Category: Australia

MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business – New Zealand’s leading pre-loved fashion marketplace expands across the ditch to Australia
Source: Designer Wardrobe

Auckland, New Zealand – 16 October 2024 – Following significant growth, New Zealand’s leading two-way marketplace for pre-loved fashion, Designer Wardrobe, has officially launched in Australia to offer fashion-loving Aussies a more sustainable, affordable, and smarter way to shop and sell pre-loved fashion.

With a thriving community of over 325,000 members using the marketplace, Designer Wardrobe will help Australians earn money with fashion pieces from their wardrobes that they no longer reach for and might otherwise remain unworn. Australians will also be able to enjoy more than 160,000 pre-loved fashion pieces from both Australian and New Zealand sellers, opening up the pre-loved market on both sides of the Tasman.

With this latest move, Designer Wardrobe aims to help extend the life of thousands, if not millions, of fashion pieces and accessories, keeping them in active circulation and reducing the number of items that might otherwise end up in landfill.

Designer Wardrobe’s launch comes at the perfect time, with industry insights revealing:

300,000 tonnes of clothing in Australia either ends up in landfill or being exported each year;

73 per cent of Australians already purchase pre-loved clothing;

Two-thirds of Australians are considering side hustles to make ends meet.

Additional insights from Designer Wardrobe highlights:

Total sales traded on the marketplace increased 14 per cent year-on-year compared to the same period in 2023 (*1 January – 30 September 2024 v 1 January – 30 September 2023;

Over the same period of time*, Designer Wardrobe has seen 208,688 pieces sold – helping to reduce what may otherwise end up in landfill, And, almost half a million (469,320) listings have been created on Designer Wardrobe.

Designer Wardrobe’s user base has reached an impressive 325,000, doubling since pre-Covid times (2020), with approximately 1 in 10 women in New Zealand now using the marketplace. Additionally, the number of clothing items sold on the platform has increased more than fivefold during the same period, underscoring Kiwis’ growing enthusiasm for pre-loved fashion.

Aidan Bartlett, CEO of Designer Wardrobe, says: “After 10 successful years in New Zealand, the growth we’ve experienced has been monumental, and we’re thrilled to now bring our thriving marketplace and community of fashion lovers to Australia.”

“Global trend data highlights that there has been a significant surge in sustainable shopping trends, with consumers increasingly opting for smarter and more affordable fashion alternatives in response to rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.”

According to GlobalData’s report for ThredUp, global sales of pre-owned clothing rose by 18 per cent last year, reaching $197 billion, and are projected to grow to $350 billion by 2028; And, second-hand clothing is projected to account for 10 per cent of global fashion sales, underscoring the rising demand for more sustainable shopping options.

Bartlett continues: “At a time when many are seeking additional income streams and looking to make smarter fashion choices by purchasing pre-loved, Aussies can feel confident buying and selling through a trusted marketplace with thousands of active members.

“Australians will have access to thousands of listings across both Australia and New Zealand, and Kiwis can also enjoy pieces from popular Australian brands like Aje, Shona Joy, Caitlin Crisp, Alemais, Bec + Bridge, and Sir the Label.

“The average shopper can save up to 60 per cent off the original RRP of their favourite luxury, designer, and high-street brands. Even better, they can feel great about their smart purchasing decisions by extending the life of items they may otherwise end up in landfill.”

“Our platform has always been about more than just buying and selling clothes; it’s about empowering our community to find value in what they own and to contribute to a more circular economy. It’s a win-win for both the wallet and the environment,” Bartlett adds.

Just like in New Zealand, Aussies can shop with confidence using the Designer Wardrobe app or website. Every order comes with Purchase Protection, ensuring a secure experience. Sellers can list items for free and ship them to buyers via tracked courier. Once the item is received, the earnings are deposited into the seller’s DW Wallet, where they can be withdrawn at any time or used toward their next purchase.

For more information about New Zealand’s largest community of pre-loved fashion enthusiasts, please visit http://www.designerwardrobe.co.nz

About Designer Wardrobe

Since its founding in 2014, Designer Wardrobe has experienced unprecedented growth, becoming a major player in the pre-loved fashion industry and forming New Zealand’s largest community of pre-loved fashion enthusiasts. The company’s purpose-built New Zealand-made marketplace platform is the go-to for 325,000 users to shop and sell pre-loved clothing and now facilitates around $1.6 million in transactions every month.

Designer Wardrobe champions its customers’ needs, regularly launching innovative products, including seller add-ons, AI and an integrated resale widget, to create a seamless shopping and selling experience while promoting sustainability in New Zealand’s bustling fashion industry.
MIL OSI New Zealand News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Construction Economy – NZ construction costs show minor uptick amidst ongoing industry slowdown – CoreLogic

Source: CoreLogic

Tax changes, high levels of existing stock on the market, and credit-constrained buyers have compounded the building industry slowdown, holding construction cost growth low for more than 18 months.

CoreLogic’s latest Cordell Construction Cost Index (CCCI) recorded a 1.1% rise in the September quarter, reversing the fall recorded in Q2. It marks the first time quarterly growth has exceeded 1% since December 2022.

However, the annual growth rate remains subdued at 1.3% – the second lowest since late 2013 and well below the long-term average growth rate of 4.3%.
CoreLogic Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said overall construction cost growth remains subdued, reflecting an easing of pressure for both labour and materials.

The index recorded a drop in sub-contractor charge-out rates in Q3, alongside many plumbing materials such as PVC piping, although the cost for materials such as window hardware and kitchen joinery rose over the period.
“The wider residential construction sector has been in a downturn for about two years now, with dwelling consents falling and actual workloads subsequently declining too,” he said.
“The industry has come off extreme highs recorded during COVID, and building activity remains solid when compared to previous cycles. Even so, it does look like there is capacity opening up, which has reduced the pressure on costs.”

Mr Davidson said the industry is grappling with additional challenges, as many households remain financially cautious despite falling mortgage rates and the number of established property listings available for sale remains high.
New Zealand currently has about 26,000 properties listed for sale—up from 23,000 at the same time last year and double the 13,000 that were available in 2021.
“With such an elevated stock of existing listings, there’s less incentive for buyers to consider new-build properties,” he said. “The shortening of the Brightline Test and the reinstatement of mortgage interest deductibility for all properties regardless of age has also lessened the appeal of new-builds.”
The supply pipeline has also slowed, with annual dwelling consents peaking at about 51,000 in May 2022 before falling 34% to 33,632 in August this year. Meanwhile, Mr Davidson said actual construction workloads, measured by ‘work put in place’, are down around 15% from their peak.
While the outlook for the sector isn’t particularly buoyant in the short term, signs of life might just be starting to emerge, and Mr Davidson noted that the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s newly introduced debt-to-income ratio restrictions, which exempt new builds, could help stimulate demand in this segment.

Further interest rate cuts and improvements in the labour market are also likely to have a positive impact on construction activity into 2025.
“Developers may feel more confident to increase supply if these changes, combined with falling mortgage rates, create a relative shift in demand towards new builds over the next 12 to 18 months,” Mr Davidson said.

“This could lead to a resurgence in New Zealand’s construction sector, with agents and developers watching closely for any signs of a turnaround in 2025.”

CoreLogic’s research, tracks and reports on materials and labour costs which flows through to its Cordell construction solutions to help businesses make more informed decisions, estimate rebuild and insurance quotes easily and, ultimately, appropriate risk effectively.
The CCCI report measures the rate of change of construction costs within the residential market for a typical, ‘standard’ three-bedroom, two-bathroom brick and tile single-storey dwelling.
To read the report, visit http://www.corelogic.co.nz/reports/cordell-construction-cost-index.

About CoreLogic
CoreLogic NZ is a leading, independent provider of property data and analytics. We help people build better lives by providing rich, up-to-the-minute property insights that inform the very best property decisions. Formed in 2014 following the merger of two companies that had strong foundations in New Zealand’s property industry – Terralink Ltd and PropertyIQ NZ Ltd – we have the most comprehensive property database with coverage of 99% of the NZ property market and more than 500 million decision points in our database.
We provide services across a wide range of industries, including Banking & Finance, Real Estate, Government, Insurance and Construction. Our diverse, innovative solutions help our clients identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk. We also operate consumer-facing portal propertyvalue.co.nz – providing important insights for people looking to buy or sell their home or investment property. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of CoreLogic, Inc – one of the largest data and analytics companies in the world with offices in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and United Kingdom. For more information visit corelogic.co.nz.
About Cordell Building Indices
The Cordell Building Indices (CBI) are a series of construction industry index figures that are used to monitor the movement in costs associated with building work within particular segments of the industry. The CBI indicate the rate of change in prices within particular segments of the New Zealand construction industry.
The changes in prices are measured daily through the use of detailed cost surveys, and are reported on a quarterly basis. This ensures the most current and comprehensive industry information available. Each index is based on a combination of labour, material, plant hire and subcontract services required to construct buildings within the particular segment being measured. The CBI measure the change in the cost of constructing buildings, and as such do not provide the actual costs.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: NSW first in the world to identify number of people living with metastatic breast cancer

Source: New South Wales Premiere

Published: 16 October 2024

Released by: Minister for Health, Minister for Women

In a world first, Cancer Institute NSW has identified that around 7,900 people in NSW are living with metastatic breast cancer. A discovery which will help improve cancer outcomes not just in NSW, but across the entire country.

Using the Cancer Institute NSW’s unique linked data sets, a methodology which will soon be shared nationally and internationally, it has been determined that 7,850 women and 50 men in NSW are living with metastatic breast cancer.

Understanding the number of people living with this disease will help overcome the feeling of invisibility described by so many and ensure that NSW is prepared to support the growing number of people living with and surviving cancer, thanks to medical advancements in treatment and care.

It will also ensure health professionals and researchers better understand the impact of diagnostics and treatment on breast cancer recurrence and survival, and work to make life-changing improvements in cancer research, care and policy reform.

Metastatic breast cancer is an invasive form of breast cancer which has spread from the breast to other parts of the body. While the number of people initially diagnosed with breast cancer is available through each state and territories cancer registries, the exact number of people who go on to develop metastatic breast cancer, following an initial breast cancer diagnosis, is unknown in Australia and around the world.

Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) has led Australian advocacy efforts to develop a clearer picture of the number of people living with metastatic breast cancer, holding a roundtable last year with key government, non-government and community agencies.

Following the roundtable, the Cancer Institute NSW set to work to identify the number of people living with metastatic breast cancer, using well established and robust data assets.

By linking cancer incidence and mortality data with NSW clinical datasets, Commonwealth Medicare Benefits Schedule, Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule and National Death Index data, the Institute was able to determine the number of people living with metastatic breast cancer in NSW.

The Cancer Institute NSW will soon share its robust data methodology to help support national and international efforts in understanding and treating metastatic breast cancer

Today, Minister for Health Ryan Park also opened a new BreastScreen NSW clinic at the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick. For eligible women, a breast screen every two years can help detect breast cancer in its earliest stages when it is easier to treat. For more information on breast cancer and breast cancer screening visit http://www.breastscreen.nsw.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“As NSW Health Minister, I am incredibly proud NSW clinicians and researchers have made this remarkable discovery.

“NSW is proud to lead global efforts to understand how many people are living with metastatic breast cancer and lift the veil of uncertainty and invisibility experienced by thousands of people in our community.

“Australia is now one step closer to understanding just how many people are impacted by this aggressive form of breast cancer, and in an important next step, understanding how many other people in our community are living with other forms of metastatic cancer.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler:

“This is an important step forward for people with metastatic breast cancer in New South Wales and I applaud the world-leading efforts of Cancer Institute NSW.

“Knowledge is power and this information will help drive a new era of research to improve the lives of thousands of people, not just in NSW but across the country.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Women Jodie Harrison:

“I congratulate the Cancer Institute NSW on this incredible research.

“With breast cancer being the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, discoveries like this helps us get ahead and ensure that NSW is prepared to support the growing number of people living with and surviving cancer.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Coogee Marjorie O’Neill:

“Breast Cancer Awareness Month is the perfect time for women to make an appointment for your next mammogram. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s free.

“The refurbished and expanded BreastScreen NSW clinic here at The Royal Hospital for Women will make such a difference for local women, and as a result between 3 – 5 thousand additional women will be able to get a potentially life-saving mammogram each year.”

Quotes attributable to NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Cancer Institute NSW Professor Tracey O’Brien AM:

“While our global understanding of cancer has improved significantly, cancer rates are projected to triple in the coming decades with more people currently living with cancer than are being newly diagnosed.

“Pinpointing how many people have metastatic breast cancer is more than just knowing a number. It’s about giving a voice, options and hope to people living with and beyond cancer and letting them know we see them and are here for them.

“Although a cure for metastatic breast cancer remains the ultimate goal, our immediate focus must be on helping those living longer with the disease to live well. It’s not just about treating the cancer – it’s about treating the whole person, improving their quality of life and addressing their physical, emotional, financial and practical needs.”

Quotes attributable to Director Policy, Advocacy & Support Services Breast Cancer Network Australia Vicki Durston:

“NSW is setting a benchmark as the first state to establish a method for reporting on the number of people living with metastatic breast cancer.

“The data we now have reveals a reality far greater than we ever anticipated. BCNA stands for every individual whose life remains invisible in cancer data registries—not just here in Australia, but globally.”

Quotes attributable to Breast Cancer Network Australia Consumer Representative Lisa Rankin:

“As someone living with metastatic breast cancer, I am incredibly excited that it is now possible to recognise those living with the disease. Until now we have been hidden in plain sight and vastly underestimated in numbers.

“I want to thank the NSW Government and BCNA’s advocacy for their achievement. I look forward to the positive change which will result from being recognised, improving the lives of those living with the disease, their families and others important to them.”

MIL OSI News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: TACTiC: Test avoid cure TB in children

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

This new report details how children with tuberculosis continue to be left behind in the global effort to end the disease. The report, TACTIC: Test, Avoid, Cure Tuberculosis in Children, surveyed tuberculosis policy guidelines in 14 countries* with a high burden of tuberculosis, revealing that many countries lag behind in aligning their national tuberculosis policies with the latest guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO).

We urge all countries to update their national guidelines to be in line with the WHO recommendations for the care of children with tuberculosis, and to allocate the needed resources—along with developing clear plans with timelines to implement the policies and increase access to tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the children with tuberculosis in the country. International donors and technical support agencies must provide sufficient funding to countries to support paediatric tuberculosis policy reforms and implementation.

TACTiC: Test, avoid, cure TB in children pdf — 4.65 MB Download

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MIL OSI NGO –

January 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Albanese government promises to ban ‘dodgy’ trading practices
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Hard on the heels of pledging a crackdown on excessive surcharges, the Albanese government has promised legislation to ban unfair trading practices.

The government said this would include specific prohibitions on various “dodgy” practices.

“From concert tickets to hotel rooms to gym memberships, Australians are fed up with businesses using tricky tactics that make it difficult to end subscriptions or add hidden fees to purchases,” the prime minister, treasurer and assistant treasurer said in a statement.

“These practices can distort purchasing decisions, or result in additional costs, putting more pressure on the cost of living.”

They said the government would deal with
- “subscription traps” that make it difficult to cancel a subscription
- “drip pricing” characterised by hidden fees or fees added during the purchase
- deceptive and manipulative online practices. These aim to confuse consumers, such as for example by creating a false sense of urgency, warning there is only a limited time to purchase
- dynamic pricing, where a price changes during the transaction
- requiring a consumer to set up an account and provide unnecessary information for an online purchase
- a business making it difficult for a consumer to contact it when they have a problem with the product.
Earlier this week Arts Minister Tony Burke said on the ABC the government was not looking at “dynamic pricing” in the music industry.

Asked on Four Corners whether dynamic pricing should be allowed in Australia, Burke said: “Surge pricing is something that, as consumers, people have always dealt with.

“I don’t love it, but I think we have to be realistic, it’s always been there. It’s not something we’re looking at, at the moment.”

Asked about the discrepancy, a government spokesperson said the Four Corners interview “was recorded a month ago, before this policy existed”.

Treasury will consult on the design of the planned changes. The government on Wednesday will put out a consultation paper on reforms for greater protections for consumers and small businesses under the consumer guarantees and supplier indemnification in the Australian Consumer Law.

The government says it will work with the states to have a final reform proposal in the first half of next year.

There will be penalties for suppliers that refuse to give consumers a remedy such as a replacement product or a refund when legally required.

“Currently, it can be difficult for consumers to obtain a remedy, especially when engaging in the digital economy,” the government statement said.

The reforms would empower the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and state and territory agencies to pursue breaches of consumer guarantees and supplier indemnification provisions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said “hidden fees and traps are putting even more pressure on the cost of living and it needs to stop”.

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

– ref. Albanese government promises to ban ‘dodgy’ trading practices – https://theconversation.com/albanese-government-promises-to-ban-dodgy-trading-practices-234142
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Why Some Experts are Predicting Gold will Trade in Range of $2,800/oz to $3,200/oz in 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Gold, often referred to as the “safe-haven asset,” has been a cornerstone of global finance for centuries. Its value has historically been influenced by a myriad of factors, including economic indicators, geopolitical events, and market sentiment. According to expert analysts in a report by Skilling.com, the gold price prediction for 2024 is expected to be positive, with prices potentially reaching $2,500 per ounce. This is driven by the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, interest rates, and global demand for safe-haven assets. Some experts predict that gold will trade in the range of $2,800-$3,200 in 2025, reflecting expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut. The report said: “In the long term, the gold price prediction is influenced by factors such as inflation, central bank policies, and global economic trends. Analysts predict that the price of gold could reach $6,800 an ounce by 2040, estimating a rate of return of 7.2% per year. The increasing demand for gold as a safe-haven asset and the potential for a global recession are also driving factors behind the positive gold price prediction. Gold prices have been on a steady rise since 2023, with many analysts predicting a continued upward trend in 2024. According to J.P. Morgan Research, gold prices are expected to climb to $2,500/oz by the end of 2024, driven by factors such as U.S. fiscal deficit concerns, central bank reserve diversification into gold, inflationary hedging, and a fraying geopolitical landscape. This prediction is in line with other analysts’ predictions, with some predicting even higher prices, such as AG Thorson’s target of $3,000.” Active mining companies in the markets this week include RUA GOLD Inc. (OTCQB: NZAUF) (TSX-V: RUA), Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM) (TSX: NGT), OceanaGold Corporation (OTCQX: OCANF) (TSX: OGC), New Found Gold Corp. (NYSE: NFGC) (TSX-V: NFG), GoldMining Inc. (NYSE American: GLDG) (TSX: GOLD).

Skilling.com concluded: “The current market trends also suggest a bullish outlook for gold prices in 2024. The World Gold Council reported that central banks purchased 1,037 tonnes of gold in 2023, with 2024 starting strongly with net purchases of 290 tonnes in the first quarter. This increased demand from central banks, combined with the ongoing economic uncertainty, is likely to drive gold prices higher in 2024. However, it’s worth noting that there are also bearish risks to the gold price prediction, such as a scenario where the Fed turns more aggressive in ensuring inflation swiftly reaches its target. Nevertheless, many analysts believe that the structural drivers that have helped gold’s rally so far will remain a critical bullish driving force going forward, making it likely for gold prices to hit another all-time high in 2024.”

RUA GOLD’s (TSXV:RUA) (OTCQB:NZAUF) Drill Program Intersects Near Surface Gold at The Reefton Project – RUA GOLD Inc. (WKN: A4010V) (“RUA GOLD” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update from the drilling campaign underway at the Reefton Project on the South Island of New Zealand. The Company commenced its near mine drill program on the Murray Creek targets in July. A second drill rig was introduced in September to test the Capleston vein system. These historic mines collectively produced ~700koz of gold at 25.2g/t within a radius of ~20 kilometers.

Robert Eckford, CEO of RUA GOLD commented: “Our five years of meticulous surface exploration work over the Reefton project is paying dividends from the outset of this drill program. Both of the initial drill holes have confirmed we are in right area and are locating these lodes. The near surface intercepts on Capleston are encouraging and makes for compelling economic ounces, it supports our thesis that the surface veins are continuous past the old workings. Despite the initial drill hole at Murray Creek hitting old workings, it is extremely encouraging that we have identified the dip angle of the Victoria lode and we have even more confidence with the subsequent hole that is underway now, and results from this will be ready in the next few weeks.”

Capleston – On the second drill rig, which was introduced to test the Capleston vein system, the Company targeted an undeveloped and near-surface vein at the southern end of the two kilometer long historic Capleston project, the highest-grade producer of the Reefton Goldfield historically. Near surface targets lend themselves to early development and are the closest to transportation and infrastructure, providing low-cost operational advantages.

The first diamond drill hole, DD_REF_043, intersected a 12m zone of quartz-pyrite-arsenopyrite in the hanging wall, with a 1m quartz vein from 31m to 32m @ 3.86 g.t Au. A legacy drill hole intercepted the southern lode at 33m downhole, with 1m @ 24g/t Au followed by 1m @ 2.5g/t Au¹. Mapping has recorded historical waste samples up to 32.0g/t Au in the vicinity, and a strong soil anomaly enveloping the vein (up to 410ppb Au).

Murray Creek – RUA GOLD reports the completion of the first hole testing the down-dip extension of the Victoria lode, DD_VIC_041, which is being evaluated by the team. This intersected the targeted reef at 344m down hole and encountered historical underground workings over a 4m length. It then exited out to the footwall before drilling on for an additional 20m.

This confirms that the lode extension is accurate and, with the precise location confirmed, a second hole is underway that is 50m deeper down dip from the initial drill hole. The Company anticipates an intersection into an un-mined portion of the reef at around 350m. Results from this testing will be available in the coming weeks. CONTINUED… Read this full press release and more news for RUA GOLD at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-rua/

Other recent developments in the mining industry of note include:

Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM) (TSX: NGT) has recently announced it will sell its Akyem operation in the Republic of Ghana to Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd. (“Zijin”) under a definitive agreement, for cash consideration of up to $1 billion. The sale is part of Newmont’s ongoing program to divest non-core assets as the Company makes a strategic shift to focus on its Tier 1 assets.

Under the terms of the agreement, Newmont is expected to receive cash consideration of $900 million upon closing. A further $100 million is expected to be received upon the satisfaction of certain conditions. Proceeds from the transaction will support the Company’s capital allocation priorities, including strengthening the balance sheet and returning capital to shareholders.

OceanaGold Corporation (OTCQX: OCANF) (TSX: OGC) recently reported that it will release its operational and financial results for the third quarter of 2024 after market close on Wednesday November 6^th, 2024. The results will be made available on the Company’s website at http://www.oceanagold.com.

Senior management will host a conference call / webcast to discuss the results on Thursday November 7^th, 2024, at 10:00 am Eastern Time.

Webcast and Conference Call Details:

To register, please copy and paste the link into your browser: https://app.webinar.net/2wLnxVkYjlM
Toll-free North America: +1-888-510-2154
International: +1 437-900-0527

New Found Gold Corp. (NYSE: NFGC) (TSX-V: NFG) recently announced the results of the first phase of channel samples from the Keats Trench and an update on the Iceberg Trench at the Queensway Project (“Queensway“), located on the Trans-Canada Highway 15km west of Gander, Newfoundland.

Greg Matheson, COO of New Found, stated: “Our approach at the Keats Trench has been to systematically test across the entire exposed surface to accurately map the extent of gold mineralization and determine with more certainty the distribution and variability of the gold contained within the mineralized domain. This is the highest density of assay data at Keats obtained to date and we are extremely pleased to see the broad widths of high-grade mineralization carrying across the exposure which is largely in line with modelled mineralization from the drilling program. The assay grade data from the trench is another key component to building our geologic understanding of the mineralization and structural controls at Keats. Given some of the elevated high-grade gold encountered, with many individual samples exceeding 100 g/t and some above 1,000 g/t, the team is now completing a second phase of channel sampling. This Phase II program will include a more targeted assessment of the high-grade components of Keats and cross veins that were not well tested in the first phase.”

GoldMining Inc. (NYSE American: GLDG) (TSX: GOLD) recently highlighted an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (“Whistler MRE”) that was announced by its publicly traded subsidiary, U.S. GoldMining Inc. (“U.S. GoldMining”) (NASDAQ: USGO) on October 7, 2024 for U.S. GoldMining’s Whistler Gold-Copper Project (the “Project”) located in Alaska, U.S.A.

Alastair Still, Chief Executive Officer of GoldMining, commented: “Since the initial public offering of U.S. GoldMining in April 2023, we are extremely pleased by the progress of its exploration initiatives at the Whistler Project, which have resulted in strengthened confidence of the Whistler MRE by increasing the gold equivalent ounces in the indicated category by approximately 117% from prior estimates. The Project now contains 6.5 Moz AuEq in the indicated resource category and an additional 4.2 Moz AuEq in the inferred resource category. The successful 2023 drilling program and growth of the mineral resources at Whistler is an example of how our spin-out strategy continues to unlock value for GoldMining shareholders. We now hold over $175 million in cash and equities1 that help position us to advance strategic initiatives across our portfolio, which globally holds 12.5 million AuEq ounces of measured and indicated resources and 9.7 million AuEq ounces of inferred resources.”

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DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM was compensated forty nine hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by RUA GOLD Inc. by a non-affiliated third party. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

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SOURCE: FN Media Group

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Franklin Electric Schedules Its Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Release and Conference Call

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

FORT WAYNE, Ind., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Franklin Electric Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: FELE) will release its third quarter 2024 earnings at 8:00 am ET on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. A conference call to review earnings and other developments in the business will commence at 9:00 am ET. The third quarter 2024 earnings call will be available via a live webcast. The webcast will be available in a listen-only mode by going to:

https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/cp5pmtx9

For those interested in participating in the question-and-answer portion of the call, please register for the call at the link below.

https://register.vevent.com/register/BIa5e3e952cc2d47c28144fef8683c97e0

All registrants will receive dial-in information and a PIN allowing them to access the live call. It is recommended that you join 10 minutes prior to the event start (although you may register and dial in at any time during the call).

A replay of the conference call will be available from Tuesday, October 29, 2024, through 9:00 am ET on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, by visiting the listen-only webcast link above.

About Franklin Electric
Franklin Electric is a global leader in the production and marketing of systems and components for the movement of water and energy. Recognized as a technical leader in its products and services, Franklin Electric serves customers around the world in residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, municipal, and fueling applications. Franklin Electric is proud to be named in Newsweek’s lists of America’s Most Responsible Companies and Most Trustworthy Companies for 2023 and America’s Climate Leaders 2023 by USA Today.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein, including those relating to market conditions or the Company’s financial results, costs, expenses or expense reductions, profit margins, inventory levels, foreign currency translation rates, liquidity expectations, business goals and sales growth, involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, risks and uncertainties with respect to general economic and currency conditions, various conditions specific to the Company’s business and industry, weather conditions, new housing starts, market demand, competitive factors, changes in distribution channels, supply constraints, effect of price increases, raw material costs, technology factors, integration of acquisitions, litigation, government and regulatory actions, the Company’s accounting policies, future trends, epidemics and pandemics, and other risks which are detailed in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, included in Item 1A of Part I of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, Exhibit 99.1 attached thereto and in Item 1A of Part II of the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made herein are based on information currently available, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

CONTACT: Jeff Taylor
Franklin Electric Co., Inc.
260.824.2900

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How profits from big pharma’s use of genetic information could revolutionise nature conservation

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Eleanor Jane Milner-Gulland, Tasso Leventis Professor of Biodiversity, University of Oxford

The blood of rare horseshoe crabs is sometimes used in the development of vaccines. Sinhyu Photographer/Shutterstock

The blue blood of threatened horseshoe crabs contains a chemical essential for testing the safety of vaccines. So these ancient creatures are highly sought after by pharmaceutical companies worldwide, contributing to declines in their populations.

While species are disappearing at alarming rates, with a global biodiversity financing gap of US$600 billion to US$800 billion (£460 billion to £610 billion) annually, the genetic information of rare plants and animals is a commercially valuable resource.

Advances in technology now allow the rapid sequencing and sharing of genetic data, bringing huge benefits (and profits) for biotechnology and medicine. However, it also opens the door to “biopiracy”: the unethical or unlawful appropriation of biological resources, typically from countries or Indigenous communities in developing countries.

Even if genetic information is obtained and used appropriately and within the law, important ethical, legal and financial questions still arise: who owns the genetic data derived from nature, and how can we ensure fair sharing of the benefits derived from their use?

A key debate at Cop16, the upcoming UN biodiversity conference, will be how best to channel funding into protecting valuable biological resources. If done properly, people can benefit from the genetic information that nature contains, while ensuring that those conserving these resources, particularly Indigenous people, are properly compensated financially for their efforts.

Our recent paper argues that rules of fair allocation, which have been around since the time of Aristotle, offer a potential way forward.

Genetic information extracted from living organisms can now be easily digitised and shared across borders. This practice, often referred to as digital sequence information (DSI), plays a pivotal role in advancing research in fields such as medicine, agriculture and environmental science.

For example, the genome of the COVID-19 virus was digitally sequenced and shared globally, enabling researchers worldwide to use that DSI to develop vaccines quickly.

Yet, this leads to ethical and legal challenges. The genetic codes of plants and animals from all over the world are stored in international databases, often without proper acknowledgement or compensation to the countries or communities where these sequences originated.

Countries with rich biodiversity, particularly in developing countries, have raised concerns that their genetic resources are being used – and in some cases monetised and commercialised – without approval or fair compensation. Indigenous peoples and local communities have similar concerns.

So, who owns genetic data? It depends.

The ownership of genetic data derived from plants and animals has become a grey area. In theory, countries have sovereignty over their biodiversity, as stipulated in an international agreement adopted in 2010 called the Nagoya protocol. This mandates that countries sharing their biological resources should be compensated through access and benefit-sharing agreements.

Genetic codes of rare plants aren’t currently owned by their country of origin.
Polonio Video/Shutterstock

However, the concept of DSI has complicated these agreements. When genetic data is transformed into a digital format and stored in databases, it is not always clear whether the original country still holds any rights over that data.

Should the digital sequence information of a rare Amazonian plant, for example, belong to the country where it was found, or is it now part of a global commons available to any researcher or commercial entity? Currently, there is no universal agreement on DSI, and with companies and research institutions using genetic data freely, this opens the door to the next wave of biopiracy

Biopiracy has been a historical problem, long before digital data entered the picture. For decades, pharmaceutical and agricultural companies have sourced plant and animal materials from the Amazon rainforest or African savannas. They patented products based on those materials and profited without compensating source countries or Indigenous peoples and local communities who may have used these species for generations.

Now this issue extends beyond physical specimens. The real treasure lies in the genetic information itself. When genetic data is digitised and shared globally, it becomes challenging to trace its origins and hold companies accountable for unauthorised use.

In the absence of benefit-sharing mechanisms (formal ways to share the monetary and non-monetary benefits of using biodiversity with those who bear the costs of conserving it), companies can patent discoveries derived from DSI, with profits flowing to corporations and research institutions in developed countries.

Meanwhile, low-to-middle-income nations that are home to these resources and the communities that protect them do not benefit. We argue this is unjust and contributes towards the continued undervaluation and therefore degradation of biodiversity.

A new genetic code

At Cop16, a potential solution is up for a negotiation: a global system governing the exchange of DSI, including a multilateral fund into which companies which benefit from DSI would contribute.

This fund would be used to pay for action to conserve biodiversity, with a specific priority given to funding for Indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth. As well as providing compensation for stewardship of the biodiverse ecosystems that contain these genetic resources, funding can be used for training and capacity-building (such as genetic research), which could start to compensate for longstanding inequalities of opportunity that are built into today’s research and commercialisation systems.

Many questions remain as to how this fund would work. That will be negotiated at Cop16. One particular challenge is determining how to implement mechanisms to distribute this fund that are fair, enforceable, and do not overburden countries or companies.

Proposed solutions are grounded in rules of fair allocation. Pharmaceutical companies using DSI could contribute in proportion to their profits or revenues. Beneficiaries could receive payment or other benefits according to criteria such as the levels of biodiversity conserved, threats to biodiversity and financial need.

This multilateral fund could be a major contributor to conservation finance, and one which is directed at those who actually conserve biodiversity on the ground. It has been described as a potentially “historic breakthrough” by the executive secretary of the convention on biological diversity.

But there are still major hurdles to overcome. Big pharma companies are resistant due to the potential financial implications. There has been limited engagement from the conservation community, perhaps because fair sharing of the benefits from genetic materials appears much less immediately pressing than the conservation of wild species and their habitats.

If successful, this could represent a major step towards generating the finance that is desperately needed to support nature conservation. It would set a precedent for similar mechanisms to ensure that those benefiting from using nature pay for the cost of conserving or restoring it – just like bycatch taxes in commercial fisheries or pollution taxes on large agribusinesses.

We believe that this proposal could be revolutionary if it succeeds in channelling large amounts of biodiversity finance to where it is most needed in a fair and equitable way. Genetic data should not only be seen as a resource that generates new drugs and technologies, but as a shared asset of humanity, with the rights and sovereignty of nature’s stewards properly respected and valued.

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

Eleanor Jane Milner-Gulland receives funding from UKRI, Research England Development Fund, Login5 Foundation, IKI, Defra, USFWS, Leverhulme Trust and the Leventis Foundation. She is a member of the UK government’s Defra Biodiversity Evidence Committee, chairs the Darwin Expert Committee, a member of IUCN-SSC, and the Nature Positive Initiative.

Dale Squires was supported by an Oxford Martin School Visiting Fellowship.

Hollie Booth receives funding from the UK Darwin Initiative. As well as University of Oxford she is affiliated with The Biodiversity Consultancy and Kebersamaan Untuk Lautan.

– ref. How profits from big pharma’s use of genetic information could revolutionise nature conservation – https://theconversation.com/how-profits-from-big-pharmas-use-of-genetic-information-could-revolutionise-nature-conservation-240565

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Salem’s Lot: a faithful but shallow adaptation of Stephen King’s classic vampire novel

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Dix, Senior Lecturer in American Literature and Film, Loughborough University

The vampire story dwells among the undead of literary and cinematic genres, ever available for reanimation. This year alone has seen the publication of more than 30 vampire novels in the US (from Rachel Harrison’s So Thirsty to K. M. Enright’s Mistress of Lies), alongside the release of several vampire movies, including Abigail (with Nosferatu, rebooting the silent German classic, due at Christmas).

Now comes Salem’s Lot. Written and directed by Gary Dauberman, it’s the first feature-film adaptation of the 1975 novel in which Stephen King set himself the thought experiment of transposing Bram Stoker’s Dracula to contemporary New England. The book has been adapted twice before, in 1979 and 2004, but each time as a TV miniseries.

Of these precursors, the more interesting is the first, directed by Tobe Hooper. Made five years after The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, it signified Hooper’s move towards the mainstream, while retaining some gory scenes and choppy editing reminiscent of his old grindhouse aesthetic.

The new Salem’s Lot begins with a series of maps that trace how the master vampire, concealed in a chest, has reached Maine. The film’s own passage, stalled for years by the calculations of marketers and schedulers, has been equally arduous. It arrives now rather belatedly and without blockbuster flourish. While UK King fans can enjoy it on the big screen, it is consumable in most other locations only via the streaming service Max.

The trailer for Salem’s Lot.

Literary and film scholar Robert Stam offers a profusion of terms to describe the work undertaken by screen adaptations. They may, for example, “rewrite”, “transmute” or even “critique” their source-texts. Indicating a gentler kind of process, however, Stam also allows that an adaptation can offer an “incarnation” or “performance” of the material it is adapting. Performing Salem’s Lot in this sense, responding in audio-visual form to King’s prompts and refusing major reinventions, appears to be Dauberman’s goal.

King is a successor not only to Stoker and other horror writers such as H. P. Lovecraft, but to the late-19th century “local colorists” in New England, who attentively documented the sights and sounds of their region. On the page, Salem’s Lot is visually abundant. The new adaptation attempts to be similarly conscientious.

Dauberman takes care in matters of colour and lighting. A church’s doors, shut against the vampiric menace, glow a vivid red. Two boys walk through a wood silhouetted at sunset, their bodies ominously already lacking substance against a sky that is turning from pink to black. There are other visual pleasures, too, representing a shift away from Hooper’s version, where the shots are rougher-edged and decidedly non-pictorial.

The cast of this Salem’s Lot is likeable and struggles gamely, in the face of regular jump scares, to solicit audience engagement. Unlike Hammer’s Dracula adaptations, say, in which the monster has all the charisma, this is something of a democratic vampire film and devolves interest to members of the opposing force.

A pleasing modification is also made to the overbearing whiteness of King’s narrative world, with two of the pluckiest vampire hunters reimagined as African American.

Beyond the scare

But if this latest adaptation of Salem’s Lot is easy enough on the eye, intellectually it is shallow. This matters, because the best vampire fictions prompt us not merely to be terrified, but to start interpreting – they generate meanings as well as scares.

What, precisely, is signified by their monstrous protagonists? As expert in Victorian literature, Nina Auerbach, wrote in her still valuable book Our Vampires, Ourselves (1995): “No fear is only personal: it must steep itself in its political and ideological ambience, without which our solitary terrors have no contagious resonance.”

Writing his novel in 1975, as the progressive dreams of the 1960s faded, King found in the vampire an apt image of power and cruelty in America. In his own words, from the afterword to Salem’s Lot: “I saw a metaphor for everything that was wrong with the society around me, where the rich got richer and the poor got welfare … if they were lucky.” When vampires strike in the book, there is therefore the sense of a nation at risk, not merely a few families or a handful of individuals.

The new adaptation, by contrast, represses rather than invites such interpretive effort on our part. It carries across the novel’s mid-1970s setting, but is interested more in accurate period detailing – the right model of car, the appropriate hairstyle – than in substantive historical exploration. It also doesn’t use the category of the vampire movie to say something insightful about our own time: the post-COVID moment, for example, or the era of Donald Trump (a figure with rich vampiric possibilities).

Dauberman’s version of Salem’s Lot is certainly respectful of its source-text (unsurprising, perhaps, with King himself listed among its executive producers). And it functions perfectly well as a showcase for the varied skills of props designer, prosthetic artist and special effects engineer. But, as a work of cultural and social inquiry, this latest vampire story is disappointingly de-fanged.

Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

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

– ref. Salem’s Lot: a faithful but shallow adaptation of Stephen King’s classic vampire novel – https://theconversation.com/salems-lot-a-faithful-but-shallow-adaptation-of-stephen-kings-classic-vampire-novel-241278

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: TB ALGO PED paediatric TB study

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

Full report on the Cross-cutting lessons from the implementation of new treatment decision algorithms for pulmonary tuberculosis in children: results from the TB-ALGO-PED study.

This report, from MSF’s TACTiC project and the Access Campaign, summarises key findings from the implementation of paediatric tuberculosis treatment decision algorithms across five study sites and highlights potential lessons for future implementation efforts.

Cross-cutting lessons from the implementation of new treatment decision algorithms for pulmonary tuberculosis in children: results from the TB-ALGO-PED study pdf — 860.7 KB Download

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January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Redefine Management Partners with Medmo Delivering Enhanced Medical Imaging Coordination and Outcomes for Patients

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MATAWAN, N.J. and NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Redefine Management, a practice management organization that is leading the way in defining excellence within the pain management and musculoskeletal space, today announced its partnership with Medmo, a comprehensive technology platform that orchestrates medical imaging workflows for providers and patients. Together, they’ll advance their shared interest in providing the best imaging patient experience and access to care possible for the entire population they serve.

Diagnostic imaging is a critical piece of the care journey for patients with orthopedic or musculoskeletal issues, as it’s often the most effective way to diagnose conditions and create effective treatment plans. Through this partnership, Redefine and Medmo deliver ample patient access and dedicated engagement, as well as the tools to drive increased adherence and efficiency across all imaging orders, while at the same time reducing the overall cost of care coordination related to imaging orders. Medmo seamlessly facilitates imaging orders from start to finish to create better outcomes for all parties.

“Medmo was easy to implement right into our existing workflow, and we saw immediate results on day one,” said Zack Fox, COO of Redefine Management. “This increased efficiency has positively impacted our practices and has improved the patient experience and outcomes, which is our number one priority. Medmo is fundamentally changing the way imaging orders are facilitated, and ultimately simplifying an element of care that was previously very complex and challenging for patients who are in pain and in need of convenience and ease.”

“As a result of this partnership, all providers associated with Redefine Management gain immediate access to 15,000+ imaging centers across the country, as well as the ability to easily track and manage imaging orders in real-time,” said Lucas Takahashi, co-founder and CEO of Medmo.

Redefine is dramatically reducing the time spent on imaging coordination by offloading patient engagement, scheduling, insurance verification, and the retrieval of results to Medmo’s Care Technology. This has allowed Redefine’s staff to spend more time on high-value, patient-facing activities.

Most importantly, this partnership will address the most common imaging challenges, such as confusion on next steps for patients and lack of appointment visibility for providers. By effectively closing the loop on each patient’s care journey as quickly and efficiently as possible, Medmo will be able to drive better overall adherence, quicker turnaround times, and improved speed to diagnosis and positive outcomes for Redefine’s patients.

About Medmo
Medmo is an all-encompassing medical imaging workflow solution for ordering providers. From patient engagement and scheduling, to insurance verification and retrieving results, Medmo creates a consistent loop for providers, staff and patients. Operating in all 50 states and supporting patients with all insurance types, Medmo is an effortless platform that thousands of healthcare providers use to drive adherence and compliance, positive patient experiences and reductions in the operating costs associated with patient coordination. Learn more at https://www.medmo.com/.

About Redefine Management:
Redefine Management (https://redefinemanagement.com/) is a healthcare consulting and management company driven by a commitment to excellence in healthcare solutions, specifically in the areas of pain management, orthopedics and musculoskeletal medicine. Their expertise spans strategy & finance, operations, marketing & sales, and more. They cater to a diverse clientele that includes, but is not limited to, medical provider groups, outpatient services, and private equity-backed practices.

CONTACT:

Steve Stratz
For Medmo
206.300.9134
steve@relevanzpr.com

Sarah Banker
Account Manager
Office: (800) 239-5572
Direct: (856) 404-0651
Email: svb@themg.co
http://www.TheMG.co

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Trupanion, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Release and Conference Call

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SEATTLE, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trupanion, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRUP), a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs, announced today it will report financial results for its 2024 third quarter after the market closes on Wednesday, October 30, 2024. The company will host a conference call that day beginning shortly after 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET.

A live webcast (including a slide presentation) discussing results, guidance and management observations will be available on Trupanion’s Investor Relations site under Investor Events at http://investors.trupanion.com and will be archived online for 3 months upon completion of the conference call.

Participants can access the conference call by dialing 1-877-300-8521 (United States) or 1-412-317-6026 (International). A telephonic replay of the call will also be available after the completion of the call, by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (United States) or 1-412-317-6671 (International) and entering the replay pin number: 10192561.

About Trupanion:

Trupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Puerto Rico and Australia with over 1,000,000 pets enrolled. For over two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet’s recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet owners with the highest value in pet medical insurance with unlimited payouts for the life of their pets. With its patented process, Trupanion is the only North American provider with the technology to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “TRUP”. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Accelerant Insurance Company of Canada. Trupanion Australia is a partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. Policies are sold and administered by Trupanion Managers USA, Inc. (CA license No. 0G22803, NPN 9588590). For more information, please visit trupanion.com.

Contact:

Laura Bainbridge, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
Gil Melchior, Director, Investor Relations
Investor.Relations@trupanion.com

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: River of Light Shines Bright For All
Source: City of Liverpool

With just over a week to go until River of Light returns, Liverpool City Council unveils plans to make the popular event even more accessible, inclusive and engaging.

Building on the success of last year, the FREE event will once again offer Quiet Hour sessions to accommodate visitors with additional sensory needs. These special sessions will run from 4-5pm on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 October, and the same times on Sunday 3 and Monday 4 November. During these hours, the 12 featured installations will have reduced soundscapes or will operate entirely without sound. Where possible, lighting will also be softened, creating a calmer environment for those with sensory sensitivities.

This year’s light festival runs from Friday 25 October to Tuesday 5 November, taking place at the same time as Diwali – the Hindu festival of lights. To mark the cultural celebration, on Friday 1 November visitors can enjoy a programme curated by Indian arts organisation, MILAP, featuring performances by the popular Bombay Baja Brass Band and Piano with Bhav between 5-8pm– all taking place near the Rangoli Mirrored Cosmos installation by award-winning artist MURUGIAH.

The young people’s engagement programme, developed by the City Council’s Culture Liverpool team returns this year and connects young people with three of the event’s featured artists, offering creative, hands-on workshops that encourage artistic expression and learning.
- Families attending Granby Children’s Centre and Family Hub will have the opportunity to work with MURUGIAH, who will guide participants through the creation of Mandalas – repetitive geometric designs which represent harmony and balance.
- Students at St John Bosco Arts College will have a masterclass in sign-making from locally commissioned artist Liz Harry, learning the art of communication through visual design.
- Pupils at Holy Family Catholic Primary School will collaborate with Rachel Darnell and Jorge Fernandez from Australia’s Amigo & Amigo, designing and crafting their very own gnomes – inspired by their 2024 River of Light installation, No Place Like Gnome.
- Working with the City Council’s Children and Young People’s team, there will also be a guided tour for young people who are part of the Positive Pathways scheme, aimed at those who could otherwise be at risk of being involved with anti-social behaviour.
The theme for this year’s outdoor trail and the engagement programme is Play, tying into Liverpool’s ongoing pledge to become a recognised UNICEF UK Child Friendly City. The initiative highlights the importance of children’s rights to play, recreation, rest, and leisure, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. #ChildFriendlyLpool

To get the latest information visit http://www.visitliverpool.com/riveroflight or follow @visitliverpool (X, Facebook and TikTok) or @visitliverpool_ (Instagram).

River of Light will be part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as the lead authority. Avanti is the official travel partner for the event.

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:

“We’re thrilled to bring back the quiet hours this year after receiving such positive feedback from visitors in 2023. It brought in a new audience who hadn’t experienced the trail previously, and thanks to some adaptations to the light and sound, they felt part of this massively popular event.

“It’s also great to see the return of the workshops – they’re so unique, and the youngsters and the artists always get a huge amount out of the sessions. Encouraging children to express themselves through art and creativity is an incredibly powerful tool that will hopefully inspire future artists.

“Celebrating Diwali as part of the River of Light is a fantastic way to embrace cultural diversity and unity and we’re delighted to be working with Milap on this. Bringing together communities through art, music, and tradition, fostering a real sense of belonging and is certain to be a highlight of the festival.”

Alok Nayak, Milap’s CEO and Artistic Director, said:

“We are excited to be part of River of Light 2024, an event that unites art, culture, and community. At Milap, we believe in the power of the arts to inspire, educate, and bring people together.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the richness of Indian arts, while contributing to Liverpool’s dynamic cultural landscape. Diwali, the festival of light, is beautifully reflected in Liverpool’s own light festival, making our collaboration with Culture Liverpool to bring MURUGIAH’s ‘Rangoli Mirrored Cosmos’ to the city even more meaningful.

“Rangoli patterns are recreated in homes, in designs and works of art worldwide, and this concept will come to life on Liverpool’s waterfront through MURUGIAHS’s unique reimagining. We’re eager to share this experience with the public and celebrate the positive impact of creativity and diversity!”

Denise Wright, Liverpool City Council’s Family Learning Co-ordinator for Children Centre’s and Family Hubs, said:
“This is a wonderful opportunity for families with young children to work with a world-renowned artist at one of our main Family Hub sites. The River of Light’s theme of PLAY this year is great for engaging families in rich creative and cultural experiences in their own communities and for connecting families to a major interactive and cultural event in the city.”
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City celebrates unique green awards hat-trick
Source: City of Liverpool

Liverpool has scored a unique treble at a major international climate change awards ceremony.

Liverpool City Council’s Urban GreenUP project, which was recently shortlisted for a world Green City Award, won big at the CIRIA 2024 Big Biodiversity Awards.

Held in London, the city’s innovative nature-based solution programme secured awards in the following categories:
- CIRIA Innovation Award
- CIRIA Habitat Creation Project of the Year Award
- CIRIA Biodiversity Overall Winner
The EU-funded programme, which has introduced urban raingardens, green walls and pollinators posts around the city centre as well as a number of floating islands in the city’s docks and parks, was also Highly Commended in the ‘Living Green for Climate Change’ category at the World Green City Awards 2024 held in Utrecht.

The accolades follow hot on the heels of the programme scooping a golden pineapple trophy for its Climate Resilience submission at the 2024 Festival of Place.

Liverpool has also recently become the world’s first ‘Accelerator City’ for climate action, under UN Climate Change’s Entertainment and Culture for Climate Action (ECCA) programme.

The title comes in recognition of Liverpool’s impressive commitment to innovation and smart regulation to rapidly decarbonise the live music and TV/Film production sectors – both vital parts of the city’s economy – following several years of developmental work by ACT 1.5, an artist-led research and action effort, and climate scientists from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.
- Liverpool’s Urban GreenUP programme involves a collaboration between the Council, the Mersey Forest and the University of Liverpool. It has set a number of goals to mitigate climate change impact on the city, such as enhancing air quality, reducing flooding risks, improving water management, and increasing urban sustainability.
For more information go to: https://www.urbangreenup.eu/cities/front-runners/liverpool/liverpool-uk-re-naturing-urban-plan-with-nbs.kl
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Apple introduces powerful new iPad mini built for Apple Intelligence
Source: Apple

Headline: Apple introduces powerful new iPad mini built for Apple Intelligence

October 15, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

Apple introduces powerful new iPad mini built for Apple Intelligence

The ultraportable iPad mini is more capable and versatile than ever with the powerful A17 Pro chip and support for Apple Pencil Pro

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced the new iPad mini, supercharged by the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence, the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy. With a beloved ultraportable design, the new iPad mini is available in four gorgeous finishes, including a new blue and purple, and features the brilliant 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display. A17 Pro delivers a huge performance boost for even the most demanding tasks, with a faster CPU and GPU, a 2x faster Neural Engine than the previous-generation iPad mini,¹ and support for Apple Intelligence. The versatility and advanced capabilities of the new iPad mini are taken to a whole new level with support for Apple Pencil Pro, opening up entirely new ways to be even more productive and creative. The 12MP wide back camera supports Smart HDR 4 for natural-looking photos with increased dynamic range, and uses machine learning to detect and scan documents right in the Camera app.

The new iPad mini features all-day battery life and brand-new experiences with iPadOS 18. Starting at just $499 with 128GB — double the storage of the previous generation — the new iPad mini delivers incredible value and the full iPad experience in an ultraportable design. Customers can pre-order the new iPad mini today, with availability beginning Wednesday, October 23.

“There is no other device in the world like iPad mini, beloved for its combination of powerful performance and versatility in our most ultraportable design. iPad mini appeals to a wide range of users and has been built for Apple Intelligence, delivering intelligent new features that are powerful, personal, and private,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With the powerful A17 Pro chip, faster connectivity, and support for Apple Pencil Pro, the new iPad mini delivers the full iPad experience in our most portable design at an incredible value.”

A17 Pro Unlocks Powerful Performance

The new iPad mini gets a major update with A17 Pro, delivering incredible performance and power efficiency in an ultraportable design. A17 Pro is a powerful chip that unlocks a number of improvements over A15 Bionic in the previous-generation iPad mini. With a 6-core CPU — two performance cores and four efficiency cores — A17 Pro delivers a 30 percent boost in CPU performance.¹ A17 Pro also brings a boost in graphics performance with a 5-core GPU, delivering a 25 percent jump over the previous generation.¹ A17 Pro brings entirely new experiences — including pro apps used by designers, pilots, doctors, and others — and makes it faster than ever for users to edit photos, dive into more immersive AR applications, and more. The new iPad mini brings true-to-life gaming with hardware-accelerated ray tracing — which is 4x faster than software-based ray tracing — as well as support for Dynamic Caching and hardware-accelerated mesh shading. From creating engaging content faster than ever in Affinity Designer, to playing demanding, graphics-intensive AAA games like Zenless Zone Zero, users can take the powerful performance and ultraportable iPad mini anywhere.

Built for Apple Intelligence

With the power of the A17 Pro chip, the new iPad mini delivers support for Apple Intelligence. Deeply integrated into iPadOS 18, Apple Intelligence harnesses the power of Apple silicon and Apple-built generative models to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. Many of the models that power Apple Intelligence run entirely on device, and Private Cloud Compute offers the ability to flex and scale computational capacity between on-device processing and larger, server-based models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers.

The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in U.S. English this month through a free software update with iPadOS 18.1, and available for iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later. Apple Intelligence delivers experiences that are delightful, intuitive, easy to use, and specially designed to help users do the things that matter most to them:²
- With Writing Tools, users can refine their words by rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps.
- Siri becomes more deeply integrated into the system experience and gets a new design with an elegant glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when active on iPad. With richer language-understanding capabilities, communicating with Siri is more natural and flexible. Siri can follow along when users stumble over their words, can maintain context from one request to the next, and now, users can type to Siri. Siri also has extensive product knowledge to answer questions about features on iPad and other Apple devices.
- In Photos, the Memories feature now enables users to create the movies they want to see by simply typing a description, and with the new Clean Up tool, they can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo — without accidentally altering the subject.
Additional Apple Intelligence features will be rolling out over the next several months:
- Image Playground allows users to create playful images in moments.
- Image Wand is a new tool in the Apple Pencil tool palette that can transform a rough sketch into a polished image.
- Emoji will be taken to an entirely new level with the ability to create original Genmoji by simply typing a description, or by selecting a photo of a friend or family member.
- Siri will be able to draw on a user’s personal context to deliver intelligence that is tailored to them. It will also gain onscreen awareness to understand and take action with users’ content, as well as take hundreds of new actions in and across Apple and third-party apps.
- With ChatGPT integrated into experiences within iPadOS 18, users have the option to access its expertise, as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities, within Siri and Writing Tools without needing to jump between tools. And privacy protections are built in so a user’s IP address is obscured, and OpenAI won’t store requests. Users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and ChatGPT’s data-use policies apply for those who choose to connect their account.
Even Faster Connectivity

With faster wireless and wired connectivity, users can do even more on iPad mini while on the go. The new iPad mini supports Wi-Fi 6E, which delivers up to twice the performance than the previous generation,³ so users can download files, play games online, and stream movies even faster. Wi-Fi + Cellular models with 5G allow users to access their files, communicate with peers, and back up their data in a snap while on the go. Cellular models of the new iPad mini are activated with eSIM, a more secure alternative to a physical SIM card, allowing users to quickly connect and transfer their existing plans digitally, and store multiple cellular plans on a single device. Customers can easily get connected to wireless data plans on the new iPad mini in over 190 countries and regions around the world without needing to get a physical SIM card from a local carrier. The USB-C port is now up to 2x faster than the previous generation, with data transfers up to 10Gbps, so importing large photos and videos is even quicker.

Incredible Camera Experience

Great cameras, along with the incredibly portable form factor of iPad mini, enable powerful mobile workflows. The 12MP wide back camera delivers gorgeous photos, and with Smart HDR 4, they will be even more detailed and vivid. Utilizing the powerful 16-core Neural Engine, the new iPad mini uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically identify documents right in the Camera app and can use the new True Tone flash to remove shadows from the document. The 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera in portrait orientation, with support for Center Stage, is great for all the ways customers use iPad mini.

Magical Capabilities with Apple Pencil Pro

Apple Pencil Pro unlocks magical capabilities and powerful interactions, turning iPad mini into a sketchbook users can take anywhere. Apple Pencil Pro can sense a user’s squeeze, bringing up a tool palette to quickly switch tools, line weights, and colors, all without interrupting the creative process. A custom haptic engine delivers a light tap that provides confirmation when users squeeze, double-tap, or snap to a Smart Shape for a remarkably intuitive experience. Users can roll Apple Pencil Pro for precise control of the tool they’re using. Rotating the barrel changes the orientation of shaped pen and brush tools, just like pen and paper, and with Apple Pencil hover, users can visualize the exact orientation of a tool before making a mark. Apple Pencil Pro features support for Find My, and pairs, charges, and is stored through a new magnetic interface on the new iPad mini. iPad mini also supports Apple Pencil (USB-C), ideal for note taking, sketching, annotating, journaling, and more, at a great value.

iPadOS 18 Brings Powerful and Intelligent New Features

In addition to the groundbreaking capabilities of Apple Intelligence, iPadOS 18 brings powerful features that enhance the iPad experience, making it more versatile and intelligent than ever. iPadOS also has advanced frameworks like Core ML that make it easy for developers to tap into the Neural Engine to deliver powerful AI features right on device.
- Designed for the unique capabilities of iPad, Calculator delivers an entirely new way to use Apple Pencil to solve expressions, as well as basic and scientific calculators with a new history function and unit conversions. With Math Notes, users are now able to type mathematical expressions or write them out to see them instantly solved in handwriting like their own. They can also create and use variables, and add an equation to insert a graph. Users can also access their Math Notes in the Notes app, and use all of the math functionality in any of their other notes.
- In the Notes app, handwritten notes become more fluid, flexible, and easy to read with Smart Script and the power of Apple Pencil. Smart Script unleashes powerful new capabilities for users editing handwritten text, allowing them to easily add space, or even paste typed text in their own handwriting. And as users write with Apple Pencil, their handwriting will be automatically refined in real time to be smoother, straighter, and more legible.
- With new Audio Recording and Transcription, iPad can capture a lecture or conversation, and transcripts are synced with the audio, so users can search for an exact moment in the recording.
- New levels of customization come to iPad, and users have even more options to express themselves through the Home Screen with app icons and widgets that can be placed in any open position. App icons and widgets can take on a new look with a dark or tinted effect, and users can make them appear larger to create the experience that is perfect for them. Control Center has been redesigned to provide easier access to many of the things users do every day, delivering quick access to new groups of a user’s most-utilized controls. Users can even organize new controls from third-party apps in the redesigned Control Center.
- The Photos app receives its biggest update ever, bringing users powerful new tools that make it easier to find what they are looking for with a simplified and customizable app layout that takes advantage of the larger display on iPad and helps users browse by themes without having to organize content into albums.
- Users have new ways to stay connected and express themselves in Messages, with all-new animated text effects, redesigned Tapbacks, and the ability to schedule messages to send at a later time.
Better for the Environment

The new iPad mini is designed with the environment in mind, including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure, 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and 100 percent recycled gold plating and tin soldering in multiple printed circuit boards. The new iPad mini meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency, and is free of mercury, brominated flame retardants, and PVC. The packaging is 100 percent fiber-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal to remove plastic from all packaging by 2025.

Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations and, as part of its ambitious Apple 2030 goal, plans to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade.

Pricing and Availability
- Customers can pre-order the new iPad mini starting today, October 15, on apple.com/store, and in the Apple Store app in 29 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Wednesday, October 23.
- Available in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray, the new iPad mini starts at $499 (U.S.) for the Wi-Fi model, and $649 (U.S.) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
- The new iPad mini starts with 128GB of storage — double the storage of the previous generation. The new iPad mini is also available in 256GB and 512GB configurations.
- For education, the new iPad mini starts at $449 (U.S.). Education pricing is available to current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and home-school teachers of all grade levels. For more information, visit apple.com/us-hed/shop.
- Apple Pencil Pro is compatible with the new iPad mini. It is available for $129 (U.S.), and $119 (U.S.) for education. Apple Pencil (USB-C) is available for $79 (U.S.), and $69 (U.S.) for education.
- The new Smart Folio, available in charcoal gray, light violet, denim, and sage, is $59 (U.S.).
- Apple offers great ways to save on the latest iPad. Customers can trade in their current iPad and get credit toward a new one by visiting the Apple Store online, the Apple Store app, or an Apple Store location. To see what their device is worth and for terms and conditions, customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in.
- Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments, and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front. More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.
- AppleCare+ for iPad provides unparalleled service and support. This includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage, battery service coverage, and 24/7 support from the people who know iPad best.
- Every customer who buys directly from Apple Retail gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk customers through setup, or focus on features that help them make the most of their new device.
About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
1. Testing conducted by Apple in September 2024 using preproduction iPad mini (A17 Pro) and production iPad mini (6th generation) units. Tested with Affinity Photo 2 v2.5.5.2636 using the built-in benchmark version 25000. Performance tests are conducted using specific iPad units and reflect the approximate performance of iPad mini.
2. Apple Intelligence will be available as a free software update for iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later with device and Siri language set to U.S. English. The first set of features will be available in beta this month with iPadOS 18.1 with more features rolling out in the months to come. Later this year, Apple Intelligence will add support for localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. In the coming year, Apple Intelligence will expand to more languages, like Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and others.
3. Wi‑Fi 6E available in countries and regions where supported.
Press Contacts

Tara Courtney

Apple

tcourtney@apple.com

Skylar Eisenhart

Apple

s_eisenhart@apple.com

Apple Media Helpline

media.help@apple.com
MIL OSI Economics –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Man jailed for terrorism offences after joint HMRC and Met Police investigation

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

An east London man who sent night vision and thermal imaging rifle scopes to support terrorist activity by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2017 and 2018 has been jailed.

Muhammad Choudhary, 41 (15.06.83) previously pleaded guilty to terrorism funding and fundraising offences following a joint investigation by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

He was sentenced on Tuesday, 15 October, at the Old Bailey to a total of seven years’ imprisonment, with an additional year to be served on an extended licence.

Detectives and investigators identified that Choudhary sent thermal imaging night vision rifle scopes to Pakistan on a number of occasions in 2017 and 2018. He later admitted they were intended for use by the Taliban, which, at the time, launched various attacks against the then-Government and coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Acting Commander Gareth Rees, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “This case is a prime example of how terrorist activity can take many different forms, and shows that we will investigate anyone in the UK who supports terrorist activity, regardless of what it may be in support of or to where it may be linked.

“This was a unique case where Government colleagues identified potential terrorist-related activity and shared information with us. Further enquiries conducted by Counter Terrorism Command officers led to Choudhary being convicted and jailed for various terrorism offences.”

Mike Pass, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “The UK operates a strict licensing regime to uphold international sanctions and to ensure military equipment does not fall into the wrong hands. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure effective controls and enforcement on military goods, which contributes to the UK’s national security.”

Choudhary first came to the attention of HMRC after a seizure of rifle scopes at Heathrow Airport in January 2018. It was identified that Choudhary was the person behind the consignment, which was intended for an address in Pakistan.

Further enquiries revealed that Choudhary bought the sniper sights from legitimate hunting suppliers. He was interviewed under caution by HMRC investigators and he later admitted in interview that the recipient and end users were members of the Taliban.

As a result, this information was passed to the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command and officers launched an investigation, which resulted in Choudhary being charged with various terrorism offences in September 2023.

At an Old Bailey hearing in January, he pleaded guilty to a charge of fundraising for the purposes of terrorism (contrary to section 15 of the Terrorism Act, 2000), and two charges of making funding arrangements for the purposes of terrorism (contrary to section 17, TACT, 2000).

Choudhary was also previously charged with 23 offences under the Customs and Excise Management Act (1979). He pleaded not guilty to these offences at a hearing in February, and it was subsequently agreed for these offences to lay on file.

MIL Security OSI –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Bullish Sentiments High on Gold Trends as Mining Operations Continue to Ramp Up

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – In an recent article published by Skilliing.com regarding current Gold trends: “From ancient civilizations to modern-day investors, gold has consistently been sought after for its perceived stability and hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. This enduring appeal has led to significant price movements over the years, with gold prices often mirroring broader economic trends. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for predicting future gold price movements and making informed investment decisions. According to experts, the gold price in October 2024 is expected to be influenced by several key factors. The ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Middle East, are likely to keep gold prices elevated. Additionally, the anticipation of US rate cuts in the third and fourth quarters of 2024 could further boost gold prices. With the current record already at $2,431.85, the next milestone to watch is $2,500 per ounce. The bullish setup of gold’s chart and its leading indicators suggest that gold could move close to the $2,550 area in 2024. This prediction is supported by the recent rally in gold prices, which has already surpassed many predictions for the year. The combination of geopolitical concerns and the potential for rate cuts makes a further rally in gold prices plausible.” Active mining companies in the markets this week include RUA GOLD Inc. (OTCQB: NZAUF) (TSX-V: RUA), Mawson Gold Limited (OTCPK: MWSNF), Founders Metals Inc. (OTCQX: FDMIF), SNOWLINE GOLD CORP (OTCQB: SNWGF) (TSX-V: SGD), Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE: AEM) (TSX: AEM).

Skilliing.com added: “In the context of broader economic trends, the gold price prediction for October 2024 is also influenced by the strength of the dollar and the overall economic landscape. As interest rates start to fall, gold prices could hit fresh records. The average price target for gold in the final quarter of 2024 is around $2,175 per ounce, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. This suggests a continued upward trajectory for gold prices in the latter half of 2024. 2025 Outlook: The outlook for 2025 is more uncertain. Some experts expect gold prices to stabilize around $2,350 per ounce in early 2025, with a potential decline to $2,175 later in the year, depending on the pace of U.S. central bank rate cuts. HSBC predicts a 12% drop in gold prices in 2025 due to rising real interest rates, while other analysts remain bullish, suggesting prices could exceed $3,000. 2030 Outlook: By 2030, some forecasts suggest gold could reach $7,000 per ounce, driven by low real interest rates, rising inflation, and demographic shifts that fuel demand for gold as a secure asset. Central bank demand will likely play a key role in supporting long-term growth.”

RUA GOLD’s (TSXV:RUA) (OTCQB:NZAUF) Drill Program Intersects Near Surface Gold at The Reefton Project – RUA GOLD Inc. (WKN: A4010V) (“RUA GOLD” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update from the drilling campaign underway at the Reefton Project on the South Island of New Zealand.    The Company commenced its near mine drill program on the Murray Creek targets in July. A second drill rig was introduced in September to test the Capleston vein system. These historic mines collectively produced ~700koz of gold at 25.2g/t within a radius of ~20 kilometers.

Robert Eckford, CEO of RUA GOLD commented: “Our five years of meticulous surface exploration work over the Reefton project is paying dividends from the outset of this drill program. Both of the initial drill holes have confirmed we are in right area and are locating these lodes. The near surface intercepts on Capleston are encouraging and makes for compelling economic ounces, it supports our thesis that the surface veins are continuous past the old workings. Despite the initial drill hole at Murray Creek hitting old workings, it is extremely encouraging that we have identified the dip angle of the Victoria lode and we have even more confidence with the subsequent hole that is underway now, and results from this will be ready in the next few weeks.”

Capleston – On the second drill rig, which was introduced to test the Capleston vein system, the Company targeted an undeveloped and near-surface vein at the southern end of the two kilometer long historic Capleston project, the highest-grade producer of the Reefton Goldfield historically. Near surface targets lend themselves to early development and are the closest to transportation and infrastructure, providing low-cost operational advantages.

The first diamond drill hole, DD_REF_043, intersected a 12m zone of quartz-pyrite-arsenopyrite in the hanging wall, with a 1m quartz vein from 31m to 32m @ 3.86 g.t Au.   A legacy drill hole intercepted the southern lode at 33m downhole, with 1m @ 24g/t Au followed by 1m @ 2.5g/t Au¹. Mapping has recorded historical waste samples up to 32.0g/t Au in the vicinity, and a strong soil anomaly enveloping the vein (up to 410ppb Au).

Murray Creek – RUA GOLD reports the completion of the first hole testing the down-dip extension of the Victoria lode, DD_VIC_041, which is being evaluated by the team. This intersected the targeted reef at 344m down hole and encountered historical underground workings over a 4m length. It then exited out to the footwall before drilling on for an additional 20m.

This confirms that the lode extension is accurate and, with the precise location confirmed, a second hole is underway that is 50m deeper down dip from the initial drill hole. The Company anticipates an intersection into an un-mined portion of the reef at around 350m. Results from this testing will be available in the coming weeks.    CONTINUED… Read this full press release and more news for RUA GOLD at:   https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-rua/

Other recent developments in the mining industry of note include:

Mawson Gold Limited (OTCPK: MWSNF) recently announced that further to its news releases dated June 10, 2024 and July 30, 2024, Mawson has entered into an arrangement agreement (the “Arrangement Agreement”) with SUA Holdings Ltd. (“SUA”), a newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary of Mawson, pursuant to which the Company proposes to spin-out its uranium assets in Sweden (the “Uranium Assets”) to SUA in consideration for common shares of SUA (“SUA Common Shares”) and distribute 100% of the SUA Common Shares it then holds to the Mawson shareholders on a pro rata basis. As a result, following completion of the Arrangement, the Mawson shareholders (other than any dissenting shareholders) will also become shareholders of SUA and SUA will no longer be a subsidiary of Mawson.

In connection with the Arrangement, Mawson has subscribed for additional SUA Common Shares for aggregate consideration of $600,000 to provide working capital to SUA. Such additional SUA Common Shares will also be distributed to the Mawson shareholders under the Arrangement.

Founders Metals Inc. (OTCQX: FDMIF) recently announced that, further to the press release dated October 10, 2024, it has entered into an agreement with B2Gold Corp (“B2Gold”) for a C$12.1 million investment (the “Strategic Investment”) at a price of C$2.75 per common share (each, a “Share”). Together with the previously announced bought deal private placement of C$20M (the “Brokered Offering”), the Company will raise a total of C$32.1 million, fully funding the planned 2025 budget. Upon completion of the Strategic Investment and the Brokered Offering, B2Gold will own 5.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis.

Colin Padget, Founders’ President & CEO commented, “We are very pleased with B2Gold’s investment in Founders along with the support and validation it brings to our Antino Gold Project. We look forward to drawing on B2Gold’s experience in exploring for, and developing, world-class mining assets in similar geological environments. This broader financing package leaves Founders well positioned to ramp up exploration at Antino, fully funding our planned 2025 exploration budget and the near-term addition of a fourth diamond drill.”

SNOWLINE GOLD CORP (OTCQB: SNWGF) (TSX-V: SGD) recently announced additional analytical results from its 2024 Valley deposit drilling campaign on the Rogue Project in Canada’s Yukon Territory alongside updates on its regional activities. Holes V-24-081 and V-24-084 returned strong, consistent gold grades from near-surface along the southwestern edge of the Valley deposit, outperforming the model used for the Company’s initial mineral resource estimate (MRE) earlier this year. In addition, Snowline has completed the first phase of a reclamation program at the Plata mining camp near the Rogue Project, organizing and inventorying debris and abandoned equipment from historical mining activities in the region for future demobilisation. The Company awaits analytical results from the majority of its 2024 exploration campaign, including >24,600 m of drilling in 44 holes across 5 different targets.

“It is a testament to the consistency of mineralization at Valley that results like today’s have become almost commonplace,” said Scott Berdahl, CEO & Director of Snowline. “Nonetheless, they further demonstrate the strength of the system near surface, and key holes V-24-081 and V-24-084 outperform our model along the southwest margin of the deposit.

Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE: AEM) (TSX: AEM) recently announced that it has filed an updated technical report for the Detour Lake mine in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The technical report is available on SEDAR+ (http://www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company’s website (http://www.agnicoeagle.com).   Agnico Eagle is a Canadian based and led senior gold mining company and the third largest gold producer in the world, producing precious metals from operations in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico.

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DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM was compensated forty nine hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by RUA GOLD Inc. by a non-affiliated third party. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025

MIL-OSI Canada: Canada Carbon Rebate rural top-up, 2024 and 2025

Source: Government of Canada News

Backgrounder

Ensuring carbon pollution pricing helps make life more affordable

A price on pollution is widely recognized as the most efficient means to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to the more intense wildfires, droughts, and floods caused by climate change. Canada’s approach to pollution pricing is also designed to put money back into people’s pockets.

Putting a price on pollution is a cornerstone of Canada’s plan, which is working to tackle climate change.

Quarterly Canada Carbon Rebate for individuals—increased rural top-up

The climate crisis is affecting all of Canada, but especially rural and small communities. They frequently face environmental, social, economic, cultural, and health impacts from climate change that are more intense than those in urban areas. Despite these challenges, these communities show remarkable resilience and often lead the way in adaptation efforts across Canada.

Canadians living in rural and small communities are on the front lines of climate change, witnessing firsthand the devastating impacts of intensified wildfires, droughts, and floods. A price on pollution is found to be one of the most efficient ways that Canada is reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute significantly to the frequency and severity of these impacts caused by climate change. The Canada Carbon Rebate both puts money back into people’s pockets and also stimulates investment in clean alternatives.

In provinces where the federal fuel charge applies, most households get back more than they pay through the Canada Carbon Rebate for individuals, as a result of the federal carbon pollution pricing system, with lower- and middle-income households benefitting the most.

To further recognize rural Canadians’ higher energy needs, particularly for home-heating and transportation, the Government of Canada has doubled the rural top-up available for households in rural areas and smaller communities from 10 percent to 20 percent of their Canada Carbon Rebate base amount, as of April 2024.

This October, eligible Canadians will receive the enhanced rural top-up for the first time. The increase will be retroactive to April 1, 2024, so those households can expect an increased top-up amount for October 2024 with a one-time boost due to the increased top-up amounts for April and July.

The top-up will apply to residents of provinces where the federal fuel charge applies, that is, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia whose primary residence is outside a Census Metropolitan Area, as defined by Statistics Canada. All rebate recipients in Prince Edward Island are eligible for the rural top-up, and it is included in their base amount. Determine if you qualify for the rural top-up.

The table below shows the amount a family of four can expect to receive each quarter in 2024–2025. As all proceeds are returned in the province they were collected in, the rebate amount varies between provinces. It is higher in provinces with more consumption of fossil fuels.

Table 1

Quarterly Canada Carbon Rebate amounts for families of four for 2024 and 2025
Province	Family of four	Rural
Alberta	$450.00	$540.00
Manitoba	$300.00	$360.00
Ontario	$280.00	$336.00
Saskatchewan	$376.00	$451.20
New Brunswick	$190.00	$228.00
Nova Scotia	$206.00	$247.20
Prince Edward Island*	$220.00	$220.00
Newfoundland and Labrador	$298.00	$357.60

*As all residents of Prince Edward Island are eligible for the 20 percent rural top-up, it is reflected in the base amount for that province.

Table 2

Annual Canada Carbon Rebate amounts for families of four for 2024 and 2025
Province	Family of four	Rural
Alberta	$1,800.00	$2,160.00
Manitoba	$1,200.00	$1,440.00
Ontario	$1,120.00	$1,344.00
Saskatchewan	$1,504.00	$1,804.80
New Brunswick	$760.00	$912.00
Nova Scotia	$824.00	$988.80
Prince Edward Island*	$880.00	$880.00
Newfoundland and Labrador	$1,192.00	$1,430.40

*As all residents of Prince Edward Island are eligible for the 20 percent rural top-up, it is reflected in the base amount for that province.

Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses

Canada’s small- and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy and the heart of our communities. Across the country, they keep main streets flourishing, create good jobs, and deliver on the dream of entrepreneurship. Through the new Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses, the Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to return proceeds from the price on pollution directly to small- and medium-sized businesses with employees in the provinces where the federal fuel charge applies.

This accelerated and automated return process will deliver over $2.5 billion directly to an estimated 600,000 small- and medium-sized businesses with employees in provinces where the pollution pricing system applies through a refundable tax credit. By receiving direct payments from the Canada Revenue Agency, separate from tax refunds, this simple process for returning fuel charge proceeds will help eligible small- and medium-sized businesses to focus on what matters most—driving their businesses forward.

The Canada Revenue Agency plans to issue the rebate to eligible Canadian-controlled private corporations (CCPCs) that filed their 2023 tax return no later than July 15, 2024, by the end of the calendar year. Most businesses should receive their payment by:

December 16, 2024, if registered for direct deposit
December 31, 2024, if receiving payment by cheque

On October 1, 2024, the Government of Canada specified payment rates, on a per employee basis, for the 2019–2020 to 2023–2024 fuel charge years, and the designated provinces in which these payment rates will apply.

Table 3

Specified payment rates per employee for the Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses, 2019 and 2020 to 2023 and 2024
–	2019 to 2020	2020 to 2021	2021 to 2022	2022 to 2023	2023 to 2024
Alberta*	n/a	$147	$123	$140	$181
Saskatchewan	$110	$271	$244	$298	$233
Manitoba	$48	$99	$77	$89	$168
Ontario	$26	$68	$75	$86	$146
New Brunswick*	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	$87
Nova Scotia*	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	$119
Prince Edward Island*	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	$82
Newfoundland and Labrador*	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	$179

*As the federal fuel charge only came into effect as of January 1, 2020, in Alberta, and as of July 1, 2023, in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, small businesses in these provinces will receive payments for proceeds collected as of those respective dates.

Table 4

Example payment amounts for businesses, by number of employees, 2019 to 2023
–	10 employees	25 employees	50 employees	100 employees	499 employees
Alberta*	$5,910	$14,775	$29,550	$59,100	$294,909
Saskatchewan	$11,560	$28,900	$57,800	$115,600	$576,844
Manitoba	$4,810	$12,025	$24,050	$48,100	$240,019
Ontario	$4,010	$10,025	$20,050	$40,100	$200,099
New Brunswick*	$870	$2,175	$4,350	$8,700	$43,413
Nova Scotia*	$1,190	$2,975	$5,950	$11,900	$59,381
Prince Edward Island*	$820	$2,050	$4,100	$8,200	$40,918
Newfoundland and Labrador*	$1,790	$4,475	$8,950	$17,900	$89,321

Additionally, to allow more businesses to receive a payment, it is also being proposed that corporations that file their tax return for 2023 after July 15, 2024, and on or before December 31, 2024, would be eligible for a payment. Legislation enacting these changes requires Royal Assent before payments can be issued to businesses filing after the initial July 15 deadline.

More information on the Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses payment amounts from 2019 and 2020 to 2023 and 2024 has been published by Finance Canada.

Pollution pricing relief for farmers and fishers

Farmers are on the frontlines of climate change, facing ever-increasing risks of floods, droughts, and storms to their operations. Canada’s approach to pollution pricing offers targeted support to farmers, who are also investing to deploy cost-saving and job-creating clean technology solutions. Farmers generally do not pay the fuel charge for gasoline and light fuel oil (diesel) used in eligible farming machinery on farms. Additionally, biological emissions are not priced under this federal system, totalling roughly 97 percent of on-farm emissions.

Greenhouse operators also receive upfront relief of 80 percent of the fuel charge on propane and marketable natural gas used to heat an eligible greenhouse or to supplement carbon dioxide in eligible greenhouses to grow or produce plants.

Additionally, farm businesses that operate in provinces where the federal fuel charge is in place can generally receive a refundable tax credit, the purpose of which is to return fuel charge proceeds related to farm use of natural gas and propane in heating and drying activities in those provinces to help farmers transition to lower-carbon ways of farming.

Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Offset Credit System also provides an economic incentive for farmers to undertake innovative greenhouse gas reduction and removal projects.

As part of the strengthened climate plan and the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, the Government of Canada committed over $1.5 billion to accelerate the agricultural sector’s progress on reducing emissions while remaining a global leader in sustainable agriculture. This includes $470.7 million for the Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program to create an enabling environment for developing and adopting clean technology. This will help drive the changes required to achieve a low-carbon economy and promote sustainable growth in Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector.

Fishers are also provided with relief from paying the federal fuel charge on gasoline and light fuel oil (diesel) used in fishing vessels for eligible fishing activities.

Industrial pollution pricing system

Industrial pollution pricing systems are designed to ensure there is a price incentive for industrial emitters to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and spur innovation while remaining competitive. Not only does pollution pricing ensure big polluters pay their fair share, it is also helping Canada attract new major projects that are creating good paying jobs.

Canada’s approach to pollution pricing gives major heavy industries certainty on the price they pay for the pollution they generate, helping to bring forward investments in job-creating cleaner alternatives to meet their business needs. This helps them make informed decisions and is also designed to protect against the risk of industrial facilities moving to another region to avoid paying a price on carbon pollution.

All proceeds generated from the federal industrial pollution pricing system in backstop jurisdictions are returned in the jurisdiction of origin to support industrial projects in cutting emissions and using new, cleaner technologies and processes.

The Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS) Proceeds Fund returns proceeds collected under the federal OBPS and is comprised of two streams: the Decarbonization Incentive Program and the Future Electricity Fund. Further information on projects being funded by federal industrial pollution pricing proceeds has been published on the Open Government Portal.

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 23, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bring photo ID if voting in the Harpenden North & Rural by-election

Source: St Albans City and District

Publication date: 14 Oct 2024

Voters in the Harpenden North & Rural ward are reminded to bring approved photo ID to their polling station for a by-election on Thursday 17 October.

They are required to present the ID or a Voter Authority Certificate in order to vote in the by-election for a vacant seat on St Albans City and District Council.

Approved ID includes a UK passport or driver’s licence, a Government-funded bus pass for older or disabled people, and a PASS card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram.

Documents must be originals but they can be current or expired if the photo still bears a true likeness of the voter.

Full details of approved ID are available on the Electoral Commission’s website here.

Voters are asked to check their poll cards to see which polling station they should attend as it may be different to where they usually vote.

A list of the candidates for the by-election, together with other information, is available here.

Amanda Foley, Returning Officer for St Albans City and District, said:

Approved photo ID is now established as a requirement for people voting at a polling station.

We are just reminding the voters of Harpenden North & Rural to bring approved ID along. If they do not have it, they will not be able to vote.

The by-election was called following the resignation of former District Councillor Beth Fisher.

Votes will be counted overnight on Thursday 17 October and the elected District Council candidate will serve until May 2028.

Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council: 01727-919533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New leader for ARU’s work-based courses

Source: Anglia Ruskin University

Published: 14 October 2024 at 10:30

Specialist in education and workforce development Carl Dawson joins university

Carl Dawson, a globally renowned expert in online education and workforce development with over 20 years of experience, has been appointed to lead Anglia Ruskin University’s Online and Degrees at Work teams.

Relocating to the UK from Texas, Carl has previously worked closely with universities, governments and companies in the United States, Canada, Australia, Bangladesh, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Carl has extensive experience across both the public and private sectors and has implemented digital learning programs for institutions and governments, including the UK Cabinet Office. In 2013, he co-founded Construct Education, later recognized by Deloitte as one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the UK and now operating globally.

He helped build accredited online education programs at institutions such as Howard University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Tennessee.

In 2021, Carl became an advisor to the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on new digital learning strategies in a post COVID world.

His academic research includes time as a Transformational Leadership Fellow at Oxford University, a Policy Fellow at Cambridge University, and a Senior Research Associate at Jesus College, Cambridge, focusing on new economic models for higher education.

The Degrees at Work team is at the forefront of driving growth for ARU’s distance learning and apprenticeships. The team collaborates closely with employers and academics to identify future talent needs, generating insights that shape ARU’s innovative, professional work-based programs.

Carl, who takes the role of Director of Learning Development Services at ARU, said:

“I’m thrilled to return to the UK to join Anglia Ruskin University and help shape the future of work in the East of England and beyond, ensuring this unique region leads in preparing learners for tomorrow’s industries and societal needs.

“Being part of the University of the Year is an incredible opportunity, and I’m eager to build on our Gold Award for teaching, pioneering degree apprenticeships, and decade-long distance and online learning success.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bring photo ID if voting in the Harpenden North & Rural by-election

Source: St Albans City and District

Publication date: 14 Oct 2024

Voters in the Harpenden North & Rural ward are reminded to bring approved photo ID to their polling station for a by-election on Thursday 17 October.

They are required to present the ID or a Voter Authority Certificate in order to vote in the by-election for a vacant seat on St Albans City and District Council.

Approved ID includes a UK passport or driver’s licence, a Government-funded bus pass for older or disabled people, and a PASS card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram.

Documents must be originals but they can be current or expired if the photo still bears a true likeness of the voter.

Full details of approved ID are available on the Electoral Commission’s website here.

Voters are asked to check their poll cards to see which polling station they should attend as it may be different to where they usually vote.

A list of the candidates for the by-election, together with other information, is available here.

Amanda Foley, Returning Officer for St Albans City and District, said:

Approved photo ID is now established as a requirement for people voting at a polling station.

We are just reminding the voters of Harpenden North & Rural to bring approved ID along. If they do not have it, they will not be able to vote.

The by-election was called following the resignation of former District Councillor Beth Fisher.

Votes will be counted overnight on Thursday 17 October and the elected District Council candidate will serve until May 2028.

Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council: 01727-919533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ‘Awful reality’: Albanese government injects $95 million to fight the latest deadly bird flu
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Wille, Senior research fellow, The University of Melbourne

The Australian government has committed A$95 million to fight a virulent strain of bird flu wreaking havoc globally.

With the arrival of millions of migratory birds this spring, there is an increased risk of a deadly strain arriving in Australia, known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1.

Australia is the only continent free of this rapidly spreading strain. Overseas, HPAI H5N1 has been detected in poultry, wild birds and a wide range of mammals, including humans. But our reprieve will likely not last forever.

As Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek warned on Monday, “the awful reality of this disease is that – like the rest of the world – we will not be able to prevent its arrival”. HPAI H5N1 is like nothing we’ve seen in Australia. The extra funding, which is in addition to Australia’s current biosecurity budget, will help us prepare and respond.

A trail of destruction

Avian influenza is a virus that infects birds, but can infect other animals.

In Australia we have various strains of avian influenza that don’t cause disease, referred to as low pathogenic avian influenza. While these viruses occur naturally Australian wild birds, it is the disease-causing strains, such as HPAI H5N1 and HPAI H7 we are worried about. These HPAI strains have enormous consequences for wild birds, domestic animals, and animal producers and workers.

HPAI H5N1 first emerged in Asia in 1996, and has been circulating in Asian poultry for decades. Following genetic changes in the virus, it repeatedly jumped into wild birds in 2014, 2016 and again in 2020, after which it caused an animal pandemic, or panzootic.

Starting in 2021, the virus rapidly spread. First, from Europe to North America in 2021. Then into South America in 2022. There, in South America, the virus caused the death of more than 500,000 wild birds and 30,000 marine mammals.

While we had seen large outbreaks in wild birds globally, the huge outbreaks in seals and sea lions in South America was unprecedented. With this came substantial concern that the virus was spreading from mammal to mammal, rather than just bird to bird or bird to mammal, as was happening elsewhere.

About a year after arriving in South America, the virus was detected in the sub-Antarctic, and a few months later, on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Australia and New Zealand are still free of the virus, for now.

The rising death toll

Beyond wildlife, HPAI H5N1 is having a huge impact on poultry.

In 2022 alone, it caused 130 million poultry across 67 countries to die of the illness or be euthanased because they were infected.

In contrast, earlier this year Australia’s biggest avian influenza outbreak to date – caused by a different strain, HPAI H7 – caused the death or destruction of 1.5 million chickens. That’s a drop in the bucket compared to what is occurring globally.

Concerningly, in the United States, the virus has jumped into dairy cattle and so far has affected more than 200 dairy herds in 14 states. It has also jumping into humans: in the past ten days alone, six human cases have occurred – all in dairy workers in California.

Given HPAI H5N1 has spread around the globe, the risk of the virus entering Australia has increased.

In a recent risk assessment, my colleague and I identified two main pathways for H5N1 into Australia.

The most likely route is that H5N1 is brought in from Asia by long-distance migratory birds. Birds such as shorebirds and seabirds arrive in the millions each spring from Asia (and in some cases as far away as Alaska).

A second route is with ducks. If the virus spreads across the Wallace Line (a biogeographical boundary that runs through Indonesia), it will come into contact with endemic Australian duck species.

Unlike shorebirds and seabirds, ducks are not long-distance migrants, and don’t migrate between Asia and Australia. That endemic Australian ducks are not exposed to this virus because they don’t migrate to Asia may be one of the reasons why H5N1 has not yet arrived in Australia.

So, what’s the plan?

The Australian government’s new $95 million funding commitment is a crucial response to the heightened level of risk, and the dire consequences if H5N1 entered the country.

The funding is divided between environment, agriculture and human health – the three pillars of the “One Health” approach.

Broadly, the money will be spent on:
- enhancing surveillance to ensure timely detection and response if the disease enters and spreads in animals within Australia
- strengthening preparedness and response capability to reduce harm to the production sector and native wildlife
- supporting a nationally coordinated approach to response and communications
- taking proactive measures to protect threatened iconic species from extinction
- investing in more pre-pandemic vaccines to protect human health.
Importantly, the funding covers preparedness, surveillance and response.

Preparedness includes proactive measures to protect threatened birds – for example, vaccination or reducing other threats to these species) and improving biosecurity.

Surveillance is essential to catch the virus as soon as it arrives and track its spread. Australia already has a wild bird surveillance program which, among other things, investigates sick and dead wildlife as well as sampling “healthy” wild birds. The additional commitment will bolster these activities.

Response will include things like better and faster tests. It will also include funding for practical on-ground actions to limit the spread and impacts of HPAI H5N1 for susceptible wildlife. This might include a vaccination program for vulnerable threatened species, as an example.

Work has already begun

This funding is a long-term investment, and mostly allocated to future activities. In the short term, my colleagues and I have already begun our spring surveillance program.

We aim to test about 1,000 long-distance migratory birds arriving in Australia for avian influenza. Based on our risk assessments, we are focusing on long-distance migratory seabirds such as the short-tailed shearwater, and various shorebirds including red-necked stints, arriving from breeding areas in Siberia.

This surveillance program is supported by, and contributes to, the national surveillance program managed by Wildlife Health Australia

In addition to our active surveillance, we need your help! If you see sick or dead wild birds or marine mammals, call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

In addition, the Wildlife Health Australia website offers current advice for:
- people who encounter sick or dead wild birds
- vets and other animal health professionals
- bird banders, wildlife rangers and researchers
- wildlife managers and wildlife care providers, who can access risk mitigation toolboxes.
For more information, visit birdflu.gov.au or Wildlife Health Australia’s avian influenza page

Michelle Wille receives funding from Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Wildlife Health Australia.

– ref. ‘Awful reality’: Albanese government injects $95 million to fight the latest deadly bird flu – https://theconversation.com/awful-reality-albanese-government-injects-95-million-to-fight-the-latest-deadly-bird-flu-241243
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Strengthening Marine Pollution Incident Resilience workshop concludes in Honiara
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The 4-day workshop on strengthening marine pollution incident resilience in the Pacific concluded on a high note in Honiara over the weekend.
A group photo with the tabletop exercise map.

The workshop was funded by the UK government’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under the Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) as part of the Blue Planet Fund.

It was delivered by the UK’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

The workshop brought together key stakeholders, enhancing local and regional collaboration, communication and strengthening Solomon Islands’ environmental response capabilities for marine pollution emergency incidents.

The workshop strengthened preparedness from any future threats from marine pollution, including oil spills and potentially polluting shipwrecks.

Participants identified the gaps in existing contingency planning to respond to marine incidents and increased their ability to engage, assess and monitor potentially polluting wrecks in the region.

With participants from across Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Regional Agencies, the workshop provided a platform for better communication, collaboration and learning about responding to Maritime Pollution in the Pacific.

According to UK Cefas facilitator, Freya Goodsir, the workshop was a fantastic success build capacity, communication and collaboration to respond to any future events. She added:

We found it extremely valuable to understand how passionate colleagues were about protecting our oceans. Together we have improved Solomon Islands ability to respond to any future threats to our marine environment.

Delegates from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Kiribati, Australia, Samoa and the United States took part in the four-day workshop in Honiara.

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Published 14 October 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Eligible Leeds residents urged to protect themselves against viruses with free winter jabs

Source: City of Leeds

Leeds’s public health boss has issued a plea for all those eligible to take up the offer of a free flu vaccine this winter after worrying uptake levels last year.

Leeds City Council’s director of public health has urged people to take the chance to protect themselves against both the flu and Covid 19, with both viruses spreading more easily in winter as people spend increasing amounts of time indoors together.

The winter vaccine programme focuses on those at greatest risk of getting seriously ill – including people with long-term health conditions, people aged over 65 and pregnant women – yet last year Leeds saw lower uptakes of the free annual jabs among some of these cohorts.

While uptake in older people remained high (79.5 per cent of over 65s), less than four in 10 (39 per cent) of people deemed ‘at risk’ received the flu vaccine, with similarly low levels seen among pregnant women (38 per cent) and two- to three-year-olds (37 per cent).

It comes as national figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that over the past two winters at least 18,000 deaths across the UK were associated with flu, despite last winter being a relatively mild flu season.

For the first time this year, pregnant women and older people aged 75 to 79 are also eligible for the RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccination, with the maternal vaccine providing strong protection for newborns in their first few months, when they are most at risk of severe illness from RSV. Pregnant women should speak to their GP or maternity team for more information.

Leeds City Council’s director of public health Victoria Eaton said: “After clean water, immunisation is the most effective public health intervention in the world for saving lives and promoting good health.

“Over the winter period, even if you have had a vaccine or been ill with flu, Covid 19 or RSV before, it’s vital that you top up your protection as immunity fades over time and these viruses can change each year.

“It is therefore extremely important that anyone eligible to receive their winter vaccinations takes up the potentially life-saving opportunity. The national mortality figures are a stark reminder of how deadly these viruses can be to those at risk.

“Receiving the vaccinations means that if you do catch any of these viruses, you are likely to have milder symptoms and recover faster, cutting your risk of being hospitalised.

“I’m urging all those eligible to join the millions of others across the UK in taking up their free vaccine offer to ensure they stay winter strong.”

Councillor Fiona Venner, Leeds City Council’s executive member for equality, health and wellbeing, said: “We want to protect our city’s most vulnerable from these respiratory viruses which spread more easily in winter and usually reach their peak over the festive and new year period.

“Nobody wants to miss out on festive celebrations with their families and friends and these vaccines provide the best possible protection.

“Our city’s GPs and community pharmacies stand ready to provide these free jabs to all those eligible – please book your appointment today and arm yourself against the risk of severe illness.”

Over 65s, those under 65 in clinical risk groups and pregnant women should contact their GP surgery or community pharmacy (for those aged 18 or over) to book their vaccinations.

Parents of children who are aged two or three (on or before August 31, 2024) should contact their GP surgery to book their child’s flu vaccination.

School-aged children (from reception to year 11) will mainly be offered their flu vaccines at school and for most this is a nasal spray, not an injection. A flu vaccine injection is available that does not contain gelatine. Parents who do not want their child to have the nasal spray vaccine should speak to the person vaccinating the child or ask for the injection on the school consent form.

For full details, to check eligibility and to book online, visit at http://www.nhs.uk/wintervaccinations.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk

Tel: 0113 378 6007

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How does someone become the ‘voice of a generation’? A brief history of the concept

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Helen Kingstone, Senior Lecturer in English Literature, Royal Holloway University of London

Sally Rooney, author of Normal People and now Intermezzo, keeps being called “the voice of a generation”. And she’s just the latest in a sequence of authors to get this accolade.

In 1991, Douglas Coupland’s novel Generation X supposedly made him the “voice of” that generation. Looking further back, J.D. Salinger’s first and only novel, Catcher in the Rye (1951), seemed to capture the voice of a generation at the time, and has resonated with successive generations of awkward and disaffected teenagers ever since.

What’s behind this phenomenon is generational thinking. It seems to be everywhere at the moment, providing the media with easy taglines, spreading cliches and unnecessarily sowing division. But its history goes back far beyond even the baby-boomers.

In the 19th century, after the radical upheavals of the Enlightenment , the “age of revolutions” and the Industrial Revolution, some people wondered if perhaps they could reject tradition completely. Groups of young artists began to rebel against a model of discipleship that required them to learn from their elders.

Instead of following the art world’s top-down, paternalistic apprenticeship model, these fraternities and brotherhoods (yes, they were mainly men) declared that were innovating a new dawn in art.

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, for example, now viewed as quaint, were definitely Victorian radicals, as were the impressionists 25 years later. These tight-knit groups of artists had a strong sense of generational identity, rebelling against their predecessors.

In one important way, however, they were different from the modern “voice of a generation” figures because these groups also saw themselves as rebelling against their own peers. We now might see them as iconic of their generation, but at the time, they were rejects, though elite ones – bohemian in the original sense. Crucially, they were honest about their oddity. They knew they were unusual, so they didn’t claim to be speaking for everyone.

This paradox highlights one of the challenges of history: that we’re understandably most captivated by people who were “ahead of their time”, but these people are therefore probably not representative of their time.

Read more:
How Sally Rooney came to be dubbed the ‘voice of a generation’

The origins of generational thinking

The idea of generations as self-conscious group identities came into being with the trauma and upheaval of the first world war. Over the next couple of decades, writers who had come of age during the war narrated how it had decimated and traumatised their generation.

Examples include Erich Maria Remarque’s novel All Quiet on the Western Front (1928), R.C. Sherriff’s play Journey’s End (1928) and Vera Brittain’s autobiography, Testament of Youth (1933).

These stories all express an angry sense of having been “lions led by donkeys”. They envisage an unbridgeable divide between their own front-line generation, sacrificing its youth, and an older generation of complacent army commanders.

They also trace a second divide between themselves and the slighter younger generation who came of age after the war’s end and didn’t want to think about it. Brittain poignantly describes how this new fresh-faced generation experienced her grief as passé.

These first world war writers did consciously speak as the voice of a specific “lost generation”. But like any such label, this also obscures a more complex reality.

Not all first world war soldiers were in the first flush of youth like Wilfred Owen, Robert Graves, Remarque and Sherriff. In fact, men were recruited up to the age of 41 in Britain, 43 in Russia, 48 in France and 50 in Austria-Hungary.

As a result, between 3 million and 4 million women were widowed by the war, and between 6 million and 8 million children were left fatherless. On this reckoning, there is probably more than one first world war generation.

This complexity highlights one of the tricky things about the generations concept. It refers both to relationships within families (parents and children) and to commonalities beyond the family, among contemporaries across society. Sometimes these two dimensions align neatly, as in the “lost generation”, but sometimes they don’t, like for those older soldiers who don’t fit inside that label.

Why generational labels matter

My research has shown that generational ideas are real and do matter – but need to be handled with care.

Generation talk all too often slips into generalisation, which can then be used to sow division. The word “generationalism” has been coined by researchers to highlight this issue.

To counteract this, a network of researchers and third sector colleagues, led by myself and sociologist Jennie Bristow, have worked together to produce a guide entitled Talking About Generations: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself, which encourages people working with the concept of generation to pause and check their motivations and meaning before using the term.

Labels like “the voice of a generation” always depend on speculating about what other people are thinking and feeling. This risks flattening and homogenising generational experience – not all millennials are Sally Rooneys, after all.

Rooney herself has said in an interview: “I certainly never intended to speak for anyone other than myself.” Any “voice of a generation” needs, in practice, to be plural “voices”.

Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

Helen Kingstone has received funding from Wellcome: it funded the research behind the guide for ‘Talking about Generations’.

– ref. How does someone become the ‘voice of a generation’? A brief history of the concept – https://theconversation.com/how-does-someone-become-the-voice-of-a-generation-a-brief-history-of-the-concept-240495

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Transparency and trust: How news consumers in Canada want AI to be used in journalism

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nicole Blanchett, Associate Professor, Journalism, Toronto Metropolitan University

Developing clear policies and principles that are communicated with audiences should be an essential part of any newsroom’s AI practice. (Shutterstock)

When it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) and news production, Canadian news consumers want to know when, how and why AI is part of journalistic work. And if they don’t get that transparency, they could lose trust in news organizations.

News consumers are so concerned about how the use of AI could impact the accuracy of stories and the spread of misinformation, a majority favour government regulation of how AI is used in journalism.

These are some of our preliminary findings after surveying a representative sample of 1,042 Canadian news consumers, most of whom accessed news daily.

This research is part of the Global Journalism Innovation Lab which researches new approaches to journalism. Those of us on the team at Toronto Metropolitan University are particularly interested in looking at news from an audience perspective in order to develop strategies for best practice.

The industry has high hopes that the use of AI could lead to better journalism, but there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of figuring out how to use it ethically.

Not everyone, for example, is sure the promise of time saved on tasks that AI can do faster will actually translate into more time for better reporting.

We hope our research will help newsrooms understand audience priorities as they develop standards of practice surrounding AI, and prevent further erosion of trust in journalism.

AI and transparency

We found that a lack of transparency could have serious consequences for news outlets that use AI. Almost 60 per cent of those surveyed said they would lose trust in a news organization if they found out a story was generated by AI that they thought was written by a human, something also reflected in international studies.

The overwhelming majority of respondents in our study, more than 85 per cent, want newsrooms to be transparent about how AI is being used. Three quarters want that to include labelling of content created by AI. And more than 70 per cent want the government to regulate the use of AI by news outlets.

Organizations like Trusting News, which helps journalists build trust with audiences, now offer advice on what AI transparency should look like and say it’s more than just labelling a story — people want to know why news organizations are using AI.

Audience trust

Our survey also showed a significant contrast in confidence in news depending on the level of AI used. For example, more than half of respondents said they had high to very high trust in news produced just by humans. However, that level of trust dropped incrementally the more AI was involved in the process, to just over 10 per cent for news content that was generated by AI only.

In questions where news consumers had to choose a preference between humans and AI to make journalistic decisions, humans were far preferred. For example, more than 70 per cent of respondents felt humans were better at determining what was newsworthy, compared to less than six per cent who felt AI would have better news judgement. Eighty-six per cent of respondents felt humans should always be part of the journalistic process.

As newsrooms struggle to retain fractured audiences with fewer resources, the use of AI also has to be considered in terms of the value of the products they’re creating. More than half of our survey respondents perceived news produced mostly by AI with some human oversight as less worth paying for, which isn’t encouraging considering the existing reluctance to pay for news in Canada.

This result echoes a recent Reuters study, where an average of 41 per cent of people across six countries saw less value in AI-generated news.

Concerns about accuracy

In terms of negative impacts of AI in a newsroom, about 70 per cent of respondents were concerned about accuracy in news stories and job losses for journalists. Two-thirds of respondents felt the use of AI might lead to reduced exposure to a variety of information. An increased spread of mis- and disinformation, something recognized widely as a serious threat to democracy, was of concern for 78 per cent of news consumers.

Using AI to replace journalists was what made respondents most uncomfortable, and there was also less comfort with using it for editorial functions such as writing articles and deciding what stories to develop in the first place.

There was far more comfort with using it for non-editorial tasks such as transcription and copy editing, echoing findings in previous research in Canada and other markets.

We also gathered a lot of data unrelated to AI to get a sense of how Canadians are tapping into news and the news they’re tapping into. Politics and local news were the two most popular types of news, chosen by 67 per cent of respondents, even though there is less local news to consume due to extensive cuts, mergers and closures.

A lot of people in our sample of Canadians, around 30 per cent, don’t actively look for news. They let it find them, something called passive consumption. And although this is proportionally higher in news consumers under 35, this isn’t just a phenomenon seen in the younger demographic. More than half of those who reported letting news find them were over 35 years old.

Although smartphones are increasingly becoming the likely access points of news for many consumers, including almost 70 per cent for those 34 and under and about 60 per cent of those between 35 and 44, television is where most news consumers in our study reported getting their journalism.

Respondents in our survey were asked to select all of their points of news access. More than 80 per cent of participants chose some form of TV, with some respondents picking two TV formats, for example, cable TV and smart TV. Surprisingly to us, half of 18-24 year olds reported TV as an access point for news. For those 44 and under, it was more often through a smart TV, though. As shown in other Canadian studies, TV news still plays an important role in the media landscape.

This is just a broad look at the data we have collected. Our analysis is just beginning. We’re going to dig deeper into how different demographics feel about the use of AI in journalism and how the use of AI might impact audience trust.

We will also soon be launching our survey with research partners in the United Kingdom and Australia to find out if there are differences in perceptions of AI in the three countries.

Even these initial results provide a lot of evidence that, as newsrooms work to survive in a destabilized market, using AI could have detrimental effects on the perceived value of their journalism. Developing clear policies and principles that are communicated with audiences should be an essential part of any newsroom’s AI practice in Canada.

Nicole Blanchett receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Charles H. Davis receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and has received funding from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Mariia Sozoniuk works with the Explanatory Journalism Project which is supported by funding from The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Sibo Chen receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

– ref. Transparency and trust: How news consumers in Canada want AI to be used in journalism – https://theconversation.com/transparency-and-trust-how-news-consumers-in-canada-want-ai-to-be-used-in-journalism-240527

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear Energy Executives Scheduled to Present at the Upcoming Mississippi Public Service Commissioners’ Nuclear Summit

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

New York, N.Y., Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing portable, clean energy solutions, today announced that its Chief Executive Officer and Head of Reactor Development, James Walker, will lead a virtual presentation alongside Founder and Chairman, Jay Yu, at the upcoming Mississippi Public Service Commission Nuclear Summit.

“A key aspect of the NANO Nuclear story is our participation in the emerging nuclear energy renaissance in the U.S. It is inspiring to see states like Mississippi, in addition to the growing support within the federal government, take the initiative to adopt nuclear-based solutions for their expanding energy needs,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Advanced reactors, such as NANO Nuclear’s ‘ODIN’ and ‘ZEUS’ microreactors in development, can play a pivotal role in this transition, allowing states to deploy portable, safe nuclear energy solutions where they are most needed. We look forward to engaging with fellow attendees and presenters at the Nuclear Summit to discuss the future of Mississippi’s energy landscape.”

Featuring prominent speakers such as Jeff Merrifield, Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council and former NRC Commissioner, and Mike King, Special Assistant for ADVANCE ACT Implementation at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Summit will provide a platform to explore safe, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions that benefit Mississippi’s communities and economy.

The Summit is scheduled for October 22, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Jackson, MS. All interested parties are welcome and encouraged to register at ww.psc.ms.gov. “Mississippi has the potential to be a leader in nuclear energy, and this summit will serve as a proactive platform for meaningful dialogue. The Mississippi Public Service Commission is grateful to have an industry leader such as NANO Nuclear Energy take part in the summit.” stated the Commissioners.

Figure 1 – NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. Executives to Present at the Mississippi Public Service Commission’s Nuclear Summit 2024.

“We are excited to participate in this Nuclear Summit and support Mississippi in achieving its goals of a sustainable, secure, and efficient energy future powered by advanced nuclear technologies,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Reactor Development of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Our participation in this important event alongside key representatives of the United States nuclear energy sector is a testament to our continuing networking efforts. The support of both federal and state governments is crucial in accelerating this shift to more sustainable energy solutions, and we are pleased to contribute to discussions on how advanced nuclear technologies and our own microreactors can play a key role in achieving this goal.”

About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across four business lines: (i) cutting edge portable microreactor technology, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation and (iv) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s products in technical development are “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

For further information, please contact:

Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
Business Tel: (212) 634-9206
PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE:
NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN
NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE
NANO Nuclear Energy TWITTER

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release or the Mississippi Nuclear Summit described herein contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements (including relating to the potential for nuclear energy innovation and expansion in Mississippi) related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of government regulation and policies including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the business of a start-up business operating a highly regulated industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and the NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at http://www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

Attachment

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Turtle Beach Drives Growth in Key International Markets, Including Canada & Key Territories in Latin America

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Canadian Gamers Can Now Find the Latest
Turtle Beach Gaming Accessories at Best Buy Canada

Turtle Beach Launches a Variety of New Gaming Accessories
in Mexico & Colombia & Expands into Chile

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Leading gaming accessories maker Turtle Beach Corporation (Nasdaq: HEAR) is bringing its best-selling and award-winning gaming accessories to more gamers in key international markets, including Canada and Latin America.

In Canada, Turtle Beach’s latest Stealth™ 700, Stealth 600, and Stealth 500 wireless multiplatform headsets, Atlas Air™ wireless PC headset, Vulcan II TKL Pro PC gaming keyboard, and Burst™ II Air PC gaming mouse are now available at Best Buy Canada. Top Canada-based publication CGMag recently gave the Stealth 700 and Atlas Air 9/10 review scores and awarded the Vulcan II TKL Pro a 9.5/10. All three also received CGMag’s Editor’s Choice accolade. CoG Connected – another popular publication based in Canada, also awarded the Stealth 700 a 93/100 score, while the Best Buy Canada Blog recommends both the Stealth 600 and Stealth 500 headsets. French-Canadian fansite GpourGeek reviewed the Atlas Air with a 9.5/10 review score, the Vulcan II TKL Pro with a 9.7/10 review score, and additionally gave the Burst II Air mouse a 9.1/10 score.

In Latin America, Turtle Beach continues growing in key markets, including adding more gaming accessories to the catalogue of what’s available in Mexico and Colombia, as well as focusing on new growth opportunities in Chile. This Latin America product catalog expansion includes gaming accessories from both Turtle Beach and Performance Designed Products LLC (PDP) – a top gaming accessories maker Turtle Beach acquired earlier in 2024 known for creating premium game controllers and unique, officially licensed products.

“We’re excited to expand Turtle Beach’s global reach and put our game-changing accessories in more gamers’ hands,” said Cris Keirn, CEO, Turtle Beach Corporation. “With Best Buy Canada, gamers now have another major option to shop for Turtle Beach and PDP gaming accessories, both in stores and online, which we expect to further improve our leading share position in Canada over time.”

Keirn continued, “In Latin America Turtle Beach has had a steady and growing presence in Mexico, Colombia, and Panama. We’re excited to fill out our range of products with the latest, top-rated accessories, and to now deliver these fantastic Turtle Beach and PDP gaming accessories into Chile.”

In Mexico and Colombia, Turtle Beach has been an established gaming accessories brand for years and is preparing to launch its latest Stealth 600 and Stealth 500 wireless multiplatform headsets and wired Recon 70 models, as well as the premium wireless Stealth Ultra controller. Also, from Turtle Beach’s PDP brand, gamers in Mexico and Colombia will now also be able to get their hands on a variety of officially licensed REMATCH GLOW and Afterglow Wave wired and wireless controllers for Xbox, PC, and other game systems. In Colombia, the new Turtle Beach and PDP gaming accessories just launched at retailers including Alkosto, Ktronix, Panamericana, and Alkomprar. In Mexico, the new gaming accessories launch October 24, 2024, at retailers including Elektra, Gameplanet, Wal-Mart Mexico, Liverpool, Sanborns, Sears, and Amazon.

Turtle Beach and PDP are also underway with plans to introduce a variety of proven, top-performing accessories to gamers in Chile. Following the Mexico and Colombia launches, in Chile on November 7, 2024, Turtle Beach is also introducing the Stealth 600 and Stealth 500 wireless headsets, Recon 70 wired headsets, and premium wireless Stealth Ultra controller. Officially licensed REMATCH GLOW and Afterglow Wave controllers from PDP will also be available at participating retailers including Paris and Falabella.

For more information on the latest Turtle Beach products and accessories available in Canada and Latin America, visit https://ca.turtlebeach.com and https://latam.turtlebeach.com, and be sure to follow Turtle Beach on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. For more information on the latest PDP products and accessories, visit http://www.pdp.com and http://www.victrixpro.com.

About PDP
PDP is an industry leader and award-winning provider of high-quality licensed peripherals and accessories for all major video game platforms. PDP believes that design-forward, high-performance gear should be as unique and accessible as the gaming community itself. From beginner to professional, PDP’s product lines offer uncompromising performance and striking designs that transport gamers into seamless, immersive experiences where competition, connection, and personal expression are limitless. Victrix by PDP is purpose built for esports athletes and enthusiasts looking for unmatched performance and competitive advantage. For over 25 years, PDP has been supplying video game peripherals and accessories to major retailers across the world, including retailers in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. For more information, visit http://www.pdp.com and http://www.victrixpro.com.

About Turtle Beach Corporation
Turtle Beach Corporation (the “Company”) (http://www.turtlebeachcorp.com) is one of the world’s leading gaming accessory providers. The Company’s namesake Turtle Beach brand (http://www.turtlebeach.com) is known for designing best-selling gaming headsets, top-rated game controllers, award-winning PC gaming peripherals, and groundbreaking gaming simulation accessories. Innovation, first-to-market features, a broad range of products for all types of gamers, and top-rated customer support have made Turtle Beach a fan-favorite brand and the market leader in console gaming audio for over a decade. Turtle Beach Corporation acquired Performance Designed Products LLC (http://www.pdp.com) in 2024. Turtle Beach’s shares are traded on the Nasdaq Exchange under the symbol: HEAR.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Except for historical information contained in this release, statements in this release may constitute forward-looking statements regarding assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions or beliefs about future events. Statements containing the words “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “goal,” “project,” “intend” and similar expressions, or the negatives thereof, constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are only predictions and are not guarantees of performance. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by the Company, or any person, that the objectives of the Company will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management.

While the Company believes that its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurances that its goals and strategy will be realized. Numerous factors, including risks and uncertainties, may affect actual results and may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements made by the Company or on its behalf. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to logistic and supply chain challenges and costs, the substantial uncertainties inherent in the acceptance of existing and future products, the difficulty of commercializing and protecting new technology, the impact of competitive products and pricing, general business and economic conditions, risks associated with the expansion of our business, including the integration of any businesses we acquire and the integration of such businesses within our internal control over financial reporting and operations, our indebtedness, liquidity, and other factors discussed in our public filings, including the risk factors included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company is under no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement after the date of this release whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACTS:

North America
Eric Nielsen
Step 3 Public Relations
202.276.5357
eric@step-3.com

MacLean Marshall
Sr. Director, Global Communications
Turtle Beach Corporation
858.914.5093
maclean.marshall@turtlebeach.com

Europe
Keith Hennessey
Sr. Director, Communications &
Partnerships – International
Turtle Beach
+44 (0) 1256 678350
keith.hennessey@turtlebeach.com

Investor Information
ICR
646.277.1285
hear@icrinc.com

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update on industrial action affecting Perth and Kinross schools from October 21

Source: Scotland – City of Perth

We are currently assessing how this will impact our schools and Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings and are not able to complete this yet due to school closures for the October holidays.

Our priority is always the safety of our children and young people. This means we will close schools and ELC settings where we do not think there will be enough staff to ensure the safety of pupils. This may also mean that we have to close Intensive Support Provisions (ISPs) in some schools even if the school itself is not closed.

It is likely many primary schools and ELC settings will have to close and we would ask parents/carers to plan for alternative arrangements for the two weeks of industrial action in case their school cannot open. If this is the case then before and after school care (Kids Clubs and Wraparound Care) will also be closed. It may be possible to partially or fully open some primary schools/ELC settings but the position could change on a day-to-day bases once industrial action is underway.

Whilst we cannot yet confirm at this stage, we are aiming to open all secondary schools.

Fairview School has currently been assessed as needing to be closed on the Monday (October 21) and possibly other days next week once more information is available.

Parents should make alternative arrangements.

Remote learning will be provided when schools are closed to pupils as teachers are not taking part in the industrial action.

We thank parents, carers and pupils for their understanding.

We appreciate the impact the industrial action will have on families and so are sharing details of the current situation to help plan for the first two weeks of term.

Please be aware the situation may change as we get closer to the start of term and we will continue to post updates on our social media channels and website when they are available.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Housing Design Catalogue: Federal government provides update
Source: Government of Canada News (2)

Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, provided an update on progress to date for the Housing Design Catalogue. This new initiative under Canada’s Housing Plan will provide standardized designs and reduce the time required for design, approvals, and construction of new housing.
Ottawa, Ontario, October 14, 2024 — Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, provided an update on progress to date for the Housing Design Catalogue. This new initiative under Canada’s Housing Plan will provide standardized designs and reduce the time required for design, approvals, and construction of new housing.

Minister Fraser announced that the first iteration of the catalogue will be launched in December and include up to 50 conceptual designs commissioned by the federal government through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. These designs will include row housing, fourplexes, sixplexes, and accessory dwelling units that builders will be able to use to simplify and speed up the delivery of housing across the country.

The successful proponents of the RFP process, who will create the low-rise designs, are:
- MGA | Michael Green Architecture, who will deliver designs covering the British Columbia region; and,
- LGA Architectural Partners Ltd., who will work with five other teams of regional experts to deliver designs covering the regions of Alberta, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic, and the North.
In the first iteration of the catalogue, the government will also look to include designs selected through an open submission process, launched today. The Prefabricated Housing Industry Design Submission is inviting industry members to submit existing prefabricated housing designs. It is also seeking information on the current products, capabilities, and technologies in the industry – as well as the role of prefabricated and other innovative homebuilding techniques in speeding up the pace of construction – to support the federal government’s work in tackling the housing crisis.

Companies building modular, panelized, and 3D printed houses have until November 6, 2024, to respond to the submission.

In November, the federal government will also launch a competition to source innovative designs for mid-rise buildings that will help inform the next iteration of the catalogue.

The federal government is working with provinces, territories, and municipalities to expedite approvals for standardized designs. Accessing federal dollars under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund is also conditional on provinces and territories collaborating with the federal government to adopt designs from the Housing Design Catalogue.

To create additional efficiencies, the federal government is also integrating other programs and initiatives with the Housing Design Catalogue.
- Budget 2024 provided $11.6 million in 2024-25 to support the development of the Housing Design Catalogue for up to 50 designs to simplify and accelerate housing approvals and builds.
- In January 2024, the Government of Canada began targeted engagements with key stakeholders, partners, and experts to inform the types of designs, features, and amenities in the Housing Design Catalogue.
- In July 2024, the government launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to seek design services for the development of low-rise designs as part of the Housing Design Catalogue. The RFP closed on August 7, 2024.
- Based in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, MGA | Michael Green Architecture designs and builds innovative and sustainable projects in Canada and around the world.
- LGA Architectural Partners Ltd. is a Toronto-based team of architects, building scientists, and technologists who has focused extensively on accessory dwelling units and various types and scales of multi-unit residential housing.
  
  LGA Architectural Partners Ltd. will be working with five other teams of regional experts to ensure a national approach to the catalogue that reflects the needs of each region: Dub Architects (Alberta), 5468796 Architecture (Prairies), KANVA (Quebec), Abbott Brown Architects (Atlantic), and Taylor Architecture Group (North). LGA Architectural Partners will be covering Ontario.
- The Prefabricated Housing Industry Design Submission will also support an Industrial Strategy for Homebuilding that will help further expedite homebuilding, provide additional ideas on how homes can be built, and bring down housing costs for Canadians.
- As part of the first iteration of the catalogue, conceptual designs will be available in December 2024 and include floor plans, illustrative drawings, and basic information about each of the proposed designs. This will be followed by permit-ready design packages in early 2025, which will include all the necessary drawings, specifications, and documents for how each design will be constructed and perform. The packages will also include detailed construction cost estimates. Regional packages will be fully compliant with building code requirements.
Sofia Ouslis
Communications Advisor
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
sofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

MIL OSI Canada News –
January 23, 2025

Category: Australia

Pregnant women and children dying in shocking numbers in South Darfur

Urgent action needed as governments and donors fail children with tuberculosis

Remembering our colleagues killed in Gaza

A new genetic code

Beyond the scare

Urgent action needed as governments and donors fail children with tuberculosis

Action needed on HIV and tuberculosis amid South Sudan’s crises

Bringing healthcare to artisanal miners in Zimbabwe

Backgrounder

Ensuring carbon pollution pricing helps make life more affordable

Quarterly Canada Carbon Rebate for individuals—increased rural top-up

Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses

Pollution pricing relief for farmers and fishers

Industrial pollution pricing system

A trail of destruction

The rising death toll

So, what’s the plan?

Work has already begun

Share this page

Updates to this page

The origins of generational thinking

Why generational labels matter

AI and transparency

Audience trust

Concerns about accuracy