THE manufacturing and mining sectors exhibited resilience against challenges that characterised the economy in the third quarter of 2024, as measured by the Volume of Manufacturing Index (VMI). According to the VMI report, prepared by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat), production indices rose in certain areas, capacity utilisation and confidence indices painted a less optimistic picture. Capacity utilisation in the manufacturing sector fell to 47,1 percent in the third quarter of 2024 from 48,4 percent in the previous quarter, as the sector battled various challenges like power cuts and constrained access to funding. Large manufacturing companies recorded a utilisation rate of 57,5 percent, down from 60,8 percent, while small and medium enterprises were at 45,4 percent. The decline reflects challenges faced by companies in efforts to increase production, which included acute power shortage. Mining sector capacity utilisation dropped to 52,7 percent from 57,5 percent. “Capacity utilisation is a critical measure of operational efficiency and indicates how much of a sector’s production potential is being utilised.” ZimStat’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector was recorded at 35, a slight decrease from 35,8 in the second quarter of 2024. The PMI, a key indicator of economic health in manufacturing, ranges from 0 to 100, with values below 50 indicating contraction. The Manufacturing Confidence Index retreated from 3,1 in the second quarter of 2024 to 2,1 in the third quarter of 2024, reflecting diminishing optimism among manufacturers. Similarly, the Mining Confidence Index fell from 12,9 to 7,3 over the same period. These indices measure sentiment about economic conditions and business prospects. “Confidence indices are vital as they provide insight into business leaders’ expectations, which can influence investment and operational decisions,” ZimStat explained. The level of order books in the manufacturing sector was considered normal by 47 percent of respondents, while 70 percent of mining sector respondents echoed the same sentiment. However, only 6 percent of manufacturing respondents and 5 percent mining industry players deemed their stocks of finished goods above normal, reflecting restrained inventory buildup. Stocks of raw materials also remained modest, with only 6 percent of manufacturing and 4,9 percent of mining respondents reporting above-normal levels. These figures suggest cautious production planning. The report highlighted three significant challenges faced by both sectors namely electricity shortages, cash flow difficulties, and challenges in the outlook. These constraints have hampered production and weighed on business confidence. Despite these challenges, the VMI showed robust growth in some manufacturing sub-sectors. The overall index rose to 156,21, a 14,57 percent year-on-year increase from the same quarter in 2023. Sub-sectors like clothing and footwear saw a remarkable 64,43 percent growth, while metals and metal products increased by 30,53 percent. In contrast, textiles and ginning, as well as paper and printing, however, experienced sharp declines of 22,41 percent and 85,68 percent, respectively, highlighting the uneven recovery across industries. The mixed performance of the country’s manufacturing and mining sectors in the quarter under review underscores the challenges encountered in navigating a difficult economic landscape during the quarter. While some sub-sectors show promise, broader metrics like capacity utilization and confidence indices suggest cautious optimism is warranted. ZimStat concluded, “The data reflects the resilience of certain industries but also highlights the pressing need to address systemic challenges to unlock the full potential of the manufacturing and mining sectors.” As stakeholders await the fourth quarter performance, addressing electricity shortages, improving cash flow, and fostering a stable economic environment remain critical to sustaining growth. Source: Herald8k8 slot vip 。

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Cutting through the Noise: Investors are in an era of speculation, risk-taking and dreaming. How do you stay grounded?Erik Thun Group are proud to announce the delivery of our second groundbreaking vessel, the Lake Vanern Max, named MV Spiken. This innovative new generation of dry cargo vessels are designed to set new standards in the shipping industry with its advanced technologies and eco-friendly features; a plug-in hybrid designed to minimise emissions and maximise cargo. The latest addition to Erik Thun Group’s fleet, MV Spiken, was delivered this Tuesday and has now reached Wismar, Germany for her very first loading. Spiken is the second sister of six vessels ordered in the same series, to be incorporated into Erik Thun Group’s fleet. Spiken heading for Wismar photo by Jaap Dijkhuis Named after the fishing village Spiken, one of Europe’s largest freshwater harbours with its rich marine life located just north of Lidköping, the village symbolizes tradition and innovation, much like our new vessel. This connection underscores our commitment to honouring local heritage while advancing modern maritime technology. Our Lake Vanern Max, Spiken, represents a significant leap forward in maritime technology, addressing our clients’ top priorities of fuel efficiency, electrical innovation, maximum cargo capacity, while helping them achieve their sustainability goals. The design focuses on maximising cargo capacity, enabling us to handle more cargo within restricted waterways like Lake Vanern. The optimised bow design also allows the vessel to carry significantly more cargo with lower energy consumption. – We are making a substantial investment to support our customers’ transportation needs and thereby strengthening our position even further on the short-sea market and on the Lake Vänern traffic, says Senior Charterer Jens Bäckström. At Erik Thun Group, we understand that the maritime industry plays a crucial role in global trade and environmental stewardship. As we continue to innovate and lead the way in maritime solutions, we remain focused on providing efficient, reliable, and sustainable shipping services that meet the needs of our clients. We are committed to being a sustainable Swedish partner over generations. Source: Erik Thun Group

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Visalia Unlicensed Driver Smashes Into Home. No Injuries Reported.“ September 5 ” feels as much like a time capsule as a pressure cooker of a film , as an ABC Sports crew doing cutting-edge live broadcasting of the 1972 Munich Olympics ends up covering much more than that. In its most compelling moments, the Tim Fehlbaum film shows the audience the gulf between the journalists making decisions with imperfect information and the implications of those decisions — the characters’ goal may be “to follow the story,” but real life never abides by the rules of journalistic objectivity. To create this tension throughout the film, production designer Julian R. Wagner needed to craft sets that felt as grounded, authentic, and (sometimes) claustrophobic as possible. So Wagner and his production design team made their lives a lot more difficult in service of giving “ September 5 ” as honest a depiction as possible of what it would’ve been like to walk the halls of that Munich studio in the summer of ‘72. “Normally, you would build a lot of mini-sets and [the editors will] just cut from one set to another. But here, the idea was that, just as the cast should be trapped in [the studio], the crew should also be trapped inside, and you should be able to walk from one room to another,” Wagner told IndieWire. Accordingly, the walls couldn’t be flown in and out to give the shooting crew more room. The entrances and exits of the film stage where “September 5” shot were integrated into the design of the studio set. Wagner designed in 360 degrees so that Fehlbaum and cinematographer Markus Förderer could behave like a tiny documentary crew, following the actors in long takes that continually ramp up the pressure on Geoffrey Mason ( John Magaro ) and Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin) to cover the unfolding hostage crisis. “[When] you walked inside the set, the whole studio became a real TV studio. I think this gives the actors something because usually, you step into a studio set, and you see all the lights and the technicians and whatever. Not here,” Wagner said. “You entered the studio, and you were in 1972.” All of the set dressing, the period devices, cameras, monitors, and edit bays, down to the smallest button, were period-correct and designed to work. These devices were another massive challenge for Wagner and his team to solve. It’s all well and good to want period-accurate screens, cameras, and heavy filmmaking machines that work. But you can’t just run to any prop house and pick it up. “You have to go to museums [and collectors] and you have to sweet talk them,” Wagner said. “You have to go [to them] and convince them and gain their trust. You can’t just write an email and say, like, ‘Hey, we have this wonderful movie, and we need your very rare BTR machine in your basement.’” Wagner, set decorator Melanie Raab, and production buyer Johannes Pfaller started collecting all the machinery they would need eight weeks prior to shooting and assembling them into a working studio. Then technicians and propmakers refurbished everything to bring it back to life on a lightning turnaround. “The research into the devices became investigative journalism unto itself. It was incredible work,” Wagner said. “Sometimes you get pictures of machines or a conference room, and then you realize that it’s from ‘76, not ‘72, and to see the difference, you really have to go into the details of which kind of cable existed in ‘72.” The authenticity in the technological details, however, helped to give the studio spaces a sense of depth and heft that helps the characters feel contained, and sometimes constrained, by the limitations of space. Wagner previously worked on spaceship or submarine sets meant to be contained worlds, but each act in the hostage crisis in “September 5” needed to reverberate through the control room. “This was a totally new challenge for me,” Wagner said. The giant wall of (working!) video monitors that Wagner and his team built ended up being a great way to pull the characters, and the camera, into the same astonished viewership as the ABC audience. “ We decided to play the real, actual footage on the monitors, which technologically, it was a big hassle to do that. But it helped the actors to have something to play with. It was like an antagonist, and they could really react to it,” Wagner said. This video wall was slightly moveable, so it could be more or less domineering in specific shots. Every design and architectural decision made an emotional difference. “The scale of the [control] room was so precise that just 10 centimeters made a big difference,” Wagner said. “Then we had the adjoining TV studio in the back and if you would open the windows and the light of the environment changed, it was like a pressure relief valve. The accumulated pressure inside the room could just escape, and the characters could breathe again. I think that helped a lot to play with your emotional state.” Wagner also worked with false perspective to subtly play with the characters’ and the audience’s emotional state. “We had to have the feeling of being trapped in every single image,” Wagner said. “We also had different ceiling heights, and then we hung huge lamps and curtains in the room to divide the open space above [everyone’s] heads. The whole room was filled with so many details, but it couldn’t be cluttered.” Cramped but not cluttered is a fine distinction, but Wagner and his team use enough working detail, enough subtle variation in colors and tones, and that rigid sense of the walls being exactly where they would be to create a believable vision of the ABC crew’s studio. “We had to fill it in a way that it just tells the story of the journalistic work,” Wagner said. “Everything had to be there for a purpose.” “September 5” is in select theaters now.

A vehicle crashed into a home near Cain Street and Ferguson Avenue in Visalia on Tuesday morning, prompting a response from the Visalia Police Department and Fire Department. Related Story: The Visalia police said that the crash occurred around 9:30 a.m. when the driver lost control while heading north on Cain Street, causing the vehicle to collide with the residence. Related Story: Authorities reported that there were no injuries. The driver, who was found to be unlicensed, was cited and released at the scene. Related Story: The Visalia Police Department’s Traffic Unit is investigating the incident. —

Wall Street ends lower as tech stocks declineGermany to tighten criminal law as people-smuggling ‘action plan’ agreed with UKVictor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. And this wasn't on a whim: He knows how to play and even brought his own chess set. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. People began showing up almost immediately. Washington Square Park is a known spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer among others have famously played there, and it's been used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game. Wembanyama was there for an hour in the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two — he told Bleacher Report afterward that both of the losses were to professional chess players — before departing to catch the Spurs' flight. Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the team's time in New York — the Spurs played the Knicks on Christmas and won at Brooklyn on Friday night. The schedule never aligned, until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen. He posed for photos with a couple of dozen people who showed up, braving a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA's biggest stars. “We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess trip was over. Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning rookie of the year last season. The Spurs play at Minnesota on Sunday. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index moved lower Monday, led by losses in technology and utilities stocks, while U.S. stock markets were also down. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 66.38 points at 25,625.42. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 240.59 points at 44,401.93. The S&P 500 index was down 37.42 points at 6,052.85, while the Nasdaq composite was down 123.08 points at 19,736.69. “It started pretty positive in the morning. It's just been slowly, slowly grinding down ever since,” said Michael Currie, senior investment adviser at TD Wealth. Some of the market direction Monday was driven by two separate news stories out of China, he said. “The (Chinese) central bank says they're starting to buy gold again, and they're looking to loosen their monetary policy a bit. So that helped oil a lot, helped gold a lot,” said Currie. China also said it’s investigating semiconductor giant Nvidia over suspected violations of anti-monopoly laws, which sent the company’s stock lower. Nvidia’s share price was down 2.6 per cent Monday at US$138.81. Otherwise, “it’s all about interest rates today,” said Currie. In the U.S., investors are awaiting the latest update on inflation later in the week. However, given that the slowing job market is more of a concern for the U.S. Federal Reserve at this point, the data is unlikely to change what investors currently expect from the Fed next week, said Currie: a quarter-percentage-point cut. “Unless there's something really crazy out of the inflation numbers, there’s no reason to expect anything different is going to happen next week,” he said. In Canada, where the central bank is gearing up for a rate decision Wednesday, a larger half-point cut is more likely, he said. Expectations for a bigger cut rose after last week’s jobs report, which saw the unemployment rate jump to 6.8 per cent in November. “The more we're cutting rates, especially the accelerated rate compared to the States, the more that just keeps beating up our dollar,” said Currie. He expects more buzz in the coming months about the divergence between interest rates in Canada and the U.S. as the loonie continues to weaken. “We're seeing it already, and as the gap gets bigger, it'll become more of a story.” However, Currie noted the TSX briefly touched an all-time high earlier in the day. “Basically since the US election, it's just been a non-stop rally,” he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 70.77 cents US compared with 70.74 cents US on Friday. The January crude oil contract was up US$1.17 at US$68.37 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up 11 cents at US$3.18 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was up US$26.20 at US$2,685.80 an ounce and the March copper contract was up eight cents at US$4.28 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian PressStock Of The Day: FedEx Shows 'Bad Action' As Support Crumbles

Autodesk director Lorrie Norrington sells $543,925 in stockVictor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. And this wasn't on a whim: He knows how to play and even brought his own chess set. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. People began showing up almost immediately. Washington Square Park is a known spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer among others have famously played there, and it's been used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game. Wembanyama was there for an hour in the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two — he told Bleacher Report afterward that both of the losses were to professional chess players — before departing to catch the Spurs' flight. Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the team's time in New York — the Spurs played the Knicks on Christmas and won at Brooklyn on Friday night. The schedule never aligned, until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen. He posed for photos with a couple of dozen people who showed up, braving a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA's biggest stars. “We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess trip was over. Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning rookie of the year last season. The Spurs play at Minnesota on Sunday. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Even though their long-shot hopes of winning the NFC North have vanished, the playoff-bound Green Bay Packers believe they can make a legitimate run at their first Super Bowl appearance since their 2010 championship season. A rapidly improving defense gives them ample reason for confidence. The Packers (11-4) followed up a seven-sack performance in a 30-13 victory at Seattle by producing the first shutout of the NFL season, a 34-0 playoff-clinching blowout of the New Orleans Saints on Monday night. Green Bay delivered its first shutout since a 17-0 triumph over Seattle in 2021 and its most lopsided victory since a 55-14 rout of the Chicago Bears in 2014. “We’ve noticed all along that the defense is a lot different this year, and they’ve been making some big-time plays all along,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “But any time you can hold anybody to zero points in the National Football League is pretty awesome.” The Packers were seeking to produce a championship-caliber defense to go along with their dynamic offense when they fired Joe Barry as coordinator in the offseason and brought in former Boston College coach Jeff Hafley to replace him. Green Bay switched from a 3-4 scheme to a 4-3, with Hafley emphasizing the need to produce more big plays. Green Bay has done just that by collecting 28 takeaways — 10 more than it had all of last year — to match the NFL’s third-highest total. The Packers haven’t forced this many turnovers since 2011, when they had 38 takeaways. That’s not the only area in which the defense has made strides. Green Bay is allowing just 19.1 points per game to rank sixth in the league in scoring defense. The Packers haven’t finished a season among the top six teams in scoring defense since their 2010 title run, when they yielded just 15 points per game to rank second. The Packers are giving up 312.1 yards per game for the league’s seventh-best total. That also puts them on pace for their highest season-ending rank since 2010, when they finished fifth in total defense. “We’re all working together, and we’ve just got some nice playmakers,” linebacker and rookie second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper said. The Packers have given up as many as 20 points just once in their last six games, a 34-31 defeat at Detroit on Dec. 5. That is the only time Green Bay has lost during that stretch. Whether this kind of success can carry over to the playoffs remains uncertain. The Packers’ shutout performance came against a New Orleans offense that was starting rookie fifth-round draft pick Spencer Rattler at quarterback in place of the injured Derek Carr and was missing five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara. Green Bay’s defense faces a much tougher task Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings (13-2), who beat the Packers 31-29 at Lambeau Field on Sept. 29. This will mark the first time in the series' 64-year history that both teams had at least 11 wins when they face off. The Packers are eager to see what they can do against another team headed for the playoffs as their defense gears up for another postseason. “We can do whatever we want to do,” defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. “We write our own story at the end of the day. We’ve just got to keep on building.” What’s working Green Bay outrushed New Orleans 188-67 and improved its season total to 2,209 yards rushing. The Packers haven't rushed for that many yards in a season since 2003, when they had 2,558. ... The pass rush has produced 16 sacks over Green Bay’s last four games. ... Green Bay is outscoring teams 102-34 in the first quarter. ... The Packers didn't give up a sack Monday and have allowed just five over their last eight games. That represents the fewest sacks the Packers have given up over an eight-game stretch within a single season since 2004. What needs work Penalties remain a bit of an issue. The Packers were penalized six times for 60 yards. Stock up Love has thrown eight touchdown passes without an interception over his last five games. ... RB Josh Jacobs has run for a touchdown in six straight games. His 13 TD runs this season are a career high. ... K Brandon McManus made field goals from 55 and 46 yards to improve to 16 of 17 this season. His 55-yarder was a season long. ... S Zayne Anderson had his first career interception in his first career start. ... DL Brenton Cox Jr. has three sacks over his last four games. Stock down There really aren't any candidates for this category, considering the Packers produced their biggest victory margin in a decade. Injuries WR Christian Watson injured a knee Monday night. ... CB Jaire Alexander (knee) missed a fifth straight game. S Javon Bullard (ankle), S Evan Williams (quadriceps) and LB Quay Walker (ankle) also didn’t play. Key number 30 – The Packers have scored at least 30 points in each of their last five games. That represents the second-longest string of games with 30-plus points in franchise history. Green Bay had seven such straight games in 1963. Next steps The Packers close the regular season with two divisional games, visiting Minnesota on Sunday before hosting the Bears (4-11). Green Bay is 1-3 against NFC North opponents this season. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Steve Megargee, The Associated PressNone

If you’re sitting on a pile of travel or credit card rewards with no immediate travel plans, donating them to a charity is an easy way to have a positive impact. And it's a popular way to give: In 2021, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members donated around 94 million miles to charities at an approximate cash value of $2.6 million, according to the airline. Beyond the social benefits, miles donations also qualify as activity on your loyalty account and can prevent the rest of your rewards from expiring . Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.DELAND, Fla. (AP) — Jayden Brewer had 20 points in Florida International's 81-72 victory against Stetson on Saturday night. Brewer had five rebounds for the Panthers (4-6). Asim Jones scored 12 points while shooting 2 of 5 from the field and 8 for 10 from the line. Vianney Salatchoum shot 5 of 8 from the field and 1 for 3 from the line to finish with 11 points, while adding six rebounds. Jordan Wood led the Hatters (1-9) in scoring, finishing with 25 points and three blocks. Josh Massey added 13 points and six rebounds for Stetson. Mehki had 13 points and two steals. The loss is the ninth straight for the Hatters. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Dearborn County names two Lilly Scholars

Berlin confirmed plans to reform its legal framework make it a clear criminal offence to “facilitate the smuggling of migrants to the UK” as part of the agreement, the Home Office said. The Home Office said the move would give German prosecutors more tools to tackle the supply and storage of dangerous small boats. Both countries will also commit to exchange information that may help to remove migrant-smuggling content from social media platforms and tackle end-to-end routes of criminal smuggling networks as part of the deal. It comes ahead of the UK and Germany hosting the so-called Calais Group in London, which sees ministers and police from the two countries, alongside France, Belgium and the Netherlands, gather to discuss migration in Europe. Delegates are expected to agree a detailed plan to tackle people-smuggling gangs in 2025 at the meeting on Tuesday. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “For too long organised criminal gangs have been exploiting vulnerable people, undermining border security in the UK and across Europe while putting thousands of lives at risk. “We are clear that this cannot go on. “Germany is already a key partner in our efforts to crack down on migrant smuggling, but there is always more we can do together. “Our new joint action plan with deliver a strengthened partnership with Germany, boosting our respective border security as we work to fix the foundations, and ultimately saving lives.” Nancy Faeser, German federal minister of the interior said: “We are now stepping up our joint action to fight the brutal activities of international smugglers. “This is at the core of our joint action plan that we have agreed in London. “I am very grateful to my British counterpart Yvette Cooper that we were able to reach this important agreement. “It will help us end the inhumane activities of criminal migrant smuggling organisations. “By cramming people into inflatable boats under threats of violence and sending them across the Channel, these organisations put human lives at risk. “Many of these crimes are planned in Germany. “Together, we are now countering this unscrupulous business with even more resolve. “This includes maintaining a high investigative pressure, exchanging information between our security authorities as best as possible, and persistently investigating financial flows to identify the criminals operating behind the scenes.”Thumzup opening bell Thumzup Media Corporation "We are honored and energized to embrace this opportunity to commemorate Thumzup on Nasdaq's global stage,” said Robert Steele, Thumzup CEO. "Ringing the Opening Bell is a celebration of the achievements that have guided our company to this notable moment and a testament to our vision for the future. This is a proud moment for the entire team.” Following, Robert Steele will also join Nasdaq's Behind the Bell series for a featured interview immediately following the ceremony. The episode will showcase Steele's reflective commentary and quick-hit questions surrounding Thumzup's hallmark year, including its recent expansions and growing platform features, as well as touching on the company's trajectory for the future. The Nasdaq Opening Bell Ceremony will be live from 9:15am to 9:30am ET. The event can be viewed live or via replay: https://www.nasdaq.com/marketsite/bell-ringing-ceremony The Thumzup app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play . About Thumzup ® Thumzup Media Corporation (Thumzup) is democratizing the multi-billion dollar social media branding and marketing industry. Its flagship product, the Thumzup platform, utilizes a robust programmatic advertiser dashboard coupled with a consumer-facing App to enable individuals to get paid cash for posting about participating advertisers on major social media outlets through the Thumzup App. The easy-to-use dashboard allows advertisers to programmatically customize their campaigns. Cash payments are made to App users/creators through PayPal and Venmo. Thumzup was featured on CBS Los Angeles and in KTLA . Legal Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include, without limitation, statements about its potential growth, impacts on the advertising industry, plans for potential uplisting, and planned expansion. These statements are identified by the use of the words "could," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "may," "continue," "predict," "potential," "project" and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that these plans, objectives, expectations or intentions will be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience and present expectations or projections. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements and the trading price for our common stock may fluctuate significantly. Forward-looking statements also are affected by the risk factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Contact Info [email protected] 800-403-6150 Media Contact Jessica Starman [email protected] Attachment Thumzup opening bellDavid Hilzenrath, Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group | (TNS) KFF Health News In March, newly installed Social Security chief Martin O’Malley criticized agency “injustices” that “shock our shared sense of equity and good conscience as Americans.” He promised to overhaul the Social Security Administration’s often heavy-handed efforts to claw back money that millions of recipients — including people who are living in poverty, are elderly, or have disabilities — were allegedly overpaid, as described by a KFF Health News and Cox Media Group investigation last year. “Innocent people can be badly hurt,” O’Malley said at the time. Nearly eight months since he appeared before Congress and announced a series of policy changes, and with two months left in his term, O’Malley’s effort to fix the system has made inroads but remains a work in progress. For instance, one change, moving away from withholding 100% of people’s monthly Social Security benefits to recover alleged overpayments, has been a major improvement, say advocates for beneficiaries. “It is a tremendous change,” said Kate Lang of Justice in Aging, who called it “life-changing for many people.” The number of people from whom the Social Security Administration was withholding full monthly benefits to recoup money declined sharply — from about 46,000 in January to about 7,000 in September, the agency said. Asked to clarify whether those numbers and others provided for this article covered all programs administered by the agency, the SSA press office did not respond. Another potentially significant change — relieving beneficiaries of having to prove that an overpayment was not their fault — has not been implemented. The agency said it is working on that. Meanwhile, the agency seems to be looking to Congress to take the lead on a change some observers see as crucial: limiting how far back the government can reach to recover an alleged overpayment. Barbara Hubbell of Watkins Glen, New York, called the absence of a statute of limitations “despicable.” Hubbell said her mother was held liable for $43,000 because of an SSA error going back 19 years. “In what universe is that even legal?” Hubbell said. Paying down the overpayment balance left her mother “essentially penniless,” she added. In response to questions for this article, Social Security spokesperson Mark Hinkle said legislation is “the best and fastest way” to set a time limit. Establishing a statute of limitations was not among the policy changes O’Malley announced in his March congressional testimony. In an interview at the time, he said he expected an announcement on it “within the next couple few months.” It could probably be done by regulation, without an act of Congress, he said. Speaking generally, Hinkle said the agency has “made substantial progress on overpayments,” reducing the hardship they cause, and “continues to work diligently” to update policies. The agency is underfunded, he added, is at a near 50-year low in staffing, and could do better with more employees. The SSA did not respond to requests for an interview with O’Malley. O’Malley announced the policy changes after KFF Health News and Cox Media Group jointly published and broadcast investigative reporting on the damage overpayments and clawbacks have done to millions of beneficiaries. When O’Malley, a former Democratic governor of Maryland, presented his plans to three congressional committees in March, lawmakers greeted him with rare bipartisan praise. But the past several months have shown how hard it can be to turn around a federal bureaucracy that is massive, complex, deeply dysfunctional, and, as it says, understaffed. Now O’Malley’s time may be running out. Lang of Justice in Aging, among the advocacy groups that have been meeting with O’Malley and other Social Security officials, said she appreciates how much the commissioner has achieved in a short time. But she added that O’Malley has “not been interested in hearing about our feelings that things have fallen short.” One long-standing policy O’Malley set out to change involves the burden of proof. When the Social Security Administration alleges someone has been overpaid and demands the money back, the burden is on the beneficiary to prove they were not at fault. Cecilia Malone, 24, a beneficiary in Lithonia, Georgia, said she and her parents spent hundreds of hours trying to get errors corrected. “Why is the burden on us to ‘prove’ we weren’t overpaid?” Malone said. It can be exceedingly difficult for beneficiaries to appeal a decision. The alleged overpayments, which can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more, often span years. And people struggling just to survive may have extra difficulty producing financial records from long ago. What’s more, in letters demanding repayment, the government does not typically spell out its case against the beneficiary — making it hard to mount a defense. Testifying before House and Senate committees in March, O’Malley promised to shift the burden of proof. “That should be on the agency,” he said. The agency expects to finalize “guidance” on the subject “in the coming months,” Hinkle said. The agency points to reduced wait times and other improvements in a phone system known to leave beneficiaries on hold. “In September, we answered calls to our national 800 number in an average of 11 minutes — a tremendous improvement from 42 minutes one year ago,” Hinkle said. Still, in response to a nonrepresentative survey by KFF Health News and Cox Media Group focused on overpayments, about half of respondents who said they contacted the agency by phone since April rated that experience as “poor,” and few rated it “good” or “excellent.” The survey was sent to about 600 people who had contacted KFF Health News to share their overpayment stories since September 2023. Almost 200 people answered the survey in September and October of this year. Most of those who said they contacted the agency by mail since April rated their experience as “poor.” Jennifer Campbell, 60, a beneficiary in Nelsonville, Ohio, said in late October that she was still waiting for someone at the agency to follow up as described during a phone call in May. “VERY POOR customer service!!!!!” Campbell wrote. “Nearly impossible to get a hold of someone,” wrote Kathryn Duff of Colorado Springs, Colorado, who has been helping a disabled family member. Letters from SSA have left Duff mystified. One was postmarked July 9, 2024, but dated more than two years earlier. Another, dated Aug. 18, 2024, said her family member was overpaid $31,635.80 in benefits from the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides money to people with little or no income or other resources who are disabled, blind, or at least 65. But Duff said her relative never received SSI benefits. What’s more, for the dates in question, payments listed in the letter to back up the agency’s math didn’t come close to $31,635.80; they totaled about a quarter of that amount. Regarding the 100% clawbacks, O’Malley in March said it’s “unconscionable that someone would find themselves facing homelessness or unable to pay bills, because Social Security withheld their entire payment for recovery of an overpayment.” He said that, starting March 25, if a beneficiary doesn’t respond to a new overpayment notice, the agency would default to withholding 10%. The agency warned of “a short transition period.” That change wasn’t automated until June 25, Hinkle said. The number of people newly placed in full withholding plummeted from 6,771 in February to 51 in September, according to data the agency provided. SSA said it would notify recipients they could request reduced withholding if it was already clawing back more than 10% of their monthly checks. Nonetheless, dozens of beneficiaries or their family members told KFF Health News and Cox Media Group they hadn’t heard they could request reduced withholding. Among those who did ask, roughly half said their requests were approved. According to the SSA, there has been almost a 20% decline in the number of people facing clawbacks of more than 10% but less than 100% of their monthly checks — from 141,316 as of March 8 to 114,950 as of Oct. 25, agency spokesperson Nicole Tiggemann said. Meanwhile, the number of people from whom the agency was withholding exactly 10% soared more than fortyfold — from just over 5,000 to well over 200,000. And the number of beneficiaries having any partial benefits withheld to recover an overpayment increased from almost 600,000 to almost 785,000, according to data Tiggemann provided. Lorraine Anne Davis, 72, of Houston, said she hasn’t received her monthly Social Security payment since June due to an alleged overpayment. Her Medicare premium was being deducted from her monthly benefit, so she’s been left to pay that out-of-pocket. Davis said she’s going to need a kidney transplant and had been trying to save money for when she’d be unable to work. A letter from the SSA dated April 8, 2024, two weeks after the new 10% withholding policy was slated to take effect, said it had overpaid her $13,538 and demanded she pay it back within 30 days. Apparently, the SSA hadn’t accounted for a pension Davis receives from overseas; Davis said she disclosed it when she filed for benefits. In a letter to her dated June 29, the agency said that, under its new policy, it would change the withholding to only 10% if she asked. Davis said she asked by phone repeatedly, and to no avail. “Nobody seems to know what’s going on” and “no one seems to be able to help you,” Davis said. “You’re just held captive.” In October, the agency said she’d receive a payment — in March 2025. Marley Presiado, a research assistant on the Public Opinion and Survey Research team at KFF, contributed to this report. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.