Australian Securities Exchange

Indonesia is one of the world's largest democracies, but it's weaponising defamation laws to smother dissent

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 8, 2024

While their astonishing acquittal is welcome, the case marked a bleak new low for freedom of expression in one of the world’s largest democracies.

Key Points: 
  • While their astonishing acquittal is welcome, the case marked a bleak new low for freedom of expression in one of the world’s largest democracies.
  • Luhut’s statements made it clear the case was expressly intended to create a chilling effect and smother civil society criticism of the government.

A messy web of mining interests

  • In the video, the pair mentioned that Luhut was “implicated” or “involved” (bermain) in mining in Wabu Block, in the Intan Jaya district of what is now Central Papua Province.
  • The details are a bit complicated, but a key part of the dispute centred on this point about mining.
  • In 2016, Australian mining firm West Wits Mining reported to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) that its Indonesian subsidiary Madinah Quarataa’in had entered into an agreement with another company, Tobacom Del Mandiri.
  • But given his stock portfolio, the activists had a relatively firm basis for implying Luhut was “involved” in mining in Papua.

Making an example of activism

  • According to Indonesian digital rights organisation SAFEnet, 89 people were
    reported under the law between January and October 2023.
  • Public anger over the arbitrary way the law has been applied led the government to publish guidelines for law enforcers on its implementation.
  • According to the guidelines, defamation charges should not be brought when assertions are based on analysis, opinion or facts.
  • The government also regularly subjects foreign donors to interrogation from everyone from police to intelligence agencies, about their planned activities.

Increasingly authoritarian tactics

  • Appealing to nationalistic sensibilities and raising questions about civil society organisations like this is a classic technique of authoritarian governments.
  • Legal attacks like the one against Haris and Fatia are designed to wear civil society down.
  • Fronting up in court every week is time consuming, emotionally draining, and takes activists away from their work.
  • Further, the use of judicial harassment to target activists, in contrast to cruder tactics such as cyberattacks or physical violence, is designed to lend an air of legitimacy to government repression.


Tim Mann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Frontage announces the appointment of Mr. Henry Gao as President of Asia Pacific

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 2, 2024

EXTON, Pa., Jan. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Frontage is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Henry Gao as President of Asia Pacific.

Key Points: 
  • EXTON, Pa., Jan. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Frontage is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Henry Gao as President of Asia Pacific.
  • As the President of Asia Pacific, Mr. Gao will be responsible for oversight of the Group's operations in the Asia-Pacific region.
  • "I am very excited to welcome Henry back to the Frontage family as our President of Asia Pacific", said Dr. Abdul Mutlib, CEO of Frontage Holdings Corporation.
  • Prior to his appointment as the President of Asia Pacific, Mr. Gao was the executive director and chief financial officer of Shanghai Duoning Biotechnology Co., Ltd. since September 2021.

Standard Uranium Signs Definitive Agreement to Option Canary Project in Athabasca Basin

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Pursuant to the Option Agreement, the Optionee has been granted an option (the “Option”) to earn a 75% interest over three years in the 7,302-hectare Canary Project located in the eastern Athabasca Basin.

Key Points: 
  • Pursuant to the Option Agreement, the Optionee has been granted an option (the “Option”) to earn a 75% interest over three years in the 7,302-hectare Canary Project located in the eastern Athabasca Basin.
  • Jon Bey, CEO and Chairman, commented “The Company is pleased to welcome the Mamba exploration team to the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan.
  • We are excited to confirm the Canary project will have three partner-funded years of exploration run by our technical team.
  • Overview of the eastern Athabasca Basin, highlighting Standard Uranium’s Canary project.

ATHA Energy Announces Proposed Acquisition of 92 Energy and Latitude Uranium and Concurrent $14 Million Financing to Create Leading Uranium Exploration Company

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, December 7, 2023

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATHA Energy Corp. (CSE: SASK) (FRA: X5U) (OTCQB: SASKF) (“ATHA”) is pleased to announce that it has: (i) entered into a definitive arrangement agreement (the “Latitude Arrangement Agreement”) with Latitude Uranium Inc. (CSE: LUR) (“Latitude”) pursuant to which ATHA proposes to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Latitude (the “Latitude Shares”) by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the “Latitude Arrangement”); and (ii) entered into a binding scheme implementation deed (the “92E SID”) with 92 Energy Limited (ASX: 92E) (“92E”) pursuant to which ATHA proposes to acquire all of the issued and outstanding fully paid ordinary shares of 92E (the “92E Shares”) by way of a scheme of arrangement pursuant to Part 5.1 of the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the “92E Scheme”, and together with the Latitude Arrangement, the “Transactions”). ATHA further proposes to complete one or more financings on terms further described below to raise up to approximately C$14 million in connection with the Transactions (the “Concurrent Financing”).

Key Points: 
  • The combined company will be fully funded with $55 million4 in cash and boasts a suite of highly complementary uranium assets across the exploration spectrum.
  • The combined company will have increased scale and prospectivity and we believe it will be a go-to name in the uranium exploration industry."
  • The Latitude Exchange Ratio was determined giving consideration to recent average trading prices for each of Latitude and ATHA.
  • The Latitude Arrangement Agreement also provides for customary deal-protection measures, including a $1,887,357 termination fee payable by Latitude or ATHA in certain circumstances.

 Capstone Copper Announces Commissioning Activities Underway at MVDP and Provides Corporate Update

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, December 21, 2023

Capstone Copper Corp. (“Capstone” or the “Company”) (TSX:CS) is pleased to announce that commissioning activities are underway at its Mantoverde Development Project (“MVDP”) in Chile.

Key Points: 
  • Capstone Copper Corp. (“Capstone” or the “Company”) (TSX:CS) is pleased to announce that commissioning activities are underway at its Mantoverde Development Project (“MVDP”) in Chile.
  • The Company is focused on a safe, efficient and phased project commissioning and ramp-up.
  • MVDP will increase the Company’s consolidated copper production by over 40% with a significant decrease in unit operating costs.
  • Mr. Bell has global expertise in corporate strategy, debt and equity financing, shareholder engagement, and mergers and acquisitions.

FEX Global Sets December Date for Listing Large-Scale Generation Certificate (LGC) Deliverable Environmental Futures Contract

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 14, 2023

The Australian Market Licence Operator, FEX Global , will make its physically deliverable Large-Scale Generation Certificate (LGC) Monthly Futures Contract available for trading on Monday December 11th, 2023 (subject to the completion of final regulatory steps).

Key Points: 
  • The Australian Market Licence Operator, FEX Global , will make its physically deliverable Large-Scale Generation Certificate (LGC) Monthly Futures Contract available for trading on Monday December 11th, 2023 (subject to the completion of final regulatory steps).
  • The LGC futures contract will complement FEX Global’s suite of Australian Power and Gas Contracts.
  • FEX Global’s LGC futures contract will be the only centrally cleared environmental derivatives contract available for trading on a licenced futures market in Australia.
  • Thomas Price, Director of FEX Global commented, “We have chosen the LGC certificate as our first environmental futures contract because it is a standardised instrument, with each LGC certificate fungible with each other.

Metals Acquisition Limited Provides Operational Update

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Access to this stoping area has subsequently been restored and the high grade (+4% copper) material is now being mined.

Key Points: 
  • Access to this stoping area has subsequently been restored and the high grade (+4% copper) material is now being mined.
  • The average received copper price was flat quarter on quarter and declined slightly from the first quarter in line with market prices.
  • Figure 4 provides an illustration of the improvements in productivity that has already been demonstrated at the mine.
  • This work is well underway and will be fed into the mine planning for the 2023 resource and reserve update.

StoreConnect Appoints Matt James to Chief Financial Officer Role

Retrieved on: 
Monday, November 13, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- StoreConnect has hired Matt James as its new Chief Financial Officer. The move comes as the Australia-headquartered eCommerce solutions company embarks on a global expansion throughout the US, Europe, and beyond. According to CEO Mikel Lindsaar, "Matt has a reputation for an almost inhuman attention to detail when it comes to compliance and finance matters, and we wouldn't have it any other way! With his extensive background in the USA, Asia and Australia as well as helping companies expand globally, we are confident that we've made a great choice in bringing Matt James on board to be our CFO."

Key Points: 
  • StoreConnect appoints Matt James as its new Chief Financial Officer, furthering the eCommerce platform's commitment to maintaining the highest levels of fiscal strength and compliance as it expands its reach across the US and beyond.
  • SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- StoreConnect has hired Matt James as its new Chief Financial Officer.
  • While Matt's finance and compliance credentials are second to none, what makes him the perfect CFO for StoreConnect is his innate understanding of our guiding principle that StoreConnect is Time.
  • Matt James is a chartered accountant — the equivalent of a U.S. certified public accountant — in Australia with a background in financial reporting, audit and tax.

EQS-News: Marley Spoon Group SE: Launch of Tender Offer to remaining shareholders of Marley Spoon SE

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Berlin/Luxembourg, 6 November 2023: Marley Spoon Group SE (“MSG”) announces that it has today launched the Subsequent Direct Offer for the acquisition of Marley Spoon CDIs in exchange for MSG shares from the remaining shareholders of Marley Spoon SE (“Marley Spoon”), a 84.54% subsidiary of MSG and leading global subscription-based solutions provider for home cooking, as announced by MSG in the context of the Business Combination with Marley Spoon on April 25, 2023 (the “Tender Offer”).

Key Points: 
  • Berlin/Luxembourg, 6 November 2023: Marley Spoon Group SE (“MSG”) announces that it has today launched the Subsequent Direct Offer for the acquisition of Marley Spoon CDIs in exchange for MSG shares from the remaining shareholders of Marley Spoon SE (“Marley Spoon”), a 84.54% subsidiary of MSG and leading global subscription-based solutions provider for home cooking, as announced by MSG in the context of the Business Combination with Marley Spoon on April 25, 2023 (the “Tender Offer”).
  • The Tender Offer is made to Marley Spoon CDI holders pursuant to Division 5A of the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
  • A copy of the prospectus was released by Marley Spoon to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) on that date and is also available to Marley Spoon CDI holders at ir.marleyspoongroup.com.
  • Under the terms of the Tender Offer, MSG is offering eligible Marley Spoon CDI holders the opportunity to receive 0.0128 MSG public shares per Marley Spoon CDI.

High-grade North American Lithium Drill Results Show Potential for Mineral Resource Upgrade

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 2, 2023

Piedmont Lithium (“Piedmont” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: PLL; ASX: PLL), a leading global supplier of lithium resources critical to the U.S. electric vehicle supply chain, today announced that initial 2023 drill campaign results from the jointly owned North American Lithium (“NAL”) project have identified multiple, thick, high-grade spodumene-bearing pegmatites.

Key Points: 
  • Piedmont Lithium (“Piedmont” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: PLL; ASX: PLL), a leading global supplier of lithium resources critical to the U.S. electric vehicle supply chain, today announced that initial 2023 drill campaign results from the jointly owned North American Lithium (“NAL”) project have identified multiple, thick, high-grade spodumene-bearing pegmatites.
  • Drill results identified new, high-grade mineralized zones along the northwest margin of the NAL deposit, beyond the current NAL pit operations and the planned pit shell model.
  • “We are pleased with these excellent drill results, which indicate the potential for further resource and mine life extension at NAL.
  • The thick widths and high grades of these intercepts are encouraging and underscore the importance of NAL, which is already North America’s largest operating lithium mine,” said Piedmont Lithium President and CEO Keith Phillips.