The article reflects on the virtual Yom HaShoah UK Commemoration, which was held during the COVID-19 pandemic and served as a unifying event for the Jewish community to remember the Holocaust. Despite the challenges and 'Zoom fatigue' experienced from a year of virtual events, the CEO of JLGB emphasizes the importance of participating in the upcoming virtual commemoration. The article mentions the loss of over 250 Holocaust survivors and refugees in the UK due to COVID-19 and highlights the significance of hearing first-hand testimonies from survivors like Icek Alterman, Arek Hersh MBE, and Vera Schaufeld MBE. The author encourages participation in the next virtual ceremony, which is designed to be family-friendly and accessible via YouTube and other devices.

The article discusses the current state and future of bionic implants, highlighting that while many body parts can be replaced with mechanical versions, the experience is far from the superhuman abilities depicted in science fiction. Dr. Michael Stevens from UNSW Sydney's Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering explains that although there is no technical limit to the number of bionic parts a person can have, managing them can be burdensome. He also discusses the challenges of replicating certain body parts and the power supply issues for bionic devices. The article touches on the ethical and philosophical questions surrounding bionics, such as the definition of life in the absence of a pulse, and Dr. Stevens' research aims to make artificial hearts respond more like real ones.

The article appears to be a guideline or a set of instructions for financial reporting, specifically for investment holdings and derivatives. It outlines the various data points that need to be reported, such as the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) of the issuer, balance, currency, value in U.S. dollars, payoff profile, asset type, issuer type, country codes, liquidity classification, fair value hierarchy, coupon type, interest arrears, description of reference instruments, conversion ratios, transaction categories, collateral categories, derivative instrument types, terms of payments, depreciation, and details on index or custom basket components. These instructions are likely aimed at ensuring standardized and transparent reporting for funds, which could be part of regulatory compliance or financial disclosure requirements.

Shamik Dhar, Chief Economist at BNY Mellon Investment Management, predicts a global economic slowdown in 2019, particularly in the US and China, affecting world trade growth. He anticipates lower global equity returns but suggests markets will be supported by a slower pace of Fed rate hikes. Dhar outlines several risk scenarios, including faster-than-expected interest rate increases and a divergence of markets from economic fundamentals. Despite these risks, he does not foresee a recession, citing a strong US labor market and controlled inflation. Dhar advises investors to be prudent, consider non-traditional hedges, and re-evaluate US equity allocations. He also sees emerging markets as a potential opportunity, especially if trade tensions ease and the Fed pauses rate hikes, which could lead to outperformance relative to developed markets by mid-2019.

A new poll by Spearvest, conducted by Censuswide, indicates that consumers are anticipating a major financial crisis and housing crash in 2019. The survey, which included 1,000 participants, revealed that 44% expect a financial crisis worse than that of 2008, and 41% foresee a housing crash occurring this year. The poll also highlighted a lingering distrust towards banks, with only 14% of respondents having forgiven banks for the 2008 crash and 55% doubting that banks have their customers' best interests in mind. Additionally, 60% of those surveyed believe banks should increase their charitable contributions. Wael Al-Nahedh, CEO of Spearvest, commented on the need for the financial services industry to regain public trust and emphasized the challenging year ahead for investors.

The article discusses the fifth anniversary of the JLGB's eVOLve youth volunteering and skills initiative, which was celebrated at the Roundhouse in London. The event highlighted the achievements of young volunteers in the Jewish community who have logged over 150,000 hours of service through the eVOLve platform. The initiative aims to empower Jewish youth to engage in meaningful volunteering, enhancing their employability and skills, and to become active citizens. The celebration featured a performance by R&B artist Craig David and was supported by Genesis Philanthropy Group, which, along with other funders, is providing financial backing for the expansion of the eVOLve initiative. The article emphasizes the positive impact of youth volunteering on addressing societal issues and the importance of continued support for such programs.

Brad Lorge, Matthew Moss, and Kenneth Wong, co-founders of the logistics company Premonition, met at UNSW in 2011 and went on to create a startup now valued at $20.5m. Their journey began with a project for Foodbank Australia during their second year, which led to their participation in Microsoft's Imagine Cup, where they placed third in the World Citizenship category. Although Foodbank Australia couldn't support a major rollout, Crossmark took interest in 2016, leading to the incorporation of Premonition. The company experienced rapid growth, servicing clients like CouriersPlease and Aramex Blu, and was acquired by Shippit in early 2022. The founders reflect on their learning experiences and the importance of seizing opportunities and making connections at university. They credit Professor Richard Buckland of UNSW as a significant influence on their entrepreneurial journey.

A judge denied Cher's request to place her son Elijah Blue Allman under a conservatorship, citing insufficient notice and lack of shared confidential information. Cher argued that Elijah's drug addiction and health issues made him incapable of managing his trust fund, fearing he would spend it on drugs. Elijah, who appeared healthy in court, opposed his mother's bid, stating he has been sober for over 90 days and is under professional care. He prefers his wife, Marieangela 'Queeny' King, as his conservator if needed. The court has scheduled a continuation of the petition for January 29.

Neil Martin, commercial director at Qbase, discusses the challenges and opportunities for digital transformation in the financial services industry. He notes that the industry has been slow to move away from legacy systems, but the rise in customer expectations and competition is driving change. Martin highlights the role of Business Intelligence (BI) in leveraging customer data to improve experiences, offering personalized services, and identifying new opportunities. He explains how BI can create a unified customer view, identify gaps in the customer journey, and reduce risk by monitoring unusual behavior. Martin emphasizes that while the shift to effective use of BI may seem daunting, it is achievable with quality data, the right tools, and expertise, ultimately benefiting both customers and internal operations.

Neil Jones from Canada Life discusses the peculiarities in the effective inheritance tax rate for different estate sizes in the UK, as revealed by a report from the Office of Tax Simplification. The tax rate for estates worth up to £1 million rises steeply, plateaus for those between £1 million and £9 million, and then declines for estates over £10 million. Jones explains that ultra-high net worth individuals often use family investment companies and trusts to pass on wealth, which can be more tax-efficient than direct inheritance. He notes the difference in asset composition between high and low-value estates, with larger estates holding less in UK residential property and more in securities and 'other assets'. Jones suggests that similar strategies could benefit smaller estates and emphasizes the importance of planning and consulting a financial adviser. He also outlines methods to reduce an inheritance tax bill, including various types of trusts, agricultural relief, business relief, and life insurance policies.