Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI: Data Storage Corporation Reports 2024 Fiscal Year Financial Results and Provides Business Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Expanded CloudFirst platform in 2024 with 4 new Tier III data centers (UK & Chicago), totaling 10 globally to enhance multi-cloud and continuity services across North America and Europe
    • Completed Flagship Solutions Group integration into CloudFirst, boosting efficiency and cross-sell potential to clients; secured major 2024 contracts across motorsports, insurance, healthcare, and education sectors
    • Net income improved by approximately 71% for the 2024 fiscal year
      compared to 2023 fiscal year and achieved Adjusted EBITDA* of $2.37 million for 2024
    • Ends 2024 with $12.3 million in cash and marketable securities
      and no long-term debt
    • Conference Call to be held today at 11:00 am ET

    MELVILLE, N.Y., March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Data Storage Corporation (Nasdaq: DTST) (“DSC” and the “Company”), a leading provider of multi-cloud hosting, managed cloud services, disaster recovery, cybersecurity, and IT automation, with direct connection to AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, today provided a business update and reported financial results for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    “We made consistent progress in 2024 — both financially and strategically,” said Chuck Piluso, CEO of Data Storage Corporation. “To start, total revenue for the year increased to $25.4 million, a modest 2% gain from 2023, reflecting a shift from lower-margin, one-time equipment sales toward long term, recurring subscription revenue streams. This strategy builds on our already $39.2 million remaining contract value with disaster recovery and cloud hosting solutions. Importantly, we ended the year with an estimated $22 million Annual Recurring Revenue run rate, demonstrating the scalability and consistency of our subscription-based model with over 80% of our revenue recurring. Furthermore, net income rose approximately 71% to $513 thousand, while Adjusted EBITDA* increased to $2.37 million — both strong indicators of improved margins and greater operational efficiency. Finally, with $12.3 million in cash and marketable securities and no long-term debt, we remain well-positioned to invest in future growth.”

    “In 2024, we also took steps to expand our footprint. Internationally, we launched CloudFirst Europe Ltd. supported by three Tier III data centers in the UK through three strategic partnerships. This expansion positions us to provide our Power platform serving clients across the U.S., Canada, and the UK — we are one of the few single source global providers. To lead our European operations, we appointed Colin Freeman as Managing Director, and early traction in the region has been promising. Domestically, we added a Tier III data center in Chicago, bringing our total to ten global sites while enhancing redundancy and performance across North America.”

    “We also completed the full integration of our Flagship Solutions Group subsidiary into our CloudFirst Technologies subsidiary, which has streamlined operations and improved our ability to deliver integrated cloud and managed services to clients. Key new contracts in 2024 included engagements with a Canadian division of a major motorsports manufacturer, a billion-dollar insurance provider, and a U.S. medical center — each reflecting our strength in delivering compliant, mission-critical high processing infrastructure solutions.”

    “Overall, 2024 was a year of meaningful execution across all fronts. We advanced our shift to a high-margin, recurring revenue model, expanded into new international markets, strengthened our infrastructure, and delivered improved financial results. These accomplishments reinforce our long-term vision and position us to scale further in 2025 and beyond as demand for compliant, enterprise-grade cloud solutions continues to rise globally.”

    Conference Call

    The Company plans will host a conference call at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday, March 31, 2025, to discuss the Company’s financial results for the 2024 fiscal year which ended December 31, 2024, as well as corporate progress and other developments.

    The conference call will be available via telephone by dialing toll-free 877-407-9219 for U.S. callers or for international callers +1-201-689-8852. A webcast of the call may be accessed at  DSC 2024 Fiscal Year Earnings Call or on the Company’s News & Events section of the website,  www.dtst.com/news-events.

    A webcast replay of the call will be available on the Company’s website (www.dtst.com/news-events) through September 30, 2025. A telephone replay of the call will be available approximately three hours following the call, through April 7, 2025, and can be accessed by dialing 877-660-6853 for U.S. callers or + 1-201-612-7415 for international callers and entering conference ID: 13751220. 

    About Data Storage Corporation

    Data Storage Corporation (Nasdaq: DTST) through its subsidiaries is a leading provider of multi-cloud hosting, fully managed cloud services, disaster recovery, cybersecurity, IT automation, and voice & data solutions. Recognizing that data migration is a critical step in transitioning from on-premises systems to the cloud, DSC provides comprehensive migration services to ensure seamless, secure, and efficient data transfer, minimizing downtime and optimizing performance.

    Through its owned and operated cloud platform, built on IBM Power Cloud infrastructure, DSC delivers high-performance, scalable, and secure cloud solutions with interoperability across its infrastructure partners, AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.

    With data centers supporting its CloudFirst platform deployments across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, DSC provides mission-critical solutions to a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations.

    As a leader in the multi-billion-dollar cloud hosting and business continuity market, DTST is recognized for its expertise in cloud infrastructure, IT modernization, and data migration, enabling clients to transition to the cloud with confidence and operational continuity.

    For more information, please visit www.dtst.com or follow us on X @DataStorageCorp.

    *Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. Please refer to the Company’s financial disclosures for a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

    Safe Harbor Provision

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “projects,” “estimates,” “plans” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may” and “could” are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts, although not all forward-looking statements include the foregoing. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and include statements regarding being well-positioned to invest in future growth, the Company’s Power platform serving clients across the U.S., Canada and the UK and the Company’s recent accomplishments positioning it to scale further in 2025 and beyond as demand for compliant, enterprise-grade cloud solutions continues to rise globally, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, the Company’s ability to grow its presence in Europe, the Company being well-positioned to invest in future growth, the Company’s successful transition from on-premises systems to the cloud, and DSC delivering high-performance, scalable, and secure cloud solutions with interoperability across its infrastructure partners. These risks should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read together with the other cautionary statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was initially made. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

    Contact:
    Crescendo Communications, LLC
    212-671-1020
    DTST@crescendo-ir.com 

     DATA STORAGE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES  
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                     
        December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
    ASSETS                
    Current Assets:                
    Cash   $ 1,070,097     $ 1,428,730  
    Accounts receivable (less allowance for credit losses of $31,472   and $7,915 in 2024 and 2023, respectively)     2,225,458       1,259,972  
    Marketable securities     11,261,006       11,318,196  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     859,502       513,175  
    Total Current Assets     15,416,063       14,520,073  
                     
    Property and Equipment:                
    Property and equipment     9,598,963       7,838,225  
    Less—Accumulated depreciation     (6,159,307 )     (5,105,451 )
    Net Property and Equipment     3,439,656       2,732,774  
                     
    Other Assets:                
     Goodwill     4,238,671       4,238,671  
     Operating lease right-of-use assets     575,380       62,981  
     Other assets     183,439       48,436  
     Intangible assets, net     1,427,006       1,698,084  
    Total Other Assets     6,424,496       6,048,172  
                     
    Total Assets   $ 25,280,215     $ 23,301,019  
                     
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT                
    Current Liabilities:                
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses   $ 3,183,379     $ 2,608,938  
    Deferred revenue     212,390       336,201  
    Finance leases payable     17,641       263,600  
    Finance leases payable related party     33,879       235,944  
    Operating lease liabilities short term     98,860       63,983  
    Total Current Liabilities     3,546,149       3,508,666  
                     
    Operating lease liabilities     523,070        
    Finance leases payable           17,641  
    Finance leases payable related party           20,297  
    Deferred Tax Liability      39,031        
    Total Long-Term Liabilities     562,101       37,938  
                     
    Total Liabilities     4,108,250       3,546,604  
                     
    Commitments and contingencies (Note 7)                
                     
    Stockholders’ Equity:                
    Preferred stock, par value $.001; 10,000,000 shares authorized; 1,401,786 designated as Series A Preferred Stock, par value $.001; 0 shares issued and outstanding on December 31, 2024 and 2023            
    Common stock, par value $.001; 250,000,000 shares authorized; 7,045,108 and 6,880,460 shares issued and outstanding on December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively     7,045       6,881  
    Additional paid in capital     40,417,813       39,490,285  
    Accumulated deficit     (18,982,589 )     (19,505,803 )
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (23,214 )      
    Total Data Storage Corporation Stockholders’ Equity     21,419,055       19,991,363  
    Non-controlling interest in consolidated subsidiary     (247,090 )     (236,948 )
    Total Stockholders’ Equity     21,171,965       19,754,415  
    Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity   $ 25,280,215     $ 23,301,019  
    DATA STORAGE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES  
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                     
        Year Ended December 31,
        2024   2023
             
    Sales   $ 25,371,303     $ 24,959,576  
                     
    Cost of sales     14,267,936       15,383,251  
                     
    Gross Profit     11,103,367       9,576,325  
                     
    Selling, general and administrative     11,023,476       9,744,736  
                     
    Income (loss) from Operations     79,891       (168,411 )
                     
    Other Income (Expense)                
    Interest income     592,819       542,229  
    Interest expense     (119,008 )     (74,502 )
    Loss on disposal of equipment     (1,599 )      
    Total Other Income     472,212       467,727  
                     
    Income before provision for income taxes     552,103       299,316  
                     
    Provision for income taxes     (39,031 )      
                     
    Net Income     513,072       299,316  
                     
    Loss in Non-controlling interest in consolidated subsidiary     10,142       82,259  
                     
    Net Income Attributable to Common Stockholders   $ 523,214     $ 381,575  
                     
    Earnings per Share – Basic   $ 0.08     $ 0.06  
    Earnings per Share – Diluted   $ 0.07     $ 0.05  
    Weighted Average Number of Shares – Basic     6,931,399       6,841,094  
    Weighted Average Number of Shares – Diluted     7,347,779       7,424,228  
     DATA STORAGE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES  
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS 
                     
        Year Ended December 31,
        2024   2023
    Cash Flows from Operating Activities:                
    Net income   $ 513,072     $ 299,316  
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:                
    Depreciation and amortization     1,350,238       1,301,594  
    Stock based compensation     794,687       506,205  
    Change in expected credit losses     45,394       119,524  
    Loss on disposal of equipment     1,599        
    Changes in Assets and Liabilities:                
    Accounts receivable     (1,010,880 )     2,123,340  
    Other assets     (135,003 )      
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     (347,717 )     71,491  
    Right of use asset     135,559       163,520  
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses     567,930       (598,638 )
    Deferred revenue     (123,811 )     55,141  
    Deferred tax liability     39,031        
    Operating lease liability     (90,010 )     (168,446 )
    Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities     1,740,089       3,873,047  
    Cash Flows from Investing Activities:                
    Capital expenditures     (1,800,364 )     (1,545,017 )
    Purchase of marketable securities     (842,810 )     (2,307,228 )
    Sale of marketable securities     900,000        
    Net Cash Used in Investing Activities     (1,743,174 )     (3,852,245 )
    Cash Flows from Financing Activities:                
    Repayments of finance lease obligations related party     (222,362 )     (520,624 )
    Repayments of finance lease obligations     (263,600 )     (359,869 )
    Cash received for the exercise of stock options     133,005       1,699  
    Net Cash Used in Financing Activities     (352,957 )     (878,794 )
                     
    Effect of exchange rates on cash     (2,591 )      
                     
    Decrease in Cash     (358,633 )     (857,992 )
                     
    Cash, Beginning of Year     1,428,730       2,286,722  
                     
    Cash, End of Year   $ 1,070,097     $ 1,428,730  
    Supplemental Disclosures:                
    Cash paid for interest   $ 23,549     $ 65,057  
    Cash paid for income taxes   $     $  
    Non-cash investing and financing activities:                
    Assets acquired by operating lease   $ 647,958     $  
                     

    The following table shows the Company’s reconciliation of net income (loss) to adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2024, and 2023:

    For the year ended December 31, 2024
                         
        CloudFirst Technologies   CloudFirst Europe Ltd.   Nexxis Inc.   Corporate   Total
                         
    Net income (loss)   $ 3,562,622     $ (290,219 )   $ (93,514 )   $ (2,665,817 )   $ 513,072  
                                             
    Non-GAAP adjustments:                                        
    Depreciation and amortization     1,348,534       79       850       775       1,350,238  
    Sales tax settlement     142,021                         142,021  
    Interest income                       (592,819 )     (592,819 )
    Interest expense     119,008                         119,008  
    Provision for income tax                       39,031       39,031  
    Stock-based compensation     295,688             25,991       473,008       794,687  
                                             
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 5,467,873     $ (290,140 )   $ (66,673 )   $ (2,745,822 )   $ 2,365,238  

      

    For the year ended December 31, 2023
                         
        CloudFirst Technologies   CloudFirst Europe Ltd.   Nexxis Inc.   Corporate   Total
                         
    Net income   $ 2,625,879     $     $ (229,377 )   $ (2,097,186 )   $ 299,316  
                                             
    Non-GAAP adjustments:                                        
    Depreciation and amortization     1,300,237             705       652       1,301,594  
    Interest income                       (542,229 )     (542,229 )
    Interest expense     74,502                         74,502  
    Stock-based compensation     162,004             17,603       326,598       506,205  
                                             
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 4,162,622     $     $ (211,069 )   $ (2,312,165 )   $ 1,639,388  

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Secretary General to attend a meeting of European leaders in France

    Source: NATO

    On Thursday, 27 March 2025, the NATO Secretary General, Mr Mark Rutte, will travel to Paris, France, to attend a meeting of European leaders and Canada with Ukraine.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Secretary General reaffirms transatlantic unity in Warsaw: There is no alternative to NATO

    Source: NATO

    NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Warsaw on Wednesday (26 March 2025), where he met Polish President Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. The Secretary General then gave a speech at a public event co-hosted by the Warsaw School of Economics and the Polish Institute of International Affairs.

    Secretary General Rutte praised Poland for its leadership within the Alliance, including its strong support to Ukraine and record-high defence spending, set to reach 4.7% of GDP this year. “Poland’s investment in defence is an example to all Allies. Not only do you top the NATO charts, you plan to spend even more,” he said. 
     
    In his keynote speech, the Secretary General underlined the strength of the transatlantic bond and laid out NATO’s path to the upcoming Summit in The Hague.
     
    “When it comes to keeping Europe and North America safe, there is no alternative to NATO,” he said, stressing that it is not possible to imagine the defence of Europe without the Alliance.

    As Russia’s war against Ukraine rages on and its military cooperation with China, Iran, and North Korea intensifies, Mr Rutte warned that President Putin “has not given up on his ambition to reshape the global security order.” He underlined that a strong transatlantic Alliance remains the foundation of European security and that stronger European Allies are a unique strategic asset to the United States – allowing America, he said, to “promote peace through strength on the global stage.”

    Secretary General Rutte reiterated his confidence in the United States’ continued commitment to NATO and Article 5. “Listen to President Trump, who has repeatedly stated his commitment to a strong NATO. Listen to the strong bipartisan support in the US Congress,” he said. “And listen to the American people,” three-quarters of whom support NATO according to a recent Gallup poll.

    Mr Rutte also emphasised that the US commitment to NATO comes with a clear expectation: that European Allies and Canada take on greater responsibility for our shared security.

    Looking ahead to the NATO Summit in The Hague, the Secretary General said the Alliance would “begin a new chapter for our transatlantic Alliance. Where we build a stronger, fairer and more lethal NATO, to face a more dangerous world.”

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Video: DOMINATE the skies! #Army250

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    by Defense Media Activity

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #BeAllYouCanBe

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG8cTtxrNXs

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson issues warning to parents on the dangers and signs of children being victimized by violent online gore-seeking groups such as 764Read More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Attorney General Alan Wilson is warning parents of the increasing presence of an online gore trend, like the 764 movement, that is targeting teens. Those perpetuating these trends, who often are teens themselves, seek to generate online gore material through coercion and victimization of other teens, including but not limited to:  cutting, blood signs, child sexual abuse material, sextortion, bestiality, the torture or killing of animals, and documented suicide. These subjects also encourage their victims to become the subject and victimize others via online video games and chat rooms.

    Leaders of these online trends also often encourage and execute attacks on others via swatting and bomb threats.

    Some signs that your child may be at risk for participating in or becoming a victim of these gore groups are:

    • Teens and pre-teens aged 11-17 who experience mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, or are part of the LGBT community.
    • Spend an unusual amount of time online in a private space such as a bedroom (these activities usually take place on a desktop, laptop, or gaming computer).
    • Refer to “friends” by screen names only.
    • Have any signs of cutting themselves (this can be done anywhere on the body). The cuts are used to make a “blood-sign,” which is the writing of a message in blood, usually written in the bathroom/shower, then photographed.
    • The harming of pets and animals (most specifically cats).
    • Receive gifts, money, food deliveries, etc. from online or unknown relationships.

    Many victims do not realize that they are victims. If they refuse to provide content, subjects will often be threatened when they refuse to meet requests and/or recruit new victims.

    If you think your child may be a victim of these crimes, you should immediately report it to local law enforcement or the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

    More information on 764 and their activities can be found here: Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Violent Online Networks Target Vulnerable and Underage Populations Across the United States and Around the Globe

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Rapid7 Recognizes Top Global Partners With 2025 Partner Of The Year Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rapid7, Inc. (NASDAQ: RPD), a leader in extended risk and threat detection, today announced the winners of its 2025 Partner of the Year Awards. Now in its 5th year, the annual awards program recognizes both private and public sector partners for exceptional collaboration as well as their positive influence on customers’ security postures.

    Rapid7 recently announced significant updates to its global PACT partner program, uniting and energizing partners with tailored engagement programs and specializations, an all-new Partner Training Academy, and a modernized and expanded partner portal. The new program was rolled out to Rapid7’s full channel community, which includes resellers, distributors, systems integrators, and service providers, in a series of in person and virtual events that took place around the world.

    “The global Rapid7 partner community is essential in furthering our mission to give customers command of their attack surface with the most adaptive, predictive, and responsive cybersecurity platform,” said Alex Page, vice president of global channel and emerging technology sales, Rapid7. “Through the annual Partner of the Year Awards, we acknowledge the various ways our partners excel in specialization, collaboration, and—most importantly—customer outcomes.”

    This year, Rapid7 is recognizing 24 partners across 13 categories in four major geographic regions.

    North America Region Winners:

    • North America Partner of the Year: SHI
    • Canada Partner of the Year: Softchoice
    • Public Sector Partner of the Year: CDW•G
    • Best Customer Retention Partner of the Year: GuidePoint Security
    • Cloud Security Partner of the Year: SHI
    • Detection & Response Partner of the Year: CDW
    • Exposure Management Partner of the Year: SHI
    • MSSP Partner of the Year: Novawatch
    • Distributor of the Year: Carahsoft
    • Emerging Partner of the Year: The Redesign Group

    Latin America Region Winners:

    • Latin America Partner of the Year: Netconn

    EMEA Region Winners:

    APJ Region Winners:

    Partner of the Year Quotes:

    • North America Partner of the Year – Jared Crowley, senior director of partner software and security sales, SHI, said: “It is an honor for SHI to be recognized as the North America Partner of the Year, Cloud Partner of the Year, and VM Partner of the Year. These awards are a reflection of our team’s dedication and expertise in delivering innovative solutions to our customers. We are excited to continue strengthening our partnership with Rapid7 to drive even greater success together in the future.”
    • EMEA Partner of the Year – Will Day, cybersecurity alliances lead at Softcat, said: “I am delighted that the hard work and commitment of the teams has been recognized in this award. It is testament to the strength of partnership between Softcat and Rapid7, refined over the last 10-plus years, yet still fueled by a joint desire to win new customers and provide them with market-leading SecOps solutions. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next 12 months of growth in the partnership will bring.”
    • APJ Partner of the Year – Jordan Del-Grande, CEO and founder, DGplex, said: “We at DGplex are incredibly honored to be recognized as the APJ Partner of the Year by Rapid7. This award is a testament to our team’s dedication and expertise in delivering innovative cybersecurity solutions. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Rapid7 to drive excellence and provide unparalleled value to our clients across the region.”

    To learn more about Rapid7 partnerships and to explore partnership opportunities, visit https://www.rapid7.com/partners/.

    About Rapid7
    Rapid7, Inc. (NASDAQ: RPD) is on a mission to create a safer digital world by making cybersecurity simpler and more accessible. We empower security professionals to manage a modern attack surface through our best-in-class technology, leading-edge research, and broad, strategic expertise. Rapid7’s comprehensive security solutions help more than 11,000 global customers unite cloud risk management with threat detection and response to reduce attack surfaces and eliminate threats with speed and precision. For more information, visit our website, check out our blog, or follow us on LinkedIn or X.

    Rapid7 Media Relations
    Stacey Holleran
    Sr. Manager, Global Communications
    press@rapid7.com
    (857) 216-7804

    Rapid7 Investor Contact
    Elizabeth Chwalk
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    investors@rapid7.com
    (617) 865-4277

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Australian Oilseeds Announces Second Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COOTAMUNDRA, Australia, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: COOT) today announced financial results for its second quarter fiscal 2025 ended December 31, 2024.

    Second Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights Compared to Prior Year

    • Sales revenue increased 4.5% to A$10.4 million reflecting increased demand for the Company’s chemical free canola oil due to expanded customer contracts.
    • Retail oil revenue increased 47.6% to A$5.2 million due to expanded distribution in leading retailers in Australia along with the addition of several new SKUs.
    • Net loss of A$0.3 million compared to net income of A$1.0 million, reflecting changes to sales mix along with the timing of planned investments in brand and marketing to support our GEO products as well as higher professional fees, insurance cost and increased listing compliance costs.

    “Our retail oils business continued to deliver exceptional growth in the second quarter, reflecting robust demand across our portfolio as well as expanding distribution,” said Gary Seaton, Chief Executive Officer. “Our momentum is strong, including a significant increase in demand from China recently, and we continue to benefit from our commitment to eliminating chemicals from the edible oil production and manufacturing systems to supply quality products such as non-GMO oilseeds and organic and non-organic food-grade oils. We remain comfortable with our direction and trajectory and continue to expect to deliver improving returns over the long term as our business scales.”

    About Australian Oilseeds Investments Pty Ltd. Australian Oilseeds Investments Pty Ltd. is an Australian proprietary company that, directly and indirectly through its subsidiaries, is focused on the manufacture and sale of sustainable oilseeds (e.g., seeds grown primarily for the production of edible oils) and is committed to working with all suppliers in the food supply chain to eliminate chemicals from the production and manufacturing systems to supply quality products to customers globally. The Company engages in the business of processing, manufacture and sale of non-GMO oilseeds and organic and non-organic food-grade oils, for the rapidly growing oilseeds market, through sourcing materials from suppliers focused on reducing the use of chemicals in consumables in order to supply healthier food ingredients, vegetable oils, proteins and other products to customers globally. Over the past 20 years, the Company’s cold pressing oil plant has grown to become the largest in Australia, pressing strictly GMO-free conventional and organic oilseeds.

    Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding our financial outlook, business strategy and plans, market trends and market size, opportunities and positioning. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “believe,” “hope,” “target,” “project,” “goals,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “intend,” “shall” and variations of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control. For example, global economic conditions could in the future reduce demand for our products; we could in the future experience cybersecurity incidents; we may be unable to manage or sustain the level of growth that our business has experienced in prior periods; our financial resources may not be sufficient to maintain or improve our competitive position; we may be unable to attract new customers, or retain or sell additional products to existing customers; we may experience challenges successfully expanding our marketing and sales capabilities, including further specializing our sales force; customer growth could decelerate in the future; we may not achieve expected synergies and efficiencies of operations from recent acquisitions or business combinations, and we may not be able to pay off our convertible notes when due. Further information on potential factors that could affect our financial results is included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for June 30, 2024 and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent our views only as of the date of this press release and we assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

    Contact
    Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited
    126-142 Cowcumbla Street
    Cootamundra New South Wales 2590
    Attn: Amarjeet Singh, CFO
    Email: amarjeet.s@energreennutrition.com.au

    Investor Relations Contact
    Reed Anderson
    (646) 277-1260
    reed.anderson@icrinc.com 

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Panama Canal’s other conflict: Water security for the population and the global economy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Karina Garcia, Researcher and Lecturer in Climate, Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá

    The Panama Canal carries cargo ships between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, cutting weeks off shipping time. Danny Lehman/The Image Bank via Getty Images

    The Panama Canal is one of the most important waterways in the world, with about 7% of global trade passing through. It also relies heavily on rainfall. Without enough freshwater flowing in, the canal’s locks can’t raise and lower ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Droughts mean fewer ships per day, and that can quickly affect Panama’s finances and economies around the world.

    But the same freshwater is also essential for Panama’s many other needs, including drinking water for about 2 million Panamanians, use by Indigenous people and farmers in the watershed, as well as hydropower.

    When the region experiences droughts, as it did in 2023-2024, the resulting water shortages can lead to increasing water conflicts.

    One of those conflicts involves a new dam the Panama Canal Authority plans to begin building in 2027. It would be designed to secure enough water to keep the canal, which contributes about 4.2% to the country’s gross domestic product,, operating into the future, but it would also submerge farming communities and displace over 2,000 people from their homes.

    The Panama Canal Authority plans to build a new dam and reservoir that would submerge the village of Limon and hundreds of homes in the region.
    AP Photo/Matias Delacroix

    This recent drought wasn’t an anomaly. As an academic who studies the effects of rising temperatures on water availability and sea level rise, I’m aware that as the climate warms, Panama will likely face more extremes, both long dry spells and also periods of too much rain. That will force more trade-offs between residential needs and the canal over water use.

    Complex engineering remade the landscape

    The Panama Canal was built over a century ago at the narrowest point of the country and in the heart of its population center. The route was historically used by the Spanish colonies and later for a rail line between the oceans.

    The idea of a canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans began as a French endeavor, led by architect Ferdinand D. Lesseps, designer of the Suez Canal in Egypt. After the French effort failed, the U.S. government signed a treaty with newly independent Panama in 1903 to take over the project.

    The U.S. acquired the rights to build and operate the Panama Canal in exchange for US$10 million and annual payments of $250,000. Later, the Torrijos-Carter Treaty in 1977 committed the U.S. to transfer the control of operations to Panama at the end of 1999.

    One week of shipping on the Panama Canal. Source: Maps.com using World Economic Forum data.

    The canal project was designed to take advantage of the region’s tropical climate and abundant average rainfall.

    It harnessed the water of the Chagres River basin to run three sets of locks – chambers that, filled with fresh water, act like elevators, lifting or lowering ships to compensate for the difference in water levels between the two oceans.

    To ensure enough water would be available for the locks, the canal’s designers changed the shapes of the region’s mountains and rivers to create a large watershed – over 1,325 square miles (3,435 square kilometers) – that drains toward the canal’s human-made lakes, Gatun and Alajuela.

    About 65% of the water that flows from the watershed today goes to operate the locks. The majority of that water is quickly lost to the oceans.

    Even the two newest locks, built in 2016, only reuse about 60% of water on each transit – 40% is flushed to avoid saltwater from the oceans intruding into the watershed.

    Threats to water security

    Panama’s wet tropical weather is predominantly influenced by its location near the equator, the trade winds and the oceans. Most of its rain falls during the wet season, from May to November. However, weather records show a drop in average precipitation starting around 1950.

    The driest years resulted in dangerously low water levels in Gatun Lake that made canal operations difficult, including in 1998, 2016 and most recently 2023-2024. El Niño weather patterns can mean particularly low rainfall.

    Water levels at Gatun Lake since 1965 show how low 2023 and 2024 were.
    EIA

    In December 2023, the Panama Canal Authority was forced to limit the number of daily transits to 22, compared with 36 to 38 usual crossings, because too little freshwater was available.

    To avoid steep financial losses, the Panama Canal Authority raised prices and auctioned transit opportunities to the highest bidders. Without those measures, the authority estimated it would lose $100 million a month from reduced ship traffic because of the water shortage.

    Ecosystems also need enough water, and changes in forest tree composition have become evident on Barro Colorado Island in Gatun Lake in response to rising temperatures and more frequent droughts.

    Climate change is also creating greater variability in rainfall. Too much rain can also be a problem for canal operations. In December 2010, the biggest storm on record caused landslides and $150 million in damage that interrupted transits on the canal.

    Sustaining Panama’s canal and its people

    Temporary measures for saving water have been already implemented. The Panama Canal Authority shortened the chamber size in some of its locks to use less water for smaller vessels and minimized direction changes.

    In January 2025, the authority approved plans to build the new dam on the Indio River to increase water available for the canal. The dam could solve some water concerns during drier periods for the canal.

    However, it also illustrates the country’s water conflicts. Once filled, the dam’s reservoir will submerge over 1,200 homes by some counts, and more people in the region will lose access to land and travel routes. The Panama Canal Authority promises that residents will be relocated, but some of those living in the region fear they will lose their livelihoods, along with the communities their families have lived in for generations.

    Panama Canal representatives explain to community members in El Jobo in 2024 how a planned dam on the Indio River would affect the future of their community.
    AP Photo/Matias Delacroix

    Residents across Panama, meanwhile, regularly hear media campaigns that encourage them to save water. An Environmental Economic Incentives Program promotes forest conservation and sustainable family agriculture to conserve water resources.

    The Panama Canal is a crucial part of international trade, and it will face more periods of water stress. I believe responding to those future changes, as well as market and societal demands, will require innovative solutions that respect ecosystem limits and the needs of the population.

    Karina Garcia does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. The Panama Canal’s other conflict: Water security for the population and the global economy – https://theconversation.com/the-panama-canals-other-conflict-water-security-for-the-population-and-the-global-economy-253100

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: As ‘right to die’ gains more acceptance, a scholar of Catholicism explains the position of the Catholic Church

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

    In recent years, euthanasia and assisted death rates have risen worldwide. Cavan Images / Raffi Maghdessian via Getty images

    An individual’s “right to die” is becoming more accepted across the globe. Polls show that most Americans support allowing doctors to end a patient’s life upon their request. Assisted suicide is now permitted in 10 U.S. states and in Washington. In 2025,five more states are set to consider “right to die” legislation.

    The “right to die” can refer to several means of dying. In “euthanasia,” death can either be “voluntary” – when a physician administers lethal drugs with the patient’s consent – or “nonvoluntary,” without a person’s consent, as when a person is in a vegetative state. In such cases, consent is usually given by a legal guardian or relative.

    By contrast “assisted suicide” refers to a person being aided in ending their life by being given lethal drugs and then administering the dose themselves. This practice is sometimes called “assisted dying.” These terms make crucial distinctions between who carries out the final act of ending life.

    Worldwide, euthanasia and assisted death rates have risen in recent years.

    In 2023, almost 1 in 20 deaths in Canada were from assisted dying; in the Netherlands, the number reached 5.4% from assisted dying and euthanasia. The Netherlands has also legalized assisted dying related to mental disorders, not just terminal illnesses.

    In November 2024, an assisted dying bill passed the British parliament, with a similar bill now pending in Scotland. Assisted suicide and euthanasia are already legal in Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg, among other countries in Europe and Latin America.

    The right-to-die debate

    Advocates of a person’s right to die argue that individuals should make their own end-of-life decisions because it is their life – and their death. Advocates also maintain that euthanasia and assisted suicide not only prevent further suffering, but also safeguard an individual’s dignity by avoiding senseless pain and severely diminished quality of life.

    However, right-to-die advocates have critics; among the more forceful ones is the Roman Catholic Church. For example, speaking about the potential legalization of euthanasia in France in 2022, Pope Francis argued that euthanasia, in all its forms, only leads to “more killing.”

    But as a scholar of Catholic thought and practice, I also recognize that the Catholic position is a nuanced one. It opposes euthanasia and assisted dying, but it does not support extraordinary or disproportionate treatments when unavoidable death is close at hand.

    ‘A sin against God’

    Francis has called euthanasia and assisted suicide “a sin against God.” He also has linked euthanasia to abortion, saying, “you don’t play with life, not at the beginning, and not at the end.”

    The fullest, most recent explanation of the Catholic view on the right to die can be found in the 2020 Vatican letter “The Good Samaritan,” a title that refers to the biblical story of a stranger who was the only one to assist a man beaten and stripped by robbers.

    The parable of The Good Samaritan.
    David Teniers the Younger/ The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    Agreeing with many other Christian denominations, “The Good Samaritan” letter makes the point that our lives are not our own but belong to God. As God’s creations, we do not have the right to end our own lives. Euthanasia also involves a doctor actively killing their own patient. Euthanasia and assisted suicide thus violate the biblical commandment “thou shalt not kill.”

    Beyond this basic point, the letter maintains that euthanasia undermines society because the right to life is the basis of all other rights. Also, debates about “quality of life” can lead to the idea that “poor-quality” lives have no right to continue.

    A failure of love

    “The Good Samaritan” letter observes that human beings are joined together by compassion – a word that literally means “co-suffering.” In the letter’s words, which have been repeated by Francis many times, euthanasia is “false compassion” because it ignores the “spiritual and interpersonal aspects” of human life such as accompanying – or simply being with – someone in and through their suffering.

    Connected to this opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide is a point that Francis often makes about “throwaway culture,” which “discards” the poor, needy and dependent. In Francis’ words, euthanasia is “a failure of love.”

    End-of-life care

    Given the Catholic church’s stand against assisted suicide and euthanasia, it might seem surprising that the church does allow refusing “overzealous” treatments that prolong suffering in the face of unavoidable death. Such procedures could include mechanical ventilation or dialysis, for example.

    Catholic ethics would point out that killing is a basic part of the act of assisted suicide and euthanasia. Killing is also the intent behind the action.

    But declining disproportionate treatment is not intended to kill the patient, although death is the foreseeable outcome. Death is the result of the disease, not the result of a method that actively ends the patient’s life. Also, even in terminal cases, normal care, such as providing nutrition and hydration, should be continued unless it causes additional pain.

    A difference that matters

    In the Catholic Church’s view, it matters that there is a difference between assisted suicide and euthanasia, on the one hand, and discontinuing disproportionate care, on the other. The difference lies in the nature of particular actions and the intent behind them.

    And the difference also matters in a broader sense. In the debate between right-to-die advocates and those who, like Francis, oppose them, there are very different understandings of how society should respond to those who suffer.

    Mathew Schmalz is a Roman Catholic and registered as an Independent.

    ref. As ‘right to die’ gains more acceptance, a scholar of Catholicism explains the position of the Catholic Church – https://theconversation.com/as-right-to-die-gains-more-acceptance-a-scholar-of-catholicism-explains-the-position-of-the-catholic-church-146737

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Bird flu could be on the cusp of transmitting between humans − but there are ways to slow down viral evolution

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ron Barrett, Professor of Anthropology, Macalester College

    Workers who are in frequent contact with potentially sick animals are at high risk of bird flu infection. Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Disease forecasts are like weather forecasts: We cannot predict the finer details of a particular outbreak or a particular storm, but we can often identify when these threats are emerging and prepare accordingly.

    The viruses that cause avian influenza are potential threats to global health. Recent animal outbreaks from a subtype called H5N1 have been especially troubling to scientists. Although human infections from H5N1 have been relatively rare, there have been a little more than 900 known cases globally since 2003 – nearly 50% of these cases have been fatal – a mortality rate about 20 times higher than that of the 1918 flu pandemic. If the worst of these rare infections ever became common among people, the results could be devastating.

    Approaching potential disease threats from an anthropological perspective, my colleagues and I recently published a book called “Emerging Infections: Three Epidemiological Transitions from Prehistory to the Present” to examine the ways human behaviors have shaped the evolution of infectious diseases, beginning with their first major emergence in the Neolithic period and continuing for 10,000 years to the present day.

    Viewed from this deep time perspective, it becomes evident that H5N1 is displaying a common pattern of stepwise invasion from animal to human populations. Like many emerging viruses, H5N1 is making incremental evolutionary changes that could allow it to transmit between people. The periods between these evolutionary steps present opportunities to slow this process and possibly avert a global disaster.

    Spillover and viral chatter

    When a disease-causing pathogen such as a flu virus is already adapted to infect a particular animal species, it may eventually evolve the ability to infect a new species, such as humans, through a process called spillover.

    Spillover is a tricky enterprise. To be successful, the pathogen must have the right set of molecular “keys” compatible with the host’s molecular “locks” so it can break in and out of host cells and hijack their replication machinery. Because these locks often vary between species, the pathogen may have to try many different keys before it can infect an entirely new host species. For instance, the keys a virus successfully uses to infect chickens and ducks may not work on cattle and humans. And because new keys can be made only through random mutation, the odds of obtaining all the right ones are very slim.

    Given these evolutionary challenges, it is not surprising that pathogens often get stuck partway into the spillover process. A new variant of the pathogen might be transmissible from an animal only to a person who is either more susceptible due to preexisting illness or more likely to be infected because of extended exposure to the pathogen.

    Even then, the pathogen might not be able to break out of its human host and transmit to another person. This is the current situation with H5N1. For the past year, there have been many animal outbreaks in a variety of wild and domestic animals, especially among birds and cattle. But there have also been a small number of human cases, most of which have occurred among poultry and dairy workers who worked closely with large numbers of infected animals.

    Pathogen transmission can be modeled in three stages. In Stage 1, the pathogen can be transmitted only between nonhuman animals. In stage 2, the pathogen can also be transmitted to humans, but it is not yet adapted for human-to-human transmission. In Stage 3, the pathogen is fully capable of human-to-human transmission.
    Ron Barrett, CC BY-SA

    Epidemiologists call this situation viral chatter: when human infections occur only in small, sporadic outbreaks that appear like the chattering signals of coded radio communications – tiny bursts of unclear information that may add up to a very ominous message. In the case of viral chatter, the message would be a human pandemic.

    Sporadic, individual cases of H5N1 among people suggest that human-to-human transmission may likely occur at some point. But even so, no one knows how long or how many steps it would take for this to happen.

    Influenza viruses evolve rapidly. This is partly because two or more flu varieties can infect the same host simultaneously, allowing them to reshuffle their genetic material with one another to produce entirely new varieties.

    Genetic reshuffling – aka antigenic shift – between a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza and a strain of human influenza could create a new strain that’s even more infectious among people.
    Eunsun Yoo/Biomolecules & Therapeutics, CC BY-NC

    These reshuffling events are more likely to occur when there is a diverse range of host species. So it is particularly concerning that H5N1 is known to have infected at least 450 different animal species. It may not be long before the viral chatter gives way to larger human epidemics.

    Reshaping the trajectory

    The good news is that people can take basic measures to slow down the evolution of H5N1 and potentially reduce the lethality of avian influenza should it ever become a common human infection. But governments and businesses will need to act.

    People can start by taking better care of food animals. The total weight of the world’s poultry is greater than all wild bird species combined. So it is not surprising that the geography of most H5N1 outbreaks track more closely with large-scale housing and international transfers of live poultry than with the nesting and migration patterns of wild aquatic birds. Reducing these agricultural practices could help curb the evolution and spread of H5N1.

    Large-scale commercial transport of domesticated animals is associated with the evolution and spread of new influenza varieties.
    ben/Flickr, CC BY-SA

    People can also take better care of themselves. At the individual level, most people can vaccinate against the common, seasonal influenza viruses that circulate every year. At first glance this practice may not seem connected to the emergence of avian influenza. But in addition to preventing seasonal illness, vaccination against common human varieties of the virus will reduce the odds of it mixing with avian varieties and giving them the traits they need for human-to-human transmission.

    At the population level, societies can work together to improve nutrition and sanitation in the world’s poorest populations. History has shown that better nutrition increases overall resistance to new infections, and better sanitation reduces how much and how often people are exposed to new pathogens. And in today’s interconnected world, the disease problems of any society will eventually spread to every society.

    For more than 10,000 years, human behaviors have shaped the evolutionary trajectories of infectious diseases. Knowing this, people can reshape these trajectories for the better.

    Ron Barrett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Bird flu could be on the cusp of transmitting between humans − but there are ways to slow down viral evolution – https://theconversation.com/bird-flu-could-be-on-the-cusp-of-transmitting-between-humans-but-there-are-ways-to-slow-down-viral-evolution-250232

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Measles can ravage the immune system and brain, causing long-term damage – a virologist explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Peter Kasson, Professor of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

    Measles infections send 1 in 5 people to the hospital. wildpixel/ iStock via Getty Images Plus

    The measles outbreak that began in west Texas in late January 2025 continues to grow, with 400 confirmed cases in Texas and more than 50 in New Mexico and Oklahoma as of March 28.

    Public health experts believe the numbers are much higher, however, and some worry about a bigger resurgence of the disease in the U.S. In the past two weeks, health officials have identified potential measles exposures in association with planes, trains and automobiles, including at Washington Dulles International Airport and on an Amtrak train from New York City to Washington, D.C. – as well as at health care facilities where the infected people sought medical attention.

    Measles infections can be extremely serious. So far in 2025, 14% of the people who got measles had to be hospitalized. Last year, that number was 40%. Measles can damage the lungs and immune system, and also inflict permanent brain damage. Three in 1,000 people who get the disease die. But because measles vaccination programs in the U.S. over the past 60 years have been highly successful, few Americans under 50 have experienced measles directly, making it easy to think of the infection as a mere childhood rash with fever.

    As a biologist who studies how viruses infect and kill cells and tissues, I believe it is important for people to understand how dangerous a measles infection can be.

    Underappreciated acute effects

    Measles is one of the most contagious diseases on the planet. One person who has it will infect nine out of 10 people nearby if those people are unvaccinated. A two-dose regimen of the vaccine, however, is 97% effective at preventing measles.

    When the measles virus infects a person, it binds to specific proteins on the surface of cells. It then inserts its genome and replicates, destroying the cells in the process. This first happens in the upper respiratory tract and the lungs, where the virus can damage the person’s ability to breathe well. In both places, the virus also infects immune cells that carry it to the lymph nodes, and from there, throughout the body.

    Measles can wipe out immune cells’ ability to recognize pathogens.

    What generally lands people with measles in the hospital is the disease’s effects on the lungs. As the virus destroys lung cells, patients can develop viral pneumonia, which is characterized by severe coughing and difficulty breathing. Measles pneumonia afflicts about 1 in 20 children who get measles and is the most common cause of death from measles in young children.

    The virus can directly invade the nervous system and also damage it by causing inflammation. Measles can cause acute brain damage in two different ways: a direct infection of the brain that occurs in roughly 1 in 1,000 people, or inflammation of the brain two to 30 days after infection that occurs with the same frequency. Children who survive these events can have permanent brain damage and impairments such as blindness and hearing loss.

    Yearslong consequences of infection

    An especially alarming but still poorly understood effect of measles infection is that it can reduce the immune system’s ability to recognize pathogens it has previously encountered. Researchers had long suspected that children who get the measles vaccine also tend to have better immunity to other diseases, but they were not sure why. A study published in 2019 found that having a measles infection destroyed between 11% and 75% of their antibodies, leaving them vulnerable to many of the infections to which they previously had immunity. This effect, called immune amnesia, lasts until people are reinfected or revaccinated against each disease their immune system forgot.

    Occasionally, the virus can lie undetected in the brain of a person who recovered from measles and reactivate typically seven to 10 years later. This condition, called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, is a progressive dementia that is almost always fatal. It occurs in about 1 in 25,000 people who get measles but is about five times more common in babies infected with measles before age 1.

    Researchers long thought that such infections were caused by a special strain of measles, but more recent research suggests that the measles virus can acquire mutations that enable it to infect the brain during the course of the original infection.

    There is still much to learn about the measles virus. For example, researchers are exploring antibody therapies to treat severe measles. However, even if such treatments work, the best way to prevent the serious effects of measles is to avoid infection by getting vaccinated.

    Peter Kasson receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the Swedish Research Council for research on other emerging viruses.

    ref. Measles can ravage the immune system and brain, causing long-term damage – a virologist explains – https://theconversation.com/measles-can-ravage-the-immune-system-and-brain-causing-long-term-damage-a-virologist-explains-252354

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Massive cuts to Health and Human Services’ workforce signal a dramatic shift in US health policy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Simon F. Haeder, Associate Professor of Public Health, Texas A&M University

    The new plan will shrink the Health and Human Services workforce from more than 82,000 to 62,000 employees. Sarah Stierch via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    On March 27, 2025, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced plans to dramatically transform the department. HHS is the umbrella agency responsible for pandemic preparedness, biomedical research, food safety and many other health-related activities.

    In a video posted that afternoon, Kennedy said the cuts and reorganization to HHS aim to “streamline our agency” and “radically improve our quality of service” by eliminating rampant waste and inefficiency. “No American is going to be left behind,” the health secretary told the nation.

    As a scholar of U.S. health and public health policy, I have written about administrative burdens that prevent many Americans from accessing benefits to which they are entitled, including those provided by HHS, like Medicaid.

    Few experts would deny that the federal bureaucracy can be inefficient and siloed. This includes HHS, and calls to restructure the agency are nothing new

    Combined with previous reductions, these cuts may achieve some limited short-term savings. However, the proposed changes dramatically alter U.S. health policy and research, and they may endanger important benefits and protections for many Americans. They may also have severe consequences for scientific progress. And as some policy experts have suggested, the poorly targeted cuts may increase inefficiencies and waste down the line.

    Health and science in a big-budget agency

    HHS is tasked with providing a variety of public health and social services as well as fostering scientific advancement.

    Originally established as the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1953, HHS has seen substantial growth and transformation over time. Today, HHS is home to 28 divisions. Some of these are well known to many Americans, such as the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Others, such as the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the Administration for Community Living, may fly under the radar for most people.

    HHS oversees Medicare, through which 68 million Americans, primarily adults age 65 and older, receive health insurance benefits.
    Richard Bailey/Corbis Documentary via Getty Images

    With an annual budget of roughly US$1.8 trillion, HHS is one of the largest federal spenders, accounting for more than 1 in 5 dollars of the federal budget.

    Under the Biden administration, HHS’s budget increased by almost 40%, with a 17% increase in staffing. However, 85% of that money is spent on 79 million Medicaid and 68 million Medicare beneficiaries. Put differently, most of HHS’ spending goes directly to many Americans in the form of health benefits.

    A new direction for Health and Human Services

    From a policy perspective, the changes initiated at HHS by the second-term Trump administration are far-reaching. They involve both staffing cuts and substantial reorganization.

    Prior to the March 27 announcement, the administration had already cut thousands of positions from HHS by letting go probationary employees and offering buyouts for employees to voluntarily leave.

    Now, HHS is slated to lose another 10,000 workers. The latest cuts focus most heavily on a handful of agencies. The FDA will lose an additional 3,500 employees, and the NIH will lose 1,200. The CDC, where cuts are steepest, will lose 2,400 positions.

    In all, the moves will reduce the HHS workforce by about 25%, from more than 82,000 to 62,000. These changes will provide savings of about $1.8 billion, or 0.1% of the HHS budget.

    Along with these cuts comes a major reorganization that will eliminate 13 out of 28 offices and agencies, close five of the 10 regional offices, reshuffle existing divisions and establish a new division called the Administration for a Healthy America.

    In his latest message, Kennedy noted that this HHS transformation would return the agency to its core mission: to “enhance the health and well-being of all Americans”. He also announced his intention to refocus HHS on his Make America Healthy Again priorities, which involve reducing chronic illness “by focusing on safe, wholesome food, clean water and the elimination of environmental toxins.”

    How HHS’ new reality will affect Americans

    Kennedy has said the HHS overhaul will not affect services to Americans. Given the magnitude of the cuts, this seems unlikely.

    HHS reaches into the lives of all Americans. Many have family members on Medicaid or Medicare, or know individuals with disabilities or those dealing with substance use disorder. Disasters may strike anywhere. Bird flu and measles outbreaks are unfolding in many parts of the country. Everyone relies on access to safe foods, drugs and vaccines.

    The plan to restructure HHS will trim its budget by 0.1%.

    In his announcement, the health secretary highlighted cuts to HHS support functions, such as information technology and human resources, as a way to reduce redundancies and inefficiencies. But scaling down and reorganizing these capacities will inevitably have implications for how well HHS employees will be able to fulfill their duties – at least temporarily. Kennedy acknowledged this as a “painful period” for HHS.

    However, large-scale reductions and reorganizations inevitably lead to more systemic disruptions, delays and denials. It seems implausible that Americans seeking access to health care, help with HIV prevention or early education benefits such as Head Start, which are also administered by HHS, will not be affected. This is particularly the case when conceived rapidly and without transparent long-term planning.

    These new cuts are also further exacerbated by the administration’s previous slashes to public health funding for state and local governments. Given the crucial functions of HHS – from health coverage for vulnerable populations to pandemic preparedness and response – the American Public Health Association predicts the cuts will result in a rise in rates of disease and death.

    Already, previous cuts at the FDA – the agency responsible for safe foods and drugs – have led to delays in product reviews.

    Overall, the likelihood of increasing access challenges for people seeking services or support as well as fewer protections and longer wait times seems high.

    A fundamental reshaping of American public health

    The HHS restructuring should be viewed in a broader context. Since coming to office, the Trump administration has aggressively sought to reshape the U.S. public health agenda. This has included vast cuts to research funding as well as funding for state and local governments. The most recent cuts at HHS fit into the mold of rolling back protections and reshaping science.

    The Trump administration has already announced plans to curtail the Affordable Care Act and roll back regulations that address everything from clean water to safe vaccines. State programs focused on health disparities have also been targeted.

    HHS-funded research has also been scaled back dramatically, with a long list of projects terminated in research areas touching on health disparities, women’s and LGBTQ-related health issues, COVID-19 and long COVID, vaccine hesitancy and more.

    The HHS reorganization also revamps two bodies within HHS, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, that are instrumental in improving U.S. health care and providing policy research. This change further diminishes the likelihood that health policy will be based on scientific evidence and raises the risk for more politicized decision-making about health.

    More cuts are likely still to come. Medicaid, the program providing health coverage for low-income Americans, will be a particular target. The House of Representatives passed a budget resolution on Feb. 25 that allows up to $880 billion in cuts to the program.

    All told, plans already announced and those expected to emerge in the future dramatically alter U.S. health policy and roll back substantial protections for Americans.

    A vision for deregulation

    Regulation has emerged as the most prolific source of policymaking over the last five decades, particularly for health policy. Given its vast responsibilities, HHS is one of the federal government’s most prolific regulators. Vast cuts to the HHS workforce will likely curtail this capability, resulting in fewer regulatory protections for Americans.

    At the same time, with fewer experienced administrators on staff, industry influence over regulatory decisions will likely only grow stronger. HHS will simply lack the substance and procedural expertise to act independently. More industry influence and fewer independent regulators to counter it will also further reduce attention to disparities and underserved populations.

    Ultimately, the Trump administration’s efforts may lead to a vastly different federal health policy – with fewer benefits, services and protections – than what Americans have become accustomed to in modern times.

    Dr. Simon F. Haeder has previously received funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) .

    ref. Massive cuts to Health and Human Services’ workforce signal a dramatic shift in US health policy – https://theconversation.com/massive-cuts-to-health-and-human-services-workforce-signal-a-dramatic-shift-in-us-health-policy-253316

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Doctor shortages have hobbled health care for decades − and the trend could be worsening

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rochelle Walensky, Bayer Fellow in Health and Biotech, American Academy in Berlin, Senior Fellow in the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School

    Specialists across numerous fields of medicine are in short supply. sudok1/iStock via Getty Images

    Americans are increasingly waiting weeks or even months to get an appointment to see a health care specialist.

    This delay comes at a time when the population of aging adults is rising dramatically. By 2050, the number of adults over 85 is expected to triple, which will intensify the strain on an already stretched health care system. We wrote about this worsening challenge and its implications for the health care workforce in a January 2025 report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

    We are health care scholars who are acutely aware of the severe shortfall of specialists in America’s health care system. One of us, Rochelle Walensky, witnessed the consequences of this shortage firsthand as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from January 2020 to June 2023, during the critical early years of the pandemic.

    The COVID-19 pandemic brought the physician and overall health care workforce shortage to the forefront. Amid the excess daily deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19, many people died of potentially preventable deaths due to delayed care for heart attacks, deferred cancer screenings and overwhelmed emergency departments and intensive care units.

    Even before the pandemic, 80% of U.S. counties lacked a single infectious disease physician. Before going to the CDC, I – Dr. Walensky – was chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital. When COVID-19 hit our hospitals, we were in desperate need of more infectious disease expertise. I was just one of them.

    At the local level, these infectious disease-trained subspecialists provide essential services when it comes to preventing and controlling transmissible outbreaks, carrying out diagnostic testing, developing treatment guidelines, informing hospital capacity planning and offering resources for community outreach. Each of these experts plays a vital role at the bedside and in systems management toward effective clinical, hospital and community responses to infectious disease outbreaks.

    Uneven health care outcomes and access

    For decades, experts have warned of an impending decline in the physician workforce.

    Now, Americans across all regions, specialties and socioeconomic backgrounds are experiencing that decline firsthand or personally.

    The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis projects a national shortage of 140,000 physicians by 2036, with that shortfall spanning multiple specialties, including primary care, obstetrics, cardiology and geriatrics.

    However, some geographic areas in the country – especially some of those with the poorest health – are disproportionately affected. The brunt of the effect will be felt in rural areas: An estimated 56% shortage is predicted in nonmetro areas, versus only 6% in metro areas.

    States such as Massachusetts, New York and Maryland boast the highest density of physicians per 100,000 people, while states such as Idaho, Mississippi and Oklahoma rank among those with the lowest. And even in states with the highest physician density, demand may still overwhelm access.

    Although doctor shortages do not necessarily cause poor health outcomes, regions with fewer physicians tend to have lower life expectancy. The mean life expectancy in Mississippi is six years lower than that of Hawaii and more than four years below the national average. This underscores the substantial differences in health outcomes depending on where you live in the U.S.

    Notably, areas with fewer doctors also see higher rates of chronic conditions such as chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes and poor mental health. This crisis is further exacerbated by the aging baby boomer population, which places increasing demand on an already strained health care system due to rising rates – especially among those over 85 – of multiple chronic diseases, complex health care needs and the concurrent use of multiple medications.

    Rural areas have always had lower access to medical care compared with urban centers, and this divide could get far worse with the looming physician shortage.
    Chalabala/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    How the US reached this point

    Some of these workforce challenges stem from the unintended consequences of policy changes that were originally aimed at improving the rigor of medical education or curtailing a once-anticipated physician glut.

    For example, the 1910 Flexner Report was commissioned to restructure American medical education with the goals of standardizing curricula and improving quality. While the report succeeded at those goals, it was shortsighted in important ways. For instance, it recommended closing rather than strengthening 89 of the 155 existing medical schools at the time. This created medical school deserts that persist in some U.S. regions to this day.

    Additionally, the report further divided the study of medicine, focused on disease, from the study of public health, which is focused on health care systems, populations and society. This separation has led to siloed communication and data systems that continue to hinder coordinated responses to public health crises.

    Decades after the Flexner Report, in 1980, policymakers anticipated a physician oversupply based on medical school enrollment projections and government investments in the medical workforce. In response, funding constraints were introduced by Congress to limit residency and fellowship training slots available after medical school.

    But by the early 2000s, discussions shifted to concerns about physician shortages. Despite the calls for reforms to address the issues more than a decade ago, the funding and training constraints have remained largely unchanged. These have created a persistent bottleneck in postgraduate medical training that requires acts of Congress to reverse.

    Primary care doctors provide continuity for patients; without them, people tend to experience more complex health care needs and poorer outcomes.

    Forces shaping the physician bottleneck

    In the wake of the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, states with restrictive abortion policies are now facing an emerging and troubling workforce challenge: It may get more difficult to recruit and retain tomorrow’s medical school grads.

    Research surveys suggest that 82% of future physicians, not just obstetricians, prefer to train and work in states that uphold abortion access. While it may seem obvious that obstetricians would want to avoid the increasing liabilities associated with the Dobbs decision, another point is less obvious: Most medical trainees are between the ages of 25 and 35, prime childbearing years, and may themselves want access to a full range of obstetric care.

    And given that 20% of physicians are married to other physicians and an additional 25% to other health professionals, marriage within the health care workforce may also play a substantial role. A physician choosing not to practice in one of the 14 states with limited abortion access, many of which already rank among the poorest in health outcomes and lowest in physician densities, may not only take their expertise but also their partner’s elsewhere.

    Shifting the trajectory

    The doctor shortage requires a combination of solutions, starting with addressing the high cost of medical education and training. Medical school enrollment has increased by only 10% over the past decade, far insufficient to address both the shortage today and the projected growth of the aging population needing care.

    In addition, many students carry large amounts of debt, which frequently limits who can pursue the profession. And existing scholarship and compensation programs have been only modestly effective in incentivizing providers to work in high-need areas.

    In our New England Journal of Medicine report, we laid out several specific strategies that could help address the shortages and the potential workforce crisis. For instance:

    Rather than the traditional medical education model – four years of broad medical training followed by three to seven years of residency – medical schools could offer more specialized training pathways. These streamlined programs would focus on the skills needed for specific medical specialties, potentially reducing training duration and costs.

    Reforming physician compensation could also help address imbalances in the health care system. Specialists and subspecialists typically earn substantially more than primary care doctors, despite the high demand for primary care. Raising primary care salaries and offering incentives, such as student loan forgiveness for physicians in high-need areas, could encourage more doctors to practice where they are needed most.

    Additionally, addressing physician burnout is crucial, particularly in primary care, where administrative burdens such as billing and charting contribute to stress and attrition. Reducing these burdens, potentially through novel AI-driven solutions, could allow doctors to focus more on patient care and less on paperwork.

    These are just an assortment of strategies we propose, and time is of the essence. One thing is certain: The U.S. urgently needs more doctors, and everyone’s health depends on it.

    Dr Rochelle P. Walensky is the Bayer Fellow in Health and Biotech, American Academy in Berlin. She reported receiving personal fees from Madryn Asset Management for serving as a senior policy advisor, Consonance Capital for serving as a senior advisory board member, and Doris Duke Foundation for serving as a trustee; consulting fees from Infectious Diseases Society of America; and nonfinancial support from The Carter Center for being a member of the board of directors outside the submitted work.

    Nicole McCann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Doctor shortages have hobbled health care for decades − and the trend could be worsening – https://theconversation.com/doctor-shortages-have-hobbled-health-care-for-decades-and-the-trend-could-be-worsening-251222

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans to El Salvador sparks legal questions likely to reach the Supreme Court

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jennifer Selin, Associate Professor of Law, Arizona State University

    Prisoners stand in a cell as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a tour of the Terrorist Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, on March 26, 2025. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    A federal appeals court on March 26, 2025, upheld a temporary block on President Donald Trump’s deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants, including alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, to a maximum security prison in El Salvador.

    The court was skeptical of Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to defend the deportations. The act, passed in 1798, gives the president the power to detain and remove people from the United States in times of war.

    On March 28, Trump asked the Supreme Court for permission under the act to resume deporting Venezuelans to El Salvador while legal battles continue.

    Attorney General Pam Bondi previously said the deportations are necessary as part of “modern-day warfare” against narco-terrorists.

    Nanya Gupta, policy director of the American Immigration Council, is among experts who note that the Trump administration’s evidence against the migrants, which relied in part on the immigrants’ tattoos and deleted social media pictures, is “flimsy.”

    Those who are challenging Trump’s actions in court say the administration has violated constitutional principles of due process. That’s because it gave the migrants no opportunity to refute the government’s claims that they were gang members.

    But what is due process? And how does the government balance this important right against national security?

    As a constitutional law professor who studies government institutions, I recognize the delicate balance government must strike in protecting civil rights and liberties while allowing presidential administrations to preserve national security and foreign policy interests.

    Ultimately, the U.S. Constitution’s framers left it to the courts to determine this balance.

    Due process explained

    The phrase “due process of law” goes back to at least 1215. That’s when England’s Magna Carta established the principle that government is not above the law.

    This principle guided the framers of the U.S. Constitution. The Fifth Amendment and 14th Amendment, for example, prohibit federal and state governments from depriving people of their “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”

    But what constitutes due process has varied over time.

    Government officials see the limits of their power from one lens. People affected by the exercise of that power view it differently.

    To combat this problem, the Constitution’s framers placed the judiciary in charge of determining what due process means and when people’s due process rights have been violated.

    Court decisions on the issue traditionally weigh the government’s interests in taking specific actions against claims that those actions violate people’s civil rights and liberties.

    Even when the law authorizes the president to detain people, historically the Supreme Court has held that those people should receive notice of the reason for their detention, and they should have a fair opportunity to rebut the government’s claims.

    When the high court, for example, heard cases about the rights of detainees held in Guantanamo Bay by President George W. Bush after 9/11, it ruled that principles of due process apply to noncitizens and even those whom the government designates as enemy combatants.

    One of the important considerations in legal analysis of the procedures the government must follow when depriving people of their liberty is the risk that the government will make a mistake in its decision-making.

    For example, some representatives of the deported Venezuelan migrants argue that they have been falsely accused of having ties to Tren de Aragua based on their country of origin and tattoos. They claim that without more investigation, including an opportunity for the migrants to present their evidence refuting the government’s claims, there is a large risk that government will mistakenly deport people.

    When can the president avoid due process?

    In some cases, the president can skirt traditional due process considerations in pursuit of broader policy concerns.

    As put by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in his initial order blocking the deportations, the president’s action in this area implicate “a host of complicated legal issues, including fundamental and sensitive questions about the often-circumscribed extent of judicial power in matters of foreign policy and national security.”

    Before Trump took executive action using the Alien Enemies Act, the measure had only been used three times – all during times of war.

    The act was part of a series of four laws passed in 1798 known as the Alien and Sedition Acts. These laws, among other things, gave the president the power to deport any noncitizen thought to be dangerous.

    A woman holds a sign during a rally on March 18, 2025, in Caracas, Venezuela, to protest the deportation from the U.S. of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang, who were transferred to an El Salvador prison.
    AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos

    President Thomas Jefferson allowed most of the acts to expire. But Jefferson and subsequent presidents kept in place the provisions that empowered the president to detain or deport noncitizens in times of war, “invasion” or “predatory incursion” by foreign powers.

    Today, the law authorizes the president to apprehend and remove people over the age of 14 that the administration determines to be “alien enemies.” However, it places procedural requirements on the president.

    Notably, the president’s ability to act requires a declared war against or an “invasion or predatory excursion” by a foreign nation. In such an event, the president must issue a proclamation saying he plans on using the act against perceived enemies.

    To justify the Venezuelan deportations, Trump issued a proclamation on March 15 claiming Tren de Aragua is perpetrating and threatening an invasion against the U.S.

    But the act also says people considered alien enemies must be given reasonable time to settle their affairs and voluntarily depart from the country. And it gives the courts power to regulate whether such persons even fall within the definition of “alien enemies.”

    The Venezuelan migrants claim Trump has violated these parts of the act.

    The current fight

    This is where things become complicated.

    All parties in the case acknowledge that the Alien Enemies Act grants the president authority to act. However, the argument is whether the government has given people the opportunity to challenge the government’s decision to classify them as “alien enemies.”

    Trump claims Tren de Aragua is a foreign terrorist organization engaged in warfare against the U.S. in the form of narco-terrorism – the use of drug trade to influence government operations.

    His administration argues that it doesn’t have to tell migrants it considers them alien enemies. And the administration says it’s not required to give them time to ask the courts to step in before they are deported.

    In a March 24 hearing on the issue, D.C. Circuit Court Judge Patricia A. Millet noted that during World War II, even the “Nazis got better treatment under the Alien Enemies Act.”

    The dispute has prompted international questions about the legality of the U.S. government’s deportation procedures and its treatment of the migrants.

    And Democratic members of Congress have called for an investigation into the administration’s deportation practices.

    The case will most likely head to the Supreme Court to determine what due process means and when the president can act in the name of national security to limit people’s due process rights. That’s just as the framers of the Constitution intended.

    Jennifer L. Selin has received funding and/or support for her research on the executive branch from the Administrative Conference of the United States. The views in this piece are those of the author and do not represent the position of the Administrative Conference or the federal government.

    ref. Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans to El Salvador sparks legal questions likely to reach the Supreme Court – https://theconversation.com/trumps-use-of-the-alien-enemies-act-to-deport-venezuelans-to-el-salvador-sparks-legal-questions-likely-to-reach-the-supreme-court-253011

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Jets from powerful black holes can point astronomers toward where − and where not − to look for life in the universe

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Garofalo, Professor of Physics, Kennesaw State University

    Black holes, like the one in this illustration, can spray powerful jets. S. Dagnello (NRAO/AUI/NSF), CC BY-SA

    One of the most powerful objects in the universe is a radio quasar – a spinning black hole spraying out highly energetic particles. Come too close to one, and you’d get sucked in by its gravitational pull, or burn up from the intense heat surrounding it. But ironically, studying black holes and their jets can give researchers insight into where potentially habitable worlds might be in the universe.

    As an astrophysicist, I’ve spent two decades modeling how black holes spin, how that creates jets, and how they affect the environment of space around them.

    What are black holes?

    Black holes are massive, astrophysical objects that use gravity to pull surrounding objects into them. Active black holes have a pancake-shaped structure around them called an accretion disk, which contains hot, electrically charged gas.

    The plasma that makes up the accretion disk comes from farther out in the galaxy. When two galaxies collide and merge, gas is funneled into the central region of that merger. Some of that gas ends up getting close to the newly merged black hole and forms the accretion disk.

    There is one supermassive black hole at the heart of every massive galaxy.

    Black holes and their disks can rotate, and when they do, they drag space and time with them – a concept that’s mind-boggling and very hard to grasp conceptually. But black holes are important to study because they produce enormous amounts of energy that can influence galaxies.

    How energetic a black hole is depends on different factors, such as the mass of the black hole, whether it rotates rapidly, and whether lots of material falls onto it. Mergers fuel the most energetic black holes, but not all black holes are fed by gas from a merger. In spiral galaxies, for example, less gas tends to fall into the center, and the central black hole tends to have less energy.

    One of the ways they generate energy is through what scientists call “jets” of highly energetic particles. A black hole can pull in magnetic fields and energetic particles surrounding it, and then as the black hole rotates, the magnetic fields twist into a jet that sprays out highly energetic particles.

    Magnetic fields twist around the black hole as it rotates to store energy – kind of like when you pull and twist a rubber band. When you release the rubber band, it snaps forward. Similarly, the magnetic fields release their energy by producing these jets.

    The accretion disk around a black hole can form a jet of hot, energetic particles surrounded by magnetic field lines.
    NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI), CC BY

    These jets can speed up or suppress the formation of stars in a galaxy, depending on how the energy is released into the black hole’s host galaxy.

    Rotating black holes

    Some black holes, however, rotate in a different direction than the accretion disk around them. This phenomenon is called counterrotation, and some studies my colleagues and I have conducted suggest that it’s a key feature governing the behavior of one of the most powerful kinds of objects in the universe: the radio quasar.

    Radio quasars are the subclass of black holes that produce the most powerful energy and jets.

    You can imagine the black hole as a rotating sphere, and the accretion disk as a disk with a hole in the center. The black hole sits in that center hole and rotates one way, while the accretion disk rotates the other way.

    This counterrotation forces the black hole to spin down and eventually up again in the other direction, called corotation. Imagine a basketball that spins one way, but you keep tapping it to rotate in the other. The tapping will spin the basketball down. If you continue to tap in the opposite direction, it will eventually spin up and rotate in the other direction. The accretion disk does the same thing.

    Since the jets tap into the black hole’s rotational energy, they are powerful only when the black hole is spinning rapidly. The change from counterrotation to corotation takes at least 100 million years. Many initially counterrotating black holes take billions of years to become rapidly spinning corotating black holes.

    So, these black holes would produce powerful jets both early and later in their lifetimes, with an interlude in the middle where the jets are either weak or nonexistent.

    When the black hole spins in counterrotation with respect to its accretion disk, that motion produces strong jets that push molecules in the surrounding gas close together, which leads to the formation of stars.

    But later, in corotation, the jet tilts. This tilt makes it so that the jet impinges directly on the gas, heating it up and inhibiting star formation. In addition to that, the jet also sprays X-rays across the galaxy. Cosmic X-rays are bad for life because they can harm organic tissue.

    For life to thrive, it most likely needs a planet with a habitable ecosystem, and clouds of hot gas saturated with X-rays don’t contain such planets. So, astronomers can instead look for galaxies without a tilted jet coming from its black hole. This idea is key to understanding where intelligence could potentially have emerged and matured in the universe.

    Black holes as a guide

    By early 2022, I had built a black hole model to use as a guide. It could point out environments with the right kind of black holes to produce the greatest number of planets without spraying them with X-rays. Life in such environments could emerge to its full potential.

    Looking at black holes and their role in star formation could help scientists predict when and where life was most likely to form.

    Where are such conditions present? The answer is low-density environments where galaxies had merged about 11 billion years ago.

    These environments had black holes whose powerful jets enhanced the rate of star formation, but they never experienced a bout of tilted jets in corotation. In short, my model suggested that theoretically, the most advanced extraterrestrial civilization would have likely emerged on the cosmic scene far away and billions of years ago.

    David Garofalo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Jets from powerful black holes can point astronomers toward where − and where not − to look for life in the universe – https://theconversation.com/jets-from-powerful-black-holes-can-point-astronomers-toward-where-and-where-not-to-look-for-life-in-the-universe-251560

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why do dogs love to play with trash?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Nancy Dreschel, Associate Teaching Professor of Small Animal Science, Penn State

    Dogs will be dogs. Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.


    Why do dogs love to play with trash? – Sarah G٫ age 11٫ Seguin٫ Texas


    When I think about why dogs do something, I try to imagine what motivates them. What does a dog get out of playing with trash? As a veterinarian and a professor who teaches college students about companion animals, I believe there’s an easy answer: Garbage smells delicious and tastes good to dogs.

    Dogs have an amazing sense of smell. They have 300 million receptors for smell in their noses, while humans have only 6 million. People can make use of this sniffing ability to train dogs to detect illegal drugs, explosives and endangered species, and to help locate people lost in the woods.

    While you might not like how your trash smells, to your dog it is an appealing buffet brimming with apple cores, banana peels, meat scraps and stale bread. Even used napkins and paper towels are tempting to dogs, when they are smeared with and carry the smell of yesterday’s lunch.

    Because dogs can find trace amounts of explosives or a person buried under 6 feet (1.8 meters) of snow after an avalanche, they are certainly capable of locating last night’s pizza crust and chicken bones in the kitchen garbage can.

    Sometimes it’s hard to see what the attraction is. My Australian cattle dog mix, Sparky, loves to eat used tissues – gross, right?

    Even empty cans smell inviting to dogs. Trash cans in kitchens and bathrooms are often at their nose level, too, making for easy access. Add to that the fact that if the dog got into the garbage once and found something tasty, they will likely keep searching with the hope of being rewarded again.

    A Colombian police officer uses a drug-sniffing dog to search packages of flowers prior to export at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota on Feb. 5, 2025.
    Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images

    Thrill of the hunt

    Searching and digging around for food is natural for dogs because it provides some of the thrill of the hunt, even if they just ate and aren’t hungry.

    The most successful prehistoric dogs ate the bones and scraps that humans left behind more than 10,000 years ago. Hanging around humans and their garbage was a way they could get plenty to eat. Even your pup today has some of those same old searching instincts.

    While our trash has changed from the days of hunting and gathering, the discarded paper napkins, plastic wrappers and food scraps we throw away all still smell like food to dogs. And this scavenging behavior is still hardwired in our pampered pets. Although it may look to us like they’re playing, our dogs’ sniffing out and tearing things up from the trash and tossing them around mimics what their ancestors did when they tugged on and tore up an animal carcass they had found.

    Many people take advantage of this instinct and use “snuffle mats” – cloth or paper where food is hidden – or puzzle feeding toys to keep their pups’ minds active. Having to hunt for and find their food helps them use their noses and sharpens their skills.

    Annoying or even dangerous

    While spreading trash all over the home may be natural for dogs, cleaning it up is no fun for the people they live with. And if your dog pokes its nose in a garbage can, it could be in danger. Eating plastic bags, string, chicken bones, chemicals or rotten food can cause blockages, diarrhea and poisoning. Commonly referred to as “garbage gut,” garbage poisoning can be life-threatening.

    I’ve treated dogs that cut their tongues and mouths on cans or broken glass. I once performed surgery to remove a corncob from the intestines of a dog that had eaten it a month earlier. He was certainly relieved when he woke up.

    How can you keep your dogs away from the trash?

    It can be hard to train a dog to leave garbage alone, especially if they have found a tasty morsel or two by raiding the trash can in the past. I recommend that you invest in a garbage can with a lid closed by a latch that they can’t open. If that fails, you can put garbage – especially food scraps – out of reach in a closet, cupboard or behind a closed door.

    My trash cans are all behind closed doors, and the bathroom doors are always shut, which also keeps my cat, Penny, from unrolling the toilet tissue. But that’s another story. Our kitchen trash is in a latched cupboard.

    No one knows exactly what goes through dogs’ minds. And yet looking at what motivates your canine companion and how dog behaviors have evolved may help explain why these animals do the things they do.


    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

    Nancy Dreschel does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Why do dogs love to play with trash? – https://theconversation.com/why-do-dogs-love-to-play-with-trash-247081

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crystal Visions

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    In 2022, a multi-institutional team of American scientists traveled to Tokyo to take a spin on a high-powered X-ray laser. 

    Led by UConn chemistry assistant professor J. Nathan “Nate” Hohman, they hoped to use the machine’s unique capabilities to study new materials whose molecular structure had never been understood before. The team had been awarded 60 hours of highly coveted “beam time” on the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free-electron LAser X-FEL laser (referred to as SACLA). 

    “They were going to let us squirt through the nozzle anything we wanted,” Hohman says, “as long as we told them the name of the chemical first.”

    The research team included five scientists working in chemical synthesis, X-ray crystallography, and AI-powered data interpretation – all prepared for the scientific equivalent of an ultramarathon. Once the machine powered on, they needed to work continuously until the 60 hours had elapsed.  

    “If we ran out of stuff to shoot, we were going to be wasting those precious photons,” Hohman explains. So, the team brought as many samples of new materials as they could.  

    David Moreau and a SACLA scientist working with the machine. (Courtesy of Phil MacDonald)

    Working in round-the-clock shifts, they carefully prepared their samples and loaded them into the machine. SACLA shot jets of their crystalline molecular samples into a chamber where they were struck by an intense beam of X-ray light.  

    Like prisms throwing rainbows, these crystal samples diffracted the light, each into its own signature pattern. By analyzing the light pattern, the scientists could determine the precise molecular makeup of the crystals they were studying. 

    By the end of their three-day journey with SACLA, the researchers had solved the structures of four materials – and have gone on to solve more than 50 in eight more experiments around the world over the last two years.  

    This scientific breakthrough is chronicled in the new short documentary “BEAMTIME: Crystal Hitters,” co-directed by Jonathan Turton and Phil MacDonald. 

    [embedded content]

    Small Scale, Huge Payoff

    High-profile projects like this are nothing new to Hohman, whose research has been sponsored by the US Department of Energy for its potential to unlock new, better sources of energy.  

    Hohman doesn’t work on the quantum technology side of things – using new materials to assemble devices like quantum computers and lasers – but the semiconductors he studies are integral to this process. 

    “Every new technology has a new material at its core,” he says. 

    Hohman’s specialty is self-assembly. His work revolves around understanding the geometry of molecules, planning how they crystallize, and using that to influence their properties. The materials he’s interested in tend to form crystals at the microscopic level, thousands of times smaller than grains of sand. 

    Understanding the structure of these crystals – what’s known as “solving” the crystal structure – is the key to understanding how these materials can be used in technological applications spanning energy production, quantum computing, and beyond.  

    A famous example of crystallography is Rosalind Franklin’s discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA. Since no microscope was powerful enough to allow her to literally see the double-helix, Franklin relied on X-ray crystallography to mathematically solve the structure. 

    For this project, Hohman deployed a unique approach called small-molecule serial femtosecond crystallography, or smSFX. 

    “Our collaboration led the first-ever use of serial crystallography to fully solve true unknown crystal structures of small-molecule systems,” Hohman says. “This solved a huge problem in our field – before, if you were making materials that formed small crystals, then you couldn’t easily solve the crystal structure.” 

    Before using this technique, Hohman jokes, “life with my tiny crystals was mostly just despair.” 

    The materials he was interested in studying – known as MOChas, or metal–organic chacogenolates – would form crystals that were simply too small to solve using conventional methods. They possessed interesting properties, like luminescence, that seemed potentially useful in applications like solar cells or LEDs; but without understanding their molecular structure, scientists couldn’t figure out how to harness these properties. 

    “You can control all the photonic, electronic, and quantum properties of systems synthetically in the laboratory by editing a molecule or changing the design of that molecule,” Hohman says. “But if you don’t know what the structure of something is, then all you have is a little pile of stuff that sort of glows when you shine a UV light on it.” 

    The team’s “big breakthrough” was using smSFX to solve the structures of very small molecules. They are hopeful that this will pave the way for developing new materials for green energy and climate change mitigation technologies. Some of the materials they solved show potential for applications like solar power and carbon sequestration.  

    More broadly, the smSFX technique could be used in future trials to analyze all manner of new materials, from quantum semiconductors to cancer treatments. 

    Hohman is now turning his focus to publishing the library of materials solved on this trip.  

    “The materials are really quite cutting-edge; it’s hard to say exactly what they will be used for,” Hohman says. “The scientific community, collectively, is just starting to discover this stuff.” But he notes that the materials his group has solved may offer “a lot of material advantages” for quantum information science. 

    The Tokyo Shift

    Clockwise from center: Vanessa Oklejas, Nate Hohman, Aaron Brewster, Maggie Willson, and Masha Aleksich share a meal in Tokyo. (Courtesy of Phil MacDonald)

    Hohman was joined on the 2022 trip to SACLA by colleagues from various institutions, including Aaron Brewster, Daniel Paley, and David Mittan-Moreau of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Elyse Schriber, a then-graduate student researcher in Hohman’s lab who is now a project scientist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; and Vanessa Oklejas, who has moved to a new role at Lockheed Martin. 

    Three current members of Hohman’s lab were also on the team: Maggie Willson, Patience Kotei, and Masha Aleksich, now third- and fourth-year doctoral students. 

    For Willson, who received her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Oklahoma, it was her first time traveling out of the country. 

    “That whole trip was very surreal for me,” she says. “I had graduated the May before that trip, so I hadn’t even started grad school yet.” 

    As Hohman tells it, one of the first things he asked Willson to do after accepting her into his lab was “hop on a plane to Japan.” Thankfully, she rose to the occasion – and gained experience that proved pivotal in her career path. 

    “After this trip, I have done seven more of these experiments (in CA, the UK, and another in Japan) and have dedicated the majority of my work here in grad school to these types of crystallography experiments,” Willson says. “Before graduate school, I was planning on becoming a professor at a primarily undergraduate institution in order to focus on teaching, but I am now working towards a career at a synchrotron or an X-ray free electron laser in order to do these types of experiments for other research groups.” 

    For Kotei, who received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Kwame Nkruma University of Science and Technology in Ghana, the trip was similarly propulsive. 

    “My graduate research primarily focuses on serial crystallography, and my visit to SACLA broadened my perspective on ultrafast dynamics and advanced structural characterization techniques,” says Kotei. “Experiencing world-class research infrastructure firsthand reinforced my motivation to pursue high-impact research. Currently, I am in discussions with leading scientists and experts at SACLA regarding potential research opportunities after completing my degree.” 

    Aleksich, a fourth-year chemistry PhD candidate specifically focusing on MOChas, credits the trip to Tokyo with shifting her goals and her understanding of herself as a scientist. 

    “Having the opportunity to conduct research at this level as a second-year graduate student really grew my confidence and took off any limitations I have had about the caliber of research I would be able to work on in my lifetime,” she says. “Growing up, of course I looked up to the greats like Marie Curie and Rosalind Franklin, but I figured that I was not qualified to truly advance the scientific field. But this experience showed me that if an idea is there, and it’s able to be well communicated, then people are interested in funding it. And for every one great scientist we remember, there were hundreds who helped along the way.” 

    “BEAMTIME: Crystal Hitters” is available to stream on YouTube.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sowing the Seeds of a New Community Resource

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    A senior at UConn is making strides to combat food insecurity in Storrs with a free seed library.

    “Food insecurity is kind of crazy high in all college student populations,” says Iris Armstrong ’25 (CAHNR), who goes by Iris. “At UConn, as well as in our surrounding community, it’s pretty significant. My first goal was to combat food insecurity through connecting people with the resources they need to grow their own food.”

    Iris, a landscape architecture major, started the seed library during the fall 2024 semester thanks to an Environmental and Social Sustainability Grant (ESSG) from the Office of Sustainability. It is located in the lobby of the Floriculture Building.

    The seed library is open to anyone in the UConn community whenever the building is open, typically 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It remains open during the summer months.

    There are a variety of seeds available, primarily for edible plants, mostly vegetables. “We also have some flowers. I’m trying to get a good selection of native flowers because that’s really important as far as the role of seed libraries in promoting biodiversity,” says Iris. She secured donations from seed companies and is working with local farms to source more.

    Along with seeds, Iris collected supplemental resources. There is literature with information on seed saving, food justice, gardening, agricultural policy and food assistance programs including UConn Swipes and The Husky Harvest Food Pantries. “I used some of the grant funding to buy some great books,” says Iris. “They’re kind of like the Bibles of seed saving.”

    Seed saving is the practice of saving seeds from plants you grow, so you can grow a new plant the following year. “It saves you money, it keeps you from becoming dependent on seed corporations and it helps you grow better plants,” Iris says.

    (George Velky / UConn Photo)

    She is hoping that the seed library can continue to grow after graduation. “I really want to see it grow as an educational space,” says Iris. “I’d like to tie it more into the food justice and food sovereignty side of things, I want it to be more political.” She says she also wants to make the space multi-lingual to increase accessibility.

    Iris has been working on setting up workshops at the Spring Valley Student Farm so people can learn how to save seeds with a hands-on approach. Another idea is to implement seed saving walks around campus. “I’ve taken a lot of seeds from perennial plants around campus. It’s like an infinite plant hack,” says Iris.

    When it comes to information on how to start a garden, Iris says, “Don’t come to me for advice, go to the UConn Home and Garden Center, and UConn Extension. They’re amazing, everyone should go talk to them.” These programs can help community members with any questions once they get started at the seed library. “They’ll get you connected with soil testing, guides to growing and tons of cool information,” she said.

    “I’m hoping that having a place on campus where you’re able to get the seeds you need, the pots you need, and also connect with the other resources you need to grow your own food will help people become more familiar with the process of growing food, and raise awareness for food insecurity on campus,” says Iris.

    Keep up with the work of the seed library on Instagram: @UConnSeedLibrary

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Global: Donald Trump likes tariffs, but they damage the economies of everyone involved

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Muhammad Ali Nasir, Associate Professor in Economics, University of Leeds

    Donald Trump is calling April 2 2025 “Liberation Day”. For the rest of the world it will just be the day when they discover the details of his latest round of tariffs.

    Those tariffs have already become the stand out economic feature of Trump’s second term in the White House. And frankly, it’s been hard to keep track.

    There have been tariffs imposed and then lifted, tariffs with exemptions, tariffs on metal and tariffs on wood. Now Trump has announced a 25% tariff on all imported cars to take effect on April 2, when he also plans to reveal his “reciprocal tariffs” on other trading partners.

    Trump thinks the US has been “ripped off for decades by nearly every country on Earth”. He also counts “tariff” as his favourite word, and a tool which is “”very powerful, both economically and in getting everything else you want”.

    Whether or not the president gets everything he wants remains to be seen. But the frequent changes in tariff policies over the past few weeks have definitely created uncertainty in trade with the US, which research shows can be harmful in itself.

    And the evidence clearly shows that the reasons for the US trade deficit are more to do with domestic issues such as productivity and fiscal discipline than international trade.

    So what are the possible outcomes if Trump continues to pursue this policy?

    The worst case

    Our analysis shows that in the worst-case scenario, non-reciprocated tariffs on Canada and Mexico could result in a significant fall in GDP for all three countries. Canada would be the worst affected (a dip of 16.5%) followed by Mexico (6.6%). GDP in the US would fall by 0.19%.

    Canada is particularly dependent on selling its oil and gas – and the US is heavily reliant on its northern neighbour for its fuel supply. In 2024, total trade between the two nations reached US$762.1 billion (£589 billion).

    The impact on Mexico would also be devastating. Over 40% of the country’s GDP is derived from exports – and 80% of those exports go to the US.

    High tariffs and subsequent retaliations would quickly reduce the confidence of companies on both sides. Costs passed on to consumers would reduce demand and then profits, forming a vicious cycle of economic recession. Trade protectionism could then rise further, potentially even turning a recession into a depression

    Middle ground

    We also found that even if the economic effects of tariffs were less severe, no nation involved would manage to achieve GDP growth. And Canada and Mexico would still suffer the most.

    In this situation, some kind of stalemate could emerge, where tariffs lead to rising inflation, reducing the political appetite for escalation. Trade friction would likely continue until 2026, when a renegotiation of the trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada is due to take place.

    Best case

    Even under the best-case scenario, with reduced economic impact, GDP for all three countries still falls. Put simply, imposing tariffs creates no winners.

    Since the tariff has been seen as a bargaining chip, the best option for Canada and Mexico will be to enter trade negotiations with the US, aiming for a balanced trade policy that is beneficial to all parties.




    Read more:
    Donald Trump is planning more trade barriers if he becomes president – but they didn’t work last time


    In the meantime, they should cooperate with other economies affected by US tariffs – such as the EU and China – in the hope that this encourages Trump to make concessions.

    All three countries could then revert to their original low-tariff levels before the trade war. This constitutes the optimal scenario within our projected framework – and could be what happens eventually.

    US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has said that Trump’s second favourite word is “reciprocal”. If that’s true, then it is possible that the Trump administration has the overall intention of cooling down the intensity of this trade war ahead of negotiating a new version of its trade deal with Canada and Mexico – and a new one with China too.

    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. Donald Trump likes tariffs, but they damage the economies of everyone involved – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-likes-tariffs-but-they-damage-the-economies-of-everyone-involved-252322

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI: Diginex Limited and Forvis Mazars Announce Strategic Alliance to Enhance Supply Chain Risk Assessment with diginexLUMEN

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diginex Limited (“Diginex Limited” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: DGNX), a leading impact technology company focused on solving pressing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges, today announced a strategic alliance with Forvis Mazars (“Forvis Mazars”), a leading global professional services firm, to bring its innovative supply chain due diligence platform, diginexLUMEN, to Forvis Mazars’ extensive client base. This collaboration aims to empower businesses to assess and manage supply chain risks related to climate and social issues, enhancing transparency and resilience in an increasingly complex global landscape.

    The alliance combines Diginex’s cutting-edge technology with Forvis Mazars’ deep expertise in ESG advisory, climate risk management, and business strategy, offering clients a powerful tool to navigate the evolving demands of sustainability and regulatory compliance. diginexLUMEN, a scalable and affordable Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, provides unparalleled insight into supply chain risks by leveraging robust governance processes, multilingual worker voice surveys, and algorithm-based risk scoring. This enables companies to identify, prioritize, and address issues such as forced labor, climate impacts, and other social vulnerabilities across their global operations.

    “We are excited to work with Forvis Mazars to introduce diginexLUMEN to their clients, helping businesses of all sizes tackle the critical challenges within their supply chains,” said Mark Blick, CEO of Diginex. “This alliance underscores our mission to help enable easy access to advanced ESG tools, enabling organizations to drive meaningful change while meeting stakeholder expectations and regulatory requirements.”

    Forvis Mazars, known for its tailored solutions in ESG and climate risk management, sees this alliance as a key step in supporting clients to build sustainable and resilient business models. “Our clients are increasingly focused on understanding and mitigating supply chain risks tied to climate change and social issues,” said William Hughes, Sustainability Director at Forvis Mazars. “By integrating diginexLUMEN into our service offerings, we can provide actionable insights and innovative technology to help them achieve their sustainability goals and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

    This strategic relationship comes at a pivotal time as global supply chains face heightened scrutiny from regulators, investors, and consumers demanding greater accountability on climate and social impacts. diginexLUMEN’s proven track record—developed in collaboration with industry leaders like The Coca-Cola Company, Unilever and Reckitt—positions it as a transformative tool for companies seeking to move beyond traditional audit models toward continuous, data-driven risk management.

    Through this alliance, Forvis Mazars clients will gain access to diginexLUMEN’s comprehensive features, including supplier performance monitoring, ESG reporting capabilities, and actionable improvement tracking, all designed to foster transparency and accountability. Together, Diginex and Forvis Mazars aim to set a new standard for supply chain due diligence, helping businesses align profitability with purpose.

    For more information about diginexLUMEN or to schedule a demo, visit www.diginex.com. For inquiries about Forvis Mazars’ ESG and climate risk services, visit www.forvismazars.us.

    About Diginex Limited
    Diginex Limited is a Cayman Islands exempted company, with subsidiaries located in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Diginex Limited commenced operations in 2020 and is a software company that empowers businesses and governments to streamline ESG, climate, and supply chain data collection and reporting. Diginex Limited is an impact technology business that helps organizations address the some of the most pressing ESG, climate and sustainability issues, utilizing blockchain, machine learning and data analysis technology to lead change and increase transparency in corporate social responsibility and climate action.

    Diginex’s products and services solutions enable companies to collect, evaluate and share sustainability data through easy-to-use software. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://www.diginex.com/.

     About Forvis Mazars  

    Forvis Mazars is the brand name for the Forvis Mazars Global network (Forvis Mazars Global Limited) and its two independent members: Forvis Mazars, LLP in the United States and Forvis Mazars Group SC, an internationally integrated partnership operating in over 100 countries and territories. Forvis Mazars Global Limited is a UK private company limited by guarantee and does not provide any services to clients. Forvis Mazars LLP is the UK firm of Forvis Mazars Group. 

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    Diginex
    Investor Relations
    Email: ir@diginex.com  

    IR Contact – Europe
    Anna Höffken
    Phone: +49.40.609186.0
    Email: diginex@kirchhoff.de

    IR Contact – US
    Jackson Lin
    Lambert by LLYC
    Phone: +1 (646) 717-4593
    Email: jian.lin@llyc.global  

    IR Contact – Asia
    Shelly Cheng
    Strategic Public Relations Group Ltd.
    Phone: +852 2864 4857
    Email: sprg_diginex@sprg.com.hk

    Forvis Mazars
    Josh Voulters
    Communications and Brand Director
    Email : josh.voulters@mazars.co.uk

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: New Stratus Energy Announces Pricing and Upsizing of Previously Announced Concurrent Offerings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

    CALGARY, Alberta, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New Stratus Energy Inc. (TSX.V – NSE) (“New Stratus”, “NSE” or the “Corporation”) is pleased to announce that it has priced and increased the size of its previously announced brokered private placement offering of (i) subscription receipts (the “Subscription Receipts” and the “Subscription Receipt Offering”) and (ii) common shares (the “Common Shares” and the “Common Share Offering”, and together with the Subscription Receipt Offering, the “Concurrent Offerings”).

    The Concurrent Offerings are being co-led by Ventum Financial Corp. (“Ventum”) and Cormark Securities Inc. (“Cormark” and together with Ventum, the “Lead Agents”) on their own behalf, and in respect of the Subscription Receipt Offering, on behalf of a syndicate of agents (the “Agents”).

    Pursuant to the Concurrent Offerings, New Stratus intends to issue (i) 572,000,000 Subscription Receipts at a price of C$0.30 per Subscription Receipt (the “Offering Price”) for gross proceeds of up to approximately US$120.0 million (C$171.6 million); and (ii) 33,385,400 Common Shares at the Offering Price per Common Share for gross proceeds of up to approximately US$7.0 million (C$10.0 million). As a result of the upsized Concurrent Offerings, New Stratus does not expect to require any additional subordinate or convertible debt financing.

    The Concurrent Offerings are expected to close on or about April 10, 2025, subject to TSXV approval and other customary closing conditions.

    In all other respects, the terms of the Concurrent Offerings and use of proceeds therefrom will remain as previously announced.

    Contact Information

    Jose Francisco Arata
    Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
    jfarata@newstratus.energy

    Wade Felesky
    President & Director
    wfelesky@newstratus.energy

    Mario Miranda
    Chief Financial Officer
    mmiranda@newstratus.energy – (647) 498-9109

    Note on Currency and Exchange Rates

    In this news release, references to “C$” or “$” are to Canadian dollars and references to “US$” are to United States dollars. In this news release, the Corporation has used a currency exchange rate of US$1.00 = C$1.43.

    Forward-Looking Information

    Certain information set forth in this news release constitutes “forward-looking statements”, and “forward-looking information” under applicable securities legislation (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of words such as “will”, “expects”, “intends”, “may”, “should”, “estimates”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “projects”, “plans”, and similar expressions, including variations thereof and negative forms. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, the pricing, terms, timing and completion of the Concurrent Offerings, and the amount thereof. Forward-looking statements are based on the Corporation’s current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them.

    In respect of the forward-looking statements contained herein, the Corporation has provided them in reliance on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management, including expectations and assumptions concerning the receipt of all approvals and satisfaction of all conditions to the completion of Concurrent Offerings, the availability of debt and equity financing on terms acceptable to the Corporation, prevailing weather conditions, prevailing legislation affecting the oil and gas industry, commodity prices and exchange rates.

    Although NSE believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because NSE can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e.g., operational risks in development, exploration and production; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses, and health, safety and environmental risks); risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities; the impact of general economic conditions in Canada and Ecuador; prolonged volatility in commodity prices; the risk that the new U.S. administration imposes tariffs affecting the oil and gas industry in Ecuador or globally, and that such tariffs (and/or retaliatory tariffs in response thereto) adversely affect the demand for the Corporation’s production, or otherwise adversely affects the Corporation’s business or operations; the risk that Oriente Blend oil prices are lower than anticipated; determinations by OPEC and other countries as to production levels; the risk of changes in government policy on resource development; industry conditions including changes in laws and regulations including adoption of new environmental laws and regulations, and changes in how they are interpreted and enforced; the timing for conducting planned operations and the results of such operations, including flow rates and resulting production; the availability of the requisite personnel and equipment to conduct operations; the ability to successfully integrate operations and realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions; the ability to increase production, and the anticipated cost associated therewith; failure of counterparties to perform under contracts; changes in currency exchange rates; interest rate fluctuations; the ability to secure adequate equity and debt financing; and management’s ability to anticipate and manage the foregoing factors and risks.

    There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. New Stratus undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. Actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits may be derived therefrom.

    General Advisory

    This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor may any securities referred to herein be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) and the rules and regulations thereunder. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws. Accordingly, the securities may not be offered or sold within the United States except in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Westhaven Announces Leadership Changes; Appoints Armstrong President & CEO

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Westhaven Gold Corp. (TSX-V:WHN) today announced that Gareth Thomas will step down as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 30, 2025 with the Board of Directors appointing Ken Armstrong as the new President and CEO, effective May 1, 2025. Thomas, who has served in an executive capacity with Westhaven since 2010 and CEO since 2018, will remain as a director and advisor to the Board.

    Eira Thomas, Chairperson commented: “Gareth led Westhaven from an early-stage, grass roots gold exploration concept, through multiple high-grade gold drilling discoveries and most recently, the completion of a PEA outlining a robust development opportunity at Shovelnose, the Company’s flagship project in southern BC. We are indebted to Gareth for his commitment and leadership during this critical phase in the Company’s development.” She further stated that: “This planned transition represents a strategic renewal of leadership as we work to rapidly advance the Shovelnose project towards feasibility in parallel with ongoing gold exploration efforts across our highly prospective Spences Bridge portfolio of properties. We are delighted to be welcoming industry veteran Ken Armstrong as CEO to lead this effort.”

    Gareth Thomas, stated, “I am very proud of what we’ve accomplished on the Spences Bridge Gold Belt since Westhaven’s inception in 2010. This transition marks a new chapter for the Company, as we advance towards development at Shovelnose, and I am excited for what the future holds under Ken’s leadership. The relationships that we have established within the Nlaka’pamux Nation are particularly important to me. These relationships are founded on respect, trust and collaboration, and I remain fully committed to continuing to work with the Nlaka’pamux Nation in my role as a director and advisor to Westhaven.”

    Ken Armstrong is a seasoned exploration and mining professional with over thirty years of experience, including twenty years as a corporate executive for publicly listed exploration and mining companies covering a range of commodities including diamonds, gold, nickel, and tin. Ken has a distinguished track record in mineral exploration, corporate leadership, and strategic project development and has also received recognition for excellence in community and government engagement. His diverse leadership roles include serving most recently as CEO and director of North Arrow Minerals, Director and Interim CEO of Cornish Metals Inc., Executive Director of the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines, and previously leading Strongbow Exploration Inc. (now Cornish Metals Inc.). He is a registered Professional Geoscientist in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Province of Ontario.

    Westhaven has granted 1,000,000 incentive stock options to Mr. Armstrong pursuant to the terms of its 10% Rolling Equity Incentive Plan which was approved by Shareholders at the Annual General Meeting held on June 24, 2024. The stock options have an exercise price of $0.15 per share, a 5-year term, and will vest in thirds over a period of 18 months from the date of grant. Following this grant of stock options, there are 16,555,000 stock options outstanding, representing 8.8% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common shares.

    On behalf of the Board of Directors
    WESTHAVEN GOLD CORP.

    “Eira Thomas”

    Eira Thomas, Chairperson & Director

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    About Westhaven Gold Corp.

    Westhaven is a gold-focused exploration company advancing the high-grade discovery on the Shovelnose project in Canada’s newest gold district, the Spences Bridge Gold Belt. Westhaven controls ~61,512 hectares (~615 square kilometres) with four gold properties spread along this underexplored belt. The Shovelnose property is situated off a major highway, near power, rail, large producing mines, and within commuting distance from the city of Merritt, which translates into low-cost exploration. Westhaven trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol WHN. For further information, please call 604-681-5558 or visit Westhaven’s website at www.westhavengold.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 86

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL6

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 86
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    605 AM CDT Mon Mar 31 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Southern Alabama
    The Western Florida Panhandle
    Southeast Mississippi
    Coastal Waters

    * Effective this Monday morning and afternoon from 605 AM until
    100 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
    Isolated large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…A line of thunderstorms will move eastward over the next
    several hours. Scattered severe/damaging winds with peak gusts up to
    60-70 mph should be the main threat, although a tornado or two may
    also occur.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 75
    statute miles east and west of a line from 45 miles north northwest
    of Evergreen AL to 30 miles southeast of Mobile AL. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 83…WW 84…WW 85…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    27035.

    …Gleason

    SEL6

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 86
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    605 AM CDT Mon Mar 31 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Southern Alabama
    The Western Florida Panhandle
    Southeast Mississippi
    Coastal Waters

    * Effective this Monday morning and afternoon from 605 AM until
    100 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
    Isolated large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…A line of thunderstorms will move eastward over the next
    several hours. Scattered severe/damaging winds with peak gusts up to
    60-70 mph should be the main threat, although a tornado or two may
    also occur.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 75
    statute miles east and west of a line from 45 miles north northwest
    of Evergreen AL to 30 miles southeast of Mobile AL. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 83…WW 84…WW 85…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    27035.

    …Gleason

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW6
    WW 86 SEVERE TSTM AL FL MS CW 311105Z – 311800Z
    AXIS..75 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    45NNW GZH/EVERGREEN AL/ – 30SE MOB/MOBILE AL/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 65NM E/W /53WSW MGM – 32SE SJI/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27035.

    LAT…LON 32008605 30378664 30378915 32008861

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU6.

    Watch 86 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (10%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (10%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (80%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Skypace Enhances Speed and Accuracy of Freight Bookings with Descartes Rate Management Solution

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, announced that international freight forwarder Skypace is using the Descartes Global Price Management™ (GPM) solution to populate its self-service quote-to-book platform with accurate shipping rates and provide a digital-first experience for its growing customer base. 

    “As the momentum for digitization accelerates, customer demand for on-demand rating and booking continues to grow,” said Vlad Nikalayeu, Chief Executive Officer at Skypace. “By integrating Descartes GPM into our pricing ecosystem, we’ve cut rate processing times by 85%, with updates completed in under 48 hours. This allows us to deliver quotes with 99% pricing accuracy, ensuring our customers receive the most reliable freight rates. The solution has also helped Skypace achieve a 5% increase in accuracy on surcharges across 16 million rates. All of these benefits contribute to higher levels of customer satisfaction and significant operating efficiencies.”

    The Descartes GPM solution helps freight forwarders streamline rate management, quoting, and surcharge calculations while increasing operational efficiency. By leveraging Descartes’ advanced rate management capabilities, Skypace is optimizing pricing workflows and delivering a seamless quoting experience for shipper customers worldwide. The combined solution enables rapid processing of over 20,000 freight quotes per hour, significantly reducing the time it takes to generate and confirm rates. With a fully digital and automated approach, Skypace provides real-time rate visibility, transforming a process that traditionally took hours or days into a matter of seconds.

    “We’re pleased our solution is helping to drive tangible operational benefits for Skypace and its customers,” said Scott Sangster, General Manager, Logistics Services Providers at Descartes. “Digitization continues to be a fundamental initiative for freight forwarders and our technology helps these organizations simplify the complex process of presenting accurate rates in real-time to more effectively manage the end-to-end transportation of freight.”

    About Skypace

    Skypace is a global freight forwarder and logistics service provider for U.S. shippers and freight forwarders. The company’s goal is to accelerate global trade logistics with an innovative product accessible to the broadest range of industries worldwide. Skypace aims to enhance the behavior of supply chain logistics participants within an adaptive framework, architected by supply chain, transportation, and technology experts. The company features digital platform with a fast operating cycle for ocean freight transportation from door-to-door. The platform enables planning, pricing, freight, and documentation management, and financing services for cargo shippers. From booking to delivery, Skypace ensures a seamless freight forwarding process every step of the way. Learn more at www.skypace.com

    About Descartes

    Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, security and sustainability of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, track and help improve the safety, performance and compliance of delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

    Global Media Contact
    Cara Strohack
    Tel: 226-750-8050
    cstrohack@descartes.com

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relate to Descartes’ broker and forwarder enterprise solution offerings and potential benefits derived therefrom; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada including Descartes’ most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Spectacular waterfalls are an often-hidden gem of Yellowstone National Park

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Shaul Hurwitz, research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

    “After gathering a sufficient supply of water, they commence wearing their channels down into the volcanic rocks, which continue to grow deeper as they descend. Each one has its water-fall, which would fill an artist with enthusiasm.” So wrote Ferdinand V. Hayden, who explored Yellowstone starting in 1871 (Hayden report of 1872, p. 75). 

    Yellowstone National Park abounds in waterfalls. But how do they form, and why are there so many in the Yellowstone region?

    Schematic illustration of waterfall formation in which a hard rock that is more resistant to erosion is atop a softer rock that is less resistant to erosion. Source: Wikimedia (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WaterfallCreationDiagram.svg).

    Although there are several definitions for a waterfall, a common one is “a very steep commonly vertical fall of some magnitude in a river course”. Various clas­sifications of waterfalls were developed based on their origin and characteris­tics, such as height and rock type. The most common model to explain waterfall formation suggests that they form where rock units with different hardness meet laterally or vertically. If a stream flows over harder rocks that are more resistant to erosion than the rocks immediately downstream, a ledge or bench will form across the streambed because the softer and less resistant rocks are worn away faster. As the ledge becomes higher, the softer downstream rocks will erode faster. This undercutting of the less-resistant rock causes the overhanging rock to shear off, and typically a plunge pool at the base of a waterfall is created where the water impacts.

    The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela (3,212 feet, or 979 meters), and in the United States it is Oloʻupena Falls on the Island of Molokai in Hawaii (2,953 feet, or 900 meters). There are 52 sites In UNESCO’s World Heritage List with waterfalls, of which three are in the United States (in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks). A USGS dataset and a US Fish and Wildlife Service waterfall database contain information about waterfalls and rapids for the continental United States.

    Photo of Fairy Falls in the Lower Geyser Basin, near Grand Prismatic Spring. Yellowstone National Park photo by Jacob W. Frank, October 28, 2018.

    The rivers flowing in Yellowstone National Park are fed by large volumes of water from snow and rain falling over the Yellowstone Plateau. Many stretches of these rivers are nearly flat bottomed, but in some sections the rivers contain narrow valleys where deep gorges were carved. Some waterfalls in Yellowstone formed where rocks with differences in hardness meet in these deep gorges, while others formed at the edges of thick rhyolite lava flows. There are approximately 350 waterfalls of more than 15 feet in the park. Many of these can be viewed by hiking a short distance, for example, Gibbon Falls near Madison Junction, Tower Falls near Tower Junction, Mystic Falls near Biscuit Basin, and Fairy Falls near Grand Prismatic Spring(the latter named by Colonel Barlow, who explored the Yellowstone region 1871 and 1872, “from the graceful beauty with which the little stream dropped down a clear descent of 250 feet” (Hayden report of 1872, p.112).

    There are two prominent waterfalls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: the Upper (33 meters, or 109 feet) and the Lower Falls (94 meters, or 308 feet). The Lower Falls is the tallest waterfall in the park and is significantly taller that the total height of Niagara Falls (51 meters, or 167 feet for the Canadian and American Falls). The Upper and Lower Falls can be viewed from several locations along the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

    Like many prominent waterfalls, those in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone exist because rock layers change laterally from soft to hard. At the end of the last glacial period, about 14,000 years ago, ice dams at the mouth of Yellowstone Lake failed, and the large volumes of water that were released caused massive floods downstream. These floods led to erosion of the present-day canyon, which is a classic, narrow, V-shaped valley, indicative of erosion by rivers rather than by glaciation (which tends to form broad, U-shaped valleys). The canyon is approximately 24 miles (39 kilometers) long, and its depth is between 800 and 1,200 feet (240 and 370 meters). The thick rhyolite flows at the base of the canyon were hydrothermally altered and weakened by hot groundwater. After the canyon formed, the weakened rhyolite was less resistant to flow of the Yellowstone River downstream from the falls.

    Photo of Colonnade Falls on the Bechler River in southwest Yellowstone National Park, also called the “Cascade corner”. Yellowstone National Park photo by Diane Renkin, September 15, 2012.

    A large number of impressive waterfalls are in Yellowstone’s southwest corner, which is unofficially named the “Cascade Corner” as a result. Snow accumulation in this area is the highest across the Yellowstone Plateau, and most of the rivers and creeks mainly drain the Pitchstone Plateau, the site of the last volcanic eruption in Yellowstone. To see some of these remote waterfalls requires long hikes. In the Bechler River drainage, these include Colonnade (67 feet, or 20 meters), Albright (260 feet, or 79 m), and Ouzel (230 feet, or 70 meters) Falls. Bechler River was named after Gustavus Bechler, a surveyor and cartographer with the 1872 expedition led by Ferdinand Hayden, and Albright Falls was named after Horace Albright, an assistant and acting director of the National Park Service and later superintendent of Yellowstone National Park. Some other notable waterfalls in the “Cascade Corner” include Silver Scarf (250 feet, or 76 meters) and Dunanda (150 feet, or 46 meters) Falls along Boundary Creek, and Union Falls (250 feet, or 76 m) on Mountain Ash Creek.

    When planning a visit to explore Yellowstone National Park’s many wonders, consider taking the time to view some of its many waterfalls. Perhaps you might be able to identify different rocks on either side of the waterfall, or perhaps see the edge of a thick rhyolite lava flow. If you are adventurous and ready to visit the park’s backcountry (having obtained the necessary permit, of course), you will be rewarded by many waterfalls with significantly fewer people. In the “Cascade Corner,” where the annual precipitation is more than 50 inches (about 130 centimeters), you will be challenged by many stream crossings and a pesky mosquito population in the early summer months. Most hikes in that area start at the Bechler ranger station trailhead.

    Additional Reading

    • The Guide to Yellowstone Waterfalls and Their Discovery (2000) by Paul Rubinstein, Lee H. Whittlesey, Mike Stevens 
    • Waterfalls of Yellowstone National Park by Charles W. Maynard (1996)
    • Ribbons of Water: The Waterfalls and Cascades of Yellowstone National Park (1984) by John Barber
    • Goudie, A.S., 2020. Waterfalls: forms, distribution, processes and rates of recession. Quaestiones Geographicae, 39, 59-77.
    • Final Sculpting of the Landscape based on The geologic story of Yellowstone National park by William R. Keefer, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1347, 1971
    • Wikipedia sites:  List of waterfalls in Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone River Falls, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and List of world’s waterfalls by height

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Westport Announces Agreement to Divest the Light-Duty Segment for $73.1 Million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Westport Fuel Systems Inc. (“Westport” or the “Company”) (TSX:WPRT / Nasdaq:WPRT), has entered into a binding agreement (the “Agreement”) to sell its interest in Westport Fuel Systems Italia S.r.l., which includes the Light-Duty segment, including the light-duty OEM, delayed OEM, and independent aftermarket businesses, to a wholly-owned investment vehicle of Heliaca Investments Coöperatief U.A. (“Heliaca Investments”), a Netherlands based investment firm supported by Ramphastos Investments Management B.V. a prominent Dutch venture capital and private equity firm (the “Transaction”). The Transaction provides for a base purchase price of $73.1 million (€67.7 million), subject to certain adjustments, and potential earnouts of up to an estimated $6.5 million (€6.0 million) if certain conditions are achieved, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.

    Moving forward, Westport intends to concentrate fully on providing affordable solutions for hard-to-decarbonize mobility and industrial applications, centered around the unique opportunities created by the HPDI technology and our Cespira joint venture. The Transaction also strengthens Westport’s balance sheet and enables Westport to consider strategic acquisition opportunities consistent with the above strategic focus and extend its runway to fund near-term growth.

    “This Transaction marks a significant milestone in our evolution as an alternative fuel systems enterprise. By returning to our roots and focusing on our core strengths, providing solutions in hard-to-decarbonize mobility and industrial applications, we are positioning Westport for sustainable growth and enhanced operational efficiency. The Light-Duty segment has been an important part of our history, and we are confident that Heliaca Investments is the right partner to continue its development. This Transaction allows us to streamline our operations, sharpen our focus on innovation, and create long-term value for our stakeholders. We are excited about the opportunities ahead and look forward to building on our momentum,” said Dan Sceli, Chief Executive Officer of Westport Fuel Systems.

    Under the terms of the Agreement, Heliaca Investments through its subsidiary will acquire Westport’s Light-Duty segment, including its related assets and customer contracts. The Transaction is subject to shareholder approval and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close in late Q2 of 2025.

    The proceeds from the proposed Transaction are expected to enable Westport to significantly improve its financial stability, while also supporting key growth initiatives focused on providing solutions for hard-to-decarbonize mobility and industrial applications. Following closing, Westport intends to align its cost structure to be more reflective of a smaller, more efficient organization, while also seeking further opportunities for efficiency gains.

    Strategic Transformation

    The proposed divestiture is a pivotal step in refocusing Westport on its competitive strengths. Westport remains committed to providing affordable, alternative fuel solutions for the heavy-duty truck, off-road, and industrial markets. Westport believes that hydrogen will play a role in decarbonizing mobility applications long-term. However, Westport’s products are timeline-agnostic, allowing the Company to leverage its High-Pressure Controls and Systems segment and its stake in Cespira, which both have solutions available now, to address decarbonization with net zero and low carbon fuels while also providing affordable solutions utilizing zero carbon hydrogen in the future. Westport’s remaining assets, when combined, create the potential for fuel agnostic high-pressure storage solutions, complementing HPDI and Cespira’s growth aspirations.

    As the hydrogen ecosystem evolves, Westport views the natural gas market, including LNG, CNG and RNG as our foundation, with strong economics in many geographies and diverse growth opportunities. The Company’s GFI products are already industry leading on a global scale and backed by intellectual property rights that are expected to strengthen our already significant competitive advantage in high-pressure fuel solutions.

    Moreover, the Company will consider strategic merger and acquisition opportunities that align with the reimagined strategic focus.

    Creating Focus

    The resurgence of natural gas and renewable natural gas globally provides a market opportunity for Westport. In particular, while HPDI technology is well positioned and established in Europe, the North American market presents many growth opportunities. North America is again embracing natural gas and renewable natural gas as an important part of the solution to reduce the cost and the carbon footprint of heavy-duty long-haul trucking. Natural gas infrastructure is abundant and RNG production is growing.

    As we wait for hydrogen adoption, both Cespira and our High-Pressure Controls & Systems segment have products and technologies enabling the use of lower-carbon fuels today. These same products are equally viable in the future as hydrogen adoption ramps up. In the near-term, our High-Pressure Controls and Systems business has expertise in high-pressure components, providing the capability to rapidly develop CNG high pressure solutions for heavy-duty, off-road and industrial applications, providing effective solutions for decarbonization by utilizing alternative fuels today while advancing zero-emissions hydrogen solutions for the future. Additionally, the Company holds extensive intellectual property assets related to high-pressure fuels for HPDI engines. These initiatives are being designed to strengthen Westport’s competitive position and reinforce its role in advancing low-carbon fuel solutions for hard-to-decarbonize mobility applications.

    Advisors

    J.P. Morgan is acting as financial advisor to Westport and is providing a fairness opinion to the board of directors in connection with the Transaction. Bennett Jones LLP and Delfino Willkie are acting as legal advisors to Westport, and E&Y is acting as tax advisor to the Company.

    Gianni & Origoni, NautaDutilh, Wardyński & Partners and PwC are advising Heliaca Investments in connection with the Transaction.

    About Westport Fuel Systems

    At Westport Fuel Systems, we are driving innovation to power a cleaner tomorrow. We are a leading supplier of advanced fuel delivery components and systems for clean, low-carbon fuels such as natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane, and hydrogen to the global transportation industry. Our technology delivers the performance and fuel efficiency required by transportation applications and the environmental benefits that address climate change and urban air quality challenges. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America, we serve our customers in approximately 70 countries with leading global transportation brands. At Westport Fuel Systems, we think ahead. For more information, visit www.wfsinc.com.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the closing of, and timing for closing of, the Transaction, shareholder approval of the Transaction, the anticipated benefits of the Transaction, including potential earn-out payments, the Transaction alleviating liquidity concerns, the ability to strengthen our balance sheet and align our cost structure, the ability to capitalize on growth initiatives, including fund strategic acquisitions, the ability to transition to a smaller, more efficient organization and our expectations regarding the future success of our business, the adoption of hydrogen and the future growth and development of HPDI. Other forward-looking statements included in the release include those relating to Westport’s future strategic plans, business opportunities and use of the Transaction proceeds. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on both the views of management and assumptions that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activities, performance, or achievements expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and assumptions include those related to completion and satisfaction of all conditions to closing of the Transaction set out in the Agreement, governmental policies, regulation and approval, the achievement of the performance criteria required for the earn out described above, purchase price adjustments contained in the Agreement, the demand for high-pressure storage solutions and other products, as well as other risk factors and assumptions that may affect our actual results, performance, or achievements, as discussed in our most recent Annual Information Form and other filings with securities regulators. Readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in these forward-looking statements except as required by National Instrument 51-102. The contents of any website referenced in this press release are not incorporated by reference herein.

    Investor Inquiries:

    Investor Relations
    T: +1 604-718-2046
    E: invest@wfsinc.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Enlight Announces the Financial Close for Project Country Acres

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The debt financing package includes $773 million of construction loans

    Country Acres consists of 403 MW of solar generation and 688 MWh of energy storage capacity, and is expected to reach full COD during the second half of 2026

    TEL AVIV, Israel, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd. (“Enlight”, “the Company”, NASDAQ: ENLT, TASE: ENLT.TA), a leading global renewable energy platform, announced today that the Company has received debt financing (the “Debt Financing”) for project Country Acres (“Country Acres” or “the Project”), located near Sacramento, California, USA.

    As part of the Debt Financing, Enlight, through its subsidiary Clenera Holdings LLC, has secured construction financing commitments with a consortium of four leading global banks including BNP Paribas Securities Corp, Crédit Agricole, Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking, and Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (Nord/LB), totaling $773 million.Upon the Project’s COD, the construction loan is expected to convert into a $376 million term loan.

    The Project has a 30-year solar generation busbar PPAand 20-year energy storage busbar purchase agreement with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (“SMUD”).The Company expects to conclude a tax equity transaction during the construction period, noting that the Project has met the terms required to achieve safe harbor status for beginning of construction.

    Country Acres consists of 403 MW solar generation and 688 MWh of energy storage capacity, and is expected to reach full COD during the second half of 2026. Construction at the 966-acre site has already begun, and all procurement contracts have been signed. The Project is expected to provide clean electricity equivalent to the average annual consumption of approximately 80,000 California households.

    “We are grateful to once again be partnering with leading banks on one of our largest projects,” said Adam Pishl, President and CEO of Clenera. “The American-generated, reliable energy produced at Country Acres will fueling the homes and businesses in central California for decades to come.”

    After the completion of Apex in Montana and Atrisco in New Mexico, Country Acres is one of several major solar and energy storage projects that Enlight and Clenera are now constructing in the U.S. These include Quail Ranch (128 MW and 400 MWh) and Roadrunner (290 MW and 940 MWh). Along with additional projects planned to be built in the years to come, these projects are driving Enlight’s massive expansion into the U.S. renewable energy market. This is best illustrated by the growing run rate of Enlight’s U.S. revenue base, which is expected to reach $195-207 million annually after the completion of the projects now under construction.

    The Company’s next projects in the western Unites States are Snowflake (600 MW and 1,900 MWh) and CO Bar (1,211 MW and 824 MWh). The two mega projects have almost completed their development phase, and are scheduled to begin construction in the coming months. Each of the two projects employs a grid connection of 1.0 GW, one of the largest in the US. These grid connections generate potential additional development opportunities in the future through the Company’s “Connect and Expand” strategy, which seeks to leverage existing interconnect infrastructure with additional generation capacity.

    “Country Acres is the second financial closing that we have accomplished with the same group of lenders in the past three months, illustrating the extent of our partnership and cooperation,” said Ilan Goren, GM of Enlight USA. “We look forward to further deepening this relationship as Enlight and Clenera continue the build out of our large US project portfolio.”

    “After the successful closing of Roadrunner, BNP Paribas is proud to once again support Clenera and Enlight as Coordinating Lead Arranger on their new landmark project financing of Country Acres,” said Aashish Mohan, Co-Head of Energy, Resources & Infrastructure Americas, at BNP Paribas. “Supporting premier platforms like Clenera squarely fits our energy infrastructure ambitions, and we look forward to growing our partnership with Clenera as they continue to execute on their high-quality U.S. renewables pipeline.”

    Nasir Khan, Managing Director & Head of Real Assets and Global Trade Americas at Natixis Corporate & Investment Bankng said, “Natixis is thrilled to close our second transaction with Clenera on another robust renewable energy project financing, which aligns perfectly with our commitment to the energy transition. As Clenera continues to expand its pipeline of large-scale energy projects, we look forward to further strengthening our partnership and providing innovative capital solutions to meet its long-term financial needs.”

    “CACIB is proud to partner with Clenera and Enlight once again on a landmark project which will deliver reliable, clean power to SMUD, underscoring our collective objective to provide long term sustainable and affordable power,” said Julien Tizorin – Head of Power and New Energy at CACIB

    Sondra Martinez, Managing Director and Head of Originations Nord/LB’s said “Nord/LB is extremely excited to support Clenera and Enlight on the Country Acres financing. This deal demonstrates our commitment to supporting recurring clients as they advance the energy transition and provide affordable power to local communities.” 

    About Enlight Renewable Energy

    Founded in 2008, Enlight develops, finances, constructs, owns, and operates utility-scale renewable energy projects. Enlight operates across the three largest renewable segments today: solar, win energy storage. A global platform, Enlight operates in the United States, Israel and 10 European countries. Enlight has been traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since 2010 (TASE: ENLT) and completed its U.S. IPO (Nasdaq: ENLT) in 2023. Learn more at www.enlightenergy.co.il.

    Investor Contact

    Yonah Weisz
    Director IR
    investors@enlightenergy.co.il 

    Erica Mannion or Mike Funari
    Sapphire Investor Relations, LLC
    +1 617 542 6180
    investors@enlightenergy.co.il 

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s expectations relating to the Project, the PPA and the related interconnection agreement and lease option, and the completion timeline for the Project, are forward-looking statements. The words “may,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “target,” “seek,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “contemplate,” “possible,” “forecasts,” “aims” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our ability to site suitable land for, and otherwise source, renewable energy projects and to successfully develop and convert them into Operational Projects; availability of, and access to, interconnection facilities and transmission systems; our ability to obtain and maintain governmental and other regulatory approvals and permits, including environmental approvals and permits; construction delays, operational delays and supply chain disruptions leading to increased cost of materials required for the construction of our projects, as well as cost overruns and delays related to disputes with contractors; our suppliers’ ability and willingness to perform both existing and future obligations; competition from traditional and renewable energy companies in developing renewable energy projects; potential slowed demand for renewable energy projects and our ability to enter into new offtake contracts on acceptable terms and prices as current offtake contracts expire; offtakers’ ability to terminate contracts or seek other remedies resulting from failure of our projects to meet development, operational or performance benchmarks; various technical and operational challenges leading to unplanned outages, reduced output, interconnection or termination issues; the dependence of our production and revenue on suitable meteorological and environmental conditions, and our ability to accurately predict such conditions; our ability to enforce warranties provided by our counterparties in the event that our projects do not perform as expected; government curtailment, energy price caps and other government actions that restrict or reduce the profitability of renewable energy production; electricity price volatility, unusual weather conditions (including the effects of climate change, could adversely affect wind and solar conditions), catastrophic weather-related or other damage to facilities, unscheduled generation outages, maintenance or repairs, unanticipated changes to availability due to higher demand, shortages, transportation problems or other developments, environmental incidents, or electric transmission system constraints and the possibility that we may not have adequate insurance to cover losses as a result of such hazards; our dependence on certain operational projects for a substantial portion of our cash flows; our ability to continue to grow our portfolio of projects through successful acquisitions; changes and advances in technology that impair or eliminate the competitive advantage of our projects or upsets the expectations underlying investments in our technologies; our ability to effectively anticipate and manage cost inflation, interest rate risk, currency exchange fluctuations and other macroeconomic conditions that impact our business; our ability to retain and attract key personnel; our ability to manage legal and regulatory compliance and litigation risk across our global corporate structure; our ability to protect our business from, and manage the impact of, cyber-attacks, disruptions and security incidents, as well as acts of terrorism or war; changes to existing renewable energy industry policies and regulations that present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to renewable energy projects; the reduction, elimination or expiration of government incentives for, or regulations mandating the use of, renewable energy; our ability to effectively manage our supply chain and comply with applicable regulations with respect to international trade relations, tariffs, sanctions, export controls and anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws; our ability to effectively comply with Environmental Health and Safety and other laws and regulations and receive and maintain all necessary licenses, permits and authorizations; our performance of various obligations under the terms of our indebtedness (and the indebtedness of our subsidiaries that we guarantee) and our ability to continue to secure project financing on attractive terms for our projects; limitations on our management rights and operational flexibility due to our use of tax equity arrangements; potential claims and disagreements with partners, investors and other counterparties that could reduce our right to cash flows generated by our projects; our ability to comply with tax laws of various jurisdictions in which we currently operate as well as the tax laws in jurisdictions in which we intend to operate in the future; the unknown effect of the dual listing of our ordinary shares on the price of our ordinary shares; various risks related to our incorporation and location in Israel; the costs and requirements of being a public company, including the diversion of management’s attention with respect to such requirements; certain provisions in our Articles of Association and certain applicable regulations that may delay or prevent a change of control; and other risk factors set forth in the section titled “Risk factors” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and our other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC.

    These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. Except as may be required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Westport Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Westport Fuel Systems Inc. (“Westport”) (TSX: WPRT / Nasdaq: WPRT) today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, and provided an update on operations. All figures are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.

    “The past year has been transformative for Westport as we sharpened our strategic focus, advanced our clean transportation technologies, and enhanced operational efficiencies. We have made significant strides in aligning our operations with our competitive strengths, improving margins, and reinforcing our commitment to delivering cost-effective solutions that drive decarbonization in the transportation sector. We have also transformed our culture to be one built on discipline and excellence, driving a high-performance mindset in everything we do.

    The launch of Cespira, our joint venture with Volvo Group, was a key milestone for us in 2024. Cespira is committed to accelerating the commercialization of HPDI™ technology with carbon-neutral fuels like hydrogen and renewable natural gas. This partnership underscores the industry’s recognition of HPDI as a leading solution to enable affordable, sustainable heavy transport.

    Additionally, we are taking bold steps to streamline our operations and strengthen our financial footing, allowing us to focus on areas with the highest growth potential. A prime example of this strategic realignment is our recently announced proposed divestiture of the Light-Duty business. This decision is expected to enable us to concentrate fully on providing affordable solutions for hard to decarbonize mobility applications like long haul and heavy-duty trucking that can take advantage of the unique, practical and affordable HPDI technology and our world class high-pressure components and systems technologies and scalable alternative fuel solutions, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of emissions-reducing innovations that are cost effective.

    Looking ahead, we are focused on scaling our alternative fuel-based solutions, including advancements in CNG, RNG, and hydrogen systems, while navigating a rapidly evolving transportation landscape. Hydrogen remains a critical component of the future but, in the meantime, we are delivering practical, commercially viable low-carbon solutions today such as natural gas and renewable natural gas solutions which, in some cases, can represent a lower total cost of ownership than incumbent technologies. Driven by these environmental and economic considerations we are seeing a global resurgence of interest in the heavy-duty transport sector towards utilizing natural gas as an alternative to diesel. While we will continue to invest in technology, we are positioned to take advantage of markets that are embracing products enabled by our years of investment in innovation as the world pivots to more practical and cost-effective solutions to decarbonize.  

    We are committed to providing sustainable, high-performance solutions that help our customers achieve their commercial and environmental goals, now and for years to come.”

    Dan Sceli, Chief Executive Officer

    2024 Highlights

    • Revenue was $302.3 million for 2024 and $75.1 million for the fourth quarter. Full year results were primarily driven by the transition of the Heavy-Duty OEM business into Cespira, partially offset by an increase in revenue in our Light-Duty segment. Cespira earned $22.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024 and $43.1 million for the period from June 3, 2024 through to December 31, 2024.
    • Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $21.8 million, or $1.27 loss per share, compared to net loss of $49.7 million for the prior year. Net loss for the fourth quarter in 2024 was $10.1 million, or $0.59 loss per share, compared to net loss of $13.9 million, or $0.81 loss per share, for the same period in 2023. For the year, the net positive change was primarily a result of improvements in gross margin, a $15.2 million gain on deconsolidation of the HPDI business in the formation of the joint venture with Volvo Group on June 3, 2024, reductions in operating expenditures and depreciation and amortization expense due to continuation of the HPDI business in Cespira, partially offset by higher income tax expense and foreign exchange losses in the year.
    • Adjusted EBITDA1 loss of $11.2 million, compared to a loss of $21.5 million in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter was a loss of $1.8 million.
    • Cash and cash equivalents were $37.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. Cash provided by operating activities during the year was $7.2 million.
    • Announced the closing the HPDI joint venture, Cespira, with Volvo Group, working together to accelerate the commercialization and global adoption of the HPDI™ fuel system technology for long-haul and off-road applications.

    1 Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation is a non-GAAP measure. Please refer to GAAP and NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES in Westport’s Management Discussion and Analysis for the reconciliation.

    Consolidated Results            
    ($ in millions, except per share amounts)     Over / (Under)
    %
        Over / (Under)
    %
      4Q24 4Q23 FY24 FY23
    Revenue $75.1 $87.2 (14)% $302.3 $331.8   (9)%  
    Gross Profit(2) 14.3 8.0 79% 57.6 48.9   18%  
    Gross Margin(2) 19% 9% 19% 15%    
    Income (loss) from Investments Accounted for by the Equity Method(1) (2.0) 0.1 (2,100)% (5.4) 0.8   (775)%  
    Net Loss (10.1) (13.9) 27% (21.8) (49.7)   56%  
    Net Loss per Share – Basic (0.59) (0.81) 27% (1.27) (2.90)   56%  
    Net Loss per Share – Diluted (0.59) (0.81) 27% (1.27) (2.90)   56%  
    EBITDA (2) (6.1) (10.9) 44% (6.6) (35.9)   82%  
    Adjusted EBITDA (2) (1.8) (10.0) 82% (11.2) (21.5)   48%  

    (1)This includes income or loss primarily from our investments in Cespira and Minda Westport Technologies Limited
    (2)Gross margins, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP measures. Please refer to GAAP and NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES for the reconciliation to equivalent GAAP measures and limitations on the use of such measures.

    Segment Information

    Light-Duty Segment

    Revenue for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024 was $68.0 million and $262.2 million, respectively, compared with $63.4 million and $263.6 million for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023.

    Light-Duty revenue increased by $4.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024 as compared to the prior year. This was primarily driven by a significant increase in sales of LPG fuel system solutions to a global Original Equipment Manufacturer (“OEM”) for their Euro 6 vehicle applications in our light-duty OEM business and an increase in delayed OEM business, partially offset by lower revenues in other business lines.

    Light-Duty revenue decreased by $1.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the prior year. This was primarily driven by a decrease in sales in our delayed OEM business in the first half of 2024, decrease in sales to customers in developing markets, and our fuel storage business. This was partially offset by the aforementioned increase in sales of LPG fuel system solutions in our light-duty OEM business.

    Gross profit increased by $2.0 million to $14.0 million, or 21% of revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2024, as compared to $12.0 million, or 19% of revenue, for the same prior year period. This was primarily driven by a change in sales mix with an increase in sales to European customers and a reduction in sales to developing regions along with an increase in sales volumes.

    Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $6.3 million to $55.4 million, or 21% of revenue, compared to $49.1 million, or 19% of revenue, for the prior year. This was primarily driven by a change in sales mix with an increase in sales to European customers and a reduction in sales to developing regions. The segment’s manufacturing operations continues to implement operational improvement initiatives lowering its manufacturing overhead costs in the year. For the year ended December 31, 2024, Light-Duty recorded inventory write-downs of $2.1 million related to our restructuring activities in India for $0.9 million and $0.5 million related to components for markets that we have exited, and the remainder due to our periodic analysis of excess and obsolete inventory.

    Westport began supplying its Euro 6 LPG fuel system to its global OEM customer in early 2024. This production supply agreement has been instrumental in improving revenue and delivering higher margins, which more than offset the decline in revenue as a result of a key delayed OEM customer continuing to work through their inventory. Production for the Euro 7 LPG fuel system for the same global OEM customer is anticipated to begin mid-to-late 2025.

    High-Pressure Controls & Systems Segment

    Revenue for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024 was $1.4 million and $8.8 million, respectively, compared with $2.5 million and $12.0 million for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023. Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2024 decreased by $1.1 million compared to the prior year period. Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 decreased $3.2 million compared to the prior year.

    The decrease in revenue for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the prior year periods continues to be primarily driven by the general slowdown in hydrogen infrastructure development, leading to a slower adoption of automotive and industrial applications powered by hydrogen.

    Gross profit for the three months ended December 31, 2024 decreased by $0.4 million to nominal, or 0% of revenue, compared to $0.4 million, or 16% of revenue, for the same prior year period. This was primarily driven by lower sales volumes, increasing the per unit manufacturing costs in the quarter.

    Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2024 decreased by $1.3 million to $1.5 million, or 17% of revenue, compared to $2.8 million, or 23% of revenue, for the prior year. This was primarily driven by decrease in sales volume for the year. The segment recorded $0.8 million in inventory write-downs in the year due to slow-moving inventory.

    Heavy-Duty OEM Segment

    Revenue for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024 includes revenue until the closing of the transaction to form Cespira, which occurred on June 3, 2024. Revenue for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024 was $5.7 million and $31.3 million, respectively, compared with $21.3 million and $56.2 million for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023.

    The decrease in revenue for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024 is a result of the continuation of the business in Cespira. Refer to the “Selected Cespira Financial Information” for more information on the performance of the business. Revenue earned in the three months ended December 31, 2024 reflects revenue earned from a transitional services agreement in place with Cespira that we expect to expire by the end of Q2 2026.

    Gross profit for the three months ended December 31, 2024 increased by $4.7 million to $0.3 million, or 5% of revenue, compared to negative $4.4 million or negative 21% of revenue, for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The Heavy-Duty OEM segment was impacted by a $4.5 million inventory write-down in the prior year period.

    Gross profit increased by $3.7 million to $0.7 million, or 2% of revenue, for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to negative $3.0 million, or negative 5% of revenue, for the prior year. Heavy-Duty OEM recorded $0.4 million in inventory write-downs in the year. The segment was impacted by the aforementioned inventory write-down of $4.5 million in the prior year.

    Selected Cespira Financial Information

    We account for Cespira using the equity method of accounting. However, due to its significance to our long-term strategy and operating results, we disclose certain financial information from Cespira in notes 8 and 22 in our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the period from June 3, 2024 to December 31, 2024.

    The following table sets forth a summary of the financial results of Cespira for the three months ended December 31, 2024 and the period between June 3, 2024 to December 31, 2024:

      (in millions of U.S. dollars)   Three months ended December 31,   Change   Year ended December 31,   Change
        2024   2023   $   %   2024   2023   $   %
    Revenue   $ 22.8     $     $ 22.8     %   $ 43.1     $     $ 43.1     %
    Gross profit     1.4             1.4     %     0.5             0.5     %
    Gross margin1     6 %     %             1 %     %        
    Operating loss     (4.8 )           (4.8 )   %     (12.1 )           (12.1 )   %
    Net loss attributable to the Company     (2.6 )           (2.6 )   %     (6.7 )           (6.7 )   %

    1Gross margin is non-GAAP financial measure. See the section ‘Non-GAAP Financial Measures’ for explanations and discussions of these non-GAAP financial measures or ratios.

    Cespira revenue was $22.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024. For the prior year period, the Heavy-Duty OEM segment, which included our HPDI business, earned $21.3 million. This was primarily driven by an increase in HPDI fuel systems sold in the period.

    Cespira gross profit was $1.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024. For the prior year period, the Heavy-Duty OEM segment had negative $4.4 million in gross profit primarily driven by the aforementioned $4.5 million inventory write-down in the prior year period.

    Cespira incurred operating losses of $4.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024. For the prior year quarter, the Heavy-Duty OEM had operating losses of $9.3 million. Aside from the aforementioned inventory write-down in the prior year period, the Heavy-Duty OEM had comparable operating losses compared to Cespira.

    As previously announced, Westport and Weichai are parties to a technology development and supply agreement which contains an obligation for Weichai to order, and Westport to supply, certain volumes of HPDI fuel system components prior to December 31, 2024. Significant orders for HPDI fuel system components against this agreement were not received prior to year-end. Westport and Cespira continue to collaborate with Weichai Power Co. Ltd (“Weichai Power”) on an HPDI fuel system equipped version of the Weichai Power engine platforms. The parties are currently discussing the next stages of this work and the obligations of each party going forward.

    Liquidity and Going Concern

    In addition, as disclosed in Westport Management Discussion & Analysis, for the year ended December 31, 2024, we continue to sustain operating losses and use cash to support our business activities. Cash provided by operating activities was $7.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 was primarily driven by reductions in working capital.

    As at December 31, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents of $37.6 million and long-term debt of $33.7 million, of which $14.7 million was current. Based on our projected capital expenditures, debt servicing obligations and operating requirements under our current business plan, we are projecting that our cash and cash equivalents will not be sufficient to fund our operations through the next twelve months from the date of the issuance of this MD&A. These conditions raise substantial doubt about Westport’s ability continue as a going concern within one year after the date our December 31, 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements are issued.

    We plan to improve our liquidity position by selling certain subsidiaries in Europe and Argentina which comprise substantially all the assets and liabilities reported within the Light-Duty segment and continue our cost reduction initiatives. On March 30, 2025, we entered into a share purchase agreement (“SPA”) with a wholly-owned investment vehicle of Heliaca Investments Coöperatief U.A. (“Heliaca Investments”), a Netherlands based investment firm supported by Ramphastos Investment Management B.V. a prominent Dutch venture capital and private equity firm, to sell all of the issued and outstanding shares of Westport Fuel Systems Italia S.r.l for a base purchase price of $73.1 million (€67.7 million), subject to certain adjustments and potential earnouts of up to an estimated $6.5 million (€6.0 million) if certain conditions are achieved, in accordance with the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement. If we are successful in closing the sale, we will receive sufficient cash to fund our operations for the next twelve months and alleviate the risk of substantial doubt identified. As of the date of issuance of our December 31, 2024 financial statements, we are seeking shareholder approval of the plan to complete the sale of these businesses to the buyer. As such, there can be no assurances that Westport will be successful in obtaining sufficient funding. Accordingly, we concluded under the accounting standards that these plans do not alleviate the substantial doubt about Westport’s ability to continue as a going concern.

    Divestment of the Light-Duty Business and 2025 Outlook

    Westport recently announced the proposed divestment of its Light-Duty business, which includes the light-duty OEM, delayed OEM, and independent aftermarket businesses (the “Transaction”). The Transaction is designed to focus the Company’s strategy and streamline its operations allowing Westport to direct its energy on solution to address hard to decarbonize sectors like long-haul, heavy-duty trucking and off-road applications that can take advantage of Cespira and our High-Pressure Controls & Systems technology – where Westport sees the largest opportunities to grow and where the Company has a unique and differentiated offering generating interest with customers as the world transitions to a more practical and easier to adopt approach to decarbonization.

    Highlights of the Transaction include:

    • Provides immediate up front proceeds to alleviate liquidity concerns, strengthening the balance sheet and funds near-term growth in Cespira and the High-Pressure Controls & Systems business;
    • Brings forward more cash today than the Light-Duty business was projected to earn over 5-years on an undiscounted cash basis; and
    • Enables management to focus exclusively on the higher growth HPDI and high-pressure segments.

    In light of the evolving market and regulatory environment, over the long term, the Light-Duty business’ ability to grow LPG / CNG sales in developed markets is expected to continue facing increased competition from pure electrification or petrol – electrification hybrids.

    The base purchase price of the Transaction is $73.1 million (€67.7 million), subject to certain adjustments and potential earnouts of up to an additional $6.5 million (€6.0 million) if certain conditions are achieved, in accordance with the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement. The purchaser is a wholly-owned investment vehicle of Heliaca Investments Coöperatief U.A. (“Heliaca Investments”), a Netherlands based investment firm supported by Ramphastos Investment Management B.V. a prominent Dutch venture capital and private equity firm.

    Net proceeds from the transaction are to be used to bolster the balance sheet, fund organic growth opportunities through Cespira and High-Pressure Controls & Systems over the near term as well as opportunistic bolt on acquisitions. The Transaction ultimately eliminates future restructuring costs required by the Italian operations in the light-duty business.

    Westport is shifting to a smaller, more focused organization, that is positioned to provide solutions to decarbonize challenging segments of the mobility and industrial markets.​ Westport has 30 years of experience delivering component solutions and developing HPDI fuel technology​. We are focused on scaling our alternative fuel-based solutions, including advancements in CNG, RNG, and hydrogen systems, while navigating a rapidly evolving transportation landscape.

    The Company anticipates that the closing of the transaction will occur late in Q2 2025, subject to receiving shareholder approval.

    Conference call

    Westport has scheduled a conference call for Monday, March 31, 2025, at 10:30 am Pacific Time (1:30 pm Eastern Time) to discuss these results. To access the conference call please register at https://register.vevent.com/register/BI1ba7402b85a5491292e48354a2e80b90

    The live webcast of the conference call can be accessed through the Westport website at https://investors.wfsinc.com/

    Participants may register up to 60 minutes before the event by clicking on the call link and completing the online registration form. Upon registration, the user will receive dial-in info and a unique PIN, along with an email confirming the details.

    The webcast will be archived on Westport’s website at https://investors.wfsinc.com

    Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis

    To view Westport full financials for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, please visit https://investors.wfsinc.com/financials/

    About Westport Fuel Systems

    At Westport Fuel Systems, we are driving innovation to power a cleaner tomorrow. We are a leading supplier of advanced fuel delivery components and systems for clean, low-carbon fuels such as natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane, and hydrogen to the global transportation industry. Our technology delivers the performance and fuel efficiency required by transportation applications and the environmental benefits that address climate change and urban air quality challenges. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America, we serve our customers in approximately 70 countries with leading global transportation brands. At Westport Fuel Systems, we think ahead. For more information, visit www.wfsinc.com.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding future strategic initiatives and future growth, future of our development programs (including those relating to HPDI and Hydrogen) including testing to the HPDI fuel system, scaling our alternative fuel-based solutions, our expectations for 2025 and beyond, including the demand for our products, the future success of our business and technology strategies, shareholder approval of the Transaction, our ability to successfully close the Transaction and realize the benefits therefrom, including, potential earn-out payments, the Transaction alleviating liquidity concerns, our focus on providing affordable solutions to decarbonize long haul and heavy-duty trucking, our ability to bolster our balance sheet, fund organic growth as well as opportunistic bolt on acquisitions, a shift to operating as a smaller, more efficient organization. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on both the views of management and assumptions that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activities, performance or achievements expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include those related to our revenue growth, operating results, industry and products, changes in business strategy, shifts in market demand, the general economy including impacts due to inflation, the effects of competition and pricing pressures, conditions of and access to the capital and debt markets, solvency, governmental policies, trade restrictions or other changes to international trade agreements, sanctions and regulation including the imposition of tariffs, technology innovations, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, operating expenses, continued reduction in expenses, ability to successfully commercialize new products, the performance of our joint ventures, the availability and price of natural gas, new environmental regulations, the acceptance of and shift to natural gas and hydrogen vehicles, the relaxation or waiver of fuel emission standards, the inability of fleets to access capital or government funding to purchase natural gas vehicles, the development of competing technologies, our ability to adequately develop and deploy our technology, the actions and determinations of our joint venture and development partners, the effects and duration of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, supply chain disruptions as well as other risk factors and assumptions that may affect our actual results, performance or achievements or financial position discussed in our most recent Annual Information Form and other filings with securities regulators. Readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in these forward-looking statements except as required by National Instrument 51-102. The contents of any website, RSS feed or twitter account referenced in this press release are not incorporated by reference herein.

    Inquiries:
    Investor Relations
    T: +1 604-718-2046
    invest@wfsinc.com

    GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP“). These U.S. GAAP financial statements include non-cash charges and other charges and benefits that may be unusual or infrequent in nature or that we believe may make comparisons to our prior or future performance difficult. In addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, Westport and certain investors use EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as an indicator of our ability to generate liquidity by producing operating cash flow to fund working capital needs, service debt obligations and fund capital expenditures. Management also uses these non-GAAP measures in its review and evaluation of the financial performance of Westport. EBITDA is also frequently used by investors and analysts for valuation purposes whereby EBITDA is multiplied by a factor or “EBITDA multiple” that is based on an observed or inferred relationship between EBITDA and market values to determine the approximate total enterprise value of a company. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures also provide additional insight to investors and securities analysts as supplemental information to our U.S. GAAP results and as a basis to compare our financial performance period-over-period and to compare our financial performance with that of other companies. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures facilitate comparisons of our core operating results from period to period and to other companies by, in the case of EBITDA, removing the effects of our capital structure (net interest income on cash deposits, interest expense on outstanding debt and debt facilities), asset base (depreciation and amortization) and tax consequences. Adjusted EBITDA provides this same indicator of Westports’ EBITDA from continuing operations and removing such effects of our capital structure, asset base and tax consequences, but additionally excludes any unrealized foreign exchange gains or losses, stock-based compensation charges and other one-time impairments and costs which are not expected to be repeated in order to provide greater insight into the cash flow being produced from our operating business, without the influence of extraneous events.

    Segment Information

    EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are intended to provide additional information to investors and analysts and do not have any standardized definition under U.S. GAAP, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA exclude the impact of cash costs of financing activities and taxes, and the effects of changes in operating working capital balances, and therefore are not necessarily indicative of operating profit or cash flow from operations as determined under U.S. GAAP. Other companies may calculate EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA differently.

    Segment earnings or losses before income taxes, interest, depreciation, and amortization (“Segment EBITDA”) is the measure of segment profitability used by the Company. The accounting policies of our reportable segments are the same as those applied in our consolidated financial statements. Management prepared the financial results of the Company’s reportable segments on basis that is consistent with the manner in which Management internally disaggregates financial information to assist in making internal operating decisions. Certain common costs and expenses, primarily corporate functions, among segments differently than we would for stand-alone financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. These include certain costs and expenses of shared services, such as IT, human resources, legal, finance and supply chain management. Segment EBITDA is not defined under US GAAP and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies and should not be considered a substitute for net earnings or other results reported in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of reportable segment information to consolidated statement of operations can be found in section “NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES & RECONCILIATIONS” within this press release.

      Year ended December 31, 2024
      Light-Duty   High-Pressure Controls & Systems   Heavy-Duty OEM   Cespira   Total Segment
    Revenue $ 262.2   $ 8.8     $ 31.3     $ 43.1     $ 345.4  
    Cost of revenue   206.8     7.3       30.6       42.6       287.3  
    Gross profit   55.4     1.5       0.7       0.5       58.1  
    Operating expenses:
    Research & development   13.0     4.4       4.2       4.7       26.3  
    General & administrative   19.2     1.0       3.1       5.6       28.9  
    Sales & marketing   9.9     0.7       0.9       1.0       12.5  
    Depreciation & amortization   2.6     0.3       0.1       1.7       4.7  
    Equity income   1.3                       1.3  
    Add back: Depreciation & amortization1   6.4     0.5       1.4       3.8       12.1  
    Segment EBITDA $ 18.4   $ (4.4 )   $ (6.2 )   $ (8.7 )   $ (0.9 )
      Year ended December 31, 2023
      Light-Duty   High-Pressure Controls & Systems   Heavy-Duty OEM   Total Segment
    Revenue $ 263.6   $ 12.0     $ 56.2     $ 331.8  
    Cost of revenue   214.5     9.2       59.2       282.9  
    Gross profit   49.1     2.8       (3.0 )     48.9  
    Operating expenses:
    Research & development   13.1     3.6       9.3       26.0  
    General & administrative   21.6     1.3       6.4       29.4  
    Sales & marketing   10.6     0.7       2.9       14.1  
    Depreciation & amortization   3.2     0.2       0.4       3.8  
    Equity income   0.8                 0.8  
    Add back: Depreciation & amortization1   6.7     0.4       4.9       11.9  
    Segment EBITDA $ 8.1   $ (2.6 )   $ (17.1 )   $ (11.6 )


    NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES RECONCILIATION

    Gross Profit   Years ended December 31,
    (expressed in millions of U.S. dollars)   2024   2023
    Revenue   $ 302.3   $ 331.8
    Less: Cost of revenue   $ 244.7   $ 282.9
    Gross Profit   $ 57.6   $ 48.9
    Gross Margin as a percentage of Revenue   Years ended December 31,
    (expressed in millions of U.S. dollars)     2024       2023  
    Revenue   $ 302.3     $ 331.8  
    Gross Margin   $ 57.6     $ 48.9  
    Gross Margin as a percentage of Revenue     19 %     15 %
      Year ended December 31, 2024
      Total Segment   Less: Cespira   Add: Corporate & unallocated   Total Consolidated
    Revenue $ 345.4   $ 43.1   $     $ 302.3  
    Cost of revenue   287.3     42.6           244.7  
    Gross profit   58.1     0.5           57.6  
    Operating expenses:
    Research & development   26.3     4.7           21.6  
    General & administrative   28.9     5.6     14.4       37.7  
    Sales & marketing   12.5     1.0     1.2       12.7  
    Depreciation & amortization   4.7     1.7     0.4       3.4  
    Equity income (loss)   1.3         (6.7 )     (5.4 )
      Year ended December 31, 2023
      Total Segment   Add: Corporate & unallocated   Total Consolidated
    Revenue $ 331.8   $   $ 331.8
    Cost of revenue   282.9         282.9
    Gross profit   48.9         48.9
    Operating expenses:
    Research & development   26.0         26.0
    General & administrative   29.4     14.8     44.2
    Sales & marketing   14.1     2.2     16.3
    Depreciation & amortization   3.8     0.5     4.3
    Equity income   0.8         0.8
    Reconciliation of Segment EBITDA to Loss before income taxes   Years ended December 31,
        2024       2023  
    Total Segment EBITDA   $ (0.9 )   $ (11.6 )
    Adjustments:
    Depreciation and amortization     8.7       12.5  
    Cespira’s Segment EBITDA     (8.7 )      
    Cespira’s equity loss     6.7        
    Corporate and unallocated operating expenses     15.6       17.0  
    Foreign exchange loss     6.2       4.0  
    Loss on sale of assets     0.7        
    Gain on deconsolidation     (15.2 )      
    Loss on sale of investment     0.4        
    Impairment of long-term investment           0.4  
    Loss on extinguishment of royalty payable           2.9  
    Interest on long-term debt and accretion of royalty payable     2.8       3.0  
    Interest and other income, net of bank charges     (1.2 )     (2.7 )
    Loss before income taxes   $ (16.9 )   $ (48.7 )
    EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA                
    Three months ended   31-Mar-23   30-Jun-23   30-Sep-23   31-Dec-23   31-Mar-24   30-Jun-24   30-Sep-24   31-Dec-24
    Income (loss) before income taxes   $         (9.7 )   $         (13.0 )   $         (12.0 )   $         (14.0 )   $         (12.9 )   $         6.8             $         (2.5 )   $         (8.3 )
    Interest expense, net             0.4                       (0.1 )             0.2                       (0.2 )             0.5                       0.5                       0.4                       0.2          
    Depreciation and amortization             3.0                       3.0                       3.2                       3.3                       3.2                       1.7                       1.8                       2.0          
    EBITDA   $         (6.3 )   $         (10.1 )   $         (8.6 )   $         (10.9 )   $         (9.2 )   $         9.0             $         (0.3 )   $         (6.1 )
    Stock based compensation (recovery)   $         0.7             $         0.8             $         (0.3 )   $         1.4             $         0.3             $         1.2             $         (0.1 )   $         —          
    Unrealized foreign exchange (gain) loss   $         1.1             $         2.4             $         1.4             $         (0.9 )   $         1.8             $         0.1             $         (1.1 )   $         5.4          
    Loss on extinguishment of royalty payable   $         —             $         2.9             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —          
    Severance costs   $         —             $         —             $         4.5             $         —             $         0.5             $         0.2             $         0.1             $         0.1          
    Gain on deconsolidation   $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         (13.3 )   $         —             $         (1.9 )
    Loss on sale of investment   $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         0.4             $         —          
    Restructuring costs   $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         0.8             $         0.2             $         —          
    Loss on sale of assets   $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         0.7          
    Impairment of long-term investment   $         —             $         —             $         —             $         0.4             $         —             $         —             $         —             $         —          
    Adjusted EBITDA   $         (4.5 )   $         (4.0 )   $         (3.0 )   $         (10.0 )   $         (6.6 )   $         (2.0 )   $         (0.8 )   $         (1.8 )
    WESTPORT FUEL SYSTEMS INC.
    Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (Expressed in thousands of United States dollars, except share amounts)
    December 31, 2024 and 2023
        December 31,
          2024       2023  
    Assets        
    Current assets:        
    Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash)   $ 37,646     $ 54,853  
    Accounts receivable     73,054       88,077  
    Inventories     53,526       67,530  
    Prepaid expenses     5,660       6,323  
    Total current assets     169,886       216,783  
    Long-term investments     39,732       4,792  
    Property, plant and equipment     41,956       69,489  
    Operating lease right-of-use assets     19,019       22,877  
    Intangible assets     5,277       6,822  
    Deferred income tax assets     9,695       11,554  
    Goodwill     2,876       3,066  
    Other long-term assets     3,180       20,365  
    Total assets   $ 291,621     $ 355,748  
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity        
    Current liabilities:        
    Accounts payable and accrued liabilities   $ 88,123     $ 95,374  
    Current portion of operating lease liabilities     2,624       3,307  
    Short-term debt           15,156  
    Current portion of long-term debt     14,660       14,108  
    Current portion of warranty liability     3,861       6,892  
    Total current liabilities     109,268       134,837  
    Long-term operating lease liabilities     16,433       19,300  
    Long-term debt     19,067       30,957  
    Warranty liability     1,456       1,614  
    Deferred income tax liabilities     4,029       3,477  
    Other long-term liabilities     4,343       5,115  
    Total liabilities     154,596       195,300  
    Shareholders’ equity:        
    Share capital:        
    Unlimited common and preferred shares, no par value        
    17,282,934 (2023 – 17,174,502) common shares issued and outstanding     1,245,805       1,244,539  
    Other equity instruments     9,472       9,672  
    Additional paid-in-capital     11,516       11,516  
    Accumulated deficit     (1,096,275 )     (1,074,434 )
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (33,493 )     (30,845 )
    Total shareholders’ equity     137,025       160,448  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 291,621     $ 355,748  
    WESTPORT FUEL SYSTEMS INC.  
    Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)  
    (Expressed in thousands of United States dollars, except share and per share amounts)  
    Years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023  
        Years ended December 31,
          2024       2023  
    Revenue   $ 302,299     $ 331,799  
    Cost of revenue     244,708       282,862  
    Gross profit     57,591       48,937  
    Operating expenses:        
    Research and development     21,587       26,003  
    General and administrative     37,679       44,234  
    Sales and marketing     12,676       16,278  
    Foreign exchange loss     6,248       3,974  
    Depreciation and amortization     3,367       4,299  
    Loss on sale of assets     703       32  
          82,260       94,820  
    Loss from operations     (24,669 )     (45,883 )
             
    Income from investments accounted for by the equity method     (5,402 )     780  
    Gain on deconsolidation     15,198        
    Loss on sale of investment     (352 )      
    Loss on extinguishment of royalty payable           (2,909 )
    Interest on long-term debt and accretion of royalty payable     (2,797 )     (2,981 )
    Impairment of long-term investment           (413 )
    Interest and other income, net of bank charges     1,161       2,690  
    Loss before income taxes     (16,861 )     (48,716 )
    Income tax expense (recovery):        
    Current     3,183       1,786  
    Deferred     1,797       (784 )
          4,980       1,002  
    Net loss for the year     (21,841 )     (49,718 )
    Other comprehensive income (loss):        
    Cumulative translation adjustment     (2,535 )     4,473  
    Ownership share of equity method investments’ other comprehensive loss   $ (113 )   $  
        $ (2,648 )   $ 4,473  
    Comprehensive loss   $ (24,489 )   $ (45,245 )
    Loss per share:        
    Net loss per share – basic and diluted   $ (1.27 )   $ (2.90 )
    Weighted average common shares outstanding:        
    Basic and diluted     17,248,090       17,173,016  
    WESTPORT FUEL SYSTEMS INC.
    Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
    (Expressed in thousands of United States dollars)
    Years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
        Years ended December 31,
          2024       2023  
             
    Operating activities:        
    Net loss for the year   $ (21,841 )   $ (49,718 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:        
    Depreciation and amortization     8,661       12,490  
    Stock-based compensation expense     1,066       1,727  
    Unrealized foreign exchange loss     6,248       3,974  
    Deferred income tax expense (recovery)     1,797       (784 )
    Loss (income) from investments accounted for by the equity method     5,402       (780 )
    Interest on long-term debt and accretion of royalty payable     74       9  
    Impairment of long-term investment           413  
    Change in inventory write-downs to net realizable value     3,283       7,066  
    Gain on deconsolidation     (15,198 )      
    Loss on sale of investment     352        
    Net loss on sale of assets     627       32  
    Loss on extinguishment of royalty payable           2,909  
    Change in bad debt expense     282       56  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:        
    Accounts receivable     25,567       5,340  
    Inventories     (6,836 )     9,481  
    Prepaid expenses     (153 )     2,869  
    Accounts payable and accrued liabilities     2,233       (2,448 )
    Warranty liability     (4,380 )     (5,829 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities     7,184       (13,193 )
    Investing activities:        
    Purchase of property, plant and equipment     (16,923 )     (15,574 )
    Proceeds on sale of investments     29,994        
    Proceeds on sale of assets     998       161  
    Dividends received from investments accounted for by the equity method     297        
    Capital contributions to investments accounted for by the equity method     (9,900 )      
    Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities     4,466       (15,413 )
    Financing activities:        
    Drawings on operating lines of credit and long-term facilities     19,336       46,367  
    Repayment of operating lines of credit and long-term facilities     (44,546 )     (39,904 )
    Payment of royalty payable           (8,687 )
    Net cash used in financing activities     (25,210 )     (2,224 )
    Effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents     (3,647 )     (501 )
    Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents     (17,207 )     (31,331 )
    Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year (including restricted cash)     54,853       86,184  
    Cash and cash equivalents, end of year (including restricted cash)     37,646       54,853  

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: People affected by violence and cholera in South Sudan arrive exhausted in Ethiopia

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    • In South Sudan’s Upper Nile state, people are affected by violence and cholera, causing them to seek safety across the border in Ethiopia’s Gambella region.
    • MSF teams are on both sides of the border, providing critical care to people.
    • Urgent support is needed to provide safe water, implement widespread cholera vaccination campaigns, and reinforce treatment capacity for both cholera patients and trauma cases. 

    A humanitarian crisis is rapidly unfolding on both sides of the South SudanEthiopia border, as escalating violence, displacement and a widespread cholera outbreak are pushing communities to the brink, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns.

    Clashes between government forces and armed groups, which initially began in Upper Nile state, South Sudan, now risk spreading to other parts of the country. Across the border, Ethiopia’s Gambella region is experiencing the effects of this violence. According to the United Nations, approximately 10,000 displaced people have crossed into Ethiopia since the beginning of March.

    “We have already witnessed how this violence has fuelled the spread of cholera in several areas, but a larger, escalating conflict could push the entire country into an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” says Zakaria Mwatia, MSF head of mission in South Sudan. “We urgently call on all parties to the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians, healthcare workers, and medical facilities, and to grant unhindered access for humanitarian and medical assistance, in line with international humanitarian law.”

    A map of MSF’s response on both sides of the border in March 2025.

    South Sudan has been grappling with cholera outbreaks across the country since last year. The latest wave, which began in Upper Nile state, is now spreading further into neighbouring Jonglei state, the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, and across the border into Ethiopia’s Gambella region, where MSF teams are working to treat patients amid the surge in cases.

    In Upper Nile state, MSF is treating people wounded in the violence and supporting cholera treatment facilities in Ulang, Malakal and Renk counties. In Jonglei state, MSF is responding in Lankien as well as in Akobo, where a 100-bed cholera treatment unit set up by MSF in Akobo County hospital has treated over 300 patients in just over two weeks. MSF is also responding in Pibor town in the Greater Pibor Administrative area. Since the beginning of March, MSF teams have treated over 1,000 cholera patients across South Sudan and received over 30 patients wounded in the violence.

    Ruach Riek Chuol was admitted to MSF hospital in Ulang with injuries he sustained in the violence. “My goods and property for my business were all burned inside the house,” he says. “Everything was destroyed in the fire, including the house where I was.”

    In Ethiopia’s Gambella region, MSF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, has treated over 560 cholera patients since the start of the response in early March, in its cholera treatment centre and units in Mattar, Moan and Burbeiye with a capacity of 100 beds. MSF is also running oral rehydration points and conducting water, sanitation, and hygiene and community-based activities including door-to-door cholera awareness and water purification efforts, reaching over 5,000 people across multiple locations. In addition to cholera treatment, MSF teams have also provided medical care to 160 patients wounded in the clashes in South Sudan. 

    A cattle market in close to MSF’s cholera treatment unit in Ethiopia’s Gambella region. Ethiopia, March 2025.
    Metasebia Teshome/MSF

    “I came here because back home in Nasir, people are being killed,” said a South Sudanese mother who recently arrived in Burbeiye, Ethiopia. “There was nothing to eat, and when we arrived at the areas where we took respite, my kids became sick. There were no health facilities that we could run to.”

    The situation is rapidly deteriorating as thousands fleeing violence in South Sudan are crossing the border to seek safety. In Wanthoa Woreda, a new encampment in Burbeiye has emerged almost overnight, with over 6,500 new arrivals reported by local administrators — many of them women, children, and the elderly, arriving after days of travel. 

    “The displaced people are arriving in Gambella with little more than what they can carry,” said Joshua Eckley, MSF head of mission in Ethiopia. “Our teams are responding to the cholera outbreak and providing care to those arriving exhausted and in poor condition. There are significant needs, and without additional support, the situation could worsen.”

    This crisis comes at a time when South Sudan and Ethiopia are facing major reductions in donor funding, including the recent USAID cuts. While MSF does not accept funding from the US government, the cuts in the humanitarian and health assistance would severely reduce capacity of other organisations to respond to such crises.

    “In places like Akobo in Jonglei state, the cholera response has been highly impacted by funding cuts, including closure of critical health services,” says Mwatia. “A number of mobile clinics have already shut down following US funding cuts, and some organisations that supported health facilities, including cholera treatment units, have suspended all activities. This is part of a broader trend across the country.”

    The healthcare system in South Sudan suffers from chronic underfunding, shortages of skilled health staff, medicines and supplies, and has limited capacity to respond to emergencies. The country, already struggling to meet its own medical and humanitarian needs, is further burdened by the arrival of over one million people fleeing war in neighbouring Sudan. Urgent support is needed to provide safe water, implement widespread cholera vaccination campaigns, and reinforce treatment capacity for both cholera patients and trauma cases. 

    “Disruptions in cholera treatment services, combined with reduced actors’ capacity to support oral vaccination campaigns, heighten the risk of further spread,” says Mwatia. “We urge donors to allocate emergency funds for emergency response in South Sudan and neighbouring Ethiopia amid this escalating crisis.”

    MIL OSI NGO

  • MIL-OSI Global: The best space telescope you never heard of just shut down

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Laura Nicole Driessen, Postdoctoral Researcher in Radio Astronomy, University of Sydney

    ESA / Gaia / DPAC, CC BY-SA

    On Thursday 27 March, the European Space Agency (ESA) sent its last messages to the Gaia Spacecraft. They told Gaia to shut down its communication systems and central computer and said goodbye to this amazing space telescope.

    Gaia has been the most successful ESA space mission ever, so why did they turn Gaia off? What did Gaia achieve? And perhaps most importantly, why was it my favourite space telescope?

    Running on empty

    Gaia was retired for a simple reason: after more than 11 years in space, it ran out of the cold gas propellant it needed to keep scanning the sky.

    The telescope did its last observation on 15 January 2025. The ESA team then performed testing for a few weeks, before telling Gaia to leave its home at a point in space called L2 and start orbiting the Sun away from Earth.

    L2 is one of five “Lagrangian points” around Earth and the Sun where gravitational conditions make for a nice, stable orbit. L2 is located 1.5 million kilometres from Earth on the “dark side”, opposite the Sun.

    L2 is a highly prized location because it’s a stable spot to orbit, it’s close enough to Earth for easy communication, and spacecraft can use the Sun behind them for solar power while looking away from the Sun out into space.

    It’s also too far away from Earth to send anyone on a repair mission, so once your spacecraft gets there it’s on its own.

    Keeping L2 clear

    L2 currently hosts the James Webb Space Telescope (operated by the USA, Europe and Canada), the European Euclid mission, the Chinese Chang’e 6 orbiter and the joint Russian-German Spektr-RG observatory. Since L2 is such a key location for space missions, it’s essential to keep it clear of debris and retired spacecraft.

    A final status update from Gaia.
    ESA, CC BY-SA

    Gaia used its thrusters for the last time to push itself away from L2, and is now drifting around the Sun in a “retirement orbit” where it won’t get in anybody’s way.

    As part of the retirement process, the Gaia team wrote farewell messages into the craft’s software and sent it the names of around 1,500 people who worked on Gaia over the years.

    What is Gaia?

    Gaia looks a bit like a spinning top hat in space. Its main mission was to produce a detailed, three-dimensional map of our galaxy, the Milky Way.

    To do this, it measured the precise positions and motions of 1.46 billion objects in space. Gaia also measured brightnesses and variability and those data were used to provide temperatures, gravitational parameters, stellar types and more for millions of stars. One of the key pieces of information Gaia provided was the distance to millions of stars.

    A cosmic measuring tape

    I’m a radio astronomer, which means I use radio telescopes here on Earth to explore the Universe. Radio light is the longest wavelength of light, invisible to human eyes, and I use it to investigate magnetic stars.

    But even though I’m a radio astronomer and Gaia was an optical telescope, looking at the same wavelengths of light our eyes can see, I use Gaia data almost every single day.

    I used it today to find out how far away, how bright, and how fast a star was. Before Gaia, I would probably never have known how far away that star was.

    This is essential for figuring out how bright the stars I study really are, which helps me understand the physics of what’s happening in and around them.

    A huge success

    Gaia has contributed to thousands of articles in astronomy journals. Papers released by the Gaia collaboration have been cited well over 20,000 times in total.

    Gaia has produced too many science results to share here. To take just one example, Gaia improved our understanding of the structure of our own galaxy by showing that it has multiple spiral arms that are less sharply defined than we previously thought.

    Not really the end for Gaia

    It’s difficult to express how revolutionary Gaia has been for astronomy, but we can let the numbers speak for themselves. Around five astronomy journal articles are published every day that use Gaia data, making Gaia the most successful ESA mission ever. And that won’t come to a complete stop when Gaia retires.

    The Gaia collaboration has published three data releases so far. This is where the collaboration performs the processing and checks on the data, adds some important analysis and releases all of that in one big hit.

    And luckily, there are two more big data releases with even more information to come. The fourth data release is expected in mid to late 2026. The fifth and final data release, containing all of the Gaia data from the whole mission, will come out sometime in the 2030s.

    This article is my own small tribute to a telescope that changed astronomy as we know it. So I will end by saying a huge thank you to everyone who has ever worked on this amazing space mission, whether it was engineering and operations, turning the data into the amazing resource it is, or any of the other many jobs that make a mission successful. And thank you to those who continue to work on the data as we speak.

    Finally, thank you to my favourite space telescope. Goodbye, Gaia, I’ll miss you.

    Laura Nicole Driessen is an ambassador for the Orbit Centre of Imagination at the Rise and Shine Kindergarten, in Sydney’s Inner West.

    ref. The best space telescope you never heard of just shut down – https://theconversation.com/the-best-space-telescope-you-never-heard-of-just-shut-down-253343

    MIL OSI – Global Reports