The rapid development of AI language models has already had a significant impact on various occupations and will likely have even more of an impact going forward. These models are designed to understand and respond to human language, enabling them to perform tasks traditionally handled by human workers and leading to their integration in a […] The rapid development of AI language models has already had a significant impact on various occupations and will likely have even more of an impact going forward. These models are designed to understand and respond to human language, enabling them to perform tasks traditionally handled by human workers and leading to their integration in a wide range of industries. Still, the influence of AI tools on different occupations varies greatly.  To find the occupations most exposed to AI technology, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the study “How will Language Modelers like ChatGPT Affect Occupations and Industries?” published in March in Arxiv.org. Many of the most exposed occupations are teachers at colleges and universities. To show a wider range of occupations, we bundled all the postsecondary teacher categories into one category. AI language models can assist postsecondary teachers in curriculum development, automating grading for assignments, and produce AI-powered virtual classrooms. The integration of AI technologies in the education sector would require educators to adapt their teaching methods and leverage AI tools. However, the role of postsecondary teachers remains vital in facilitating discussions, fostering critical thinking, and providing mentorship to students. (Find out if any of the deadliest jobs can be AI assisted – these are the 23 deadliest jobs in America.) The legal field is also represented on the list. AI language models have proven useful for tasks such as contract analysis, legal research, and document generation and review. These models can sift through vast amounts of data and identify relevant information more quickly than humans. However, lawyers and judges possess intricate legal knowledge, critical thinking abilities, and the capacity to interpret the law in complex cases.  Many of the occupations on the list have relatively high pay and require advanced degrees, but not all. The projected occupation growth may not be taking AI technology fully into account and it would be interesting to compare it to next projections that fully consider AI. While AI language models have undoubtedly transformed and automated certain aspects of the occupations on the list, they have not rendered human workers obsolete as often just a part of the job can be performed by AI technology. By delegating repetitive and mundane tasks to AI, human workers can focus on higher-level decision-making, creativity, problem-solving, and providing personalized services that require emotional intelligence and human connection. (Will more occupations become extinct? Here are jobs that used to be common but no longer exist.) As AI language models continue to advance, it is crucial for workers in these occupations to adapt and acquire new skills that complement AI technologies and learn to work effectively alongside AI systems. Of course, AI language models have also impacted content creation and journalism, and this piece, in fact, was written with the assistance of ChatGPT. Click here to see 20 jobs vulnerable to automation and AI takeover. Sponsored: Find a Qualified Financial Advisor Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now......»»

About 1 Million Viewers Stopped Watching Fox News After Tucker Carlson’s Exit: Report Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), An analysis of primetime ratings shows that Fox News has seen an approximate decline of 1 million total viewers on average for its primetime lineup after the departure of Tucker Carlson in late April. Tucker Carlson speaks during 2022 FOX Nation Patriot Awards at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Hollywood, Fla., on Nov. 17, 2022. (Jason Koerner/Getty Images) In the four weeks before Carlson left the network, Fox News’ primetime hours averaged some 2.6 million total viewers. But in the four weeks after his departure, those hours are down to just 1.6 million viewers, a decline in 39 percent, according to an analysis from Mediaite. The 8 p.m. hour that Carlson used to have also declined significantly, according to ratings. Carlson had averaged some 3.2 million viewers in the weeks before he left, but the replacement show—”Fox News Tonight”—is down to 1.49 million viewers on average. When announcing Carlson’s exit, Fox News signaled that the new program would be temporary and would include a rotating cast of hosts. Brian Kilmeade, Lawrence Jones, Will Cain, Kayleigh McEnany, and former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) have hosted the 8 p.m. show in the meantime. “Fox News Tonight” saw a bump in ratings on May 23 after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared on the show and gave an interview with Gowdy, coming after the Republican governor announced his 2024 presidential bid. That interview saw about 1.96 million viewers and also drew 186,000 in the key 25–54 advertising demographic, according to Nielsen ratings. Just minutes before, DeSantis appeared in a Twitter event alongside CEO Elon Musk, where he announced his White House run. It came after months of speculation about the Florida Republican’s presidential aspirations. Despite the drop in the primetime viewership since Carlson’s departure, data shows that Fox News is still the No. 1 cable news channel in terms of overall ratings. And the latest ratings for Fox News, released on May 24, show that “The Five” was the No. 1 show, generating 2.4 million viewers. However, none of Fox News’ other shows—or other shows on other cable news channels—for that day eclipsed the 2 million mark. Earlier this month, a Fox News spokesperson responded to the Carlson-linked drop in primetime ratings, saying that the network is still the No. 1 cable news channel. “For more than 21 years, Fox News Channel has been cable news’ most-watched network in all categories with more Democrats, Independents, and Republicans now tuning in than either CNN or MSNBC,” Fox News said at the time. “Attracting more than 50 percent of the cable news-viewing audience with the top 12 programs in cable news, Fox News’ powerhouse team of journalists, analysts, and opinion hosts are trusted more by viewers than any other news source.” About two weeks ago, rumors surfaced that Fox News would alter its primetime lineup and would move Sean Hannity to the 8 p.m. timeslot. A spokesperson for Fox at the time told The Epoch Times that no decision has been made on its primetime programming schedule, while the network also refuted what it described as left-wing claims that host Laura Ingraham would be booted from the network. “Reports based on various tweets by left wing activists are wildly inaccurate. Laura Ingraham, the top-rated woman in cable news, is now and will continue to be a prominent host and integral part of the FOX News lineup,” the spokesperson said. Read more here... Tyler Durden Tue, 05/30/2023 - 09:20.....»»

MONTRÉAL, May 30, 2023 /CNW/ - ACE Aviation Holdings Inc. (ACE) announced today its results for the first quarter of 2023. 2023 First Quarter Results In the first quarter of 2023, ACE recorded an increase in net assets in liquidation of $31,000 as a result of interest income during the quarter which offset administrative and other expenses. As at March 31, 2023, ACE's only material remaining assets consisted of cash in an aggregate amount of approximately $6.1 million. Liquidation Process On June 28, 2012, further to the approval by ACE shareholders on April 25, 2012 of a special resolution providing for the voluntary liquidation of ACE, the Superior Court of Québec (Commercial Division) (the "Court") issued an order appointing Ernst & Young Inc. as liquidator of ACE (the "Liquidator"). Pursuant to an order issued by the Court on February 25, 2013, the Liquidator established a process for the identification, resolution and barring of claims and other contingent liabilities against ACE. Creditors had until May 13, 2013 to file their proof of claims, failing which their claims would be barred and extinguished. The interim consolidated financial statements of ACE for the three-month period ended March 31, 2023 and the related management's discussion and analysis include a description of proofs of claim which were filed and the status thereof. Final Distribution to Shareholders and Dissolution ACE is completing the remaining corporate, administrative and tax processes to facilitate its dissolution and the final distribution of the remaining cash ...Full story available on Benzinga.com.....»»

RISHON LE ZION, Israel, May 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BOS Better Online Solutions Ltd. ("BOS" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:BOSC) reported its financial results for the first quarter of the year 2023. First Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights: Revenues grew by 12% to $12.1 million from $10.8 million in the first quarter of the year 2022; Gross profit margin improved to 21.9% compared to 20.9% in the first quarter of the year 2022; Operating profit for the first quarter of 2023 increased by 94% to $902,000 compared to $465,000 in the first quarter of the year 2022; EBITDA for the first quarter of 2023 increased by 84% to $1,034,000 compared to $562,000 in the first quarter of the year 2022; Financial expenses increased to $246,000 from $151,000 in the first quarter of the year 2022; Net income for the first quarter of 2023 increased by 109% to $656,000 or $0.12 per basic share compared to $314,000 or $0.06 per basic share in the first quarter of the year 2022; Eyal Cohen, BOS' CEO stated: "We have invested extensive managerial resources in expanding our offerings to include complementary technologies and services. I am pleased to see the positive results yielded by these efforts both in the year 2022 and in the first quarter of 2023." Ziv Dekel, BOS' Chairman, stated: "BOS' Board of directors and management have been executing an expansion strategy based on organic growth and M&A opportunities. This strategy leverages our core expertise and highly advanced proficiency in technologies for inventory processes." BOS will host a conference call on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. EDT - 4:00 p.m., Israel Time. A question-and-answer session will follow the management's presentation. To access the conference call, please dial one of the following numbers:US: +1-888-281-1167, International: +972-3-9180644. For those unable to listen to the live call, a replay of the call will be available the next day on the BOS website: www.boscom.com About BOS BOS' technologies enhance inventory processes through three business divisions: The Intelligent Robotics division automates industrial and logistic inventory processes; The RFID division marks and tracks inventory; and The Supply Chain division manages inventory. For additional information, contact: Eyal Cohen, CEO +972-542525925 | eyalc@boscom.com Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information BOS reports financial results in accordance with US GAAP and herein provides some non-GAAP measures. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with, nor are they a substitute for, GAAP measures. These non-GAAP measures are intended to supplement the Company's presentation of its financial results that are prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company uses the non-GAAP measures presented to evaluate and manage the Company's operations internally. The Company is also providing this information to assist investors in performing additional financial analysis that is consistent with financial models developed by research analysts who follow the Company. The reconciliation set forth below is provided in accordance with Regulation G and reconciles the non-GAAP financial measures with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements contained herein reflect management's current views with respect to future events and financial performance. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of BOS. These risk factors and uncertainties include, amongst others, the dependency of sales being generated from one or few major customers, the uncertainty of BOS being able to maintain current gross profit margins, inability to keep up or ahead of technology and to succeed in a highly competitive industry, inability to maintain marketing and distribution arrangements and to expand our overseas markets, uncertainty with respect to the prospects of legal claims against BOS, the effect of exchange rate fluctuations, general worldwide economic conditions, the continued availability of financing for working capital purposes and to refinance outstanding indebtedness; and additional risks and uncertainties detailed in BOS' periodic reports and registration statements filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. BOS undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS U.S. dollars in thousands     Three months endedMarch 31, Year endedDecember 31,     2023   2022     2022     (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited)           Revenues   $ 12,141     $ 10,789     $ 41,511 Cost of revenues     9,477       8,537       32,451 Gross profit     2,664       2,252       9,060 Operating costs and expenses:                         Research and development     41       51       166 Sales and marketing     1,246       1,164       4,924 General and administrative     475       572       2,122 Other income, net     -       -       (81 ) Total operating costs and expenses     1,762       1,787       7,131                       Operating income     902       465       1,929 Financial expenses, net     (246 )     (151 )     (647 ) Income before taxes on income     656       314       1,282 Tax on income     -       -       (6 ) Net income   $ 656     $ 314     $ 1,276               Basic net income per share   $ 0.12     $ 0.06     $ 0.23 Diluted net income per share   $ 0.11     $ 0.06     $ 0.23 Weighted average number of shares used in computing basic net income per share     5,702       5,251       5,550 Weighted average number of shares used in computing diluted net income per share     5,712       5,291       5,589               Number of outstanding shares as of March 31, 2023 and 2022 and December 31, 2022     5,702       5,251       5,702 CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (U.S. dollars in thousands)       March 31,2023     December 31,2022     (Unaudited)     (Audited) ASSETS       CURRENT ASSETS:   Cash and cash equivalents $ 2,294 $ 1,763 Restricted bank deposits   146   130 Trade receivables, net   10,888   10,834 Other accounts receivable and prepaid expenses   1,358   1,414 Inventories   6,930   6,433       Total current assets   21,616   20,574       LONG-TERM ASSETS   251   260       PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET   3,390   3,270       OPERATING LEASE RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS,NET   1,021   1,110       OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET   460   486       GOODWILL   4,895   4,895      .....»»

The Boring Company and SpaceX are facing criticism over their plans to dump treated wastewater in the Colorado River from their sites near Austin. Connett harvests potatoes on his organic farm, Green Gate Farms, in Bastrop, Texas.Matthew Busch for The Washington Post via Getty Images Texas' is a "Wild West" for developers like Elon Musk's Boring Company, a farmer told The WaPo. The Boring Company and SpaceX both have built sites in Bastrop, a rural area near Austin. They're facing criticism over their plans to dump treated wastewater in the Colorado River. A farmer who lives near Elon Musk's Texas campus around 30 miles east of Austin says that the boom in development in the area means it's like "the Wild West."Harold "Skip" Connett, an organic farmer in Bastrop, a rural area, told The Washington Post that industrial developments in the area were increasing truck traffic and pollution."Between Elon Musk coming in here and all the sand and gravel mines ... suddenly this bucolic, pastoral prime farmland is now more than a thousand acres of an industrial site," Connett told the outlet. "There's no zoning, there are no rules. It's the Wild West."A Bastrop County commissioner told The Post that the growth in development was "more than this county was ready to handle," but that it was allowed under the state's property rights."This is Texas," the commissioner said. "If you own the property and you stay within the state laws, you can pretty much do what you want."The Boring Company, Musk's construction company — which builds tunnels under cities to help alleviate traffic congestion — began work on its Bastrop facility in 2021. SpaceX, his aerospace company, has started building a site there, too. The Boring Company has filed plans to build 110 homes nearby and Musk reportedly hopes to build his own town for staff called Snailbrook, too.The Boring Company is facing criticism from local residents over its plans to treat its own wastewater and then dump it in the Colorado River. It applied for a permit last year to discharge 142,500 gallons in the river per day.Rajiv Patel, an environmental consultant who represented Musk's companies at a public meeting on the issue last week, said that it was a short-term solution, "and ultimately we hope to not even utilize the full capacity of what's being authorized."The Boring Company and SpaceX do plan to eventually get a line to the municipal wastewater system, but it would take around two years to build the connection, he said, per The Wall Street Journal.Patel said that the wastewater would come from restrooms, break rooms, a bistro, residences already on the property, and water jet cutters linked to both Boring Company and SpaceX facilities, per The Journal.An aerial view of the Snailbrook community under construction on March 13, 2023 in Bastrop County, Texas.Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesConnett said at the public meeting, per The Journal, that developments such as the Boring and SpaceX properties had transformed a "beautiful agritourism recreational center into an industrial site. And it was never meant to be that."Officials from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said at the public meeting that their analysis showed the proposed discharge plan would have minimal impact, per The Journal.At the public meeting, however, some local residents did show support for the boost to Bastrop's economy that Musk's investments would bring."I love Elon, and we need more industry here," a local real-estate agent told The Post. "I just don't want him to dump his poop in the river."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

AI is posing a threat to job security, but workers may need to get acquainted with tools like ChatGPT as fast they can to remain employable. Workers may need to get familiar with tools like ChatGPT.Iparraguirre Recio via Getty Workers will probably need to go all in on artificial intelligence. Companies are looking at ways to implement tools like ChatGPT into their products and workflows. Employees who are slow to adapt may risk being superseded by more adventurous colleagues. Anxiety about AI is pretty commonplace right now in tech as workers see their jobs threatened by it and senior industry figures warn of its impact.But pretty much anyone with a job, beyond just tech, will need to get to grips with AI and its potential.On Monday, Jensen Huang, the CEO of chip giant Nvidia, suggested workers should find a way to make AI work to their favor. "Everyone is a programmer now. You just have to say something to the computer," he said. It's a new era of computing where producing high-quality work and code with the support of AI is as simple as writing a few lines of instructions into a text box.With such tools becoming easier to use and more widely available than ever before, understanding the technology may well no longer be a choice but a necessity — and your next job may depend on it. ChatGPT shifted priorities for corporatesThe release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in November has coincided with a shift in priorities for companies across the board. In the tech sector and beyond, efficiency has fast become the guiding ethos as leaders put AI to use for productivity gains and cost savings.  Here's a recent example. Advertising conglomerate WPP is set to partner with Nvidia to bring generative AI into its workflow to accelerate the speed with which campaigns are put together for clients, per the Financial Times. That means non-tech workers at the likes of WPP will need to quickly become acquainted with new AI-related capabilities such as prompt engineering — telling an AI tool what they want it to do.And just take a look at how often CEOs talk about AI right now. An Insider analysis of earnings transcripts in May alone found that around 50 US companies mentioned ChatGPT in their quarterly financial updates. José Neves, founder and CEO of e-commerce firm Farfetch, noted in an earnings call this month how his "tech teams have been developing several concrete applications of ChatGPT." Others, like Udemy and LegalZoom, specifically talked about ChatGPT's impact on their respective businesses. The value put on AI-related skills like this is changing quickly too. Prompt engineer jobs can reportedly pay up to $375,000 a year, and don't necessarily require a background in computer science. Despite this obvious direction of travel, workers aren't necessarily rushing to learn about generative AI as yet.Figures from the Pew Research Center published this month – based on a survey conducted in March – found that although around six in 10 adults are familiar with ChatGPT in the US, just 14% have tried out the chatbot themselves.Meanwhile a survey of 3,000 employed Americans by HR software firm Checkr found that 79% of workers are feeling the pressure to learn more about AI tools.Pew notes that the lack of uptake reflected previous findings about Americans being "more likely to express concerns than excitement" about increased AI use in daily life. That's no surprise given the likes of Elon Musk have warned of AI's potential to pose an existential threat. But for workers still feeling cautious about getting to grips with AI, it may be worth swallowing those fears. At a time of mass layoffs, it looks like one of the few ways to stay competitive.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Backlog of orders at $15.8 billion; Revenues of $1.39 billion; Non-GAAP net income of $76 million; GAAP net income of $62 million; Non-GAAP net EPS of $1.70; GAAP net EPS of $1.40 HAIFA, Israel, May 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Elbit Systems Ltd. ("Elbit Systems" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:ESLT) and (TASE: ESLT), the international high technology defense company, reported today its consolidated results for the  quarter ended March 31, 2023. In this release, the Company is providing US-GAAP results as well as additional non-GAAP financial data, which are intended to provide investors a more comprehensive view of the Company's business results and trends. For a description of the Company's non-GAAP definitions see page 3 below, "Non-GAAP financial data". Unless otherwise stated, all financial data presented is US-GAAP financial data. Management Comment: Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems, commented: "The financial results in the first quarter reflect the demand for our portfolio of technologically advanced and relevant solutions that resulted in a record order backlog of $15.8 Billion, an increase of 16% compared to the first quarter of 2022. We continue to invest in our people, new and legacy facilities, and R&D to deliver the order backlog and realize the significant potential created by the growth in defense budgets around the world. I am confident that the sustained demand for our solutions and our operational improvement activities will support the successful implementation of Elbit Systems' long term strategy." First quarter 2023 results: Revenues in the first quarter of 2023 were $1,393.5 million, as compared to $1,352.8 million in the first quarter of 2022. Aerospace revenues decreased by 10%, to $420.8 million in the first quarter of 2023 from $465.0 million in the first quarter of 2022, mainly due to lower airborne precision guided munition sales partially offset by growth of Training & Simulation sales. C4I and Cyber revenues increased by 19%, to $175.7 million in the first quarter of 2023 from $148.0 million in the first quarter of 2022, mainly due to growth in Command & Control systems sales.ISTAR and EW revenues increased by 17%, to $294.7 million in the first quarter of 2023 from $251.5 million in the first quarter of 2022, mainly due to Electronic Warfare systems sales. Land revenues increased by 8%, to $301.4 million in the first quarter of 2023 from $279.4 million in the first quarter of 2022, mainly due to armored vehicle upgrade sales. Elbit Systems of America's revenues were $345.3 million in the first quarter of 2023 compared to $343.9 million in the first quarter of 2022. For distribution of revenues by segments and geographic regions see the tables on page 11. Non-GAAP(*) gross profit amounted to $368.5 million (26.4% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $333.3 million (24.6% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2022. GAAP gross profit in the first quarter of 2023 was $361.5 million (25.9% of revenues), as compared to $326.9 million (24.2% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2022. The GAAP and Non-GAAP gross profit in the first quarter of 2022 included expenses of approximately $20 million related to the effect of the significant increase in the Company's share price on employees' stock price linked compensation plans. Research and development expenses, net were $110.3 million (7.9% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $100.7 million (7.4% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2022. Marketing and selling expenses, net were $80.2 million (5.8% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $87.0 million (6.4% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2022. General and administrative expenses, net were $77.1 million (5.5% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $84.3 million (6.2% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2022. Non-GAAP(*) operating income was $105.1 million (7.5% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $65.8 million (4.9% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2022. GAAP operating income in the first quarter of 2023 was $93.9 million (6.7% of revenues), as compared to $58.6 million (4.3% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2022. GAAP and Non-GAAP(*) operating income in the first quarter of 2022 was reduced by expenses of approximately $35 million related to the Company's stock price linked compensation plans. Financial expenses, net were $24.2 million in the first quarter of 2023, as compared to financial income of $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2022. The financial expenses in 2023 were higher as a result of the increase in interest rates. The financial income in the first quarter of 2022 included gains from changes in fair value of financial assets and exchange rate differences. Taxes on income were $8.7 million in the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $8.0 million in the first quarter of 2022. Non-GAAP(*) net income attributable to the Company's shareholders in the first quarter of 2023 was $75.6 million (5.4% of revenues), as compared to $54.3 million (4.0% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2022. GAAP net income attributable to the Company's shareholders in the first quarter of 2023 was $62.1 million (4.5% of revenues), as compared to $52.8 million (3.9% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2022. Net income in the first quarter of 2022 was reduced by net expenses of approximately $32 million related to the Company's stock price linked compensation plans. Non-GAAP(*) diluted net earnings per share attributable to the Company's shareholders were $1.70 for the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $1.22 for the first quarter of 2022. GAAP diluted earnings per share attributable to the Company's shareholders in the first quarter of 2023 were $1.40, as compared to $1.19 in the first quarter of 2022. Diluted net earnings per share in the first quarter of 2022, were reduced by $0.72 as a result of the expenses related to the Company's stock price linked compensation plans. The Company's backlog of orders as of March 31, 2023 totaled $15.8 billion. Approximately 75% of the current backlog is attributable to orders from outside Israel. Approximately 54% of the backlog is scheduled to be performed during the remainder of 2023 and 2024.  Cash flows used in operating activities in the three months ended March 31, 2023 were $73.0 million, as compared to cash flows provided by operating activities of $35.5 million in the three months ended March 31, 2022. The cash flows in the first quarter of 2023 was affected by the increase in inventories and trade receivables, offset by increased customer advances and trade payables. * Non-GAAP financial data: The following non-GAAP financial data, including Adjusted gross profit, Adjusted operating income, Adjusted net income, and Adjusted diluted earnings per share, is presented to enable investors to have additional information on our business performance as well as a further basis for periodical comparisons and trends relating to our financial results. We believe such data provides useful information to investors and analysts by facilitating more meaningful comparisons of our financial results over time. The non-GAAP adjustments exclude amortization expenses of intangible assets related to acquisitions that occurred mainly in prior periods, capital gains related primarily to the sale of investments, Covid-19 related expenses, revaluations of investments in affiliated companies, non-operating foreign exchange gains or losses, one-time tax expenses, and the effect of tax on each of these items. We present these non-GAAP financial measures because management believes they supplement and/or enhance management's, analysts' and investors' overall understanding of the Company's underlying financial performance and trends and facilitate comparisons among current, past, and future periods. Specifically, management uses Adjusted gross profit, Adjusted operating income, and Adjusted net income attributable to the Company's shareholders to measure the ongoing gross profit, operating profit and net income performance of the Company because the measure adjusts for more significant non-recurring items, amortization expenses of intangible assets relating to prior acquisitions, and non-cash expense which can fluctuate year to year. We believe Adjusted gross profit, Adjusted operating income, and Adjusted net income attributable to the Company's shareholders are useful to existing shareholders, potential shareholders and other users of our financial information because they provide measures of the Company's ongoing performance that enable these users to perform trend analysis using comparable data. Management uses Adjusted diluted earnings per share to evaluate further adjusted net income attributable to the Company's shareholders while considering changes in the number of diluted shares over comparable periods. We believe adjusted diluted earnings per share is useful to existing shareholders, potential shareholders and other users of our financial information because it also enables these users to evaluate adjusted net income attributable to Company's shareholders on a per-share basis. The non-GAAP measures used by the Company are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. We believe that non-GAAP measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the amounts associated with our results of operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and that these measures should only be used to evaluate our results of operations in conjunction with the corresponding GAAP measures. Investors are cautioned that, unlike financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, non-GAAP measures may not be comparable with the calculation of similar measures for other companies. They should consider non-GAAP financial measures in addition to, and not as replacements for or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.   Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP (Unaudited) Supplemental Financial Data: (US Dollars in millions, except for per share amounts) Three months ended March 31, 2023 Three months ended March 31, 2022 Year ended December 31, 2022 GAAP gross profit $           361.5 $           326.9 $     1,373.3 Adjustments: Amortization of purchased intangible assets(*) 7.0 6.4 31.7 Non-GAAP  gross profit $           368.5 $           333.3 $     1,405.0 Percent of revenues 26.4 % 24.6 % 25.5 % GAAP operating income $             93.9 $             58.6 $         367.5 Adjustments: Amortization of purchased intangible assets(*) 11.2 10.9 49.2 Capital gain — (3.7) (31.5) Non-recurring grant — — (28.6) Non-GAAP operating income $           105.1 $             65.8 $         356.6 Percent of revenues 7.5 % 4.9 % 6.5 % GAAP net income attributable to Elbit Systems' shareholders $             62.1 $             52.8 $         275.4 Adjustments: Amortization of purchased intangible assets(*) 11.2 10.9 49.2 Capital gain — (3.7) (20.5) Revaluation of investment measured under fair value method — — 10.2 Non-operating foreign exchange (gains) losses 3.7 (4.8) (10.5) Non-recurring grant — — (28.6) Tax effect and other tax items, net (1.4) (0.9) (6.3) Non-GAAP net income attributable to Elbit Systems' shareholders    $             75.6 $             54.3 $         268.9 Percent of revenues 5.4 % 4.0 % 4.9 % GAAP diluted net EPS $             1.40 $             1.19 $           6.18 Adjustments, net 0.30 0.03 (0.15) Non-GAAP diluted net EPS $             1.70 $             1.22 $           6.03 (*)     While amortization of acquired intangible assets is excluded from the measures, the revenue of the acquired companies is reflected in the measures and the acquired assets contribute to revenue generation.   Recent Events: On April 3, 2023, the Company announced that it was awarded a contract to supply, among others, precision munitions, radio and defense electronics systems as well as maintenance services to a European country, with a cumulative value of approximately $280 million. The contract will be performed over a period of three years. On April 18, 2023, the Company announced that it was awarded a contract worth approximately $102 million to supply artillery systems to an international customer. The contract will be performed over a period of eight years. On April 18, 2023, the Company announced that it was awarded a follow-on contract worth approximately $100 million to convert commercial aircraft into Intelligence and Electronic Warfare (EW) aircraft for an international customer. The contract will be performed over a period of three years. On April 27, 2023, the Company announced that it signed a follow-on contract worth approximately $100 million to provide aerial firefighting services to the Israeli Ministry of National Security. The contract will be carried out over a period of eight years. On May 9, 2023, the Company announced that its UK subsidiary Elbit Systems UK was awarded a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence worth approximately $71 million to supply, maintain and operate the Ground Manoeuvre Synthetic Trainer systems (GMST) for the Boxer armoured vehicles and Challenger 3 tanks under the British Army's Project Vulcan. The contract will be delivered over a three-year period with an additional nine year period that will include operation and maintenance services at UK facilities. On May 18, 2023, the Company announced that as part of an agreement between the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Netherlands Ministry of Defense, it was awarded a contract worth $305 million to supply Precise & Universal Launching System (PULS) artillery rocket systems to the Royal Netherlands Army. The contract will be performed over a period of five years. Dividend: The Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.50 per share. The dividend's record date is June 26, ...Full story available on Benzinga.com.....»»

CALGARY, AB, May 29, 2023 /CNW/ - The Hempshire Group, Inc. (formerly Hoist Capital Corp.) ("Hempshire" or the "Company") (TSXV:HMPG) is pleased to announce the release of its 2023 first quarter financial results. Selected financial information is outlined below and should be read in conjunction with the Company's unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements (the "Financial Statements") and related management's discussion and analysis (the "MD&A") for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, which are available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. All figures referred to in this press release are presented in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted. Financial Summary Three months ended March 31 2023 2022 Revenue 65,792 23,389 Gross margin 41,067 13,800 Gross margin % 62 % 59 % Loss from operations (490,744).....»»

The buzz surrounding artificial intelligence means there's a growing need for AI experts in the workplace. These courses offer education, certification, and even university-degree credits to help students find a job in artificial intelligence.Guillaume/Getty Images With the buzz surrounding AI, there's a growing need for experts in the workplace. Insider compiled a list of ten free Coursera classes on AI and its capabilities. While several are highly rated, others were created by prominent firms and educational institutions. There's a growing need for artificial-intelligence experts in the workplace.Workplace experts suggest employees upskill in a competitive environment.Trevor Williams/Getty ImagesWith the buzz surrounding artificial intelligence and its capabilities — from writing and refusing to write cover letters to giving business advice — there's a growing need for AI experts in the workplace.To help workers learn and improve their skills in AI, Insider compiled a list of 10 free Coursera classes on the subject. These courses offer education to help students find a job in their intended field, or help professionals understand how to implement AI into their businesses. Several are highly rated on the platform, and the ones listed without ratings were created by prominent firms and educational institutions.What is the metaverse?What is the Metaverse?screenshot, Coursera.comOffered by: MetaRating: 4.6/5Length: 10 hoursClass description: This course covers the metaverse and how it interacts with the world around us. It also addresses the professional and business opportunities that come with the metaverse and is taught by experts from Meta, Facebook's parent company."You'll learn about augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality, NFTs, blockchain, Web3, cryptocurrency," Coursera says.Once they complete the course, students can collect Meta professional certificates, which can be shared on LinkedIn profiles or résumés.Find the course here.New technologies for business leadersNew technologies for business leaders.screenshot, Coursera.comOffered by: RutgersRating: 4.4/5Length: 19 hoursClass description: In this course, Rutgers professors teach students about blockchain, artificial intelligence, and virtual-reality technologies. The class is designed to help business leaders understand the technologies and implement them in business organizations. It helps leaders "improve client and customer engagement and ultimately the bottom line of their businesses," Coursera says.A course certificate, which can be shared on LinkedIn profiles or résumés, is available for purchase after the course is completed.Find the course here.The economics of AIThe economics of AI.screenshot, Coursera.comOffered by: The University of VirginiaRating: No ratingLength: 28 hoursClass description: Topics in this course include the nature of artificial intelligence and information theory, analysis and technological change in economics, how technological change drives economic growth, and the influence of AI-driven technology on workers. "The course introduces you to cutting-edge research in the economics of AI and the implications for economic growth and labor markets," Coursera says.Find the course here.Artificial intelligence: ethics & societal challengesArtificial intelligence: ethics & societal challenges.screenshot, Coursrea.comOffered by: Lund UniversityRating: 4.6/5Length: Four weeksClass description: The class covers the ethical and societal aspects of artificial intelligence over four modules that each equal about one week of part-time studies, according to Coursera.  Subject matter includes algorithmic bias and surveillance, the influence of AI on democracy, the concept of consciousness, and responsibility and control. "The aim of the course is to raise awareness of ethical and societal aspects of AI and to stimulate reflection and discussion upon implications of the use of AI in society," Coursera says. A course certificate, which can be shared on LinkedIn profiles or résumés, is available for purchase after the course is completed. Take the course here.Introduction to machine learning on AWSIntroduction to machine learning on AWS.screenshot, Coursera.comOffered by: Amazon Web Services Rating: No ratingLength: Seven hoursClass description: The class teaches students the difference between artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning. It also covers how to build, train, and deploy machine-learning models. "We'll cover services which do the heavy lifting of computer vision, data extraction and analysis, language processing, speech recognition, translation, ML model training, and virtual agents," Coursera says. "You'll think of your current solutions and see where you can improve these solutions using AI, ML, or deep learning."A course certificate, which can be shared on LinkedIn profiles or résumés, is available for purchase after the course is completed. Take the course here.Trustworthy AI for healthcare managementTrustworthy AI for healthcare management.screenshot, Coursera.comOffered by: The Polytechnic University of MilanRating: No ratingLength: Three hoursClass description: This class is specific to healthcare and artificial intelligence. Students will learn how AI systems work, which tasks can be carried out by AI, and common challenges for AI in healthcare. The course "gives an introduction to trustworthy artificial intelligence and its application in healthcare," Coursera says, adding it's "aimed at healthcare professionals, patients, and AI practitioners."A course certificate, which can be shared on LinkedIn profiles or résumés, is available for purchase after the course is completed. Take the course here.AI, empathy & ethicsAI, empathy & ethics.screenshot, Coursera.comOffered by: The University of California, Santa CruzRating: No ratingLength: Four hoursClass description: This course covers the basics, such as artificial-intelligence definitions and the future of AI."This nontechnical course provides an overview of artificial intelligence advancements and the ethical challenges we now face as we navigate the development, implementation, and ubiquitous global use of AI," Coursera says. A course certificate, which can be shared on LinkedIn profiles or résumés, is available for purchase after the course is completed. Take the course here.Introduction to embedded machine learningIntroduction to Embedded Machine Learning.screenshot, Coursera.comOffered by: Edge ImpulseRating: 4.8/5Length: 17 hoursClass description: This course gives students an overview of machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence that uses data and algorithms to solve problems and imitate the way humans learn.The course includes segments on "how to use machine learning to make decisions and predictions in an embedded system" and "the concepts and vocabulary necessary to understand the fundamentals of machine learning," according to Coursera. It also provides students with demonstrations and projects for hands-on experience.A course certificate, which can be shared on LinkedIn profiles or résumés, is available for purchase after the course is completed. Take the course here.AI, business & the future of workAI, business & the future of work.screenshot, Coursera.comOffered by: Lund UniversityRating: 4.6Length: 11 hoursClass description: This course is designed for those looking to implement AI in business organizations, whether that be public or private, large or small. The course includes a combination of short lectures, interviews, and interactive exercises surrounding AI, according to the course description.Throughout the course, 12 industry professionals will be included to give students a broad overview of topics like the history of AI, potential risks, and best practices.A certificate is available for purchase by completing the class. You can include the certificate on your LinkedIn profile, or on printed resumes, CVs, or other documents.Take the course here.AI education for teachersAI education for teachers.screenshot, Coursera.comOffered by: Macquarie University and IBM AustraliaRating: 4.7Length: 16 hoursClass description: With increasing conversations around AI in the classroom and workplace, this course covers how to embed AI into school curricula."This course is designed by teachers, for teachers, and will bridge the gap between commonly held beliefs about AI, and what it really is," according to the course description.Take the course here.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

After months of stalemate, Biden and McCarthy finally reached a debt-ceiling deal. It needs to be signed into law before a default on June 5. Kevin McCarthy with President Joe Biden at an Oval Office meeting on the debt ceiling on May 22.Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Biden and McCarthy finally reached a deal to raise the debt ceiling on Saturday night. The deal strengthens work requirements on welfare programs and codifies the end of the student-loan payment pause. The agreement needs to be signed into law before the US defaults as early as June 5. An agreement to raise the debt ceiling between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the White House will end the pause on student loan payments, make it more difficult for some low-income Americans to obtain food stamps, and reduce government spending by billions in the coming years. On Saturday night, McCarthy and President Joe Biden finally reached a deal to raise the debt ceiling before the country is set to hurdle toward a default as early as June 5. This agreement came after months of stalemate due to both parties at odds over the best approach to raise the debt ceiling — Biden wanted the eventual deal to be a clean increase, without any spending cuts attached, while McCarthy refused to stave off a default without spending cuts on many Democratic priorities.The deal the two sides reached required compromise — a New York Times analysis estimated the deal would cut spending by $136 billion through fiscal year 2025. This is a notable reduction from McCarthy's initial $4.5 trillion spending cut proposal, and it includes new work requirements on government programs, along with codifying the end of student-loan payment pause. The pause is currently set to expire 60 days after June 30 or 60 days after the Supreme Court issues a final decision on the legality of Biden's broad student-debt relief plan, whichever happens first.The deal also alters Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program work requirements for those between 18-54 who do no not have children and are able to work. In order to receive SNAP, these adults must work or be enrolled in job training for at least 80 hours a month. However, the deal also helps expand access to this program for other vulnerable groups, like veterans and unhoused people, according to the Times.Although the agreement in principle means that economically disastrous consequences will be avoided, Moody's Analytics estimate that the cuts in spending could lead to a reduction in employment by 120,000 jobs by the end of 2024. The financial intelligence agency added that the new work requirements for income support programs could additionally result in tens of thousands of lost jobs. "Not the greatest timing for fiscal restraint as the economy is fragile and recession risks are high," Mark Zandi, who runs the Moody's Analytics Econ Twitter account, wrote on Friday.—MoodysAnalytics ECON (@economics_ma) May 26, 2023 Zandi noted, however, that the changes would be "manageable." And while the deal is a blow to some everyday Americans relying on government programs, experts who spoke with the Times agreed.Unlike in 2011, when a similar deal was struck between then-President Barack Obama and former Speaker John Boehner to cut down trillions in government spending over a decade, economists say the deal is not aggressive enough to completely tank the economy — even as it currently stands.Jason Furman, a Harvard economist, told the Times that while the 2011 debt deal resulted in stagnant economic growth for a country recovering from the 2008 recession, the cuts in government spending could help control interest rates, which have been rising in response to skyrocketing inflation."The economy still needs cooling off, and this takes the pressure off interest rates in accomplishing that cooling off," Furman told the Times.Now, Congress needs to act quickly to get this legislation signed into law before the government runs out of money to pay its bills. This signals a consequential week ahead for lawmakers — especially as some Democrats and Republicans are not thrilled with the compromise that resulted in the final agreement. Still, it's vital a bill to raise the debt ceiling gets signed into law because a default could mean a recessions — and millions more jobs lost as a result. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Dave Burt told CNBC that the market is in for a 2008-level price correction if lenders don't start weighing the risk flooding poses to home values. Damage caused by Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images "Big Short" investor Dave Burt said people don't see how the climate crisis will hurt home values.  He told CNBC that that mortgage lenders aren't taking into account climate risk, like flooding. He warned that the housing market is in for a 2008-level price correction if the pattern continues.  "Big Short" investor Dave Burt warned of the subprime mortgage crisis that launched the US into the worst recession since the 1930s. Now he's sounding the alarm once again. Mortgage lenders are overestimating the value of many homes because they've failed to take into account how much of a threat flooding poses, said Burt, now the CEO of investment research company DeltaTerra Capital. "Ultimately, until people have good information about what these climate-related costs are going to look like, we're creating new problems every day," Burt told CNBC. If this does not change, he warned, the housing market is in for another crash: a 2008-level price correction. Burt's economic hypothesis is that climate crisis-related events such as increase in disastrous flooding, could reduce the cost of the homes by a lot, which puts mortgage borrowers at risk of not being able to pay back the loan — funds that could be ultimately lost.It's not Burt's first warning. He said in April that about 20% of all houses in the US were overvalued in mortgage underwriting, which means the housing market could be worth up to $200 billion less than current estimates.In the wake of Hurricane Ian, which hit the Gulf Coast of Florida in September 2022, Burt's company released an analysis that found that Florida home values could drop as much as 50%in some areas more prone to flooding. Indeed, the risk of flooding — and home-price declines — will only get worse as the effects of the climate crisis become more pronounced, Insider reported in October. Insurance companies are raising prices for homeowners in these areas, with some policyholders paying thousands of dollars more than in prior years. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Global Airlines was founded in July 2021 by travel guru James Asquith, who is also the youngest person to visit every country in the world. Global Airlines purchased an Airbus A380 from German investment first Doric Aviation.Global Airlines European startup carrier Global Airlines has purchased its first plane — the Airbus A380 superjumbo. The carrier plans to equip the plane with "approximately" 471 seats and fly between the US and UK. The plan differs from many other carriers that have been actively retiring the A380 due to high costs. A little-known startup carrier called Global Airlines has bought its first plane — the mammoth Airbus A380.The carrier announced the purchase on Monday, revealing the jet was acquired from German investment firm Doric Aviation. According to Doric, it has 14 A380s in its roster — 13 of which are flying with Emirates and one that is currently being remarketed, meaning it is going to a new operator."Contrary to popular belief, the A380 is widely recognised as the best way to fly, offering unparalleled comfort and features that lead to a unique travel experience," the firm said.While it is more common for new carriers to lease jets at the start of business, Global noted that this was a full purchase."Acquiring our aircraft rather than leasing showcases our commitment to financial security and resilience from day one," Global Airlines CEO and founder James Asquith said in a press release.Asquith is known as the youngest person to ever travel to every sovereign country on the planet and runs the house-swap platform Holiday Swap.With Holiday Swap as the parent company, Asquith's aviation venture started in July 2021 and has earned "significant backing from investors."His plan is to acquire three more A380s "in the coming months" and fly them between the UK and the US starting next spring. The airline has also talked about introducing a "gamer cabin" onboard, but it is not clear if that will ever come to fruition.While the purchase price for the jet — which will be fit with approximately 471 seats across economy, business, and first class — has not been disclosed, Global said it is "understood to be in the eight-figure range.""The purchase of our first aircraft demonstrates that we are well on the way to launching Global," Asquith said. "The next step is to overhaul and refit the aircraft to our high specification, providing our customers with the best experience in the sky today."The idea of used the double-decker plane over more efficient jets like the Boeing 787 is because Global believes the A380 is "the world's most comfortable aircraft" and will be the best option for passengers on long-haul flights."Combining the most advanced aviation technology and an inspired cabin design, it is celebrated for its outstanding quality in every aspect," the company said on its website. "Leading the industry in standards for innovation, experience and efficiency, it is adored by passengers, pilots and crew alike."However, this is not the same sentiment many other carriers have had over the years, especially during the pandemic.With the plane's four engines and immense size, carriers like Air France, Thai Airways, and Malaysia Airways have retired the jet due to its high operating costs. Production of the jet also ended in 2021 due to the lower-than-expected order rate, with Emirates being the only carrier to truly invest in the plane with over 120 purchased. A few other carriers like Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa have also continued flying the A380 post-pandemic."In the end, you have to face facts, and we could see that we were building A380s faster than people were ordering them," Airbus head of business analysis and market forecast Bob Lange said in 2019.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Wagner chief Prigozhin has repeatedly criticized Putin and the Russian Ministry of Defense, and recently bragged about his troops' success in Bakhmut. While the two have feuded before, Prigozhin's insults are shockingly blunt.Mikhail Svetlov/Contributor via Getty Images Wagner Group chief Prigozhin criticized Putin after not receiving a reward for capturing Bakhmut. Prigozhin has feuded with both Putin and the Russian Ministry of Defense regarding Bakhmut, ISW said. Russian state media has effectively banned reporting on Wagner, Prigozhin said.  Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin might be criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Ministry of Defense because he didn't get some sort of reward for capturing Bakhmut, new analysis suggests. According to an update from The Institute for the Study of War, Prigozhin's repeated attacks against Putin's character — including profane and thinly veiled insults earlier this month — and criticism of the Ministry of Defense may be tied to a lack of reward for Wagner's capture of Bakhmut. "Prigozhin's jabs at Putin and the Russian MoD — in combination with his bragging about Wagner's accomplishments — may suggest that Prigozhin is frustrated that he did not receive some promised compensation for his victory in the Battle for Bakhmut," ISW said. While it's not clear what reward Prigozhin would have received, the complications around his capture of Bakhmut may indicate a reluctance from Putin and Russian military leaders to reward him, according to the ISW.One of those complications is the timing of the actual capture of Bakhmut. ISW reported that the Kremlin hoped to sack Bakhmut earlier than Prigozhin actually did, possibly to compare the win to Victory Day celebrations and the Soviet Union's capture of Berlin in 1945.Prigozhin said Wagner troops took control of Bakhmut on May 10, and cleared the city on May 21, later blaming the delay on the lack of ammunition provided by the Russian Ministry of Defense, ISW stated. Prigozhin said on Sunday that Kremlin media has effectively banned reporting about him or Wagner, likely because of his ongoing insults of Putin and Russian leaders, according to Reuters.  One of the earliest signs of the reluctance to cover Prigozhin came after Wagner claimed victory in Bakhmut — Reuters reported that Russian state television did not report on the fall of Bakhmut for 20 hours and did not air Prigozhin's victory speech.When asked about the apparent ban on coverage of him, Reuters reported that Prigozhin said: "That high-level bureaucrats, those very towers of the Kremlin, are trying to shut the mouths of everyone so that they don't speak about Wagner will only give another shove to the people."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Runaway Runway Incursions – A Simple Inexpensive Remedy Worth Trying; Try Using AI Programs To Monitor Radio Traffic, Detect Objects, ... Read more Runaway Runway Incursions – A Simple Inexpensive Remedy Worth Trying; Try Using AI Programs To Monitor Radio Traffic, Detect Objects, and Analyze Runaway Runway Incursions WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 27, 223) – Just within the past several days: two flights has to abort their landings as Southwest plane crosses runways in San Francisco, United and Alaska flights were forced to abort landings after the pilots happened to not another plan on the runway, and a Viva Aerobus A321 was mistakenly cleared to cross a runway in advance of an Aeromexico Boeing 737 beginning its takeoff roll. Lasr Month the FAA was forced to issue an emergency “Aviation Safety Call to Action” following a recent series of “concerning” near-miss incidents at American airports; at least eight serious runway incursions – some having avoided a catastrophic collision and certain loss of life by only seconds – having occurred during only the two months of January and February. Then, as a result of apparently snowballing number of runway incursions, the FAA has awarded more than $100 million to 12 airports across the country to reduce runway incursions by reconfiguring taxiways that may cause confusion, install airfield lighting or construct new taxiways to provide more flexibility on the airfield. Unfortunately, these and many of the proposed remedies – e.g., hiring and training more controllers and pilots, employing next generation radars, more and different lights and markers at airports, etc. – are expensive, and would take a considerable amount of time to fully implement; time during which another runway incursion could easily occur and cost hundreds of lives. Moreover, current incursion-avoidance systems – e.g., Airport Surface Detection Equipment-Model X, or ASDE-X – even at airports where it has been installed, is not reliable, and many major airports don’t even have it. Indeed, half of the recent close calls occurred at important airports without this protective system. These include Santa Barbara, Austin, Sarasota, and Burbank. See, e.g.: “As Runway Near-Misses Surge, Radar That Keeps Planes Apart Is Aging and Unreliable : “A crucial safety system that’s relied on to avoid potentially fatal collisions at major US airports is aging and plagued by outages that have left travelers unprotected for months at a time. At some airports, it hasn’t ever been installed. The technology – which tracks vehicles on or near runways to alert controllers before impending crashes – often uses decades-old radar equipment for which spare parts are difficult to find, according to government data and the president of the union representing air-traffic controllers. . . some of the most serious incidents happened at airports without the technology.” But one idea worth at least considering and then testing, and which could be implemented within months at very low cost, comes from a professor at George Washington University who is a safety expert with a degree from MIT and several patents to his name, and experience regarding computers and data processing. Using AI Software To Monitor Airport Radio Transmissions His idea in a nutshell is to use existing AI software to monitor airport radio transmissions, and to then warn controllers of possible runway incursions; eventually also possibly providing the AI program with input from other existing technologies including ground-based radar, digital cameras and complex target-analytics software already in use and tested in airports such as Miami’s. We’ve all now learned that existing inexpensive AI programs can already understand speech potentially involving more than a million possible words (in English) and an almost infinite variety of subjects, and analyze it using its vast database to do incredible things such as writing a thesis and even passing difficult professional exams. In contrast, radio traffic at airports uses only a much smaller number of words and covers only a tiny number of well known topics, so existing AI programs can easily understand what is being said and analyze it to help anticipate possible incursions, all in real time, argues Professor John Banzhaf. To make such analysis even easier and quicker, a very detailed map of the airport showing the locations, lengths, markings, etc. of each runway and roadway at the airport, as well as a constantly updated schedule of aircraft landings and takeoffs, would likewise be entered into its memory. Then, after only several months month of operation, even a simple AI program should be able to learn how long each type of aircraft needs to taxi on each runway and roadway, how long it takes to become airborne once each type of aircraft begins its takeoff. The time it will take each type of aircraft to land from each approach and from a variety of altitudes and distances from the runway, and a myriad of other bits of valuable information which can help it calculate if any time-and-distance aircraft separation requirements are likely to be violated, and/or if for any reason an incursion seems likely. If it seems, based upon the vast amount of input and information it can process in milliseconds, that the probability of a runway incursion exceeds any pre-programmed danger-limit parameters, the AI program can immediately warn the controller(s) handling the flights. In this way any decisions about whether or not to issue orders to pilots (e.g., to abort takeoff, climb and go around, etc.) would not be made by a computer, but rather by human controllers who could if necessary override a warning from an AI program if appropriate. Once such an AI runway incursion warning program has been tested and has proven its value, aviation experts can consider adding additional input from – for example – ground-based radar and digital cameras mounted so as to cover every inch of the airport. We know that inexpensive video cameras linked to simple inexpensive on-board vehicle computers are now to the point where they can almost drive a truck on an interstate highway, or even a car on city streets, which is much more complicated. Keeping track of airplanes and their movements is obviously orders of magnitude simpler because airplanes are bigger and much easier to see and detect than cars (or children who might run into the street in front of a car), they generally move quite slowly while taxing, can only move along a small number of clearly defined paths at a airport’s map stored in a computer’s memory, and are supposed to coordinate their movement with orders from controllers which are also simultaneously being analyzed by the AI program. Since the FAA is often slow to move and embrace new ideas and technology, skilled computer enthusiasts – including even a professor teaching computer science at a local university and his eager students, or a white-hat hacker collective – could pick up radio traffic from a nearby airport, feed it into their own computer using AI software, and keep track of how often it was able to predict possible runway incursions – even without add-ons such as ground-based radar and digital cameras, suggests Banzhaf. In summary, the professor asks whether a simple test of using AI to warn about possible runway incursions isn’t warranted, especially now that so many life-threatening near crashes have occurred already just this year......»»

In a challenging economic climate, the top 25 publicly traded global tech companies displayed remarkable resilience by achieving an impressive ... Read more In a challenging economic climate, the top 25 publicly traded global tech companies displayed remarkable resilience by achieving an impressive 5.2% year-on-year (YoY) revenue growth, surging to an astounding $3 trillion in 2022. Despite facing significant challenges such as geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions, these companies performed remarkably well, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. Top 25 Tech Companies Post YoY Growth An analysis of GlobalData’s Company Reports Database reveals that approximately two-thirds (60%) of the top 25 tech companies posted growth in YoY revenue in fiscal 2022. Ragupathy Jayaraman, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft and Google Cloud reported over 25% YoY growth in their cloud revenue in FY2022. In the smartphone category, Apple reported a 7.8% YoY growth, whereas Xiaomi reported a 18.2% decline in revenue in 2022. Xiaomi’s sales declined due a reduction in global shipments.” Microsoft, Sony, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), Panasonic, Accenture and Qualcomm reported more than 10% YoY growth in their revenue in 2022. TSMC’s revenue increased 33.7% YoY, driven by increased shipments in its high-performance computing and smartphone businesses. Qualcomm reported a 31.7% YoY growth in revenue primarily due to increased revenue from handsets, automotive and IoT products and higher estimated revenues per unit. Samsung, Meta, Tencent, Lenovo, Intel, HP, Pegatron, Xiaomi and Compal Electronics were the only companies in the top 25 that reported YoY decline in revenue in 2022. In terms of operating profit, Microsoft, TSMC, Accenture, Pegatron and Qualcomm reported more than 15% YoY growth in 2022, with TSMC and Qualcomm recording more than 60% growth. Jayaraman concludes: “In terms of profitability, 60% of the top 25 tech companies by revenue reported YoY decline in their net profit. TSMC and Qualcomm were the only companies that reported 40% YoY growth in their net profit in FY2022.  “Amazon, Dell, Intel, HP, Oracle, Xiaomi and IBM reported more than 50% YoY decline in net profit in 2022. Amazon posted a $2.7 billion loss in FY2022 compared to a net profit of $33.3 billion in the previous year. The company attributes a major portion of the loss to its investment in the electric vehicle startup Rivian. Xiaomi reported an 87.7% decline in its net profit in 2022 due to a 35% drop in its global shipments.”.....»»

“They’re ticking time bombs waiting to explode.” I recently ran into a guy I hadn’t seen in 20 years. He’s ... Read more “They’re ticking time bombs waiting to explode.” I recently ran into a guy I hadn’t seen in 20 years. He’s a car salesman. I asked his opinion on electric vehicles. “I wouldn’t touch them with a bargepole. You see the videos of EVs turning into giant fire balls online? They’re ticking time bombs waiting to explode. And anyway, all that climate change stuff… it’s a hoax.” So… not a fan. Here’s the truth: Whether he agrees or not: EVs will be one of the defining disruptions of the next decade. But the best way to make money from this disruption isn’t buying Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)… or other automakers going green. Today, I’ll share my top “backdoor” stock to profit from the coming EV boom. Global EV Sales Tell me this isn’t one of the prettiest charts in the world… A record 10.5 million new EVs hit the roads last year. That’s a 4X surge since 2019: This reminds me of iPhone sales a decade ago. Shipments surged 15X between 2007 and 2009. That was incredible growth. Yet, look back today, and you have to squint to see increasing sales figures: Since 2020, EV sales as a percentage of the total auto market have more than tripled to 14%. In fact, car lovers spent a record $425 billion “going electric” last year. The Secret Behind The Clean-Car Revolution Here’s the dirty little secret behind the clean-car revolution… Folks cruising around in EVs think they’re saving our kids from asthma-filled lungs. They imagine a green utopia, where towering trees sway in the gentle breeze, providing shade to lush plants. Let me shatter their dreams for a moment… Remember best-selling artist Moby? Everything Is Wrong was his breakthrough album. I remember there was a list of facts inside the album’s booklet. One that always stuck with me was: 80% of USDA chicken inspectors no longer eat chicken. Want to know how the (EV) sausage is really made? Unlike regular gas guzzlers, when you pop the hood on an electric car, you won’t find an engine. Electric cars run on batteries like the one in your smartphone… just 10,000X more powerful. A humongous amount of “stuff” is needed to power these batteries. For example, there are 180 lbs. of copper and 140 lbs. of lithium under the hood of a Tesla Model S. These materials don’t grow on trees. You can’t make them in sterilized test tubes. You have to pull them out of the ground. And that requires giant, rusty excavators… larger-than-life trucks… and lots of dirty, filthy mining. This is the grimy underbelly of the green revolution you don’t see on TV. Mining Companies Are Racking It In Houston, we’re going to need a lot more “stuff.” The transition from regular gas guzzlers to EVs doesn’t just require a little more copper and lithium. Tesla, Ford (NYSE:F), and others are tearing the hinges off the door to get their hands on these materials. The amount of money automakers spent on lithium surged 12X to $35 billion in the past two years alone. And we ain’t seen nothing yet. Humans mined a combined 700 million tons of copper over the past 5,000 years. Bloomberg estimates we’ll need to mine the same amount over the next 20 years to meet our current climate goals using wind, solar, and EVs! Surging EV sales are impressive. But the real boom is in the raw materials powering our sleek, new battery-powered cars. Automakers are spending the money. Mining companies are the ones raking it in. The revenues of the top 40 mining companies shot up 30% over the past two years, while profits more than doubled. Opportunity In Copper The greatest investor alive knows how to profit from this hidden boom. Stan Druckenmiller is a reclusive billionaire who rarely gives interviews. But his track record is astonishing… “Druck” strung together 30 straight profitable years from 1980 to 2010. During that time, he earned returns of 30% per year. If you took $10,000 and compounded it at 30% per year for 30 years… you’d amass a $26.2 million fortune. In a rare interview, Druck was asked what he’s investing in today… “Copper is in the tightest position, frankly, I’ve ever studied. Given the move toward EVs… it’s hard to believe copper won’t be a huge beneficiary.” Copper is a special metal that’s excellent at letting electricity flow through it. It powers everything from toasters to air conditioners to computer chips. In fact, there are 400 lbs. of copper in the average US home. There are 180 lbs. of copper in a Tesla Model S. Copper’s used in the wires and cables that carry the electricity from the battery to the motor. Battery-powered cars need almost 3X as much copper as a regular gas guzzler. Surging EV sales are expected to double the demand for the “red metal” over the next decade, according to S&P Global. There’s a huge squeeze setting up in the copper market over the next few years, which should push prices much higher. We’ll need more copper than ever before. But it takes 10 years to get a new copper mine up and running. And almost none are being built. Consulting giant McKinsey estimates there will be a shortfall of six million metric tons of copper per year by 2030. Freeport-McMoRan Here’s my top “backdoor” stock to profit from the squeeze. Construction firms are the largest buyers of copper. When China was booming in the 2000s—building ghost cities, wiring and plumbing millions of apartments—copper prices jumped 800% over the decade. “EVs” are the new “China.” A disruptive force that will send copper demand through the roof. Our research suggests copper prices could repeat their 800% surge over the coming decade… and that’s being conversative. Last year alone, lithium prices more than doubled on the back of record EV sales… Which is why I recommend buying Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX). Freeport is one of the world’s largest copper producers. It also operates the world’s largest gold mine, the Grasberg mine in Indonesia. Freeport could easily triple in the coming years as copper demand surges higher. Article by Stephen McBride – Chief Analyst, RiskHedge To get more ideas like this sent straight to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, make sure to sign up for The RiskHedge Report, a free investment letter focused on profiting from disruption. Expect smart insights and analysis on the latest breakthrough technologies, the big stories the mainstream media isn’t reporting on, and much more… including actionable recommendations. Click here to sign up......»»

With Wagner Group troops evacuating and being replaced by regular Russian troops, Ukraine could plan to retake Bakhmut, Western analysis said. A Ukrainian artillery unit fires toward Russian positions on the outskirts of Bakhmut on December 30, 2022.SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images Ukrainian forces around Bakhmut could retake the city after Wagner Group forces evacuate. The ISW suggests that Russian movement in the area is low, leaving openings for a Ukraine offensive. Ukrainian troops in Bakhmut said fighting regular Russian troops won't be as hard as Wagner forces. As Wagner Group troops evacuate Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces may have a chance to retake the war-torn city — but it's unclear if that will be Kyiv's priority as a long-awaited counteroffensive looms. Russia claimed victory over Bakhmut earlier this month after a long and costly battle for both sides of the war. Shortly after, Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin announced he would be withdrawing his mercenaries from the city on June 1 after Russia claimed full control of the city. Regular Russian troops will replace Wagner's forces, Prigozhin said. That transition — coupled with notably low tempo and movement from Russian forces in the area — leaves an opening for Ukraine to potentially retake Bakhmut, according to an assessment from The Institute for the Study of War. The analysis, released May 28, said: "Ukrainian personnel in the Bakhmut area reportedly expressed optimism that the decreased tempo of Russian operations around Bakhmut may facilitate further limited and localized Ukrainian counterattacks."Those offensives, along with "ongoing relief" being provided to Ukraine's troops, could provide "Ukrainian forces in the area the initiative to launch a new round of operations around the city if they so choose," ISW stated.While Bakhmut may have been a symbolic win for Moscow, Ukrainian officials such as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy still assert that Kyiv's forces are active in the city limits. Now, they're saying those Ukrainian troops can continue to make gains around the city and stage a "semi-encirclement" to drive Russia out, according to The Washington Post.It's unclear if this plan would come as a part of Ukraine's counteroffensive or if it would be abandoned for other movements in eastern areas along the front lines that prove to be more strategically important to Kyiv. Nonetheless, the attrition-style fighting of Bakhmut has left Russian forces exhausted ahead of Ukraine's long-anticipated counteroffensive. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Millennials may no longer be the economic victims of years past. While they're making up lost ground, three major hurdles still stand in their way. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images The average American millennial is better off financially than they were five years ago. Higher salaries have allowed many to grow their wealth and buy homes. Under the weight of student debt and childcare, they may still be worse off than prior generations. This story is kicking off a series called Millennial World, which looks at the state of the generation around the globe.Millennials are growing up.The oldest of the generation, which includes anyone born between 1981 and 1996, is now past the age of 40. In recent years, many have checked off major life milestones including buying a home and having children, and some could even be on the verge of a midlife crisis. But getting older has already come with some growing pains. Over the past decade — and longer for some — many millennials have faced high costs of housing and childcare, staggering student-loan debt, and the Great Recession's impact on the job market. This trifecta hit older millennials the hardest and continues to have lingering effects.Despite these obstacles, the average millennial is faring better financially than they have in the past. And while some of this may simply be a byproduct of getting older — people tend to earn more over the course of their careers — some experts have argued that even compared to past generations, millennials are doing pretty well financially these days.From saving to spending and financial behaviors in between, here's what life is like for the average American millennial.The typical US millennial makes between about $52,000 and $62,000 a year.Jean TwengeThe Great Recession took a financial toll on millennials and their salaries. By 2014, the median household income of millennials aged 25 to 34 had fallen by more than 10% since 2000 when adjusted for inflation, according to Census Bureau data. But things have improved in recent years. By 2019, the same age group had a median household income of $70,283. By 2021, it was $74,862. Older millennials have seen income gains as well. The median income for millennials aged 35 to 44 has risen from $66,693 in 2014 to $90,312 in 2021. This growth holds up well when adjusted for inflation — even compared to past generations. As of 2019, the median millennial household income, when adjusted for inflation, was roughly $10,000 higher than those of median Gen X and boomer households at the same age, according to the Current Population Survey. According to a SmartAsset analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics from the third quarter of last year, the median salary of a US adult aged 25 to 34 is $52,156. The median salary of an adult aged 35 to 44 is $62,444. At this point, millennials will be anywhere from 26 to 42 years old. American millennials' average net worth has grown considerably in recent years and now sits at about $127,793.jacoblund / Getty ImagesThe average US millennial's net worth more than doubled between the first quarter of 2020 to $127,793 as of the first quarter of 2022, according to a MagnifyMoney analysis of Federal Reserve data.Older millennials appear to be driving the gains. A December Forbes analysis of Federal Reserve data found that the average net worth of Americans under age 35 was $76,300, compared to $436,200 for those aged 35 to 44. It's taken some time for millennials to catch up to prior generations when it comes to wealth. A Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis analysis of 2016 data found that the families of older millennials had a median wealth about 34% percent lower than people of prior generations at the same age. But by the time 2019 data was available, the gap had shrunk to 11%. More recently, a St. Louis Fed's analysis of 2022 data found that "young Americans" — a group with an average age of 33 to 34 — had roughly the same average wealth adjusted for inflation as Gen X did at the same age. The fact that some millennials may be doing just as well — but not a lick better — than older generations arguably isn't worthy of much celebration in a country where parents want their children's lives to be better than their own. But at least they no longer appear to be trailing so far behind. Almost half of millennials have student-loan debt and are, on average, $40,614 in the hole.Student-loan borrowers and advocates gather for the People's Rally for Student Debt Cancellation during the Supreme Court hearings on student-debt relief on February 28, 2023, in Washington, DC.Jemal Countess/Getty Images for People's Rally to Cancel Student DebIn 2020, Insider reported that nearly 45% of millennials had student-loan debt. As of June 2022, 43.5% of older millennials aged 36 to 41 had a student-debt balance of $20,000 or less, according to the St. Louis Fed. The average millennial with student debt had a balance of $40,614, according to an Experian analysis of internal data.  While the cost of college has been one of millennials' key financial obstacles, those with federal student debt could be set to have up to $20,000 of their debt canceled as part of a Biden administration plan. Currently, the debt-relief proposal is paused due to two conservative-backed lawsuits that blocked the implementation of the relief in November, and borrowers are awaiting a Supreme Court decision on the legality of the relief, expected by the end of June. A Morning Consult and Politico poll of over 2,000 registered voters last June found that 65% of respondents aged 18 to 34 supported Biden forgiving $10,000 per borrower; 61% of respondents aged 35 to 44 thought the same. More than half of millennials have now managed to buy a home.A couple moving into a new home.Getty ImagesMillennials crossed a notable threshold in 2022. By the end of the year, a majority of them — about 51.5% — owned a home, a RentCafe report that analyzed housing data from the Current Population Survey for each generation across 260 US metro areas found. The average millennial was 34 years old when the generation reached this milestone. Gen X and Boomers were 32 and 33 years old respectively when their generations became majority owners. The millennial generation has been on a homebuying spree in recent years. Seven million of the 10.8 million new millennial homeowners gained over the past decade bought their homes over the past five years, RentCafe reported. Low interest rates provided a great buying opportunity for many millennials during the early days of the pandemic. But the Federal Reserve has since raised rates to combat inflation, leaving millennials that didn't jump in on the homebuying spree with a much more challenging landscape today. In July 2020, the typical annual US mortgage payment was 27.5% of the median American's household income — the lowest figure since 2013 — according to the Atlanta Fed. As of last September, this figure rose to 43.7%, the highest level since at least 2006, when the Fed's data begins. As of March, the median annual mortgage payment was 39.9% of the median household income. The typical millennial is a parent but has been slower than past generations to grow their families.GettyWhile many millennials have managed to buy a home, they have been slow to fill them up with children. As of 2018, 55% of surveyed 22-  to 37-year-old millennial women had given birth to a child, according to a Pew Research survey that spanned both Gen Z and millennials, compared to 62% of Gen X and 64% of boomers at the same age. After hitting a record low in 2020, the US birth rate rose for the first time in seven years in 2021, but it remained near the record low reached the year prior. The birth rate was reported as 1.66 births per woman, a decline from 2.12 in 2007, and the rate of 2.1 needed for the population to naturally replace itself.There's evidence that many millennials are open to having more children, but haven't ultimately done so due to a variety of factors. One could be the high childcare costs many millennial parents face. National childcare costs average between $9,000 and $9,600 annually, per the advocacy organization Child Care Aware, a rate that's unaffordable for nearly two-thirds of working parents in the US — and the cost could shoot even higher over the next year as federal funds dry up.  Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

A technical analysis indicator called Bollinger bandwidth suggests dogecoin's unusual calm could soon end with a pronounced move in either direction......»»

Zero Young Healthy Individuals Died Of COVID-19, Israeli Data Show Authored by Lia Onely via The Epoch Times, Zero healthy individuals under the age of 50 have died of COVID-19 in Israel, according to newly released data. “Zero deceased of 18–49 years of age with no underlying morbidities,” the Israel Ministry of Health (MOH) said in response to a formal request from an attorney. Officials noted that the statement only applies to COVID-19 deaths where the MOH conducted an epidemiological investigation and had received information about the underlying diseases. “Zero is a very, very clear number, and cannot be subject to interpretation,”  Yoav Yehezkelli, a specialist in internal medicine and medical management, and former lecturer in the Department of Emergency and Disaster Management at Tel Aviv University in Israel, told The Epoch Times. “Why were all the extreme measures of school closures, vaccination of children, and lockdowns needed?” he added. The MOH did respond to a request for comment. Freedom of Information Request The information was sparked by a freedom of information request filed by attorney Ori Xabi, who has been filing several such requests as he seeks to obtain information from the MOH regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 policies. Xabi asked to know the average age of people who died of COVID-19, segmented by vaccination status at the time of death; how many COVID-19 patients with no underlying morbidities under the age of 50 died; and the annual number of cardiac arrest cases between 2018 to 2022. According to the MOH response, the average age of vaccinated COVID-19 patients who died was 80.2 years. The average for the unvaccinated was 77.4 years. The MOH emphasized that the data they have about the underlying diseases of patients is partial since it relies on information provided by the patients or their relatives, if they chose to do so. And then, only in cases in which the MOH conducted an epidemiological investigation. Therefore “the available information does not necessarily reflect the health status of the patient” the MOH wrote adding that they do not have access to the patients’ medical records. It is not clear why the MOH responded to Xabi’s request using only cases where the MOH had conducted an epidemiological investigation, and which was limited to deceased patients where the families had cooperated, since in 2020 the MOH told the Israeli Knesset—the Israeli parliament—that they use an intelligence system that provides the MOH with extensive information about deceased patients that included “underlying diseases.” A document (pdf) from the Knesset Research and Information Center, dated June 7, 2020, stated that the MOH provided data to the Special Committee for the New COVID Virus about COVID-19 deaths—298 by that day at 4:30 p.m.—at the request of Yifat Shasha-Biton, a member of the Knesset, and the chair of that committee. The ministry’s intelligence system has data on gender, age, district of residence, and the underlying diseases of the deceased, according to the document. The system showed that about 94 percent of the deceased were 60 years or older and that there were no deceased with zero underlying diseases. In addition, on May 4, 2020, the Medical Directorate of the MOH in a letter (pdf) issued instructions to the heads of the hospitals and the medical departments of the Health Maintenance Organizations—national health care organizations—on how to fill out COVID-19 death notices, directing them to include underlying diseases. In a December 22, 2020 letter (pdf) the Medical Directorate to the managers of the hospitals stated that for every COVID-19 patient who died during the acute phase or due to complications of the illness later, or people who were positive for COVID-19 who died, a death notice and a summary of the case “must be sent to the COVID war room of the MOH.” They said the purpose was “to improve surveillance.” “It’s a bit naive” for the MOH to say they do not have the full data and access to the death certificates said Yehezkelli, who was also a founder of a team that advises the MOH’s director general. Yet this response from the MOH is meaningful, said Yehezkelli as “it finally reveals the truth.” A health worker administers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to a pregnant woman at Clalit Health Services, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 23, 2021. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images) ‘False Presentation’ Studies and other data, including a study led by Stanford epidemiologist John Ioannidis, show that COVID-19 mortality, even with the original variant, was largely age-dependent. “It was definitely a disease that actually only endangered the elderly,” Yehezkelli said. Over the age of 60, mortality doubled every 5 years while under that age mortality was negligible, and “now we really see that it was zero under the age of 50, at least.” The MOH’s response showed that the average age of the COVID-19 deceased is about 80 years of age, which also indicates that “this is a disease of the elderly, almost exclusively,” said Yehezkelli. “That only means that what we were told for 3 years was not true,” he said. There may not have been many young people who got seriously ill, yet the MOH had emphasized cases of pregnant women hospitalized in critical condition and young healthy people who died because of COVID-19. It was not the true situation, he said. “They created a false presentation of a very severe epidemic that affects the entire population and therefore the entire population should also be vaccinated, regardless of age,” said Yehezkelli. If we are talking about people under the age of 50 that means that no pregnant women actually died of COVID-19, he said. The justification given for vaccinating pregnant women, young people, and children was that they too are affected by COVID-19. It was known back then that this was not the case “and we now see it clearly,” Yehezkelli said, asserting that the MOH has “lost the public’s trust” by making a “false presentation” of the dangers of COVID-19. Cardiac Arrest Data In response to Xabi’s recent FOI, the MOH provided the number of cardiac arrest cases from 2018 to 2020. They added, “The information for the years 2021–2022 does not exist in the office.” The MOH explained that “The registration of the causes of death of deceased persons is carried out, in accordance with the notification of death,” by the Central Bureau of Statistics, adding “the data for the years 2021–2022 have not yet been transferred to the Ministry of Health.” A study published in April 2022 that analyzed the dataset of the Israel National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) found a 25 percent increase in EMS calls due to cardiac arrests among 16- to 39-year-olds between January–May 2021. The COVID-19 vaccine rollout began in December 2020. Retsef Levi, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, was one of the researchers of the study. The MOH objected to the findings of the study in a post on Twitter where they said that “there is no connection between the EMS calls that were analyzed in the study and the COVID vaccines.” In a MOH webinar on Oct. 8, 2021, about the effectiveness and the safety of the COVID vaccines, Dr. Sharon Elroy-Pries, the head of Public Health Services at the Israel MOH said regarding Levi’s study: “This is one of the biggest fake news I have seen.” “The National Center for Disease Control did a very comprehensive analysis—including of the data of that study, [which were] EMS calls,” she said adding that “there was nothing. No more [cases of] heart attacks. No more calls to the ER.” She continued by saying that “in the mortality data from the beginning of 2021, you don’t see an increase in mortality except for COVID mortality. That is, if we look at excess mortality in the State of Israel we see it precisely at the peaks that were peaks of [COVID] morbidity in the State of Israel.” “When you remove the … morbidity from COVID at all ages, one sees either the same mortality rate as in previous years, or less,” she said, adding “there is no increase in heart attacks here.” Sharon Alroy-Preis, the head of Public Health Services at the Israel Ministry of Health at the Health Committee meeting to discuss special powers to deal with COVID-19 in Jerusalem on Feb. 6, 2023. (Dani Shem Tov / Knesset) In a February 2023 meeting of the Health Committee of the Knesset for extending the COVID special powers law, Elroy-Pries reiterated that the MOH does have access to COVID mortality data. “COVID has killed over 12,000 people in the State of Israel,” she said at the meeting, explaining further that this figure is known since “from the beginning of the epidemic, the Medical Directorate received people’s death certificates.” When asked about whether there is an increase in cardiac arrest cases in Israel among young people, Elroy-Pries said, “We do not see an increase in the death of young people,” adding “We’re checking it. We’re looking for it.” Levi said to The Epoch Times that the MOH attacked him personally and the EMS, and asked “If they don’t have data for 2021 and 2022 [according to the FOI], then how can they know that they don’t have an increase [in cardiac arrests]?” When the MOH says things that are contrary to science, said Levi, or are “contrary to the facts on a regular basis, you must ask yourself the question: are they doing it because they didn’t bother to read the science, or are they doing it even though they … read the science.” “Both scenarios are very serious,” he added. Vaccines Saved ‘Millions Around the World’: MOH The MOH did not reply to a request for comment from The Epoch Times. Yet about 2 hours after sending the request on May 25, the agency posted on its Twitter account a statement regarding Xabi’s FOI. “Following the manipulation that has been taking place in recent days regarding one of the Ministry of Health’s [reply to] Freedom of Information requests, we will clarify that the answers to the requests submitted under the Freedom of Information Law are, naturally, answered directly to the specific question that was asked. “In this case, the ministry was asked about mortality data and underlying diseases. The Ministry of Health ‘does not have’ access to the medical file [of patients], therefore information is only based on cases where an epidemiological investigation was carried out and the person or his family answered the question [regarding underlying morbidities]. Therefore, this is very limited information. This was of course clearly written in the answer [to the FOI]. “We will clarify: So far, 356 young people (18–49 years of age) have died of COVID. “Of these, only about half have documentation of an epidemiological investigation (184 deceased). “And only 7.5% (27 deceased) included an answer to the question regarding underlying diseases. The answer was provided based on this information. “The Ministry of Health is committed to maintaining the health of all citizens and making the information available in the Ministry transparently. This is how we acted [so far] and will continue to act. “We must not forget that the COVID epidemic has so far killed more than 12,500 people in Israel, caused severe and critical morbidity, and post-COVID symptoms that accompany some of those recovering to this day. “The vaccination campaign began in the midst of a third lockdown that resulted from an increase in morbidity and mortality and the opening of the economy was made possible thanks to the activation of the green passport, which its purpose was to reduce the risk of infection in mass events. “The vaccines have saved thousands of people in the state of Israel and millions around the world—the attempt to rewrite history is dangerous.” Following an administrative appeal filed by Xabi and colleagues, the MOH committed to publishing all-cause mortality segmented by vaccination status and age by the end of this month. This appeal is an ongoing case that followed a FOI request submitted to the MOH on Oct. 10, 2021, which was not answered within the time frame according to Israeli law, and the data provided by the agency during a number of hearings since has been incomplete. Tyler Durden Mon, 05/29/2023 - 06:20.....»»