Bosch is the latest recipient of (preliminary) CHIPS and Science Act funding. The company signed a non-binding agreement with the US Commerce Department and could receive up to $225 million in funding. Lest you think Amazon’s gruff crime solver somehow got a piece of the action, Bosch is also a German multinational corporation that makes... just about everything under the sun. (That even includes a stink-removal machine !) The company recently accelerated its silicon development, buying TSI Semiconductors in 2023 and finalizing the deal early this year. But instead of focusing on cutting-edge silicon for computers, phones and AI, Bosch specializes in chips for the auto industry. The company plans to use the funds on the Roseville, CA facility it acquired in the TSI deal. The company will invest up to $1.9 billion to convert the plant into one that spits out silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors, which are used to boost the efficiency of EV driving and charging. Bosch expects the first 200mm wafers to come off the line there in 2026. “The Roseville investment enables Bosch to locally produce silicon carbide semiconductors, supporting US consumers on the path to electrification,” Paul Thomas, president of Bosch in North America and Bosch Mobility Americas, wrote in a statement. In addition to boosting America’s primacy in the chip industry, the CHIPS Act’s other goal is job creation. The White House says the proposed funding would create up to 1,700 jobs, including 1,000 in construction and 700 in manufacturing, engineering and R&D. “Today’s agreement catalyzes nearly $2 billion of private investment and the creation of over 1,700 jobs, while investing in a critical technology relied upon on by our defense and auto industry,” wrote Natalie Quillian, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff. In November, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s leading advanced chip maker, was the first to have its CHIPS Act grants (to the tune of $6.6 billion) finalized. Other recipients include Intel (although its funding was recently cut ), HP , Samsung , GlobalFoundries , Texas Instruments and Rocket Lab .B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG Invests $680,000 in Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ)

The Grocery Shopping Tip To Always Follow When Grabbing PerishablesEnron , once among the largest energy companies in the U.S., has become a punchline since it famously collapsed amid inflated profits and corporate fraud in 2001. Now, social media posts, a slick promotional video and a revamped website suggest the infamous company is making a comeback. On Dec. 2, it posted promotional videos on TikTok , BlueSky and X about adapting to the changing world featuring inspiring imagery and diverse voices claiming "I am Enron" with the tagline, “We're back. Can we talk?” To coincide with the video and website launch, cryptocurrency bloggers speculated Enron will be involved in cryptocurrency exchange. Others speculated the rebranding is fake or parody . On Dec. 2, a company calling itself Enron Corporation published a promotional video on social media, introduced a new website and issued a press release announcing a relaunch of the company. But the relaunched website calls itself a parody. The new company with the infamous name is owned by Connor Gaydos, the co-founder of satirical conspiracy group “Birds Aren’t Real.” A disclaimer on the website’s terms of service page reads, “THE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE IS FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTED PARODY, REPRESENTS PERFORMANCE ART, AND IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY.” VERIFY reached out to the media contact listed on Enron’s website and in the press release about the site’s relaunch. Will Chabot , spokesperson for the current Enron brand and managing director of media strategy for Stu Loeser & Co., would not confirm or deny if the company was real or parody, but did direct VERIFY to the company’s articles of incorporation and press release about the relaunch. “I understand you had some questions about Enron's launch. While I'm not able to answer all of them (we'll have more to share soon - including a big announcement in the energy space - and will be sure to keep you in the loop),” Chabot told VERIFY. The latest iteration of Enron Corporation’s articles of incorporation were filed in Delaware on Feb. 28, 2024 by Gaydos, according to records provided to VERIFY by Chabot. Gaydos is the co-founder of Birds Aren’t Real , a satirical conspiracy group founded in 2017 that jokingly claims the U.S. government has been replacing living birds with surveillance drones. Gaydos registered the Enron trademark on May 13, 2020, through his The College Company LLC, which also has registered trademarks for Birds Aren’t Real. According to the trademark application for Enron, the trademark is used for shirts and other merchandise. The new website has merchandise for sale. Archival versions of Enron.com dating back to 1998 are available on The Wayback Machine. In January of 2024, the website domain of enron.com was available for purchase , archives of the page show. The last time that URL represented the bankrupt energy giant was in 2007 . There is no evidence to support claims the Enron brand was relaunched as a cryptocurrency firm, as some have speculated. There is a page on Enron’s new website titled “decentralization,” which is a common term to describe the kind of technology behind cryptocurrency. The website says, “Decentralized technology is advancing, and we will of course have a role to play in its future. We couldn't be more excited to show you, but until then please stay vigilant and avoid falling for scams. When we announce something, you'll know.”Silicon Valley and the California GOP should unite to save California

Michigan State loses one DB commit and adds anotherATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in a posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning — the good life — study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people — decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors. He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where the Carters lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday school lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners. He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian, would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting fliers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota U.S. Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015. “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter.Valladolid beats fellow struggler Valencia to move off the bottom of La Liga

Aston Villa march on in Champions League after beating RB Leipzig

The National President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chief Davidson Alaribe FCA, has advocated for ethical practice and professionalism among the practitioners. Alaribe stated this at the inauguration of Omokemi Oladipo as the pioneer Chairman of the Lagelu and District Society. He charged the leadership of the newly created district to prioritize mentorship as a key strategy to attract and retain new members. The ICAN national president also used the occasion to officially inaugurate the Lagelu District and Society as a new geographical district and 74th of the Institute with the aimed of enhancing ICAN’s outreach and expanding its influence in the southwestern part of Nigeria. The inauguration and investiture of Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo FCA, held on Saturday, November 23 in Ibadan, and attracted numerous prominent personalities from the accounting and business communities. Speaking at the event, the ICAN president who showered encomium on newly sworn in chairman of Lagelu District of the Institute, emphasized that mentorship plays a crucial role in guiding young accountants through their professional journeys and also helps them navigate the complexities of the accounting profession. While stressing the need for the Lagelu District leadership to uphold ethical conduct, practice, and high level professionalism in the discharge of their duties, Alaribe urged Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo to actively engage in mentorship programs and education that will not only support the career growth of aspiring accountants but also create a sustainable pipeline of qualified professionals for the future. He called on the pioneer executive members of Lagelu District and other members to cooperate and support Chief Mrs. Oladipo in her new designation, and to ensure that the ICAN brand in the district remains united and cohesive devoid of any form of divisive tendencies. “Mentorship is at the heart of our profession’s growth. As we continue to expand and strengthen our membership base, we must focus on nurturing the next generation of accountants. “By deepening a culture of mentorship, we can ensure that more young professionals, especially those who don’t even want to be stressed by the nitty gritty of accounting, are inspired and equipped to join ICAN and contribute to the growth of the profession.” Chief Alaribe said. Keynote speaker, Mr Patterson Ariemuduigho (FCA), also emphasized the importance of maintaining unity of purpose and cohesiveness, which he said remains the strength of the Institute. He equally expressed confidence in Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo led leadership of the Lagelu District in driving the vision of ICAN to an enviable height. The chairman of the day, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Oodua Investment Company Limited, Mr Abdulrahaman Yinusa (FCA), in his short address, congratulated the newly sworn in Lagelu District executive committee and assured that his company will continue to play its important role as a partner in progress to provide the needed support which also includes advisory role for both the national Institute and the new district. One of the leaders of the Institute, Dr Oyebade Oyedepo, in his paper presentation titled: “Breaking Barriers; Expanding Frontiers” highlighted various types of barriers accountants encounter in the discharge of their duties to include internal and external, as well as the impacts of such barriers, while equally providing key guides to preventing and mitigating such barriers. While highlighting some of the attributes required for breaking barriers in the profession to include courage, resilience, innovative thinking, strong determination and discipline, Dr Oyedepo expressed conviction that the Lagelu District of ICAN under the leadership of Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo would embrace the points raised in the paper to soar high beyond limit. “I believe they can do it, particularly with the pedigree of the convener, Mr Biodun Adedeji (FCA) and the pioneer chairman Chief (Mrs.) Omokemi Oladipo FCA, I can attest to their outstanding performance and forthrightness.” Dr Oyedepo said. In her acceptance speech, Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo, who was the immediate past chairman of Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN), Ibadan branch; the women wing of ICAN, thanked the national president of ICAN and other regional and zonal leaders for their physical presence at the event. She expressed gratitude for the trust placed in her and promised to work diligently towards the growth of the district. She reiterated her commitment to promoting ICAN’s core values, fostering a collaborative environment for members, and ensuring that the Lagelu District becomes a model of excellence in the accounting community. She equally thanked the Institute and her colleagues for trusting her and expressing their confidence in her abilities with the new role of steering the affairs of the new ICAN district as a pioneer chairman, assuring that she would not let them down, while promising an inclusive governance to ensure all members have equal sense of belonging and participation. While noting that her swearing in and official inauguration of the Lagelu District marked a significant milestone for ICAN in its mission to expand its influence and enhance the professional lives of accountants in the state and nation, Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo reaffirmed her commitment to uphold and preserve the reputation of the Institute as a respected brand while driving her vision forward. She also assured that her committee will hit the ground running immediately in implementing her vision for the district. Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo added that she would lead her team to embark on outreach programs which encapsulate education, professional capacity building, physical wellness, medical outreach, among others. She assured that her leadership would continue to maintain the integrity of the profession while leading by example in adherence to the ethical guidelines set forth by ICAN and ensuring that members of the district uphold the highest standards of professionalism in their practices. “I am humbled by this opportunity and I promise to lead with integrity, transparency, and dedication. Together, we will ensure that the Lagelu District becomes a beacon of professionalism, where ethical practices are not just encouraged but ingrained in every member’s approach to their work”, She said. Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo however, dedicated her career accomplishments to her husband; Chief Olabode Oladipo, the Bobadara of Osooro kingdom, Ikale, Ondo state, for believing in her dream and providing all the needed support and motivation to actualize her dream both in her professional career and at home as wife and mother. Earlier, the Lubokun IV, Rebuja of Osooro kingdom, and royal father of the day, HRM, Oba Gbadebo Bajowa, who was represented by a high-powered delegation, expressed delight in the career achievements of Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo, describing her as a brilliant and leading light even as a little child. As a result of her soaring influence and several selfless service to the people of Osooro kingdom and Ikale at large, the monarch announced the appointment of Chief (Mrs.) Oladipo as a member, Oba in-council of Osooro kingdom, while assuring her of his continuous support in all future endeavors. In their separate goodwill messages, the Convener of the event, Mr Biodun Adedeji (FCA), Oloye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke (FCA), Mr Timothy Oyelami, and Deacon Titus Alao, praised the spirit of residence and determination towards career success being displayed by Chief Mrs. Oladipo and promised to continue to provide support for her wherever and whenever needed. The event featured a series of discussions and presentations on the importance of ethical accounting practices and the role of chartered accountants in national development. Experts in the field highlighted the need for accountants to continuously update their knowledge and skills in compliance with evolving technology and regulations. NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel now

( MENAFN - Jordan Times) The Arab region is facing unprecedented challenges in its efforts to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition and ensure that everyone has access to adequate andaffordable healthy diets. This is due to multiple challenges and factors beyond the actions and controls of the Arab countries. There consequences, however, of these challenges and factors have burdened the population widely and burdened the governments to ensure the minimum food security by providing subsidies and other forms of support; which are becoming challenging in itself as a policy tool, due to tight fiscal space. In the near future, it does not seem that there will be a significant improvement in the current situation. The recent crises such as the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, the COVID-19 and ongoing negative impacts of climate change has stressed the agrifood systems and disrupted food supply chains around the world, including in the Arab region. In fact, it was one of the most affected world regions, mainly due to its heavy reliance on food imports from global markets and the Black Sea region. According to the joint UN Report“2022 Near East and North Africa Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition” recently published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the Arab region accounted for 7.6 per cent of the world's total agricultural imports in 2020. The countries of the Near East and North Africa are among the world's largest importers of grains, and more than 50 per cent of the caloric requirements are met through the food imports. In the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Yemen, more than 80 per cent of the total local availability of calories comes from imports. The report highlights the significant crisis the region is facing due to this situation, with the number of people suffering from malnutrition in the region reaching 54.3 million in 2021, or 12.2 per cent of the total population. This represents a 55 per cent increase over the figures of 2010; that is, before the region was hit by major shocks resulting from a wave of conflicts and popular uprisings number of people suffering from severe food insecurity in 2021 is estimated at 53.9 million, an increase of 5 million from the previous year. Moderate or severe food insecurity rates also continued to rise, negatively affecting an estimated 154.3 million people in 2021, and an increase of 11.6 million people compared to 2020. The number of people suffering from food insecurity has been steadily increasing since 2014, with 34.7 per cent of the total population suffering from moderate or severe food insecurity in 2021. More than half of the Arab population could not afford a healthy diet. At first glance, these indicators and figures suggest that the Arab region is unlikely to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 of eliminating hunger by 2030, in addition to many other challenges including climate change, conflicts, disasters and structural problems such as poverty and inequality. However, despite these alarming figures, there is still a chance to reverse this situation, overcome these crises and challenges, and return to the right path towards achieving food and nutrition goals by bringing about a transformation in the food and agri-systems of the region's countries to make them more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient. Some countries in the region have begun to realise this and are striving to prepare their food and agricultural systems for this transformation through various sustainable agricultural and rural development strategies. The first step toward this change is to enhance and disseminate the necessary knowledge and technology and enabling frameworks such as the financing. Moreover, enhancing integration between the countries and intra-regional trade would help in reducing the food import bill, while optimally utilising local resources in the Arab countries. This requires strategic investment in all these areas, along with a high-level political will and the development of clear and tested policies. Our attempt to reduce the food import bill should not neglect the importance of trade in ensuring the achievement of the four dimensions of food and nutrition security, which are availability, access, utilisation, and stability. Trade can increase the quantity and diversity of food and reduce its prices in food-importing countries. International trade, therefore, is essential for diverse and healthy food systems in the region. The writer is assistant director general and regional representative for the Near East and North Africa, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2023. MENAFN02122024000028011005ID1108949048 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.None

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Capitol Federal Financial (NASDAQ:CFFN) & Oconee Federal Financial (NASDAQ:OFED) Head to Head ContrastBank of South Carolina Co. (BKSC) to Issue Quarterly Dividend of $0.19 on January 31st