EMGA secures US$ 50M debt finance for Kazakhstan’s MFO KMF

LONDON, April 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP (EMGA) announces they have secured a US$50M facility senior debt facility from JICA, The Japan International Cooperation Agency.

KMF Chairman of the Board Shalkar Zhusupov: “This is the first time that KMF has entered into a partnership with JICA, whose goals and mission are close to our own. We are grateful to EMGA and JICA for their trust and support. The funds from JICA will be used to implement projects to support micro and small enterprises, including rural entrepreneurs, which will create new opportunities and contribute to their economic growth.”

EMGA’s Head of Investment Banking and Managing Director Sajeev Chakkalakal said, “We are delighted to have arranged this new landmark debt facility for our long-standing client KMF. It has been a real pleasure to work with them again, as they continue to solidify their position as the largest MFI in the country, and further strengthen their financial position in spite of turbulent times.�

EMGA’s Managing Director Jeremy Dobson added, “This new financing will help KMF deliver on their stated mission; to continue to help entrepreneurs throughout Kazakhstan, and to develop their business with a greater focus on female owned businesses and in rural areas.�

MFO KMF is one of the leaders in Central Asian microfinance sector. The company aims to establish long-term partnership relations with clients based on mutual trust, understanding and respect. MFO “KMF� disburses clients individual and group loans for the following types of activity: business, trade, crop farming and cattle-breeding, production and services and consumer lending.

JICA: The Japan International Cooperation Agency is a governmental agency that delivers the bulk of Official Development Assistance for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social growth in developing countries, and the promotion of international cooperation.

Emerging Markets Global Advisory Limited (EMGA), with offices in London and New York, helps financial institutions and corporates seeking new debt or equity capital. EMGA’s multi-national team combine the decades of experience necessary to complete transactions on behalf of their clients within the world’s emerging markets and frontier economies, including Kazakhstan which remains a key market. With a proven track record in capital formation and strategic advisory throughout diverse economic cycles, EMGA continues expanding its geographic reach and service offering, solidifying its place in the market as one of the industries pre-eminent emerging markets focused niche investment banks.

Contact details
info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000933917

ASICS Global Study Shows Link Between Regular Exercise in Teenage Years and Positive Mental Wellbeing in Adulthood

ASICS State of Mind Study
Moving your body as a teenager will also move your mind as an adult
Moving your body as a teenager will also move your mind as an adult
  • Global ASICS study of 26,000 people reaffirms the connection between movement and the mind and uncovers a direct link between teenage physical activity and adult mental wellbeing
  • Each additional year a teenager remains engaged in exercise is associated with improved State of Mind scores in adulthood, with the ages of 15-17 identified as the most critical years for staying active
  • Yet, younger generations are disengaging from exercise earlier and in larger numbers, potentially impacting their mental wellbeing now and for years to come

LONDON, April 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, ASICS is announcing the results of its second Global State of Mind Study, which reaffirms a positive link between physical exercise and mental wellbeing and uncovers a link between being physically active in teenage years and positive mental wellbeing in adulthood.

The study of over 26,000 respondents across 22 countries found that the more people exercise, the higher their State of Mind scores1. Across the globe, respondents who are regularly active2 have an average State of Mind score of 67/100, while inactive3 people have a much lower State of Mind score of just 54/100.

What’s more, the study uncovered that being physically active in your teenage years directly impacts your mind later in life. Participants who engaged in exercise throughout their adolescence report higher activity levels and State of Mind scores as adults. The findings indicate that remaining active as a teenager is key to establishing good exercise habits that last into adulthood and positively impact adult mental wellbeing.

In fact, the study was able to pinpoint the ages of 15-17 as the most critical years for staying active and when dropping out of exercise significantly affects your mental state for years to come. Those who regularly exercised at 15-17 years old are found to be more likely to remain active later in life and report higher State of Mind scores as adults (64/100 vs 61/100) than those who weren’t active during these years.

In comparison, respondents who dropped out of exercise before the age of 15 displayed the lowest activity levels and lowest State of Mind scores in adulthood. 30% are still inactive as adults and they are shown to be 11% less focused, 10% less confident, 10% less calm and 10% less composed compared to those who were able to exercise throughout adolescence.

In fact, every year a teenager remained engaged in regular exercise is associated with improved State of Mind scores in adulthood. Those who stopped exercising before the age of 15 display an average State of Mind score 15% lower than the global average, while a decline in physical activity at 16-17 and before the age of 22 reduced their average scores by 13% and 6% respectively.

Worryingly, the study also uncovered an exercise generation gap, with younger generations being increasingly less active. 57% of the Silent Generation (aged 78+) said they were active daily in their childhoods compared to just 19% of Gen Z (aged 18-27), showing a concerning trend of younger generations dropping out of physical activity earlier and in larger numbers than the generations before them.

Globally, members of Gen Z have the lowest State of Mind scores with an average of 62/100 compared to the Baby Boomers’ 68/100 and the Silent Generation’s 70/100.

Professor Brendon Stubbs, a leading researcher in exercise and mental health from King’s College London, said: “It is worrying to see this decline in activity levels from younger respondents at such a critical age, particularly as the study uncovered an association with lower wellbeing in adulthood�.

Gen Zs across the world are already exhibiting the lowest State of Mind scores (62/100) in comparison to the Silent Generation (70/100), so this could be hugely impactful for future mental wellbeing across the world.�

Tomoko Koda, Managing Executive Officer for ASICS, said: “ASICS was founded on the belief that sport and exercise benefit not only the body, but also the mind. It’s why we’re called ASICS: ‘Anima Sana in Corpore Sano’ or ‘Sound Mind in a Sound Body’. The results of our second global State of Mind Study show how important it is that young people stay active and the impact this can have on their minds for years to come. At ASICS, we’re committed to supporting and inspiring people to move for positive mental wellbeing throughout their lifetime.�

To find out more visit:
https://www.asics.com/us/en-us/mk/stateofmindstudy2024

NOTES FOR EDITOR

About the ASICS 2024 State of Mind Study
The 2024 State of Mind Study was conducted between 17 November – 21 December 2023 and explored the relationship between exercise and State of Mind across the world.

Over 26,000 people were surveyed across 22 markets including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, the UK and the US. Each market sample was nationally representative by age and gender.


1The ASICS State of Mind score is out of 100, calculated based on the accumulative mean scores across ten cognitive and emotional traits – positive, content, relaxed, focused, composed, resilient, confident, alert, calm, energized.

2150 minutes or more of physical activity per week (as defined by Sport England).

3Less than 30 minutes of physical activity per week (as defined by Sport England).


Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body,� is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of running shoes as well as other athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.asics.com.

The stripe design featured on the sides of the ASICS® shoes is a registered trademark of ASICS Corporation.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/25d28040-7b04-44cb-a421-97418e91c297

MEDIA CONTACTS:
For further information or to organise interviews, please contact asics.somi@golin.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000933726

AI-Media Unveils Enhanced Lexi Tool Kit at NAB 2024

World Leader in AI-Powered Captioning Solutions Introduces the new LEXI DR (Disaster Recovery) and LEXI Recorded

AI-Media Launches LEXI DR (Disaster Recovery) Captioning Solution

World Leader in AI-Powered Captioning Solutions Introduces the new LEXI DR (Disaster Recovery) and LEXI Recorded at NAB Show 2024

NEW YORK, April 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  AI-Media, the global leader in AI-powered captioning, is set to unveil two new products at the prestigious NAB Show 2024, scheduled from 14-17 April in Las Vegas USA. Renowned for its cutting-edge innovations serving the broadcast industry, AI-Media’s latest offerings; LEXI DR (Disaster Recovery) and LEXI Recorded are poised to revolutionize the captioning market.

In addition to showcasing numerous updates on products such as LEXI and our IP and SDI range of encoders, AI-Media is most excited to showcase the new LEXI DR product, a groundbreaking solution that ensures uninterrupted captioning delivery even in the face of cloud and connectivity disruptions. With LEXI DR, broadcasters can rest assured that their captions will always remain on air with minimal interruption, thanks to seamless caption workflow integration, on-premises redundant servers and flexible setup options via virtual machines or hardware. This solution offers 99.99% caption uptime, scalability with up to 10 instances available per LEXI DR unit plus the confidence that data is secure with robust encryption and security measures. LEXI DR exemplifies AI-Media’s commitment to providing reliable, resilient, and secure captioning solutions for the broadcast industry.

AI-Media will also introduce LEXI Recorded, designed to streamline the captioning process for recorded content. The solution offers unprecedented turnaround speed and cost efficiencies making it perfect for time-sensitive news clips, highlights, and promos. LEXI Recorded boasts features such as bulk processing, accuracy above 98%, flexible file output types, multilingual options, plus can be integrated into the caption workflow so files can be captioned without leaving the media management system. With LEXI Recorded, broadcasters can ensure fast, cost-effective captioning of their recorded content with unmatched precision and ease.

“At AI-Media, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” said James Ward, Chief Sales Officer at AI-Media. “We are thrilled to unveil LEXI Recorded and LEXI DR at NAB Show 2024, showcasing our relentless pursuit of excellence in captioning technology. LEXI DR represents the ultimate component in achieving full captioning automation. LEXI DR completes the automation of the captioning process. Previously, human intervention served as a backup, but LEXI DR revolutionizes this by eliminating the need for manual oversight.â€�

In addition to the product launches, AI-Media will feature an “Innovation Station” at their NAB booth, where attendees can explore exciting new technologies that are part of the company’s product roadmaps. Previews will showcase advancements in generative AI and its application in crafting topic models, also referred to as custom dictionaries. These topic models enhance accuracy by offering contextually relevant word suggestions and pronunciations based on themes, topics, and subject matter. Additionally, previews will feature innovations such as speaking subtitles or dubbing, as well as automated audio description. AI-Media is able to leverage decades of broadcast experience to ensure their captioning solutions are interoperable across different workflows, video standards and regions. As a leading innovator in the captioning industry, AI-Media remains committed to driving progress and shaping the future of accessible media worldwide.

For more information about AI-Media and its groundbreaking captioning solutions, visit:

AI-Media: AI-Media.tv

LEXI DR (Disaster Recovery): https://hubs.ly/Q02rWtMD0

LEXI Recorded: https://hubs.ly/Q02rWtLS0

About AI-Media:

Founded in Australia in 2003, AI-Media is a pioneering technology company specializing in innovative captioning workflow solutions. As a global leader, AI-Media provides high-quality AI-powered live and recorded captioning and translation technology and solutions to a diverse range of customers and markets worldwide. For the first time in February 2024, AI-Media was able to unveil groundbreaking data showcasing the superiority of its AI captioning product, LEXI, over traditional human workflows. This milestone further solidifies AI-Media’s position as the foremost AI technology leader in live and recorded captioning workflow solutions. With a commitment to utilising our deep industry experience and sophisticated AI technology to create solutions which streamline and simplify processes, AI-Media empowers leading broadcasters, enterprises and government agencies globally to ensure seamless accessibility and inclusivity in their content. Ai-Media (ASX: AIM) commenced trading on the ASX on 15 September 2020.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0fde5af3-8765-4882-abaa-03746dcde8af

Media Contact: Fiona Habben – Fiona.habben@ai-media.tv

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9086266

Governor Sindh to Distribute 50,000 Ration Bags for Eid, Extends Support to Food Delivery Workers

Karachi, In a significant move to support underprivileged families and workers, Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tesori will distribute 50,000 ration bags on the occasion of Eid. This initiative follows the distribution of rations to over 3 lakh families previously.

According to Sindh Governor House, the distribution event is set to include special packages for Food Panda and other delivery service riders. Tesori emphasized that these workers, who serve the community tirelessly, should also enjoy the festivities of Eid with their families. The governor invited all riders and their families to visit Governor House to receive their ration bags and celebrate Eid.

This initiative underlines the government’s commitment to recognizing and supporting the contributions of delivery service workers, ensuring they partake in the festive occasion with their families.

Two Terrorists Neutralized in South Waziristan Operation by Pakistani Security Forces

Islamabad, In a significant counterterrorism effort, Pakistani Security Forces successfully neutralized two terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in South Waziristan.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the operation led to the seizure of a substantial amount of weapons and explosives. The terrorists were implicated in various high-profile terrorist activities within the region. The security forces are currently conducting a comprehensive sanitization operation to ensure the area is cleared of any remaining threats.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that these actions affirm the security forces’ resolve to eradicate terrorism in Pakistan, contributing to the nation’s overall peace and security.

UN Expert Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond to Assess Albinism Human Rights in Lesotho

Geneva, The United Nations has announced that Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, will visit Lesotho from April 10 to 19, 2024, to evaluate the human rights conditions for persons with albinism, focusing on health, education, and employment.

According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Miti-Drummond’s visit to Lesotho marks her first mission to the country. She aims to understand the current human rights status of individuals with albinism. Miti-Drummond is scheduled to hold discussions in Maseru and Thaba-Tseka and will participate in the 43rd ordinary session of the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on April 17. This event will include a day of general discussion dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by children with albinism.

Miti-Drummond plans to engage with a range of stakeholders, including state officials, civil society organizations, people with albinism, their advocates, and family members, to gather comprehensive insights into their experiences and the issues they face.

The visit will conclude with a press conference on April 19 at 11:30 A.M. local time at the United Nations House in Maseru, where Miti-Drummond will share her initial observations. However, access to this event will be limited to members of the press.

The findings from this mission will be compiled into a detailed report, which Miti-Drummond is expected to present to the Human Rights Council in March 2025.

SECP Introduces Amendments for Shariah-compliant Brokerage Services in Pakistan


Islamabad, The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has officially approved amendments to the Securities Brokers (Licensing and Operations) Regulations, 2016, paving the way for the introduction and facilitation of Shariah-compliant brokerage services within the Pakistani securities market.



According to Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, these regulatory changes are designed to accommodate brokers wishing to provide Shariah-compliant services through various means, such as establishing separate subsidiaries, utilizing window operations, or transitioning into fully Shariah-compliant brokerage houses. Brokers opting for this route must secure a certificate of Shariah compliance in line with the Shariah Governance Regulations, 2023, and adhere to the SECP’s Guidelines for Offering Islamic Financial Services. Additionally, these brokers are required to institute proper internal controls and policies to mitigate any conflicts of interest and safeguard customer interests.



In a significant development following these amendments, ZLK Islamic Financial Services (Private) Limited has been granted a license as the first brokerage house fully compliant with Shariah principles in Pakistan. This move is expected to simplify the entry process for new participants in the brokerage sector and support existing brokers wishing to expand into Islamic financial services, thereby fostering market growth, promoting long-term investments, and enhancing financial inclusion across the country.



The announcement and details of these amendments are available for public review on the SECP’s official website.