1 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not replace human emotions and experiences, but adaptation is the key to facing the upcoming challenges posed by cutting-edge technology. This was emphasised by experts in a session on ‘AI's Impact on Art and Literature'. ADROSONIC CEO Mayank said: "AI is advancing rapidly, but it won't completely replace the human workforce. The focus should be on personal development and adapting skills to thrive in an evolving technological change. "While AI can be used as a tool in art and literature, ultimately human intelligence will be more relevant in the new technological enhancement." Technology analyst Manish Pandey said: "Emotions make us human. It distinguishes humans from artificial intelligence. AI cannot replace emotions." "There is no need to fear AI job displacement , as industry observers point out that AI is creating new employment opportunities across various sectors. The technology is currently in its evolutionary phase, still learning and developing its capabilities," Manish added. One of AI's strengths lies in its ability to process vast amounts of data and provide diverse perspectives quickly and efficiently. However, experts said AI skill balances rather than replaces human decision-making and creativity.January 05 . The U.S. government again included Cuba, along with countries such as Russia, China, and Nicaragua, on its blacklist on religious freedom . Other nations such as Burma, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tajikistan, and Vietnam appear on the list. 05. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez rejected the inclusion of Cuba on United States “unilateral” lists hours after the island was again placed by Washington among the countries that, in its opinion, violate religious freedom. In the opinion of the foreign minister, this decision by the United States “responds to (the) need to justify its inhuman measures of siege and economic warfare against (the) Cuban people.” 05. The Cornell University Symphonic Wind Band , from the United States, under the direction of James Spinazzola, performed in the Che Guevara Hall of Casa de las Américas. The performance of the U.S. ensemble is part of a ten-day tour of Cuba with community presentations. 18. The U.S. government confirmed that it does not plan for now to allow Cuban micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) access to the U.S. banking system. Eric Jacobstein Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the State Department, said during a hearing in Congress that at the moment he did not have information about specific regulatory changes. Related Posts Humanitarian parole: Only 50 arrive in U.S. in November, none of them Cuban December 23, 2024 D-17 ten years later: hope, frustration and legacy December 17, 2024 Nymphs also take a look in the mirror December 10, 2024 Carlos Gutiérrez: “There are people all over the U.S. who want better relations with Cuba” October 30, 2024 var jnews_module_315585_0_676f3101e452f = {"header_icon":"","first_title":"Related Posts","second_title":"","url":"","header_type":"heading_1","header_background":"","header_secondary_background":"","header_text_color":"","header_line_color":"","header_accent_color":"","header_filter_category":"","header_filter_author":"","header_filter_tag":"","header_filter_text":"All","post_type":"post","content_type":"all","number_post":"4","post_offset":0,"unique_content":"disable","include_post":"","exclude_post":315585,"include_category":"13944","exclude_category":"","include_author":"","include_tag":"","exclude_tag":"","sort_by":"latest","date_format":"default","date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","force_normal_image_load":"","pagination_mode":"nextprev","pagination_nextprev_showtext":"","pagination_number_post":"4","pagination_scroll_limit":0,"boxed":"","boxed_shadow":"","el_id":"","el_class":"","scheme":"","column_width":"auto","title_color":"","accent_color":"","alt_color":"","excerpt_color":"","css":"","paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_21"}; This Thursday, the federal official was questioned about rumors that the Biden administration would be considering allowing Cuban entrepreneurs to open accounts in U.S. banks. However, Jacobstein assured during his speech that the White House is committed to “supporting the Cuban people” and facilitating “the growth of the private sector” on the island, which, he said, “sees the United States as a source of inspiration,” said an EFE report. 28. Cuba received 28 irregular migrants returned by the United States, bringing the total number of Cubans deported by sea to 91 so far in 2024. This new group, made up of 23 men and 3 women, tried to reach the United States illegally and was intercepted at sea by the Coast Guard, detailed a note from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT). 29. Between January 29 and 31, Sara Minkara , U.S. Department of State Special Advisor on International Disability Rights. (SAIDR), visited Havana, the United States Embassy reported. Minkara met with representatives of the Cuban government, independent entrepreneurs, former students of programs sponsored by the Embassy, and students of educational institutions in Havana, according to a press release . February 01. The U.S. writer Alice Walker received the Haydée Santamaría medal in Havana, during an event held at Casa de las Américas. The award was given to her in recognition of her support and deepening of U.S. ties with Cuba. 07. Cuban and U.S. authorities held talks in Washington on security and law enforcement. The Cuban representatives provided their U.S. counterparts with information on people “identified for their links to terrorism.” The meeting was the sixth on this topic since 2015 intending to promote “cooperation to combat terrorism, illegal trafficking of migrants and immigration fraud, drug trafficking, among other scourges that threaten the security of the two countries,” according to the Cuban Foreign Ministry. According to a note published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), the exchange “took place in a climate of respect and professionalism.” 10. An alliance of U.S. and Cuban-American groups and activists published an open letter to President Joe Biden encouraging him to change the course of his policy towards Cuba. United Voice for Change: A Call to Review U.S.-Cuba Policy is the title of the appeal sponsored by ACERE. 22. Representatives of the U.S. agricultural sector expressed their “optimism” about future collaboration with Cuba but stressed that the exchange must be on both sides. “There may be new opportunities and we are optimistic about the possibility of future cooperation with Cuba,” Ted A. MCKinney, president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), told the press. 23. Scientists and researchers from Cuba and the United States discussed in Havana’s preparation for pandemic situations, cancer, and other health issues, reported the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP). The exchanges occurred within the 2nd Joint Scientific Meeting Cuba-United States held last week. 24. During the visit to Cuba, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy Kerri S. Hannan met with private businesspeople and representatives of civil society, as well as with government officials. According to a press release from the U.S. Embassy, Hannan exchanged with Cuban entrepreneurs “to learn about the challenges they face and to demonstrate the continued support of the United States to the Cuban people and the Cuban private sector.” In addition, she “learned firsthand how they provide food, supplies, employment and economic opportunities to the Cuban people,” and “explored with them how the U.S. government can strengthen the independent Cuban private sector with exchanges and other aid.” March 01. Ilham Omar, a U.S. House of Representatives member, joined the demands for a change in the White House policy towards Cuba. Omar expressed her frustration at the continuity of policies strengthened by the Trump administration and called on President Biden to make a substantial change. “For 65 long years the Cuban people have suffered from the U.S. embargo,” said the representative from Minnesota. 02. The Cuban Consular Office in the United States announced that it will resume in-person services starting Monday, March 4, according to a statement from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX). 08. A group of Republican congresspeople asked President Biden to keep Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The legislators made this request amid the controversy over the trip two congresspeople from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party made to Cuba at the end of February. Republicans María Elvira Salazar, Nicole Malliotakis, Carlos Giménez, and Mario Díaz-Balart, all of Cuban origin, gave a press conference in front of Congress to make public their request to Biden and to attack the socialist system that, in their opinion, “has destroyed Cuba.” These legislators are trying to promote the so-called Force Acts, which would prevent the United States from normalizing relations with Cuba until “freedom and democracy are restored” on the island. In addition, it would prohibit the State Department from removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism if those conditions are not met. 09. A U.S. federal court dismissed a lawsuit to stop the humanitarian parole program that allows migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to request emergency entry into the country. According to the decision of federal judge Drew B. Tipton, the government of Democrat Joe Biden will be able to continue implementing this initiative, which had been opposed by several states in the union led by Texas. 18. The U.S. government expressed its support for the protesters in Cuba while denying being behind this Sunday’s protests in different localities. “The United States supports the Cuban people exercising their right to assemble peacefully,” said Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols on social media. Nichols also said that “the Cuban government will not be able to meet the needs of its people until it adopts democracy and the rule of law and respects the rights of Cuban citizens.” 18. The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) summoned United States Chargé d’Affaires Benjamin Ziff regarding the U.S. statements following the protests that took place on Sunday in several towns on the island. Ziff was summoned by Deputy Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío, who “formally conveyed to him the firm rejection of the interventionist conduct and the slanderous messages of the U.S. government and its embassy in Cuba” in light of these events, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . 23. The U.S. House of Representatives, dominated by Republicans, approved a bill containing specific restrictions on transferring government funds to promote entrepreneurship in Cuba. The financing package also includes the approval of economic assistance to U.S. allies and funds for the “promotion of democracy” in countries such as Cuba and Nicaragua. Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart highlighted the allocation of 25 million dollars (an increase of 5% compared to 2023) destined for the work of the Cuba Broadcasting Office, in charge of Radio and TV Martí, in 2024. 29. Cuba received a flight from the United States on Thursday in which 61 irregular migrants were deported, including one who “was escaping from a penitentiary where he was serving a sentence for human trafficking,” according to a statement from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT). The group was made up of 52 men, seven women and two minors. With their arrival, 340 people have been returned in 26 operations from various countries in the region so far this year, official media reported cited by EFE. April 02 . The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) considered the new press reports on the so-called “Havana Syndrome” released in recent days to be a “political propaganda operation.” These reports came to light as a result of a joint investigation by the U.S. network CBS, the Russian exile media outlet The Insider, and the German magazine Der Spiegel , according to which the mysterious health incidents reported by some 200 United States officials in Cuba and other countries would be the result of deliberate attacks and Russia would be behind them. “This is not an investigation, it is another political propaganda operation that does not provide any evidence and hides from the public the conclusions of important scientific studies that show that the ‘Havana Syndrome’ does not exist,” said Johana Tablada, deputy director for the United States of the Cuban Foreign Ministry, on X. U.S.: Coercion of patients closes investigation into “Havana Syndrome” in health institutes 03. The U.S. government believes that Cuba is at “a key moment” after the recent protests in several localities of the island, which motivated responses from the Cuban Foreign Ministry. The U.S. statements were made by Under Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols, who also estimated that “there are reasons for hope” because “the people are protesting in the streets with courage.” For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) this consideration by the United States is an admission “with total shamelessness” of Washington’s intentions to bet on a “regime change.” 12 . Thanks to an educational exchange program, children from the Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Washington learned about the history and culture of Cuba . The Embassy Adoption Program is the public project that promotes cultural ties and unites the embassies accredited in the capital of the United States, including the Cuban one, reported Prensa Latina (PL) news agency. 12 . More than 3,000 applications for humanitarian parole for Cubans were rejected in a single day this week, according to sources and media outlets in South Florida. The rejections amounted to 3,482 and occurred on April 9, causing a stir among those who aspired to emigrate to the United States by this means. This is a record number of denials, since until then the highest number of rejections in one day was 20, on April 3, according to Angel Baullosa, co-founder of the company Immigrate, which monitors requests for humanitarian parole. 12. Former U.S. diplomat Victor Manuel Rocha was sentenced in a federal court in Miami to 15 years in prison on charges related to spying for Cuba for 40 years after pleading guilty during a hearing held by Judge Beth Bloom. Former U.S. ambassador to plead guilty to charges of espionage for Cuba Rocha, 73 years old and former U.S. ambassador to several Latin American countries, was accused of “acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government (Cuba)” and of conspiracy to commit the same crime and disappointing the United States. 14 . The Cuban government accused U.S. intelligence agencies of “mounting an operation” to “provoke a social explosion” taking advantage of the “complex economic situation” that the island is going through. “They hope to heat up the Cuban streets during the summer, taking advantage of the complex economic situation that the country is experiencing,” according to the Granma newspaper. 17 . Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said that the delegations from Cuba and the United States held a “frank discussion” on migration issues during the bilateral dialogue held in Washington. “It was a frank discussion. We cannot say that we agreed exactly on everything we discussed, but we had the opportunity to make proposals on each side based on how they believe the agreements are being fulfilled,” the diplomat commented after the talks. 23 . A report updated to April 15 reveals that 1,314,330 Cubans live in the United States , which makes the island the seventh country with the most residents in that nation. The document on Washington’s Nationalization Policy, from the Congressional Research Service, also states that 64% already have nationality. The report indicates that Cuba is preceded by citizens of Mexico, India, China, the Philippines, El Salvador and Vietnam, out of a total of 25 countries included in the ranking. May 04 . The Cuban drug Heberprot-P for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, used successfully in several countries, will have a clinical trial in the United States. The news was confirmed by the U.S. company Discovery Therapeutics Caribe (DTC), which was authorized to carry out the study by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 09 . With “immediate effect,” Western Union announced the resumption of remittances to Cuba from the United States, suspended since February due to “technical problems with the processing of transactions” on the island. The money sent through this channel is processed through Orbit S.A., an entity operated by the Cuban government legally established in 2020. 10 . The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) expressed its “deep concern” over the recent acquittal of the attacker of the island’s Embassy in Washington in 2020, and considered that this decision sends “a dangerous message of impunity.” The aggressor, named Alexander Alazo Baró, was acquitted of the four charges by a judge of the Court for the District of Columbia. In his decision, issued on May 1, the magistrate “alleged conditions of insanity of the perpetrator,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The MINREX recalled that Alazo Baró, who has lived in the United States since 2010, “fired 32 bullets from a magazine of an AK-47 semi-automatic rifle against the Cuban diplomatic headquarters in Washington, causing extensive material damage to the exterior and interior of the building and endangering the lives of several people who were inside the building.” 13 . Businesspeople, politicians and farmers began the 5th United States-Cuba Agricultural Conference in Havana. In the opinion of Congressman Rick Crawford, holding these types of meetings on a regular basis constitutes “progress,” although “we are still not where we would like to be,” according to Prensa Latina (PL) news agency. 13. The United States removed Cuba from its list of countries that “do not fully cooperate with anti-terrorist efforts,” according to a new report from the State Department. The new document states that “the circumstances that led to certifying that Havana was not fully cooperating with these efforts had changed from 2022 to 2023 and that therefore it could no longer certify that the island was not fully cooperating with the anti-terrorism issue under the Arms Export Control Act in calendar year 2023.” U.S. law establishes specific legal criteria for rescinding a designation of a nation as a sponsor of terrorism and therefore “any review of Cuba’s status on that blacklist would be based on the law and criteria established by the United States Congress.” For three consecutive years until the report referring to 2022, Washington has kept Cuba on the list. 16 . Businesspeople, producers, and authorities from the agricultural sector of the United States highlighted the “advances” and the “potential” of trade between both countries in this area. After three days of activities as part of the 5th United States-Cuba Agricultural Conference, held in Havana, the visitors confirmed their desire to continue these meetings and working to increase the bilateral relationship at a time when the country is suffering from a severe economic crisis that has agriculture as one of the most depressed sectors. “We have made great progress to strengthen ties and we will work step by step to achieve our objectives,” said Commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture Mike Strain at the close of the event. 16 . Responding to a journalist about the reasons why Cuba was removed from the aforementioned list, the deputy spokesperson for the State Department, Vedant Patel, acknowledged the validity and breadth of the embargo. “Cuba remains subject to an incredibly comprehensive embargo,” Patel admitted, as can be read in the transcript of the press briefing of the State Department. 17 . The U.S. government confirmed that it maintains Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The decision was ratified after the island’s removal from the list of “countries that do not fully cooperate with anti-terrorist efforts” was announced, and Washington admitted that it cooperates with Havana in some activities to combat terrorism. 20 . Democratic members of Congress reacted positively to the step taken by the Biden administration, which admitted Cuba’s cooperation in the fight against terrorism. House members Jim McGovern, ranking member of the House Rules Committee , and Barbara Lee, ranking member of the House Appropriations State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, welcomed the State Department’s move. 20 . An official Cuban delegation visited Miami International Airport, U.S. officials confirmed. According to the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department, the visit lasted about five hours, during which time the Cuban delegation was able to observe a security checkpoint and a baggage checkpoint inside the airport. The authorization was provided by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. A spokesman for the State Department, under which the TSA operates, said the visit is similar to others made in past years by Cuban officials, in the interest of cooperation on civil aviation security. 22 . Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended before the House of Representatives having removed Cuba from the list of countries that “do not fully cooperate” against terrorism because circumstances have changed. The US removes Cuba from the list of “countries that do not fully cooperate with anti-terrorism efforts”. The United States keeps Cuba on another list, that of countries that sponsor terrorism, a measure that entails economic sanctions. 23 . A group of 31 rafters was returned to Cuba by the U.S. Coast Guard. The migrants had been intercepted days ago at sea after making two illegal exits from the island, one through Havana and another through Matanzas, according to official sources. 28 . The United States announced that it allows Cuban entrepreneurs to open and use U.S. bank accounts over the Internet to carry out financial transactions from the island. The Treasury Department explained in a press release that this announcement, along with other measures, seeks to “promote internet freedom in Cuba, support independent Cuban private sector entrepreneurs, and expand access to certain financial services for the Cuban people.” U.S. authorizes Cuban entrepreneurs to open U.S. bank accounts through Internet The Treasury said that since May 28, Cuban entrepreneurs are authorized to “open, maintain, and remotely use U.S. bank accounts, including through online payment platforms, to conduct authorized transactions” whether from the United States, Cuba, or any other country. The United States also updated its definition of Cuban entrepreneur to include not only self-employed workers but also cooperatives and small private enterprises with up to 100 employees, which will be able to access the U.S. banking system. The U.S. also lifted the blockade on fund transfers originating and ending outside the United States, a measure that seeks to facilitate the sending of remittances to Cuba. “The measures announced today by the U.S. government are limited,” wrote Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez on X. 29 . The Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum of the University of Arkansas and the National Council of Cultural Heritage signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Havana. The document “will allow for intensified contributions” in academic matters between the U.S. institution and the Ernest Hemingway Museum Finca Vigía, as shared on social media by the island’s cultural institution. 30 . The Harvard University Jazz Orchestra performed at the Casa de las Américas. It is directed by Cuban saxophonist Yosvany Terry, who has lived in the United States for decades and is linked to jazz and Cuban roots. June 02. Pánfilo, Chequera and Isidoro, popular characters from the comedy show Vivir del cuento , are the protagonists of a campaign by the United States Embassy in Cuba. The campaign is called “Migra legally to the United States” and will address the procedures and other topics of interest for those who wish to do so. According to the diplomatic headquarters on its social media, the three characters — played by actors Luis Silva , Mario Sardiñas and Marlon Pijuan — will discuss these aspects with “someone with very good knowledge.” 08 . The United States ruled out that the arrival in the port of Havana of three Russian ships and a nuclear submarine, between June 12 and 17, constituted a direct threat to its security, considering that they are part of regular Russian military maneuvers. “Russia’s deployments are part of a routine naval activity and do not worry us, since they do not represent a direct threat to the United States,” official sources stated. The Department of Defense has previewed for Russia to carry out “intense naval activity near the United States” in the summer, which could culminate in a global exercise in the fall. 12. U.S. military authorities denied that an air strike by the United States against the jihadist group Al-Shabaab killed two Cuban doctors kidnapped five years ago in Somalia on February 15. The Al-Shabaab terrorists and the two Cuban doctors: a chronology The news of their death had been given by the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab, as a result of a bombing in an area of the African country where the doctors were supposedly being held. However, a report from the U.S. Military Command in Africa (AFRICOM) sent to the EFE news agency on Wednesday, although it confirms the attack, denies the death of the doctors. 13 . Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez considered that the report from the U.S. Military Command in Africa (AFRICOM) on the alleged death in Somalia of the two Cuban doctors kidnapped by the group Al-Shabaab “does not provide anything new.” The Foreign Minister said he was “surprised” by the military entity’s report , which denied that Cuban doctors Assel Herrera and Landy Rodríguez were among the victims of a U.S. air attack against the jihadist organization in February. “Since April we have been waiting, without response, for the investigations that Cuba officially requested regarding the AFRICOM attacks in another town in Somalia,” said the island’s Foreign Minister on X. 12 . “There is a new revolution that has taken root in Cuba. That is the revolution of young entrepreneurs who are taking charge of their situation, who are transforming their country, who are improving, growing, expanding, learning, despite the obstacles of the United States or their own country.” Paul Johnson, leader of the US-Cuba Agricultural Coalition: “The private sector is the new revolution in Cuba” “And that is the new revolution that we have to understand, instead of speaking in terms of the 1959 revolution, communism, socialism, capitalism, and those restrictive categories of how we see Cuba today. We have to educate our side about those realities. And frankly, we are behind. Our side doesn’t understand it,” said in Havana Paul Johnson, leader of the United States-Cuba Agricultural Coalition. 13 . The U.S. government reiterated its intention to support the growing private sector in Cuba as a factor in containing the historical influence of Moscow and Beijing on the island for more than six decades. At a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols said the United States remains concerned about attempts by Russia and China to “shape the nature of Cuba’s future.” The event inquired about the topic entitled “Competition among great powers in the Western Hemisphere,” two hundred years after the implementation of the Monroe Doctrine, a key strategy of U.S. foreign policy to defend its interests in Latin America and the Caribbean, then from colonial European powers. 15 . The Cuban government declared its displeasure at the presence of a U.S. war submarine in Guantanamo Bay because visits by naval means are “an invitation, and this is not the case.” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernández de Cossío said: “We obviously do not like the presence in our territory and transiting through our waters of a medium of that nature, belonging to a power that maintains an official and practical policy that is hostile against Cuba.” 21 . The number of Cubans with humanitarian parole continued to grow, although not at the same rate as the high number of applications. More than 100,000 Cubans born on the island had received this immigration benefit from the U.S. authorities by May, according to official data. Of these, approximately 98,200 had already entered the country, the CBP said in its report . 21. Some 56 Cubans were returned to the island in what was the 15th deportation flight from the United States this year, according to the U.S. Embassy in Havana. This group brought the total to 48 operations of this type, involving 744 irregular migrants returned from different countries in the region, both by air and sea, the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) detailed. 23. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is seeking to resume direct deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants to their country and to increase repatriations of Cubans, which was restarted this year after being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. 25 . The U.S. government again included Cuba on its human trafficking blacklist, an issue on which Washington and Havana have openly opposing interpretations. U.S. once again includes Cuba on its human trafficking blacklist As last year, the island was placed on the most serious level of the annual report on the subject, published by the State Department, which includes countries that, in the opinion of the U.S. authorities, do not meet the minimum standards for the elimination of this scourge and do not make significant efforts to do so. 30. Wayne Smith , former U.S. diplomat and academic and former head of the Interests Section in Cuba between 1979 and 1982, died at the age of 92. He worked for decades to normalize relations between Cuba and the United States, advocated for the elimination of the embargo/blockade, for the return of the territory occupied by the Guantanamo Naval Base, and condemned terrorism and hostile policies. “The idea that by maintaining the embargo and a hostile environment we could overthrow the Castro government was absurd. It was a delusion on the part of the United States and U.S. leaders,” he said in an interview with AFP in 2015, more than thirty years after finishing his diplomatic mission in Havana. July 10 . The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the Joe Biden administration to remove Cuba from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism and begin the path of mutual understanding. In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the president of the Justice and Peace Committee, Bishop Elías Zaidan, reaffirmed the position of the Conference, which together with the Holy See and governments and international organizations, have also called for the lifting of the embargo/blockade by Washington. 31 . Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez considered recent accusations from the United States that Cuba seeks to influence the electoral process in that country to be “unfounded.” “Accusations about Cuba’s influence in U.S. elections are unfounded. We do not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries,” the Cuban Foreign Minister said on X. The publication responds to statements by an official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, according to whom the Cuban government carries out “influence operations” in U.S. elections. August 01 . A total of 46 congresspeople urged President Biden to reverse the designation that weighs on Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism and recognized its participation in the peace process and agreements in Colombia. 07 . The United States Mint announced that Celia Cruz was chosen, along with four other exemplary women in history, to appear on the 25-cent coin. The Cuban star will be immortalized on the new commemorative quarter as part of the U.S. Women’s 25-cent Coin Program this 2024, Billboard magazine reported . 10. Chicken exports from the United States to Cuba fell in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year. However, the value of chicken imported by the island from the neighboring country was now higher. Between January and June, exports of this product to Cuba were 127,000 tons ― equivalent to about 5,000 containers ― while in those same months of 2023, they had been a bit over 139,000. 14 . The United States Embassy in Havana announced the expansion of its services with the purpose of including “certain categories of temporary work visas and exchange programs.” Cubans with temporary work petitions approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be able to schedule a visa interview in Havana. Likewise, participants in exchange visit programs with an approved Certificate of Eligibility will be able to do so. 20. With the humanitarian parole program on hold due to irregularities and cases of fraud detected by the authorities, the number of approved Cubans reached 110,000. By the end of July, that was the number of Cubans examined and authorized to travel to U.S. territory, something that some 109,000 had already done at that time. The number represented a growth of more than 3,000 compared to June when 106,757 had already been approved. Adding the year 2023 and the seven months of 2024, Cubans continued to be third in the number of approved people among the four nations that make up the program. 29 . The U.S. government resumed the allocation of humanitarian permits for emigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela in a number of up to 360,000 people per year. U.S. resumes humanitarian parole for immigrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the resumption of the process after a pause of almost four weeks. A statement from the entity explained that the selection process has been improved, especially that of the sponsors of the people who apply for parole. September 13. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez called on the U.S. government to respond to the questions of Cuban entrepreneurs about the application of the measures announced by the Biden administration last May . He said that the possibility of opening bank accounts in dollars in the United States is inapplicable and that “so far no movement has occurred.” Bruno Rodríguez: “The U.S. measures for Cuban entrepreneurs are inapplicable” “They have not been applied because the oppressive and suffocating framework of the blockade prevents it. You have to be crazy to interact with Cuban entities under that oppressive circumstance. The risks for U.S. banks, for example, are very great,” he said. The Foreign Ministry also questioned how technology companies could discern between state and private enterprises to offer Internet services that are currently blocked, another of the measures that the Biden administration announced in May. 19 . President Biden has extended for another year the Trading with the Enemy Act, a 1917 regulation under which the embargo/blockade on Cuba was imposed. “I hereby determine that the continued exercise of such authorities with respect to Cuba for one year is in the national interest of the United States,” Biden said in the brief memorandum sent to the Treasury Department, published in the Federal Register . 20. Cuban pianist Jesús Chucho Valdés and saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera already have a commemorative date on the calendar. The city of Saint Louis, in the southern state of Missouri, declared that every September 19 will be the day of both Cuban musicians in the United States. 22 . The 5th Meeting of Residents in the United States that took place at the Cuban mission to the United Nations in New York, reaffirmed the government’s will to promote relations with its compatriots in that country, according to a note from the Prensa Latina news agency. Among the main concerns, the diaspora learned in depth about the recently approved laws on migration, nationality and aliens, which are about to come into force. According to Ana Teresita González, head of the General Department of Consular Affairs and Assistance to Cubans Living Abroad (DGACCRE), “we are willing to analyze any project or business.” The DGACCRE will support initiatives promoted by Cubans residing outside the national territory. October 02 . The children’s theater company La Colmenita concluded its tour of the United States in Washington DC, which included visits and performances in Tampa and New York. The presentation in the U.S. capital took place at the Imagination Stage theater with the staging of Cinderella according to The Beatles , a free version in English by the founder and director of the group Carlos Alberto Cremata of the popular fairytale “Cinderella.” 02 . In recent years, Cuba has faced “a growing open incitement to violence from the United States,” said Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Josefina Vidal Ferreiro. The Cuban government has repeatedly notified the authorities of these events, she said at the International Conference on Victims of Terrorism organized by the UN and the government of Spain in the city of Vitoria. 12 . The famous filmmaker and activist Michael Moore asked Joe Biden, in his last 100 days in office as president, to lift the embargo on Cuba and close the Guantanamo naval base. 12 . Cuba imported 46 times more used cars from the United States than food in August, according to a report published by the Economic Eye On Cuba (EEOC) blog , which uses official data provided by various U.S. agencies, including the Department of Commerce. The purchases, which must be paid in cash because Washington does not extend commercial credits to Cuba due to sanctions, do not take into account the sectors, state or private, responsible for the acquisitions. 17 . The Cuban government denounced the “lack of will” that in its opinion the U.S. authorities demonstrate in the face of the attacks suffered by the embassy in Washington. There is “a lack of will and to a certain extent complicity on the part of the federal agencies of the United States that are in charge of preventing terrorist actions,” said Johana Tablada, deputy director for the United States of the Cuban Foreign Ministry. 22 . The U.S. government said it is following “closely” the blackouts that Cuba has suffered in recent days and assured that it does not rule out providing aid to the island. 23 . The ruling of a federal appeals court in the United States on Tuesday overturned the judicial decision that forced several cruise companies to pay fines of more than 400 million dollars for having carried out operations using properties confiscated by the Cuban government after 1959, without compensation to their owners. 24. The Court of Appeals of the 11th Circuit based in the city of Atlanta backed the claim of Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises, affected by the verdict issued at the end of 2022 by U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom, by a 2-1 vote, the Miami Herald reported . 24. “If the U.S. government is truly willing to help, it knows and clearly understands where it can make a difference and what needs to be done. There is no need for too many explanations or specific requests,” responded Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío. The New York Times publishes letter to Biden demanding end to “brutal” policy on Cuba 30 . With 187 votes in favor, one abstention and two votes against, the United Nations General Assembly once again supported the Cuban government’s resolution on “the need to put an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States.” The votes against were from the United States and Israel, and Moldova abstained. November 10. According to the New York-based U.S. Trade & Economic Council, Inc., U.S. agricultural and food exports to Cuba increased by 53.3% in September 2024. They were $31,150,492, compared to $20,317,573 in September 2023 and $38,167,679 in September 2022. All of this is taking place within the framework of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSREEA) of 2000, the Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992, and regulations implemented (1992 to date) for other products by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce. 16. The U.S. Embassy in Havana announced the arrival of a new Chief of Mission (Chargé d’Affaires): career diplomat Mike Hammer, 60 years old and with more than three decades of service. Hammer, who recently served as Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, has a diplomatic career as ambassador to Chile and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in addition to working as a diplomat in Bolivia, Norway, Iceland and Denmark. 20 . A group of 18 congresspeople urged President Biden to ease sanctions against Cuba and eliminate its designation among the nations sponsoring terrorism . The letter is driven by a “deep sense of urgency” and requests “immediate actions to stabilize Cuba’s energy infrastructure and provide critical humanitarian assistance.” 28. The Cuban government referred for the first time to Donald Trump ’s victory in the elections and assured that “the country is prepared” for a new term of the Republicans. President Miguel Díaz-Canel said that the election results “are not new” and were a “scenario predicted” by the Cuban authorities. He reiterated his criticism of the U.S. sanctions, a package he described as “perverse and genocidal.” He recalled that the last series of sanctions was imposed during the first term of Republican Trump and that the current U.S. president has maintained “the same position of hostility.” “The Cuban people are currently facing widespread blackouts and a growing energy crisis, exacerbated by the impact of Hurricane Rafael. The situation is not only causing immense suffering to the Cuban people but also poses serious risks to the national security interests of the United States.” 29 . The private MSME Danaus SRL won a victory in a U.S. court against the company Overseas of the Americas Corp., as reported by Univision. The ruling responds to a lawsuit for breach of a contract for the sale of a load of chicken for a total value of 84,000 dollars. Danaus SRL is a company based in Havana that is dedicated to the distribution of wholesale products throughout Cuba, according to its social networks. Meanwhile, Overseas of the Americas Corp. is based in the state of Florida and was created on July 6, 2021. The case creates a precedent for businesspeople to be able to file lawsuits from Cuba against U.S. entities. December 05 . The Cuban government estimated that it is “not realistic” for the next Republican administration of Donald Trump to deport the “hundreds of thousands” of Cubans currently living illegally in the United States. Given the imminent arrival of Trump to the White House on January 20, and the promises of the president-elect to carry out mass deportations from the first day of his mandate, the Cuban authorities assured that any proposal of this type would have to be examined within the limits of the existing agreements between Washington and Havana. “In that context, it is not realistic to think that there will be mass deportations from the United States to Cuba,” said Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernández de Cossío, cited by the Reuters news agency. 06 . A foreign adversary of the United States is likely responsible for some of the Havana Syndrome incidents, a House of Representatives investigative committee has concluded, debunking the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) version and accusing it of withholding valuable information. Representative Rick Crawford, chairman of the House Intelligence Subcommittee that oversees the CIA, released an interim report that castigates the U.S. intelligence community for “attempting to frustrate” the investigation and producing a “dubious or misleading” prior assessment that dismissed the incidents, reported an article published in El Nuevo Herald , Miami. “It seems increasingly likely and the chairman [of the subcommittee] is convinced that a foreign adversary is behind some” of these incidents, the report said. 11 . U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that he “does not anticipate” any change in Cuba policy before outgoing President Joe Biden leaves power on January 20, 2025. “I do not anticipate any change in our policy toward Cuba by this administration,” said the head of U.S. diplomacy during an appearance before a parliamentary committee. 11 . The Cuban Foreign Ministry responded to the approval of the “No Recognized Stolen Brands” law, recently signed by President Joe Biden, with a strong condemnation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) considers it a “unilateral coercive” measure that reinforces Washington’s embargo against the island’s economy, which is going through the worst moment of its prolonged economic crisis. 13. The U.S. government decided to keep Cuba for another year on the list of countries that in its opinion sponsor terrorism , which entails a series of sanctions for the island. This is stated in the 2023 report on terrorism in the world published this Thursday by the State Department. Cuba shares a category with North Korea, Iran and Syria, countries that Washington accuses of “providing repeated support to acts of international terrorism.” 17. The Cuban government denied that it is uncomfortable with the political rapprochement with the United States and acknowledged that it is “concerned” about the economic effect that a second Donald Trump term may have. “Of course, we are concerned about the effect that greater hostility from the United States, which has proven to be very powerful and to have a very effective destructive capacity to cause damage, may have on our economy, and in particular, the effect it may have on the standard of living of the population,” said Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernández de Cossío. Tags: Cuba-USA Relations featured
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jao Ituka led Jacksonville State over East Carolina on Thursday night with 18 points off of the bench in an 86-78 victory. Ituka shot 5 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Gamecocks (4-1). Jaron Pierre Jr. added 16 points while shooting 4 of 10 from the field and 7 for 11 from the line while he also had six rebounds and six assists. Michael Houge had 15 points and shot 6 of 11 from the field and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. RJ Felton led the Pirates (4-1) in scoring, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. C.J. Walker added 20 points and seven rebounds for East Carolina. Yann Farell also had 12 points. Ituka scored 10 points in the first half and Jacksonville State went into halftime trailing 39-37. Jacksonville State used a 13-2 second-half run to take the lead at 71-66 with 3:52 remaining. Houge scored 12 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .AP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:52 p.m. EST
Democrat Jamie Raskin is running for top Judiciary post in bid to counter Trump
21 dead as Mozambique erupts in violence after election court ruling
Trump and our economyQatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha Vodafone Qatar has announced the launch of the all-new brovi 5G Mobile Wi-Fi Pro 5 for customers in Qatar. The next-generation mobile Wi-Fi device combines cutting-edge 5G technology with Wi-Fi 6 Plus for fast connectivity, all housed in an ultra-slim and lightweight design that redefines portability and performance. With theoretical peak download speeds of up to 3.6 Gbps and upload speeds of 500 Mbps, the 5G Mobile Wi-Fi Pro 5 ensures customers can stream HD content, download 4K videos within seconds, and enjoy ultra-smooth online gaming. Featuring an OLED touchscreen, the brovi 5G Mobile Wi-Fi Pro 5 provides intuitive device control, with the AI Life app ensuring seamless traffic management, parental controls, and advanced security for a smarter and safer experience. The brovi 5G MiFi Pro 5 is also powered by Game Turbo 2.0 technology, boosting signal strength, reducing latency, and optimising over 40 popular games for an immersive gaming experience. Supporting multiple simultaneous connections, the brovi 5G Mobile WiFi Pro 5 is engineered to meet the needs of modern users, allowing up to 10 hours of continuous use, suitable for remote work and staying connected on the move. Customers can purchase the brovi 5G MiFi, online, and from the following Vodafone Retail stores such as Villaggio Mall, City Centre Mall, Mall of Qatar, Landmark Mall, Doha Festival City, Place Vendome, Tawar Mall, Lulu D-Ring road, and Vodafone’s Al Wakra branch. For more information on pricing and specifications, visit: https://www.vodafone.qa/en/product/Brovi Copy 25/12/2024 10Clinical and regulatory success in 2024 expected to drive value in 2025 CRANFORD, N.J. , Dec. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Citius Pharma" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: CTXR), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of first-in-class critical care products today reported business and financial results for the fiscal full year ended September 30, 2024 . Fiscal Full Year 2024 Business Highlights and Subsequent Developments Financial Highlights "In fiscal year 2024 we drove tremendous progress in our pipeline. It was a transformative year, marked by our first FDA approval and significant clinical milestones. The approval of LYMPHIRTM and the positive Phase 3 results for Mino-Lok® underscore our commitment to developing innovative therapies. Our team successfully responded to FDA comments related to the biologics license application for LYMPHIR and ultimately gained FDA approval. Productive engagement with the FDA regarding the positive results of our Phase 3 Mino-Lok® trial and Phase 2 Halo-Lido trial clarified our next steps for both programs. We anticipate continued engagement with the agency in the coming year and look forward to their guidance. Additionally, we are exploring strategic partnerships and licensing opportunities to maximize the potential of our portfolio and bring these important therapies to market efficiently," stated Leonard Mazur , Chairman and CEO of Citius Pharma. "Looking ahead, our priorities for fiscal year 2025 include launching LYMPHIRTM through our majority-owned subsidiary, Citius Oncology, driving the clinical and regulatory strategies for Mino-Lok® and Halo-Lido, fortifying our financial position, and applying a disciplined approach to resource allocation. We expect to launch LYMPHIR in the first half of 2025 and distribute CTOR shares to Citius Pharma shareholders by the end of the year, pending favorable market conditions. Our goal remains to deliver value for patients, healthcare providers, and shareholders. With a clear vision and a strong team, we are well-positioned to execute on our mission of bringing innovative therapies to market," added Mazur. FULL YEAR 2024 FINANCIAL RESULTS: Liquidity As of September 30, 2024 , the Company had $3.3 million in cash and cash equivalents. As of September 30, 2024 , the Company had 7,247,243 common shares outstanding, as adjusted for the 1-for-25 reverse stock split of the Company's common stock, effected on November 25, 2024 . During the year ended September 30, 2024 , the Company received net proceeds of $13.8 million from the issuance of equity. The Company expects to raise additional capital to support operations. Research and Development (R&D) Expenses R&D expenses were $11.9 million for the full year ended September 30, 2024 , compared to $14.8 million for the full year ended September 30, 2023 . The decrease in R&D expenses primarily reflects the completion of the Halo-Lido trial and completion of activities related to the regulatory resubmission for LYMPHIR, offset by shutdown costs associated with the end of the Phase 3 trial for Mino-Lok. We expect research and development expenses to decrease in fiscal year 2025 as we continue to focus on the commercialization of LYMPHIR through our majority-owned subsidiary, Citius Oncology and because we have completed the Phase 3 trial for Mino-Lok. General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses G&A expenses were $18.2 million for the full year ended September 30, 2024 , compared to $15.3 million for the full year ended September 30, 2023 . The increase was primarily due to costs associated with pre-launch and market research activities associated with LYMPHIR. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of compensation costs, professional fees for legal, regulatory, accounting and corporate development services, and investor relations expenses. Stock-based Compensation Expense For the full year ended September 30, 2024 , stock-based compensation expense was $11.8 million as compared to $6.6 million for the prior year. The increase of $5.2 million is largely due to the grant of options under the Citius Oncology stock plan. Stock-based compensation expense under the Citius Oncology stock plan was $7.5 million during the year ended September 30, 2024 , compared to $2.0 million for the year ended September 30, 2023 , as the plan was initiated in July 2023 . For the years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, stock-based compensation expense also includes $47,547 and $130,382 , respectively, for the NoveCite stock option plan. In fiscal years 2023 and 2024, we granted options to our new employees and additional options to other employees, our directors, and consultants. Net loss Net loss was $39.4 million , or ($5.97) per share for the year ended September 30, 2024 , compared to a net loss of $32.5 million , or ($5.57) per share for the year ended September 30, 2023 , as adjusted for the reverse stock split. The increase in net loss reflects an increase in operating expense of $5.3 million offset by a decrease of $1.6 million in other income. Operating expense increased due to increases in stock-based compensation and general and administrative expenses, which were offset by decreased research and development expense. About Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Citius Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of first-in-class critical care products. In August 2024 , the FDA approved LYMPHIRTM, a targeted immunotherapy for an initial indication in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Citius Pharma's late-stage pipeline also includes Mino-Lok®, an antibiotic lock solution to salvage catheters in patients with catheter-related bloodstream infections, and CITI-002 (Halo-Lido), a topical formulation for the relief of hemorrhoids. A Pivotal Phase 3 Trial for Mino-Lok and a Phase 2b trial for Halo-Lido were completed in 2023. Mino-Lok met primary and secondary endpoints of its Phase 3 Trial. Citius Pharma is actively engaged with the FDA to outline next steps for both programs. For more information, please visit www.citiuspharma.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting Citius Pharma. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "will," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "plan," "should," and "may" and other words and terms of similar meaning or use of future dates. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated, and, unless noted otherwise, that apply to Citius Pharma are: our ability to raise additional money to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months as a going concern; our ability to commercialize LYMPHIR through our majority-owned subisity and any of our other product candidates that may be approved by the FDA; the estimated markets for our product candidates and the acceptance thereof by any market; the ability of our product candidates to impact the quality of life of our target patient populations; risks related to research using our assets but conducted by third parties; risks relating to the results of research and development activities, including those from our existing and any new pipeline assets; our ability to maintain compliance with Nasdaq's continued listing standards; our dependence on third-party suppliers; our ability to procure cGMP commercial-scale supply; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing; the early stage of products under development; market and other conditions; risks related to our growth strategy; patent and intellectual property matters; our ability to identify, acquire, close and integrate product candidates and companies successfully and on a timely basis; government regulation; competition; as well as other risks described in our Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings. These risks have been and may be further impacted by any future public health risks. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks regarding our business are described in detail in our SEC filings which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov , including in Citius Pharma's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2024 , filed with the SEC on December 27, 2024 , as updated by our subsequent filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. Investor Contact: Ilanit Allen ir@citiuspharma.com 908-967-6677 x113 Media Contact: STiR-communications Greg Salsburg Greg@STiR-communications.com -- Financial Tables Follow – CITIUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 AND 2023 2024 2023 ASSETS Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 3,251,880 $ 26,480,928 Inventory 8,268,766 — Prepaid expenses 2,700,000 7,889,506 Total Current Assets 14,220,646 34,370,434 Property and equipment, net — 1,432 Operating lease right-of-use asset, net 246,247 454,426 Other Assets: Deposits 38,062 38,062 In-process research and development 92,800,000 59,400,000 Goodwill 9,346,796 9,346,796 Total Other Assets 102,184,858 68,784,858 Total Assets $ 116,651,751 $ 103,611,150 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Accounts payable $ 4,927,211 $ 2,927,334 License payable 28,400,000 — Accrued expenses 17,027 476,300 Accrued compensation 2,229,018 2,156,983 Operating lease liability 241,547 218,380 Total Current Liabilities 35,814,803 5,778,997 Deferred tax liability 6,713,800 6,137,800 Operating lease liability – non current 21,318 262,865 Total Liabilities 42,549,921 12,179,662 Commitments and Contingencies Stockholders' Equity: Preferred stock - $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding — — Common stock - $0.001 par value; 16,000,000 shares authorized; 7,247,243 and 6,354,371 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively 7,247 6,354 Additional paid-in capital 271,440,421 253,056,133 Accumulated deficit (201,370,218) (162,231,379) Total Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Stockholders' Equity 70,077,450 90,831,108 Non-controlling interest 4,024,380 600,380 Total Equity 74,101,830 91,431,488 Total Liabilities and Equity $ 116,651,751 $ 103,611,150 Reflects a 1-for-25 reverse stock split effective November 25, 2024. CITIUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 AND 2023 2024 2023 Revenues $ — $ — Operating Expenses: Research and development 11,906,601 14,819,729 General and administrative 18,249,402 15,295,584 Stock-based compensation – general and administrative 11,839,678 6,616,705 Total Operating Expenses 41,995,681 36,732,018 Operating Loss (41,995,681) (36,732,018) Other Income: Interest income, net 758,000 1,179,417 Gain on sale of New Jersey net operating losses 2,387,842 3,585,689 Total Other Income Net 3,145,842 4,765,106 Loss before Income Taxes (38,849,839) (31,966,912) Income tax expense 576,000 576,000 Net Loss (39,425,839) (32,542,912) Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest 287,000 - Deemed dividend on warrant extension (1,047,312) (1,151,208) Net Loss Applicable to Common Stockholders $ (40,186,151) (33,694,120) Net Loss Per Share Applicable to Common Stockholders - Basic and Diluted $ (5.97) (5.57) Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Awards for Up to $2,2 Billion for Two Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs to Bolster America’s Globa
New technology aids Brazil’s crackdown on illicit Amazon gold trade BRASILIA: Harley Sandoval, an evangelical pastor, real estate agent and mining entrepreneur, was arrested in July 2023 for illegally exporting 294 kilos of gold from Brazil’s Amazon to the US, Dubai and Italy. On paper, the gold was sourced from a legal prospect Sandoval was licensed to mine in the northern state of Tocantins. But police said not an ounce of gold had been mined there since colonial times. Using cutting-edge forensic technology, along with satellite imagery, Brazil’s Federal Police said it was able to establish that the exported gold did not come from the Tocantins prospect. Instead, it had been dug up from three different wildcat mines in neighbouring Para, some on protected Indigenous reservation lands, according to previously unreported court documents dated November 2023 seen by Reuters. The prosecution is one of the first in Brazil using the new technology to tackle clandestine trading that may account for as much as half of the gold output of Brazil, a major producer and exporter of the precious metal. Illegal gold mining has surged at thousands of sites in the Amazon rainforest, bringing environmental destruction and criminal violence to the region. Seizures of illegally mined gold have surged seven-fold in the past seven years, according to Federal Police records obtained exclusively by Reuters. Sandoval, who has been released pending trial and continues to preach with his wife at a Pentecostal Evangelical church in the central Brazilian city of Goiania, denies the allegations. He maintains there is no way to establish where the gold was mined once it is melted down into ingots for export. “That’s impossible. To export gold one always has to melt it down,” he told Reuters by telephone. THE DNA OF GOLD Historically, gold is notoriously difficult to trace, especially once metal from different sources has been melted together, erasing the original signatures. After that, it can easily be traded as a financial asset or be used in the jewellery industry. But investigators say that’s starting to change. A police programme called ‘Targeting Gold’ is creating a database of samples from across Brazil that are examined with radio-isotope scans and fluorescence spectroscopy to determine the unique composition of elements. The technique, long used in archaeology, was pioneered in mining by University of Pretoria geologist Roger Dixon to help distinguish between legal and stolen gold. The programme developed in partnership with university researchers includes the use of powerful light beams from a particle accelerator at a Sao Paulo lab to study nano-sized impurities associated with gold, be it dirt or other metals like lead or copper, that help trace its origins. Humberto Freire, director of the Federal Police’s recently created Environment and Amazon Department, said the technology allows scientists to analyse “the DNA of Brazilian gold”. “Nature has marked the gold with isotopes and we can read these unique fingerprints with radio-isotope scans,” Freire said. “With this tool we can trace illegal gold before it gets refined for export.” The programme has helped fuel an increase in gold seizures since leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office last year -- up 38 per cent in 2023 from 2022, according to government numbers seen by Reuters. New Brazil central bank gold market regulations, including mandatory electronic tax receipts for all trades and tightened monitoring of suspect transactions, have also helped, according to Freire. “We estimate that around 40 per cent of the gold that is extracted in the Amazon is illegal,” he told Reuters. Brazil exported 110 tonnes of gold in 2020 worth $5 billion, according to official data, ranking among the world’s top 20 exporters. Last year, exports were 77.7 tonnes, a drop the government attributes to improved enforcement of illegal mining. INDIGENOUS TENSIONS Lula’s predecessor, far-right President Jair Bolsonaro weakened environmental controls in the Amazon. That triggered a new gold rush in Brazil, spurred by record world gold prices that were driven up by geopolitical tensions and central bank purchases, led by China. Prices have continued to new highs, trading at around $2,650 per ounce on Friday. Gold rushes have been a hallmark of mineral-rich Brazil from its Portuguese colonial past. But the latest surge in wildcat mining beginning during Bolsonaro’s administration has been unprecedented. Satellite images show there are some 80,000 such prospects today in the Amazon rainforest, more than ever registered before. Once dominated by prospectors with gold pans, artisanal mining in Brazil has become an industrial-scale activity with heavy excavating machinery and million-dollar river dredgers. Criminal organizations fly people, equipment and gold into and out of the region with helicopters and planes that land at clandestine airstrips. Their excavations often leave behind gaping ponds of sludge contaminated with mercury, used to separate the gold from dirt and other minerals. Last year, thousands of miners who invaded the Yanomami territory, the country’s largest Indigenous reservation on the northern border with Venezuela, brought violence and disease that caused malnutrition and a humanitarian crisis among the tribe, prompting Lula to send in troops. But many returned this year after the military pulled out. Lula, who has pledged to stamp out illegal gold mining, tried to fight back by deploying special forces of the environmental protection agency Ibama into Indigenous reservations and forest conservation parks. Police say cracking down on the organized crime gangs that back the wildcat miners is the next step in staunching an illegal trade that feeds the jewellery and watch industry in Switzerland, which buys 70 per cent of Brazil’s exported gold, according to government trade data. Amazon neighbours, including Colombia and French Guiana, are considering adopting the Brazilian gold analysis method to deal with their illegal gold trade and European governments have shown interest, including Switzerland and Britain, the top importers from Brazil after Canada, police and diplomats said. Brazil accounts for just 1.0 per cent of gold imported by Switzerland, a global trade hub for the metal, and “measures are in place to import only legally mined gold”, a Swiss embassy statement said. The embassy said it has set up a working group with other importing countries to study traceability and anti-counterfeiting tools. A 2022 study by non-profit watchdog Instituto Escolhas found that 52 per cent of the gold exported from the Amazon was illegal, nearly all from protected Indigenous reservation lands or national conservation parks. A vibrant lobby for informal gold mining has survived Bolsonaro in Brazil’s Conservative Congress, where pending bills propose legalising wildcat mining. For now, though, gold samples from across Brazil are being added to a database with the help of scientists at the Federal Police’s criminology institute lab in Brasilia, where forensic expert Erich Moreira Lima oversees microscopic scanning of gold nuggets that are kept in a safe.Why Republicans start out as favorites in the 2026 Senate electionsInvisible farmersAn online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition
Kroger Announces Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer SuccessionPM Modi To Participate In ‘Odisha Parba 2024’ In Delhi TomorrowPresident-elect Donald Trump on Friday said he will nominate prominent investor Scott Bessent as US Treasury secretary, ending days of twists that saw high profile candidates pitted against each other for the cabinet position with vast influence over economic, regulatory and international affairs. Wall Street has been closely watching who Trump would choose , especially given his plans to remake global trade through tariffs and extend and potentially expand the raft of tax cuts enacted during his first term. The choice of Bessent, who has spent his career in finance, gives Wall Street an advocate for tax reform and deregulation. Some strategists said his nomination was a relief as he understands markets and his appointment could reduce the chance of severe tariffs . The announcement – the most prominent of a flurry of Friday night appointments by Trump – caps a week where big name Wall Street luminaries’ chance at the job oscillated on a daily basis. Other names that had been considered included Apollo Global Management Chief Executive Marc Rowan and former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh. Investor John Paulson had also been a leading candidate, but dropped out , while Wall Street veteran Howard Lutnick, another contender, was appointed as head of the Commerce Department. The choice came after days of deliberations by Trump as he sorted through a shifting list of candidates. Bessent spent day after day at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida providing economic advice, sources said, a proximity to the president-elect that may have helped him prevail. “Scott is widely respected as one of the world’s foremost international investors and geopolitical and economic strategists,” said Trump as he announced the nomination in a statement released on Truth Social. Bessent, from South Carolina, has spent his career in finance, working for macro investment billionaire George Soros and noted short seller Jim Chanos, as well as running his own hedge fund. As a money manager, he made a large bet on Trump winning after spotting what he called an anomaly in the market – that political and market analysts were too negative on what a Trump victory would mean. Bessent, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has advocated for tax reform and deregulation, particularly to spur more bank lending and energy production, as noted in a recent opinion piece he wrote for The Wall Street Journal. The market’s surge after Trump’s election victory, he wrote, signaled investor expectations of “higher growth, lower volatility and inflation, and a revitalized economy for all Americans.” “Bessent has been on the side of less aggressive tariffs,” said Oxford Economics’ Ryan Sweet, adding that picking him makes the steep tariffs Trump proposed on the campaign trail less likely. Bessent follows other financial luminaries who have taken the job, including former Goldman Sachs executives Robert Rubin, Hank Paulson and Steven Mnuchin, Trump’s first Treasury chief. Janet Yellen, the current secretary and first woman in the job, previously chaired the Federal Reserve and White House Council of Economic Advisers. As Treasury secretary, Bessent will essentially be the highest-ranking U.S. economic official, responsible for maintaining the plumbing of the world’s largest economy, from collecting taxes and paying the nation’s bills to managing the $28.6-trillion Treasury debt market and overseeing financial regulation, including handling and preventing market crises. The Treasury boss also runs US financial sanctions policy, has influence over the US-led International Monetary Fund, World Bank and other international financial institutions, and manages national security screenings of foreign investments in the United States. Bessent will face challenges, including safely managing federal deficits that are forecast to grow by nearly $8 trillion over a decade due to Trump’s plans to extend expiring tax cuts next year and add generous new breaks, including ending taxes on Social Security income. Without offsetting revenues, this new debt would add to an unsustainable fiscal trajectory already forecast to balloon US debt by $22 trillion through 2033. Managing debt increases this large without market indigestion will be a challenge, though Bessent has argued Trump’s agenda will unleash stronger economic growth that will grow revenue and shore up market confidence, opens new tab. Bessent will also inherit the role carved out by Yellen to lead the Group of Seven wealthy democracies in providing tens of billions of dollars in economic support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion and tightening sanctions on Moscow. But it is unclear whether he will pursue this, given Trump’s desire to end the war quickly and withdraw US financial support for Ukraine. Another area where Bessent will likely differ from Yellen is her focus on climate change, from her mandate that development banks expand lending for clean energy to incorporating climate risks into financial regulations and managing hundreds of billions of dollars in clean-energy tax credits. Trump, a climate-change skeptic, has vowed to increase production of US fossil fuel energy and end the clean-energy subsidies in President Joe Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The Treasury secretary is also the administration’s closest point of contact with the Federal Reserve. Both Yellen under Biden and Mnuchin under Trump typically met weekly with Fed Chair Jerome Powell, often over breakfast or lunch. Bessent has floated the idea of creating a “shadow” Fed chair. This would entail nominating as early as possible a presumptive Powell successor to the Fed Board who would then deliver their own policy guidance so that, as Bessent told Barron’s last month, “no one is really going to care what Jerome Powell has to say anymore.” Bessent has since said he no longer thinks the idea of a shadow chair is worth pursuing, the Wall Street Journal reported. Powell’s term as Fed chair expires in May 2026. Bessent, along with John Paulson, had been an early favorite for job earlier in the year according to a Reuters report at the time and seemed to be in pole position a week after election day, on Nov. 12, when Paulson exited the race citing “complex financial obligations”. However, there were many twists in the race for the top position. On 13 November, banker Howard Lutnick, who was leading a transition team to vet personnel and draft policy, emerged as a top contender. Lutnick, however, was taken out of the running after Trump nominated him to lead his trade and tariff strategy as head of the Commerce Department. The pool of candidates then widened when Rowan, and former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh were under consideration as well as Republican US Senator Bill Hagerty, sources with knowledge of the transition process said at the time. Reporting by Steve Holland, Alexandra Ulmer, David Lawder, Lawrence Delevingne, Ann Saphir, Costas Pitas, Nathan Layne and Jasper Ward, Reuters
Pope Francis will visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica in December, days after skipping the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, the Vatican said Saturday. Francis, 87, declined an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Notre Dame reopening ceremony in Paris on December 7. He will however head to Corsica's capital Ajaccio for a conference on the Catholic faith in the Mediterranean one week later on December 15, the Vatican said. Some French bishops were "annoyed" by the pope's decision to stay away from the Notre Dame gala, according to one bishop speaking on condition of anonymity. But the head of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort said: "The star of the Notre Dame reopening ceremony is Notre Dame itself." The pope had not wanted his presence to be a distraction from the essential point of the occasion, he added. "It's not a snub aimed at France," said another bishop. Francis's one-day trip to Corsica will be the first papal visit to the island, where 90 percent of its 350,000 population is Catholic, according to the local Church, and religious traditions remain deeply rooted. He will give two speeches, preside over a mass and meet Macron during his nine hours on the island, the Vatican said. "It is a historic event, we will give ourselves the extraordinary means to put on an exceptional welcome for the Holy Father," said Bishop of Ajaccio Francois-Xavier Bustillo said in a video posted on social media. Francis, who will celebrate his 88th birthday on December 17, has been to France twice since becoming head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013. He visited Strasbourg in 2014, where he addressed the European Parliament, and last year went to Marseille for a meeting of Mediterranean area bishops, where he met Macron. He has yet to make a state visit to France, one of Europe's main majority-Catholic countries. He is also yet to make state visits to Spain, the United Kingdom or Germany. The Argentine pontiff prefers visiting smaller or less established Catholic communities, from Malta to Mongolia. The Corsica visit was championed by the popular media-friendly Bustillo, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in September 2023. "It will not be a state visit, but a pastoral visit. It will be a beautiful moment, a moment of hope and joy," he told AFP. In addition, the head of the Catholic Church is scheduled to be at the Vatican on December 7-8 for a service at which he will create 21 new cardinals. Rescheduling appointments over coming months would appear to be tricky, given the multitude of events due to take place in Rome in 2025, a Catholic jubilee year. Bustillo is one of the active cardinals Francis has appointed in the Mediterranean region, with the pope keen they "work together to meet the specific challenges of the area", a bishop told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those issues include migration, global warming and interreligious dialogue. Corsica will be the 47th overseas visit for Francis and his third this year, after a long tour of the Asia Pacific in early September and a trip to Belgium and Luxembourg the same month. cmk-bur/tw/jm'Never going to be a fast process': Watchdog defends time taken on probes