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REVIVER® HELPS DRIVE THE SPIRIT OF GIVING THIS HOLIDAY SEASONH2O Innovation Expands North American Footprint with 22.55 MGD of Novel Water and Wastewater ProjectsUS markets drift to lacklustre close after Fed comment

Chinese TV Makers Surpass Samsung in Premium Market, Challenging Korean Dominance

Zoom Communications Inc ZM reported third-quarter financial results after the market close on Monday. Here’s a look at the key details from the quarter . Q3 Earnings: Zoom reported third-quarter revenue of $1.18 billion, beating the consensus estimate of $1.16 billion. The communications company reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.38 per share, beating analyst estimates of $1.31 per share. Zoom has now beat analyst estimates on the top and bottom lines in nine consecutive quarters, according to data from Benzinga Pro . Total revenue was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. Enterprise revenue was up 5.8% year-over-year, while online revenue was flat year-over-year. Zoom noted online monthly average churn reached an all-time low of 2.7% in the quarter. Net cash provided by operating activities was $483.2 million in the third quarter, down 2% year-over-year. Free cash flow came in at $457.7 million, up 1% year-over-year. Zoom ended the quarter with approximately 192,400 enterprise customers; 3,995 of those customers were contributing more than $100,000 in trailing 12 months revenue at quarter’s end, up approximately 7.1% year-over-year. The company said it ended the quarter with $7.7 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. Zoom said its board authorized the repurchase of an additional $1.2 billion of its common stock in November, bringing the total remaining amount under the buyback to $2 billion. See Also: CrowdStrike Q3 Earnings Preview: Analysts Anticipate Recovery, ‘Customers Remain Confident’ Guidance: Zoom expects fiscal fourth-quarter revenue to be in the range of $1.175 billion to $1.18 billion versus estimates of $1.17 billion. The company sees fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.29 to $1.30 per share versus estimates of $1.28 per share. Zoom expects full-year revenue of $4.656 billion to $4.661 billion versus estimates of $4.64 billion. Full-year earnings are expected to be between $5.41 and $5.43 per share versus estimates of $5.35 per share. “At Zoomtopia we announced major milestones such as AI Companion 2.0 and paid add-ons for AI Companion and industry-specific AI customization, further cementing our vision to deliver a differentiated AI-first work platform that empowers customers to achieve more than ever,” said Eric Yuan , founder and CEO of Zoom. Zoom announced that it changed its name from Zoom Video Communications to Zoom Communications on Monday. Management will further discuss the quarter on a conference call with analysts and investors at 5 p.m. ET. ZM Price Action: Zoom shares were down about 2.31% after hours, trading at $86.97 at the time of publication, according to Benzinga Pro . Read Next: Copper’s High-Wire Act: Can EVs, New Tech Power The Metal’s Next Big Surge? Photo: Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Partnership unlocks new opportunities to tap into retail media budgets with SKU-level purchase data for measuring and optimizing the downstream impact of influencer campaigns NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Button , the leader in mobile commerce optimization, today announced a strategic partnership with The Shelf Influencer Marketing Agency . The partnership combines Button's AI-powered deeplinking and attribution technology with The Shelf's expertise in planning, executing and managing brand influencer campaigns to give both creators and brands the tools needed to measure and optimize the impact of influencer marketing campaigns more effectively. "Button's technology streamlines our campaign creation process and enables us to capture product level purchase data though Button's simple shortlinking tool while enabling deeplinks into our retailer clients' apps,” Atul Singh, CEO of The Shelf. "We're excited to improve the user journey and have access to more conversion data through Button's integration with retailers that will allow us to provide more holistic recaps of performance.” By creating a more seamless experience between an influencer post to a retailer's app, brands can easily attribute sales to each influencer's post, enabling them to better assess the efficacy of an activation. Additionally, the partnership unlocks SKU-level purchase data to help bridge the gap between influencer marketing and retail media by showing the impact on purchase behavior. As influencers often promote specific brands and products rather than the entire retailer, this new offering is key to understanding how influencer campaigns can drive downstream impact. "Any creator can now drive measurable sales of products at retailers where Button is integrated, enabling the creator economy to tap into massive new budgets from manufacturers, suppliers and CPGs. As more marketing migrates from brand to performance, creator spending will follow suit,” said Michael Jaconi, Co-founder and CEO of Button. "And across our billions of commerce driven on the Button platform in 2024, we're seeing this evolution in creator spending take place. This is the future of creator-led marketing, and we're thrilled to be partnered with The Shelf to lead the charge.” With a history of developing best-in-class commerce intelligence, Button has driven over $12 billion in sales. Button offers an established suite of linking solutions that enable creators and affiliate networks to create optimal shopping experiences, boost revenue and more. To learn more about Button's offerings, please visit usebutton.com . About Button Button is the leading commerce optimization platform that uses AI technology to improve the performance of creator and affiliate marketing. The platform is used by the world's largest retailers, publishers, and creator networks to drive better shopping experiences, improved attribution and new inventory for retail media which combine to grow revenue for companies like Uber by 100% for the channels where Button is implemented. Button surpassed $1B in commerce per month in March 2024, and has been named a best place to work every year since its founding. It's backed by Greycroft, Redpoint, Norwest, Icon Ventures and Capital One. About The Shelf Influencer Marketing Agency The Shelf is a data-first influencer marketing company and the architects of Interest Graph Marketing, delivering bold ideas and measurable wins for innovative brands like Sam's Club, Uniqlo, Famous Footwear, Natura, and Russell Athletic. Trusted by Fortune 100s and recognized as 4X Inc. 5000 honorees, we combine outrageous creativity with real-time insights to craft campaigns that connect, engage, and convert. We turn complex strategies into scroll-stopping success, transforming brands into social media legends. CONTACT: Media Inquiries: [email protected] .Nxu CFO Sarah Wyant sells $8,219 in stock

Stryker Corp. stock rises Monday, still underperforms marketThe Texas grid is ready for winter, ERCOT CEO saysNEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 25, 2024-- Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. II (NYSE American: ATEK.U, ATEK, ATEK WS) (“ATEK” or the “Company”) received an official notice of noncompliance (the “NYSE American Notice”) from NYSE Regulation (“NYSE”) stating that the Company is not in compliance with NYSE American continued listing standards due to the failure to timely file the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 (the “Delinquent Report”) by the filing due date of November 19, 2024 (the “Filing Delinquency”). The Company intends to file the Delinquent Report in the near future, however, there is currently no anticipated date for when such Filing Delinquency will be cured via the filing of the Delinquent Report. The Company expects, however, to regain compliance with the NYSE American continued listing standards once the Delinquent Report has been filed. In the interim, the NYSE American Notice has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s Class A common stock listed on NYSE American. There can be no assurance that the Company will ultimately regain and remain in compliance with all applicable NYSE American listing standards. Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. II (NYSE American: ATEK.U, ATEK, ATEK WS), incorporated in Delaware, is a special purpose acquisition company incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. ATEK is the third SPAC founded by Isabelle Freidheim, who also serves as its Chief Executive Officer, with Kirthiga Reddy as President and Jennifer Calabrese as Chief Financial Officer. Certain statements made in this press release are not historical facts but may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the “safe harbor” provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” “intend,” or continue or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology or expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These statements are based on the current expectations of the Company’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s plan to file the Delinquent Report within the provided cure period to regain compliance with the NYSE American continued listing standards. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on, by any investor as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the Company’s ability to file the Delinquent Report within the Initial Cure Period to regain compliance with the NYSE American continued listing standards; general economic, political and business conditions; the number of redemption requests made by the Company’s stockholders in connection with a potential business combination; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company; the risk that the approval of the Company’s stockholders for a potential transaction is not obtained; expectations related to the terms and timing of a potential business combination; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of a business combination; the risk that a business combination may not be completed by the Company’s business combination deadline and the potential failure to obtain an extension of its business combination deadline in the Company’s upcoming Annual Meeting of Stockholders; costs related to a business combination; and other risks that will be detailed from time to time in filings with the SEC, including those risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on September 27, 2024 and in subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The foregoing list of risk factors is not exhaustive. There may be additional risks that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in these forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements provide the Company’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. And while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. Nothing herein should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that the results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. View source version on : CONTACT: Bevel PR KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. II Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/25/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 11/25/2024 04:05 PM

The Sterling Group Names Two New Partners

State agency again makes record contribution to school libraries for 2025Wall Street stocks finished little changed on Thursday as Treasury bond yields climbed further in the wake of a Federal Reserve decision that prompted deep selling in the prior session. US indices bounced early in the day, but the rebound faded as the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note rose above 4.5 percent. The Fed on Wednesday lowered interest rates but signaled it expects fewer interest rate cuts in 2025. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose less than 0.1 percent to 42,342.24. The S&P 500 slipped 0.1 percent to 5,867.08, while the Nasdaq Composite Index also declined 0.1 percent to 19,372.77. Thursday's move in stocks is "kind of a lacklustre recovery effort," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare. "A lot of good news has been priced into this market," he said. "And now the market is going to sit back and see if a lot of that good news that's priced in actually comes to fruition." Investors were monitoring Capitol Hill where an intervention by President-elect Donald Trump on a spending bill raised the possibility of a government shutdown. Among individual companies, Micron Technology sank 16.2 percent after projecting earnings that lagged estimates. While the chip company benefited from strong demand for artificial intelligence, analysts pointed to a drag from weak demand for personal computers and automobile clients. But Darden Restaurants, which owns the Olive Garden and other chains, jumped 14.7 percent after projecting a 1.5 percent rise in same-restaurant sales for its full fiscal year. (AFP)

Kamala Harris could already have an opponent if she runs for Governor of California: 'I would destroy her'

.It’s autonomy in action under Mbah, says Royal father The Council Chairman of Isi-Uzo, of Enugu State, Hon. Obiora Obeagu has proposed a budget of N5.5bn budget estimates for the 2025 fiscal year to the Legislative Council of the Local Government Area, LGA. Obeagu noted that the estimates tagged Budget of Economic Growth and Transformation was an increase from the N4.153 billion 2024 budget and consistent with Governor Peter Mbah’s effort to ramp up the state’s economy exponentially from $4.4 billion to $30 billion through private sector investment and catalysation of productivity in rural areas. He said the 2025 budget would give effect to the Council’s 2025-2026 Rolling Plan that aims to produce more food to ensure food security; enhance employment opportunities; rehabilitate, equip, and intensify primary healthcare delivery facilities and system; develop and invest in tourism and market projects; improve in transportation system through rehabilitation of existing rural roads and the construction of new ones and enforce quality education and academic grants. He stressed that the budget funding would benefit from a significant improvement in the Council’s IGR predicated on ventures like the development of several markets, real estates, and plugging of loopholes in revenue collection, among others. Presenting the budget at the Council headquarters, Ikem, Obeagu said, “We have named it the Budget of Economic Growth and Transformation. It is a budget anchored on our firm resolve to open up the economic corridors and potentials of our landlocked local government in our determined efforts to move Isi-Uzo from a rural to a semi-urban LGA. “We have proposed N2,498,390,040 for recurrent expenditure. This is further divided into Personnel Costs/ Emoluments and Overhead Costs. Personnel Cost/Emoluments amounts to N2,248,390,040.00, while, Overhead Cost is summed to N250,000,000.00. Capital Expenditure takes N3,059,800,000.” Listing some of the key capital proposals, he continued, “In respect to proposed capital projects, Road and Bridges will get N860 million. This is a great increase from the previous budget and reflects our poise for quality human resources management and to open-up the rural communities and create hazard-free transportation of goods and services. “This is followed by Gender, Water and Housing, which is N285 million. Health is next with N226 million. This is followed by Power (Electrification) with N200 million. Agriculture is next with N181 million, representing a major increment from the previous budget. “A very smart sector of our human and capital development, Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) gets N180 million, while Education is next with N163.8 million. It must be thankfully emphasised here that the Governor Peter Mbah Administration has taken a huge burden off the LGAs through the Smart Green Schools initiative in 260 wards of the state. This major game-changer means that the government is investing over N1 billion in each ward. “Another seminal sector, Poverty Alleviation and Employment generation gets N40 million, in our Council budget for 2025. Our administration will also implement projects and programmes in areas such as Youths and Sports, Environment Improvement and Social Re-orientation.” He expressed confidence in the ability of the budget to improve the fortunes of the LGA, promising to courageously push forward despite the vagaries of inflation and other economic headwinds across the nation. “Our current budget proposal looks handsome by the standards of our Local Government Council. The 2025 budget estimates look as a progressive push-up from where we are to a new height that we want to attain. “We are not unmindful of the fact of inflation and depreciation of the value of the naira arising from the removal of oil subsidy and devaluation of naira. Costs of goods and services have risen while the purchasing power and value of the naira has dropped considerably. But in the midst of these intervening factors, we are determined to be creative and make progress boldly, following our governor’s example. “It is a bold step that is achievable. We want to sustain growth and transformation of Isi-Uzo as agents for change, progress and development in line with our governance mandate. “We promised that we would make a difference in the lives of our people. We are determined to walk our talk as demanded by our governor during our inauguration and in line with his determination to grow the state’s economy from $4.4bn to $30bn.” Meanwhile, the Leader of Isi-Uzo Legislative Council, Hon. Irenus Nnaji, representing Mbu Ward II, commended the Council Chairman for his robust, accountable, and creative leadership of the Council, promising expedited consideration and passage of the budget. “We are equally ready and committed to supporting you in the implementation of the 2025 budget. I repeat, we will work closely with you for the development of Isi-Uzo because we believe in the selfless leadership you have provided so far. But if you deviate from your current trajectory, we will equally call you out,” he stated. Speaking to newsmen after the budget presentation session witnessed by leaders and key stakeholders of the LGA, the Chairman of Isi-Uzo Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Igwe Okey Ogbodo, an engineer by profession, expressed satisfaction with the road, infrastructural, and agricultural development thrust of the Council. He commended local government autonomy under Mbah, noting that the governor had been injecting huge funds to implement projects to cover areas that are ordinarily the constitutional responsibilities of LG Councils.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Reviver ® is proud to support the Winter Fest SoCal Car Show and Toy Drive, bringing joy to children and families in need. This past weekend, the Winter Fest SoCal Car Show and Toy Drive in Pomona, California , brought together car enthusiasts from across Southern California to celebrate the holidays and of course, all things cars. Attendees celebrated the season by decking out their cars, motorcycles and trucks, and supporting a good cause. This year's Winter Fest supported the Community Family Guidance Center (CFGC). CFGC helps southeast Los Angeles County's under-served children and their families heal from trauma, abuse, emotional, behavioral and mental health issues through proven interventions and compassionate guidance. "We're proud to partner with our community and fellow auto enthusiasts to make the holidays brighter for those who need it most," said Reviver Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Neville Boston . "Together, we can help create joy and ensure that every child experiences the magic of the season." If you missed Winter Fest or are not local to Los Angeles County , there are still many ways to give back. Reviver is inviting the community to join in spreading holiday cheer wherever they are by supporting a local toy drive . ABOUT REVIVER ® Reviver ® is a technology company on a mission to modernize the driving experience. As developer of the world's first digital license plate platform, Reviver products transform the license plate into a connected vehicle platform, enabling consumers and commercial businesses to digitize vehicle registration renewals and experience a growing set of personalization, convenience, and safety features, all managed through a mobile or web app interface. Reviver's digital license plates are legal for sale in Arizona and California , along with Texas for commercial fleet vehicles. Ten additional states are in various stages of adoption. Founded in 2009, Reviver is headquartered in Northern California , and is the official patch partner of the Sacramento Kings and the official innovation partner of the Sacramento Kings and Golden 1 Center. To purchase an RPLATE click here . To learn more about the RPLATE, click here . SOURCE ReviverForge Institute Launches Phoenix Xcelerator to Scale Growth of Defense Tech Startups(The Center Square) – More than $225 million in grants have been allocated to assist and expand law enforcement and prosecutorial jobs in rural areas of Texas. Recognizing the need to increase salaries and recruit and retain law enforcement staff in rural areas where resources are limited and can’t compete with larger cities, in 2023, the state legislature passed SB 22, the Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was an advocate for the bill, which received bipartisan support. The law appropriated $330 million for the program in the 2024-2025 biennium. In fiscal 2024, which ended Aug. 31, the Texas Comptroller’s Office awarded $125.7 million to 502 grant recipients. In fiscal 2025, it awarded $98.4 million to 396 grant recipients. “Many rural law enforcement and prosecutor offices have lacked the resources they need to attract and retain personnel or to buy much-needed safety equipment, and this program bridges that gap. I'm humbled that the Legislature placed this responsibility with my agency,” Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. “These men and women form the backbone of rural communities across the great state of Texas, and it is critical that we ensure they have what they need to keep Texans safe and secure." Earlier this year, Hegar visited several recipients of the grant program through his Good for Texas Tour series to highlight how they used the funds. Grant money helped increase minimum salaries for constables and sheriffs; increase deputy, jailer and corrections officer salaries; hire new deputies and corrections officers; fill open positions; and purchase equipment. In county attorney offices, grant money helped supplement the salaries of assistant district attorneys or hire additional ones, hire legal assistants, investigators, victim assistant coordinators and others. Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez, who advocated for the legislation, told The Center Square, “The Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program has been critical to sheriffs in disadvantaged rural counties with budgetary shortfalls. I’ve been a recipient of the grant program and greatly appreciate the support of the legislature for approving Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s pledge to increase law enforcement funding.” Goliad County Sheriff Roy Boyd agrees, saying it’s the first time in his 30-plus year career “that the legislature has done something like this for law enforcement. It’s a huge benefit because it enabled us to provide much-needed pay raises for the deputies and the jailers.” Boyd founded and leads an Operation Lone Star Task Force with sheriffs and law enforcement officials from nearly 50 agencies in dozens of counties, The Center Square has exclusively reported. He explained that historically, commissioner’s courts have underfunded sheriff’s offices because they argued state law enforcement agencies were patrolling rural areas but that hasn’t been the case for a range of reasons, leaving the sheriff’s offices underfunded and underpaid. SB 22 provided a “much-needed boost especially during hard economic times that we’ve been facing,” he said. When Patrick and state lawmakers learned “how little deputies were being paid or that they were relying on food stamps, they were shocked,” Boyd said. Boyd’s first partner, when he began his career, “was on food stamps. It was the only way to feed his family. A program like this helps them out,” he told The Center Square. “To put the pay raise into perspective,” he said, when he was first elected sheriff and came into office in 2021, “deputies were making $35,000 a year. Now starting pay is $51,400.” Before the legislature acted, in some poor, rural counties, some sheriff salaries were $20,000 a year. “Recruiting skilled law enforcement deputies in rural counties has always been a challenge. The impact of a grant like this that helps us better compensate and retain talented lawmen cannot be overstated,” Kinney County spokesman Matt Benacci told The Center Square. Despite the best efforts of the legislature, not all sheriffs and their deputies are receiving the money intended for them through the law because county judges or commissioners have control over the funding process and won’t approve the grant for political reasons, they told The Center Square. Several sheriffs spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation from their county judge or commissioners. If county officials don’t accept the grant, sheriffs and their deputies won’t receive salary increases and aren’t able to hire additional deputies or other staff and jobs remain vacant. In one rural county, the judge and commissioners didn’t want to pay the sheriff a full salary because he came out of retirement to take the job, one sheriff in a rural county said. The reasoning was that he didn’t need it because he was collecting retirement from his previous law enforcement job. In one border county, the county judge wouldn’t release funds for a sheriff’s office that was participating in Operation Lone Star. In another, the commissioners didn’t want the sheriff to make the minimum $75,000 under the law because it was more than they made and rejected the grant money. The sheriffs argue one way for the legislature to improve the program is to allow the sheriffs to apply directly for the grant and receive the funding directly. Criteria for the grant program can be found here . Those serving in jurisdictions with populations of 300,000 or less, whose fiscal years begins Jan. 1, have until Jan. 31, 2025, to apply.

Boys Town Announces Patent Pending on AI Enhanced Training System & Assistive Mixed Reality Technology

Shreveport landmark disappearing: The demolition of Fair Grounds Field is underway{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-11-25T21:35:39+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-11-25T21:35:39+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-11-26T12:28:04+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22110/news/rwanda/officials-root-for-positive-parenting-to-tackle-gbv-in-families", "headline": "Officials root for positive parenting to tackle GBV in families", "description": "Raising children with love, respect, and discipline has been recommended by officials at the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) as a key way to...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22110/news/rwanda/officials-root-for-positive-parenting-to-tackle-gbv-in-families" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/11/26/64873.jpg", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/11/26/64873.jpg" }, "articleBody": "Raising children with love, respect, and discipline has been recommended by officials at the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) as a key way to reduce the risk of violence and discrimination in families and society. During the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) on Monday, November 25, Gilbert Munyemana, NCDA’s Deputy Director General, pointed at the role of positive parenting for GBV-free families, noting that it is essential for nurturing mental health, emotional well-being, and decision-making skills in children. “It lays the foundation for a confident, disciplined, and independent generation. By creating a safe, supportive environment, free from all forms of violence, positive parenting helps children reach their full potential,” he said. Recognising that some parents may, unfortunately, feel inclined to raise their children the way they were raised, he highlighted that parents should make an effort to give their children better treatment so that they have better livelihoods. “Our children have the potential to become even better than we were, provided we offer them opportunities and allow them to grow in safe, supportive, and healthy environments. By doing so, we can break the cycle of violence and create a brighter future for the next generation,” he said. ALSO READ: The pervasive reality of gender- based violence in Rwanda, globally Reverien Interayamahanga, a social researcher, speaking at the same event, said it is crucial to prevent the parents’ separation effect from children, because it can have long-lasting negative effects on the children’s emotional and mental well-being. “Over time, cases of parental separation, whether through court decisions or personal disputes, often result in one parent undermining the other by portraying them in a negative light to the child. This can lead to significant emotional confusion and distress for the child, who may begin to view the other parent in an unfavourable light or even feel abandoned,” he said. “Such circumstances can create deep emotional scars, where children either reject the concept of family altogether or grow up feeling unloved by the parent they are distanced from. The psychological impact can lead to feelings of betrayal, resentment, and insecurity, affecting the child's ability to form healthy relationships in the future,” he added. Regardless of the parents’ relationship status, Interayamahanga said, it is essential to create supportive environments where both parents remain involved in their child's life. “Maintaining a positive co-parenting dynamic, we can help children develop a healthy sense of identity and foster a more inclusive, supportive family structure,” he said. Immacule Uwamariya, the Headmistress of Saint Bernard de Kansi, said children who experience family issues often carry the emotional and psychological burden of those situations into school. “The challenges they face at home, whether it is conflict, neglect, or exposure to violence, can deeply affect their mental state and behaviour. This emotional strain can make it difficult for children to concentrate, engage with their studies, or develop healthy relationships with peers,” she said. “As a result, these children may struggle academically, and their performance may suffer, not because of a lack of potential but because the unresolved issues at home are hindering their ability to thrive in a school environment,” she added. ALSO READ: Addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence in Rwanda The say’s conversations shed light on the four main parenting styles and their effects on children, calling upon parents to use the most effective one. The styles that were highlighted include authoritative parenting which is characterised by high levels of warmth and responsiveness combined with clear, consistent rules and expectations. “This form of parenting enables children with a higher self-esteem and self-discipline, better social skills and emotional regulation, strong academic performance and problem-solving abilities and a sense of security and trust in relationships because children thrive in an environment where they feel heard and supported, yet understanding the boundaries,” said Munyemana. The authoritarian parenting style involves strict rules and high demands, with little warmth or flexibility. Parents expect obedience and may use punishment rather than discussion to enforce rules. “This, on the other hand, lowers self-esteem and increases fear of failure in children, difficulty in social situations and making independent decisions and higher likelihood of anxiety, depression, or rebellion because lack of warmth and overly strict rules can hinder a child’s emotional development and creativity.” Permissive parenting, also highlighted at the event, is a style where parents are warm and nurturing but set few boundaries or rules. They avoid confrontation and may prioritise being their child’s friend over being a disciplinarian. “This may develop strong self-esteem but lack discipline and responsibility, difficulty respecting authority or dealing with frustration and increased risk of behavioural problems and poor academic performance,” said Munyemana. Under the neglectful parenting style, parents are detached and provide little warmth, guidance, or attention. Basic needs may be met, but emotional engagement is lacking. “This causes low self-esteem and difficulty forming healthy relationships, poor academic performance and emotional regulation and increased risk of substance abuse, mental health issues, and delinquency,” he said. “Children in such environments often feel unsupported, leading to insecurity and low self-worth,” he added. The campaign, which will run until December 10, aims to create a safer, more inclusive society through dialogue, community engagements, and policy reviews.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shallon Mwiza" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }