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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Stops near the entrance to the vestibule and modern lighting: landscaping has been completed near the Solnechnaya MCD-4 station

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In the west of the city, improvement work has been completed on the territory near the Solnechnaya station of the fourth Moscow Central Diameter (MCD-4). It was carried out by specialists urban economy complex And Department of Transport and Development of Road Transport Infrastructure of the City of Moscow.

    “To launch MCD-4, we built 25 Moscow city railway stations practically from scratch. An integrated approach to their creation is not only the construction of infrastructure, but also the formation of a high-quality urban environment around it. We continue to develop MCD on the instructions of Sergei Sobyanin,” said Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry

    Maxim Liksutov.

    The overhead lines were removed into a cable duct about three kilometers long. This improved the appearance of the city and ensured the safe operation of power transmission and communication lines.

    “The main task was to improve the transport and pedestrian accessibility of the station, organize convenient approaches and driveways to it, conditions for a quick and comfortable transfer from ground transport to MCD trains. The boundaries of the work included Poputnaya Street and Proektiruemy proezd No. 5501,” said Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement

    Petr Biryukov.

    According to him, almost five thousand square meters of asphalt were replaced on the sidewalks, about seven thousand square meters of asphalt were laid on the roadway, the markings were updated and road signs were installed.

    Two existing stops have been moved closer to the station to make transfers between different modes of transport faster.

    So, if previously you had to walk almost 100 meters, now there are only a few steps between the stops and the station lobby. This is especially important in snowy or rainy weather. Getting to the stop has become not only faster, but also safer, since you no longer need to cross the road.

    More than 30 new lanterns with energy-efficient lamps appeared. Ground crossings were equipped with contrast lighting supports so that the zebra crossing itself and the pedestrian on it were more visible to drivers at night.

    Improvement work has begun near the Solnechnaya MCD-4 station

    At the intersection of Poputnaya Street and Proektiruemy Proezd No. 5501, a parking and turning area for buses was equipped. Thanks to this, it has become easier and more convenient for city transport drivers to use the infrastructure.

    Landscaping is a mandatory component of all capital improvement projects. About a thousand square meters of lawn were laid on the streets adjacent to the station.

    All work was carried out according to the schemes developed by specialists of the Department of Transport and Development of Road Transport Infrastructure. Thanks to this, a single space was created so that it was convenient to get to the Solnechnaya MCD-4 station by any means: on foot, by ground transport or by private car.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149240073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Innovation Cluster Opens Applications for the Ninth Stream of the Venture Academy

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Moscow Innovation Cluster and the capital Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development announce a new selection of applications for the practice-oriented program “Venture Academy”. Entrepreneurs, beginning investors and top managers who want to improve their competencies in venture investing are invited to participate. You can apply for participation on the platform I. Moskov until February 26.

    The training will last until mid-April and will consist of a series of video lectures to study the theory and offline events to consolidate practical skills.

    First, the participants will study in detail the main types of investment instruments, investment models and current issues of legal regulation of the sphere. Based on the results of studying theoretical materials, they will be allowed to practice. During the classes, experts will help the students develop analytical skills for evaluating projects and create an individual investment strategy.

    The final stage of training will be participation in a syndicated deal: together with other graduates of the Venture Academy, participants in the ninth stream of the program will be able to invest in a project of a resident of the Moscow Innovation Cluster.

    The Moscow Innovation Cluster has been conducting the training program since 2021.

    It combines the methods of the best Russian experts and practitioners of the venture market and is implemented with their participation. Over the past years, more than 700 beginning investors and business angels have graduated from the program, who have invested over half a billion rubles in high-tech startups.

    For example, graduates of the eighth training stream, which ended in December last year, confirmed their readiness to make their first investments in an IT project for marketplace sellers. The platform helps promote products through bloggers. The deal is currently being structured.

    The Venture Academy program helps develop the venture market not only in the capital. In 2024, it began to scale up to the regions. Together with regional partners, the Moscow Innovation Cluster opened the educational programs Venture Academy. Siberia and Venture Academy. Tatarstan. At the beginning of this year, the program was opened in the Urals.

    Moscow continues to share best practices with regions

    The Moscow Innovation Cluster promotes cooperation between large corporations, industry, small and medium-sized businesses, educational and scientific organizations, development institutes and government bodies. The cluster includes more than 40 thousand organizations from Moscow and 86 regions of Russia. Developers and high-tech businesses have access to more than 20 city services. The project is supervised by the capital’s Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149430073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Hen Harrier and More: What Rare Animals Have Been Discovered in the Capital’s Forests

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    More than 370 monitoring studies in 111 natural and green areas of the city were carried out by specialists from the capital Department of Nature Management and Environmental Protection in 2024. They kept records of animals using scientifically proven methods, through observation, identification by voice and traces of their presence.

    “The results of the animal census for 2024 indicate a satisfactory ecological situation in the city. The identification of 157 species listed in the Red Book of Moscow confirms that the capital’s natural areas are an important link in preserving its rich diversity of flora and fauna. This achievement was made possible by constant monitoring of the state of ecosystems and comprehensive measures to protect nature,” said Azamat Kunafin, head of the biodiversity monitoring department of the city Department of Nature Management and Environmental Protection.

    In total, 408 animal species were recorded in 2024, which is 136 more than the year before. The number of identified protected species listed in the Moscow Red Book has increased. Among them are 10 species of mammals, including the European hare, common beaver and pine marten, as well as 74 species of birds. These include, for example, the stock dove, peregrine falcon, little bittern, marsh harrier and black-necked grebe. Rare species of reptiles, amphibians, fish, mollusks and insects were also noted.

    One of the most surprising findings of the 2024 monitoring was the Hen Harrier. This bird of prey belongs to the zero category of rarity. This means that such animals lived in a certain area, but now their presence in the wild is not confirmed. The discovery of the Hen Harrier indicates that the capital’s green areas have preserved conditions suitable for this species. Another significant discovery was the detection of the golden-pitted ground beetle, a rare beetle with a bright metallic color. The discovery of these rare inhabitants, listed in the Red Book of Moscow, indicates favorable changes in the city’s ecosystem.

    In 2024, the long-eared owl, the purple emperor and the camilla ribbon were also spotted. They belong to the second and third categories of rarity, which are assigned to species vulnerable to urban conditions. And for the first time in recent years, the greater spotted eagle, a large bird of prey listed in the Red Book of Russia, was recorded in Moscow’s natural areas.

    Biologists have also recorded the emperor dragonfly, one of the largest dragonflies that prefers clean and calm waters. This species is also listed in the Red Book of Russia and was considered endangered for a long time.

    In addition, specialists have recorded 57 species of butterflies, including rare representatives such as the swallowtail and the mourning cloak. Several species of bumblebees and bees of the Dasypodaidae family have been found on the city’s territory. And a special achievement of last year was the discovery of a rare, graceful day butterfly – the laodike fritillary.

    Every year in Moscow, not only the number of habitual inhabitants of natural areas, such as the European elk, raven, nightingale and jay, is growing, but also the appearance of rare and endangered species is recorded. This indicates an improvement in the environmental situation in the capital. The results of the animal census will form the basis for developing new environmental initiatives and strengthening measures to protect nature.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149487073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Winter in Moscow”: what to buy at the “Chinese New Year” festival venues

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The venues of the Chinese New Year in Moscow festival, which is held as part of the Winter in Moscow project, come alive to the sounds of traditional music, the aromas of oriental treats and the bright colours of festive decorations. The spirit of the Celestial Empire reigns there: the festival gives the opportunity to be transported to the noisy streets of Beijing or a cozy corner of Shanghai. The festive programme takes place on the main squares of the city. Souvenirs and unforgettable impressions await Muscovites and guests of the capital.

    Tea ceremonies and fabulous treats

    On Tverskaya Square you can find rare varieties of tea: pu’er, tieguanyin, longjing. There is a “Tea Workshop” site where guests can learn about the culture of Chinese tea drinking and also buy exquisite tableware for ceremonies.

    Those with a sweet tooth will definitely appreciate Chinese desserts – mochi, mooncakes, “White Rabbit” and dried fruits. The culmination of the tasting will be fortune cookies.

    In souvenir shops you can find terracotta warriors, elegant porcelain vases, fans with double-sided embroidery and even interior items in traditional Chinese style.

    Souvenirs and entertainment for the whole family

    At the festival, guests will be able to try their hand at the Chinese games of xiangqi, mahjong and go. These board games are captivating in their complexity and philosophy. For those who want to touch art, Tverskaya Square offers goods for Chinese painting: ink, rice paper, brushes.

    Guests can expect souvenirs such as feng shui-style jewelry, interior items made of silk, copper and jade, bookmarks, ceramic plates and much more.

    Chinese New Year is not only a holiday, but also a real extravaganza of tastes, colors and emotions. Everyone will be able to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Eastern culture and take a piece of the Celestial Empire with them. More details you can find out by following the link.

    From January 28 to February 9, a large-scale celebration of the New Year according to the Eastern calendar is taking place in Moscow for the second time. It has become a continuation of the events that were organized within the framework of the cross-cultural Years of Russia and China announced by the leaders of the two countries, timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Russian and Chinese artists perform at nine central venues in Moscow, thematic quizzes and prize draws are held, master classes and lectures are organized, and guests can try exquisite dishes of Eastern cuisine. The central streets of the city are decorated in traditional Chinese style. A colorful program has been prepared for the guests of the festival, which will last 13 days.

    Project “Winter in Moscow” — the main event of the season, which until February 28 brings together various events in the capital. Citizens and tourists are invited to remember traditions and history, warm up with tea and hot buns, go ice skating, watch ice shows, give gifts to people who find themselves in a difficult life situation, and show concern for those who need it.

    Muscovites and guests of the capital are offered a huge selection of events in the open air and in cultural and sports institutions. The atmosphere of winter traditions has engulfed the entire city – more than 1.9 thousand sites are open. The largest festivals of the capital are organically woven into the project: “Moscow Estates”, “Moscow Tea Party”, “City of Light” and many others. All information about the project and the events of the winter season can be found in a special section of mos.ru.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149466073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Klaus Agent Becomes the First Blockchain AI Agent to Integrate Custom DeepSeek Model

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Klaus Agent, the AI-powered blockchain assistant, has officially integrated a custom DeepSeek model, making it one of the most intelligent, cost-effective, and autonomous AI agents in the market.

    Built on the Klaus meme, the Klaus AI agent is designed to be an advanced digital assistant, capable of voice-to-voice interactions and executing real-world tasks such as sending emails, purchasing products, trading crypto, and managing schedules.

    With this latest integration, the Klaus development team has downloaded, modified, and optimized the DeepSeek large language model (LLM) to run on their own GPUs, enhancing performance, efficiency, and affordability within its proprietary tech stack.

    A Breakthrough AI Tech Stack

    Unlike most AI agents that rely solely on external LLMs, Klaus Agent operates on a proprietary AI system built for speed, intelligence, and autonomy. The core tech stack includes:

    • Google DialogFlow – Enables ultra-fast response times by interpreting user commands before engaging LLM processing.
    • Klaus Novel Graph – A supervised learning graph that categorizes and routes user queries, reducing reliance on generative AI.
    • Klaus Neural Network – A multi-cluster system that organizes and processes AI-driven tasks, from shopping to crypto trading.
    • Klaus Vectorized Database – A self-learning database that enables continuous improvement, user behavior adaptation, and seamless AI development.
    • Claude Anthropic – Enhances response structuring while providing advanced human-like interaction modeling.

    DeepSeek Integration: A New Era of AI Learning

    DeepSeek’s open-source model has now been fully incorporated into the Klaus Agent’s unsupervised learning framework. Unlike closed-source LLMs such as GPT or Claude, DeepSeek allows fine-tuning using the Klaus vectorized data, enabling the AI to learn and evolve based on real-world interactions.

    “This integration means Klaus Agent is no longer just a passive AI responding to prompts—it’s an adaptive digital entity, capable of learning from its experiences while leveraging DeepSeek’s extensive training data,” said the Klaus Agent’s Lead Developer.

    Klaus Agent’s First Live Deployment

    The first use case of this powerful AI integration is already live at x.com/Klaus_Agent, where Klaus:

    • Finds and verifies the latest news using AI-driven fact-checking.
    • Cross-references multiple sources to eliminate misinformation.
    • Presents unbiased, AI-curated insights in real time.

    Join the AI Revolution

    As one of the first blockchain AI agents with an independently trained DeepSeek model, Klaus is pioneering the future of autonomous digital assistants.

    For more information, visit x.com/Klaus_Agent and experience the next evolution in AI.

    Media details:
    Webmail: Info@klausoneth.com
    Website: https://www.klausoneth.com
    Location: Dubai, UAE
    Person Name: Liam Johnson

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by Klaus on ETH. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the sponsor and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in cloud mining and related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/96dd2bcd-841c-45f5-b2e3-2273b4d62ac0

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: STMicroelectronics Reports Q4 and FY 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PR No: C3309C 

    STMicroelectronics Reports Q4 and FY 2024 Financial Results

    • Q4 net revenues $3.32 billion; gross margin 37.7%; operating margin 11.1%; net income $341 million
    • FY net revenues $13.27 billion; gross margin 39.3%; operating margin 12.6%; net income $1.56 billion
    • Business outlook at mid-point: Q1 net revenues of $2.51 billion and gross margin of 33.8%
    • Start of the company-wide program to resize global cost base*

        
    Geneva, January 30, 2025 – STMicroelectronics N.V. (“ST”) (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, reported U.S. GAAP financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024. This press release also contains non-U.S. GAAP measures (see Appendix for additional information).

    ST reported fourth quarter net revenues of $3.32 billion, gross margin of 37.7%, operating margin of 11.1%, and net income of $341 million or $0.37 diluted earnings per share.

    Jean-Marc Chery, ST President & CEO, commented:

    • “FY24 revenues decreased 23.2% to $13.27 billion. Operating margin was 12.6% compared to 26.7% in FY23 and net income decreased 63.0% to $1.56 billion. We invested $2.53 billion in Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP) while delivering free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP) of $288 million.”
    • “Q4 net revenues were in line with the mid-point of our business outlook range driven by higher revenues in Personal Electronics offset by lower revenues in Industrial, while Automotive and CECP were as expected. Q4 gross margin of 37.7% was broadly in line with the mid-point of our business outlook range.”
    • “Our book-to-bill ratio remained below 1 in Q4 as we continued to face a delayed recovery and inventory correction in Industrial and a slowdown in Automotive, both particularly in Europe.”
    • “Our first quarter business outlook, at the mid-point, is for net revenues of $2.51 billion, decreasing year-over-year by 27.6% and decreasing sequentially by 24.4%; gross margin is expected to be about 33.8%, impacted by about 500 basis points of unused capacity charges.”
    • “For 2025, we plan to invest between $2.0 to $2.3 billion in Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP).”

    Quarterly Financial Summary (U.S. GAAP)

    (US$ m, except per share data) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023 Q/Q Y/Y
    Net Revenues $3,321 $3,251 $4,282 2.2% -22.4%
    Gross Profit $1,253 $1,228 $1,949 2.1% -35.7%
    Gross Margin 37.7% 37.8% 45.5% -10 bps -780 bps
    Operating Income $369 $381 $1,023 -3.3% -64.0%
    Operating Margin 11.1% 11.7% 23.9% -60 bps -1,280 bps
    Net Income $341 $351 $1,076 -2.6% -68.3%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share $0.37 $0.37 $1.14 0% -67.5%

    * For each of the concerned countries, the start of the program will take place in accordance with applicable regulations. 

    Annual Financial Summary (U.S. GAAP)

    (US$ m, except earnings per share data) FY2024 FY2023 Y/Y
    Net Revenues $13,269 $17,286 -23.2%
    Gross Profit $5,220 $8,287 -37.0%
    Gross Margin 39.3% 47.9% -860 bps
    Operating Income $1,676 $4,611 -63.7%
    Operating Margin 12.6% 26.7% -1,410 bps
    Net Income $1,557 $4,211 -63.0%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share $1.66 $4.46 -62.8%

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Summary Review

    Reminder: On January 10, 2024, ST announced a new organization which implied a change in segment reporting starting Q1 2024. Prior year comparative periods have been adjusted accordingly. See Appendix for more detail.

    Net Revenues by Reportable Segment (US$ m) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023 Q/Q Y/Y
    Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment 1,198 1,185 1,418 1.1% -15.5%
    Power and discrete products (P&D) segment 752 807 965 -6.8% -22.1%
    Subtotal: Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group 1,950 1,992 2,383 -2.1% -18.2%
    Microcontrollers (MCU) segment 887 829 1,272 7.0% -30.2%
    Digital ICs and RF Products (D&RF) segment 481 426 623 13.0% -22.8%
    Subtotal: Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group 1,368 1,255 1,895 9.0% -27.8%
    Others 3 4 4 – –
    Total Net Revenues $3,321 $3,251 $4,282 2.2% -22.4%

    Net revenues totaled $3.32 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 22.4%. Year-over-year net sales to OEMs and Distribution decreased 19.8% and 28.7%, respectively. On a sequential basis, net revenues increased 2.2%, in line with the mid-point of ST’s guidance.

    Gross profit totaled $1.25 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 35.7%. Gross margin of 37.7%, 30 basis points below the mid-point of ST’s guidance, decreased 780 basis points year-over-year, mainly due to product mix and, to a lesser extent, to sales price and higher unused capacity charges.

    Operating income decreased 64.0% to $369 million, compared to $1.02 billion in the year-ago quarter. ST’s operating margin decreased 1,280 basis points on a year-over-year basis to 11.1% of net revenues, compared to 23.9% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    By reportable segment1, compared with the year-ago quarter:

    In Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group:

    Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 15.5% mainly due to decreases in Analog and in Imaging.   
    • Operating profit decreased by 41.2% to $176 million. Operating margin was 14.7% compared to 21.1%.

    Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 22.1%.
    • Operating profit decreased by 63.7% to $89 million. Operating margin was 11.9% compared to 25.4%.

    In Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group:

    Microcontrollers (MCU) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 30.2% mainly due to a decrease in GP MCU.
    • Operating profit decreased by 66.4% to $127 million. Operating margin was 14.3% compared to 29.8%.

    Digital ICs and RF products (D&RF) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 22.8% mainly due to a decrease in ADAS (automotive ADAS and infotainment).
    • Operating profit decreased by 33.2% to $149 million. Operating margin was 31.0% compared to 35.7%.

    Net income and diluted Earnings Per Share decreased to $341 million and $0.37 respectively compared to $1.08 billion and $1.14 respectively in the year-ago quarter. As a reminder, the fourth quarter 2023 net income included a one-time non-cash income tax benefit of $191 million.

    Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Highlights

            Trailing 12 Months
    (US$ m) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023 Q4 2024 Q4 2023 TTM Change
    Net cash from operating activities 681 723 1,480 2,965 5,992 -50.5%
    Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP)2 128 136 652 288 1,774 -83.8%

    Net cash from operating activities was $681 million in the fourth quarter compared to $1.48 billion in the year-ago quarter. For the full-year 2024, net cash from operating activities decreased 50.5% to $2.97 billion, which represents 22.3% of total revenues.

    Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP), were $470 million in the fourth quarter and $2.53 billion for the full year 2024. In the respective year-ago periods, net capital expenditures were $798 million and $4.11 billion.

    Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP) was $128 million and $288 million in the fourth quarter and full year 2024, respectively, compared to $652 million and $1.77 billion in the year-ago respective periods.

    Inventory at the end of the fourth quarter was $2.79 billion, compared to $2.88 billion in the previous quarter and $2.70 billion in the year-ago quarter. Days sales of inventory at quarter-end was 122 days, compared to 130 days in the previous quarter, and 104 days in the year-ago quarter.

    In the fourth quarter, ST paid cash dividends to its stockholders totaling $88 million and executed a $92 million share buy-back, as part of its current share repurchase program.

    ST’s net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP) was $3.23 billion as of December 31, 2024, compared to $3.18 billion as of September 28, 2024 and reflected total liquidity of $6.18 billion and total financial debt of $2.95 billion. Adjusted net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP), taking into consideration the effect on total liquidity of advances from capital grants for which capital expenditures have not been incurred yet, stood at $2.85 billion as of December 31, 2024.

    Corporate developments

    In Q4, we announced the launch of a new company-wide program to reshape our manufacturing footprint accelerating our wafer fab capacity to 300mm Silicon (Agrate and Crolles) and 200mm Silicon Carbide (Catania) and resizing our global cost base.

    This program should result in strengthening our capability to grow our revenues with an improved operating efficiency resulting in annual cost savings in the high triple-digit million-dollar range exiting 2027. Specifically in terms of operating expenses (SG&A and R&D), ST expects annual cost savings totaling $300 to 360 million, exiting 2027, compared to the cost base of 2024.

    Business Outlook

    ST’s guidance, at the mid-point, for the 2025 first quarter is:

    • Net revenues are expected to be $2.51 billion, a decrease of 24.4% sequentially, plus or minus 350 basis points.
    • Gross margin of 33.8%, plus or minus 200 basis points.
    • This outlook is based on an assumed effective currency exchange rate of approximately $1.06 = €1.00 for the 2025 first quarter and includes the impact of existing hedging contracts.
    • The first quarter will close on March 29, 2025.

    Conference Call and Webcast Information

    ST will conduct a conference call with analysts, investors and reporters to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results and current business outlook today at 9:30 a.m. Central European Time (CET) / 3:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (ET). A live webcast (listen-only mode) of the conference call will be accessible at ST’s website, https://investors.st.com, and will be available for replay until February 14, 2025.

    Use of Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information

    This press release contains supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information.

    Readers are cautioned that these measures are unaudited and not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for U.S. GAAP financial measures. In addition, such non-U.S. GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled information from other companies. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information should not be read in isolation, but only in conjunction with ST’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    See the Appendix of this press release for a reconciliation of ST’s non-U.S. GAAP financial measures to their corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measures.

    Forward-looking Information

    Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended) that are based on management’s current views and assumptions, and are conditioned upon and also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated by such statements due to, among other factors:

    • changes in global trade policies, including the adoption and expansion of tariffs and trade barriers, that could affect the macro-economic environment and adversely impact the demand for our products;
    • uncertain macro-economic and industry trends (such as inflation and fluctuations in supply chains), which may impact production capacity and end-market demand for our products;
    • customer demand that differs from projections which may require us to undertake transformation measures that may not be successful in realizing the expected benefits in full or at all;
    • the ability to design, manufacture and sell innovative products in a rapidly changing technological environment;
    • changes in economic, social, public health, labor, political, or infrastructure conditions in the locations where we, our customers, or our suppliers operate, including as a result of macroeconomic or regional events, geopolitical and military conflicts, social unrest, labor actions, or terrorist activities;
    • unanticipated events or circumstances, which may impact our ability to execute our plans and/or meet the objectives of our R&D and manufacturing programs, which benefit from public funding;
    • financial difficulties with any of our major distributors or significant curtailment of purchases by key customers;
    • the loading, product mix, and manufacturing performance of our production facilities and/or our required volume to fulfill capacity reserved with suppliers or third-party manufacturing providers;
    • availability and costs of equipment, raw materials, utilities, third-party manufacturing services and technology, or other supplies required by our operations (including increasing costs resulting from inflation);
    • the functionalities and performance of our IT systems, which are subject to cybersecurity threats and which support our critical operational activities including manufacturing, finance and sales, and any breaches of our IT systems or those of our customers, suppliers, partners and providers of third-party licensed technology;
    • theft, loss, or misuse of personal data about our employees, customers, or other third parties, and breaches of data privacy legislation;
    • the impact of intellectual property (“IP”) claims by our competitors or other third parties, and our ability to obtain required licenses on reasonable terms and conditions;
    • changes in our overall tax position as a result of changes in tax rules, new or revised legislation, the outcome of tax audits or changes in international tax treaties which may impact our results of operations as well as our ability to accurately estimate tax credits, benefits, deductions and provisions and to realize deferred tax assets;
    • variations in the foreign exchange markets and, more particularly, the U.S. dollar exchange rate as compared to the Euro and the other major currencies we use for our operations;
    • the outcome of ongoing litigation as well as the impact of any new litigation to which we may become a defendant;
    • product liability or warranty claims, claims based on epidemic or delivery failure, or other claims relating to our products, or recalls by our customers for products containing our parts;
    • natural events such as severe weather, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions or other acts of nature, the effects of climate change, health risks and epidemics or pandemics in locations where we, our customers or our suppliers operate;
    • increased regulation and initiatives in our industry, including those concerning climate change and sustainability matters and our goal to become carbon neutral by 2027 on scope 1 and 2 and partially scope 3;
    • epidemics or pandemics, which may negatively impact the global economy in a significant manner for an extended period of time, and could also materially adversely affect our business and operating results;
    • industry changes resulting from vertical and horizontal consolidation among our suppliers, competitors, and customers; and
    • the ability to successfully ramp up new programs that could be impacted by factors beyond our control, including the availability of critical third-party components and performance of subcontractors in line with our expectations.

    Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results and performance of our business to differ materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements. Certain forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believes”, “expects”, “may”, “are expected to”, “should”, “would be”, “seeks” or “anticipates” or similar expressions or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions.

    Some of these risk factors are set forth and are discussed in more detail in “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 22, 2024. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as anticipated, believed or expected. We do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

    Unfavorable changes in the above or other factors listed under “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, could have a material adverse effect on our business and/or financial condition.

    About STMicroelectronics

    At ST, we are over 50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are committed to achieving our goal to become carbon neutral on scope 1 and 2 and partially scope 3 by 2027. Further information can be found at www.st.com.

    For further information, please contact:

    INVESTOR RELATIONS:
    Jérôme Ramel
    EVP Corporate Development & Integrated External Communication
    Tel: +41 22 929 59 20
    jerome.ramel@st.com

    MEDIA RELATIONS:
    Alexis Breton
    Corporate External Communications
    Tel: + 33 6 59 16 79 08
    alexis.breton@st.com

    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME      
    (in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share data ($))      
           
      Three months ended  
      December 31, December 31,  
      2024 2023  
      (Unaudited) (Unaudited)  
           
    Net sales 3,301 4,262  
    Other revenues 20 20  
    NET REVENUES 3,321 4,282  
    Cost of sales (2,068) (2,333)  
    GROSS PROFIT 1,253 1,949  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (420) (416)  
    Research and development expenses (523) (521)  
    Other income and expenses, net 59 11  
    Total operating expenses (884) (926)  
    OPERATING INCOME 369 1,023  
    Interest income, net 52 57  
    Other components of pension benefit costs (3) (5)  
    INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND NONCONTROLLING INTEREST 418 1,075  
    Income tax (expense) benefit (82) 6  
    NET INCOME 336 1,081  
    Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest 5 (5)  
    NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 341 1,076  
           
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (BASIC) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 0.38 1.19  
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (DILUTED) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 0.37 1.14  
           
    NUMBER OF WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES USED IN CALCULATING DILUTED EPS 935.7 942.9  
           
    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME      
    (in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share data ($))      
           
      Twelve months ended
      December 31, December 31,  
      2024 2023  
      (Unaudited) (Audited)  
           
    Net sales 13,217 17,239  
    Other revenues 52 47  
    NET REVENUES 13,269 17,286  
    Cost of sales (8,049) (8,999)  
    GROSS PROFIT 5,220 8,287  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (1,649) (1,631)  
    Research and development expenses (2,077) (2,100)  
    Other income and expenses, net 182 55  
    Total operating expenses (3,544) (3,676)  
    OPERATING INCOME 1,676 4,611  
    Interest income, net 218 171  
    Other components of pension benefit costs (15) (19)  
    Loss on financial instruments, net (1) –  
    INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND NONCONTROLLING INTEREST 1,878 4,763  
    Income tax expense (313) (541)  
    NET INCOME 1,565 4,222  
    Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest (8) (11)  
    NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 1,557 4,211  
           
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (BASIC) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 1.73 4.66  
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (DILUTED) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 1.66 4.46  
           
    NUMBER OF WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES USED IN CALCULATING DILUTED EPS 939.3 944.2  
           
           
    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS      
    As at December 31, September 28, December 31,
    In millions of U.S. dollars 2024 2024 2023
      (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited)
    ASSETS      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents 2,282 3,077 3,222
    Short-term deposits 1,450 977 1,226
    Marketable securities 2,452 2,242 1,635
    Trade accounts receivable, net 1,749 1,730 1,731
    Inventories 2,794 2,875 2,698
    Other current assets 1,007 1,062 1,295
    Total current assets 11,734 11,963 11,807
    Goodwill 290 303 303
    Other intangible assets, net 346 354 367
    Property, plant and equipment, net 10,877 11,258 10,554
    Non-current deferred tax assets 464 547 592
    Long-term investments 71 20 22
    Other non-current assets 961 1,071 808
      13,009 13,553 12,646
    Total assets 24,743 25,516 24,453
           
    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY      
    Current liabilities:      
    Short-term debt 990 1,003 217
    Trade accounts payable 1,323 1,585 1,856
    Other payables and accrued liabilities 1,306 1,327 1,525
    Dividends payable to stockholders 88 177 54
    Accrued income tax 66 116 78
    Total current liabilities 3,773 4,208 3,730
    Long-term debt 1,963 2,112 2,710
    Post-employment benefit obligations 377 397 372
    Long-term deferred tax liabilities 47 60 54
    Other long-term liabilities 904 935 735
      3,291 3,504 3,871
    Total liabilities 7,064 7,712 7,601
    Commitment and contingencies      
    Equity      
    Parent company stockholders’ equity      
    Common stock (preferred stock: 540,000,000 shares authorized, not issued; common stock: Euro 1.04 par value, 1,200,000,000 shares authorized, 911,281,920 shares issued, 898,175,408 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2024) 1,157 1,157 1,157
    Additional Paid-in Capital 3,088 3,032 2,866
    Retained earnings 13,459 13,118 12,470
    Accumulated other comprehensive income 236 657 613
    Treasury stock (491) (400) (377)
    Total parent company stockholders’ equity 17,449 17,564 16,729
    Noncontrolling interest 230 240 123
    Total equity 17,679 17,804 16,852
    Total liabilities and equity 24,743 25,516 24,453
           
           
           
    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
           
    SELECTED CASH FLOW DATA      
           
    Cash Flow Data (in US$ millions) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023
           
    Net Cash from operating activities 681 723 1,480
    Net Cash used in investing activities (1,259) (601) (1,610)
    Net Cash from (used in) financing activities (209) (142) 336
    Net Cash increase (decrease) (795) (15) 211
           
    Selected Cash Flow Data (in US$ millions) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023
           
    Depreciation & amortization 451 440 414
    Net payment for Capital expenditures (501) (601) (798)
    Dividends paid to stockholders (88) (80) (60)
    Change in inventories, net (2) (17) 219
           

    Appendix
    ST
    New organization

    On January 10, 2024, ST announced a new organization to deliver enhanced product development innovation and efficiency, time-to-market as well as customer focus by end market. This new organization implies a change in segment reporting which is applied from January 1, 2024.

    ST moved from three reportable segments (ADG, AMS and MDG) to four reportable segments as follows:

    • In Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group:
      • Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment, comprised of ST analog products, MEMS sensors and actuators, and optical sensing solutions.
      • Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment comprised of discrete and power transistor products.

    In this Press Release, “Analog” refers to ST analog products, “MEMS” to MEMS sensors and actuators and “Imaging” to optical sensing solutions.

    • In Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group:
      • Microcontrollers (MCU) segment, comprised of general-purpose and automotive microcontrollers, microprocessors and connected security products (including EEPROM).
      • Digital ICs and RF Products (D&RF) segment, comprised of automotive ADAS, infotainment, RF and communications products.

    In this Press release, “Auto MCU” refers to Automotive microcontrollers and microprocessors, “GP MCU” to general purpose microcontrollers and microprocessors, “Connected Security” to connected security products (including EEPROM), “ADAS” to automotive ADAS and infotainment, “RF Communications” to RF and communications products.

    Prior year quarters comparative information has been adjusted accordingly. 

    (Appendix – continued)
    ST – Supplemental Financial Information

      Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 FY
    2024    		 FY
    2023
    Net Revenues By Market Channel (%)              
    Total OEM 73% 76% 73% 70% 70% 73% 66%
    Distribution 27% 24% 27% 30% 30% 27% 34%
                   
    €/$ Effective Rate 1.09 1.08 1.08 1.09 1.08 1.08 1.08
                   
    Reportable Segment Data (US$ m)              
    Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment              
    – Net Revenues 1,198 1,185 1,165 1,217 1,418 4,764 5,478
    – Operating Income 176 175 144 185 300 680 1,191
    Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment              
    – Net Revenues 752 807 747 820 965 3,126 3,852
    – Operating Income 89 121 110 138 245 458 1,006
    Subtotal: Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group              
    – Net Revenues 1,950 1,992 1,912 2,037 2,383 7,890 9,330
    – Operating Income 265 296 254 323 545 1,138 2,197
    Microcontrollers (MCU) segment              
    – Net Revenues 887 829 800 950 1,272 3,466 5,668
    – Operating Income 127 116 72 185 378 499 2,018
    Digital ICs and RF Products (D&RF) segment              
    – Net Revenues 481 426 516 475 623 1,898 2,272
    – Operating Income 149 114 150 150 223 564 810
    Subtotal: Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group              
    – Net Revenues 1,368 1,255 1,316 1,425 1,895 5,364 7,940
    – Operating Income 276 230 222 335 601 1,063 2,828
    Others (a)              
    – Net Revenues 3 4 4 3 4 15 16
    – Operating Income (Loss) (172) (145) (101) (107) (123) (525) (414)
    Total              
    – Net Revenues 3,321 3,251 3,232 3,465 4,282 13,269 17,286
    – Operating Income 369 381 375 551 1,023 1,676 4,611

    (a)   Net revenues of Others include revenues from sales assembly services and other revenues. Operating income (loss) of Others include items such as unused capacity charges, including incidents leading to power outage, impairment and restructuring charges, management reorganization costs, start-up and phase out costs, and other unallocated income (expenses) such as: strategic or special research and development programs, certain corporate-level operating expenses, patent claims and litigations, and other costs that are not allocated to reportable segments, as well as operating earnings of other products. Others includes:

    (US$ m) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 FY 2024 FY 2023
    Unused capacity charges 118 104 84 63 57 370 120

    (Appendix – continued)
    ST
    Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information
    U.S. GAAP – Non-U.S. GAAP Reconciliation

    The supplemental non-U.S. GAAP information presented in this press release is unaudited and subject to inherent limitations. Such non-U.S. GAAP information is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered as a substitute for U.S. GAAP measurements. Also, our supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled non-U.S. GAAP measures used by other companies. Further, specific limitations for individual non-U.S. GAAP measures, and the reasons for presenting non-U.S. GAAP financial information, are set forth in the paragraphs below. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information should not be read in isolation, but only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    ST believes that these non-U.S. GAAP financial measures provide useful information for investors and management because they offer, when read in conjunction with ST’s U.S. GAAP financials, (i) the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of ST’s on-going operating results, (ii) the ability to better identify trends in ST’s business and perform related trend analysis, and (iii) to facilitate a comparison of ST’s results of operations against investor and analyst financial models and valuations, which may exclude these items.

    Net Financial Position and Adjusted Net Financial Position (non-U.S. GAAP measures)

    Net Financial Position, a non-U.S. GAAP measure, represents the difference between our total liquidity and our total financial debt. Our total liquidity includes cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, if any, short-term deposits, and marketable securities, and our total financial debt includes short-term debt and long-term debt, as reported in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Starting Q4 2023, ST also presents adjusted net financial position as a non-U.S. GAAP measure, to take into consideration the effect on total liquidity of advances received on capital grants for which capital expenditures have not been incurred yet. Reporting periods prior to Q4 2023 are not impacted.

    ST believes its Net Financial Position and Adjusted Net Financial Position provide useful information for investors and management because they give evidence of our global position either in terms of net indebtedness or net cash by measuring our capital resources based on cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, if any, short-term deposits and marketable securities and the total level of our financial debt. Our definitions of Net Financial Position and Adjusted Net Financial Position may differ from definitions used by other companies, and therefore, comparability may be limited.

    (US$ m) Dec 31
    2024    		 Sep 28
    2024    		 June 29
    2024    		 Mar 30
    2024    		 Dec 31 2023
    Cash and cash equivalents 2,282 3,077 3,092 3,133 3,222
    Short term deposits 1,450 977 975 1,226 1,226
    Marketable securities 2,452 2,242 2,218 1,880 1,635
    Total liquidity 6,184 6,296 6,285 6,239 6,083
    Short-term debt (990) (1,003) (236) (238) (217)
    Long-term debt (a) (1,963) (2,112) (2,850) (2,875) (2,710)
    Total financial debt (2,953) (3,115) (3,086) (3,113) (2,927)
    Net Financial Position 3,231 3,181 3,199 3,126 3,156
    Advances received on capital grants (385) (366) (402) (351) (152)
    Adjusted Net Financial Position 2,846 2,815 2,797 2,775 3,004

    (a)  Long-term debt contains standard conditions but does not impose minimum financial ratios. Committed credit facilities for $634 million equivalent, are currently undrawn.

    (Appendix – continued)

    Net Capex and Free Cash Flow (non-U.S. GAAP measures)

    ST presents Net Capex as a non-U.S. GAAP measure, which is reported as part of our Free Cash Flow (non-U.S. GAAP measure), to take into consideration the effect of advances from capital grants received on prior periods allocated to property, plant and equipment in the reporting period.

    Net Capex, a non-U.S. GAAP measure, is defined as (i) Payment for purchase of tangible assets, as reported plus (ii) Proceeds from sale of tangible assets, as reported plus (iii) Proceeds from capital grants and other contributions, as reported plus (iv) Advances from capital grants allocated to property, plant and equipment in the reporting period.

    ST believes Net Capex provides useful information for investors and management because annual capital expenditures budget includes the effect of capital grants. Our definition of Net Capex may differ from definitions used by other companies.

    (US$ m) Q4
    2024    		 Q3
    2024    		 Q2
    2024    		 Q1
    2024    		 Q4
    2023    		 FY 2024 FY 2023
    Payment for purchase of tangible assets, as reported (584) (669) (690) (1,145) (1,076) (3,088) (4,439)
    Proceeds from sale of tangible assets, as reported – 2 1 2 – 5 8
    Proceeds from capital grants and other contributions, as reported 83 66 143 149 278 441 320
    Advances from capital grants allocated to property, plant and equipment 31 36 18 27 – 111 –
    Net Capex (470) (565) (528) (967) (798) (2,531) (4,111)

    Free Cash Flow, which is a non-U.S. GAAP measure, is defined as (i) net cash from operating activities plus (ii) Net Capex plus (iii) payment for purchase (and proceeds from sale) of intangible and financial assets and (iv) net cash paid for business acquisitions, if any.

    ST believes Free Cash Flow provides useful information for investors and management because it measures our capacity to generate cash from our operating and investing activities to sustain our operations.

    Free Cash Flow reconciles with the total cash flow and the net cash increase (decrease) by including the payment for purchases of (and proceeds from matured) marketable securities and net investment in (and proceeds from) short-term deposits, the net cash from (used in) financing activities and the effect of changes in exchange rates, and by excluding the advances from capital grants received on prior periods allocated to property, plant and equipment in the reporting period. Our definition of Free Cash Flow may differ from definitions used by other companies.

    (US$ m) Q4
    2024    		 Q3
    2024    		 Q2
    2024    		 Q1
    2024    		 Q4
    2023    		 FY 2024 FY 2023
    Net cash from operating activities 681 723 702 859 1,480 2,965 5,992
    Net Capex (470) (565) (528) (967) (798) (2,531) (4,111)
    Payment for purchase of intangible assets, net of proceeds from sale (32) (20) (15) (26) (28) (93) (97)
    Payment for purchase of financial assets, net of proceeds from sale (51) (2) – – (2) (53) (10)
    Free Cash Flow 128 136 159 (134) 652 288 1,774

    1See Appendix for the definition of reportable segments.

    2Non-U.S. GAAP. See Appendix for reconciliation to U.S. GAAP and information explaining why ST believes these measures are important.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation
    Financial Statement Release
    30 January 2025 at 08:00 EET

    Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024

    Strong Q4 growth and profitability as market trends improve

    • Q4 net sales increased 9% y-o-y in constant currency (10% reported). Network Infrastructure net sales grew strongly with all units contributing, Nokia Technologies grew significantly and Cloud and Network Services also grew in Q4.
    • Comparable gross margin in Q4 increased by 250bps y-o-y to 47.2% (reported increased 280bps to 46.1%), with a strong contribution from Nokia Technologies along with smaller contributions from other businesses.
    • Q4 comparable operating margin increased 380bps y-o-y to 19.1% (reported up 540bps to 15.3%), mainly due to higher gross margin, continued cost control and higher contribution from Nokia Technologies.
    • Q4 comparable diluted EPS for the period of EUR 0.18; reported diluted EPS for the period of EUR 0.15.
    • Q4 free cash flow of EUR 0.05 billion, net cash balance of EUR 4.9 billion.
    • Full year 2024 net sales declined 9% in both reported and constant currency, of which 7 percentage points was related to India. Comparable operating profit was EUR 2.6 billion (reported EUR 2.0 billion).
    • Full year comparable diluted EPS of EUR 0.39; reported diluted EPS of 0.23.
    • Board proposes dividend authorization of EUR 0.14 per share.
    • Nokia issues full year 2025 outlook on an organic basis. Nokia expects comparable operating profit of between EUR 1.9 billion and 2.4 billion and free cash flow conversion from comparable operating profit of between 50% and 80%.

    This is a summary of the Nokia Corporation Financial report for Q4 and full year 2024 published today. Nokia only publishes a summary of its financial reports in stock exchange releases. The summary focuses on Nokia Group’s financial information as well as on Nokia’s outlook. The detailed, segment-level discussion will be available in the complete financial report hosted at www.nokia.com/financials. A video interview summarizing the key points of our Q4 results will also be published on the website. Investors should not solely rely on summaries of Nokia’s financial reports and should also review the complete reports with tables.

    PEKKA LUNDMARK, PRESIDENT AND CEO, ON Q4 AND FULL YEAR 2024 RESULTS

    In the following quote, net sales growth rates are on a constant currency basis
    We saw a strong finish to 2024 with 9% net sales growth year-on-year in Q4. I am optimistic that the improving market trends we are now seeing will persist into 2025. Alongside the net sales growth, we saw excellent profitability in Q4 with a comparable operating margin of 19.1%. This meant our full year comparable operating profit was EUR 2.6 billion, at the mid-point of our guidance of EUR 2.3 to 2.9 billion.

    All business groups delivered a strong operational performance in the quarter. Net sales growth in Network Infrastructure accelerated to 17%, with IP Networks growing 24%, Fixed Networks 16% and Optical Networks 7%. This reflected a strong recovery in demand from communication service providers, notably in North America.

    Mobile Networks net sales stabilized with continued resilience in gross margin. We also secured many important deals, winning 18 000 additional base station sites, since the start of 2024 on a net basis. This was achieved while maintaining our commercial and pricing discipline to protect our gross margins.

    Cloud and Network Services returned to 7% net sales growth in the quarter, despite a headwind of 4 percentage points from a prior business disposal, and its operating margin improved over the full year. Both Core Networks and Enterprise Campus Edge grew strongly. The fourth quarter saw the acquisition of Rapid’s technology assets. This will bolster our R&D capacity in Network as Code and increase our developer access. Taken together with our autonomous networks application suite, we are accelerating our efforts to help operators fully automate and monetize their networks.

    Nokia Technologies had an extremely active quarter. We signed a deal with Transsion, a previously unlicensed mobile devices vendor, along with multimedia deals with HP and Samsung, as well as many other smaller deals. Our annual net sales run-rate increased to approximately between EUR 1.3 and 1.4 billion in Q4, progressing towards our mid-term EUR 1.4 to 1.5 billion target.

    We delivered a strong cash performance throughout 2024, ending with full year free cash flow of EUR 2.0 billion. This means we continue to have a strong balance sheet supporting our business with net cash of EUR 4.9 billion at the end of the year, even after returning EUR 1.4 billion to shareholders through dividend and share buybacks. The Board is proposing an increase in the dividend to EUR 0.14 per share in respect of the financial year 2024. We also continue to execute against our outstanding share buyback program to offset any dilution from the equity component of our pending Infinera acquisition. Going forward, our target remains to maintain a net cash position of between 10-15% of annual net sales.

    Q4 also saw further progress in efforts to expand our presence in the data center market. We signed important deals with Microsoft and Nscale for our data center switching products, along with announcing partnerships with both Kyndryl and Lenovo. We are now stepping up our investments to broaden our addressable market in data center IP networking. We will invest up to an additional EUR 100 million in annual operating expenses with a view to driving incremental net sales of EUR 1 billion by 2028. In the short-term this will moderate the pace of operating margin expansion in Network Infrastructure, but we anticipate a strong return on investment considering the momentum we already have today in the market.

    Looking further ahead into 2025, we expect the improved trends we have seen in Network Infrastructure in the second half of this year, to sustain and drive strong growth. Cloud and Network Services is also expected to grow with strong 5G Core momentum and growth in our Enterprise Campus Edge business. End markets in Mobile Networks are improving and we currently assume largely stable net sales. Nokia Technologies is expected to deliver approximately EUR 1.1 billion of operating profit.

    At the Nokia level, we currently estimate we will deliver comparable operating profit of between EUR 1.9 and 2.4 billion in 2025. We also target free cash flow conversion from comparable operating profit of between 50% and 80%. Excluding the one-time items that benefited 2024 by over EUR 700 million which were mostly in the first half of the year, this guidance would imply a strong improvement in our comparable operating profit in 2025 despite select increased investments.

    Given the market volatility in 2024, our results demonstrate the responsiveness and capacity of the Nokia team to execute in all market conditions. I thank the whole Nokia team for their commitment, hard work and drive which made these results possible.

    FINANCIAL RESULTS

    EUR million (except for EPS in EUR) Q4’24 Q4’23 YoY change Constant currency YoY change Q1-Q4’24 Q1-Q4’23 YoY change Constant currency YoY change
    Reported results                
    Net sales 5 983 5 416 10% 9% 19 220 21 138 (9)% (9)%
    Gross margin % 46.1% 43.3% 280bps   46.1% 40.4% 570bps  
    Research and development expenses (1 136) (1 080) 5%   (4 512) (4 277) 5%  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (789) (774) 2%   (2 890) (2 878) 0%  
    Operating profit 917 534 72%   1 999 1 661 20%  
    Operating margin % 15.3% 9.9% 540bps   10.4% 7.9% 250bps  
    Profit/(loss) from continuing operations 746 (51)     1 711 649 164%  
    Profit/(loss) from discontinued operations 67 18 272%   (427) 30    
    Profit/(loss) for the period 813 (33)     1 284 679 89%  
    EPS for the period, diluted 0.15 (0.01)     0.23 0.12 92%  
    Net cash and interest-bearing financial investments 4 854 4 323 12%   4 854 4 323 12%  
    Comparable results                
    Net sales 5 983 5 416 10% 9% 19 220 21 138 (9)% (9)%
    Gross margin % 47.2% 44.7% 250bps   47.1% 41.1% 600bps  
    Research and development expenses (1 129) (1 023) 10%   (4 298) (4 143) 4%  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (638) (615) 4%   (2 423) (2 448) (1)%  
    Operating profit 1 142 830 38%   2 619 2 337 12%  
    Operating margin % 19.1% 15.3% 380bps   13.6% 11.1% 250bps  
    Profit for the period 977 555 76%   2 175 1 590 37%  
    EPS for the period, diluted 0.18 0.10 80%   0.39 0.28 39%  
    ROIC(1) 13.0% 9.9% 310bps   13.0% 9.9% 310bps  

    1 Comparable ROIC = Comparable operating profit after tax, last four quarters / invested capital, average of last five quarters’ ending balances. Refer to the Alternative performance measures section in Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024 for details.

    Business group results Network
    Infrastructure    		 Mobile
    Networks    		 Cloud and Network Services Nokia
    Technologies    		 Group Common and Other
    EUR million Q4’24 Q4’23 Q4’24 Q4’23 Q4’24 Q4’23 Q4’24 Q4’23 Q4’24 Q4’23
    Net sales 2 031 1 712 2 431 2 450 1 054 977 463 251 6 25
    YoY change 19%   (1)%   8%   84%   (76)%  
    Constant currency YoY change 17%   (2)%   7%   85%   (76)%  
    Gross margin % 45.4% 44.7% 38.1% 38.3% 48.1% 47.6% 99.8% 100.0%    
    Operating profit/(loss) 398 264 187 281 236 223 356 169 (35) (106)
    Operating margin % 19.6% 15.4% 7.7% 11.5% 22.4% 22.8% 76.9% 67.3%    

    SHAREHOLDER DISTRIBUTION

    Dividend

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting 2025 authorizes the Board to resolve on the distribution of an aggregate maximum of EUR 0.14 per share to be paid in respect of the financial year 2024. The authorization would be used to distribute dividend and/or assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity in four installments during the authorization period, in connection with the quarterly results, unless the Board decides otherwise for a justified reason.

    Under the current authorization by the Annual General Meeting held on 3 April 2024, the Board of Directors may resolve on the distribution of an aggregate maximum of EUR 0.13 per share to be paid in respect of financial year 2023. The authorization will be used to distribute dividend and/or assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity in four installments during the authorization period, in connection with the quarterly results, unless the Board decides otherwise for a justified reason.

    On 30 January 2025, the Board resolved to distribute a dividend of EUR 0.03 per share. The dividend record date is 4 February 2025 and the dividend will be paid on 13 February 2025. The actual dividend payment date outside Finland will be determined by the practices of the intermediary banks transferring the dividend payments.

    Following this announced distribution of the fourth installment and executed payments of the previous installments, the Board has no remaining distribution authorization.

    Share buyback programs

    In January 2024, Nokia’s Board of Directors initiated a share buyback program to repurchase shares to return up to EUR 600 million of cash to shareholders in tranches over a period of two years. The share buyback execution started on 20 March 2024. On 19 July 2024, Nokia’s Board of Directors decided to accelerate the timeframe for the share buyback program with the aim of completing the full EUR 600 million program by the end of the year instead of the initial two year timeframe. The program was completed on 21 November 2024 and the repurchased 157 646 220 shares were canceled on 4 December 2024.

    On 27 June 2024, Nokia announced its intention to acquire Infinera in a transaction that valued Infinera at US$1.7 billion equity value with up to 30% of the consideration to be paid in Nokia American depositary shares (“ADSs”), depending on the elections of Infinera shareholders. To offset the dilution from the transaction to Nokia shareholders, on 22 November 2024 Nokia announced a new share buyback program targeting to repurchase 150 million shares for an aggregate purchase price not exceeding EUR 900 million. Under this share buyback program, by 31 December 2024, Nokia had repurchased 19 186 046 of its own shares at an average price per share of approximately EUR 4.14.

    OUTLOOK

      Full Year 2025
    Comparable operating profit(1) EUR 1.9 billion to EUR 2.4 billion (excluding any impact from pending Infinera acquisition)
    Free cash flow(1) 50% to 80% conversion from comparable operating profit (excluding any impact from pending Infinera acquisition)

    1Please refer to Alternative performance measures section in Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024 for a full explanation of how these terms are defined.

    The outlook, long-term targets and all of the underlying outlook assumptions described below are forward-looking statements subject to a number of risks and uncertainties as described or referred to in the Risk Factors section later in this report. release.

    Along with Nokia’s official outlook targets provided above, Nokia provides the below additional assumptions that support the group level financial outlook. Considering the pending Infinera acquisition along with the transfer of Managed Services from Cloud and Network Services to Mobile Networks (further details of this transfer are included in the Additional Topics section), Nokia is not currently providing assumptions by business group as it did previously.

      Full year 2025
    Group Common and Other operating expenses approximately
    EUR 400 million
    Comparable financial income and expenses Positive EUR 50 to 150 million
    Comparable income tax rate ~25%
    Cash outflows related to income taxes EUR 450 million
    Capital Expenditures EUR 550 million

    2026 TARGETS

    Nokia’s current targets for its existing perimeter of the business for 2026 are outlined below. This does not consider pending acquisitions. Nokia sees further opportunities to increase margins beyond 2026 and believes an operating margin of 14% remains achievable over the longer term.

    Net sales Grow faster than the market
    Comparable operating margin(1) ≥ 13%
    Free cash flow(1) 55% to 85% conversion from comparable operating profit

    1 Please refer to Alternative Performance measures section in Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024 for a full explanation of how these terms are defined.

    The comparable operating margin target for Nokia group is built on the following assumptions by business group for 2026:

    Network Infrastructure 13 – 16% operating margin
    Mobile Networks 6 – 9% operating margin
    Cloud and Network Services 7 – 10% operating margin
    Nokia Technologies Operating profit more than EUR 1.1 billion
    Group common and other Approximately EUR 300 million of operating expenses

    ADDITIONAL TOPICS

    Progress on Infinera acquisition
    On 27 June 2024, Nokia announced a definitive agreement under which Nokia will acquire Infinera, a global supplier of innovative open optical networking solutions and advanced optical semiconductors. The acquisition process continues to proceed as expected. On 13 September 2024, the applicable waiting period under the US pre-merger review expired and the Department of Justice decided not to investigate the planned transaction. On 1 October 2024, Infinera shareholders approved the planned acquisition. On 7 October 2024, Nokia and Infinera received approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). During the fourth quarter Nokia received many of the outstanding required approvals for the deal. At this point approval from the European Union and Taiwan, along with contractual closing conditions, are the major items outstanding to proceed to closing. Assuming the current target timelines, Nokia and Infinera now expect the deal to close during the first quarter of 2025.

    Nokia exercised NSB call option to simplify ownership structure in China

    Nokia and its joint venture partner China Huaxin have been together reviewing the future ownership structure of Nokia Shanghai Bell (NSB). Following those discussions, Nokia exercised its call option, outlined in NSB’s shareholders’ agreement, to initiate the process to become the sole shareholder by purchasing China Huaxin’s approximately 50% share in NSB. This will allow Nokia to simplify its ownership structure in China while Nokia remains committed to continue serving the local market.
    Since the creation of the joint venture Nokia has recorded a liability on its balance sheet based on the estimated future cash settlement to acquire China Huaxin’s ownership interest. The execution of the call option is subject to completing required steps under the shareholders’ agreement.

    Managed Services business transferred from Cloud and Network Services into Mobile Networks in 2025
    Nokia has moved its Managed Services business into Mobile Networks (MN), effective 1 January 2025. The Managed Services business provides outsourced network management of multi-vendor RAN networks for operators and since 2021 has been part of our Cloud and Network Services (CNS) business group. Considering CNS is increasingly transitioning towards cloud-native software sales, ‘as-a-service’ product offerings and helping customers to monetize networks through API’s, Nokia believes that this business is more aligned and fits better with its MN business. Based on 2024 results, this change is expected to lead to a transfer of approximately EUR 430 million of net sales and approximately EUR 40 million of comparable operating profit from CNS to MN. Nokia will provide recast financial information for 2024 for MN and CNS reflecting this change prior to Nokia’s Q1 financial results.

    RISK FACTORS

    Nokia and its businesses are exposed to a number of risks and uncertainties which include but are not limited to:

    • Competitive intensity, which is expected to continue at a high level as some competitors seek to take share;
    • Changes in customer network investments related to their ability to monetize the network;
    • Our ability to ensure competitiveness of our product roadmaps and costs through additional R&D investments;
    • Our ability to procure certain standard components and the costs thereof, such as semiconductors;
    • Disturbance in the global supply chain;
    • Impact of inflation, increased global macro-uncertainty, major currency fluctuations, changes in tariffs and higher interest rates;
    • Potential economic impact and disruption of global pandemics;
    • War or other geopolitical conflicts, disruptions and potential costs thereof;
    • Other macroeconomic, industry and competitive developments;
    • Timing and value of new, renewed and existing patent licensing agreements with licensees;
    • Results in brand and technology licensing; costs to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights; on-going litigation with respect to licensing and regulatory landscape for patent licensing;
    • The outcomes of on-going and potential disputes and litigation;
    • Our ability to execute, complete, successfully integrate and realize the expected benefits from our ongoing transactions;
    • Timing of completions and acceptances of certain projects;
    • Our product and regional mix;
    • Uncertainty in forecasting income tax expenses and cash outflows, over the long-term, as they are also subject to possible changes due to business mix, the timing of patent licensing cash flow and changes in tax legislation, including potential tax reforms in various countries and OECD initiatives;
    • Our ability to utilize our Finnish deferred tax assets and their recognition on our balance sheet;
    • Our ability to meet our sustainability and other ESG targets, including our targets relating to greenhouse gas emissions;

    as well the risk factors specified under Forward-looking statements of this release, and our 2023 annual report on Form 20-F published on 29 February 2024 under Operating and financial review and prospects-Risk factors.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    Certain statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect Nokia’s current expectations and views of future developments and include statements regarding: A) expectations, plans, benefits or outlook related to our strategies, projects, programs, product launches, growth management, licenses, sustainability and other ESG targets, operational key performance indicators and decisions on market exits; B) expectations, plans or benefits related to future performance of our businesses (including the expected impact, timing and duration of potential global pandemics, geopolitical conflicts and the general or regional macroeconomic conditions on our businesses, our supply chain, the timing of market changes or turning points in demand and our customers’ businesses) and any future dividends and other distributions of profit; C) expectations and targets regarding financial performance and results of operations, including market share, prices, net sales, income, margins, cash flows, cost savings, the timing of receivables, operating expenses, provisions, impairments, taxes, currency exchange rates, hedging, investment funds, inflation, product cost reductions, competitiveness, revenue generation in any specific region, and licensing income and payments; D) ability to execute, expectations, plans or benefits related to our ongoing transactions, investments and changes in organizational structure and operating model; E) impact on revenue with respect to litigation/renewal discussions; and F) any statements preceded by or including “anticipate”, “continue”, “believe”, “envisage”, “expect”, “aim”, “will”, “target”, “may”, “would”, “see”, “plan” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from such statements. These statements are based on management’s best assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to them. These forward-looking statements are only predictions based upon our current expectations and views of future events and developments and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. Factors, including risks and uncertainties that could cause these differences, include those risks and uncertainties identified in the Risk Factors above.

    ANALYST WEBCAST

    • Nokia’s webcast will begin on 30 January 2025 at 11.30 a.m. Finnish time (EET). The webcast will last approximately 60 minutes.
    • The webcast will be a presentation followed by a Q&A session. Presentation slides will be available for download at www.nokia.com/financials.
    • A link to the webcast will be available at www.nokia.com/financials.
    • Media representatives can listen in via the link, or alternatively call +1-412-317-5619.

    FINANCIAL CALENDAR

    • Nokia plans to publish its “Nokia in 2024” annual report, which includes the review by the Board of Directors and the audited annual accounts, during the week starting on 10 March 2025.
    • Nokia plans to publish its first quarter 2025 results on 24 April 2025.
    • Nokia’s Annual General Meeting 2025 is planned to be held on 29 April 2025.
    • Nokia plans to publish its second quarter and half year 2025 results on 24 July 2025.
    • Nokia plans to publish its third quarter and January-September 2025 results on 23 October 2025.

    About Nokia

    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Inquiries:

    Nokia
    Communications
    Phone: +358 10 448 4900
    Email: press.services@nokia.com
    Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications

    Nokia
    Investor Relations
    Phone: +358 931 580 507
    Email: investor.relations@nokia.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: TGS Awarded Offshore Wind Site Characterization Contract in UK

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OSLO, Norway (30 January 2025) – TGS, a leading provider of energy data and intelligence, is pleased to announce the award of another offshore wind site characterization contract on the UK continental shelf. The contract has a total duration of approximately 30 days and the Ramform Vanguard will mobilize for the project in Q2 2025.

    Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS, commented, “We are very pleased to secure more offshore wind site characterization contracts. Our geophysical approach for mapping the shallow subsurface layers with an ultra-high resolution 3D streamer is significantly more efficient than conventional site survey solutions. Energy companies value the shorter lead time we can offer to access high-quality data.”

    For more information, visit TGS.com or contact:

    Bård Stenberg
    VP IR & Communication
    Mobile: +47 992 45 235
    investor@tgs.com

    About TGS
    TGS provides advanced data and intelligence to companies active in the energy sector. With leading-edge technology and solutions spanning the entire energy value chain, TGS offers a comprehensive range of insights to help clients make better decisions. Our broad range of products and advanced data technologies, coupled with a global, extensive and diverse energy data library, make TGS a trusted partner in supporting the exploration and production of energy resources worldwide. For further information, please visit www.tgs.com (https://www.tgs.com/).

    Forward Looking Statement
    All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include volatile market conditions, investment opportunities in new and existing markets, demand for licensing of data within the energy industry, operational challenges, and reliance on a cyclical industry and principal customers. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Will new $10,000 apprentice payments help solve job shortages in construction? Not anytime soon

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan University

    In an election pitch last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced new incentive payments of $10,000 for eligible apprentices in residential construction.

    The federal government has committed to an ambitious target of building 1.2 million new homes over the next five years through the National Housing Accord. That means it urgently needs to boost Australia’s construction workforce.

    But a recent strategic review into incentives for Australian apprentices and trainees found cost-of-living pressures were a major barrier to apprenticeship entry and completion.

    Only about half of apprentices currently finish their apprenticeships.

    The new program has been touted as the federal government’s initial response. It will target 62,690 apprentices and cost $627 million.

    But previous attempts to attract new apprentices with cash payments have had mixed results. A similar 2023 scheme to get more tradies into “green jobs” only attracted about 2,200 sign-ups in the first year.

    There are also concerns the new scheme may have unintended consequences, such as diverting talent from important sectors of the new economy – including the previous “green jobs” scheme.



    Read more:
    There may not be enough skilled workers in Australia’s pipeline for a post-COVID-19 recovery

    How will it work?

    From July 1, eligible apprentices in the new Housing Construction Apprenticeship Program will receive five payments of $2,000 each: after six, 12, 24 and 36 months, and upon completion. The payments are staged to encourage apprentices to complete their training.

    Cash payments won’t be the only new financial incentive. There’ll also be a boost to the Living Away From Home Allowance to help cover the costs of relocating, while an increase in the Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support payment provides financial support to employers who hire apprentices with disability.



    Read more:
    Albanese to promise $10,000 for apprentices in housing construction

    Will the scheme succeed?

    The government’s previous attempts to address chronic labour shortages through cash incentives have had mixed results.

    Introduced in 2023, the New Energy Apprenticeships Program also offers $10,000 in staged payments to apprentices in priority green roles, such as electric vehicle technicians.

    Despite 2,200 apprentices joining in the first year, the program was deemed too restrictive by the industry. That was despite employers themselves receiving $15,000 per apprentice (which is also what is proposed for the construction scheme).



    Read more:
    Yes, we know there is a ‘skills shortage’. Here are 3 jobs summit ideas to start fixing it right away

    As part of the strategic review, the Centre for International Economics was commissioned to conduct an international literature review. It found that financial incentives such as wage or training subsidies and incentives were only “somewhat relevant” to the Australian context, and there was mixed support, at best, for their effectiveness.

    A major factor behind the mixed results may be the crowding-out effect in economic theory.

    This suggests that increasing public spending (by giving financial incentives) could undermine the intended effect by reducing or even eliminating private-sector investment. And it does not address apprehension among employers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, about taking on more apprentices.

    More than six months after the government expanded eligibility for clean energy work, the green energy sector continues to face significant skills shortages.

    While these payments may help in the long run, their staggered nature over three years won’t provide immediate relief.

    The plan will likely only contribute to the government’s home-building targets by 2029, if and when more Australians enrol and complete their apprenticeships in the construction sector.

    Will this have effects outside the construction industry?

    More strategically, by shifting the focus from “new economy” industries outlined in the Future Made in Australia policy, this scheme risks weakening efforts to transform Australia’s economy.



    Read more:
    Australia has a new National Skills Agreement. What does this mean for vocational education?

    The cash incentive for apprentices in home-building comes at a time when there is intense global competition for skills in “new industries”.

    However, despite the many state and federal government initiatives for fee-free TAFE courses since the COVID pandemic, recently released data indicates a continued trend of long-term decline in Vocational Education and Training (VET) enrolments.

    Albanese was asked about the government’s commitment to technology and digital innovation, with increasing global competition in artificial intelligence.

    He responded by discussing the government’s commitment to the “new economy”.

    However, the construction sector has until now not been identified as an essential part of the new economy’s priority industries by the government.

    Instead, expanding incentives to construction apprentices marks a shift away from the priorities on green energy and new industries, and towards more traditional trades.

    The cash incentives could divert school leavers from considering apprenticeships in key future industries. That is something that schemes such as the new energy program were specifically designed to do in response to multiple skills and training reviews over the past two decades.

    So, despite the lack of evidence that cash incentives work, and the fact they may cause unintended effects, the proposed incentive payments appear to be a pitch addressing cost-of-living/cost-of-building concerns for the upcoming election.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Will new $10,000 apprentice payments help solve job shortages in construction? Not anytime soon – https://theconversation.com/will-new-10-000-apprentice-payments-help-solve-job-shortages-in-construction-not-anytime-soon-248446

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As antisemitic attacks reach ‘disturbing’ levels, is strengthening hate crime laws the answer?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keiran Hardy, Associate Professor, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University

    Mike Burgess, head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, has issued a stark warning following the discovery of explosives in a caravan in northwest Sydney, alongside a note bearing the address of a Sydney synagogue.

    We have seen a disturbing escalation in the targeting of Jewish interests, and a disturbing escalation in the severity and recklessness of the targeting.

    In response to the recent spate of antisemitic incidents in Sydney – which include a childcare centre being set alight and graffitied – NSW Premier Chris Minns has also pledged to strengthen the state’s hate laws.

    Changes to these laws would bring NSW in line with other states. However, they will have limited impact on a serious social problem. Both nationally and in the states, many existing laws can be used to prosecute people for these crimes, including incitement to violence on the basis of religion, race or ethnicity.

    Responding quickly to the growing crisis around antisemitic attacks is understandable, but greater long-term investments must also be made to prevent extreme, hateful beliefs from developing in our communities in the first place.

    What crimes are being committed?

    Different laws can be triggered depending on the nature of a particular offence.

    The firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue late last year was treated as an act of terrorism, while a joint counter-terrorism team is investigating the caravan explosives.

    Other hateful acts can be charged as arson, property damage or serious vilification.

    For conduct to be treated as terrorism, it must be done for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.

    Extreme right-wing or neo-Nazi beliefs can certainly satisfy this. But whether an individual case will be treated as terrorism depends on whether there is enough evidence of an underlying ideological motive.

    Serious vilification offences apply when someone incites others to cause harm on the basis of race, religion, sexuality or gender identity.

    Both nationally and in the states, new offences also apply for displaying Nazi symbols. Neo-Nazis who were arrested after a march in Adelaide this month, for example, were charged with various offences, including failing to cease loitering and displaying a Nazi symbol.



    Read more:
    Legal in one state, a crime in another: laws banning hate symbols are a mixed bag

    What is NSW considering changing?

    The biggest change would be to section 93Z of the NSW Crimes Act.

    Section 93Z is a serious vilification offence, but it applies only to the incitement of violence. Equivalent offences in other states are broader because they also include incitement to hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule.

    In Queensland, this requires threats or inciting threats of physical harm. In Victoria, changes likely to pass in parliament soon would remove a similar harm requirement.

    In NSW, vilification on broader grounds is still unlawful, but it falls under civil law. Complaints can be made to Anti-Discrimination NSW and this may lead to lawsuits and potential compensation – but not criminal prosecution.

    It makes sense for NSW to match section 93Z to equivalent laws in other states. But this would go against the very recent recommendations of the NSW Law Reform Commission.

    In its report last November, the commission concluded that strengthening laws is not always the best way to address underlying social issues. It said the low prosecution rate for section 93Z could be explained by police preferring other, more serious offences for these types of crimes.

    Still, it appears Minns may go ahead with the reforms, saying an antisemitic attack “begins with hateful, racist language”.

    If I can stop it at its source with changes to the law, that’s exactly what we’ll do.

    Would these changes make a difference?

    The proposed changes are quite technical and are unlikely to have a significant impact on the growing threat of antisemitism.

    Widening section 93Z could generate some additional prosecutions for hate speech that falls below inciting violence. But in most cases, other, more serious offences are already available to prosecutors.

    Ultimately, in addition to the ongoing investigations, there needs to be greater investment in efforts to understand extremism in Australian society. This includes developing clearer answers to these questions:

    • why extreme, hateful beliefs are thriving in our communities
    • who is most likely to develop these beliefs and act on them, and
    • how extremist narratives can best be countered, in our communities and online.

    Countering violent extremism programs are improving over time. These include interventions for at-risk youth and broader efforts to educate communities. But investments in these approaches have never kept pace with changes to the criminal law.

    Antisemitism has no place in Australian society, and changing the law in NSW will send a quick message that the government is taking the problem seriously. But taking it seriously also means doing whatever else we can as a society to ensure no one experiences hate or violence for who they are or what they believe.

    Keiran Hardy receives funding from the Australian Research Council for a Discovery Project on conspiracy-fuelled extremism.

    – ref. As antisemitic attacks reach ‘disturbing’ levels, is strengthening hate crime laws the answer? – https://theconversation.com/as-antisemitic-attacks-reach-disturbing-levels-is-strengthening-hate-crime-laws-the-answer-248549

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: January 29th, 2025 Heinrich Delivers Hour-Long Floor Remarks on President Trump’s Unlawful Federal Funding Blockade

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    VIDEO
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor uplifting stories from communities across New Mexico on how President Trump’s unlawful unilateral blockade of all federal grant funding is creating chaos and harming the lives of New Mexicans.
    VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers hour-long remarks on the Senate floor uplifting New Mexicans voices and highlighting how President Trump’s unlawful federal funding blockade threw the entire country into chaos, January 29, 2025.
    “In an overnight maneuver on Monday, President Trump unlawfully and unilaterally blockaded much of the federal budget,” Heinrich said. “Hitting “send” on a two-page memo, the Trump administration triggered a chaotic 24-hours that threw every town, county, Tribe, nonprofit, doctor’s office, hospital, nursing home, school, and preschool into total disarray.”
    “We need to call out Trump’s brazen action for what it really was: a power grab, and it was a test run to see just how much he can get away with,” Heinrich continued. “President Trump and his cronies are testing how far they can go to dismantle and dismember our democracy in service of his strongman impulses and ideological agenda.
    As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I know how much work goes in to writing and passing our funding laws. I am here now talking on the Senate floor because I will fight like hell to stop this – or any – of Trump’s brazen, illegal funding blockades.”
    In his remarks, Heinrich uplifted New Mexicans’ voices by reading letters he has received over the last 48 hours from constituents. Find the video of Heinrich reading letters from New Mexicans here.
    He detailed a number of federal funding programs that impact New Mexico and were thrown into uncertainty by Trump’s funding freeze. Find the video of Heinrich detailing those programs here.
    Heinrich provided specific examples of New Mexico organizations that were disrupted by Trump’s funding freeze. Find the video of Heinrich providing those specific examples here.
    Heinrich also detailed how the Trump administration’s ongoing unlawful hold on Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act federal funds is harming New Mexico’s Communities. Find the video of Heinrich detailing the Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act federal funds here.
    Heinrich concluded his remarks by calling on his Republican colleagues to demand that President Trump work together with Democrats on the challenges Americans want them to solve, saying, “This type of chaos and uncertainty is not what Americans elected President Trump to deliver. It’s certainly not what New Mexicans sent me to Washington to deliver. Americans are calling on us — all of us — to work together on policies that will bring down the cost of their groceries, rent, internet, and health care. They want us to help get fentanyl off our streets, make our communities safer, and support survivors of sexual assault, and put our veterans in safe housing. They want us to help the small businesses, support the public lands that are the beating heart of their local economies, and create jobs they can build their families around, in their home communities. What they don’t want is all of this chaos.”
    He finished, “I would hope that my Republican and Democratic colleagues alike would join me in calling on the President to get back to following the laws we passed together. Let’s get back to creating certainty that our communities — and our democracy itself — depend upon. As Benjamin Franklin put it years ago, this is a Republic — If We Can Keep It. I will fight like hell to keep it. And I know I am not alone.”
    To share how Trump’s blockade is affecting you, write to Senator Heinrich here.
    Earlier today, Heinrich joined a press conference with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to highlight how President Trump’s unlawful federal grant funding freeze threw the lives of New Mexicans into chaos. Find the video of that press conference here.
    Yesterday, Heinrich delivered remarks on the Senate floor slamming Trump’s unlawful federal funding blockade. In his remarks, Heinrich pointed to the illegality of this action, citing the law that Congress passed — the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 — after President Richard Nixon tried to withhold Congressionally appropriated funds.
    Heinrich also hosted a press conference with the N.M. Delegation on the federal funding blockade and released a statement condemning Trump’s unlawful direction.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Auckland News – Developers Urged to Act Swiftly as Auckland Council Plans Major Development Fee Increases

    Source: WarkWorth Web

    The Auckland Council is planning a considerable hike in development contributions, which are the monetary fees residential property developers pay to fund local infrastructure projects. These contributions, currently calculated over a 10-year timeframe, are proposed to be spread over 30 years, leading to significant cost increases for developers.

    The average development contribution in Auckland is projected to increase from $21,000 per lot to around $50,000 per lot. In some areas, such as Tamaki, the rise is even steeper, jumping from $31,157 to $119,000 per lot. The Inner Northwest region is set to see contributions soar from $25,167 to between $89,000 and $101,000 per lot.

    Troy Patchett, Director of Auckland residential development company Subdivide Simplified, expressed concern over these proposed changes. “This increase could halt housing developments. Many developers may struggle to pass these costs on to consumers, making some projects unfeasible. This could further restrict future development and worsen the housing shortage in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest and fastest-growing city,” Patchett stated.

    Patchett also warned that the increased contributions could lead to fewer housing developments and place upward pressure on the value of existing properties.

    He strongly advises developers to submit their council applications as soon as possible. “If you can get your applications in before March, you should only need to pay the current development contributions and avoid this increase. Don’t delay starting your development projects,” he urged.

    The calculation of development contributions takes place when development applications are lodged, with this window expected to close around April.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Southern suburbs man to face court

    Source: South Australia Police

    Today, detectives from the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, a joint team between the South Australia Police and the Australian Federal Police, arrested a southern suburbs man for online child sex offences.

    The 34-year-old was charged with possess child exploitation material.  He was refused police bail and will appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court tomorrow, Friday 31 January.

    Detective Chief Inspector George Fenwick, from SAPOL’s Public Protection Branch, said, “Possession and sharing of child abuse material is not a victimless crime. South Australia Police, alongside our partner agencies, are absolutely committed to prosecuting anyone who offends against our community’s most vulnerable.

    “I urge anyone in the community who needs to access support to visit the ACCCE website – www.accce.gov.au – for a full list of available support services with contact details.”

    CO2500004351

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Washington Field Office Statement on Aviation Incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    The FBI Washington Field Office’s National Capital Response Squad is responding to an aviation incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in support of our law enforcement and public safety partners. Please direct questions to the National Transportation Safety Board.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Result of the Daily Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction held on January 30, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Tenor 1-day
    Notified Amount (in ₹ crore) 1,50,000
    Total amount of bids received (in ₹ crore) 1,17,354
    Amount allotted (in ₹ crore) 1,17,354
    Cut off Rate (%) 6.51
    Weighted Average Rate (%) 6.51
    Partial Allotment Percentage of bids received at cut off rate (%) NA

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2036

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin: 32 architectural monuments to be restored in Kuzminki estate in three years

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The Kuzminki Estate (Vlakhernskoye) is the largest in terms of the number of cultural heritage sites in Moscow. There are about 40 architectural monuments from the late 18th – early 20th centuries, each with its own individual appearance, referring to the traditions of both the West and the East. Last year, the long-awaited restoration of the estate began. The plans for the next three years include putting 32 architectural monuments in order. About this in his blog Sergei Sobyanin said.

    Famous architects and sculptors such as Ivan Zherebtsov, Rodion Kazakov, Ivan Egotov, Alessandro and Domenico Gilardi, Mikhail Bykovsky, Ivan Vitali, Pyotr Klodt, Andrey Voronikhin and others participated in the creation of the architectural ensemble of Kuzminki. The owners of the estate at different times were the barons Stroganov and the princes Golitsyn. The imperial persons – Peter I, Alexander II, Maria Feodorovna – visited here.

    Today, the estate and the surrounding park are a favorite place for walks for Muscovites and tourists. The museum-reserve also houses the residence of Father Frost and the K.G. Paustovsky Museum. City festivals are held in summer and winter.

    “The primary task is to put in order the buildings that form the core of the estate. The restorers are already working on 19 objects. Among them are the eastern and western wings of the main house, which form the front yard. The house itself has not survived, but the exquisite wings built by the architect Gilardi create the impression of mini-palaces,” the Moscow Mayor noted.

    During the work, specialists will clean the white-stone elements, tidy up the historical stucco decoration and roof. Special attention will be paid to preserving the sculptures of lions that adorn the fence of the main courtyard, the entrances to the wings and the Round (Lion) Pier.

    To date, the blind area in the outbuildings has been dismantled, the damaged plaster layer and floor coverings have been removed. And the original wooden windows and doors have been sent to workshops for careful restoration.

    Sergei Sobyanin announced the start of restoration of the capital’s Kuzminki estateSergei Sobyanin: 166 Moscow parks are cultural heritage sites

    The soap house, or bath house, was built in the late 18th – early 19th century on the site of an older building of the same purpose. The Golitsyn bathhouse was given the appearance of a strict park pavilion, echoing the outbuildings of the main house. In the 20th century, it was rebuilt, suffered fires, and was restored.

    The restoration of the soap house’s historical appearance continues. Specialized workshops will recreate the vases in the niches of the eastern facade, and clean the white-stone elements: steps, parapets, and basement. In addition, the unique copper roofing, typical of buildings of that time, will be put in order. Specialists have already started work, and the plastering of the walls and ceilings is currently being dismantled.

    The forge was rebuilt in the early 1820s from a poultry yard, where many exotic birds were kept before the war of 1812. It is well preserved and requires rather aesthetic restoration. Specialists will have to put in order the white-stone parts of the central and two side porches, the basement and the blind area, and also adapt the building for modern use.

    The laundry building on Slobodka, on the contrary, needs a comprehensive restoration. The work will affect the roof, windows and doors, as well as wooden stairs, panel parquet and stucco decoration.

    The single-arch and triple-arch grottoes were the first objects in Kuzminki where restoration work began in the summer of 2024. More than 20 years have passed since their last restoration, so the white-stone elements were partially lost, and the remaining ones needed to be cleared.

    In the single-arch grotto, specialists have already completed excavation work, installed waterproofing and a drainage system, and plastered the walls and ceiling. The three-arch grotto, which was used for theatrical productions and musical concerts during the holidays, has also been plastered. Now, craftsmen are working on installing a retaining slab and restoring the brick and white stone retaining wall.

    Three-arched, Bolshoi, “Belvedere”: what grottoes can be found in Moscow estatesCount Orlov’s Grotto has been restored for the first time in Neskuchny Garden

    Specialists are also restoring the music pavilion, one of the most recognizable buildings on the estate. It is decorated with the same equestrian figures by sculptor Pyotr Klodt as the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg. The only difference is that they are made of cast iron, not bronze.

    Previously, the portico of columns was also crowned with a sculptural group of Apollo playing the lyre and two muses. In order to restore the historical appearance of the pavilion, it will be recreated during the work. In addition, the facades will be restored here. The white-stone row above the base will be plastered with the reconstruction of the rustication. Particular attention will be paid to the restoration of the stucco decor and cast-iron sculptures, and inside, the wooden floor made of larch will be put in order according to the existing model. Specialists have already begun installing scaffolding and are conducting trial clearings.

    The restoration of the Lion’s, or Round, pier on the bank of the Upper Kuzminsky Pond is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The Egyptian lions that adorn it will also be restored. They have already been dismantled and transported to specialized workshops. In addition, the fences will be put in order: lost elements will be replaced, and the cast-iron slabs of the observation deck will be cleaned and sorted out.

    This year, the bridge with griffins will also be put in order. Soon, the floor lamps with mythical sculptures will move to the workshops, and after the main work on the pylons is completed, they will return to their historical place. In addition, the bridge covering will be restored with the organization of a modern water drainage system on it. At the final stage, architectural and artistic lighting will appear here.

    In parallel, restoration of other objects will begin. For example, the interiors of the Orange Dacha (orange greenhouse) with an ancient Egyptian theme, which have survived to this day. After restoration, a unique wooden two-tiered chandelier with candlesticks in the form of lotus flowers, which survived the fire, will also return here.

    In addition, the craftsmen will put the kitchen wing (Egyptian pavilion) in order. The architecture of this unique building of the estate ensemble used motifs of ancient Egyptian architecture. For example, the pediment is decorated with an image of the head of a sphinx.

    “Once the work is completed, the estate buildings will house exhibitions and museum displays, and concerts and other events will be held,” the Moscow Mayor emphasized.

    Sheremetev’s Grotto, Shchukin’s Theatre and Katyushas: Which Moscow Parks Have Preserved Historical MonumentsSobyanin spoke about architectural monuments that are being restored in Moscow

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12312050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Parkline Place new workplace hub for NSW Government agencies

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Parkline Place new workplace hub for NSW Government agencies

    Published: 30 January 2025

    Released by: Minister for Lands and Property

    The NSW Government is set to take up residence in a new workplace hub in the heart of Sydney from early 2025.

    Parkline Place is a 39-storey energy efficient tower building located on the corner of Pitt and Park Streets above Gadigal metro station. The development has created 600 construction jobs and will support up to 4000 workers spanning across the government and private sectors.

    The NSW Government’s central property agency, Property and Development NSW (PDNSW) has negotiated the lease arrangements for the four agencies, and is leading the CBD Workplace Hub design and delivery project, which aims to provide modern and sustainable government workplaces as public sector workers return to the office.

    The lease arrangements are as follows:

    • A 12-year lease for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), with the agency now occupying four floors since the start of January.
    • A 12-year lease for the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) for flexible touchdown space across three floors. The agencies are due to move into the building from April 2025.
    • A 13-and-a-half-year lease for the Crown Solicitor’s Office (CSO) to occupy three full floors, plus another floor partially, with the agency set to relocate in mid-2026.

    The leases support the NSW Government’s net zero emissions targets. Parkline Place is fully electric and powered by renewable energy, and targets net zero scope 1 and 2 emissions in operation. It is also designed to achieve 5.5-star NABERS Energy, 3.5-star NABERS Water, and 6-star Green Star Design and As-Built V1.3 sustainability ratings.

    The development has been delivered and will be managed by Investa, on behalf of co-owners Oxford Properties Group and Mitsubishi Estate Asia, with four government agencies to occupy more than 10 floors in the building.

    For more information about the CBD Workplace Hub at Parkline Place, visit the Parkline Place workplace hub page.

    Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

    “Our leases at Parkline Place will provide public servants with quality and sustainable modern workplaces. They will support flexibility and increased collaboration to deliver better service outcomes for the people of NSW.”

    Investa Head of Leasing Mark Podgornik said:

    “We are delighted to welcome the NSW Government this year as one of the first tenants at Parkline Place.”

    “Many major employers are progressively bringing employees back to the office and placing significant value on creating a desirable workplace experience for their people through access to amenity, connected and sustainable workplaces. We are pleased to help facilitate this at Parkline Place.”

    Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) Secretary Kiersten Fishburn said:

    “This new touchdown space offers a great opportunity for our Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s employees to access modern facilities conveniently located near the new Metro and other excellent transport options. It also provides a prime location for them to engage with sector colleagues and key stakeholders in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Sydney to host Rugby World Cup final and semi-finals

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Sydney to host Rugby World Cup final and semi-finals

    Published: 30 January 2025

    Released by: The Premier, Minister for Jobs, Minister for Sport, Minister for Tourism

    NSW is the big winner from the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 host city announcement, with our state set to host more games than any other, including both semi-finals and the final.

    The third largest sporting event in the world, the Rugby World Cup has delivered decades of drama including Wallabies glory, extra-time heartbreak and Nelson Mandela hoisting the trophy alongside the Springboks.

    All of that history, along with 24 national teams, an estimated 215,000 visitors, and hundreds of millions of global TV viewers, will culminate in NSW for six weeks in October and November in 2027.

    The host city agreement has resulted in 17 of a total 52 games being played in NSW, with Newcastle hosting four pool matches and Sydney hosting 13 fixtures, including five pool matches, two Round of 16 matches, two quarter-finals, both semi-finals, the bronze final and the final set to take place at Stadium Australia on November 13.

    Destination NSW estimates the tournament will inject more than $610 million into the state’s visitor economy and be Sydney’s biggest sport event in over 20 years.

    In addition to the direct social and economic benefits, the right to host the finals will mean Sydney is centre stage for the global television audience, providing immeasurable marketing impact for the NSW visitor economy.

    The announcement confirms NSW as a premier destination for world class sporting events including the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, Sail GP and the Sydney Marathon which recently gained world marathon major status.

    Supporting major events is a key part of the Minns Labor Government’s strategy to grow the visitor economy. In October the government committed to a new ambitious growth target of $91 billion of visitor expenditure by 2035, a 40% increase on the previous 2030 goal.

    Sydney has a proud Rugby World Cup history, having hosted six games during the inaugural tournament in 1987 and 16 games – including the final – when Australia last hosted in 2003. The NSW Government is also proud to support this year’s British and Irish Lions Tour while Australia will also host the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029.

    In the lead up to the event Chair of Destination NSW Sally Loane will lead a committee tasked with maximising the tourism opportunities of hosting the Men’s Rugby World Cup.

    NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

    “It’s great to see NSW come out on top – securing hosting rights to the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027.

    “Staging the finals and having more matches than any other state, demonstrates just how attractive NSW is as a destination for global sporting events.

    “To all those keen rugby fans across the globe – it’s time to lock in your travel plans. Not only will you get to watch some fantastic sport, but you will also get to tour the best state in the world, home to extraordinary national parks and unparalleled Harbour views.”

    Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

    “With more games than any other state, NSW will be the home of the tournament which means hundreds of thousands of fans will travel here and experience what our incredible state has to offer.”

    “The stadiums and the streets of Sydney and Newcastle will be absolutely buzzing during the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027.

    “Hosting world class events is a key part of our strategy to significantly grow the NSW visitor economy over the next ten years.”

    “My message to rugby fans around the world is – come for the rucks and mauls, stay for the food, the wine, the beaches and cultural experiences!”

    Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

    “Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 will be a festival of rugby union like no other that will inspire the next generation of players.

    “The choice of Sydney to host the tournament’s final match – along with both semi-finals and the bronze final – reflects the city’s position as world class sporting events capital, and the NSW Government is excited to welcome the world’s best rugby teams – and their fans – in 2027.

    “For 6 weeks, we are going to be centre stage for the sporting world.

    World Rugby Chair, Brett Robinson said:

    “We are delighted to reach another significant milestone on our journey to Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027. The selection of these incredible host cities reflects our commitment to bring Rugby World Cup to Australians’ backyard and maximise the tournament’s positive impact and sporting legacy in all host communities.

    “Australia’s iconic cities and rich culture will create an extraordinary atmosphere for fans and players alike, uniting an entire nation for six unforgettable weeks. We look forward to working with host cities to make this tournament one for the ages.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Euroa members recognised for fire medical response

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Euroa Fire Brigade has been recognised for their exemplary community service in CFA’s Fire Medical Response (FMR) Program, going beyond their primary mission of firefighting.

    On Sunday, 26 January, the brigade was officially awarded the title of Community Organisation of the Year as voted by the Euroa community for their strong commitment and dedication in this space.

    CFA and Ambulance Victoria (AV) rolled out the new FMR program in December 2024 that sees CFA brigades dispatched simultaneously to cardiac arrests with the nearest ambulance, allowing CFA crews to provide life-saving CPR, defibrillation, and support to patients.

    Euroa was one of the first brigades to sign up to provide life-saving support in response to Triple Zero (000) calls alongside Tatura, Numurkah, Yarrawonga, Huntly, Kyneton, Bairnsdale, Orbost and Lakes Entrance brigades.

    Captain of 15 years, Damon Rieusset said any acknowledgement from your peers is something to be proud of, but members were just happy to be of assistance to rural families in need.

    “Although it is only in its infancy, it is nice for our members to be recognised for the efforts they put in. We’re all ready and willing to go when needed,” Damon said. 

    “What it brings for the community is the greatest part. If it stops a family wondering if they could’ve done more, that’s the most important thing.”

    The team is currently made up of more than 14 volunteers who have completed more than 40 hours of professional face to face training by AV and over 16 hours of online training to be deemed competent to provide this vital service.

    “Everyone who put their hand up to do the training knew it wasn’t going to be an easy day in the office, but it’s for the greater good and we would highly recommend other brigades get involved in the program if they can,” Damon said.

    “Most of our members have done first aid training and were comfortable walking into the sessions with basic knowledge.

    “However, it’s been pleasing to see the members gain the additional expertise and advance their abilities – all which will go a long way in providing them with greater confidence when faced with the task.”

    The Rotary Club of Euroa nominated the brigade for the esteemed title, noting their efforts have not only improved the safety and wellbeing of the Euroa community, but also strengthened the bonds that hold the community together.

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: “M” Mark status awarded to FWD Insurance Chinese New Year Cup 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    “M” Mark status awarded to FWD Insurance Chinese New Year Cup 2025
    “M” Mark status awarded to FWD Insurance Chinese New Year Cup 2025
    ****************************************************************************

    The following is issued on behalf of the Major Sports Events Committee:      The Major Sports Events Committee (MSEC) has awarded “M” Mark status to FWD Insurance Chinese New Year Cup 2025, which will be held at the Hong Kong Stadium on February 1, 2025.           The Chairman of the MSEC, Mr Wilfred Ng, said today (January 30) ​”The Chinese New Year Cup is deeply rooted in Hong Kong’s history and is one of the traditional celebration activities during the Chinese New Year. The MSEC has awarded the ‘M’ Mark status to FWD Insurance Chinese New Year Cup 2025 to honour its contribution to the promotion of sports culture during the festive period.​”           The “M” Mark System aims to encourage and help local ​national sports associations​ and private or non-government organisations to organise more major international sports events and nurture them into sustainable undertakings. Sports events meeting the assessment criteria will be considered for “M” Mark status by the MSEC. Funding support will also be provided to some events.           For details of “M” Mark events, please visit www.mevents.org.hk.

     
    Ends/Thursday, January 30, 2025Issued at HKT 13:05

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Marape calls US climate backtracking ‘irresponsible’ in rethink plea to Trump

    PNG Post-Courier

    In a fervent appeal to the global community, Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea has called on US President Donald Trump to “rethink” his decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and current global climate initiatives.

    Marape’s plea came during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting held in Davos, Switzerland, on 23 January 2025.

    Expressing deep concern for the impacts of climate change on Papua New Guinea and other vulnerable Pacific Island nations, Marape highlighted the dire consequences these nations face due to rising sea levels and increasingly severe weather patterns.

    “The effects of climate change are not just theoretical for us; they have real, devastating impacts on our fragile economies and our way of life,” he said.

    The Prime Minister emphasised that while it was within President Trump’s prerogative to prioritise American interests, withdrawing the United States — the second-largest emitter of carbon dioxide– from the Paris Agreement without implementing measures to curtail coal power production was “totally irresponsible”, Marape said.

    “As a leader of a major forest and ocean nation in the Pacific region, I urge President Trump to reconsider his decision.”

    He went on to point out the contradiction in the US stance.

    US not closing coal plants
    “The United States is not shutting down any of its coal power plants yet has chosen to withdraw from critical climate efforts. This is fundamentally irresponsible.

    “The science regarding our warming planet is clear — it does not lie,” he said.

    Marape further articulated that as the “Leader of the Free World,” Trump had a moral obligation to engage with global climate issues.


    PNG Prime Minister James Marape’s plea to President Trump.  Video: PNGTV

    “It is morally wrong for President Trump to disregard the pressing challenges of climate change.

    He must articulate how he intends to address this critical issue,” he added, stressing that effective global leaders had a responsibility not only to their own nations but also to the planet as a whole.

    In a bid to advocate for small island nations that are bearing the brunt of climate impacts, PM Marape announced plans to bring this issue to the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

    He hopes to unify the voices of PIF member countries in a collective statement regarding the US withdrawal from climate negotiations.

    US revived Pacific relations
    “The United States has recently revitalised its relations with the Pacific. It is discouraging to see it retreating from climate discussions that significantly affect our region’s efforts to mitigate climate change,” he said.

    Prime Minister Marape reminded the international community that while larger nations might have the capacity to withstand extreme weather events such as typhoons, wildfires, and tornadoes, smaller nations like Papua New Guinea could not endure such impacts.

    “For us, every storm and rising tide represents a potential crisis. Big nations can afford to navigate these challenges, but for us, the stakes are incredibly high,” he said.

    Marape’s appeal underscores the urgent need for collaborative and sustained global action to combat climate change, particularly for nations like Papua New Guinea, which are disproportionately affected by environmental change.

    Republished with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why the WHO has recommended switching to a healthier salt alternative

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Xiaoyue (Luna) Xu, Scientia Lecturer, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney

    goodbishop/Shutterstock

    This week the World Health Organization (WHO) released new guidelines recommending people switch the regular salt they use at home for substitutes containing less sodium.

    But what exactly are these salt alternatives? And why is the WHO recommending this? Let’s take a look.

    A new solution to an old problem

    Advice to eat less salt (sodium chloride) is not new. It has been part of international and Australian guidelines for decades. This is because evidence clearly shows the sodium in salt can harm our health when we eat too much of it.

    Excess sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, which affects millions of Australians (around one in three adults). High blood pressure (hypertension) in turn increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, among other conditions.

    The WHO estimates 1.9 million deaths globally each year can be attributed to eating too much salt.

    The WHO recommends consuming no more than 2g of sodium daily. However people eat on average more than double this, around 4.3g a day.

    In 2013, WHO member states committed to reducing population sodium intake by 30% by 2025. But cutting salt intake has proved very hard. Most countries, including Australia, will not meet the WHO’s goal for reducing sodium intake by 2025. They WHO has since set the same target for 2030.

    The difficulty is that eating less salt means accepting a less salty taste. It also requires changes to established ways of preparing food. This has proved too much to ask of people making food at home, and too much for the food industry.

    There’s been little progress on efforts to cut sodium intake.
    snezhana k/Shutterstock

    Enter potassium-enriched salt

    The main lower-sodium salt substitute is called potassium-enriched salt. This is salt where some of the sodium chloride has been replaced with potassium chloride.

    Potassium is an essential mineral, playing a key role in all the body’s functions. The high potassium content of fresh fruit and vegetables is one of the main reasons they’re so good for you. While people are eating more sodium than they should, many don’t get enough potassium.

    The WHO recommends a daily potassium intake of 3.5g, but on the whole, people in most countries consume significantly less than this.

    Potassium-enriched salt benefits our health by cutting the amount of sodium we consume, and increasing the amount of potassium in our diets. Both help to lower blood pressure.

    Switching regular salt for potassium-enriched salt has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death in large trials around the world.

    Modelling studies have projected that population-wide switches to potassium-enriched salt use would prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from cardiovascular disease (such as heart attack and stroke) each year in China and India alone.

    The key advantage of switching rather than cutting salt intake is that potassium-enriched salt can be used as a direct one-for-one swap for regular salt. It looks the same, works for seasoning and in recipes, and most people don’t notice any important difference in taste.

    In the largest trial of potassium-enriched salt to date, more than 90% of people were still using the product after five years.

    Excess sodium intake increases the risk of high blood pressure, which can cause a range of health problems.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Making the switch: some challenges

    If fully implemented, this could be one of the most consequential pieces of advice the WHO has ever provided.

    Millions of strokes and heart attacks could be prevented worldwide each year with a simple switch to the way we prepare foods. But there are some obstacles to overcome before we get to this point.

    First, it will be important to balance the benefits and the risks. For example, people with advanced kidney disease don’t handle potassium well and so these products are not suitable for them. This is only a small proportion of the population, but we need to ensure potassium-enriched salt products are labelled with appropriate warnings.

    A key challenge will be making potassium-enriched salt more affordable and accessible. Potassium chloride is more expensive to produce than sodium chloride, and at present, potassium-enriched salt is mostly sold as a niche health product at a premium price.

    If you’re looking for it, salt substitutes may also be called low-sodium salt, potassium salt, heart salt, mineral salt, or sodium-reduced salt.

    A review published in 2021 found low sodium salts were marketed in only 47 countries, mostly high-income ones. Prices ranged from the same as regular salt to almost 15 times higher.

    An expanded supply chain that produces much more food-grade potassium chloride will be needed to enable wider availability of the product. And we’ll need to see potassium-enriched salt on the shelves next to regular salt so it’s easy for people to find.

    In countries like Australia, about 80% of the salt we eat comes from processed foods. The WHO guideline falls short by not explicitly prioritising a switch for the salt used in food manufacturing.

    Stakeholders working with government to encourage food industry uptake will be essential for maximising the health benefits.

    Bruce Neal receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and MTP Connect, for research on potassium-enriched salts. All funds are administered by UNSW Sydney and The George Institute for Global Health.

    Xiaoyue (Luna) Xu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Why the WHO has recommended switching to a healthier salt alternative – https://theconversation.com/why-the-who-has-recommended-switching-to-a-healthier-salt-alternative-248436

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Sales, Production, and Export Results for 2024 (January – December)

    Source: Toyota

    Headline: Sales, Production, and Export Results for 2024 (January – December)

    Toyota City, Japan, January 30, 2025 Toyota Motor Corporation announces its sales, production, and export results for December 2024 as well as the cumulative total from January to December 2024, including those for subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. and Hino Motors, Ltd.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU and Kim Il Sung University to cooperate in scientific and educational spheres

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    A delegation from Kim Il Sung University, the leading university in the DPRK, visited Novosibirsk State University. During the visit, representatives of the two universities agreed to intensify inter-university cooperation, the priority areas of which are student and faculty mobility, joint scientific conferences and scientific research in the following priority areas – chemistry, mathematics, information technology and new materials. To more effectively organize joint work, the parties will prepare a roadmap (work plan) for the coming year.

    Kim Il Sung University was represented by Rector Kim Seung Chan, deans of the faculties of Materials Science and Chemistry, Director of the Institute for Advanced Technology Development, Director of the Department of International Relations, Head of the Department of Juche Philosophy of the Faculty of Philosophy, and Head of the Department of Russian Language and Literature of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature. NSU was represented by Rector, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Fedoruk, deans Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics And Faculty of Natural Sciences Igor Marchuk and Vladimir Reznikov, Head of the Education Export Department Evgeny Sagaydak. Also present at the meeting was Svetlana Malina, Head of the Department of Professional Education and Higher Education of the Ministry of Education of the Novosibirsk Region.

    Mikhail Fedoruk, Rector of NSU, mentioned the long-standing historical ties not only between Russia, but also between Novosibirsk and North Korea, stressed that it is a great honor for NSU to be friends with Kim Il Sung University, and expressed readiness to implement joint projects in the educational and scientific spheres in the very near future.

    “In the current historical period, the traditional Korean-Russian friendly relations have turned into a comprehensive strategic partnership. We hope that in the future, cooperation between our two universities will expand to a new, higher level in accordance with the common interests and aspirations of the peoples,” said the rector of the North Korean university, Kim Seung-chan, in his welcoming speech.

    The universities agreed to cooperate in the following areas:

    – organization of student internships from one to three months, conducting research work at NSU and research institutes of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences;

    – joint research in the field of cutting-edge technologies;

    – inviting teachers to teach courses;

    – preparation of joint scientific publications.

    — Novosibirsk State University is one of the leaders in the field of education export and international cooperation. We, as a ministry, support the expansion of cooperation between the two universities and are ready to provide all possible assistance in organizing joint events, conferences and internships, — emphasized Svetlana Malina.

    Among the upcoming events that North Korean university students can take part in are: International scientific student conference of NSU, which has been held practically since the university’s founding, traditionally in April, and will be held for the 63rd time this year; and Big Mathematical Workshop, which is organized by Mathematical center in Akademgorodok and the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU. The workshop has been held for 5 years, usually in the summer, and in 2024 it became international for the first time – students from one of the Chinese universities took part in it. NSU also invited a student delegation from a North Korean university to take part in the events of Interweek, which will be held at the end of April.

    In 2026, Kim Il Sung University celebrates its 80th anniversary, and a delegation from NSU plans to take part in an international scientific conference organized by the North Korean university as part of the anniversary events.

    The two universities are also considering the possibility of jointly preparing schoolchildren for admission to Russian universities on the basis of SUNC NSU.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Felon Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANFERNEE D. DANCY, 28, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by 30 months of supervised release, for unlawful possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 22, 2023, Waterbury Police attempted to stop an SUV Dancy was driving in Waterbury.  Dancy reversed the SUV, collided with one of the police cruisers, and attempted to flee on foot.  After a struggle, he was taken into custody.  A search of the SUV revealed a loaded Jimenez Arms, Inc. 9mm handgun, a quantity of crack cocaine, a digital scale, and $282 in cash.

    Dancy’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for burglary in the first degree, risk of injury to children, and failure to appear in the first degree.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    Dancy has been detained since his arrest.  On October 7, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Waterbury Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.

    This prosecution was brought through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Major negotiations with iwi of Taranaki conclude

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. 

    “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi of Taranaki, and the longstanding association Ngā Iwi o Taranaki have with their ancestral mountains.

    “Arrangements include the National Park being renamed Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki, and the highest peak having its name changed to Taranaki Maunga.

    “They also include the recognition of a legal person, repealing the Mount Egmont Vesting Act 1978, the vesting of the National Park land in Te Kāhui Tupua, recognition of a set of values to guide decision-making within the national park, and the establishment of a statutory body to act as the human face and voice of the legal personality. 

    “A firm condition for the Crown, is that all New Zealanders will be able to continue to visit and enjoy this most magnificent place for generations to come. It has been agreed that access to the mountain will not change.   

    “The Crown formally and publicly recognises the hardship and heartache it has caused whānau and hapū, and recognises the resilience of Ngā Iwi o Taranaki in the face of such adversity.

    “We must acknowledge the hurt that has been caused by past wrongs, so we can look to the future to support iwi to realise their own aspirations and opportunities.

    “I want to acknowledge the hard work of the iwi and Crown negotiators to reach this momentous day. It has been a long journey, since Ngā Iwi o Taranaki signed the Terms of Negotiation in 2016.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Chipsealing works on SH1 Te Kamo Bypass Sunday, Monday

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) spokesperson advises chipsealing work will take place on State Highway 1 Kamo Bypass overnight on Sunday 2 February, with temporary traffic management remaining in place until contractors return to sweep and line mark overnight on Monday 3 February.

    This work had been scheduled to happen earlier this month, following resurfacing works, but was delayed due to poor weather.

    Between 8pm Sunday night and 5am Monday morning, the road will operate under stop/go with a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place. Between 5am and 8pm on Monday, the road will operate with a lane shift and 50km/h temporary speed limit in place to help bed in the new seal.

    It’s important to slow down through newly sealed sections of road because small chips can be flicked up from the road surface and damage vehicles – especially windscreens. That’s why we often keep temporary speed limits in place even after it looks like the work has been completed. As well as safety, the temporary speed limit also helps ensure the quality of the reseal. Travelling at the posted temporary speed limit allows for the chips to be embedded into the road surface and for them to remain in place as the seal cures.

    Contractors will then return to undertake sweeping and line marking between 8pm Monday night and 5am Tuesday morning under stop/go and a 30km/h temporary speed limit.

    Chipsealing helps ensure a smooth, skid-resistant surface, free of potholes and slippery sections to reduce the risk of crashes and help keep everyone traveling on our roads safe.

    Travel delays during these works are expected to be between 5-10 minutes.

    We appreciate there may be more traffic on the roads on Monday morning as people travel to work and some schools returning for the year, and ask that people plan ahead and expect delays.

    Please be patient and treat our crews with kindness and respect. Reduce your speed, adhere to the temporary speed limits and follow the traffic management directions at our work sites. 

    Work is weather dependent and there may be changes to the planned works in the case of unsuitable weather. Please visit the NZTA Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz) for up-to-date information on these works, including any changes due to weather.

    This work is part of Northland’s significant summer maintenance programme, which will see approximately 203 lane kilometres of state highway renewed across the region by the end of May.

    For more information about the overall maintenance programme and planned works, visit the Northland State Highway Maintenance Programme website: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/regions/northland/roadworks(external link)    

    NZTA thanks everyone for their patience while we undertake this important work to improve the safety and efficiency of our roads.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock to Vote Against Kennedy Leading America’s Health Care System Following Concerning Nomination Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock to Vote Against Kennedy Leading America’s Health Care System Following Concerning Nomination Hearing

    During a Wednesday Senate Finance committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock questioned Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to run the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
    Senator Reverend Warnock’s questioning defended the importance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which employs over 10,000 hardworking Georgians
    Senator Reverend Warnock expressed concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “The CDC is an agency filled with hard-working, dedicated public health servants. They wake up every single day working to keep us safe. We don’t think often enough about their work because it’s easy not to celebrate folks who are protecting you from that which doesn’t appear because of the work that they’re doing”

    Watch Senator Warnock at Wednesday’s Senate Finance committee hearing  HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, during a Senate Finance committee hearing on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Senator Reverend Warnock (D-GA) pressed Kennedy on disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs and thousands of Georgia health care jobs.
    “Mr. Kennedy, you have compared the CDC’s work to Nazi death camps. You’ve compared it to sexual abusers in the Catholic Church. You’ve also said that many of them belong in jail,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “For me, those are disturbing characterizations of the CDC workers that I know, who are trying to keep the American public safe every single day.”
    During the line of questioning, Senator Warnock also asked the nominee about the bureaucratic hoops many people in Georgia have to jump through in order to access health care. This line of questioning led to Kennedy admitting that people in these situations need health care as opposed to programs, like work requirements in Georgia, one of the many barriers to entry for Medicaid in the state.
    “A woman I think of all the time, her name is Heather. She’s a traveling nurse from Dalton, Georgia who falls into the Medicaid coverage gap. Heather experienced a series of small strokes leaving her unable to work full time. She’s dedicated her life to caring for patients, but now she can’t afford her own medical care out-of-pocket costs because she doesn’t make enough to qualify for tax credits to buy private insurance. What does Heather need? Does she need work requirements, or does she need access to health care so she can finally get healthy and get back to work?” Senator Warnock asked Kennedy.
    “The individual that you described would need healthcare and not a work requirement,” said Kennedy.
    Senator Warnock has long championed efforts to expand affordable health care access, starting with his advocacy to close the health care coverage gap in Georgia. Last year, the Senator visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia for the first time as Senator to learn about the agency’s efforts to protect public health, including work to combat the maternal mortality crisis and how federal funding plays a role in keeping Georgia and the country safe from infectious diseases. In addition to pushing for solutions to close the coverage gap, Senator Warnock led a delegation of Georgia lawmakers in urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide tools to Medicaid non-expansion states like Georgia to help them protect health care access for Medicaid enrollees who lose eligibility after the end of the public health emergency declaration. Senator Warnock made his first visit to Georgia’s legislative session as a U.S. Senator last year, highlighting the need to expand Medicaid for more than 640,000 Georgians.
    Watch the Senator’s full remarks and line of questioning  HERE.
    See below a full transcript of the exchanges between Senator Warnock and Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.:
    Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): “I want to talk to you first about the CDC, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I’m proud of the work that the CDC does, proud that it’s located in Georgia, with more than 10,000 employees in my state. If confirmed, you would be the cabinet secretary over the CDC. Representing HHS is about 29% of the federal budget, CDC is a part of that.
    “Do you agree that the CDC’s work is critical to Georgia, critical for our country, and the health of the entire world?”
    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK): Yes, Senator.
    SRW: Senator Isakson, my Republican predecessor would have agreed with that, bless his memory, he was a fierce advocate for the CDC, as am I. The CDC is an agency filled with hard-working, dedicated public health servants.
    “They wake up every single day working to keep us safe. We don’t think often enough about their work because it’s easy not to celebrate folks who are protecting you from that which doesn’t appear because of the work that they’re doing. So grateful for the work that the CDC employees do, some of them are members of my church. I saw that deep commitment firsthand when I visited the CDC just last summer.
    “Mr. Kennedy, you have compared the CDC’s work to Nazi death camps. You’ve compared it to sexual abusers in the Catholic Church. You’ve also said that many of them belong, this is a direct quote, many of them belong in jail. For me those are disturbing characterizations of the CDC workers that I know who are trying to keep the American public safe every single day and as you are presented as the nominee for this position, I need to know, do you stand by those statements that you, you made in the past or do you retract those previous statements?”
    RFK: “Senator, I don’t believe that I ever compared the CDC to Nazi death camps. I support the CDC, my job is not to dismantle or harm the CDC, my job is to empower the scientists if I’m privileged to be confirmed.”
    SRW: “So, you retract those statements?”
    RFK: “I’m not retracting it. I never said it.”
    SRW: “Well, actually I have a transcript. Let me read your words, you said ‘That the institution CDC and the vaccine program is more important than the children that is supposed to protect and you know it’s the same reason we had a pedophile scandal in the Catholic Church it’s because people were able to convince themselves that the institution of the church was more important than those little boys and girls who were being raped’
    “That’s pretty provocative language you said in another statement to me ‘This is like Nazi death camp. […] What happened to these kids? 1 in 31 boys in this country, their minds are being robbed from them.”
    RFK: “I was not comparing the CDC to Nazi death camps, I was comparing the injury rate to our children to other atrocities and I wouldn’t compare the, of course, the CDC to Nazi death camps to any extent.
    “And any statement that I made has been interpreted that way, I don’t agree with that.”
    […]
    SRW: “It sounds like you stand by those statements?”
    RFK: “My objective is to support the CDC. There’s nothing I’m going to do that is going to harm CDC. I want to make sure that our science is gold standard science, that it’s free from that same government oversight investigation committee, and that the panels [… ] within CDC. I think 97% of the people on it had conflicts. I don’t believe that that’s right. I think we need to end those conflicts and make sure that scientists are doing unobstructed science.”
    SRW: “Last week the White House gagged HHS and the CDC, preventing them from communicating all important public health information to anyone. Including our allies in the United States and global disease prevention. Do you agree with that action?”
    RFK: “I was not consulted on it, but that’s pretty much standard operating procedure for the incoming administration.”
    SRW: “So you agree with the action that gagged HHS and CDC from communicating important public health information?”
    RFK: “That directive made sure that no use public health and only non-essential travel and mass communications were temporarily suspended, pending the confirmation of a new HHS secretary, this is standard operating procedure for administration.”
    SRW: “I don’t think what we’ve seen over the last several days is standard operation for a new administration. I think we’re seeing some unprecedented actions, but you agree with it.
    “Last night mem members of the CDC, along with other federal employees were actually invited to resign, these buyouts. I actually got text messages from folks I know from the CDC (who work) for the CDC that do this important work who got that note. It’s really important because my experience is that when you send out that kind of note, the folks who resign are the folks who you least likely want to see resign.
    “They got other options, they’re gifted folks, they’ve got a lot of expertise. A lot of them are doing this work because of their patriotism, because of their commitment. Do you agree with the buyouts that were presented to CDC employees just last night?”
    RFK: “I agree the vast majority of the scientists and experts at CDC are patriots and government servants.
    SRW: “Can you tell me yes or no? […] Ok, you agree with the buyouts.”
    “In our meeting, I asked you to confirm your support for the Affordable Care Act. You also mentioned that you and President Trump want to fix the ACA by making premiums more affordable.
    “Did you know that tax credits that help families afford health insurance and save George’s an average of $531 per month per person are set to expire at the end of the year? Did you know that?”
    RFK: “I do.”
    SRW: “Do you support Congress extending these tax credits so that Americans can continue to afford health care?
    *RFK gives non “Yes” or “No” response
    SRW: “I think that the fact that you find it difficult to answer basic questions is deeply troubling for me as you present yourself as a nominee to run HHS.
    SRW: “Based on our conversations, it’s my understanding that you support work requirements and Medicaid. In 2020, President Trump approved a proposal from Georgia state leaders requiring Georgians to jump through a number of onerous bureaucratic hoops and fill out even more paperwork, to verify work and get access to health care.
    “I asked this as someone who represents a state that has not expanded Medicaid, the federal government, because of this waiver, spent $70 million on Georgia’s Medicaid waiver. 82% of that went to administrative costs.
    “The point that I’m making is that the folks that they’re insisting need to work, 90% of those folks are working. They are caregivers or they have a disability.
    “Let me give you one example. A woman I think of all the time, her name is Heather. She’s a traveling nurse from Dalton, Georgia who falls into the Medicaid coverage gap. Heather experienced a series of small strokes leaving her unable to work full time. She’s dedicated her life to caring for patients, but now she can’t afford her own medical care out-of-pocket costs because she doesn’t make enough to qualify for tax credits to buy private insurance.
    “What does Heather need? Does she need work requirements, or does she need access to health care so she can finally get healthy and get back to work?
    RFK: “The individual that you described would need healthcare and not a work requirement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Firearms, cash and drugs seized in Hawke’s Bay search warrant

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attribute to Acting Detective Sergeant Steve Leonard

    Police have arrested one person and seized firearms, drugs and cash from the central Hawke’s Bay property of an Outlaws gang member.

    Three firearms, methamphetamine and cash were seized after Police executed a warrant at the address, this included a fully loaded Beretta pistol that was found in a bag alongside a quantity of methamphetamine.

    A 46-year-old man appeared in the Hastings District Court today and has been remanded in custody until his next appearance.

    Police will continue to work to disrupt organised crime and ensure the profits of such activity does not land in the hands of those at the forefront of the offending.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Six arrested for attempted murder

    Source: South Australia Police

    South Australia Police have arrested six people for attempt murder in relation to an incident at Andrews Farm on December 16, 2024.

    The incident involved an 18 year old who was shot through a closed bedroom roller shutter window. The victim has made a full recovery.

    Acting Assistant Commissioner John DeCandia said investigations found the address was mistaken the victim was not the intended target.

    “Operation Meld investigators believe the attack was extensively planned and today searched seven addresses to gather further evidence,” Acting Assistant Commissioner DeCandia said.

    “As a result of the searches several mobile phones have been seized and police located a firearm which is suspected to have been used in previous shootings. A large quantity of tablets suspected of containing MDMA were also located.”

    This morning police charged three 17 year olds, two 19 year olds and a 21 year old for the incident, all have been refused bail and will appear in court this afternoon.

    One 17 year old from Munno Para was further charged with possession of the prescribed firearm and related ammunition offences. While a 21 year old from Munno Para West was further charged with traffic a commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

    MIL OSI News –