Latest news with #GAB
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
GAB should be posted on House website for transparency — Gatchalian
The General Appropriations Bill (GAB) should be posted on the website of the House of Representatives to allow the public to keep track of the country's annual budget, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Sunday. Gatchalian made the remark after he was asked if he is in favor of opening the bicameral budget deliberations to the public. 'Dadagdagan ko pa yan. Kung ako, pati 'yung GAB, dapat i-post sa website. Sa ngayon, hindi 'yan kaya bulag ang taumbayan kung ano ang isinusumite ng Kamara sa Senado,' Gatchalian told Super Radyo dzBB. (I would add to that. In my opinion, I think the General Appropriations Bill should be posted on the website. Right now, it's not, which means the public is blind to what the House is submitting to the Senate.) 'Kung ako, dapat ipost yan ng House of Representatives sa website (if it were up to me, the House should post the GAB on its website),' he added. The senator added the Senate's committee report and GAB's third reading version should also be posted online. 'Para makita natin yung takbo at para nasusundan ng taong bayan kung ano yung napapalitan, ano yung nadadagdag at ano yung final version ng GAA (General Appropriations Act),' the solon said. (So that we can see the progress, and so that the public can follow the changes and the final version of the GAA.) Earlier this week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the proposed P6.793 trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for Fiscal Year 2026. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the DBM had to trim down requests for budget proposals that reached P10.101 trillion due to limited fiscal space and the fiscal consolidation strategy, which targets gradually reducing the national government's deficit from 5.5% of GDP in 2025 to 4.3% by 2028. — RF, GMA Integrated News
Zawya
23-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Qatar-based GAB becomes the first accreditation body from the MENA region to sign APAC's MRA for GHG Accreditation
DOHA, QATAR – Continuing its commitment to supporting global and regional climate initiatives, Qatar-based Global Accreditation Bureau (GAB) has officially become a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Signatory of the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) for the accreditation of Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) for Greenhouse Gases (GHG). This achievement positions GAB as a key enabler in the MENA region for climate accountability and sustainability practices aligned with international standards. Becoming an MRA signatory signifies that GAB's accreditation processes for GHG VVBs have been rigorously evaluated and deemed equivalent to those of other recognized accreditation bodies within APAC. This is particularly significant given the standing of APAC as a highly respected and influential regional cooperation of accreditation bodies in the Asia Pacific region. This development follows GAB's earlier success in 2024, when it became an MRA Signatory of both the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) for accreditation of Management System Certification Bodies. GAB's elevated status not only enhances its international recognition but also uniquely positions it as the first and only Accreditation Body Member in the MENA region to be part of APAC MRA group with a scope of GHG validation and verification. Speaking about the latest milestone, Dr. Yousef Alhorr, Founding Chairman of GAB, said, 'By becoming APAC's MRA Signatory for the accreditation of GHG validation and verification bodies, we are directly addressing the increasing demand for robust and transparent GHG accounting, aligning with international frameworks. By ensuring that VVBs accredited by GAB operate under a rigorous, internationally recognized accreditation framework, GAB is steadily progressing towards its goal of empowering stakeholders in the MENA region and other neighboring countries. To this end, it will assure that GHG validation and verification processes operated under accreditation from GAB are technically sound and adhere to the international standards, fostering confidence and paving the way for a sustainable, low-carbon future.' GAB's extended MRA signatory status will significantly benefit organizations and VVBs operating within the MENA region and neighboring countries. It will provide them with easier access to internationally recognized accreditation services for GHG validation and verification. GHG reports originating from VVBs accredited by GAB will gain greater acceptance within international markets that acknowledge the APAC MRA. This will ease trade barriers and enhance market access for organizations relying on these verified reports. Simplifying their selection process, organizations seeking GHG validation and verification services can now select GAB-accredited bodies with confidence, assured that these VVBs meet rigorous international standards. Ultimately, GAB's MRA status will empower organizations to accurately measure, report, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions which will significantly contribute to broader global sustainability objectives and climate action initiatives within the region. GAB's extended MRA signatory status will amplify its existing portfolio and influence within the accreditation landscape. Having already accredited five VVBs—two based in Qatar and three in India—under this expanded scope, GAB is demonstrating its growing capacity to support GHG validation and verification services. With many other applicant bodies currently undergoing rigorous review at various stages of GHG-related accreditation, this momentum suggests a substantial increase in GAB's accredited partners. About GAB: Global Accreditation Bureau (GAB) is the first and only accreditation body established in Qatar by GORD as an independent legal entity to provide accreditation services to third party conformity assessment bodies (also known as Certification Bodies). It is the first to start providing accreditation services as per ISO 17029:2019 & ISO 14065:2020 to organizations providing validation and/or verification of environmental information and greenhouse gas (GHG) assertions for organizations (ISO 14064-1 & ISO 14064-3) and projects (ISO 14064-2 & ISO 14064-3). For more information, contact: Hussam Othmany Director, Marketing & Corporate Communications email: Farwa Zahra Senior Public Relations Specialist email:
Qatar Tribune
22-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
GAB is 1st accreditation body from MENA to sign APAC's MRA for GHG accreditation
QNA Doha Qatar-based Global Accreditation Bureau (GAB) has officially become a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Signatory of the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) for the accreditation of Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) for Greenhouse Gases (GHG). This achievement positions GAB as a key enabler in the MENA region for climate accountability and sustainability practices aligned with international standards. Becoming an MRA signatory signifies that GAB's accreditation processes for GHG VVBs have been rigorously evaluated and deemed equivalent to those of other recognized accreditation bodies within APAC. This is particularly significant given the standing of APAC as a highly respected and influential regional cooperation of accreditation bodies in the Asia Pacific region. This development follows GAB's earlier success in 2024, when it became an MRA Signatory of both the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) for accreditation of Management System Certification Bodies. GAB's elevated status not only enhances its international recognition but also positions it as the first and only Accreditation Body Member in the MENA region to be part of APAC MRA group with a scope of GHG validation and verification. Speaking about the latest milestone, Dr. Yousef Alhorr, founding chairman of GAB, said: 'By becoming APAC's MRA Signatory for the accreditation of GHG validation and verification bodies, we are directly addressing the increasing demand for robust and transparent GHG accounting, aligning with international frameworks. By ensuring that VVBs accredited by GAB operate under a rigorous, internationally recognised accreditation framework, GAB is steadily progressing towards its goal of empowering stakeholders in the MENA region and other neighboring countries. 'To this end, it will assure that GHG validation and verification processes operated under accreditation from GAB are technically sound and adhere to the international standards, fostering confidence and paving the way for a sustainable, low-carbon future.' GAB's extended MRA signatory status will significantly benefit organisations and VVBs operating within the MENA region and neighboring countries. It will provide them with easier access to internationally recognised accreditation services for GHG validation and verification. GHG reports originating from VVBs accredited by GAB will gain greater acceptance within international markets that acknowledge the APAC MRA. This will ease trade barriers and enhance market access for organizations relying on these verified reports. Simplifying their selection process, organizations seeking GHG validation and verification services can now select GAB-accredited bodies with confidence, assured that these VVBs meet rigorous international standards. Ultimately, GAB's MRA status will empower organisations to accurately measure, report, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions which will significantly contribute to broader global sustainability objectives and climate action initiatives within the region. GAB's extended MRA signatory status will amplify its existing portfolio and influence within the accreditation landscape. Having already accredited five VVBs—two based in Qatar and three in India—under this expanded scope, GAB is demonstrating its growing capacity to support GHG validation and verification services. With many other applicant bodies currently undergoing rigorous review at various stages of GHG-related accreditation, this momentum suggests a substantial increase in GAB's accredited partners.
Forbes
26-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Soft Data, Hard Truth: Why This 11.6% Dividend Could Plunge
Sometimes there's a dividend play out there that we love—but it's just the wrong time to buy it. That's the story with an 11.6%-paying closed-end fund (CEF) that's pretty well-known (for a CEF, that is!). It's the Gabelli Equity Trust (GAB), run by Mario Gabelli, whom you may have seen on the cable news channels over the years. To get at why we're dodging this well-run fund now, we need to first talk about a phrase you may have heard a lot more from said business channels lately: 'soft data.' Ring a bell? Basically it refers to numbers that are more about feelings (or 'vibes' as the kids call them these days) that people have about the economy: surveys of consumers and companies, expectations of economic conditions in the future, that sort of thing. This is different from 'hard' data, which reflects what's actually happening. Think about it as the difference between asking someone if they're cutting back on their spending and actually looking through their bank accounts to see if they really are. Soft data is notoriously unreliable and often not taken all that seriously. But these days, it's worth taking a closer look at, because it's breaking with the 'hard' data in major ways. This is where our sell (or avoid if you don't already own it) case on GAB starts. One of the most commonly reported 'soft' data points out there is the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey, which has been dropping fast since the start of 2025 and really plunged in March. Consumer Sentiment Federal Reserve That kind of decline suggests an imminent recession. But let's take a beat before we jump to that conclusion, because there's more to the story here. Since the pandemic, this indicator has been stuck below where it was pre-pandemic. The reasons for consumers' ongoing lousy mood have changed over the years: Obviously the pandemic caused sentiment to fall in 2020. The end of lockdowns helped it improve in 2021, but then the inflation/recession panic of 2022 caused it to drop far lower than it was during the pandemic. That last fact is astonishing enough on its own. And while consumer sentiment improved since then, we still haven't even reached levels last seen when people were locked in their homes in mid-2020! What's going on here? Simply put, Americans just aren't as optimistic as they were pre-COVID. So it isn't surprising that this indicator is so glum. Plus, even though consumer sentiment has dipped lately, we're still only around mid-2024 levels, and we're higher than we were around 2022 and most of 2023. So if you read about depressing soft data, keep in mind that the actual numbers aren't that bad, historically speaking. CEOs and corporate execs? Well, they're in a funk of their own, as recent manufacturing and services-sector sentiment indicators have shown. What, exactly, does all this mean for investors? To answer that, let's look at some data the Financial Times pulled from a specific source: JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), which released its credit card net charge-off rates. These basically show how many consumers aren't paying their credit card bills. That number has climbed. Credit Card Loans Unrecoverable JP Morgan Here, too, context is key, though, as despite the rise, non-payments are still below where they were in 2011, the start of a decade in which the S&P 500 returned 263%! The real risk here is that more short-term volatility will kick in as this 'vibe-induced wall of worry' causes some investors to sell, triggering others to sell, and so on. That's what happened in 2022, and that's what we've seen in the last few months. Of course, this is a buying opportunity for the patient, but not all assets are good buys in such an environment. Which brings me back to 11.6%-yielding GAB. It's a value-focused CEF that holds great stocks like American Express (AXP), Mastercard (MA) and Deere & Co. (DE). That makes it a solid buy most of the time—but not now. Here's why: GAB Premium NAV Ycharts A key thing to keep in mind with CEFs is that they tend to have a fixed share count for their entire lives, and as a result can trade at different levels in relation to the value of the investments they hold. In GAB's we're looking at an 8.6% premium. In other words, buying GAB now would mean buying Mastercard, American Express and the like for more than we would if we simply bought them on the open market. Not good! And it's why we really want to avoid GAB now, with more volatility likely. Worse, GAB's premium has shot up in recent weeks, not because the fund's market price is skyrocketing (it's flat year-to-date, including reinvested dividends), but because the selloff has caused its NAV (in orange below) to fall steeply, while its market price (in purple) has levitated. GAB Total Returns Ycharts A fund that has an unusually high premium, a total price return that's hovered near breakeven year to date and a negative total NAV return year to date is exactly the kind of fund that's perfectly set for a sudden, steep selloff when investors notice. And if the 'vibes' stay depressed, investors will notice sooner rather than later. But there is a silver lining here: When that moment comes, the mainstream crowd will probably overreact to the downside, creating a big discount on GAB. That'll be a great time to buy, so put GAB on your watch list while we wait for that to happen. Michael Foster is the Lead Research Analyst for Contrarian Outlook. For more great income ideas, click here for our latest report 'Indestructible Income: 5 Bargain Funds with Steady 8.6% Dividends.' Disclosure: none
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russians attack Kharkiv with guided aerial bomb
The Russians attacked Kharkiv with a guided aerial bomb (GAB) at dawn on 24 February, hitting a civilian enterprise in the Kyivskyi district of the city. Source: Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov Details: Terekhov said that at 04:00, the Russians attacked Kharkiv with a GAB. Quote from Terekhov: "The attack actually took place on the outskirts of the city in the Kyivskyi district. A civilian enterprise was hit. Fortunately, no one was injured. As for the destruction and damage, the information is being clarified." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
