Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:06 PM on Thursday, April 16th, 2020
Common stock and Unit A Warrants began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on April 14, 2020, under the symbols “GMBL†and “GMBLW,†respectively
Company received gross proceeds of approximately $8.4 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses
BIRKIRKARA, Malta, April 16, 2020 — Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (NasdaqCM: GMBL, GMBLW) (or the “Companyâ€) a licensed online gambling company with a focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming, today announced the closing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 1,980,000 units at a price to the public of $4.25 per unit. Each unit issued in the offering consists of one share of common stock, one Unit A Warrant to purchase one share of common stock and one Unit B Warrant to purchase one share of common stock. The common stock, Unit A Warrants and Unit B Warrants were immediately separable from the units and were issued separately. The common stock and Unit A Warrants began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on April 14, 2020, under the symbols “GMBL†and “GMBLW,†respectively. Esports Entertainment Group received gross proceeds of approximately $8.4 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses.
Each Unit A Warrant is immediately exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $4.25 per share and will expire 5 years from issuance, and each Unit B Warrant is immediately exercisable at an exercise price of $4.25 per share and will expire one year from issuance.
Esports Entertainment Group has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to 297,000 additional shares of common stock, and/or 297,000 Unit A Warrants, and/or 297,000 Unit B Warrants, or any combination thereof, to cover over-allotments, if any. On April 16, 2020, the Company issued additional Unit A Warrants to purchase 209,400 shares of the Company’s common stock and additional Unit B Warrants to purchase 209,400 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the partial exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option in connection with the offering.
Maxim Group LLC acted as the lead book-running manager for the offering. Joseph Gunnar & Co., LLC acted as co-book-running-manager for the offering.
The offering was conducted pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-231167) previously filed with and subsequently declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). A prospectus relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the prospectus relating to this offering, when available, may be obtained from Maxim Group LLC, 405 Lexington Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10174, at (212) 895-3745.
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 ESPORTS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. is a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming. Esports Entertainment offers fantasy, pools, fixed odds and exchange style wagering on esports events in a licensed, regulated and secure platform to the global esports audience at vie.gg. In addition, Esports Entertainment intends to offer users from around the world the ability to participate in multi-player mobile and PC video game tournaments for cash prizes. Esports Entertainment is led by a team of industry professionals and technical experts from the online gambling and the video game industries, and esports. The Company holds a license to conduct online gambling and 18+ gaming on a global basis in Curacao, Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Company maintains offices in Malta. For more information visit www.esportsentertainmentgroup.com
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.
Contact:
U.S. Investor Relations RedChip Companies, Inc. Dave Gentry 407-491-4498 [email protected]
Posted by AGORACOM
at 9:16 AM on Thursday, April 16th, 2020
Affinity Metals Corp. (TSXV: AFF) (“Affinity”) (“the Corporation”) is pleased to release assay results from the late fall drill program conducted on the Regal property encompassing 8,800 hectares of the northern end of the prolific Kootenay Arc approximately 25 km northeast of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada.
Along with numerous high grade intercepts in multiple holes, a significant new silver discovery was made in the ALLCO area with drill hole #10 intersecting 11.10 meters of 143.29 g/t silver including 0.55 meters of 2612.0 g/t silver. This intersection also carried high grade zinc and lead with some copper.
A total of 1,846.35 meters of diamond drilling was completed with 21 holes being drilled.
The drilling was divided over two separate target areas with 10 holes from two separate drill pads allocated to testing two areas within a graphitic argillite/limestone contact in the ALLCO area. Mineralized intersections encountered within the ALLCO area drill core consisted mostly of argentiferous galena, sphalerite and tetrahedrite hosted within quartz veins and breccias along a northwest-southeast fault that separates the limestones from the argillites.
A further 11 preliminary confirmation holes were drilled from a single drill pad designed to begin testing the underground structure associated with the historic 1971 resource (pre NI43-101 and therefore not compliant) reported for the past producing Regal/Snowflake mines. The Regal mine is located within moderately to gently, westerly dipping, graphitic phyllites/argillites of the lower Index Formation. Mineralization, hosted in quartz veins concordant with host rocks, consists of pyrite, galena, sphalerite, and locally with scheelite (lower levels), stannite (upper levels), and trace chalcopyrite/tetrahedrite throughout. Sulphides occur either as disseminations in the quartz, or as massive pods or bands parallel with slatey partings.
Robert Edwards, CEO of Affinity stated: “We are extremely encouraged to see such positive assay results from the 2019 drilling, our first drill program on the property. Our expectations were that the assays would show strong mineralization given what we have seen from our prior surface sampling program and the historical production grades, but to find this new 11 meter silver zone is truly exciting! These results set the backdrop for our 2020 exploration program which will target not only this new silver discovery but even more importantly, the two very large anomalies identified by the geophysics that may be the core deposits associated with all this surrounding mineralization. 2020 should be a very exciting year for Affinity.”
Significant intervals from the drill program are presented below:
ALLCO
Hole No.
From (m)
To (m)
Interval (m)
Ag g/t
Cu %
Pb %
Zn %
RP-19-01
28.67
29.09
0.42
106.00
0.06
0.33
0.01
RP-19-01
105.00
106.00
1.00
28.72
0.10
0.05
0.09
RP-19-03
48.70
48.77
0.07
171.00
0.05
1.24
0.46
RP-19-04
38.64
41.00
2.36
214.13
0.14
2.60
2.67
including
38.64
40.32
1.68
62.55
0.08
0.25
0.16
and
40.32
41.00
0.68
588.63
0.30
8.41
8.87
RP-19-05
40.25
43.00
2.75
29.74
0.02
0.02
0.01
RP-19-05
44.75
45.51
0.76
50.80
0.02
0.25
1.64
RP-19-05
56.33
56.78
0.45
26.16
0.00
0.89
0.91
RP-19-06
39.26
43.29
4.03
29.53
0.08
0.13
7.38
including
42.00
42.62
0.62
17.90
0.04
0.02
4.12
and
42.62
43.29
0.67
130.00
0.40
0.41
40.14
RP-19-06
49.72
50.57
0.85
129.02
0.03
0.04
0.32
RP-19-07
38.37
39.27
0.90
182.00
0.13
0.30
0.32
RP-19-07
43.70
46.51
2.81
49.21
0.02
0.34
0.78
including
45.10
46.25
1.15
91.92
0.02
0.71
1.68
RP-19-07
56.61
57.42
0.81
98.60
0.01
2.42
2.45
RP-19-08
45.44
45.94
0.50
20.64
0.00
0.46
0.01
RP-19-08
47.84
52.27
4.43
111.96
0.09
0.23
0.29
including
49.24
51.12
1.88
238.20
0.19
0.51
0.50
RP-19-08
57.51
58.52
1.01
45.70
0.00
0.05
0.03
RP-19-08
67.86
68.05
0.19
85.24
0.02
1.21
0.11
RP-19-08
82.46
82.66
0.20
11.39
0.00
0.32
0.01
RP-19-08
84.82
85.02
0.20
568.00
0.55
0.08
0.18
RP-19-09
44.41
46.62
2.21
28.70
0.02
0.15
0.13
RP-19-09
46.62
48.70
2.08
31.70
0.02
0.47
1.12
RP-19-09
48.70
49.76
1.06
6.88
0.00
0.14
0.32
RP-19-10
61.00
72.10
11.10
143.29
0.04
0.62
0.50
including
61.00
67.81
6.81
230.84
0.07
0.94
0.66
including
61.00
61.31
0.31
122.00
0.03
4.18
5.04
and
62.72
63.27
0.55
2612.00
0.66
6.00
2.89
REGAL
Hole No.
From (m)
To (m)
Interval (m)
Ag g/t
Cu %
Pb %
Zn %
RP-19-11
9.14
9.38
0.24
13.24
0.00
0.73
0.03
RP-19-11
11.14
15.79
4.65
12.23
0.00
0.32
0.36
including
15.35
15.79
0.44
52.47
0.00
1.20
2.89
RP-19-11
58.44
59.85
1.41
24.85
0.01
0.77
0.25
RP-19-12
7.32
7.62
0.30
40.02
0.00
0.69
0.02
RP-19-12
11.20
11.80
0.60
39.64
0.00
0.95
0.25
RP-19-12
11.93
13.02
1.09
35.90
0.01
0.89
0.79
RP-19-12
13.80
17.77
3.97
26.00
0.00
0.59
0.25
including
13.8
16.17
2.37
39.78
0.00
0.90
0.30
RP-19-12
60.18
60.70
0.52
12.28
0.00
0.07
0.96
RP-19-13
13.76
17.41
3.65
25.38
0.00
0.58
0.48
including
16.91
17.41
0.50
102.21
0.00
1.87
0.28
RP-19-13
18.57
19.05
0.48
15.44
0.01
0.71
0.22
RP-19-14
10.89
11.18
0.29
60.81
0.02
1.24
1.64
RP-19-14
12.28
12.84
0.56
19.83
0.00
0.25
0.21
RP-19-14
12.99
13.34
0.35
13.28
0.03
0.54
0.47
RP-19-14
13.49
13.82
0.33
20.02
0.00
0.35
0.96
RP-19-14
13.93
14.22
0.29
33.00
0.00
1.32
0.53
RP-19-14
16.04
16.31
0.27
43.86
0.00
1.65
1.01
RP-19-15
14.88
15.38
0.50
12.37
0.00
0.38
0.68
RP-19-16
11.30
11.88
0.58
31.23
0.01
0.91
0.55
RP-19-16
13.07
13.80
0.73
41.88
0.00
0.92
0.46
RP-19-16
14.48
15.32
0.84
23.84
0.00
0.62
0.44
RP-19-16
16.88
17.80
0.92
32.15
0.00
1.40
0.56
RP-19-16
28.13
28.29
0.16
4.99
0.02
0.02
2.21
RP-19-17
7.01
7.16
0.15
1360.00
0.01
19.67
0.21
RP-19-17
10.94
11.69
0.75
62.32
0.00
2.78
0.19
RP-19-17
14.64
15.47
0.83
19.82
0.00
0.52
0.36
RP-19-18
12.12
13.41
1.29
48.31
0.00
2.66
0.53
including
12.12
12.94
0.82
70.50
0.00
4.02
0.53
RP-19-18
15.97
18.53
2.56
13.02
0.00
0.33
1.43
including
15.97
17.41
1.44
12.81
0.01
0.37
2.52
RP-19-18
19.92
20.52
0.60
27.27
0.04
1.15
0.76
RP-19-19
6.00
7.00
1.00
68.42
0.00
2.38
0.22
including
6.00
6.30
0.30
134.00
0.01
7.13
0.13
RP-19-19
12.13
17.68
5.55
13.35
0.00
0.46
0.39
including
15.82
17.68
1.86
30.83
0.00
1.17
0.78
RP-19-19
29.91
30.42
0.51
22.88
0.02
1.22
0.89
RP-19-20
6.15
6.65
0.50
46.47
0.01
1.75
0.13
RP-19-20
7.60
8.32
0.72
33.37
0.00
0.50
0.19
RP-19-20
12.01
12.68
0.67
21.51
0.01
0.67
0.49
RP-19-20
15.27
16.36
1.09
18.63
0.00
0.48
0.43
RP-19-20
17.29
18.68
1.39
10.52
0.00
0.34
0.62
RP-19-20
28.08
31.17
3.09
58.78
0.00
0.35
0.33
including
29.52
30.22
0.70
214.00
0.00
0.34
0.19
RP-19-21
9.05
9.56
0.51
37.45
0.00
0.58
0.02
RP-19-21
12.98
13.82
0.84
17.29
0.01
0.47
0.79
RP-19-21
15.89
17.27
1.38
39.77
0.00
1.55
0.70
including
15.89
16.57
0.68
76.50
0.00
3.07
0.31
and
17.00
17.27
0.27
1.84
0.00
0.06
2.27
RP-19-21
30.40
30.54
0.14
46.83
0.00
0.31
0.16
RP-19-21
31.82
32.82
1.00
61.10
0.01
3.39
1.49
RP-19-21
72.01
72.26
0.25
77.11
0.00
0.62
0.02
Note: True widths are presently unknown.
Additional assay work is presently being conducted regarding Tin results in the drill core. Those results will be released once received and interpreted.
Photo description: Photos of 11.10 meter silver discovery intersection in Hole #10. Host rock is a limestone dissolution breccia/dolomitization breccia with weak to moderate silicification overprinting. Flooding this is milky quartz which hosts wispy veinlets of galena and blebby sphalerite at intersections of these or other veinlets.
As previously reported, the Corporation received assay results for 22 rock samples collected from surface outcrops in September 2019 from the Black Jacket and ALLCO areas of the property. Of the 22 grab samples collected, the majority contained bonanza grade silver, zinc, and lead with many samples reaching assay over-limits. The over-limit results for zinc and lead are reported in the table below (italicized) beside the original assay values. Assay values for tin, including high grade samples 11, 14 and 20 which were over-limit in the original assay report, are also presented in the last column of the table.
Sample Number
Sample Type
Silver g/t
Copper %
Zinc %
Lead %
Gold g/t
Tin ppm
ALC19CR01
grab
0
.035
0
0
0
0.4
ALC19CR02
grab
1300
.415
18.20
>20.0 (35.69)
0.70
46.1
ALC19CR03
grab
120
.232
.034
.984
0.02
2.4
ALC19CR04
grab
131
.089
.026
.102
2.66
1.1
ALC10CR05
grab
16.7
.295
.060
.013
0.09
0.4
ALC19CR06
grab
74.9
.144
>30.00 (34.97)
.059
0.28
2.6
ALC19CR07
grab
10.05
.310
.086
.029
0.04
0.5
ALC19CR08
grab
1870
.495
24.5
>20.0 (31.90)
1.85
189.5
ALC19CR09
grab
88.1
.077
>30.00 (39.98)
1.88
0.08
32
ALC19CR10
grab
1545
.178
26.7
>20.0 (28.67)
0.68
373
ALC19CR11
grab
2360
.366
16.80
>20.0 (43.67)
0.11
900
ALC19CR12
grab
3700
.624
1.645
>20.0 (71.14)
3.14
273
ALC19CR13
grab
964
.716
17.30
17.5
0.11
386
ALC19CR14
grab
3530
.350
1.945
>20.0 (59.54)
1.57
1600
ALC19CR15
grab
3670
.026
1.895
>20.0 (77.01)
0.33
205
ALC19CR16
grab
1790
.107
5.28
>20.0 (52.77)
0.37
146.5
ALC19CR17
grab
751
.069
6.45
18.05
0.45
107
ALC19CR18
grab
1065
.718
.178
.514
0.10
7.6
ALC19CR19
grab
2510
.299
5.58
>20.0 (70.63)
0.06
167
ALC19CR20
grab
4410
2.27
26.40
>20.0 (21.56)
5.68
4500
ALC19CR21
grab
47.5
.177
.048
.092
1.78
8.8
ALC19CR22
grab
87.7
.095
.011
.047
4.79
2.9
Property History & Background
The Regal Project hosts several past producing small-scale historic mines including the Regal Silver.
The property also hosts numerous promising mineral occurrences. From the historic records it appears that most, and perhaps all, of the known mineralized showings/zones have not been previously drilled using modern diamond drilling methods.
The geology of the Regal property generally consists of the Badshot and Lade Peak limestones, and argillites and phyllites of the Index Formation.
Snowflake and Regal Silver (Stannex/Woolsey) Mines
The Snowflake and Regal Silver mines were two former producing mines that operated intermittently during the period 1936-1953. The last significant work on the property took place from 1967-1970, when Stannex Minerals completed 2,450 meters of underground development work and a feasibility study, but did not restart mining operations. In 1982, reported reserves were 590,703 tonnes grading 71.6 grams per tonne silver, 2.66 per cent lead, 1.26 per cent zinc, 1.1 per cent copper, 0.13 per cent tin and 0.015 per cent tungsten (Minfile No. 082N 004 – Prospectus, Gunsteel Resources Inc., April 29, 1986). It should be noted that the above resource and grades, although believed to be reliable, were prepared prior to the adoption of NI43-101 and are not compliant with current standards set out therein for calculating mineral resources or reserves.
ALLCO Silver Mine
The ALLCO Silver Mine is situated 6.35 Kilometers northwest of the above described Snowflake/Regal Mine(s). The ALLCO Silver Mine operated from 1936-1937 and produced 213 tonnes of concentrates containing 11 troy ounces of gold (1.55 g/t), 11,211 troy ounces of silver (1,637 g/t) and 173,159 lbs of lead (36.9%).
Airborne Geophysics to Guide Future Exploration
An extensive airborne geophysics survey conducted by Geotech Ltd of Aurora, Ontario, for Northaven Resources Corp. in 2011, on the Regal Project identified four well defined high potential linear targets correlating with the same structural orientation as the Allco, Snowflake and Regal Silver mines. Northaven also reported that the mineralogy and structural orientation of the Allco, Snowflake and Regal Silver appeared to be similar to that of Huakan’s J&L gold project located to the north, and on a similar geophysical trend line. The J&L is reportedly now one of western Canada’s largest undeveloped gold deposits. Rokmaster Resources Corp. recently optioned the J&L property in a $44.2M deal and has renamed it the Revel Ridge Project. Rokmaster is presently working on expanding the current resource.
After completing the airborne survey, Northaven failed in financing their company and conducting further follow up exploration on the property and subsequently forfeited the claims without any of the follow up work ever being completed. Affinity Metals is in the fortunate position of benefitting from this significant and promising geophysics data and the associated targets.
The aforementioned Northaven airborne geophysical survey conducted at a cost of $319,458.95 in August of 2011 is described in The BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Assessment Report #33054. The results of the survey are competently explained and illustrated by professionals on You Tube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX431eBY_t0
Condor Consulting, Inc. who compiled the survey data and produced the original geophysics report was recently retained by Affinity in order to provide more detailed interpretations and potential drill target locations with the aim of testing two of the four main target areas in the future.
Earth Sciences Services Corp. (ESSCO) has also recently provided acoustical geophysics data for portions of the Regal property. This data is also being interpreted and analyzed with respect to future drill targets.
The Corporation is presently in the process of correlating and interpreting all of the historic and new geophysical and geochemical data as well as the 2019 drill results with the objective of further defining 2020 drill targets.
Affinity Metals has been granted a 5 Year Multi-Year-Area-Based (MYAB) exploration permit which includes approval for 51 drill sites.
Assay Procedure, Quality Assurance and Quality Control Procedures
All drill core samples were sent to MSA Laboratories in Langley, British Columbia for assay. Samples were analyzed by the following methods, as appropriate, to determine grades: ICP-130 35 element two acid digestion with ICP-AES finish, IMS-130 51 element two acid digestion with ICP-AES/MS finish, FAS-418 Ag 30g fire assay with gravimetric finish, determination of Ag, Cd, Pb, W, and Zn with four acid digestion and ICP-AES finish, determination of Pb and Zn by titration, and determination of Sn by Sodium Peroxide fusion with ICP-OES finish.
The Company employed a QA/QC program that was managed by a Qualified Person during the entire drill program. Blanks, duplicates (both pulp splits and 1/4 core), and two certified standard reference materials were used. These QA/QC samples were inserted at a rate of 1 every 10 to 15 samples.
Qualified Person
The Qualified Person for the Regal Project for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 is Frank O’Grady, P.Eng. He has read and approved the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for the disclosure contained in this news release.
About Affinity Metals
Affinity Metals is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of strategic metal deposits within North America.
The Corporation’s flagship project and present focus is the Regal.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Robert Edwards, CEO and Director of Affinity Metals Corp.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 8:42 AM on Thursday, April 16th, 2020
Sponsor: Loncor, a Canadian gold explorer controlling over 2,400,000 high grade ounces outside of a Barrick JV. The Ngayu JV property is 200km southwest of the Kibali gold mine, operated by Barrick, which produced 800,000 ounces of gold in 2018. Barrick manages and funds exploration at the Ngayu project until the completion of a pre-feasibility study on any gold discovery meeting their Tier One investment criteria. Newmont $NGT$NEM owns 7.8%, Resolute $RSG owns 27% Click Here for More Info
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That’s the name the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has given this uncertain period, and I believe it may stick. The IMF added that the “world economy will experience the worst recession since the Great Depression,†with global economic growth this year projected to fall to negative 3 percent.
This highlights the importance of protecting your family’s wealth right now, which savvy investors have historically managed to do with gold and precious metals.
Physical gold was up about 13.8 percent through April 10, while senior gold miners advanced 2.8 percent, making the group the best asset class of the year so far. Longtime readers of Frank Talk know that I frequently recommend a 10 percent weighting in gold and gold stocks, and now you can see why. A 10 percent allocation at the beginning of the year—before any of us had ever heard of the novel coronavirus—could have helped minimize the impact of losses in other positions.
(Click on images to enlarge)
The problem is that too few investors have adequate exposure to the yellow metal. That’s the case even for many who may believe they do. As the World Gold Council (WGC) pointed out last year, most broad-based commodity indices have a very small weighting in gold — the S&P GSCI’s, for instance, is only 3.37 percent. What this means is that investors in funds that track these indices likely do not get the full benefit of having gold in their portfolio.
That’s why I recommend that the 10 percent weighting be split into two halves, with 5 percent in physical gold (bars, coins, 12-karat jewelry ) and the other 5 percent in high-quality gold and precious metal mining stocks, mutual funds and ETFs.
Maybe you’ve missed the rally up to this point, but the good news is that it’s probably still not too late to participate.
Gold Well-Positioned to Revert to Its Mean Relative to the S&P 500
According to analysis by Bloomberg commodity strategist Mike McGlone, the price of gold appears to be seeking to revert to its long-term mean relative to the S&P 500 Index. This would suggest that we could see a new record high, driven largely by excessive money printing.
“Unprecedented global monetary stimulus is a worthy catalyst for the per-ounce price of gold to revert to its long-term mean vs. the S&P 500 Index, in our view,†McGlone explains.
The implication of mean reversion right now is that gold would hit a new all-time high, assuming the S&P continues to trade around 2,800. After all, a one-to-one ratio means that both assets are trading at the same level.
This has happened before, as you can see in the chart above. As recently as March 2013, both spot gold and the S&P 500 were trading in the same 1,500 to 1,600 range. Before that, in May 1990, it was a 330 to 360 range.
A reversion to the mean now—again, assuming the S&P continues to trade at its current level—would put the yellow metal at approximately $2,800 an ounce, a new record high by far.
But remember, that’s just a simple one-to-one ratio. The long-term gold/S&P mean is slightly higher, at 1.12, so the gold price would also be slightly higher, possibly closer to $3,000 an ounce.
Mean reversion is something I write about more in-depth in “Managing Expectations: Anticipate Before You Participate in the Market,†which you can read by clicking here.
Interest in Gold Mining Stocks and Gold Royalty Companies Takes Off
Not enough investors have optimal exposure to gold, according to the WGC, but we’re currently seeing a surge in interest in gold mining stocks and gold royalty companies, if Google search data is any indication.
Search terms using “gold mining stocks†and “gold royalty companies†were higher this month than at any other time in the past 10 years. That includes when the yellow metal hit its record high of $1,900 an ounce in 2011.
Google Trends isn’t a leading indicator recognized by mainstream economists and market analysts, but I believe it shows where investors’ thinking may be at right now. They’re seeking a way to preserve their wealth as we face what could be the worst economic downturn in nearly 100 years, and they’re betting that higher precious metal prices will send shares of gold mining and royalty companies higher as well.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 7:15 AM on Thursday, April 16th, 2020
Entered into an agreement on April 13, 2020 securing the rights to import the iONEBIO INC’s iLAMP Novel-CoV19 Detection Kit (real-time Reverse Transcription LAMP-PCR assay system) into Canada
Under the terms of this agreement, Datametrex was also given rights to sell the tests into other countries around the globe, including the United States
iONEBIO Inc. claims their test kits provide results within approximately 15 to 20 minutes with 99.9% accuracy
TORONTO, April 16, 2020 — Datametrex AI Limited (the “Company†or “Datametrexâ€) is pleased to announce that entered into an agreement on April 13, 2020 securing the rights to import the iONEBIO INC’s iLAMP Novel-CoV19 Detection Kit (real-time Reverse Transcription LAMP-PCR assay system) into Canada, Under the terms of this agreement, Datametrex was also given rights to sell the tests into other countries around the globe, including the United States. Datametrex has developed strong relationships with many large multi-national companies in South Korea.  As a result of these relationships, the Canadian Embassy in Seoul contacted Datametrex to ask for help in procuring rapid test kits.
The COVID-19 test kits are manufactured by iONEBIO INC. in South Korea, and are the same test kits that have been successfully used in South Korea in their “drive-through†testing stations. This kit has also been used to test every traveller entering into South Korea and those testing positive for Covid-19 were immediately isolated. Datametrex believes a key factor that allowed South Korea to slow the spread of COVID-19 was its ability to swiftly identify and quarantine those infected by testing millions of people using these test kits These test kits were first approved for use by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on August 30, 2019. In addition, an independent study was conducted by DankukUniversity (DKU) in Seoul, South Korea, and it was completed and approved on April 2, 2020.
Health Canada must approve these COVID-19 test kits before they can be used in Canada. The Company is currently working with Health Canada to have the approval of these kits fast tracked. These test kits are currently in use in some European and Asian countries outside of South Korea. Approval work has commenced with the FDA in the United States to obtain FDA approval and to authorize the tests under the Emergency Use Authorization Program run by US Center for Disease Control (CDC).
iONEBIO Inc. claims their test kits provide results within approximately 15 to 20 minutes with 99.9% accuracy. Each kit contains 288 individual tests, all of which can be completed in one hour. By utilizing these kits, screening stations can be set up almost anywhere and will allow for the early detection and swift quarantine of infected persons, which is believed to be a key factor in slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Early detection using rapid tests will also provide further protection to Canada’s front-line workers, especially health care professionals.
South Korea has used this kit to test millions of its citizens and, as of April 14, 2020, there have been 10,654 cases of Covid-19 and 222 deaths reported. In North America, where the use of a rapid test has not been implemented on a large scale, there have been, as at April 14, 2020, 25,680 cases and 780 deaths in Canada and 588,465 cases and 23,711 death in the US. (All data collected by Datametrex’s Covid-19 dashboard, which is available at http://www.datametrex.com/covid-board.html)
“We strongly believe these kits will assist Canada in slowing the spread of Covid-19 and ultimately save lives. It’s incredibly rewarding for us to be able to help Canada combat the spread of COVID-19,†said Andrew Ryu, Chairman of the Company.
If the test kits are approved by Health Canada and the Canadian government purchases these test kits as expected, the Canadian government will be required to pay the kits in advance. Datametrex expects that all of its costs and expenses related to the import of these tests will be satisfied out of the purchase price for the tests paid for by the Canadian government.
The Company is not making any express or implied claims that it has the ability to treat the Covid-19 virus at this time.
About Datametrex AI Limited
Datametrex AI Limited is a technology-focused company with exposure to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nexalogy (www.nexalogy.com). Additional information on Datametrex is available at www.datametrex.com
For further information, please contact:
Marshall Gunter – CEO Phone: (514) 295-2300 Email: [email protected]
Jeff Stevens- Co-Founder Phone: (647) 400-8494 Email: [email protected]
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor it’s Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “likely”, “should”, “would”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “potential”, “proposed”, “estimate”, “believe” or the negative of these terms, or other similar words, expressions and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” happen, or by discussions of strategy.
Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this press release and is based on the beliefs, estimates, expectations, and opinions of management on the date such forward-looking information is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 6:23 PM on Wednesday, April 15th, 2020
Fueled its California growth with the execution of definitive agreements for a master lease, operations and royalty arrangement with an experienced California-licensed operator
To operate the licensed facilities at the Company’s Salinas, California farm
Significantly strengthens the Company’s facility operations while allowing the Company to increase its asset value
TORONTO, April 15, 2020 — North Bud Farms Inc. (CSE: NBUD) (OTCQB: NOBDF) (“NORTHBUD” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce that its U.S. subsidiary, Bonfire Brands USA Inc., has fueled its California growth with the execution of definitive agreements (the “Agreementsâ€) for a master lease, operations and royalty arrangement with an experienced California-licensed operator (the “Cultivatorâ€), to operate the licensed facilities at the Company’s Salinas, California farm.
Highlights of the California Deal
Partnering with a proven licensed cannabis cultivator who has been operating successfully in Salinas for several years;
Significantly strengthens the Company’s facility operations while allowing the Company to increase its asset value;
Reduces the Company’s capital expenditure requirements while still generating significant revenue and retaining a portion of the unlimited upside potential through a royalty agreement;
Builds EBITDA-positive operations; and
Access to a cost-efficient and reliable supply chain on which to build the Company’s branded product portfolio within the state of California.
Terms of the Agreement As per the terms of the Agreements, the Cultivator will lease the Company’s Salinas farm for 5 years, with options to extend the lease for up to an additional 5 years, and Bonfire Brands USA Inc. will receive the following consideration:
Lease payments of USD$900,000 per year, with incremental increases if the Cultivator extends the lease beyond the initial 5 year term;
A royalty equal to 5% of the gross revenue generated by the Cultivator from its use of the Salinas farm; and
The right to acquire a significant portion of the product harvested each quarter on the farm by the Cultivator, at a 15% discount to market rate.
During the term of the Agreements, the Cultivator will be responsible for the costs of operating the farm, including but not limited to staffing, operations, repair, maintenance, licensing and compliance; moreover, the Cultivator is committed to funding and managing the build-out of up to an additional 230,000 sq. ft. of licensed cultivation space in order to maximize the revenue-generating potential of the property.
“We are very pleased to have concluded this deal as we partner with an established operator to build up our asset and to secure access to high-quality, low-cost cannabis,†said Justin Braune, President of Bonfire Brands USA. “This deal will allow the Company to immediately achieve EBITDA-positive operations at our largest facility without incurring significant capital investments. By retaining preferential purchasing terms, the Company can now focus on the success of its branded product lines, on the back of the estimated 40,000 pounds of production capacity that the Cultivator is expected to bring online over the next 24 months.â€
About North Bud Farms Inc. NORTHBUD owns and operates, through its subsidiaries, licensed cannabis facilities in Canada, California and Nevada. Bonfire Brands USA, the Company’s U.S. subsidiary, acquired cannabis production facilities in Salinas, California and Reno, Nevada in late 2019. The Salinas, California 11-acre farm is actively cultivating cannabis in its 60,000 sq. ft. of licensed greenhouse production space. The Reno, Nevada facility, located on 3.2 acres of land, was acquired through the acquisition of Nevada Botanical Science, Inc., and includes a world-class cannabis production, research and development facility with 5,000 sq. ft. of indoor cultivation space which holds medical and adult-use licenses for cultivation, extraction and distribution. Through its wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, GrowPros MMP Inc., the Company built and owns a state-of-the-art purpose-built cannabis production facility located on 135 acres of agricultural land in Low, Quebec, Canada. The Low, Quebec facility currently has 24,500 sq. ft. of licensed indoor cultivation space; the Company expects to submit its licence application to Health Canada for an additional 1,000,000 sq. ft. of outdoor cultivation space in the near future.
Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-looking statements Certain statements and information included in this press release that, to the extent they are not historical fact, constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, “forward-looking statementsâ€) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements, include but are not limited to those identified by the expressions “anticipateâ€, “believeâ€, “planâ€, “estimateâ€, “expectâ€, “intendâ€, “mayâ€, “should†and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management.
Forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, the success of its arrangement with the Cultivator to lease and operate its Salinas farm, U.S. and Canadian strategies, the success of the Company’s licence application with Health Canada, the Company’s ability to execute its strategic plan, conditions in the cannabis market, the Company entering agreements in connection with the B2B supply of cannabis and the Company’s transition into a revenue-generating operational phase of development are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk factors included in the Company’s final long form prospectus dated August 21, 2018, which is available under the Company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company’s management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect information, events, results, circumstances or otherwise after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law including securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: North Bud Farms Inc. Edward Miller VP, IR & Communications Office: (855) 628-3420 ext. 3 [email protected]
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:40 PM on Wednesday, April 15th, 2020
CEO, Grant Johnson, is participating as an industry panel expert in Eventus International’s “The Convergence of Gambling and eSports†webinar on Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. ET (12:00 p.m. GMT).
The connection between gambling and eSports has always been a pertinent one, but never has it been more relevant as the present time wherein traditional sports and events have been brought to a standstill in an effort to maintain social distancing
BIRKIRKARA, Malta, April 15, 2020 — Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (NasdaqCM: GMBL, GMBLW) (or the “Companyâ€), a licensed online gambling company with a focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming, today announced its CEO, Grant Johnson, is participating as an industry panel expert in Eventus International’s “The Convergence of Gambling and eSports†webinar on Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. ET (12:00 p.m. GMT).
The connection between gambling and eSports has always been a pertinent one, but never has it been more relevant as the present time wherein traditional sports and events have been brought to a standstill in an effort to maintain social distancing. With the global sports calendar on pause, eSports have practically become the only game to play in town.
“The Convergence of Gambling and eSports†webinar is expected to be a lively debate exploring the ultimate merger of two powerhouse industries: gambling and eSports.
Johnson will be joined in the insightful discussion by moderator Keith McDonnell, CEO of KMigaming, as well as James Coxon, Business Development Director at SBTech, and Marek Suchar, Head of Partnerships at Oddin.
Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. is a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming. Esports Entertainment offers fantasy, pools, fixed odds and exchange style wagering on esports events in a licensed, regulated and secure platform to the global esports audience at vie.gg. In addition, Esports Entertainment intends to offer users from around the world the ability to participate in multi-player mobile and PC video game tournaments for cash prizes. Esports Entertainment is led by a team of industry professionals and technical experts from the online gambling and the video game industries, and esports. The Company holds a license to conduct online gambling and 18+ gaming on a global basis in Curacao, Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Company maintains offices in Malta. For more information visit www.esportsentertainmentgroup.com
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.
Contact:
U.S. Investor Relations RedChip Companies, Inc. Dave Gentry 407-491-4498 [email protected]
The statement is sure to draw significant fire from the multitude of graphite juniors and proponents of graphite as the primary material in the lithium-ion anode, who vastly outnumber the number of silicon proponents in the junior market. Â
According to HPQ CEO, Bernard Tourillon, graphite anodes are consistent performers, however, their limited energy capacity makes them ill-suited as the long term global answer to skyrocketing demand for electric vehicles. Silicon anodes, on the other hand, absorb far more lithium than their graphite counterparts, offering a substantial improvement in battery efficiency.
Tourillon isn’t just spinning a story. His claims are backed by hard facts and science. He does agree, however, that Silicon has not been able to go mainstream due to swelling and cracking issues – but according to HPQ – these latest promising results represent a step forward in that solving that problem. Â
With HPQ already under NDA with a battery manufacturer, Tourillon’s claims carry even greater weight. If HPQ can deliver, he may very well knock graphite off its perch single-handedly. Â
Watch this interview to hear what Tourillon has to further say on the subject, which will also undoubtedly serve as the basis for heated debate between HPQ and the graphite world for months to come. To the winner the spoils …. and Tourillon believes strongly that HPQ will prevail. Â
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:55 PM on Wednesday, April 15th, 2020
SPONSOR: Hollister Biosciences Inc. (HOLL:CSE) A vertically integrated cannabis company with products in 220 California dispensaries and joint ventures, licensing agreement & partnerships with global brands. The company recently closed $20 MILLION deal with Venom Extracts adding $CDN 16.4 million in revenue and $CDN 2.48 million in EBITDA. Learn More
With greater acceptance and understanding, people know more than ever about CBD. But did you know these five fascinating facts?
As research continues to grow, so too does the demand for CBD products
So much so, in fact, that the market has yielded some impressive profits in the two years since the Farm Bill was passed; which effectively legalised hemp and CBD at the federal level
With all the hype surrounding CBD, there’s plenty of information to be had on the compound. Derived from hemp, CBD is one of 113 cannabinoids found in cannabis. Each cannabinoid interacts with our body in a specific way, and we even have specialised receptors in our nervous system to accept them.
As research continues to grow, so too does the demand for CBD products. So much so, in fact, that the market has yielded some impressive profits in the two years since the Farm Bill was passed; which effectively legalised hemp and CBD at the federal level.
Whatever you might know about CBD, there’s a good chance you don’t know these five facts. Keep reading to learn what they are, they might just surprise you.
1. It’s One Of The Fastest-Growing Industries In History: You can buy pharmaceutical grade CBD oil in stores and at several online providers all over the country. This massive spread of CBD products is due to the incredible demand for CBD and CBD-based products; causing the industry to become one of the fastest-growing in history.
Financial experts have predicted that the CBD industry has grown at around 107% per-year, and will continue to do so for the better half of the decade. People simply love CBD products, and as researchers discover more amazing benefits, the demand only grows.
The CBD industry managed to surpass the one billion dollar mark last year, and is projected to surpass 10-20 billion in the next few years. As misinformation and stigma dissipate, facts and scientific data take their place, making cannabis, hemp, and CBD better understood by everyone.
2. It Can Help Cancer Patients Manage Symptoms: CBD offers some very promising results in cancer patients. Cancer is a devastating condition where cells divide uncontrollably and destroy tissue. This can include muscle tissue, organs, blood vessels, and more. Often, cancer is incredibly painful, and the treatments available for cancer are no less uncomfortable than the disease itself.
Cannabinoids may actually help with more than just the symptoms of cancer, however. Certain studies have shown that cannabinoids, including CBD, might actually help to slow the growth of tumours. Another study found that it could potentially make cancerous cells more susceptible to radiation while not affecting healthy cells.
Overall, it would seem that CBD has the ability to inhibit cancer growth, manage symptoms, and aid in the destruction of cancerous cells. These are all great things, but further research must be conducted before these benefits can be cemented into CBD’s repertoire.
3. There’s a CBD-Based Drug Available for Seizures: Believe it or not, the FDA itself has recognised and performed research on the effectiveness of CBD in treating certain conditions, and recently approved a drug called Epidiolex, which is formulated from CBD. This breakthrough in CBD research proves that CBD is both useful and effective in medical applications.
Epidiolex is used to treat certain severe forms of epilepsy, such as Dravet Syndrome. These rare conditions can cause debilitating and often dangerous seizures. The CBD-based drug seems to reduce the number of as well as the severity of these seizures, making life more comfortable and manageable for those suffering from these conditions.
4. CBD Is Opening New Doors In Medical Research: Besides treating epilepsy and cancer, CBD is opening doors to all kinds of new research. Studies have been conducted on the compound’s effectiveness at treating or affecting conditions such as anxiety; depression; PTSD; diabetes; heart disease; high blood pressure; skin conditions; Alzheimer’s and more.
According to the Penguin CBD team, now that CBD and hemp are officially legalised, there’s plenty of room for more research and plenty of money in the industry to support new studies. With specialised receptors for cannabinoids in our nervous systems, it’s clear that our bodies are somewhat designed to accept and make use of cannabinoids, and their incredible list of benefits only continues to grow as we learn more.
CBD has yet another useful application: helping to treat addiction. Opioid-based painkillers are the cause of thousands of overdoses and deaths each year, and yet, they’re continuously prescribed without any valid alternatives available. CBD is effective at pain management but has also been shown to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal and help reduce cravings in addicts.
5. CBD Can Be Used In Pets And Children: You probably didn’t know you could give your furry friend CBD, did you? CBD pet treats are available for pets who suffer from chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety, or even have appetite problems. They’re tasty and you’re pet won’t know that they contain anything other than that yummy steak flavour they love so much!
Pet owners all over the country are choosing CBD oil to bring their pets easy comfort and relief from conditions like arthritis. While the research on pets and CBD is scarce, millions of pet owners swear by CBD and its effectiveness.
You can also give CBD to your children. In fact, there are studies available that suggest CBD may be an effective treatment for ADHD instead of giving stimulants to your child. That’s not to say you should immediately replace your child’s ADHD medication with CBD, but you can certainly talk with your child’s doctor about this natural alternative. Many parents have found CBD to be effective at managing hyperactive children and those with focus or concentration issues.
Children also suffer from chronic pain, inflammation, and conditions such as anxiety. CBD is truly an amazing compound with a myriad of useful applications, and it spans beyond just use in adults and humans. Your pets and your children can experience its benefits as well.
CBD is only growing in popularity, and you can be sure to see some more amazing benefits discovered as more money and effort go into CBD studies. With CBD’s legal status solidified, it’s not much easier to study its effects and perform clinical trials without the threat of government interference. Where will the future of CBD and CBD products will take us? The road ahead is set to be an exciting one…
Tags: Cannabis, CBD, CSE, Hemp, Marijuana Posted in Hollister Biosciences | Comments Off on With greater acceptance and understanding, people know more than ever about #CBD – SPONSOR: Hollister Biosciences $HOLL.ca $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $OGI.ca $FAF.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:27 PM on Wednesday, April 15th, 2020
SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited (TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media threats. The company is working with US Government agencies on Covid19 and Coronavirus fake news and disinformation Click here for more info.
Deepfakes 2.0: The New Era of “Truth Decayâ€
Truth is under attack
In this post-truth environment, one person’s truth is no longer another’s truth, and information can be weaponized to cause financial or even reputational harm
“An unexciting truth may be eclipsed by a thrilling lie.†— Aldous Huxley
Deepfake technology has exploded in the last few years. Deepfakes use artificial intelligence (AI) “to generate, alter or manipulate digital content in a manner that is not easily perceptible by humans.†The goal is to create digital video and audio that appears “real.†A picture used to be worth a thousand words – and a video worth a million – but deepfake technology means that “seeing†is no longer “believing.†From fake evidence to election interference, deepfakes threaten local and global stability.
The first generation (Deepfakes 1.0) was largely used for entertainment purposes. Videos were modified or made from scratch in the pornography industry and to create spoofs of politicians and celebrities. The next generation (Deepfakes 2.0) is far more convincing and readily available. Deepfakes 2.0 are poised to have profound impacts. According to some technologists and lawyers who specialize in this area, deepfakes pose “an extraordinary threat to the sound functioning of government, foundations of commerce and social fabric.â€
The Scope of the Problem
Truth is under attack. In this post-truth environment, one person’s truth is no longer another’s truth, and information can be weaponized to cause financial or even reputational harm. While the harmful use of (mis)information has been around for centuries, technology now allows this to happen at a speed and scale never before seen. With the proliferation of technology, a teenager sitting at home can create and distribute a high-quality deepfake video on her smartphone in a single afternoon. According to Matthew Turek, a program manager for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), “We don’t know where this is going to end. We may be headed toward a zero trust environment.â€
Criminals could use deepfakes to defraud victims, manipulate markets, and submit false evidence to courts. Authoritarian governments could use deepfakes to target public opinion and foreign adversaries could use them to erode trust in governments. The proliferation of Deepfake 2.0 technology allows this to be done easily, cheaply, and on a grand scale. RAND recently called this “truth decay.†In fact, the mere idea that this technology could be used to manipulate public opinion is already causing some to start questioning the validity of real events and un-doctored video.
Imagine the following possibilities:
Fake Evidence: Manipulated videos being used as evidence in court.
Sparking a war: a fake video of Israeli soldiers physically assaulting a Palestinian child could spark a new wave of violence in Israel.
Manipulating Markets: fake videos of a CEO used to disrupt an initial public offering.
Creating Political Fissures: fake videos intended to sow discord between foreign allies.
Influencing Elections: A doctored video of a politician looking sick designed to tip the scales of an election.
Deepfakes 2.0 pose a massive threat for the United States and other Western democracies that value truth, individual liberties, and the independence of the media.
Solutions — A Holistic Framework
How do we prepare for this new era of disruptive technology? It will take a whole of society approach where government, academia, and corporations work collaboratively with international partners and individual citizens. This comprehensive method recognizes that each sector possesses unique strengths, capabilities, and limitations. Finland is widely viewed as the gold standard for this approach in confronting sophisticated disinformation efforts. In 2014, the Finnish elections were the target of a disinformation campaign widely attributed to Russia. The Finnish government took note and began to aggressively formulate a national strategy, including a national education initiative. The Finnish recognized, “[i]t’s not just a government problem, the whole society has been targeted.â€
The Finnish model includes both technical and non-technical solutions. Finnish schools stress critical thinking and media literacy, teaching students of all ages to be discerning consumers of information. The Finnish have also established a non-partisan journalistic fact-checking service: FaktaBaari. The Finnish model provides a useful starting point for a U.S. model tailored to our unique social, cultural, and legal considerations.
Technical Solutions
Detection. The plan to counter Deepfakes 2.0 must start with detection. Several companies are already developing algorithms using AI to detect deepfakes. For example, Facebook recently announced a partnership with Microsoft and academia to invest in AI systems that identify, flag, and remove harmful deepfakes. The Pentagon is also investing heavily in deepfake-detection technologies such as DARPA’s Media Forensics (MediFor) program to fight AI with AI.
Authentication. We need to establish a credible organization, perhaps through a public-private partnership, to report deepfake detection results. Blockchain technology can create digital fingerprints to help authenticate media. This technology allows videos and photos to be publicly verifiable.
Non-technical Solutions
Education. Over half of Generation Z gets its news and information primarily from social media and messaging apps on their smartphones. Therefore, schools must prioritize critical thinking and media literacy tailored to this new reality. In the decentralized American education system, this requires commitment and resources from federal, state and local governments.
Media Policy. Traditional and social media should assess criteria for evaluating suspicious or unverified, potential deepfakes that could harm society. Some social media sites have already shown a willingness to take down accounts linked to disinformation.
Legislation. Congress is considering multiple legislative proposals, including the DEEPFAKES Accountability Act. Congress should also consider a Finnish-style independent entity that provides confidence or credibility scores for digital content. State governments also play an important role. For example, California recently passed a law restricting the use of deepfakes for political purposes.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that criminals, our adversaries, and other malign actors will use deepfakes to harm the public and manipulate their sense of reality. We need a comprehensive plan to counter this threat. It requires the government, academia, and private industry to work together on both technical and non-technical solutions. Given that it is difficult to change a person’s view once it is formed, speed is a virtue when it comes to detecting deepfakes and educating the public. As the saying goes, “A lie can travel halfway around the world before truth puts on its boots.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:17 AM on Wednesday, April 15th, 2020
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Significance Of Upskilling & Reskilling To Overcome Covid-19 Crisis
While the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic saw a partial – or even complete – lockdown at several places across the globe, people have been reorienting their lives indoors.
Just as Covid-19 has been reshaping education with a grand global experiment in remote learning, so have businesses adapted by shifting operations online.
However, some companies are creaking under pressure with these sudden changes. While this has meant job cuts in some enterprises, others are either delaying key operations or deferring hiring plans. With no end – or certainty – in sight, it necessitates that professionals turn these circumstances into opportunities to upskill.
This can be made possible with the effective use of technology, and signals a massive chance for edtech providers and online career marketplaces to reinvent learning to meet the needs of a new economy. Upskilling For The Future Of Work
According to MD of Udemy India Irwin Anand, in addition to Covid-induced uncertainty around the future of jobs, advanced technology and the impact of globalization also demands that professionals prioritize learning.
“Learning is the new currency that can help us succeed as a workforce,†says Anand. “At a time of unprecedented change and heightened concern around recent events, the most important job skill would be the ability to learn,†he adds.
With an oncoming recession and economic downturn strongly anticipated, it is critical to pay heed to warning signs that your job may be at risk. Bolstered by an automation boom and ever-changing technological landscape, the shelf life of skills have shortened. To remain employable in such competitive times, people need to upskill themselves. Also Read Pros & Cons Of Choosing A Career In Data Science
Given this huge clamour for upskilling – especially since the Covid-19 pandemic took root – edtech companies have been offering more industry-ready courses. Additionally, they have launched both short-term and long-term courses on emerging technologies like AI, ML and data science for professionals looking to take advantage of a job market anchored around these new technologies.
“We are seeing increased demand across every segment of users – from individual learners, to repeat instructors, to employees learning for their jobs since the pandemic began,†says Anand.
Nudged by current circumstances and buoyed by trends including freelancing and technology disruption, the labour market is poised to be transformed and usher in a talent economy.
Whether you are a digital novice or fairly comfortable with technology, there cannot be a better time for you to dive deep into technologies, and upskilling can help in this digital transformation with the use of new applications. This will also help you ease into working remotely – another direction the changing landscape of work is moving towards.
With the Covid-19 pandemic heralding increasing pay cuts and furloughs, most companies also do not have the budget for additional training. And with work processes changing, so have capabilities and expectations of employees to adjust to this scenario as fast as possible by taking ownership of their own learning.
This means that a lot of upskilling needs to happen to digitally transform oneself, especially in these times.
Online Learning Trends Amid Covid-19
As mentioned earlier, a clutch of edtech players and e-career companies have witnessed a jump in new registrations since the outbreak of the virus. Online career marketplace Shine Learning has seen a massive surge for online course takers over the last few weeks. Also Read Top Analytics Job Openings in India At The Moment
According to the firm, there has been a sharp rise in the number of users choosing to upskill themselves in courses like data science, blockchain, and machine learning. “With remote working increasingly becoming the norm, we may see more demand for specific talent in this field,†says CEO of Shine Learning, Zairus Master. “Moreover, with more time and fewer entertainment options at their disposal, this is an opportune time for people to upskill themselves,†he adds.
Edtech players like Upgrad, Udemy and Simplilearn are also capitalizing on increased demand. Udemy recently released the Udemy Free Resource Center – a curated collection of more than 150 free Udemy courses – to help learners upskill themselves. What is more, it also has courses and resources especially targeted at professionals for them to learn how to adapt to remote work and how to search for a job. And while there has been demand for all kinds of skills, one subset in the realm of new technologies has been piquing the interest of learners.
“Data science has emerged as one of the top five topics users on Udemy choose to learn,†says Anand. “We have seen double-digit growth in learning globally as well as in India as people spend the majority of their time working remotely,†he adds.
Accepting that everything is not under our control, we need to learn how to adapt to situations. And the fastest way to adapt is to be prepared through upskilling by making learning a lifelong commitment. Also Read Analytics courses that are most in demand today
Covid-19 could be a tipping point for learning – and working – as we know it. With virtual learning emerging as a one of the best practices in our quest to self-learn, we need to constantly keep ourselves updated on new applications and smart devices to smoothly transition into a post-Covid digital world.
