Jharkhand Assembly elections: Big picture, key elementsNone
Torrent Power shares in spotlight as co’s Rs 3,500 crore QIP oversubscribed 4 timesLara Trump steps down as RNC co-chair and addresses speculation about Florida Senate seatDAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad , gathering in the capital's historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The newly installed interim prime minister delivered the sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, declaring that a new era of “freedom, dignity and justice” was dawning for Syria. The gatherings illustrated the dramatic changes that have swept over Syria less than a week after insurgents marched into Damascus and toppled Assad. Amid the jubilation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. Blinken arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced stop after talks in Jordan and Turkey, which backs some of the Syrian insurgent factions. So far, U.S. officials have not talked of direct meetings with Syria's new rulers. The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has worked to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad's fall and concerned about extremist jihadis among the rebels. Insurgent leaders say the group has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. HTS's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” “I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people,” he said. “And then after, we will work to build this country, and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God.” Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed the historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital's old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with with its two green stars. Syrian state television reported that the sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week. The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world's oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria were tightly controlled under Assad's rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would leave Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war. “I didn’t step foot in Umayyad Mosque since 2011," because of the tight security controls around it, said one worshipper, Ibrahim al-Araby. “Since 11 or 12 years, I haven’t been this happy.” Another worshipper, Khair Taha, said there was “fear and trepidation for what’s to come. But there is also a lot of hope that now we have a say and we can try to build.” Blocks away in Damascus' biggest roundabout, named Umayyad Square, thousands gathered, including many families with small children — a sign of how, so far at least, the country's transformation has not caused violent instability. “Unified Syria to build Syria,” the crowd chanted. Some shouted slurs against Assad and his late father, calling them pigs, an insult that would have previously led to offenders being hauled off to one of the feared detention centers of Assad’s security forces. One man in the crowd, 51-year-old Khaled Abu Chahine — originally from the southern province of Daraa, where the 2011 uprising first erupted — said he hoped for “freedom and coexistence between all Syrians, Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze.” The interim prime minister, al-Bashir, had been the head of a de facto administration created by HTS in Idlib, the opposition's enclave in northwest Syria. The rebels were bottled up in Idlib for years before fighters broke out in a shock offensive and marched across Syria in 10 days. Similar scenes of joy unfolded in other major cities, including in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Raqqa. Al-Sharaa, HTS' leader, has promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will impose a hard-line, extremist rule. Another key factor will be winning international recognition for a new government in a country where multiple foreign powers have their hands in the mix. The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the U.S.-backed Kurds . Turkey controls a strip of Syrian territory along the shared border and backs an insurgent faction uneasily allied to HTS — and is deeply opposed to any gains by Syria's Kurds. In other developments, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey’s Embassy in Damascus would reopen Saturday for the first time since 2012, when it closed due to the Syrian civil war. The U.S. has troops in eastern Syria to combat remnants of the Islamic State group and supports Kurdish-led fighters who rule most of the east. Since Assad's fall, Israel has bombed sites all over Syria, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. It has also seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. After talks with Fidan, Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the U.S. on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an "interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said. Fidan said the priority was “establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant” — referring to the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party. Ankara considers the PKK within Turkey's borders a terrorist group, as it does the Kurdish-backed forces in Syria backed by the U.S. A U.S. official said that in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fidan both told Blinken that Kurdish attacks on Turkish positions would require a response. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic talks. The U.S. has been trying to limit such incidents in recent days and had helped organize an agreement to prevent confrontations around the northern Syrian town of Manbij, which was taken by Turkey-backed opposition fighters from the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces earlier this week. In Baghdad, Blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, saying both countries wanted to ensure the Islamic State group — also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh — doesn't exploit Syria's transition to re-emerge. “Having put Daesh back in its box, we can’t let it out, and we’re determined to make sure that that doesn’t happen," Blinken said. The U.S. official who briefed reporters said that Blinken had impressed upon al-Sudani the importance of Iraq exercising its full sovereignty over its territory and airspace to stop Iran from transporting weapons and equipment to Syria, either for Assad supporters or onward to the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon. Lee reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.
Digital Extremes’ team is bravely letting me e-date Warframe 1999 baddiesSAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 9, 2024-- Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL) (“Planet” or the “Company”), a leading provider of daily data and insights about Earth, today announced financial results for the period ended October 31, 2024. "We are pleased with the multiple large contracts secured with government customers globally this quarter, which we expect to ramp up into the year ahead. The third quarter represented Planet’s largest ever quarter of ACV bookings, helping lay the foundation for future growth," said Will Marshall, Planet’s Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson. "We continue to see strong demand for our data, particularly where enhanced with AI-enabled solutions. We also saw first light from our Tanager satellite, released the first set of over 300 CO2 and methane detections, and are progressing towards commercializing its hyperspectral data. The success of this program has led us to actively pursue other opportunities that similarly advance our technology roadmap while enhancing our financial position. Ultimately, we believe Planet is well positioned for growth going forward." Ashley Johnson, Planet’s President and Chief Financial Officer, added, “We saw significant improvement in the fundamentals of the business during the quarter, as evident in the year-over-year and sequential improvement in margins, as well as the continued progress on our path to profitability. I’m pleased to confirm that we’re on track to achieve our target of Adjusted EBITDA profitability next quarter. Meanwhile, we’re reducing our cash burn and our balance sheet remains strong with approximately $242 million of cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments as of the end of the quarter, and we continue to have no debt.” Third Quarter of Fiscal 2025 Financial and Key Metric Highlights: Recent Business Highlights: Growing Customer and Partner Relationships New Technologies and Products Impact and ESG Fourth Quarter Financial Outlook For the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025, ending January 31, 2025, Planet expects revenue to be in the range of approximately $61 million to $63 million. Non-GAAP Gross Margin is expected to be in the range of approximately 63% to 65%. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be in the range of approximately $0 to $2 million for the quarter. Capital Expenditures are expected to be in the range of approximately $8 million and $11 million for the quarter. Planet has not reconciled its Non-GAAP financial outlook to the most directly comparable GAAP measures because certain reconciling items, such as stock-based compensation expenses and depreciation and amortization are uncertain or out of Planet’s control and cannot be reasonably predicted. The actual amount of these expenses during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025 will have a significant impact on Planet’s future GAAP financial results. Accordingly, a reconciliation of Planet’s Non-GAAP outlook to the most comparable GAAP measures is not available without unreasonable efforts. The foregoing forward-looking statements reflect Planet’s expectations as of today’s date. Given the number of risk factors, uncertainties and assumptions discussed below, actual results may differ materially. Webcast and Conference Call Information Planet will host a conference call at 5:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. PT today, December 9, 2024. The webcast can be accessed at www.planet.com/investors/ . A replay will be available approximately 2 hours following the event. If you would prefer to register for the conference call, please go to the following link: https://www.netroadshow.com/events/login?show=00196caf&confId=74075 . You will then receive your access details via email. Additionally, a supplemental presentation has been provided on Planet’s investor relations page. About Planet Labs PBC Planet is a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions. Planet is driven by a mission to image the world every day, and make change visible, accessible and actionable. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites. Planet provides mission-critical data, advanced insights, and software solutions to over 1,000 customers, comprising the world’s leading agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education and finance companies and government agencies, enabling users to simply and effectively derive unique value from satellite imagery. Planet is a public benefit corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange as PL. To learn more visit www.planet.com and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) or tune in to HBO’s ‘Wild Wild Space’. Channels for Disclosure of Information Planet intends to announce material information to the public through a variety of means, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, press releases, public conference calls, webcasts, the investor relations section of its website (investors.planet.com) and its blog (planet.com/pulse) in order to achieve broad, non-exclusionary distribution of information to the public and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. It is possible that the information Planet posts on its blog could be deemed to be material information. As such, Planet encourages investors, the media, and others to follow the channels listed above and to review the information disclosed through such channels. Planet’s Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release includes Non-GAAP Gross Profit, Non-GAAP Gross Margin, certain Non-GAAP Expenses described further below, Non-GAAP Loss from Operations, Non-GAAP Net Loss, Non-GAAP Net Loss per Diluted Share, Adjusted EBITDA and Backlog, which are non-GAAP measures the Company uses to supplement its results presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company includes these non-GAAP financial measures because they are used by management to evaluate the Company’s core operating performance and trends and to make strategic decisions regarding the allocation of capital and new investments. Non-GAAP Gross Profit and Non-GAAP Gross Margin: The Company defines and calculates Non-GAAP Gross Profit as gross profit adjusted for stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets classified as cost of revenue, restructuring costs, and employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination. The Company defines Non-GAAP Gross Margin as Non-GAAP Gross Profit divided by revenue. Non-GAAP Expenses: The Company defines and calculates Non-GAAP cost of revenue, Non-GAAP research and development expenses, Non-GAAP sales and marketing expenses, and Non-GAAP general and administrative expenses as, in each case, the corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measure (cost of revenue, research and development expenses, sales and marketing expenses, and general and administrative expenses) adjusted for stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, restructuring costs, certain litigation expenses, and employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination, that are classified within each of the corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measures. Non-GAAP Loss from Operations: The Company defines and calculates Non-GAAP Loss from Operations as loss from operations adjusted for stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, restructuring costs, certain litigation expenses, and employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination. Non-GAAP Net Loss and Non-GAAP Net Loss per Diluted Share: The Company defines and calculates Non-GAAP Net Loss as net loss adjusted for stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, restructuring costs, certain litigation expenses, and employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination, and the income tax effects of the non-GAAP adjustments. The Company defines and calculates Non-GAAP Net Loss per Diluted Share as Non-GAAP Net Loss divided by diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding. Adjusted EBITDA: The Company defines and calculates Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before the impact of interest income and expense, income tax expense and depreciation and amortization, and further adjusted for the following items: stock-based compensation, change in fair value of warrant liabilities, non-operating income and expenses such as foreign currency exchange gain or loss, restructuring costs, certain litigation expenses, and employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination. The Company presents Non-GAAP Gross Profit, Non-GAAP Gross Margin, certain Non-GAAP Expenses described above, Non-GAAP Loss from Operations, Non-GAAP Net Loss, Non-GAAP Net Loss per Diluted Share and Adjusted EBITDA because the Company believes these measures are frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in Planet’s industry and facilitates comparisons on a consistent basis across reporting periods. Further, the Company believes these measures are helpful in highlighting trends in its operating results because they exclude items that are not indicative of the Company’s core operating performance. Backlog: The Company defines and calculates Backlog as remaining performance obligations plus the cancellable portion of the contract value for contracts that provide the customer with a right to terminate for convenience without incurring a substantive termination penalty and written orders where funding has not been appropriated. Backlog does not include unexercised contract options. Remaining performance obligations represent the amount of contracted future revenue that has not yet been recognized, which includes both deferred revenue and non-cancelable contracted revenue that will be invoiced and recognized in revenue in future periods. Remaining performance obligations do not include contracts which provide the customer with a right to terminate for convenience without incurring a substantive termination penalty, written orders where funding has not been appropriated and unexercised contract options. An increasing and meaningful portion of the Company’s revenue is generated from contracts with the U.S. government and other government customers. Cancellation provisions, such as termination for convenience clauses, are common in contracts with the U.S. government and certain other government customers. The Company presents Backlog because the portion of its customer contracts with such cancellation provisions represents a meaningful amount of the Company’s expected future revenues. Management uses backlog to more effectively forecast the Company’s future business and results, which supports decisions around capital allocation. It also helps the Company identify future growth or operating trends that may not otherwise be apparent. The Company also believes Backlog is useful for investors in forecasting the Company’s future results and understanding the growth of its business. Customer cancellation provisions relating to termination for convenience clauses and funding appropriation requirements are outside of the Company’s control, and as a result, the Company may fail to realize the full value of such contracts. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation from, as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measures presented are not based on any standardized methodology prescribed by U.S. GAAP and are not necessarily comparable to similarly-titled measures presented by other companies, which may have different definitions from the Company’s. Further, certain of the non-GAAP financial measures presented exclude stock-based compensation expenses, which has recently been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a significant recurring expense for the Company and an important part of its compensation strategy. Other Key Metrics ACV and EoP ACV Book of Business: In connection with the calculation of several of the key operational and business metrics we utilize, the Company calculates Annual Contract Value (“ACV”) for contracts of one year or greater as the total amount of value that a customer has contracted to pay for the most recent 12 month period for the contract, excluding customers that are exclusively Sentinel Hub self-service paying users. For short-term contracts (contracts less than 12 months), ACV is equal to total contract value. The Company also calculates EoP ACV Book of Business in connection with the calculation of several of the key operational and business metrics we utilize. The Company defines EoP ACV Book of Business as the sum of the ACV of all contracts that are active on the last day of the period pursuant to the effective dates and end dates of such contracts, excluding customers that are exclusively Sentinel Hub self-service paying users. Active contracts exclude any contract that has been canceled, expired prior to the last day of the period without renewing, or for any other reason is not expected to generate revenue in the subsequent period. For contracts ending on the last day of the period, the ACV is either updated to reflect the ACV of the renewed contract or, if the contract has not yet renewed or extended, the ACV is excluded from the EoP ACV Book of Business. The Company does not annualize short-term contracts in calculating its EoP ACV Book of Business. The Company calculates the ACV of usage-based contracts based on the committed contracted revenue or the revenue achieved on the usage-based contract in the prior 12-month period. Percent of Recurring ACV: Percent of Recurring ACV is the portion of the total EoP ACV Book of Business that is recurring in nature. The Company defines EoP ACV Book of Business as the sum of the ACV of all contracts that are active on the last day of the period pursuant to the effective dates and end dates of such contracts, excluding customers that are exclusively Sentinel Hub self-service paying users. The Company defines Percent of Recurring ACV as the dollar value of all data subscription contracts and the committed portion of usage-based contracts (excluding customers that are exclusively Sentinel Hub self-service paying users) divided by the total dollar value of all contracts in our EoP ACV Book of Business. The Company believes Percent of Recurring ACV is useful to investors to better understand how much of the Company’s revenue is from customers that have the potential to renew their contracts over multiple years rather than being one-time in nature. The Company tracks Percent of Recurring ACV to inform estimates for the future revenue growth potential of our business and improve the predictability of our financial results. There are no significant estimates underlying management’s calculation of Percent of Recurring ACV, but management applies judgment as to which customers have an active contract at a period end for the purpose of determining EoP ACV Book of Business, which is used as part of the calculation of Percent of Recurring ACV. EoP Customer Count: The Company defines EoP Customer Count as the total count of all existing customers at the end of the period excluding customers that are exclusively Sentinel Hub self-service paying users. For EoP Customer Count, the Company defines existing customers as customers with an active contract with the Company at the end of the reported period. For the purpose of this metric, the Company defines a customer as a distinct entity that uses the Company’s data or services. The Company sells directly to customers, as well as indirectly through its partner network. If a partner does not provide the end customer’s name, then the partner is reported as the customer. Each customer, regardless of the number of active opportunities with the Company, is counted only once. For example, if a customer utilizes multiple products of Planet, the Company only counts that customer once for purposes of EoP Customer Count. A customer with multiple divisions, segments, or subsidiaries are also counted as a single unique customer based on the parent organization or parent account. For EoP Customer Count, the Company does not include users that only utilize the Company’s self-service Sentinel Hub web based ordering system, which the Company acquired in August 2023, and which offers standard starter packages on a monthly or annual basis. The Company believes excluding these users from EoP Customer Count creates a more useful metric, as the Company views the Sentinel Hub starter packages as entry points for smaller accounts, leading to broader awareness of the Company’s solutions throughout their networks and organizations. The Company believes EoP Customer Count is a useful metric for investors and management to track as it is an important indicator of the broader adoption of the Company’s platform and is a measure of the Company’s success in growing its market presence and penetration. Management applies judgment as to which customers are deemed to have an active contract in a period, as well as whether a customer is a distinct entity that uses the Company’s data or services. Capital Expenditures as a Percentage of Revenue: The Company defines capital expenditures as purchases of property and equipment plus capitalized internally developed software development costs, which are included in our statements of cash flows from investing activities. The Company defines Capital Expenditures as a Percentage of Revenue as the total amount of capital expenditures divided by total revenue in the reported period. Capital Expenditures as a Percentage of Revenue is a performance measure that we use to evaluate the appropriate level of capital expenditures needed to support demand for the Company’s data services and related revenue, and to provide a comparable view of the Company’s performance relative to other earth observation companies, which may invest significantly greater amounts in their satellites to deliver their data to customers. The Company uses an agile space systems strategy, which means we invest in a larger number of significantly lower cost satellites and software infrastructure to automate the management of the satellites and to deliver the Company’s data to clients. As a result of the Company’s strategy and business model, the Company’s capital expenditures may be more similar to software companies with large data center infrastructure costs. Therefore, the Company believes it is important to look at the level of capital expenditure investments relative to revenue when evaluating the Company’s performance relative to other earth observation companies or to other software and data companies with significant data center infrastructure investment requirements. The Company believes Capital Expenditures as a Percentage of Revenue is a useful metric for investors because it provides visibility to the level of capital expenditures required to operate the Company and the Company’s relative capital efficiency. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or Planet’s future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward looking statements because they contain words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “target,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “develop,” “evolve,” “plan,” “seek,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “can,” “should,” “would,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “strategy,” “opportunity,” “aim,” “conviction,” “continue,” “positioned” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern Planet’s expectations, strategy, priorities, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Planet’s financial guidance and outlook, Planet’s path to profitability (including on an Adjusted EBITDA basis) and target for achieving Adjusted EBITDA profitability, Planet’s growth opportunities, Planet’s expectations regarding future product development and performance, and Planet’s expectations regarding its strategies with respect to its markets and customers, including trends in customer demand. Planet’s expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results in future periods are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including risks related to the macroeconomic environment and risks regarding Planet’s ability to forecast Planet’s performance due to Planet’s limited operating history. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in Planet’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including Planet’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2024, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024, and any subsequent filings with the SEC Planet may make. All forward-looking statements reflect Planet’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. Planet undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. Planet’s results for the quarter ended October 31, 2024, are not necessarily indicative of its operating results for any future periods. PLANET CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited) (In thousands) October 31, 2024 January 31, 2024 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 138,969 $ 83,866 Restricted cash and cash equivalents, current 6,525 8,360 Short-term investments 103,255 215,041 Accounts receivable, net 38,853 43,320 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 13,992 19,564 Total current assets 301,594 370,151 Property and equipment, net 116,920 113,429 Capitalized internal-use software, net 18,259 14,973 Goodwill 137,411 136,256 Intangible assets, net 29,231 32,448 Restricted cash and cash equivalents, non-current 4,437 9,972 Operating lease right-of-use assets 20,829 22,339 Other non-current assets 2,083 2,429 Total assets $ 630,764 $ 701,997 Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 3,572 $ 2,601 Accrued and other current liabilities 43,670 44,779 Deferred revenue 66,462 72,327 Liability from early exercise of stock options 6,275 8,964 Operating lease liabilities, current 9,105 7,978 Total current liabilities 129,084 136,649 Deferred revenue 11,230 5,293 Deferred hosting costs 6,665 7,101 Public and private placement warrant liabilities 1,835 2,961 Operating lease liabilities, non-current 13,819 16,952 Contingent consideration 2,871 5,885 Other non-current liabilities 655 9,138 Total liabilities 166,159 183,979 Stockholders’ equity Common stock 28 28 Additional paid-in capital 1,631,077 1,596,201 Accumulated other comprehensive income 1,347 1,594 Accumulated deficit (1,167,847 ) (1,079,805 ) Total stockholders’ equity 464,605 518,018 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 630,764 $ 701,997 PLANET CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, (In thousands, except share and per share amounts) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenue $ 61,266 $ 55,380 $ 182,798 $ 161,844 Cost of revenue 23,749 29,350 81,288 81,375 Gross profit 37,517 26,030 101,510 80,469 Operating expenses Research and development 25,216 33,002 78,055 87,929 Sales and marketing 16,795 20,774 62,013 66,209 General and administrative 18,114 20,112 58,198 62,161 Total operating expenses 60,125 73,888 198,266 216,299 Loss from operations (22,608 ) (47,858 ) (96,756 ) (135,830 ) Interest income 2,414 3,445 8,292 11,753 Change in fair value of warrant liabilities 198 6,833 1,126 14,004 Other income (expense), net (60 ) (69 ) 660 894 Total other income, net 2,552 10,209 10,078 26,651 Loss before provision for income taxes (20,056 ) (37,649 ) (86,678 ) (109,179 ) Provision for income taxes 25 355 1,364 1,244 Net loss $ (20,081 ) $ (38,004 ) $ (88,042 ) $ (110,423 ) Basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders $ (0.07 ) $ (0.13 ) $ (0.30 ) $ (0.40 ) Basic and diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding used in computing net loss per share attributable to common stockholders 293,338,324 284,197,733 290,674,554 277,252,951 PLANET CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, (In thousands) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Net loss $ (20,081 ) $ (38,004 ) $ (88,042 ) $ (110,423 ) Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax: Foreign currency translation adjustment 52 (1,667 ) (159 ) (1,543 ) Change in fair value of available-for-sale securities 48 89 (88 ) (970 ) Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax 100 (1,578 ) (247 ) (2,513 ) Comprehensive loss $ (19,981 ) $ (39,582 ) $ (88,289 ) $ (112,936 ) PLANET CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited) Nine Months Ended October 31, (In thousands) 2024 2023 Operating activities Net loss $ (88,042 ) $ (110,423 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities Depreciation and amortization 36,365 36,033 Stock-based compensation, net of capitalized cost 36,467 44,611 Change in fair value of warrant liabilities (1,126 ) (14,004 ) Change in fair value of contingent consideration 3,161 (923 ) Other (932 ) (3,538 ) Changes in operating assets and liabilities Accounts receivable 5,487 (3,872 ) Prepaid expenses and other assets 8,499 9,483 Accounts payable, accrued and other liabilities (7,731 ) (20,706 ) Deferred revenue 71 19,557 Deferred hosting costs (298 ) (92 ) Net cash used in operating activities (8,079 ) (43,874 ) Investing activities Purchases of property and equipment (32,694 ) (29,086 ) Capitalized internal-use software (4,145 ) (3,266 ) Maturities of available-for-sale securities 57,046 142,903 Sales of available-for-sale securities 162,341 40,072 Purchases of available-for-sale securities (105,582 ) (166,169 ) Business acquisition, net of cash acquired (1,068 ) (7,542 ) Purchases of licensed imagery intangible assets (4,558 ) — Other (300 ) (944 ) Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 71,040 (24,032 ) Financing activities Proceeds from the exercise of common stock options 332 6,770 Payments for withholding taxes related to the net share settlement of equity awards (7,328 ) (7,112 ) Proceeds from employee stock purchase program 1,083 — Payments of contingent consideration for business acquisitions (8,783 ) — Other (606 ) (15 ) Net cash used in financing activities (15,302 ) (357 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents 74 (65 ) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents 47,733 (68,328 ) Cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period 102,198 188,076 Cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period $ 149,931 $ 119,748 PLANET RECONCILIATION OF NET LOSS TO ADJUSTED EBITDA (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, (in thousands) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Net loss $ (20,081 ) $ (38,004 ) $ (88,042 ) $ (110,423 ) Interest income (2,414 ) (3,445 ) (8,292 ) (11,753 ) Income tax provision 25 355 1,364 1,244 Depreciation and amortization 10,117 13,625 36,365 36,033 Change in fair value of warrant liabilities (198 ) (6,833 ) (1,126 ) (14,004 ) Stock-based compensation 11,829 12,598 36,467 44,611 Restructuring costs (1) 25 7,341 10,524 7,341 Employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination (2) — 2,317 — 2,317 Certain litigation expenses (3) 395 — 395 — Other (income) expense, net 60 69 (660 ) (894 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ (242 ) $ (11,977 ) $ (13,005 ) $ (45,528 ) (1) As part of the 2024 headcount reduction, we recognized immaterial severance and other employee costs for the three months ended October 31, 2024 and $10.5 million of severance and other employee costs for the nine months ended October 31, 2024. For the three and nine months ended October 31, 2024, the restructuring related stock-based compensation benefit of $1.4 million is included on its respective line item. As part of the 2023 headcount reduction, we recognized $7.3 million of severance and other employee costs for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2023. For the three and nine months ended October 31, 2023, the restructuring related stock-based compensation benefit of $1.5 million is included on its respective line item. (2) Certain employees of Sinergise, which became employees of Planet, were paid cash transaction bonuses in connection with the closing of the Sinergise acquisition. The cost of the transaction bonuses was allocated from the purchase consideration we paid for the acquisition. (3) Expenses relating to the Delaware class action lawsuit. PLANET RECONCILIATION OF U.S. GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, (In thousands) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of cost of revenue: GAAP cost of revenue $ 23,749 $ 29,350 $ 81,288 $ 81,375 Less: Stock-based compensation 745 888 2,563 2,855 Less: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 759 796 2,298 1,674 Less: Restructuring costs 128 563 1,312 563 Less: Employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination — 267 — 267 Non-GAAP cost of revenue $ 22,117 $ 26,836 $ 75,115 $ 76,016 Reconciliation of gross profit: GAAP gross profit $ 37,517 $ 26,030 $ 101,510 $ 80,469 Add: Stock-based compensation 745 888 2,563 2,855 Add: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 759 796 2,298 1,674 Add: Restructuring costs 128 563 1,312 563 Add: Employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination — 267 — 267 Non-GAAP gross profit $ 39,149 $ 28,544 $ 107,683 $ 85,828 GAAP gross margin 61 % 47 % 56 % 50 % Non-GAAP gross margin 64 % 52 % 59 % 53 % PLANET RECONCILIATION OF U.S. GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, (In thousands) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of operating expenses: GAAP research and development $ 25,216 $ 33,002 $ 78,055 $ 87,929 Less: Stock-based compensation 4,294 5,655 12,120 18,555 Less: Restructuring costs (76 ) 3,297 3,464 3,297 Less: Employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination — 1,891 — 1,891 Non-GAAP research and development $ 20,998 $ 22,159 $ 62,471 $ 64,186 GAAP sales and marketing $ 16,795 $ 20,774 $ 62,013 $ 66,209 Less: Stock-based compensation 1,655 1,626 6,863 7,827 Less: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 129 261 473 665 Less: Restructuring costs 24 1,943 4,457 1,943 Less: Employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination — 41 — 41 Non-GAAP sales and marketing $ 14,987 $ 16,903 $ 50,220 $ 55,733 GAAP general and administrative $ 18,114 $ 20,112 $ 58,198 $ 62,161 Less: Stock-based compensation 5,135 4,429 14,921 15,374 Less: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 36 93 151 254 Less: Restructuring costs (51 ) 1,538 1,291 1,538 Less: Employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination — 118 — 118 Less: Certain litigation expenses 395 — 395 — Non-GAAP general and administrative $ 12,599 $ 13,934 $ 41,440 $ 44,877 Reconciliation of loss from operations GAAP loss from operations $ (22,608 ) $ (47,858 ) $ (96,756 ) $ (135,830 ) Add: Stock-based compensation 11,829 12,598 36,467 44,611 Add: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 924 1,150 2,922 2,593 Add: Restructuring costs 25 7,341 10,524 7,341 Add: Employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination — 2,317 — 2,317 Add: Certain litigation expenses 395 — 395 — Non-GAAP loss from operations $ (9,435 ) $ (24,452 ) $ (46,448 ) $ (78,968 ) PLANET RECONCILIATION OF U.S. GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, (In thousands, except share and per share amounts) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of net loss GAAP net loss $ (20,081 ) $ (38,004 ) $ (88,042 ) $ (110,423 ) Add: Stock-based compensation 11,829 12,598 36,467 44,611 Add: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 924 1,150 2,922 2,593 Add: Restructuring costs 25 7,341 10,524 7,341 Add: Employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination — 2,317 — 2,317 Add: Certain litigation expenses 395 — 395 — Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments 914 — 1,326 — Non-GAAP net loss $ (5,994 ) $ (14,598 ) $ (36,408 ) $ (53,561 ) Reconciliation of net loss per share, diluted GAAP net loss $ (20,081 ) $ (38,004 ) $ (88,042 ) $ (110,423 ) Non-GAAP net loss $ (5,994 ) $ (14,598 ) $ (36,408 ) $ (53,561 ) GAAP net loss per share, basic and diluted (1) $ (0.07 ) $ (0.13 ) $ (0.30 ) $ (0.40 ) Add: Stock-based compensation 0.04 0.04 0.13 0.16 Add: Amortization of acquired intangible assets — — 0.01 0.01 Add: Restructuring costs — 0.03 0.04 0.03 Add: Employee transaction bonuses in connection with the Sinergise business combination — 0.01 — 0.01 Add: Certain litigation expenses — — — — Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments — — — — Non-GAAP net loss per share, diluted (2) (3) $ (0.02 ) $ (0.05 ) $ (0.13 ) $ (0.19 ) Weighted-average shares used in computing GAAP net loss per share, basic and diluted (1) 293,338,324 284,197,733 290,674,554 277,252,951 Weighted-average shares used in computing Non-GAAP net loss per share, diluted (1) 293,338,324 284,197,733 290,674,554 277,252,951 (1) Basic and diluted GAAP net loss per share was the same for each period presented as the inclusion of all potential Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding would have been anti-dilutive. (2) Non-GAAP net loss per share, diluted is calculated using weighted-average shares, adjusted for dilutive potential shares assumed outstanding during the period. No adjustment was made to weighted-average shares for each period presented as the inclusion of all potential Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding would have been anti-dilutive. (3) Totals may not sum due to rounding. Figures are calculated based upon the respective underlying non-rounded data. PLANET RECONCILIATION OF U.S. GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (unaudited) The table below reconciles Backlog to remaining performance obligations for the periods indicated: (in thousands) October 31, 2024 January 31, 2024 Remaining performance obligations $ 145,890 $ 132,571 Cancellable amount of contract value 86,250 109,821 Backlog $ 232,140 $ 242,392 For remaining performance obligations as of October 31, 2024, the Company expects to recognize approximately 82% over the next 12 months, approximately 98% over the next 24 months, and the remainder thereafter. For Backlog as of October 31, 2024, the Company expects to recognize approximately 70% over the next 12 months, approximately 91% over the next 24 months, and the remainder thereafter. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209391021/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact Chris Genualdi / Cleo Palmer-Poroner Planet Labs PBC ir@planet.comPress Contact Claire Bentley Dale Planet Labs PBC comms@planet.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA BRAZIL UNITED STATES SOUTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA LATIN AMERICA EUROPE GERMANY INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE MOBILE/WIRELESS NETWORKS OTHER DEFENSE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES HARDWARE DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY DEFENSE SATELLITE OTHER TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) SOURCE: Planet Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/09/2024 04:08 PM/DISC: 12/09/2024 04:08 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209391021/enRupert Murdoch Loses Bid to Change Family Trust
HICKSVILLE, N.Y. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagstar Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FLG) (the "Company") today announced the appointment of Brian Callanan , Senior Managing Director and General Counsel at Liberty Strategic Capital ("Liberty"), to its Board of Directors, effective December 16, 2024 . Commenting on the appointment, Joseph M. Otting , Chairman, President, and CEO said, "I'm pleased to have Brian join our Board. His proven track record and expertise in financial services, along with his strategic insights will be instrumental as we continue to execute on our transformation and long-term vision. Brian's perspectives will provide valuable guidance, and his leadership will play a critical role in driving sustainable growth, ensuring we achieve long-term success and maximize the value we deliver to our shareholders, employees, and clients." Callanan is a distinguished lawyer with extensive experience in financial regulation, regulatory compliance, and financial technology. At Liberty, Callanan leads the firm's legal function, serves on its Investment Committee, and focuses on financial sector investments. Prior to joining Liberty, he served as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, overseeing 2,000 lawyers across the department. As Chief General Counsel, he played a key role in major initiatives such as economic rescue programs during COVID-19, the design of new economic sanctions, and the implementation of tax reform. While serving as Deputy General Counsel, Callanan managed major litigation and advised on regulatory reform efforts, among other responsibilities. For his service, he received the Alexander Hamilton Award, the department's highest honor. This appointment aligns with the $1.05 billion equity investment in March 2024 , which stipulated that two Board seats would be granted to lead investor Liberty Strategic Capital. With Callanan's addition, the Company's Board of Directors, which was reconstituted earlier in 2024, expands to nine members, including Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Joseph M. Otting , Milton Berlinski , Alessandro P. DiNello , Alan Frank , Marshall Lux , Lead Independent Director Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin , Allen Puwalski , and Jennifer Whip. About Flagstar Financial, Inc. Flagstar Financial, Inc. is the parent company of Flagstar Bank, N.A., one of the largest regional banks in the country. The Company is headquartered in Hicksville, New York . At September 30, 2024, the Company had $114.4 billion of assets, $73.0 billion of loans, deposits of $83 .0 billion, and total stockholders' equity of $8 .6 billion. Flagstar Bank, N.A. operates over 400 branches, including a significant presence in the Northeast and Midwest and locations in high growth markets in the Southeast and West Coast. In addition, the Bank has approximately 80 private banking teams located in over 10 cities in the metropolitan New York City region and on the West Coast, which serve the needs of high-net worth individuals and their businesses. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release may include forward‐looking statements by the Company and our authorized officers pertaining to such matters as our goals, beliefs, intentions, and expectations regarding (a) revenues, earnings, loan production, asset quality, liquidity position, capital levels, risk analysis, divestitures, acquisitions, and other material transactions, among other matters; (b) the future costs and benefits of the actions we may take; (c) our assessments of credit risk and probable losses on loans and associated allowances and reserves; (d) our assessments of interest rate and other market risks; (e) our ability to execute on our strategic plan, including the sufficiency of our internal resources, procedures and systems; (f) our ability to attract, incentivize, and retain key personnel and the roles of key personnel; (g) our ability to achieve our financial and other strategic goals, including those related to our merger with Flagstar Bancorp, Inc., which was completed on December 1, 2022, our acquisition of substantial portions of the former Signature Bank through an FDIC-assisted transaction, and our ability to fully and timely implement the risk management programs institutions greater than $100 billion in assets must maintain; (h) the effect on our capital ratios of the approval of certain proposals approved by our shareholders during our 2024 annual meeting of shareholders; (i) the conversion or exchange of shares of the Company's preferred stock; (j) the payment of dividends on shares of the Company's capital stock, including adjustments to the amount of dividends payable on shares of the Company's preferred stock; (k) the availability of equity and dilution of existing equity holders associated with amendments to the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan; (l) the effects of the reverse stock split; and (m) transactions relating to the sale of our mortgage business and mortgage warehouse business. Forward‐looking statements are typically identified by such words as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "should," "confident," and other similar words and expressions, and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Additionally, forward‐looking statements speak only as of the date they are made; the Company does not assume any duty, and does not undertake, to update our forward‐looking statements. Furthermore, because forward‐looking statements are subject to assumptions and uncertainties, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in our statements, and our future performance could differ materially from our historical results. Our forward‐looking statements are subject to, among others, the following principal risks and uncertainties: general economic conditions and trends, either nationally or locally; conditions in the securities, credit and financial markets; changes in interest rates; changes in deposit flows, and in the demand for deposit, loan, and investment products and other financial services; changes in real estate values; changes in the quality or composition of our loan or investment portfolios, including associated allowances and reserves; changes in future allowance for credit losses, including changes required under relevant accounting and regulatory requirements; the ability to pay future dividends; changes in our capital management and balance sheet strategies and our ability to successfully implement such strategies; recent turnover in our Board of Directors and our executive management team; changes in our strategic plan, including changes in our internal resources, procedures and systems, and our ability to successfully implement such plan; changes in competitive pressures among financial institutions or from non‐financial institutions; changes in legislation, regulations, and policies; the imposition of restrictions on our operations by bank regulators; the outcome of pending or threatened litigation, or of investigations or any other matters before regulatory agencies, whether currently existing or commencing in the future; the success of our blockchain and fintech activities, investments and strategic partnerships; the restructuring of our mortgage business; our ability to recognize anticipated expense reductions and enhanced efficiencies with respect to our recently announced strategic workforce reduction; the impact of failures or disruptions in or breaches of the Company's operational or security systems, data or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including as a result of cyberattacks or campaigns; the impact of natural disasters, extreme weather events, military conflict (including the Russia / Ukraine conflict, the conflict in Israel and surrounding areas, the possible expansion of such conflicts and potential geopolitical consequences), terrorism or other geopolitical events; and a variety of other matters which, by their nature, are subject to significant uncertainties and/or are beyond our control. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to the following principal risks and uncertainties with respect to our merger with Flagstar Bancorp, which was completed on December 1, 2022 , and our acquisition of substantial portions of the former Signature Bank through an FDIC-assisted transaction: the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transactions will not be realized when expected or at all; the possibility of increased legal and compliance costs, including with respect to any litigation or regulatory actions related to the business practices of acquired companies or the combined business; diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; the possibility that the Company may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in or as a result of the transactions within the expected timeframes or at all; and revenues following the transactions may be lower than expected. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the Community Benefits Agreement entered into with NCRC, which was contingent upon the closing of the Company's merger with Flagstar Bancorp, Inc., will achieve the results or outcome originally expected or anticipated by us as a result of changes to our business strategy, performance of the U.S. economy, or changes to the laws and regulations affecting us, our customers, communities we serve, and the U.S. economy (including, but not limited to, tax laws and regulations). More information regarding some of these factors is provided in the Risk Factors section of our Annual Report on Form 10‐K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, Quarterly Report on Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024 , June 30, 2024 , and September 30, 2024 , and in other SEC reports we file. Our forward‐looking statements may also be subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those we may discuss in this news release, on our conference call, during investor presentations, or in our SEC filings, which are accessible on our website and at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov . Investor Contact: Salvatore J. DiMartino (516) 683-4286 Media Contact: Nicole Yelland (248) 219-9234 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flagstar-financial-inc-appoints-brian-callanan-to-board-of-directors-302331692.html SOURCE Flagstar Financial, Inc.
Johannesburg, Dec 14 (PTI) G20 countries have the will, capacity and determination to address the formidable global challenges ahead, South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has said here. He was speaking at a Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting of the bloc here on Thursday. "The global challenges ahead are formidable. But the G20 has the will, capacity and determination to address them," Godongwana said as he added that this was captured in the theme of South Africa's G20 Presidency -- 'Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability'. "There is an African proverb that reads: 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.' Through our presidency, we will seek to strengthen and advance our common pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Pact for the Future," the minister said. He added that South Africa intended to use the presidency, which it took over from Brazil on December 1, to advance an African agenda. "To further this agenda and ensure that we strengthen the manner in which the G20 respond to the social and economic needs of our continent, we intend to establish a G20 Africa Expert Panel to support the G20 Finance Track. The G20 Africa Expert Panel will be composed of leading African economic, development and finance experts from the public sector, think tanks, academia and international financial institutions," Godongwana said. The minister said that one of the areas South Africa would request the G20 Africa Expert Panel to advise on was how the G20 could ensure that the various African initiatives, including the compact with Africa, could be strengthened to the benefit of the continent. "South Africa has also proposed a stocktake of the G20 finance track, to ensure that the G20 remains agile, responsive and fit for purpose. G20 leaders stated at the Rio Summit last month that they will accelerate the reform of the international financial architecture so that it can meet the urgent challenges of sustainable development, climate change and efforts to eradicate poverty. "The G20 Roadmap towards Better, Bigger and More Efficient MDBs was a milestone achievement under Brazil's Presidency. Now, the focus turns to implementation and monitoring," Godongwana said. "We will also keep our focus on enhancing debt sustainability, through improving the implementation of the Common Framework. We are aware that there are countries whose debt is sustainable, but which are facing acute liquidity challenges, which, if not addressed, could result in solvency challenges. "These challenges necessitate a comprehensive approach towards debt sustainability, which means there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach," the minister said, proposing that this should be addressed through a focus on putting in place the measures for countries to make the right investments and undertake appropriate reforms to support sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The private sector also needed to be involved, the minister added. "In our efforts to scale up finance, we cannot omit the important role of private sector finance. "Indeed, G20 engagement with the private sector remains critical if we are to achieve many of the goals we have set out for ourselves. South Africa's G20 Presidency will continue to work with business and other stakeholders, in order to unlock the global economy's full potential," he said. The discussions under South Africa's G20 Presidency will take place alongside the 5th Finance in Common Summit (FiCS) that will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa, from February 26 to 28, 2025, as well as the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Spain in June 2025. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)SINGAPORE: News emerged in late November that over 100 Singaporean public servants, including five ministers, received extortionary emails with deepfake images . The messages demanded US$50,000 of cryptocurrency in return for not publishing “compromising” videos. The emails contained purported screenshots of those videos showing the victim’s faces, which seemed to be taken from public sources such as LinkedIn. This is not the first extortion plot against public servants in Singapore. Earlier this year , several members of parliament received threatening letters containing obscene images manipulated in a similar way. Such incidents highlight concerns over the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to augment blackmail attempts. DEEPFAKE BLACKMAIL ON THE RISE Similar attempts have also occurred in Asia. An extortion scheme in November targeted male politicians in South Korea, where victims’ faces were superimposed on explicit images and ransom was demanded in return for keeping the altered images private. In 2019, an alleged deepfake sex video targeting a Malaysian politician was circulated on WhatsApp. The capacity for AI to create realistic content carries significant risks for harmful exploitation. With AI-powered tools being widely available, anyone can easily and rapidly create a deepfake, using tactics such as face swapping to switch an individual’s likeness with another. Cybercriminals have also adopted deepfake technology for other malicious purposes such as investment scams . Such deepfakes affect not only politicians and celebrities but ordinary people. DEEPFAKES AS PART OF A CYBERCRIMINAL’S TOOLBOX Public figures such as politicians and businessmen are prime targets for deepfake extortion, given the wealth of images and videos of them available online. Malicious actors can utilise deepfakes not only for financial gain, but to obtain information or compromise their careers. This is cause for concern due to the influence and sensitive data politicians and businessmen have access to. Cybercriminals have also used similar strategies against ordinary people. In June 2023, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned of “sextortion schemes” where bad actors create deepfake pornography using content posted on social media, to pressure victims either for payment or to send real explicit photos or videos of themselves. Such blackmail attempts could cause severe reputational harm and mental distress to individuals. Victims are afraid of the potential embarrassment from not paying ransoms and having their deepfakes leaked online. Even though they are aware that the content is fake, there remains the fear that the public might believe otherwise. Sadly, women make up the overwhelming majority of victims in deepfake pornography campaigns. A 2023 study by cybersecurity firm Security Hero analysing almost 100,000 deepfake pornographic videos found that 99 per cent of its victims were women. Another 2024 study by cybersecurity firm ESET UK revealed that nearly two-thirds of women worry about being a victim of deepfake porn. UNDERMINING CREDIBILITY AND SEEDING DOUBT In some respects, the authenticity of a video or image might not really matter to public perception. This calls to mind the notion of the “liar’s dividend”, where those who spread misinformation benefit from undermining credibility and casting doubt on what is being perceived. Deepfakes are a powerful tool in persuading people to believe in events that never happened, and can be co-opted by malicious actors to further their goals. The mere suggestion of scandal can already damage a victim's reputation. On the other hand, there is a risk that with the rise of deepfakes, those accused of misconduct could discredit legitimate photos and videos by alleging that they are manipulated. This presents certain challenges. For instance, if a whistleblower reports evidence of wrongdoing by a corporate entity, the company in question could claim that the content is fake. Public uncertainty over truthfulness could result in diminishing levels of trust, increased scepticism and even cynicism about information online. PREVENTATIVE MEASURES Advances in AI will make identifying deepfakes more difficult, further empowering them for malicious uses. Greater understanding of AI capabilities and the danger of deepfake sextortion will go a long way. When all our lives are online, there is an abundance of content available for malicious actors to exploit. We can be more cautious of what we post online or limit our privacy setting on social media accounts to trusted friends and people we know. Reporting any sextortion attempts or activity to the police and relevant social media platforms is also a good first step. In discerning whether something we see online is real or not, we can try to ascertain the motivation behind its creation and dissemination. One of the best strategies is to question content that elicits an emotional reaction. As deepfake technology evolves and malicious actors adapt, it is crucial that we stay updated on the latest developments and remain vigilant to such online threats. Dymples Leong is an Associate Research Fellow with the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
NICEVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Aaliyah Nye scored 15 points and No. 23 Alabama coasted to an 83-33 win over Alabama State on Monday at the Emerald Coast Classic. Sarah Ashlee Barker and Karly Weathers both added 12 points for the Crimson Tide (7-0). Zaay Green had 11. Barker, Weathers and Green combined to go 12 of 16 from the field as Alabama shot 51% and made 23 of 34 free throws. Cordasia Harris had eight points for the Hornets (2-3), who shot 27.5% and had 28 turnovers while being outrebounded by 17. Alabama entered ranked 17th in scoring offense through the first two weeks of the season, averaging 87.3 points per game. Barker opened the scoring and contributed another layup before her 3-pointer made it 14-0. The Tide led 26-8 after one quarter. Alabama also had a 13-2 run in the second quarter and Weathers had a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lead 46-20 at halftime. Alabama plays the winner of UAB-Clemson on Tuesday and the Hornets face the loser. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketballSilo Pharma stock hits 52-week low at $0.83 amid market challenges
Beyond Bank and Cognizant join forces to lead the future of customer-owned banking