dev

Conagra Brands Announces Sustainable Development Award Winners

The program invited cross-functional employee teams to submit projects completed during Conagra's fiscal years 2023 and 2024. Each submission was evaluated by a panel of peers, with the final winners selected by the company's sustainability leaders.




dev

Community Partners Key to Success of Vaccine Clinic Focused on Neurodevelopmental Conditions

Community partnerships led to a specialized clinic delivering COVID and flu shots to individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism at the MIND Institute.




dev

Community Partners Key to Success of Vaccine Clinic Focused on Neurodevelopmental Conditions

Community partnerships led to a specialized clinic delivering COVID and flu shots to individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism at the MIND Institute.




dev

Target Price Raised 69% on SMR Developer

This New York-based company has made large strides in building out its nuclear reactor program, noted a Benchmark Co. report.




dev

Target Price Raised 69% on SMR Developer

Source: Michael Legg 11/12/2024

This New York-based company has made large strides in building out its nuclear reactor program, noted a Benchmark Co. report.

Nano Nuclear Energy Inc. (NNE:NASDAQ) saw a 69% raise in its target price to US$66 per share from US$39 by The Benchmark Co. in light of the nuclear energy company's robust internal development, reported analyst Michael Legg in a November 7 research note. Nano Nuclear is developing 1–2 megawatt small modular reactors (SMRs).

"Nano Nuclear's balance sheet has been bolstered by capital raises placing over US$65 million (US$65M) on [the] balance sheet, allowing [the company] to continue to execute on its strategy," Legg wrote.

As the company was trading at the time of the report at about US$19.05 per share, the new target price implies a 246% return, noted Legg.

Nano Nuclear remains a Buy.

Strengthened Financial Status

This New York-headquartered company improved its balance sheet to the point of having US$65M in cash and no debt, which allowed Nano Nuclear to keep working its strategy.

"We have lowered our discount rate on our net present value analysis to 20% from 25% to reflect reduced risk," Legg wrote.

Company's Recent Efforts

The analyst reported Nano Nuclear's newest achievements and progress. They include:

1) Advancing development of its ZEUS and ODIN SMRs to the physical test work phase from the design stage and starting initial rig construction. The company also did external design audits on its SMRs.

2) Expanding its team, adding advisers and engineers, to expedite program development. Nano Nuclear appointed John Vonglis as chairman of its Executive Advisory Board for Strategic Initiatives. Vonglis is a former chief financial officer of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Acting Director of DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

The energy company appointed Lieutenant General Terry G. Robling, USMC (Ret.), as chair of its Executive Advisory Board for Federal and Defense Appropriations and Requirements. It appointed Carlos Maidana as head of its Thermal Hydraulics and Space Program and added six engineers to its Nuclear Technology and Engineering team.

3) Acquiring for US$1.71M in August a 14,000-square-foot, two-story building in Oak Ridge, Tenn., to be its Nuclear Technology Center location.

4) Signing a memorandum of understanding with the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, which could result in deployment of SMRs and microreactors in the African country.

5) Starting its pre-application review with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Nano Nuclear provided the NRC and DOE the status of its microreactor designs and the estimated development timelines, so the NRC may line up the personnel needed to oversee the related licensing. Nano Nuclear is in the process of identifying places for a test bed reactor site.

6) Winning a DOE Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) voucher, which provides it with funding for 80% of a winning proposal, the remaining 20% to be covered by Nano Nuclear. This increases its chances of being awarded additional vouchers in the future, purported Legg.

Nuclear Power Demand Grows

Momentum in the clean energy sector, particular nuclear power, being sought out for artificial intelligence data centers, bitcoin mining and electric vehicles, also is benefitting Nano Nuclear, Legg wrote.

A string of recent events exemplify the demand. Amazon.com announced it will buy power from SMRs, and Google partnered with Kairos for nuclear power. Sam Altman and Bill Gates invested in nuclear. President-Elect Donald Trump had noted while campaigning that he would expand nuclear power were he elected.

Further, the U.S. federal government passed the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act, aimed at ramping up development of advanced nuclear technology and preserving existing nuclear power generation.

"We believe this passing is further justification that nuclear is needed to reach climate initiatives, as nuclear is the only large-scale, reliable, emission-free energy source," Legg wrote.

Foreseen Benefits to the Stock

Legg noted that ongoing operational success could positively impact Nano Nuclear's share price.

Other catalysts, he wrote, include increased knowledge about and demand for SMRs, expected to happen as climate change efforts favor emission-free energy and the public accepts safety and use cases.

Sign up for our FREE newsletter at: www.streetwisereports.com/get-news

Important Disclosures:

  1. Doresa Banning wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor.
  2. This article does not constitute investment advice and is not a solicitation for any investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her personal financial adviser and perform their own comprehensive investment research. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company.

For additional disclosures, please click here.

Disclosures for The Benchmark Co., Nano Nuclear Energy Inc., November 7, 2024

The Benchmark Company, LLC. (“Benchmark” or “the Firm”) compensates research analysts, like other Firm employees, based on the Firm’s overall revenue and profitability, which includes revenues from the Firm’s institutional sales, trading, and investment banking departments. No portion of the analyst’s compensation is based on a specific banking transaction. Analyst compensation is based upon a variety of factors, including the quality of analysis, performance of recommendations and overall service to the Firm’s institutional clients.

This publication does not constitute an offer or solicitation of any transaction in any securities referred to herein. Ratings that use the “Speculative” risk qualifier are considered higher risk. Any recommendation contained herein may not be suitable for all investors. The Benchmark Company, LLC makes every effort to use reliable, comprehensive information, but we make no representation that it is accurate or complete. We have no obligation to disclose when information in this report changes apart from when we intend to discontinue research coverage of a subject company. Although the information contained in the subject report has been obtained from sources, we believe to be reliable, its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. This publication and any recommendation contained herein speak only as of the date hereof and are subject to change without notice. The Benchmark Company, LLC and its affiliated companies and employees shall have no obligation to update or amend any information herein. This publication is being furnished to you for informational purposes only and on the condition that it will not form a primary basis for any investment decision. Each investor must make its own determination of the appropriateness of an investment in any securities referred to herein based on the legal, tax and accounting considerations applicable to such investor and its own investment strategy. By virtue of this publication, none of The Benchmark Company, LLC or any of its employees shall be responsible for any investment decision. This report may discuss numerous securities, some of which may not be qualified for sale in certain states and may therefore not be offered to investors in such states. The “Recent Price” stated on the cover page reflects the nearest closing price prior to the date of publication. For additional disclosure information regarding the companies in this report, please contact The Benchmark Company, LLC, 150 East 58th Street, New York, NY 10155, 212-312-6770. The Benchmark Company, LLC is not in any way affiliated with or endorsed by the Menlo Park, California venture capital firm Benchmark Capital. This report may not be reproduced, distributed, or published without the prior consent of The Benchmark Company, LLC. Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved by The Benchmark Company, LLC.

( Companies Mentioned: NNE:NASDAQ, )




dev

Financing Milestone Paves Way for Next Phase in Gold Project Development

Source: Streetwise Reports 11/12/2024

NexGold Mining Corp. (NEXG.V:TSXV; NXGCF:OTCQX; TRC1.F:FRA)and Signal Gold Inc. have successfully closed their previously announced oversubscribed and upsized concurrent financing. Read more as NexGolds acquisition of Signal Gold sets the stage for near-term production with combined resources and capital driving project development.

NexGold Mining Corp. (NEXG.V:TSXV; NXGCF:OTCQX; TRC1.F:FRA) and Signal Gold Inc. have successfully closed their previously announced oversubscribed and upsized concurrent financing, generating a total of US$18.5 million. Initially disclosed in joint announcements from both companies on October 10 and October 23, 2024, this financing is part of a larger plan in which NexGold will acquire all shares of Signal Gold to combine both companies' gold projects to create a near-term gold developer.

The financing involved two components. The first was a flow-through (FT) unit private placement by NexGold, which raised CA$8.085 million through the sale of 10,106,250 FT units at CA$0.80 per unit. Each unit includes one flow-through common share and half of one purchase warrant, allowing the holder to buy an additional non-flow-through share at CA$1.05 for the next two years. In the second component, Signal Gold's private placement of subscription receipts yielded CA$10.45 million by issuing 120,075,840 receipts at CA$0.08705 each. These receipts will convert into Signal units once specific escrow release conditions are met, including completion of the acquisition. Each unit consists of one common share and half a purchase warrant, allowing the holder to acquire additional shares for CA$0.11818 over two years.

The net funds from this financing will be used to retire debt, fund the exploration and development of both companies' gold projects - including NexGold's Goliath gold complex in Ontario and Signal's Goldboro project in Nova Scotia - and for general corporate purposes. The gross proceeds from FT units will go toward qualified exploration expenses for NexGold's projects, with renunciation planned by December 31, 2024, as per Canadian tax requirements.

Investor interest included an acquisition by a Sprott Asset Management sub-advised fund, which purchased 2.5 million FT units for CA$2 million, bringing Sprott's holdings to 11.43% of NexGold's issued shares (14.95% on a partially diluted basis). NexGold also extended an investor awareness agreement with i2i Marketing Group, providing up to six months of marketing services for CA$250,000 to increase investor visibility.

Gold Rush

Gold's surge to the US$2,800 mark due to a "perfect storm" of factors, according to an October 29 report from Kitco. Gary Wagner explained that this historic rise, approximately 35% this year, was driven by geopolitical tensions, anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts, consistent central bank demand, and U.S. political uncertainty in the run-up to the presidential election.

Chen Lin offered a positive outlook on NexGold, noting heightened investor interest following recent updates, including expanded financing and merger plans.

Wagner noted that "geopolitical, political conflicts" and "uncertainties about the outcome of the upcoming presidential election" were critical components, with emerging market central banks increasing their gold reserves to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.

On October 30, LiveMint highlighted gold's global appeal. The article mentioned how central banks continue to expand their gold reserves, with net buying reaching 337 tonnes in Q3 2023.

This marks a near-record level, according to the World Gold Council. Escalating geopolitical tensions, especially in the Middle East, have also led investors to seek gold as a safe haven, pushing prices upward. In addition, strong economic data in the U.S., such as job growth and consumer spending, has affected expectations around Federal Reserve policies. These, in turn, have indirectly influenced gold.

By November 4, Egon von Greyerz, in his analysis of the global financial system, emphasized gold as a reliable store of value. He argued that "gold has always stood as a protector" during economic downturns, describing the asset as "the best-performing asset class in this century." Von Greyerz asserted that gold's continued strength could be attributed to its resistance to the "destruction of fiat money," making it an essential wealth-preserving asset in an increasingly unstable financial environment.

The Catalysts Pushing NexGold Forward

NexGold's acquisition of Signal Gold is expected to accelerate its growth as a mid-tier gold producer. According to NexGold's September 2024 investor presentation, this financing supports the ongoing development of the Goliath Gold Complex in Northern Ontario, which holds a combined measured and indicated gold resource of over 2.1 million ounces. Additionally, Signal's Goldboro project in Nova Scotia adds strategic value with historical production potential and significant exploration upside.

The Goliath project benefits from robust infrastructure, an approved environmental assessment, and a promising pre-feasibility study indicating a post-tax NPV of CA$336 million at US$1,750/oz gold. With this acquisition, the combined entity is expected to leverage its enhanced capital position to pursue further exploration and optimization, aiming for near-term production and establishing a solid platform for growth and consolidation in the Canadian gold sector.

What Are Experts Saying?

Ron Stewart, a mining analyst at Red Cloud Securities, maintained a Speculative Buy rating on NexGold with a target currently Under Review in his September analysis. Stewart stated that the merger with Signal Gold offered NexGold an accretive pathway to growth by adding the Goldboro project's resources to its portfolio. He noted that the combined assets of NexGold and Signal would form a "multi-asset company with over 6 million ounces in gold resources," which he described as synergistic and favorable for shareholders. Stewart anticipated the merger would close in Q4 2024, with upcoming catalysts including the Goliath Feasibility Study in Q1 2025 and a potential construction decision for Goliath in H2 2025. [OWNERSHIP_CHART-1961]

In the October 24 edition of What is Chen Buying? What is Chen Selling? Chen Lin offered a positive outlook on NexGold, noting heightened investor interest following recent updates, including expanded financing and merger plans. Lin's analysis aligned with Stewart's views on the company's growth potential, highlighting that, with the combined projects and new funding, NexGold is well-positioned for substantial operational growth and asset value expansion in the years ahead.

Ownership and Share Structure

The company notes management and insiders own 3.4% of NexGold.

Institutions own 17%.

Strategic investors own 37.4%. Frank Guistra owns 10.1%. On a partially diluted basis, Sprott owns 14.95%. Extract owns 14%. First Mining owns 4.3%. Matrix owns 1.9%, and Teck own 1.9%.

NexGold has 76 million shares and a market cap of CA$57.16 million.

Sign up for our FREE newsletter at: www.streetwisereports.com/get-news

Important Disclosures:

  1. NexGold Mining Corp. is a billboard sponsor of Streetwise Reports and pays SWR a monthly sponsorship fee between US$4,000 and US$5,000.
  2. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of NexGold Mining Inc.
  3. James Guttman wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.
  4. This article does not constitute investment advice and is not a solicitation for any investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her personal financial adviser and perform their own comprehensive investment research. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company.

For additional disclosures, please click here.

( Companies Mentioned: NEXG.V:TSXV; NXGCF:OTCQX; TRC1.F:FRA, )




dev

AMD to cut 4% of global workforce as it focuses on AI chip development

"As a part of aligning our resources with our largest growth opportunities, we are taking a number of targeted steps," an AMD spokesperson told Reuters on Tuesday.




dev

Dayana Custer, MBA, Demonstrates Distinction in Business Development

Dayana Custer, MBA, serves as the division director at BAYADA Home Health Care




dev

Victorian Government develops a new medical technology strategy

A new Victorian Government medical technology strategy will position Victoria as an internationally competitive developer of medical technology. Victoria’s Medical Technology Industry Strategy will create more high value jobs and attract investment for the state’s advanced manufacturing sector.




dev

Developing Educational Interventions Addressing the “Messiness” of Engineering (November 14, 2024 2:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 2:00pm
Location: Duderstadt Center
Organized By: Engineering Education Research


Abstract: Engineering textbooks have problems, and those problems have problems. While they may be complex and time-consuming, textbook problems are “tidy” in that they are well-defined, closed-ended, and decontextualized. In contrast, the practice of engineering is “messy.” The design process is ill-defined, modeling and analysis are open-ended, and the engineered systems affect and are affected by society in positive and negative ways. In this talk I frame the messiness of engineering as an important part of the conversation about DEI in engineering. By exposing students to the messiness of engineering throughout their undergraduate education, instructors can better prepare students for their careers; help students to reflect upon their views and biases; and present engineering as socially constructed, instead of inherently upholding a white supremacist culture. I will then present the SHUTTLE Lab’s design-based research approach to putting some of this messiness back into engineering science courses. Specifically, I will describe our work addressing the messiness of mathematical modeling. We are focused on the professional skill of engineering judgment, and are simultaneously creating open-ended modeling problems, studying emerging engineering modeling judgment, and training faculty to notice and respond to their students’ displays of engineering judgment.

Bio: Aaron W. Johnson is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering and a Core Faculty member in Engineering Education Research at the University of Michigan. His design-based research focuses on how to re-contextualize engineering science engineering courses to better reflect and prepare students for the reality of ill-defined, sociotechnical engineering practice. Aaron holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Michigan and a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was an instructor in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. Outside of work, Aaron enjoys collecting LEGO NASA sets, camping, and playing disc golf.




dev

Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D Presents - Leadership Development Program Panel Discussion (November 14, 2024 1:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 1:00pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center


In 2015, Johnson & Johnson launched WiSTEM2D – Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Manufacturing, and Design (STEM2D) – initiative to promote learning and career opportunities in STEM2D disciplines. Led by a network of volunteers from across Johnson & Johnson and its local operating companies, this ambitious initiative seeks to promote learning across Youth, University and Professionals.  We are inviting university students to participate in a WiSTEM2D Virtual Event – Leadership Development Program Panel! Participants will hear fromfive female panelists working in a variety of pharmaceutical and medical technology roles at Johnson & Johnson, on the topics noted above, as well as an opportunity to submit questions.- Meredith DiBona, Associate Director – Global Trial Associate Leadership Development ProgramLead- Erin McGrann, Global Trial Associate (GTA) – Global TrialAssociate Leadership Development Program- Kaiya Mitchell, Global Trial Associate (GTA) – Global Trial Associate Leadership Development Program- Nora Tovar, Early In Career Programs Manager, MedTech – R&D Leadership Development Program- Saila Incollingo, IT Director, MedTech – Technology Leadership Development Program




dev

U.S., Canada And Finland Formalize Effort On Polar Icebreaker Development And Production

Officials from the U.S., Canada, and Finland on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that formally launches a trilateral effort to share resources and knowhow to develop and produce […]




dev

Starfish Gets $29 Million In New Funding To Complete Development Of Otter Spacecraft

Starfish Space on Wednesday announced a new funding round that will allow it to complete development and build of three spacecraft that will be used for on-orbit docking and maneuvering […]




dev

DoD’s Replicator 1.2 Includes Small UASs, Loitering Munition, Drone Development Effort

The Pentagon on Wednesday disclosed additional capabilities selected for its Replicator initiative to get after fielding innovative technology rapidly at scale, which includes small drones from an Army program, loitering […]



  • Advanced / Transformational Technology
  • highlights

dev

OSCE supports Ukrainian legal education practitioners in developing human rights-oriented approaches to their work

Twenty-five lecturers from law faculties at fifteen universities from around Ukraine, during a roundtable discussion supported by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator on 13 July 2016 in Kyiv, developed recommendations on teaching human rights within Master of Law university programmes.

The discussions focused on teaching the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), with international experts from the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for International, European and Regulatory Procedural Law, the Union University and the ECtHR highlighting ways of ensuring a human rights-based approach to legal education.

Participants exchanged syllabi, research materials and teaching methodologies and agreed to set up a platform to further develop the human rights law curricula. This community of practice will function on a permanent basis with further support from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator and with the participation of leading Ukrainian law schools.

The roundtable discussion was held as part of the Second Annual Inter-University Human Rights School on 11-15 July 2016, which was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in co-operation with the Lviv and Kyiv Universities.

The School was held as part of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s project on safeguarding Human Rights through the courts. The project is being implemented with the financial support of the Government of Canada, and follows on from the First Annual Inter-University School dedicated to the Right to Life held in 2015.

Related Stories




dev

OSCE Presence in Albania launches sports-based youth development programme

TIRANA, 9 May 2016 - The OSCE Presence in Albania today launched a sports-based youth development programme in co-operation with Tirana Rugby Club, with the aim of promoting teamwork, sport ethics, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging among youth, helping them understand that there are always positive alternatives to anti-social behaviour and criminality.

The Presence’s youth development programme will build on the Tirana Rugby Club’s success, helping to increase participation of youth in rugby and promoting both the cross-community and cross-border aspects of sport, bringing together young people from across Albania and the region for training events and tournaments.

Currently there are very few opportunities for youth to take part in interactive activities such as sports outside schools. Tirana Rugby Club, on the other hand, has engaged with youth, including the most vulnerable such as unemployed and/or school dropouts in its activities. Despite funding challenges, the Club has supported events where teams from Albania and the region compete regularly.

“While the development of rugby as a sport in Albania is relatively new, the interest and commitment of so many in such a short period of time, is not,” said Head of the OSCE Presence Florian Raunig. “As a result, building one team has led to creating a second one. Therefore today we present both Tirana Rugby Club and the Ilirians Rugby Club, wearing their new club colours.”

The sports kits were provided by the OSCE Presence and will be on show over the next few months, as these two teams meet in Korça, Elbasan and Durrës to play a series of exhibition games, which will increase the visibility of and interest in the sport.

The Presence will support local authorities, including police, social services and the regional education directorate, to directly involve youth in the activities. The activities will be planned and co-ordinated to allow young women and girls to be equally involved.

Albanian Rugby Development Officer Adam Vernon said: “We thank the OSCE Presence for its support and are excited about the opportunity this initiative has afforded us. We have many positive examples of youth engagement outcomes in Albania and hope that we can further encourage the development of the sport in many local communities over the next few months. The future of the sport in Albania is bright. We will wear our new kit with pride, in support of the game we all love.”

Related Stories




dev

Orderly election day, competitive campaign did not offset impact of late election law changes on Mongolia’s democratic development, international observers say

ULAANBAATAR, 30 June 2016 – Election day was orderly and followed a competitive campaign. This, however, did not offset the impact of late fundamental changes to election laws on Mongolia’s democratic development, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. While the June 29 parliamentary elections were highly contested and freedoms of assembly and association were respected, restrictive campaign provisions, coupled with the media’s subservience to political interests, limited impartial and comprehensive information available to voters, the statement says.

“We were pleased to see that voting took place in a calm and peaceful manner. This was a genuinely competitive contest, with high turnout and no certainty as to which party would win. We applaud the fact Mongolia is a functioning democracy,” said Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Head of the European Parliament delegation. “There were, however, some elements which cause concern, including significant last-minute changes to the election laws, which, among other things, prevented 150,000 Mongolian citizens living outside the country, including diplomats, from voting.”

The observers said the consolidation of election legislation into a new law adopted on 25 December 2015, following an inclusive process, was a positive development toward establishing a cohesive electoral framework. However, changes in May 2016 – from a mixed electoral system to a solely majoritarian one, establishing 76 single-mandate constituencies and approving their boundaries – were introduced by parliament in a process that lacked transparency, public consultation and adherence to established criteria, the observers said. This resulted in profound population discrepancies among constituencies.

A total of 498 candidates, including 69 independents, was registered in a process that was largely inclusive and provided voters with a range of political choices. Contrary to OSCE commitments and other international obligations, however, there are disproportionate restrictions on candidacy rights the statement says. While there was general confidence in the accuracy and inclusiveness of the voting register, the May changes to the election laws also effectively disenfranchised 150,000 citizens living abroad for the parliamentary elections.

“For an election to be meaningful, voters first have to be offered a genuine choice, and voters were given that choice here. That choice also has to be between candidates competing on a level playing field and who have equal access to independent media to explain their platforms. In this, there is still work to do,” said Ambassador Audrey Glover, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term election observation mission. “Elections are about voters, and the main problem for voters was understanding the significant last-minute changes to election laws, which affected the rules of the game profoundly and raised questions about political motivation.” 

Despite undue campaign restrictions, the freedoms of assembly and association were respected and candidates were generally able to convey their messages to the electorate. At times the lines were blurred between parties and the administration at both the national and local levels, the observers said. There were multiple instances of alleged vote-buying, which resulted in a number of formal complaints and the deregistration of two candidates.

The GEC received some 50 pre-election complaints. Courts reviewed 21 cases regarding candidate registration, and the police handled more than 1,000 campaign-related complaints. Although legislation clarifies the complaints and appeals process to some extent, a general lack of formalization and transparency in the process within the election administration and the protracted handling of disputes in courts undermined the right to effective remedy.

The media offered extensive election coverage, but abandoned their journalistic role, for the most part simply granting direct access to the politicians. Paid political advertisements and free airtime overshadowed editorial content, and campaign material prepared by political parties was also included in news programming, undercutting the credibility of the media. Consequently, voters were deprived of independent and analytical reporting, the observers said.

In preparation for election day, the General Election Commission met key operational deadlines and fulfilled its mandate. At the same time, the observers said, it lacked transparency and accountability to stakeholders, diminishing trust in the credibility of the process. The testing of vote-counting machines was conducted professionally by the Commission in the presence of stakeholders and, to address concerns over the machines’ accuracy and integrity, the law was amended stipulate that up to 50 per cent of polling stations would be subject to manual recounts. The procedures stipulating the manual re-count, however, were only finalized two days prior to the elections.

All parties and coalitions complied with the 20 per cent gender quota provided for by law, and 26 per cent of contestants were women. There were, however, no women candidates in more than one-third of the constituencies. While there is only one woman member of the General Election Commission, women were better represented in lower-level election commissions. Overall, women remain underrepresented in political life.

Election day proceeded in an orderly manner in most of the country and, while the right to vote was respected, the secrecy of the vote was not consistently ensured. The observers’ assessment of the counting and tabulation of votes was a notable exception to the overall positive assessment of voting, mostly as a result of significant procedural errors or omissions. A number of civil society organizations monitored the pre-election environment, including campaign finance and the media, and issued timely statements highlighting key shortcomings.

For further information, contact:
Thomas Rymer, OSCE/ODIHR, +976 95 14 1635 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Tim Boden, European Parliament, +976 99 976294 or +32 473 844431, timothy.boden@europarl.europa.eu

Related Stories




dev

OSCE PA human rights committee Chair Ignacio Sanchez Amor follows up on developments in Turkey

COPENHAGEN, 25 July 2016 – In response to the measures taken by the Turkish authorities following the attempted coup, Ignacio Sanchez Amor (MP, Spain), Chairperson of the OSCE PA Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, issued the following statement today:

“I remain concerned by the developments which have been taking place in Turkey since the attempted coup, as expressed in an earlier statement. As I joined the rest of the international community in offering strong support to the restoration of constitutional order, I also warned against reprisals and hasty purges and underscored the need to safeguard democratic institutions.

“Unfortunately, the sudden dismissal of thousands of judges, prosecutors, academics, and journalists across the country has challenged human rights standards, due process, the right to a fair trial, and freedom of expression. As underlined by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Turkey’s response to these unconstitutional events should seek to reinforce, not undermine, the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and media freedom.

“I once again call on the Turkish authorities to follow a responsible approach to ensure that the constitutional order is reinforced through the respect of human rights and the independence of democratic institutions in line with OSCE commitments.”

Related Stories




dev

LEGO Horizon Adventures Devs Share How They Created The Game With Real Blocks

If you're a fan of LEGOs and the Horizon Franchise, your worlds are about to collide. The popular series has been remade in the LEGO world, with a very interesting design approach. As you would expect from LEGO, the entire game is entirely built by blocks, but it is not only superficial.  With the same blocks, you can recreate the LEGO





dev

How to watch Sinner vs. Medvedev in the 2024 ATP Finals online for free

Live stream Sinner vs. Medvedev in the 2024 ATP Finals online for free from anywhere in the world.




dev

Ethiopia: Major Goal of Corridor Dev't Building Better City, Country for Future Generation, Says PM Abiy

[ENA] Addis Ababa -- Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reviewed today the second phase of the Addis Ababa Corridor development underway on eight corridor pathways across the city.




dev

Spain unites in solidarity with massive aid effort after devastating floods

Spain unites in solidarity with massive aid effort after devastating floods




dev

Senior C++ Dev for Windows Internals, TCP (Hybrid TLV)

C++ Developer for Windows Internals (Hybrid TLV) Requirements: 10 years of experience working with C++ in Microsoft Windows environments. Experience in Object-Oriented development. In-depth knowledge of the Microsoft Windows operating system, especially Windows Internals. Experience in Multi-threading development and debugging. Experience in developing System Services under Windows. Knowledge of communication protocols such as TCP, UDP. Advantage: Experience with Microsoft .NET and C#. Expe...




dev

מתכנת /ת בכיר /ה (Senior Developer)

אנו מחפשים מתכנת /ת בכיר /ה עם ניסיון רב שיכול /ה להשתלב בצוות הפיתוח שלנו ולהוביל את פיתוח הפתרונות הטכנולוגיים של החברה. התפקיד כולל פיתוח, אופטימיזציה ואינטגרציה של מערכות מורכבות תוך שימוש בכלים ושיטות מתקדמות.דרישות התפקיד:ניסיון של 5 שנים לפחות בפיתוח תוכנה, עם הבנה מעמיקה בארכיטקטורה ובבניית מערכות בעלות עומס גבוה.ניסיון בעבודה עם API וביצוע אינטגרציה של מערכות שונות.ידע בשפות תכנות כגון Python, JavaScript או שפות אחרות המתאימות למשימות אוטומציה ואינטגרציה.מיומנויות אופטימיזציה ושיפור ...




dev

Oblique Strategies 1.0 by RemoDeVico

Oblique Strategies [Max for Live] (subtitled Over One Hundred Worthwhile Dilemmas) is...




dev

CIA Reading Room cia-rdp83b00100r000100100002-3: PRC OFFSHORE DEVELOPMENT

Approved For Release 2006/06/14: CIA-RDP83BOO100R000100100002-3 [EYES ONLY) 50/p8/ *EYES ONLY* PER#201 CO,,F J 'E IT: L f op: 0 STATE , 4, AL 1 JUN: NONE INFO: FILE, rF C/L;,;-I, :.t L'EA, D/OCR-3, D/OER,`D/ORPA-12, D/SwS- NFAC/CL....

This item belongs to: texts/godaneinbox.

This item has files of the following types: Archive BitTorrent, Image Container PDF, Metadata




dev

Pikuma: The Impact of Jungle Music in 90s Video Game Development

Jungle music was found in countless games from the early 90s. This article goes over what jungle is, where it comes from, and why it was the perfect match for PlayStation & Nintendo 64 games.




dev

Immersive Web Developer Home




dev

New Soccer Stadium Approved for Sacramento Railyards | 'The Devil's Bath' Panel at UC Davis | Comedy and Suicide

Mayor Darrell Steinberg talks about Sacramento Republic FC’s new stadium. An award-winning film based on a UC Davis historian’s book about “suicide by proxy.” Finally, how to use comedy to talk about depression and suicide.




dev

Swedish games developer Embracer misses Q2 operating profit forecast

Swedish games developer Embracer on Thursday posted a bigger-than-expected drop in second-quarter operating profit driven by game release delays in a seasonally softer quarter. The owner of the Tomb Raider franchise said its adjusted operating profit fell 33% to 1.2 billion Swedish crowns ($109.18…




dev

OvrC Platform Vulnerabilities Expose IoT Devices to Remote Attacks and Code Execution

A security analysis of the OvrC cloud platform has uncovered 10 vulnerabilities that could be chained to allow potential attackers to execute code remotely on connected devices. "Attackers successfully exploiting these vulnerabilities can access, control, and disrupt devices supported by OvrC; some of those include smart electrical power supplies, cameras, routers, home automation systems, and




dev

Microsoft Gaming Handheld Device 'Few Years' Away, Says Xbox Chief

Microsoft's gaming division is developing prototypes for a handheld gaming device that won't launch for "a few years," gaming chief Phil Spencer said Wednesday. In an interview with Bloomberg, Spencer said that while Microsoft is actively working on prototypes, the company will first focus on improving its Xbox app performance on existing portable devices and establishing hardware partnerships. The gaming unit wants to be "informed by learning and what's happening now" before introducing its own device, Spencer said. "Longer term, I love us building devices," Spencer said, adding that Microsoft's team "could do some real innovative work."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.




dev

Amazon Shuts Down Secret Project To Develop Fertility Tracker

Amazon has discontinued its secretive "Encore" project to develop an at-home fertility tracker, resulting in layoffs for around 100 employees. The project, part of Amazon's Grand Challenge division, aimed to launch a device and app that would predict fertility through saliva testing but was ultimately terminated to control costs. CNBC reports: The project was born out of the company's 2020 acquisition of Wisconsin-based startup bluDiagnostics, the sources said. BluDiagnostics was founded in 2015 by Weibel, Katie Brenner and Jodi Schroll, all of whom joined Grand Challenge. The startup had developed a thermometer-like device, called FertilityFinder, to help women track their fertility from home by testing their saliva and measuring two key hormones, estradiol and progesterone. The results of the test were viewable through a corresponding app. Business Insider reported on aspects of the fertility device in 2022, when its codename was Project Tiberius. The team was working to develop its own saliva collection device and mobile app, which could predict when a user might be in the fertile window. Users could also log their period symptoms, sexual activity and other data to assist with tracking their fertility. There are similar offerings on the market from companies including Inne, Oova, Ava and Mira, along with fertility and ovulation tracking apps such as Flo, Clue and Max Levchin's Glow. Amazon initially aimed to release the product this year, but the timing was pushed out after the team encountered technical issues with the device, one of the people said. It was a costly endeavor and required significant upfront investments for lab research and development, in addition to the high salaries for scientists and engineers, the sources said, adding that the team's weekly overhead was roughly $1.5 million. Amazon didn't comment on the figure. Only one project now remains active within Grand Challenge. Its focus is on health tech, the people said. "We regularly review our businesses to ensure we focus on areas where we can make the biggest difference for customers," said Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan. "Following a recent review, we've decided to discontinue this project within Grand Challenge, and we're working directly with employees whose roles are impacted to support them through the transition and help them find other opportunities within Amazon."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.




dev

News24 | Development bank financing pledge gives COP29 summit early boost

COP29 negotiators welcomed a pledge by major development banks to lift funding to poor and middle-income countries struggling with global warming as an early boost to the two-week summit.




dev

IQM Quantum Computers Unveils Development Roadmap Focused on Fault-tolerant Quantum Computing by 2030

ESPOO, Finland, Nov. 13, 2024 — IQM Quantum Computers (IQM), a global leader in superconducting quantum computing, today announced its development roadmap with technical milestones targeting fault tolerant quantum computing by […]

The post IQM Quantum Computers Unveils Development Roadmap Focused on Fault-tolerant Quantum Computing by 2030 appeared first on HPCwire.




dev

Advanced Micro Devices to lay off roughly 1,000 workers, 4% of global workforce

Advanced Micro Devices said Wednesday roughly 4% of approximately 26,000 employees worldwide will be laid off. About 1,000 AMD workers will lose their jobs.




dev

IBM Kicks off Quantum Dev Conference with Flurry of News

IBM’s first Quantum Developer Conference kicks off today, a repositioning of the IBM Quantum Summit of past years, and IBM released a flurry of news mostly around advancing Qiskit (SDK) […]

The post IBM Kicks off Quantum Dev Conference with Flurry of News appeared first on HPCwire.




dev

Advanced Micro Devices to lay off roughly 1,000 workers, 4% of global workforce

Advanced Micro Devices said Wednesday roughly 4% of approximately 26,000 employees worldwide will be laid off. About 1,000 AMD workers will lose their jobs.




dev

Toronto city council passes plan to entice developers to build rental homes

Toronto city council approved on Wednesday a plan to support the building of 20,000 new rental homes in the city.



  • News/Canada/Toronto

dev

iPad is still Apple's second biggest device despite long term decline

A new report claims that despite overall sales declining, Apple's iPad continues to sell steadily, and is second only to the iPhone.


iPad Air 2024

While the iPad dominates the US market, overall it's sales have been declining, and the latest models reportedly failed to reverse that trend. Nonetheness, the Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) says in a new report, that iPad sales are chiefly stable.

Apple does not release detailed sales data, so information such as CIRP's has to come from surveys. CIRP also does not give actual sales figures though, so its use solely of percentages is only illustrative of the differences between the iPad models.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums




dev

SpaceX Plans To Develop 'Marslink' Network To Provide Internet On Mars

SpaceX has introduced a Marslink concept, a satellite-based communication network around Mars, to support interplanetary data exchange for future Mars missions. NASA reviewed this and other proposals, including Blue Origin's Blue Ring orbital tug and Lockheed Martin's MAVEN-based network. The Marslink network would build on SpaceX’s Starlink technology, currently providing internet connectivity on Earth. NASA aims to enhance Mars exploration through partnerships, with both commercial innovations and its laser-based communication system for deep-space data transfer.




dev

BSNL Direct-to-Device Satellite Connectivity Launch Announced by DoT

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the government-run telecom service provider, launched a direct-to-device satellite connectivity service on Wednesday. The Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced the launch, calling it the “India’s first Satellite-to-Device service”. The Indian telecom developed this technology along with Viasat, a California-based communications technology company. It is aimed at offering seamless connectivity to users even in the remote and isolated corners of the country.




dev

Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Chipset Said to Offer 20 Percent Performance Jump Despite Change in Development Plans

Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset was launched by Qualcomm at its Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii last month as a successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The rumour mill now suggests that its successor, the purported Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 SoC, might offer an even bigger jump in single and multi-core performance, despite recent changes suggested in its development plans.




dev

Abhay Deol Has This To Say About Working With Anurag Kashyap In Dev D

Abhay Deol will be next seen in Bun Tikki with Shabana Azmi and Zeenat Aman




dev

Why Communication Is Important For Children's Development

In this article, we'll explore why effective communication is so crucial in childhood and how it supports different areas of development.





dev

IG calls for collective effort in national development

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has cautioned that national development should not be seen as the sole responsibility of the government, its officials or institutions. Rather, he said the government, the citizens and security agencies must play their roles in the pursuit of sustainable growth and development. The IG made this call while


Read More




dev

Development bank financing pledge gives COP29 summit early boost

BAKU, Azerbaijan — COP29 negotiators welcomed as an early boost to the two-week summit a pledge by major development banks to lift funding to poor and middle-income countries struggling with global warming. A group of lenders, including the World Bank, announced a joint goal on Tuesday of increasing this finance to $120 billion by 2030, a roughly 60% increase on the amount in 2023. "I think it's a very good sign," Irish Climate Minister Eamon Ryan told Reuters on Wednesday. "It's very helpful. But that on its own won't be enough," Ryan said, adding countries and companies must also contribute. The chief aim of the conference in Azerbaijan is to secure a wide-ranging international climate financing agreement that ensures up to trillions of dollars for climate projects. Developing countries are hoping for big commitments from rich, industrialized countries that are the biggest historical contributors to global warming, and some of which are also huge producers of fossil fuels. "Developed countries have not only neglected their historical duty to reduce emissions, they are doubling down on fossil-fuel-driven growth," said climate activist Harjeet Singh. Wealthy countries pledged in 2009 to contribute $100 billion a year to help developing nations transition to clean energy and adapt to the conditions of a warming world. But those payments were only fully met in 2022 and the pledge expires this year. With 2024 on track to be the hottest year on record, scientists say global warming and its impacts are unfolding faster than expected. Climate-fueled wildfires forced evacuations in California and triggered air quality warnings in New York. In Spain, survivors are coming to terms with the worst floods in the country's modern history. Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama said he was concerned that the international process to address global warming, now decades old, was not moving swiftly enough. "This seems exactly like what happens in the real world everyday," he told the conference. "Life goes on with its old habits, and our speeches, filled with good words about fighting climate change, change nothing," Rama added.




dev

Mpumalanga MEC of Economic Development accuses Forestry Minister Dion George of racial segregation, but George rubbishes claims