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Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Consultation with Ministries/ Departments and other Stakeholders on estimation of Informal Sector in Gross Domestic Product held on 30th January,2025 in Tagore Chamber, SCOPE Convention Centre, New Delhi.

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 30 JAN 2025 6:56PM by PIB Delhi

    National Accounts Division of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) organised a half day consultation on ‘Estimation of Informal Sector in Gross Domestic Product (GDP)’ on 30th January,2025 in Tagore Chamber, SCOPE Convention Centre, New Delhi.

    The consultation was organized to broad base the consultation on the current effort of the Ministry to revise the base year of GDP from 2011-12 to 2022-23. It was aimed to discuss improvement in the methodology as well as incorporation of new data sources in the estimation of informal sector of the economy in the revised GDP series. As per National Accounts Statistics, the informal sector contributed about 45% to the total GDP of the economy in FY 2022-23. From the labour perspective, about 61% of women workers in non-agriculture sector are working in informal sector enterprises as per Periodic Labour Force Survey(PLFS) in 2023-24.

    The inaugural session of the workshop was graced by Shri Sanjeev Sanyal, Member- PM Economic Advisory Council, who in his key note address, emphasised the changing nature of informality in the economy due to digital penetration in various sectors. He highlighted the case of UPI payments, gig workers, social influencers, self-employment generated by digital intermediation platforms, yoga teaching to highlight the evolving landscape of economic transactions.

    Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation underscored the importance of robust estimation of the contribution of informal economy and efforts currently being undertaken by MoSPI in this direction. He highlighted that Ministry is exploring enhanced use of administrative data sources like GST & digital payment system and has also started preparation for Statistical Business Register. He informed that starting January,2025 monthly statistics on employment from Periodic Labour Force Survey and quarterly estimates for contribution of unincorporated (informal) sector through survey of unincorporated sector enterprises will be available. He urged the ministries/ departments to examine their administrative databases, which can supplement the survey-based estimates of informal economy and actively participate in the consultative exercise started by MoSPI in making the estimation of GDP robust in respect of informal economy. Secretary, MoSPI also highlighted various policy interventions of the Government to address challenges associated with informality.

    • In the last 7 years, 7 crore people have transitioned to more secure, formal jobs as per EPFO.
    • As per ILO’s World Social Protection Report 2024-26, India’s Social Protection coverage doubled from 24.4% to 48.8%.
    • e-Shram Portal acts as one stop solution providing easy access to central and state government welfare schemes for over 300 million workers of unorganized sector.
    • Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM), a pension scheme for unorganized workers, was launched in February 2019 to ensure old age protection.
    • Total gross enrolment under Atal Pension Yojana have crossed 7 crore mark in October,2024.

    There were technical sessions on data sources and methodology being used in compilation of Gross Value Added (GVA) in National Accounts Statistics. The industries such as Agriculture & Allied activities, certain manufacturing activities, construction, trade, road transport, hotel & restaurants, personal services were highlighted as having high informality. Key aspects of Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE), which is a regular annual survey conducted by MoSPI since 2021-22 is a major source for measuring economic activity- wise productivity in informal sector. A presentation was made by Ministry of Textiles highlighting the informal nature of economic activities in Textile Industry and available administrative and survey-based data sources.

    The consultation was attended by representatives from various Government Ministries & Departments, Research Institutions and Industry Associations & officers of MoSPI. The participants of the discussion supported the initiative of MoSPI to augment survey data with administrative data sources. Discussions veered around exploring databases like PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi), Pehchan Cards to artisans (handicrafts), data on workers available with organizations such as Tea Board, Coffee Board, State Construction Boards, District Industry Centres, availability of district level estimates from ASUSE, capturing seasonal activities through surveys, measuring digital economy through ASUSE and input output framework, improving coverage of informal sector in Education, improving coverage of gig economy, social influencers, use of alternate sources of data like remote sensing and satellite data.

    Secretary, MoSPI invited research institutions, academia and industry associations, to take up studies on topics pertaining to alternate data sources and methodological improvements floated by MoSPI. Through such series of discussions, the Ministry has taken steps towards realizing the goal of Viksit Bharat by robust estimation of GDP.

    *****

    Samrat/Dheeraj: @pibmospi[at]gmail[dot]com

    (Release ID: 2097693) Visitor Counter : 70

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Announces Seizure of Cybercrime Websites Selling Hacking Tools to Transnational Organized Crime Groups

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    The Justice Department today announced the coordinated seizure of 39 domains and their associated servers in an international disruption of a Pakistan-based network of online marketplaces selling hacking and fraud-enabling tools operated by a group known as Saim Raza (also known as HeartSender). The seizures were conducted in coordination with the Dutch National Police.

    According to the affidavit filed in support of these seizures, Saim Raza has used these cybercrime websites since at least 2020 to sell phishing toolkits and other fraud-enabling tools to transnational organized crime groups, who used them to target numerous victims in the United States, resulting in over $3 million in victim losses.

    The Saim Raza-run websites operated as marketplaces that advertised and facilitated the sale of tools such as phishing kits, scam pages, and email extractors, often used to build and maintain fraud operations. Not only did Saim Raza make these tools widely available on the open internet, it also trained end users on how to use the tools against victims by linking to instructional YouTube videos on how to execute schemes using these malicious programs, making them accessible to criminal actors that lacked this technical criminal expertise. The group also advertised its tools as “fully undetectable” by antispam software.

    The transnational organized crime groups and other cybercrime actors who purchased these tools primarily used them to facilitate business email compromise schemes wherein the cybercrime actors tricked victim companies into making payments to a third party. Those payments would instead be redirected to a financial account the perpetrators controlled, resulting in significant losses to victims. These tools were also used to acquire victim user credentials and utilize those credentials to further these fraudulent schemes. The seizure of these domains is intended to disrupt the ongoing activity of these groups and stop the proliferation of these tools within the cybercriminal community.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Houston Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance law enforcement partners in the Netherlands have provided.

    Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Rajya Mantri presents awards to best Marching Contingents and Tableaux of Republic Day Parade 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 JAN 2025 5:47PM by PIB Delhi

    Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth presented awards to the best Marching Contingents and Tableaux of Republic Day Parade 2025 at Rashtriya Rangshala Camp in Delhi on January 30, 2025. Shri Sanjay Seth also conferred special prizes to CPWD Tableau and artists of cultural performance, along with six mementos to the representatives of the tractor companies.

    Three panels of judges were constituted to assess the performance of Marching Contingents from the Services & Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)/other auxiliary forces and tableaux from various States/Union Territories (UTs) & Ministries/Departments of the Central Government. The panels have declared the following results:

    • Best Marching Contingent among Services – Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Contingent
    • Best Marching Contingent among CAPFs/other auxiliary forces – Delhi Police Marching Contingent
    • Top three tableaux (States/UTs)
      • 1st – Uttar Pradesh (Mahakumbh 2025 – Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas)
      • 2nd – Tripura (Eternal Reverence: The worship of 14 Deities in Tripura – Kharchi Puja)
      • 3rd – Andhra Pradesh (Etikoppaka Bommalu – Eco-Friendly Wooden Toys)
    • Best Tableau from Central Ministries/Departments
      • Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh)
    • Special Prize:
      • Central Public Works Department (75 years of Constitution of India)
      • ‘Jayati Jai Mamah Bharatam’ Dance Group

    In addition, an online poll was conducted on the MyGov portal from January 26 to 28, 2025 for the citizens to vote for their favourite tableau and Marching Contingents as ‘Popular Choice Category. The results are as under:

    • Best Marching Contingent among Services – Signals Contingent
    • Best Marching Contingent among CAPFs/other auxiliary Forces – CRPF Marching Contingent
    • Top three tableau (States/UTs)
      • 1st – Gujarat (Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas)
      • 2nd – Uttar Pradesh (Mahakumbh 2025 – Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas)
      • 3rd – Uttarakhand (Uttarakhand: Cultural Heritage and Adventure Sports)
    • Best tableau from Central Ministries/Departments – Ministry of Women & Child Development (Multifaceted journey of women and children nurtured under the Ministry’s comprehensive schemes)

    Raksha Rajya Mantri in his address recalled the words of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi that the participation of individuals in Republic Day Parade showcases the love & dedication of people towards the nation. Shri Sanjay Seth emphasised on the fact that all the tableaux showcased creativity through the structures. Reiterating the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of Viksit Bharat by 2047, he stated that it is not the contribution of just one person but the resolve of 140 crore Indians to make the country one of the strongest nation in the world.

    Shri Sanjay Seth thanked the Ministry of Culture for taking up the challenge of creating a new Guinness World Record of 5,000 artists in the Cultural Performance. He stressed that the people from all over the country were impressed by the performance. As part of the event, Raksha Rajya Mantri also witnessed three cultural performances by the Tableaux Artists.

    ***** 

    SR/KB

    (Release ID: 2097650) Visitor Counter : 28

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Seizure of Cybercrime Websites Selling Hacking Tools to Transnational Organized Crime Groups

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    The Justice Department today announced the coordinated seizure of 39 domains and their associated servers in an international disruption of a Pakistan-based network of online marketplaces selling hacking and fraud-enabling tools operated by a group known as Saim Raza (also known as HeartSender). The seizures were conducted in coordination with the Dutch National Police.

    According to the affidavit filed in support of these seizures, Saim Raza has used these cybercrime websites since at least 2020 to sell phishing toolkits and other fraud-enabling tools to transnational organized crime groups, who used them to target numerous victims in the United States, resulting in over $3 million in victim losses.

    The Saim Raza-run websites operated as marketplaces that advertised and facilitated the sale of tools such as phishing kits, scam pages, and email extractors, often used to build and maintain fraud operations. Not only did Saim Raza make these tools widely available on the open internet, it also trained end users on how to use the tools against victims by linking to instructional YouTube videos on how to execute schemes using these malicious programs, making them accessible to criminal actors that lacked this technical criminal expertise. The group also advertised its tools as “fully undetectable” by antispam software.

    The transnational organized crime groups and other cybercrime actors who purchased these tools primarily used them to facilitate business email compromise schemes wherein the cybercrime actors tricked victim companies into making payments to a third party. Those payments would instead be redirected to a financial account the perpetrators controlled, resulting in significant losses to victims. These tools were also used to acquire victim user credentials and utilize those credentials to further these fraudulent schemes. The seizure of these domains is intended to disrupt the ongoing activity of these groups and stop the proliferation of these tools within the cybercriminal community.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Houston Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance law enforcement partners in the Netherlands have provided.

    Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Poland: EIB contributes €400 million to building the EU’s largest offshore wind farm

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • EIB makes leading contribution to development of large-scale Baltic Sea offshore wind farm
    • With capacity of 1.5 GW, Baltica 2 is the EU’s largest offshore wind fam to date
    • Initial loan under record €1.4 bln EIB financing approved for expanding Polish offshores
    • Underpinned by significant EU funding, investment will boost Poland’s energy transition

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) signed an agreement to support Poland’s largest utility Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) with a €400 mln loan towards the design and construction of Baltica 2, the European Union’s largest offshore wind farm to date. Baltica 2 will feature innovative technology for a 1.5 GW capacity and sit off the Polish coast in the Baltic Sea. Supported by major European funding, it is being developed by PGE and leading offshore wind company, Denmark’s Ørsted.

    The EIB loan is the biggest own resources contribution by a financial institution to the project. It is also the first part of a €1.4 bln package approved by the European Union’s climate bank to support PGE and Ørsted in erecting two new, large-scale offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea. Featuring state-of-the-art turbine technology, Baltica 2 is due to be completed as early as 2027. It will comprise of 107 turbines located some 40 km north of Poland’s Baltic shore. Together with its sister project Baltica 3, they are to have total capacity of 2.5 GW and double PGE’s existing renewable energy portfolio. Underpinned by significant EU support that includes funds from InvestEU, REPowerEU and Recovery and Resilience Facility, the strategic investment will contribute to Poland’s energy transition and security, as well as strengthening cooperation and energy security in the Baltic Sea region.

    “As the climate bank of the European Union and a leading partner of multidimensional energy transition in Poland, the EIB is keenly supporting Baltica 2. The EIB’s investment of €400 million is the largest own resources contribution to this transformative project by a financial institution. Baltica 2 is the biggest offshore wind farm under construction in the European Union. It will increase the share of renewables in Poland’s energy mix and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It will strengthen Poland’s energy security and support economic competitiveness by harnessing innovative technologies. I thank all partners involved and keep my fingers crossed for a swift and successful completion of this high-impact project,“ said EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska.

    The €400 mln loan to PGE for Baltica 2 comes on top of the EIB financing previously granted to Ørsted to support the roll-out of new wind energy installations, including off the Polish coast. In Poland, the EIB has endorsed multiple energy transition projects by PGE, including to modernise the country’s railway power system. In 2023, EIB also co-financed the country’s first offshore wind farm project.

    Background information

    The EIB is the EU institution providing long-term financing for sound projects that pursue EU priorities. Owned by the 27 Member States, the EIB offers financing and advisory services to support economic competitiveness, spur innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, and support a swift and fair transition to climate neutrality.

    Last year, the EIB Group granted €89 billion in new financing, with a record €100 billion of total investments supported to the benefit of Europe’s energy security. Nearly 60% of last year’s funding supported climate action and environmental sustainability. The Group – which comprises the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund – is on track to meeting its goal of mobilising €1 trillion of climate investment by the end of this decade.

    In Poland, more than half of the €5.1 billion provided by the EIB Group in 2023 was awarded to green and climate-friendly projects. Financing for Poland’s energy transition amounted to €1.78 billion that year. The Group will shortly publish results of its operations in Poland in 2024.  

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EIB Group invested €314 million in Hungary last year

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • EIB Group financing in Hungary totalled €314 million last year, with major investments to improve rail services, deliver power for local manufacturers and support small and medium enterprises
    • Latest annual figures bring total EIB Group investments in Hungary to more than €25 billion since 1991

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group’s new financing in Hungary last year amounted to €314 million, supporting projects to improve rail services, meet electricity demands from major local manufacturers and support small and medium enterprises (SME).  This includes financing from both members of the EIB Group – the EIB and the European Investment Fund (EIF).

    “Our 2024 results are good news for Hungary and the EU,” said EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwinska. “They are a testament to our ability to support national and EU priorities and ensure our citizens and businesses can thrive, contribute towards a globally competitive, sustainable and green future and ensure equal opportunities and a higher quality of living.  With more than €25 billion invested in the country since 1991, the EIB Group has established itself as one of the most reliable sources of financial and advisory support for Hungary. We are ready to pursue this role in the years ahead.”

    Modern rail and power networks

    The biggest operation in Hungary to receive EIB Group funding last year was a €160 million EIB loan to regional railway operator GYSEV to improve network infrastructure and replace old diesel-powered trains with new electric ones. The loan will significantly improve the reliability of train connections between Hungary and Austria. The credit will also accelerate modernisation of the national rail network – a development priority for Hungary. In addition, the financing will boost economic activities in cohesion regions in western Hungary, reduce travel times and increase comfort for hundreds of thousands of rail commuters annually and cut air pollution.

    The EIB Group also provided a €90 million EIB financing to Hungary to support investments undertaken by the energy companies E.ON and MAVIR to expand power grids to meet the electricity needs of key industrial sites, including ones that will boost the European Union’s ability to produce electric vehicles strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy in this area. The investment boosts economic activity in cohesion regions in Hungary.

    Some €64 million in EIB Group financing supported Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises and Mid-Caps, the backbone of the national economy and a major source of employment for Hungarians.

    EIB Group Results

    For more details on EIB group results please visit EIB Group press conference on annual results

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: 2024 marks year of record high EIB Group investment in Denmark

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • The EIB Group signed €2.1 billion in new financing for Danish projects last year, a 48% increase from 2023 and more than double the 2022 volume.
    • 2024 flagship projects include support for dual-use infrastructure in the Port of Esbjerg, the Thor North Sea wind farm, and state-of-the-art medical research and development.
    • Another notable highlight was the appointment of the Danish expert Merete Clausen as deputy Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund, the EIB’s subsidiary.

    The European Investment Bank Group, consisting of the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund, invested a record €2.1 billion in Danish projects last year, a record volume in the country. Worldwide, the EIB Group investment also reached a record level of €88.8 billion, of which no less than €50.7 billion in climate and environmental financing.

    In line with national and EU priorities, EIB financing in Denmark focused on key infrastructure, green energy, and innovation. The EIB signed a €115 million loan to upgrade and expand the Port of Esbjerg, Europe’s largest port for shipping offshore wind turbines, increasing its capacity to accommodate larger vessels, including for NATO operations. This way, the EIB supports Europe’s energy security and sustainability as well as its security and defence capabilities. In the energy sector, the EIB financed the massive 1.1 GW Thor wind farm project with a €1.2 billion loan to German company RWE. Located off the Danish coast in the North Sea, the new wind farm will produce enough green electricity to supply one in three Danish households.

    In 2024 the EIB Group also saw a notable uptick in financing for smaller companies in Denmark. Through affordable loans, guarantees or equity, over half the Group’s 2024 financing went to Danish small and medium-sized companies and Mid-Caps. Notably, Danish scale-up companies like SNIPR Biome, Matr Foods and Norlase, signed up for EIB venture debt financing, which aims to make sure that critical technology from Europe can grow and thrive in the EU. In a similar vein, the European Investment Fund (EIF) made a €24.8 million commitment to PSV Hafnium, the first-ever Danish venture fund dedicated solely to deep tech. Building on its close ties with the innovation ecosystem and DTU, the fund will support science-based clean tech, health tech and next generation industrial solutions.

    “2024 was a landmark year for the EIB Group in Denmark, with significant investments in green energy, innovative industries, and critical infrastructure, including the Thor wind farm and the Port of Esbjerg.” said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris. “We also significantly increased our financing for Danish SMEs, Mid-Caps and scale-ups, through both the EIF and the EIB. Deals with EIFO, Sydbank and Danish investment funds will help ensure that Danish companies have access to the financing needed to grow and innovate. Congratulations to all teams for this outstanding achievement, let’s keep the momentum in 2025.”

    The EIF signed 12 transactions in Denmark last year, including equity investments in PSV Hafnium, Nine Realms and Den Sociale Kapitalfond, and guarantee transactions with Denmark’s Export and Investment Fund EIFO, Kompasbank, Ringkjøbing Landbobank and others. The EIF, which saw Danish national Merete Clausen appointed as deputy chief executive just before year end, made available a total of €361.7 million for Danish SMEs in 2024.

    Background information

    The European Investment Bank is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives. EIB projects bolster competitiveness, drive innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, contribute to peace and security, and support a just and swift transition to climate neutrality. Denmark owns 2.64% of the European Investment Bank.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – EU digital travel application – 30-01-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    This briefing provides an initial analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the European Commission’s impact assessment (IA) accompanying the proposal to establish an application for the electronic submission of travel data (‘EU digital travel application’) and amending Regulations (EU) 2016/399, (EU) 2018/1726 and (EC) No 2252/2004 as regards the use of digital travel credentials, and the proposal on the issuance of and technical standards for digital travel credentials based on identity cards. The proposals were referred to the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 5 games to play if you’re ‘not a gamer’ – or to introduce to the non-gamers in your life

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcus Carter, Professor in Human-Computer Interaction, ARC Future Fellow, University of Sydney

    Steam/ Monster Couch, Stonemaier Games

    Gaming is no longer a niche activity reserved for a select few – it’s a global pastime enjoyed by people of all ages, backgrounds and interests. In fact, studies show 81% of Australians engage in some form of gaming.

    But for those who don’t consider themselves “gamers”, it can be hard to know where to start. The idea of picking up a complex, console-focused title might feel intimidating.

    But fear not. Whether you’re looking for a game that’s mentally stimulating, addictive enough to help kill time, or simply something everyone can enjoy, there are plenty of options. Here are our top picks for beginners.

    1. Real Bird Fake Bird

    Since Wordle’s meteoric rise in 2022, we’ve seen a wave of daily browser games, including Tradle, Vulture’s Cinematrix and the New York Times’ Connections.

    The Melbourne-based developers behind the critically acclaimed Scrabble-esque Gubbins have created the newest addition to this list: Real Bird Fake Bird.

    The premise is simple. Each day you’re given a topic, and are supposed to guess whether seven different things are “real” or “fake” examples of that topic. For instance, Adele is a real example of a Grammy winner, but “sun condemnation” is a fake example of a yoga pose.

    Sounds simple, right? It’s harder than it seems. The lists often have devilish examples of fakes that seem real, and real things that seem fake, leaving you second-guessing.

    And just like with Wordle, you can share your score with friends once you’ve made all seven guesses. It’s a great way to spend a minute of your day.

    You can share your Real Bird Fake Bird score with your friends.
    Studio Folly

    You can play Real Bird Fake Bird through any device that can access a browser.

    2. Balatro

    Then there’s a hypnotic re-imagining of the card game poker, Balatro, (playable everywhere).

    Each round involves playing poker hands to hit a points target, but these hands can be upgraded and augmented by a deck of “jokers” that favour particular poker hands or combinations of cards. Hands swiftly ascend to scoring tens of thousands (if not millions) of points per hand, in a near-perfect gameplay loop that combines card-game logic with the immersive flow of games like Tetris.

    Balatro, largely developed by a single, anonymous developer, was one of 2024’s biggest hits. It sold more than 3,500,000 copies, won best indie game and best mobile game at the Game Awards 2024, and even secured a surprise nomination for game of the year.

    This is the gaming equivalent of an anonymous independent filmmaker getting a nod for Best Picture at the Oscars.

    3. The Case/Rise of the Golden Idol

    This recommendation is targeted at mystery lovers. If you, or someone you know, can’t get enough of films like Knives Out (2019) or mystery books like The Thursday Murder Club, then the Golden Idol series (2022 and 2024) may be the perfect fit.

    Each level shows the moment of a crime and it’s up to the player to interact with the characters and environment to fill in the blanks on a file explaining what happened.

    With simple controls and a retro art style recalling the classic LucasArts adventure games, much of the joy in the Golden Idol games comes from the devious logic puzzles the cases provide.

    One case revolves around placing the locations of all the house guests at an estate party, while another involves interpreting an entire language made out of dance moves. Combine these puzzles with a delightful sense of humour and a slightly mystical meta-narrative and these games will keep your inner detective occupied for hours.

    The original and sequel are both Netflix games, and are available through Netflix on mobile and tablet.

    4. Mouthwashing

    Heavily inspired by the films Alien (1979) and The Shining (1980) – and not for the faint-of-heart – Mouthwashing (2024) is perfect for horror fans who want to dip their toes into the gaming world.

    The cargo spaceship Tulpar is deliberately crashed by its captain mid-voyage. Unable to call for help, its five crew members can do nothing but wait for rescue. They open the hold in search of food or medicine, but instead find millions of bottles of mouthwash. Lost in space with minimal supplies, the crew begin to turn on each other – and wonder why their beloved captain crashed the ship in the first place.

    A haunting story of human fallibility, Mouthwashing tells its tale through “walking sim” gameplay: the player simply wanders around the wreck of the Tulpar, interacting with objects and characters, without any complicated controls.

    With a compelling cast, gorgeously surreal art direction and a focus on dread and despair (rather than jump scares), Mouthwashing is a wonderful introduction to the renaissance happening in horror games right now.

    The game is available for PC via Steam (A$19) and can be completed in 2-3 hours.

    5. Wingspan

    For those who have endless bird facts on hand, can identify a bird at a glance and look forward to the Aussie Bird Count each year, Wingspan is the perfect game.

    The goal of this competitive, card-driven board game (which also has a videogame version) is to attract the best birds to various habitats by gathering food and laying eggs. Each player also has a randomly determined individual goal, which they can use to score extra points, making Wingspan very re-playable.

    The best aspects of the game include the beautiful art and the delightful facts on each bird card. There is even an Oceania expansion, so you can gather and admire Australian birds, too!

    Wingspan can be purchased online or at major board game retailers. You can play the videogame version with friends via Steam.

    Wingspan is a relaxing and captivating strategy card game about birds.
    Steam

    Although Wingspan was released in 2018, last year its publisher, Stonemaier Games, also released Wyrmspan – a spiritual successor which focuses on hatching dragons instead of birds. Wyrmspan is more complex than Wingspan, though, and offers a steeper learning curve for less-experienced board game players.

    Acknowledgement: we would like to acknowledge the contributions of Mads Mackenzie to this article, director of the upcoming game Drăculești and co-director of the Freeplay Independent Games Festival.

    Marcus Carter is a recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (#220100076) on ‘The Monetisation of Children in the Digital Games Industry’. He has previously received funding from Meta, TikTok and Snapchat, and has consulted for Telstra. He is a current board member, and former president, of the Digital Games Research Association of Australia.

    Taylor Hardwick is employed under funding by the Australian Research Council (Future Fellowship #220100076; DECRA #240101275). She is a board member of Freeplay, a Melbourne-based independent games festival.

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

    – ref. 5 games to play if you’re ‘not a gamer’ – or to introduce to the non-gamers in your life – https://theconversation.com/5-games-to-play-if-youre-not-a-gamer-or-to-introduce-to-the-non-gamers-in-your-life-244912

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Watch shows together, talk about them and have dance parties: how to rebalance screen use after the holidays

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Stokes, Associate Professor, Teaching Innovation Unit, University of South Australia

    Fizkes/ Shutterstock

    As January lingers on, families may find themselves struggling with what a friend of mine has labelled the “electronic nanny”.

    Children have been out of their normal routines for weeks during the holidays. Some are still yet to go back to school. Meanwhile, parents are back at work and needing to juggle those commitments with bored kids.

    We know balanced screen use is important for children’s healthy physical, mental and social development. Too much screen time has also been linked to overeating and disrupted sleep.

    How can families encourage healthy screen use as we ease back into the routine of a new school year?

    Parental monitoring recommended

    While screen use guidelines provide time limits, there is now a broader move among experts towards “curation over duration”.

    This means it matters what children are watching – not simply how long they are watching it for.

    Is the content age-appropriate? Is it educational or inspiring? Has it been well-reviewed)?

    This means parents should play an active role in what content kids are viewing or engaging with. An easy way to do so is to view with children, or at a minimum be present in the same room and alert to what they are watching.

    When you are “interactive co-viewing”, you not only watch together, you also discuss the content. This helps children engage with what they are watching and then make connections off-screen.

    For example, if you are interested in a sea creature you see on Octonauts, you could go and find a book about it in the local library. Or you could discuss a moral dilemma you see on SpongeBob SquarePants: should SpongeBob have quit his job after another chef was mean about his cooking?

    For older children, you could discuss plot points in films or strategies in games.

    If possible, try to watch programs with your child and talk about what you are watching.
    Kevin Woblick/ Unsplash, CC BY



    Read more:
    ‘Screen time’ for kids is an outdated concept, so let’s ditch it and focus on quality instead

    Positive screen use

    There are also lots of ways to use screens that can build skills and encourage critical thinking and creativity. Some things to try include:

    • producing a short film, or stop-motion animation, all the way from idea, to script, shooting and editing

    • taking and editing photos to make a calendar

    • exploring an area of interest, such as dinosaurs, the Titanic or ballet dancing, using sites such as ABC Education or PBS LearningMedia.

    • investigating generative artificial intelligence (AI). For example, test the capabilities of ChatGPT by asking it a question your child knows the answer to, and evaluating the response together. Does it contain all the relevant information? Is it fair and balanced?

    • exploring how easy it is to edit an image, and consider what this tells us about the potential for online misinformation.

    Your child could use a phone to take photos and make a calendar.
    Ann in the UK/ Shutterstock

    Being physical

    Research shows interactive screen use – such as playing games or using educational apps – is more beneficial for kids than just passively viewing content. It can can even support literacy, numeracy and academic persistence.

    You can also use screens to encourage physical activity. For example, these holidays, my little ones have enjoyed “shaking their sillies out” with dance-along videos by Danny Go!. They have also done “yoga in space” with Cosmic Kids.

    Older kids may enjoy the dance fitness program Zumba, boxing or sports competitions on the Nintendo Switch.

    Or you could stage your own family dance party. The kids could create their own set using a free DJ app.



    Read more:
    Screen time doesn’t have to be sedentary: 3 ways it can get kids moving

    Structure in time away from screens

    It’s also important for kids to see parents doing things other than using phones and other screens when they have downtime. Parents play a powerful role modelling time away from screens.

    Make sure your kids see you enjoy offline activities too, such as reading, playing sport and socialising. If you are struggling to do this as a family – and we all know it is is hard – think about revisiting some of the old standards. You could:

    • go to the park, for a scoot or a walk

    • spend time in nature at the beach or bushwalking

    • set building challenges with Lego

    • draw or do other art activities with your child

    • play board games

    • make a recipe together.

    And remember, you are certainly not the only family telling your kids “this is the very last episode”. If today has been a struggle, take tomorrow to recharge and reconnect as a family. Screens are part of our lives today, and we are all striving to find balance.

    Jennifer Stokes 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. Watch shows together, talk about them and have dance parties: how to rebalance screen use after the holidays – https://theconversation.com/watch-shows-together-talk-about-them-and-have-dance-parties-how-to-rebalance-screen-use-after-the-holidays-247996

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Paracetamol pack sizes and availability are changing. Here’s what you need to know

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasa Gisev, Clinical pharmacist and Scientia Associate Professor at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney

    Bowonpat Sakaew/Shutterstock

    Changes are coming into effect from February 1 about how paracetamol is sold in Australia.

    This mainly affects pack sizes of paracetamol sold outside pharmacies and how paracetamol is accessed in pharmacies.

    The changes, announced by Australia’s drug regulator, are in line with moves internationally to reduce the harms of liver toxicity and the risk of overdose.

    However, there are no new safety concerns when paracetamol is used as directed. And children’s products are not affected.

    What is paracetamol?

    Paracetamol is commonly sold under brand names such as Panadol, Dymadon and Panamax. It’s used to treat mild pain and fever for short periods or can be prescribed for chronic (long-term) pain.

    Millions of packs of this cheap and accessible medicine are sold in Australia every year.

    Small packs (up to 20 tablets) have been available from supermarkets and other retailers such as petrol stations. Larger packs (up to 100 tablets) are only available from pharmacies.

    Paracetamol is relatively safe when used as directed. However, at higher-than-recommended doses, it can cause liver toxicity. In severe cases and when left untreated, this can be lethal.

    Why are the rules changing?

    In 2022, we wrote about how the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) was considering changes to paracetamol access because of an increase in people going to hospital with paracetamol poisoning.

    An expert review it commissioned found there were about 40-50 deaths every year from paracetamol poisoning between 2007 and 2020. Between 2009-10 and 2016-17, hospital admissions for this increased (from 8,617 to 11,697), before reducing in 2019-20 (8,723). Most admissions were due to intentional self-poisonings, and about half of these were among people aged ten to 24.

    After the report, the TGA consulted with the public to work out how to prevent paracetamol poisonings.

    Options included reducing pack sizes, limiting how many packs could be bought at once, moving larger packs behind the pharmacy counter and restricting access by age.

    Responses were mixed. Although responses supported the need to prevent poisonings, there were concerns about how changes might affect:

    • people with chronic pain, especially those in regional areas, where it may be harder to access pharmacies and, therefore, larger packs

    • people on limited incomes, if certain products were made prescription-only.

    Although deaths from paracetamol poisoning are tragic and preventable, they are rare considering how much paracetamol Australians use. There is less than one death due to poisoning for every million packs sold.

    Because of this, it was important the TGA addressed concerns about poisonings while making sure Australians still had easy access to this essential medicine.

    If you buy large packs of paracetamol for chronic pain, you’ll need to go to the pharmacy counter.
    StratfordProductions/Shutterstock

    So what’s changing?

    The key changes being introduced relate to new rules about the pack sizes that can be sold outside pharmacies, and the location of products sold in pharmacies.

    From February 1, packs sold in supermarkets and places other than pharmacies will reduce from a maximum 20 tablets to 16 tablets per pack. These changes bring Australia in line with other countries. These include the United Kingdom, which restricted supermarket packs to 16 tablets in 1998, and saw reductions in poisonings.

    In all jurisdictions except Queensland and Western Australia, packs sold in pharmacies larger than 50 tablets will move behind the pharmacy counter and can only be sold under pharmacist supervision. In Queensland and WA, products containing more than 16 tablets will only be available from behind the pharmacy counter and sold under pharmacist supervision.

    In all jurisdictions, any packs containing more than 50 tablets will need to be sold in blister packs, rather than bottles.

    Several paracetamol products are not affected by these changes. These include children’s products, slow-release formulations (for example, “osteo” products), and products already behind the pharmacy counter or only available via prescription.

    What else do I need to know?

    These changes have been introduced to reduce the risk of poisonings from people exceeding recommended doses. The overall safety profile of paracetamol has not changed.

    Paracetamol is still available from all current locations and there are no plans to make it prescription-only or remove it from supermarkets altogether. Many companies have already been updating their packaging to ensure there are no gaps in supply.

    The reduction in pack sizes of paracetamol available in supermarkets means
    a pack of 16 tablets will now last two days instead of two-and-a-half days if taken at the maximum dose (two tablets, four times a day). Anyone in pain that does not improve after short-term use should speak to their pharmacist or GP.

    For people who use paracetamol regularly for chronic pain, it is more cost-effective to continue buying larger packs from pharmacies. As larger packs (50+ tablets) need to be kept out of sight, you will need to ask at the pharmacy counter. Pharmacists know that for many people it’s appropriate to use paracetamol daily for chronic pain.

    Natasa Gisev receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

    Ria Hopkins receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

    – ref. Paracetamol pack sizes and availability are changing. Here’s what you need to know – https://theconversation.com/paracetamol-pack-sizes-and-availability-are-changing-heres-what-you-need-to-know-242200

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Treaty Principles Bill’s promise of ‘equal rights’ ignores the blind spots of our democracy

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll, Associate Professor, School of Health Sciences, University of Canterbury

    Shutterstock

    Despite being used in both the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill and the Regulatory Standards Bill, the term “democracy” is neither defined nor explained in either.

    This rhetorical and ideological vagueness obscures a pivotal point: there is no such thing as a singular form of democracy.

    The ACT Party is behind both bills, and its leader David Seymour has also justified the Treaty Principles Bill – now before select committee – as upholding and protecting democracy. He asks, “are we a modern democracy where all citizens have equal rights?”.

    But democracy takes various forms, and has done for millennia. Derived from the Ancient Greek “demos” (people) and “kratos” (power or rule), the word broadly means “rule by, or power of, the people”. And this can be realised in a number of ways.

    The classical Greek form was direct democracy, also known as deliberative or participatory democracy. This involved male citizens participating equally and directly in political decisions.

    In contrast, the ancient Roman form was indirect, representative democracy. Representatives elected by eligible citizens made decisions on their behalf. This was the basic model enacted in the 1852 New Zealand Constitution Act, as in most modern democracies.

    Other models exist, too. But the point is that democracy is an evolving concept. It’s wrong to assert that any type of governance or decision-making other than our existing system of representative democracy (one person, one vote, underpinned by the rule of law) is undemocratic or anti-democratic.

    Tyranny of the majority

    Many of the political mechanisms the current government wishes to dismantle – such as Māori wards and consultation processes – were established because of the problems associated with representative democracy.

    It is widely accepted that political representation should reflect the different characteristics of a community. But what has been called the “tyranny of the majority” can lead to minorities being constantly outvoted.

    Unable to gain representation in proportion to their population, their interests are excluded. In short, it is entirely possible for democracy to be applied in ways that promote inequality rather than equality.

    The common interpretation of equality as meaning “sameness” – everybody receiving the same resources and opportunities – underlies the insistence that laws and policies must be applied regardless of individual and group difference. Anything else is unfair or “special” treatment.

    However, these assertions overlook the bias of our institutions towards members of the dominant or majority culture, and the unequal outcomes (in health and elsewhere) for Māori people that have resulted in marginalisation and disadvantage.

    Correcting that imbalance is a political challenge. As others have argued, “protecting minority rights is an equal characteristic of genuine democracy”.

    Contentious legislation: the hīkoi (protest march) against the Treaty Principles Bill arrives at parliament, November 2024.
    Getty Images

    Tino rangatiratanga and democracy

    The term “equity” refers to this recognition of the inequalities that exist between people. Where these inequalities are avoidable and unfair, resources and opportunities need to be allocated to reach an equal outcome.

    Achieving health equity for Māori was a key purpose of Te Aka Whai Ora/the Māori Health Authority, prior to its disestablishment.

    For Māori, the unfairness extends beyond unequal health and other socioeconomic outcomes. It involves the disregarded guarantees pledged by the Crown in te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.

    These included Māori rights of self-determination, or tino rangatiratanga, which is the source of so much contemporary debate.

    Tino rangatiratanga challenges the singular base of power assumed by the Crown, and a “one size fits all” system of representation. But despite claims to the contrary, others argue upholding tino rangatiratanga is entirely possible within the realms of democracy.

    The idea of “rule of and by the people” may take many forms, as the work of Matike Mai, the Independent Working Group on Constitutional Transformation, tries to demonstrate.

    In proposing constitutional change, Matike Mai describes a sphere of influence based on the Māori-Crown relationship where “conciliatory and consensual democracy” operates.

    Difference and equity

    It has been argued that te Tiriti is “of its time” and should therefore be subject to reinterpretation. And yet the same argument is rarely made about notions of democracy and equality that have been with us since 1852.

    This is relevant to many communities which experience avoidable and unfair health and social inequalities, not only Māori.

    In September last year, a Cabinet Office circular required public sector agencies to ensure “services are not arbitrarily allocated on the basis of ethnicity or any other aspect of identity”.

    On the face of it, this is a call for fair and equal treatment based on need. But the language suggests difference is about how an individual chooses to identify, rather than how their identity and circumstances cause them to be treated differently in the first place.

    As long as this is the case, those differences and their associated needs will always be underserved.

    Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll 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. The Treaty Principles Bill’s promise of ‘equal rights’ ignores the blind spots of our democracy – https://theconversation.com/the-treaty-principles-bills-promise-of-equal-rights-ignores-the-blind-spots-of-our-democracy-248121

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Statement on Tragic Collison Near DCA Airport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement on last night’s tragic crash involving a plane and military helicopter at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA): 
    “The collision at DCA of an American Airlines flight and a military helicopter is a shocking tragedy, and my condolences are with the victims and their families. We don’t yet know the specifics of how this happened, and we are awaiting more details. The National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense have already announced investigations into this terrible incident, which will take time. As we wait, I want to express my gratitude to the emergency responders and dive teams who are on the scene. 
    “Congress has worked to fund and bolster aviation safety measures as well as strengthening Air Traffic Controller (ATC) staffing and training with last year’s passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act, which was a focus of mine as a member of Senate Commerce Committee. That’s now under threat by the Trump Administration. We need to ensure that our aviation safety and staffing measures are as strong as possible to build back the trust of the flying public. We cannot have leaders making detrimental, rash decisions to overhaul critical aspects of our national transportation network for the sake of irrelevant culture wars. We need to immediately confirm a qualified FAA Administrator who is committed to safety and staffing.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Join Durbin, Schakowsky in Introducing Mentoring to Succeed Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    January 29, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in introducing the Mentoring to Succeed Act in recognition of January as National Mentoring Month.  U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04) and Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) introduced companion legislation in the House earlier this week.  This legislation would create a strong, sustainable support system through mentorship to help ensure that children who experience barriers like poverty, disability, adverse childhood experiences or drug or alcohol abuse, can successfully transition to high school, college and the workforce.  The Mentoring to Succeed Act would strengthen investments in mentorship programs to help youth facing risk develop the academic, social and workforce skills that lead to success. 
    “Too many young people, particularly young people of color, don’t have access to the academic or economic opportunities that everyone deserves,” said Senator Duckworth.  “At the same time, too many struggle with violence in their communities and other obstacles that stifle their dreams and their ambitions.  Our nation’s children deserve a chance to reach their full potential, and mentoring programs have been proven to help students do just that.  I’m proud to join my colleagues in re-introducing this legislation to help ensure every child gets the guidance and resources they need to succeed in school, in the workforce and in life.”
    “Across Illinois and the country, young kids, especially from underserved communities, face obstacles like community violence and underfunded schools that have a dramatic impact on their ability to graduate from high school and transition to college and the workforce.  But with the guidance of a mentor, youth could lean on a trusted adult to help them navigate these challenges,” said Senator Durbin.  “I’m introducing the Mentoring to Succeed Act to ensure that our most vulnerable children have the opportunity to succeed and achieve their full potential with the guidance of a mentor.”
    “Across the country, young kids lack access to the resources they need to thrive academically and succeed post-graduation,” said Senator Booker.  “Mentorship programs have a proven track record of helping young people stay on track and achieve their dreams by providing a stable support system for the kids who don’t have one at home.  The Mentoring to Succeed Act will expand access to high quality, trauma-informed mentorship programs and help at-risk kids receive the help, support, and skills they need to pursue their aspirations.”
    “In celebration of National Mentoring Month, I am proud to reintroduce the Mentoring to Succeed Act in the House of Representatives,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky.  “Whether it be the gun violence epidemic, the ongoing threat of climate change, the rising cost of college education, or anything in-between, today’s students are dealing with a lot and deserve access to a support system.  The Mentoring to Succeed Act will give students that support system – through a mentor – helping them get the resources and support they need to thrive in school, the workforce, and beyond.”
    A study by MENTOR found that 70 percent of today’s young people could remember a time when they wanted a mentor for support but did not have one.  As a result, these youth missed out on the powerful effects of mentoring that have been shown to make a child more likely to enroll in college, participate regularly in sports and extracurricular activities, volunteer in their communities and hold leadership positions.  Researchers at the University of Chicago found that Youth Guidance’s school-based mentoring program, Becoming a Man, reduced rates of arrests for violent crime, improved school engagement and increased high school graduation rates.
    Mentoring programs help youth develop valuable workforce skills that employers are seeking and prepare young people for future apprenticeships, internships and workforce-based learning opportunities.  A 2024 study found that 84 percent of employers say job candidates must demonstrate social and emotional skills, such as communication and problem-solving—with the majority of employers stating that these types of skills were the most important.  The federal government can strengthen investments in mentoring programs to help youth facing significant barriers develop the academic, social and workforce skills that lead to success in career and life.
    The Mentoring to Succeed Act would:
    Invest in Mentoring Programs. Establish a three-year, competitive grant program that provides federal funding to establish, expand, or support mentoring programs.
    Help Youth Overcome Adversity and Trauma. Provide grant recipients with funding to train mentors in trauma-informed practices and interventions to increase resilience in youth and reduce juvenile justice involvement.
    Strengthen Workforce Readiness.  Support partnerships with local businesses and private companies to help youth facing risk with hands-on career training and career exploration.
    Close the Opportunity Gap.  Give preference to applicants that develop a plan to help prepare youth facing barriers for college and the workforce.
    Support Capacity Building.  Support partnerships with nonprofit, community-based, and faith-based organizations to increase the number of youth facing risk served.
    Enhance Youth Success.  Provide grant recipients with funding for program evaluation and identification of successful strategies.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Pressed Commerce Department Nominee Howard Lutnick on Trump’s Dangerous Pause on Federal Grants That Would Jeopardize U.S. Trade and Innovation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    January 29, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST)—pressed Howard Lutnick, President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Commerce, on whether he would obey an illegal order from President Trump, such as following through on the President’s dangerous freeze of billions in federal grant funding. In her remarks, Duckworth underscored that the chaos and confusion caused by pausing these legally obligated funds to grant recipients would ultimately make America less globally competitive, stifle innovation and hurt businesses and jobs. Duckworth’s full remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.
    “Businesses, tech hubs and other grant recipients should not have to tune in each week to learn whether the funding Congress appropriated for them will actually come through,” said Duckworth. “I made it clear to Mr. Lutnick that this kind of chaos that President Trump unleashed will make America less globally competitive, not more. Any Secretary of Commerce must understand how critical it is that grant funding is disbursed on time, without delay, to support our farmers, boost manufacturing and keep our economy strong.”
    Duckworth highlighted that the Economic Development Administration recently awarded $51 million to the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub, which would support its work to strengthen American innovation and ensure our country remains a global leader in the agricultural sector while growing good-paying jobs across the Midwest. This is just one example of the many kinds of critical grants the Department of Commerce is in charge of distributing.
    Duckworth is a proven leader in securing international investments that drive commerce and job growth in Illinois—all while strengthening economic ties with Indo-Pacific nations and improving security in the region. As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth led a bipartisan delegation of her Senate colleagues to Taiwan last year to further enhance our bilateral economic ties, including deepening our trade ties on chip manufacturing and agricultural investments.
    In 2023, Duckworth traveled to Japan where she met with government, trade and economic leaders as well as corporate and business officials to highlight how Illinois is uniquely positioned for greater investment and increased exports with international partners as a hub of agriculture manufacturing and technology. Specifically, Duckworth advocated on behalf of Illinois farmers to increase Japan’s importation of ethanol, corn, soybean, pork and other goods. As a result of her advocacy, Duckworth also helped secure Japan’s open market to all U.S. biofuels as well as Japan’s commitment to double Japan’s ethanol imports from the U.S. by 2030.
    Duckworth also led an official visit to Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines to meet with government and business leaders and discuss opportunities that would increase cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as economic investments, regional stability and national security. In 2022, Duckworth led a Congressional delegation to Taiwan and South Korea to help strengthen economic ties between our people, specifically highlighting how Illinois is uniquely positioned for greater investment and increased exports with international partners as a hub of agriculture, manufacturing and technology.
    Duckworth championed the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law in 2022, providing $500 million to expand the number of service stations that offer low-carbon ethanol and biodiesel, made from Illinois corn and soybeans and also has incentives to make these low-carbon biofuels even lower-carbon than today. These climate-smart investments in Midwestern-grown fuels will also reduce our reliance on foreign oil.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Wyden Issue Discussion Draft to Improve IRS Administration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington D.C.— U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) released a discussion draft of bipartisan legislation making an array of common-sense fixes to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) procedure and administration. 
    “As the tax filing season gets underway, this draft legislation suggests practical ways to improve the taxpayer experience,” Crapo and Wyden said. “These adjustments to the laws governing IRS procedure are designed to facilitate communication between the agency and taxpayers, streamline processes for tax compliance and disputes and ensure taxpayers have access to timely expert assistance.”    
    “This bipartisan draft bill, several years in the making, would significantly strengthen taxpayer rights in nearly every facet of tax administration,” said Erin Collins, the National Taxpayer Advocate.  “I encourage taxpayers and the tax professional community to carefully review the draft and provide feedback to refine it, and I encourage Congress to prioritize the passage of this common sense bill to ensure stronger protections for taxpayers and a more fair and transparent tax system.”
    The discussion draft includes policies that would:
    Require the IRS to improve “math error” notices so that taxpayers are better positioned to timely respond to them;
    Streamline review of offers-in-compromise to facilitate the taxpayers’ resolution of tax debts;
    Simplify foreign bank account report (FBAR) compliance so that fewer taxpayers will fail to file key forms;
    Clarify and expand Tax Court jurisdiction so that more taxpayers can pursue their claims in an appropriate venue;
    Expand the independence of the National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) from the IRS;
    Increase civil and criminal penalties on tax professionals that deliberately take actions to harm their clients;
    Expand taxpayer access to the IRS Independent Office of Appeals;
    Extend the so-called “mailbox rule” to electronic submissions so that taxpayers have certainty their materials are submitted on time;
    Protect taxpayers by adopting reasonable standards and due process for issuing and revoking return preparer identification numbers (PTINs);
    Strengthen the IRS whistleblower program while protecting the confidentiality of taxpayer information;
    Protect hostages from unfair tax processes and penalties.
    Proposals in the discussion draft largely reflect nonpartisan legislative proposals recommended by the National Taxpayer Advocate, as well as standalone tax administrative bills introduced by congressional members.  The provisions are centered on seeking to reduce or eliminate challenges faced by taxpayers and other stakeholders within the current federal tax administrative system. 
    The text of the discussion draft is available here.
    A section-by-section of the legislation is available here.
    Comments on this discussion draft are requested by March 31, 2025, and can be sent to discussiondraft@finance.senate.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville: “America is facing a public health crisis; We must confirm Robert F Kennedy Jr.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) penned an op-ed supporting President Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Sen. Tuberville’s op-ed comes ahead of Kennedy’s hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee this morning. In the piece, Sen. Tuberville makes the case for why Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the perfect person to end the chronic disease epidemic in this country and help Americans live longer, healthier lives.

    Read excerpts below or read the full op-ed here.

    “Despite his recent surge in popularity, RFK isn’t new to the scene when it comes to public health. For four decades, he worked in environmental law and in health care policy, specializing in issues like water pollution, vaccine efficacy, and food safety. He is an accomplished attorney who attended Harvard, the London School of Economics, and the University of Virginia.

    One of the most important things RFK has done is shine a light on the fact that we have a public health crisis in this country. As he said in his Senate Finance hearing earlier this week, over 70% of adults and one-third of our children are overweight or obese. The rate of diabetes is ten times more prevalent than it was in 1960. Cancer among our young people is rising by one or two percent each year. Autoimmune diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and addiction rates are on the rise—and meanwhile, more Americans are reliant on pharmaceutical drugs than ever before.

    To address some of these concerns, RFK Jr. has been an outspoken advocate for holistic, healthy living. As a result of his MAHA campaign, many Americans are now researching inexpensive and natural alternatives to medicine, which could end up saving taxpayers millions and helping Americans to live longer. While pharmaceuticals are certainly important and have saved millions of lives, we should also be looking to promote healthier lifestyles as part of our chronic disease prevention efforts.

    Both President Trump and RFK Jr. agree: the status quo isn’t working. Our national health agencies should be singularly focused on helping as many Americans be as healthy as possible. Health officials should want to heal our sick culture. Supporting transparency and consumer-choice in medications doesn’t make RFK anti-vax, anti-industry, or an enemy of food producers. He simply wants to help address America’s chronic disease epidemic. […]

    Sure, RFK may not be the typical pick for the job. But the American people issued a mandate in November: they want President Trump’s agenda, and that includes MAHA. As far as I’m concerned, RFK not being part of the health care establishment class is a good thing. Let’s answer the call of the American people by ushering in a New Golden Age of American Health.”

    MORE:

    Tuberville Joins Sen. Marshall in Launching Make America Healthy Again Caucus

    Tuberville, MAHA Caucus Celebrate FDA’s Decision to Ban Dangerous Red Dye No. 3 from Foods

    1819 News: Tuberville questions FDA over red dyes no. 40 and no. 3 in America’s food supply — ‘It’s not a conservative or a liberal standpoint’

    Tuberville Exposes Harmful Chemicals in American Food and Beverage Industry

    ICYMI: Tuberville Joins “National Report” on Newsmax

    Tuberville Meets with RFK Jr. and Todd Blanche

    Coach’s Monthly Column: All in for Trump’s America First nominees

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Speaks on Importance of Boosting U.S. Economy to Help Struggling Seniors

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, during a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) asked about common misconceptions surrounding tariffs and how they can be used to stimulate the economy and create job growth. During the discussion, Sen. Tuberville also focused on the unprecedented amount of credit card debt in our country and how Congress can help Americans return to financial stability. Sen. Tuberville also addressed reining in the unsustainable expansion of the federal welfare system.

    Read Senator Tuberville’s remarks below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks for being here this afternoon, fellas.

    Mr. Ferry, a lot of misconceptions about, floating around the media about tariffs and how they’ll hurt the American economy. Can you speak to how tariffs, if they’re done right, will boost the economy?”

    MR. JEFF FERRY: “Thank you for the question, Senator. That’s an absolutely true statement. Tariffs done right will stimulate our economy. I just want to say, following on from what Mr. Lawson said, that there is no money tree. The percentage of old people in our economy continues to grow, I’m sitting here as a living, breathing example of that. And we have fewer people in work earning, in a sense, less real wages than 50 years ago when we had four working people for every retired person. Now, we’re getting close to two, I think. So, we need to make this economy grow and we need to raise the real incomes and the value of the production of every single worker.

    Tariffs are a key way we can do that because what tariffs do is they handicap imports and they allow domestic production to grow. We want to tariff the high value, highly productive, high growth manufacturing sectors, which is roughly three quarters of the entire manufacturing sector in the United States. And by doing so, we will produce more cars, more computers, more machinery, more machine tools, more medical equipment, and more steel, and more aluminum and all of that. All those industries pay higher wages.

    As an example, the average large steel company is, today, paying its average steel worker over a hundred-thousand dollars a year. The average steel worker no longer works with hot molten metal. He works in a computer control room. And tariffs are a key way to stop the handicap this economy has due to an overvalued dollar and due to trade cheating, from countries like China and Germany. So, they’re an absolutely essential tool.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Do you do you see an increase in job opportunities with increased tariffs?”

    MR. JEFF FERRY: “Yes. I mean mathematically well, yes. We will see a higher labor force participation rate with increased tariffs because domestic production will rise, and those jobs will attract people to get off the sofa and go out and get those jobs. But most crucially, I see a transition from people working for places like Jimmy John’s at minimum wage, into high value jobs, which not only pay more today, but offer them career opportunities to get on a rising escalator.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Mr. Antoni, Americans are upside down in credit card debt. 1.17 trillion dollars. Eighty-five percent of Americans have credit cards, eighty-five percent of Americans over 65 have a credit card. What can be done at the congressional level to encourage savings and keep more money in the pockets of Americans when it comes to credit.”

    MR. E.J. ANTONI: “Sir, thank you for the question. A big disincentive to save has historically been inflation because as your money is sitting there in the bank, or even if it’s in in equities, whatever the case may be, much of the growth that it’s experiencing is simply just the dollar losing value. So, it doesn’t really, there’s not really much of an incentive there. If you want to get rid of inflation and you want to not only incentivize people to save, but disincentivize them from borrowing, you got to get inflation down. And I think the way you have to do that is by cutting government spending.

    The only other thing I would add is to help the people who are already in so much credit card debt, who are suffering with the combination of high credit card debt and high interest rates, is you need to get the interest rates down. And the interest rate is simply a price. It’s the price to borrow money. If you want to reduce the price of something, reduce the demand. So, reduce the demand for borrowed money. All marginal spending by this congress is by definition borrowed. So, if you reduce that spending, you will also reduce the demand for borrowed money and help bring interest rates down.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Mr. Bragdon, you talk a lot about this unsustainable expansion of the federal welfare programs that have caused massive increases in spending, particularly SNAP. SNAP spending has grown by more than seventy-three percent since the last Farm Bill. It’s predicted we’ll spend more on SNAP in the next ten years than we have in the last two decades. This is over the top.

    So, what’s your thoughts here on this massive increase in the TFP and what recommendation do you have to address this farm bill with SNAP?”

    MR. TARREN BRAGDON: “Senator, thank you for the question. I think it’s really twofold.

    One, the authority for setting the food stamp program, the SNAP program, really relies on Congress. And when you look at what the Biden administration did with the Thrifty Food Plan by just through guidance, literally, a bureaucrat with a pen and a power trip, dramatically increasing that benefit, and then that going, as my colleague said, into borrowed money and increasing interest rates.

    You also took away the incentive that people have to go into the workforce because it pays more not to work. And as I talked about, it drives even higher food inflation because SNAP benefits can only be used for food. And as we saw with the research that I cited, that drives increased demand and raises food prices.

    I think there’s really twofold things that need to be done within the SNAP program. One is greater anti-fraud measures. If you look at the improper payments, that’s fraud and waste within the SNAP program, that’s primarily driven by individuals who are receiving benefits, who are no longer eligible, either because an income change, they moved or some other benefit change or life change.

    The second piece is really looking at how do we effectively use work requirements for working age, able-bodied adults. We’ve seen this work well with adults with no kids and disabilities. We recommend that pro-work, anti-poverty policy be expanded to more working-age adults who have school age children.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial News: Stock Index of Benchmark Stock Issuers to Appear on the Market

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    The Bank of Russia, together with the Moscow Exchange, launched shareholder value creation programIt is addressed to Russian public joint-stock companies and is aimed at increasing their investment attractiveness, increasing capitalization and supporting best corporate practices.

    The program provides for the creation of a benchmark – a group of issuers capable of growing at an accelerated rate and thus acting as a driver of capitalization of the entire stock market. Issuers whose shares are included in the first and second levels of the Moscow Exchange listing can participate in the program. Their securities will be included in the calculation base of its new stock index. It will become a useful benchmark for the market and a guide for investors on which securities are best to invest in. Based on the index, professional participants will be able to form collective investment funds, as well as index strategies for trust management.

    The applications of candidates will be reviewed by a committee consisting of representatives of the Moscow Exchange, the Bank of Russia and the Analytical Credit Rating Agency. They will assess the effectiveness of corporate governance, the level of information transparency of the issuer and its financial and economic indicators. The status of the program participant will need to be confirmed at least once a year.

    Vladimir Chistyukhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia:

    “We will consider the program’s implementation successful if we achieve two results. First, the number of its participants will grow, which implies the dissemination of best practices in the market. Second, the share of the program participants’ value in the total market capitalization will grow. We believe that the launch of the program will not only stimulate demand for equity instruments. We expect that investors will view the shares of benchmark issuers as attractive objects for portfolio investments. We will be glad if representatives of various industries join the program, as well as those who have recently held an IPO or are preparing for an initial placement.”

    Viktor Zhidkov, Chairman of the Board of the Moscow Exchange:

    “Over the long term, the market grows primarily due to high-quality issuers. It is wonderful when such issuers become more numerous, and the process of their emergence is orderly and transparent. This can be facilitated by a number of procedures and instruments that the Bank of Russia and the Moscow Exchange have tried to combine within the framework of the shareholder value creation program. Discussing how best to broadcast the new benchmark to the market, we came to the conclusion that the launch of a separate stock index is preferable to marking or creating a separate sector. Thus, the issuer will receive the status of a program participant precisely after the official inclusion of its shares in the calculation base of the new index. I hope that the market will appreciate our initiative, and the criteria for inclusion in the corresponding index will become a guide for a wide range of issuers.”

    Applications from issuers to participate in the program will be accepted from March 31 to June 15, 2025, inclusive.

    Preview photo: Emerald_media / Shutterstock / Fotodom

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

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

    HTTPS: //VVV.KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 23328

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: The Bank of Russia and the Moscow Exchange have launched a program to create shareholder value for public companies

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    The Bank of Russia, together with the Moscow Exchange, launched Shareholder Value Creation ProgramIt is addressed to Russian public joint-stock companies and is aimed at increasing their investment attractiveness, increasing capitalization and supporting best corporate practices.

    The program provides for the creation of a benchmark – a group of issuers capable of growing at an accelerated rate and thus acting as a driver of capitalization of the entire stock market. Issuers whose shares are included in the first and second levels of the Moscow Exchange listing can participate in the Program. Their securities will be included in the calculation base of the new Moscow Exchange stock index. It will become a useful benchmark for the market and a guide for investors on which securities are best to invest in. Based on the index, professional participants will be able to form collective investment funds, as well as index strategies for trust management.

    The candidates’ applications will be reviewed by a committee consisting of representatives of the Moscow Exchange, the Bank of Russia and the Analytical Credit Rating Agency. They will assess the corporate governance, the level of information transparency of the issuer and its financial and economic indicators. The status of the Program participant will need to be confirmed at least once a year.

    Vladimir Chistyukhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia:

    “We will consider the implementation of the Program successful if we achieve two results. Firstly, the number of its participants will grow, which implies the dissemination of best practices in the market. Secondly, the share of the value of the Program participants in the total market capitalization will increase. We believe that the launch of the Program will not only stimulate demand for equity instruments. We expect that investors will look at the shares of benchmark issuers as attractive objects for portfolio investments. We will be glad if representatives of various industries join the Program, as well as those who have recently held an IPO or are preparing for an initial placement.”

    Viktor Zhidkov, Chairman of the Board of Moscow Exchange:

    “Over the long term, the market grows primarily due to high-quality issuers. It is wonderful when such issuers become more numerous, and the process of their emergence is orderly and transparent. This can be facilitated by a number of procedures and instruments that the Bank of Russia and the Moscow Exchange have tried to combine within the framework of the Shareholder Value Creation Program. Discussing how best to broadcast the new benchmark to the market, we came to the conclusion that launching a separate stock index is preferable to marking or creating a separate sector. Thus, the issuer will receive the status of a participant in the Program precisely after the official inclusion of its shares in the calculation base of the new index. I hope that the market will appreciate our initiative, and the criteria for inclusion in the corresponding index will become a guide for a wide range of issuers.”

    Applications from issuers to participate in the Program will be accepted from March 31 to June 15, 2025, inclusive.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232Pr@moex.kom

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

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    HTTPS: //VVV. MEEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: The Bank of Russia has raised the property criterion for assigning the status of a qualified investor

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    The minimum amount of assets that a person must own to be recognized as a qualified investor increases from 6 to 12 million rubles. And from January 1, 2026, to 24 million rubles. The corresponding indicationThe regulator was registered by the Russian Ministry of Justice.

    According to the Bank of Russia, such a measure will reduce the number of cases in which a person receives the status of a qualified investor, but does not understand the specifics of complex financial instruments and the risks associated with them.

    The comprehensive reform that the regulator is consistently implementing is aimed at giving people more opportunities to obtain such status based on knowledge and experience, and at creating more investors in the market who make informed decisions.

    Preview photo: Ulisse / Shutterstock / Fotodom

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

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

    HTTPS: //vv. KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 23329

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business confidence signals progress

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says.

    “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.”

    The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 in January, while expected own activity eased four points to +46.

    ANZ summarises the business confidence change between months as “easing, but still extremely high”.

    “This is another sign that the business outlook is on the right track. I’m pleased to see businesses feel more confident about the economy,” Nicola Willis says.

    “I know New Zealanders have been doing it tough. Many have suffered through a high cost of living and sky-high interest rates. 

    “This survey result, along with NZIER’s this month, shows things are set to get better.

    “New Zealanders are impatient for that change, and so am I. That’s why I am focused on driving economic growth to go further and faster.

    “We’ve already had positive progress with inflation under control and interest rates finally coming down. The fact that firms expect an increase in their own activity is a sign of future economic growth.

    “Economic growth means more and better-paying jobs for Kiwis and creates community wealth, bringing in the revenue we need to pay for the world-class infrastructure, health and education services New Zealanders deserve.

    “That is where we are heading.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Enlight to Report Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results on Wednesday, February 19, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd. (“Enlight”, “the Company”, NASDAQ: ENLT, TASE: ENLT.TA), a leading global renewable energy platform, today announced it will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024, before market open on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

    Conference Call Information

    Enlight will host a conference call to review its financial results and business outlook at 8:00 AM ET on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. Management will deliver prepared remarks followed by a question-and-answer session. Participants can join by conference call or webcast:

    Conference Call

    Please pre-register to join by conference call:
    https://register.vevent.com/register/BI9b595c26a5dc4208953cad5b9bb5f4e8
    Upon registering, you will be emailed a dial-in number, direct passcode and unique PIN.

    Webcast

    Please register and join by webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/74sp8fv8

    The press release with the financial results as well as the investor presentation materials will be accessible from the Company’s website prior to the conference call. Approximately one hour after completion of the live call, an archived version of the webcast will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at https://enlightenergy.co.il/info/investors/.

    About Enlight

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

    Investor Contact

    Yonah Weisz
    Director IR
    investors@enlightenergy.co.il

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

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Talonvest Capital Negotiates $49.5M Bridge Loan for Six-Property Portfolio Owned by Volta Global

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Talonvest Capital, Inc., a boutique self-storage and commercial real estate advisory firm, has successfully negotiated the refinance of a state-of-the-art portfolio on behalf of its client, Volta Global. The portfolio includes six strategically converted properties located in the high-growth states of Texas, North Carolina, and Alabama. The portfolio comprises 467,468 net rentable square feet (NRSF) across 4,434 self-storage units and 103,000 rentable square feet of industrial space in two locations.

    The non-recourse bridge loan, provided by a debt fund, features interest-only payments, substantial cash-out proceeds, an earnout provision, and a competitive interest rate. The lender also funded the remaining construction draws on several properties, offering significant benefits to the borrower. Through negotiations, Talonvest secured a 35-basis point improvement in the loan spread from the initial market quotes to the final rate.

    Jeff Evans, President of Volta Global, commented, “The Talonvest team proved to be an outstanding partner in this transaction. We deeply valued their strategic insight and expert guidance. By leveraging their extensive lender network, Talonvest facilitated a new lending relationship with the capabilities and enthusiasm to close not only on this transaction, but for future opportunities as well.”

    The Talonvest team responsible for this transaction included David DiRienzo, Britt Taylor, Mason Brusseau, and Lauren Maehler.

    About Talonvest Capital Inc.:

    Talonvest Capital is a commercial real estate advisory firm specializing in sourcing cutting-edge capital programs and advising on capital market trends for industrial, self-storage, multifamily, office, and retail property owners. Talonvest Capital offers a unique boutique approach by leveraging the company’s collective institutional knowledge and remaining highly engaged throughout the entire assignment, including the closing process, to deliver tailored capital solutions for their clients.   With over four decades of experience, Talonvest Capital has a unique perspective from its team’s previous experience on the lending side, managing institutional equity, executing nationwide joint venture investments, and facilitating diverse capital placements for clients across the United States. Learn more at https://talonvest.com.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dd9ac5a1-f339-42ce-82ac-36cea360157a

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e73d3b5b-5127-4e81-ad84-aea911ce8cb7

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/defa038b-bd9d-4251-a609-ace8e8dfc6e0

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: The Victory Bancorp, Inc. Announces 2024 Fourth Quarter Earnings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LIMERICK, Pa., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Victory Bancorp, Inc. (OTCQX: VTYB), the holding company for The Victory Bank, today announced record growth and financial highlights for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    Financial Highlights for 2024:

    • Loan Growth: Loans increased by $26.6 million despite much higher interest rates and softening demand for loans, underlining the Bank’s commitment to a strong lending culture and continued investment in lending infrastructure.
    • Deposit Growth: Deposits grew by $33 million in 2024, driven by the bank’s focus on delivering exceptional customer service and focus on relationship banking.
    • Capital Acquisition: The Bancorp successfully issued $4.65 million of subordinated debt in the fourth quarter, of which $2.5 million was down-streamed to the bank to support growth initiatives and enhance capital strength.
    • Net consolidated earnings: Earnings rose by $83 thousand year-over-year in the fourth quarter. Compared to the third quarter, earnings remained stable, with a slight decrease from $586 thousand to $558 thousand. The return on average equity for the fourth quarter was 7.58%.
    • Book Value: Book value per common share remained nearly consistent, decreasing slightly from $14.89 in the third quarter to $14.84 in the fourth quarter. This stability reflects a solid foundation and demonstrates the company’s ability to maintain value per share despite market fluctuations.
    • Stockholders’ Equity: As of December 31, 2024, the company’s equity position grew by $1.4 million compared to the end of 2023.
    • Dividends: The bank paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.065 per share; $0.26 per share for the calendar year

    Loan Quality Metrics: The bank maintained superior loan quality metrics that outperformed peers:

    • Losses to Average Loans at 0.0% as of December 31, 2024, compared to the peer average of 0.05% (as of September 30, 2024).
    • 30-89 Day Past Due Loans at 0.01%, significantly better than the peer average of 0.42%.
    • Non-Performing Loans at 0.05%, well below the peer average of 0.49%.

    Bank Leader, Joseph W. Major, stated, “The year 2024 has been a remarkable period of growth and achievement. Despite a challenging economic landscape, our team’s dedication and strategic initiatives have driven record results. The $26.7 million growth in our loan portfolio and $33 million increase in deposits underscore our ability to attract and retain high-value clients, and earnings showed substantial improvement based on improvements to net interest margin and overall balance sheet growth. Additionally, our successful capital acquisition strengthens our financial foundation and positions us for continued expansion.”

    “Our commitment to maintaining exceptional asset quality remains unwavering. The fact that our loan quality metrics significantly outperform peers is a testament to the vast experience of our lending and credit teams, our disciplined approach to risk management and our focus on long-term stability.”

    “We are excited about the future and remain committed to delivering exceptional value to our shareholders, clients, and communities.”

    Victory Bancorp, Inc. is traded on the OTCQX market under the symbol VTYB (https://www.otcmarkets.com) and is the parent company of The Victory Bank, a Pennsylvania state-chartered commercial bank, headquartered in Limerick, Pennsylvania, which is located just outside the Philadelphia market in Montgomery County. The Victory Bank was established in 2008 as a specialized business lender that provides high-quality banking services to small and mid-sized businesses and professionals through its three offices located in Montgomery and Berks Counties, Pennsylvania. Additional information about Victory Bancorp is available on its website, VictoryBank.com.

    This presentation may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, changes in interest rates, deposit flows, loan demand, real estate values, and competition; changes in accounting principles, policies, or guidelines; changes in legislation or regulation; and other economic; competitive, governmental, regulatory, and technological factors affecting the Company’s operations, pricing, products, and services.

    Contact:
    Joseph W. Major    ,
    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

    Robert H. Schultz,
    Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer

    Owen Magers
    Investor Relations
    484-791-3435

    The Victory Bancorp, Inc.
    548 N. Lewis Rd.
    Limerick, PA 19468

             
    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (unaudited)        
    (dollars in thousands, except per share data)            
        December 31,   September 30,   December 31,
    Selected Financial Data   2024   2024   2023
                 
    Investment securities $ 44,642   $ 46,110   $ 47,931  
                 
    Loans, net of allowance for loan losses   390,954     395,213     364,383  
                 
    Total assets   461,024     467,939     442,163  
                 
    Deposits   397,080     398,169     364,032  
                 
    Borrowings   15,440     24,692     36,200  
                 
    Subordinated debt   17,309     12,851     12,830  
                 
    Stockholders’ equity $ 29,337   $ 29,437   $ 27,948  
                 
    Book value per common share $ 14.84   $ 14.89   $ 14.17  
                 
    Allowance/loans   0.92 %   0.91 %   0.94 %
                 
    Nonperforming assets/total assets   0.05 %   0.04 %   0.49 %
                 
        3 Months Ended
        December 31,   September 30,
    		   December 31,
    Selected Operations Data   2024   2024   2023
                 
    Interest income $ 7,281   $ 7,526   $ 6,680  
                 
    Interest expense   3,886     4,064     3,337  
                 
    Net interest income   3,395     3,462     3,343  
                 
    Provision for loan losses   (32 )   71     170  
                 
    Other income   299     239     210  
                 
    Other expense   3,000     2,895     2,748  
                 
    Income before income taxes   726     735     635  
                 
    Income taxes   (168 )   (149 )   (160 )
                 
    Net income $ 558   $ 586   $ 475  
    Earnings per common share (basic) $ 0.28   $ 0.30   $ 0.24  
                 
    Earnings per common share (diluted) $ 0.28   $ 0.29   $ 0.23  
                 
    Return on average assets (annualized)   0.48 %   0.50 %   0.45 %
                 
    Return on average equity (annualized)   7.58 %   8.14 %   6.97 %
                 
    Net charge-offs (recoveries)/average loans   0.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 %

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Baker Hughes Secures Significant Gas Technology Order for Third Expansion Phase of Aramco’s Jafurah Gas Field

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Contract awarded by Tecnicas Reunidas for six gas compression trains and six propane compressors, including balance of plants and auxiliaries
    • State-of-the-art technologies to support third expansion phase of the largest unconventional gas field in Saudi Arabia

    HOUSTON and LONDON, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR), an energy technology company, announced Thursday it has been awarded an order by Tecnicas Reunidas for six gas compression trains and six propane compressors, for the third expansion phase of Aramco’s Jafurah gas field, located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Building on its broad experience in providing technology solutions for the entire natural gas value chain, Baker Hughes will supply state-of-the-art electric motor driven compression solutions, leveraging its recently expanded Damman Center in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. This order adds to Baker Hughes’ long-standing partnership with Aramco, which includes the supply of compression solutions for the Haradh and Hawiyah gas plants, first phase of the Jafurah gas plant and gas compression facilities, and more recently, equipment for the third phase of Saudi Arabia’s Master Gas System project.

    “Gas continues to serve as a vital source of reliable, abundant and lower-carbon energy,” said Ganesh Ramaswamy, executive vice president of Industrial & Energy Technology at Baker Hughes. “Our advanced gas compression technology will enable efficient and reliable production from the Jafurah field, further supporting Aramco’s vision and contributing to Saudi Arabia’s energy development.”

    About Baker Hughes
    Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.

    For more information, please contact:

    Media Relations
    Chiara Toniato
    +39 3463823419
    chiara.toniato@bakerhughes.com

    Baker Hughes Investor Relations
    Chase Mulvehill
    +1 346-297-2564
    investor.relations@bakerhughes.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Onerep Honors Pledge to Educate Consumers on How to Manage Their Data and Warns Against Using Third Parties for Removal from Non-Public Data Brokers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Onerep, a company that has helped users remove millions of records of their personal data on public sites, has released an update of its free tool YourControl which helps with managing personal information on data brokers with non-public directories. Initially, the tool was built to help consumers manage the exposure of their personal data at its source – major consumer reporting agencies. Today, its list of brokers was expanded to include additional non-public brokers.

    As a part of its pledge to public education, Onerep is warning consumers about services that advertise the removal of personal information from consumer reporting agencies and other non-public data brokers.

    When a data broker has no public directory, it means that there is no way for a third-party to know if that broker even has your profile. To request the removal of your data, these so-called privacy services share your information with data broker companies. “In the name of privacy, there are companies spreading your personal information to random companies with no way of knowing if they had it in the first place. These practices pose major risks to consumers,” says Dimitri Shelest, founder of Onerep.

    Submitting your personal data to hundreds of random brokers in no way enhances your safety; in fact, it exposes consumers to unnecessary risks. To make matters worse, these brokers might then supply consumer data to public people-search sites. YourControl helps users identify which of these non-public brokers play this role and provides instructions for safely managing their data with those companies.

    “YourControl puts consumers in charge of how their personal information is used, at the top of the data pyramid,” says Shelest. “It’s free and open source because Onerep believes the public deserves to have access to a free and easy tool that helps them cut off the flow of their personal data at the source.”

    YourControl, combined with Onerep’s core service, packs a powerful one-two-punch in protecting consumers. Onerep’s nominal subscription works overtime removing user’s personal data from public data brokers such as people-search sites while YourControl helps consumers take charge of their data at non-public sources such as consumer reporting agencies.

    More about YourControl here: https://onerep.com/blog/yourcontrol-free-data-broker-removal-extension

    About Onerep

    Onerep is a digital privacy company specializing in the removal of employee and consumer data from public data brokers and people search sites. The company’s technology and approach are trusted by prestigious organizations in the United States, including professional associations, consumer groups, and law enforcement agencies. Onerep’s solutions are also working behind the scenes to power privacy features offered by globally recognized brands. To learn more visit onerep.com.

    PRESS
    Onerep
    press@onerep.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DEQ issues six penalties in December for environmental violations

    Source: US State of Oregon

    tatewide, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued six penalties totaling $488,874 in December for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement.

    Fines ranged from $5,050 to $372,600. Alleged violations included a wastewater treatment and disposal system that exceeded pollution limits and discharged wastewater to a creek when not permitted to, a hazardous waste treatment and disposal facility that failed to properly treat hazardous waste prior to disposing it and a fuel products transloading company that modified its facility and operated that change without authorization from DEQ.

    DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations:

    • Chemical Waste Management, Arlington, $49,200, hazardous waste.
    • City of Junction City, Junction City, $5,050, wastewater.
    • City of Lebanon, Lebanon, $33,800, wastewater.
    • Container Management Services, LLC, Portland, $21,224, hazardous waste.
    • HempNova Lifetech Corp., Central Point, $7,000, hazardous waste.
    • Zenith Energy Terminal Holdings, LLC, Portland, $372,600, air quality permitting. Learn more about this case by reading the press release DEQ issued on Dec. 6, 2024.

    Recipients of DEQ civil penalties must either pay the fines to the state treasury or file an appeal within 20 days of receiving notice of the penalty. They may be able to offset a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon’s environment. Learn more about these projects at https://ordeq.org/sep.

    Penalties may also include orders requiring specific tasks to prevent ongoing violations or additional environmental harm.

    DEQ works with thousands of organizations and individuals to help them comply with laws that protect Oregon’s air, land and water. DEQ uses education, technical assistance, warnings and penalties to change behavior and deter future violations.

    Media contact: Michael Loch, public affairs specialist, michael.loch@deq.oregon.gov, 503-737-9435.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Eliminate Tax Breaks for Businesses Dealing in Russia

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Cornyn (R-Tex.) introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent businesses from claiming a foreign tax credit or deduction against taxes paid to fund the Russian government’s war machine. Currently, businesses paying taxes in foreign countries are eligible to claim a tax credit or deduction in the United States to reduce the burden of double taxation. There are certain hostile countries to which this tax credit does not apply, including North Korea and Iran, and Cortez Masto’s HONOR Act would add Russia to that list.

    In September 2023, Russia President Vladimir Putin illegally suspended the U.S-Russia Tax Treaty. Following a letter from Senators Cortez Masto and Cornyn, the United States Department of the Treasury retaliated by suspending benefits for Russian businesses and investors. The HONOR Act would take this suspension one step further and prevent businesses funding Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine from receiving tax breaks in the United States. This bill would ensure U.S. taxpayers are not subsidizing Putin’s oppressive government.

    “We should not be giving tax breaks to businesses that are funding the Putin regime. It’s that simple,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bipartisan legislation expands upon current Treasury Department policy, holds Russia accountable for its criminal activity in Ukraine, and protects American national security.”

    “Businesses that continue to engage with Russia are enriching Putin’s oppressive regime,” said Senator Cornyn. “This commonsense bill would force these businesses to give up their foreign tax credits and deductions for taxes paid to Russia, which subsidize the Russian war apparatus.”

    Senator Cortez Masto has consistently advocated for the U.S. to stand up to Russian aggression and support Ukrainian sovereignty. She has voted to pass bipartisan legislation to support Ukraine and helped pass bipartisan economic sanctions that were signed into law to hold Russia accountable for its illegal invasion of Ukraine. She voted in support of sanctions against Russia and its Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and she supported similar sanctions in the 2020 and 2021 National Defense Authorization Acts.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Small Business Advisory Committee to Continue Discussing Challenges Facing Emerging Fund Managers, and Explore Hurdles for Small Public Companies Not Listed on a National Securities Exchange

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee today released the agenda for its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, which will include discussion of capital raising challenges facing emerging fund managers and hurdles facing small public companies not listed on a national securities exchange. Members of the public can watch the live meeting via webcast on www.sec.gov.

    The committee, which provides advice and recommendations to the Commission on rules, regulations, and policy matters relating to small businesses, will start the morning session by hearing from SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation staff, who will provide an overview of its 2024 Annual Report, which includes in-depth data on the state of capital raising activity from startup to small cap along with the office’s policy recommendations. The committee will spend the rest of the morning exploring ways to support and facilitate capital formation for emerging fund managers, building upon ideas generated during a previous committee meeting. To facilitate discussion, committee members will hear from Ashok Kamal, Executive Director at NuFund Venture Group, and Sara Zulkosky, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Recast Capital.

    In the afternoon session, the committee will explore the challenges of small public companies not listed on a national securities exchange. Understanding the decision-points and challenges those companies face is critical to fostering access to capital for, and investor participation in, those smaller public companies. As part of the discussion, members will hear from Dan Zinn, General Counsel and Chief of Staff at OTC Markets Group.

    The full agenda, meeting materials, and information on how to watch the meeting are available on the committee webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –