Monthly Archives: March 2022

‘Here there is nothing’: Yemen’s Aden scarred by grinding war – Macau Business

Posted: March 17, 2022 at 2:43 am

Bullet-riddled homes, buildings turned to rubble and countless pictures of martyrs: seven years into Yemens civil war, the interim capital Aden bears the scars of a conflict that shows no signs of abating.

While Aden is now relatively stable, economically the ancient port city has been left on its knees.

Water and electricity are intermittent, serving a population that officials say has tripled to more than three million, as people seek safety from fighting raging elsewhere.

Aden governor Ahmed Lamlas said the outbreak of war in 2015 was a disaster, leaving the citys infrastructure in ruins.

We are still suffering from the impacts of war, said Lamlas, who narrowly escaped a deadly car bomb attack in October.

Yemen has a long history of civil war, and was divided into North and South Yemen until 1990.

It descended into brutal conflict again when Iran-backed Huthi rebels launched a military campaign to seize power in 2014, taking large swathes of territory including the capital Sanaa in the north.

The following year, after a Saudi-led military coalition intervened to support the internationally recognised government, the insurgents were at the gates of Aden.

They held sway for a few months before being pushed out by loyalist forces.

Sporadic violence continues to blight the temporary seat of the government, whose troops clashed with southern separatists in 2018-19 before they reached a power-sharing agreement.

Flags of former South Yemen line the streets of Aden, where the separatist Southern Transitional Council has much influence, with checkpoints set up everywhere.

As if civil war and a struggle for the city were not enough, Aden has also been targeted by a number of bombings claimed by the Islamic State group.

Along the corniche in Aden stands a large portrait of the former governor, Jaafar Saad, who was killed in a car bomb claimed by the jihadist group in 2015.

Aden will not forget you, its message reads.

At the airport, a gaping hole torn into the arrivals terminal reminds visitors of a missile attack on cabinet members in 2020, a memorial of sorts to the at least 26 people killed.

Across Yemen, hundreds of thousands have been killed, directly or indirectly, and millions displaced by the war, which has left 80 percent of people on food aid.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday warned that Yemen risked catastrophe, speaking at a donor conference that raised less than a third of the money needed.

The number of people starving in famine conditions is projected to increase five-fold this year to 161,000.

Lamlas said the pressure was exacting a toll on Adens citizens.

Living conditions have affected the people psychologically, said Lamlas, but insisted: Aden remains steadfast and will return to life.

Adens residents are struggling to afford basic goods amid soaring inflation.

Fish vendor Ammar Mohammed, 52, struggles to make a living, as few in the city can afford his product.

Only those who have money can buy fish, he said.

Everything was cheaper before the war.

On a quiet Friday evening, some Yemeni families headed to a seaside resort, one of the citys few recreational areas.

I have work experience in hotels, makeup and accounting, Abeer, 31, told AFP as she sat with her two friends smoking shisha andelectronic cigarettes.

The salaries are low, the situation is difficult, and I am fighting to lead a dignified life, she said, adding that friends and jokes are what keep her going.

There is no internet, phone network, theres nothing. Were looking for water, gas and petrol, but we at least still have some laughs.

Many in Aden blame the government for the citys deterioration, and some of them make no secret of their desire to become an independent southern state.

South Yemen was an independent country from 1967 when British colonial forces withdrew, paving the way for the creation of a Soviet-backed communist one-party state until 1990.

An attempt to break away again in 1994 sparked a brief civil war. That ended with northern troops and their militia allies occupying the south.

But calls for secession are growing louder, as people recall better times and more opportunities for women.

Its all bad, whether separated or not, said Abeer.

We dont want to unite with the Huthis in the north but in (rebel-held) Sanaa there is more security and safety and there is electricity.Here there is nothing.

by Shatha Yaish

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Global COVID-19 cases on rise again despite reduced testing: WHO – Macau Business

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The World Health Organization (WHO) sounded the alarm on Wednesday over a global spike in COVID-19 cases, despite reduced testing and several weeks of declining infections.

WHO said cases are especially on the rise in parts of Asia, urging for vaccination coverage to be extended and caution to be exercised in lifting pandemic response measures.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing that globally increasing cases despite reduced testing means the cases we are seeing are just the tip of the iceberg. He added: Continued local outbreaks and surges are to be expected, particularly in areas where measures to prevent transmission have been lifted.

According to Maria van Kerkhove, WHOs COVID-19 technical lead, more than 11 million cases have been reported to WHO in the last week. This is an eight-percent increase on the previous week.

One factor contributing to rising cases, she said, is the Omicron variant, the most transmissible coronavirus variant so far. Another contributing factor is the lifting of health measures such as masks, physical distancing, and restrictions on movement in certain countries. Furthermore, Kerkhove said: We also have incomplete vaccination coverage in many parts of the world and in particular, among people who are at risk of developing severe disease.

The third factor driving up the number of cases has been misinformation, she added, such as that Omicron is mild and the pandemic is over.

We need a very strong surveillance system around the world for COVID-19. Despite all of the challenges that we are facing, we still need to maintain testing, she emphasized.

As each country is facing a different situation, WHO has kept cautioning that the pandemic is not over yet, calling on all countries to remain vigilant.

The virus will wax and wane, as it has not settled down into a purely, seasonal or predictable pattern yet, according to Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program.

We need to be very cautious. We need to watch this very carefully and we need to focus on getting the most vulnerable appropriately vaccinated. And we need to do that as quickly as possible in every country, he said.

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UK and US to hold trade talks after Brexit – Macau Business

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Britain said Wednesday it will hold a series of talks with the United States, as it seeks to pin down a long-awaited trade deal with the worlds biggest economy after Brexit.

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Britains International TradeSecretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan will hold discussions in Baltimore on March 21-22 and in the UK in the coming weeks, the government said in a statement.

The dialogues will explore how the United States and United Kingdom can collaborate to advance mutual international trade priorities rooted in our shared values, it added.

London has negotiated a host of international trade deals since formally leaving the European Union on January 1, 2021, but a deal with Washington has so far proved elusive.

The talks come after US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson last year adopted a newAtlantic Charter.

Trade betweenthe close allies stands at approximately 200 billion ($261 billion, 238 billion euros) a year.

I am pleased to welcome Secretary Trevelyan to Baltimore later this month as we begin an open-minded and deep discussion on how we can advance smarter and more strategic trade between our two countries, said Tai in the statement.

The United Kingdom is one of our oldest and most trusted allies, and our partnership is rooted in shared values and priorities.

Trevelyan added that the pair would focus on how the UK and US can use trade intelligently in the modern global economy while deepening trade links.

I look forward to welcoming Ambassador Tai to the UK later this spring, she said.

A free trade deal between London and Washington has long been regarded as a key prize of Brexit.

However, it has yet to be realised more than five years after Britons voted to leave the European Union, not least because of wrangling over post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland.

Washington, and notably Irish-American US President Joe Biden, has warned London that a trade deal would be unlikely if its opposition to the so-called protocol threatened a US-brokered peace deal in the province.

Last June, Britain and the US agreed to suspend retaliatory tariffs levied during a lengthy dispute over state aid for European plane-maker Airbus and US rival Boeing.

They also agreed to suspend retaliatory tariffs on products including Scotch whisky.

The two nations are also in negotiations to resolve their differences over tariffs on steel and aluminium.

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NATO allies wary on call for Ukraine ‘peace mission’ – Macau Business

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NATO allies refused Wednesday to back a Polish call for the alliance to send an armed peace mission to Ukraine, but vowed to keep supplying arms despite threats from Moscow.

Polands Vice Premier, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, suggested a peacekeeping deployment in Ukraine to provide humanitarian aid during a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday.

But NATO defence ministers were wary over the idea as they arrived in Brussels for urgent talks on Russias war against its neighbour.

Im afraid were still in too early stages to talk about that, said Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren.

First we have to have a ceasefire. We have to see a withdrawal from Russia. There has to be some kind of agreement between Ukraine and Russia, and I think the talks are still going on.

She added: Its always good to think about what comes after that, but first, we need to achieve that.

Estonian Defence Minister Kalle Laanet said that a proposed peacekeeping mission was one of the possibilities and, of course, we have to look to all the possibilities which can help Ukraine.

But he said a deployment would need the backing of the United Nations Security Council where Russia holds a veto.

Britains defence minister Ben Wallace said he would need to look at the details first before making any decisions about what happens.

NATO has rebuffed pleas from Ukraine to intervene in the conflict, including imposing a no-fly zone to help halt Russian bombings.

The US-led alliance says its direct involvement in non-member state Ukraine could spark a confrontation with Russia that may spill over into nuclear war.

NATO allies have instead been sending weapons to help Ukrainian forces to defend their country, especially vitally needed portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile systems.

Moscow has warned that any deliveries are legitimate targets for its military to strike.

But NATO defence ministers insisted they would keep arms flowing to Ukraine.

We support their ability to defend themselves and well continue to support them going forward, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said.

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Student and factory worker lose RM17,000 to Macau scams – The Star Online

Posted: at 2:43 am

SIBU: Two women here have lost a total of RM17,000 to Macau scams.

Acting Sibu district police chief Supt Dr Collin Babat said the victims were a 21-year-old college student and a factory worker, 26.

According to Supt Collin, the student received a call at 1.30pm on Wednesday (March 9) from a man who introduced himself as an Inland Revenue Board (IRB) officer.

The "officer" claimed that her identity card had been used to register a company in Indera Mahkota, Kuantan.

After that, she was contacted by a person claiming to be from Pahang police headquarters, claiming that she was involved in money laundering and drug tafficking.

"The frightened victim simply followed the suspect's instructions, handing over her account details, and was asked to transfer her savings of RM7,830 to the account number provided.

"She was promised that her money would be returned within 45 minutes," Supt Collin said.

However, when she tried to contact the suspect to find out the status of her money, she could not get through.

In the second case, the factory worker was contacted by a "Telekom Malaysia officer" who claimed that a line had been registered in her name in Seremban.

She was told that the line was involved in a cybercrime.

Supt Collin said she denied the claim but the call was then transferred to a "police office" from Seremban.

"She was told that she had been involved with a fraudster known as 'Chao Tian Fu' who purportedly deposited (ill-gotten) money into her account," he added.

Supt Collin added that the victim then panicked and complied with the suspect's instructions by providing her bank details as well as her mother's.

"When she checked, she found that RM6,000 in her account and RM4,000 from her mother's account had been transferred out," he said.

The cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

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Target BMI Among Patients with Cystic Fibrosis to be Reconsidered According to New Study – MD Magazine

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New research indicated that the target body mass index (BMI) of a patient with cystic fibrosis (CF) should be reconsidered. While the prevalence of overweight and obesity among patients with cystic fibrosis has been on the rise, its unclear whether theres any benefit associated with increasing weight compared with the normal reference range.

According to the results of a new study, patients with cystic fibrosis who had a normal weight compared with those who were overweight or obese were associated with a higher forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration. Also, those at a normal weight were at higher odds for cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) and pancreatic insufficiency (PI).

The team of investigators, led by Rita Nagy, MD, Institute for Translational Medicine, Szentagothai Centre, Medical School University of Pecs, called for more studies with long-term follow-up to assess the possible adverse effects of higher BMI or higher fat mass in patients with cystic fibrosis.

In the study, the investigators noted that the fatal inherited disease is caused by recessive genetic variants in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene affecting 1 in 3300 White newborns. This disease affects multiple organs including the lungs, gastrointestinal system, and reproductive system.

Airway infections, chronic inflammation, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and complications like CF-related diabetes and CF-related liver disease, are frequent which results in poor quality of life for these individuals.

The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, the European Cystic Fibrosis Society, along with a number of other official organizations recognize the adult and pediatric dietary guideline that focuses on nutritional failure with no recommendation on the management of individuals who are overweight or obese.

In the past 2 decades, overweight and obesity among adults with cystic fibrosis is experienced in 31.4% of individuals in this population, which has more than doubled. However, investigators pointed out that the currently recommended high-fat and high-carbohydrate diet in those with CF could have various effects on the body and even clinical outcomes.

To fulfill the knowledge gap, investigators explained, we aimed to evaluate the differences in clinically significant outcomes, such as lung function, PI, and CFRD, in patients with CF having altered BMI and/or body composition by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.

Investigators aimed to evaluate the association of altered BMI or body composition and clinical outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis. A couple of authors extracted data and had it validated by a third author.

The systematic review and meta-analysis search of 3 databases was conducted in November 2020: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Patients above the age of 2 years who were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and altered body composition or BMI were compared with patients who had the measured parameters within the reference ranges.

The main outcomes were pulmonary function, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and CF-related diabetes. The odds ratios or weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated and the hypothesis was formulated before data collection.

Only 61 records of the 10,524 that were identified, met the criteria and were included in the analysis. From there, 17 studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. The systematic review and meta-analysis included 9114 patients.

Those who were overweight or obese were associated with higher forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration compared with those at a normal weight. High heterogeneity was shown in the analysis of pulmonary function.

The results show that nutritional status does have an impact on maintaining organ function in patients with cystic fibrosis. According to investigators, a nutritional strategy that increases the BMI closer to the upper limit of the normal BMI is reached should be included in daily protocol.

Further research examining long-term follow-up of higher BMI, body composition, and high-fat diet, is necessary to focus any possible harmful effects of these higher levels. According to investigators, the research suggests that careful evaluation of body composition is needed to be incorporated into everyday clinical practice.

Our findings suggest that nutritional status plays an important role in maintaining organ function in patients with CF, investigators wrote. Because we noted that a higher BMI is associated with better clinical parameters, we advise clinicians to reconsider increasing the currently recommended target BMI (22 for women and 23 for men).

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Trout will remain in CF after all, says Maddon – MLB.com

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TEMPE, Ariz. -- A day after Angels manager Joe Maddon said that superstar Mike Trout could move from center field to a corner outfield spot in an effort to keep him healthy this season, Trout said Monday that he prefers to play center field and Maddon later confirmed that Trout wont be moving positions this year.

Trout, 30, said he was surprised by Maddons comments on Sunday and that he found out about the potential position change via Twitter. But Trout, who was limited to just 36 games last year because of a strained right calf suffered in mid-May, said he had a good conversation with general manager Perry Minasian and Maddon early Monday. Trout, a three-time AL MVP and nine-time All-Star, has exclusively played center since 2014.

He feels really good and feels really strong, Maddon said. He feels like he's in great shape. He's lost weight. Everything is in order so he can play center field. During the lockout, we werent permitted to talk to people and I didn't get to talk to him about it yesterday. But the conclusion was always going to be to see how Mike feels, and he feels really good.

Trout said he understood the rationale to try to keep him healthy this year but said hes just not quite ready to make that move away from center field.

I hadnt really thought about it until it popped up, Trout said. I obviously love center field. Ive got nine years left [on my contract] so I could see it down the road, moving to a corner. Corner outfield is less on your body. Theyre trying to keep me out there for 162 games. But I want to play center field and we had a great conversation about it.

The Angels considered starting Brandon Marsh in center but ultimately decided to keep Trout there after he indicated thats where hed like to play and hes in good health. Notably, Marsh also has to earn his spot on the roster this spring and there remains the possibility Marsh could be traded for pitching.

Trout also explained why he prefers center field over a corner outfield spot, believing its his natural position. Trout, who has never won a Gold Glove despite a strong reputation in center, has played 124 career games in left and 17 in right, seeing some time in the corner outfield early in his career when Peter Bourjos was on the roster.

"I feel comfortable out there and natural, Trout said. I told them basically to tell me what to work on and I'll get better at it. But the main reason is to keep my body healthy. The calf injury last year was difficult. So I'm just doing whatever I can to stay out there."

Trout said his calf strain didnt fully heal until mid-October but he was able to have a normal offseason otherwise. With the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19 and his injury-marred 2021 campaign, Trout has played in just a combined 89 games over the last two years.

Given his incredible resume, its not that Trout has much to prove, but he does want to show he can be healthy and put up another MVP-caliber season. He loved watching his teammate Shohei Ohtani win the AL MVP Award last year but lamented he hasnt played much with Ohtani or fellow star Anthony Rendon much over the past two years.

You have to look at it as a new year, Trout said. The stats and everything have been great in the past but Ive got something to prove this year. I come in every year and try to be the best player on the field at all times. Thats my mentality. The biggest thing is staying healthy and Im going to do everything I can to do that.

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Watch this referee go above and beyond to stop an all-out brawl at Brave CF 57 – MMA Junkie

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There was a lot of animosity going into the Brave CF 57 co-main event rematch between Mohammad Fakhreddine and Mohamed Said Maalem, and a definitive end to the bout didnt prevent the bad blood from spilling over.

After Fakhreddine (15-4) picked up a knockout win over Maalem (11-4) on Fridays card in Bahrain, he went over the corner of his opponent and flipped the middle finger amid his celebration. That prompted one of the cornermen to scale and jump over the cage, causing all hell to break loose.

To his credit, however, referee Aaron Wallace stepped up and prevented the chaotic situation from escalating.

Wallace did his best to restrain Fakhreddine, who managed to get free and rush the cage intruder with a winging punch. Multiple people filled the cage, and Wallace pulled back multiple men and separated people until cooler heads prevailed.

Ultimately, things got civil enough for both men to meet in the center of the cage for the result announcement to be read.

Check out the madness below (via Twitter):

Mohammad Fakhreddine Mohamed Said Maalem pic.twitter.com/XuSYMEKYPN

BRAVE Combat Federation (@bravemmaf) March 11, 2022

Don't go starting post fight fights with the Vanilla Gorilla Aaron Wallace Cageside #BraveCF57 pic.twitter.com/GAq6TPP4jn

Noel O'Keeffe (@nok1980) March 11, 2022

The tension between Fakhreddine and Maalem stems from their first bout at Brave CF 52 in August. Maalem earned a first-round TKO victory at the event, but the finishing sequence included multiple strikes to the back of the head. Fakhreddine filed an appeal of the result with the Italian Federation of Grappling and Mixed Martial Arts, and the result was overturned to a no contest.

Fakhreddine got his redemption in the rematch to claim the vacant Brave CF light heavyweight title, but the scene afterward set the table for a potential trilogy down the line.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkies blog space. We dont take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Columbus A/S : Statutory report on Corporate Governance 2021 cf section 107b of the Danish Financial Statements Act – Marketscreener.com

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Corporate Governance

Statement 2021

Columbus A/S | CVR no. 13 22 83 45

Corporate Governance in Columbus

This statutory report constitutes part of the management's report to the Annual Report 2021 for Columbus A/S, cf. section 107b of the Danish Financial Statements Act. This statutory report covers the fiscal year 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021.

Columbus is committed to follow the Danish Recommendations on Corporate Governance of 2 December 2020, issued by the Danish Committee on Corporate Gov- ernance. Accordingly, the Board of Directors continuously considers the recommendations in order to determine which are relevant for Columbus, considering the size, ownership structure, nature of the Company and the Company's business model.

Columbus A/S:

Deviations are described under "Recom- mendations on Corporate Governance" on page 5, according to the "comply or ex- plain" principle.

This report is not covered by the auditor's remarks about the management's report.

Shareholders

The shareholders have the final authority over the Company and exercise their right to make decisions at general meetings. At the Annual General Meeting, shareholders approve the Annual Report, any amendments to the Company's Articles of Association and elect Board members and state- authorized public accountant company.

The Board of Directors emphasize that the shareholders are given detailed information and an adequate basis for the decisions to be made by the General Meeting. The date for the General Meeting is announced in the Company's financial calen- dar. Notice of the General Meeting occurs electronically with at least three weeks' and at the most, five weeks' notice. All shareholders have the right to participate and vote at the General Meeting, cf. the Articles of Association. Shareholders have the opportunity to vote by proxy. Votes by proxy allow shareholders to consider each individual item on the agenda. The Board of Directors encourages shareholders to ask questions at the General Meeting, and shareholders may submit proposals that are requested to be handled at the General Meeting before a given deadline.

Resolutions to amend the Articles of Association require that at least half of the share capital is represented at the General Meeting, and the resolutions must be approved by at least 2/3 of the votes cast and 2/3 of the registered voting share cap- ital. Proposals presented or recommended by the Board of Directors may, however, always be passed with at least 2/3 of both the votes cast and the voting share capital represented, regardless of the amount of the share capital represented. If less than 50% of the share capital is represented at the General Meeting but the resolution has been passed with 2/3 of both the votes cast and the registered voting share capital represented, a new General Meeting must be called within three weeks, where the resolution may be passed with 2/3 of both the votes cast and the registered voting share capital represented, irrespective of whether 50% of the share capital is rep- resented.

Management

Columbus has a unified management structure consisting of a Board of Directors and an Executive Board. The two bodies are separate, and no one serves as members of both.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall management of the Company on behalf of the shareholders and supervises the Company and the work of the Executive Board, including ensuring adequate management of the Company in compliance with legislation and Articles of Association. Together with the Executive Board, the Board of Directors determines goals and strategies, and approves budgets and action plans.

The Board of Directors makes decisions about acquisitions, large investments and divestments, size and composition of capital base, long-term debt, controlling, auditing and considerable operational circum- stances.

The Board of Directors in Columbus A/S consists of four members: Ib Kune, Sven Madsen, Peter Skov Hansen and Karina Kirk. The board members are elected for one year at a time with the option for re- election. The number of board members is considered adequate by the Board of Di- rectors, and likewise the composition of the Board is considered appropriate in terms of professional experience and relevant special competences to perform the tasks of the Board of Directors. Two out of the four members elected by the General Meeting are independent members, and

none of the Board members participates in the day-to-day operation of the Company.

For more details about the members of the Board of Directors and the members of the Audit Committee, please see "Board of Directors and Executive Board" on page 36 in the Annual Report 2021.

The Board of Directors holds at least nine meetings a year according to a meeting schedule planned one year in advance at the Board meeting in December. Extraordinary Board meetings are held according to need. In 2021, 15 Board meetings were held. The Executive Board participates in Board meetings in order to ensure a direct dialogue and that the Board of Directors is well informed about the operation of the Company.

In 2021, the Board of Directors focused on the following areas:

The general guidelines for the Board of Di- rector's work are specified in the Rules of Procedure, which are reviewed at least once annually and are adapted to Colum- bus' needs.

Executive Board

The Board of Directors appoints the Executive Board and determines the terms of

employment. The Executive Board is responsible for the day-to-day operation and management of Columbus, including strat- egy, budgets and targets for the Company.

The Executive Board consists of two mem- bers: CEO & President Sren Krogh Knudsen and Corporate CFO Hans Henrik Thrane.

The Board of Directors has adopted Rules of Procedure for the Executive Board, which describe the overall tasks and responsibilities of the Executive Board, reporting to the Board of Directors and authorities of the Executive Board.

Information from the Executive Board occurs systematically as well as at meetings and in written and verbal ongoing report- ing. The reporting contains information about the financial development as well as profitability.

Audit Committee

The purpose of the Audit Committee is to supervise accounting, audit, risk and controlling issues. The Audit Committee consists of Peter Skov Hansen (Chairman) and Sven Madsen. One of the two members of the Audit Committee (Peter Skov Hansen) is considered an independent member.

The tasks of the Audit Committee have been determined in a Terms of Reference, which has been approved by the Board of Directors. The Terms of Reference are available on the Company's website. The

Committee determines the meeting fre- quency. In 2021, five meetings were held. In 2021, the Audit Committee focused on the following areas:

Evaluation of performance

The Chairman of the Board is responsible for conducting an annual evaluation of the competencies of the Board of Directors, the cooperation between the Board of Directors and the Executive Board and the performance and results of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board, including the areas operation, finance, strategy, organization and management.

The individual Board members and Executive Board members anonymously complete an online survey. The results of the evaluation are presented and discussed at the subsequent Board meeting.

Based on the evaluation, which was conducted in 2021, it was concluded that the work of the Board of Directors and Executive Board is efficient, and that the composition and qualifications of the Board of Directors is appropriate in terms of professional experience and relevant special competences to perform the tasks of the Board of Directors in the best possible manners.

Dialogue with shareholders and other stakeholders

Columbus endeavors to continuously enhance the open and active dialogue with

shareholders and other stakeholders. The communication between Columbus and shareholders primarily takes place via company announcements, at the Com- pany's Annual General Meeting and via conference calls after publication of financial statements. These calls can be followed directly via the Company's website, and webcasts are available at the website after the conference calls for one year. During these conference calls participants have the opportunity to ask questions to the Executive Board.

The Company's website is constantly updated with published information. Colum- bus' shareholders may subscribe to Co- lumbus' e-mail service and receive company announcements, interim management statements, interim reports and annual reports as well as other news via e- mail.

Internal controls and risk management related to financial reporting

The intention with Columbus A/S' internal control system is to eliminate or mitigate significant risks identified in the financial reporting, and that material errors and inconsistencies in the financial reporting process are identified and corrected.

Overall control environment

The Board of Directors has the overall responsibility for Columbus A/S' internal controls and has approved Group policies related to internal controls, standards and procedures for financial reporting.

The Board of Directors has appointed an Audit Committee to assist the Board of Directors with supervising the financial reporting process and monitoring the effectiveness of the internal controls and risk management system.

The responsibility for maintaining efficient internal controls and a risk management system in connection with the financial reporting lies with the Executive Board which in cooperation with the Board of Directors evaluate the control system of the Group annually. Responsibilities, authorities and procedures relating to essential areas are defined in a Group policy which is approved by the Board of Directors.

Risk assessment

The Board of Directors and the Executive Board annually assess the risks that Co- lumbus A/S is exposed to, including risks related to the financial reporting process.

On an ongoing basis, the Audit Committee monitors the effectiveness of the internal controls for financial reporting and reviews and discusses material and relevant changes to accounting principles, including implementation of these.

Control activities and monitoring

All Business Units in the Columbus Group report financial and operational data to the head office on a monthly basis. The reporting includes comments to the financial and business development. Based on this reporting the Group's financial statements are consolidated and reported to the Group management. As part of this

process, monthly business reviews and controlling meetings are held, and control visits to all operational companies in the Group are performed on an ongoing basis in order to ensure that material errors in the financial reporting are discouraged, discovered and corrected.

The need for an internal audit is considered annually by the Audit Committee. However, due to the size of the Company and the established control activities the Audit Committee so far considers it unnecessary to establish an independent internal audit function.

Information and communication Columbus A/S has implemented a formalized reporting process for monthly, quarterly and annual reporting as well as for budgeting and forecasting.

Columbus A/S's reporting manual and other reporting instructions are updated on an ongoing basis. All updates are communicated to the global finance organization. All employees have access to reporting manuals and instructions.

Whistleblower function

As part of the risk management, Columbus A/S has established a whistle blower function for expedient and confidential notification of possible or suspected wrongdoing.

So far, no cases have been reported through the whistleblower scheme.

The report concerns the financial year 1 January - 31 December 2021.

Recommendations for Corporate

Governance

Explanation

Recommendation

The company com-

The company does

Why

How

plies

not comply

1. Interaction with the company's shareholders, investors and other stakeholders

1.1. Communication with the company's shareholders, investors and other stakeholders

1.1.1. The Committee recommends that the

X

management through ongoing dialogue and inter-

action ensures that shareholders, investors and

other stakeholders gain the relevant insight into

the company's affairs, and that the board of direc-

tors obtains the possibility of hearing and including

their views in its work.

1.1.2. The Committee recommends that the

X

company adopts policies on the company's rela-

tionships with its shareholders, investors and if rel-

evant other stakeholders in order to ensure that

the various interests are included in the company's

considerations and that such policies are made

available on the company's website.

1.1.3. The Committee recommends that the

X

company publish quarterly reports

1.2. The general meeting

1.2.1. The Committee recommends that the

X

board of directors organises the company's gen-

eral meeting in a manner that allows shareholders,

who are unable to attend the meeting in person or

5

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Fertilizer Stocks: Why Are MOS, CF, UAN and NTR Up Today? – InvestorPlace

Posted: at 2:41 am

Fertilizer stocks are rising higher on Thursday as investors react to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Source: Fotokostic / Shutterstock.com

Fertilizer stands out as one of the resources that could be in high demand due to the war. As such, it only makes sense that investors would jump into fertilizer stocks as a way to ride a possible increase in profit from higher prices.

Lets take a look at the fertilizer stocks that are on the rise today below!

Investors on the lookout for more recent stock market news will want to stick around!

Weve got all the latest stock market coverage that traders need to know about for Thursday! Among that is whats happening with Indonesia Energy(NYSEMKT:INDO) stock, what halted trading of Evraz(OTCMKTS:EVRZF) today, as well as analysts weighing in on the Amazon(NASDAQ:AMZN) stock split news. You can get up to speed on all of these matters by checking out the links below!

On the date of publication, William Whitedid not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.

Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2022/03/fertilizer-stocks-why-are-mos-cf-uan-and-ntr-up-today/.

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Fertilizer Stocks: Why Are MOS, CF, UAN and NTR Up Today? - InvestorPlace

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