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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI: Bitfarms Provides February 2025 Production and Operations Update  

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    – Operational hashrate of 16.1 EH/s –
    – Acquisition of Stronghold Digital Mining & sale of Yguazu site on track for Q1 2025 close –
    -Appoints Craig Hibbard to SVP of Infrastructure-

    This news release constitutes a “designated news release” for the purposes of the Company’s second amended and restated prospectus supplement dated December 17, 2024, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated November 10, 2023.

    TORONTO, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitfarms Ltd. (NASDAQ/TSX: BITF), a global Bitcoin and vertically integrated data center company, today issued its latest monthly production report. All financial references are in U.S. dollars.

    CEO Ben Gagnon stated, “We are on track to close our acquisition of Stronghold Digital Mining (“Stronghold”) following the recent successful shareholder vote which Stronghold shareholders voted overwhelmingly in support. Combined with the strategic sale of our 200 MW Yguazu, Paraguay data center, also on track for a Q1 2025 close, these accretive transactions will improve our energy portfolio and transform Bitfarms into a North American energy and compute infrastructure company with lower-cost energy and high-quality assets, suitable for both HPC/AI and Bitcoin mining.

    “In addition, I am thrilled to welcome our new SVP of Infrastructure, Craig Hibbard. Craig joins us from Mawson Infrastructure Group where he was Chief Development Officer. He has over 25 years of experience leading large-scale real estate development projects, including the recent rapid design and construction of over 200 MW of digital infrastructure for a U.S. firm specializing in digital assets and HPC/AI. Based in Pennsylvania, Craig will play a critical role in managing infrastructure development for our rapidly expanding PJM portfolio and advancing our HPC/AI business.”

    SVP of Global Mining Operations Alex Brammer said, “During February we grew our operational hashrate 6% to 16.1 EH/s and grew our average operational hashrate 20% to 13.4 EH/s, achieving new all-time highs in three out of four countries. This growth will continue as we deploy miners in the U.S. and Argentina and optimize performance across all of our data centers.”

    February 2025 Select Operating Highlights

    Key Performance Indicators February 2025 January 2025
    Total BTC earned 213 201
    Month End Operating EH/s 16.1 15.2
    BTC/Avg. EH/s 16 18
    Average Operating EH/s 13.4 11.2
    Energized Capacity (MW) 437 437
    Hydropower (MW) 256 256
    Watts/Terahash Efficiency (w/TH) 20 20
    BTC Sold 75 42
    • 16.1 EH/s operational at February 28, 2025, up 6% M/M.
    • 13.4 EH/s average operational, up 20% M/M.
    • 16 BTC/average EH/s, 11% lower M/M.
    • 213 BTC earned, 6% higher M/M.
    • 7.6 BTC earned daily on average, equal to ~$638,400 per day based on a BTC price of $84,000 at February 28, 2025.

    February 2025 Financial Update

    • Sold 75 of the 213 BTC earned as part of the Company’s regular treasury management practice for total proceeds of $6.5 million.
    • Added 108 BTC, bringing Treasury to 1,260 BTC, up from 1,152 BTC last month and representing $105.8 million based on the Bitcoin price of $84,000 at February 28, 2025. This includes the transfer of 30 BTC to a third party as collateral for active option contracts during the month.

    Upcoming Conferences and Events

    • March 12, 2025: Cantor Fitzgerald Global Technology Conference (NYC)
    • March 17-18, 2025: 37th Annual ROTH Conference (Dana Point, CA)

    About Bitfarms Ltd.

    Founded in 2017, Bitfarms is a global vertically integrated Bitcoin data center company that sells its computational power to one or more mining pools from which it receives payment in Bitcoin. Bitfarms develops, owns, and operates vertically integrated mining facilities with in-house management and company-owned electrical engineering, installation service, and multiple onsite technical repair centers.

    Bitfarms currently has 13 operating Bitcoin data centers, as well as hosting agreements with two data centers, in four countries: Canada, the United States, Paraguay, and Argentina. Powered predominantly by environmentally friendly hydro-electric and long-term power contracts, Bitfarms is committed to using sustainable and often underutilized energy infrastructure.

    To learn more about Bitfarms’ events, developments, and online communities:

    www.bitfarms.com
    https://www.facebook.com/bitfarms/
    https://twitter.com/Bitfarms_io
    https://www.instagram.com/bitfarms/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/bitfarms/

    Glossary of Terms

    • Y/Y or M/M= year over year or month over month
    • BTC or BTC/day = Bitcoin or Bitcoin per day
    • EH or EH/s = Exahash or exahash per second
    • MW or MWh = Megawatts or megawatt hour
    • GW or GWh= Gigawatts or gigawatt hour
    • w/TH = Watts/Terahash efficiency (includes cost of powering supplementary equipment)
    • HPC/AI = High Performance Computing / Artificial Intelligence
    • Energized capacity= Power available
    • Operational capacity= Power and infrastructure being used for current operations
    • PJM= Pennsylvania- New Jersey- Maryland Interconnection LLC

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release and are covered by safe harbors under Canadian and United States securities laws. The statements and information in this release regarding projected growth, target hashrate, opportunities relating to the Company’s geographical diversification and expansion, the merits of the rebalancing operations to North America and projected growth, the North American energy and compute infrastructure strategy, deployment of miners as well as the timing therefor, closing of the Stronghold acquisition on a timely basis and on the terms as announced, the positive impact of the Stronghold acquisition and the ability to gain access to additional electrical power and grow hashrate of the Stronghold business, the sale of the Yguazu, Paraguay Site and the reinvestment of the proceeds of the sale for growth, opportunities relating to the potential of the Company’s data centers for HPC/AI, performance of the plants and equipment upgrades and the impact on operating capacity including the target hashrate and multi-year expansion capacity, the opportunities to leverage Bitfarms’ proven expertise to successfully enhance energy efficiency and hashrate, the benefits of diversification and other statements regarding future growth, plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking information. Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “prospects”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information.

    This forward-looking information is based on assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time they were made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to: the construction and operation of the Company’s facilities may not occur as currently planned, or at all; there is no guarantee that the Company will be able to complete the acquisition of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. or the sale of the Yguazu, Paraguay Site on the terms as announced, or at all; expansion may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; the anticipated merits of the HPC/AI strategy, the benefits and programs of the PJM deregulated market and the objectives of diversification in general may not be realized as planned; efforts to improve and optimize the performance of equipment may not be successful; the digital currency market; the ability to successfully mine digital currency; revenue may not increase as currently anticipated, or at all; it may not be possible to profitably liquidate the current digital currency inventory, or at all; a decline in digital currency prices may have a significant negative impact on operations; an increase in network difficulty may have a significant negative impact on operations; the volatility of digital currency prices; the anticipated growth and sustainability of hydroelectricity for the purposes of cryptocurrency mining in the applicable jurisdictions; the inability to maintain reliable and economical sources of power for the Company to operate cryptocurrency mining assets; the risks of an increase in the Company’s electricity costs, cost of natural gas, changes in currency exchange rates, energy curtailment or regulatory changes in the energy regimes in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates and the adverse impact on the Company’s profitability; future capital needs and the ability to complete current and future financings, including Bitfarms’ ability to utilize an at-the-market offering program ( “ATM Program”) and the prices at which securities may be sold in such ATM Program, as well as capital market conditions in general; share dilution resulting from an ATM Program and from other equity issuances; the risk that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting could result in a misstatement of the Company’s financial position that may lead to a material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements if not prevented or detected on a timely basis; any regulations or laws that will prevent Bitfarms from operating its business; historical prices of digital currencies and the ability to mine digital currencies that will be consistent with historical prices; and the adoption or expansion of any regulation or law that will prevent Bitfarms from operating its business, or make it more costly to do so. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to the Company’s filings on www.sedarplus.ca (which are also available on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov), including the restated MD&A for the year-ended December 31, 2023, filed on December 9, 2024. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including factors that are currently unknown to or deemed immaterial by the Company. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law . Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, or any other securities exchange or regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Additional Information about the Stronghold Acquisition and Where to Find It

    This communication relates to a proposed merger between Stronghold and Bitfarms. In connection with the proposed merger, Bitfarms has filed the registration statement with the SEC. After the registration statement is declared effective, Stronghold will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to its shareholders. This communication is not a substitute for the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus or any other relevant documents Bitfarms and Stronghold has filed or will file with the SEC. Investors are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto) and other relevant documents filed with the SEC carefully and in their entirety if and when they become available because they will contain important information about the proposed merger and related matters.

    Investors may obtain free copies of the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed by Bitfarms and Stronghold with the SEC, when they become available, through the website maintained by the SEC at www sec.gov. Copies of the documents may also be obtained for free from Bitfarms by contacting Bitfarms’ Investor Relations Department at investors@bitfarms.com and from Stronghold by contacting Stronghold’s Investor Relations Department at SDIG@gateway-grp.com.

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This communication is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, sell or solicit any securities or any proxy, vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be deemed to be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

    Participants in Solicitation Relating to the Stronghold Acquisition

    Bitfarms, Stronghold, their respective directors and certain of their respective executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Stronghold’s shareholders in respect of the proposed merger. In connection with the proposed merger, Bitfarms has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-4 on December 19, 2024, which includes a proxy statement of Stronghold that also constitutes a prospectus of Bitfarms. This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the proposed merger. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants, including their respective interests by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed merger if and when they become available. These documents are available free of charge on the SEC’s website and from Bitfarms using the sources indicated above.

    Investor Relations Contact:

    Bitfarms
    Tracy Krumme
    SVP, Head of IR & Corp. Comms.
    +1 786-671-5638
    tkrumme@bitfarms.com

    Media Contact: 

    Bitfarms
    Caroline Brady Baker 
    Director, Communications   
    cbaker@bitfarms.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. Announces Changes to its Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. (TSXV: NXH, OTC: NXHSF) (“Next Hydrogen” or the “Company”), announced today the appointment of Adarsh Mehta to the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”). Ms. Mehta will fill the vacancy on the Board resulting from the resignation of Mr. Matthew Fairlie, who resigned from the Board effective January 15, 2025.

    Ms. Mehta is VP of Business Development for Jenner Renewable Consulting. For the past 22 years Ms. Mehta has played a pivotal role in the growth of renewable energy, leading technical reviews, due diligence, and development for over 2,500 megawatts of wind and solar energy projects across North and South America. She served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) from 2008 to 2015, becoming Chairperson in 2011, where she was instrumental in advancing Canada’s wind energy sector.

    “As Next Hydrogen accelerates its position as a large-scale green hydrogen solution provider, we are excited to welcome Adarsh to our board,” said Allan MacKensie, Chairperson of Next Hydrogen. “Her extensive experience in renewable energy, project development, and industry advocacy will be invaluable as we scale our technology and commercialization efforts.”

    “I am thrilled to join Next Hydrogen at such a transformative time,” said Adarsh Mehta. “Green hydrogen is a critical pillar in the global transition to clean energy, and Next Hydrogen is well-positioned to be a leader in this space. I look forward to contributing to the company’s growth and impact.”

    About Next Hydrogen

    Founded in 2007, Next Hydrogen is a designer and manufacturer of electrolyzers that use water and electricity as inputs to generate clean hydrogen for use as an energy source. Next Hydrogen’s unique cell design architecture supported by 40 patents enables high current density operations and superior dynamic response to efficiently convert intermittent renewable electricity into green hydrogen on an infrastructure scale. Following successful pilots, Next Hydrogen is scaling up its technology to deliver commercial solutions to decarbonize transportation and industrial sectors.

    Contact Information

    Raveel Afzaal, President and Chief Executive Officer
    Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc.
    Email: rafzaal@nexthydrogen.com
    Phone: 647-961-6620

    www.nexthydrogen.com

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

    Notice regarding forward-looking statements:

    Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “continue”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. Forward-looking statements in this press release are based on the current expectations of management of Next Hydrogen. Actual events and conditions could differ materially from those expressed or implied in this press release as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Next Hydrogen, including risks regarding the industry in which Next Hydrogen operates, economic factors, the equity markets generally and risks associated with growth and competition. Additional risk factors are also set forth in the Company’s management’s discussion and analysis and other filings available via the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR Plus) under Next Hydrogen’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted to identify certain factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking statement can be taken as guaranteed. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, readers should not place any undue reliance on forward looking information.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Message from the Director of World Heritage, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, for World Wildlife Day 2025

    Source: United Nations

    Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the World Heritage Centre (WHC), shares a message for World Wildlife Day 2025.

    Today, World Wildlife Day is a powerful reminder of the urgent need to protect and conserve biodiversity. Around the globe, countless plant and animal species face unprecedented threats, with many on the brink of extinction. This includes some of the rarest and most extraordinary species that inhabit sites protected under the World Heritage Convention.

    UNESCO World Heritage sites exemplify our cultural treasures and the most outstanding natural places. They protect over a fifth of the planet’s mapped species richness.

    World Heritage sites include the mangrove ecosystems of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh and India, home to the largest remaining population of the Bengal tiger. The Rainforests of the Atsinanana in Madagascar and Manú National Park in Peru, are among the most biodiverse places on Earth. World Heritage sites also show how wildlife conservation supports livelihoods and promotes sustainable socio-economic development.

    However, the extraordinary biodiversity found in UNESCO World Heritage sites must be protected from threats such as overexploitation and illegal wildlife trade. To combat these threats, UNESCO and site managers work closely with CITES and other key actors. We need all hands on deck. To protect these irreplaceable places, it is crucial to give site managers the financial resources they need to sustain the rich life these sites support.

    On this World Wildlife Day, I urge everyone to look for innovative financial solutions that will allow wild species of plants and animals to thrive for generations to come. Together, we can ensure the survival of wildlife and the preservation of the planet’s natural wonders.

    Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of World Heritage

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Hut 8 Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fortified balance sheet, optimized operations, disciplined growth initiatives, and strategic hires set foundation for 2025

    12,300 MW development pipeline with 2,800 MW under exclusivity as of December 31, 2024

    Earnings Release Highlights

    • Full year 2024 revenue of $162.4 million, net income of $331.4 million, and Adjusted EBITDA of $555.7 million.
    • Fourth quarter 2024 energy cost per megawatt-hour (“MWh”) of $31.63, a 30% decrease from the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Total energy capacity under management of 1,020 megawatts (“MW”) as of December 31, 2024.
    • 12,300 MW development pipeline with 2,800 MW of capacity under exclusivity as of December 31, 2024.
    • Strategic Bitcoin reserve of 10,171 Bitcoin with a market value of $949.5 million as of December 31, 2024.

    MIAMI, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hut 8 Corp. (Nasdaq | TSX: HUT) (“Hut 8” or the “Company”), an energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure, and compute at scale to fuel next-generation, energy-intensive use cases such as Bitcoin mining and high-performance computing, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024.

    “In 2024, we delivered on our commitment to operational excellence and bottom-line economics, setting the foundation for disciplined growth in 2025,” said Asher Genoot, CEO of Hut 8. “In the fourth quarter, we fortified our capital strategy and balance sheet—converting our Anchorage loan to equity, launching ATM and stock repurchase programs, and expanding our strategic Bitcoin reserve. Today, we operate from a position of strength as we focus on advancing our 12.3-gigawatt development pipeline.”

    “We believe our platform model will enable us to strategically allocate capital as we aim to optimize returns, mitigate sector-specific volatility, accelerate speed to market, and deliver innovation at every stage of the development value chain. To align our reporting structure with this model as we enter this next phase of growth, we have realigned our operating segments around the three layers of our platform: Power, Digital Infrastructure, and Compute, as reflected in our results.”

    “Looking ahead, we believe our application-agnostic approach to digital infrastructure development and experience in greenfield development will reinforce a structural advantage over peers reliant on single-market exposure or more complex commercialization models. Together with our robust development pipeline and strengthened team, we believe we are well-positioned to meet the continued and rising demand for energy capacity from applications like AI while building a platform positioned to fuel the world’s most transformative technologies for decades to come.”

    2024 Highlights

    Power

    • Generated $56.6 million in full-year revenue, consisting of revenue from Power Generation and Managed Services.
    • Secured Vega, a 205 MW behind-the-meter site in Texas, which is expected to be energized in Q2 2025, less than one year after acquisition, through the Company’s greenfield development capabilities, which enables rapid deployment low-cost Bitcoin mining infrastructure.
    • Advanced three large-scale AI data center development projects, which, if secured, would collectively add over 430 MW of capacity. After the quarter, Hut 8 secured 592 acres of land for its River Bend campus, a project from this subset of its development pipeline.

    Digital Infrastructure

    • Generated $17.5 million in full-year revenue, consisting of revenue from CPU Colocation and ASIC Colocation services.
    • Completed the greenfield development and energization of Salt Creek, a 63 MW Bitcoin mining facility, just over three months after breaking ground for an all-in cost of approximately $240,000 per MW.
    • Developed custom data center architecture for Bitcoin mining ASIC compute. Set for deployment at Vega, the architecture enables rack-based ASIC compute utilizing a custom-designed direct-to-chip (“DTC”) liquid cooling system at densities of up to 180 kilowatts per rack, helping bridge the gap to traditional HPC architecture.
    • Secured a major colocation contract with BITMAIN Technologies Ltd. (“BITMAIN”), the world’s leading manufacturer of digital currency mining servers. The ASIC colocation contract is expected to generate ~$125 million in annualized revenue upon full ramp and includes a purchase option at Hut 8’s discretion for the full ~15 exahash-per-second (“EH/s”) deployment.

    Compute

    • Generated $80.7 million in full-year revenue, consisting of revenue from Bitcoin Mining, GPU-as-a-Service, and Data Center Cloud operations.
    • Partnered with BITMAIN to develop and launch a next-generation ASIC miner. The U3S21EXPH will be the first model mass-commercialized by BITMAIN with DTC cooling within a U form factor.
    • Launched Highrise AI, Inc. (“Highrise”), a wholly-owned subsidiary providing GPU-as-a-Service through an initial five-year customer agreement with an AI cloud services provider. Hut 8 intends to leverage operational data and insights from Highrise to optimize the design, development, and operations of its digital infrastructure as it expands into AI data center development.
    • Executed a purchase agreement for BITMAIN Antminer S21+ miners for the Company’s initial ASIC fleet upgrade, which is expected to increase self-mining hashrate to ~10.3 EH/s while driving average fleet efficiency down to 20.5 joules per terahash (“J/TH”). If the Company were to execute its purchase option under the aforementioned BITMAIN colocation agreement, it anticipates total self-mining hashrate of ~25.1 EH/s with average fleet efficiency of 16.0 J/TH.

    Operations

    • Appointed Asher Genoot as CEO on February 7, 2024.
    • Executed a comprehensive restructuring program to strengthen bottom-line economics, delivering a ~30% reduction in energy cost per MWh and an approximately eight-point increase in gross margin per Bitcoin mined from Q4 2023 to Q4 2024.
    • Expanded team with strategic hires, including Sean Glennan as CFO and Victor Semah as CLO.

    Capital Strategy and Balance Sheet

    • Closed a $150 million strategic investment from Coatue to partner in building AI infrastructure.
    • Converted our $37.9 million Anchorage Digital loan balance to shares of our common stock at a 51% premium to the 20-Day VWAP through the day prior to the signing of the Debt Repayment Agreement.
    • Launched a $500 million ATM program and a $250 million stock repurchase program.
    • Surpassed 10,000 Bitcoin held in reserve with the purchase of approximately 990 Bitcoin, of which 968 were pledged as collateral to BITMAIN as part of an innovative financing model for the purchase of Antminer S21+ miners for our initial fleet upgrade.

    Key Performance Indicators

      Three Months Ended December 31,   Twelve Months Ended December 31,
      2024   2023   2024   2023
    Cost to mine a Bitcoin (excluding hosted facilities)(1)   $ 37,958   $ 17,171   $ 27,959   $ 13,198
    Cost to mine a Bitcoin(2) $ 37,958   $ 20,051   $ 28,161   $ 16,570
    Weighted average revenue per Bitcoin mined(3) $ 82,412   $ 37,313   $ 60,834   $ 29,913
    Bitcoin mined(4)   236     852     1,466     2,789
    Energy cost per MWh $ 31.63   $ 45.47   $ 32.52   $ 40.80
    Hosting cost per MWh $ N/A   $ 65.84   $ 68.72   $ 62.57
    Energy capacity under management (mining)(5)   665 MW     839 MW     665 MW     839 MW
    Total energy capacity under management(6)   1,020 MW     842 MW     1,020 MW     842 MW
    Number of Bitcoin in strategic reserve(7)   10,171     9,195     10,171     9,195
    (1) Cost to mine a Bitcoin (excluding hosted facilities) is equivalent to the all-in electricity cost to mine a Bitcoin at owned facilities and includes our net share of the King Mountain JV.
    (2) Cost to mine a Bitcoin (or weighted average cost to mine a Bitcoin) is calculated as the sum of total all-in electricity expense and hosting expense divided by Bitcoin mined during the respective periods and includes our net share of the King Mountain JV.
    (3) Weighted average revenue per Bitcoin mined is calculated as the sum of total self-mining revenue divided by Bitcoin mined during the respective periods and includes our net share of the King Mountain JV.
    (4) Bitcoin mined includes our net share of the King Mountain JV. Bitcoin mined excluding our net share of the King Mountain JV was 190 and 690 for the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Bitcoin mined excluding our net share of the King Mountain JV was 1,184 and 2,138 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
    (5) Energy capacity under management (mining) represents the total power capacity related to Bitcoin mining infrastructure, including self-mining sites, colocation agreements, and managed services agreements.
    (6) Total energy capacity under management includes (i) energy capacity under management (mining) and (ii) all energy-related assets including power generation, non-operational sites, and traditional data centers.
    (7) Number of Bitcoin in strategic reserve includes Bitcoin held in custody, pledged as collateral, and pledged for a miner purchase under an agreement with BITMAIN.
       

    Select Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results

    U.S. Data Mining Group, Inc. dba US Bitcoin Corp (“USBTC”) and Hut 8 Mining Corp. completed an all-stock merger of equals (the “Business Combination”) on November 30, 2023. USBTC was deemed the accounting acquirer in the transaction and, as a result, the historical figures in the Company’s income statement for the three months ended December 31, 2023 reflect two months of USBTC’s standalone performance and one month of the combined company’s performance. Results for the three months ended December 31, 2024 reflect the performance of the combined company. All financial results are reported in US dollars.

    Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was $31.7 million compared to $38.9 million in the prior year period, and consisted of $9.9 million in Power revenue, $2.5 million in Digital Infrastructure revenue, $19.2 million in Compute revenue, and $0.1 million in Other revenue. Other consists primarily of equipment sales and repairs.

    Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was $152.0 million compared to $10.6 million for the prior year period. This included gain on digital assets of $308.2 million and $32.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

    Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was $310.6 million compared to $48.6 million for the prior year period. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the most comparable GAAP measure, net income (loss), and an explanation of this measure has been provided in the table included below in this press release.

    Select Full Year 2024 Financial Results

    As a result of the Business Combination, the historical figures in the Company’s income statement for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 reflect eleven months of USBTC’s standalone performance and one month of the combined company’s performance. Results for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 reflect the performance of the combined company. With respect to the balance sheet, the ending balance for year-end 2024 is being compared to year-end 2023, both of which reflect the combined company’s performance.

    Revenue for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was $162.4 million compared to $96.0 million in the prior year, and consisted of $56.6 million in Power revenue, $17.5 million in Digital Infrastructure revenue, $80.7 million in Compute revenue, and $7.6 million in Other revenue. Other consists primarily of equipment sales and repairs.

    Net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was $331.4 million compared to $21.9 million for the prior year period. This included gain on digital assets of $509.3 million and $32.6 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

    Adjusted EBITDA for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was $555.7 million compared to $85.7 million for the prior year period. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the most comparable GAAP measure, net income (loss), and an explanation of this measure has been provided in the table included below in this press release.

    Conference Call

    The Hut 8 Corp. Full-Year 2024 Conference Call will commence today, Monday, March 5, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. ET today. Investors can join the live webcast here.

    Supplemental Materials and Upcoming Communications

    The Company expects to make available on its website materials designed to accompany the discussion of its results, along with certain supplemental financial information and other data. For important news and information regarding the Company, including investor presentations and timing of future investor conferences, visit the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, https://hut8.com/investors, and its social media accounts, including on X and LinkedIn. The Company uses its website and social media accounts as primary channels for disclosing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information.

    Analyst Coverage

    A full list of Hut 8 Corp. analyst coverage can be found at https://hut8.com/investors/analyst-coverage/.

    Upcoming Conferences & Events

    • March 11–12, 2025: Cantor Crypto, Digital Assets & AI Infrastructure Conference, Miami
    • March 16–18, 2025: 37th Annual ROTH Conference, Dana Point
    • March 25–27, 2025: Mining Disrupt, Fort Lauderdale
    • April 7–8, 2025: Jones Healthcare and Technology Innovation Conference, Las Vegas
    • May 13–15, 2025: J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference, Boston
    • May 19–20, 2025: Barclays 15th Annual Emerging Payments and FinTech Forum, New York

    About Hut 8

    Hut 8 Corp. is an energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure, and compute at scale to fuel next-generation, energy-intensive use cases such as Bitcoin mining and high-potential computing. We take a power-first, innovation-driven approach to developing, commercializing, and operating the critical infrastructure that underpins the breakthrough technologies of today and tomorrow. Our platform spans 1,020 megawatts of energy capacity under management across 15 sites in the United States and Canada: five Bitcoin mining, hosting, and Managed Services sites in Alberta, New York, and Texas, five high performance computing data centers in British Columbia and Ontario, four power generation assets in Ontario, and one non-operational site in Alberta. For more information, visit www.hut8.com and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @Hut8Corp.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward–Looking Information

    This press release includes “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and United States securities laws, respectively (collectively, “forward-looking information”). All information, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that Hut 8 expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including statements relating to the Company’s foundation for disciplined growth; its position of strength; its development pipeline, including the three large-scale AI data center development projects and the expected capacity assuming these projects are secured; its platform model; its ability to strategically allocate capital; its goal of optimizing returns, mitigating sector volatility, accelerating speed to market, and delivering innovation across the development value chain; its next phase of growth; its structural advantage over peers; its ability to meet demand for energy capacity; its expected energization of Vega, including the expected timing and site capabilities; its colocation contract with BITMAIN, including the anticipated revenue and expected hashrate and average fleet efficiency improvements if the Company executes its purchase option under the agreement; the commercialization of the U3S21EXPH miner from BITMAIN, including the expected timing and miner capabilities; the initial Highrise customer agreement; the operational data and insights derived from Highrise for the Company’s planned expansion into AI data center development; its expected ASIC fleet upgrade, including the expected timing and anticipated hashrate and average fleet efficiency improvements; and the Company’s future business strategy, competitive strengths, expansion, and growth of the business and operations more generally, and other such matters is forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “should”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “allow”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “predict”, “can”, “might”, “potential”, “predict”, “is designed to”, “likely,” or similar expressions.

    Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts, but instead represent management’s expectations, estimates, and projections regarding future events based on certain material factors and assumptions at the time the statement was made. While considered reasonable by Hut 8 as of the date of this press release, such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, but not limited to, failure of critical systems; geopolitical, social, economic, and other events and circumstances; competition from current and future competitors; risks related to power requirements; cybersecurity threats and breaches; hazards and operational risks; changes in leasing arrangements; Internet-related disruptions; dependence on key personnel; having a limited operating history; attracting and retaining customers; entering into new offerings or lines of business; price fluctuations and rapidly changing technologies; construction of new data centers, data center expansions, or data center redevelopment; predicting facility requirements; strategic alliances or joint ventures; operating and expanding internationally; failing to grow hashrate; purchasing miners; relying on third-party mining pool service providers; uncertainty in the development and acceptance of the Bitcoin network; Bitcoin halving events; competition from other methods of investing in Bitcoin; concentration of Bitcoin holdings; hedging transactions; potential liquidity constraints; legal, regulatory, governmental, and technological uncertainties; physical risks related to climate change; involvement in legal proceedings; trading volatility; and other risks described from time to time in Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see the Company’s recent and upcoming annual and quarterly reports and other continuous disclosure documents, which are available under the Company’s EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov and SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Adjusted EBITDA

    In addition to results determined in accordance with GAAP, Hut 8 relies on Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate its business, measure its performance, and make strategic decisions. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss), adjusted for impacts of interest expense, income tax provision or benefit, depreciation and amortization, gain on debt extinguishment, gain on derivatives, gain on bargain purchase, our share of unconsolidated joint venture depreciation and amortization, foreign exchange gains or losses, the removal of non-recurring transactions, impairment on assets, gain or loss on sale of property and equipment, loss from discontinued operations, net loss attributable to non-controlling interests, and stock-based compensation expense in the period presented. You are encouraged to evaluate each of these adjustments and the reasons the Company’s board of directors and management team consider them appropriate for supplemental analysis.

    The Company’s board of directors and management team use Adjusted EBITDA to assess its financial performance because it allows them to compare operating performance on a consistent basis across periods by removing the effects of capital structure (such as varying levels of interest expense and income), asset base (such as depreciation and amortization), and other items (such as non-recurring transactions mentioned above) that impact the comparability of financial results from period to period.
    Net income (loss) is the GAAP measure most directly comparable to Adjusted EBITDA. In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, you should be aware that in the future the Company may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in such presentation. The Company’s presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that its future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. There can be no assurance that the Company will not modify the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA in the future, and any such modification may be material. Adjusted EBITDA has important limitations as an analytical tool and you should not consider Adjusted EBITDA in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of results as reported under GAAP. Because Adjusted EBITDA may be defined differently by other companies in the industry, the Company’s definition of this non-GAAP financial measure may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies, thereby diminishing its utility.

     
    Hut 8 Corp. and Subsidiaries
    Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
    (Unaudited, in USD thousands, except share and per share data)
     
      Three Months Ended   Twelve Months Ended
          December 31,       December 31,
      December 31,   2023   December 31,   2023
    (in USD thousands) 2024      (Unaudited)      2024      (Unaudited)
    Revenue:                      
    Power $ 9,949     $ 7,818     $ 56,602     $ 22,794  
    Digital Infrastructure   2,520       4,455       17,482       8,291  
    Compute   19,159       26,519       80,701       64,851  
    Other   66       110       7,600       110  
    Total revenue   31,694       38,902       162,385       96,046  
                           
    Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below):                  
    Cost of revenue – Power   7,465       1,944       21,538       7,263  
    Cost of revenue – Digital Infrastructure   2,929       3,048       15,556       4,321  
    Cost of revenue – Compute   9,781       15,764       44,977       42,592  
    Cost of revenue – Other   138       20       4,584       18  
    Total cost of revenue   20,313       20,776       86,655       54,194  
                           
    Operating (income) expenses:                      
    Depreciation and amortization   14,308       6,134       47,773       17,537  
    General and administrative expenses   18,844       33,380       72,917       49,133  
    Gains on digital assets   (308,157 )     (32,811 )     (509,337 )     (32,626 )
    Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment   —       443       (634 )     888  
    Realized gain on sale of digital assets   —       —       —       (2,376 )
    Impairment of digital assets   —       —       —       1,431  
    Impairment – other   4,472       —       4,472       —  
    Legal settlement   —       —       —       (1,531 )
    Total operating (income) expenses   (270,533 )     7,146       (384,809 )     32,456  
    Operating income (loss)   281,914       10,980       460,539       9,396  
                           
    Other (expense) income:                      
    Foreign exchange (loss) gain   (4,042 )     1,002       (5,000 )     1,002  
    Interest expense   (9,563 )     (5,980 )     (29,794 )     (24,933 )
    Gain on debt extinguishment   —       —       5,966       23,683  
    (Loss) gain on derivatives   (13,143 )     —       6,780       —  
    Gain on bargain purchase   3,060       —       3,060       —  
    Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint venture   1,902       4,098       10,359       12,815  
    Total other (expense) income   (21,768 )     (880 )     (8,629 )     12,567  
                           
    Income from continuing operations before taxes   260,146       10,100       451,910       21,963  
                           
    Income tax (provision) benefit   (110,482 )     482       (113,457 )     (190 )
                           
    Net income from continuing operations $ 149,664     $ 10,582     $ 338,453     $ 21,773  
                           
    Income (Loss) from discontinued operations   2,320             (7,044 )     77  
                           
    Net income   151,984       10,582       331,409       21,850  
    Less: Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests   241       —       473       —  
    Net income attributable to Hut 8 Corp. $ 152,225     $ 10,582     $ 331,882     $ 21,850  
                           
    Net income $ 151,984     $ 10,582     $ 331,409     $ 21,850  
    Other comprehensive loss:                      
    Foreign currency translation adjustments   (46,011 )     10,761       (56,390 )     10,761  
    Total comprehensive income   105,973       21,343       275,019       32,611  
    Less: Comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interest 387       —       549       —  
    Comprehensive income attributable to Hut 8 Corp. $ 106,360     $ 21,343     $ 275,568     $ 32,611  


    Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation

      Three Months Ended   Twelve Months Ended
      December 31,   December 31,      December 31,   December 31,
    (in USD thousands) 2024      2023   2024      2023
    Net income $ 151,984     $ 10,582     $ 331,409     $ 21,850  
    Interest expense   9,563       5,980       29,794       24,933  
    Income tax provision (benefit)   110,482       (482 )     113,457       190  
    Depreciation and amortization   14,308       6,134       47,773       17,537  
    Gain on debt extinguishment   —       —       (5,966 )     (23,683 )
    Loss (gain) on derivatives   13,143       —       (6,780 )     —  
    Gain on bargain purchase   (3,060 )     —       (3,060 )     —  
    Share of unconsolidated joint venture depreciation and amortization (1)   3,120       2,887       21,792       21,016  
    Foreign exchange loss (gain)   4,024       (1,002 )     5,000       (1,002 )
    Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment   —       443       (634 )     888  
    Non-recurring transactions (2)   327       12,044       (9,882 )     10,513  
    Impairment – other   4,472       —       4,472       —  
    (Income) loss from discontinued operations   (2,320 )     77       7,044       (77 )
    Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests   241       —       473       —  
    Stock-based compensation expense   4,342       11,912       20,783       13,563  
    Adjusted EBITDA $ 310,626     $ 48,575     $ 555,675     $ 85,728  
    (1) Net of the accretion of fair value differences of depreciable and amortizable assets included in equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint venture in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) in accordance with ASC 323. See Note 10. Investment in unconsolidated joint venture of the Consolidated Financial Statements for further detail.
    (2) Non-recurring transactions for the three months ended December 31, 2024 represent approximately $0.2 million of restructuring costs and $0.1M of Far North related costs. Non-recurring transactions for the three months ended December 31, 2023 represent approximately $9.6 million related to a sales tax accrual and $2.4 million of transaction costs related to the Business Combination. Non-recurring transactions for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 represent approximately $4.0 million of restructuring costs and $1.9 million related to the Far North transaction costs, offset by a $13.5 million contract termination fee received from MARA, and a $2.2 million tax refund. Non-recurring transactions for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 represent approximately $9.6 million related to a sales tax accrual and $2.4 million of transaction costs related to the Business Combination, partially offset by a gain from a legal settlement of $1.5 million.
       

    Contacts

    Hut 8 Investor Relations
    Sue Ennis
    ir@hut8.com

    Hut 8 Media Relations
    media@hut8.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Staff Heading to Neighborhoods in McDowell County, W.Va.

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Staff Heading to Neighborhoods in McDowell County, W.Va.

    FEMA Staff Heading to Neighborhoods in McDowell County, W.Va.

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) Teams will be conducting door to door residential outreach in McDowell County, W.Va., beginning Sunday, March 2, to help people affected by recent flooding. FEMA staff can help people register for FEMA assistance, check the status of applications and make minor corrections to applications. Residents of McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties are eligible to apply for FEMA assistance to help with recovery from the winter floods that began on Feb. 15, 2025. You do not need to wait for DSA teams to apply for FEMA assistance. You can also:  Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone line operates seven days a week. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for this service.Visit DisasterAssistance.gov. Download the FEMA App. If you have already applied for FEMA assistance, FEMA inspectors will follow up on applications and review reported damages. While FEMA staff will be making neighborhood visits, residents of the affected communities should also be aware of potential fraud and scams by people claiming to represent FEMA: FEMA representatives never charge a fee or ask for payment. FEMA representatives will always have a laminated identification badge.  Protect the privacy of your nine-digit FEMA case/registration number. Legitimate FEMA representatives will only ask for the last four digits as part of the verification process.If you have any concerns, you can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.   For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit emd.wv.gov, West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, www.fema.gov/disaster/4681 and www.facebook.com/FEMA.###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters. FEMA is committed to ensuring disaster assistance is accomplished impartially, without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, ask for assistance on the FEMA Helpline 1-800-621-3362 (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages). In addition, FEMA’s Civil Rights Office can be contacted at FEMA-OCR-ECRD@fema.dhs.gov or toll-free at 833-285-7448.
    erika.osullivan
    Sun, 03/02/2025 – 19:07

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Knott and Floyd Counties

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Knott and Floyd Counties

    Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Knott and Floyd Counties

    FRANKFORT, Ky — Disaster Recovery Centers will open in Knott and Floyd counties today, March 2, in areas affected by the February floods. Disaster Recovery Centers, operated by the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management and FEMA, offer in-person support to survivors in declared counties as the result of severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides from Feb. 14, 2025, and continuing.   KNOTT COUNTYKnott County Sports Complex, 450 Kenny Champion Lp #8765, Leburn, Ky 41831FLOYD COUNTYFloyd County Board of Education, 442 KY-550, Eastern, Ky 41622Disaster Recovery Centers operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday and 1 to 7 p.m. ET on Sundays, unless otherwise noted. FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA, and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs. The deadline to apply for federal assistance is April 25, 2025.Other centers are open in the following locations:PIKE COUNTYPike Public Library, 126 Lee Ave, Pikeville, Ky 41501Belfry Public Library, 24371 US-119 North, Belfry, Ky 41514PERRY COUNTYHazard Community College, 1 Old Community College Dr, Hazard, Ky 41701MARTIN COUNTYMartin County Library, 180 E Main St., Inez, Ky 41224Additional Disaster Recovery Centers will open across the Commonwealth disaster area in the coming days. In addition to FEMA personnel, representatives from the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance, the Kentucky Department of Insurance and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be available at the recovery centers to assist survivors.You do not need to visit a center to apply with FEMAIf you are unable to visit the center, there are other ways to apply: you can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362, or by using the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted.Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.Your Social Security Number. A general list of damage and losses.Banking information if you choose direct deposit. If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.The first step to receive FEMA assistance is to apply. There are four ways to apply: call the toll-free FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, download the FEMA App or visit a Disaster Recovery Center. The phone line is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight ET, and help is available in most languages. The deadline to apply for assistance for flooding is April 25, 2025. For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4860. Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x.com/femaregion4.
    sarah.cleary
    Sun, 03/02/2025 – 15:50

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Touchdown! Carrying NASA Science, Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lands on Moon

    Source: NASA

    Carrying a suite of NASA science and technology, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 successfully landed at 3:34 a.m. EST on Sunday near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, a more than 300-mile-wide basin located in the northeast quadrant of the Moon’s near side.
    The Blue Ghost lander is in an upright and stable configuration, and the successful Moon delivery is part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. This is the first CLPS delivery for Firefly, and their first Moon landing.  
    The 10 NASA science and technology instruments aboard the lander will operate on the lunar surface for approximately one lunar day, or about 14 Earth days.
    “This incredible achievement demonstrates how NASA and American companies are leading the way in space exploration for the benefit of all,” said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. “We have already learned many lessons – and the technological and science demonstrations onboard Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 will improve our ability to not only discover more science, but to ensure the safety of our spacecraft instruments for future human exploration – both in the short term and long term.”
    Since launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 15, Blue Ghost traveled more than 2.8 million miles, downlinked more than 27 GB of data, and supported several science operations. This included signal tracking from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) at a record-breaking distance of 246,000 miles with the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment payload – showing NASA can use the same positioning systems on Earth when at the Moon. Science conducted during the journey also included radiation tolerant computing through the Van Allen Belts with the Radiation-Tolerant Computer System payload and measurements of magnetic field changes in space with the Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder payload.
    “The science and technology we send to the Moon now helps prepare the way for future NASA exploration and long-term human presence to inspire the world for generations to come,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator for science at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We’re sending these payloads by working with American companies – which supports a growing lunar economy.”
    During surface operations, the NASA instruments will test and demonstrate lunar subsurface drilling technology, regolith sample collection capabilities, global navigation satellite system abilities, radiation tolerant computing, and lunar dust mitigation methods. The data captured will benefit humanity by providing insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces impact Earth.  
    Before payload operations conclude, teams will aim to capture imagery of the lunar sunset and how lunar dust reacts to solar influences during lunar dusk conditions, a phenomenon first documented by former NASA astronaut Eugene Cernan on Apollo 17. Following the lunar sunset, the lander will operate for several hours into the lunar night.
    “On behalf of our entire team, I want to thank NASA for entrusting Firefly as their lunar delivery provider,” said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “Blue Ghost’s successful Moon landing has laid the groundwork for the future of commercial exploration across cislunar space. We’re now looking forward to more than 14 days of surface operations to unlock even more science data that will have a substantial impact on future missions to the Moon and Mars.”
    To date, five vendors have been awarded 11 lunar deliveries under CLPS and are sending more than 50 instruments to various locations on the Moon, including the lunar South Pole. Existing CLPS contracts are indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts with a cumulative maximum contract value of $2.6 billion through 2028. 
    Learn more about NASA’s CLPS initiative at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/clps
    -end-
    Amber Jacobson / Karen Fox Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov / karen.c.fox@nasa.gov 
    Natalia Riusech / Nilufar RamjiJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111nataila.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov
    Antonia JaramilloKennedy Space Center, Florida321-501-8425antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Over $2 Million in FEMA Assistance for Kentucky Households

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Over $2 Million in FEMA Assistance for Kentucky Households

    Over $2 Million in FEMA Assistance for Kentucky Households

    FRANKFORT, Ky — In one week, homeowners and renters in eleven Kentucky counties have been approved for more than $2 million from FEMA to help with recovery from the February floods, and additional assistance may be available for those who apply and meet eligibility requirements.FEMA may be able to help eligible applicants with rental assistance, basic home repair costs and other disaster-caused needs. Homeowners and renters in Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry and Pike counties can apply in several ways:Go online to disasterassistance.gov.Download the FEMA App for mobile devices.Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other, give FEMA your number for that service.Visit a Disaster Recovery Center.The Kentucky Division of Emergency Management and FEMA have opened Disaster Recovery Centers in Perry and Pike counties to provide disaster resources. More are planned. PERRY COUNTYHazard Community College1 Old Community College Dr.Hazard, KY 41701PIKE COUNTYPike Public Library126 Lee Ave.Pikeville, KY 41501Belfry Public Library24371 US-119 NorthBelfry, KY 41514Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday. Deadline to apply is April 25, 2025.For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4860. Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x.com/femaregion4. 
    sarah.cleary
    Sat, 03/01/2025 – 15:08

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Martin County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Martin County

    Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Martin County

    FRANKFORT, Ky — A Disaster Recovery Center will open in Martin County today, March 1, in areas affected by the February floods. Disaster Recovery Centers, operated by the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management and FEMA, offer in-person support to survivors in declared counties as the result of severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides from Feb. 14, 2025, and continuing.   MARTIN COUNTYMartin County Library, 180 E Main St., Inez, Ky 41224Disaster Recovery Centers operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday and 1 to 7 p.m. ET on Sundays, unless otherwise noted. FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA, and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs. The deadline to apply for federal assistance is April 25, 2025.Other centers are open in the following locations:PIKE COUNTYPike Public Library, 126 Lee Ave, Pikeville, Ky 41501Belfry Public Library, 24371 US-119 North, Belfry, Ky 41514PERRY COUNTYHazard Community College, 1 Old Community College Dr, Hazard, Ky 41701Additional Disaster Recovery Centers will open across the Commonwealth disaster area in the coming days. In addition to FEMA personnel, representatives from the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance, the Kentucky Department of Insurance and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be available at the recovery centers to assist survivors.You do not need to visit a center to apply with FEMAIf you are unable to visit the center, there are other ways to apply: you can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362, or by using the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted.Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.Your Social Security Number. A general list of damage and losses.Banking information if you choose direct deposit. If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.The first step to receive FEMA assistance is to apply. There are four ways to apply: call the toll-free FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, download the FEMA App or visit a Disaster Recovery Center. The phone line is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight ET, and help is available in most languages. The deadline to apply for assistance for flooding is April 25, 2025. For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4860. Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x.com/femaregion4. 
    sarah.cleary
    Sat, 03/01/2025 – 12:23

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smooshing for Science: A Flat-Out Success

    Source: NASA

    Written by Henry Manelski, Ph.D. student at Purdue University

    The Perseverance team is always looking for creative ways to use the tools we have on Mars to maximize the science we do. On the arm of the rover sits the SHERLOC instrument, which specializes in detecting organic compounds and is crucial in our search for signs of past microbial life. But finding these organics isn’t easy. The uppermost surface of most rocks Perseverance finds on Mars have been exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun and the long-term oxidative potential of the atmosphere, both of which have the potential to break down organic compounds. For this reason, obtaining SHERLOC measurements from a “fresh” rock face is ideal. Last week the rover cored a serpentine-rich rock aptly named “Green Gardens,” resulting in a fresh pile of drill tailings. To get this material ready for the SHERLOC instrument, which requires a smooth area to obtain a measurement, the science team did something for the first time on Mars: We smooshed it!
    Using the contact sensor of our sampling system, designed to indicate when our drill is touching a rock as it prepares to take a core, Perseverance pressed down into the tailings pile, compacting it into a flat, stable patch for SHERLOC to investigate. This unorthodox approach worked perfectly! The resulting SHERLOC spectral scan of these fresh tailings — which include serpentine, a mineral of key astrobiological interest — was a success. These flattened drill tailings are a great example of how a bit of out-of-the-box (or out-of-this-world!) thinking helps us maximize science on Mars. With this success behind us, the rover is rolling west toward the heart of “Witch Hazel Hill,” where more ancient rocks — and who knows what surprises — await!

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Summer Heat Wave in South America

    Source: NASA

    In February 2025, an area of high pressure parked over the southern Atlantic Ocean, causing temperatures to soar in parts of South America. In Brazil, the heat led officials in Rio Grande do Sul to delay the start of school and people in Rio de Janeiro to flock to the beach.
    The summer heat wave is depicted on this map, which shows air temperatures modeled at 2 meters (6.5 feet) above the ground on February 17. It was produced by combining satellite observations with temperatures predicted by a version of the GEOS (Goddard Earth Observing System) model, which uses mathematical equations to represent physical processes in the atmosphere. The darkest reds indicate areas where temperatures reached or exceeded 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
    The city of Rio de Janeiro saw especially warm conditions on February 17. According to news reports, a weather station in the Guaratiba neighborhood recorded temperatures of up to 44°C that day(111°F)—the hottest temperature measured since the development of the city’s climate alert system 10 years ago.
    Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) noted several other municipalities across the state of Rio de Janeiro where temperatures exceeded 40°C (104°F) on February 17, such as Silva Jardim, which hit 42°C (108°F). The region’s heat wave continued through the week before returning closer to normal as the focus of the heat shifted south into Argentina.
    Heat was already evident in northern Argentina on February 17, when the country’s National Weather Service (SMN-Arg) reported highs reaching up to 40°C. As of February 27, SMN-Arg noted that six provinces were under a red-level (very dangerous) alert for extreme heat.
     
    NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using GEOS-5 data from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office. Story by Kathryn Hansen.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Uses New Technology to Understand California Wildfires

    Source: NASA

    The January wildfires in California devastated local habitats and communities. In an effort to better understand wildfire behavior, NASA scientists and engineers tried to learn from the events by testing new technology.
    The new instrument, the Compact Fire Infrared Radiance Spectral Tracker (c-FIRST), was tested when NASA’s B200 King Air aircraft flew over the wildfires in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, California. Based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, the aircraft used the c-FIRST instrument to observe the impacts of the fires in near real-time. Due to its small size and ability to efficiently simulate a satellite-based mission, the B200 King Air is uniquely suited for testing c-FIRST.
    Managed and operated by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, c-FIRST gathers thermal infrared images in high-resolution and other data about the terrain to study the impacts of wildfires on ecology. In a single observation, c-FIRST can capture the full temperature range across a wide area of wildland fires – as well as the cool, unburned background – potentially increasing both the quantity and quality of science data produced.
    “Currently, no instrument is able to cover the entire range of attributes for fires present in the Earth system,” said Sarath Gunapala, principal investigator for c-FIRST at NASA JPL. “This leads to gaps in our understanding of how many fires occur, and of crucial characteristics like size and temperature.”
    For decades, the quality of infrared images has struggled to convey the nuances of high-temperature surfaces above 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (550 degrees Celsius). Blurry resolution and light saturation of infrared images has inhibited scientists’ understanding of an extremely hot terrain, and thereby also inhibited wildfire research. Historically, images of extremely hot targets often lacked the detail scientists need to understand the range of a fire’s impacts on an ecosystem.

    To address this, NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office supported JPL’s development of the c-FIRST instrument, combining state-of-the-art imaging technology with a compact and efficient design. When c-FIRST was airborne, scientists could detect smoldering fires more accurately and quickly, while also gathering important information on active fires in near real-time.
    “These smoldering fires can flame up if the wind picks up again,” said Gunapala. “Therefore, the c-FIRST data set could provide very important information for firefighting agencies to fight fires more effectively.”
    For instance, c-FIRST data can help scientists estimate the likelihood of a fire spreading in a certain landscape, allowing officials to more effectively monitor smoldering fires and track how fires evolve. Furthermore, c-FIRST can collect detailed data that can enable scientists to understand how an ecosystem may recover from fire events.
    “The requirements of the c-FIRST instrument meet the flight profile of the King Air,” said KC Sujan, operations engineer for the B200 King Air. “The c-FIRST team wanted a quick integration, the flight speed in the range 130 and 140 knots on a level flight, communication and navigation systems, and the instruments power requirement that are perfectly fit for King Air’s capability.”
    By first testing the instrument onboard the B200 King Air, the c-FIRST team can evaluate its readiness for future satellite missions investigating wildfires. On a changing planet where wildfires are increasingly common, instruments like c-FIRST could provide data that can aid firefighting agencies to fight fires more effectively, and to understand the ecosystemic impacts of extreme weather events.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FDA Roundup: February 28, 2025

    Source: US Food and Drug Administration

    For Immediate Release:
    February 28, 2025

    Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency:

    On Thursday, the FDA approved Odactra to include use in individuals 5 through 11 years of age to treat house dust mite induced nasal inflammation (allergic rhinitis), with or without eye inflammation (conjunctivitis). Odactra is an allergen extract immunotherapy that is administered under the tongue (sublingual) and had been approved for use in individuals 12 through 65 years of age. The prescribing information includes a boxed warning to inform that Odactra can cause severe allergic reactions that may be life-threatening. As with other FDA-approved allergen extracts administered sublingually, patients receiving Odactra should be prescribed epinephrine.
    On Monday, the FDA updated the outbreak advisory: Outbreak Investigation of Listeria monocytogenes: Frozen Supplemental Shakes (February 2025) to include that Lyons Magnus LLC recalled 4 oz. Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes. As of February 24, 2025, a total of 38 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 21 states. Of the 38 people for whom information is available, 37 people have been hospitalized, and 12 deaths have been reported.
    On Monday, the FDA cleared Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.’s Control-IQ+ technology, an interoperable automated glycemic controller (iAGC) that is a software-only, prescription use, device. The device is intended for use with compatible integrated continuous glucose monitors (iCGM) and alternate controller enabled (ACE) pumps to automatically increase, decrease, and suspend delivery of basal insulin based on iCGM readings and predicted glucose values. It can also deliver certain insulin doses (correction boluses) necessary when the glucose value is predicted to exceed a predefined target, which is typically calculated based on carbohydrate intake, exercise, and sleep schedule.  This clearance allows the device to be used for the management of type 1 diabetes in individuals two years and older and for the management of type 2 diabetes in individuals 18 years and older, where the prior version was only for type 1 diabetes. This is the latest example of the FDA’s ongoing commitment to help advance the development of products that can improve the management of diabetes.
    On Friday, February 21, the FDA approved for marketing a software update to Medtronic Inc.’s Activa, Percept and SenSight Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy System, an implantable device that delivers low-intensity electrical pulses to nerve centers in the brain as part of deep brain stimulator (DBS) therapy for Parkinson’s Disease (PD). This first-of-its-kind software update will provide the user with an option for adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS), which individualizes the DBS therapy by adjusting the stimulation level based on detected brain signals surrounding the DBS electrode of the implant. The new programming option is intended to reduce some of the symptoms in patients diagnosed with levodopa-responsive PD, specifically those with symptoms not been adequately controlled with medicine for at least four years.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mountains of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: The Wind River Range and the Laramide Orogeny

    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 Stanley Mordensky, geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

    Map of the geologic domains of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). Boundaries are approximate.

    The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), one of the largest nearly intact temperate-zone ecosystems remaining on Earth, is comprised of a volcanic plateau resulting from the Yellowstone hotspot, the Snake River Plain (which is partially a product of caldera-forming eruptions caused by the hotspot) to the southwest of the plateau, and several high mountain ranges along its other margins. When compared to the relative interest given to the surrounding ranges, the Yellowstone Caldera complex of the volcanic plateau receives an understandable degree of attention; however, the adjoining mountain ranges are no less important and have been around far longer than Yellowstone Caldera. For example, the volcanic rocks of the Absaroka Range are roughly 20 times older than the youngest Yellowstone caldera-forming eruption.  Other mountain ranges in the region are not volcanic, but instead were lifted by tectonic forces.

    The Wind River Range extends roughly 220 km (136 miles) from Dubois to South Pass City, WY, with a width of approximately 65 km (40 miles). The western Continental Divide runs along the crest of the range, with Gannett Peak (4,210 m or 13,810 ft) being the highest point not just in the Wind River Range but also in the State of Wyoming. The core of the range consists of gneiss (a metamorphic rock caused by intense heat and pressure) and igneous intrusions that have been influenced by metamorphic processes. These rocks range in age from 3.4 to 2.3 billion years. In other words, the majority of the rock that now composes the Wind River Range is older than half the age of the Earth and was once deeply buried beneath the Earth’s surface. 

    Geologic map of the Wind River Range from Blackstone, 1993 (The Wind River Range, Wyoming: An Overview. Wyoming Geological Association. Jubilee Anniversary Field Conference Guidebook: Wyoming Geology, Past, Present, and Future. Pg. 121-140).

    During portions of the Paleozoic (542 to 251 million years ago) and Mesozoic (251 to 65.5 million years ago) eras, the region was part of an inland sea, as evidenced by deposits of sandstone, mudstone, and limestone found along the foothills of the Wind River Range. These sequences of sedimentary rock are common throughout the GYE.

    At some point, those rocks began to experience uplift, but the exact timing of that uplift has proven difficult to constrain precisely. Most geologists tend to agree that the Wind River Range experienced uplift between about 65 million years ago and about 50 million years ago, although there is some evidence that the uplift may have begun tens of millions of years earlier and lasted tens of millions of years longer. Erosional evidence suggests that the uplift did not occur as a single episode, but instead may have taken place in pulses. Over the duration of the cumulative deformation, uplift raised the rocks of the Wind River by about 14.5 km (9 miles) vertically, and laterally transported the rocks by about 25 km (16 miles). The faults that accommodated this displacement are located to the southwest of the Wind River Range. In historical time, these faults have remained aseismic.

    Geoscientists call mountain-building events orogenies (with oros being a Greek term for mountain genesis). The orogenic period of the Wind River Range coincides with the formation of many mountain ranges forming the Rocky Mountains across western North America, and geologists refer to this period as the Laramide Orogeny (named after the Laramie Mountains of eastern Wyoming).

    Geologists attribute the Laramide Orogeny to the subduction of an oceanic plate, specifically the Farallon Plate, beneath the North American Plate. This subduction began roughly 160 million years ago, but the Laramide Orogeny only commenced around 80 to 70 million years ago. While most subducted plates sink deep into the Earth relatively quickly after traveling less than a couple hundred kilometers beneath an overriding plate (behavior sometimes referred to as steep subduction), for some of its history the Farallon Plate traveled >1,000 kilometers (>600 miles) beneath North America at relatively shallow depths compared to what would be expected with steep subduction. Even today, parts of the Farallon Plate located beneath the Mississippi River are at shallower depths than oceanic crust subducted roughly only half as long ago. Geologists term this flat-slab subduction and are still researching exactly why it occurs, but a consequence is that the shallow subducting plate pushes crust and mantle material ahead of it, causing uplift, although the mechanics of this process are not well understood. The flat-slab subduction of the Farallon Plate may also explain the origin of the magmas that fed the Absaroka volcanoes along the northern and eastern borders of the Yellowstone region, as these magmas are more chemically characteristic of volcanoes near subduction zones (i.e., within a couple hundred kilometers of plate boundaries) than in the middle of continental plates.

    Comparison of steep subduction (like that occurring today beneath the Pacific Northwest of the United States) and flat-slab subduction (which led to the formation of the Rocky Mountains a few tens of millions of years ago). Black arrows indicate the relative direction of movement of the oceanic plate. Red arrows indicate the force from compressed mantle and moving oceanic plate. This figure is modified from Gutscher (2018) and is a simplified version of the model detailed in Axen et al. (2018).

    The timing of the Laramide Orogeny varied geographically across western North America. Much like with its start, the end of the Laramide Orogeny has yet to be determined with confidence, but probably stopped around 55 to 35 million years ago. Well after the uplift of the Wind River Range ceased, glaciations like the Bull Lake (about 150,000 to 130,000 years ago) and Pinedale (22,000-14,000 years ago) events sculpted the mountains, creating the beautiful landscape we enjoy today.

    View of the Cirque of the Towers in the Wind River Range, with Pingora Peak in the center. The Bull Lake and Pinedale glaciations carved this valley by steepening and smoothing its granite walls. Image captured while descending from Texas Pass. Image view is toward the southwest. USGS photo by Stanley Mordensky, August 2019.

    References:

    Axen, G. J., van Wijk, J. W. & Currie, C. A. (2018) Nature Geoscience https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0263-9

    Blackstone (1993) The Wind River Range, Wyoming: An Overview. Wyoming Geological Association. Jubilee Anniversary Field Conference Guidebook: Wyoming Geology, Past, Present, and Future. Pg. 121-140.

    Gutscher (2018) Scraped by flat-slab subduction. Nature Geoscience. 11. Pg. 890 -891. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0270-x

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: With growing fire risk, Governor Newsom proclaims state of emergency to fast-track critical wildfire prevention projects statewide

    Source: US State of California 2

    Mar 1, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom is proclaiming a state of emergency to fast-track critical forest management projects – part of the state’s ongoing efforts to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire.

    SACRAMENTO – Following the devastation of the Los Angeles firestorms and with the risk of wildfire increasing statewide, Governor Gavin Newsom today proclaimed a state of emergency to fast-track critical projects protecting communities from wildfire, ahead of peak fire season. 

    Today’s emergency proclamation will cut bureaucratic red tape – including suspending CEQA and the Coastal Act – that is slowing down critical forest management projects. Text of the proclamation is available here. 

    This year has already seen some of the most destructive wildfires in California history, and we’re only in March. Building on unprecedented work cutting red tape and making historic investments – we’re taking action with a state of emergency to fast-track critical wildfire projects even more.

    These are the forest management projects we need to protect our communities most vulnerable to wildfire, and we’re going to get them done.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    This action builds on years of work to increase forest management and wildfire resilience in the state. It also follows the Governor’s executive order signed last month to further improve community hardening and wildfire mitigation strategies to increase neighborhood resilience statewide.

    How it works

    Today’s proclamation includes:

    • Suspending environmental regulations, including CEQA and the Coastal Act, as needed to expedite fuels reduction projects. Projects include vegetation and tree removal, adding fuel breaks, prescribed fire, and more.
    • Allowing non-state entities to conduct approved fuels reduction work with expedited and streamlined approval.
    • Directing state agencies to submit recommendations for increasing the pace and scale of prescribed fire.
    • Increasing the California Vegetation Treatment Program’s (CalVTP) efficiency and utilization, in order to continue promoting rapid environmental review for large wildfire risk reduction treatments.

    Governor Newsom took similar action in March 2019 to expedite forest management projects ahead of particularly challenging fire seasons in 2019 and 2020.

    More forest management and prescribed burns than ever before

    • Preventing wildfire through forest and land management. The state is investing $2.5 billion to ramp up and implement the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, increasing the pace of fuel reduction, prescribed fire, and forest health. 100% of the 99 key actions outlined in the plan are underway or completed. This is in addition to $200 million invested annually through 2028-29 for healthy forest and fire prevention programs.
    • Using controlled burns to build community and forest resilience. California launched a strategic plan on beneficial fire to expand the use of prescribed fire and cultural burning to build forest and community resilience. Key goals from the plan are already in action to increase the use of prescribed fires, and prescribed fire activity has nearly doubled between 2021 and 2023.
    • Tracking wildfire prevention. California recently unveiled newly updated, first-of-their-kind dashboards that will help Californians track the state’s wildfire prevention work.
    • Early action. One of the very first executive actions Governor Newsom took after assuming office was to declare a state of emergency in response to wildfires in 2019. This order, in part, exempted critical wildfire and forest management projects from California’s environmental law (CEQA).

    See all of Governor Newsom’s actions to increase wildfire resilience and forest management. 

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    Feb 28, 2025

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MEDIA RELEASE: Homestead Communities, Leader Recognized For Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    MEDIA RELEASE: Homestead Communities, Leader Recognized For Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

    Posted on Mar 1, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS

    KA ʻOIHANA ʻĀINA HOʻOPULAPULA HAWAIʻI

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    KALI WATSON

    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

    KATIE L. LAMBERT

    DEPUTY DIRECTOR

    KA HOPE LUNA HOʻOKELE

    HOMESTEAD COMMUNITIES, LEADER RECOGNIZED FOR WILDFIRE MITIGATION EFFORTS

    Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization Credits Innovation, Collaboration For Communities’ Success

     

     

    DHHL staff attend Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit at the Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa in Keauhou.

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    March 1, 2025

    KAILUA-KONA, HAWAIʻI ISLAND – When an illegal fireworks incident set a hillside in Papakōlea between Kapahu and Laukea Street ablaze on New Year’s Eve in 2023, the need for change sparked within Noel Shaw.

    “Because we had Lahaina, we were even more sensitive to the realities of what a fire like what happened on New Year’s could have resulted in for our community,” said Shaw, a Kalāwahine homesteader and Nā Leo O Papakōlea Firewise member. “We saw all the loss in Lahaina, and we saw the need after, and that’s why it was even more urgent.”

    Shaw’s search for a solution led her to the Firewise program.

    On February 27, 2025, homestead leaders from across the state participated in the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit alongside Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) staff.

    Hosted by the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO), the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit was designed to unite leaders and collaborators statewide. The event’s discussions, panels, and workshops were centered on the latest wildfire research and innovative strategies for wildfire preparedness, mitigation, and management in Hawaiʻi.

    “The goal is to take a forward-looking and united approach to wildfire readiness and resilience,” said Nani Barretto, co-executive director of HWMO. “As HWMO often says, we all have a role to play, and this event was created for us to learn and grow together.”

    Two homestead communities were recognized Thursday for their efforts, commitment and contributions to the Firewise program.

    Nā Leo O Papakōlea Firewise, a group comprising homesteaders from the Papakōlea, Kewalo, and Kalāwahine homesteads on Oʻahu, were recipients of the Firestarter Award; this award recognized the group’s accelerated efforts to assemble a Firewise team. Kahikinui’s Firewise team received the Trailblazer Award for its hazardous waste removal project on Maui.

    Mike Mundon, a Puʻukapu lessee and HWMO team member, was the recipient of the Spirit Award.

    “We deeply value our partnership with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and commend their proactive efforts to ensure the safety of their communities,” said Barretto.

    Homesteaders and DHHL staff were among the panel discussions and presented the measures being implemented at both the community and department level. Some initiatives include green-waste cleanups, community organizing and individual home assessments.

    Of the more than 50 homesteads across the pae ʻāina, only four are nationally recognized as Firewise:

    • Kailapa, Hawaiʻi Island: Established 2016
    • Kahikinui, Maui: Established 2016
    • Waiohuli, Maui: Established 2016
    • Puʻukapu, Hawaiʻi Island: Established 2018

    Three homesteads are currently undergoing the Firewise recognition process: Leialiʻi and Paukukalo on Maui, and Papakōlea.

    “The success of the Firewise program lies in its ability to empower our communities. It gives our homesteads, and its leaders, the tools, strategies and support they need to mitigate wildfire risks in their own backyard. Through collaborative efforts with HWMO, the department aims to ensure every homestead is well-prepared against the threat of wildfires,” DHHL Director Kali Watson said.

    Shaw hopes continued community engagement ignites a call for action.

    “Being fire prepared and stewarding our ‘āina collectively is the dream,” said Shaw. “I think it will bring generations back to what they knew and into what they should be knowing for the future”.

    Click here to download visuals, soundbites.

    B-ROLL (1:33)

    SOUNDBITES

    Noel Shaw, Kalāwahine homesteader, Nā Leo O Papakōlea Firewise

     

    (:27 seconds)

    “We’ve been doing a lot, I think the first iteration of it was really learning for ourselves, about what wildfires are, about what fire mitigation means, about what community organizing around fire looks like, and then the second iteration is kind of like how do we integrate that and bring that into building up an active homestead again around an issue that’s really pressing to our collective safety.”

    Noel Shaw, Kalāwahine homesteader, Nā Leo O Papakōlea Firewise

    (:30 seconds)

    “We could’ve had that fire but without Lahaina as well, it wouldn’t have had as much impact, because we had Lahaina, and we were coming off of that, we were even more sensitive to the realities of what a fire like that happened on New Year’s could have resulted in our community, because we saw all the lost in Lahaina and we saw the need after that so that’s why it was even more urgent that we start moving on it because that fire was like – oh my gosh – plus we were just coming off of Lahaina.”

    Mike Mundon, Puʻukapu homesteader, Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization

     

    (:16 seconds)

    “You don’t want a house to ignite, and then ignite the other house and make a domino effect, so if everybody was to learn to harden their house by having home assessments done, that would be a great deal.”

    Mike Mundon, Puʻukapu homesteader, Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization

    (:29 seconds)

    “I’m a lessee, helping another lessee, and I try to make that lessee, one Hawaiian to another, feel comfortable, and we’re not going to judge, and I’m there to help them about how they can get the bird nest, I’m looking for bird nests, I’m looking for litter in the gutters, I’m looking for weeds that’s burnables up against the house, and I’m going to write a report and tell them this is what they got to remove.”

    # # #

     

    About the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands:

    The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands carries out Prince Jonah Kūhiō  Kalanianaʻole’s vision of rehabilitating native Hawaiians by returning them to the land. Established by U.S. Congress in 1921 with the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, the Hawaiian homesteading program run by DHHL includes management of more than 200,000 acres of land statewide with the specific purpose of developing and delivering homesteading.

    Media Contact:

    Diamond Badajos

    Information and Community Relations Officer

    Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

    Cell: 808-342-0873

    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF MAʻAKUA RIDGE-PAPALI TRAIL, February 28, 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF MAʻAKUA RIDGE-PAPALI TRAIL, February 28, 2025

    Posted on Mar 1, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

         JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

     

    DAWN CHANG
    CHAIRPERSON

     

    TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF MAʻAKUA RIDGE-PAPALI TRAIL

    FOR LITTLE FIRE ANT ERADICATION

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    February 28, 2025

    Hauʻula, Oʻahu — Starting today, a portion of the Hauʻula Forest Reserve on Oʻahu, including hunting unit C and the Maʻakua Ridge-Papali Trail, will temporarily close for Little Fire Ant (LFA) containment and removal efforts.

     

    The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is partnering with the Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee, the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture, and the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab to produce a comprehensive plan to control the infestation of this noxious invasive species. The partnership also includes surveys and control efforts on private properties around the forest reserve.

     

    This closure is necessary to ensure the safety of hikers, pets, and hunting dogs. The tiny ant delivers a painful sting when disturbed. LFA stings cause welts that can last for weeks and have also been known to cause blindness in cats and dogs. The ant doesn’t build mounded dirt nests, but lives in a variety of habitats, including trees, potted plants, around irrigation lines, and in electrical boxes.

     

    “This little ant is a big threat to our quality of life and native plants and animals,” said DOFAW Oʻahu Branch Manager Marigold Zoll. “We don’t want it to become established in our communities or forest areas, so we need to take quick action. We urge the Hauʻula community to help us in testing their homes and treating any infestations, so we ensure it is eradicated from the area.”

    Emergent populations of LFA have been successfully controlled in other places on Oʻahu, such as Lanikai and Waimānalo, but this is the first detection in a forest reserve on the island. Eradication efforts will begin once the infestation area is defined and may take over a year.

    Zoll added that DOFAW staff will attend the Hauʻula Community Association meeting on March 4 and the Koʻolauloa Neighborhood Board meeting on March 13 and encourages residents to join.

    # # # 

     

    RESOURCES 

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR) 

     

    Photographs – Maʻakua Ridge LFA Survey https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/vxm7y9kz7w6eoo73fr77m/AOV74EOKSIZUkXa5oKszLKA?rlkey=3pwmkfsu6a6jse9pnm1v90w90&st=0c04fx2d&dl=0

     

    Little Fire Ant information:

    Little Fire Ant (LFA)

    LITTLE FIRE ANTS ON OAHU AND MAUI

    Little Fire Ant

    www.stoptheant.org

     

    Trail information:

    https://hawaiitrails.ehawaii.gov

    Get the Outerspatial App

     

     

    Media Contact: 

    Ryan Aguilar

    Communications Specialist

    Hawaiʻi Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    808-587-0396

    Email: Dlnr.comms@hawaii.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025-31 – ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNE LOPEZ CALLS ON COURT TO KEEP NATIONAL LABOR BOARD FUNCTIONING

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    2025-31 – ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNE LOPEZ CALLS ON COURT TO KEEP NATIONAL LABOR BOARD FUNCTIONING

    Posted on Mar 1, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

    KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
     GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    ANNE LOPEZ

    ATTORNEY GENERAL

     

    ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNE LOPEZ CALLS ON COURT TO KEEP NATIONAL LABOR BOARD FUNCTIONING

     

    News Release 2025-31

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

    February 28, 2025

     

    HONOLULU – Today, Attorney General Anne Lopez joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in Wilcox v. Trump in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia supporting Gwynne Wilcox, a member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), in her lawsuit against President Donald Trump. 

      

    On January 27, 2025, President Trump purported to dismiss Wilcox from the NLRB during the middle of her five-year appointment, leaving just two members remaining on the five-member Board. As the NLRB cannot act without a quorum of at least three members, it has been incapacitated by Wilcox’s purported dismissal. The amici states argue that a functioning NLRB is necessary for the enforcement of labor laws across the United States and urge the court to order the defendants to allow Wilcox to continue performing her responsibilities as an NLRB member. 

     

    In 1935, President Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) into law, which guarantees to American workers the right to join a union, bargain for better wages and working conditions, and engage in activities like strikes and pickets, and which protects workers from retaliation due to certain union-related activities. The Act also created the NLRB, an independent, quasi-judicial federal agency with the authority to enforce the NLRA, investigate violations of labor laws, adjudicate labor disputes, and certify the results of union elections. 

     

    In their brief, the states note that Supreme Court precedent gives the NLRB broad authority over the conduct of labor relations and preempts states from regulating that conduct. As a result, if the NLRB cannot issue rules or adjudicate unfair labor practices, it creates a significant vacuum that harms workers everywhere. This regulatory vacuum is deeply troubling given the importance and scale of the work done by the NLRB. In the past decade, the NLRB reviewed almost 3,000 allegations of unfair labor practices. In fact, there are currently 130 cases of unfair labor practices pending in Hawai‘i alone. 

     

    The amici states note in their filing that union employees earn higher wages and receive better benefits than their non-union counterparts, and that even non-union employees benefit from this as an increase in private-sector union membership often coincides with an increase in wages for non-union workers. 

      

    For these reasons, the amici states urge the Court to grant Wilcox’s motion for expedited summary judgment and order the defendants to allow her to continue performing her responsibilities as an NLRB member. 

      

    Joining Attorney General Lopez in submitting this brief, are the attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

     

    # # #

     

    Media contacts:

    Dave Day

    Special Assistant to the Attorney General

    Office: 808-586-1284                                                  

    Email: [email protected]        

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

     

    Toni Schwartz
    Public Information Officer
     Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General
    Office:     808-586-1252
    Cell: 808-379-9249
    Email:     [email protected] 

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025-32 – AG ANNE LOPEZ JOINS MOTION FOR ENFORCEMENT OF COURT ORDER STOPPING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    2025-32 – AG ANNE LOPEZ JOINS MOTION FOR ENFORCEMENT OF COURT ORDER STOPPING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE

    Posted on Mar 1, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

    KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
     GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    ANNE LOPEZ

    ATTORNEY GENERAL

    LOIO KUHINA

     

    ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNE LOPEZ JOINS MOTION FOR ENFORCEMENT OF COURT ORDER STOPPING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE

     

    News Release 2025-32

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

    February 28, 2025

     

    HONOLULU – Attorney General Anne Lopez today joined a coalition of 22 other attorneys general in filing a second motion for enforcement in its ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration’s illegal and destructive freeze of federal funding. Despite multiple court orders, the administration has continued to block hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to the states from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This funding freeze threatens critical emergency preparedness and recovery programs to address wildfires, floods, cybersecurity threats, and more.

     

    “The Trump administration continues to interfere with access to federal funds despite multiple court orders,” said Attorney General Lopez. “We will not allow any noncompliance with court orders to go unchallenged. My top priority is always to ensure Hawai‘i residents have access to the services and programs to which they are legally entitled.”

     

    Attorney General Lopez and the coalition sued the administration over the freeze on January 28, and on January 31, the court granted the attorneys generals’ request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking implementation of the freeze until further order from the court. On February 7, Attorney General Lopez and the coalition filed motions for enforcement and a preliminary injunction to stop the illegal freeze and preserve federal funding relied upon by families, communities, and states. On February 8, the court granted the motion for enforcement, ordering the administration to immediately comply with the TRO and stop freezing federal funds.

     

    Despite the TRO, the coalition has found that the administration continues to withhold essential funding, and that states, grantees and programs are continuing to experience a significant lack of access to funds, putting lives and jobs at risk. The funding that remains frozen includes hundreds of millions of dollars in FEMA grants to essential state programs that are responsible for wildfire prevention response, cybersecurity, flood mitigation and emergency management.

     

    Attorney General Lopez and the coalition’s second motion for enforcement, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, seeks a court order requiring the release of funds if the Trump administration is unable to provide the court with evidence that they have been unfrozen and made available to recipients.

     

    Attorney General Lopez is joined in this motion by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. 

     

    # # #

     

    Media contacts:

    Dave Day

    Special Assistant to the Attorney General

    Office: 808-586-1284                                                  

    Email: [email protected]        

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

     

    Toni Schwartz
    Public Information Officer
     Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General
    Office:     808-586-1252
    Cell: 808-379-9249
    Email:     [email protected] 

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: STATE OF HAWAIʻI AND FEMA HIGHLIGHT COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO SUPPORT LAHAINA WILDFIRE SURVIVORS IN RECOVERY PROCESS – #2025-003

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI AND FEMA HIGHLIGHT COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO SUPPORT LAHAINA WILDFIRE SURVIVORS IN RECOVERY PROCESS – #2025-003

    Posted on Mar 1, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

    KA ʻOIHANA PILI KAUA

     

    HAWAIʻI EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

    KEʻENA HOʻOMALU PŌULIA O HAWAIʻI

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

    MAJOR GENERAL STEPHEN F. LOGAN

    DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
    LUNA HOʻOMALU PŌULIA

    JAMES DS. BARROS

    ADMINISTRATOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
    KAHU HOʻOMALU PŌULIA

     

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI AND THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY HIGHLIGHT COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO SUPPORT LAHAINA WILDFIRE SURVIVORS IN RECOVERY PROCESS

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             News Release 2025-003

    February 28, 2025

    HONOLULU — The state of Hawaiʻi and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are actively working together to continue supporting survivors of the Lahaina wildfires. Millions of dollars in assistance have already been provided.

    At the request of the state of Hawaiʻi, FEMA authorized the implementation of Direct Housing. Although the period for Direct Temporary Housing Assistance ended on February 10, 2025, the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA) successfully requested a 12-month extension for the program on August 13, 2024. As a result, the housing assistance deadline was extended to February 10, 2026. With this new timeline, both the state of Hawaiʻi and FEMA are fully committed to ensuring a smooth and effective recovery for all affected households.

    FEMA has made significant strides in engaging directly with survivors, offering multiple outreach efforts to discuss unique circumstances and explore viable housing solutions. Monthly informational sessions have been conducted since October 16, 2024, to ensure that survivors are aware of their options and the support available to them.

    “Our regular contacts with the Maui survivor community have made it clear that continued recovery support is needed,” said Governor Josh Green, M.D. “While we are in a challenging time given the new federal funding landscape, we continue our push to get every dollar possible to our neighbors on Maui, both in terms of the survivors and the service providers who are helping them. I applaud our partners at FEMA and the team at HIEMA for their constant efforts on behalf of Maui’s people.”

    FEMA is required by law to charge rent for direct housing 18 months after a disaster is declared. Beginning March 1, 2025, all Direct Housing households will be responsible for paying rent to FEMA.

    FEMA remains committed to ensuring that disaster survivors have access to safe, temporary housing while they recover. Rent adjustments are based on federal guidelines to ensure fairness and consistency, and the appeals process is in place to allow for a thorough review of individual circumstances.

    FEMA has proactively communicated with survivors since last year at 90-, 60-, and 30- day intervals, providing updates and guidance on the program. Survivors also received certified mail with essential information. The goal has been to provide clear, consistent communication and personalized support to ensure survivors have the information they need.

    To date, FEMA has reviewed 90% of appeals submitted by survivors, showcasing its commitment to helping individuals and families regain a sense of stability and security. This not only reflects FEMA’s dedication to the recovery process, but also highlights its outreach efforts in connecting with those who have faced significant challenges.

    “Efforts to streamline the appeals review process have allowed for accelerated decision making, enabling impacted families to access the resources they need without unnecessary delays. Each appeal processed represents a step toward restoring hope and stability, reinforcing our mission to support and empower communities affected by disasters,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Teresa Serata.

    Throughout the recovery process, FEMA has played a pivotal role in ensuring that survivors are immediately placed into suitable housing solutions. This momentum is vital as it paves the way for households to transition from temporary arrangements into permanent homes, which is essential for rebuilding lives and fostering community resilience.

    “With continued collaboration between the state, FEMA, and individual households, we can work together to achieve greater outcomes,” said HIEMA Administrator James Barros. “Our commitment to serving survivors remains steadfast, and we invite all eligible households to actively participate in the appeals process to ensure they receive the assistance they rightfully deserve.”

     

    # # #

     

     

    Contact:

    1. Kīelekū Amundson

    Communications Director

    808-733-4300 Ext 522

    [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom releases 2024 judicial appointment data

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 28, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today released judicial applicant and appointee data for the administration’s judicial appointments.

    Since taking office in 2019 through 2025, Governor Newsom made 576 judicial appointments – including 131 in 2024 – from a pool of 1,898 applicants.

    More than half of the Governor’s judicial appointments have been women judges and justices, and more than half also identified as Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic, or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

    A copy of the judicial applicant and appointee data chart can be found here and is below:

    Judge and Justice demographic data is collected by the Judicial Council of California and State Bar membership data is collected by the California State Bar, based on voluntary survey results. A more detailed breakdown of the demographic data collected by the Judicial Council and the State Bar can be found here and here.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 28, 2025

    News What you need to know: Local community leaders are praising Governor Newsom’s announcement this week of new financial investments to help boost LA’s economic recovery, as well as the launch of California’s Economic Blueprint and the Los Angeles County Jobs First…

    Feb 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the appointment of Nani Coloretti as his new Cabinet Secretary and expressed deep gratitude to departing Cabinet Secretary Ann Patterson for her six years of exemplary service. Patterson, who had planned to step…

    Feb 27, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Aaron Maguire, of Roseville, has been appointed Executive Officer of the Board of State and Community Corrections, where he has been Acting Executive Officer at the Board of State and…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News Release – DOH Advises Precautionary Measures in Response to the Continuing Kīlauea Intermittent Eruptions

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    News Release – DOH Advises Precautionary Measures in Response to the Continuing Kīlauea Intermittent Eruptions

    Posted on Mar 1, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

        

     

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

    KA ʻOIHANA OLAKINO

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    KE KIA‘ĀINA

    KENNETH S. FINK, M.D., MGA, MPH
    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HO‘OKELE

    DOH ADVISES PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES IN RESPONSE TO THE CONTINUING KĪLAUEA INTERMITTENT ERUPTIONS

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    February 28, 2025                                                                                                    25-015

    HONOLULU — Since Dec. 23, 2024, Kīlauea has continued to erupt intermittently within the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Kīlauea summit eruption paused on the morning of Feb. 26, 2025 with a new episode predicted to occur within the next four to six days. While the eruption has paused, volcanic gas emissions remain elevated. High levels of volcanic gas create vog conditions (hazy air pollution caused by the volcanic emissions) that can have far-reaching effects downwind of the summit. Additional eruption hazards include Pele’s hair (strands of volcanic glass) and other volcanic fragments that may impact nearby communities.

    Currently, air quality levels are elevated at several Hawaiʻi island and Maui island air monitoring stations. As southerly winds are expected to persist throughout the weekend, particulates in the air and levels of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) may increase and fluctuate in various areas of the state, causing poor air quality.

    The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is encouraging residents and visitors to access Hawai‘i Air Quality Data on the Clean Air Branch website at https://health.hawaii.gov/cab/hawaii-ambient-air-quality-data/ and the Hawai‘i Interagency Vog Information Dashboard at www.ivhhn.org/vog/ for the most comprehensive and up-to-date online information on vog and SO₂ from volcanic activity in Hawai‘i.

    Hawai‘i residents and visitors are advised to be prepared for and aware of the surrounding conditions, and how they may react to vog in the air. In the event of voggy conditions, the following precautionary measures are advised:

    • Reduce outdoor activities that cause heavy breathing. Avoiding outdoor activity and exercise during vog conditions can reduce exposure and minimize health risks. This is especially important for sensitive groups, such as children, the elderly and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions including asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and chronic lung and heart disease.
    • People with asthma or a chronic respiratory disease should always have medications available. Daily prescribed medications should be taken on schedule.
    • People experiencing health effects should contact their medical provider as soon as possible if any symptoms develop, as respiratory conditions might worsen rapidly in heavy sulfur dioxide or vog conditions.
    • Stay indoors and close windows and doors. If using an air conditioner, set it to recirculate. If you need to move out of an impacted area, turn on the car’s air conditioner and set it to recirculate.
    • Face masks (surgical, cloth, KF94, KN95, N95) do not provide protection from sulfur dioxide or vog. However, they can be effective in outdoor environments in reducing inhaled hazardous particulates associated with falling ash and Pele’s hair.
    • Do not smoke and avoid second-hand smoke.
    • Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
    • Have family emergency plans prepared and ready.
    • Heed warnings by county and state emergency management officials.

    Vog and air quality updates are available through the:

    # # #

    Media Contact:

    Kristen Wong

    Information Specialist

    Hawaiʻi State Department of Health

    Phone: 808-586-4407

    Email: [email protected]

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lombardo Announces Key Education Appointments

    Source: US State of Nevada

    CARSON CITY, NV – February 28, 2025

    Today, Governor Joe Lombardo announced the appointments of Annette Dawson Owens to the Nevada State Board of Education and Jennifer McGrath to the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents.

    “I am honored to announce the appointments of Annette Dawson Owens to the Nevada State Board of Education and Jennifer McGrath to the NSHE Board of Regents. With their unique backgrounds and extensive experience, both Annette and Jennifer will undoubtedly bring valuable perspectives and contributions to education in our state,” said Governor Joe Lombardo.

    Owens has dedicated her career to ensuring that every child in Nevada has access to a high-quality education and graduates prepared for life. She holds several master’s degrees and accreditations and has worked as a fellow and researcher in education. With experience in both district and charter schools, as well as on policy advisory boards and at numerous legislative sessions, Owens is committed to improving the state’s education system.

    McGrath has been a litigator for over two decades, representing victims in many high-profile cases. Her extensive legal experience has provided her with valuable insights into how institutions can optimize outcomes for both students and employees. McGrath is dedicated to strengthening Nevada’s higher education system and protecting the individuals it serves.

    Both Owens and McGrath begin their appointments on March 1, 2025.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What they are saying: Governor Newsom’s latest economic investments will help bolster LA firestorm recovery

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 28, 2025

    What you need to know: Local community leaders are praising Governor Newsom’s announcement this week of new financial investments to help boost LA’s economic recovery, as well as the launch of California’s Economic Blueprint and the Los Angeles County Jobs First Regional Plan.

    LOS ANGELES – This week, Governor Newsom announced $24 million in investments towards the economic recovery of Los Angeles following January’s devastating firestorms. The announcement came during the seventh stop of the Governor’s statewide Jobs First tour, where the Governor received the Los Angeles Regional Plan — a community-driven strategy to leverage the innovation, social infrastructure, and LA-area industries — and debuted the statewide California Jobs First Economic Blueprint.

    Funds announced will strengthen infrastructure, and provide support for small business and workers in the LA region, including disaster response: 

    • $10 million in partnership with LA Rises, Maersk and APM Terminals to the LA Region Small Business Relief Fund, a grant program run by the City and County of LA that will provide direct financial support to businesses and nonprofits in fire-impacted communities. This is the first investment by LA Rises, the unified recovery effort launched by the Governor in January and led by Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter, business leader and basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Casey Wasserman.
    • $3 million toward the Los Angeles Jobs First Collaborative in their recovery efforts for the region, including for the launch of public-facing campaigns to promote small business support and additional capacity for near-term business and economic recovery. 
    • $11 million toward High Road Training Partnerships with workforce training organizations based in Los Angeles. 

    Here’s what leaders in the Los Angeles community are saying:

    State leaders 

    Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D – Pasadena): “The Governor’s Jobs First Economic Blueprint will create good-paying jobs in regions across the state, and reduce barriers for students to access job opportunities through career education. In addition, the plan contains funding to help small businesses recover from the Los Angeles County wildfires that devastated the Altadena and Pasadena region in my district. The recovery will take ongoing support. This Blueprint is an important component that will help brighten our state’s future.”

    Assemblymember Mike Fong (D-Alhambra): “Cultivating one of the best economies in the world starts with our communities.  Governor Newsom’s economic plan is reflective of statewide and regional needs, while utilizing work-based learning opportunities in connection to the state’s upcoming Master Plan for Career Education. Our Los Angeles community was devastated by the fires in our region, and I look forward to working with the Governor on a recovery plan which draws on our higher education institutions to rebuild and strengthen our local and statewide economies.”

    Los Angeles County 

    Kathryn Barger, Los Angeles County Chair and Supervisor for the Fifth District: “I appreciate Governor Newsom‘s plan to invest in our local workforce. Our local economy will greatly benefit from investments that focus on local implementation as Los Angeles County recovers and rebuilds. Strengthening our workforce is key to long-term resilience, and I look forward to seeing these investments create lasting opportunities for our residents.”

    Hilda L. Solis, Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and Supervisor for the First District: “Across Los Angeles County, residents have been experiencing job loss by the wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, including nannies, in-home health workers, landscapers, actors, stagehands, and many others who work in these areas. This week’s announcement, which includes $10 million in funding to the LA Regional Small Business Fund, will be crucial in accelerating economic recovery and providing relief to our impacted families. I am deeply grateful to the Governor for his demonstrated commitment to our relief efforts and look forward to continuing to implement California Jobs First locally. Together, we will ensure an equitable recovery for all Angelenos.”

    Lindsey Horvath, Los Angeles County Supervisor for the Third District: “More support is on the way for small businesses and workers impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires thanks to this $10 million investment from Governor Newsom that will bolster LA County’s Small Business and Worker Relief Funds. Los Angeles County and our State partners, with support from philanthropy, are marshalling unprecedented financial resources to help fire-affected communities fill gaps in monthly expenses and heal. We thank Governor Newsom for his continued support.”

    City leaders

    Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles: “Thank you Governor Newsom, for your continued support through LA’s unprecedented recovery. As we make urgent progress months faster than expected to get residents back home, we also need to ensure that small businesses have the support they need and deserve while navigating through this devastating time. Together, we will get residents home as quickly and as safely as possible, and we will give the Los Angeles workforce the support they deserve. We are grateful for your partnership as we continue our urgent recovery work.”

    Vinh T. Ngo, Mayor of Monterey Park: “We are very excited to see the new economic jobs plan laid out by Governor Newsom that will have direct benefit not just the wildfire impacted areas but all of California. I’m proud that the Governor chose the City of Monterey Park to make this critical announcement this week.”  

    Victoria Knapp, Chair of the Altadena Town Council: “As Chair of the Altadena Town Council, I want to express our deep gratitude to Governor Newsom for his leadership and steadfast commitment to the region since the early days of this disaster. His administration’s continued support has been a lifeline for our communities as we navigate the long road to recovery. This much-needed infusion of aid will be critical in helping our small businesses rebuild, creating new job opportunities, and ensuring our local workforce has access to the training needed to thrive in high-growth industries. With this investment, we are not just restoring what was lost—we are building a more resilient and prosperous future for Altadena and the entire Los Angeles region.”

    Business Leaders 

    Stephen Cheung, President and CEO of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation: “We applaud Governor Newsom and the State of California for their leadership in supporting Los Angeles County’s economic recovery. The $3 million investment in the California Jobs First initiative will strengthen our efforts to create quality jobs and economic opportunities for local communities, especially those most impacted by economic challenges. Additionally, the $10 million in small business relief funding will provide critical support to the backbone of our economy—our small businesses—helping them rebuild, innovate, and thrive. LAEDC is committed to working with our partners across the region to ensure these investments drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth for all Angelenos.”

    Maria Salinas, President and CEO of the LA Area Chamber of Commerce: “Governor Newsom’s announcement marks an exciting step forward in realizing California Jobs First—turning a bold vision into local impact. By investing in key industry sectors and aligning workforce development with economic priorities, this initiative will create accessible, good-paying jobs and drive sustainable growth across our communities. We are proud of the vision set forth in this economic blueprint and the additional investment to help Los Angeles recover and rebuild. This ensures our region continues to lead in innovation, opportunity, and economic resilience.”

    Tracy Hernandez, CEO of BizFed & New California Coalition: “Governor Newsom took talk to action this week delivering much needed real time funding to super charge the LA firestorm rebuilding process and accelerate the vital long term economic resiliency of our state.”

    Alysia Bell, President of UNITE-LA: “Governor Newsom’s leadership drives California’s progress and elevates the triple bottom line: economy, equity, and environment. UNITE-LA, a nonprofit intermediary committed to equitable economic mobility, applauds the state’s continued investment in innovation and regional collaboration, essential for Los Angeles’ wildfire recovery.”

    Judy Matthews, President of the Altadena Chamber of Commerce: “As President of the Altadena Chamber of Commerce, I want to express my strong support for Governor Newsom’s announcement of the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint and its potential impact on Southern California. The focus on job apprenticeship programs and support for small businesses including home-base affected by the fires will generate significant employment opportunities and drive economic growth in our Altadena community. By investing in workforce development and entrepreneurship, these initiatives will create a more resilient economy and attract investments that will revitalize our community and strengthen our local economy.”

    Read more about California’s response to the LA firestorms and support to help speed the recovery and rebuilding of Los Angeles here. For the latest information, resources, and services, visit ca.gov/LAfires. 

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the appointment of Nani Coloretti as his new Cabinet Secretary and expressed deep gratitude to departing Cabinet Secretary Ann Patterson for her six years of exemplary service. Patterson, who had planned to step…

    Feb 27, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Aaron Maguire, of Roseville, has been appointed Executive Officer of the Board of State and Community Corrections, where he has been Acting Executive Officer at the Board of State and…

    Feb 27, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – California and a consortium of 21 Brazilian states are partnering together to combat pollution and foster sustainable economic growth. Governor Gavin Newsom and Governor Renato Casagrande of the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo signed a Memorandum…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces executive staff transitions with appointments of Nani Coloretti, Ann Patterson

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 28, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the appointment of Nani Coloretti as his new Cabinet Secretary and expressed deep gratitude to departing Cabinet Secretary Ann Patterson for her six years of exemplary service. Patterson, who had planned to step down, has agreed to extend her public service as Senior Counselor to the Governor, primarily supporting the administration’s recovery initiatives for Los Angeles.

    “I am profoundly grateful for Ann’s guidance over these last six years — helping me navigate some of the most meaningful, as well as the most challenging, moments of my governorship.

    “Ann was ready to take the next step, but her willingness to stay to help us transition during LA’s recovery speaks volumes about her dedication to California.

    “During this transition, I am thrilled to welcome Nani as she steps into this critical role. Nani’s decades of experience navigating complex policy issues at all levels of government make her uniquely qualified to lead our cabinet in continuing to deliver bold solutions to improve the health, well-being, and safety of all Californians.” 

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Coloretti previously held the position of Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Joe Biden, where she helped manage the nation’s nearly $7 trillion federal budget and implement key initiatives across all areas of government. She has also held senior leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of the Treasury and played a pivotal role in establishing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

    During her tenure as Cabinet Secretary, Patterson guided California through historic challenges, including the state’s response to multiple natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. She played a pivotal role in advancing nearly all of Governor Newsom’s efforts, including PAGA reform, historic laws protecting ratepayers and wildfire survivors, establishing the world’s largest aerial wildfire-fighting fleet, improving public safety through the California Model, and implementing universal free school meals for all kids in California.

    Nani Coloretti, of Sacramento, has been appointed Cabinet Secretary in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. Coloretti has been Senior Counselor in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2025. Coloretti was Deputy Director at the United States Office of Management and Budget from 2022 to 2025. She was Senior Vice President for Business and Financial Strategy at The Urban Institute from 2017 to 2022. Coloretti was Deputy Secretary at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2014 to 2017. She served in multiple roles at the United States Department of the Treasury from 2009 to 2014, including Assistant Secretary for Management, Acting Chief Operating Officer for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Management and Budget. Coloretti was San Francisco Budget Director in the Office of Mayor Gavin Newsom from 2006 to 2009. She served in multiple roles in the Office of Mayor Gavin Newsom from 2005 to 2006, including Policy Director and Deputy Policy Director. Coloretti earned a Master of Public Policy degree from University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Communications from University of Pennsylvania. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the salary is $235,344. Coloretti is a Democrat.

    Ann Patterson, of Sacramento, has been appointed Senior Counselor at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. Patterson has been Cabinet Secretary at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2022 and has served in multiple roles in the Office of Governor Newsom since 2019, including Legal Affairs Secretary and Chief Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary. Patterson was a Partner at Orrick, Herrington, and Sutcliffe from 2005 to 2018. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $235,344. Patterson is a Democrat.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 27, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Aaron Maguire, of Roseville, has been appointed Executive Officer of the Board of State and Community Corrections, where he has been Acting Executive Officer at the Board of State and…

    Feb 27, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – California and a consortium of 21 Brazilian states are partnering together to combat pollution and foster sustainable economic growth. Governor Gavin Newsom and Governor Renato Casagrande of the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo signed a Memorandum…

    Feb 26, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced multiple clemency actions. He granted pardons in three cases. He also sent multiple clemency cases to the Board of Parole Hearings, initiating the process for granting clemency in fifteen cases. He also sent two…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Rethinking Basement Usage: Allstate Canada Data Reveals Water Damage Among Top Claim Reasons

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MARKHAM, Ontario, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Basements have evolved from mere storage spaces to integral parts of many homes, now equipped with state-of-the-art entertainment systems, expensive gym equipment and valuable furniture. However, these spaces remain highly susceptible to flooding, potentially leading to costly repairs. Recent data from the Insurance Bureau of Canada highlights 2024 as the most expensive year for severe weather-related losses in our country’s history, with flooding contributing to over $1 billion in losses.

    In fact, Allstate Insurance Company of Canada (Allstate Canada) data reveals that water damage is one of the top reasons customers submit a home insurance claim, and the cost to repair a water-damaged basement has risen by nearly 20 per cent between 2019-2024. According to a recent Léger poll conducted on behalf of Allstate Canada, 80 per cent of Canadians who responded have a basement and one in 10 have experienced basement flooding. The survey also revealed that 61 per cent of responding homeowners have a bathroom, sink or access to running water in their basement, and 55 per cent use their basement to store a spare fridge or freezer. Additionally, 47 per cent have a bedroom, 30 per cent have a home gym or workout area, 23 per cent installed a home theatre system, 20 per cent a home office, and 25 per cent say their basement has a playroom for their children.

    While Canadian homeowners use their basements in different ways, the results of the poll also show that:

    • 41 per cent use their basements to store expensive sports gear such as skis and bikes;
    • Nearly one in three (32 per cent) store home entertainment equipment in their basement;
    • Basements are also commonly the site for priceless possessions, such as photo albums (40 per cent) and family heirlooms (24 per cent);
    • Other items stored in the basement include tools, extension cords and lightbulbs (65 per cent), seasonal items like patio furniture or holiday decorations (59 per cent), furniture (51 per cent), collectibles or memorabilia (31 per cent), important financial, legal or tax documents (28 per cent), computer equipment (23 per cent) and musical instruments (15 per cent).

    Rethinking Home: A New Era for Basements

    “Kitchens are often a central, social part of the home, but basements play an important role as a space to relax with hobbies, store gear between adventures, or to simply unwind,” says Odel Laing, Agency Manager at Allstate Canada. “Homeowners should consider how they can protect these valuable spaces from flooding, which can quickly affect plans as we approach the spring season.”

    Protection and Remodeling Tips

    Flooding typically occurs during warmer weather months, so Laing invites homeowners to consider taking steps to protect their basement and its contents.

    • Elevate high-quality, expensive entertainment systems on stands or hang them up on the wall. Alternatively, keep them on the main floor, if possible.
    • Swap cardboard boxes for plastic ones for storage.
    • Select waterproof cabinetry and shelving.
    • Review your home insurance policy to understand your coverage for water damage.
    • Consult a professional about landscaping opportunities to direct water away from the home’s foundation.
    • Install water or leak detectors compatible with your monitored home security system to notify owners of flooding quickly.
    • If owners are planning to finish or renovate their basement, discuss with your contractor how to best protect from flooding risks.

    For more home flooding-related safety advice, go to the GOOD HANDS® blog at http://blog.allstate.ca/rethink-basement-tips-protect-against-flooding-damage.

    About the Léger poll
    Allstate commissioned Léger to conduct a study among Canadian homeowners to better understand their use of basements, storage habits, flood prevention measures, and overall preparedness for extreme weather events. In order to meet research objectives, an online survey was conducted with 1,000 Canadian homeowners, aged 18 and over, who could express themselves in French or English from January 23 to 27, 2025. It should be noted that due to the non-probabilistic nature of the sample (associated with any web survey), the calculation of the margin of error does not apply. For comparative purposes, a probabilistic sample of 1,000 respondents (web panel) would have a global margin of error of ± 3.1% 19 times out of 20. The margin of error would, however, increase for subgroups.

    About Allstate Insurance Company of Canada
    Allstate Insurance Company of Canada is a leading home and auto insurer focused on providing its customers prevention and protection products and services for every stage of life. Serving Canadians since 1953, Allstate strives to reassure both customers and employees with its “You’re in Good Hands®” promise. Allstate is committed to making a positive difference in the communities in which it operates through partnerships with charitable organizations, employee giving and volunteerism. To learn more, visit www.allstate.ca. For safety tips and advice, visit www.goodhandsadvice.ca.

    For more information, please contact:
    Jessica Hoffeldt
    Agnostic on behalf of Allstate Insurance Company of Canada
    647-269-7438
    jhoffeldt@thinkagnostic.com  

    Maude Gauthier (Quebec only)
    Capital-Image on behalf of Allstate Insurance Company of Canada
    514-915-9469
    mgauthier@capital-image.com

    Cody Gillen
    Public Relations Specialist
    905-475-4536
    cgillen@allstate.ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Trade and Gender Group launches new edition of equality prize, consultations on future work

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Trade and Gender Group launches new edition of equality prize, consultations on future work

    The co-chairs of the Informal Working Group (IWG) — Ambassador Clara Delgado of Cabo Verde, Ambassador Patricia Benedetti of El Salvador and Ambassador Simon Manley of the United Kingdom — looked back at key achievements in 2024. They highlighted the specific wording on trade and gender in the Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration WT/MIN(24)/DEC, the launch of a new trade policy tool in support of women entrepreneurs’ financial inclusion, and progress on “sharing experiences” on gender-responsive trade policy making.
    Progress was also made in integrating gender issues into the work of various WTO bodies, such as the Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), they added. 
    Members welcomed the co-chairs’ initiative to launch consultations on the IWG’s work plan for 2025-26, including on potential outcomes at the 14th Ministerial Conference, to be held in March 2026.
    Members also agreed to launch the second edition of the International Prize for Gender Equality in Trade to support members’ work on inclusive trade. The call for applications is now open via this form.
    Presentations
    The United Kingdom presented its work on the implementation of gender equality in free trade agreements (FTAs), including the UK-New Zealand FTA and the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
    The importance of mainstreaming gender across trade agreements was highlighted. In addition, cooperation provisions are key for collecting gender-disaggregated data and for monitoring the impact of trade agreements on women, the UK said. The United Kingdom also noted that it is crucial to secure an institutional mechanism for discussing and implementing cooperation activities with stakeholders such as trade associations and women entrepreneurs. 
    Australia introduced its recently launched “International Gender Equality Strategy for a Safer and More Prosperous Indo-Pacific and the World”. Developed following consultations with over 600 stakeholders, the strategy aims to support gender equality in trade commitments at the WTO and other international and regional organizations
    Mexico reported on a recent capacity-building workshop on trade and gender organized by the countries of the Global Trade and Gender Arrangement (GTAGA) in coordination with the WTO Secretariat. Bringing together experts, government representatives, academics and women entrepreneurs, the event looked into the challenges and opportunities in mainstreaming gender into global trade.
    The International Trade Centre (ITC) provided an update on the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, launched at MC13. This WTO-ITC initiative will provide grants and technical assistance regarding digital trade to support export growth in women-led businesses. Following a call for applications in September 2024, the Fund will work with a number of business support organizations to be announced  in early March.
    The WTO Secretariat provided an update on its activities, highlighting training programmes, collaborative research projects, and outreach initiatives. The Secretariat emphasized progress in capacity-building initiatives with the Latin American Integration Association, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and various universities. A thematic course on trade, gender and agriculture will be launched with the FAO in 2025 as a follow-up to the WTO-FAO Memorandum of Understanding signed  in 2024.
    The Trade and Gender Office also underlined its collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) on drafting a recommendation (General Recommendation number 40) on women’s access to decision-making positions and its ongoing work.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: US: Commuting death sentence is step toward justice for Rocky Myers

    Source: Amnesty International –

    © Private

    In response to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey commuting the death sentence of Rocky Myers, TJ Riggs, Alabama State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator for Amnesty International USA said the following: 

    “We celebrate the news that Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has commuted Rocky Myers’ death sentence, even more so at a time when the state had initiated the process to set his execution date. After over 30 years on death row, this moment could not come any sooner.

    “The U.S. criminal justice system is terribly flawed and discriminatory, and Rocky Myers’ case has been emblematic of many of those flaws. Today’s decision by Governor Ivey to commute his death sentence is a first critical step towards justice for him and his family. 

    “The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. We urge Governor Ivey to pause all other executions in the state. She must conduct a review of all cases, including the more than two dozen individuals like Rocky Myers who remain on death row even though they were sentenced through the now outlawed practice of judicial override.  

    “Amnesty International has advocated for Rocky Myers alongside so many others. Thank you to the hundreds of thousands of activists across Alabama, the United States, and the world who took action for Rocky Myers by sending letters, making phone calls, and signing petitions.” 

    Rocky Myers

    Rocky Myers, a Black man with an intellectual disability, was on death row since 1994 despite flawed legal proceedings and no evidence directly linking him to the crime for which he was convicted.

    Amnesty has long advocated for Rocky Myers, and he was part of the organisation’s Write for Rights campaign in 2023, in which hundreds of thousands of people from around the world signed a petition asking Alabama Governor Kay Ivey to commute his death sentence.

    Amnesty opposes the death penalty unconditionally, in any cases and under any circumstances.

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Video: CBP Commemorates Its 22nd Anniversary | CBP

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    March 1, 2025, marks the 22nd anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Twenty-two years ago, CBP opened its doors as the first unified border entity in U.S. history. The agency’s formation was a direct result of the recommendations of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, known as the 9/11 Commission, and was established within the newly formed Department of Homeland Security.

    Instagram ➤ https://instagram.com/CBPgov
    Facebook ➤ https://facebook.com/CBPgov
    Twitter ➤ https://twitter.com/CBP
    Official Website ➤ https://www.cbp.gov

    #cbp
    #dhs
    #lawenforcement

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wBqnyieyJo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 🚨 ICE’s “Worst First” criminal alien arrest and removal monthly wrap up

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    ICE uses intelligence to drive its pursuit of at-large criminal aliens in the U.S. who pose the greatest threat to your safety, like:
    Sex offenders
    Violent criminals
    Drug traffickers
    Transnational gang members

    Info at https://www.ICE.gov/enforcement

    Report suspicious behavior and activities to ICE at https://www.ICE.gov/tips or 1-888-DHS-2-ICE.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-mWEXlxs9U

    MIL OSI Video –