Latest news with #SGI
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Kipling, Grenfell receive traffic safety money
There will be new signage popping up across Saskatchewan over the summer as the provincial Traffic Safety Fund announced $1.54 million in funding to 62 new projects. The fund awards grants of up to $100,000 twice per year with a goal of reducing collisions and traffic fatalities across the province. 'The Government of Saskatchewan and SGI are committed to delivering safer roads for everyone in Saskatchewan,' said the Minister Responsible for SGI, Jeremy Harrison. 'This $1.5 million in provincial grants will enable 61 municipalities and First Nations throughout our province to deliver enhancements to traffic safety in their communities.' Locally, the communities of Kipling and Grenfell were recipients of funding for their safety initiatives. Kipling received $5,622 for their project Stop in the Name of Safety, which will see stop signs installed in three locations—Main Street and Hebden Road, Grid Road 605 and Railway Street, and Highway 48 and Sixth Avenue. 'They're bigger stop signs, and then they have the LED lights around them, so they flash at you and they're solar,' described Brenna Ackerman, CAO with the Town of Kipling. 'They're really bright!' Once it was learned they were approved for the funding, the signs were ordered with town staff installing them upon arrival. 'We have quite a few of the speed signs, but I think these ones will be good because it grabs your attention differently,' Ackerman said. In Grenfell, the Keeping our Pedestrians Safe project received $23,269 in funding for signage at a pair of crosswalks. 'We wanted to make sure that the kids had a safe route to get across the street, especially coming over to the school, with the schools being in the south side of the town,' explained Town of Grenfell Office Clerk Jenna Parker. 'We also installed a crosswalk over at our Grenfell Recreational Park area since we are trying to make that kind of a recreation hub for Grenfell.' Signage at the two crosswalks are also solar powered, and an audible 'beep' can be heard when activated. Over 900 projects funded to date The Traffic Safety Fund began in 2019 through SGI, using funds from photo speed enforcement tickets. In that time, a total of $14.55 million has been distributed to 918 projects across the province. This year alone saw 62 projects in 61 communities, ranging from villages, towns, cities, resort villages, rural municipalities, northern villages, and First Nations. To be eligible, projects must address one or more priorities of speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, occupant protection, intersection safety, aggressive driving, vulnerable road users, or medically-at-risk drivers. With the most recent round of funding awarded on June 30, the second round of applications is now open (effective July 1), with a closing date of Sept. 30. Applications from across the province go to a committee comprised of representatives from Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Prince Albert Grand Council, the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Highways, and SGI. Successful applicants in this second round of funding will be awarded on Dec. 30, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Korea Herald
16-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Ransomware attack disrupts Korea's largest guarantee insurer
Seoul Guarantee Insurance, South Korea's largest provider of guarantee insurance, has been crippled by a ransomware attack, with its core systems offline for a third straight day. The incident began early Monday, when SGI reported an 'abnormal symptom' in its database system. By Tuesday afternoon, a joint investigation by the Financial Supervisory Service and the Financial Security Institute confirmed it was caused by a ransomware breach. As a pivotal player in Korea's guarantee insurance industry, SGI's disruption is generating widespread confusion and inconvenience. The insurer provides guarantees for both individuals and corporations, with a guarantee balance of 478 trillion won ($344.4 billion) as of end-2024. The impact is particularly severe in the housing market, where many rely on guarantee insurance for the 'jeonse' rental system, where renters pay a large, refundable deposit in exchange for no monthly rent. SGI is one of the leading providers in this space, offering the highest cap on jeonse loan guarantees at 500 million won, compared to 200 million to 400 million won from other institutions. While some services have been restored through cooperation with financial institutions, SGI's main data system remains inoperative as of Wednesday morning. In urgent cases, the company has resorted to issuing handwritten guarantee certificates to minimize disruption. Starting Wednesday, the insurer is operating an emergency center to collect reports of consumer damage and support recovery. 'We vow full compensation and are planning responsible follow-up measures,' said SGI President and CEO Lee Myung-soon. This is the first full-system disruption at a Korean financial institution caused by a ransomware attack and a second such case involving a Korean company this year. In June, major online bookstore Yes24 experienced a five-day outage and an estimated 10 billion won in lost sales due to a similar breach.
CTV News
08-07-2025
- CTV News
‘Wish I would have never moved here': Noise from ATVs has Martensville man considering move
A feud is brewing in Martensville, Saskatchewan over the noise of vehicles like dirt bikes and ATVs puttering through the town. The predominantly off-road vehicles are allowed in the city limits under certain guidelines, but one resident is trying to get the wheels in motion to eliminate them entirely. 'I've told the mayor that I wish I would have never moved here. I would rather live someplace else where there's a little bit more safety without endless noise pollution,' Punch Archer told CTV News. Archer has taken videos of the ATVs on the road outside his home in Martensville's northeast corner. Now, he's taken the issue, and his videos, to city council. Martensville ATVs (Courtesy: Punch Archer) 'We moved here three years ago to live close to the city, but not in a city, in a community that was, as Martensville website [says], quote, 'safe and quiet.' Well, it didn't take us two days to realize that that was not the case,' he said. Noise is not the only concern he has about the vehicles. Drivers often speed above the 60-kilometre limit, he says, and he routinely sees children driving the vehicles. SGI issuer and customer support director Curtis Mead tells CTV News that municipalities decide what works best for their community when it comes to ATVs. Provincially, Mead says those between the ages of 12 and 16, the legal driving age, must follow specific rules when driving ATVs on public property. 'You can't travel on the road except to cross, but you have to be accompanied by someone who has a license or took an ATV training,' Mead said. In nearby Warman, their city bylaw states that ATVs cannot be driven anywhere within city limits. That's what Archer wants to see in Martensville. 'I want to live in a safe community, and I want to live in a quiet community,' Archer said. The City of Martensville is currently conducting a survey on the issue. '[The] process will run throughout the summer until September. Feedback will help inform potential changes to municipal bylaws, as well as guide improvements in public education and enforcement,' the city says. Archer is concerned the survey may not be effective if not enough residents know about it. Martensville RCMP told CTV News in an email it's encouraging the public to 'keep safety top of mind when driving.' 'Traffic laws apply to all automotive vehicles. This includes following the posted speed limits and not distracted driving. Drivers who violate the road regulations may be ticketed.' In his research, Archer says he discovered another resident brought the issue up back in 2016, but didn't see results. 'If I see they're actively doing something, you know, I'm willing to work with you guys in one way or another,' he says. He plans to attend a city council meeting Tuesday, where the issue is on the agenda.
Korea Herald
19-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
S. Korea suffers OECD's 4th-biggest AI brain drain
South Korea, despite being a leading producer of educated professionals in artificial intelligence and science, is rapidly losing talent to countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan and Germany, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Korea Chamber of Commerce's Sustainable Growth Initiative. In 2024, South Korea recorded a net loss of 0.36 AI experts per 10,000 people. That puts it near the bottom of the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, at 35th place. Luxembourg, by comparison, gained 8.92 persons per 10,000 people. Germany gained 2.34 and the US 1.07. This measure subtracts the number of local professionals leaving the country from those coming in. In Korea's case, the gap is growing wider every year. This trend marks a reversal from what had been a modest but positive inflow of AI talent into South Korea. Just five years ago, in 2020, the country recorded a net gain. That has since shifted to a steady and worsening outflow. The broader science sector tells a similar story. In 2021, Korea's rate of scientists moving abroad (2.85 percent) was higher than the rate of foreign scientists moving in (2.64 percent). This placed Korea 33rd out of 43 countries in terms of scientific talent retention. The US is the top attractive destination for Korean researchers. The US issued 5,684 high-skilled EB-1 and EB-2 visas to Korean nationals in 2023. That is roughly 11 per 100,000 people, a far higher rate than China (0.94), Japan (0.86) and even India (1.44). And 71.1 percent of Korean Ph.D. graduates in the US reported plans to stay there long-term, a rise from the previous five years, when it had stayed below 70 percent. The SGI report identifies several structural issues behind the exodus. Chief among them is Korea's rigid and hierarchical workplace culture, which many young professionals find stifling. Compensation is also a major issue. The median starting salary for assistant professors in Korea is about $32,000 a year. In the US, it's over 83,000. Countries like Japan ($46,000) and Germany ($70,000) also pay significantly more. In addition, the report posits that Korea's 52-hour workweek cap, though intended to protect workers, often limits the flexibility that high-performing researchers need. Other countries make exceptions. The US, for instance, exempts many high-earning professionals from strict working hours regulations. Japan and Germany also allow special provisions for researchers in advanced fields. With Korea's working-age population shrinking and the research workforce projected to decline by over 20 percent by 2040, the report warns that the country faces a future where it trains the world's talent but struggles to keep enough of it to sustain its own growth. SGI recommends sweeping policy changes, including performance-based pay, flexible work arrangements for high-skilled professionals, and structured incentives for overseas Koreans to return. 'We're watching the foundation of Korea's scientific future quietly erode,' said SGI researcher Kim Cheon-goo. 'And we are helping build it elsewhere.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LOVE or SGI: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?
Investors looking for stocks in the Retail - Home Furnishings sector might want to consider either Lovesac (LOVE) or Somnigroup International (SGI). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look. The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits. Currently, Lovesac has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Somnigroup International has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that LOVE has an improving earnings outlook. But this is only part of the picture for value investors. Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels. The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value. LOVE currently has a forward P/E ratio of 24.26, while SGI has a forward P/E of 26.18. We also note that LOVE has a PEG ratio of 0.69. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. SGI currently has a PEG ratio of 1.70. Another notable valuation metric for LOVE is its P/B ratio of 1.46. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, SGI has a P/B of 4.95. These metrics, and several others, help LOVE earn a Value grade of A, while SGI has been given a Value grade of D. LOVE sticks out from SGI in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that LOVE is the better option right now. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Lovesac Company (LOVE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Somnigroup International Inc. (SGI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
