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VANCOUVER, BC , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wondershare, a global leader in innovative software solutions, proudly announces the launch of Recoverit 13.5 , the latest iteration of its flagship data recovery software. The newest version introduces efficient external storage data recovery, enhanced multi-device compatibility, large video file recovery, a more intuitive user experience, faster and cost-efficient recovery, and robust data security features, making it the go-to solution for reliable, high-performance data recovery across devices. Building on over 20 years of expertise, Recoverit has become a leading desktop data recovery tool tailored for individual consumers, with a strong focus on video, photo and large video files recovery from any device. It provides professional and reliable data recovery solutions for a wide range of devices, quickly resolving data loss problems caused by accidental deletion, formatting, device damage, virus attacks, unknown error codes, and more. 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Upgraded Product Design: Enhance the expert/tech-oriented look by introducing Dark Mode and authorization optimization ( Files and Folders/Full Disk Access ) ; optimize compatibility with portable devices; implement a comprehensive UI/UX overhaul. Advanced Large File Recovery Superior Large Video File Recovery: Specially designed to handle large video files, such as: 4K , 8K those UHD video by full frame camera, delivering exceptional results for professionals and casual users alike. Commercial-Grade Advanced Recovery Features: Empower users with powerful recovery options for critical scenarios. Availability Recoverit 13.5 is now available for both Windows and macOS users, with pricing options tailored to diverse needs. Visit recoverit.wondershare.com for more details. About Wondershare: Wondershare is a globally recognized software company, known for its innovative solutions in creativity and productivity. Driven by the mission "Creativity Simplified," Wondershare offers a range of tools, including Filmora and DemoCreator for video editing; PDFelement for document management; EdrawMax, EdrawMind for diagramming; and SelfyzAI, Pixpic, FaceHub for image recovery and editing. With over 1.5 billion users across 200+ countries and regions, Wondershare empowers the next generation of creators with intuitive software, trendy creative resources, and a dynamic ecosystem, continually expanding the possibilities of creativity worldwide. Media Enquiries: Bingqing Yang [email protected] SOURCE Wondershare TechnologyATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Ga., where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 White House Diary that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid . And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new Saturday Night Live show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.”
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Syntec Optics Holdings, Inc. (“Syntec Optics” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: OPTX), a leading provider of mission-critical products to advanced technology defense, biomedical, and communications equipment manufacturers, today announced the appointment of Michael J. Ransford as Site Manager. In this role, Ransford will oversee technology and operations. With over 30 years of experience in engineering, operations, and business leadership, Ransford brings a wealth of expertise to Syntec Optics. His impressive career began at the forefront of the internet revolution in the 90s, contributing optics to the critical infrastructure using DWDM technology. Syntec Optics can benefit from this knowledge for its data center optical connectivity products, the growth of which is driven by artificial intelligence deployment. Mike later worked at Semrock, which was subsequently acquired by publicly listed company IDEX, where he contributed to operational efficiency improvements during top-line growth. Syntec Optics can benefit from this background for building efficiency while scaling manufacturing. At IDEX, Ransford advanced to Site Manager, applying his knowledge to global facilities. He later became VP of Life Sciences Optics at IDEX, successfully consolidating multiple optics facilities in Rochester, NY, with the support of government aid. Most recently, he worked in the thin film coating business, an area of vendor improvement for Syntec. He worked closely with investors, leading operations to drive growth from optics M&A using rigorous financial and operational performance metrics. All of this experience benefits Syntec Optics in its long-term M&A strategy. “We are thrilled to welcome Mike to the Syntec Optics team,” said Dean Rudy, CFO at Syntec Optics. “His extensive experience and leadership skills, coupled with his proven track record of driving operational excellence and business growth, will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and expand our operations. We are confident that Mike will significantly contribute to our ongoing success.” Ransford holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan. About Syntec Optics Syntec Optics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPTX), headquartered in Rochester, NY, is one of the largest custom and diverse end-market optics and photonics manufacturers in the United States. Operating for over two decades, Syntec Optics runs a state-of-the-art facility with extensive core capabilities of various optics manufacturing processes, both horizontally and vertically integrated, to provide a competitive advantage for mission-critical OEMs. Syntec Optics recently launched new products, including Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite optics, lightweight night vision goggle optics, biomedical equipment optics, and precision microlens arrays. To learn more, visit www.syntecoptics.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including certain financial forecasts and projections. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements as to the transactions contemplated by the business combination and related agreements, future results of operations and financial position, revenue and other metrics, planned products and services, business strategy and plans, objectives of management for future operations of Syntec Optics, market size, and growth opportunities, competitive position and technological and market trends, are forward-looking statements. Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words, including “may,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “predict,” “plan,” “targets,” “projects,” “could,” “would,” “continue,” “forecast” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors (some of which are beyond the control of Syntec Optics), which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon estimates, forecasts and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Syntec Optics and its management, as the case may be, are inherently uncertain and many factors may cause the actual results to differ materially from current expectations which include, but are not limited to: 1) risk outlined in any prior SEC filings; 2) ability of Syntec Optics to successfully increase market penetration into its target markets; 3) the addressable markets that Syntec Optics intends to target do not grow as expected; 4) the loss of any key executives; 5) the loss of any relationships with key suppliers including suppliers abroad; 6) the loss of any relationships with key customers; 7) the inability to protect Syntec Optics’ patents and other intellectual property; 8) the failure to successfully execute manufacturing of announced products in a timely manner or at all, or to scale to mass production; 9) costs related to any further business combination; 10) changes in applicable laws or regulations; 11) the possibility that Syntec Optics may be adversely affected by other economic, business and/or competitive factors; 12) Syntec Optics’ estimates of its growth and projected financial results for the future and meeting or satisfying the underlying assumptions with respect thereto; 13) the impact of any pandemic, including any mutations or variants thereof and the Russian/Ukrainian or Israeli conflict, and any resulting effect on business and financial conditions; 14) inability to complete any investments or borrowings in connection with any organic or inorganic growth; 15) the potential for events or circumstances that result in Syntec Optics’ failure to timely achieve the anticipated benefits of Syntec Optics’ customer arrangements; and 16) other risks and uncertainties set forth in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in prior SEC filings including registration statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Syntec Optics does not give any assurance that Syntec Optics will achieve its expected results. Syntec Optics does not undertake any duty to update these forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by law. For further information, please contact: Sara Hart Investor Relations InvestorRelations@syntecoptics.com SOURCE: Syntec Optics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPTX)Julie Appleby | KFF Health News Unauthorized switching of Affordable Care Act plans appears to have tapered off in recent weeks based on an almost one-third drop in casework associated with consumer complaints, say federal regulators . The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees the ACA, credits steps taken to thwart enrollment and switching problems that triggered more than 274,000 complaints this year through August. Now, the annual ACA open enrollment period that began Nov. 1 poses a real-world test: Will the changes curb fraud by rogue agents or brokerages without unduly slowing the process of enrolling or reducing the total number of sign-ups for 2025 coverage? “They really have this tightrope to walk,” said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. “The more you tighten it up to prevent fraud, the more barriers there are that could inhibit enrollment among those who need the coverage.” CMS said in July that some types of policy changes — those in which the agent is not “affiliated” with the existing plan — will face more requirements, such as a three-way call with the consumer, broker, and a healthcare.gov call center representative. In August, the agency barred two of about a dozen private sector online-enrollment platforms from connecting with healthcare.gov over concerns related to improper switching. And CMS has suspended 850 agents suspected of being involved in unauthorized plan-switching from accessing the ACA marketplace. Still, the clampdown could add complexity to enrollment and slow the process. For example, a consumer might have to wait in a queue for a three-way call, or scramble to find a new agent because the one they previously worked with had been suspended. Given that phone lines with healthcare.gov staff already get busy — especially during mid-December — agents and policy analysts advise consumers not to dally this year. “Hit the ground running,” said Ronnell Nolan, president and CEO of Health Agents for America, a professional organization for brokers. Meanwhile, reports are emerging that some rogue entities are already figuring out workarounds that could undermine some of the anti-fraud protections CMS put in place, Nolan said. “Bottom line is: Fraud and abuse is still happening,” Nolan said. Brokers assist the majority of people actively enrolling in ACA plans and are paid a monthly commission by insurers for their efforts. Consumers can compare plans or enroll themselves online through federal or state marketplace websites. They can also seek help from people called assisters or navigators — certified helpers who are not paid commissions. Under a “find local help” button on the federal and state ACA websites , consumers can search for nearby brokers or navigators. CMS says it has “ramped up support operations” at its healthcare.gov marketplace call centers, which are open 24/7, in anticipation of increased demand for three-way calls, and it expects “minimal wait times,” said Jeff Wu, deputy director for policy of the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. Wu said those three-way calls are necessary only when an agent or a broker not already associated with a consumer’s enrollment wants to change that consumer’s enrollment or end that consumer’s coverage. It does not apply to people seeking coverage for the first time. Organizations paid by the government to offer navigator services have a dedicated phone line to the federal marketplace, and callers are not currently experiencing long waits, said Xonjenese Jacobs, director of Florida Covering Kids & Families, a program based at the University of South Florida that coordinates enrollment across the state through its Covering Florida navigator program. Navigators can assist with the three-way calls if a consumer’s situation requires it. “Because we have our quick line in, there’s no increased wait time,” Jacobs said. The problem of unauthorized switches has been around for a while but took off during last year’s open enrollment season. Brokers generally blamed much of the problem on the ease with which rogue agents can access ACA information in the federal marketplace, needing only a person’s name, date of birth, and state of residence. Though federal regulators have worked to tighten that access with the three-way call requirement, they stopped short of instituting what some agent groups say is needed: two-factor authentication, which could involve a code accessed by a consumer through a smartphone. Unauthorized switches can lead to a host of problems for consumers, from higher deductibles to landing in new networks that do not include their preferred physicians or hospitals. Some people have received tax bills when unauthorized policies came with premium credits for which they did not qualify. Unauthorized switches posed a political liability for the Biden administration, a blemish on two years of record ACA enrollment. The practice drew criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle; Democrats demanded more oversight and punishment of rogue agents, while Republicans said fraud attempts were fueled by Biden administration moves that allowed for more generous premium subsidies and special enrollment periods. The fate of those enhanced subsidies, which are set to expire, will be decided by Congress next year as the Trump administration takes power. But the premiums and subsidies that come with 2025 plans that people are enrolling in now will remain in effect for the entire year. The actions taken this year to thwart the unauthorized enrollments apply to the federal marketplace, used by 31 states . The remaining states and the District of Columbia run their own websites, with many having in place additional layers of security. Related Articles Feds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’ Fatal drug overdoses in Denver and across Colorado show declines through first half of 2024 More foods are making us sick: What to know as foodborne outbreaks hit Cities, states say they’ll need more help to replace millions of lead pipes Denver senator’s resignation, endorsements rankle Democrats and spark reform calls For its part, CMS says its efforts are working, pointing to the 30% drop in complaint casework. The agency also noted a 90% drop in the number of times an agent’s name was replaced by another’s, which it says indicates that it is tougher for rival agents to steal clients to gain the monthly commissions that insurers pay. Still, the move to suspend 850 agents has drawn pushback from agent groups that initially brought the problem to federal regulators’ attention. They say some of those accused were suspended before getting a chance to respond to the allegations. “There will be a certain number of agents and brokers who are going to be suspended without due process,” said Nolan, with the health agents’ group. She said that it has called for increased protections against unauthorized switching and that two-factor authentication, like that used in some state marketplaces or in the financial sector, would be more effective than what’s been done. “We now have to jump through so many hoops that I’m not sure we’re going to survive,” she said of agents in general. “They are just throwing things against the wall to see what sticks when they could just do two-factor.” The agency did not respond to questions asking for details about how the 850 agents suspended since July were selected, the states where they were located, or how many had their suspensions reversed after supplying additional information.
Salesforce Q3 earnings, Zscaler CEO: Market Domination OvertimeAnti-fraud efforts meet real-world test during ACA enrollment periodBlack Friday 2024 sales hit early with Nakamichi being one of the first to officially announce it with its , , and soundbar systems (Check the full list of recent ). Now, more brands like Denon, that we covered earlier today, have also started offering their Black Friday discounts. We can check out its . If you prefer to stick to soundbars and some of those Nakamichi ones are out of your budget, then JBL and Polk Audio, two other leading audio gear makers are also offering some of their popular products at the lowest prices this Black Friday. The discounts are available on 7.1.4, 7.1.2 as well as corresponding 5.1-based models ( ). First up, we have Polk MagniFi Max AX (SR), like other Polk Audio surround sound systems, it features Polk's patented Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) technology which, the company claims, creates an excellent soundstage and surround imaging. Combined with Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X, the system should provide an excellent room-filling surround sound experience. The key specs of the soundbar are given below: (1) 3in (73mm) full-range driver (1) 10in down-firing woofer Get the Polk Audio soundbars at the links below: Up next we have several JBL BAR soundbars ranging from the JBL BAR 1000 down to the JBL BAR 9.1. JBL claims that its BAR 1000 model goes as low as 33Hz which is crucial for movie-watching or even some genres of music. The 10-inch subwoofer is rated at 300 watts of RMS power. The total power output of the system is 880 watts at THD (total harmonic distortion) of 1%. Unlike the 7.1.4 JBL BAR 1000, the BAR 700 and 500 are 5.1 systems which means they lack true Dolby Atmos, but they can still provide an Atmos-like experience. DTS:X is also not supported. The BAR 700 and BAR 500 are rated at 620 watts and 590 watts respectively. Interestingly, all three systems have similarly-specced subwoofers so if bass is what you are looking for and do not care about the surround or Atmos experience so much, you can opt for the cheapest BAR 500 too. Get the JBL BAR 1000, 700, and 500 models at the links below: Make sure you also browse through , and to find some other great tech deals. Also, check the and especially our where we post some of the to see if there's anything we've posted in the past few days that could be of interest.East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., a potential first-round pick, declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday. Revel, who sustained a torn left ACL in practice in September, had one season of eligibility remaining. "After an incredible journey at East Carolina, I am officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft," the senior posted on social media. "... Pirates nation, thank you for your unwavering energy and support every game. Representing ECU is an honor, and I look forward to continuing to do so on Sundays!" Revel recorded two interceptions in three games this season, returning one 50 yards for a touchdown on Sept. 14 against Appalachian State. Over three seasons with the Pirates, Revel had three interceptions, 15 passes defensed and 70 tackles in 24 games. He was a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection last season. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Revel as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 23 overall prospect in the 2025 draft class. --Field Level Media
SHANGHAI and HONG KONG, Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NETCLASS TECHNOLOGY INC. (the “Company” or “NETCLASS”), a leading B2B smart education IT solutions provider with offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, today announced the closing of its initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 1,800,000 Class A ordinary shares at a public offering price of $5.00 per ordinary share, for total gross proceeds of $9,000,000, before deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, and other related expenses. The Company has granted the underwriters an option, exercisable within 45 days from the closing date of the Offering, to purchase up to an additional 270,000 Class A ordinary shares at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts to cover over-allotments, if any. Shares of the Company’s stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “NTCL” on December 13, 2024. The Offering was conducted on a firm commitment basis. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Offering for the courseware and online technology platform development, expansion of application development service and subscription services, marketing and brand building, along with working capital and general corporate purposes. Newbridge Securities Corporation and Revere Securities, LLC (the “Underwriters”) acted as Underwriters to the Offering. Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP acted as U.S. counsel to the Company, and Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel LLP acted as U.S. counsel to Newbridge Securities Corporation, who acted as the representative of the Underwriters in connection with the Offering. A registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-278224) was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and was declared effective by the SEC on December 12, 2024. A final prospectus relating to the offering was filed with the SEC is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus relating to this offering may be obtained from Newbridge Securities Corporation, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, 1200 North Federal Highway, Suite 400, Boca Raton, FL 33432, by email at syndicate@newbridgesecurities.com or by telephone at (877) 447-9625. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and other documents the Company has filed or will file with the SEC for more information about the Company and the Offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About NETCLASS TECHNOLOGY INC. NETCLASS TECHNOLOGY INC. is a leading B2B smart education specialist with offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, providing innovative IT solutions to schools, training institutions, corporations, public agencies, and other organizations. Our services include SaaS subscription services and application software development, with solutions spanning teaching and campus management, online teaching, examinations, epidemic prevention, data storage, EDC (Education Credit) blockchain systems, and lecturer evaluation services. Our mission is to deliver reliable, high-quality products that drive sustainable growth for our customers. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://ir.netclasstech.com Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the Company's proposed Offering. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs, including the expectation that the Offering will be successfully completed. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company's registration statement and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: NETCLASS TECHNOLOGY INC. Investor Relations Email: ir@netclasstech.com Jackson Lin Lambert by LLYC Phone: +1 (646) 717-4593 Email: jian.lin@llyc.global
JBL BAR, Polk Audio Dolby Atmos soundbars with wireless subwoofer cheapest on Black FridayNOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, BELARUS, HONG KONG, JAPAN, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, RUSSIA, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. PLEASE SEE "IMPORTANT INFORMATION" AT THE END OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. The Board of Directors of Fingerprint Cards AB ("Fingerprints” or the "Company”) has resolved on a partially guaranteed issue of units consisting of new shares of series B ("B-shares”) and warrants entitling for subscription of B-shares ("Warrants”) (together "Units”) of up to approximately SEK 160 million with preferential rights for its existing shareholders, subject to subsequent approval from an extraordinary general meeting in the Company to be held on 17 January 2025 (the "Rights Issue”). The Rights Issue is subject to subscription undertakings and guarantee commitments in a total amount of up to SEK 115 million. To cover the Company's liquidity needs during the period up until the completion of the Rights Issue, a consortium of external investors has provided the Company with a short-term loan of SEK 40 million (the "Bridge Loan”). The net proceeds from the Rights Issue are intended to be used to repay the Bridge Loan (including interest and set-up fee) and general corporate purposes. Such general corporate purposes include, inter alia, funding the transformation plan, including the continued wind down of the Chinese operations, and the group's ongoing operations during the continued implementation of the transformation plan as well as future growth initiatives. The extraordinary general meeting is to be held on 17 January 2025 and will be proposed to resolve on subsequent approval of the Board of Directors' resolution on the Rights Issue, resolve on certain technical measures to facilitate the Rights Issue and resolve to amend the Company's articles of association to increase the limits for the number of shares and number of shares of each class to enable the Rights Issue. A notice convening the extraordinary general meeting will be announced through a separate press release. Summary In line with Fingerprints' communicated transformation plan and as announced by Fingerprints in its interim report for the period January-March 2024, the Company is exiting commoditized, low-margin markets to prioritize profitable growth segments. As part of this realignment, the Company is winding down its loss-making operations in the Mobile product group to promote its financial health and support future viability. In June 2024, Fingerprints entered into an exclusive partnership agreement with a biometric sensor solution provider, facilitating a more efficient wind down of the Mobile operations and inventory depletion. The PC market has similar dynamics to Mobile, with a China-centric and highly concentrated customer base that values low-cost product above all. With the lifecycle maturity of many models, Fingerprints has seen a rapid shift in orders partially driven by its position as a low-cap player. This has in turn driven customers to diversify their supplier base, further impacting Fingerprints' market share - particularly as a smaller-cap company following the Mobile wind down. Securing new PC projects has proven to be both capital- and time-intensive, further underscoring the unsustainability of the product group. Against this backdrop, Fingerprints is winding down the PC product group to achieve further cost reductions and exit the Chinese market entirely. Cost reductions are pivotal in Fingerprints' transformation efforts and includes the Company's outsourced manufacturing model and increased operational efficiency. Further, within the first nine months of 2024 the Company lowered its workforce by over 40 percent, primarily driven by the ongoing transition out of Mobile and PC. In addition, and as part of the significant cost optimization programme, the Company successfully restructured its balance sheet during 2024 by redeeming the convertible bonds to ensure operational efficiency. The Company will continue to implement cost reduction measures, such as the wind down of the PC product group, with the aim to reach a recurring annualized OPEX of less than SEK 70 million by the end of the second quarter 2025, underscoring the commitment to operational efficiency and disciplined resource allocation. In parallel with the above and to further execute the new strategy, Fingerprints is continuing its focus on the core biometric business whilst expanding to digital identity, a core component of human-digital interactions. Fingerprints is committed to, through future partnerships, building a robust digital identity platform to help its customers address the myriad of cyber-risks and poor user experience arising from passwords. As the Company continues the phase-out of the Mobile and PC product groups, Fingerprints is also strategically reallocating capital toward high-margin, high-growth segments in digital identity through the Access and Payment product groups. Additionally, the Company explores new business product group partnerships, including within iris technology, to leverage Fingerprints extensive experience and competence. As the Company carves out its digital identity and secure authentication specialty, it is transitioning from a component supplier to an integrated biometric solutions provider of software-centric offerings which enables higher-margin opportunities. Thus, Fingerprints believe that it is well-positioned for sustainable growth and long-term value creation. Moreover, the Company is continuously having discussions with potential strategic partners in relation to the updated product positioning to further leverage Fingerprints extensive technological expertise and innovation capabilities, including in respect of Access, Payment and Iris, with an aim to unlock additional growth capital and enhance value creation. Although the transformation plan as a whole is designed to ensure sustained profitable growth and ongoing cost optimization will keep Fingerprints lean and agile, the ongoing process of executing the transformation plan has led to short-term revenue fluctuations. Against this background and given the group's overall operational performance, the Board of Directors has carefully evaluated the possibilities for the Company to ensure a necessary capital injection in order not to jeopardize the completion of the transformation plan and in turn the survival of Fingerprints, as well as to support future growth initiatives. In this evaluation, the Board of Directors took into account scale and need of a necessary capital injection, and believed that the Rights Issue together with the Bridge Loan (as defined above) is the only way for Fingerprints to confidently enable the completion of the transformation plan and in turn achieve stability and stronger prospects for the future for the group. Following deduction of issue related costs, which is expected to amount to approximately SEK 28 million if the Rights Issue is fully subscribed, the net proceeds of the Rights Issue will amount to no more than SEK 132 million and is intended to be used for the following purposes: (i) fully repay the Bridge Loan (including interest and set-up fee) (SEK 43 million) and (ii) general corporate purposes (SEK 89 million). Such general corporate purposes include, inter alia, funding the transformation plan, including the continued wind down of the Chinese operations, and the group's ongoing operations during the continued implementation of the transformation plan and future growth initiatives. Assuming that the Company achieves its expected sales volumes and continues to successfully implement its previously outlined transformation plan, the anticipated net proceeds from the Rights Issue is expected to fund the Company for twelve months subsequent to the execution of the Rights Issue and until the Company reaches cash-flow positive. However, it may be necessary for the Company to seek additional funding in the next twelve months, for example, if the Company falls short of its expected sales volumes or encounters difficulties in executing its communicated transformation plan. The Rights Issue Shareholders who are entered in the Company's share register on the record date, expected to be 24 January 2025, will have the right to subscribe for Units with preferential rights in the Rights Issue. Subscription of Units may also take place without preferential rights. Each Unit will consist of a specified number of B-shares and Warrants. The Warrants will be issued free of charge. It is expected that the Units will be structured with a ratio of 6:1 between B-shares and Warrants where, for example, for every six (6) new B-shares, one (1) Warrant will be included in a Unit. The Warrants will entitle the holder to subscribe for one (1) new B-share in the Company at a subscription price corresponding to 70 percent of the VWAP for the Company's B-share on Nasdaq Stockholm during the 10 trading days that occurs immediately prior to the exercise period for the Warrants, however not higher than the equivalent of 150 percent of the subscription price per B-share in the Rights Issue and not lower than the equivalent of (i) the quota value for the Company's shares from time to time or (ii) SEK 0.01. The exercise period for the Warrants is expected to occur approximately 18 months following the Rights Issue. The final terms for the Rights Issue, including the maximum amount by which the Company's share capital shall be increased with, the maximum number of Units (and thereby the maximum number of B-shares and Warrants) to be issued, the number of unit rights and the subscription price for each Unit and thereby the price per B-share (the Warrants will be issued free of charge), are expected to be announced on or around 15 January 2025 (however not later than on 17 January 2025). The subscription price in the Rights Issue will be determined by the Board of Directors at a customary discount, indicatively a discount to the TERP of approximately 35 percent (however not lower than SEK 0.01). The subscription period is expected to run from 28 January 2025 up to and including 11 February 2025. Trading in unit rights that entitles to subscription of Units is expected to take place on Nasdaq Stockholm from 28 January 2025 up to and including 6 February 2025, and trading in BTU's is expected to take place from 28 January 2025 up to and including 20 February 2025. Both unit rights and BTU's will be subject to time-limited trading on Nasdaq Stockholm. The new B-shares and Warrants to be issued through the issue of Units are expected to be admitted to trading on Nasdaq Stockholm, upon application, in connection with the conversion of BTU to B-shares and Warrants. Subscription undertakings and guarantee commitments The Rights Issue is covered by subscription undertakings and guarantee commitments in an aggregate amount of up to SEK 115 million. The subscription undertakings have been made by existing shareholders, board members and management team, including Juan Vallejo, Christian Lagerling, Adam Philpott and Fredrik Hedlund, amounting to SEK 0.7 million. Moreover, certain external investors, such as Wilhelm Risberg and Fredrik Lundgren, have entered into guarantee commitments in an aggregate amount of up to SEK 114.3 million. No guarantee commitment covers the subscription of and payment for Units in the Rights Issue in excess of SEK 115 million. A guarantee commission will be paid for the guarantee commitments, whereby commission is paid with ten (10) percent of the guaranteed amount in cash. No fee will be paid in respect of the subscription undertakings. Neither the subscription undertakings nor the guarantee commitments are secured through bank guarantees, restricted funds, pledged assets or similar arrangements. Further information regarding the parties that have entered into the subscription undertakings and guarantee commitments will be included in the prospectus which is intended to be published on or around 23 January 2025. The Company considers that it carries out protection-worthy activities under the Foreign Direct Investment Screening Act (Sw. lagen (2023:560) om granskning av utländska direktinvesteringar) (the "Swedish FDI Act”). Consequently, an investment in Units (and thereby B-shares) in the Rights Issue (other than by exercising preferential rights) which result in an investor acquiring a shareholding corresponding to or exceeding a threshold of ten (10) percent or more of the total number of votes in the Company following the completion of the Rights Issue, must prior to the investment be filed with the Inspectorate of Strategic Products and, if applicable, any other equivalent body pursuant to legislation in any other jurisdiction, and cannot be carried out before the Inspectorate of Strategic Products and, if applicable, another equivalent body in another jurisdiction has decided to take no action or authorize the investment ("FDI Decision”). As a result, the guarantee commitments are, in respect of any Units that would require a prior FDI Decision ("FDI Units”), conditional upon that relevant guarantors obtains such prior FDI Decision. In the event that any guarantee commitment will require the subscription and payment of FDI Units, there will be a separate and longer subscription and payment period in respect of such FDI Units which may last up until 13 June 2025. If required FDI Decisions has not been obtained at the end of such separate subscription period for FDI Units, the relevant guarantor's guarantee commitment will lapse and relevant FDI Units will in such case not be covered by any guarantee commitment. The Bridge Loan In order to provide the Company with liquidity up until the completion of the Rights Issue, a consortium of external investors have provided the Company with the Bridge Loan of SEK 40 million. Disbursed amounts under the Bridge Loan carries interest of 1.50 percent for each commenced thirty-day period and a set-up fee of 4.00 percent. The first part of the Bridge Loan amounts to SEK 15 million ("Tranche 1”) and will be provided the Company following the announcement of the Rights Issue, the second part of the Bridge Loan amounts to SEK 25 million ("Tranche 2”) and will be provided to the Company following the extraordinary general meeting resolving on the Rights Issue and certain technical measures to facilitate the Rights Issue and to amend the Company's articles of association. The Bridge Loan will fall due in connection with the Company's receipt of the proceeds from the Rights Issue, however not later than 31 March 2025. The Bridge Loan is subject to certain event of default grounds, including that the extraordinary general meeting in the Company does not approve the Board of Directors' resolution on the Rights Issue, as well as other customary event of default grounds. Extraordinary general meeting and voting undertaking The extraordinary general meeting will be held on 17 January 2025 and it will be proposed to resolve on subsequent approval of the Board of Directors' resolution on the Rights Issue as well as be proposed to amend the articles of association of the Company to increase the maximum limits for the number of shares and number of shares of each class. In addition, the extraordinary general meeting will, for the purpose of reducing the quota value of the shares to facilitate the Rights Issue, be proposed to resolve on a reduction of the Company's share capital, and simultaneously resolve that the Company's share capital shall be increased by the reduction amount by way of a bonus issue. A notice convening the extraordinary general meeting will be published today through a separate press release. One of the Company's largest shareholder together with board members and management who have entered into subscription commitments have made irrevocable undertakings to vote in favor of the proposals at the extraordinary general meeting. Preliminary timetable A prospectus regarding the Rights Issue is intended to be published on or around 23 January 2025 on Fingerprints' website, www.fingerprints.com and on Carnegie Investment Bank AB's (publ) website, www.carnegie.se . Advisors Fingerprints has engaged Penser by Carnegie, Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ), as financial advisor and Gernandt & Danielsson Advokatbyrå KB as legal advisor in connection with the Rights Issue. For information, please contact: Adam Philpott, CEO Investor Relations: +46(0)10-172 00 10 [email protected] Press: +46(0)10-172 00 20 [email protected] This is the type of information that Fingerprint Cards AB (publ) is obligated to disclose pursuant to the EU's Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on 17 December 2024 at 7:45 pm CET. Important information This press release does not contain and does not constitute an offer to acquire, subscribe or otherwise trade in units, warrants, shares, unit rights, subscription rights, BTU, BTA, convertibles or other securities in Fingerprints. The offer to relevant persons regarding the subscription of shares and warrants in Fingerprints (though units) will only be made through the prospectus that Fingerprints will publish on its website after approval and registration with the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen). The information in this press release may not be disclosed, published or distributed, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States (including its territories and possessions), Australia, Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore or South Africa or any other jurisdiction where distribution or publication would be illegal or require registration or other measures than those that follow from Swedish law. Actions that violate these restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws. No units, warrants, shares, unit rights, subscription rights, BTU, BTA, convertibles or other securities have been registered, and no units, warrants, shares, unit rights, subscription rights, BTU, BTA, convertibles or other securities will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 as currently amended ("Securities Act”) or the securities legislation of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and no units, warrants, shares, unit rights, subscription rights, BTU, BTA, convertibles or other securities may be offered, sold, or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, within or into the United States, except under an available exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements under the Securities Act and in compliance with the securities legislation in the relevant state or any other jurisdiction of the United States. In all EEA Member States ("EEA”), other than Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, this press release is intended for and is directed only to qualified investors in the relevant Member State as defined in the Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (together with associated delegated regulations and implementing regulations, the "Prospectus Regulation”), i.e. only to those investors who can receive the offer without an approved prospectus in such EEA Member State. In the United Kingdom, this press release is directed and communicated only to persons who are qualified investors as defined in Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation (as incorporated into domestic law in the United Kingdom) who are (i) persons who fall within the definition of "professional investors” in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) ("the Regulation”), or (ii) persons covered by Article 49(2)(a) - (d) in the Regulation, or (iii) persons to whom the information may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons referred to in (i), (ii) and (iii) above are collectively referred to as "Relevant Persons”). Securities in the Company are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will only be processed in respect of Relevant Persons. Persons who are not Relevant Persons should not act based on or rely on the information contained in this press release. The Company considers that it carries out protection-worthy activities under the Foreign Direct Investment Screening Act (the "Swedish FDI Act”) (Sw. lag (2023:560) om granskning av utländska direktinvesteringar). According to the Swedish FDI Act, the Company must inform presumptive investors that the Company's activities may fall under the regulation and that the investment may be subject to mandatory filing. If an investment is subject to mandatory filing, it must prior to its completion, be filed with the Inspectorate of Strategic Products (the "ISP”). An investment may be subject to mandatory filing if i) the investor, a member of the investor's ownership structure or a person on whose behalf the investor is acting would, after the completion of the investment, hold votes in the Company equal to, or exceeding any of the thresholds of 10, 20, 30, 50, 65 or 90 percent of the total number of votes in the Company, ii) the investor would, as a result of the investment, acquire the Company, and the investor, a member of the investor's ownership structure or a person on whose behalf the investor is acting, would, directly or indirectly, hold 10 percent or more of the total number of votes in the Company, or iii) the investor, a member of the investor's ownership structure or a person on whose behalf the investor is acting, would acquire, as a result of the investment, direct or indirect influence on the management of the Company. The investor may be imposed an administrative sanction charge if a mandatory filing investment is carried out before the ISP either i) decided to leave the notification without action or ii) authorised the investment. Each shareholder should consult an independent legal adviser on the possible application of the Swedish FDI Act in relation to the Rights Issue for the individual shareholder. This announcement does not constitute an investment recommendation. The price and value of securities and any income from them can go down as well as up and you could lose your entire investment. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Information in this announcement cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Forward-looking statements Matters discussed in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such statements are all statements that are not historical facts and contain expressions such as "believes”, "expects”, "anticipates”, "intends”, "estimates”, "will", "may”, "continues”, "should” and other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on various assumptions, which in several cases are based on additional assumptions. Although Fingerprints believes these assumptions were reasonable when made, such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other material factors that are difficult or impossible to predict and beyond its control. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and material factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this communication through the forward-looking statements. The information, perceptions and forward-looking statements contained in press release speak only as at its date, and are subject to change without notice. Fingerprints undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or other circumstances, except for when it is required by law or other regulations. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. Information to distributors Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II”); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements”), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer” (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the shares in Fingerprints have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that such shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "Target Market Assessment”). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, Distributors should note that: the price of the shares in Fingerprints may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the shares in Fingerprints offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the shares in Fingerprints is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Rights Issue. For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the shares in Fingerprints. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the shares in Fingerprints and determining appropriate distribution channels. About Fingerprints Fingerprint Cards AB (Fingerprints) - the world's leading biometrics company, with its roots in Sweden. We believe in a secure and seamless universe, where you are the key to everything. Our solutions are found in hundreds of millions of devices and applications, and are used billions of times every day, providing safe and convenient identification and authentication with a human touch. For more information visit our website , read our blog , and follow us on X . Fingerprints is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (FING B). Attachment 241217 - Fingerprints rights issue
