June 20, 2022. LUXEMBOURG. Under normal market conditions, the Sub-Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, directly or indirectly, primarily (i.e., at least 65% of its total net assets) in publicly traded common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities of companies Located in or with Substantial Ties to Japan. 1. Name of the Sub-Fund Matthews Asia Funds – Japan Fund (hereinafter referred to as the “Sub-Fund”). 2. Investment Objective and Policy The Sub-Fund’s investment objective is to achieve long-term capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Sub-Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, directly or indirectly, primarily (i.e., at least 65% of its total net assets) in publicly traded common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities of companies Located in or with Substantial Ties to Japan. On an ancillary basis, the Sub-Fund may invest in other permitted assets on a worldwide basis. The Sub-Fund promotes environmental and social characteristics according to Article 8 of SFDR. Furthermore, the Sub-Fund uses both activity- and norm-based exclusions. Information relating to the environmental and social characteristics of this Sub-Fund is available in Template III in this Prospectus. 3. Sub-Fund's Risk Profile The investments in equity securities and other assets the Sub-Fund may invest in involve risks linked to stock markets, including volatility risk, as described in section “Risk Considerations” of the main part of this Prospectus. The Sub-Fund’s investments are subject to market fluctuations. No assurance can, therefore, be given that the Sub-Fund’s investment objective will be achieved. Neither can it be guaranteed that the value of a Share in the Sub-Fund will not fall below its value at the time of acquisition. The primary benchmark index is the MSCI Japan Index and is indicated for performance comparison only. The Sub-Fund is actively managed and does not aim to replicate or track the primary benchmark. Consequently, the Investment Manager may freely select the securities in which it invests, and the Sub-Fund’s portfolio composition and performance may deviate materially from the primary benchmark. 4. Profile of the Typical Investor The Sub-Fund is suitable for investors who wish to gain exposure to Japanese equity markets. It is suitable for experienced investors wishing to attain defined investment objectives and accepting volatility that is inherent to equity markets with an investment horizon that is typically 5 years or longer. 5. Base Currency The Base Currency of the Sub-Fund is the USD. 6. Classes of Shares - A Class Shares (USD); - A Class Shares (GBP); - A Class Shares (EUR); - A Class Shares (JPY); - A Class Shares (SGD); - I Class Shares (USD); - I Class Shares (GBP); - I Class Shares (EUR); - I Class Shares (JPY); - I Class Shares (SGD); - S Class Shares (USD); - S Class Shares (GBP); - S Class Shares (EUR); - S Class Shares (JPY); - S Class Shares (SGD); - A Hedged Class Shares (USD); - A Hedged Class Shares (GBP); - A Hedged Class Shares (EUR); - I Hedged Class Shares (USD); - I Hedged Class Shares (GBP); Matthews Asia Funds 20 June 2022 - I Hedged Class Shares (EUR); - S Hedged Class Shares (USD); - S Hedged Class Shares (GBP); and - S Hedged Class Shares (EUR). Class A Shares and Class A Hedged Shares are available to all investors. Class I Shares and Class I Hedged Shares are subject to higher initial investment minimums than Class A Shares and are only available to investors whose investments meet those minimums or who are otherwise approved by the Fund. Class S Shares and Class S Hedged Shares are only available to investors who are approved by the Fund. Class S Shares and Class S Hedged Shares will only be available until the total net assets of the Sub-Fund reaches or is greater than USD 100,000,000, or any other amount as determined by the Fund (the “Seed Investment Limit”). Upon attaining the Seed Investment Limit, Class S Shares and Class S Hedged Shares may be closed to new investors at the discretion of the Fund. Class A, Class A Hedged, Class I, Class I Hedged, Class S and Class S Hedged Shares are available in the base currency of the Sub-Fund as well as such other currencies as may be determined by the Directors from time to time. Although it does not currently intend to do so, the Board of Directors, in its entire discretion, may seek to reduce currency risk from portfolio holdings denominated in local currency by hedging such risk to USD at the Sub-Fund level. The Board of Directors may also seek, in its entire discretion, to reduce currency risk of non USD denominated share classes by hedging USD to the currency of a relevant share class. Any such hedging may be, in full or in part, and may be active or passive. Moreover, the Board of Directors shall have no obligation to hedge. The costs and effects of any such hedging will be reflected in the NAV and in the performance of these classes. With respect to Hedged Share Classes of the Sub-Fund, the Board of Directors seeks to reduce currency risk of each Hedged Share Class by hedging exposure to fluctuations of the Predominant Currency of the Sub-Fund, the Japanese yen (“JPY”), against the Class Currency of the relevant Hedged Share Class, through foreign exchange transactions. For example, Class A, I and S Hedged Shares (USD) of the Sub-Fund will be hedged against JPY to reduce the effect of exchange rate fluctuations between JPY and USD; Class A, I and S Hedged Shares (GBP) of the Sub-Fund will be hedged against JPY to reduce the effect of exchange rate fluctuations between JPY and GBP; and Class A, I and S Hedged Shares (EUR) will be hedged against JPY to reduce the effect of exchange rate fluctuations between JPY and EUR. To achieve this hedging objective, the Investment Manager may, at its absolute discretion, engage, for the exclusive account of and at the cost of each Hedged Share Class, in foreign exchange transactions. The costs and effects of any such hedging will be reflected in the NAV and in the performance of the relevant Classes. These Classes of Shares may be offered as accumulation (Acc) or distribution (Dist) Shares, in the discretion of the Board of Directors. 7. Offer of Shares The minimum initial investment and holding amounts are as follows: (pls refer to pdf https://global.matthewsasia.com/siteassets/resources/fund-documents/prospectus/prospectus-matthewsasiafunds.pdf pg 124 item 7) Minimum initial investment amounts or minimum subsequent investment amounts will not apply when exchanging or transferring from one share class in a currency or distribution type (i.e., accumulation or distribution) to an equivalent share class in another currency and/or another distribution type within the same Sub-Fund, or when transferring existing holdings from one custody account to another. Minimum subsequent investment amounts will not apply if a shareholder’s aggregate account balance in a SubFund is greater than the minimum initial investment amount for the share class to be purchased in that same Sub-Fund. Shares will be issued at the current Net Asset Value per Share of the relevant Class of Shares on every Valuation Day plus any applicable sales charge of up to 5.26% of the applicable Net Asset Value per Share. 8. Applicable Valuation Day for Subscriptions, Redemptions and Conversions The Net Asset Value per Share in the Sub-Fund is calculated on every Business Day (each a “Valuation Day”). 9. Issue, Conversion and Redemption of Shares Requests for the issue and conversion of Shares must be received by 12 noon (Luxembourg time) on a Valuation Day in order to be dealt with on that Valuation Day. Subscription proceeds must be received in full within 3 Business Days following the relevant Valuation Day at the latest. Requests for the redemption of Shares must be received by 12 noon (Luxembourg time) on the Valuation Day on which the redemption is to be made. Redemption proceeds will generally be paid within 5 Business Days of the relevant Valuation Day. 10. Dividend Policy In relation to Shares referenced as “Acc” Shares, no distributions will be made and all interests and other income earned by the Sub-Fund will be reflected in the NAV of the Shares. In relation to Shares referenced as “Dist” Shares, it is the intention of the Board of Directors to undertake distributions at least annually. Investors should note that there is no guarantee that a distribution payment will be made for the “Dist” Shares at each period. Investors should read section “Distribution Policy” of the main part of the Prospectus. 11. Fees The Investment Manager receives a Management Fee, as shown below, calculated as an annual percentage of the NAV of the Sub-Fund on each Valuation Day. Such fees and any and all properly incurred expenses are payable out of the assets of the Sub-Fund monthly in arrears. In addition, the Investment Manager is entitled to an Administration Fee, as shown below, calculated as an annual percentage of the NAV of the Sub-Fund on each Valuation Day. Such fees and any and all properly incurred expenses are payable out of the assets of the Sub-Fund monthly in arrears. The Administration Fee is for administrative services provided to the Sub-Fund. The Total Expense Ratio for Class A, Class I and Class S Shares of the Sub-Fund, calculated on each Valuation Day, shall not exceed the per annum percentage of the NAV of the Sub-Fund calculated on each Valuation Day. (refer to pdf https://global.matthewsasia.com/siteassets/resources/fund-documents/prospectus/prospectus-matthewsasiafunds.pdf page 125)

December 29, 2022. JAKARTA, Indonesia. Rating results from PT Credit Rating Indonesia for Bond I Pos Indonesia Year 2022 On Thursday, 29 December 2022, trading hours for the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) opened for the purpose of listing the 2022 Pos Indonesia Bonds I on 29 December 2022. The 2022 Pos Indonesia Bonds I listed with a nominal value of IDR 500,000,000,000.00 consist from: - Series A (POST01A) with a nominal value of IDR 100,000,000,000.00 for a period of 3 years; and - Series B (POST01B) with a nominal value of IDR 400,000,000,000.00 for a period of 5 years. The rating result from PT Credit Rating Indonesia for Bond I Pos Indonesia Year 2022 is irA– (Single A minus). Acting as Trustee in this issuance is PT Bank Tabungan Negara (Persero) Tbk. Source Link: https://idx.co.id/en/news/news/503c160e-e187-ed11-b808-005056aec3a4?id=9717

December 7-8, 2022. SINGAPORE. The world's leading event for the management and mitigation for natural disasters.

December 9-11, 2022. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia. A post Covid pathway to resilience, digitalization and sustainability. CONNECTING ASIA is a Research Network intended to create a symbiotic partnership between academia and industry to provide sustainable solutions for social and industrial issues. Vision CONNECTING ASIA aims to be a premier research and development organization in the Asian region, creating inter-organizational alliances targeted at developing and enhancing institutional and human resources capacities, providing quality services, and contributing to the emergence of a knowledge society on a sustainable basis. Mission Our mission is to establish and nurture alliances among prime institutions in academia, industry, government and society to foster impactful knowledge transfer and human capital development. Values We believe in four core values: Ethics, Trust, Development and Contribution. Source Link: CONNECTING ASIA – Fostering Impactful Knowledge Transfer

This event is the first of its kind to be held in one of the candidate countries in the region. December 6, 2022. TIRANA, Albania. On 6th December, the EIB will participate at the EU Western Balkans Summit to be held in Tirana, Albania. This event is the first of its kind to be held in one of the candidate countries in the region. The aim of the event is to bring together leaders from the six Western Balkans partners, the 27 EU member states, EU institutions and international financial organisations to tackle various topics affecting the region. In particular, the summit will comprise two sessions and topics to be discussed include support to the region to combat the energy crisis stemming from Russia’s war in Ukraine, developing a more robust socio-economic foundation and the role of the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan, reinforcing political and policy engagement, security issues and migration. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, will represent the European Union. Read about previous EU Western Balkans Summits Source Link: EU Western Balkans Summit (eib.org)

Encouraged by renewed interest in the Silk Road - for cultural exchange, trade and tourism - UNWTO decided to revive the ancient routes as a tourism concept, uniting three continents once more in a project encompassing over 12.000 km The Silk Road, commonly known as the first global trade route in history, had a scope and importance far greater than the simple exchange of goods. Indeed, the myriad of interconnected routes served as a vehicle for the fruitful exchange of arts, religion, cultures, ideas and technology. Many important developments, in fields ranging from mathematics and philosophy to architecture and gastronomy, were only made possible thanks to the intrepidness of pioneers eager to explore and overcome man-made boundaries and natural determinants.In present time, and building upon a natural and cultural wealth spanning thousands of years, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is in a position to revive and give a new significance to a route capable of transforming the way we think about and relate to travel. By collaborating in areas of mutual interest, Silk Road Member States and private sector tourism stakeholders are in a unique position to create new opportunities and tourism initiatives capable of favouring sustained and healthy growth. With initiatives dating back to 1994, UNWTO was an early advocate of the tourism potential of the Silk Road. Today, 34 Silk Road Member States (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, DPR Korea, Rep. Korea, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan (as of February 2018)) from Europe, Africa, Central Asia and Asia & the Pacific, in addition to UNWTO Affiliate Members from around the globe, work together to promote the Silk Road routes as a transnational tourism adventure. The concept of a Silk Road tourism project was first raised at UNWTO's General Assembly in Indonesia in 1993 Together we aim to maximize the benefits of tourism development for local communities, stimulate investment and promote the conservation of the route's natural and cultural heritage by focusing on following areas of work: MARKETING AND PROMOTION CAPACITY BUILDING AND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT TOURISM ROUTE DEVELOPMENT SILK ROAD TOURISM RESEARCH TASK FORCE The Silk Road Task Force ensures that all Member States are duly represented and have the opportunity to provide input into the Programme. The Task Force group is also responsible for: Providing timely feedback on UNWTO Silk Road programme strategies and action plans Discuss and endorse the Silk Road Action Plan Ensure the coordinated implementation of the Action Plan, including strategies for immediate and longer-term action Promote coherent and coordinated messaging and information sharing Share and exchange know-how and best practices Following Member States have nominated a Silk Road Task Force Representative (as of February 2017, enlisted Member States are grouped according to UNWTO's organizational structure): Europe: Armenia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzystan, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Asia & The Pacific: Bangladesh, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia and Pakistan Middle East: Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Syria. SILK ROAD TASK FORCE MEETINGS: 8th UNWTO Silk Road Task Force meeting - Kayseri, Turkey (April 2018) 7th UNWTO Silk Road Task Force meeting - Valencia, Spain (March 2017) 6th UNWTO Silk Road Task Force meeting - Urmia, Islamic Republic of Iran (April 2016) 5th UNWTO Silk Road Task Force Meeting - Seoul, Republic of Korea (April 2015) 4th UNWTO Silk Road Task Force Meeting - Tbilisi, Georgia (July 2014) 3rd UNWTO Silk Road Task Force Meeting - Baku, Azerbaijan (April 2013) 2nd UNWTO Silk Road Task Force Meeting - WTM London 2012 1st UNWTO Silk Road Task Force Meeting - WTM London 2011 SOURCE LINK: https://www.unwto.org/silk-road

March 23, 2022. WASHINGTON, US. New systems allow high-definition scans of bullets and cartridge cases to be shared and compared virtually. The scene is repeated endlessly on television crime shows, be it fictional stories of murder and mayhem or docudramas of actual police work. Cartridge cases or bullets from a crime scene are sent to a forensics lab for testing and, moments later in TV time, a suspect’s gun is linked to the crime. The evidence is overwhelming, and the shooter is arrested. Confirming that a particular gun fired a particular bullet seems straightforward. The bullet, spinning its way down a gun’s rifled barrel picks up marks specific to that barrel. And the cartridge case marks caused when a gun fires have been long-thought to be unique to that weapon. Match the grooves on the bullets or the marks on the cartridge case, and that is solid evidence they were fired by the same gun. Except it isn’t. For the more than 100 years that forensic ballistics comparisons have been done, investigators have gone to court confident that a “match” in rifling marks on the bullets or firearm toolmarks on cartridge cases was conclusive evidence. That changed in 2009 with a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report about forensic analysis that concluded, “sufficient studies have not been done to understand the reliability and reproducibility of the methods.” In 2016, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Report (PCAST) reinforced the NAS finding. After reviewing the studies done in the seven years since the NAS report, the authors found that, “the current evidence still falls short of the scientific criteria for foundational validity.” The limits on comparison evidence were made clear in a 2020 U.S. District Court case in the District of Columbia. A judge considering weapons charges set limitations on what the prosecutor’s firearms expert could say about the ballistics evidence. “He will not use terms such as ‘match’,” the judge ordered. “He will not state his expert opinion with any level of statistical certainty,” and, the judge concluded, he cannot use the phrases, “to the exclusion of all other firearms” or “to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty.” Creating the Database The forensic science community has responded to the challenges with research, much of it supported by the National Institute of Justice. Over the past decade the Institute has supported efforts to establish a statistical basis for firearm toolmark comparisons and move from 2D to 3D comparisons. Much of the research has been in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which in 2016 created the NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database (NBTRD). To create the research database, NIST mechanical engineer Xiaoyu Alan Zheng attended forensics and law enforcement conferences and asked police departments and other agencies to test-fire their reference firearms collections and send him the bullets and cartridge cases, along with information about the guns and ammunition used. Zheng scanned the samples using a high-resolution 3D microscope, creating a virtual model of the toolmarks found on the bullets and cartridge cases. The 3D maps provide a high level of detail, and unlike conventional 2D microscopy images, the 3D images are not affected by lighting conditions, which allows for more objective comparisons. The Database as a Research Catalyst The open access database, largely funded by the National Institute of Justice, allows researchers to download firearms comparison data acquired from NIST and other researchers and upload their own data, steadily increasing the size and value of the database. As the database grows, more information is available for developing and validating algorithms that quantify the similarity between firearm toolmarks. That helps address the “foundational uncertainty” cited by the judge in the 2020 case. “We made it a centralized research hub of images of firearm toolmarks on cartridge cases and bullets,” said Zheng. Without the database, researchers were extremely limited in the size and diversity of the samples they had access to. That limitation was a roadblock for the development and testing of quantitative toolmark similarity metrics, as well as the statistical methods needed for establishing the evidentiary validity of comparisons. Without the database, a robust study would have been cost-prohibitive, Zheng said. “The database is an effort to remove that initial roadblock from researchers and give them the ability to acquire data from a large variety of firearms.” Advantage of 3D Imaging A key advantage of 3D imaging is that it allows high-definition scans of the actual surface topography of a sample with high repeatability, which is important for database searches during the investigative phase. Although 3D images are now routinely used to rank samples in a database against crime scene evidence, 3D imaging has not yet replaced the use of traditional optical comparison microscopy for confirming whether two samples were actually fired from the same firearm. With a traditional 2D light microscope, an examiner views two samples simultaneously and subjectively concludes whether they were fired from the same firearm. The examiner typically adjusts the lighting conditions to highlight similarities and differences in the toolmarks. These changes in lighting are serious because they can dramatically affect the 2D images of toolmarks, which is detrimental to computer-based comparisons that require repeatable measurement data, Zheng said. With 3D images, the data is a direct measurement and digital representation of the surface topography, Zheng said. Compared to traditional 2D images, this 3D data is more repeatable and not sensitive to lighting conditions and can be compared by both algorithms and examiners, he said. And virtual comparison microscopy software allows an examiner to compare 2D renderings of 3D surface data on a computer in a manner similar to traditional comparison microscopy. Moving from 2D to 3D However, the transition from comparing samples with a light comparison microscope to comparing 3D topographic images has been gradual, partly due to the need for expensive new equipment, Zheng said. The move to 3D is taking place because the advantages are significant, and standards are being established by NIST and the forensic firearms community. A leading developer of the high-definition 3D forensic firearms imaging systems is the Chicago-based Cadre Research Labs, founded by Ryan Lilien. The laboratory’s research, supported by a series of National Institute of Justice grants, has pioneered the development of 3D virtual comparison of bullets and cartridge casings using state-of-the-art scanning technology. Lilien, Cadre’s chief science officer, said that there has been a move toward 3D virtual microscopy over the past several years because recording the three-dimensional surface of a piece of evidence allows for accurate examination of the virtual surface in place of the original surface, either at the time of the initial exam, or at a later time and place. The time element is important, Lilien noted, because traditionally “if I wanted to compare a cartridge case found at a crime scene today with a cartridge that was from a crime scene a year ago, I’d have to go down to the evidence archives and get access to that original specimen.” If a sample has to be mailed to another jurisdiction, there are chain of custody issues and the need for official approval of the evidence transfer, he said. With 3D scanning, he said, “you greatly simplify the process.” Examiners measure an “accurate three-dimensional surface, and if you want to access a historic sample you scanned a year ago, when a previous crime occurred, you just double click on the case file.” The Value of Virtual Comparison Because the scan is a virtual file, when it is sent across the country to another law enforcement agency, the originating agency doesn’t have to worry about chain of custody issues or damage to the original evidence, he said. “It makes it very easy to access historical evidence, even from another jurisdiction.” Working with virtual scans also allows a second examiner to independently verify the conclusions of the original examiner. “You can truly make the verification process blind,” Lilien said. Because the bullets or casings are virtual files, “you can hide all of the work of the first examiner when the second person is looking at it. Using the traditional tools, you had an envelope with test fires or other evidence items. When the second examiner gets it there may be sticky notes left in the file, or little marks on cartridge cases the original examiner put on with a marker.” None of that occurs with virtual exams, he said, because the verification examiner starts with a clean file. And, importantly, the verification can be done remotely. “Because it doesn’t have to be done at the same site,” Lilien said, “a lab with a backlog of cases can go to another lab, maybe in a different part of the state, that has a little extra capacity. An examiner at the second site could log in electronically and help reduce the backlog.” Barriers to 3D Scanning The time and effort involved in implementing new 3D systems is significant and can make some agencies reluctant to change. “The case we’re trying to make right now for 3D is that once you get through these initial hurdles, there is a cost savings on the back end, especially with the idea that examiners can easily pull up casework anywhere they are and conduct their analysis,” Zheng said. He hopes that as NIST continues to educate the firearms and toolmark community on the advantages and the reliability of 3D data, the resistance to the new technology will fade. As is common with most new technology, cost is an issue. Typical comparison microscope systems used in traditional 2D analysis cost from $50,000 to $80,000, but a 3D instrument “could cost anywhere from $100,000 to $250,000, and of course you are going to need to train your people to use it, and develop a plan for deployment, validation, and quality control,” Zheng said. NIST is working with several forensic laboratories to develop best practice guides for the 3D systems. “We have to be able to document and ensure that the data you’re using for casework is accurate.” From Research to Casework The NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database is a research tool, where, as Zheng notes, none of the data is going to be used in actual casework. For use in casework, NIST is collaborating with the FBI and the Netherlands Forensic Institute to develop methods and reference data for statistical approaches to characterize the evidentiary strength or uncertainty of a comparison result. NIST mechanical engineer Hans Soons noted that a similarity score between two pieces of evidence by itself is often meaningless. “A comparison score needs context,” he said. “How does it compare with scores obtained when comparing samples fired from the same firearm versus scores obtained when comparing samples fired from different firearms? To provide this context, we are developing the Reference Population Database of Firearm Toolmarks (RPDFT).” The images in the reference population database are indexed according to class characteristics, such as caliber, firearm manufacturing method, ammunition type, and the number of land/grooves. “There is a whole list of characteristics, where you can filter data to samples of the relevant population, meaning the population that has the same characteristics as your evidence,” Zheng said. With a large enough set of reference samples, statistical models can be generated that describe the distribution of sample comparison scores, he said. These models can then be used to generate quantitative statistical measures, such as likelihood ratios, that summarize the strength or uncertainty of the casework comparison results. The ultimate goal is to be able to go into court and give a statistical statement similar to what is currently done for forensic DNA, where experts can confidently state the likelihood that two samples came from the same source with a high degree of certainty. When will that reference population of bullets and shell casings be large enough to be valid in court? “That’s to be determined still,” Zheng said. “We’re not going to say by next year we’ll have the entire thing figured out. This is going to be a slow process, meaning we’re going to build this reference population incrementally as we go to include more and more different types of firearms and tool marks.” After the first stages of developing and populating the RPDFT database, “the only thing we may be able to make any kind of statistical statement about is Glocks or Rugers, because those are the only firearms we have data for,” Zheng said. “You have to build more and more of that reference population, utilizing other types of class characteristics, and at the end of the day it will allow us to be able to say we know what a match and a non-match look like.” The experience obtained with these two brands of firearms will be used to refine and further populated the database, Zheng said. Meeting Courtroom Standards How close is the research to meeting courtroom standards? Applications of algorithms and statistical models to casework will require more time, however the use of virtual comparison microscopy of 3D toolmark images is already being introduced in court. A National Institute of Justice supported study by Lilien and Cadre Research Labs looked specifically at examiner error rates when doing virtual comparisons using a 3D scanning system. The study concluded that such systems provide examiners with “a number of functional advantages” in actual casework. In addition, the work adds to a growing consensus that 3D exams require less time and result in more accurate conclusions than traditional microscopy. The Cadre study also examined “how inconclusive rates (in comparing bullets and cartridges) vary with scan resolution.” The study found that low resolution scans “are likely to result in higher inconclusive rates than would be achieved from high resolution scans.” The goal is to set standards so the resolution is high enough that examiners can see relevant details and marks, but not so high that they are overwhelmed with details that aren’t important or useful. Zheng, Soons, and Lilien all agree that it could be three to five years before the results of the 3D scans are routinely accepted by the courts. The standards for quality control, training, algorithmic comparison, and deployment validation must be agreed upon and published, Zheng said. The guardrails for responsible use of the technology have to be put in place. Learn more from a paper by the researchers published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences Sidebar: Cadre Research Labs Awards from NIJ Assessing Class Consistency and Common Source Using 3D Virtual Comparison Microscopy in Firearm Forensics Expanding the Scope and Efficiency of 3D Surface Topography Analysis in Firearm Forensics Evaluation of 3D Virtual Comparison Microscopy for Firearm Forensics within the Crime Lab Firearm Forensics Black-Box Studies for Examiners and Algorithms using Measured 3D Surface Topographies Development of Computational Methods for the Audio Analysis of Gunshots Advanced Scan Matching, Scalable Search, and Visualization Tools for the Analysis of 3D Scans of Cartridge Casings in Firearm Forensics Applied Research, Development, and Method Validation of Toolmark Imaging, Virtual Casing Comparison, and In-Lab Verification for Firearms Forensics Applied Research, Development, and Method Validation for a Statistically Based Comparison of Tool Marks using GelSight-Based 3D Imaging and Novel Comparison Algorithms for Firearm Forensics Applied Research and Development of a Three-dimensional Topography System for Imaging and Analysis of Striated and Impressed Tool Marks for Firearm Identification using GelSight Applied Research and Development of a Three-dimensional Topography System for Firearm Identification using GelSight Source Link: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/century-ballistics-comparison-giving-way-virtual-3d-methods

December 9, 2021. ZURICH, Switzerland and HARVARD, US. Peter Gunnarson describes his work in the Dabiri Lab to use Reinforcement Learning to give robots the ability to navigate flow autonomously. Youtube: Caltech More information: https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/scientists-teach-ai-to-navigate-ocean-with-minimal-energy Engineers Teach AI to Navigate Ocean with Minimal Energy December 08, 2021. Research could enable monitoring of our oceans or exploration of alien ocean worlds Engineers at Caltech, ETH Zurich, and Harvard are developing an artificial intelligence (AI) that will allow autonomous drones to use ocean currents to aid their navigation, rather than fighting their way through them. "When we want robots to explore the deep ocean, especially in swarms, it's almost impossible to control them with a joystick from 20,000 feet away at the surface. We also can't feed them data about the local ocean currents they need to navigate because we can't detect them from the surface. Instead, at a certain point we need ocean-borne drones to be able to make decisions about how to move for themselves," says John O. Dabiri (MS '03, PhD '05), the Centennial Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering and corresponding author of a paper about the research that was published by Nature Communications on December 8. The AI's performance was tested using computer simulations, but the team behind the effort has also developed a small palm-sized robot that runs the algorithm on a tiny computer chip that could power seaborne drones both on Earth and other planets. The goal would be to create an autonomous system to monitor the condition of the planet's oceans, for example using the algorithm in combination with prosthetics they previously developed to help jellyfish swim faster and on command. Fully mechanical robots running the algorithm could even explore oceans on other worlds, such as Enceladus or Europa. In either scenario, drones would need to be able to make decisions on their own about where to go and the most efficient way to get there. To do so, they will likely only have data that they can gather themselves—information about the water currents they are currently experiencing. To tackle this challenge, researchers turned to reinforcement learning (RL) networks. Compared to conventional neural networks, reinforcement learning networks do not train on a static data set but rather train as fast as they can collect experience. This scheme allows them to exist on much smaller computers—for the purposes of this project, the team wrote software that can be installed and run on a Teensy—a 2.4-by-0.7-inch microcontroller that anyone can buy for less than $30 on Amazon and only uses about a half watt of power. Using a computer simulation in which flow past an obstacle in water created several vortices moving in opposite directions, the team taught the AI to navigate in such a way that it took advantage of low-velocity regions in the wake of the vortices to coast to the target location with minimal power used. To aid its navigation, the simulated swimmer only had access to information about the water currents at its immediate location, yet it soon learned how to exploit the vortices to coast toward the desired target. In a physical robot, the AI would similarly only have access to information that could be gathered from an onboard gyroscope and accelerometer, which are both relatively small and low-cost sensors for a robotic platform. This kind of navigation is analogous to the way eagles and hawks ride thermals in the air, extracting energy from air currents to maneuver to a desired location with the minimum energy expended. Surprisingly, the researchers discovered that their reinforcement learning algorithm could learn navigation strategies that are even more effective than those thought to be used by real fish in the ocean. John Dabiri (R) and Peter Gunnarson (L) testing CARL-bot at Caltech "We were initially just hoping the AI could compete with navigation strategies already found in real swimming animals, so we were surprised to see it learn even more effective methods by exploiting repeated trials on the computer," says Dabiri. The technology is still in its infancy: currently, the team would like to test the AI on each different type of flow disturbance it would possibly encounter on a mission in the ocean—for example, swirling vortices versus streaming tidal currents—to assess its effectiveness in the wild. However, by incorporating their knowledge of ocean-flow physics within the reinforcement learning strategy, the researchers aim to overcome this limitation. The current research proves the potential effectiveness of RL networks in addressing this challenge—particularly because they can operate on such small devices. To try this in the field, the team is placing the Teensy on a custom-built drone dubbed the "CARL-Bot" (Caltech Autonomous Reinforcement Learning Robot). The CARL-Bot will be dropped into a newly constructed two-story-tall water tank on Caltech's campus and taught to navigate the ocean's currents. The technology is still in its infancy: currently, the team would like to test the AI on each different type of flow disturbance it would possibly encounter on a mission in the ocean—for example, swirling vortices versus streaming tidal currents—to assess its effectiveness in the wild. However, by incorporating their knowledge of ocean-flow physics within the reinforcement learning strategy, the researchers aim to overcome this limitation. The current research proves the potential effectiveness of RL networks in addressing this challenge—particularly because they can operate on such small devices. To try this in the field, the team is placing the Teensy on a custom-built drone dubbed the "CARL-Bot" (Caltech Autonomous Reinforcement Learning Robot). The CARL-Bot will be dropped into a newly constructed two-story-tall water tank on Caltech's campus and taught to navigate the ocean's currents. "Not only will the robot be learning, but we'll be learning about ocean currents and how to navigate through them," says Peter Gunnarson, graduate student at Caltech and lead author of the Nature Communications paper. The paper is titled "Learning efficient navigation in vortical flow fields." Co-authors include Ioannis Mandralis, graduate student at Caltech, Guido Novati of ETH Zurich in Switzerland, and Petros Koumoutsakos (PhD '92) of Harvard University. This research was funded by a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship to Gunnarson and by NSF Waterman Award funding to Dabiri. WRITTEN BY Robert Perkins CONTACT Robert Perkins (626) 395‑1862 rperkins@caltech.edu

September 18, 2022. NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland USA. Teaming agreement signed to add mission systems support for new Bell aircraft development Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today it has entered into a teaming agreement with Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), a global aerospace and national security company, for Bell’s High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL) aircraft. As part of the collaboration, SNC will specifically support the design and development of mission systems for HSVTOL variants. Bell’s HSVTOL vehicles blend the hover capability of a helicopter with the speed, range and survivability features of fighter aircraft, with low downwash hover capability and jet-like speeds of more than 400 kts. This family of scalable aircraft concepts is designed to carry out USAF and USSOCOM missions across the full spectrum of conflict and political scenarios, including personnel recovery, contested logistics and ISR/Strike. “In an effort to advance technical maturity and deliver HSVTOL capability to warfighters sooner, Bell is assembling a team of industry-leading partners. We’re thrilled to have SNC onboard,” said Jason Hurst, vice president, Innovation, Bell. “We’ve made significant progress in Bell’s HSVTOL technology development in 2022, and we look forward to showing this progress in the upcoming year.” “SNC is delighted to join the Bell’s HSVTOL development team, and we are already hard at work to deliver the visionary mission systems that Bell demands for their visionary aircraft,” says Derek Hess, vice president, strategic program business development at SNC. “Our nation’s warfighters will benefit from this HSVTOL program’s ground-breaking operational capabilities.” Similar to Bell’s innovation development, SNC continues to leverage its mission systems expertise to explore dynamic new opportunities. SNC also supports Bell with additional mission systems expertise for the development of the Bell 360 Invictus for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition. Bell is currently executing its HSVTOL risk reduction effort and participating in the AFWERX HSVTOL Concept Challenge, a crowdsourcing effort for the United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Bell is one of 11 companies from more than 200 challenge entrants selected to receive market research investments aimed at advancing HSVTOL technology. Alexis Baird Technology & Innovation kbaird@bellflight.com +1 817-487-1020 Source Link: https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/218341-bell-selects-sierra-nevada-corporation-for-its-high-speed-vertical-takeoff-and-landing-development-team

September 13, 2022. LOS ANGELES, California. OneUnited Bank’s episode launches this first-of-its-kind branded series which focuses on businesses scaling their digital presence in response to changing consumer demands OneUnited Bank is proud to announce its inclusion in “The Shift”, a new branded video series by Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) and NBCUniversal, showing how seven high-growth organizations took on digital transformation during heavy market headwinds – and made it through. “The Shift” will premiere with the OneUnited Bank episode on Sept. 17th, 2022 at 2:30 pm ET on CNBC and will stream exclusively on CNBC.com, Peacock, and Salesforce+. The episode will be available to stream on Salesforce+ and CNBC.com on Monday September 19th, 2022. On Oct. 3, the series will debut on Peacock. The premiere episode of “The Shift” spotlights how OneUnited Bank, America’s largest Black-owned bank, is building a revolutionary new digital product, CashPlease, aimed at upending the predatory payday loan business. “This moment of social reckoning has created an unprecedented opportunity for our country to overcome the sustained damage from our history of systemic racism. Technology provides the opportunity to organize effectively to drive political, social, and economic change. It also creates the biggest opportunity to generate wealth in the history of mankind”, said Kevin Cohee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OneUnited Bank. Shot over six months at OneUnited Bank branches in Los Angeles, Boston and Miami, the 30-minute episode will explore the story of the Bank, its history and mission to utilize technology to empower Black America to close the racial wealth gap and create generational wealth. The episode covers the innerworkings of the Bank and features interviews that tell the story of the Bank’s progress and march towards technology over the past 25 years. “We are excited to bring OneUnited Bank’s inspiring story to life on the premiere episode of The Shift”, said Matthew Jaffe, VP, Head of Salesforce Studios. “They are a great example of industry leaders using business as a platform for change through the use of innovative technology”. Media inquiries: Suzan McDowell, Circle of One Marketing, suzan@circleofonemarketing.com or 305-576-3790 About OneUnited Bank OneUnited Bank (www.oneunited.com) is the largest Black-owned bank in America, the first Black-owned digital bank, a Minority Depository Institution (MDI), and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). About Salesforce Salesforce, the global CRM leader, empowers companies of every size and industry to digitally transform and create a 360° view of their customers. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com. About NBCUniversal NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a premium ad-supported streaming service. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. ONEUNITED BANK OneUnited Bank, the nation’s largest Black-owned bank and FDIC insured, understands we have to focus on money and technology to close the racial wealth gap. With your support, by simply opening and actively using a OneUnited Bank account, we will continue to accomplish our mission! Source Link: https://www.oneunited.com/oneunited-bank-featured-in-nbc-universals-new-docuseries-the-shift-powered-by-salesforce/

October 17, 2022. NEW YORK A live audio webcast will be available on the day of the conference Jeremy Barnum, Chief Financial Officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co., will present at the BancAnalysts Association of Boston Conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston on Friday, November 4, 2022 at 9:50 a.m. (Eastern). A live audio webcast will be available on the day of the conference at www.jpmorganchase.com under Investor Relations, Events & Presentations. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (“U.S.”), with operations worldwide. JPMorgan Chase had $3.8 trillion in assets and $288 billion in stockholders’ equity as of September 30, 2022. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com. Investor Contact: Mikael Grubb 212-270-2476 Media Contact: Joseph Evangelisti 212-270-7438

Monaco. "Building a better future is everyone's business." "Nothing great can be accomplished without everyone's involvement...", so during his accession speech on July 12, 2005, our Sovereign appealed to all Monegasques to make Monaco a model country. In Synergie Monégasque there is this gathering for the same purpose of all Monegasques who share a common vision for the Principality. Synergie Monégasque aims to unite Monegasques around the notions of civic spirit, exemplarity, participation and involvement. Citizenship is the devotion of the citizen for his country, of the individual for the community. Our association calls for the involvement of everyone in order to meet the expectations of our Sovereign and thus build together a model of society. Moving forward while respecting our particularities, allowing Monaco to be at the forefront of the international scene, to play an essential role on several levels, despite the small size of the territory and allowing Monegasques to be proud of it and to 'imply. Expansion is possible and necessary but the quality of life takes precedence, Synergie Monégasque will work for a harmonious and profitable development for everyone... Source Link: http://www.synergie-mc.org/index.html