NewzIntel.com

Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace – NZ climate target under international scrutiny as trading partners raise concerns

    Source: Greenpeace

    Ahead of the Government’s NDC climate target announcement today, Greenpeace Aotearoa has revealed that New Zealand’s trading partners are asking yet more questions about our climate credibility.
    In a written question to the European Commission lodged in December 2024, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Saskia Bricmont asked: “What actions is the Commission taking to ensure that NZ does not backtrack on its climate ambitions when it comes to methane reduction?”
    It follows similar questions raised in the UK Parliament and during the EU Trade Commissioner hearings last year about whether breaches of environmental clauses in trade agreements with New Zealand would face consequences.
    Greenpeace spokesperson Amanda Larsson says, “Since taking office, Luxon has worked to roll back virtually every policy that cuts pollution. That includes giving our highest-emitting industry – dairying – a free pass to keep polluting.”
    In her question about methane, MEP Bricmont was referring to the Government’s review of methane targets in line with no additional warming – a controversial way to measure methane that effectively writes off current high levels of pollution.
    Larsson says no additional warming lacks scientific credibility.
    “It is a metric being pushed heavily by the livestock industry as a way to get out of jail free for their huge contribution to climate change. By effectively using an accounting trick, the industry wants us to greenlight pollution as usual,” says Larsson.
    “The livestock industry’s push to change how methane is measured threatens all New Zealand industries that benefit from our trade agreements with the EU and UK, including kiwifruit and wine.”
    New Zealand’s free trade agreements with both the EU and the UK include clauses that require no weakening of environmental and climate protections by either party. Bricmont went on to ask whether the Commission was “prepared to use all means at its disposal to enforce the FTA if NZ indeed decides to weaken its national methane reduction targets.”
    Larsson says that many people will be watching closely to see if today’s climate target announcement will further weaken climate ambition, including by weakening the methane target in line with no additional warming.
    “The Government must seize the opportunity to pull the climate emergency brake and set a stronger target to reduce methane emissions. Our children and grandchildren’s futures are on the line.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Study shows Big Oil fueled deadly wildfires in Los Angeles

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    San Francisco, CA (January 29, 2025) – The latest study by the World Weather Attribution on the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, confirmed that climate change, fueled by fossil fuel burning, made the fires 35% more likely. The analysis shows these flammable conditions will only worsen if we continue down the path of inaction. In response to the study, Zachary Norris, Greenpeace USA California Climate Director, said:

    “Climate change has been making California wildfires larger, faster and more deadly for years. All 8 of the state’s largest fires have all occurred in the last 7 years.  But the fires in Los Angeles have also shown that as droughts stretch longer, rainfall drops, and temperatures rise, entire communities are being devastated. These fires were 35% more likely to occur because of climate change, which is primarily caused by the burning of oil, gas, and coal, and if we don’t change course, these flammable conditions will only intensify. While Big Oil companies continue to pull in billions in profits, we’re paying the price in lives lost and homes destroyed. But it doesn’t have to be this way – it’s time to stop drilling and start paying for the damage they’ve caused.”

    Contact: Gigi Singh, Communications Manager at Greenpeace USA
    (+1)  631-404-9977, [email protected]  

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Confirms Lee Zeldin as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Senate confirmed Lee Zeldin to serve as the 17th Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator by a vote of 56 to 42 today. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following statement after voting in favor of Zeldin’s nomination.
    “Lee is primed and ready to slash the mountains of backwards regulations at the EPA to restore primacy of states and common sense,” said Cramer. “I look forward to working with him as he brings some sanity back to EPA and makes the bureaucracy work for the people it purportedly serves.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Customs’ levies bill passes first reading

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today.
    “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed to efficiently process trade and protect New Zealand’s borders against threats such as illicit drugs,” Ms Costello says.  
    The Bill makes three key changes:

    It introduces a levy regime into Customs legislation so that in the future levies can be made (as an alternative to fees) to recover Customs’ goods management costs;
    It clarifies that Customs or other agencies can collect product stewardship fees (for example on tires) under waste minimisation legislation on behalf of the Ministry for the Environment; and
    It makes the process of seeking GST refunds on imported goods, which are returned overseas and then replaced, fairer and more accessible.

    “The bill is about improving the system – it doesn’t change or increase rates of existing charges or introduce new charges,” Ms Costello says.
    “A levy regime is more appropriate and best practice when costs need to be spread across a class or category of payers, such as importers, rather than placing the cost directly on an individual.”
    Customs already has a levy regime in place for recovering costs related to travelers, the Border Processing Levy. 
    The bill will now be considered by the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Antarctic biodiversity database has ice-free areas covered

    Source: Australian Government – Antarctic Division

    Australian Antarctic Program scientists have released the most comprehensive database of species living in the ice-free areas of Antarctica, after 16 years of research.
    More than 35,600 records, some more than 200 years old, have been consolidated into one central location.
    The records comprise the location and identity of 1890 species, including mosses, lichens, fungi, invertebrates, microbes, birds and seals.

    Australian Antarctic Division Program Leader, Dr Aleks Terauds, said ‘The Biodiversity of Ice-free Antarctica Database’ will underpin future regional and global studies of ecology, diversity and change. For example, the Antarctic ecosystem classification, recently published in Nature Scientific Data, relied heavily on the records in this database.
    “The species represented in this database occur across all 16 ‘Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions’, which are distinct areas characterized by different climates, landscapes and species,” Dr Terauds said.
    “By better understanding the location and diversity of species across these bioregions, and Antarctica generally, we can design better studies to understand ecological structure and function, and mitigate the impacts of environmental change on biodiversity.
    “This new Antarctic database can also be integrated into global biodiversity-related studies, and it supports conservation actions required under the Protocol on the Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty.”
    Dr Terauds said the database began with an initial foundational dataset taken from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Antarctic Biodiversity Database in 2008.
    Since then the research team has scoured other databases, herbaria, field research notes and scientific literature, quality checking and validating the spatial location and identity of additional records.
    The records were collected between the early 1800s and 2019, with most records collected after 1950.
    More than 15% of the records were of penguins and flying seabirds, and most (more than 15,000) were collected from the north-west Antarctic Peninsula, followed by almost 5000 from East Antarctica.
    Nearly 78% of records were collected within one kilometre of the continent’s coast.
    Dr Terauds said ice-free areas make up about 0.4% of Antarctica and include coastal oases, cliffs, nunataks (mountain summits or ridges poking through ice) and scree (loose stones).
    “The characteristics that make these small ‘islands in the ice’ attractive to the animals, plants and other organisms that live and breed in Antarctica, also makes them attractive to humans and potentially invasive species,” he said.
    “So it’s really important that we understand what’s there and use that information to advance scientific understanding, conservation and biosecurity.”
    The research was published in Ecology yesterday and is available through the Australian Antarctic Data Centre.  A companion paper assessing the potential use of the database was recently published in Diversity and Distributions.
    This content was last updated 1 minute ago on 30 January 2025.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Votes to Confirm Lee Zeldin as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    January 29, 2025

    January 29, 2025
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, issued the following statement after voting to confirm Lee Zeldin as the Administrator of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). 
    “Biden’s EPA attacked an all-the-above American energy approach to appease radical environmentalists. His delusional mandates hurt Nebraska producers and industry. Lee Zeldin will help President Trump’s EPA return to its core mission – protecting people and the environment. He’s committed to a more balanced, transparent approach to rulemaking. This includes regulations critical for renewable fuel stakeholders and farmers in the state of Nebraska. He will support innovation instead of regulation. I appreciate his commitment to leverage the potential of liquid fuels, including biofuels, to unlock America’s full energy potential.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft Cloud and AI strength drives second quarter results

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft Cloud and AI strength drives second quarter results

    Microsoft Cloud and AI Strength Drives Second Quarter Results

    REDMOND, Wash. — January 29, 2025 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the following results for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal year:

    ·        Revenue was $69.6 billion and increased 12%

    ·        Operating income was $31.7 billion and increased 17% (up 16% in constant currency)

    ·        Net income was $24.1 billion and increased 10%

    ·        Diluted earnings per share was $3.23 and increased 10%

    “We are innovating across our tech stack and helping customers unlock the full ROI of AI to capture the massive opportunity ahead,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and chief executive officer of Microsoft. “Already, our AI business has surpassed an annual revenue run rate of $13 billion, up 175% year-over-year.”

    “This quarter Microsoft Cloud revenue was $40.9 billion, up 21% year-over-year,” said Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft. ”We remain committed to balancing operational discipline with continued investments in our cloud and AI infrastructure.”

    Business Highlights

    Revenue in Productivity and Business Processes was $29.4 billion and increased 14% (up 13% in constant currency), with the following business highlights:

    ·        Microsoft 365 Commercial products and cloud services revenue increased 15% driven by Microsoft 365 Commercial cloud revenue growth of 16% (up 15% in constant currency)

    ·        Microsoft 365 Consumer products and cloud services revenue increased 8% driven by Microsoft 365 Consumer cloud revenue growth of 8%

    ·        LinkedIn revenue increased 9%

    ·        Dynamics products and cloud services revenue increased 15% (up 14% in constant currency) driven by Dynamics 365 revenue growth of 19% (up 18% in constant currency)

    Revenue in Intelligent Cloud was $25.5 billion and increased 19%, with the following business highlights:

    ·        Server products and cloud services revenue increased 21% driven by Azure and other cloud services revenue growth of 31%

    Revenue in More Personal Computing was $14.7 billion and was relatively unchanged, with the following business highlights:

    ·        Windows OEM and Devices revenue increased 4%

    ·        Xbox content and services revenue increased 2%

    ·        Search and news advertising revenue excluding traffic acquisition costs increased 21% (up 20% in constant currency)

    Microsoft returned $9.7 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025.

    Business Outlook

    Microsoft will provide forward-looking guidance in connection with this quarterly earnings announcement on its earnings conference call and webcast.

    Quarterly Highlights, Product Releases, and Enhancements 

    Every quarter Microsoft delivers hundreds of products, either as new releases, services, or enhancements to current products and services. These releases are a result of significant research and development investments, made over multiple years, designed to help customers be more productive and secure and to deliver differentiated value across the cloud and the edge.

    Here are the major product releases and other highlights for the quarter, organized by product categories, to help illustrate how we are accelerating innovation across our businesses while expanding our market opportunities.

    Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

    To learn more about Microsoft’s corporate governance and our environmental and social practices, please visit our investor relations Board and ESG website and reporting at Microsoft.com/transparency. 

    Webcast Details

    Satya Nadella, chairman and chief executive officer, Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Alice Jolla, chief accounting officer, Keith Dolliver, corporate secretary and deputy general counsel, and Brett Iversen, vice president of investor relations, will host a conference call and webcast at 2:30 p.m. Pacific time (5:30 p.m. Eastern time) today to discuss details of the company’s performance for the quarter and certain forward-looking information. The session may be accessed at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/investor. The webcast will be available for replay through the close of business on January 29, 2026.

    Constant Currency

    Microsoft presents constant currency information to provide a framework for assessing how our underlying businesses performed excluding the effect of foreign currency rate fluctuations. To present this information, current and comparative prior period results for entities reporting in currencies other than United States dollars are converted into United States dollars using the average exchange rates from the comparative period rather than the actual exchange rates in effect during the respective periods. All growth comparisons relate to the corresponding period in the last fiscal year. Microsoft has provided this non-GAAP financial information to aid investors in better understanding our performance. The non-GAAP financial measures presented in this release should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, the measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.

    Financial Performance Constant Currency Reconciliation

     

    Three Months Ended December 31,

     ($ in millions, except per share amounts)

    Revenue

    Operating Income

    Net Income

    Diluted Earnings per Share

    2023 As Reported (GAAP)

    $62,020

    $27,032

    $21,870

    $2.93

    2024 As Reported (GAAP)

    $69,632

    $31,653

    $24,108

    $3.23

    Percentage Change Y/Y (GAAP)

    12%

    17%

    10%

    10%

    Constant Currency Impact

    $171

    $206

    $14

    $0.00

    Percentage Change Y/Y Constant Currency

    12%

    16%

    10%

    10%

     

    Segment Revenue Constant Currency Reconciliation

     

    Three Months Ended December 31,

     ($ in millions)

    Productivity and Business Processes

    Intelligent Cloud

    More Personal Computing

    2023 As Reported (GAAP)

    $25,854

    $21,525

    $14,641

    2024 As Reported (GAAP)

    $29,437

    $25,544

    $14,651

    Percentage Change Y/Y (GAAP)

    14%

    19%

    0%

    Constant Currency Impact

    $142

    $(22)

    $51

    Percentage Change Y/Y Constant Currency

    13%

    19%

    0%

    We have recast certain prior period amounts to conform to the way we internally manage and monitor our business.

    Selected Product and Service Revenue Constant Currency Reconciliation        

     

    Three Months Ended December 31, 2024

    Percentage Change Y/Y (GAAP)

    Constant Currency Impact

    Percentage Change Y/Y Constant Currency

    Microsoft Cloud

    21%

    0%

    21%

    Microsoft 365 Commercial products and cloud services

    15%

    0%

    15%

    Microsoft 365 Commercial cloud

    16%

    (1)%

    15%

    Microsoft 365 Consumer products and cloud services

    8%

    0%

    8%

    Microsoft 365 Consumer cloud

    8%

    0%

    8%

    LinkedIn

    9%

    0%

    9%

    Dynamics products and cloud services

    15%

    (1)%

    14%

    Dynamics 365

    19%

    (1)%

    18%

    Server products and cloud services

    21%

    0%

    21%

    Azure and other cloud services

    31%

    0%

    31%

    Windows OEM and Devices

    4%

    0%

    4%

    Xbox content and services

    2%

    0%

    2%

    Search and news advertising excluding traffic acquisition costs

    21%

    (1)%

    20%

     

    About Microsoft

    Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements in this release that are “forward-looking statements” are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors such as:

    ·        intense competition in all of our markets that may adversely affect our results of operations;

    ·        focus on cloud-based and AI services presenting execution and competitive risks;

    ·        significant investments in products and services that may not achieve expected returns;

    ·        acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances that may have an adverse effect on our business;

    ·        impairment of goodwill or amortizable intangible assets causing a significant charge to earnings;

    ·        cyberattacks and security vulnerabilities that could lead to reduced revenue, increased costs, liability claims, or harm to our reputation or competitive position;

    ·        disclosure and misuse of personal data that could cause liability and harm to our reputation;

    ·        the possibility that we may not be able to protect information stored in our products and services from use by others;

    ·        abuse of our advertising, professional, marketplace, or gaming platforms that may harm our reputation or user engagement;

    ·        products and services, how they are used by customers, and how third-party products and services interact with them, presenting security, privacy, and execution risks;

    ·        issues about the use of AI in our offerings that may result in reputational or competitive harm, or legal liability;

    ·        excessive outages, data losses, and disruptions of our online services if we fail to maintain an adequate operations infrastructure;

    ·        supply or quality problems;

    ·        government enforcement under competition laws and new market regulation may limit how we design and market our products;

    ·        potential consequences of trade and anti-corruption laws;

    ·        potential consequences of existing and increasing legal and regulatory requirements;

    ·        laws and regulations relating to the handling of personal data that may impede the adoption of our services or result in increased costs, legal claims, fines, or reputational damage;

    ·        claims against us that may result in adverse outcomes in legal disputes;

    ·        uncertainties relating to our business with government customers;

    ·        additional tax liabilities;

    ·        sustainability regulations and expectations that may expose us to increased costs and legal and reputational risk;

    ·        an inability to protect and utilize our intellectual property may harm our business and operating results;

    ·        claims that Microsoft has infringed the intellectual property rights of others;

    ·        damage to our reputation or our brands that may harm our business and results of operations;

    ·        adverse economic or market conditions that may harm our business;

    ·        catastrophic events or geo-political conditions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, that may disrupt our business;

    ·        exposure to increased economic and operational uncertainties from operating a global business, including the effects of foreign currency exchange; and

    ·        the dependence of our business on our ability to attract and retain talented employees.

    For more information about risks and uncertainties associated with Microsoft’s business, please refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of Microsoft’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Microsoft’s Investor Relations department at (800) 285-7772 or at Microsoft’s Investor Relations website at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/investor.

    All information in this release is as of December 31, 2024. The company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the company’s expectations.

    For more information, press only:

    Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rrt@we-worldwide.com

    For more information, financial analysts and investors only:

    Brett Iversen, Vice President, Investor Relations, (425) 706-4400

    Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers, and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. Shareholder and financial information, as well as today’s 2:30 p.m. Pacific time conference call with investors and analysts, is available at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/investor.


     

    MICROSOFT CORPORATION

    INCOME STATEMENTS

    (In millions, except per share amounts) (Unaudited)

    Three Months Ended

     December 31,

    Six Months Ended

     December 31,

     

    2024

     

    2023

     

    2024

     

    2023

    Revenue:

    Product

     $16,219

     $18,941

     $31,491

     $34,476

    Service and other

    53,413

     

    43,079

     

    103,726

     

    84,061

    Total revenue

    69,632

     

    62,020

     

    135,217

     

    118,537

    Cost of revenue:

    Product

    3,856

    5,964

    7,150

    9,495

    Service and other

    17,943

     

    13,659

     

    34,748

     

    26,430

    Total cost of revenue

    21,799

     

    19,623

     

    41,898

     

    35,925

    Gross margin

    47,833

    42,397

    93,319

    82,612

    Research and development

    7,917

    7,142

    15,461

    13,801

    Sales and marketing

    6,440

    6,246

    12,157

    11,433

    General and administrative

    1,823

    1,977

    3,496

    3,451

    Operating income

    31,653

     

    27,032

     

    62,205

     

    53,927

    Other expense, net

    (2,288)

     

    (506)

     

    (2,571)

     

    (117)

    Income before income taxes

    29,365

    26,526

    59,634

    53,810

    Provision for income taxes

    5,257

     

    4,656

     

    10,859

     

    9,649

    Net income

     $24,108

     

     $21,870

     

     $48,775

     

     $44,161

    Earnings per share:

    Basic

     $3.24

     $2.94

     $6.56

     $5.94

    Diluted

     $3.23

     $2.93

     $6.53

     $5.92

    Weighted average shares outstanding:

    Basic

    7,435

    7,432

    7,434

    7,431

    Diluted

    7,468

     

    7,468

     

    7,469

     

    7,465

     


     

    COMPREHENSIVE INCOME STATEMENTS

    (In millions) (Unaudited)

    Three Months Ended

     December 31,

    Six Months Ended

     December 31,

     

    2024

     

    2023

     

    2024

     

    2023

    Net income

     $24,108

     

     $21,870

     

     $48,775

     

     $44,161

    Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

    Net change related to derivatives

    34

    (3)

    24

    18

    Net change related to investments

    (434)

    1,331

    680

    1,071

    Translation adjustments and other

    (1,034)

     

    660

     

    (730)

     

    305

    Other comprehensive income (loss)

    (1,434)

     

    1,988

     

    (26)

     

    1,394

    Comprehensive income

     $22,674

     

     $23,858

     

     $48,749

     

     $45,555

     


     

    BALANCE SHEETS

    (In millions) (Unaudited)

     

    December 31,

    2024

    June 30,

     2024

    Assets

    Current assets:

    Cash and cash equivalents

     $17,482

     $18,315

    Short-term investments

    54,073

    57,228

    Total cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments

    71,555

    75,543

    Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $662 and $830

    48,188

    56,924

    Inventories

    909

    1,246

    Other current assets

    26,428

    26,021

    Total current assets

    147,080

    159,734

    Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $82,820 and $76,421

    166,902

    135,591

    Operating lease right-of-use assets

    22,816

    18,961

    Equity and other investments

    15,581

    14,600

    Goodwill

    119,191

    119,220

    Intangible assets, net

    25,385

    27,597

    Other long-term assets

    36,943

    36,460

    Total assets

     $533,898

     $512,163

    Liabilities and stockholders’ equity

    Current liabilities:

    Accounts payable

     $22,608

     $21,996

    Short-term debt

    0

    6,693

    Current portion of long-term debt

    5,248

    2,249

    Accrued compensation

    9,176

    12,564

    Short-term income taxes

    6,056

    5,017

    Short-term unearned revenue

    45,508

    57,582

    Other current liabilities

    20,286

    19,185

    Total current liabilities

    108,882

    125,286

    Long-term debt

    39,722

    42,688

    Long-term income taxes

    24,389

    27,931

    Long-term unearned revenue

    2,537

    2,602

    Deferred income taxes

    2,513

    2,618

    Operating lease liabilities

    17,254

    15,497

    Other long-term liabilities

    35,906

    27,064

    Total liabilities

    231,203

    243,686

    Commitments and contingencies

    Stockholders’ equity:

    Common stock and paid-in capital – shares authorized 24,000; outstanding 7,435 and 7,434

    104,829

    100,923

    Retained earnings

    203,482

    173,144

    Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (5,616)

    (5,590)

    Total stockholders’ equity

    302,695

    268,477

    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

     $533,898

     $512,163

     


     

    CASH FLOWS STATEMENTS

    (In millions) (Unaudited)

    Three Months Ended

     December 31,

    Six Months Ended

     December 31,

     

    2024

     

    2023

     

    2024

     

    2023

    Operations

    Net income

     $24,108

     $21,870

     $48,775

     $44,161

    Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operations:

    Depreciation, amortization, and other

    6,827

    5,959

    14,210

    9,880

    Stock-based compensation expense

    3,089

    2,828

    5,921

    5,335

    Net recognized losses on investments and derivatives

    976

    198

    851

    212

    Deferred income taxes

    (1,158)

    (1,702)

    (2,591)

    (2,270)

    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    Accounts receivable

    (5,978)

    (2,951)

    8,059

    8,083

    Inventories

    711

    1,474

    338

    969

    Other current assets

    (353)

    725

    (435)

    (71)

    Other long-term assets

    (1,089)

    (1,427)

    (2,850)

    (3,440)

    Accounts payable

    958

    (2,521)

    42

    (1,307)

    Unearned revenue

    (6,338)

    (5,538)

    (11,891)

    (9,664)

    Income taxes

    (3,395)

    (1,554)

    (2,379)

    (129)

    Other current liabilities

    3,217

    1,518

    (2,262)

    (2,588)

    Other long-term liabilities

    716

     

    (26)

     

    683

     

    265

    Net cash from operations

    22,291

     

    18,853

     

    56,471

     

    49,436

    Financing

    Proceeds from issuance (repayments) of debt, maturities of 90 days or less, net

    0

    (8,490)

    (5,746)

    10,202

    Proceeds from issuance of debt

    0

    10,773

    0

    17,846

    Repayments of debt

    0

    (2,916)

    (966)

    (4,416)

    Common stock issued

    256

    261

    962

    946

    Common stock repurchased

    (4,986)

    (4,000)

    (9,093)

    (8,831)

    Common stock cash dividends paid

    (6,170)

    (5,574)

    (11,744)

    (10,625)

    Other, net

    (343)

     

    (201)

     

    (1,232)

     

    (508)

    Net cash from (used in) financing

    (11,243)

     

    (10,147)

     

    (27,819)

     

    4,614

    Investing

    Additions to property and equipment

    (15,804)

    (9,735)

    (30,727)

    (19,652)

    Acquisition of companies, net of cash acquired, and purchases of intangible and other assets

    (1,405)

    (65,029)

    (3,254)

    (66,215)

    Purchases of investments

    (2,050)

    (4,258)

    (3,670)

    (12,718)

    Maturities of investments

    2,604

    4,150

    4,740

    19,868

    Sales of investments

    2,559

    1,600

    4,527

    6,930

    Other, net

    (16)

    1,347

    (929)

    365

    Net cash used in investing

    (14,112)

     

    (71,925)

     

    (29,313)

     

    (71,422)

    Effect of foreign exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents

    (294)

     

    72

     

    (172)

     

    (27)

    Net change in cash and cash equivalents

    (3,358)

    (63,147)

    (833)

    (17,399)

    Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

    20,840

     

    80,452

     

    18,315

     

    34,704

    Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

     $17,482

     

     $17,305

     

     $17,482

     

     $17,305

     


     

    SEGMENT REVENUE AND OPERATING INCOME

    (In millions) (Unaudited)

     

    Three Months Ended

     December 31,

     

    Six Months Ended

     December 31,

     

     

     

    2024

     

    2023

     

    2024

     

    2023

    Revenue

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Productivity and Business Processes

     $29,437

     

     $25,854

     

     $57,754

     

     $51,080

    Intelligent Cloud

    25,544

     

    21,525

     

    49,636

     

    41,538

    More Personal Computing

    14,651

     

    14,641

     

    27,827

     

    25,919

    Total

     $69,632

     

     $62,020

     

     $135,217

     

     $118,537

    Operating Income

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Productivity and Business Processes

     $16,885

     

     $14,515

     

     $33,401

     

     $28,812

    Intelligent Cloud

    10,851

     

    9,555

     

    21,354

     

    18,463

    More Personal Computing

    3,917

     

    2,962

     

    7,450

     

    6,652

    Total

     $31,653

     

     $27,032

     

     $62,205

     

     $53,927

    We have recast certain prior period amounts to conform to the way we internally manage and monitor our business.

     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business – Clear the queue to boost innovation and primary sector – BusinessNZ

    Source: BusinessNZ

    BusinessNZ strongly backs Animal and Plant Health NZ’s call for a sensible and modern approvals process for innovative plant and animal products, to unlock greater economic potential for the primary sector and boost economic growth.
    Chief Executive Katherine Rich says our current system is too slow, too costly and uncertain.
    “Some multinational firms find great difficulty launching in New Zealand because we’ve made bringing innovation here cost and time-prohibitive.
    “It should not take an application more than four years to get approval – particularly products or treatments which have been safely on the market elsewhere for a decade.
    “Whether it be the approval of innovative new products through the Environmental Protection Authority or new pharmaceuticals and medical devices through Medsafe, New Zealand needs effective approval processes for launching innovation here which is not cost-prohibitive and many years long.
    “New Zealand needs to be an attractive place to launch new products for innovation. We must have an effective and efficient approvals process.”
    Rich says BusinessNZ gladly joined businesses and organisations in co-signing a letter to Ministers, calling for positive change.
    “We also support the Ministry for Regulation’s review of the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory approval process, and BusinessNZ expects to hear more in the coming weeks after findings are presented to Cabinet.”
    The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: EPA – Rangitane maritime development declined COVID fast-track consent

    Source: Environmental Protection Authority

    An independent panel has declined resource consent to construct a public boat ramp facility at Rangitane, Kerikeri.
    Far North District Council and Far North Holdings Limited applied for resource consent under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020.
    The decision comes 209 working days after the application was lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority.
    The Environmental Protection Authority is not involved in the decision-making. We provide procedural advice and administrative support to the panel convenor, Judge Laurie Newhook, and the expert consenting panel he appoints.
    Note that this application was made under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 and not the more recent fast-track legislation.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. Announces Departure

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Tenure Marked by Violent Crime Declines, White Collar Fraud Crackdown, Dismantling Drug Traffickers, and Expansion of Civil Rights

    RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., announced today that he is stepping down on Monday, February 3, 2025, after leading the Office since November 2021. President Joseph Biden nominated Easley on September 28, 2021, and the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed him on November 21, 2021. He was officially sworn in on November 26, 2021.  

    “It has been the highest honor to serve as the top federal law enforcement official for Eastern North Carolina – a place I was born, raised, and am proud to call home,” said Easley. “The men and women of the Eastern District are among the hardest working in the nation – steadfast in the mission to keep America safe.  Together, we helped drive down violent crime, turbocharged white-collar prosecutions, protected civil rights, and stemmed the tide of narcotics into our communities.  We did it through partnering, shoulder to shoulder, with local law enforcement and community leaders to solve our region’s most challenging problems.  I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the prosecutors, judges, law enforcement, and staff who give so much to see justice done every day.”

    “U.S. Attorney Easley is the kind of partner every sheriff hopes for – sharp, decisive, and committed to results.  He didn’t just talk about law enforcement partnerships; he made them real, partnering with sheriffs for solutions and backing them up with action.  Under his leadership, we made real progress— violent crime down, overdose deaths falling, and tighter collaboration.  Easley set a new gold standard for what it means to lead in federal law enforcement,” said Eddie Caldwell, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the North Carolina Sheriffs Association.

    “We are deeply grateful for the years that U.S. Attorney Easley served at the helm of the Eastern District of North Carolina. His leadership, particularly through collaborative efforts, like the VCAP initiative, played a critical role in prosecuting violent offenders. His work has significantly contributed to our goal of making Raleigh one of the safest cities in the nation. He will be greatly missed,” said Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson.

    Expansion of Resources to Make Communities Safer

    U.S. Attorney Easley fought to significantly expand investigative and prosecutorial resources in the District, including a nearly 17% increase in prosecutors and new legal support staff and investigators. Much of the new personnel were allocated through a competitive national application process, with no district in the nation receiving more new prosecutors than the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC). The Office’s productivity and strong law enforcement partnerships also led the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to add an additional team of agents to partner on violent crime reduction across the District.

    Easley and his Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) team also worked with Department of Justice (DOJ) leadership to have Raleigh named a National Public Safety Partnership Site (PSP). The program aims to lower crime rates and improve quality of life through intensive training and technical assistance (TTA) to enhance gun violence investigations, constitutional policing, community engagement, crime analysis, and the use of technology in crime reduction.

    Driving Down Violent Crime and Dismantling Drug Traffickers

    Throughout his tenure, Easley and his team have led the charge to combat violent crime and drug trafficking in the District by launching a Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) with formal coordination sites in Raleigh, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Rocky Mount, New Bern, and the Albemarle Region. The VCAP strategy built deeper ties and sustained partnerships with law enforcement, with VCAP sites showing double-digit percentage declines in homicides since 2022, for example, Raleigh (↓37%), Fayetteville (↓39%), Wilmington (↓15%), and Rocky Mount (↓67%).

    VCAP is a collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local police departments, sheriff’s offices, and district attorney’s offices to identify and prosecute the most significant drivers of violence, specifically targeting shooters and the gunrunners who arm them.  Notable cases include the 20-year sentence for a Crabtree Valley Mall robbery and the carjacking, the sentencing of a Crips Gang member for multi-state gun trafficking; the indictment of two Sampson County men allegedly responsible for a quintuple murder, the prosecution of gang members with fully-automatic machine guns; and gun smuggling to Mexico.

    VCAP provides a forum for structured inter-agency coordination, intelligence-led policing, and deployment of federal Task Force Officers to bring federal technology to address local gun violence.

    In 2022, 2023, and 2024, EDNC prosecuted over 850 individuals for firearms offenses and took over 750 guns off the streets.

    In addition to VCAP, Easley revamped the Office’s Organized Crime & Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) by expanding the use of federal wiretaps, embedding federal agents alongside prosecutors, and increasing financial investigations. During Easley’s tenure, the Office achieved a #1 national rank for the number of OCDETF cases and #1 for the number of OCDETF defendants convicted of violence. Easley encouraged partners to prioritize national-scale cases with strong local impact, dismantling the trafficking, distribution, and money laundering pillars of criminal enterprises.

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Notable cases include the 75-year sentence of a national leader of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club for narcotics trafficking and violence; the indictment of 16 members of the Hell’s Angels and Red Devils motorcycle gangs as part of an alleged violent criminal enterprise; the 40-year sentence for a narcotics trafficker operating from a daycare; the prosecution of the leader of white supremacist organization for armed drug trafficking; the  35-year sentence of a violent Fayetteville fentanyl trafficker; the conviction of a Raleigh Police officer for drug trafficking; the conviction of two fentanyl traffickers with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel; the conviction of a Rocky Mount Blood Gang leader for drug trafficking and COVID-19 fraud; the 40-year sentence of a drug trafficker linked to the murder, dismemberment and disposal of a confidential informant;  the prosecution of a former Wayne County Sheriff’s deputy for drug trafficking and bid-rigging; and the 50-year sentence of a violent Sampson County Blood Gang leader for armed drug trafficking.

    Attacking the Fentanyl Epidemic

    Easley also prioritized the prosecution of cases involving counterfeit pills and overdose deaths arising from fentanyl poisoning. An Elizabeth City man was sentenced to 20 years for trafficking heroin and fentanyl after causing an overdose death, a Raleigh man received a 15-year sentence after assisting in the distribution of fentanyl that killed a young woman, and a Snapchat fentanyl trafficker whose counterfeit pills led to an overdose death received 13 years in prison.

    To help local law enforcement get justice for victims of fentanyl poisoning and their families, Easley launched Overdose Death Investigation Trainings to train more than 200 law enforcement officers and prosecutors across the District on building fentanyl death cases.

    Easley also worked to reduce demand for opioids through outreach and education through the Heroin Education Action Team (HEAT), including educational events in local communities and schools.  The team launched a powerful new educational video to teach students and communities about the dangers.

    Protecting America’s National Security, Sensitive Technology, and Cybersecurity

    Under Easley’s leadership, the Office prioritized national security cases involving domestic and international terrorism, international cybercriminals, and protecting sensitive technology from foreign adversaries.  The prosecutions included a man accused of attempting to join ISIS and convictions against five members of a white supremacist plot to attack the energy grid, an anti-government bombmaker teaching how to target law enforcement, and a U.S. Army Major convicted of shipping guns to Ghana.  The Office also extradited and pursued a groundbreaking case against one of the FBI’s most wanted cybercriminals responsible for tens of millions of dollars in losses from widescale ransomware attacks, including on a hospital.

    Easley also built deeper ties with the DOJ’s National Security Division and the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry & Security to launch a Disruptive Technology Strike Force (DTSF) cell to protect innovation in the Research Triangle’s high-tech sector. The DTSF partners with law enforcement and industry to protect advanced technology from unlawful acquisition by foreign adversaries. As home to the Research Triangle Park, world-class research institutions, and some of the Department of Defense’s largest installations, the EDNC hosts critical technology that malign foreign actors seek to obtain. The Raleigh DTSF cell is only one of fifteen in the country.  

    Surge in White Collar Fraud and Corruption Enforcement

    Under Easley’s leadership, the Office saw a significant surge in white-collar enforcement, with white-collar caseloads increasing 115% in a year.  Cases included the prosecution of a former Morgan Stanley financial advisor who defrauded investors in a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme, an ENT doctor sentenced to 25 years for defrauding Medicaid, a man who laundered $40mm in narco-linked crypto, and a plant manager who dumped tens of thousands of gallons of toxic waste into the Cape Fear River. The Office also prosecuted a $15-million-dollar COVID fraud scheme involving more than 20 businesses and individuals.

    These cases arose from the launch of dedicated working groups focused on Securities Fraud, Money Laundering, Public Health, Environmental Crimes, and other priority areas. The Office also launched an annual Economic Crimes Summit to build deeper ties with investigators across about 30 different agencies.

    Easley also launched an Illicit Finance Task Force with the Treasury Department to combat transnational money laundering by targeting third-party money launders and money-transmitting businesses utilizing cryptocurrency, banking, and brokerages to run dirty money through the American financial system.

    Expanding Civil Rights Enforcement

    Easley launched the Office’s first dedicated Civil Rights Team to enhance the Office’s civil rights enforcement. The team includes dedicated coordinators in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions and a designated Human Trafficking Coordinator. The Civil Rights Initiative emphasizes community engagement and law enforcement training.

    As a part of the effort, the Office trained more than 200 officers in de-escalation, use of force, and community engagement strategies. The Office also hosted multiple outreach events through its United Against Hate Initiative to build stronger relationships between law enforcement and the community and to educate communities on how to identify and report hate crimes.

    Easley also launched two human trafficking task forces – one in the Raleigh-Cary area and one in Southeastern North Carolina – to bring together law enforcement and community resources to share intelligence and investigative leads, provide specialized training, and promote greater public-private coordination to rescue and stabilize victims.

    Strong Civil Practice

    For the past three years, the EDNC’s Civil Division has ranked in the top 10 among large districts in the number of cases filed or responded to per AUSA. The Division has consistently ranked #1 in the Fourth Circuit for Affirmative Civil Rights and Affirmative Fraud cases and has ranked in the top five nationally compared to other large districts.  EDNC’s Financial Litigation Program (FLP), responsible for collecting debts owed to the U.S. Government, collected over $58 million in the last three fiscal years.

    About U.S. Attorney Easley

    Prior to his appointment as the U.S. Attorney, Easley was a partner at a large international law firm focused on internal investigations and trial court work in state and federal courts.  

    Born in Southport, North Carolina, Easley attended the University of North Carolina, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with honors and distinction in political science. He later received his law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: shíshálh Nation, B.C. renew landmark reconciliation agreement

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Patrick Weiler, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country –

    “The shíshálh Nation and the Province of British Columbia chose a new path in 2018 to work together on the process of reconciliation. I’m excited to see this shared commitment renewed and updated, and I look forward to collaborating to plan for the future and bring positive outcomes to the entire Sunshine Coast.”

    Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests –

    “True, lasting and meaningful reconciliation will only be achieved through honouring the commitments we’ve made and building trusted partnerships by working side by side with First Nations. In renewing the Foundation Agreement, shíshálh Nation and the Province are helping build a strong, robust and sustainable forest sector for the next 100 years.”

    Alton Toth, chair, Sunshine Coast Regional District –

    “This update to the Foundation Agreement is a tremendous step forward for the shíshálh Nation when it comes to self-determination and reclaiming rights that were previously suppressed. The Sunshine Coast Regional District is honoured to work with the shíshálh Nation on numerous projects and services on an ongoing basis. We look forward to strengthening these partnerships and exploring new opportunities as we continue our shared journey toward meaningful reconciliation.”

    Jef Keighley, director, Sunshine Coast Conservation Association –

    “I heartily applaud and join in celebrating the shíshálh Nation’s second five-year update of their historic Foundation Agreement. The Nation has proven that true reconciliation works to the mutual benefit of both shíshálh and non-shíshálh people living within their spectacular swiya. British Columbians should also thank the Province for demonstrating the courage, vision and wisdom in working with the shíshálh Nation to help build a more co-operative path to our future.”

    Kelly Matheson-King, chief operating officer, BluEarth Renewables –

    “The renewal of the Foundation Agreement between shíshálh Nation and the Province clearly signals an ongoing commitment to advancing the journey to reconciliation. It is exciting to see the renewed commitment of these governments to shared decision-making in relation to land, environment and economy. BluEarth deeply values walking in partnership with shíshálh through our joint implementation of renewable energy technologies within their swiya.”

    Kent Stuehmer, vice-president and general manager, Heidelberg Materials –

    “Heidelberg Materials is pleased to continue building on our long-standing and successful relationship with the shíshálh Nation, as we celebrate yet another milestone in this historic agreement with the provincial government. We look forward to the growth and opportunities that this progressive and collaborative approach provides to the people of Sechelt and to all those who live and work in B.C.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New cabinet committee will protect B.C.’s economy from tariff threat

    Premier David Eby is tasking a new cabinet committee with co-ordinating the whole-of-government approach to protect B.C.’s workers, businesses and economy against ongoing tariff threats from the United States.

    Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, will chair the committee, which will act as a day-to-day war room, co-ordinating actions across government to fight back on behalf of British Columbians and grow the province’s economy.

    “The proposed U.S. tariffs are a direct attack on B.C.’s families,” Premier Eby said. “This threat isn’t going away anytime soon – not while this president is in power. Every minister has an important role to play in fighting back. Minister Kahlon brings deep experience in government to the table and is uniquely positioned to co-ordinate this work across government ministries.”

    The B.C. government has stepped up with a three-point strategy to fight back and protect British Columbians: respond to U.S. tariffs with tough counter-actions and outreach to American decision-makers; strengthen B.C.’s economy by expediting projects and supporting industry and workers; and diversify trade markets for products so British Columbia is less reliant on U.S. markets and customers.

    “We didn’t ask for this fight, but B.C. will not be bullied,” Kahlon said. “My colleagues and I will work shoulder to shoulder with workers, business and community leaders to meet this moment.”

    The new committee will ensure that B.C.’s response is fast, tough and fully focused on protecting British Columbians, while strengthening, growing and diversifying the province’s economy for the long-term.

    Members of the new cabinet committee are:

    • Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs (chair)
    • Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
    • Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance
    • Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions
    • Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food
    • Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
    • Rick Glumac, Minister of State for Trade
    • Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests
    • Jagrup Brar, Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals
    • Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Barrasso Calls on Senate to Confirm Lee Zeldin

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso
    “Lee knows that innovation, not government intervention, is the best solution to lower prices, to grow the economy, and to protect our environment…He is the right nominee to lead the EPA.”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today spoke on the Senate floor calling for the quick confirmation of Lee Zeldin, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
    Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
    Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
    “I strongly support Congressman Lee Zeldin to be the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
    “We are blessed in America with enormous natural resources.
    “I support using our resources responsibly. I support sensible environmental stewardship. Americans deserve clean water and clean air. They deserve good jobs and economic strength.
    “Environmental protection and economic growth should go hand-in-hand. They are not mutually exclusive.
    “As head of the EPA, Lee will return the agency to its original missionof protecting America’s air, water, and land – without, as he puts it, ‘suffocating the economy.’
    “Nearly two weeks ago, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing on Lee. As the former Chairman of the Committee, I was honored to introduce him.
    “Lee is highly qualified. His support is bipartisan.
    “Lee is a lifelong public servant. He is a seasoned lawyer with a sharp legal mind. He has over 20 years of military service. He currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserves.
    “Lee also served 8 years in Congress. As a representative from New York,he worked to strengthen our economy and protect his district’s unique ecosystem. He worked across party lines to do so.
    “For the last four years, the so-called experts at the Environmental Protection Agency went on a reckless regulatory rampage.
    “They saddled American families and businesses with higher costs and heavy-handed restrictions. They bowed to climate extremism and ignored common sense.
    “In 2024, the EPA introduced one of the most expensive regulations in American history – the electric vehicle mandate.
    “The EV Mandate was left-wing lunacy at its worst.
    “According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute, its total cost of compliance is $760 billion. To put that in perspective, the cost of this one regulation is nearly equal to the price tag of 8 years of regulations under President Barack Obama.
    “The EV mandate would also cost hundreds of thousands of jobs.
    “Americans rejected the EV Mandate and other costly climate policies in November. President Trump revoked the EV Mandate on his first day in office.
    “Here in the Senate, repealing the Biden EV subsidies is one of my top priorities. These subsidies are estimated to cost more than $393 billion.
    “Americans should not have their tax dollars pay for vehicles thatmost Americans don’t want, can’t afford, and don’t work for them or their families. Americans should not be dependent on Communist China like we are today with electric vehicles.
    “Lee Zeldin will continue President Trump’s mission to roll back punishing, political regulations.
    “The EPA does important work in states and local communities.
    “Lee will be a fantastic partner to my home state of Wyoming.
    “He will not impose one-size-fits-all mandates on American consumers and businesses. Instead, he will cut red tape. We will see a new wave of creativity and innovation.
    “Lee knows that innovation, not government intervention, is the best solution to lower prices, to grow the economy, and to protect our environment.
    “Many Americans are confident that Lee will right the ship and restore balance at the EPA.
    “One of those organizations is the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.
    “In a letter to the Committee, the Association said that Lee has ‘shown a willingness to engage with a broad spectrum of stakeholders to address pressing issues.’
    “Lee also impressed our colleagues here in the Senate. This is what my Democrat colleague from Arizona said about Lee: ‘He’s a qualified candidate for this job.’
    “I share America’s confidence in Lee.
    “Through three hours of tough questions, Lee Zeldin proved he is well-qualified.
    “He showed he is committed to strong environmental protection and energy production.
    “He is the right nominee to lead the EPA. The Senate should confirm him quickly.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘I was shocked’: a scientist tracking koalas films startling behaviour between young males

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darcy Watchorn, Threatened Species Biologist, Wildlife Conservation & Science Department, Zoos Victoria, and Visiting Scholar, School of Life & Environmental Science, Deakin University

    Darcy Watchorn

    It’s a cold, drizzly night in a forest west of Melbourne. I’m sitting on a damp log, clutching a thermos of lukewarm tea and watching a koala snooze on a branch above me. Suddenly, it lifts its head. I sit up straight, pen poised to record what happens. But the koala simply yawns and resumes the blob position. I sigh and take another sip of tea.

    Why am I doing this? To research the social behaviour of koalas and hopefully learn more about what they do at night, when they are most active.

    After many nights, and many sips of tea, I witness something truly unexpected: male koalas engaging in affectionate behaviours with each other, such as play and grooming. I was shocked. Adult koalas are normally solitary, so observations such as this are exceedingly rare.

    My new research paper presents these findings. It provides the most detailed account of these behaviours to date, and offers a unique glimpse into how social dynamics between koalas may change when they are forced to live in close quarters.

    An adult female koala (right) and her very large joey (left) on a tree in Cape Otway, Victoria
    Darcy Watchorn

    Why are these behaviours so surprising?

    Most animals exhibit some type of social behaviour. These can include mating, vocalising to communicate, or defending their territory. But some highly social, group-living animals – such as wolves, primates and dolphins – will also display friendly and peaceful acts between individuals, such as grooming each other and playing.

    These are known as “affiliative” behaviours, and they are key to social relationships between animals, and to maintaining complex social hierarchies.

    Adult koalas, though, are generally solitary (except, obviously, when mating). They are usually widely spread over an area and rarely come face-to-face, instead interacting over long distances by vocalising and leaving their scent.

    And when male koalas do physically interact, it is usually a violent affair. More than once, I’ve seen male koalas scratched and bloodied — missing chunks of fur and even a claw — after fighting with a rival male.

    That’s why my observations of affection between young male koalas were so surprising.

    What I saw after dark

    Over three painstaking weeks, I studied a koala population in the woodlands of Cape Otway, southern Victoria. Each night, I went out between 9pm and 2am to track and observe the males. I used a red-light spotlight to avoid disturbing them. If I saw something interesting, I filmed it. You can watch the video below.

    After two weeks, I observed three males engaging in unexpected “affiliative” behaviours. They were grooming each other, sniffing each other’s genitals and vocalising to each other in soft, high-pitched calls, similar to the sounds baby koalas make.

    They also appeared to be playing. They would gently — but perhaps provocatively — bite one another on the arm and ear, a bit like cheeky puppies do.

    These interactions weren’t brief, either. I watched the koalas for two hours before finally giving in to sleep. When I went back at lunchtime the next day, they were still at it.

    What’s behind these affectionate behaviours?

    This type of social interaction between wild koalas had only been observed once before, more than 30 years ago, in a high-density koala population on French Island off Victoria.

    Like that earlier observation, the koalas I recorded were young adult males, roughly aged between three and five years. Hormonal activity can surge at this life stage, leading to an increase in social behaviours such as play and boldness.

    But if the affectionate behaviours were solely the result of teenage hormones, you’d expect it to be observed more often in many koalas in this age group. But that’s not the case.

    Instead, these behaviours are most likely a result of the large koala populations.

    Typically, fewer than two koalas are found per hectare. At Cape Otway, there were 15 koalas per hectare. This number can reach up to 20 in parts of South Australia and Victoria.

    This high density means the home ranges of koalas are more likely to overlap and their interactions will be more frequent. It also means competition for food, space and mates can be especially high.

    So young males might use affectionate behaviours — such as grooming and playing — to reduce conflict and manage stress. It may help individuals become familiar with their neighbours, establish hierarchies and avoid aggressive encounters.

    Genetics may also play a role. Like many high-density koala populations, this population had low genetic diversity, meaning there was a high degree of relatedness among individuals.

    Low genetic diversity can be a big problem for species overall. But it does mean some animals might identify their relatives, and tolerate being close to them.

    The causes of low genetic diversity in high-density koala populations are complex. The species was almost hunted to extinction. This meant a vastly reduced number of koalas could pass on their genes to the next generation. To make matters worse, habitat destruction can prevent koalas from dispersing over a wide area.

    This truckload of koala pelts was taken during the 1927 open season in Queensland.
    State Library of Queensland, CC BY-ND

    The complex reality of koala conservation

    Koalas are listed as endangered in New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT. But high-density koala populations, such as the one I observed in Cape Otway, also present major conservation challenges.

    Too many koalas feeding in an area puts pressure on preferred tree species. This can result in mass tree death, and habitat loss for koalas and other species. In some cases, koalas can starve.

    Unfortunately, there are no quick and easy solutions to this issue. Moving koalas from crowded areas to places where they are endangered often isn’t possible, due to differences in climate and the unique gut bacteria koalas need for their local food trees.

    Other interventions, such as fertility control, can be effective. But this takes many years of intensive effort and significant funding, making it vulnerable to budget cuts and shifting priorities.

    Some experts say culling could be used to control koala numbers and conserve the surrounding habitat, as it is for kangaroos. However, this is likely to draw widespread public opposition.

    These complex challenges offer an unexpected silver lining, however. As my experience shows, high-density koala populations provide unique opportunities to observe rare social behaviours in this iconic species. All you need is curiosity, a big cup of tea, and patience.

    Darcy Watchorn works for Zoos Victoria, a not-for-profit zoo-based conservation organisation. He is a member of the Ecological Society of Australia, the Australian Mammal Society, and the Society for Conservation Biology.

    – ref. ‘I was shocked’: a scientist tracking koalas films startling behaviour between young males – https://theconversation.com/i-was-shocked-a-scientist-tracking-koalas-films-startling-behaviour-between-young-males-247339

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gene pools are getting dangerously shallow for many species. We found 5 ways to help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn Shaw, Research Fellow in Conservation Genomics, University of Canberra

    A golden bandicoot (_Isoodon auratus_) Colleen Sims/Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, CC BY-SA

    Before species go extinct, their populations often shrink and become isolated. Healthy populations tend to have a large gene pool with many genetic variants circulating. But the path to extinction erodes genetic diversity, because a species’ gene pool shrinks as the population declines. Losing genetic diversity limits the ability of populations to adapt to threats such as disease and climate change.

    So, what is the state of genetic diversity in animals, plants, fungi and algae worldwide? And how could focusing on this crucial level of biodiversity help build resilience in the face of global change? We explore these questions in our new study, published today in Nature.

    Our team of 57 scientists from 20 countries trawled through more than 80,000 scientific articles across three decades to summarise evidence of genetic change in populations in 141 countries.

    Alarmingly, we found genetic diversity is being lost globally across many species, especially birds and mammals. This loss was most severe in studies reporting changes in habitat, new diseases, natural disasters, and human activities such as hunting or logging.

    But there’s hope. Our study suggests conservation strategies can help maintain or even increase genetic diversity.

    Isolated populations of the endangered Scandinavian arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) have become inbred.
    Jonatan Pie, Unsplash

    What is genetic diversity and why does it matter?

    At the core of every cell lies a copy of the instruction manual for living things. This is the genetic code, made up of DNA molecules. But its sequence varies enormously, separating a moth from a tree from a bacterium. Even within a species, we see distinct genetic differences between individuals. These genetic differences contribute to differences in their traits, which is why we get individuals who are taller or shorter, faster or slower, bolder or more cautious.

    This genetic diversity stems from mutations. Often, these mutations are not helpful. But at times, they can enable populations to adapt to change.

    For example, golden kelp (Ecklonia radiata) likes colder water. But in a population, some individuals will have mutations suited for warm water. When a devastating marine heatwave hit the West Australian coast in 2011, individuals with warm-water mutations were more likely to survive and reproduce. This genetic diversity enabled the kelp population to adapt to the warmer conditions.

    This is why genetic diversity is so important – it gives species more resilience in a rapidly changing world. This priority has been recognised in Australia’s Strategy for Nature, and in goals and targets discussed at the United Nations biodiversity summit COP16.

    How can we safeguard or restore genetic diversity for threatened species?

    To answer this question, we used a technique called meta-analysis to look for patterns. From more than 80,000 published articles, we identified 882 studies which measured changes in genetic diversity over time. These studies came from right around the globe and across the entire “tree of life”.

    They show there are many ways to conserve genetic diversity. Here are five promising strategies to help keep species resilient.

    Scientists from 20 countries came together to read thousands of papers and collect data on genetic diversity during in-person and online workshops.
    Robyn Shaw

    Action 1: Adding individuals

    Adding individuals to an existing population is known as supplementation. Our research found supplementation was the only action linked to a significant increase in genetic diversity, especially in birds.

    Supplementation can help reduce the harmful effects of inbreeding, which is common in small, isolated populations. For example, conservationists working to safeguard New Zealand’s South Island robins (Petroica australis) moved female birds between isolated islands. The offspring of parents from different islands had stronger immune systems, higher survival rates, and improved reproductive health compared to their inbred counterparts.

    Supplementation is key for boosting genetic diversity, improving population health and building resilience.

    Action 2: Population control

    Doing the opposite – removing individuals – can actually improve outcomes for the population as a whole in some circumstances, by, for instance, reducing competition.

    But genetic diversity results varied a lot in studies using population control. So how can this strategy be used effectively?

    In one case, conservationists in the United States used population control of coaster brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in a hatchery to prevent any single family from breeding too much. This meant multiple genetic lineages were maintained, increasing genetic diversity.

    Action 3: Restoration

    Ecosystem restoration can include planting trees, rehabilitating wetlands or restoring natural patterns of fire and water. We found genetic diversity was often maintained over time when ecological restoration was used.

    Restoration efforts, alongside supplementation, are important to the survival of the greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), which had lost much habitat. Researchers report restoring and expanding suitable habitat is proving crucial to sustain genetic diversity and achieving long-term recovery.

    Found in the US and Canada, greater prairie-chickens are known for their courtship dance.
    Danita Delimont/Shutterstock

    Action 4: Control of other species

    Feral, pest or overabundant species can outcompete, eat, or graze on species under threat. Controlling these species was linked to maintenance of genetic diversity in the studies we analysed overall.

    For example, control of red fox numbers helped the Arctic fox(Vulpes lagopu) recover in Sweden. The technique reduced competition over resources such as food while new foxes from Norway were added to the wild population. Inbreeding was reduced, and survival improved.

    Action 5: Conservation introductions and reintroductions

    Establishing new populations at new sites is known as a conservation introduction, while a reintroduction means restoring populations where they previously existed.

    We found mixed results for genetic diversity when these actions were reported. So, what factors contribute to success?

    In Western Australia, a large number of golden bandicoots (Isoodon auratus) from a robust island population were reintroduced to three sites. After six generations, genetic diversity at these sites remained similar to the original source population. Success came from careful planning to ensure the new populations had a large gene pool to start from.

    Overall, our study revealed many cases of genetic diversity loss. But we also found evidence that conservation action – especially supplementation – can improve the genetic health of a species.

    Researchers, conservation managers and volunteers helped grow seedlings and establish new populations of the critically endangered feather-leaved banksia near Albany in Western Australia.
    David Coates

    What can you do?

    Supporting genetic diversity can be done at home.

    If you have a garden, you can plant native species to support habitat connectivity.

    Growing heirloom vegetables and rare fruit trees, or breeding heritage chooks can maintain genetic diversity in our food system.

    Join community or botanic garden groups, or work with conservation groups to improve habitat or bolster numbers of threatened species.

    While enjoying nature, avoid accidentally moving plants, seeds, or soil to new areas to reduce the spread of pests and diseases.

    These small actions add up, helping to safeguard biodiversity at all levels – including genetic diversity.

    Robyn Shaw was supported during the study by funding from the Australian Research Council. The project workshop was sponsored by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology Action ‘Genomic Biodiversity Knowledge for Resilient Ecosystems’. She is a member of the Coalition for Conservation Genetics and the IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group.

    Catherine Grueber’s research into the conservation genetics of threatened species receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the University of Sydney (Robinson Fellowship). She is a member of the Coalition for Conservation Genetics, and the IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group.

    Katherine Farquharson was supported during the study by funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science. She is affiliated with Koala Conservation Australia.

    – ref. Gene pools are getting dangerously shallow for many species. We found 5 ways to help – https://theconversation.com/gene-pools-are-getting-dangerously-shallow-for-many-species-we-found-5-ways-to-help-242708

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Secures Zeldin Commitment to Clean Up West Lake Landfill as EPA Administrator

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Wednesday, January 29, 2025

    Ahead of the first Senate vote to advance Lee Zeldin as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) secured Zeldin’s commitment to visit and clean up the West Lake Landfill Superfund site in Bridgeton, Missouri.
    “For years, the EPA has dragged their feet and refused to clean up the West Lake Landfill. And Missourians have been left to suffer. I was happy to hear Lee Zeldin commit to changing the failed status quo, if confirmed as EPA Administrator,” said Senator Hawley. “He’s committed to visiting the West Lake Landfill site, to finally start cleanup – and get it finished. This is a tremendous step in the right direction. And now we must pass RECA.” 
    BACKGROUND
    The West Lake Landfill Superfund site contains radioactive contamination dating back from the Manhattan project. In the 1960s, the federal government hired a company to dispose of this waste, which originated from a processing facility in St. Louis, but the waste was placed in the landfill in 1973 without proper remediation. The EPA has jurisdiction over the site.
    Senator Hawley’s proposal to expand and reauthorize the RECA program passed the Senate twice, with strong bipartisan support. Last week, Senator Hawley reintroduced his proposal to give nuclear radiation victims compensation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Commission influence on Parliament through lobby groups – P-000351/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-000351/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Markus Buchheit (ESN)

    It has recently come to light that the Commission has been trying to support the spread of e-mobility by funding lobby groups under the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action.[1]

    • 1.To what extent does the Commission regard it as compatible with the principles of separation of powers and of democratic decision-making for NGOs to be tasked with influencing how MEPs vote?
    • 2.What action does the Commission plan to take to make such support more transparent and prevent possible conflicts of interest?
    • 3.Is the Commission planning to review or amend existing contracts with NGOs under the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action?

    Submitted: 27.1.2025

    • [1] https://www.focus.de/auto/news/umstrittene-finanzierung-eu-bezahlt-gruene-pressure-groups-zur-durchsetzung-ihrer-elektroauto-agenda_id_260659379.html
    Last updated: 29 January 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito to Chair Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Subcommittee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today announced that she will serve as the chairman of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees funding across a large range of programs within the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services (HHS), and other independent agencies. Senator Capito previously served as ranking member of the subcommittee during the 118th Congress.
    “I’m honored to continue my efforts—now as chairman—on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to represent the needs of West Virginians. In this impactful role, I will strive to ensure the funding we provide is used in the most efficient and effective manner and that critical oversight is provided.
    “Additionally, I look forward to working with committee leadership and members in this new role to support many priorities that are important to my state of West Virginia, such as Alzheimer’s research, efforts to end childhood cancer, fighting the addiction crisis, the wellbeing of our miners, and supporting the education and research missions of our schools and universities. Regardless of the scope or challenges, I will approach this opportunity with the objective of ensuring the voices and priorities of West Virginia are heard and understood. I appreciate the support of Chairman Collins in this role and I am excited to work together in our Republican Congress to advance the goals of the Trump administration,” Chairman Capito said.
    In addition to her chairman role, Senator Capito will continue serving on the following Appropriations Subcommittees: Defense; Homeland Security; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.
    In addition to the Appropriations Committee, Senator Capito will continue serving on the Committee on Environment and Public Works as chairman; the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the Committee on Rules and Administration.
    This is the fourth Appropriations Subcommittee Senator Capito has been a chairman of as a member of the committee during her time in the Senate. She previously chaired the Homeland Security, Financial Service and General Government, and Legislative Branch subcommittees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defence Secretary speech at the ADS Annual Dinner: 28 January 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Defence Secretary John Healey addressed the ADS Annual Dinner on 28 January 2025.

    Good evening. Let me begin by thanking Kevin and his team at ADS for hosting this splendid event and for their work in promoting an industry that is the foundation for our way of life.

    ADS is going from strength to strength, with a double digit increase in your membership last year.

    You represent a commitment to innovation and excellence that are hallmarks of the British business spirit.

    Yours is an industry which proves that we are still – at heart – a nation of makers and inventors. I know recent times haven’t been easy. And as Defence Secretary, I am grateful to you all.

    This event brings us together from across the UK, across the industry and across the political divide.

    I welcome this because defence policy and procurement commitments reach beyond political cycles.

    I believe I’m the first Defence Secretary who’s spoken at this dinner, and tonight, you have two for the price of one with me as the warmup act for Penny Mourdant’s after dinner speech.

    Penny is someone with a lifelong connection and commitment to our armed forces, who rose to become the first woman ever to hold the role of Defence Secretary.

    I’ve had the privilege of six months in the role, part of a government taking on profound challenges in our economy, our public finances and our national security.

    Yet, as a new government, we’ve already:

    • Stepped up and speeded up support for Ukraine…
    • Increased defence spending by nearly £3 billion…
    • Launched a first of its kind Strategic Defence Review…
    • Given service personnel the largest pay rise in over 20 years… and still dealt with a multi-billion in-year deficit…
    • Signed the landmark Trinity House Agreement with Germany…
    • Secured a huge deal to buy back over 36,000 military homes to improve forces housing and save taxpayers billions…
    • Set new targets to tackle the recruitment crisis…
    • Begun a transformational MOD reform programme…
    • And got the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill through the House of Commons to improve service life.

    The point I want to make is that this is a new government that is delivering for defence.

    Something which I was able to underline last Friday at Rolls Royce, announcing a major new contract over 8 years, which will boost British jobs, business and national security.

    There’s incredible work being done there in Derby, by an incredible team, some of whom are here this evening.

    It’s a big investment, but behind the numbers are 200 apprentices a year who now feel they have a future.  

    And suppliers – 92 per cent of which are British based – who now feel like have certainty. 

    What really struck me – and it happens every time I visit a defence site – is the deep sense of pride and purpose.

    Defence workers are right to feel that way. Their efforts keep us all safe.

    And as an industry, you also invest huge sums in research and development. One of the great strengths of the defence industry is that you force us to reach for the future.

    Down the years, you’ve been responsible for some of the most significant innovations in history. Designed for times of war but which often produce lasting benefits for wider society well beyond the battlefield.

    As a nation, we’re good – and rightly so – at taking pride in the professionalism of our soldiers, sailors and aviators.

    But we know that that they are only as effective as the industry which equips them.

    We must be better at celebrating the role of the coders, programmers, scientists and engineers who provide our forces with the tools they need to protect us.

    It’s why I want us to not only change the way we work with the defence industry, but also change the way we see the defence industry.

    On the way we work with industry, I hope the last few months serve as a glimpse of type of partnership we want to forge.

    From industry involvement – for the first time ever – in our war gaming, to the creation of the new Defence Industrial Joint Council. 

    And on the way we see industry, we know we have much to do.

    Right now, there’s growing security concerns for defence firms at university careers, you attend to offer young people a route to a better life.

    You’re facing harassment and intimidation, forced to cancel events on campus. This is wrong.

    This attitude takes for granted the privileged position we enjoy in Britain – to live in freedom and security… security our defence industry guarantees. 

    So, today – alongside the Business and Education Secretaries – I’ve written to Universities UK for assurances about your safety on campuses. 

    We’re also seeing defence firms ranked alongside tobacco and gambling in Environmental, Social and Governance audits. And pension funds divest from you.

    I have no doubt the intentions are well-meaning. But they’re fundamentally flawed.

    We don’t stop wars by boycotting our defence industry.

    We stop wars by backing it.

    Let’s not forget that national security is a pre-condition for economic security, investor confidence and social stability. 

    I will always be a fierce advocate for you in the Department, to wider government, to the City, to the British public and to whoever needs to hear it.

    My challenge to you – as an industry – is to be louder and confident about your role.

    As my friend – Jonny Reynolds– said to the President’s Reception earlier:

    “You are exceptional in your importance… in helping to safeguard our national security and our way of life.

    “But you are also exceptional in your contribution to our economy. Nearly half a million well paid jobs are directly owed to aerospace, defence, security and space sectors.”

    To meet the challenges of this new era of threats, you’ve seen the direction we want to take with our Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent.

    And let me thank everyone who’s shared their insights so far in submissions to both our industrial strategy, and SDR consultations. 

    I know – for some – our Statement of Intent may have been met with a degree of scepticism. You’ve been here before… I get that…

    New government, new ideas.

    But old habits die hard and entrenched interests dig in.

    Previous industrial strategies have produced policies – many of them good – but there wasn’t the plan, the structures and the relentless attention to reform needed to make change happen.

    So, why will this be different?

    First, it has to be different. 

    The war in Ukraine confronts us with the deep truth that when a country faces conflict or is forced to fight, its armed forces are only as strong as the industry which stands behind them…

    That innovation and production capacity is a major part of our nation’s – and our alliance’s – deterrence.

    And that industry’s constant purpose is to give the nation’s war fighters the advantage over our adversaries.

    The last Defence Industrial Strategy was published in 2021, a year before Putin shattered the peace in Europe.

    Ours will hardwire in these lessons and so too will the Strategic Defence Review.

    Second, I’m driving deep reform to defence.

    It doesn’t make news headlines, but it’s an essential foundation for implementing both the SDR and Defence Industrial Strategy.

    For industry, it means you’ll be brought in earlier to the conversation on how we should fight…

    We’ll ask you how you can help solve our problems rather than giving you a requirement to deliver.

    You’ll also see the creation of a new role, the National Armaments Director, soon-to-be one of the most senior roles in UK Defence, sitting alongside the Chief of the Defence Staff and Permanent Secretary.

    Their responsibilities will include:

    • Repairing a broken procurement system…
    • Ensuring our armed forces have what they need to fulfil their duty of protecting our nation…
    • And championing your industry at home and abroad.

    Third, defence is part of our bigger British drive for growth – the government’s number one mission.

    The Chancellor is speaking tomorrow about how we are going to meet this challenge.

    But the message I want to reinforce is that defence is an engine for driving economic growth.

    Fourth, we’ve proved we can do it by supporting Ukraine through Taskforce KINDRED and HIRST.

    From the onset, when it took 287 days after Putin invaded to sign contracts for new NLAWs…

    … to today, when we’ve created industrial bases for new capabilities – virtually from scratch…

    Supplying – at scale – one of the most effective drone systems in Ukraine.

    Restarted artillery barrel manufacturing in the UK to deliver hundreds to the front line.

    Enhancing our own capabilities through Stormer and Starstreak…while Gravehawk, Snapper and Wasp have all been developed with breathtaking speed.

    I don’t just want this to be the government’s new Defence Industrial Strategy, it needs to be a national endeavour… private and public… SMEs and primes… innovators and educators… trade associations and trade unions…

    All creating a defence industry which is better and more integrated…

    One that can keep our armed forces equipped… and innovating at wartime pace, ahead of our adversaries.

    The Shadow Defence Secretary is familiar with the challenges. 

    I know he will play his part in holding us to account.

    And I trust he – and his Party – will play their part in backing reforms that strengthen our country’s defence and its defence industry.

    This is new era of threats, demands a new era for defence.

    Change is essential, not optional.

    Our success rests on a new partnership with innovators, investors and industry.

    Our government is determined to meet the challenge, determined to deliver for defence.

    Together, we will make Britain secure at home and strong abroad.

    Thank you – enjoy your evening and I look forward to working with you over the coming years.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Major League Soccer returns to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Major League Soccer returns to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

    January 29, 2025

    UPDATE

    Major League Soccer returns to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV for historic 30th season

    Beginning today, fans in over 100 countries and regions can subscribe for access to every MLS game with no blackouts

    The regular season kicks off February 22-23

    Major League Soccer returns to Apple TV next month, and starting today, fans in more than 100 countries and regions can sign up for MLS Season Pass to catch all the action throughout the 30th anniversary season. Subscribers can access every MLS game with no blackouts, along with in-depth coverage and analysis, expansive programming, exclusive content, and more — including the annual Leagues Cup tournament, MLS All-Star Game, Audi MLS Cup Playoffs games, and select MLS NEXT Pro matches.

    The 2025 season begins Saturday, February 22, and kicks off the third year of an unprecedented 10-year partnership between Apple and Major League Soccer. The upcoming season also marks the arrival of the 30th MLS team, San Diego FC.

    “MLS Season Pass delivers fans exactly what they want, connecting them with the game they love across all of their devices, with no blackouts,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “Heading into our third year with MLS, we’re excited to continue elevating the fan experience and can’t wait for the season to begin.”

    “Our partnership with Apple has redefined how fans experience Major League Soccer, bringing the league to more people around the world than ever before,” said Don Garber, MLS’s commissioner. “With the addition of Sunday Night Soccer, a new studio, and the debut of Onside: Major League Soccer on Apple TV+, 2025 will be our best season yet. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of our partnership with Apple.”

    Preseason Action on MLS Season Pass

    To celebrate the start of the 2025 season, MLS Season Pass will broadcast select preseason matches, including when LAFC faces reigning Liga MX Apertura 2024 champion Club América on February 11 at 10:30 p.m. ET, and Inter Miami’s final preseason friendly against Orlando City SC on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET. These matches will also be available to stream free for Apple TV+ subscribers.

    MLS is Back: 2025 Opening Weekend

    On February 22 and February 23, all 30 clubs will take the pitch for MLS is Back weekend. MLS MVP Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF host New York City FC in the first match of the season at 2:30 p.m. ET. The complete regular-season schedule can be found at mlssoccer.com.

    Introducing Sunday Night Soccer

    New for 2025, MLS Season Pass will broadcast a featured game of the week on Sunday evenings under the banner Sunday Night Soccer, with enhanced production and dedicated studio programming. These primetime games will air throughout the regular season and spotlight the league’s most compelling matchups. Sunday Night Soccer will include dedicated pre- and postgame shows, enhanced production and studio programming, and bespoke graphics in English and Spanish. All Sunday Night Soccer matches will also be available to stream free for Apple TV+ subscribers.

    Sunday Night Soccer matches will feature broadcast talent on camera, with leading MLS Season Pass broadcasters Jake Zivin, Taylor Twellman, and Andrew Wiebe on the call for English broadcasts, and Sammy Sadovnik and Diego Valeri in Spanish. MLS Wrap Up and MLS El Resumen will move to Sunday evenings following the final Sunday match to highlight and recap the full week of matches, giving fans a more comprehensive view of all the week’s action, with first-rate commentary and analysis, along with can’t-miss highlights.

    The inaugural Sunday Night Soccer matchup will showcase the league’s newest franchise, San Diego FC, as it makes its debut against reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy on February 23 at 7 p.m. ET. To add to the excitement, the match will also broadcast live in Times Square.

    T-Mobile Customers Get MLS Season Pass Free

    T-Mobile is giving qualified T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers — including businesses — a promotional offer for complimentary access to MLS Season Pass all season long with no blackout dates. T-Mobile customers can redeem for a limited time via T-Mobile Tuesdays in the T-Life app, starting February 18.

    MLS Season Pass on Comcast

    Apple is partnering with Comcast to offer Xfinity customers an integrated viewing experience for MLS Season Pass, bringing all live matches directly into the Xfinity user interface so customers can easily find and watch all the action alongside other live programming. As part of the partnership, customers will be able to sign up for MLS Season Pass directly through Xfinity, and every live match will be seamlessly incorporated throughout the viewing experience, including within the channel guide on X1 and the Xfinity Stream app, and the Apple TV app.

    Comcast and Apple are also unlocking free access to MLS 360 for all Xfinity customers throughout the season, the first time the popular whip-around studio show — which provides live looks-ins from every match — has been available without an MLS Season Pass subscription. And to celebrate the start of the 2025 season and the launch of the new viewing experience, Xfinity will offer all customers a free preview of MLS Season Pass from February 22 to March 2, after which they’ll be able to subscribe to MLS Season Pass through Xfinity.

    MLS Season Pass on DIRECTV

    New for the 2025 season, DIRECTV residential customers can subscribe to MLS Season Pass through DIRECTV. Matches will be available to watch live in the DIRECTV satellite guide on channels 480 through 495, similar to the viewing experience for other league packages. Customers who subscribe through DIRECTV will also be able to access MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app.

    DIRECTV is making a free preview of MLS Season Pass available to all DIRECTV residential and commercial satellite customers from February 22 to March 1, after which those customers will be able to upgrade to MLS Season Pass through DIRECTV channels. This offering expands upon DIRECTV’s exclusive rights to provide MLS Season Pass to commercial establishments, which has been available to DIRECTV for BUSINESS’s vast network of more than 300,000 sports bars, restaurants, and more since the 2023 season.

    More Ways to Celebrate the 30th MLS Season

    • On February 21, Apple TV+ will premiere the highly anticipated eight-part panoramic documentary event Onside: Major League Soccer. Produced for Apple by the dynamic sports storytellers Box to Box Films, in partnership with Major League Soccer, the docuseries provides unprecedented access to players, coaches, and clubs, and explores the electrifying moments and captivating stories that made the 2024 season unforgettable. The first episode of Onside: Major League Soccer will be available for free to all MLS Season Pass subscribers from February 21 to March 3. Watch the official trailer.
    • The free Apple Sports app for iPhone is the best way for fans to stay up to date on scores, stats, standings, and their favorite clubs throughout the MLS season.1 Users can easily navigate between scores and upcoming games; explore play-by-play information, team stats, lineup details, and live betting odds; and tap to watch matches on MLS Season Pass in the Apple TV app.2 Apple Sports also seamlessly syncs with favorites selected within the My Sports experience, including in the Apple TV app and Apple News. With iOS 18 and watchOS 11, the Apple Sports app now offers Live Activities for all MLS matches, delivering live scores and play-by-play info at a quick glance to a user’s iPhone and Apple Watch Lock Screens.3
    • On Apple Music, fans can enjoy exclusive club- and player-curated playlists, with more music content coming throughout the season at apple.co/AM-MLS.
    • Apple Maps users can explore dedicated Matchday Guides created by MLS clubs and city guides created by players to find recommendations for local bars and restaurants to catch a game, explore city favorites, find detailed information about their stadiums, and more.
    • On Apple News, users can easily follow MLS and their favorite teams in the Sports tab and access scores, schedules, standings, and top stories from hundreds of top publishers.
    • On Apple Podcasts, users can access an MLS hub with curated podcast episodes and collections covering MLS, its clubs and players, and soccer in North America.
    • Select Apple Store locations across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will stream live MLS matches during MLS is Back weekend.

    Subscribing to MLS Season Pass

    MLS Season Pass is available through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, as well as on the web at tv.apple.com. Fans can also access MLS Season Pass from the Apple TV app on Apple Vision Pro, where they can watch games alongside other apps in their physical space; within an Environment, so the screen feels 100 feet wide; and in Spatial Audio for an even more immersive viewing experience.

    Fans can sign up for MLS Season Pass for $14.99 per month during the season, or $99 for the full season, and Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up at a special price of $12.99 per month, or $79 per season. A subscription to MLS Season Pass for this season will be included with each full-season MLS club ticket account. Through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share the subscription using their own Apple ID and password. For more information, and to subscribe to MLS Season Pass, visit apple.co/_MLS_.

    1. Available in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.
    2. A subscription is required.
    3. Live Activities require iOS 18 and watchOS 11 or later.

    Press Contacts

    Sam Citron

    Apple

    citron@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: King Charles III England Coast Path takes next steps

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    8.8 miles (14.1km) stretch between Birkenhead and Welsh border  gives public access to iconic coastline in the North West and North Wales.    

    The trail passes through New Brighton where walkers can enjoy views out over the Irish Sea before the vista changes to the Dee Estuary near to Burton Point.  

    A new section of the King Charles III England Coast Path has been opened, giving the public a legal right to the iconic coastline of the North West and North Wales.  

    The 8.8 miles (14.1km) stretch completes the Birkenhead to Welsh border section connecting existing KCIIIIEP sections northwards to the ferry across the Mersey and southwards beyond to the Welsh border, from where a link path allows you to continue south along the Wales Coast Path.    

    The iconic scenery changes as the path is followed from Birkenhead towards Wales; passing through urban and suburban promenades to beaches, low clifftop grassy paths, isolated patches of scrub and woodland and boulder clay cliffs, with spectacular views across North Wales and the mountains of Snowdonia, on a clear day  

    Initially, walkers on the eastern side of the peninsula will be able to take in the spectacle of Liverpool’s historic docks, just across the Mersey.

    After turning the corner at New Brighton, there will be views out over the Irish Sea before the vista changes to the Dee Estuary near to Burton Point.   

    Walkers can experience Wirral Way

    The trail passes by the edge of Leasowe Common and North Wirral Coastal Park, where the old Leasowe lighthouse is still a prominent landmark.

    It meanders through low sand dunes, at the edge of Red Rocks Nature Reserve before rejoining the promenade at South Parade. Walkers can also experience Wirral Way, which is a major existing walking and cycling route along Wirral’s southwestern coast.

    South of Station Road, the route rejoins the coast, continuing through Wirral County Park, with its visitor centre and café.  

    Shortly after leaving Wirral Country Park, the route takes walkers on a pleasant path through Tinker’s Dell, where traditional access to the foreshore has now been repaired and reinstated by Wirral Council, alongside the development of the KCIIIECP  

    The final stretch of the KCIIIECP connects walkers to the Welsh Border, near to Burton Point, adjacent to the military firing range.

    However, it’s possible to continue the journey via a link path, which connects to the Wales Coast Path at Hawarden. Marking both sides of the border are some unique artworks by Mike Johnson.  

    Benefits of spending time in nature

    Gerry Rusbridge, Senior advisor for Natural England in the North West, said:   

    We know that spending time in nature benefits both our physical and mental health.

    The new path opens up beautiful new countryside to the public, aiming to make it easier for as many people as possible to experience some of the most stunning and dynamic parts of the North West and Welsh coastlines.  

    The trail will also support the local economy – bringing walkers and visitors to the towns and villages for daytrips, refreshments and places to stay.

    Natural England worked on this section of the King Charles III England Coast Path with key partners including Natural Resources Wales, Flintshire County Council and Wirral Council.  

    Cllr Liz Grey, Chair of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee for Wirral Council, said:  

    We are already incredibly proud of our coastline in Wirral. As a peninsula it is naturally one of our defining features and along our coast we can boast we have some of the most diverse and distinctive landmarks across the whole North West. 

    We are honoured that a significant stretch of our three sides of coastline is now officially incorporated into the nationwide walking trail, the King Charles III England Coastal Path and we look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors to the borough to enjoy our scenery, our seaside, our internationally-significant wildlife and nature – and our hospitality.

    Cllr Chris Dolphin, Flintshire County Council Cabinet member for Planning, Economy and Environment said: 

    Flintshire County Council welcomes the King Charles III English Coast Path to our border, this will be a fantastic opportunity for communities and visitors alike to explore this wonderful link between our two countries.

    Jont Bulbeck, Outdoor Access and Recreation Team leader for Natural Resources Wales, said:   

    Being able to link up with the King Charles III England Coast Path presents lots more opportunities for people to extend and enjoy their walking experience from both sides of the border. 

    From the link route, the Wales Coast Path welcomes people to enjoy the North Wales coastline offering something for everyone, a taste of Welsh heritage and culture, accessible sections suitable for wheelchair users and families with prams with fantastic views of the Dee Estuary and Menai Strait.

    Start your adventure and discover your perfect trail with National Trails. So that everyone can make the most of the King Charles III England Coast Path, please follow the Countryside Code. This includes not bringing BBQs or dropping litter, and not lighting fires or camping stoves.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Musical icon Joe Strummer celebrated with Legacy Stone unveiling in North Paddington | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    Musician and former lead singer of The Clash, Joe Strummer, has been honoured with a legacy stone to mark his musical career near to where he once lived in North Paddington.

    The musician and his band’s music were an ever-present feature on the music scene in the late 70s and early 80s with The Clash alongside The Sex Pistols, the Jam and the Specials, producing the soundtrack of the era.

    The legacy stone was installed as part of Westminster City Council’s project to revitalise the market and Market Hill Area which had been funded by the GLA. The wider North Paddington Programme and redevelopment has been funded by the council in close collaboration with residents, local businesses and organisations.

    The plaque is situated in the newly refurbished Maida Hill Market on the corner of Walterton Road, the location where Joe Strummer squatted during the 1970s and his address of 101 Walterton Road inspired the name for the band the 101ers.

    The stone is inscribed with lyrics sung by Strummer in the song Clampdown from The Clash’s 1979 album London Calling.  It reads: “the future is unwritten”, “No man born with a living soul can be working for the clampdown”. A nod to the band’s rebellious political awareness and passion for raising social issues and injustices of the time.

    At the stone unveiling, Cllr Ryan Jude Westminster City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Climate Action and Ecology said:

    As a city we there is history on every street corner. Music is an intrinsic part of the Westminster’s DNA and it’s wonderful to celebrate Joe Strummer’s musical journey which began in Maida Hill and North Paddington.

    We’re so proud to have played a part in unveiling this legacy stone to celebrate the music and work of Joe Strummer. I hope in doing so this inspires the next generation of young residents to show you can have a career in the arts and turn their passion into a profession.”  

    Dylan White, music promoter and fan of The Clash said:

    It’s important to remember how an artist starts their career as often this is forgotten and just the success is remembered. In this case in the Joe, the 101’ers evolved from their squat at 101 Walterton Road and were a big part of the local area at that time playing in most of the nearby pubs.”

    The Clash and punk were a long way in the future at this point, so we need to remember and celebrate his time in this part of London as he cut his teeth and learnt his stage craft.”

    The Joe Strummer Fund is a joint undertaking between the Joe Strummer Estate and Single Homeless Project to support artists and creatives who have experienced of homelessness in creating new and original music and media.

    Portobello Radio were instrumental in organising the event and provided musical entertainment throughout the day.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Launch of the Ramsar management plans29 January 2025 New management plans have been published for Jersey’s four Ramsar sites. A Ramsar site is a wetland designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The plans set out strategic… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    29 January 2025

    New management plans have been published for Jersey’s four Ramsar sites. 

    A Ramsar site is a wetland designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The plans set out strategic aims and management objectives of those sites over the next five years, 2025-2029. 

    Jersey’s Ramsar sites include: 

    • South-east coast of Jersey 
    • Les Écréhous and Les Dirouilles 
    • Les Minquiers 
    • Les Pierres de Lecq (the Paternosters) 

    The Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce, said: “The plans demonstrate our commitment to protecting Jersey’s unique wetland environments. Ramsar sites are internationally recognised for their ecological, cultural, and economic significance, and these new management plans outline clear objectives for the sustainable management, monitoring, and protection of these valuable areas. 

    “I would like to extend a special thanks to the Jersey Ramsar Advisory Group for their contribution to the development of these plans.” 

    For more information and to view the plans, visit: The Convention on Wetlands: Jersey’s Ramsar Sites​.​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update on the Water Quality Safety Programme and PFAS developments29 January 2025 ​​The Government of Jersey remains committed to keeping Islanders informed about the ongoing Water Quality and Safety Programme and recent updates on PFAS. Minutes of the Last Public Meeting The minutes… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    29 January 2025

    ​​
    The Government of Jersey remains committed to keeping Islanders informed about the ongoing Water Quality and Safety Programme and recent updates on PFAS. 

    Minutes of the Last Public Meeting 

    The minutes from the most recent public meeting have now been uploaded to our website. This meeting included a presentation on Report Two – Assessment of Evidence of PFAS on Health and provided updates on the formation of the Water Quality and Safety Programme. Islanders can access the minutes here. 

    Question and Answer Document 

    Following discussions at the meeting and correspondence received, we have compiled a detailed Question and Answer document addressing key queries. This document is now available here. 

    Next public meeting 

    We are pleased to confirm that the next public meeting: 

    When: Tuesday 11 February 2025 

    Where: Les Ormes at 6 PM. 

    The session will focus on the public scoping of Report Four – PFAS in the Environment, offering an opportunity for Islanders to contribute to shaping the final scope of the report.

    We encourage all interested parties to attend and participate.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Farming company fined for breaching slurry spreading regulations

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A farm company and its director has been fined and ordered to pay costs totalling almost £8,000 after failing to ensure land spreading did not cause pollution.

    Richard Jonty Mason, 52, of Higher Highfield Farm at Slaidburn in Clitheroe, attending on behalf of himself and as director of RJ Mason Ltd of Dalton Square in Lancaster, appeared at Blackburn magistrates’ court on Monday 20 January.

    Both he and the company pleaded guilty to one charge under Farming Rules for Water legislation of failing to ensure that slurry-spreading to agricultural land at Higher Highfield Farm was planned so that it did not cause a risk of pollution. 

    The company was ordered to pay a total of £6,575 – a fine of £1,125, costs of £5,000 and a victim surcharge of £450. Richard Mason was fined £137, ordered to pay costs of £1,000 and a victim surcharge of £55 – paying a total of £1,192.

    Jackie Monk, investigating officer from the Environment Agency, said:

    This acts as a reminder for landowners and farmers to ensure they follow the correct procedures for spreading safely.

    Spreading slurry to land is common practice, but steps must be taken to protect the environment. We will take action against anyone who breaches the regulations and puts the environment at risk.

    The court heard that RJ Mason Ltd farms Higher Highfield Farm for dairy, in the heart of the Forest of Bowland. A couple of unnamed streams cross the farm, both tributaries of the River Hodder.

    Slurry spreading regulations breached

    Between 15 and 18 October 2021, the company emptied its slurry tank and spread slurry to 8 fields.

    Slurry-spreading is common practice but care must be taken not to apply it in excess, or it can cause agricultural diffuse pollution – where nutrients wash off the land and into the water – and have a detrimental impact on the environment.  

    It’s a legal requirement to plan applications of slurry so that spreading does not cause a significant risk of pollution.

    To calculate the total amount of nutrients that can safely be applied to crop, soil samples must be taken from each field, a crucial step to understand how much additional nutrients can be safely applied to the soil. Only 3 of the 8 fields had soil tests before the spreading.

    An analysis of the company’s slurry spreading plans by the Environment Agency revealed that during 2021, several fields received multiple applications of slurry.

    One field, for example, received 6 applications of slurry between 2 January and 15 October 2021. The total nitrogen applied to this field in 2021 was 505 kg/hectare, which is more than double the limit set by the Code of Good Agricultural Practice for total nitrogen from organic manure applications, which is 250 kg/ha in any 12 month period.

    Other fields received more than 400 kg/ha total nitrogen from organic manure in 2021. Over-application gives rise to a risk of agricultural diffuse pollution.

    The Environment Agency concluded the spreading activity at the farm appeared to be the company wanting to dispose of the contents of the slurry storage tank.  

    The court found the actions of the company and Mason, as director, were reckless, with the failure to obtain soil samples for 5 out of 8 of the fields leading to a risk of pollution.

    Both were of previous good character and there was evidence they had taken steps to remedy the problem.

    Background

    Full charges:

    R J Mason Limited

    Between 14 October 2021 and 19 October 2021, RJ Mason Limited failed to ensure that each application of organic manure to agricultural land at Higher Highfield Farm was planned so that it did not give rise to a significant risk of agricultural diffuse pollution…

    …contrary to regulation 4 and 11(1) of the Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018.

    Richard Mason

    Between 14 October 2021 and 19 October 2021, Richard Jonty Mason, at the relevant time being a director of RJ Mason Limited (“the company”) is liable for the offence by the company set out below as that offence was committed with his consent or connivance or was attributable to any neglect by him contrary to regulation 11(3) of the Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018. The offence by the company being that on days between 14 October 2021 and 19 October 2021, it failed to ensure that each application of organic manure to agricultural land at Higher Highfield Farm was planned so that it did not give rise to a significant risk of agricultural diffuse pollution…

    …contrary to regulation 4 and 11(1) of the Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Yorkshire man ordered to clear illegal waste site

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A man has been given two months to clear waste from an illegal site in North Yorkshire following an investigation by the Environment Agency.

    Image shows illegal waste stored on the site at Catterick.

    Oliver Henry Alexander King, 52, of Bedale, North Yorkshire, appeared at York Magistrates’ Court on Friday 24 January 2025, where he pleaded guilty to one charge of operating a waste site without an environmental permit, and one charge of failing to comply with a notice to clear waste from the site.

    He was sentenced to a 12 month community order with 110 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay costs of £5,422.75 and a victim surcharge of £114.

    He was also ordered to clear the site of waste by 21 March, 2025. This regulation 44 order requires King to remove all waste from the site and take it to a permitted site for disposal. If he fails to comply he could be subject to further action.

    Waste crime puts ‘environment at risk’

    Ian Foster, Environment Agency Area Environment Manager, said:

    Environmental permits are in place to protect the public and environment and the way the waste was stored at this site posed a risk of contamination and fire.

    King was given a number of opportunities to clear the site of waste but failed to comply with the instructions from our officers. 

    Illegal activity such as this undermines legitimate businesses that work hard to operate within the regulations, as well as putting the environment at risk and impacting on the local community.

    The court heard that King rented land next to allotments at Oran Lane in Catterick.

    On 22 June 2023, Environment Agency officers attended the site following reports of an illegal waste operation.

    They saw a significant amount of waste piled up including wood, plastics, metal, and construction and demolition waste, as well as household waste like fridges and freezers.

    The waste, which was close to a local watercourse, posed a risk of groundwater and surface water pollution and was stored in one big pile, posing a fire risk.

    An Environment Agency letter was sent to King with actions including to stop bringing waste on to the site and to start clearing the waste that was already present immediately. He was given until 21 August, 2023 to comply.

    Image shows illegal waste stored at the site in Catterick.

    Deadline for waste removal extended

    Follow up visits by officers revealed that while some waste had been removed, most still remained. It did appear King had stopped bringing waste on to site and he said financial and vehicle issues had prevented the waste from being removed.

    He was given until 28 February, 2024, to comply with the original deadline.

    On 20 March, 2024, Environment Agency officers went to the site to check compliance with the notice, and it was apparent that the pile of waste remained unchanged.

    In interview in May 2024 King said he claimed to have been unaware that he needed an environmental permit or waste exemption – which allows for low level waste activity without the need for a permit – until he was told this by the Environment Agency.

    He said he stopped importing and treating waste after the initial visit from officers, but didn’t have the money to remove the waste. He added that he owned property which he planned to sell to fund the site clearance.

    Follow up visits by officers during the summer of 2024 saw that while some waste had been cleared, most still remained. An enforcement notice was issued by the Environment Agency requiring the site to be cleared by 23 August 2024. This was also not complied with.

    Illegal waste activity can be reported to the Environment Agency on its 24-hour incident line on 0800 807060 or to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

    Background

    Full charges

    1 – Between 21 June 2023 and 29 August 2024 at land of Oran Lane, Catterick in the county of North Yorkshire, you did operate a regulated facility, namely a waste operation for the recovery or disposal of waste, except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit.

    Contrary to Regulations 12 and 38(1)(a) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.  

    2 – On 24 August 2024, you failed, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a notice dated 09 July 2024 and served on you on pursuant to section 59ZB(2) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in that you failed to remove controlled waste from land at Oran Lane, Catterick.

    Contrary to section 59ZB(6) Environmental Protection Act 1990.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: OMB Q&A Regarding Memorandum M-25-13

    Source: The White House

    In implementing President Trump’s Executive Orders, OMB issued guidance requesting that agencies temporarily pause, to the extent permitted by law, grant, loan or federal financial assistance programs that are implicated by the President’s Executive Orders.

    Any program not implicated by the President’s Executive Orders is not subject to the pause.

    The Executive Orders listed in the guidance are:

    Protecting the American People Against Invasion

    Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid

    Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements

    Unleashing American Energy

    Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing

    Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government

    Enforcing the Hyde Amendment

    Any program that provides direct benefits to individuals is not subject to the pause.

    The guidance establishes a process for agencies to work with OMB to determine quickly whether any program is inconsistent with the President’s Executive Orders. A pause could be as short as day. In fact, OMB has worked with agencies and has already approved many programs to continue even before the pause has gone into effect.

    Any payment required by law to be paid will be paid without interruption or delay.

    Q: Is this a freeze on all Federal financial assistance?

    A: No, the pause does not apply across-the-board. It is expressly limited to programs, projects, and activities implicated by the President’s Executive Orders, such as ending DEI, the green new deal, and funding nongovernmental organizations that undermine the national interest.

    Q: Is this a freeze on benefits to Americans like SNAP or student loans?

    A: No, any program that provides direct benefits to Americans is explicitly excluded from the pause and exempted from this review process. In addition to Social Security and Medicare, already explicitly excluded in the guidance, mandatory programs like Medicaid and SNAP will continue without pause.Funds for small businesses, farmers, Pell grants, Head Start, rental assistance, and other similar programs will not be paused. If agencies are concerned that these programs may implicate the President’s Executive Orders, they should consult OMB to begin to unwind these objectionable policies without a pause in the payments.

    Q: Is the pause of federal financial assistance an impoundment?

    A: No, it is not an impoundment under the Impoundment Control Act. It is a temporary pause to give agencies time to ensure that financial assistance conforms to the policies set out in the President’s Executive Orders, to the extent permitted by law. Temporary pauses are a necessary part of program implementation that have been ordered by past presidents to ensure that programs are being executed and funds spent in accordance with a new President’s policies and do not constitute impoundments.

    Q: Why was this pause necessary?

    A: To act as faithful stewards of taxpayer money, new administrations must review federal programs to ensure that they are being executed in accordance with the law and the new President’s policies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: VelocityEHS Launches the Industry’s First Fully Integrated EHS Platform to Revolutionize Workplace Safety and Risk Management

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Velocity’s new enhancements of the Accelerate Platform transform the way companies identify and mitigate the threats that put people and businesses in danger.

    CHICAGO, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VelocityEHS, the global leader in EHS & ESG software solutions, is thrilled to announce significant enhancements to its cutting-edge Accelerate Platform, bringing together four industry-leading solutions into one unified experience. Developed by the industry’s largest team of certified EHS professionals, the Platform combines decades of expertise and innovation to help companies proactively manage risk, protect lives, cut administrative tasks, drive collaboration and accountability, and deliver actionable insights for peak performance.

    The Accelerate launch is a landmark moment for both VelocityEHS and the industry. More importantly, it’s a game-changer for EHS professionals dedicated to protecting frontline workers and ensuring their safe return home each day, and for senior leaders focused on business continuity and effective risk management across all operations.

    “EHS software can be a matter of life and death. With Accelerate, Velocity provides capabilities that no other single provider can match,” says VelocityEHS CEO Matt Airhart. “Accelerate empowers our customers to streamline safety, chemical management, industrial ergonomics, and operational risk processes into one unified platform.”

    The Platform was built to address the VelocityEHS customers’ need for seamless integration and greater efficiency. It lets organizations protect their workforce, reduce risks, and achieve operational performance like never before.

    “These new enhancements elevate the user experience from great to exceptional. The ability to create reports and integrate data from multiple solutions is revolutionary, putting actionable insights at our customers’ fingertips so they can focus on protecting lives rather than administrative tasks,” concluded Airhart.

    Key Enhancements of the Accelerate Platform

    • Unified Platform: Access a collection of best-in-class EHS solutions with one secure login, featuring a centralized platform for seamless management of hierarchies, locations, and roles.
    • Customizable Dashboards: Tailor dashboards to the individual or organization’s needs, delivering critical, real-time data when and where it is needed.
    • Advanced Reporting: Generate actionable insights through Business Intelligence (BI)-based, pre-built and custom reports that integrate data from all solutions on the platform.
    • User-Friendly Design: Intuitive features accelerate adoption, reduce learning time, and simplify complex tasks for teams at all levels.
    • Scalability: Seamlessly expands initiatives across multiple locations and regions, ensuring consistent performance and compliance globally while maintaining optimal efficiency.

    These enhancements redefine what is possible in EHS management by delivering scalable and highly adaptable solutions and tools to meet the needs of organizations across all sizes and industries.

    “At VelocityEHS, our commitment to innovation in EHS is unwavering,” says Jason Weiss, Chief Technology Officer, VelocityEHS. “Through extensive focus groups with our customers, combined with the rigorous research of our certified experts and machine learning scientists, we ensure the solutions within Accelerate deliver insights you can trust.”

    First launched in 2022, the Accelerate Platform leverages advanced machine learning and AI to drive continuous improvement through prediction, intervention, and measurable outcomes. As one of the first complete EHS platforms on the market, it remains one of the industry’s most comprehensive.

    For more information about the VelocityEHS Accelerate Platform and to learn how it can drive your EHS and operational excellence, visit www.EHS.com.

    About VelocityEHS

    Relied on by more than 10 million users worldwide to drive operational excellence and achieve outstanding outcomes, VelocityEHS is the global leader in true SaaS enterprise EHS & ESG technology. The VelocityEHS Accelerate® Platform is the definitive gold standard, delivering best-in-class software solutions for managing Safety, Ergonomics, Chemical Management, and Operational Risk. In addition, Velocity offers world-class applications for Contractor Safety & Permit to Work, Environmental Compliance, and ESG.

    The VelocityEHS team includes unparalleled industry expertise, with more certified experts in health, safety, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, sustainability, the environment, AI, and machine learning than any other EHS software provider. Recognized by the EHS industry’s top independent analysts as a Leader in the Verdantix 2025 Green Quadrant Analysis, VelocityEHS is committed to industry thought leadership and to accelerating the pace of innovation through its software solutions and vision. Its privacy and security protocols, which include SOC2 Type II attestation, are among the most stringent in the industry.

    VelocityEHS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with locations in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Tampa, Florida; Oakville, Ontario; London, England; Perth, Western Australia; and Cork, Ireland. For more information, visit www.EHS.com. 

    Media Contact
    Jennifer Sinkwitts
    734.277.9366
    jsinkwitts@ehs.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Wide Bay crocodile sighting – Update

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 29 Jan 2025

    Wildlife officers investigating multiple sighting reports of a crocodile south of Bundaberg last week did not observe the animal and believe it may have headed north.

    The comprehensive investigation involved day and nighttime beach and river patrols, vessel-based spotlighting surveys and a helicopter survey along the coastline and local rivers.

    Approximately 450 kilometres of coastline, creeks and rivers were searched during the investigation, which was sparked by social media posts, including a video appearing to show a crocodile entering the ocean at Coonarr Beach.

    Senior Wildlife Officer Tony Frisby said the investigation was conducted by experienced wildlife officers throughout the long weekend.

    “It has now been five days since the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation received the last sighting report for the crocodile on 23 January 2025,” Mr Frisby said.

    “We thank those members of the public for submitting crocodile sighting reports and providing video footage of the animal.

    “The Wide Bay is considered atypical crocodile habitat, and it is possible that the animal was flushed out of a river system in its normal range by high rainfall or due to a conflict with another crocodile.

    “Crocodiles can swim up to forty kilometres a day, and the animal may be heading north, back into its normal habitat.

    “We are monitoring for further reports, and I’d like to encourage everyone in the Wide Bay community to report whenever they believe they have seen a crocodile to the department.”

    Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing a crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372 . The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received.

    Under the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan, the Wide Bay region is zoned as a typical habitat for crocodiles, in which any crocodile found is targeted for removal.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor vows to go further and faster to kickstart economic growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves spoke at Siemens Healthineers in Oxfordshire on 29 January 2025.

    Thank you everyone. 

    It’s fantastic to be here at Siemens at this amazing facility.  

    Today, I want to talk about economic growth. 

    Why it matters.  

    How we achieve it.  

    And what we are going to do further and faster to deliver it. 

    Before we came into office… 

    … the Prime Minister and I have said loud and clear:  

    Economic growth is the number one mission of this government.  

    Without growth, we cannot cut hospital waiting lists or put more police on the streets.  

    Without growth, we cannot meet our climate goals… 

    … or give the next generation the opportunities that they need to thrive. 

    But most of all… 

    … without economic growth… 

    … we cannot improve the lives of ordinary working people.  

    Because growth isn’t simply about lines on a graph. 

    It’s about the pounds in people’s pockets. 

    The vibrancy of our high streets. 

    And the thriving businesses that create wealth, jobs and new opportunities for us, for our children, and grandchildren.  

    We will have succeeded in our mission when working people are better off. 

    I know that the cost of living crisis is still very real for many families across Britain.  

    The sky high inflation and interest rates of the past few years have left a deep mark… 

    … with too many people still making sacrifices to pay the bills and to pay their mortgages.   

    But we have begun to turn this around.  

    Everything I see as I travel around the country gives me more belief in Britain. 

    And more optimism about our future. 

    Because we as a country have huge potential.  

    A country of strong communities, with small and local businesses at their heart.  

    We are at the forefront of some of the most exciting developments in the world… 

    … like artificial intelligence and life sciences…  

    … with great companies like DeepMind, AstraZeneca, Rolls Royce… and of course Siemens…  

    … delivering jobs and investment across Britain. 

    We have fundamental strengths – in our history, in our language, and in our legal system – to compete in a global economy.  

    But for too long, that potential has been held back.  

    For too long, we have accepted low expectations and accepted decline. 

    We no longer have to do that.  

    We can do so much better. 

    Low growth is not our destiny.  

    But growth will not come without a fight.  

    Without a government willing to take the right decisions now to change our country’s future for the better. 

    That’s what our Plan for Change is all about. 

    That is what drives me as Chancellor.  

    In my Mais lecture in March last year, I set out my approach to achieving economic growth… 

    … and identified the fundamental barriers to realising our full potential.  

    The productive capacity of the UK economy has become far too weak.  

    Productivity, the driver of living standards…   

    …has grown more slowly here than in countries like Germany and the US.  

    The supply side of our economy has suffered due to chronic underinvestment… 

    … and stifling and unpredictable regulation…  

    … not helped by the shocks we have faced in recent years. 

    [redacted political content]

    The strategy that I have consistently set out… 

    … is to grow the supply-side of our economy… 

    … recognising that first and foremost… 

    … it is businesses, investors and entrepreneurs who drive economic growth… 

    … a government that systematically removes the barriers that they face – one by one and has their back 

    This strategy has three essential elements: 

    First, stability in our politics, our public finances and our economy – the basic condition for secure economic growth. 

    Second, reform – reform which makes it easier for businesses to trade, to raise finance and to build.  

    And third, investment, the lifeblood of economic growth. 

    Let me explain each of those in turn.  

    Stability – the first line of our manifesto was a promise to bring stability to the public finances.  

    It is the rock upon which everything else is built. 

    And it is the essential foundation of our Plan for Change.  

    Because economic stability is the precondition for economic growth. 

    That’s why the first piece of legislation that we passed as a government was the Budget Responsibility Act… 

    … so never again will we see our independent forecaster sidelined.

    [redacted political content]

    At my first Budget in October… 

    … it was my duty as Chancellor… 

    … to fix the foundations of our economy, and repair the public finances that we inherited. 

    To restore stability and create the conditions for growth and investment.  

    I set out new fiscal rules which are non-negotiable, and will always be met. 

    We began to rebuild our NHS and our schools – the start of a programme of public service reform.  

    I capped the rate of corporation tax – and I extended our generous capital allowances for the duration of this parliament – as the CBI and the BCC have long called for.  

    And I protected working people after a cost of living crisis… 

    … by freezing fuel duty… 

    … and with no increases in their National Insurance, Income Tax or VAT. 

    But taking the right decisions and the responsible decisions does not always mean taking the easy decisions. 

    The increase in Employers’ National Insurance contributions has consequences on business and beyond.   

    I said that up front in my Budget speech. 

    I accept that there are costs to responsibility. 

    But the costs of irresponsibility would have been far higher. 

    Those who oppose my Budget know that too. 

    That is why, since October, I have seen no alternative put forward [redacted political content].

    No alternatives to deal with the challenges we face.  

    No alternatives to restoring economic stability… 

    … and therefore no plan for driving economic growth. 

    Alongside stability, we need to drive forward the reform which makes investment more likely… 

    … by removing the constraints on the supply side of our economy… 

    … making it easier for businesses to trade… 

    … to raise finance… 

    … and to build.  

    Let me first address our approach to trade.  

    We stand at a moment of global change.  

    In that context, we should be guided by one clear principle above all.  

    To act in the national interest… 

    … for our economy… 

    … for our businesses… 

    … and for the British people. 

    That means building on our special relationship with the United States under President Trump. 

    The Prime Minister discussed the vital importance of growth with the President last weekend…  

    … and I look forward to working with the new Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent… 

    … to deepen our economic relationship in the months and the years ahead. 

    Acting in our national interest also means resetting our relationship with the EU – our nearest and our largest trading partner – to drive growth and support business.  

    We are pragmatic about the challenges that we have inherited from the last government’s failed Brexit deal.  

    But we are also ambitious in our goals.  

    [redacted political content]

    … we will prioritise proposals that are consistent with our manifesto commitments… 

    … and which contribute to British growth and British prosperity… 

    … because that is what the national interest demands.  

    Our approach to trade also means building stronger relationships with fast-growing economies all around the world. 

    That is why I led a delegation to China for the first Economic and Financial Dialogue since 2019… 

    … alongside world-leading financial service businesses, including HSBC, Standard Chartered and Schroders…  

    … unlocking £600 million of tangible benefits for the UK economy. 

    And I am pleased to confirm that the Business and Trade Secretary will shortly visit India … 

    … to restart talks on the free trade agreement and bilateral investment treaty [redacted political content].  

    Our businesses can only realise these opportunities if they can recruit the skilled staff that they need. 

    So we are reforming our employment system to create a national jobs and careers service. 

    We have created Skills England to meet the skills of the next decade in sectors like construction and engineering.  

    And we will deliver fundamental reform of our welfare system.  

    That includes looking at areas that have been ducked for too long… 

    … like the rising cost of health and disability benefits… 

    … and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will set out our plans to address this ahead of the Spring Statement.  

    Next, the Immigration White Paper, that will bring forward concrete proposals to bring the overall levels of net migration down. 

    But we know that the UK is in an international competition for talent in vital growth sectors.    

    That is why last week, I set out plans for attracting global talent. 

    We will look at the visa routes for very highly skilled people…  

    … so the best people in the world choose the UK to live, work and create wealth… 

    … bringing jobs and investment to Britain. 

    To help businesses access the finance and support they need to grow…  

    … we have delivered significant reforms to provide greater flexibility for firms and founders to raise finance on UK capital markets, by rewriting the UK’s listing rules.  

    In my Mansion House speech, I announced a series of reforms to our pensions system…  

    … including the creation of larger, consolidated funds… 

    … which have much greater capacity to invest in high growth British companies at the scale that we need them to.  

    The consultation on these reforms is already complete and the final report will be published in the Spring. 

    Yesterday we confirmed that we have plans to go further, whilst always protecting the important role that pension funds play in the gilt market. 

    We will introduce new flexibilities for well-funded Defined Benefit schemes… 

    … to release surplus funds where it is safe to do so… 

    … generating even more investment into some of our fastest growing industries. 

    I know too that businesses are held back by a complex and unpredictable regulatory system… 

    … and that is a drag on investment and innovation. 

    We have already provided new growth-focused remits to our financial services regulators… 

    … we have announced a new interim Chair of the Competition and Markets Authority…  

    … and we have established the Regulatory Innovation Office, with an initial focus on synthetic biology, space, AI, and connected and autonomous vehicles.  

    But we need to go further and we need to go faster.  

    So earlier this month, I met the Heads of some of our largest regulators. 

    They have already provided a range of options to drive growth in their sectors… 

    … and proposals for how they can be more agile and responsive to businesses… 

    … and we will publish that final action plan in March to make regulation work much better for our economy. 

    To get Britain building again… 

    … we have delivered the most significant reforms to our planning system in a generation.  

    I have been genuinely shocked about how slow our planning system is. 

    By how long it takes to get things done.  

    Take the decision to build a solar farm in Cambridgeshire – a decision the Energy Secretary took only a few weeks into the job in July… 

    [redacted political content]

    The Deputy Prime Minister has already driven significant progress across government in addressing these issues.   

    My colleagues have determined 13 major planning decisions in just six months… 

    … including for airports, data centres and major housing developments.   

    We have significantly raised housing targets across our country and made them mandatory, so that we can build one-and-a-half million homes in this parliament.  

    We have reformed decades-old “green belt” policies, making it easier to build on the “grey belt” land around our major cities. 

    And we have opened up our planning system to build new infrastructure – like onshore wind farms or data centres driving the AI revolution. 

    Having listened closely to calls from business groups like the Institute of Directors… 

    … and businesses across our economy about the need to speed up infrastructure delivery… 

    … including Mace, Skanska and Arup who are here today… 

    … and members of our British Infrastructure Taskforce like Lloyds, Blackrock and Phoenix… 

    … we have now set out plans to go even further. 

    Last week we confirmed our priorities for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill … 

    … to rapidly streamline the process for determining applications… 

    … to make the consultation process far less burdensome… 

    … and to fundamentally reform our approach to environmental regulation. 

    The problems in our economy… 

    … the lack of bold reform that we have seen over decades… 

    … can be summed up by a £100 million bat tunnel built for HS2… 

    … the type of decision that has made delivering major infrastructure in our country far too expensive and far too slow. 

    So we are reducing the environmental requirements placed on developers when they pay into the nature restoration fund that we have created… 

    …so they can focus on getting things built, and stop worrying about bats and newts.  

    And to build our new infrastructure like nuclear power plants, trainlines and windfarms more quickly… 

    … we are changing the rules to stop blockers getting in the way of development… 

    … through excessive use of Judicial Review. 

    This Bill, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, is a priority for this government. 

    It will be introduced in the Spring… 

    … and we will work tirelessly in parliament to ensure its smooth, and speedy and rapid delivery.  

    By providing a foundation of economic stability… 

    … and by delivering the reforms needed to make it easier for businesses to succeed and grow… 

    … we will create the right conditions to increase investment in our economy – the final key element of our strategy. 

    Investment and innovation go hand in hand.  

    I want to see the sounds and the sights of the future arriving.    

    Delivered by amazing businesses like Wayve and Oxford Nanopore. 

    They are the future. 

    And Britain should be the best place in the world to be an entrepreneur. 

    That is why we protected funding for research and development… 

    … and it is why one of the first decisions I made as Chancellor… 

    … was to extend the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Venture Capital Trust schemes for a further 10 years… 

    … to get more investment into new companies, driving their innovation and growth.  

    I am determined to make Britain the best place in the world to invest.  

    That was my message in Davos last week.  

    That ambition demands action. 

    The International Investment Summit that we hosted in October delivered £63 billion of investment right across our country… 

    … from Iberdrola doubling its investment in clean energy in places like Suffolk… 

    … Blackstone investing £10 billion in a data centre in Northumberland… 

    … and Eren Holdings investing £1 billion in advanced manufacturing in North Wales.  

    While the lifeblood of growth is business investment, a strategic state has a crucial role to play. 

    That is why we established the National Wealth Fund… 

    … to create that partnership between business, private investors and government to invest in the industries of the future…  

    … like clean energy. 

    Today I can announce two further investments by the National Wealth Fund. 

    First, a £65 million investment for Connected Kerb, to expand their electric vehicle charging network across the UK. 

    And second, a £28 million equity investment in Cornish Metals… 

    … providing the raw materials to be used in solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles… 

    … supporting growth and jobs in the South-West of England.  

    There is no trade-off between economic growth and net zero. 

    Quite the opposite. 

    Net zero is the industrial opportunity of the 21st century, and Britain must lead the way. 

    That is why we will publish a refreshed Carbon Budget Delivery Plan later this year, which alongside the Spending Review, will set out our plans to deliver Carbon Budget 6. 

    Today, I can also announce that we are removing barriers to deliver 16 gigawatts of offshore wind…   

    … by designating new Marine Protected Areas to enable the development of this technology in areas like East Anglia and Yorkshire… 

    … crowding in up to £30 billion of investment in homegrown clean power. 

    And there’s more. 

    Our industrial and manufacturing base, brilliantly represented by Make UK, have been banging their heads against the wall for years at the lack of a proper industrial strategy from government. 

    That is why we have launched our modern industrial strategy… 

    … to drive investment into the industries that will define our success in the years ahead. 

    We have already provided funding to unlock investment in sectors like aerospace, automotives and life sciences… 

    … and we have set out reforms to boost financial services, the AI sector and creative industries. 

    We are not wasting any time, and we will move forward with the next stages of the Industrial Strategy ahead of its publication in the Spring.  

    We will work with the private sector to deliver the infrastructure that our country desperately needs.  

    This includes the Lower Thames Crossing, which will improve connectivity at Port of Tilbury and Dover, London Gateway and Medway… 

    … alleviating severe congestion… 

    … as goods destined for export come from the North, and the Midlands and across the country to markets overseas.   

    To drive growth and deliver value for money for taxpayers, we are exploring options to privately finance this important project.  

    And we have changed course on public investment, too… 

    … with a new Investment Rule to ensure that we don’t just count the costs of investment – we count the benefits too.    

    We are now investing 2.6% of GDP on average over the next five years, compared to 1.9% planned by the previous government..  

    … delivering an additional £100 billion of growth-enhancing capital spending… 

    … which catalyses private sector investment… 

    … in more housing… 

    … better transport links… 

    … and clean energy.  

    These are significant steps in just six months… 

    … and we are seeing some encouraging signs in the British economy. 

    The IMF have upgraded our growth prospects for 2025… 

    … the only G7 country outside the US to see this happen.  

    This gives us the fastest growth of any major European economy this year.  

    And a global survey of CEOs by PWC, has shown Britain is now the second most attractive country in the world for businesses looking to invest.  

    The first time the UK has been in that position for 28 years.  

    This is all welcome news.  

    But there is still more that we can and will do.  

    I am not satisfied with the position we are in. 

    While we have huge amounts of potential, the structural problems in our economy run deep. 

    And the low growth of the last 14 years cannot just be turned around overnight. 

    This has to be our focus for the duration of the parliament.  

    Because the situation demands us to do more. 

    And today I will go further and faster in kickstarting economic growth. 

    Our mission to grow our economy is about raising living standards in every single part of the United Kingdom.  

    Manchester is home to the UK’s fastest growing tech sector.  

    Leeds is one of the largest financial services centres outside of London.  

    These great northern cities have so much potential and promise… 

    …which our brilliant metro mayors, Andy Burnham and Tracy Brabin, are working hard to realise…  

    … just like our other metro mayors are doing to deliver new opportunities in their areas.  

    And there is so much more that government can do to support our city regions.    

    To achieve this requires greater focus on two key areas: infrastructure and investment.  

    If we can improve connectivity between towns and cities across the North of England, we can unlock their true growth potential… 

    … by making it easier for people to live, travel and work across the area.  

    At the Budget, I set out funding for the Transpennine Route Upgrade… 

    … a multi-billion-pound programme of improvements that will connect towns and cities from Manchester to York via Stalybridge, Leeds and Huddersfield. 

    We are delivering railway schemes to improve journeys for people across the North… 

    … including upgrades at Bradford Forster Square and by electrifying the Wigan-Bolton line. 

    We have committed to supporting the delivery of a new mass transit system in West Yorkshire.  

    And in Spring, we will publish the Spending Review and a 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy… 

    … which will set out further detail of our plans for infrastructure right across the UK. 

    New transport infrastructure can also act as a catalyst for new housing. 

    We have already seen the benefits that unlocking untapped land around stations can deliver in places like Stockport… 

    … where joint work spearheaded by Andy Burnham and council leaders has delivered new housing and wider commercial opportunities. 

    We will introduce a new approach to planning decisions on land around stations, changing the default answer to yes. 

    We are working with the devolved governments to ensure the benefits of growth can be felt across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland… 

    … including by partnering with them on the Industrial Strategy to support their considerable sectoral strengths. 

    And in December, I met with Metro Mayors from across England.  

    They told me that more opportunities for investment are vital if their local economies are to grow in the years ahead. 

    We are listening closely to them. 

    As the Metro Mayor of Liverpool, Steve Rotherham, has called for… 

    … we will review the Green Book and how it is being used to provide objective, transparent advice on public investment across the country, including outside London and the Southeast.  

    This means that investment in all regions is given a fair hearing by the Treasury that I lead. 

    The Office for Investment is going to be working hand in hand with local areas… 

    … to develop a commercially attractive pipeline of investment opportunities for a global audience… 

    … starting with the Liverpool City Region and the North East Combined Authority, led by Kim McGuinness. 

    The National Wealth Fund is establishing strategic partnerships to provide deeper, more focused support for city regions, starting in Glasgow, West Yorkshire, the West Midlands, and Greater Manchester. 

    We are supporting key investment opportunities across the UK. 

    The government is backing Andy Burnham’s plans for the redevelopment of Old Trafford, which promises to create new housing and commercial development around a new stadium… 

    … to drive regeneration and growth in the area. 

    We are moving forward with the Wrexham and Flintshire Investment Zone… 

    … focusing on the area’s strengths in advanced manufacturing… 

    … backed by major businesses like Airbus and JCB… 

    … to leverage £1 billion of private investment in the next ten years… 

    … creating up to 6,000 jobs. 

    [redacted political content]

    So I can announce today that we will work with Doncaster Council and the Mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard… 

    … to support their efforts to recreate South Yorkshire Airport City as a thriving regional airport.  

    And finally, I am pleased to announce a partnership between Prologis and Manchester Airport Group in the East Midlands, where the Metro Mayor Claire Ward is doing an excellent job growing the local economy there. 

    Prologis and MAG will work together to build a new advanced manufacturing and logistics park at East Midlands Airport … 

    … unlocking up to £1 billion of investment and 2,000 jobs at the site… 

    … a major investment from a global business into our country… 

    … representing a huge vote of confidence in the East Midlands and in the UK. 

    This is just the start of our work to get more investment into every nation and region of Britain. 

    Next, I want to set out further detail for plans for the area we are in today.  

    Oxford and Cambridge offer huge potential for our nation’s growth prospects. 

    Only 66 miles apart… 

    … these cities are home to two of the best universities in the world… 

    … and the area is a hub for globally renowned science and technology firms. 

    This area has the potential to be Europe’s Silicon Valley.  

    To make that a reality, we need a systematic approach to attract businesses to come here and to grow here. 

    At the moment, it takes over two and a half hours to travel between Oxford and Cambridge by train.  

    There is no way to commute directly by rail from places like Bedford and Milton Keynes to Cambridge. 

    And there is a lack of affordable housing right across the region.  

    In other words, the demand is there… 

    … but there are far too many supply side constraints on economic growth here.  

    We are going to fix that.  

    The Ox Cam arc was initially launched in 2003 – over 20 years ago.  

    [redacted political content]

    We are not prepared to miss out on the opportunities here any longer.  

    So working with the Deputy Prime Minister… 

    … who is already driving forward vital work in the region…  

    … we are going further and faster to unlock the potential of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor.   

    First, we are funding the transport links needed to make the Oxford Cambridge growth corridor a success… 

    … including East-West Rail, with new services between Oxford and Milton Keynes starting this year… 

    … and road upgrades to reduce journey times between Milton Keynes and Cambridge. 

    East West Rail will also support vibrant new and expanded communities along the route. 

    We have already received proposals for New Towns along the new railway… 

    … with 18 submissions for sizeable new developments. 

    At Tempsford – the nexus of the East Coast Mainline, the A1 and East West Rail… 

    …we will move quicker to deliver a mainline station, meaning journey times to London of under an hour…  

    … and to Cambridge in under 30 minutes when East West Rail is operational. 

     Second, we are ensuring that the area has the right infrastructure and public services in place to support the growth corridor as it expands. 

    A new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital is being prioritised for investment as part of wave 1 of the New Hospital Programme.  

    Water infrastructure has also been a major hindrance to development. 

    So we have now agreed water resources management plans, unlocking £7.9 billion of investment in the next 5 years…  

    …including plans for the new Fens Reservoir serving Cambridge and the South East Strategic Reservoir near Oxford.  

    And I can confirm today that the Environment Agency have now lifted their objections to new development in Cambridge, following this government’s intervention to address water scarcity… 

    … which means 4,500 additional homes, new schools, and new office, retail and laboratory space can be built.  

    Third, I am delighted that Cambridge University have come forward with plans for a new flagship innovation hub at the centre of Cambridge… 

    … to attract global investment and foster a community that catalyses innovation, as other cities around the world like Boston and Paris have done.  

    Just yesterday, Moderna completed the build for their new vaccine production and R&D site in Harwell, right here in Oxfordshire, alongside a commitment to invest a further £1 billion in the UK.  

    And we are creating a new AI Growth Zone in Culham to speed up planning approvals for the rapid build-out of data centres.  

    And finally, to take this project forward at real pace… 

    … and catalyse private sector investment into the region… 

    … I am pleased to announce that the Deputy Prime Minister and I have asked Lord Patrick Vallance to be the champion for the Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor.  

    Lord Vallance has extensive experience across the sciences, academia, and government. 

    He will work with local leaders and with the Housing and Planning Minister to deliver this exciting project… 

    … including with Peter Freeman, who is already doing excellent work in Cambridge… 

    … and a new Growth Commission for Oxford, which will help to accelerate growth in the city and its surrounding area.   

    This is the government’s modern Industrial Strategy in action. 

    With central government, local leaders and business working together… 

    … the Oxford and Cambridge Growth Corridor could add up to £78 billion to the UK economy by 2035 … 

    … driving investment, innovation and growth. 

    Finally, I come to the decision that perhaps more than any other… 

    … has been delayed… 

    … has been avoided… 

    … has been ducked. 

    The question of whether to give Heathrow … 

    … our only hub airport… 

    … a third runway… 

    … has run on for decades. 

    The last full length runway in Britain was built in the 1940s. 

    No progress in eighty years.  

    Why is this so damaging?  

    It’s because Heathrow is at the heart of the UK’s openness as a country.   

    It connects us to emerging markets all over the world, opening up new opportunities for growth. 

    Around three-quarters of all long-haul flights in the UK go from Heathrow. 

    Over 60% of UK air freight comes through Heathrow. 

    And about 15 million business travellers used Heathrow in 2023. 

    But for decades, its growth has been constrained.  

    Successive studies have shown that this really matters for our economy. 

    According to the most recent study from Frontier Economics, a third runway could increase potential GDP by 0.43% by 2050. 

    Over half – 60% of that boost, would go to areas outside London and the South-East. 

    … increasing trade opportunities for products like Scotch whiskey and Scottish salmon – already two of the biggest British exports out of Heathrow.  

    And a third runway could create over 100,000 jobs. 

    For international investors, persistent delays have cast doubt about our seriousness towards improving our economic prospects. 

    Business groups, like the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Chambers of Commerce right across the UK… 

    …as well trade unions like GMB and Unite are clear… 

    … a third runway is badly needed. 

    In 2018, the previous government steered its Airports National Policy Statement through parliament.  

    But no action was taken. 

    It simply sat on the shelf. 

    We are taking a totally different approach to airport expansion.  

    This Government has already given its support to expansion at City Airport and at Stansted.  

    And there are two live decisions on Luton and Gatwick which will be made by the Transport Secretary shortly.  

    But as our only hub airport, Heathrow is in a unique position – and we cannot duck the decision any longer.   

    I have always been clear that a third runway at Heathrow would unlock further growth… 

    … boost investment… 

    … increase exports… 

    … and make the UK more open and more connected.   

    And now, the case is stronger than ever… 

    … because our reforms to the economy… 

    … like speeding up the planning system… 

    … and our plans for modernised UK airspace…  

    … mean the delivery of this project is set up for success.  

    So I can confirm today that this Government supports a third runway at Heathrow… 

    … and is inviting proposals to be brought forward by the summer.  

    We will then take forward a full assessment through the Airport National Policy Statement. 

    That will ensure that the project is value for money – and our clear expectation is that any associated surface transport costs will be financed through private funding. 

    And it will ensure that a third runway is delivered in line with our legal, environmental and climate obligations.  

    Heathrow themselves are clear that their proposal for expansion will meet strict rules on noise, air quality and carbon emissions. 

    And we are already making great strides in transitioning to cleaner and greener aviation.  

    Sustainable Aviation Fuel reduces CO2 emissions compared to fossil fuel by around 70%. 

    At the start of this month, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate became law.  

    And today I can announce that we are investing £63 million into the Advanced Fuels Fund over the next year… 

    … and we have today set out the details of how we will deliver a Revenue Certainty Mechanism to encourage investment into this growing industry. 

    These measures will encourage more investors to back production in the UK, bringing good, high-skilled jobs to areas like Teesside… 

    … demonstrating that investment in the right technology can help us deliver both our growth and our clean energy missions. 

    Now is the moment to grasp the opportunity in front of us. 

    By backing a third runway at Heathrow, we can make Britain the world’s best connected place to do business. 

    That is what it takes to make bold decisions in the national interest. 

    That is what I mean by going further and faster to kickstart economic growth. 

    The work of change has begun.  

    We have already made great progress.  

    But I am not satisfied.  

    And I know that there is more to be done.  

    We must go further and faster if we are to build a brighter future.  

    The prize on offer is immense.  

    The next generation with more opportunities than the last. 

    An engineer in Teesside, working in some of the most exciting industries of the future – from carbon capture to sustainable aviation fuel. 

    A scientist in Milton Keynes or Bedford, working in our life sciences industry to solve some of the most important medical challenges in the world.  

    A small business owner in Scotland, knowing that they can expand and export to new markets right across the globe.   

    Wealth created, and wealth shared, in every part of Britain.    

    This is a Government on the side of working people. 

    Taking the right decisions to secure their future, to secure our future. 

    Stepping up to the challenges we face. 

    Ending the era of low expectations. 

    Putting Britain on a different path. 

    Delivering for the British people. 

    And I am determined, this Government is determined, to do just that.  

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –