protecting the rights of the poor, children and women are of prime importance.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah told the probationers that there is no work that cannot be improved and there is no work that is less important. If they keep this in mind, they will be away from many disappointments in life. He said that the biggest medal for any police officer posted as SP in his youth will be that he is remembered by the people of his district for his good work for many years to come. Shri Shah said that all the young officers will have to work with a ruthless approach to eliminate anti-national activities. While doing police work, the security of the nation should always be in our mind and our eyes should always be open to ensure the security of the nation.
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RK/VV/ASH/PR
(Release ID: 2065130) Visitor Counter : 19
Source: Government of India
Posted On: 15 OCT 2024 10:45PM by PIB Delhi
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has hailed the establishment of three AI Centres of Excellence (CoE) focused on Healthcare, Agriculture and Sustainable Cities.
In response to a post on X by Union Minister of Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, the Prime Minister wrote:
“A very important stride in India’s effort to become a leader in tech, innovation and AI. I am confident these COEs will benefit our Yuva Shakti and contribute towards making India a hub for futuristic growth.”
A very important stride in India’s effort to become a leader in tech, innovation and AI. I am confident these COEs will benefit our Yuva Shakti and contribute towards making India a hub for futuristic growth. https://t.co/xsoYvmjwyv
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 15, 2024
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MJPS/TS
(Release ID: 2065178) Visitor Counter : 37
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
YUBA CITY, Calif., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — River Valley Community Bancorp (OTC markets: RVCB) with its wholly owned subsidiary, River Valley Community Bank (collectively referred to as the “Bank”), today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. The full earnings release can be found on the Bank’s Investor Relations website at Investor Relations – River Valley Community Bank.
The Bank remains highly rated with BauerFinancial, and Depositaccounts.com and serves its customer base through its offices located at:
The Bank offers a full suite of competitive products, services, and banking technology. For more information please visit our website at http://www.myrvcb.com or contact John M. Jelavich at (530) 821-2469.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO) (“Silvaco” or the “Company”), a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation, today announced preliminary unaudited revenue results for the third quarter 2024 and updated its outlook for the full year 2024. The Company will report its full third quarter 2024 earnings results and hold a conference call with an earnings presentation on November 12, 2024.
“Similar to trends observed across the semiconductor industry, we saw a decline in orders from Asia during Q3 primarily driven by economic challenges and the ongoing strain in U.S.-China trade relations. Accordingly, we are adjusting our expectations for the remainder of the year,” said Babak Taheri, Silvaco’s Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Taheri continued, “We remain confident in our long-term strategy and continue to believe we will be able to achieve double-digit long-term revenue growth driven by our proprietary platform and solutions, examples of which are described in our recent press release of September 24, 2024, alongside our ability to effectively capitalize on strategic acquisition opportunities.”
Preliminarily, the Company expects total unaudited revenues for the third quarter 2024 to be approximately $11.0 million, not including a large order of approximately $5.0 million, which was expected in the third quarter of 2024, but was received in the first week of the fourth quarter of 2024. This order is included in our full-year guidance for bookings below and is expected to contribute to the Company’s fourth quarter of 2024 revenue. Preliminary results are unaudited, subject to completion of the Company’s financial reporting process, based on information known by management as of the date of this press release, and do not represent a comprehensive statement of our financial results for the third quarter 2024.
In addition, based on current business trends and conditions, the Company is updating its expectations regarding the full year 2024, as follows:
| Previous Full Year 2024 Guidance | Updated Full Year 2024 Guidance | |
| Gross bookings | $67 million to $71 million | $64 million to $67 million |
| Revenue | $63 million to $66 million | $60 million to $63 million |
| year-over-year growth | 16% to 22% | 10% to 16% |
| Non-GAAP gross margin | 85% to 89% | 85% to 87% |
| Non-GAAP operating income | $8.0 million to $11.0 million | $5.0 million to $8.0 million |
This updated guidance represents Silvaco’s current estimates of its operations and financial results as of October 15, 2024. The financial information above represents forward-looking financial information and in some instances forward-looking, non-GAAP financial information, including estimates of non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income. GAAP gross margin is the most comparable GAAP measure to non-GAAP gross margin, and GAAP operating income is the most comparable GAAP measure to non-GAAP operating income. Non-GAAP operating income differs from GAAP operating income in that it excludes items such as certain transaction-related costs, IPO preparation costs, estimated acquisition-related litigation claims and costs, stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, impairment charges and executive severance costs. Silvaco is unable to predict with reasonable certainty the ultimate outcome of these exclusions without unreasonable effort. Therefore, Silvaco has not provided guidance for GAAP gross margin or GAAP operating income or a reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP gross margin or non-GAAP operating income guidance to GAAP gross margin or GAAP operating income, respectively. However, it is important to note that these excluded items could be material to our results computed in accordance with GAAP in future periods.
Q3 2024 Conference Call Details
A press release highlighting the Company’s results along with supplemental financial results will be available at https://investors.silvaco.com/ along with an earnings presentation to accompany management’s prepared remarks on the day of the conference call, after market close. An archived replay of the conference call will be available on this website for a limited time after the call. Participants who want to join the call and ask a question may register for the call here to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN.
Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time
Webcast: Here (live and replay)
About Silvaco
Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for semiconductor and photonics processes, devices, and systems development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high performance compute, foundries, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on Silvaco’s current expectations. The words “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “project”, “will”, and similar phrases as they relate to Silvaco are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views and assumptions of Silvaco and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.
These forward-looking statements include but are not limited to, statements regarding our future operating results, financial position, and guidance, our business strategy and plans, our objectives for future operations, our development or delivery of new or enhanced products, and anticipated results of those products for our customers, our competitive positioning, projected costs, technological capabilities, and plans, and macroeconomic trends.
A variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation, the following: (a) market conditions; (b) anticipated trends, challenges and growth in our business and the markets in which we operate; (c) our ability to appropriately respond to changing technologies on a timely and cost-effective basis; (d) the size and growth potential of the markets for our software solutions, and our ability to serve those markets; (e) our expectations regarding competition in our existing and new markets; (f) the level of demand in our customers’ end markets; (g) regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; (h) changes in trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs; (i) proposed new software solutions, services or developments; (j) our ability to attract and retain key management personnel; (k) our customer relationships and our ability to retain and expand our customer relationships; (l) our ability to diversify our customer base and develop relationships in new markets; (m) the strategies, prospects, plans, expectations, and objectives of management for future operations; (n) public health crises, pandemics, and epidemics and their effects on our business and our customers’ businesses; (o) the impact of the current conflicts between Ukraine and Russia and Israel and its adversaries including Hamas and Hezbollah and the ongoing trade disputes among the United States and China on our business, financial condition or prospects, including extreme volatility in the global capital markets making debt or equity financing more difficult to obtain, more costly or more dilutive, delays and disruptions of the global supply chains and the business activities of our suppliers, distributors, customers and other business partners; (p) changes in general economic or business conditions or economic or demographic trends in the United States and foreign countries including changes in interest rates and inflation; (q) our ability to raise additional capital; (r) our ability to accurately forecast demand for our software solutions; (s) our expectations regarding the outcome of any ongoing litigation; (t) our expectations regarding the period during which we qualify as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act and as a smaller reporting company under the Exchange Act; (u) our expectations regarding our ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce intellectual property protection for our technology; (v) our status as a controlled company; and (w) our use of the net proceeds from our initial public offering.
It is not possible for us to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. Accordingly, you should not rely on any of the forward-looking statements. Additional information relating to the uncertainty affecting the Silvaco’s business is contained in Silvaco’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents are available on the SEC Filings section of the Investor Relations section of Silvaco’s website at http://investors.silvaco.com/. These forward-looking statements represent Silvaco’s expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and Silvaco disclaims any obligations to update or alter these forward-looking statements in the future, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We use certain non-GAAP financial measures to supplement the performance measures in our consolidated financial statements which are presented in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures include non-GAAP gross margin, and non-GAAP operating income (loss). We use these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision-making and as a means to assist us in evaluating period-to-period comparisons.
We define non-GAAP gross margin as our GAAP gross margin adjusted to exclude certain costs, including stock-based compensation and amortization of acquired intangible assets. We define non-GAAP operating income (loss) as our GAAP operating income (loss) adjusted to exclude certain costs, including certain transaction-related costs, IPO preparation costs, estimated acquisition-related litigation claims and costs, stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, impairment charges, and executive severance costs. We monitor non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income (loss) as non-GAAP financial measures to supplement the financial information we present in accordance with GAAP to provide investors with additional information regarding our financial results.
Certain of the items excluded from our non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income (loss) are non-cash in nature or are not indicative of our core operating performance and render comparisons with prior periods and our competitors less meaningful. We adjust GAAP gross margin and GAAP operating income (loss) for these items to arrive at non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income (loss) because these amounts can vary substantially from company to company within our industry depending upon accounting methods and book values of assets, capital structure and the method by which the assets were acquired. By excluding certain items that may not be indicative of our recurring core operating results, we believe that non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income (loss) provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance.
We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors and others because they allow for additional information with respect to financial measures used by management in its financial and operational decision-making and they may be used by our institutional investors and the analyst community to help them analyze our financial performance and the health of our business. However, there are a number of limitations related to the use of non-GAAP financial measures, and these non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or in isolation from, our financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP. Other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate these non-GAAP financial measures differently or not at all, which reduces their usefulness as comparative measures.
Investor Contact:
Greg McNiff
investors@silvaco.com
Media Contact:
Tyler Weiland
press@silvaco.com
Source: Verizon
Headline: Verizon Business State of Small Business Survey finds a surge in SMBs using AI
NEW YORK – Verizon Business today announced the findings of its fifth annual State of Small Business Survey, conducted by Morning Consult. Despite soaring concerns about their business’ financial security and personal job security, the survey found that small to midsize businesses (SMBs) across the country are investing in technology more now than the past three years, both foundational and emerging. The survey data is based on responses from 621 SMBs.
“Small business owners are getting the hang of AI, discovering how it can automate time-consuming tasks and enabling them to focus more on their core business operations,” said Aparna Khurjekar, Chief Revenue Officer, Business Markets and SaaS, Verizon Business. “Despite economic and financial concerns, they’re still investing in faster internet, AI tools and social commerce because they understand how these technologies are crucial for their success. That is where Verizon Business plays a large role, as we are invested in the SMB community and are the partner of choice as they navigate the ever-changing business and consumer landscape.”
Click here to view the complete survey findings on our website.
Small Business Days are returning from October 14-20, offering nationwide support to business customers with technology tips, tools and offers for their mobile communications, connectivity and security needs. During this time, Verizon Business will provide special in-store deals on the latest technology solutions to help SMBs thrive. The promotions for Small Business Days will include:
A full list of special Small Business Days offers and resources for small business owners can be found here.
Verizon has a goal to support one million small businesses by 2030 with free digital skills training to help them succeed. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a free online platform tailored for small business owners. The Digital Ready website includes over 50 courses BY small business owners FOR small business owners, such as AI, marketing, financial planning, and social media management – and some courses are offered in Spanish. The platform also offers coaching and access to incentives, such as grants. Over 360,000 small businesses across the US are using Small Business Digital Ready to help their businesses thrive.
Click here for more information on Verizon’s Small Business solutions.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
NEW YORK, NY / LOS ANGELES, CA, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AGBA Group Holding Limited (Nasdaq: AGBA) (“AGBA”) today announced the completion of its previously announced merger (the “Merger”) with Triller Corp. (“Triller”).
In connection with the Merger, AGBA has changed its name to Triller Group Inc. (the “Company”). The combined company’s common stock and warrants are expected to begin trading under the tickers “ILLR” and “ILLRW,” respectively, on Nasdaq Capital Market on October 16, 2024.
“This merger is terrific news for both the users and the content creators on our app. Whether they are fans of BKFC, or they watch sports and entertainment events around the world on TrillerTV, or are using our brand and creator tools to find their audience, they now have in Triller an innovative, exciting partner.” said Bob Diamond, Chairman of the combined company and Founder and CEO of Atlas Merchant Capital LLC.
Leadership
The Company will make a statement on future leadership, strategy and objectives on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
Domestication to Delaware
Concurrent with the closing of the Merger, AGBA changed its jurisdiction of incorporation from the British Virgin Islands to the State of Delaware, and changed its corporate name to “Triller Group Inc.”
Financial Terms
Following the completion of the Merger, former AGBA shareholders and former Triller stockholders own 30% and 70% of the combined company’s outstanding common stock, respectively.
The latest press release is available on the company’s website, please visit: http://www.agba.com/ir.
About AGBA
Established in 1993, AGBA Group Holding Limited is a leading, multi-channel business platform that incorporates cutting edge machine-learning and offers a broad set of financial services and healthcare products to consumers through a tech-led ecosystem, enabling clients to unlock the choices that best suit their needs. Trusted by over 400,000 individual and corporate customers, the Group is organized into four market-leading businesses: Platform Business, Distribution Business, Healthcare Business, and Fintech Business.
For more information, please visit http://www.agba.com.
About Triller Corp.
Triller Corp. is a next generation, AI-powered, social media and live-streaming event platform for creators. Pairing music culture with sports, fashion, entertainment, and influencers through a 360-degree view of content and technology, Triller Corp. uses proprietary AI technology to push and track content virally to affiliated and non-affiliated sites and networks, enabling them to reach millions of additional users. Triller Corp. additionally owns Triller Sports, Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC); Amplify.ai, a leading machine-learning, AI platform; and TrillerTV, a premier global PPV, AVOD, and SVOD streaming service.
For more information, visit http://www.triller.co.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company’s goals and strategies; the Company’s future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against us following the consummation of the business combination; expectations regarding our strategies and future financial performance, including its future business plans or objectives, prospective performance and opportunities and competitors, revenues, products, pricing, operating expenses, market trends, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and our ability to invest in growth initiatives and pursue acquisition opportunities; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in Hong Kong and the international markets the Company plans to serve and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the SEC, the length and severity of the recent coronavirus outbreak, including its impacts across our business and operations. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at http://www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward–looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
Investor & Media Relations:
Bethany Lai
ir@agba.com
Anthony Silverman
ads@apellaadvisors.com
# # #
Source: Reserve Bank of Australia
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Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
QUEBEC CITY, Canada, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LeddarTech® Holdings Inc. (“LeddarTech” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: LDTC), an automotive software company that provides patented disruptive AI-based low-level sensor fusion and perception software technology, LeddarVision™, for ADAS, AD and parking applications, announced today that the Company received the second tranche of the bridge loans (the “Bridge Loans”) in an aggregate amount of US$3.0 million, which are part of a bridge financing in an aggregate amount of up to US$9.0 million (the “Bridge Financing”) made available to the Company by certain of its principal shareholders, namely FS Investors (“FS”), Investissement Québec (“IQ”) and its senior lender, Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec (“Desjardins” and, together with FS and IQ, the “Initial Bridge Lenders”). The principal details of the Bridge Financing were announced by the Company on August 19, 2024.
As previously announced, the Bridge Financing is comprised of two tranches, with the first tranche of US$6.0 million funded on August 19, 2024. The second tranche of the Bridge Financing, in an amount of up to US$3.0 million, was conditioned on the absence of a default under the Bridge Loans and the receipt by the Company of a commitment from a strategic investor of its intent to invest a minimum amount of US$5.0 million in a subsequent equity capital raise.
In connection with the Bridge Financing, FS converted US$1.5 million of its existing convertible notes into common shares in the capital of the Company at an above-market conversion price of US$2.00 per share, reducing the convertible note balance by US$1.5 million. The Company also received additional Bridge Loans in an aggregate amount of approximately US$334,000 from certain members of management and the board of directors (collectively, the “Additional Bridge Lenders” and, together with the Initial Bridge Lenders, the “Bridge Lenders”) in accordance with the terms of the Bridge Financing.
The Bridge Financing constitutes a “related-party transaction” within the meaning of Regulation 61-101 – Protections of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“Regulation 61-101”) as FS, IQ and the Additional Bridge Lenders are all “insiders” of the Company under Canadian securities laws. However, in light of the fact that the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) have determined that the Company is in serious financial difficulty, the Company is relying on the exemption from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements contained in Regulation 61-101 on the basis of the “financial hardship” exemption therein.
After considering and reviewing all of the circumstances currently surrounding the Company and the Bridge Financing, the Board, including all independent members of the Board who are free from interest in the Bridge Financing and unrelated to the Bridge Lenders, acting in good faith, unanimously determined that (i) the Company is in serious financial difficulty, (ii) the Bridge Financing is designed to improve the financial condition of the Company, and (iii) the terms of the Bridge Financing are reasonable in the Company’s circumstances.
The Bridge Loans have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or applicable State securities laws, and accordingly may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable State securities laws.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sales of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
About LeddarTech
A global software company founded in 2007 and headquartered in Quebec City with additional R&D centers in Montreal and Tel Aviv, Israel, LeddarTech develops and provides comprehensive AI-based low-level sensor fusion and perception software solutions that enable the deployment of ADAS, autonomous driving (AD) and parking applications. LeddarTech’s automotive-grade software applies advanced AI and computer vision algorithms to generate accurate 3D models of the environment to achieve better decision making and safer navigation. This high-performance, scalable, cost-effective technology is available to OEMs and Tier 1-2 suppliers to efficiently implement automotive and off-road vehicle ADAS solutions.
LeddarTech is responsible for several remote-sensing innovations, with over 160 patent applications (87 granted) that enhance ADAS, AD and parking capabilities. Better awareness around the vehicle is critical in making global mobility safer, more efficient, sustainable and affordable: this is what drives LeddarTech to seek to become the most widely adopted sensor fusion and perception software solution.
Additional information about LeddarTech is accessible at http://www.LeddarTech.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter (X), Facebook and YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this Press Release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (which forward-looking statements also include forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws), including, but not limited to, statements relating to LeddarTech’s anticipated strategy, future operations, prospects, objectives and financial projections and other financial metrics. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend” and other similar expressions among others. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: (i) the possibility that anticipated benefits of LeddarTech’s recent business combination will not be realized; (ii) the risk that shareholder litigation in connection with the business combination or other settlements or investigations may result in significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability; (iii) changes in general economic and/or industry-specific conditions; (iv) possible disruptions from the business combination that could harm LeddarTech’s business; (v) the ability of LeddarTech to retain, attract and hire key personnel; (vi) potential adverse reactions or changes to relationships with customers, employees, suppliers or other parties; (vii) potential business uncertainty, including changes to existing business relationships following the business combination that could affect LeddarTech’s financial performance; (viii) legislative, regulatory and economic developments; (ix) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism, outbreak or escalation of war or hostilities and any epidemic, pandemic or disease outbreak (including COVID-19), as well as management’s response to any of the aforementioned factors; (x) access to capital and financing and LeddarTech’s ability to maintain compliance with debt covenants; (xi) LeddarTech’s ability to execute its business model, achieve design wins and generate meaningful revenue; and (xii) other risk factors as detailed from time to time in LeddarTech’s reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at http://www.sedarplus.ca, including the risk factors contained in LeddarTech’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023. The foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Except as required by applicable law, LeddarTech does not undertake any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact:
Daniel Aitken, Vice-President, Global Marketing, Communications and Investor Relations, LeddarTech Holdings Inc. Tel.: + 1-418-653-9000 ext. 232 daniel.aitken@LeddarTech.com
Leddar, LeddarTech, LeddarVision, LeddarSP, VAYADrive, VayaVision and related logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeddarTech Holdings Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners.
LeddarTech Holdings Inc. is a public company listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “LDTC.”
Auckland, New Zealand – 16 October 2024 – Following significant growth, New Zealand’s leading two-way marketplace for pre-loved fashion, Designer Wardrobe, has officially launched in Australia to offer fashion-loving Aussies a more sustainable, affordable, and smarter way to shop and sell pre-loved fashion.
With a thriving community of over 325,000 members using the marketplace, Designer Wardrobe will help Australians earn money with fashion pieces from their wardrobes that they no longer reach for and might otherwise remain unworn. Australians will also be able to enjoy more than 160,000 pre-loved fashion pieces from both Australian and New Zealand sellers, opening up the pre-loved market on both sides of the Tasman.
With this latest move, Designer Wardrobe aims to help extend the life of thousands, if not millions, of fashion pieces and accessories, keeping them in active circulation and reducing the number of items that might otherwise end up in landfill.
Designer Wardrobe’s launch comes at the perfect time, with industry insights revealing:
Additional insights from Designer Wardrobe highlights:
Aidan Bartlett, CEO of Designer Wardrobe, says: “After 10 successful years in New Zealand, the growth we’ve experienced has been monumental, and we’re thrilled to now bring our thriving marketplace and community of fashion lovers to Australia.”
“Global trend data highlights that there has been a significant surge in sustainable shopping trends, with consumers increasingly opting for smarter and more affordable fashion alternatives in response to rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.”
According to GlobalData’s report for ThredUp, global sales of pre-owned clothing rose by 18 per cent last year, reaching $197 billion, and are projected to grow to $350 billion by 2028; And, second-hand clothing is projected to account for 10 per cent of global fashion sales, underscoring the rising demand for more sustainable shopping options.
Bartlett continues: “At a time when many are seeking additional income streams and looking to make smarter fashion choices by purchasing pre-loved, Aussies can feel confident buying and selling through a trusted marketplace with thousands of active members.
“Australians will have access to thousands of listings across both Australia and New Zealand, and Kiwis can also enjoy pieces from popular Australian brands like Aje, Shona Joy, Caitlin Crisp, Alemais, Bec + Bridge, and Sir the Label.
“The average shopper can save up to 60 per cent off the original RRP of their favourite luxury, designer, and high-street brands. Even better, they can feel great about their smart purchasing decisions by extending the life of items they may otherwise end up in landfill.”
“Our platform has always been about more than just buying and selling clothes; it’s about empowering our community to find value in what they own and to contribute to a more circular economy. It’s a win-win for both the wallet and the environment,” Bartlett adds.
Just like in New Zealand, Aussies can shop with confidence using the Designer Wardrobe app or website. Every order comes with Purchase Protection, ensuring a secure experience. Sellers can list items for free and ship them to buyers via tracked courier. Once the item is received, the earnings are deposited into the seller’s DW Wallet, where they can be withdrawn at any time or used toward their next purchase.
For more information about New Zealand’s largest community of pre-loved fashion enthusiasts, please visit http://www.designerwardrobe.co.nz
About Designer Wardrobe
Since its founding in 2014, Designer Wardrobe has experienced unprecedented growth, becoming a major player in the pre-loved fashion industry and forming New Zealand’s largest community of pre-loved fashion enthusiasts. The company’s purpose-built New Zealand-made marketplace platform is the go-to for 325,000 users to shop and sell pre-loved clothing and now facilitates around $1.6 million in transactions every month.
Designer Wardrobe champions its customers’ needs, regularly launching innovative products, including seller add-ons, AI and an integrated resale widget, to create a seamless shopping and selling experience while promoting sustainability in New Zealand’s bustling fashion industry.
Source: Google
AI is quickly transforming our world, introducing new opportunities and challenges across almost every industry. To ensure a future where everyone benefits from this powerful technology, we must work collectively to equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate it.
Europe Code Week has been promoting digital literacy and sparking interest in technology among young people since 2014. In 2021 alone, over 4 million people from 80+ countries participated and nearly half of them were young women, highlighting the importance of fostering an inclusive environment within the tech industry.
2024’s upcoming Europe Code Week will continue this very important work, encouraging creativity and problem-solving through coding and computer science. Taking place from 14th to 27th October, this fun and engaging introduction to the digital world aims to help young people make sense of the rapidly changing world and explore new ideas.
Google has proudly participated in Europe Code Week since 2015, actively supporting initiatives that cultivate digital literacy and promote diversity in tech. This year is no different and we are delighted to collaborate with Women Techmakers, a program championing female talent in the tech sector.
In alignment with our broader commitment to supporting organizations that empower future generations, Google.org recently supported the Raspberry Pi Foundation with $10 million in funding to expand access to Experience AI to educators and young people across Europe, Middle East and Africa. This innovative program, co-developed with Google DeepMind, provides teachers with the training and resources needed to both educate and inspire young people aged 11-14 about AI and the role it could play in their lives.
Women Techmakers, through its dedicated network of volunteer ambassadors, aims to significantly amplify program awareness and expand reach across Europe, Middle East and Africa. These passionate advocates for diversity and inclusion will spearhead Experience AI workshops and training sessions, inspiring young girls and fostering a love for technology.
Through collaborations like Europe Code Week and Women Techmakers, we can inspire future generations of tech leaders and build a more inclusive industry for all.
We invite you to explore upcoming Experience AI Events organized by our Women Techmakers ambassadors for Europe Code Week 2024.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xtract One Technologies Inc. (TSX: XTRA) (OTCQX: XTRAF) (FRA: 0PL) (“Xtract One” or the “Company”), a leading technology-driven threat detection and security solution that prioritizes the patron access experience by leveraging AI, today announced that it will release fiscal 2024 fourth quarter results after the close of trading on October 24, 2024. Peter Evans, Xtract One CEO and Director, and Karen Hersh, CFO and Corporate Secretary, will host a webcast and conference call at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time the following day, October 25, 2024, to review the three months and twelve months ended July 31, 2024.
The webcast and presentation will be accessible on the company’s website, and the telephone number for the conference call is 844-481-3016 (412-317-1881 for international callers). Management will provide an overview of the interim financial results along with management’s outlook for the business, followed by a question-and-answer period.
About Xtract One Technologies
Xtract One Technologies is a leading technology-driven threat detection and security solution leveraging AI to provide seamless and secure patron access control experiences. The Company makes unobtrusive threat detection systems that enable venue building operators to prioritize and deliver improved patron experiences while providing unprecedented safety. Xtract One’s innovative AI-powered Gateway product enables companies to covertly screen for weapons at points of entry without disrupting the flow of traffic. Its AI-based Xtract One Vision allows venue and building operators to identify weapons and other threats inside and outside of facilities, and Xtract One Insights provides valuable intelligence for optimizing operations. For more information, visit http://www.xtractone.com or connect on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
For further information, please contact:
Xtract One Inquiries: info@xtractone.com, http://www.xtractone.com
Media Contact: Kristen Aikey, JMG Public Relations, 212-206-1645, kristen@jmgpr.com
Investor Relations: Chris Witty, Darrow Associates, 646-438-9385, cwitty@darrowir.com
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. (TSX: MDNA; OTCQX: MDNAF), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB® Venture Market.
Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “MDNAF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on http://www.otcmarkets.com.
The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors.
“We are thrilled to be moving up to the OTCQX Best Market,” said Fahar Merchant, Ph.D., President and CEO of Medicenna. “This step strengthens our capital markets strategy by highlighting our dedication to transparency, improving liquidity, and broadening access to our stock for both U.S. and international investors.”
About Medicenna Therapeutics Corp.
Medicenna is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on developing novel, highly selective versions of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 Superkines and first-in-class Empowered Superkines. Medicenna’s long-acting IL-2 Superkine, MDNA11, is a next-generation IL-2 with superior affinity toward CD122 (IL-2 receptor beta) and no CD25 (IL-2 receptor alpha) binding, thereby preferentially stimulating cancer-killing effector T cells and NK cells. Medicenna’s IL-4 Empowered Superkine, bizaxofusp (formerly MDNA55), has been studied in 5 clinical trials enrolling over 130 patients, including a Phase 2b trial for recurrent GBM, the most common and uniformly fatal form of brain cancer. Bizaxofusp has obtained FastTrack and Orphan Drug status from the FDA and FDA/EMA, respectively. Medicenna’s early-stage high-affinity IL-2β biased IL-2/IL-15 Super-antagonists, from its MDNA209 platform, are being evaluated as potential therapies for autoimmune and graft-versus host diseases. Medicenna’s early-stage BiSKITs™ (Bifunctional SuperKine ImmunoTherapies) and the T-MASK™ (Targeted Metalloprotease Activated SuperKine) programs are designed to enhance the ability of Superkines to treat immunologically “cold” tumors.
For more information, please visit http://www.medicenna.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About OTC Markets Group Inc.
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market.
Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.
OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.
To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit http://www.otcmarkets.com.
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Media Contact:
OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Bridge Digital Inc. to Distribute Beamr’s GPU-Based, High-Performance and Future-Proofed Video Service to News, Sports, and Entertainment Broadcasters and Streamers, along with Other Companies With Large Video Repositories
Herzliya, Israel, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beamr Imaging Ltd. (NASDAQ: BMR), a leader in video optimization and modernization technology and solutions, today announced a collaboration with Bridge Digital Inc., a proven video technology integrator.
Beamr’s patented, GPU-based and award-winning technology – available through scalable cloud services – significantly reduces video files sizes and live streams by up to 50%, while maintaining the same quality as the original.
Combined with Bridge Digital Inc.’s extensive expertise, Beamr and Bridge Digital Inc. will offer a specialized service for companies and organizations with large-scale video repositories, including news, sports, entertainment and user-generated content for delivery and distribution. Beamr and Bridge Digital Inc. will enable companies that rely on video for their daily operations or manage vast video libraries to achieve “Forever Video” – future-proofing their content to ensure long-term compatibility through efficient, automatic, and scalable processes, all while significantly reducing costs.
Beamr’s high-efficiency, high-quality video service also enables upgrades to AV1 format (AOMedia Video 1) – ensuring long-term compatibility of the videos.
“The collaboration with Bridge Digital Inc. leveraging their extensive expertise in media storage and video management, provides Beamr customers with a streamlined approach to fully benefit from our video pipelines”, said Beamr CEO, Sharon Carmel. He added: “In the expanding video world, companies face rising costs and complexity. Beamr GPU-based services process videos 10X faster at 1/10 the cost of software-based workflows, providing critical value to the broadcasting, streaming, IoT, and edge computing industries.”
“Beamr adds significant value to the process we coined ‘Forever Video’”, said Bridge Digital Inc. CEO, Richie Murray. He elaborated that “Video modernization to AV1 or HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Codec) formats provides remarkable value to companies with large video repositories, ensuring they can be played in the decades to come, secured with high-quality, or transferred to new storage systems if needed”.
Beamr Cloud optimization and modernization service is easily accessible to AWS (Amazon Web Services) and OCI (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure) customers, offering automatic, scalable and cost-efficient video pipelines that are AI ready.
Bridge Digital Inc. is a US-based integrator of video technologies, specializing in improving video workflows. Over more than two decades, they have served dozens of video creators and owners in managing, monetizing, distributing and archiving video repositories effectively and efficiently.
About Beamr
Beamr (Nasdaq: BMR) is a world leader in content-adaptive video optimization and modernization. The company serves top media companies like Netflix and Paramount. Beamr’s inventive perceptual optimization technology (CABR) is backed by 53 patents and won the Emmy® award for Technology and Engineering. The innovative technology reduces video file size by up to 50% while guaranteeing quality.
Beamr Cloud is a high-performance, GPU-based video optimization and modernization service designed for businesses and video professionals across diverse industries. It is conveniently available to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) customers. Beamr Cloud enables video modernization to advanced formats such as AV1 and HEVC, and is ready for video AI workflows. For more details, please visit http://www.beamr.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this communication may include, among other things, statements about Beamr’s strategic and business plans, technology, relationships, objectives and expectations for its business, the impact of trends on and interest in its business, intellectual property or product and its future results, operations and financial performance and condition. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, reference is made to the Company’s reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including, but not limited to, the risks detailed in the Company’s annual report filed with the SEC on March 4, 2024, and in subsequent filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.
Investor Contact:
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
On 14 October 2024, the Attorney General Lord Hermer KC delivered the 2024 Bingham Lecture titled ‘The Rule of Law in an Age of Populism’.
Thank you Helena for that introduction. It is a particular privilege to be introduced by a friend who I admire and respect so much and by someone who has spent a lifetime promoting the rule of law and protecting human rights.
Thank you also to the Bingham Centre for inviting me to speak to you this evening.
For nearly fifteen years, the Bingham Centre has been an essential voice for the advancement of rule of law values at home and abroad. Its work to promote a better understanding of the rule of law and to help build the capacity to give it practical effect, has never been more vital than it is today.
It is a record of which Tom Bingham, in whose name I am honoured to give this lecture, would surely have been proud. It is wonderful to see so many of his family here tonight, Lady Bingham, Dame Kate, Kit and Mary.
Lord Bingham’s judicial and non-judicial writing, his stature as one of the great postwar judges, has been an inspiration for generations of lawyers, myself very much included. I had the privilege of appearing in front of Lord Bingham as a junior in a series of interesting cases before the House of Lords in which I was led by a promising young silk called Keir Starmer.
But like many in this audience I also felt a personal tie to Tom Bingham. I applied for silk in 2009 and Lord Bingham was one of my referees but sadly my father, who was a lawyer, died shortly before my appointment. My sense of loss at not being able to share the news with my dad was softened by the fact that before he died I was able to show him a letter that Lord Bingham had written to me. The letter was filled with the warmth and support that many who knew Tom Bingham will recognise. Thus I will always feel a very personal debt of gratitude to him for the joy and pride that his letter gave to my dad.
It was in his cogent and elegant account of the rule of law that Tom Bingham encapsulated in his eight principles. Such was the authority and clarity of his analysis that the principles are now a necessary reference point for any discussion (or indeed speech) on the subject.
As Sir Jeffrey Jowell put it when he spoke at the launch of this Centre back in December 2010:
Tear open the Bingham package of requirements for the rule of law and, as each of his ingredients falls away, we progressively observe the stark outlines of tyranny- at worst; or authoritarianism – at best.
That remark has a particular resonance today. And what better illustration of the enduring contribution of that book could there be than the sight, earlier this year, of its Ukrainian translation being launched in Kyiv, on the frontline of the ongoing struggle for democratic, rules-based values.
As that scene attests, we are living through uncertain and challenging times, with threats to the rule of law on a number of fronts.
This evening, I would like to talk about the necessary response to these challenges, through restoration of our reputation as a country that upholds the rule of law at every turn and by embedding resilience to rebuff the populist challenge.
Restoration and resilience. I’m going to begin by setting out the nature of the challenge as well as proffering some thoughts on the relationship between the rule of law, democracy and human rights. I will then turn to three themes that I consider lie at the heart of the restoration and resilience project firstly, the rebuilding our reputation as a leader in the field of international law and the international rules based order; secondly, the strengthening of Parliament’s role in upholding the rule of law and thirdly the promotion of a rule of law culture.
Our starting point is not a happy one. Conflict currently affects more countries than at any time since the Second World War. As too many people around the world are driven from their homes by wars and instability, there is a sense of an international system that is unable to act. That is unable to prevent wars of aggression and to address desperate humanitarian need.
As the Prime Minister said at the General Assembly in New York, those “institutions of peace” that the UK and others worked so hard to establish after the horrors of the Second World War are struggling. Those rules that we have all worked so hard to maintain are being undermined. And faith in international law, and the international rule of law, is being chiselled away in communities who are told, time and again, that the system is failing to deliver for them.
The challenges we face are increasingly global – whether the development of AI, the threat of climate change, growing inequality, or increased migration – and we need a functioning global order, underpinned by a strong commitment to the rule of law, to even begin to tackle them.
At home, too, we cannot afford to be complacent about the extent to which values that once were taken for granted have been undermined. A near decade of crisis and political instability has, at times, stretched the fabric of our constitution to its limit. I don’t wish to make a party political speech, indeed I am determined to make the promotion of the rule of law a project we can all sign up to irrespective of our political allegiance.
At a time when there is a desperate need for cooperation and solutions, we are increasingly confronted by the divisive and disruptive force of populism. This is not a new phenomenon. But in recent years we have grown accustomed to diagnosing its symptoms, on both right and left.
We face leaders who see politics as an exercise in division; who appeal to the ‘will of the people’ (as exclusively interpreted by them) as the only truly legitimate source of constitutional authority.
Their rhetoric conjures images of a conspiracy of ‘elites’; an enemy that is hard to define, but invariably including the people and independent institutions who exercise the kind of checks and balances on executive power that are the essence of liberal democracy and the rule of law. Judges. Lawyers. A free press. NGOs. Parliament. The academy. An impartial and objective civil service. Populists work to diminish their legitimacy or, at worst, actively remove them from the scene altogether.
Allied to this, we have also seen how populism, in its most pernicious forms, works to demonise other groups, usually minorities – to discredit the legal frameworks and institutions that guarantee their rights, and dismantle, often through calculated misinformation, the political consensus that underpins them.
Times of crisis and challenge are fertile ground for this kind of politics. And they can create a receptive audience for the populists’ argument that the rule of law is somehow in tension with democratic values.
It is this dynamic that I want to address in tonight’s speech – I want to argue that this is precisely the time for us to reaffirm that the rule of law – both domestically and internationally – is the necessary precursor to those democratic values, providing the foundations for political and economic flourishing.
And I want to be clear that by the rule of law, I do not just mean rule by law; a purely procedural and formal conception that populists and authoritarians can themselves so often use as a cloak of legitimacy.
One of Lord Bingham’s great contributions was to promote a more substantive conception of the rule of law, including the idea that the law must afford adequate protection of fundamental human rights. I too believe that human rights – both at the level of principle, and in practice through how they are enforced – are an essential element of the rule of law and a stable democratic culture. As well as recognising and protecting the dignity of all, they guarantee the essential rights and freedoms which underpin our system.
Far from being at odds with democracy, as some populists would have us believe, the rule of law is the bedrock on which it rests. What good is democracy – indeed, can democracy exist – without the right to free and fair elections or freedom of speech, guaranteed by the right of access to the courts and an independent judiciary? And I would go further. Democracy, in my view, is inextricably related to the rule of law, properly understood. For what good is the rule of law without democracy, which confers essential legitimacy on the rules that govern the relationship between citizen and state?
Lord Bingham’s conception of the rule of law also recognises that international law is the ‘Rule of Law’ writ large, and that States must comply with their international obligations, just as they must comply with domestic law. This, too, is crucial. International law is not simply some kind of optional add-on, with which States can pick or choose whether to comply. It is central to ensuring our prosperity and security, and that of all global citizens. As will develop later, our reputation as a country that can trusted to comply with its international law obligations, and has a robust adherence to the rule of law, is essential to our ability to grow the economy, as grow it we shall.
And maintaining our international reputation also enhances our ability to work with our partners to get things done in this time of global challenge. Rather than isolating ourselves from our closest allies, it means we can strengthen cooperation on issues like migration; whether that’s the Anti-Smuggling Action Plan, which the Home Secretary secured with G7 partners in Italy earlier this month; or closer working with international law enforcement partners to target smuggling gangs.
To shore up the rule of law against the forces of populism, we must also emphasise its importance as an idea that unites, rather than divides us. The work to rebuild a political consensus around these values will not be easy. It must be proactive, cross-party and internationalist. It must be sensitive to any legitimate reasons why people have lost faith in the rule of law and its institutions. It will require patient, long-term thinking, hard work and consistent commitment to build the necessary coalitions, and to produce and implement detailed policy proposals.
So, to meet these challenges it is my view that we need to take immediate steps to restore the UK’s reputation as a rule of law leader whilst at the same time also seek to build and secure the rule of law’s long term resilience in the face of threats known and unknown, domestic and international.
Restoration and resilience. Restoration and resilience. In this speech, I want to talk about three themes that will guide this Government in this project. As I outlined earlier, my first theme, is rebuilding the UK’s international rule of law leadership before turning next to the role of Parliament and then finally embedding a rule of law culture.
The UK’s international rule of law leadership.
Historically, the UK has been a leader in developing and promoting international law and the institutions on which its effectiveness depends. British lawyers and politicians have been at the forefront of drafting and negotiating the most important treaties that underpin our international legal system and building the institutional machinery that breathes life into those paper agreements.
The UK will again demonstrate that leadership – so essential in today’s highly-connected, but highly fragmented, world – and sadly so absent in recent years.
That starts by clearly, and without question, honouring our obligations under international law.
Since taking office, this Government has already taken steps to uphold those obligations and demonstrate our deep commitment to international law. We have reached agreement with Mauritius to settle the historic sovereignty claims over BIOT/Chagos Archipelago in a manner that successfully marries our international law obligations with vital national security requirements; we have applied our IHL obligations by compliance with our arms licensing criteria – applying law not politics; we have made plain our commitment to our cornerstone international institutions not least the ICJ and ICC.
And we will continue to abide by and unequivocally support the European Convention on Human Rights, including by complying with requests from the Court for interim measures. Walking, or threatening to walk away, would be a total abdication of our international law responsibilities and send out precisely the wrong message at a time when the rule of law is under threat in so many places.
But we will go further than simply meeting our obligations under the Convention specifically and international law generally – that we will do so should go without saying. My point is that the UK will once again be a champion for international courts and institutions, taking positive steps to promote their importance and to rebuild the respect for them that the populists have sought to destroy. As the Prime Minister has said, having discovered the Convention in a law library in Leeds some 40 years ago, the rights it sets out speak about the dignity of every human being, and are a source of inspiration from which we can all draw strength and value.
After the First World War, the UK championed the establishment of a Permanent Court of International Justice. British Judges sitting in that Court and many subsequent international courts and tribunals have delivered judgments that have brought clarity to all areas of international law.
I am therefore delighted that the UK National Group has announced its intention to nominate Professor Dapo Akande – who will be well known to many in this room – as the UK’s candidate for election to the International Court of Justice in 2026. I cannot think of a better representative for the UK’s expertise in international law and I am delighted to personally endorse Dapo’s campaign.
And it is through international courts that we hope to finally see justice for Ukraine. I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for justice and accountability, and nowhere was the need for that more apparent than in my recent visit to Ukraine. I was profoundly struck by the stories I heard at Bucha’s cathedral and in Irpin.
Despite the unimaginable suffering that the people of Ukraine have endured, they remain clear-eyed about the importance of the international rule of law and accountability. I – and the whole Government – remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine, on the battlefield and in the courtroom. This includes support for work towards establishing a Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
But these systems, and the promise offered by international law, only work when we work in partnership with our friends and partners around the world.
In many parts of the world, especially in the Global South, the international rules-based order and human rights are often seen as imperialist constructs, selectively invoked by western governments when it suits their interests. It is incumbent upon us to first, listen, to those who feel unheard. And secondly, to demonstrate – not just with warm words, but with concrete actions – that international law can deliver real benefits to all. And those actions must be consistent, we must show that we will hold ourselves to the highest standards.
We will advocate for reform of the Security Council, to ensure that those with seats at the top table truly represent the global community. That means permanent representation from Africa, from Brazil, India, Japan and Germany. And our approach to international development will show that we have learnt the lessons of history that, to be sustainable, the rule of law cannot be imposed on developing countries by former colonial rulers, but must be grown organically from within by working closely with local communities and institutions.
And we will be unwavering in our commitment to tackling climate change, where we know that many of the worst effects are felt by those who have made the smallest contributions to this existential threat.
My second theme is closer to home. A crucial part of restoring the rule of law, and building resilience in the face of future threats, involves thinking about the respective roles of our own institutions in upholding these fundamental values.
This must start by recognising that upholding the rule of law cannot just be left to the courts. All branches of our constitution must see the rule of law, in its fullest sense, as a guiding force for their own actions.
Speaking as a relatively new member of two of these branches, I hope my colleagues in this room will not mind if I offer some initial reflections on the role of Parliament in this regard; both in terms of its own functions, and the Government’s relationship to it.
Parliamentary sovereignty is one of the fundamental features of our constitution and the ultimate legal authority of Parliament to make or unmake any law is crystal clear. However, viewing the rule of law through this distorting lens of ultimate decision-making authority alone risks mistaking it for a purely formal, and thin, conception of ‘rule by law’.
As lawyers know, Parliament’s authority in our constitution is legal authority, an authority that requires that Parliament maintains in its legislation the ideals of the rule of law, of government under law, one of the contributions to the modern world of which we in the UK are justly proud. And as I (following Lord Bingham) have explained, those ideals are much thicker and more substantive that the thin gruel of a formal conception of ‘rule by law’.
We have seen in recent years where that disregard for our constitutional rule of law heritage can lead. It is crucial that all institutional actors understand their role in a government under law. When Government invites Parliament to breach international law, or oust the jurisdiction of the courts, it not only undermines the rule of law, but also the mutual respect that historically has been one of the great strengths of our constitution. It risks pitting one institution against another in ways that damage our reputation both inside and outside our borders as a law-abiding nation.
We must also work to counter the false choice, offered by some, between parliamentary democracy and fundamental rights. For almost a quarter of a century, the Human Rights Act has shown how it is possible, with imagination, to provide a legal framework for the protection of fundamental rights which can co-exist with parliamentary sovereignty. Indeed, the Act specifically preserves Parliament’s ultimate decision-making authority through its regime of non-binding Declarations of Incompatibility, defences, and section 19(1)(b) statements.
And the enforcement of the Act otherwise by the courts, far from being at odds with democracy, is its vindication. Because it was our democratically elected Parliament that legislated for the Human Rights Act, and provided the mechanisms by which individual rights should be given meaningful effect in domestic law. It is testament to the framers of the Act that no Parliament elected since 1998 has chosen to fundamentally alter that position.
It is also right to reflect on how Parliament can itself actively protect and enhance rule of law values. It does this through its scrutiny of legislation, most notably through the expertise of my colleagues in both Houses, but also through its Select Committee system. And it is incumbent on any government to ensure that those Committees are able to do their jobs effectively. I welcome the contribution that committees such as the Lords Constitution Committee, the Delegated Powers Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights make to the debate on human rights and the rule of law, and I look forward to working constructively with them in this Parliament.
But there are aspects of Government’s relationship with Parliament that require more careful examination. Most pressingly, there is in my view a real need to consider the balance between primary and secondary legislation, which in recent years has weighed too heavily in favour of delegated powers.
The twin challenges of Brexit and the Covid pandemic had the effect of concentrating immense power in the hands of the executive, through the conferral and exercise of broad delegated powers, including so-called Henry VIII powers. Some of this can be explained by the exceptional character, and unique demands, of both events. However, it would be a mistake to view this as an aberration. As the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee have noted, Brexit and Covid did not mark the beginning of the shift in the balance between Parliament and the executive, so much as an acceleration and intensification of an existing trend.
As technical as these issues may sound, they raise real questions about how we are governed. I said earlier that I see democracy as inextricably related to the rule of law. In our system of Parliamentary democracy, consent to be governed is expressed through the delegation, every four or five years, of powers by the governed to Parliament. It is the importance of this model of consent that explains in very large measure why I have been so concerned, on entering Government, to improve the standards we adhere to when we make policy and law – and specifically to ensure that the processes we adopt support the rule of law.
Secondary legislation has an indispensable role to play in a modern, regulated society. There is no suggestion that the Government should not take or exercise delegated powers. However, excessive reliance on delegated powers, Henry VIII clauses, or skeleton legislation, upsets the proper balance between Parliament and the executive. This not only strikes at the rule of law values I have already outlined, but also at the cardinal principles of accessibility and legal certainty.
In my view, the new Government offers an opportunity for a reset in the way that Government thinks about these issues. This means, in particular, a much sharper focus on whether taking delegated powers is justified in a given case, and more careful consideration of appropriate safeguards.
Finally, in my third theme I want to talk about culture and how we promote a rule of law culture which builds public trust in the law and its institutions – a vital task if the rule of law is to be made resilient enough to withstand the threats I have described in this age of populism.
We begin this task from a difficult place. Too often, the starting point for debate is that law is part of the problem. At best, an abstraction that is disconnected from the realities of people’s lives. At worst, it can be held up by populists as a force that is somehow illegitimate. All of us who care about this subject – and particularly those of us in Government – need to work hard to counter these attitudes, and to foster a better understanding of the rightful place of law in a liberal democratic society.
For Government, this means leading by example. I hope you take some comfort in the fact that the importance of the rule of law and the constitutional balance is embedded in my DNA and that of a Prime Minister who not only rose to the top ranks of the Bar but served his country as DPP. Vitally, it is also a principle deeply cherished and jealously protected by the Lord Chancellor who has overarching constitutional authority as the guardian of the rule of law not least to protect the independence of the judiciary. Anyone who knows the Lord Chancellor and her determination to champion the rule of law will know that there will be no repeat of failures to defend attacks on the judiciary under her watch.
Of course, we will be judged by what we do, not what we may have done in the past let alone what we say now – and we will demonstrate our commitment to the rule of law in real and practical ways. By way of example only, in the coming weeks I will issue an amended guidance for assessing legal risk across government that will seek to raise the standards for calibrating legality that the thousands of brilliant lawyers working in every part of government activity apply to deliver for the people of this country – I want them to feel empowered to give their full and frank advice to me and others in government and to stand up for the rule of law.
But the challenge to rebuild a broad consensus around rule of law values, cannot be left merely to politicians. It is a project that can only succeed if it is taken up by all of us, politicians, judges, lawyers, civil society, citizens.
We need to recognise that the populists have stolen a march – it is nearly always easier to deride and denigrate than it is to promote complex but vital principles. We cannot stand by idly as rule of law principles and the human rights idea are undermined, sometimes without challenge, on television screens, the pages of newspapers and most effectively and invidiously of all, on social media.
The challenge is to get out and explain the importance of the principles that we hold so dear – we have a fantastic story to tell and tell it we must.
We need to explain that the rule of law is not the preserve of arid constitutional theory. We need to explain how it provides the stable and predictable environment in which people can plan their lives, do business and get ahead; in which businesses can invest, the economy can grow; people can resolve disputes fairly and peacefully, and express and enjoy their basic rights and freedoms. We must illustrate how systems that do not hold to these values can be arbitrary and capricious. And backsliding from Rule of Law values, once it begins, can take an unpredictable course.
The story that we must tell is how the rule of law matters for growth, jobs and people’s livelihoods – how it impacts upon the pound in their pocket and on the type of future their children deserve to enjoy. Governments that undermine, or take a ‘pick and mix’ approach to these values, disincentivise investment. Today, we have hosted the Investment Summit with a clear message that Britain is open for business. Britain has many commercial advantages, but one of our greatest is the trust that businesses can have in our courts, and the confidence they can have in a stable and transparent business environment, underpinned by a strong rule of law.
Education has a crucial role to play. We must take these messages to our schools and wider communities. I commend the work of civil society groups and charities such as Young Citizens and the Citizenship Foundation, and the Bingham Centre itself, who work with schools to promote a better understanding of the law and its importance in society. I believe it is right to think about whether even more can be done to strengthen the role of citizenship education as a means of promoting a better understanding of our constitution and, particularly, the importance of the rule of law.
But we must also talk about these issues in a way that resonates with the public and in language that everyone understands. Because most people would instinctively recognise rule of law principles as values that are part of the very fabric of our society. Fair play. Justice. Rules that apply equally to all; not one rule for them, and another for the rest of us. And where disputes do arise – whether with a business, an employer, or a neighbour – an independent courts system which provides the means for their just resolution.
And in the public realm, law is the great leveller that holds the powerful to account, and ensures that individual rights are respected. Those rights – human rights – are our rights, and belong to us all.
So it is we must proudly own the story of the European Convention on Human Rights, not least because in so doing we expose the wanton superficiality of many of its critics. We must explain how the values of the Convention are not foreign to us. They are universal. Closely connected rights are found deeply embedded in the heart of our own legal tradition. Echoes of habeas corpus, Magna Carta, and the Bill of Rights, can all be located in Articles 5 and 6 ECHR. This country banned torture long before our continental cousins, never mind the promulgation of Article 3. It is no coincidence that it was British lawyers, most notably the Conservative David Maxwell Fyfe, who helped to frame the European Convention after the Second World War, drawing of course inspiration from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also centuries of our own legal values. It is simply legally fatuous and historically ignorant of armchair critics of the Convention to declare that its supporters somehow seek to undermine our traditions or should be dismissed as naive snowflakes.
To the contrary, the Convention was drafted by men and women who had witnessed the very worst that humans can do to each other, their views were forged not in a Tufton Street seminar but in the trenches and the battle grounds, in the prisoner of war camps and the historic prosecutions of the Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg. The drafting and adoption took place not in a time of overindulgence but when societies were rebuilding from rubble and indeed this country was still under rationing. They were hard-nosed men and women from a generation who had seen conflict and vowed ‘never again’. The structures they helped to create, the values that underpin them, have served us well as a bulwark against totalitarianism, and a foundation for European peace. And they remain the best hope of protecting us from the threats we face today.
For too long, populists have been able to frame the debate on human rights too narrowly, by reference to issues which, important as they are, can often feel disconnected from the everyday. We have to work to change this, not only by busting myths, but by showing how human rights positively touch so many aspects of wider society. The right to be treated equally. The right to express ourselves. The freedom to live in the way we choose, without undue interference from the state. These are the values we cherish and have chosen, collectively, to protect.
So too must we work to combat disinformation and misinformation about law and lawyers. The disgraceful scenes of violent disorder over the summer, including threats against immigration law firms and advice centres, showed only too vividly that what is said online can have dangerous consequences in the real world.
But the response to the riots also showed something more hopeful. People took to the streets not only to clean up and repair the damage, but to stand together against the forces of reaction and division. It is that spirit of decency and fairness that we must harness in our cause.
When I went to Liverpool I visited the library that had been burnt down in the riots and met a group of children who had been cowering under beds and in cupboards as the mobs went by at night but who the next morning got up and came to volunteer to rebuild. I talked with them about the books that we were donating to the library (including Helena’s latest) which all concern how law and justice work for everyone – and we discussed the meaning and significance of the inscription that my office had placed inside each cover, taking the words of Dr Martin Luther King – that although the arc of humanity is long, it bends towards justice.
Restoration and resilience. These are the watchwords that will guide our defence of the rule of law in the face of populism. It is by renewing our commitment to rule of law values, as a Government and as a nation, at home and abroad, and patiently rebuilding the political consensus underpinning that commitment, that we will ensure that the rule of law is safe for future generations; so we may continue to work together towards achieving the Bingham Centre’s vision of ‘a world in which every society is governed by the Rule of Law in the interests of good government, peace at home and in the world at large’.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the welcome dinner for the Standard Chartered Private Bank Global Family Network 2024 today (October 15):Bill (Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered, Mr Bill Winters), Ben (President, International, Standard Chartered, Mr Benjamin Hung), Mary (Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong and Greater China & North Asia, Standard Chartered, Ms Mary Huen), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Good evening. I am very pleased to join you all at this welcome dinner for Standard Chartered’s inaugural flagship Global Family Network Forum, bringing together influential families from across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. First of all, I wish to extend our warmest welcome to you all to Hong Kong. You’ve chosen a wonderful time to visit, with the perfect autumn weather gracing our city. International asset and wealth management hub Hong Kong is Asia’s leading international financial centre and asset and wealth management hub. Just now, Mary has already given you a good idea of the scale of assets under management and the number of family offices in this city. Let me supplement that many asset and wealth management firms are expanding their presence in Hong Kong. They include, of course, Standard Chartered. And no less optimistic are other prominent firms like UBS. Its Chief Executive commented in June this year that Hong Kong might well become the world’s first in the asset management business by 2027. A world of ultra-high-net-worth families and individuals have gathered in Hong Kong for a good reason. For you can place your wealth, here for good. Unique strengths under “one country, two systems” Hong Kong, after all, has very strong fundamentals. Our unique strength is the “one country, two systems” arrangement. While being part of China, we preserve all the defining characteristics that make this city unique: practising common law with a judiciary exercising powers independently; maintaining free flow of capital, goods, people and information; a low and simple tax system, and a currency pegged to the US dollar. As President Xi Jinping made clear on various occasions, this arrangement is here to stay for the long term.Staunch support from the country Indeed, Hong Kong always enjoys staunch support from the Central Government. Over the years, the central authorities have rolled out highly favourable policies that benefit the city’s progress and advancement. This is well illustrated in our financial market development. In April this year, for instance, the CSRC (China Securities Regulatory Commission) announced a series of measures to boost Hong Kong’s capital market. That included injecting more liquidity into the Southbound Connect with Hong Kong, and supporting leading Mainland enterprises to list on our stock exchange. Now, over 100 such companies are in the queue for listing in Hong Kong. Diverse investment offerings and opportunities Above all, the prime value proposition of Hong Kong for family offices is the diverse array of investment offerings and opportunities we offer. Speaking of our stock market, it is home to over 2 600 companies with a capitalisation of over US$4.6 trillion. Over the years, we have engaged in listing reforms, facilitating such companies from the new economy, biotech and hard-tech sectors to list on our stock exchange, and thus enlarging our pool of quality issuers. No less vibrant is the bond market. Hong Kong ranked first in the world for 16 years in terms of international bond issuance arranged by Asian institutions. Last year, around US$90 billion of such bonds were issued, accounting for about a quarter of the market. We are also the hub for Renminbi bonds, including sovereign bonds issued by the central authorities as well as those by provincial and municipal governments. Hong Kong offers a wide range of financial products that suit impact investors. For example, as Asia’s leading green finance hub, we have on average issued over US$63 billion in green bonds and debt annually over the past three years, accounting for more than one-third of Asia’s total. Over 230 ESG (environmental, social and governance) funds have been authorised by our Securities and Futures Commission, managing approximately US$170 billion in assets. A rich array of investment products and professional services are underpinning a burgeoning ecosystem for families and their offices here in Hong Kong. The Government has rolled out a package of policies, including tax concessions to family-owned investment holding vehicles managed by single family offices in the city. This year, we have also established a Network of Family Office Service Providers comprising private banks, accounting and legal firms, trusts and other professional service firms, forming a strong nexus that cater to your needs. Recent rally in our stock market Speaking of investment, you may have noticed the recent rally in our stock market since the central authorities announced a stimulus package to inject liquidity to the banking sector and to provide more support to the real estate sector. Over this period, we have seen strong net buys from American and European investors, and they constituted some 85 per cent of the buy side by value. In terms of the background of those investors, 90 per cent of them are long-term fund managers and investment banks. In January this year, when I visited Davos to attend the World Economic Forum, I met some investors and fund managers. The message I got from them then was clear – despite geo-economic fragmentation, the world of international investors remained interested in the opportunities of the Mainland market. They have long been waiting for the right time to invest here. Now, they are seeing the opportunity. And beyond investors from the US and Europe, there is growing interest from our Middle East friends. For example, later this month, two ETFs (exchange-traded funds) will be listed on the Saudi Exchange for investing in our stock market. Making a lasting impact with Hong Kong Ladies and gentlemen, most if not all, family offices aim for more than just financial returns. They care about the collective good of our society and the planet. To promote and support philanthropy endeavours, the annual Wealth for Good Summit held in Hong Kong since last year successfully brought together influential family office owners and decision-makers to explore strategies for effective philanthropy and wealth legacy. We will soon launch an “Impact Link” platform to foster the connection between family offices and high-potential, high-social impact philanthropy programmes. There is also one important dimension of impact investing that I should not miss: innovation and technology. We are home to a vibrant, energetic and promising innovation circle, with many innovators from around the world who gather in Hong Kong, acting to change the world for the better, in AI (artificial intelligence), biotech, green tech, and many more areas. Many of these start-ups are based in our two innovation flagships, the Science Park and Cyberport. They have a global vision, and present valuable opportunities for investment. For instance, one start-up from Science Park has developed geospatial and sensory technologies for precision farming, helping farmers around the world to increase crop yield. Another start-up has developed 3D-printed reef tiles to help restore coral reefs and thus increase regional carbon sequestration capacity. The firm has now expanded to the Middle East.Closing remarks Ladies and gentlemen, in a nutshell, Hong Kong is where you can conserve and grow your wealth across generations. I believe the speakers at the forum tomorrow will further enlighten us with their valuable insights. For now, please enjoy this good evening, and I wish you all a rewarding event tomorrow and an enjoyable experience in Hong Kong. Thank you very much.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 15, 2024/APO Group/ —
The all-new GITEX Editions got underway on the opening day of GITEX GLOBAL (www.GITEX.com) as discussions focused on accelerating the growth of global late-stage advanced tech companies.
The latest addition to the packed schedule comes at a vital time where statistics (https://apo-opa.co/3Ab4gaZ) showed there were more than 1,000 unicorns around the world in 2023. This week’s showcase will help support the next development while bringing together 59 top global unicorns with a combined valuation of $400 billion. The impressive list to have gathered includes Axelera, DeepL Synthesis AI, and Insilico Medicine.
In one of the sessions, the Founder and CEO of digital health unicorn Insilico Medicine, Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov joined Tamer Elhamy, Chief Partner Officer of Microsoft Middle East to discuss the importance of Merger and Acquisitions (M&A) and how AI companies are making their foundational models work smarter for enterprises.
The audience heard that the Middle East region is leading the way with digitalisation with more than 300 deals related to M&A completed in the first half of 2024 with half of those led by the UAE.
Scaling GCC business globally
The staging of GITEX Editions aligns with Dubai’s ambition to be the home of 30 startup unicorns by 2030 as the emirate continues to transform itself from a regional to a global entrepreneurship hub and support its digital ambitions. Today, Dubai is embarking on its journey with 40% of MENA’s scaleups already based in the emirate (https://apo-opa.co/3Y7Y3EF).
To help nurture the growth of tomorrow’s giants in the GCC region, Harrison Lung, Group Chief Strategy Officer of e& was joined by Tanuja Randery, Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa of Amazon Web Services (AWS) in an insightful session that focused on the importance of collaboration.
Harrison Lung explained the importance of joining hands to forge stronger alliances. He said: “For us, it’s more about a transformation towards a global technology company. In the areas of partnering, the idea is to develop a win-win proposition and solving the needs of customers.”
With the region growing rapidly, Tanuja Randery said there is no better time than now for companies to enter the market and agrees collaboration is crucial. She said: “This region is so attractive in terms of the growth potential. I read a stat that showed that almost 70 per cent of businesses in the Middle East want to move most of their operations to the Cloud in two years’ time and this could unlock USD $733 billion of economic value by 2033. To make Cloud make accessible, we need partners and alliances.”
Driving investments for startups
Funding is a key pillar to drive growth – both in the long and short-term but can be often challenging. Steven Hoffman, Venture Investor, Author; and Chairman & CEO of Founders Space, gave key advice on how startups should adopt a vertical growth strategy for the future.
He said: “There is a lot of money going into AI but most of that is going into a handful of companies which are dominating the market and this is impacting the growth of startups. As such, a lot of money is now going into vertical AI where the specialist area is only on one focus such as healthcare or hospitality and this is centred around this business model and adding AI on top of this.”
In another session, Kai Zenner, Head of Office & Digital Policy Advisor of EU Parliament and Dr. Agostino Ghiglia, Board Member of the Italian Data Protection Authority took part in a broader discussion on the AI EU Act and its global implications for the next generation of AI-driven unicorns.
Taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) until 18 October, GITEX GLOBAL presents its biggest, most international edition in its 44th year, welcoming over 6,500 exhibitors, 1,800 startups, 1,200 investors alongside governments from more than 180 countries.
GITEX GLOBAL is seamlessly connecting the world’s largest network of tech events. Today, major events such as GITEX EUROPE Berlin, GITEX ASIA Singapore, GITEX AFRICA Morocco, and GITEX NIGERIA are under its umbrella with all fostering collaboration and driving innovation to shape the tech landscape of tomorrow.
Source: Huawei
Headline: Huawei Launches Intelligent Stadium Solution to Facilitate Intelligent Upgrade
[Dubai, UAE, October 15, 2024] During GITEX Global 2024, Huawei unveiled its Intelligent Stadium Solution at a forum themed AI Enables Smart Building Upgrade. The solution is intended for facilitating digital and intelligent transformation of stadium campuses. At the forum, Huawei discussed with business elites, industry experts, and leading partners how to seize tremendous opportunities that AI brings and use digital and intelligent technologies to lead industry development.
Liu Chao, CEO of Huawei’s Manufacturing and Large Enterprises BU, delivered a speech at the forum. He said that Huawei aims to become the preferred partner for digital and intelligent transformation in the Middle East’s real estate industry by advancing technologies, leveraging experience, and developing the industry ecosystem. “Looking toward the future, Huawei will continue to integrate smart technology into industries by acting as a bridge and an amplifier. We are committed to expanding our industry knowledge and delivering better services to global customers and partners. Eventually, we will bring intelligence to the Middle East and the world,” said Mr. Liu.
Liu Chao, CEO of Huawei’s Manufacturing and Large Enterprises BU
Eric Li, President of Huawei’s Product Portfolio Marketing Solution Sales Dept, mentioned in his speech that the building industry’s digital journey has just begun, but it holds enormous potential for the future. He also emphasized that AI will bring buildings and campuses into an era of intelligence, transforming the management and operational models of an intelligent campus. “Huawei advocates using ICTs to redefine the campus. We have been leveraging the advantages of our product portfolios to redefine campus connectivity, platform, and business, helping global customers build digital and intelligent campuses,” said Eric Li.
Eric Li, President of Huawei’s Product Portfolio Marketing Solution Sales Dept
Viga Liu, Director of Huawei’s Intelligent Campus Marketing & Solution Sales Dept, delivered a keynote speech at the forum. He believes that AI is enabling buildings and campuses to go digital, intelligent, green, and low-carbon at a faster pace. According to Viga Liu, Huawei has developed pioneering solutions such as Campus Service Network and Campus Digital Platform. “We have collaborated with our partners to assist over 1000 customers worldwide in building 10 Gbps, digital, and green intelligent campuses, including office campuses, stadium campuses, and commercial complexes.”
Ahmad Bana, the Center of Excellence Manager at Waseef, an asset management company from Qatar, shared Waseef’s experience with digital and intelligent transformation of networks in employee apartments. Huawei’s Intelligent Campus Solution adopts a flat optical fiber architecture, which allows Waseef to save 80% of IT equipment room footprint and cabling space, as well as achieve more intelligent network O&M and more flexible bandwidth upgrades. Moreover, this architecture contributes to a green network that is future-proof for 30 years, provision of additional services, asset appreciation, and project success.
OODA World, a global software vendor headquartered in France, specializes in delivering innovative software solutions for different industries. Méliné EOLMEZIAN-SOULIE, Vice President of Public Safety and Strategic Partner Ecosystem, highlighted that OODA’s Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) platform utilizes distinctive 3D native and real-time data visualization and command & control technologies to implement real-time situation awareness, automatic workflows, and centralized incident management. She said OODA will collaborate with Huawei to build campuses that are more intelligent.
Techno Q, a system integrator from Qatar, participated in the forum. Saad Afzal, the Head of Solutions Architecture at Techno Q, stated in his speech that smart building solutions, based on data convergence and system integration, can unlock the value of data and provide targeted use cases for areas such as energy efficiency management, predictive maintenance, asset management, operational efficiency, and subscription-based value-added services. This can provide customers with enhanced user experience, reduce security risks, and improve management efficiency.
Neuxnet, headquartered in Singapore, is dedicated to helping customers go digital and intelligent. According to Eric Yang, the Vice President of Product and Marketing at Neuxnet, stadiums are evolving toward being diversified, integrated, and intelligent, providing spectators with a spectacular experience before, during, and after sports events through various new technologies and applications. “By offering functions such as smart parking, navigation, ticketing services, and one-stop customer services, Neuxnet provides efficient management tools for stadium operators, and helps them create dynamic, technologically advanced, and sustainable sports stadiums,” said Eric Yang.
Official release of the Intelligent Stadium Solution
At the end of the forum, Huawei officially released its Intelligent Stadium Solution. Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to work with partners to help customers implement top-notch security assurance, operations management, communications assurance, spectating experience, and service experience, as well as innovate in management and service models, delivering brand-new sports stadium experiences in the digital and intelligent era.
