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Canada Strengthens Global Cooperation on Energy and Climate at 2024 IEA Ministerial

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PARIS, Feb. 14, 2024 /CNW/ – This week, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, joined his international counterparts as the Vice-Chair of the 2024 International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Ministerial to strengthen international collaboration on global energy security and the transition to net zero by 2050.

The IEA is the leading global intergovernmental organization that provides independent analysis, data and policy recommendations on the global energy sector. As a founding member of the IEA, Canada was pleased to mark the organization’s 50th anniversary, to take stock of existing progress and to help set the strategic direction of the IEA moving forward.

While at the IEA, Minister Wilkinson advanced the following priorities on behalf of the Government of Canada, all of which were reflected in the final IEA Ministerial Communique:

1.  To accelerate the development and adoption of the technologies needed to achieve clean affordable, secure and reliable energy systems in Canada and abroad, including by:

Highlighting Canadian leadership at the IEA’s first Energy Innovation Forum, where leaders from industry, think-tanks and member countries discussed the importance of supporting emerging clean technologies and scaling them to adoption.Recognizing the important role that the nuclear sector is playing in the global energy transition and welcoming the IEA’s Communique, which, for the first time in history, recognizes nuclear as a reliable source of energy.Signing an agreement between Canada the U.K. to work together on nuclear fusion. The U.K. is one of Canada’s strongest bilateral partners in nuclear energy and one of the global leaders in fusion research and development, and Canada and the U.K. have complementary capabilities in fusion energy.Announcing support to secure and increase the resiliency of Ukraine’s power system by helping Ukraine’s allies and partners support power system reconstruction and investment, and the development of a power system security model that will support Ukraine’s energy plan.

2.  To urge an inclusive, people-centred approach to the global energy transition, an area where Canada is a global leader, including by:

Leading a high-level dialogue, Building a Prosperous & Inclusive Economy for the Future, to discuss ongoing efforts to ensure the benefits of a clean economy are broadly felt by all — including through Canada’s Sustainable Jobs interim Action Plan and proposed legislation, and Canada’s new Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program that will advance Indigenous leadership in the clean economy as equity partners.Inviting representatives from the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, Chief Shalene Gale and Niilo Edwards, to participate in the Government of Canada’s official delegation to the IEA Ministerial and supporting the participation of Indigenous Peoples in energy policymaking and projects.Welcoming new signatories to the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Equal by 30 Campaign, led by the Government of Canada, which works to accelerate gender equality and diversity in clean energy transitions and close the gender gap by 2030. The campaign now includes all G7 countries and over 200 signatories from industry, governments and non-profit organizations. In advance of the visit, the EU Commission became the latest signatory to the campaign.

3.  To draw in private sector capital and investment in Canada that supports the global transition to net-zero emissions, including by:

Promoting Canadian businesses abroad and attracting investment in Canada with a strong delegation of leading industry and clean tech companies including EverWind, NanoOne, Cameco from the offshore wind, clean tech and nuclear sectors in Canada.Implementing the Canada–US Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation, signed in June 2021, on sustainable and equitable energy transitions, clean energy innovation, connectivity and low-carbon transportation. During their bilateral meeting at this IEA Ministerial, Secretary Granholm and Minister Wilkinson agreed to deepen collaboration in the areas of critical minerals and nuclear supply chains.Continuing work under the Canada–France Bilateral Dialogue on Critical Minerals, signed in September 2023, which deepens Canada–France cooperation on critical minerals by working to secure critical minerals supplies, promote investment, collaborate in industrial and academic research and development, and promote global ESG standards.Championing the Sustainable Critical Minerals Alliance, which was established at the Biodiversity COP15 along with the U.S., U.K., France, Japan, Germany and Australia, to drive global uptake of environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive and responsible mining, processing and recycling practices and responsible critical minerals supply chains.

Canada is pleased to support the international energy and climate cooperation, research and programs of the IEA under the leadership of Dr. Faith Birol. The Government of Canada will continue to work actively and collaboratively with our international partners to promote energy security and energy affordability and accelerate the global energy transition to net zero no later than 2050.

Quote

“In a rapidly changing energy landscape where the challenges of climate change and energy security reach beyond national borders, international collaboration is paramount. Canada is committed to addressing the dual challenges of decarbonization and energy security, showcasing leadership in building an inclusive net-zero emissions economy and actively promoting the clean energy transition globally. We are seizing the economic opportunities associated with a global shift to net zero and taking action on our commitment to a sustainable, net-zero future and working with like-minded partners to ensure Canadians feel the benefits of the energy transition.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson 
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

Quick Facts

Canada is one of the founding members of the IEA and has played a significant leadership role at the IEA over the past two years. In addition to serving as the Vice-Chair of the 2024 Ministerial — the first time in recent history — Canada has held active leadership roles in the IEA’s Committee on Clean Energy Research and Technology, Critical Minerals Working Party and Task Force on Gas and Clean Fuels Market Monitoring and Supply Security.As of February 5, 2024, Canada has surpassed China and taken the top spot in BloombergNEF’s Global Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain ranking — an annual assessment that rates 30 countries on their potential to build a secure, reliable, and sustainable lithium-ion battery supply chain. Canada’s top position was “propelled by policy commitment at both the provincial and federal level,” according to BNEF.Canada is a global leader in clean technology and is punching well above its weight. As home to 13 companies on the 2024 Global Clean Tech 100 List — the highest of any country after the U.S. — Canada, with only 0.5% of the world’s population, represents 13% of leading clean tech companies globally.In June 2023, Minister Wilkinson introduced the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act. The bill, which is the first of its kind in the world, puts workers and communities at the centre of federal policy and decision making by establishing a framework for accountability, structured governance and engagement mechanisms to guide effective federal action.On October 2021, the IEA released a report calling on countries and companies to commit to reducing methane emissions from fossil fuel operations by 75% below 2012 levels by 2030. Canada was the first major oil and gas producing nation to commit to this goal and is in the process of both finalizing regulations to achieve it and a Methane Centre of Excellence to ensure methane emissions are rigorously monitored and measured.

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

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Cboe Clear U.S. Receives SEC Approval to Expand Clearing Capabilities

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SEC registration enables Cboe Clear U.S. to clear binary securities options alongside futures, positioning it to support innovation across the market

CHICAGO, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), a leading global markets operator and pioneer in equity and index derivatives, today announced that Cboe Clear U.S., LLC (CCUS) has received temporary registration from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to operate as a Covered Clearing Agency.

The registration expands CCUS’s clearing capabilities beyond its existing authorities as a Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)-registered Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) to clear securities products in addition to futures and swaps products. Together with recent enhancements to its regulatory framework and product scope, the milestone positions CCUS to support innovation and emerging opportunities across a broad range of assets and markets.

CCUS will initially use its SEC registration to clear Cboe’s binary securities options tied to specified corporate key performance indicators (KPIs), which are planned to list on Cboe Options Exchange and be available on Robinhood in the fourth-quarter 2026. CCUS also recently received CFTC approval to clear margined futures broadly and continues to clear digital asset derivatives under its DCO designation.

“Clearing plays a critical role in bringing innovation to market,” said Dale Michaels, Head of Cboe Clear U.S. “These expanded capabilities position Cboe Clear U.S. to become an innovation lane to support new products and meet evolving customer needs, while maintaining the rigorous risk management standards that are fundamental to our business.”

These efforts complement Cboe’s longstanding partnership with The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC)® and Cboe’s continued commitment to supporting the established clearing infrastructure for traditional equity options.

The development builds on the growth of Cboe’s established European clearing business, where Cboe Clear Europe has become the leading pan-European equities central counterparty, while expanding into new services such as securities financing transaction clearing. Together, these advances demonstrate Cboe’s ability to extend its clearing capabilities across markets and asset classes.

To support its own future growth, CCUS has strengthened its infrastructure over the past year, including electing in June to become a Subpart C DCO. In doing so, CCUS is voluntarily adopting the enhanced standards the CFTC applies to systemically important DCOs for financial resources, risk management and operational resilience, aligning with those applied to leading global clearing organizations.

About Cboe Global Markets

Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE) is a leading global markets operator with a long history of innovation in equity and index derivatives. Since launching the world’s first listed options exchange in 1973, Cboe has pioneered landmark products, including the introduction of S&P 500® index options and the creation of the VIX® Index, the world’s leading gauge of market volatility, reshaping how investors manage risk and access opportunity. Today, Cboe operates derivatives, equities, and FX markets, providing trading, clearing, and investment solutions for customers worldwide. To learn more, visit www.cboe.com.

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Kenneth Hill, CFA

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Cboe®, Cboe Global Markets®, and VIX ® are registered trademarks or service marks of Cboe Exchange, Inc and S&P 500® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. 

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “may,” “might,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue,” and the negative of these terms and other comparable terminology. All statements that reflect our expectations, assumptions or projections about the future other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us, may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

We operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our 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.

Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the loss of our right to exclusively list and trade certain index options and futures products; economic, political and market conditions; compliance with legal and regulatory obligations; price and new products and services competition and consolidation in our industry; decreases in trading or clearing volumes, market data fees or a shift in the mix of products traded on our exchanges; legislative or regulatory changes or changes in tax regimes; our ability to protect our systems and communication networks from security vulnerabilities and breaches; our ability to attract and retain skilled management and other personnel; increasing competition by foreign and domestic entities; our business and operational dependence on and exposure to risk from third parties; factors that impact the quality and integrity of our and other applicable indices; our ability to manage our global operations, growth, and strategic acquisitions, wind downs, divestitures, or alliances effectively; increases in the cost of the products and services we use; our ability to operate our business without violating the intellectual property rights of others and the costs associated with protecting our intellectual property rights; our ability to minimize the risks, including our credit, liquidity, market, investment, counterparty, and default risks, associated with operating our  clearinghouses; our ability to accommodate trading and clearing volume and transaction traffic, including significant increases, without failure or degradation of performance of our systems; misconduct by those who use our markets or our products or for whom we clear transactions; challenges to our use of open source software code; our ability to meet our compliance obligations, including managing our business interests and our regulatory responsibilities; the loss of key customers or a significant reduction in trading or clearing volumes by key customers; damage to our reputation; the ability of our compliance and risk management methods to effectively monitor and manage our risks; restrictions imposed by our debt obligations and our ability to make payments on or refinance our debt obligations; our ability to maintain an investment grade credit rating; impairment of our goodwill, long-lived assets, investments or intangible assets; the accuracy of our estimates and expectations; and litigation risks and other liabilities. More detailed information about factors that may affect our actual results to differ may be found in our filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and other filings made from time to time with the SEC.

We do not undertake, and we expressly disclaim, any duty to update any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

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SOURCE Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

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Hears Everything, Uploads Nothing: VoxNexus Launches Android’s First Low-Power On-Device Always-On Voice Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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VoxNexus’ new on-device ambient listening solution runs for 12 hours on 2.49% of a phone’s battery and never sends audio to the cloud

MADRID, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — VoxNexus (www.VoxNexus.ai) released VoxEdge, an on-device voice stack that brings speech recognition, translation and speech synthesis to affordable Android devices, entirely offline. VoxEdge supports speech recognition in 36 languages, translation in 103 languages, and speech synthesis in 45 languages—all running with no connection, no data bundle, and no cloud token bills.

AI should work for everyone, not just for speakers of a handful of mainstream languages. Yet across much of Africa, voice AI has been held back by scarce training data and the lack of targeted fine-tuning. Everyday speech also includes code-switching and dialect variation, while cloud-based inference costs can make deployment at scale expensive. 

VoxNexus’s solutions run entirely on device, and every query is free once the model is installed on the device. Its speech recognition model has as few as 65 million parameters and achieves a lower word error rate than open-source models nearly ten times its size.

“Under-resource languages aren’t small languages. Hundreds of millions of people speak them. Until now, AI models just haven’t learned them yet,” said Charles Shi, CEO of VoxNexus.

VoxNexus also launched VoxSense, an on-device ambient listening solution that uses only 162 mAh for 12 hours of continuous listening, around 2.5% of a 6,500 mAh phone battery. By keeping all processing on device, VoxSense makes always-on listening practical without draining the battery and without sending any audio to the cloud. Developers and device makers can easily integrate it through a license and a simple SDK. Developers can request a free trial here: www.VoxNexus.ai.

VoxSense and VoxEdge were unveiled at the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 launch in Madrid on October 19.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VoxNexus AI. 

About VoxNexus:
VoxNexus builds AI that hears and speaks — for everyone, everywhere, all the time. Its audio intelligence runs entirely on-device, delivering low latency, built-in privacy, and zero token cost across any device with a chip. VoxNexus is headquartered in Singapore. Website: www.VoxNexus.ai. Contact: public@voxnexus.ai  

VoxNexus demonstrates live on-device speech recognition at the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 launch in Madrid on Oct. 19, 2026. Spanish and English conversations were transcribed in real time on the phone, with no cloud connection. (Photo: VoxNexus) 

Speaks Your Language, No Internet Needed: VoxNexus Brings On-Device Voice Artificial Intelligence (AI) in 100+ Languages to Affordable Android Devices

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SOURCE VoxNexus AI

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team.blue extends €1.1 billion of its Term Loan B to 2032 in the largest software Euro term loan issuance in the last 12 months

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GHENT, Belgium, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — team.blue, a leading pan-European provider of digital solutions for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) backed by Hg, CPP Investments and Sofina, today announces the successful pricing of an amendment and maturity extension for €1.1 billion of its existing €1.35 billion Term Loan B. The transaction priced on 22 October 2026, with the refinanced tranche extended from September 2029 to July 2032, reinforcing the Company’s prudent capital structure approach.

Strong demand from a broad group of institutional investors enabled team.blue to upsize the transaction twice in-market, taking the final deal size to €1.1 billion from a minimum initial launch size of €500 million, despite recent credit market volatility. Pro forma for the transaction, c.90% of team.blue’s term debt now matures in 2032.

The transaction comes at a time of significant momentum for team.blue, with continued double-digit revenue growth and strong cash generation supporting its deleveraging trajectory. Its products help Europe’s SMBs get online, get customers, get paid and stay compliant, and AI-enabled products are increasingly driving new customer growth. team.blue continues to innovate across its portfolio, from smarter tools within its brands to secure European cloud hosting built for customers’ growing AI workloads. Its category-leading SaaS brands are also integrating with leading AI assistants, bringing team.blue’s products to customers wherever they work.

Transaction highlights

The largest software Euro term loan issuance in the last 12 months€1.1 billion Term Loan B, borrowed by team.blue Finco S.à r.l., maturing July 2032Priced at E + 425bps with a 0% floor and an OID of 98.5Upsized twice from an initial €500 million, reflecting a heavily oversubscribed order bookCorporate and facility ratings of B3 (Moody’s) and B (S&P), both with stable outlooksBofA acted as Global Coordinator and Left Lead Physical Bookrunner, alongside Barclays. ABN AMRO, BNP Paribas, Citi, ING and J.P. Morgan acted as Bookrunners

Jonathan Thackray, Chief Financial Officer of team.blue, said:
“We set out to extend €500 million of our Term Loan B, and the depth of support from our institutional investor base allowed us to go much further. This reflects confidence in team.blue’s highly recurring, cash-generative model and our position as a leading digital partner for Europe’s SMBs. It gives us the flexibility to keep innovating and investing in the digital and AI-enabled tools our customers rely on.”

About team.blue
team.blue is the pan-European digital partner for small and medium businesses, serving more than 3.5 million customers in 24 countries. From web hosting, domains, email and cloud and AI infrastructure to e-commerce, engagement, payments and compliance tools, team.blue helps SMBs get online, get customers, get paid and stay compliant. Supported by more than 4,000 employees, team.blue’s vision is to make online business success simpler, with artificial intelligence at every step. 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/teamblue-extends-1-1-billion-of-its-term-loan-b-to-2032-in-the-largest-software-euro-term-loan-issuance-in-the-last-12-months-302918306.html

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