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Category: Artificial Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI: Magnite’s CTV Supply Leadership Is Unmatched With 99% Market Coverage, Shows Latest Jounce Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI), the largest independent sell-side advertising company, leads the market with 99% of CTV supply coverage and 96% of overall omnichannel supply coverage, according to the latest Jounce Supply Benchmarking Report. Magnite’s comprehensive coverage in the CTV ecosystem maintains a more than 24% lead over the next company in the study.

    Magnite is the only sell-side advertising company that has direct relationships with leading media owners including Disney and Netflix, in addition to long-standing partnerships with publishers including Roku, Warner Bros. Discovery, and others. Magnite has preferred integrations with over 90% of its CTV supply partners, making it the most comprehensive place to access differentiated supply, unique first-party data, and content signals.

    “Magnite helps us make our advertising business more dynamic, more efficient, and more scalable — they’re a valuable partner,” said Miles Fisher, Senior Director, Strategic Advertising Partnerships at Roku. “Their advanced capabilities and programmatic expertise maximize the value of Roku’s premium inventory, while delivering better outcomes for buyers.”

    “Magnite’s unparalleled CTV footprint opens many doors beyond simply having greater access to inventory,” said Dan Fox, Global Chief Investment Officer at IPG Mediabrands. “As a result of Magnite’s direct relationships with media owners, we gain unique supply-side insights that can optimize targeting and improve performance. The transparency and control Magnite offers ensures we can execute high-quality campaigns with confidence, delivering better outcomes for our clients in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.”

    To better support media owners and buyers, Magnite offers:

    • The built-for-streaming TV ad server SpringServe, that helps media owners meet the challenge of managing high-quality ad experiences across the video landscape.
    • Leading audience and identity tools within Magnite Access, a suite of omnichannel audience products that make it easier for display, online video, and streaming media owners–and their advertising partners–to maximize the value of their data assets.
    • Flexible and efficient routes to video inventory via ClearLine, a self-service solution that provides agencies direct access to premium video inventory on Magnite’s platforms.
    • Award-winning and innovative technology, like Live Stream Acceleration and AI-driven wrapper automation, that solve complex challenges to yield significant benefits for both publishers and advertisers.

    “The results of the Jounce study represent the culmination of the years we’ve spent building deep, strategic relationships with media owners and developing the most advanced tools to drive their success,” said Sean Buckley, President, Revenue at Magnite. “We equip sellers with the technology they need to earn the full value of their inventory while providing turn-key ways for buyers to tap into quality supply. Our role helps both sides of the ecosystem thrive.”

    About Magnite

    We’re Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI), the world’s largest independent sell-side advertising company. Publishers use our technology to monetize their content across all screens and formats including CTV, online video, display, and audio. The world’s leading agencies and brands trust our platform to access brand-safe, high-quality ad inventory and execute billions of advertising transactions each month. Anchored in bustling New York City, sunny Los Angeles, mile high Denver, historic London, colorful Singapore, and down under in Sydney, Magnite has offices across North America, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC.

    Media Contact:

    Charlstie Veith
    cveith@magnite.com

    Investor Relations Contact:

    Nick Kormeluk
    nkormeluk@magnite.com

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Region 16 ESC Edge Data Center Grand Opening

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AMARILLO, Texas, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Region 16 Education Service Center (ESC), in collaboration with Duos Edge AI, Inc. (“Duos Edge AI”), a subsidiary of Duos Technologies Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DUOT), proudly announces the grand opening of an advanced Edge Data Center (“EDC”) on March 18, 2025. In partnership with FiberLight, this milestone marks a transformative leap in connectivity, AI-driven education, and economic development for the Texas Panhandle. The Duos Edge AI EDC will expand digital access for schools, fuel job creation, and strengthen regional infrastructure to support long-term growth and innovation.

    Event Details:

    Date: Tuesday, March 18th, 2025
    Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM CT
    Location: Region 16 ESC, located at 5800 Bell Street in Amarillo, Texas

    To RSVP for the event, please click here.
    To live stream the event, please watch here.

    The grand opening event includes a “ribbon cutting” and will feature an impressive lineup of industry leaders and experts, including Doug Recker, President and Founder, Duos Edge AI; Chuck Ferry, Chief Executive Officer, Duos Technologies Group and New APR Energy; Ron Kormos, Chief Strategy Officer, FiberLight; Tanya Larkin EdD, Executive Director, Region 16. These distinguished speakers will share insights on the future of edge computing, AI integration, and the impact of this new data center on regional development.

    “We’re looking forward to hosting this event, bringing together leaders in the community and industry alike to mark this milestone,” stated Michael Keough, CIO of Region 16 ESC. “It’s the beginning of a new chapter for the Texas Panhandle as we bring enhanced connectivity and resources to the area.”

    The launch event will showcase the cutting-edge technology housed within the new data center, demonstrating how it will drive innovation and economic growth in the region. “This grand opening represents a significant step forward in our mission to bring advanced AI capabilities closer to where data is generated,” said Doug Recker, President and Founder of Duos Edge AI. “We’re thrilled to partner with Region 16 to make this vision a reality.”

    “FiberLight’s partnership with Region 16 and Duos Edge AI goes beyond delivering fiber—it’s about creating a lasting impact,” said Ron Kormos, Chief Strategy Officer at FiberLight. “While our fiber infrastructure will immediately transform learning experiences for students and educators, its long-term benefit will extend across the Texas Panhandle. By establishing a strong fiber backbone, we’re enabling better education and also building the foundation for economic growth, business expansion, and improved public services. This investment will help bridge the digital divide, fostering a more connected and thriving community for years to come.”

    To learn more about Region 16 ESC, please visit www.esc16.net
    To learn more about Duos Edge AI, please visit www.duosedge.ai
    To learn more about FiberLight, please visit www.fiberlight.com

    About Region 16 Education Service Center:
    Located in Amarillo, Texas, Region 16 Education Service Center serves 60 school districts and three charter schools with 226 campuses in a 26,000 square mile area. Region 16 school districts have an average daily attendance of over 83,000 students, with individual districts ranging from fewer than 30 to more than 29,000 students and the total regional school staff numbering more than 12,800.

    About Duos Edge AI, Inc. 
    Duos Edge AI, Inc. is a subsidiary of Duos Technologies Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DUOT). Duos Edge AI’s mission is to bring advanced technology to underserved communities, particularly in education, healthcare, and rural industries, by deploying high-powered edge computing solutions that minimize latency and optimize performance. Duos Edge AI specializes in high-function Edge Data Center (“EDC”) solutions tailored to meet evolving needs in any environment. By focusing on providing scalable IT resources that seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure, its solutions expand capabilities at the network edge, ensuring data uptime onsite services. With the ability to provide 100 kW+ per cabinet, rapid 90-day deployment, and continuous 24/7 data services, Duos Edge AI aims to position its edge data centers within 12 miles of end users or devices, significantly closer than traditional data centers. This approach enables timely processing of massive amounts of data for applications requiring real-time response and supporting current and future technologies without large capital investments. For more information, visit www.duosedge.ai.

    About Duos Technologies Group, Inc.
    Duos Technologies Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DUOT), based in Jacksonville, Florida, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Duos Technologies, Inc., Duos Edge AI, Inc., and Duos Energy Corporation, designs, develops, deploys and operates intelligent technology solutions for Machine Vision and Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) applications including real-time analysis of fast-moving vehicles, Edge Data Centers and power consulting. For more information, visit www.duostech.com, www.duosedge.ai and www.duosenergycorp.com.

    About FiberLight
    FiberLight builds and operates mission-critical high bandwidth networks to ignite our client’s digital transformation. With more than 19,000 route miles of fiber networks and 300,000 pre-qualified near-net buildings, our service portfolio includes high-capacity Ethernet and Wavelength Services, Cloud Connect, Dedicated Internet Access, Dark Fiber, and Wireless Backhaul serving domestic and international telecom companies, wireless, wireline, cable, and cloud providers, as well as key players across enterprise, government, and education. For more information, visit https://www.fiberlight.com.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6411ccbd-6b47-4c24-8034-b1d965f06e10

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: TransUnion Identifies Increased Risk for Tax Fraud Linked to 970 Data Breaches in 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tax refund theft is an annual concern and 2025 brings an elevated risk, according to a TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) analysis. Researchers found that in 2024 there were 970 data breaches in which fraudsters obtained the kinds of personally identifiable information (PII) required for various forms of tax fraud.

    In total, 640 million consumer records were exposed in 2024, containing critical pieces of information like Social Security numbers, address histories, and full names. A recent TransUnion report found full Social Security numbers were exposed in 71% of data breaches in the first half of 2024 alone—up from 57% in all of 2023. The exposed information can help fraudsters file false tax returns in a victim’s name, or access someone’s bank account to intercept their tax return.

    “What we found is that the volume and severity of recent data breaches have created tremendous vulnerability,” said Greg Schlichter, director of research and consulting for TransUnion’s public sector business. “Government agencies, like the IRS, as well as financial institutions and consumers need to be alert to this threat.”

    How government agencies can defeat fraudsters
    Many fraudsters will target call centers to either test the veracity of PII acquired from criminal marketplaces, or to directly impersonate a victim. Call center leaders must look out for suspicious calls—such as those that show signs of spoofing, or those placed through a Voice-over-IP service—even for routine requests like address changes or tax return tracking.

    In addition, fraudsters will access online government portals with stolen PII to validate stolen identity information, file false returns or intercept return status updates. Agencies should employ identity verification and document authentication technologies to flag impersonators who may also use AI to generate photo-realistic credentials.

    “There are a number of fraud prevention tools that agencies can leverage,” said Naureen Ali, U.S. Head of Fraud at TransUnion. “Using call authentication and identity resolution capabilities will make it easier to thwart fraud attempts that use stolen and synthetic identities.”

    The researchers note branded calling tools are likely needed for agencies looking to proactively notify taxpayers whose returns are at risk, given the volume of government impersonation fraud. A recent TransUnion survey found that 62% of consumers won’t answer a call from a number or caller ID name they don’t recognize, even if they’re expecting a call from a government agency.

    The role for banks and consumers
    While the government should look out for fraudsters attempting to falsely file and claim tax returns, banks and other financial institutions should check to confirm that the payee matches the account owner on record. This can help ensure that incoming funds are intended for that customer.

    Even prior to this point, however, banks should already be scrutinizing their deposit account openings to check for potentially fraudulent account creations that are used for criminal activities like drop accounts and mule accounts. Similarly, financial institutions should remain diligent to try to protect their existing deposit accounts from account takeovers.

    Consumers can also protect themselves by monitoring their bank account activity and credit history. When they know their tax refund is due, they can check regularly to ensure it remains in their account. They can also use credit monitoring services to know if fraudsters have created new accounts in their name.

    Learn more about TransUnion’s TruValidate™ Identity Verification Solutions and TruContact™ Trusted Call Solutions.

    Read more about the implications of data breaches on tax fraud here.

    About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)
    TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this with a Tru™ picture of each person: an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care. Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world. http://www.transunion.com/business

    Contact Dave Blumberg
    TransUnion
    E-mail  david.blumberg@transunion.com
    Telephone  312-972-6646

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Stack Capital Group Inc. Invests $10 Million USD Into CoreWeave

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stack Capital Group Inc. (TSX:STCK) (“Stack Capital”), an investment holding company that invests in equity, debt and/or other securities of leading growth-to-late-stage private businesses, is pleased to announce that it has invested $10 million USD into CoreWeave, Inc. (“CoreWeave” or the “Company”), a leading cloud-based AI infrastructure company that provides GPU-accelerated data centers delivering high-performance compute capabilities with significant cost savings to its customers, many of whom are leading AI enterprises.

    CoreWeave offers scalable resources for high-compute workloads that demand intensive processing, making it easy and cost-effective for its customers to handle complex computing tasks without having to invest heavily in their own hardware. Its servers, storage, and networking solutions deliver best-in-class performance that is up to 35 times faster and 80% less expensive than those offered by generalized public cloud peers. From advanced data processing used in AI, machine learning, scientific research, finance, visual effects rendering, and pixel streaming, CoreWeave’s platform is designed to support a broad range of applications. By continually investing in cutting-edge GPU compute capabilities and infrastructure, the Company has managed to stay ahead of its peers, market trends and customer needs which, in turn, has served to enhance its credibility and overall reach.

    “Given its growing data center presence across the United States, Europe, and Canada, CoreWeave is extremely well-positioned to continue capitalizing on accelerating global demand for AI infrastructure and compute capabilities,” said Jeff Parks, CEO of Stack Capital. “With leading AI enterprises such as Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta, and Cohere already in the fold, and a recently announced IPO filing, it’s an exciting time to be an investor in CoreWeave, as well as Stack Capital.”

    About Stack Capital

    Stack Capital is an investment holding company and its business objective is to invest in equity, debt, and/or other securities of growth-to-late-stage private businesses. Through Stack Capital, shareholders have the opportunity to gain exposure to the diversified private investment portfolio; participate in the private market; and have liquidity due to the listing of the Common Shares on the TSX. At the same time, the public structure also allows Stack Capital to focus its efforts on maximizing long-term performance through a portfolio of high growth businesses, which are not widely available to most Canadian investors. SC Partners Ltd. has taken the initiative in creating Stack Capital and acts as its administrator and is responsible to source and advise with respect to all portfolio investments.

    For more information, please visit our website or contact:

    Brian Viveiros
    VP, Corporate Development, and Investor Relations
    647.280.3307
    brian@stackcapitalgroup.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4f420200-2890-4ef9-946d-6dfd3666374c

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: RAID: Shadow Legends Celebrates 6th Anniversary with Supreme Galek Giveaway for New Players

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TEL AVIV, Israel, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plarium, a global leader in developing F2P mobile and PC games with more than 500 million registered gamers worldwide, announced the sixth anniversary celebration of its acclaimed dark fantasy RPG RAID: Shadow Legends with a month-long event featuring gifts and special LiveOps, community activities, and in-game tournaments beginning today through April 2nd.

    This year’s “Festival of Creation” is held in the fictional region of Aravia, home to the High Elves Faction, and hosted by new Legendary Champion Lord Entertainer Fabian. Players will have an opportunity to summon this ghostly human through a limited time Classic Fusion event from March 10th through the 26th. To celebrate all fans of RAID, players will also receive a five-day gift chain by logging in on five non-consecutive days now through March 31st.

    “We are so proud of the passionate and engaging community that RAID has built over the last six years, as well as the equally passionate development team that works tirelessly to ensure every player has new experiences to enjoy,” said Schraga Mor, CEO of Plarium. “During a time where gamers have never had more options, we are humbled that so many gamers join the Raid universe every day as their gaming destination of choice. This celebration is for you.”

    Beyond in-game activities, players can expect exciting community events, along with a special CG animation featuring one of RAID’s original and iconic Champions, Galek, who’s been enjoying a peaceful retirement until an unexpected call to action shakes things up. As a callback to one of the game’s most storied heroes, Legendary Champion Supreme Galek will be given away to new players via an exclusive promo code.

    RAID: Shadow Legends is available to download on the App Store, Google Play, Galaxy Store, and most recently, Aptoide. It is also available on PC through the Microsoft Store, Epic Store, Steam, or the Plarium Play platform.

    About Plarium
    Plarium (www.plarium.com) is an international gaming company founded in 2009, headquartered in Israel, with over 1,300 employees across Europe. Plarium has built a global footprint for its games and a resilient business based on popular evergreen IPs. Its flagship title, RAID: Shadow Legends, is one of the top-grossing turn-based RPGs on mobile and PC. The studio also powers its success with PlariumPlay, a direct-to-consumer PC platform, and GoGame, a proprietary user acquisition and marketing platform built into its IT infrastructure.

    To learn more about Plarium, follow @PlariumGames on YouTube, @Plarium on Instagram, and Plarium on LinkedIn.

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: CPPCC members commend China’s achievements

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) took part in a group interview with the press in Beijing on March 4 ahead of the opening of its third session, sharing insights on China’s new milestones and prospects.

    Members of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC take part in a group interview at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, March 4, 2025. [Photo by Zheng Liang/China.org.cn]
    Lin Songtian, deputy director of the CPPCC National Committee’s Foreign Affairs Committee, called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) a landmark project linking five continents, promoting global prosperity and benefiting current and future generations.
    “The initiative has benefited people in over 150 countries, paving a new path for cooperation, mutual benefit and shared development worldwide,” Lin told reporters at the Great Hall of the People. He noted that the BRI has driven development in partner countries, improved investment environments and established numerous economic zones and industrial parks, creating vast employment opportunities, enhancing livelihoods and enabling Chinese enterprises to expand globally with robust infrastructure, legal and policy support.
    Since 2013, the BRI has delivered global benefits through key projects: the China-Laos Railway boosted Asia’s regional connectivity, the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway provided Ethiopia sea port access, Peru’s Chancay Port became a green, smart logistics hub, and the China-Europe Railway Express strengthened Asia-Europe ties, connecting 25 countries and over 220 cities with more than 100,000 freight trains.
    “With joint efforts from all parties, high-quality BRI cooperation will allow Chinese people to pursue their dreams worldwide with greater accessibility, while enabling more people around the globe to share in development opportunities and prosperity,” he said.
    Qiao Hong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and CPPCC member, highlighted China’s remarkable progress in humanoid robotics in recent years, noting that the country now accounts for more than half of global robot deployment and leads the world in related technologies.
    Qiao emphasized that humanoid robots, a key manifestation of artificial intelligence (AI) and a vital platform for general-purpose physical AI systems, represent the cutting edge of technological evolution. She added that the “Q-series” humanoid robots, independently developed by the CAS’ Institute of Automation, have successfully established the core technological foundation for the humanoid robot mega-factory.
    “As part of China’s national strategic technological force, we will continue to harness our technological advancements and talent resources to solidify the nation’s core technological foundation and advance China’s goal of becoming a global technological powerhouse,” Qiao said.

    Members of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC take part in a group interview at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, March 4, 2025. [Photo by Zheng Liang/China.org.cn]
    Jin Li, vice-president of the Southern University of Science and Technology and CPPCC member, addressed challenges posed by China’s aging population, highlighting efforts to develop the silver economy and improve the well-being of elderly people.
    China’s silver economy, driven by its aging population, is set for significant growth, potentially creating 100 million jobs by 2050 and tapping into a market worth $4 trillion by 2035, boosting economic vitality. Currently, there are more than 300 million people aged 60 and above in China, with this figure expected to exceed 400 million by 2035.
    “The growing population aged 60 to 70 brings a wealth of energy and experience. A silver think tank can unlock opportunities in this demographic,” Jin said, noting that improving education and health care enables older individuals to continue making significant contributions to the workforce and society.
    Jin highlighted that the needs of China’s aging population are shifting from basic necessities like clothing, food, shelter and transportation to personal growth, including health care, elderly care, leisure and exploration, as the silver economy offers vast opportunities in terms of both supply and demand.
    Yan Jianbing, president of Huazhong Agricultural University and CPPCC member, emphasized that China’s innovation in agricultural science and technology ranks among the world’s highest, making significant contributions to agricultural progress.
    Yan expressed optimism in maintaining food security, praising the efforts of agricultural science and technology workers. In 2024, China’s grain output exceeded 700 million metric tons for the first time, with per capita availability surpassing 500 kilograms — well above the international food security threshold.

    Members of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC take part in a group interview at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, March 4, 2025. [Photo by Zheng Liang/China.org.cn]
    Zhao Hong, chief physician at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences’ Cancer Hospital and CPPCC member, highlighted China’s remarkable progress in biopharmaceutical innovation in recent years, aimed at better safeguarding public health. Last year, the nation approved 48 novel drugs and 65 innovative medical devices, with the number of novel medicines in the pipeline ranking second globally.
    “China has shifted from imitation to innovation in the biopharmaceutical field, significantly enhancing its capabilities and demonstrating a promising future,” Zhao said.
    CPPCC member Zhou Lan also noted China’s increased efforts to renovate old residential areas, creating modern and convenient living environments. Over 66,000 urban renewal projects have been carried out, updating and renovating 250,000 old neighborhoods, benefiting more than 100 million residents.
    “These urban renewal projects have not only optimized residents’ living conditions but also attracted new, efficient investment to these cities while preserving their cultural and historical heritage,” she said.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transforming the Future: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Korea

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    Summary

    This paper examines the economic impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Korea. Korea is among the global frontrunners in AI adoption, with higher adoption rates among larger, younger, and technologically advanced firms. AI holds the promise for boosting productivity and output, though the effects are more pronounced among larger and mature Korean firms. About half of jobs are exposed to AI, with higher exposures among female, younger, more educated, and higher income workers. Korea’s strong innovation and digital infrastructure highlights its AI readiness, while enhancing labor market flexibility and social safety nets are essential to fully harness AI’s potential.

    Subject: Aging, Digitalization, Employment, Human capital, Labor, Labor market policy, Labor markets, Population and demographics, Production, Productivity, Technology

    Keywords: Aging, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization, Employment, Growth, Human capital, Labor force, Labor market, Labor market policy, Labor markets, Productivity, Productivity, Total factor productivity

    MIL OSI Economics –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 26

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 26
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    745 AM EST Wed Mar 5 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Central and Eastern North Carolina
    Central and Eastern South Carolina
    Coastal Waters

    * Effective this Wednesday morning and afternoon from 745 AM
    until 100 PM EST.

    * Primary threats include…
    A couple tornadoes possible
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely

    SUMMARY…A broken squall line will continue east across the Watch
    area through the midday into the early afternoon. Very strong wind
    fields and a destabilizing airmass will support the potential for
    embedded circulations in the squall line to pose a risk for damaging
    gusts (55-70 mph) and a threat for tornadoes.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 95 statute miles
    east and west of a line from 50 miles north of Raleigh NC to 10
    miles south of Charleston SC. For a complete depiction of the watch
    see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

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

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 25…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 0.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 300. Mean
    storm motion vector 24035.

    …Smith

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW6
    WW 26 TORNADO NC SC CW 051245Z – 051800Z
    AXIS..95 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    50N RDU/RALEIGH NC/ – 10S CHS/CHARLESTON SC/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 80NM E/W /43N RDU – 8S CHS/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..0.5 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 300. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.

    LAT…LON 36577707 32747840 32748166 36578049

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

    Watch 26 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Mod (40%)

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

    Low (20%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (10%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low ( 2 inches

    Low (

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cutting-Edge Research on AI Security bolstered with new Challenge Fund to ramp up public trust and adoption

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Cutting-Edge Research on AI Security bolstered with new Challenge Fund to ramp up public trust and adoption

    AI security research and protecting critical systems will be the focus of the first grant fund created under the AI Security Institute.

    • AI security research and protecting critical systems will be the focus of the first grant fund created under the AI Security Institute
    • Researchers worldwide can access grants up to £200,000 for innovative research to harden critical industries, prevent AI misuse, and ensure oversight and control of these highly capable systems
    • New work will increase public confidence in the technology, driving up adoption and boosting growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change

    The first ever Challenge Fund launched under the AI Security Institute today (Wednesday 5 March) will focus on areas critical to the UK’s national security such as AI misuse, bolstering public confidence in the technology and leading to greater AI adoption across the economy as a central pillar of the government’s Plan for Change.

    Researchers covering a range of AI security threats, such as protecting critical systems from failure and preventing AI misuse, can now apply for fresh funding to strengthen UK defences, as part of a £5 million programme.  As AI capabilities advance, so do the risks, making investment in robust security research more urgent than ever. By tackling these risks head on, the government will also boost public trust in AI – helping to remove barriers for those looking to adopt the technology to drive forward growth, innovation, and new opportunities in all areas of the economy.

    Led by the UK’s AI Security Institute, the Challenge Fund will award grants of up to £200,000 per project to address pressing, open questions in AI security and safety – with researchers being called on to put their proposals forward.  

    This initiative reinforces the Institute’s renewed security focus, building a strong evidence base to understand and mitigate the most serious threats posed by advanced AI systems. It will also ensure the UK’s critical infrastructure is protected as the government looks to unlock AI’s full potential and boost adoption across the economy – ramping up productivity and ensuring more innovative AI is developed on UK shores as part of the Plan for Change.
     
    Minister for AI and Digital Government Feryal Clark said: 

    AI is at the heart of our Plan for Change – driving economic growth, creating jobs, and transforming public services for people across the country. But to unlock its full potential, we must ensure AI systems are secure, resilient, and trusted – with safety baked in from the start.

    This fund supports world-class research to tackle the toughest safety and security challenges in AI, protecting critical infrastructure and removing barriers to adoption. By addressing these challenges head-on, we’re laying the foundations for AI to boost productivity, strengthen public services and power a decade of national renewal. 

    The fund will focus on supporting research tackling 4 critical AI security and safety challenges. As AI integrates into financial markets, healthcare and energy grids, failures or misuse could cause systemic disruptions and security risks – as such, the research will help boost confidence in AI and make sure our economy is better protected.  

    Ensuring human oversight is another priority, as AI takes on complex decision-making roles. The fund will support research into robust controls which will allow humans to reliably monitor and intervene to prevent any emerging risks, even as AI systems operate autonomously. This funding will support research to strengthen protections and reduce these risks. 

    AI Security Institute Chair Ian Hogarth said: 

    This fund directly supports researchers seeking to understand and address the most urgent AI risks – whether that’s ensuring AI systems remain resilient against misuse, ensuring human oversight over autonomous systems or strengthening our society against emerging threats.

    Making sure AI systems are aligned and operate with human oversight are 2 of the key open questions in technical AI safety. By funding high-impact research across these priority areas, we’re building the evidence base needed to develop a robust understanding of, and real-world solutions for, the most urgent security risks AI presents.

    By advancing AI security, the fund will bolster public confidence, drive long-term economic growth, and cement the UK’s leadership in responsible AI development. This aligns with the government’s Plan for Change, accelerating AI adoption to enhance productivity and improve public services nationwide. 

    The AI Security Institute will provide grants to researchers and non-profit organisations worldwide with clear, tangible security solutions. Proposals will be assessed on their potential impact, with priority given to innovations that would not be realised without this support.

    Further information

    Visit the AI Security Institute website for further details. Applications open on 5 March 2025, with successful projects announced within 12 weeks.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

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    Published 5 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Attention Electronic Music Producers and DJs: Last call to board the WAVES 2025 Challenge bus!

    Source: Government of India

    Attention Electronic Music Producers and DJs: Last call to board the WAVES 2025 Challenge bus!

    Registration Deadline for ‘Resonate: The EDM Challenge’ extended to March 31st, 2025

    Don’t Miss Your Chance to shine on the Global Stage to showcase your talent for electronic music!

    Posted On: 05 MAR 2025 4:26PM by PIB Mumbai

    : Mumbai, March 5, 2025

    World Audio and Video Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 is providing a platform for aspiring DJs, producers, and electronic music artists to shine and showcase their talents in electronic music and DJ artistry! So, if you are an electronic music producer and have a flair for DJing, then the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 is the ultimate stage to showcase your talents.

    The Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) in collaboration with Indian Music Industry (IMI) is organizing “Resonate: The EDM Challenge” as part of the ‘Create in India Challenge’ which offers an exciting opportunity to showcase your creative talents and innovation in the world of audio, visual, and entertainment. The competition is open to artists, composers, musicians, and performers from any country with prior experience in creating and producing Electronic Dance Music (EDM). This challenge seeks to strengthen India’s status as a global center for music fusion, electronic music and DJing artistry. The theme of the competition is “Resonate: The EDM Challenge” focusing on the use of Global music styles to create a cohesive and culturally rich musical piece.

    Due to an overwhelming demand for this genre of music, the registration deadline for the EDM Challenge has been officially extended to March 31st, 2025.

    For details on eligibility criteria, click here.

    To Register, click on to https://indianmi.org/resonate-the-edm-challenge/    

    Further details here.  and here.

    This is a golden opportunity for electronic music enthusiasts and performers to make a mark in the global electronic dance music scene. So, make best use of this final chance to be part of this groundbreaking competition under the ‘Create in India Challenges’ initiative at the WAVES 2025.

    About the Grand Finale of “Resonate: The EDM Challenge”: 

    The grand finale of this Challenge, which will take place in Mumbai between May 1-4, 2025,  will be an opportunity for the top 10 finalists to perform in front of all the who’s who of the electronic music industry. This unmatched exposure will earn them unmatched recognition by the audience, creators, music producers, and industry stalwarts. Hence, the finalists will also have a chance to collaborate and network with upcoming artists as well as prominent creators as part of India’s creative sphere.

    The clock is ticking, and the beats are dropping!  Don’t let this opportunity provided by the Union Ministry of Information slip away.

    The world is ready to listen to you. Are you ready to drop the beat?

    For further details, contact – wavesatinfo@indianmi.org

    Scan the QR Code to register in Resonate: The EDM Challenge

    About WAVES 2025:

    The first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), a milestone event for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, will be hosted by the Government of India in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from May 1 to 4, 2025.

    Whether you’re an industry professional, investor, creator, or innovator, the Summit offers the ultimate global platform to connect, collaborate, innovate and contribute to the M&E landscape.

    WAVES is set to magnify India’s creative strength, amplifying its position as a hub for content creation, intellectual property, and technological innovation. Industries and sectors in focus include Broadcasting, Print Media, Television, Radio, Films, Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Sound and Music, Advertising, Digital Media, Social Media Platforms, Generative AI, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Extended Reality (XR).

    Have questions? Find answers here  

    Come, Sail with us! Register for WAVES now (Coming soon!).

    *** 

    PIB TEAM WAVES 2025 | Nikita Joshi/ Sriyanka Chatterjee/ Preeti Malandkar | –

    (Release ID: 2108493) Visitor Counter : 79

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – KAMAʻĀINA ARTISTS SELECTED FOR RESIDENCY PROGRAM, March 4, 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – KAMAʻĀINA ARTISTS SELECTED FOR RESIDENCY PROGRAM, March 4, 2025

    Posted on Mar 4, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ʻOIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    DAWN CHANG

    CHAIR

     

    KAMAʻĀINA ARTISTS SELECTED FOR RESIDENCY PROGRAM

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    March 4, 2025

     

    HONOLULU – Four artists have been selected as the state of Hawaiʻiʻs Climate Artists in Residence. The innovative programseeks to engage local artists in the co-development of Hawaiʻi’s Climate Action Pathways (CAP) through creating works across a range of artistic media. The awardees stood out from a competitive applicant pool of 65 artists representing a range of media from throughout Hawaiʻi.

     

    The selected artists will each receive a stipend of $5,000, plus $2,000 for materials.

    They are:

     

    • Keisha Tanaka, an ʻōiwi photographer whose works capture the intimate moments that weave together the rich tapestry of her community’s stories.
    • Benjamin Fairfield, an educator whose work turns trash into music and musical instruments, reminding us that everything we attempt to cast away has potential, worth, and purpose.
    • Gillian Dueñas, a Chamoru painter who uses art to connect with her ancestors and homeland while in the diaspora.
    •  Erin Voss, a designer whose work visualizes the complex relationships between communities and ecosystems.

     

     

    “The response to this call was truly stunning,” said Leah Laramee, State Climate Coordinator. “Our goal is to co-develop the CAP in a manner that speaks to people, and it is clear that art is one of those pathways.” Through art, this unique program aims to inspire and connect Hawaiʻi residents to critical climate change challenges.

     

    The artists will engage in the development of key topics from the CAP, including cultural knowledge, land stewardship, energy efficiency, transportation decarbonization, and community resilience.

     

    “The secure future of Indigenous communities is my priority. Discussions about climate change can be very traumatizing and anxiety inducing for our peoples, so I use art as a medicine and tool for instilling hope. I am thrilled to be working with native, Pasifika, local, county, and state organizations to continue doing this work,” said Gillian Dueñas, one of the selected artists. “Our Pasifika ancestors have always been innovators and visionaries, and art is the legacy that they have left for us to inherit and use as a tool to sustain our peoples.”

     

    Artists will participate in subject matter meetings throughout the year and will have the chance to visit related projects on the ground. The finished artworks will be exhibited at the Capitol Modern, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum in Honolulu, from October 1-31, 2025. This project, in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program, aligns with the CCMAC’s mission to promote ambitious, climate-neutral, and culturally responsive strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation in Hawaiʻi.

     

    # # #

    RESOURCES

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

     

    Photographs – Artists and artwork: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/4g21yhcltn1wk7n3ya3yz/AMWSCZ0Xp7sFaJr0Gxt5biI?rlkey=fw9r26vboticm3ov1udb5gml5&st=xtrukabs&dl=0

    For full application details and more information on the artists and the work of CCMAC, go to CCMAC’s website at: https://climate.hawaii.gov/art/

    For more information about the CAP, please contact: Udi Mandel Butler, Climate Action Program Manager at CCMAC, [email protected]

     

     

    Media contact:

    Patti Jette

    Communications Specialist

    Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    Phone: 808-587-0396

    Email: [email protected]

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025-33 WALGREENS AGREES TO NEARLY $98 MILLION SETTLEMENT TO RESOLVE ALLEGATIONS IT BILLED THE GOVERNMENT FOR UNCOLLECTED PRESCRIPTIONS

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    2025-33 WALGREENS AGREES TO NEARLY $98 MILLION SETTLEMENT TO RESOLVE ALLEGATIONS IT BILLED THE GOVERNMENT FOR UNCOLLECTED PRESCRIPTIONS

    Posted on Mar 4, 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

     

    WALGREENS AGREES TO PAY NEARLY $98 MILLION TO RESOLVE ALLEGATIONS IT BILLED THE GOVERNMENT FOR UNCOLLECTED PRESCRIPTIONS

     

    News Release 2025-33

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

    March 4, 2025

     

    HONOLULU – Attorney General Anne Lopez announced today that the state of Hawai‘i has joined the 49 other attorneys general in a settlement against Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. and Walgreen Co. (together, Walgreens). Under the terms of the agreement, Walgreens — which operates one of the largest retail pharmacy chains in the country from its headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois — will pay $97.8 million to resolve allegations that it unlawfully billed government health care programs for prescriptions that were never collected or otherwise received by patients.

     

    The settlement agreement will resolve allegations set forth in two qui tam lawsuits: the Turck Civil Action (United States ex rel. Turck, et al. v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., et al., No. 4:19-cv-315 (E.D. Tex. filed Apr. 26, 2019)); and the Jacob Civil Action(United States, et al. ex rel. Jacob v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., No. 8:20-cv-858-T-60TGW (M.D. Fla. filed Apr. 23, 2020)). These lawsuits specifically allege that between 2009 and 2020, Walgreens unlawfully billed Medicare, Medicaid, and other government health care programs for prescriptions drugs that were never picked up by beneficiaries.  As a result of this unlawful conduct, Walgreens received tens of millions of dollars for uncollected prescriptions that it never actually provided to patients.

     

    After the suits were filed, Walgreens implemented enhancements to its billing systems designed to prevent any future unlawful billing for uncollected prescriptions. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Walgreens received credit for self-disclosing certain claims, and for previously refunding $66.3 million in connection with the settled claims. The total recovery for all Medicaid programs under the settlement is $9.6 million. Of that amount, Hawai‘i will receive $3,524.83 in recoveries.

     

    A National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (NAMFCU) Team investigated the allegations in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice and United States Attorneys’ Offices in Texas and Florida. The NAMFCU Team included representatives from the respective Office of the Attorney General for the states of Wisconsin, California, Texas, Maine, Oregon and Massachusetts.

     

    Landon M.M. Murata, the Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (Hawai‘i MFCU), under the Department of the Attorney General, and Judy Mohr Peterson, Ph.D., Med-QUEST Division Administrator at the Department of Human Services, entered into the settlement agreement on behalf of the state of Hawai‘i.

     

    “This is a significant win in the fight against healthcare fraud in our country. We appreciate all the hard work and dedication of our federal and state partners who made this settlement possible. It is important that remain vigilant to ensure that taxpayer dollars dedicated to supporting our critical healthcare programs like Medicaid, are not being squandered.” said Hawaiʻi MFCU Director Murata.

     

    The Hawai‘i MFCU is a specialized unit within the Department of the Attorney General that is charged with conducting criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions of (1) provider fraud against the Medicaid Program, (2) fraud in the administration of the Medicaid Program, and (3) abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries and residents of board and care facilities throughout the state of Hawai‘i.

     

    The Walgreens settlement agreement with Hawaiʻi can be found here.

     

    # # #

     

    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 –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ ETFs Announces Distributions on FIAT (101.61%), ULTY (82.09%), CONY (79.47%), YMAX (85.55%), YMAG (48.55%) and Others

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ today announced distributions for the YieldMax™ Weekly Payers and Group C ETFs listed in the table below.

    ETF Ticker1 ETF Name Distribution Frequency Distribution per Share Distribution Rate2,4 30-Day
    SEC Yield3
    ROC5 Ex-Date & Record Date Payment Date
    QDTY YieldMax™ Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.1580 – – 33.90% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    SDTY YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.1709 – – 100.00% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    GPTY YieldMax™ AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.3094 37.80% 0.00% 0.00% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    LFGY YieldMax™ Crypto Industry
    & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF
    Weekly $0.4637 61.48% 0.00% 0.00% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    YMAX YieldMax™ Universe
    Fund of Option Income ETFs
    Weekly $0.2405 85.55% 85.03% 48.89% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    YMAG YieldMax™ Magnificent 7
    Fund of Option Income ETFs
    Weekly $0.1514 48.55% 61.87% 55.46% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    CONY YieldMax™ COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.5989 79.47% 4.56% 94.78% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    FIAT YieldMax™ Short COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.6834 101.61% 3.52% 96.91% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    MSFO YieldMax™ MSFT Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.2845 22.70% 3.53% 83.81% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    AMDY YieldMax™ AMD Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.2533 40.54% 4.02% 92.00% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    NFLY YieldMax™ NFLX Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.4008 29.38% 3.23% 0.00% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    ABNY YieldMax™ ABNB Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.4805 42.34% 2.98% 92.39% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    PYPY YieldMax™ PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.3773 35.98% 4.20% 90.73% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    ULTY* YieldMax™ Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.4653 82.09% 0.00% 78.20% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    CVNY YieldMax™ CVNA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $3.9149 – – 96.80% 3/6/25 3/7/25
    Weekly Payers & Group D ETFs scheduled for next week: ULTY QDTY SDTY GPTY LFGY YMAX YMAG MSTY YQQQ AMZY APLY AIYY DISO SQY SMCY
     

    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling (833) 378-0717.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH and YQQQ are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs.”

    Distributions are not guaranteed.   The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    *Starting March 12, 2025, ULTY intends to distribute weekly income to shareholders. The dates for ULTY ’s future distributions will be those set forth in the YieldMax Distribution Schedule.

    1All YieldMax™ ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, YMAG and FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax™ ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.   
    2The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on March 4, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.
    3 The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended February 28, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.
    4 Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.
    5 ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage is the portion of the distribution that represents an investor’s original investment.

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Standardized Performance

    For YMAX, click here. For YMAG, click here. For TSLY, click here. For OARK, click here. For APLY, click here. For NVDY, click here. For AMZY, click here. For FBY, click here. For GOOY, click here. For NFLY, click here. For CONY, click here. For MSFO, click here. For DISO, click here. For XOMO, click here. For JPMO, click here. For AMDY, click here. For PYPY, click here. For SQY, click here. For MRNY, click here. For AIYY, click here. For MSTY, click here. For ULTY, click here. For YBIT, click here. For CRSH, click here. For GDXY, click here. For SNOY, click here. For ABNY, click here. For FIAT, click here. For DIPS, click here. For BABO, click here. For YQQQ, click here. For TSMY, click here. For SMCY, click here. For PLTY, click here. For BIGY, click here. For SOXY, click here. For MARO, click here. For FEAT, click here. For FIVY, click here. For LFGY, click here. For GPTY, click here. For CVNY, click here. For SDTY, click here. For QDTY, click here.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax™ ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)

    YMAX, YMAG, FEAT and FIVY generally invest in other YieldMax™ ETFs. As such, these two Funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax™ ETFs they may hold from time to time.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Referenced Index Risk. The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Index (or the Index ETFs). This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of companies that comprised the Index or an ETF that tracks the Index, even though it does not.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way. Investors in the Fund will not have the right to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to the companies that comprise the Index but will be subject to declines in the performance of the Index.

    Russell 2000 Index Risks. The Index, which consists of small-cap U.S. companies, is particularly susceptible to economic changes, as these firms often have less financial resilience than larger companies. Market volatility can disproportionately affect these smaller businesses, leading to significant price swings. Additionally, these companies are often more exposed to specific industry risks and have less diverse revenue streams. They can also be more vulnerable to changes in domestic regulatory or policy environments.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax™ ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, or YieldMax™ ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax™ ETFs

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Victor Ciardelli Appoints Shant Banosian as President of Rate Mortgage while Continuing as CEO and President of All Rate Companies

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Victor Ciardelli proudly announces the appointment of Shant Banosian as President of Rate Mortgage. With Rate Mortgage being the last Rate company without a dedicated president—Banosian will partner with Ciardelli to help take Rate Mortgage to the next level of innovation and excellence in the industry. Ciardelli will continue to work closely with the Presidents of all 15 Rate Companies, reinforcing Rate’s status as one of the nation’s top mortgage lenders and a pioneer in fintech and holistic financial wellness.

    Welcomed Partnership & Help

    As CEO and President of Rate Companies, Ciardelli is known for industry innovation and transformation, starting with the release of the first Digital Mortgage, most recently the Same Day Mortgage, and many other industry transformations. Ciardelli is a student of using technology and streamlining business operations to provide better products, service, and pricing to the consumer.

    The 15 Presidents, who oversee 10 mortgage companies, two AI technology companies, a title company, an insurance company, and the personal lending group, will continue to report to and work directly with Ciardelli as he partners with Banosian to elevate Rate Mortgage into the premier mortgage company in the industry.

    Ciardelli described Banosian’s appointment as a pivotal moment for the company, “There is no one in the industry that I would rather partner with than Shant. He is a transformative leader whose relentless drive, strategic mindset, and commitment to excellence have set a new standard in the mortgage industry. He embodies the best of Rate’s culture and values, and we are partnering to take Rate Mortgage to the next level. His expertise and vision will inspire the Rate team and the entire industry.”

    Ciardelli added, “At Rate, we never stand still and are never satisfied. Our mission is to push boundaries, relentlessly innovate, and empower our customers, loan officers, and referral partners with the best technology and platform in the industry. With Shant joining me in top leadership, we’re doubling down on our vision to make homeownership more cost-effective, faster, smarter, and more accessible than ever.”

    A Proven Leader in the Mortgage Industry

    Over the past two decades, Banosian has funded over $10 billion in total loan volume and secured his place as the top loan officer in the U.S. over the past six consecutive years. In 2024, Banosian funded over $1B in volume as the #1 loan officer in the country. Ciardelli describes Banosian as “the Best of the Best in the industry.” He continues, “There is not a better loan professional on the planet to lead Rate Mortgage to its next level of dominance. He is a leader and a teacher all in one and will build the best team of Loan Officers in the industry. Elevating Shant Banosian as President of Rate Mortgage is a natural progression of our shared ambition and complementary strengths, positioning Rate for accelerated growth and reinforcing its industry leadership.”

    Banosian, who has closed over 40,000 loans, firmly believes in education-based lending, customer-first service, and intelligent business scaling. As President of Rate Mortgage, his focus will be on driving innovation, enhancing operational efficiency, and fostering an environment he describes as a “Loan Officer’s Paradise”—a place where professionals have everything they need to thrive and best serve their customers in a rapidly evolving market; a place where a loan officer can easily double and triple their business while better serving their customers; a place that optimally serves our aspiring and existing homeowners, Realtors, and business partners.

    Banosian has built a record-breaking career focusing on strategic growth, operational efficiency, and exceptional customer service. His ability to adapt to market shifts, leverage technology, and lead high-performing teams has made him one of the most respected figures in the mortgage industry. “The mortgage industry is evolving fast, and I am excited to build on Victor Ciardelli’s amazing vision and lead Rate Mortgage into the future,” said Banosian. “We are committed to empowering customers, real estate professionals, and loan officers with the ultimate tools, education, and service available, ensuring that every interaction exceeds expectations.”

    A Passion for Giving Back
    Beyond his professional success, Banosian is deeply committed to philanthropy and community impact. He actively supports a range of charitable organizations, including:

     • The Rate Foundation: Providing financial assistance to individuals and families facing unexpected hardships—a cause Banosian has personally supported since the foundation’s inception.
    • St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: Supporting the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases, with over $500,000 raised through team efforts.
    • The Greater Boston Food Bank: Working to end hunger and provide healthy meals for families in need.
    • Soles4Souls: Turning unwanted shoes and clothing into opportunities for people in need worldwide.

    “Giving back is not just a responsibility, but an important core value of Victor and the company culture,” Banosian said. “It is a privilege to give back, and it is a core part of who we are at Rate.”

    About Rate

    Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate has over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include Best Mortgage Lender for First-Time Homebuyers by NerdWallet for 2023; HousingWire’s Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashClose℠ digital mortgage platform in 2020, MyAccount in 2022, and Language Access Program in 2023; the most Scotsman Guide Top Originators for 11 consecutive years; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven straight years. Visit rate.com for more information.

    Media Contact

    press@rate.com

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Next Week: HackerRank’s AI Day Returns, Featuring Tech Hiring Insights, Innovation Showcase, Sessions from GitHub, Perplexity and More

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CUPERTINO, Calif., March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    WHO: HackerRank, the Developer Skills Company  
    WHAT: Will spotlight the transformational power of human-first AI during its annual AI Day virtual event.   
    WHEN: Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at noon ET  
    WHERE: For event information, including registration details, visit https://www.hackerrank.com/ai-day.  

    DETAILS:

    With AI setting new standards of innovation across the tech industry, accelerating the pace of change and redefining the role of developers, many companies are having difficulty keeping pace with the expectations of this critical talent pool. HackerRank’s AI Day will take a deep dive into the potential of human-first AI strategies, highlighting the evolving role of AI in tech hiring and skill development.

    Following the opening keynote from CEO Vivek Ravisankar, attendees will have the chance to experience HackerRank’s latest AI innovations, from AI proctored coding assessments to unlocking new career opportunities in tech. Helping to drive the Human + AI revolution, HackerRank’s AI Day will also feature sessions with Thomas Dohmke, CEO of GitHub and Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI. Offering his insider perspective, Dohmke will consider how AI is influencing software development trends and reshaping engineer workflows and what this means for the tech industry. In a fireside chat, Ravisankar and Srinivas will discuss how AI-powered knowledge systems are impacting real-world decision-making for individuals and businesses.

    HackerRank’s AI Day is designed for developers as well as tech and talent leaders. To register, visit https://www.hackerrank.com/ai-day.

    About HackerRank
    HackerRank, the Developer Skills Company, leads the market with over 2,500 customers and a community of over 25 million developers. Having pioneered this space, companies trust HackerRank to help them set up a skills strategy, showcase their brand to developers, implement a skills-based hiring process, and ultimately upskill and certify employees…all driven by AI. Learn more at hackerrank.com.

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Lantronix to Participate in 37th Annual ROTH Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IRVINE, Calif., March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lantronix Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRX), a global leader of compute and connectivity for IoT solutions enabling AI Edge Intelligence, today announced that Lantronix CEO Saleel Awsare will be a presenter at the 37th Annual ROTH Conference being held March 16–18, 2025, at the Laguna Cliff Marriott Resort & Spa in Dana Point, Calif. He will participate in the “Edge Compute & AI” panel on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.

    Awsare and Brent Stringham, CFO at Lantronix, will also participate in one-on-one meetings. To request a one-on-one meeting with Lantronix, please email oneonone@roth.com or contact your ROTH sales representative. To learn more and submit a registration request, visit www.roth.com/oc2025.

    About Lantronix

    Lantronix Inc. is a global leader of compute and connectivity IoT solutions that target high-growth markets, including Smart Cities, Enterprise and Transportation. Lantronix’s products and services empower companies to succeed in the growing IoT markets by delivering customizable solutions that enable AI Edge Intelligence. Lantronix’s advanced solutions include Intelligent Substations infrastructure, Infotainment systems and Video Surveillance, supplemented with advanced Out-of-Band Management (OOB) for Cloud and Edge Computing.

    For more information, visit the Lantronix website.

    “Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements related to Lantronix products or leadership team. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, future business, financial condition, or performance to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained in this news release. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, such factors as the effects of negative or worsening regional and worldwide economic conditions or market instability on our business, including effects on purchasing decisions by our customers; our ability to mitigate any disruption in our and our suppliers’ and vendors’ supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other outbreaks, wars and recent tensions in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, or other factors; future responses to and effects of public health crises; cybersecurity risks; changes in applicable U.S. and foreign government laws, regulations, and tariffs; our ability to successfully implement our acquisitions strategy or integrate acquired companies; difficulties and costs of protecting patents and other proprietary rights; the level of our indebtedness, our ability to service our indebtedness and the restrictions in our debt agreements; and any additional factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Sept. 9, 2024, including in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of Part I of that report, as well as in our other public filings with the SEC. Additional risk factors may be identified from time to time in our future filings. In addition, actual results may differ as a result of additional risks and uncertainties about which we are currently unaware or which we do not currently view as material to our business. For these reasons, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements we make speak only as of the date on which they are made. We expressly disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof to conform such statements to actual results or to changes in our opinions or expectations, except as required by applicable law or the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. If we do update or correct any forward-looking statements, investors should not conclude that we will make additional updates or corrections.

    ©2025 Lantronix, Inc. All rights reserved. Lantronix is a registered trademark. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

    Lantronix Media Contact:
    Gail Kathryn Miller
    Corporate Marketing &
    Communications Manager
    media@lantronix.com

    Lantronix Analyst and Investor Contact:
    investors@lantronix.com

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: NuVista Energy Ltd. Announces Record Year End 2024 Reserves, Financial and Operating Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NuVista Energy Ltd. (“NuVista” or the “Company“) (TSX: NVA) is pleased to announce record-setting reserves and strong financial and operating results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024. The repeatable, predictable and profitable nature of our assets have once again underpinned significant growth in our reserves. Continued success in the Lower Montney and sanctioning of our Gold Creek area expansion have set the stage for continued growth toward 125,000 Boe/d. We are entering 2025 in a strong financial position with operational momentum and a commitment to shareholder returns. We are pleased to reaffirm our annual capital and production guidance for the year.

    Operational and Financial Highlights

    During the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, NuVista:

    • Produced an average of 85,635 Boe/d in the fourth quarter, exceeding our guidance range of 83,000 – 84,000 Boe/d. We achieved our highest-ever annual average production of 83,084 Boe/d, an 8% increase from 2023. Annual production composition aligned with guidance, with a volume weighting of 30% condensate, 9% NGLs and 61% natural gas;
    • Successfully executed a capital expenditure(2) program, investing $498.9 million in well and facility activities, including the drilling of 43 wells and the completion of 38 wells throughout the year. Fourth quarter, capital expenditures totaled $71.1 million, with 9 wells drilled;
    • Delivered annual adjusted funds flow(1) of $552.2 million ($2.68/share, basic(3)), with adjusted funds flow from the fourth quarter contributing $137.1 million ($0.67/share, basic);
    • Generated free adjusted funds flow(2) of $39.6 million for the year ($0.19/share, basic(3));
    • Repurchased and cancelled 5.9 million common shares in 2024 at an average price of $12.52 per common share, for a total cost of $74.4 million. Since the inception of the Company’s normal course issuer bid (“NCIB”) in 2022, we have repurchased and cancelled 36.5 million common shares for an aggregate cost of $438.3 million or $12.01 per share;
    • Exited the year with $5.4 million drawn on our $450 million credit facility and net debt(1) of $232.5 million, maintaining a favorable net debt to annualized fourth quarter adjusted funds flow(1) ratio of 0.4x;
    • Achieved annual net earnings of $305.7 million ($1.48/share, basic), including $99.2 million ($0.48/share, basic) in the fourth quarter;
    • Added LNG sales to our natural gas diversification portfolio by gaining exposure to the Japan/Korea marker (“JKM”) through a netback agreement with Trafigura based on 21,000 MMbtu/d of LNG for a period of up to thirteen years commencing January 1, 2027; and
    • Recognized as part of the TSX30 for the third consecutive year. The TSX30 recognizes the thirty top-performing companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) over the prior three-year period (see www.tsx.com/tsx30). We ranked a notable sixth place overall.

    Notes:

    (1) Each of “adjusted funds flow”, “net debt” and “net debt to annualized fourth quarter adjusted funds flow” are capital management measures. Reference should be made to the section entitled “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures” in this press release.
    (2) Each of “free adjusted funds flow” and “capital expenditures” are non-GAAP financial measures that do not have any standardized meanings under IFRS Accounting Standards and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies where similar terminology is used. Reference should be made to the section entitled “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures” in this press release.
    (3) Each of “adjusted funds flow per share” and “free adjusted funds flow per share” are supplementary financial measures. Reference should be made to the section entitled “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures” in this press release.
       

    Significant Profitable and Repeatable Reserves Growth

    NuVista is pleased to announce the results of our year end 2024 independent reserves evaluation conducted by GLJ Ltd. (“GLJ”) effective as at December 31, 2024 (the “GLJ Report”). NuVista’s proven track record of continuous improvement, along with the substantial depth and quality of our undeveloped resources, reinforces our ability to deliver sustained shareholder returns in our journey to 125,000 Boe/d.

    Our GLJ Report includes the following key accomplishments:

    • Reported Proved Developed Producing (“PDP”) reserves of 177.3 MMBoe, a year-over-year increase of 9%, or a 12% increase on a per share basis, driven by a successful 2024 development program and 2% positive technical revisions due to new well outperformance;
    • Recorded Total Proved plus Probable (“TP+PA”) reserves of 779.7 MMBoe, a year-over-year increase of 21%, or a 24% increase on a per share basis, attributed to the continued success in NuVista’s multi-layer Montney development in Pipestone and successful Lower and Upper Montney delineation in Wapiti;
    • Replaced 150% and 550% of 2024 production on a PDP and TP+PA basis(1), respectively, reflecting the success of our 2024 capital program and continued expansion of our undeveloped location inventory;
    • Delivered PDP Finding, Development and Acquisition Cost (“FD&A”)(1) of $11.13/Boe that exceeded our expectations due to well outperformance and cost reductions;
    • Achieved a PDP recycle ratio(1) of 1.8x based on our 2024 operating netback(1);
    • TP+PA FD&A was $6.97/Boe, driven by the planned expansion of our infrastructure to 125,000 Boe/d and a 26% increase in undeveloped TP+PA drilling locations;
    • Total developed wells increased by 42 to 395, while the total undeveloped drilling locations increased by 9 to 1,189, which reflects over 25 years of development at the current pace(3); and
    • PDP, TP, and TP+PA before-tax net present value, discounted at 10% (NPV10)(2), are $10.01, $20.56, and $30.11 per share, respectively, at December 31, 2024, reflecting the underlying value of our assets.

    Notes:

    (1) Each of “reserve replacement”, “FD&A costs”, “recycle ratio” and “operating netback” are non-GAAP financial ratios. See “Oil and Gas Advisories” and “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures” in this press release for information relating to these specified financial measures.
    (2) Reference to “net present value per share” is a supplementary financial measure. Reference should be made to the section entitled “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures” in this press release.
    (3) Total undeveloped locations include 422 undeveloped proved plus probable drilling locations and 767 undeveloped contingent resource drilling locations. See “Oil and Gas Advisories”.
       

    The detailed summary of our year end 2024 reserves disclosure and other oil and gas information is included below, and further information will be included in our Annual Information Form which will be filed on or before March 28, 2025 on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Return of Capital to Shareholders and Balance Sheet Strength

    NuVista’s approach to capital allocation is focused on the compounding effect of absolute growth and a reduction in our outstanding common shares to produce industry leading total returns. We intend to allocate a minimum of $100 million in 2025, to the repurchase of the Company’s common shares pursuant to our NCIB and will allocate at least 75% of any incremental free adjusted funds flow towards additional share repurchases.

    We ended the year in a position of low debt and significant financial flexibility. As at December 31, 2024, our net debt was $232.5 million, well below our soft ceiling of approximately $350 million. We were minimally drawn on our $450 million covenant-based credit facility, at $5.4 million, with a net debt to annualized fourth quarter adjusted funds flow ratio of 0.4x. The net debt soft ceiling ensures that based on current production levels, our net debt to adjusted funds flow ratio remains at or below 1.0x in a stress test price environment of US$45/Bbl WTI and US$2.00/MMBtu NYMEX.

    We remain focused on our disciplined and value-adding growth strategy, and providing significant shareholder returns. We continue to view share repurchases as the most effective initial method of returning capital to shareholders and will reassess this approach as our growth plan progresses.

    Operations and 2025 Guidance

    Operations through the end of the year and into the first quarter of 2025 have progressed well. Consistent utilization of our two drilling rigs continues to pay dividends with new spud to rig release records being set. Completion operations kicked off again in January and despite extremely frigid temperatures, pumping efficiency has come in better than planned. With strong execution thus far in 2025 capital costs are trending below budget and we are forecasting a well cost reduction of 3% year-over-year.

    In Wapiti, we brought on a 5-well pad in Bilbo in January, which targeted three benches, including a Lower Montney, initial results from the pad are encouraging and in-line with expectations. We have finished drilling a 5-well pad in Elmworth, which is slated to come on-stream during the second quarter. In Gold Creek we are drilling a 4-well pad, including two Lower Montney wells, which is expected to come on-stream later in the second quarter. Notably, the 6-well pad between Gold Creek and Elmworth, which was co-developed across the entire stack of 4 zones, has reached its IP90 milestone producing on average 1,500 Boe/d per well, including 33% condensate. Importantly, the Lower Montney has performed in-line with the other benches. In Pipestone, we are completing a 14-well pad that is expected to come on-stream in the second quarter. Additionally, we are drilling an 8-well pad that is expected to come on-stream in the third quarter.

    Production in January and February has been trending favorably, we forecast first quarter production to average 87,000 – 88,000 Boe/d. As exhibited above we have material production additions slated to come on-line in the coming months. As previously communicated, the majority of our 2025 growth will come from the Pipestone area with the start-up of a third-party gas plant (“Pipestone Plant”), which is expected to be online during the second quarter. The Pipestone Plant will unlock approximately 8,000 – 10,000 Boe/d of additional productive capacity for NuVista. Given the performance of our base assets and current outlook, we anticipate our annual production to average approximately 92,000 Boe/d, assuming a second quarter start-up of the Pipestone Plant. If this start-up is delayed into the fourth quarter of the year, our expected annual average production will be approximately 88,000 Boe/d. Consequently, this range allows us to reiterate our annual production guidance of approximately 90,000 Boe/d.

    Further we reaffirm our annual capital expenditure guidance target of approximately $450 million, which will allow us to continue to prioritize at least a triple-digit return of capital to shareholders through the repurchase of our outstanding common shares.

    We are fortunate that our business has the flexibility, superior asset quality and underlying balance sheet strength to afford this. We intend to continue our track record of carefully directing free adjusted funds flow towards a prudent balance of capital return to shareholders and debt reduction, while investing in high return growth projects. NuVista’s top quality asset base, deep inventory, and management’s relentless focus on value maximization supports our medium-term plans for value-adding growth to the plateau level of 125,000 Boe/d. We will continue to closely monitor and adjust to the environment to maximize the value of our asset base and ensure the long-term sustainability of our business. We would like to thank our staff, contractors, and suppliers for their continued dedication and delivery, and we thank our Board of Directors and our shareholders for their continued guidance and support.

    The 2025 guidance does not include any potential impact of tariffs or trade-related regulations that have been announced by the U.S. and Canada, including the tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canada effective March 4, 2025. See “Advisory regarding forward-looking information and statements”. Please note that our corporate presentation will be available at www.nuvistaenergy.com on March 5, 2025. NuVista’s audited financial statements, notes to the financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024, will be filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) on March 5, 2025 and can also be obtained at www.nuvistaenergy.com.

                             
    FINANCIAL AND OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS
      Three months ended December 31 Year ended December 31
    ($ thousands, except otherwise stated) 2024 2023 % Change 2024 2023 % Change
    FINANCIAL            
    Petroleum and natural gas revenues 281,454   365,497   (23 ) 1,215,234   1,398,097   (13 )
    Cash provided by operating activities 135,831   211,761   (36 ) 600,253   721,342   (17 )
    Adjusted funds flow (3)(7) 137,059   201,987   (32 ) 552,196   756,943   (27 )
    Per share, basic (6) 0.67   0.95   (29 ) 2.68   3.50   (23 )
    Per share, diluted (6) 0.66   0.93   (29 ) 2.64   3.40   (22 )
    Net earnings 99,152   89,513   11   305,718   367,678   (17 )
    Per share, basic 0.48   0.42   14   1.48   1.70   (13 )
    Per share, diluted 0.48   0.41   17   1.46   1.65   (12 )
    Total assets       3,450,419   3,058,053   13  
    Net capital expenditures (1) 71,090   113,258   (37 ) 498,876   518,294   (4 )
    Net debt (3)       232,503   183,551   27  
    OPERATING            
    Daily Production            
    Natural gas (MMcf/d) 327.1   310.5   5   304.3   276.0   10  
    Condensate (Bbls/d) 22,657   26,889   (16 ) 24,709   24,633   —  
    NGLs (Bbls/d) 8,455   7,287   16   7,661   6,545   17  
    Total (Boe/d) 85,635   85,924   —   83,084   77,185   8  
    Condensate & NGLs weighting 36 % 40 %   39 % 40 %  
    Condensate weighting (8) 26 % 31 %   30 % 32 %  
    Average realized selling prices (5)            
    Natural gas ($/Mcf) 2.78   3.45   (19 ) 2.51   4.19   (40 )
    Condensate ($/Bbl) 83.58   99.20   (16 ) 94.83   100.02   (5 )
    NGLs ($/Bbl) (4) 30.38   32.46   (6 ) 27.86   31.80   (12 )
    Netbacks ($/Boe)            
    Petroleum and natural gas revenues (7) 35.72   46.24   (23 ) 39.96   49.62   (19 )
    Realized gain on financial derivatives 1.75   0.46   280   0.86   0.41   110  
    Other income 0.01   —   —   0.11   —   —  
    Royalties (7) (3.13 ) (4.50 ) (30 ) (4.30 ) (4.80 ) (10 )
    Transportation expense (4.57 ) (4.54 ) 1   (4.78 ) (4.77 ) —  
    Net operating expense (2) (11.07 ) (10.65 ) 4   (11.37 ) (11.40 ) —  
    Operating netback (2) 18.71   27.01   (31 ) 20.48   29.06   (30 )
    Corporate netback (2) 17.40   25.55   (32 ) 18.15   26.86   (32 )
    SHARE TRADING STATISTICS            
    High ($/share) 14.18   13.72   3   14.86   13.72   8  
    Low ($/share) 10.34   10.40   (1 ) 9.59   9.93   (3 )
    Close ($/share) 13.82   11.04   25   13.82   11.04   25  
    Common shares outstanding (thousands of shares)       203,701   207,584   (2 )
                       

    NOTES:

    (1) Non-GAAP financial measure that does not have any standardized meaning under IFRS Accounting Standards and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies where similar terminology is used. Reference should be made to the section entitled “Specified Financial Measures”.
    (2) Non-GAAP ratio that does not have any standardized meaning under IFRS Accounting Standards and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies where similar terminology is used. Reference should be made to the section entitled “Specified Financial Measures”.
    (3) Capital management measure. Reference should be made to the section entitled “Specified Financial Measures”.
    (4) Natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) includes butane, propane and ethane revenue and sales volumes, and sulphur revenue.
    (5) Product prices exclude realized gains/losses on financial derivatives.
    (6) Supplementary financial measure. Reference should be made to the section entitled “Specified Financial Measures”.
    (7) Includes the impact of a facility allocation adjustment, which impacted condensate revenues, royalties and transportation expense, reducing adjusted funds flow by $23.1 million for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024.
    (8) Includes the impact of a facility allocation adjustment. Excluding this adjustment, NuVista’s condensate weighting for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was 28%.
       

    DETAILED SUMMARY OF CORPORATE RESERVES DATA

    The following table provides summary reserve information based upon the GLJ Report using the published 3 Consultants’ Average January 1, 2025 price forecast:

      Natural Gas(2)   Natural Gas
    Liquids(4)
      Oil(3)   Total  
    Reserves category(1)(5) Company
    Gross
      Company
    Gross
      Company
    Gross
      Company
    Gross
     
      (MMcf)   (MBbls)   (MBbls)   (MBoe)  
    Proved                
    Developed producing 680,168   63,913   –   177,275  
    Developed non‑producing 93,825   10,140   –   25,777  
    Undeveloped 938,058   86,693   –   243,036  
    Total proved 1,712,051   160,747   –   446,088  
    Total probable 1,313,477   114,729   –   333,642  
    Total proved plus probable 3,025,528   275,475   –   779,730  
                     

    NOTES:

    (1) Numbers may not add due to rounding.
    (2) Includes conventional natural gas and shale gas.
    (3) Includes light and medium crude oil.
    (4) NGLs includes ethane, propane, butane, condensate and pentane plus.
    (5) Reserves have been presented on gross basis which are the Company’s total working interest share before the deduction of any royalties and without including any royalty interests of the Company.
       

    The following table is a summary reconciliation of the year end working interest reserves for 2024, with the year end working interest reserves for 2023:

    Company Gross Natural Gas(1)(3)
    (MMcf)
    Natural Gas
    Liquids(1)(5)
    (MBbls)
    Oil(1)(4)
    (MBbls)
    Total Oil Equivalent(1)
    (MBoe)
    Total proved        
    Balance, December 31, 2023 1,546,471   144,132   –   401,877  
    Exploration and development(2) 234,672   24,335   –   63,447  
    Technical revisions 30,118   2,912   11   7,942  
    Acquisitions 18,123   1,720   –   4,741  
    Dispositions (156 ) (18 ) –   (44 )
    Economic Factors (5,809 ) (498 ) –   (1,466 )
    Production (111,368 ) (11,837 ) (11 ) (30,409 )
    Balance, December 31, 2024 1,712,051   160,747   –   446,088  
    Total proved plus probable        
    Balance, December 31, 2023 2,505,894   225,374   –   643,023  
    Exploration and development(2) 597,808   57,452   –   157,087  
    Technical revisions 12,434   2,496   11   4,579  
    Acquisitions 22,817   2,161   –   5,964  
    Dispositions (201 ) (22 ) –   (56 )
    Economic Factors (1,857 ) (148 ) –   (458 )
    Production (111,368 ) (11,837 ) (11 ) (30,409 )
    Balance, December 31, 2024 3,025,528   275,475   –   779,730  

    NOTES:

    (1) Numbers may not add due to rounding.
    (2) Reserve additions for drilling extensions, infill drilling and improved recovery.
    (3) Includes conventional natural gas and shale gas.
    (4) Includes light and medium crude oil.
    (5) NGLs includes ethane, propane, butane, condensate and pentane plus.
       

    The following table summarizes the future development capital required to bring undeveloped reserves and proved plus probable undeveloped reserves on production:

    ($ thousands, undiscounted) Proved
    Producing(1)
    Proved(1) Proved plus
    Probable(1)
     
    2025 10,000   270,190   283,615  
    2026 –   441,337   441,337  
    2027 –   378,915   378,915  
    2028 –   582,820   623,529  
    2029 –   210,425   385,690  
    Remaining –   –   1,205,057  
    Total (undiscounted) 10,000   1,883,686   3,318,141  
                 

    NOTE:

    (1) Numbers may not add due to rounding.
       

    The following table outlines NuVista’s corporate finding, development and acquisition (“FD&A”) costs in more detail:

      3 Year-Average (1)   2024 (1)   2023 (1)  
        Proved plus       Proved plus       Proved plus  
      Proved   probable   Proved   probable   Proved   probable  
    Finding and development costs ($/Boe) $ 10.06   $ 8.69   $ 9.28   $ 7.18   $ 10.92   $ 12.59  
    Finding, development and acquisition costs ($/Boe) $ 9.95   $ 8.60   $ 8.79   $ 6.97   $ 11.12   $ 12.86  
                                         

    NOTE:

    (1) F&D costs and FD&A are used as a measure of capital efficiency. The calculation for F&D costs includes all exploration and development capital for that period as outlined in the Company’s year-end financial statements plus the change in future development capital for that period. This total capital including the change in the future development capital is then divided by the change in reserves for that period including revisions for that same period. The aggregate of the exploration and development costs incurred in the most recent financial year and the change during the year in estimated future development costs generally will not reflect total finding and development costs related to reserve additions for the year. FD&A costs are calculated in the same manner except in addition to exploration and development capital and the change in future development capital, acquisition capital (net of any disposition proceeds) is also included in the calculation.
       

    Summary of Corporate Net Present Value Data of Future Net Revenue

    The estimated net present values of future net revenue before income taxes associated with NuVista’s reserves effective December 31, 2024 and based on the published 3 Consultants’ Average price forecast as at January 1, 2025 as set forth below, are summarized in the following table:

      Before Income Taxes
      Discount Factor (%/year)
    Reserves category (1)(2) ($ thousands) 0%   5%   10%   15%   20%  
    Proved          
    Developed producing 3,311,450   2,531,022   2,038,337   1,715,462   1,491,640  
    Developed non‑producing 589,610   437,020   350,631   295,990   258,256  
    Undeveloped 4,450,580   2,705,801   1,798,236   1,270,234   934,810  
    Total proved 8,351,651   5,673,843   4,187,204   3,281,686   2,684,706  
    Probable 7,457,152   3,482,560   1,946,864   1,232,453   849,096  
    Total proved plus probable 15,808,803   9,156,404   6,134,068   4,514,138   3,533,801  
                         

    NOTES:

    (1) Numbers may not add due to rounding.
    (2) All future net revenues are stated prior to the provision for interest income and other general and administrative expenses and after deduction of royalties, operating costs, estimated well and facility abandonment and reclamation costs and estimated future capital expenditures.
    (3) The estimated future net revenue contained in this press release does not necessarily represent the fair market value of the reserves.
       

    The following table is a summary of pricing and inflation rate assumptions based on published 3 Consultants’ Average forecast prices and costs as at January 1, 2025:

    Year   AECO Gas
    ($Cdn/
    MMBtu)
      NYMEX
    Gas
    ($US/
    MMBtu)
      Midwest
    Gas at
    Chicago
    ($US/
    MMBtu)
      Edmonton
    C5+
    ($Cdn/Bbl)
      Edmonton
    Propane
    ($Cdn/Bbl)
      Edmonton
    Butane
    ($Cdn/Bbl)
      WTI
    Cushing
    Oklahoma
    ($US/Bbl)
      Edmonton
    Par Price
    40 API
    ($Cdn/Bbl)
      Exchange
    Rate(2)
    ($US/$Cdn)
     
    Forecast                                      
    2025   2.36   3.31   3.05   100.14   33.56   51.15   71.58   94.79   0.712  
    2026   3.33   3.73   3.53   100.72   32.78   49.98   74.48   97.04   0.728  
    2027   3.48   3.85   3.66   100.24   32.81   50.16   75.81   97.37   0.743  
    2028   3.69   3.93   3.73   102.73   33.63   51.41   77.66   99.80   0.743  
    2029   3.76   4.01   3.82   104.79   34.30   52.44   79.22   101.79   0.743  
    2030   3.83   4.09   3.89   106.86   34.99   53.49   80.80   103.83   0.743  
    2031   3.91   4.17   3.97   109.00   35.69   54.56   82.42   105.91   0.743  
    2032   3.99   4.26   4.05   111.19   36.40   55.65   84.06   108.02   0.743  
    2033   4.07   4.34   4.13   113.41   37.13   56.76   85.75   110.19   0.743  
    2034   4.15   4.43   4.21   115.69   37.87   57.90   87.46   112.39   0.743  
    2035   4.24   4.52   4.30   118.01   38.63   59.05   89.21   114.64   0.743  
    2036   4.32   4.61   4.39   120.37   39.40   60.24   90.99   116.93   0.743  
    2037   4.41   4.70   4.48   122.77   40.19   61.44   92.82   119.27   0.743  
    2038   4.49   4.79   4.56   125.23   41.00   62.67   94.67   121.65   0.743  
    2039   4.58   4.89   4.65   127.73   41.82   63.92   96.57   124.09   0.743  
    2040+   +2.0%/yr   +2.0%/yr   +2.0%/yr   +2.0%/yr   +2.0%/yr   +2.0%/yr   +2.0%/yr   +2.0%/yr   0.743  
                                           

    NOTES:

    (1) Costs were not inflated in 2025 and inflated at 2% per annum thereafter.
    (2) Exchange rate used to generate the benchmark reference prices in this table.
    (3) NuVista’s future realized gas prices are forecasted based on a combination of various benchmark prices in addition to the AECO benchmark in order to reflect the favorable price diversification to other markets which NuVista has undertaken. Pricing at these markets has been accounted for in the GLJ Report. Additional information on NuVista’s gas marketing diversification will be available in our corporate presentation.
       

    Advisories Regarding Oil and Gas Information

    The reserve data provided in this press release presents only a portion of the disclosure required under National Instrument 51-101. All required information will be contained in the Company’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024, on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

    There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of crude oil, natural gas and NGL reserves and the future cash flows attributed to such reserves. The reserve and associated cash flow information set forth above are estimates only. In general, estimates of economically recoverable crude oil, natural gas and NGL reserves and the future net cash flows therefrom are based upon a number of variable factors and assumptions, such as historical production from the properties, production rates, ultimate reserve recovery, timing and amount of capital expenditures, marketability of oil and natural gas, royalty rates, the assumed effects of regulation by governmental agencies and future operating costs, all of which may vary materially. For these reasons, estimates of the economically recoverable crude oil, NGL and natural gas reserves attributable to any particular group of properties, classification of such reserves based on risk of recovery and estimates of future net revenues associated with reserves prepared by different engineers, or by the same engineers at different times, may vary. The Company’s actual production, revenues, taxes and development and operating expenditures with respect to its reserves will vary from estimates thereof and such variations could be material.

    BOEs may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A BOE conversion ratio of 6 Mcf: 1 Bbl is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. As the value ratio between natural gas and crude oil based on the current prices of natural gas and crude oil is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 6:1, utilizing a conversion on a 6:1 basis may be misleading as an indication of value.

    This press release contains a number of oil and gas metrics prepared by management, including F&D costs, FD&A costs, PDP per share, TP+PA per share, recycle ratio, operating netback, corporate netback and reserves replacement costs, which do not have standardized meanings or standard methods of calculation and therefore such measures may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies. Such metrics have been included herein to provide readers with additional measures to evaluate NuVista’s performance on a comparable basis with prior periods; however, such measures are not reliable indicators of the future performance of NuVista, and future performance may not compare to the performance in previous periods. Details of how F&D costs, FD&A costs, operating netback, corporate netback and recycle ratios are calculated are set forth under the heading “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures – Non-GAAP Ratios”. Reserves replacement is calculated as the reserves category divided by estimated production.

    Any references in this press release to initial production rates are useful in confirming the presence of hydrocarbons, however, such rates are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will continue production and decline thereafter. While encouraging, readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating the aggregate production for NuVista.

    Any reference to capital efficiency has been prepared by management and is used to measure performance. NuVista calculates capital efficiency as the sum of the capital expenditures divided by average first year production rate for the applicable well(s). This term does not have a standardized meaning or standard calculation and is not comparable to similar measures used by other entities.

    This press release discloses NuVista’s potential drilling locations in two categories: (i) undeveloped proved plus probable (TP+PA) drilling locations; and (ii) undeveloped contingent resources (2C) drilling locations. Undeveloped TP+PA drilling locations are derived the GLJ Report, and account for undeveloped drilling locations that have associated proved and/or probable reserves, as applicable. Undeveloped 2C drilling locations are derived from a report prepared by GLJ evaluating NuVista’s contingent resources as of December 31, 2024 (“GLJ Contingent Resource Report”), and account for undeveloped drilling locations that have associated contingent resources based on a best estimate of such contingent resources. There is no certainty that we will drill all drilling locations and if drilled, there is no certainty that such locations will result in additional oil and gas production. The drilling locations on which we actually drill wells will ultimately depend upon the availability of capital, regulatory approvals, seasonal restrictions, oil and natural gas prices, costs, actual drilling results, additional reservoir information that is obtained and other factors. Contingent resources are those quantities of petroleum estimated, as of a given date, to be potentially recoverable from known accumulations using established technology or technology under development, but which are not currently considered to be commercially recoverable due to one or more contingencies. Economic contingent resources are those contingent resources that are currently economically recoverable. The sub-classes included under economic contingent resources are Development Pending CR, Development on Hold CR, and Development Unclarified CR. Development Pending are resources where resolution of the final conditions for development is being actively pursued (high chance of development). Development on Hold are resources where there is a reasonable chance of development but there are major non-technical contingencies to be resolved that are usually beyond the control of the operator. Development Unclarified are resources where the evaluation is incomplete and there is ongoing activity to resolve any risks or uncertainties. Development Not Viable are resources that are not viable in the conditions prevailing at the effective date of the evaluation, and where no further data acquisition or evaluation is currently planned and hence there is a low chance of development. In the case of the contingent resources estimated in the GLJ Contingent Resource Report, contingencies include: (i) further delineation of interest lands; (ii) corporate commitment, and; (iii) final development plan. To further delineate interest lands additional wells must be drilled and tested to demonstrate commercial rates on the resource lands. Reserves are only assigned in close proximity to demonstrated productivity. As continued delineation drilling occurs, a portion of the contingent resources are expected to be reclassified as reserves. Confirmation of corporate intent to proceed with remaining capital expenditures within a reasonable timeframe is a requirement for the assessment of reserves. Finalization of a development plan includes timing, infrastructure spending and the commitment of capital.

    Definitions of Oil and Gas Reserves

    Reserves are estimated remaining quantities of crude oil and natural gas and related substances anticipated to be recoverable from known accumulations, as of a given date, based on the analysis of drilling, geological, geophysical, and engineering data; the use of established technology; and specified economic conditions, which are generally accepted as being reasonable. Reserves are classified according to the degree of certainty associated with the estimates as follows:

    Proved Reserves are those reserves that can be estimated with a high degree of certainty to be recoverable. It is likely that the actual remaining quantities recovered will exceed the estimated proved reserves.

    Probable Reserves are those additional reserves that are less certain to be recovered than proved reserves. It is equally likely that the actual remaining quantities recovered will be greater or less than the sum of the estimated proved plus probable reserves.

    PDP or Proved Developed Producing Reserves are those reserves that are expected to be recovered from completion intervals open at the time of the estimate. These reserves may be currently producing or, if shut-in, they must have previously been on production, and the date of resumption of production must be known with reasonable certainty.

    Basis of presentation

    Unless otherwise noted, the financial data presented in this press release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) also known as International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”).

    Natural gas liquids are defined by National Instrument 51-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities” to include ethane, butane, propane, pentanes plus and condensate. Unless explicitly stated in this press release, references to “NGL” refers only to ethane, butane and propane and references to “condensate” refers to only to condensate and pentanes plus. NuVista has disclosed condensate and pentanes plus values separately from ethane, butane and propane values as NuVista believes it provides a more accurate description of NuVista’s operations and results therefrom.

    Production split for Boe/d amounts referenced in the press release are as follows:

    Reference Total Boe/d
    Natural Gas
    %
    Condensate
    %
    NGLs
    %
               
    Q4 2024 production – actual 85,635   64 % 26 % 10 %
    Q4 2024 production – guidance 83,000 – 84,000   61 % 30 % 9 %
    2024 annual production – actual 83,084   61 % 30 % 9 %
    2024 annual production – guidance 83,500 – 86,000   61 % 30 % 9 %
    Q1 2025 production – guidance 87,000 – 88,000   63 % 28 % 9 %
    2025 annual production – guidance ~90,000   61 % 30 % 9 %
                     

    Reserves advisories

    The GLJ Report was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities and the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook (“COGE Handbook”) and is dated effective as of December 31, 2024. The GLJ Report was based on 3 Consultants’ Average January 1, 2025 forecast pricing and foreign exchange rates at January 1, 2025. All reserves information has been presented on a gross basis, which is the Company’s working interest share before deduction of royalties and without including any royalty interests of the Company. The reserves have been categorized accordance with the reserves definitions as set out in the COGE Handbook. The recovery and reserve estimates contained herein are estimates only and there is no guarantee that the estimated reserves will be recovered. Also, estimates of reserves and future net revenue for individual properties may not reflect the same confidence level as estimates and future net revenue for all properties due to the effect of aggregation. All required reserve information for the Company will be contained in its Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024, which will be accessible at www.sedarplus.ca.

    With respect to disclosure contained herein regarding resources other than reserves, there is uncertainty that it will be commercially viable to produce any portion of the resources and there is significant uncertainty regarding the ultimate recoverability of such resources.

    Advisory regarding forward-looking information and statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words “will”, “expects”, “believe”, “plans”, “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements, including but not limited to:

    • our intention to allocate $100 million to repurchase our common shares in 2025, with at least 75% of any incremental free adjusted funds flow also allocated to the repurchase of our common share pursuant to our NCIB;
    • that our soft ceiling net debt will allow our current production levels to be sustainable and maintain an adjusted funds flow ratio below 1.0x in a stress test price environment of US$45/Bbl WTI and US$2.00/MMBtu NYMEX;
    • NuVista’s ability to continue directing free adjusted funds flow towards a prudent balance of return of capital to shareholders and debt reduction, while investing in high return growth projects;
    • the anticipated allocation of free adjusted funds flow;
    • our expectation that our capital efficiency will continue to be strong in 2025, allowing us to realize a well cost reduction of 3% year-over-year;
    • our expectation that a 5-well pad in Elmworth, a 4-well pad in Gold Creek, and a 14-well pad in Pipestone will be brought on-stream during the second quarter;
    • our expectation that an 8-welll pad in Pipestone will be brought on-stream in the third quarter;
    • our expectations regarding the consistency in deliverability of inventory in the Elmworth and Gold Creek areas;
    • guidance with respect to first quarter 2025 production and production mix;
    • our expectation that growth in 2025 will be largely supported by the Pipestone area;
    • the expected timing of start-up of a third-party gas plant in the Pipestone area and the anticipated benefits thereof;
    • our 2025 full year production, full year production mix and capital expenditures guidance ranges;
    • our plan to continue to maintain an efficient drilling program by employing 2-drill-rig execution;
    • our expectation that our value-adding growth plateau level will be approximately 125,000 Boe/d;
    • our future focus, strategy, plans, opportunities and operations; and
    • other such similar statements.

    Statements relating to “reserves” are also deemed to be forward-looking statements, as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, that the reserves described exist in the quantities predicted or estimated and that the reserves can be profitably produced in the future.

    The future acquisition of our common shares pursuant to a share buyback (including through our normal course issuer bid), if any, and the level thereof is uncertain. Any decision to acquire common shares pursuant to a share buyback will be subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors and may depend on a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the Company’s business performance, financial condition, financial requirements, growth plans, expected capital requirements and other conditions existing at such future time including, without limitation, contractual restrictions and satisfaction of the solvency tests imposed on the Company under applicable corporate law. There can be no assurance of the number of common shares that the Company will acquire pursuant to a share buyback, if any, in the future.

    By their nature, forward-looking statements are based upon certain assumptions and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond NuVista’s control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, current and future commodity prices and inflation rates; that other than the tariffs that have been announced and implemented by the U.S. and Canadian governments on March 4, 2025, neither the U.S. nor Canada (i) increases the rate or scope of such tariffs, or imposes new tariffs, on the import of goods from one country to the other, and/or (ii) imposes any other form of tax, restriction or prohibition on the import or export of products from one country to the other, the impact of ongoing global events, including Middle East and European tensions, with respect to commodity prices, currency and interest rates, anticipated production rates, borrowing, operating and other costs and adjusted funds flow; the timing, allocation and amount of capital expenditures and the results therefrom; anticipated reserves and the imprecision of reserve estimates; the performance of existing wells; the success obtained in drilling new wells; the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities; access to infrastructure and markets; competition from other industry participants; availability of qualified personnel or services and drilling and related equipment; stock market volatility; effects of regulation by governmental agencies including changes in environmental regulations, tax laws and royalties; the ability to access sufficient capital from internal sources and bank and equity markets; that we will be able to execute our 2025 drilling plans as expected; our ability to carry out our 2025 production and capital guidance as expected; the risk that (i) the U.S. or Canadian governments increases the rate or scope of the currently implemented tariffs, or imposes new tariffs on the import of goods from on the import or export of products from one country to the other, and (ii) the tariffs imposed by the U.S. on other countries and responses thereto could have a material adverse effect on the Canadian, U.S. and global economies, and by extension the oil and gas industry; and including, without limitation, those risks considered under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Information Form.

    Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. NuVista’s actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements, or if any of them do so, what benefits NuVista will derive therefrom. NuVista has included the forward-looking statements in this press release in order to provide readers with a more complete perspective on NuVista’s future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. NuVista disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    This press release also contains financial outlook and future oriented financial information (together, “FOFI”) relating to NuVista including, without limitation, capital expenditures in 2025 and production which are based on, among other things, the various assumptions disclosed in this press release including under “Advisory regarding forward-looking information and statements” and including assumptions regarding benchmark pricing as it relates to the 2025 capital allocation framework. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the FOFI contained in this press release does not include the potential impact of tariff or trade-related regulation that have been announced by the U.S. and Canada, including the tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canada effective March 4, 2025. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and the impact of the tariffs on NuVista’s business operations and financial condition, while currently unknown, may be material and adverse and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on FOFI. NuVista’s actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these FOFI, or if any of them do so, what benefits NuVista will derive therefrom. NuVista has included the FOFI in order to provide readers with a more complete perspective on NuVista’s future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

    These forward-looking statements and FOFI are made as of the date of this press release and NuVista disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements and FOFI, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities law.

    Non-GAAP and other financial measures

    This press release uses various specified financial measures (as such terms are defined in National Instrument 52-112 – Non-GAAP Disclosure and Other Financial Measures Disclosure (“NI 51-112”)) including “non-GAAP financial measures”, “non-GAAP ratios”, “capital management measures” and “supplementary financial measures” (as such terms are defined in NI 51-112), which are described in further detail below. Management believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP measures provides useful information to investors and shareholders as the measures provide increased transparency and the ability to better analyze performance against prior periods on a comparable basis.

    (1) Non-GAAP financial measures

    NI 52-112 defines a non-GAAP financial measure as a financial measure that: (i) depicts the historical or expected future financial performance, financial position or cash flow of an entity; (ii) with respect to its composition, excludes an amount that is included in, or includes an amount that is excluded from, the composition of the most directly comparable financial measure disclosed in the primary financial statements of the entity; (iii) is not disclosed in the financial statements of the entity; and (iv) is not a ratio, fraction, percentage or similar representation.

    These non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized financial measures under IFRS Accounting Standards and might not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies where similar terminology is used. Investors are cautioned that these measures should not be construed as alternatives to or more meaningful than the most directly comparable GAAP measures as indicators of NuVista’s performance. Set forth below are descriptions of the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release.

    • Free adjusted funds flow

    Free adjusted funds flow is adjusted funds flow less net capital expenditures, power generation expenditures, and asset retirement expenditures. Each of the components of free adjusted funds flow are non-GAAP financial measures. Please refer to disclosures under the headings “Capital management measures” and “Capital expenditures” for a description of each component of free adjusted funds flow. Management uses free adjusted funds flow as a measure of the efficiency and liquidity of its business, measuring its funds available for additional capital allocation to manage debt levels and return capital to shareholders through its NCIB program and/or dividend payments. By removing the impact of current period net capital and asset retirement expenditures, management believes this measure provides an indication of the funds NuVista has available for future capital allocation decisions.

    The following table sets out our free adjusted funds flow compared to the most directly comparable GAAP measure of cash provided by operating activities less cash used in investing activities for the applicable periods:

      Three months ended December 31 Year ended December 31
    ($ thousands) 2024 2023 2024 2023
    Cash provided by operating activities 135,831   211,761   600,253   721,342  
    Cash used in investing activities (71,090 ) (132,646 ) (499,579 ) (531,586 )
    Excess (deficit) cash provided by operating activities over cash used in investing activities 64,741   79,115   100,674   189,756  
             
    Adjusted funds flow 137,059   201,987   552,196   756,943  
    Net capital expenditures (71,090 ) (113,258 ) (498,876 ) (518,294 )
    Power generation expenditures —   (16,904 ) (1,680 ) (16,904 )
    Asset retirement expenditures (3,551 ) (1,208 ) (12,029 ) (11,195 )
    Free adjusted funds flow 62,418   70,617   39,611   210,550  
                     
    • Capital expenditures

    Capital expenditures are equal to cash used in investing activities, excluding changes in non-cash working capital, other asset expenditures, power generation expenditures, proceeds on property dispositions and costs of acquisitions. NuVista considers capital expenditures to represent its organic capital program and a useful measure of cash flow used for capital reinvestment.

    The following table provides a reconciliation between the non-GAAP measure of capital expenditures to the most directly comparable GAAP measure of cash used in investing activities for the applicable periods:

      Three months ended December 31 Year ended December 31
    ($ thousands) 2024 2023 2024 2023
    Cash used in investing activities (71,090 ) (132,646 ) (499,579 ) (531,586 )
    Changes in non-cash working capital —   2,484   (977 ) (13,112 )
    Other asset expenditures —   —   —   9,500  
    Power generation expenditures —   16,904   1,680   16,904  
    Property acquisition —   44,000   —   44,000  
    Proceeds on property disposition —   —   —   (26,000 )
    Capital expenditures (71,090 ) (69,258 ) (498,876 ) (500,294 )
                     
    • Net capital expenditures

    Net capital expenditures are equal to cash used in investing activities, excluding changes in non-cash working capital, other asset expenditures, and power generation expenditures. The Company includes funds used for property acquisitions or proceeds from property dispositions within net capital expenditures as these transactions are part of its development plans. NuVista considers net capital expenditures to represent its organic capital program inclusive of capital spending for acquisition and disposition proposes and a useful measure of cash flow used for capital reinvestment.

    The following table provides a reconciliation between the non-GAAP measure of net capital expenditures to the most directly comparable GAAP measure of cash used in investing activities for the applicable periods:

      Three months ended December 31 Year ended December 31
    ($ thousands) 2024  2023  2024  2023 
    Cash used in investing activities (71,090 ) (132,646 ) (499,579 ) (531,586 )
    Changes in non-cash working capital —   2,484   (977 ) (13,112 )
    Other asset expenditures —   —   —   9,500  
    Power generation expenditures —   16,904   1,680   16,904  
    Net capital expenditures (71,090 ) (113,258 ) (498,876 ) (518,294 )
                     

    The following table provides a breakdown of capital expenditures, net capital expenditures and power generation expenditures by category for the applicable periods:

      Three months ended December 31   Year ended December 31  
    ($ thousands, except % amounts) 2024   % of total   2023   % of total   2024   % of total   2023   % of total  
    Land and retention costs —   —   15   —   6,968   1   7,507   2  
    Geological and geophysical 38   —   249   —   1,164   —   691   —  
    Drilling and completion 43,915   62   51,413   74   353,583   72   392,663   78  
    Facilities and equipment 25,508   36   16,193   24   130,628   26   93,252   19  
    Corporate and other 1,629   2   1,388   2   6,533   1   6,181   1  
    Capital expenditures 71,090       69,258       498,876       500,294      
    Property acquisitions —       44,000       —       44,000      
    Proceeds on property disposition —       —       —       (26,000 )    
    Net capital expenditures 71,090       113,258       498,876       518,294      
    Power generation expenditures —       16,904       1,680       16,904      
                                     
    • Net operating expense

    NuVista considers that any incremental gross costs incurred to process third party volumes at its facilities are offset by the applicable fees charged to such third parties. However, under IFRS Accounting Standards, NuVista is required to reflect operating costs and processing fee income separately on its statements of earnings. Management believes that net operating expense, calculated as gross operating expense less processing income and other recoveries, is a meaningful measure for investors to understand the net impact of NuVista’s operating activities.

    The following table sets out net operating expense compared to the most directly comparable GAAP measure of operating expenses for the applicable periods:

      Three months ended December 31   Year ended December 31  
    ($ thousands) 2024   2023   2024   2023  
    Operating expense 88,891   85,207   354,253   324,196  
    Other income (1) (1,646 ) (1,038 ) (8,605 ) (3,058 )
    Net operating expense 87,245   84,169   345,648   321,138  

     

    (1) Processing income and other recoveries, included within Other Income as presented in the table below:
       
      Three months ended December 31   Year ended December 31  
    ($ thousands) 2024   2023   2024   2023  
    Other income 57   —   3,235   —  
    Processing income and other recoveries 1,646   1,038   8,605   3,058  
    Other Income 1,703   1,038   11,840   3,058  
                     

    (2) Non-GAAP ratios

    NI 52-112 defines a non-GAAP ratio as a financial measure that: (i) is in the form of a ratio, fraction, percentage or similar representation; (ii) has a non-GAAP financial measure as one or more of its components; and (iii) is not disclosed in the financial statements of the entity. Set forth below is a description of the non-GAAP ratios used in this MD&A.

    These non-GAAP ratios are not standardized financial measures under IFRS Accounting Standards and might not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies where similar terminology is used. Investors are cautioned that these ratios should not be construed as alternatives to or more meaningful than the most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measures as indicators of NuVista’s performance.

    Per Boe disclosures for petroleum and natural gas revenues, realized gains/losses on financial derivatives, royalties, transportation expense, G&A expense, financing costs, and DD&A expense are non-GAAP ratios that are calculated by dividing each of these respective GAAP measures by NuVista’s total production volumes for the period.

    Non-GAAP ratios presented on a “per Boe” basis may also be considered to be supplementary financial measures (as such term is defined in NI 51-112).

    • Operating netback and corporate netback (“netbacks”), per BoeNuVista calculated netbacks per Boe by dividing the netbacks by total production volumes sold in the period. Each of operating netback and corporate netback are non-GAAP financial measures. Operating netback is calculated as petroleum and natural gas revenues, realized financial derivative gains/losses and other income, less royalties, transportation expense and net operating expense. Corporate netback is operating netback less general and administrative expense, cash share-based compensation expense (recovery), financing costs excluding accretion expense, and current income tax expense (recovery).

      Management believes both operating and corporate netbacks are key industry benchmarks and measures of operating performance for NuVista that assists management and investors in assessing NuVista’s profitability, and are commonly used by other petroleum and natural gas producers. The measurement on a Boe basis assists management and investors with evaluating NuVista’s operating performance on a comparable basis.

    • Net operating expense, per BoeNuVista calculated net operating expense per Boe by dividing net operating expense by NuVista’s production volumes for the period.

      Management believes that net operating expense, calculated as gross operating expense less processing income and other recoveries, which are included in NuVista’s statements of earnings, is a meaningful measure for investors to understand the net impact of the Company’s operating activities. The measurement on a Boe basis assists management and investors with evaluating NuVista’s operating performance on a comparable basis.

    Reference has been also been made to certain terms that do not have standardized meanings or standard calculations and therefore such measures may not be comparable to similar measures used by other entities. These terms are used by NuVista’s management to measure the success of replacing reserves and to compare operating performance to previous periods on a comparable basis.

    • F&D costsNuVista calculated F&D costs as the sum of development costs plus the change in future development costs (“FDC”) for the period when appropriate, divided by the change in reserves within the applicable reserves category, excluding those reserves acquired or disposed.

      NuVista calculated TP+PA 3-year average F&D costs as the sum of development costs plus the sum of the change in FDC over the last three completed financial years, divided by the sum of the change in the total proved and probable reserves over the last three completed financial years.

    • FD&A costsNuVista calculated FD&A costs are calculated as the sum of development costs plus acquisition costs net of disposition proceeds plus the change in FDC for the period when appropriate, divided by the change in reserves within the applicable reserves category, inclusive of changes due to acquisitions and dispositions.
    • Recycle RatioNuVista calculates recycle ratio as the operating netback divided by F&D costs for the applicable period.

    (3) Capital management measures

    NI 52-112 defines a capital management measure as a financial measure that: (i) is intended to enable an individual to evaluate an entity’s objectives, policies and processes for managing the entity’s capital; (ii) is not a component of a line item disclosed in the primary financial statements of the entity; (iii) is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements of the entity; and (iv) is not disclosed in the primary financial statements of the entity.

    NuVista has defined net debt, adjusted funds flow, and net debt to annualized fourth quarter adjusted funds flow ratio as capital management measures used by the Company in this press release.

    • Adjusted funds flow

    NuVista considers adjusted funds flow to be a key measure that provides a more complete understanding of the NuVista considers adjusted funds flow to be a key measure that provides a more comprehensive view of the company’s ability to generate cash flow necessary for financing capital expenditures, meeting asset retirement obligations, and fulfilling its financial commitments. Adjusted funds flow is calculated by adjusting cash flow from operating activities to exclude changes in non-cash working capital and asset retirement expenditures. Management believes these elements are subject to timing variations in collection, payment, and occurrence. By excluding them, management is able to provide a more meaningful performance measure of NuVista’s ongoing operations. Specifically, expenditures on asset retirement obligations may fluctuate depending on the company’s capital programs and the maturity of its operating areas, while environmental remediation recovery is tied to an infrequent incident that management does not expect to recur regularly. The settlement of asset retirement obligations is managed through NuVista’s capital budgeting process, which incorporates the available adjusted funds flow.

    A reconciliation of adjusted funds flow is presented in the following table:

      2024 2023
    Cash provided by operating activities $ 600,253   $ 721,342  
    Asset retirement expenditures   12,029     11,195  
    Change in non-cash working capital   (60,086 )   24,406  
    Adjusted funds flow $ 552,196   $ 756,943  
                 

    Net debt is used by management to provide a more comprehensive understanding of NuVista’s capital structure and to assess the company’s liquidity. NuVista calculates net debt by considering accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, long-term debt (the Credit Facility), senior unsecured notes, and other liabilities. Management uses total market capitalization and the ratio of net debt to annualized adjusted funds flow for the current quarter to analyze balance sheet strength and liquidity.

    The following is a summary of total market capitalization, net debt, annualized current quarter adjusted funds flow, and net debt to annualized current quarter adjusted funds flow:

      2024 2023
    Basic common shares outstanding (thousands of shares)   203,701     207,584  
    Share price $ 13.82   $ 11.04  
    Total market capitalization $ 2,815,148   $ 2,291,727  
    Accounts receivable and other   (132,538 )   (139,451 )
    Prepaid expenses   (45,584 )   (45,241 )
    Accounts payable and accrued liabilities   206,862     157,711  
    Current portion of other liabilities   18,451     14,082  
    Long-term debt   5,353     16,897  
    Senior unsecured notes   163,258     162,195  
    Other liabilities   16,701     17,358  
    Net debt $ 232,503   $ 183,551  
    Annualized current quarter adjusted funds flow $ 548,236   $ 807,948  
    Net debt to annualized current quarter adjusted funds flow   0.4     0.2  
    Adjusted funds flow $ 552,196   $ 756,943  
    Net debt to adjusted funds flow   0.4     0.2  
                 

    (4) Supplementary financial measures

    This press release may contain certain supplementary financial measures. NI 52-112 defines a supplementary financial measure as a financial measure that: (i) is intended to be disclosed on a periodic basis to depict the historical or expected future financial performance, financial position or cash flow of an entity; (ii) is not disclosed in the financial statements of the entity; (iii) is not a non-GAAP financial measure; and (iv) is not a non-GAAP ratio.

    NuVista calculates: (i) “adjusted funds flow per share” by dividing adjusted funds flow for a period by the number of weighted average common shares of NuVista for the specified period; (ii) “operating netback per share” by dividing operating netback for a period by the number of weighted average common shares of NuVista for the specified period; (iii) “corporate netback per share” by dividing operating netback for a period by the number of weighted average common shares of NuVista for the specified period; (iv) “net debt to adjusted funds flow” by dividing the net debt at the end of a period by the adjusted funds flow for such period; and (v) “net present value per share” is the net present value (discounted at 10%) in the reserve category divided by the basic common shares outstanding at the end of the period.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Mike J. Lawford Ivan J. Condic
    President and CEO VP, Finance and CFO
    (403) 538-1936 (403) 538-1945
       

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: TRAI releases report on Independent Drive Tests (IDT) conducted in Nine cities including Highways and Railway routes of Gujarat LSA, Jammu & Kashmir LSA, Kerala LSA, Madhya Pradesh LSA, Mumbai LSA, Odisha LSA, Uttar Pradesh-East LSA, Uttar Pradesh-West LSA and West Bengal LSA during Dec-2024.

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 05 MAR 2025 12:12PM by PIB Delhi

    TRAI, through its appointed agency, conducted Independent Drive Tests (IDT) in nine cities, highways and railway routes viz. Aligarh city and Meerut to Dehradun Railway route (UP-West LSA),Bhubaneshwar city (Odisha LSA), Jammu City & Jammu to Srinagar Highway (J&K LSA),Lucknow city and Fatehpur to Varanasi Highway (UP-East LSA), Navi-Mumbai city (Mumbai LSA), Raipur city (MP LSA), Siliguri, Darjeeling &Kalimpong city (West Bengal LSA), Thiruvananthapuram city (Kerala LSA) and Vapi-Rewari Highway (Gujarat LSA). Drive tests were conducted to assess the quality of service provided by Cellular Mobile Telephone Service providers for voice and data services in December-2024.

    In IDT, the performance of M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd., M/s BSNL/MTNL, M/s Reliance Jio Infocom Ltd. and M/s Vodafone Idea Ltd., providing services in a Licensed Service Area (LSA) through various technologies (like 2G/ 3G/ 4G/ 5G) for voice and data, has been measured by conducting drive test. The observations presented in drive test reports represent the performance of the service providers on the area/ route under test on the day/ time of conducting the drive test.

    The following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Voice as well as Data service were assessed for the networks of all Telecom service providers operating in the region.

    1. Voice services:

    1. Call setup success rate

    2. Drop call rate (DCR)

    3. Speech Quality using MOS (mean opinion score)

    4. Downlink & Uplink packet (voice) drop rate

    5. Call Silence Rate

    6. Coverage (%)- Signal strength

    1. Data Service:

    1. Data Throughput (Downlink and uplink both)

    2. Packet drop rate (Downlink & Uplink)

    3. Video streaming delay

    4. Latency

    5. Jitter

    1. The details of drive tests conducted in thenine areas are given below:

    S. No.

    City / Routes Covered

    Licensed Service Area

    Period of Drive Test

    Distance Covered

    Performance summary

    (attached at)

    1

    Aligarh & Meerut to Dehradun Railway Route

    UP West

    16-12-2024 to 20-12-2024

    City :204 Kms

    Walk Test: 7.3 Kms

    Railway: 242 Kms

    Annexure A

    2

    Bhubaneshwar

    Odisha

    10-12-2024 to 13-12-2024

    City :355.8 Kms

    Walk Test: 10.8 Kms

    Annexure B

    3

    Jammu City & Jammu to Srinagar Highway

    J&K

    09-12-2024 to 13-12-2024

    City :257.5 Kms

    Highway :295 Kms

    Annexure C

    4

    Lucknow & Fatehpur to Varanasi Highway

    UP East

    09-12-2024 to 13-12-2024

    City :370.2 Kms

    Walk Test: 5.5 Kms

    Highway: 248 Kms

    Annexure D

    5

    Navi-Mumbai

    Mumbai

    16-12-2024 to 20-12-2024

    City: 350.26 Kms

    Walk Test: 12.85 Kms

    Railway: 31.03 Kms

    Coastal: 6.71 Kms

    Annexure E

    6

    Raipur

    Madhya Pradesh

    02-12-2024 to 05-12-2024

    City: 315 Kms

    Walk Test: 5.2 Kms

    Annexure F

    7

    Siliguri, Darjeeling &Kalimpong

    West Bengal

    01-12-2024 to 09-12-2024

    City :467 Kms

    Walk Test: 2.05 Kms

    Annexure G

    8

    Thiruvananthapuram

    Kerala

    02-12-2024 to 06-12-2024

    City: 177 Kms

    Walk Test: 13 Kms

    Highway: 224 Kms

    Railway: 212 Kms

    Annexure H

    9

    Vapi-Rewari Highway

    Gujarat

    17-12-2024 to19-12-2024

    Highway: 1242.64 Kms

    Annexure I

    1. The detailed reports are available at TRAI website www.trai.gov.in. For any clarification/information, Shri Tejpal Singh, Advisor (QoS-I) TRAI may be contacted on email: adv-qos1@trai.gov.in or at Tel. No. +91-11-20907759.

    Click here to see Annexure

    *****

    Samrat/Dheeraj/Allen

    (Release ID: 2108308) Visitor Counter : 37

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M.Scindia Showcases India’s Telecom Transformation at MWC 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M.Scindia Showcases India’s Telecom Transformation at MWC 2025

    Innovation, Inclusivity, Sustainability & Trust forms the core of India’s guiding principles towards tech governance: Shri JM Scindia

    Ensuring spectrum management, market stability, telecom regulation & consumer protection key towards balancing innovation with regulation: Shri JM Scindia

    Participation in MWC 25 underscores the global standing of India’s telecom revolution and reflects India’s commitment to tech governance

    Posted On: 05 MAR 2025 10:53AM by PIB Delhi

    Minister for CommunicationsShri Jyotiraditya M Scindia visited the prestigious Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, engaging in top level meetings with CEOs, addressed key sessions and witnessed major tech innovations in one of the world’s largest gatherings for the mobile and telecommunications industry.

    This visit showcased India’s telecom transformation at Mobile World Congress 2025, with Bharat’s rapid 5G rollout, world’s lowest data tariffs, indigenous 4G/5G stacks & robust cybersecurity measures highlighted in the prestigious event.Participation in MWC 25 underscores the global standing of India’s telecom revolution and reflects India’s commitment to tech governance.

    The Minister addressed key sessions on ‘Global Tech Governance: Rising to the Challenge’ and Balancing Innovation & Regulation: Global Perspectives on Telecom Policy’ at the event.

    He said that “Innovation, Inclusivity, Sustainability & Trust forms the core of India’s guiding principles towards tech governance”and highlighted the successof Aadhaar, BharatNet in serving every citizen of the country.

    The Minister also spoke about the four steps ofIndia’s efforts towards balancing innovation with regulation such as spectrum management; ensuring market stability; introducing telecom regulation to ease up various processes; and bringing cybersecurity measures for consumer protection.

    During the MWC 2025 visit, Shri Scindia unveiled the curtains of India Mobile Congress 2025 and inaugurated Bharat Pavilion organized by the Telecom Equipment & Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) with the support of the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, featured 38 Indian telecom equipment manufacturers showcasing their state-of-the-art products, both hardware and software.

    The Minister also inaugurated VVDN’s indigenously designed & manufacturedAI based Wi-Fi-7 during his visit to Bharat Pavillion. He also visited other booths such as Meta and Google Cloud, catching a glimpse of their various technological solutions.

    As part of the visit, the Minister interacted with top industry leaders from Qualcomm, Cisco, Mavenir, Ericsson, Nokia, AMD, AT&T, Airtel, BSNL, CDOT, TEPC, during dinner with CEOs, enabling strategic partnerships and innovation in Telecom.

    The event also featured bilateral meetings with FCC,along with booth visits to Companies exploring cutting-edge developments in 5G, artificial intelligence, and next-generation mobile technologies.

    The Minister’s participation in MWC 2024 highlights India’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies for enhancing digital infrastructure. This engagement also reflects India’s strategic focus on strengthening international partnerships, driving investments in the telecommunications sector, and shaping global policies to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth. Through active dialogue and collaboration, India aims to play a key role in shaping the future of global connectivity and technologicaladvancements.

    AboutMobileWorldCongress2025

    MWC 2025, themed “Converge. Connect. Create.”, is taking place from March 3–6 in Barcelona, bringing together 101,000+ attendees, 2,700+ exhibitors, and leaders from 200+ countries to showcase the latest in 5G, AI, IoT, and digital transformation. With 1,200+ speakers, including top executives and policymakers, key themes include 5G Inside, AI+, Connect X, Enterprise Re-invented, Game Changers and Digital DNA.. MWC 2025 is the world’s leading platform for mobile innovation, networking, and future connectivity.

     

    ****

    Samrat/Dheeraj/Allen

    (Release ID: 2108275) Visitor Counter : 213

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Secretary (Labour & Employment) Participates in Round Table Discussion on Improving Female Workforce Participation in India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Secretary (Labour & Employment) Participates in Round Table Discussion on Improving Female Workforce Participation in India

    India has witnessed a positive trend in female workforce participation over the past six years: Smt. Dawra

    Posted On: 05 MAR 2025 11:12AM by PIB Delhi

    The Round Table Discussion on Improving Female Workforce Participation in India, led by the Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, and the Director, LBSNAA, were held in the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie on 3rd and 4th of March 2025. This event marks a significant step toward realizing the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision of 70% female workforce participation.

    With India’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) at 41.7% (PLFS 2023-24), this platform brought together government policymakers, industry leaders, global organizations, and skilling institutions to address key challenges and barriers, including employment barriers, workplace safety, pay parity, and digital job opportunities. The two-day deliberations focused on shaping policy reforms and industry-driven solutions that will unlock India’s full workforce potential, ensuring safe, inclusive, and equitable workplaces that drive sustained economic growth.

    Smt. Sumita Dawra, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, emphasized the crucial role of this Round Table in shaping effective workforce policies. “Focused discussions on identifying systemic barriers and policy gaps are crucial for formulating innovative solutions that align with India’s broader economic and social development goals, ensuring sustainable and equitable workforce participation for women,” she stated. She highlighted how India has witnessed a positive trend in female workforce participation over the past six years, with higher economic engagement, declining unemployment, and more educated women entering the workforce. The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for women aged 15 years and above has risen from 22.0% in 2017-18 to 40.3% in 2023-24, while the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for women has increased from 23.3% to 41.7% in the same period, she mentioned. Notably, female unemployment has dropped significantly from 5.6% to just 3.2%, reflecting a shift toward greater inclusion and economic empowerment, she added.

    The Round Table focused on four key themes: Care Ecosystem, Future of Jobs & Skilling, Safe & Equitable Workplaces, and AI & Digital Interventions. The Ministry of Labour and Employment identified key action areas critical to enhancing women’s workforce participation under its mandate. Expanding affordable and quality care services was recognized as a labour market enabler, emphasizing the need to integrate care policies into employment frameworks to support working women. The alignment of skilling initiatives with industry demand was highlighted as essential to ensuring women’s access to high-growth sectors, reinforcing the Ministry’s role in facilitating demand-driven skilling and employment linkages. Strengthening workplace safety, equitable policies, and gender-sensitive labour laws emerged as a priority, underscoring the need for compliance mechanisms, gender audits, and enforcement of PoSH regulations. Finally, as India advances in AI and digital transformation, Government is focused on leveraging digital employment platforms, enhancing women’s digital literacy, and integrating AI-driven skilling programs to ensure women’s equitable participation in the future of work.

    The Round Table Discussions concluded with clear, actionable recommendations aimed at accelerating women’s workforce inclusion. Participants outlined policy reforms, industry-driven initiatives, and institutional mechanisms to break barriers and build a safe, skilled, and inclusive workforce. Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Sumita Dawra, reaffirmed that this is not a one-time discussion but the beginning of a sustained effort, with a task force ensuring continued collaboration and implementation. The Joint Secretary of Ministry of Labour and Employment, Sh. Ajoy Sharma extended his gratitude to all participants and LBSNAA for facilitating this critical dialogue, reiterating the ministry’s commitment to translating these deliberations into measurable progress for women’s workforce inclusion.

    *****

    Himanshu Pathak

    (Release ID: 2108281) Visitor Counter : 48

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia Showcases India’s Telecom Transformation at MWC 2025

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia Showcases India’s Telecom Transformation at MWC 2025

    Innovation, Inclusivity, Sustainability & Trust forms the core of India’s guiding principles towards tech governance: Shri JM Scindia

    Ensuring spectrum management, market stability, telecom regulation & consumer protection key towards balancing innovation with regulation: Shri JM Scindia

    Participation in MWC 25 underscores the global standing of India’s telecom revolution and reflects India’s commitment to tech governance

    Posted On: 05 MAR 2025 10:53AM by PIB Delhi

    Minister for CommunicationsShri Jyotiraditya M Scindia visited the prestigious Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, engaging in top level meetings with CEOs, addressed key sessions and witnessed major tech innovations in one of the world’s largest gatherings for the mobile and telecommunications industry.

    This visit showcased India’s telecom transformation at Mobile World Congress 2025, with Bharat’s rapid 5G rollout, world’s lowest data tariffs, indigenous 4G/5G stacks & robust cybersecurity measures highlighted in the prestigious event.Participation in MWC 25 underscores the global standing of India’s telecom revolution and reflects India’s commitment to tech governance.

    The Minister addressed key sessions on ‘Global Tech Governance: Rising to the Challenge’ and Balancing Innovation & Regulation: Global Perspectives on Telecom Policy’ at the event.

    He said that “Innovation, Inclusivity, Sustainability & Trust forms the core of India’s guiding principles towards tech governance”and highlighted the successof Aadhaar, BharatNet in serving every citizen of the country.

    The Minister also spoke about the four steps ofIndia’s efforts towards balancing innovation with regulation such as spectrum management; ensuring market stability; introducing telecom regulation to ease up various processes; and bringing cybersecurity measures for consumer protection.

    During the MWC 2025 visit, Shri Scindia unveiled the curtains of India Mobile Congress 2025 and inaugurated Bharat Pavilion organized by the Telecom Equipment & Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) with the support of the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, featured 38 Indian telecom equipment manufacturers showcasing their state-of-the-art products, both hardware and software.

    The Minister also inaugurated VVDN’s indigenously designed & manufacturedAI based Wi-Fi-7 during his visit to Bharat Pavillion. He also visited other booths such as Meta and Google Cloud, catching a glimpse of their various technological solutions.

    As part of the visit, the Minister interacted with top industry leaders from Qualcomm, Cisco, Mavenir, Ericsson, Nokia, AMD, AT&T, Airtel, BSNL, CDOT, TEPC, during dinner with CEOs, enabling strategic partnerships and innovation in Telecom.

    The event also featured bilateral meetings with GSMA, FCC, Poland and Sweden,along with booth visits to Companies exploring cutting-edge developments in 5G, artificial intelligence, and next-generation mobile technologies.

    The Minister’s participation in MWC 2024 highlights India’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies for enhancing digital infrastructure. This engagement also reflects India’s strategic focus on strengthening international partnerships, driving investments in the telecommunications sector, and shaping global policies to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth. Through active dialogue and collaboration, India aims to play a key role in shaping the future of global connectivity and technologicaladvancements.

    AboutMobileWorldCongress2025

    MWC 2025, themed “Converge. Connect. Create.”, is taking place from March 3–6 in Barcelona, bringing together 101,000+ attendees, 2,700+ exhibitors, and leaders from 200+ countries to showcase the latest in 5G, AI, IoT, and digital transformation. With 1,200+ speakers, including top executives and policymakers, key themes include 5G Inside, AI+, Connect X, Enterprise Re-invented, Game Changers and Digital DNA.. MWC 2025 is the world’s leading platform for mobile innovation, networking, and future connectivity.

     

    ****

    Samrat/Dheeraj/Allen

    (Release ID: 2108275) Visitor Counter : 94

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SITI begins visit to Spain (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, led a delegation of representatives from Hong Kong’s innovation and technology (I&T) sector to visit Barcelona, Spain, on March 4 (Barcelona time) and attend the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025.     Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) co-ordinated the participation of 24 local I&T enterprises or institutions in the MWC 2025 to set up the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion, showcasing the latest solutions in areas of advanced electronics and robotics, artificial intelligence and data technology, digital transformation and the start-up ecosystem.      Professor Sun attended the networking reception of the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion and witnessed the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the HKTDC and the Barcelona City Council on promoting trade and business relations between enterprises in the two places, and collaboration between the HKSTPC and 22@Network Barcelona on enhancing the global connection of start-ups of the two places.     Professor Sun then met with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Universities of Spain, Mr Juan Cruz Cigudosa, to exchange views on issues of mutual interest, including strengthening co-operation and exchanges between the two places at different levels in technological innovation and research.     Professor Sun and the delegation visited the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, which is one of the largest biomedical research clusters in Southern Europe, bringing together a number of research centres and researchers in different biomedical fields. The delegation focused on its cross-institutional collaboration model and clinical transformation outcome and applications, as well as various support services provided to the research centres in the Park.     Professor Sun and the delegation also toured the headquarters of ISDIN, a cosmeceutical brand, and learned about the company’s solutions for dermatology conditions and its related research achievements in products. Professor Sun encouraged the company to leverage on Hong Kong’s unique international business environment as well as Hong Kong’s unique advantage of connecting with both the Mainland and the world to expand its business in Hong Kong, the Mainland and the Asian market.      In the evening, Professor Sun attended the Chinese New Year reception hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels, where he shared with about 150 leaders and executives from the business and political sectors and I&T community in Barcelona the vision and efforts of Hong Kong to develop into an international I&T centre. He hoped to explore with Spain new opportunities for I&T cooperation between the two places. During the reception, Professor Sun had a brief exchange with the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Barcelona, Ms Meng Yuhong.     Upon his arrival in Barcelona on March 3, Professor Sun visited the Barcelona Activa, a public trading company integrated in the area of Economy and Economic Promotion of Barcelona City Council. He was briefed on the latest development in Barcelona’s economic circle and the company’s work of attracting enterprises, investments and talents to Barcelona as well as providing support for enterprises to expand their businesses.     Professor Sun then met with the Chief Executive Officer of Catalonia Trade and Investment Office Agency for Business Competitiveness, Mr Jaume Baró, and was briefed on the agency’s work in assisting enterprises to raise capital, promoting their development through training programmes and support services, enhancing attractiveness of Catalonia to foreign investments as well as connecting business organisations from local and overseas to assist enterprises there in opening up development channels and enhancing their competitiveness.     Professor Sun had dinner with representatives of the participating I&T enterprises and organisations in the evening of March 3. He thanked them for their support of this visit and bringing innovative solutions to the European market, showcasing Hong Kong’s extraordinary I&T strength. He hoped that they could expand business network.     Members of the delegation include heads from the HKSTPC, Cyberport, the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute and the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute, as well as representatives of 24 local I&T enterprises or institutions. The HKSTPC and the HKTDC co-ordinated the participation of the I&T representatives of the enterprises and institutions at the MWC 2025.     Professor Sun Dong will continue his visit in Barcelona on March 5 (Barcelona time) and deliver a keynote speech at the Global System for Mobile Communications Association Ministerial Programme session of the MWC 2025.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Department Of Financial Services (DFS) Hosts a Post Budget Webinar On Theme “Regulatory, Investment, And Ease Of Doing Business (EODB) Reforms”

    Source: Government of India

    Department Of Financial Services (DFS) Hosts a Post Budget Webinar On Theme  “Regulatory, Investment, And Ease Of Doing Business (EODB) Reforms”

    Government remains committed to  ensuring of timely implementation of all budget announcements for the year 2025-26- Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman

    Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 to decriminalize more than 100 provisions in various laws, simplifying processes for businesses- Finance Minister

    Several important suggestions given by experts  on different sub-themes during the Post Budget Webinar

    Posted On: 05 MAR 2025 1:43PM by PIB Delhi

    Addressing a post-budget webinar on the theme  “Regulatory, Investment, And Ease Of Doing Business (EODB) Reforms” organized by the Department of Financial Services, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate affairs,  Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized that the  government is committed to encouraging global economic partnerships, leveraging technology to strengthen traditional sectors and to significantly enhance the export potential of India.

    The Finance Minister  added that the government remains committed to  ensuring  timely implementation of all budget announcements for the year 2025-26.  This is consistent with the government’s track record of delivering on promises made in previous budgets, the Minister said.

    The Finance Minister explained how recent budget announcements are being implemented promptly. Under the MUDRA loans, the loan limit under the Tarun category has been increased from Rs10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, with implementation completed via notification dated 24th October 2024, the Finance Minister added.

    The new MSME Credit assessment model announced in Budget 2024-25 has progressed well. 11 Public Sector Banks have extended it to existing customers and 7 Banks have extended it to new ones also, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said.

    Second, 21 new SIDBI branches have already been opened in MSME clusters during 2024-25 in line with the budget announcement made in 2024-25.

    The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has implemented the pilot project for the PM Internship scheme. The scheme was announced in the budget of 2024-25 creating over 1.25 lakh internship opportunities in top companies with over six lakh applicants. The government remains steadfast in reducing regulatory burdens and enhancing trust based governance to improve the ease of doing business.

    Through the budget announcements, the government is  taking various steps towards making India a seamless export friendly economy, one where businesses are free to focus on innovation and expansion and not on paperwork and penalties. Decriminalization of business related laws reduces the legal risks, allowing industries to operate with greater confidence.

    Giving details, the Finance Minister said that the robust manufacturing sector, free from unnecessary regulatory bottlenecks, will further attract both domestic and foreign investments, driving economic growth, positioning India as a trusted global player. The government has over 42,000 compliances removed, and over 3700 legal provisions have been decriminalized since 2014. In the Jan Vishwas act 2023, more than 180 legal provisions were decriminalized.

    The government will now bring up the general Vishwas Bill 2.0 to decriminalize more than 100 provisions in various laws. It will further simplify processes for businesses, the Minister added.

    Highlighting the focus laid on capex, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman said that the pathway for reforms are complemented by the government’s unwavering focus on capital expenditure as a driver of economic growth. For the year 2025-26, total effective capex is proposed at 15.48 lakh crores, which is 4.3% of the GDP, with 11.21 lakh crores allocated as core capital expenditure by the centre, which is 3.1% of the GDP. This unprecedented investment in infrastructure development is already creating jobs, strengthening industries and laying the foundation for private sector participation in India’s growth story.

    The Minister said that today’s webinar has brought together stakeholders from ministries like Finance Department, Industry policy, internal trade, corporate affairs regulators, state governments, public sector banks, insurance companies, SIDBI, NABARD and industry associations to ensure smooth policy implementation.

    The Finance Minister appreciated that various important inputs have been received during the course of discussion, and they will be looked into suitably. The inputs will help align our strategies, address possible implementation challenges and ensure that budgetary announcements efficiently translate into tangible actions, the Minister said.

    Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Pankaj Chaudhary in his concluding remarks said that increasing the FDI limit will not only attract foreign capital and advanced technology but will also improve insurance penetration, providing increased insurance coverage at affordable premiums to a larger section of the population. This move is also expected to improve technology advancements as well as better customer engagement processes.

    Further the Minister added that department of financial services is in advanced stages of finalisation and the Draft Insurance Laws Amendment Bill which will be presented, shortly.

    Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani in his concluding remarks during the webinar underlined that India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) is set to revolutionize last-mile financial access by integrating its services with Post Office Savings Accounts, creating a unified, technology-driven financial ecosystem.

    With 35 crore Post Office Savings Account holders and 11 crore IPPB customers, this integration will enhance accessibility, efficiency, and innovation in banking services. Key initiatives include expanding Aadhaar-enabled payment systems, increasing UPI transactions, introducing AI-driven microfinance, and launching vernacular digital platforms to empower rural communities. The Department of Posts and Communications is committed to enabling these changes, and collaboration with the Department of Financial services will further accelerate India’s journey toward a seamless and inclusive financial landscape, the minister added.

    In his Thematic session of the Post budget Webinar, Shri M. Nagaraju, Secretary DFS said that under the MUDRA Scheme, ₹33 lakh crore loan amount has been sanctioned. Under the Stand-Up India initiative, the department has sanctioned ₹59,000 crore to 2.62 lakh accounts. Additionally, under the PM SVANidhi scheme,  ₹14,000 crore has been sanctioned across 99 lakh accounts. Shri Nagaraju also mentioned that to ensure greater consistency, consumer protection, transparency, and grievance redressal, DFS is proposing setting up a unified forum where regulators and authorities in the pension sector can collaborate.

    The Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance organized a Post Budget Webinar on Theme 7 titled Regulatory, Investment and EODB reforms on Tuesday 4th March, 2025 to understand the unique perspectives from various stakeholders that can help implement the budget announcements for the year 2025-26, ensuring synergy among stakeholders. The webinar comprised of deliberations on 3 parallel breakout sessions on the following sub-themes as below:

    Sub-Theme 1: Making India investment friendly

    Sub-Theme 2: Ease of access to Financial Services/ Credit

    Sub-Theme 3: Rationalization of Legal & Regulatory Compliances

    Simultaneously,  2 more post budget webinars with themes of ‘MSME as an engine of growth’ and ‘Manufacturing, Exports and Nuclear Energy Missions’ were also organised. Prime Minister  addressed these 3 webinars , emphasizing the importance of manufacturing and export. Highlights of his address may be accessed at

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2108027

    For the webinar on Regulatory, Investment and EODB reforms, the sessions witnessed participation of Ministers of respective ministries, senior government officials, subject matter experts, industry leaders, bankers, FPOs and other related stakeholders. The deliberations  focussed on budget announcements related to FDI in Insurance Sector, Credit Enhancement Facility by NaBFID , Merger of Companies, Bilateral Investment Treaties, Investment Friendliness Index of States, Expanding Services of India Post Payment Bank, Grameen Credit Score, KYC Simplification, Pension Sector, Regulatory Reforms  & High-Level Committee for Regulatory Reforms, FSDC Mechanism, Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 .

    The sub-theme “Making India investment friendly” covered budget paras on FDI in Insurance Sector, Credit Enhancement Facility by NaBFID, Merger of Companies, Bilateral Investment Treaties, and Investment Friendliness Index of States. Valuable suggestions were received from Panelists, Intervenors and Industry experts. The suggestions received during the panel discussion on this theme, inter alia, included, tax rationalization, Ease of Doing Business such as simplification of licensing process for new entrants, liberalizing investment norms, robust dispute resolution mechanism, use of e-governance in streamlining processes, minimize domestic regulatory bottlenecks, creating awareness within the government and build capacities, dedicated national law for foreign investment promotion in India, deepening of bond markets through participation of Insurance and pension funds,retail investors etc.

    During the breakout session on sub theme Ease of access to financial services / Credit, the discussions were held on 3 budget announcements regarding expanding services on India Post payment bank (IPPB), KYC simplification and Grameen credit score. Experts lauded the budget announcements and opined that expansion of IPPB will take banking services to remote areas, empower rural communities by providing access to essential financial tools and will deepen financial inclusion. Grameen credit score will provide an accurate credit profile of rural borrowers. It will not only give opportunities to rural population in availing affordable credit but will also provide opportunities to banks for increasing their business.  KYC simplification will enhance the ease of customers in availing banking and other financial services. The discussions held during the webinar enriched large number of attendees.

    In the Sub Theme: ” Rationalization of Legal & Regulatory Compliances”, Forum for Regulatory Coordination and Development of Pension Products, high-level committee for regulatory reforms, FSDC Mechanism and Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 were discussed. It was emphasised by the speakers that ‘Viksit Bharat@2047’ will need a regulatory framework that is based on trust and is responsive to technological changes and global policy developments. Speakers highlighted that, Government needs to reduce compliance burden and Imprisonment and / or fine should be substituted with penalties, which are civil in nature, for all minor, procedural and technical non-compliances. Such a framework will facilitate the ease of doing business for all citizens.

    The recommendations on the respective sub-themes of the webinar were presented in the concluding session in presence of Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Minister of State for Finance and Minister of State for Communication.

    ****

    NB/AD

    (Release ID: 2108360) Visitor Counter : 27

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Hyperscale Data, Inc. Announces Acceptance of Plan by NYSE

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAS VEGAS, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hyperscale Data, Inc. (NYSE American: GPUS), a diversified holding company (“Hyperscale Data” or the “Company”), today announced that on March 4, 2025, the NYSE American, LLC (the “NYSE”) notified the Company that it has been granted a listing extension until June 18, 2026 on the basis of the plan recently submitted by the Company to regain compliance with the NYSE American Company Guide (the “Listing Standards”). Specifically, the Company has demonstrated how it intends to regain compliance with Sections 1003(a)(ii) and (iii) of the Listing Standards by having stockholders’ equity be $6.0 million or more. The Company will be subject to periodic review by NYSE during the extension period. Failure to make progress consistent with the plan or to regain compliance with the continued Listing Standards by the end of the extension period could result in the Company being delisted from the NYSE.

    For more information on Hyperscale Data and its subsidiaries, Hyperscale Data recommends that stockholders, investors and any other interested parties read Hyperscale Data’s public filings and press releases available under the Investor Relations section at hyperscaledata.com or available at www.sec.gov.

    About Hyperscale Data, Inc.

    Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Hyperscale Data owns and operates the Data Center at which it mines digital assets and offers colocation and hosting services for the emerging AI ecosystems and other industries. Hyperscale Data’s subsidiary, ACG, is a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact.

    Hyperscale Data intends to completely divest itself of ACG on or about December 31, 2025, at which time, it would solely be an owner and operator of data centers to support HPC services. Until that happens, the Company provides, through ACG and its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including an artificial intelligence software platform, social gaming platform, equipment rental services, defense/aerospace, industrial, automotive, medical/biopharma and hotel operations. In addition, ACG is actively engaged in private credit and structured finance through a licensed lending subsidiary. Hyperscale Data’s headquarters are located at 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 240, Las Vegas, NV 89141.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” or similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties.

    Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors. More information, including potential risk factors, that could affect the Company’s business and financial results are included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All filings are available at www.sec.gov and on the Company’s website at www.hyperscaledata.com.

    Hyperscale Data Investor Contact:
    IR@hyperscaledata.com or 1-888-753-2235

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Text of the Vice-President’s address at the Annual Convocation of Jan Nayak Ch. Devi Lal Vidyapeeth, Sirsa (Excerpts)

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 05 MAR 2025 4:29PM by PIB Delhi

    I’m here for my dear students and let me tell you, dear students, those who are in the last benches, there are no back benchers here. Only they sit on back benches so, my greetings to those at the end also.

    It is an absolute privilege and honour to impart convocation address at an institution that bears the name it does. The last century had not seen stalwarts of the nature, very few of them, like Chaudhary Devi Lal. When I look at them, they have served India and done their mission, time for us to resolve, We will do the same, we will serve the Nation. हम भारतीय हैं, भारतीयता हमारी पहचान है, राष्ट्रधर्म सर्वोपरि है।

    We have to put nation first always. There can be no interest higher than national interest. Personal and political interests are insignificant.

    A convocation address is not easy to deliver because students expect something really amazing. I will make an earnest effort. My first sermon to you is, I have throughout been a gold medalist, that was an obsession with me. I was always in fear what will happen if I don’t come at number one. Let me share it with you, कुछ नहीं होता, थोड़ा खेल ज्यादा खेल लेता, दोस्तों से बात कर लेता। Therefore do not be obsessed, allow your life to go like a river not like a canal built by parents.

    ज़माना था बच्चा पैदा हुआ मा बाप ने तय कर दिया डॉक्टर बनेगा, इंजीनियर बनेगा, आईएएस बनेगा।  If you look around, boys and girls, your basket of opportunities is ever-enlarging. It is there in blue economy, it is there in space economy. You are in Bharat at a time when no Nation in last decade has grown as fast and as large as Bharat. Big economic upsurge, phenomenal infrastructure growth, deep digitisation, technological penetration.

    If I share some figures with you, you will be surprised. Per capita internet consumption of Bharat is more than that of China and USA taken together. If we go about our digital transactions, the digital transactions are four times the combined transactions of USA, UK, France, and Germany.

    If you examine our economy, that was very fragile a decade ago. When I with the blessings of Chaudhary Devi Lal, had the occasion to enter Parliament as a Member of Parliament and became a Minister with his blessings and guidance, what was the economic situation? सोने की चिड़िया कहलाने वाले देश का सोना विदेश में गिरवी रखना पड़ा।  It was placed to two banks of Switzerland, airlifted to sustain our credibility. Our foreign exchange reserves today are over 700 billion.

    You are lucky to be living in times when Bharat is dotted with hope and possibility. There is an ecosystem in place of affirmative government policies, hand-holding policies that allow you full legroom to exploit your talent and potential, realise your ambitions and aspirations. Meritocracy prevails now. When that is the scenario, you must think big. Never be under stress, never be under tension. Fear of failure is the worst fear in life because it is a myth. There is nothing like failure, it is an attempt that has not succeeded. Some people were so pessimistic that Chandrayaan-2 was called by them as failure.

    I was governor of the state of West Bengal. I was in the Science City, boys and girls of your age was with me, it was around 2 a.m. I remember September 2019. Chandrayaan-2 came very close to the lunar surface but could not touch it. It was, according to me, more than 90% success. And that is why Chandrayaan-3 became a success and therefore, failure is a myth. Failure gives you an opportunity to further improve. Many greatest accomplishments in history have never succeeded in the first attempt.

    If you have boys and girls, a brilliant idea in your mind, don’t allow that idea to be parked in your mind. That will be the greatest injustice to you and to humanity. Experiment, think out of the box. Look at what has happened in this country, particularly last decade. Startups, unicorns, and of huge dimensions.

    Therefore, never fear, never have tension, never have stress. Go for experimentation; go as per your attitude. You will have enough to contribute for the Nation. If International Monetary Fund called India as a favorite global destination of investment and opportunity, boys and girls, it was not for government jobs. It was on account of the opportunities and those opportunities today are available at sea surface, deep sea, ground, deep ground, sky and space. You only have to think big. Take a leap.

    Convocation is not an end of education because education is always about learning. Let me quote a pre Socrates era, I am quoting Heraclitus. Heraclitus, a great philosopher, gave us one aspect in life which is often quoted. ‘The only constant in life is the change,’ and he buttressed it by an illustration. ‘The same person cannot be in the same river twice, because neither the river is the same, nor the person is the same.’

    So change has to be there, and right now the change is epochal, change is much beyond any hurricane. Disruptive technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Blockchain, Machine Learning, and every moment we are having paradigm shift. Every moment is a change that brings huge challenges and every challenge has to be converted into an opportunity that is to be done by you, boys and girls.

    When you will step into the new building of Parliament, you will come to know that, in the face of COVID, the greatest pandemic we faced in the century, in less than 30 months the building came up, the entire infrastructure came up. And our 5,000 years of civilizational reflection is there in Parliament.

    Boys and girls, no Nation in the world has grown as fast with such a big leap as Bharat in last decade. This has given one situation, people have tasted development, they have seen development. They are there, for aspirational mode and if people are in aspirational mode, there can be restive situation, there can be restlessness, a problem but that problem has to be addressed by each and every individual.

    Let me give you certain suggestions. Dear boys and girls, always put Civic Duties, Fundamental Duties over rights. Always nurture your family, your teachers, your elders, your neighborhood, because that is our civilizational culture. Believe in the environment, because that is something we are concerned. Alarmingly, a worrisome scenario is there. We do not have another earth to live in. The situation is cliff hanging. We are virtually collapsing. We have to find a way out.

    I will conclude by leaving a thought with you. We all need to promote economic nationalism. Gandhi Ji gave us the slogan Swadesi. The Prime Minister has given, ‘Be Vocal for Local.’ If we do not have avoidable imports, we’ll be saving more than hundreds of billions of dollars in our foreign kitty. That will give work to our people. Entrepreneurship will blossom. You can do it. In this room, if you’ll find out our clothing, you’ll come to know that they are stitched outside the country. Better quality is available here so, national interest, national economic interest can never be compromised on fiscal gains.

    Always take pride in the person, in whose name, in whose memory the institutions are there. People have glorified human beings very rarely, you can get Padma Bhushan, you can get Bharat Ratna, you can get all awards but where do you get title of Rashtrapita? Where do you get title of Sardar? Where do you get title of ‘Tau? Tau is here, Tau oversees us.

    I have been mentored in politics by Tau. What I learned from him is keep on working for development of the society and never ignore rural landscape and the farmers.

    ****

    JK/RC/SM

    (Release ID: 2108497) Visitor Counter : 39

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addresses the Post-Budget Webinar on boosting job creation- Investing in People, Economy, and Innovation

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addresses the Post-Budget Webinar on boosting job creation- Investing in People, Economy, and Innovation

    This year’s Union Budget paves the way for a stronger workforce and a growing economy: PM

    We have given People, Economy and Innovation same priority as infrastructure and industries in investment: PM

    The vision of Investment in People stands on three pillars – Education, Skill and Healthcare!: PM

    Today we are seeing India’s education system going through a huge transformation after several decades: PM

    Telemedicine facility is being expanded in all Primary Health Centres: PM

    Through day-care cancer centres and digital healthcare infrastructure, we want to take quality healthcare to the last mile: PM

    Many decisions have been taken in this budget to promote domestic and international tourism: PM

    50 destinations across the country will be developed focusing on tourism: PM

    Giving infrastructure status to hotels in these destinations will increase the ease of tourism and will also boost local employment: PM

    India will establish National Large Language Model to develop AI capabilities: PM

    In this direction, our private sector also needs to be one step ahead of the world: PM

    The world is waiting for a reliable, safe and democratic country that can provide economic solutions in AI: PM

    The government has taken several steps in this budget to promote startups,A corpus fund of Rs 1 lakh crore has been passed to promote research and innovation: PM

    This will increase investment in emerging sectors with deep tech fund of funds: PM

    The announcement to preserve India’s rich manuscript heritage through Gyan Bharatam Mission is very important: PM

    More than one crore manuscripts will be converted into digital form through this mission: PM

    Posted On: 05 MAR 2025 2:59PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Post-Budget Webinar on Employment via video conferencing today. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, he highlighted the importance of the theme of the webinar, “Investing in People, Economy, and Innovation,” which defines the roadmap for Viksit Bharat. He remarked that this year’s budget reflects this theme on a large scale and serves as a blueprint for India’s future. He emphasized that investments have been prioritized equally across infrastructure, industries, people, economy, and innovation. Underlining that capacity building and talent nurturing are foundational for the nation’s progress, Shri Modi urged all stakeholders to step forward and invest more in these areas as the next phase of development requires it. He stressed that this is essential for the country’s economic success and forms the basis of every organization’s success.

    “The vision of investing in people stands on three pillars: education, skill, and healthcare”, said Shri Modi, remarking that India’s education system is undergoing a significant transformation after several decades. He emphasized key initiatives such as the National Education Policy, the expansion of IITs, the integration of technology into the education system, and the utilization of AI’s full potential. Underlying the efforts like the digitization of textbooks and the availability of learning materials in 22 Indian languages, the PM said, “these mission-mode efforts have enabled India’s education system to align with the needs and parameters of the 21st-century world”.

    Highlighting that since 2014, the government has provided skill training to over 3 crore youth, the Prime Minister mentioned the upgrade of 1,000 ITIs and the establishment of 5 Centers of Excellence. He emphasized the goal of equipping youth with training that meets the needs of industries. He remarked that with the help of global experts, efforts are being made to ensure that Indian youth can compete at the world level. Shri Modi underlined the critical role of industry and academia in these initiatives and urged industries and educational institutions to understand and fulfill each other’s needs, providing youth with opportunities to adapt to the rapidly changing world, gain exposure, and access platforms for practical learning. Highlighting the launch of the PM-Internship Scheme to provide youth with new opportunities and practical skills, he stressed the importance of ensuring maximum industry participation at every level in this initiative.

    Touching upon the medical field, Shri Modi mentioned the addition of 10,000 new medical seats in this budget and a target of adding 75,000 seats in the medical field over the next five years has been set. He highlighted the expansion of telemedicine facilities across all Primary Health Centres. He also emphasized the establishment of daycare cancer centers and the development of digital healthcare infrastructure to ensure quality healthcare reaches the last mile. He said that these initiatives will have a transformative impact on people’s lives. The Prime Minister said that these efforts will create numerous new employment opportunities for youth and urged stakeholders to work swiftly to implement these initiatives, ensuring the benefits of budget announcements reach the maximum number of people.

    Pointing out that over the past decade, investments in the economy have been guided by a futuristic vision, the Prime Minister remarked that by 2047, India’s urban population is projected to reach approximately 90 crore, necessitating planned urbanization. He announced the initiative to establish a ₹1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund, focusing on governance, infrastructure, and financial sustainability, while also boosting private investment. “Indian cities will be recognized for sustainable urban mobility, digital integration, and climate resilience plans”, emphasized the Prime Minister. He urged the private sector, particularly the real estate and industrial sectors, to prioritize and advance planned urbanization. He also stressed the importance of collaborative efforts to further initiatives like AMRUT 2.0 and the Jal Jeevan Mission.

    Emphasising the need to focus on the potential of the tourism sector while discussing investments in the economy, Shri Modi highlighted that the tourism sector has the potential to contribute up to 10% of India’s GDP and create employment opportunities for crores of youth. He mentioned several measures in the budget to promote domestic and international tourism. “50 destinations across the country will be developed with a focus on tourism”, said the Prime Minister adding  that granting infrastructure status to hotels in these destinations will enhance ease of tourism and boost local employment. Highlighting the expansion of the Mudra Yojana to support homestays, Shri Modi also stressed that initiatives like ‘Heal in India’ and ‘Land of the Buddha’ to attract global tourists. “Efforts are being made to establish India as a global tourism and wellness hub”, he added.

    Underscoring that tourism offers opportunities beyond the hotel and transport industries, extending to other sectors as well, the Prime Minister urged stakeholders in the health sector to invest in promoting health tourism. He stressed the need to fully utilize the potential of yoga and wellness tourism, remarking on the significant scope for growth in education tourism. He expressed his desire for detailed discussions in this direction and called for the development of a strong roadmap to advance these initiatives.

    “The future of the nation is determined by investments in innovation”, exclaimed Shri Modi, highlighting that artificial intelligence has the potential to contribute several lakh crore rupees to India’s economy, underscoring the need for rapid progress in this direction. He mentioned the allocation of ₹500 crore in the budget for AI-driven education and research. Mentioning the plans to establish a National Large Language Model to develop AI capabilities in India, the Prime Minister urged the private sector to stay ahead of the global curve in this field. “The world awaits a reliable, safe, and democratic nation that can provide economical AI solutions”, he added, emphasising that investments made in this sector today will yield significant advantages in the future.

    “India has become the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world”, said the Prime Minister, adding that several measures have been introduced in this budget to promote startups. He mentioned the approval of a ₹1 lakh crore corpus fund to boost research and innovation. The Prime Minister emphasized that this will increase investments in emerging sectors through the ‘Deep Tech Fund of Funds’. He noted the provision of 10,000 research fellowships at IITs and IISc, which will foster research and provide opportunities for talented youth. The Prime Minister also highlighted the role of the National Geo-spatial Mission and the National Research Foundation in accelerating innovation. He stressed the need for collective efforts at all levels to elevate India to new heights in research and innovation.

    Underlining the significance of the Gyan Bharatam Mission in preserving India’s rich manuscript heritage, Shri Modi announced that over one crore manuscripts will be digitized under this mission, leading to the creation of a National Digital Repository. This repository will enable scholars and researchers worldwide to access India’s historical, traditional knowledge and wisdom, he added. The Prime Minister also mentioned the establishment of a National Gene Bank to preserve India’s plant genetic resources. He emphasized that this initiative aims to ensure genetic resources and food security for future generations. He urged for the expansion of such efforts and called on various institutes and sectors to actively participate in these initiatives.

    Citing the remarkable observations made by the IMF regarding India’s economy in February 2025, Shri Modi noted that between 2015 and 2025, India’s economy has recorded a 66% growth, making it a $3.8 trillion economy. He emphasized that this growth surpasses that of several major economies, and that the day is not far when India will become a $5 trillion economy. He stressed the importance of making the right investments in the right direction to continue expanding the economy. He underlined the critical role of implementing budget announcements in achieving this vision and acknowledged the significant contributions of all stakeholders. He mentioned that the tradition of working in silos was broken and now the Government has both pre-budget consultations as well as post-budget discussions for better implementation of the schemes and initiatives with the stakeholders, highlighting the ‘Jan-Bhagidari’ model. He concluded by expressing hope that the fruitful discussions of the webinar will play a remarkable role in fulfilling the aspirations of 140 crore Indians.

    Background

    Employment generation has been one of the key focus areas of the government. Driven by the vision of the Prime Minister, the government has taken multiple steps to promote job growth and generate greater avenues of employment. The webinar will foster collaboration among government, industry, academia, and citizens encouraging discussions to help translate the transformative Budget announcements towards the same into effective outcomes. With a key focus on empowering citizens, strengthening the economy, and fostering innovation, the deliberations will aim at paving the way for sustainable and inclusive growth; leadership in technology and other sectors; and a skilled, healthy workforce working towards realising the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

     

    This year’s Union Budget paves the way for a stronger workforce and a growing economy. Addressing a post-budget webinar on boosting job creation. https://t.co/ymjiCeZoVb

    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 5, 2025

    हमने इनवेस्टमेंट में जितनी प्राथमिकता infrastructure और industries को दी है… उतनी ही प्राथमिकता People, Economy और Innovation को भी दी है: PM @narendramodi

    — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 5, 2025

    Investment in people का विज़न तीन पिलर्स पर खड़ा होता है- एजुकेशन, स्किल और हेल्थकेयर!

    आज आप देख रहे हैं, भारत का Education system कई दशक के बाद कितने बड़े transformation से गुजर रहा है: PM @narendramodi

    — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 5, 2025

    सभी Primary Health Centres में टेलीमेडिसिन सुविधा का विस्तार हो रहा है।

    डे-केयर कैंसर सेंटर और digital healthcare infrastructure के जरिए हम quality healthcare को लास्ट माइल तक पहुंचाना चाहते हैं: PM @narendramodi

    — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 5, 2025

    इस बजट में घरेलू और अंतर्राष्ट्रीय टूरिज़्म को बढ़ावा देने के लिए कई फैसले लिए गए हैं।

    देश भर में 50 destinations को टूरिज्म पर फोकस करते हुए विकसित किया जाएगा।

    इन destinations में होटलों को infrastructure का दर्जा दिए जाने से Ease of Tourism बढ़ेगा, स्थानीय रोजगार को भी बढ़ावा…

    — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 5, 2025

    भारत AI की क्षमताओं को विकसित करने के लिए national Large Language Model की स्थापना भी करेगा।

    इस दिशा में हमारे प्राइवेट सेक्टर को भी दुनिया से एक कदम आगे रहने की जरूरत है।

    एक reliable, safe और democratic देश, जो AI में economical solutions दे सके, विश्व को उसका इंतज़ार है: PM…

    — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 5, 2025

    स्टार्टअप्स को बढ़ावा देने के लिए सरकार ने इस बजट में कई कदम उठाए हैं।

    रिसर्च और इनोवेशन को बढ़ाने के लिए 1 लाख करोड़ रुपये का corpus fund पास किया गया है।

    इससे डीप टेक फंड ऑफ फंड्स के साथ उभरते सेक्टर्स में निवेश बढ़ेगा: PM @narendramodi

    — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 5, 2025

    ज्ञान भारतम मिशन के माध्यम से भारत की समृद्ध manuscript heritage को संरक्षित करने की घोषणा बहुत ही अहम है।

    इस मिशन के माध्यम से एक करोड़ से अधिक manuscript…पांडुलिपियों को डिजिटल फॉर्म में बदला जाएगा: PM @narendramodi

    — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 5, 2025

     

    ***

    MJPS/SR

    (Release ID: 2108407) Visitor Counter : 50

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Barnwell Industries, Inc. Disqualifies Ned Sherwood’s Board Nominees Included in Defective and Insufficient Nomination Notice for 2025 Annual Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Sets March 14, 2025, as Record Date for Shareholders to Act by Written Consent in Connection with Sherwood’s Latest Self-Serving Campaign to Take Control of Barnwell

    Sherwood’s Consent Solicitation is Yet Another Attempt to Steal the Company from Shareholders Without Paying a Premium for Control

    HONOLULU, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Barnwell Industries, Inc. (NYSE American: BRN) (“Barnwell” or the “Company”) today announced that the Executive Committee of the Barnwell Board of Directors has disqualified the controlling slate of director nominees submitted by one of its shareholders, Ned Sherwood, in connection with 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

    As previously disclosed on February 25, 2025, the Executive Committee informed Sherwood that it rejected his nomination notice because it was defective and insufficient as it failed to include material information required by both the Company’s bylaws and federal securities regulations.

    Barnwell Sets Record Date for Sherwood’s Consent Solicitation

    Sherwood Continues to Seek Control of Barnwell with NO PLAN Other than to
    Take Control of the Company

    Sherwood is now aggressively pursuing shareholder approval to replace the entire Barnwell Board of Directors. This is yet another attempt by Sherwood to seize control of Barnwell at the expense of its public shareholders, without offering any premium for control. Moreover, despite repeated requests from the Company over several months, Sherwood has failed to present any alternative strategy for the Company, and after many months, his so-called plan is still forthcoming.

    Furthermore, Sherwood is now attempting to oust his own nominee, Doug Woodrum, a current Barnwell Board member, who was part of Sherwood’s slate for the upcoming 2025 Annual Meeting. Notably absent from Sherwood’s Consent Solicitation is another previously chosen nominee, Sherwood’s Chief Investment Officer, Ben Pierson, who was secretly buying Barnwell shares throughout 2024 while Sherwood was party to a Cooperation Agreement with the Company.

    Sherwood’s latest attempt to replace the entire Barnwell Board with his slate of hand-picked nominees continues his long history of disrupting the Company’s governance processes and interfering with the Company’s operations, while creating significant expense to the Company. Indeed, the Executive Committee has sought several times to avoid the cost and distraction of Sherwood’s actions, including a recent settlement offer whereby five of seven directors would be individuals expressly approved by Sherwood who would then become Chairman of the Board. However, Sherwood’s sole interest appears to be to have 100% control of the Board.

    Barnwell shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 14, 2025, are eligible to execute, withhold and revoke written consents. Barnwell expects to file preliminary consent revocation materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in response to the preliminary consent solicitation statement filed by Sherwood on March 4, 2025.

    The Barnwell Executive Committee Comprises Majority Independent and
    Highly Experienced Directors Acting on Behalf of All Shareholders

    As Barnwell has disclosed, the current Board was expressly approved by Sherwood under a 2023 settlement whereby the Company and Sherwood each designated two directors. At that time, a fifth director, Joshua Horowitz, was selected as a compromise board member and was vetted by Sherwood and expressly endorsed by both parties to the settlement agreement.

    The Company also separately announced today that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent to sell its water well subsidiary, as part of its ongoing plan to refocus on its core oil and gas exploration business and reduce general and administrative expenses, all of which actions have been previously endorsed by Sherwood.

    The Barnwell Executive Committee will continue to take actions that it believes represent the best interest of ALL Barnwell shareholders.

    The Company also announced that it expects to hold its uncontested 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in its fiscal third quarter (second calendar quarter) of 2025. The record date and meeting date for the 2025 Annual Meeting have not yet been set.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The information contained in this press release contains “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. A forward-looking statement is one which is based on current expectations of future events or conditions and does not relate to historical or current facts. These statements include various estimates, forecasts, projections of Barnwell’s future performance, statements of Barnwell’s plans and objectives, and other similar statements. Forward-looking statements include phrases such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “assumes,” “projects,” “may,” “will,” “will be,” “should,” or similar expressions. Although Barnwell believes that its current expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, it cannot assure that the expectations contained in such forward-looking statements will be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in such statements. The risks, uncertainties and other factors that might cause actual results to differ materially from Barnwell’s expectations are set forth in the “Forward-Looking Statements,” “Risk Factors” and other sections of Barnwell’s annual report on Form 10-K for the last fiscal year and Barnwell’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, as they speak only as of the date of this press release, and Barnwell expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein.

    Important Additional Information and Where to Find It

    Barnwell Industries, Inc. (the “Company”) plans to file proxy materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Company’s 2025 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2025 Annual Meeting”) and plans to file a consent revocation statement in connection with the Sherwood Group’s consent statement which, among other things, seeks to remove and replace the current members of the Board of Directors of the Company. Prior to the 2025 Annual Meeting, the Company will file a definitive proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) together with a WHITE proxy card. The Company will also file a definitive revocation statement (the “Revocation Statement”) together with a WHITE revocation card. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND THE REVOCATION STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT THE COMPANY WILL FILE WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Stockholders will be able to obtain, free of charge, copies of the Proxy Statement, the Revocation Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto and any other documents (including the WHITE proxy card and WHITE revocation card) when filed by the Company with the SEC at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) or at the Company’s website at https://ir.brninc.com/ or by contacting Alexander Kinzler, Secretary and General Counsel of the Company, by phone at (808) 531-8400, by email at akinzler@brninc.com or by mail at Barnwell Industries, Inc., 1100 Alakea Street, Suite 500, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813.

    Certain Information Regarding Participants

    The Company, its directors and certain of its executive officers and other employees may be deemed to be “participants” (as defined in Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection with the 2025 Annual Meeting. Additional information regarding the identity of these potential participants and their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the Proxy Statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with the 2025 Annual Meeting. Information relating to the foregoing can also be found in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2024 annual meeting of stockholders, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2024. To the extent holdings of such participants in the Company’s securities have changed since the amounts described in the Proxy Statement, such changes have been reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 3 and Form 4 filed with the SEC: Form 3, filed by Craig Hopkins, with the filings of the Company on May 16, 2024; Form 4, filed by Craig Hopkins, with the filings of the Company on May 20, 2024, August 29, 2024, January 13, 2025 and January 17, 2025; Form 4, filed by Joshua Horowitz, with the filings of the Company on August 23, 2024 and October 28, 2024; Form 4, filed by Kenneth Grossman, with the filings of the Company on October 28, 2024; and Form 4, filed by Douglas Woodrum, with the filings of the Company on October 28, 2024. These filings can be found at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. More detailed and updated information regarding the identity of potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests (by security holdings or otherwise), will be set forth in the proxy statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

    CONTACTS:                         

    Investors:
    Bruce Goldfarb / Chuck Garske
    (212) 297-0720
    info@okapipartners.com

    Kenneth S. Grossman
    Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
    Email: kensgrossman@gmail.com                

    The MIL Network –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: China’s 2025 economic growth target demonstrates resolve, confidence

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, March 5 — China’s 2025 GDP growth target of around 5 percent, alongside the measures the country will implement to meet this goal, demonstrates its confidence and prowess in securing new achievements in high-quality development.

    The world’s second-largest economy will sustain its encouraging momentum and remain a key anchor in an uncertain global economic landscape.

    Taking all factors into account, the target of around 5 percent is practical, underscoring China’s resolve to meet difficulties head-on and strive hard to deliver. It is well aligned with the country’s mid- and long-term development goals. Meeting this year’s goal is expected to ensure a success of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), while laying a solid foundation for the next five years.

    Growth will be underpinned by measures such as launching special initiatives to boost consumption, issuing more ultra-long special treasury bonds, allocating a greater share of science and technology expenditures to basic research, and developing new quality productive forces — as mentioned in the government work report submitted Wednesday to the national legislature for deliberation.

    A more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately loose monetary policy adopted this year will promote structural adjustment and bolster economic growth. A booming landscape in fields including artificial intelligence, robotics, new energy and smart manufacturing will unlock the long-term potential of high-quality development.

    China’s consistent and significant reform efforts will further facilitate market access and level the playing field. Institutional reform measures related to the construction of a unified national market, as well as policy measures to promote the private sector’s development, will unleash new market vitality.

    China’s development is inseparable from its unwavering push to open up to the outside world. The country will steadily expand institutional opening up, take the initiative to open wider, and advance unilateral opening up. The Chinese market is never short of opportunities for shared progress and prosperity.

    China’s ability to weather headwinds and maintain long-term economic growth stems from its distinctive institutional strengths and many advantages, including an enormous market, a complete industrial system, a wealth of manpower and talent, and effective governance mechanisms such as long-term plans. The country has vast space for further growth through demand upgrades, structural improvements, and a shift to new growth drivers.

    With its strengths, potential, and ample support measures, the Chinese economy will continue to defy skepticism and deliver certainty for itself and the world.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Impact of the closure of USAID on Latin America, in particular on the seven million Venezuelan refugees – E-000576/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000576/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Francisco Assis (S&D)

    The freezing of aid provided by the US Agency for International Development will harm vulnerable populations around the world. Having been a priority for USAID, Latin America will be one of the most affected regions with the end of humanitarian assistance and civil society support programmes on various fronts.

    One of the most worrying consequences of the announced dismantling of USAID concerns the seven million Venezuelans who, fleeing poverty and authoritarianism in their country, have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, such as Colombia (the biggest beneficiary of this agency in the region), or who are living precariously in refugee camps, such as on the border with Brazil.

    Recently, the EU has demonstrated a geopolitical commitment to South America and its development with the conclusion of a historic agreement with Mercosur.

    In light of the above:

    • 1.How does the Commission intend to mitigate the impact of the end of USAID on the humanitarian situation of Venezuelan refugees?
    • 2.Is the Commission prepared to move forward with alternative sources of funding to maintain the aforesaid programmes in the region thereby sending a powerful political message to the world with this gesture?

    Submitted: 7.2.2025

    Last updated: 5 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    March 6, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: New EU programme launched with banking sector to support women entrepreneurs across Europe

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • EIB and European Commission launch first-ever “Gender Finance Lab for commercial banks” under the InvestEU Advisory Hub
    • So far 25 European banks committed to joining new masterclass programme to boost funding for women entrepreneurs
    • Launch takes place on the margins of the EIB Group Forum

    The European Investment Bank and the European Commission have launched today a first of its kind advisory programme aimed at helping EU commercial banks improve access to finance for women-owned and women-led SMEs in Europe.

    Women make up a third of Europe’s entrepreneurs and yet many of them face major financial barriers.

    The InvestEU Gender Finance Lab, developed by the EIB Group with funding from the InvestEU Advisory Hub, aims to support financial intermediaries, including commercial banks and fund managers. 

    A tailored masterclass programme is being launched to seize the opportunity of increasing investments in female entrepreneurs. It will help banks leverage the investment opportunities presented by women entrepreneurs, create more innovative and relevant financial products, and share good practice among fellow financial institutions to better serve women entrepreneurs and bridge the gender finance gap.

    Research shows women-led and -owned businesses exhibit lower risk profiles, higher repayment rates, and greater customer loyalty. They also thrive in management, innovation, and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG). Globally, the women’s market represents a significant $700 billion global revenue opportunity. Beyond the business case, helping commercial banks close the gender finance gap will also address the potential economic impact of women-owned and women-led businesses.

    EIB President Nadia Calviño said: “Partnering to nurture Europe’s potential is at the heart of what the EIB Group is doing here alongside the European Commission and our partners in Europe’s banking sector. Investing in women entrepreneurs is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do; driving growth, prosperity, and stability across the European economy.”

    The Gender-Smart Finance Master Class will be delivered as an eLearning programme. Its first cohort will start in March 2025, bringing together representatives from EU commercial banks, including practitioners on SME business, product development, business strategy and Environmental, Social and Governance professionals. A second session is foreseen in Autumn 2025.

    The programme will include live webinars, interactive discussions, and access to a virtual knowledge hub.

    Key components of the programme include:

    • Exploring the market potential of women-owned and women-led SMEs and their contributions to economic growth.
    • Designing gender-responsive financial and non-financial products and services.
    • Implementing gender-smart data analysis, result measurements, and reporting mechanisms.
    • Staying informed about global gender finance initiatives such as Gender lens investing with the EIB Group, including the 2X Criteria as a global standard for gender-lens investing.
    • Enhancing professional networks, building connections and gaining insights from distinguished professionals and experts in gender-smart SME banking

    This Programme is financed by the EIB InvestEU Advisory Hub Gender Finance Lab and free of charge for participating institutions. Managed by the European Commission and funded by the EU, the InvestEU Advisory Hub connects project promoters with advisory partners, with the European Investment Bank Group as the main advisory partner under InvestEU.

    For more information, please contact genderfinancelab@eib.org 

    Background information:

    EIB Group

    The EIB Group is the financing institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It supports investment contributing toward EU policy goals, including sustainable growth, social and territorial cohesion, innovation and security. It finances its operations in global capital markets and has been consistently profitable in its operations since its inception. The EIB Group is the pioneer and one of the largest issuers of green bonds, while all of its operations are aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement.

    The EIB Group signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 projects in 2024. These commitments are expected to mobilise around €350 billion in investment, supporting 400 000 companies and 5.8 million jobs.  

    To enhance the positive impact of its activities on gender equality and empower women and girls, the EIB Group adopted a Strategy on Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment and a Gender Action Plan, with the aim of embedding gender equality and in particular women’s economic empowerment in the EIB’s business model. It covers its lending, blending and advisory work within and outside the European Union. The EIB Group is also committed to driving gender equality in the workplace.

    InvestEU

    The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery and growth. It helps mobilise private investments for the European Union’s policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The InvestEU programme brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. InvestEU has three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee worth €26.2 billion. That guarantee will back investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

    New EU programme launched with banking sector to support women entrepreneurs across Europe
    New EU programme launched with banking sector to support women entrepreneurs across Europe
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    European Commission logo
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    March 6, 2025
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