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Zephyr Energy reports strong fourth quarter with production increase and positive outlook

Zephyr Energy PLC

Zephyr Energy PLC (AIM:ZPHR, OTCQB:ZPHRF) CEO Colin Harrington provides an update on the company's fourth-quarter production and future plans in an interview with Proactive London's Stephen Gunnion. Harrington highlighted a 7% increase in average production across the quarter, with significant contributions from the new Slawson wells despite temporary curtailments. Revenues also rose during the quarter, despite softer oil prices and operational challenges. The company successfully navigated extreme cold temperatures at Williston over the winter, which had shut down over half the basin at one point and resulted in temporary curtailments at the Lawson site. Looking ahead, Harrington discussed the positive performance of two new wells, contributing to expected strong results for the first quarter. Zephyr Energy has also adjusted its reporting method to provide more timely and consistent information by moving to two-phase data reporting (oil and gas production) quarterly, with a detailed three-phase analysis annually. Additionally, Harrington elaborated on the company's preparations for an upcoming drill in the Paradox basin, including the completion of an intensive planning process and the finalisation of rig contracts. The company anticipates drilling in the near term and is preparing the site for operation. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

March 08, 2024 06:04 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Crossword Cybersecurity launches Trillion HarVista: a new dark web intelligence tool

Crossword Cybersecurity PLC

Crossword Cybersecurity PLC (AIM:CCS) group managing director Stuart Jubb joins Proactive's Stephen Gunnion with details of Trillion HarVista, a novel dark web search tool designed to enhance the capabilities of the Trillion Threat Intelligence suite of products. Jubb explained that Trillion's core function is to monitor the dark web for stolen login credentials and passwords, aiding companies in defending against data breaches. HarVista extends this functionality by enabling security teams to identify additional threats through monitoring hacker discussions and other shared compromised data. It provides an early warning system for organisations, indicating potential targets of hacker groups. The tool operates by creating offline copies of forums and chats, storing them on Crossword's servers, allowing security engineers to search for their company's information in a sanitized environment without directly removing threats but offering valuable threat intelligence. Demand for HarVista appears strong, with interest from existing customers, consulting clients, advisory board members from notable companies, and new prospects facilitated by the company's partnership with TD Synnex. Crossword Cybersecurity anticipates significant growth, aiming to attract larger clients and utilise HarVista as an entry point for its broader product and services portfolio. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

March 08, 2024 06:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Bluefield Solar Income Fund reports strong half-year results; commences £20mln share buyback

Bluefield Solar Income Fund

The Bluefield Solar Income Fund (BSIF), advised by Bluefield Partners, has reported strong half-year results and has set its dividend target for the fiscal year at no less than 8.8p per share at two-times cover, up from 8.6p in the previous fiscal year. The fund, focusing solely on UK solar investments, boasts stable, largely index-linked revenues leading to close to record returns. Bluefield Partners' Managing Partner James Armstrong told Proactive's Stephen Gunnion that despite these strong performances, the fund is currently trading at a discount to its Net Asset Value (NAV). Armstrong highlighted the fund's defensive capital structure and a proprietary pipeline of approximately 1.5 gigawatts of solar developments expected to come online in the coming years as key drivers of value and sustainability. This approach has contributed to BSIF being the highest-performing fund of its kind listed in London. A strategic partnership with GLIL Infrastructure was announced last November, aimed at advancing the fund's development pipeline and addressing the discount to NAV by enabling the fund to proceed with developments and sell down assets, thereby creating liquidity. BSIF has laid out capital allocation priorities focusing on reducing the Revolving Credit Facility (RCF), maintaining business momentum, and addressing the discount to NAV through measures such as a £20 million share buyback program initiated on 14 February. Although the share buyback is not expected to significantly alter the share price in the short term, it represents a prudent allocation of capital. Looking forward to the second half of the year, BSIF does not anticipate making acquisitions due to market conditions. The focus will be on progressing the strategic partnership with GLIL, optimizing portfolio performance, and managing the discount to NAV through continued share buybacks. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

March 08, 2024 05:56 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Itaconix achieves record revenue in 2023, eyes further growth in eco-friendly product markets

Itaconix PLC

Itaconix PLC CEO John Shaw takes Proactive's Stephen Gunnion through a trading update that shows record 2023 revenue of $7.9 million, marking a 41% increase from the previous year. Shaw attributed this success to the company's advancements in the detergent market across North America and Europe, emphasizing cost and performance benefits alongside sustainability. A significant growth of over 89% in European sales, reaching $1 million for the first time, highlighted the potential in the European market, particularly in dish detergents, where Itaconix's low-cost formulations are gaining traction among major retailers and private label brands. Shaw also noted the company's development in offering plant-based polymers without imposing additional costs on consumers, a strategy dubbed "free green," which promotes sustainability without financial burdens. The revenue growth stems from a balanced mix of new customer acquisitions and increased recurring revenue from the existing customer base. With a focus on expanding its product portfolio, Shaw mentioned ongoing developments in leather chemicals, paint, and plant-based superabsorbents, aiming to reach a $100 million revenue target in the future. Looking ahead to 2024, Shaw expressed optimism, citing stabilized costs, minimal disruptions from shipping issues, and the introduction of new brands seeking Itaconix's reformulation expertise, promising continued growth from the momentum built in 2023. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

March 08, 2024 05:50 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Redx Pharma achieves milestone with dosing of first participant in Phase 1 clinical trial for RXC008

Redx Pharma PLC

Redx Pharma PLC (AIM:REDX) CEO Lisa Anson discusses the enrollment of the first participant in its RXC008 Phase 1 clinical trial in an interview with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion. RXC008 is a 'first-in-class' ROCK inhibitor, designed to be gut-restricted, targeting fibrostenotic Crohn's disease. This oral molecule inhibits ROCK1 and ROCK2, aiming to avoid systemic side effects like hypertension, and providing targeted action in the gut. This development marks a significant step from laboratory to patient-focused clinical development. Anson highlighted the unmet need for Crohn's disease treatment, particularly for patients with fibrostenotic complications, where currently no drug treatments are available, leaving surgery as the only option. The next steps for the RXC008 programme include escalating doses in healthy volunteers, with plans to move into patient trials towards the end of the year. Additionally, Anson mentioned Redx Pharma's broader portfolio, noting that RXC008 is the sixth molecule from Redx to enter clinical trials, showcasing the company's drug discovery prowess. Other key developments include the Phase 2 trials of RXC007 for lung fibrosis and RXC004 for cancer, both expected to report data this year. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

March 08, 2024 05:46 AM Eastern Standard Time

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4 Top Stocks For The AI Revolution

SKYX, MBLY, SOUN, NVDA

This year will be a pivotal year for the future of AI, as researchers and enterprises seek to establish how this evolutionary leap in technology can be most practically integrated into our everyday lives. With the growing popularity of consumer generative AI programs like Google’s Bard and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the generative AI market is poised to explode, growing to $1.3 trillion over the next 10 years from a market size of just $40 billion in 2022, according to a new report by Bloomberg Intelligence (BI). For investors looking for unconventional opportunities in AI with the potential for long-term growth, one company that stands out is SKYX Platforms Corp. (NASDAQ:SKYX). The company is on an ambitious mission to make homes and buildings smart, advanced, and safe as the new standard by leveraging its proprietary patented platform technologies for smart home and electrical installations, including its new game-changing all-in-one smart home platform technology. SKYX’s smart home game-changing technologies have won seven CES awards (Consumer Electronic Shoe) in the past 12 months. SKYX’s disruptive high-end all-in-one smart platform enables new and existing homes or buildings to become smart instantly, while significantly simplifying, saving time-cost and lives. This is possible for the first time in history thanks to the firm's patented technology called Sky Plug-Smart, which is designed for “plug and play” installation of weight-bearing electronics such as light fixtures, ceiling fans, and other electrical products. The plug fits into SKYX’s ceiling receptacle, called the SKYreceptacle, which provides a novel way for home and building owners to wire electrical outlets. While it is not Nvidia’s new AI chips, this is revolutionary, and its unique location on the ceiling will maximize the performance of AI chips among other smart home integrated products and software. Base on its safety aspects for first time in 120 years, the definition of the electrical receptacle was changed in the NEC Code Book to include the Sky Ceiling Receptacle, and this could perhaps be the most significant addition to the NEC Code in the past 40 years. To put that in better context, consider this: Safety is a major area of concern when it comes to electrical and smart home installation, and existing data shows that the wiring of light fixtures and ceiling fans results in millions of hazardous annual installations. In fact, research conducted from 2015 to 2019 by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) showed that lighting products accounted for 430 civilian deaths per year, not including shocks and electrocutions, fires, and ladder falls. The sky receptacle creates a new electrical ceiling safety standard that limits potential exposure to wires by cutting down on 80% of the time needed to touch wires during the first installation and completely eliminating the need to touch outlet electrical wires after the first installation. It also saves approximately 90% of the time on a ladder. ANSI / NEMA (American National Standardization Institute / National Electrical Manufacturing Association), whose recent vote to approve Sky’s Ceiling Receptacle Specifications further reaffirms the product’s potential to become a major disruption to the electrical installation industry. Additionally, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) voted to include SKYX in their annual mandatory continuing education systems course for 94,000 architect members as part of annual license renewal training. With all these professional bodies giving SKYX a nod of approval, it’s easy to see why its proprietary technology could become the new standard for home and building electrical installation and also instrumental in helping the company make inroads in AI. The SkyPlug and Receptacle are the foundations that create a platform for all fixture types and integration possibilities. Think smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, premium smart speakers, color-changing room ambiance and night lights, emergency internet, house intercom features, and more. All these products can then be linked to the SkyHome application that works with both iPhones and Android phones to control features and specifications of connected devices, such as scheduling and eco/energy-saving mode. It also integrates with AI home assistants Siri, Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, Cortana, and more. Parks Associates research shows that in the US, internet households now own an average of 16 connected devices, an increase from 13 connected devices in 2021, and SKYX is well positioned to benefit from this trend. With this massive opportunity spanning every room, recent figures put the TAM at $500 billion in the US alone. This explains why GE Technology Development, Inc. ("GE") recently signed a five-year renewal global licensing master service agreement to license certain SKYX advanced and smart technologies in the U.S. and worldwide. Mobileye Global Inc. (NASDAQ:MBLY) offers best-in-class technology for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and is like the Nvidia of the automotive industry. The company controls nearly 70% of the world's advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) market, making it attract considerable attention from AI investors. Its systems use cameras, sensors, and Mobileye's own EyeQ computer vision chips to add assisted parking, single-lane cruising, and other semi-autonomous features to cars. The newest "SuperVision" version of its system supports hands-free navigation capabilities and the future development of fully autonomous vehicles. Mobileye recently released the 4Q23 results with a number of interesting highlights. The results were mostly in line with prior guidance, as the top line grew 13% from the prior year to $637 million, which was at the high end of its preliminary revenue guidance, while total adjusted operating income came in at $247 million, or 38.8% margins, which was also at the high end of its preliminary guidance of $241 million–$247 million. Unsurprisingly, SuperVision volumes in 4Q23 came in at 38,000 units, up from 29,000 in 3Q23, but what perhaps stood out the most was that Mobileye managed to significantly diversify its revenues from predominantly Chinese and electric vehicle customers to a wide range of OEMs in terms of geography. SoundHound AI (NASDAQ:SOUN) initially targeted music recognition before leveraging its capabilities to expand into adjacent verticals. The company now believes that AI-driven customer service will be essential for every business in the future and that voice will be the primary means of interacting with devices. To better illustrate this opportunity, a recent report revealed that Klarna’s AI assistant was reportedly able to handle two-thirds of customer queries in its first month, the equivalent of 700 full-time agents, with preliminary estimates indicating that this could lead to a $40 million cost savings in 2024. Taking the recent popularity of voice assistants with conversational abilities into consideration, the company’s December acquisition of SYNQ3, a leading voice AI solutions provider in the restaurant industry, ties well with SoundHound’s long-term AI strategy and should further drive revenue growth. Major companies in the restaurant and automotive industries have already shown increasing interest in SoundHound's artificial intelligence (AI) powered voice technology. In fact, the company reported revenue growth of 80% year over year in Q4 23, an acceleration over the previous quarter's 19% growth rate, while it posted a gross margin of 77% in the period, up from 71% in the prior-year period. Despite the recent pullback in SoundHound’s stock, the company's share price is still up roughly 183% in 2024 following soaring demand for the company's AI voice solutions, in addition to the news that AI chip leader Nvidia made a small investment in the company. Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) is the leading maker of chips that power one of the most important aspects in the field of AI, which is deep learning. To effectively do this, speed is crucial, and that's where Nvidia's chips come in. The company's graphics processing units (GPUs) are the fastest on the market by far, making them the preferred choice for the world's major technology companies that are building AI models. For example, earlier this month, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told The Verge that Meta was building a huge stockpile of GPUs, with the company aiming to amass a total of 600,000 chips by the end of the year. Elon Musk said that Tesla would spend more than $500 million on Nvidia AI chips alone in 2024, and while that obviously looks like a large sum of money, it is only equivalent to a $10,000 H100 system from Nvidia. Thanks to this unbelievable GPU demand, Nvidia's growth has been phenomenal. The company grew its revenue by an incredible 265% in Q4 to $22.1 billion, with Data Center revenue soaring 409% to $18.4 billion. Late last month, Nvidia became the fifth publicly traded company to ever surpass $2 trillion in valuation, just nine months after it became the ninth to ever break $1 trillion. CapitalGainsReport (CGR) is not operated by a licensed broker, a dealer, or a registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investment advice. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides investors a safe harbor in regard to forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions, or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact may be forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on expectations, estimates, and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those presently anticipated. Forward looking statements in this action may be identified through use of words such as projects, foresee, expects, will, anticipates, estimates, believes, understands, or that by statements indicating certain actions & quote; may, could, or might occur. Understand there is no guarantee past performance will be indicative of future results. Investing in micro-cap and growth securities is highly speculative and carries an extremely high degree of risk. It is possible that an investors investment may be lost or impaired due to the speculative nature of the companies profiled. CapitalGainsReport (CGR) is owned by RazorPitch Inc. and has been retained by SKYX Platforms Corp. to assist in the production and distribution of content related to SKYX. 'CGR' is responsible for the production and distribution of this content. It should be expressly understood that under no circumstances does any information published herein represent a recommendation to buy or sell a security. This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing contained in this article constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer by CapitalGainsReport/RazorPitch or any third party service provider to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments. All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in this article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the article constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. CGR/RazorPitch is not a fiduciary by virtue of any persons use of or access to this content. Contact Details CapitalGainsReport Mark McKelvie +1 585-301-7700 markrmckelvie@gmail.com

March 08, 2024 05:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Simplifying and Elevating GraphQL to New Heights: Grafbase’s Strategic Leap in Enterprise Adoption

PlatoData

~ Grafbase is leading the GraphQL revolution by providing a modern developer experience for building and deploying high-performance APIs. ~ With the advent of Federated Graphs, Grafbase allows composing multiple, independently deployed GraphQL APIs into a single endpoint. ~ The platform sets new standards in the GraphQL ecosystem with TypeScript SDK, Edge Caching, advanced security, real-time analytics, and more. New York, March 7, 2024 - ( PlatoData via 500NewsWire) -- According to a report by Gartner, the adoption of GraphQL has been on an increasing trend, from less than 10% in 2021 to over 50% by 2025. Demand for GraphQL has been growing exponentially and yet its implementation in enterprise settings has been marred by complexity and time consumption. Recognizing these challenges, Grafbase emerges as a beacon of innovation, offering a comprehensive solution that streamlines and simplifies the GraphQL API development process. Grafbase is strategically positioned at the forefront of this technological evolution by providing a modern developer experience to build and deploy high-performance GraphQL APIs. Furthermore, the advanced platform supports the composition and connection of data sources across microservices using GraphQL Federation. Recently, the San Francisco-based tech startup introduced Federated Graphs, a significant enhancement that allows composing multiple, independently deployed GraphQL APIs into a single endpoint. Grafbase empowers not just individual developers but entire enterprises by enabling them to leverage GraphQL technology more effectively. At the heart of Grafbase's offering is its TypeScript SDK, a tool designed to resonate with modern developers' needs. TypeScript, known for its scalability and developer-friendly syntax, makes Grafbase an ideal platform for building robust and efficient applications. "GraphQL adoption is on the rise, but building and deploying GraphQL APIs remains complex and time-consuming," says Fredrik Björk, Founder & CEO of Grafbase. " Grafbase addresses this by offering a modern developer experience, simplifying GraphQL development, and accelerating market readiness for companies eager to adopt GraphQL." The recent introduction of GraphQL Operation Analytics at Grafbase is a testament to the company's commitment to innovation. This feature provides users with real-time insights into their GraphQL operations, enhancing understanding and efficiency. Grafbase distinguishes itself in the market with features designed for high performance and efficiency. Its Edge Deployment capability ensures operations are executed with minimal latency, enhancing user experience. Additionally, the GraphQL Edge Caching feature boosts global application performance. The platform is at the forefront of innovation, introducing next-generation Connectors. These Connectors, designed for seamless integration with microservices, databases, and third-party APIs into GraphQL APIs, are setting new benchmarks in the industry. Choosing Grafbase is not just about meeting current needs; it's about investing in a technology that remains relevant and beneficial in the long term. Grafbase's capability to convert REST APIs to GraphQL APIs, along with advanced security standards, makes it a forward-looking option for companies preparing for the future. As the digital landscape rapidly evolves, Grafbase is poised to lead the GraphQL revolution, providing innovative solutions that not only keep pace with change but drive it. About Grafbase: Grafbase is a powerful data platform designed specifically for developers. It offers cutting-edge tools and features that make it easier and faster to deploy GraphQL APIs. Grafbase aims to streamline the entire development process, enabling developers to focus on building robust and scalable applications. Whether you're a developer or an enterprise, Grafbase is a platform for anyone looking to create high-performance backends quickly and efficiently. URL: https://grafbase.com/ HQ Address: 3039 Octavia Street, San Francisco, CA 94123 Contact Details Grafbase fredrik@grafbase.com

March 07, 2024 04:55 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust Issues Monthly Reporting Package for February 2024

Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust

Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (“the Trust”) has filed a Form 8-K containing its monthly report for the period ended February 29, 2024. An aggregate total distribution of $7.72 million or $0.102873 per trust certificate will be paid on March 11, 2024, to certificateholders of record as of March 8, 2024. Additional information, including the Trust’s Monthly and Quarterly Reports, as well as other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) can be accessed via the Trust’s website at www.ctltrust.net. About Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (the “Trust”) was established to acquire 160 retail properties and 6 warehouse distribution centers (the “Properties”) from J.C. Penney as part of its Chapter 11 plan of reorganization. The Trust’s operations consist solely of owning, leasing and selling the Properties. The Trust’s objective is to sell the Properties to third-party purchasers as promptly as practicable. The Trustee of the trust is GLAS Trust Company LLC. The Trust is externally managed by an affiliate of Hilco Real Estate LLC. The Trust is intended to be treated, for tax purposes, as a liquidating trust within the meaning of United States Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-4(d). For more information, please visit https://www.ctltrust.net/. Forward Looking Statement This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements”. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “our vision,” “plan,” “potential,” “preliminary,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” or “would” or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology and include, but are not limited to, the Trust’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events and stock price performance. The Trust has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While the Trust believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond its control. These factors, including those discussed in the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), may cause its actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to the Trust’s filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. The Trust cautions you that the list of important factors included in the Trust’s SEC filings may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release may not in fact occur. The Trust undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. Contact Details Jessica Cummins - Investor Relations +1 847-313-4755 jcummins@hilcoglobal.com Company Website https://ctltrust.net/about/default.aspx

March 07, 2024 04:46 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Rabbis Blast Anti-Defamation League CEO Greenblatt for ‘Slanderous’ Attacks

NLPC

The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), an organization of 2,500 rabbis, has joined the chorus of complaints about Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Even as antisemitism flares around the globe and Israel faces unprecedented threats, Greenblatt has been trashing American conservatives, using ADL’s good name to promote his domestic partisan goals. “The ADL appears as concerned with a target’s politics as whether he or she is actually hateful—much less antisemitic,” said Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer, Chairman of the CJV Rabbinic Circle. Greenblatt’s latest assault was on the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), recently held in Washington, D.C. CJV criticized his “slanderous” attacks on what took place at the event, which Greenblatt likened to the rants of Nation of Islam’s Louis Farrakhan. By all accounts, CPAC was a strongly pro-Israel event. As the CJV pointed out, NLPC got a taste of the ADL’s bias in November, despite our long history of fighting antisemitism: In November the ADL issued a statement implying that two policy organizations, the National Center for Public Policy Research and the National Legal and Policy Center, employed “conspiracy theories or conspiratorial language… that could be interpreted as an antisemitic dog whistle.” Both of these organizations are robust fighters for Israel and against antisemitism. This smear of NLPC was in the form of a posting on the ADL website on November 21 titled “Conspiracy Theories, Some With Antisemitic Roots, Crop Up in 2023 Shareholder Proposals.” ADL cited as evidence that NLPC and our ally, the National Center for Public Policy Research, are critical of “globalism” and “globalist organizations” like the World Economic Forum. The ADL gave a clue that it knew its own attack was groundless when it also included this disclaimer: At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that either organization’s agents espouse overt antisemitism, or that these proposals were filed with antisemitic intentions. Elle Krasne-Cohen in a recent opinion piece distributed by the Jewish News Service, also has come to NLPC’s defense. She wrote: More recently, the ADL smeared two mainstream policy organizations—the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) and the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC)—accusing them without evidence of antisemitism. We are grateful that our contributions to fighting antisemitism are being recognized. In case Greenblatt or anyone else is still confused, here is our track record: Ben & Jerry’s- When the Unilever subsidiary Ben and Jerry’s announced in 2021 that it would end ice cream sales in “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” NLPC swung into action, launching the StopBenandJerrys.org website. In September 2021, NLPC filed a Complaint with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) against Anuradha Mittal, the anti-Israel chair of the Ben & Jerry’s board of directors. A few weeks later, she was named 2021 “Antisemite of the Year” by the website StopAntisemitism.org. Mittal appeared to have violated laws governing self-dealing by acting as a trustee of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation while approving donations to her personal nonprofit where she is executive director taking a full-time salary. Also, the president of Ben & Jerry’s charitable foundation, Jeff Furman, steered more than $100,000 of its funds to his own nonprofit organization. In the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack, Flaherty wrote an op-ed titled, “Unilever, Ice Cream and Antisemitism.” Unilever Divestment- NLPC was a proponent of Unilever divestment efforts in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia. From the September 16, 2021, New York Times: “We are doing this because somebody has to hold the independent board of Ben & Jerry’s accountable for their anti-Semitic use of their platform and company resources,” said Tom Anderson, a director of the National Legal and Policy Center. NLPC collaborated with activist investor Michael Asher in support of Unilever divestment by New York State and New York City. In Virginia, Flaherty met with State Attorney General Jason Miyares and urged him to seek divestment of state funds from Unilever. In North Carolina, NLPC asked Treasurer Dale Folwell to divest Unilever holdings from public pension funds. Black Lives Matter & Patrisse Cullors- As a result of original NLPC research, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation co-founder Patrisse Cullors was forced to resign from the group in 2021. NLPC’s allegations, detailed in a Complaint to the IRS, related to her purchase of four pieces of real estate, and apparent self-dealing and inurnment. NLPC has also emphasized Cullors’ 2015 call at Harvard Law School for individuals to “step up boldly and courageously to end the imperialist project that’s called Israel.” NLPC was early in reporting about Black Lives Matter’s (BLM) links to anti-Israel groups. In 2016, Carl Horowitz, then a member of the NLPC staff, wrote a website post titled “Black Lives Matter Activists Join Anti-Israel Boycott.” Following October 7, NLPC asked Visa, Inc. to remove its BLM endorsement from its website and condemn Hamas and antisemitism. We had raised the BLM issue earlier in the year at the company’s shareholders’ meeting. NLPC had also raised the issue of Coca-Cola’s support for BLM at the company’s annual meeting. ADL’s Omar Resolution- NLPC has been a persistent critic of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Talib. While we have cited financial irregularities in a Federal Election Commission complaint against Ocasio-Cortez and a House Ethics Committee complaint against Omar, NLPC has also criticized hostility to Jews by these members. In 2019, NLPC endorsed and publicized the ADL-initiated House resolution condemning Omar. See this op-ed titled “Antisemitism and Islamophobia: No Moral Equivalence” by Horowitz. Foreign Funding of U.S. Higher Education- The recent spate of on-campus antisemitic incidents has shed light on the issue of foreign financial support for American colleges and universities, an issue that NLPC has investigated and publicized for several years. See this column by Charles Gasparino that extensively quotes NLPC Counsel Paul Kamenar. Al Sharpton- Whereas the present leadership of the ADL has sought to erase Sharpton’s past, NLPC will not forget his incitements in the 1991 Crown Heights riots, in which a Jew was murdered, nor will we forgive his dangerous statements, such as “If the Jews want to get it on, tell them to pin their yarmulkes back and come over to my house.” Sharpton was fined $285,000 in 2005 by the Federal Election Commission as a result of an NLPC Complaint for running an “off the books” presidential campaign. For several years, NLPC raised the issue of support for Sharpton’s National Action Network (NAN) at the shareholders’ meetings of American corporations, including PepsiCo, Anheuser-Busch and Colgate-Palmolive. Unlike the ADL, NLPC has never used the fight against antisemitism as a partisan weapon. In 2010, NLPC objected to the sponsorship of Sharpton’s National Action Network annual meeting by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the participation of then-RNC Chairman Michael Steele. In 2009, NLPC asked former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to end his partnership with Sharpton in a campaign for “education reform.” That same year, NLPC criticized then-President George W. Bush for praising Sharpton. Jesse Jackson- In 2005, the New York Stock Exchange ended its financial support for Jackson’s Citizenship Education Fund, in response to a demand by NLPC that cited Jackson’s 1984 “hymie” and “Hymietown” comments, as well as financial improprieties involving the Fund. And if none of this is good enough for Greenblatt, it should be noted that NLPC has many Jewish supporters, including prominent individuals and former government officials, several of whom serve on the boards of local and national Jewish organizations. From 2001 to the time of his death in 2019, Edward M. Ackerman of Dallas was a key advisor and major donor to NLPC. His legacy is carried on today by NLPC and the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas. The ADL itself has partnered with the Ackerman Center. Founded in 1991, the National Legal and Policy Center promotes ethics in public life through research, investigation, education and legal action. Contact Details National Legal and Policy Center Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 drene@nlpc.org Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

March 07, 2024 04:19 PM Eastern Standard Time

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