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Australian Run Chatree Gold Mine Begins Laying Off Staff after Junta Ordered Closure

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Environmental activists and some local landowners had campaigned vigorously against the mine, claiming toxic substances from it had poisoned people, including children

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PHICHIT – Australian-run Chatree gold mine in Thailand’s Phichit village has been ordered to close due to a controversial decision.

Chatree’s operator Akara Resources – a subsidiary of the Sydney-based gold miner Kingsgate Consolidated – starts sacking workers, elected district chiefs have made a last-ditch appeal to the government to reverse its May decision, which raised questions about the risks for mining companies operating in Thailand.

Fai Mahasat, the head of one of four districts surrounding the mine, the mine has done nothing wrong. Many people here will suffer and lose their livelihoods. It’s crazy.

Fai and the chiefs of two other district councils told Fairfax Media during a meeting at the mine that 90 per cent of the 19,725 people they represent want Thailand’s only major operating gold mine to stay open.

“This decision came as a shock. No one is prepared for the hardship it will bring and we appeal to the prime minister to reverse his decision,” said Chatnapa Muangpan, another district chief.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former army general, has cited a public outcry over health and environmental issues for his order, which shocked foreign companies with investments in Thailand.

Environmental activists and some local landowners had campaigned vigorously against the mine, claiming toxic substances from it had poisoned people, including children.

But the company insists that multiple studies, including by Thai government agencies, have failed to produce any evidence that the mine has damaged the surrounding environment, the health of workers or of nearby residents.

The company has spent millions of dollars supporting locals, including providing scholarships, fresh water systems and financial backing for small projects such as mushroom farming.

And Thailand has reaped tens of millions of dollars more in royalties and taxes.

Until the order came to close, Akara, a company listed on the Thai stock exchange, was planning to invest a further $US1 billion to continue mining on adjacent leases for another 20 to 30 years, raising several billion dollars in revenue, company executives said.

The Thai government, which is stacked with former generals, initially said it wanted to liberalise Thailand’s mining sector, but 27,522 environmental activists opposed revision of the 1967 Minerals Act in a 2015 petition, indicating strong public opposition to mining.

Thai media reports last month suggested the government may be reconsidering the closure decision, given there is no conclusive evidence of hazardous waste or contamination.

Thailand’s Ministry of Industry was also considering the implications of the mine’s closure on Thailand’s free trade agreement with Australia, some media outlets reported.

But the company, which has not been notified of any review, has already moved to end blasting in a 170-metre-deep open-cut pit and extraction of ore in the first week of December, with processing continuing until New Year’s eve.

Cherdsak Utha-aroon, the company’s general manager for external affairs, said the closure “doesn’t make sense” because there are no scientific or health grounds to justify it.

“Yes, there are a handful of people who do not like us. Some have hidden agendas on land deals. They make a lot of noise, which has initiated concern in the government sector,” he said.

Cherdsak said there has been speculation that someone behind the scenes is orchestrating the mine’s closure. “But as far as I can see I don’t see any indication of such a move, so I cannot say,” he said.

The mine was ordered to close for 44 days in January 2015 after tests by the Justice Ministry’s Central institute of Forensic Science found elevated levels of manganese and arsenic in 329 of 600 blood samples collected from people living near the mine.

The tests were conducted after locals complained of being poisoned by the mine.

But the company does not use either of those metals at the mine and earlier studies confirmed that central Thailand had high levels of them in soil and water before the mine opened.

The company uses cyanide in its smelting operations but insists levels are low and that it dissipates in sunlight from a tailings dam.

“A cigarette or cup of coffee may contain similar levels of cyanide to what’s in our tailing facility,” Kingsgate’s chief executive Greg Foulis said in May.

“We accept that there’s always going to be minority groups that don’t want certain businesses, industries and investments,” he said. “However, the government still hasn’t found a mechanism to deal with protests or interest groups.”

The company plans to sack all but about 20 workers and put the mine under a care and maintenance program on December 31, leaving uncertainty around the plant and future rehabilitation works costing hundreds of millions of dollars.

Brennan Lang, the mine’s Canadian-born general manager, said security guards will be deployed at the site to protect the processing plant and machinery, part of the company’s $A1 billion investment in the mine.

For now, the company is blasting 50,000 tonnes of ore a day to squeeze every last dollar out of the mine before its closure, hoping to clear outstanding bank loans.

Kingsgate, a high-flying  $A2 billion company when gold prices were high in 2011, this month rejected a share offer launched by Thai millionaire Chatchai Yenbamroong, while the company was in a prolonged trading halt.

The offer valued the company at only about  $A5 million.

Komsan Kwankaew says he thinks he is too old to find a job in Bangkok, despite the skills he obtained working in Chatree’s metallurgy department for almost 16 years.

He said without his salary from the mine he will struggle to pay the school and university fees for his daughters, aged 22 and 15, and will probably have to move his family to another province so that he can work with his brother who has a mobile stall.

“All the workers feel sad and will for sure have financial problems when they lose their jobs,” he said. “We can’t understand why this is happening.”

By Lindsay Murdoch | Sidney Morning Herald

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PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

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(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

States Sue TikTok, Claiming Its Platform Is Addictive And Harms The Mental Health Of Children

Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

water

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

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The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP

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